‘Yeah, well. Easy enough for you to say. But if people start thinking I shoot in all directions, I’ll lose a lot of work. Won’t I, Taylor?’

‘Yep. That could happen,’ Taylor confirmed.

‘Did you hear a rifle shot other than your own?’ Cardilini asked.

‘I must’ve, mustn’t I?’

‘Why must you?’

‘Because the fella got shot. Didn’t he?’ Digger said with a smile to Taylor.

‘Were you asked about the sound of another rifle that night by the police?’

‘Yes.’

‘What did you tell them?’

‘That sound can be funny,’ Digger said with another look to Taylor who was obviously enjoying the banter.

Cardilini looked at the pair before asking, ‘Would a shot have been obvious if it came from this side of the river?’

‘Ah. He’s not as silly as the other ones,’ Digger said to Taylor.

‘Well?’ Cardilini prompted.

‘You’d think it would be. And yes, it is when you hear your mate make the shot, because he’s standing by you,’ Digger spelt out.

‘So it wasn’t like that, the shot you heard?’ Cardilini asked.

‘The shot I think I might have heard – if it wasn’t the funny sound the night can make – was not like that, no,’ Digger said seriously.

‘So, not this side of the river?’ Cardilini asked.

‘That’s where it gets complicated. Doesn’t it, Digger?’ Taylor asked.

‘Too right. It surely does,’ Digger nodded, confirming Taylor’s statement, then said, ‘See, you take a few roos out by the river, then the rest are bouncing off in all directions, then you need to catch them in the light. So I drive across to the rise and catch them with the spotty.’ Digger pointed west to the raised ground.

‘You had someone holding the spotlight?’ asked Cardilini.

‘No.’ Taylor shook his head. ‘He’s got it all rigged up.’

‘All rigged up. That’s right. I do it for money, you see,’ Digger said.

‘Okay. So you’ve driven across to the rise, what happens then?’ Cardilini asked.

‘And I shoot two roos, frozen in the spotlight staring at it. Then I hear what seems to be a late echo. Only trouble is, I know what a .243 echo sounds like. I’ve heard it plenty of times. And this didn’t sound like a .243 echo.’

‘What did it sound like?’ Cardilini asked.

‘.303, .308. Take your pick,’ Digger replied.

‘Coming from the direction of the school?’ Cardilini asked.

‘That’s difficult to say because sound ca–’

‘. . . can be funny.’ Cardilini shook his head, exasperated, and asked, ‘Is it possible it came from the school?’

Digger looked to Taylor, who gave a noncommittal shrug, then back to Cardilini. Cardilini, following their exchange, asked with some urgency, ‘What?’

‘I reckon that shot came from the school,’ Digger said.

‘You told the local coppers that?’

Digger shrugged, ‘They didn’t believe me. They reckon I’m covering me arse.’

Cardilini nodded smiling, ‘Thanks.’