‘There are still a few hoops for him to jump through, but he never did anything major.’

Kelly stubs out her second joint, breathes luxuriously and unfolds into her chair.

‘So comfortable,’ she purrs. ‘You know I saw Sally again at the country club? I haven’t seen Dog around, but she was giving me enough evils for two. He’s fed her some bullshit, no doubt, like it’s them against the whole world. I really dislike that woman; I can’t help it. Too loyal to him. Loyal as a …’

‘As a dog? No dogs.’

‘Ha. We were up against each other in a match. I reckon she cheated.’

‘Really. Who won?’

‘Who do you reckon, Gordo?’

He shifts in his seat and unpicks his Okanuis from where they have become wedged between his balls.

‘If anyone knows Dog, I do,’ Kelly says. Gordon’s heart sinks a notch. ‘He can’t have done it. I know every other main suspect has been ruled out. But I don’t think he’d be up to doing something that decisive. And clever! There’s nothing they can pin on him. But if he did it, you’ve got to hand it to him. Respect!’

Gordon gives a noncommittal shrug. It suits his interests to let Kelly and others speculate about Dog burning down The Lodge. It suits him if she spreads it around the whole of Bluebird and Capri and Ocean City. Dog deserves his reputation: only a lawyer could commit such a perfect crime.

The misinformation suits Gordon because he knows who did it. There was someone else who slipped away from the cricket match, unnoticed, that afternoon. Someone with expertise in fires. Someone who wanted to expose the scandal of Bluebird Beach having its volunteer fire station closed down. Someone who wanted, above all, to expiate his guilt. Someone with nothing to lose. Someone who cared enough for Gordon and his family to liberate them from The Lodge and its tyranny. Someone who had carried the guilt of what he had persuaded an eight-year-old boy to do, in that faraway time on that clifftop. Someone who wanted to stop seeing that ledge from the surf every single day. Someone who could think of no other way to say sorry. Someone who has made Gordon happy. Someone who set Gordon free.

Someone who burnt down The Lodge out of love.

Someone who honoured a deal.

‘Any news of Sam?’ Gordon says.

‘You haven’t heard?’

‘Heard what?’

‘The new local government administrator wanted to offer a sweetener to the people of Bluebird for losing their council. You didn’t know this?’

‘I’m a million miles away. I don’t answer the phone.’

‘Shit, Gordo. The firehouse development got canned. The old firehouse is being done up as a museum to the history of volunteering. I can’t believe Sam didn’t tell you.’

‘I haven’t spoken to him for a while.’