‘You’re not Scottish? I have a tin ear,’ he says and then chuckles as I try to put on a Scottish accent to demonstrate the difference. He soon gets me talking about West Creek and is full of questions about life in Australia. It’s making me homesick. He can’t get over the fact that kangaroos don’t box and there’s even a species that live in trees. When I throw in a platypus, it totally freaks him out—a furry creature who swims underwater, has a bill like a duck’s, and who keeps its babies in a pouch but also lays eggs. He takes out a pen and paper and insists I try to draw one for him. His horrified face when I show him my sketch makes me laugh. I feel like I’m having a little break from my crazy day, chatting to Ted happily. I pull out my phone to search for a real platypus picture.

I find such a cute one on Instagram that I send it to Lucy too, despite the circumstances. She’s obsessed with platypuses, and when she’s not drawing birds she has a sketchbook full of them. I also remind her to tell me what’s happened with Malcolm.

Another message from my father pops up just as I’m about to put my phone away, pleading with me to let him know I’m okay. I can feel his desperation, so I write a quick text: I’m safe, don’t worry. Don’t want to talk. Finding Melody and then I’ll get my stuff and fly home.

Just as I’m about to press send, I hear the automatic doors open and see two police officers walk in. They look around and walk straight towards us. Did my father call the cops?

‘Ted Craw?’ the female officer asks.

Ted nods.

‘This the girl?’

‘Sorry, hun.’ Ted turns to me. ‘I called the state troopers from the truck. Hitchhiking can be dangerous—lucky it was me who picked you up. If I had a daughter, I’d want to know she was okay.’

I swallow my tea. I’ve never spoken to a police officer before, and I want to look older and sure of myself.

‘Miss, I’m Officer Hickie,’ the officer indicates the name on her pin, ‘and this is Officer Scott. Do you have any identification on you? Where are you headed to this evening?’

My heart’s beating fast as I look to Ted to help me out, but he just shrugs apologetically.

I take out my wallet and search for something, anything, that looks like ID. ‘I don’t have my passport with me, but here’s my library card if that helps. I’m heading south to see a friend.’

She inspects the card. ‘Sky Lawson.’

Now it’s my turn to give Ted a sorry look for giving him a fake name.