‘Don’t break any of my tractors,’ warned Turtle.

Not a problem, thought Chandler. Most were already broken, relics of a farming past, back when the Sieferts had worked the land instead of chopping cars, poaching fish and threatening cops.

Mitch carefully backed off towards the car as Chandler made sure that Turtle was fully on-board with what was going to happen.

‘You’ll destroy my bloody farm.’

‘If anyone damages anything, you can make a claim for it.’

‘Really?’

Chandler pointed to Mitch. ‘Direct them to Inspector Andrews. He’s the man in charge, now.’

‘That stick of koala dung dressed like a starched penguin?’

‘He was born and bred here in Wilbrook. You can trust him.’

‘Didn’t sound like he was from here.’

Chandler nodded in response before rejoining Mitch by the car. He was studying a map of the surrounding area on a tablet.

‘We’ll check the outhouses first,’ said Chandler, ‘then the main house. I can go—’

‘You won’t be required, Sergeant.’

Chandler paused, struggling to process this new information. ‘Why won’t I be needed? You can’t search this place on your own.’

‘I know. I’ve called my team out.’

‘But I know the area, I can—’

‘We have this covered, Sergeant. My team will be here soon. They know how I work. I need you to explain to the old man—’

‘You forget that I know how you work too.’

‘How I used to work.’

‘What exactly is your problem with having me around, Mitch?’

Mitch rested the tablet on the hood of the car and looked at Chandler. ‘I need people I can trust.’

‘And what have I done to lose your trust?’

‘Nothing, Sergeant Jenkins. You never had it in the first place. You’ll just have to accept that I give the orders and I choose my team.’

‘You’re letting the shit that went on between us in the past get in the way of this investigation.’

Mitch slowly shook his head. ‘We have no past, as far as I am concerned, Sergeant. This is a decision based purely on what I think should be done. You know these hicks, that’s true, but you’re also a little too close to them and when you’re this close it’s easy to miss something. Or look the other way.’

‘So you’re accusing me of what? Unprofessionalism? Bias? Corruption?’

‘I’m not accusing you of anything, Sergeant. This is what an inspector . . .’ he paused on the word, ‘has to do. Make unpopular decisions.’

‘And if I decide to stay?’

Mitch picked up the tablet again. ‘I’d have no choice but to take you off the case and suspend you.’

Chandler didn’t doubt the seriousness of this threat.

‘Anyway, why are you complaining?’ continued Mitch.

‘While I lead the taskforce up here, you’re in charge of base operations. With Suze and Yohan. In case any new leads emerge.’