‘No.’ Cardilini reached for the sketch. ‘Evidence in an investigation,’ he said to Chapman and pushed the sketch for Mrs Burns to view.

‘He lied about that. Why? Surely that makes everything else he said suspect?’ Cardilini demanded.

Winfield and Chapman conferred.

Winfield unwillingly looked towards Cardilini. ‘Another boy saw you doing up your fly.’

‘Oh. Great. Who?’

‘We don’t have a name,’ Winfield said, avoiding Cardilini’s gaze.

‘You’re kidding me?’ Cardilini burst.

‘We were told just before we came in.’

‘Who told you?’

‘The deputy commissioner.’

Cardilini sat stunned as he stared at Chapman and Winfield. They stared back mutely.

‘What?’ Mrs Burns asked.

‘Anonymous comments aren’t normally considered evidence in complaint cases,’ Cardilini said. ‘Are they?’ he confirmed with Winfield.

‘No,’ Winfield replied.

‘Oh. It could still be good then?’ Mrs Burns smiled at Cardilini.

‘No,’ he retorted, then asked, ‘Where do we go from here, Winfield?’

‘We’ll have to get back to you.’

Winfield and Chapman left the room exchanging confused glances with Cardilini.

‘So, is that it?’ Mrs Burns asked.

‘Yep. That’s it for now.’

‘Oh, well. Nice meeting you, Cardilini.’

‘Likewise.’

Cardilini watched Mrs Burns walk away with a casual air of achievement and wished he could feel the same way.

*

He was standing at the urinal considering why the interview had been hijacked with the arrival of Mrs Burns and the presence of Mossop at the station, when Mossop walked in and stood at an adjoining urinal.

‘Good afternoon, sir.’

‘Mossop?’ Cardilini blinked several times to reassure himself that it was, in fact, Mossop.

‘Yes, sir.’

‘How are you enjoying your trip to the police station?’ Cardilini asked looking towards the door.

‘Not my first time. We pinched some bamboo from the Memorial Park in Narrogin for our high jump. The gardener hauled us in. That was the first time.’.

‘Okay. So why did you make up your story?’ Cardilini asked, trying to assume an air of ‘all this is quite natural’.

‘I can’t explain it exactly. But it’s the right thing to do.’

‘Oh, is it? How do you work that out?’ Cardilini demanded.

‘You were setting out to damage the school.’

‘Oh yeah. Who’s the other witness?’

‘Don’t know.’

‘Carmody put you up to this?’ Cardilini said finishing up.

‘What happens is up to you,’ Mossop articulated carefully.

‘I see. You can tell Carmody,’ Cardilini said sharply, ‘it’s another loose ball.’

‘It’s another loose ball?’ Mossop repeated.

‘Yes, it won’t work. That’s it. Did you come in here on purpose?’

‘Yes, sir, to say, “What happens is up to you.” ’ Mossop exaggerated his shake and adjustment.

Cardilini nearly laughed, before asking, ‘And if I satisfied Carmody, would you say you made it all up?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Wouldn’t the school see that as very bad of you?’