Hirsch got behind the wheel, aircon on high, and checked the CCTV feed: Flann looked resigned but was muttering fuck and cunt and copper a lot.

‘That’s the spirit,’ Hirsch murmured, and bumped the Toyota across the dirt and grass until he reached the dugout. Leaving the aircon and engine running, handbrake on, he slapped his palm against the box and shouted, ‘Back in a few minutes.’

Flann began to shout, kick the walls. ‘I’m dying in here. I’m claustrophobic, you fucking arsehole.’

The Toyota protested meekly, rocking on its springs. ‘Few minutes,’ Hirsch shouted.

He climbed down to the bed of the creek, stood beneath the dugout and called, ‘It’s Paul, you’re safe now, he’s locked up.’

He scaled the bank. At the dugout entrance he said it again: ‘I arrested him. He can’t get at you. He’s locked away.’

Craig Washburn gave one of his vacant grins, Anna sucked her thumb, eyes wide, and Louise was suspicious. ‘How do we know?’

‘Here.’ Hirsch swiped at his phone, showed her the screen.

She peered briefly and nestled back in against Washburn. ‘Who is he? Police?’

‘He’s called Wayne Flann. He lives near Tiverton. Did you ever have anything to do with him? Was he ever at your house? Did your mum, I don’t know, cut him off in a carpark? Anything like that?’

She shook her head. ‘No.’

Then her face creased; grief and bewilderment saturated her voice. ‘Why would he want to kill us?’

Hirsch touched the back of her hand. ‘I honestly don’t know. I think he and possibly his brother liked to go around breaking into houses on quiet back roads and this time it was your bad luck. Maybe this time he was high on drugs, I don’t know. The thing is, there’s no need for you girls to stay here now. Hop in the car, I’ll take you somewhere safe.’

She shook her head wildly. ‘No way.’

‘We won’t go anywhere near any police, okay? We’ll figure out somewhere safe you can go, then I’ll get your statement and we’ll start an investigation.’

She shrieked it. ‘Start an investigation? While people can see us sitting in your car? And you said that man you arrested has a brother? Where is he? Is he coming after us, too? We’re staying here. Craig’ll look after us.’

Hirsch was patient. ‘You’ll be safe travelling with me. There’s plenty of room and—’

Her voice rose an impossible notch. ‘You honestly think we’re riding in the same car as him?’

Anna took her thumb from her mouth, her face wretched, and began to wail. ‘Shhh,’ her sister said. ‘Sorry, bub.’

Hirsch, looking to Washburn for help, saw only a benign, philosophical beam on the old creased face, and a tiny shrug that said: What can you do, eh?