‘Hasn’t done you much good then,’ Connor retorted. He put an arm around Tilly’s shoulders. ‘Come on, love, let’s make some calls. Oh,’ he added, turning back to the tied figure hunched by the tow-ball, ‘and it was me who found your stash in the river. In case you’re wondering.’

Matt spat a string of filthy language at him as they retreated into the dark.

‘Where’s your vehicle?’ Tilly asked.

‘Fifty metres or so, up a ways. I was about ready to quit when I heard you coming, then you stopped. Next thing, the horn was blasting away so I came running. What, in the name of God, were you doing back at the cave? I take it you and Luke ran into them there? Why did he kill Gerry?’

‘It was meant to be me, but Gerry threw himself in the way.’ She shuddered at the memory, then pulled the phone out, handed it to him and flicked the dome light on.

‘Oh, God!’ He stared at her, face stricken in the sickly yellow light, and reached to touch her maltreated throat. ‘You nearly died while I was twiddling my thumbs in the scrub. I should never have involved you.’

‘You didn’t,’ she pointed out. ‘It just happened. Now, please call Sophie. I’m really worried about Luke.’

He complied. There was a long, anxious wait until the distant ringing stopped and the dial tone resumed. ‘No answer. All right, we’ll have to go ourselves. But I need to let Sergeant Burns know about Mercer’s mates. He can follow the lot who are coming to meet Mercer. I’ll get a message to Spadgers Creek and have Des come through and collect our prisoner. We’ll head for the cave, and should make it back to the homestead before he arrives.’ He rubbed at his jaw. ‘It’ll take bloody forever for the other lot to get out from town, that’s the trouble. Time enough for those involved to do a bunk when Mercer doesn’t turn up. How sure are you about Luke’s condition? Not all bangs on the head are fatal, you know.’

‘And none should be ignored.’ Tilly said spiritedly. ‘I’ve done first aid, Connor, and he was hit really hard. He was slumped on the ground, bleeding from the temple, then he pitched over and didn’t move again. Oh, God,’ she fretted. ‘Where’s Sophie? Why isn’t she answering the phone?’

‘It’s okay,’ he soothed her. ‘We’ll go.’ He pressed more buttons, held a brief conversation, shut off the phone and swore. ‘Jesus Christ! Is the whole world agin us? Burns and Wilmot left town hours ago. Heading out here according to the front desk.’

‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it?’