Mitch glanced around. ‘They can’t hear me. And let’s face it, there’s no one else for miles. And that includes Martin.’

It was blunt but probably true.

Mitch wasn’t finished. ‘You think he did this on purpose?’

‘What?’

‘Disappear.’

‘Like some form of elaborate suicide?’ asked Chandler, humouring Mitch’s wild theory.

‘Faking it is my guess. Running away and becoming someone else. Mark my words, he’ll turn up in twenty years, his fingerprints on some murder weapon. I mean, what reason is there to fake your death and assume another identity unless you have done or plan to do something illegal?’

As Chandler expected, a wild theory. An intensive search into Martin’s past and present had brought up nothing, no ostensible reason for him to want to disappear and start a new life. Only the recent break-up with his girlfriend, bad though it might have been according to Sylvia, had caused any ripple on an otherwise flawless lake.

But Mitch’s idea got Chandler thinking. If the teenager wanted to disappear – for good – then out here was the place to do it. Jumping country left a paper trail, at sea his body would float to the surface, but out here, after a while, they would have to surrender to nature and class him as missing, presumed dead – free to start his new life.

‘He never intended on coming back,’ continued Mitch. ‘The car was fucked. No fuel, broken suspension, nothing but a trickle of water in the radiator.’

As tempting as it was to get caught up in them, Chandler decided to shut Mitch’s theories down. It was time to do their job. ‘Let the others do the thinking, Mitch, we’re just paid to search.’

Mitch arched an eyebrow. ‘Whoa, that’s heartless.’

‘If you haven’t noticed this place is heartless.’

‘You still didn’t answer me.’

‘I can’t answer every one of your dumb questions.’

‘You know I’m right.’

Chandler bit. ‘Faking his death is a big leap.’

‘But the correct one. That’s why I’m going to go far in this game.’

Mitch offered a self-satisfied smile. Chandler was glad of the opportunity to burst his bubble.

‘Not if you let the other kid get lost like his brother,’ he said, pointing to Arthur’s youngest veering off at a tangent from the others, his dad too busy reading the earth to safeguard his remaining flesh and blood.

Chandler set off to intercept the boy with Mitch in close pursuit.

19

On the drive back to the station, Chandler reflected on the fact that, once again, his lead had been taken away from him, his chance of stealing the thunder itself stolen. He was back to being an errand boy.