‘It’s complicated, sir,’ Mossop said and left, leaving Cardilini shaking his head in disbelief. He anticipated a squad outside the door poised to arrest him, but when he left there was no one in sight.

He walked to the detective’s office. Half his colleagues were at their desks. No one called a greeting.

‘What don’t I know?’ Cardilini called out.

‘Deputy Commissioner was down here. Wanted to know if anyone had knowledge of you abusing suspects. No one said anything,’ Spry said with a glance to the office entrance.

‘Thanks.’

‘Stop looking for skeletons,’ Spry said.

Cardilini nodded his understanding. Skeletons at St Nicholas were the last things the old boys would want. And Deputy Commissioner Warren wasn’t going to let it happen on his watch, was he?

The accidental shooting report had been completed. So why is that fat copper still sniffing around? Cardilini figured that question had been asked a few times. A good question, too. Cardilini wished he knew the answer.

‘Not wanted here. Going home,’ Cardilini said into Bishop’s office.

‘Sounds good to me,’ Bishop replied without looking up.

*

‘Detective Cardilini.’

Cardilini turned. Salt walked down the corridor towards him.

‘Salt.’

‘Sir, would I be able to talk to you?’

‘About you being a past St Nicholas boy?’ Cardilini asked.

‘I wanted to tell you.’

Cardilini shook his head. He didn’t want to talk to Salt. He saw him as part of the whole machine that was corralling him.

‘I heard the deputy commissioner has come up with another eyewitness,’ Salt said.

‘Now how do you think that came about?’

‘It’s not the school. I know that for a fact. I thought you should know.’

‘Who then?’

‘Carmody.’

Cardilini nodded. ‘But why for heaven’s sake?’

‘I think some boys would follow Carmody into the trenches,’ Salt replied. Cardilini sighed in disbelief. Salt continued. ‘I remember, even in second form Carmody was a leader. He would stand up to all the third form boys who would traditionally bash second formers. He just wasn’t intimidated by them. Even when he was flattened in a fight, he was defiant and he never dobbed.’

‘Sounds like a thug,’ Cardilini said but didn’t believe it.

‘He was good enough for the first eleven when he was in fourth form.’

‘So he can play cricket. Big deal.’

‘He stood by Lockheed even though he knew it would cost him head boy,’ Salt said.

Cardilini nodded and pushed open the front door to the station. Salt followed.

‘So why am I getting a lecture on Carmody?’

‘Sir, I think you need to take him seriously.’

‘You take him seriously; I think he’s an arrogant prick.’

Salt stayed step for step with Cardilini as he walked towards his car.

‘What is it, Salt?’

‘Do you still think Edmund was intentionally killed, sir?’