Flowers took it easy, cows mooing every now and then as they passed by the darkened paddocks. Only when he turned onto Tooma Road did he switch on his high beams.

‘Well, that definitely fits with what Mhanda Van Engelen and Owen Temple told us,’ he said.

Ryder nodded. ‘About the subdivision, yeah. As for their alibis, we can’t check Dan and Kristin’s, but we can confirm Ethan’s story with the salvage crew.’

Flowers stared at the narrow road illuminated by his high beams. ‘And best of all, we get to talk to Rodney Garrett. I can’t wait.’

‘You’ll have to. I’m meeting Sterling at Perisher in the morning. I know you said she seemed okay, but I want to judge for myself.’ Ryder gave a heavy sigh. ‘I need these cases solved before I transfer to regional, and I want Sterling out of Khancoban by then.’

Flowers glanced at Ryder, troubled at the worry in the sergeant’s voice. ‘She’ll be out by the end of the ski season, won’t she?’

‘It depends. My replacement could leave her there if she’s started making inroads into the drug ring, and we haven’t made an arrest by then. That’s why I’m counting on you to help me nail this. I don’t want anything to happen to her.’

‘That makes two of us,’ said Flowers, hating the thought of Sterling being undercover indefinitely. ‘You can count on me to do everything I can to try and find out who put that tractor on the runway.’

‘I know I can, Daisy.’

The trust that Ryder was showing in him was gratifying, and Flowers thought how lucky he’d been to have had Ryder as his mentor.

‘If we’re not able to see Rodney Garrett tomorrow, Sarge, what do you want me to do?’

‘Keep in touch with Benson. Remember, this is a suspected homicide. It could still be kids who moved that tractor. And chase up the Sydney squad. Tell them to get on to Art Lorrimer’s service provider and see what the hold-up is. I want his phone log.’

‘Yes, Sarge.’

They travelled in silence until they reached Khancoban half an hour later. Flowers slowed down, sticking to the speed limit as they crawled through the darkened town. He wasn’t looking forward to his chat with Sterling tonight, not after the furious look she’d given him at lunchtime.

Leaving Khancoban behind, they began the winding ascent up the mountain. Towering alpine ash formed a canopy in places, and as they climbed higher snow flurries began to fall.