After the woman had left, Flowers turned around to face Ryder again. ‘Let’s go with your hunch for a minute. Say Lorrimer was bringing in drugs, someone must have had a reason to kill him, to put the tractor there.’

Ryder nodded. ‘He could have been skimming money off the top, or he could have had a mountain of cash or drugs on board, and someone got greedy, not realising the plane would go up like that.’

‘But they would have known a plane crash would bring people running from everywhere,’ Flowers argued. ‘Why not put a bullet in his head and toss him in the Swampy Plain River, it’s right there? Why a tractor?’

Ryder resisted the self-satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He’d made the right decision giving Flowers the lead in this investigation; his partner’s mind was already in overdrive. Ryder wanted the Freidman case solved before he transferred out of Homicide, and if the Lorrimer case was related, it would be ideal to wrap up both and exit on a high. His most urgent task was bringing Sterling out from undercover before he left, even if Vanessa had to go to the farm ahead of him, though he wasn’t going to voice those concerns to her yet. In the meantime, giving Flowers as much experience as possible would leave him well-positioned in the squad for whenever Ryder’s replacement was brought in.

He shifted his thoughts back to what Flowers had asked. ‘Why a tractor? I have no idea. Look, it could be anything, but remember to check with Ben Hoff how often Art flew in. It could differ from what Dan told us.’

‘Yes, Sarge.’

Ryder sighed. ‘I really hope it wasn’t bored kids trying to give Ben Hoff heart failure when he turned up for work the next day. Stupid pranks can ruin people’s lives.’

‘Or something just as tragic, like the lawn-mowing guy forgetting to put on the handbrake, though I think that’s unlikely.’

‘Hmm. You’d better tee up an interview with him too.’

‘I will. Sergeant Collins is guarding the accident scene this afternoon but I’m hoping he’ll fill me in on Art Lorrimer’s background tomorrow. I get the feeling Collins has been in town a long time. You know him, don’t you?’

Ryder nodded. ‘I got to know him quite well when Benson and I were here investigating Freidman’s murder.’

‘I thought it was the same guy.’

‘Speak to Collins, and Ben Hoff.’ Ryder looked at his watch. ‘I’d say Dan has broken the news to his siblings by now.’

‘How about Heidi Lorrimer working at the Ramshead Tavern with Sterling? That could prove useful.’

‘Very useful. I’ll talk to Sterling and find out how well she knows her. What did you think of Dan and his wife?’ Ryder asked.