‘Sergeant,’ said Hirsch, seated on a stiff chair. Her office was generic, apart from the athletics ribbons hanging on one wall, and three desk photographs: Brandl with her parents, Brandl graduating, Brandl and a man with their arms around each other. Hirsch had never met the husband but knew he lived and worked in Adelaide, two and a half hours south. A modern arrangement, a kind of fly-in, fly-out marriage—a cop’s timetable would wreak havoc on it, but it was none of Hirsch’s business. He was waiting for a bollocking.

‘Based on my recommendations, there may or may not be a formal follow-up—i.e., a trip down to the city, where you’ll sit at one end of a long table to be grilled by a couple of faceless men.’

‘No need to sugar-coat it, sarge.’

‘Did you or did you not post the video on YouTube? Stupid question, but it’s one they want answered.’

‘Did not.’

‘Do you know who did?’

‘Could’ve been anybody. Quite a few people were there.’

‘Was your sidearm properly secured in its holster?’

‘Yes.’

‘Loaded?’

‘Yes.’

‘Safety on?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you give permission to the woman in the YouTube clip to remove your pistol from its holster?’ Another stupid question, Brandl’s expression made clear.

‘I did not give her permission to do that.’

‘In your own words, describe the incident for me, please.’

Hirsch complied. When he was done, Brandl said, ‘So it’s your belief she thought you were taking her daughter away and she overreacted?’

‘Yes.’

‘Had she been drinking? Was she on drugs?’

‘No. She calmed down quickly when the doctor intervened.’

‘You were in uniform. Clearly a policeman. Did she think you were going to sic Child Protection onto her or something?’

‘I’ve been wondering about that. She was so over the top, maybe something else was going on. She said she lived with her husband, but what if she doesn’t? Could he be violent? Trying to get custody? I ran her name, ran his; didn’t find anything.’

‘Have a quiet word with her.’

‘Tried that. The address she gave me doesn’t exist.’

‘All the more reason to find out what’s going on. Have another word with Doctor Pillai.’

‘Will do.’

‘Meanwhile, the powers that be have asked why you didn’t advise Child Protection, or, at the very least, file some paperwork. I’m curious myself. She locked her kid in the car on a hot day. Could’ve died.’