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Back Man at the Window Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. One
  3. Two
  4. Three
  5. Four
  6. Five
  7. Six
  8. Seven
  9. Eight
  10. Nine
  11. Ten
  12. Eleven
  13. Twelve
  14. Thirteen
  15. Fourteen
  16. Fifteen
  17. Sixteen
  18. Seventeen
  19. Eighteen
  20. Nineteen
  21. Twenty
  22. Twenty-One
  23. Twenty-Two
  24. Twenty-Three
  25. Twenty-Four
  26. Twenty-Five
  27. Twenty-Six
  28. Twenty-Seven
  29. Twenty-Eight
  30. Twenty-Nine
  31. Thirty
  32. Thirty-One
  33. Thirty-Two
  34. Thirty-Three
  35. Thirty-Four
  36. Thirty-Five
  37. Thirty-Six
  38. Thirty-Seven
  39. Thirty-Eight
  40. Thirty-Nine
  41. Forty
  42. Forty-One
  43. Forty-Two
  44. Forty-Three
  45. Forty-Four
  46. Forty-Five
  47. Forty-Six
  48. Forty-Seven
  49. Forty-Eight
  50. Forty-Nine
  51. Fifty
  52. Fifty-One
  53. Fifty-Two
  54. Fifty-Three
  55. Fifty-Four
  56. Fifty-Five
  57. Fifty-Six
  58. Fifty-Seven
  59. Fifty-Eight
  60. Acknowledgements
  61. About the author

‘Did he say anything?’

‘No, and I didn’t ask him what he was thinking. But he shook my hand and nodded as if thanking me.’

Cardilini nodded his understanding while Saunders rubbed his hand across his forehead. Their eyes drifted back to the bush. Cicadas suddenly seemed to spring to life.

*

Cardilini saw the homestead half a mile from the road in acres of flat, stubble-strewn paddocks. It was tucked amid clusters of trees that sheltered sheds and water tanks. To the right of the house in a broad, flat-roofed shed, Cardilini saw the distinctive winged tail-lights of a Chevrolet Impala. As he pulled up under the extended branches of a gum tree, he saw green lawn bordering a red cement path leading to the verandah. Standing there with her hands on her hips was a woman in her forties. Cardilini, conscious of her gaze, walked steadily from the car to the path. He stopped at the bottom of the steps to the verandah.

‘Coming all the way from Perth I suppose I’ll have to invite you in,’ came the greeting.

‘Thanks,’ Cardilini replied.

‘My husband will be in from the shed shortly. Better follow me.’ She turned to the dark shadows of the passageway, letting Cardilini deal with the flyscreen door as it swung shut. ‘No point talking to me until he’s here. Have a seat. I’ve a bun in the oven.’ She put the kettle on the woodstove, opened the fire grate and poked inside for a moment.

‘Thank you for seeing me,’ Cardilini said

‘I wouldn’t be too quick with your “thank you”. This is his idea, not mine. I can’t see the point of it.’

The rear flyscreen door banged closed and a heavy-set farmer took a step into the kitchen and stood solidly to allow his eyes to adjust.

‘Detective Sergeant Cardilini?’ the man asked.

Cardilini stood and extended his hand.

‘I’m Murray, and you’ve met Dot.’

‘I’m not here,’ Dot said and clattered some crockery.

‘Dot can’t see the point of you coming all the way from Perth,’ Murray Sheppard said.

‘That’s the only reason I let him in,’ Dot said over her shoulder.

‘I spoke to Senior Constable Saunders . . .’ Cardilini started.

‘Stop right there. Mo, you take the tray onto the verandah, you follow him, Mister. I’ll decide what sort of talk goes on in my kitchen. You carry this,’ she said pushing the tray into Sheppard’s big hands, ‘don’t drop it.’ A jug of milk and a bowl of sugar were given to Cardilini. ‘Go. Scoot.’ Dot returned to her oven.