‘Except save yourself. You managed that,’ Tilly said bitterly.

His eyes, once so bright and full of life, met hers, the light in them dulled. ‘I got washed against the runabout, and climbed on top. Rode it for hours, then Stefan picked me up.’

‘Who?’

‘Nobody you know. He was bringing stuff in that night. Chance in a million, really, that the runabout crossed his path. He hauled me aboard and scarpered, to dodge the search vessels we knew would be out.’

‘You didn’t look for her? You . . . you . . . She was your daughter, Gerry! She was only two, for God’s sake! How could you just go off and leave her?’ Tilly shouted furiously.

‘She was dead.’ He spoke with flat finality. ‘And if it came to insisting, Stefan would’ve had me back overboard to join her. Easy for you to talk, but you don’t know him. I’m sorry, Tilly, I am. But kids die, and ours did. What the hell are you doing up here anyway? Why didn’t you go home?’

‘What home? Oh, you mean the one sold up to pay your debts? I’m earning my living, seeing you left me penniless, you worthless piece of—’ A quavering groan interrupted her and she turned from Gerry to drop on her knees beside Luke.

He had fallen twisted, and she rolled him carefully onto his back, patting his slack cheek and bending to speak in his ear. ‘Luke! Wake up, Luke!’ The blood on his temple had run down into his eye socket, and his white face appeared even paler in the brilliant glare of the lantern.

‘Save yourself the trouble. He’s out to it,’ Matt, who had held his silence till then, growled. He jerked his head at Gerry. ‘If you’ve finished excusin’ yourself, get loadin’. We’ve gotta get outta here PDQ. What’re the two of you doing here anyway, Tilly? I thought that uni bigwig was comin’ this arvo.’

She shot him a look of intense dislike. ‘He’s been held up. Luke!’ she tried again, demanding fiercely, ‘What did you hit him with? He could have a fractured skull.’ She became aware of a discordent squawking as Gerry began lifting and carting the crates away, and caught a brief glimpse of avian eyes, of black and grey feathers and raised yellow combs. Cockies then, but she had no time to worry about them now. ‘You won’t get away with this, Matt. You’re not as clever as you think. How many birds have you stolen anyway? And what else are you smuggling? Connor said—’ She bit down on the betraying words but the sudden change in his expression showed that he had heard and understood.

‘That bastard!’ he snarled. ‘He didn’t fool me from the get-go. Botanist, my arse! So, what is he? Copper, Drug Squad? Answer me!’ She hadn’t seen it happen but suddenly there was a gun in his hand.