‘I’ll reserve my judgment,’ Cardilini replied.

‘That would be a first. Is he a good copper?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Will he make a good copper?’

‘Why’re you asking me?’

‘Come on, Cardilini I’m not asking as your super, it’s just you and me talking here. The department is going to invest in this kid, send him to university; it’s the commissioner’s idea. He wants to know what a real copper thinks of him.’

‘Oh, I’m a real copper now, am I?’

‘See, obstructive. You know what I mean. Before Betty’s death there wasn’t any better . . .’

Cardilini stood, angry, ‘I’m not listening to any of this bullshit.’

‘Sit down, Cardilini,’ Robinson growled. Cardilini stood defiant. Robinson relaxed, ‘Okay. I know who you were and you know who you were. Let’s leave it at that.’

‘Okay,’ Cardilini sat and asked, ‘What about forensics?’

‘They’re down there now. Bloody McBride misplaced the body,’ Robinson answered.

‘Why didn’t you get forensics on the scene this morning?’

‘We were going to, of course, but basically talked ourselves out of it. The range from across the river fitted perfectly with the angle of the shot. And the boys would have been arriving shortly. The sixth form had exams. It just seemed a bit bloody minded to put everyone through the ringer when both the deputy commissioner and I were certain what happened.’

‘How did you know about the range of the shot?’

‘I rang Acorn.’

‘I was just talking to Acorn and he hadn’t heard of a shooting at St Nicholas,’ Cardilini replied.

Robinson raised his eyebrows, ‘Checking up on me, now?’

‘No.’

‘I didn’t mention St Nicholas to Acorn. A .303 is deadly at a mile. The opposite riverbank is maybe eight hundred yards. According to Salt’s notes you figured that out anyway.’

‘It never occurred to you that he could have been shot from the school grounds?’

‘No, it didn’t occur to us. What did occur to us was that those crazy bastards across the river, that the local coppers can’t seem to catch, were shooting roos at the time Edmund was shot,’ Robinson said.

‘Yeah. But it would make perfect cover.’

‘A marksman? A .303? Hundreds of boys, twenty teachers, don’t you think it would have been reported?’

‘Yeah, maybe.’

‘Maybe? Are you kidding me?’ Robinson asked in disbelief.

‘How do you know the body had been there seven hours?’ Cardilini asked.

‘The doctor, but anyway, forensics have it now.’

‘You had a doctor there?’ Cardilini looked surprised.

‘Of course, you idiot. We do know a little about due process.’

‘I didn’t get a doctor’s certificate stating death.’

‘You didn’t need a degree to figure cause of death on this one. However, there’s a certificate in the tubes somewhere. Ask at secretarial.’

‘Was your doctor an old boy of St Nicholas?’

‘Yep. Seemed the best thing.’

‘Yeah, yeah. Sure. And the bullet?’ Cardilini asked.

Robinson looked thoughtful and said, ‘A student, exiting via the fire-escape, is a possibility.’

‘What was a student doing there? What time did he exit? What time was the blood left on the steps?’ Cardilini asked.