Before Cardilini saw Harper, he felt on sure footing. He was going to hear them out and work towards them dropping the false accusations against him. He wanted Paul to hear that, but now he felt he’d walked into a closing trap.

‘Paul isn’t aware of all the details and there is no need for him to know . . . so Paul . . .’ Cardilini nodded for Paul to go.

‘I think he should hear what we’re about to discuss,’ Leggett said.

‘I’d like to, Dad. I know what you said that man did, but . . .’ he nodded to the door, ‘. . . I don’t understand.’

‘None of us do, Paul. That’s why he was able to do what he did for so long. And all of us here are guilty of aiding him,’ Leggett said.

‘Dad?’

Leggett interrupted with, ‘A child’s word against an adult’s word without any supporting evidence, there isn’t a lot that could be done. Isn’t that right, Cardilini?’

Cardilini nodded.

‘I know the shot came from the school,’ Leggett said as he crossed and closed the door to the passage.

Cardilini mockingly asked, ‘Do you know who’s responsible?’

‘I said you’d hear what you wanted to hear. Didn’t you believe me?’

Cardilini slowly shook his head.

Carmody and Mohr looked at each other, concerned.

Leggett walked back to the chair, sat and ran his gaze from one to the other before repeating, ‘I know the shot came from the school. I know, because I made that shot.’ The four sat staring at him in stunned surprise.

‘It’s a confession. I wanted you all here to witness it.’

The air seemed to be sucked from the room. Cardilini and the three young men looked dumbfounded at Leggett.

Leggett started, ‘On two previous occasions as the presiding judge, I have declared the death penalty . . . and I would come home and pray for the executioner, a man, to my shame, I could never look in the eye . . .’

‘I don’t believe you,’ Cardilini interrupted.

‘Which part?’

‘That you pulled the trigger to kill Edmund.’

‘Well, as we both know, what you believe is irrelevant when all the evidence points to me. I had motive. I know how it was done. I know where the weapon I used is and how I obtained it. And how I disposed of it. And now, it’s possible to prove that the actual bullet I placed in the chamber is the one young Harper has arrived with. You will find, Detective Cardilini, when it comes to providing bullet proof evidence, I know exactly what I’m doing.’

‘But your age – you’re frail, no one would believe you could climb the wall, let alone make that shot.’

‘What wall? There’s a gate you know.’

‘What did you do with the murder weapon?’

Leggett smiled. ‘The rifle? I returned it to the armoury.’

‘Which rifle did you use?’