‘No.’ Joyce turned to Aaron. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about your leadership badge?’

Aaron picked up another Tim Tam and bit into it. Then he began to chew, very slowly, like a cow masticating cud.

‘Where’s your other son?’ Warren asked Joyce. ‘I saw him earlier. Steve, is it?’

‘Uh—yeah.’ Joyce flicked me a look. ‘He went off to find a signal. For his phone.’

‘There isn’t one,’ Warren pointed out.

‘I know. I told him that.’ Suddenly, out of nowhere, Joyce slapped on one of her twinkly smiles—the kind that had charmed Pat and Kate and Dixie. ‘Kids, eh? They never pay any attention to you, even when they grow up.’ Without missing a beat, she added, ‘One of the other boys broke a leg, I hear. That makes me wonder. As a parent.’

Warren returned her smile. ‘It’s wilderness education, Mrs King. We can’t avoid the odd injury, even though we take every precaution.’

‘Did she have anything to do with it?’ Joyce cocked her thumb at me.

‘No.’

‘I’m surprised. She’s got a history with kids.’

Seething, I opened my mouth. But Warren jumped in first.

‘I know,’ he said. ‘Robyn was a teacher.’

‘A bad one,’ Joyce snapped.

‘On the contrary, we’ve found her to be a real asset.’

‘At beating up kids?’ Without waiting for an answer, Joyce continued, ‘Whatever she’s told you is a lie. Why do you think she’s hiding out here? She’s ashamed of herself. I’d think very carefully about employing her if I were you—especially after this so-called accident. People will get suspicious. They’ll start asking questions.’ She must have tightened her grip on Aaron’s arm, because he winced. ‘And if Darren smokes a single joint when we get home,’ she told Warren, ‘I’m taking you to court. From what I can see, you haven’t even improved his manners.’

All at once Shaun’s amplified voice echoed across the lazaret. ‘Ladies and gentlemen!’ he declared. ‘This is just to let you know that the ferry to Cleveland will be arriving in ten minutes. If you want to catch it, you should start moving down to the jetty.’ He was out on the veranda with his megaphone; I could see him from where I was standing. ‘Those who want to stay and explore the island,’ he went on, ‘can catch the two o’clock Stradbroke service, or the return trip at four. Thank you very much.’

A surge of mingled voices greeted this announcement. I heard a woman say, ‘Connor—toilet! Quick!’ Out in the dining hall, there was a sudden rush for the food. Marcus and Sam were scooping up all the chocolate biscuits they could lay their hands on.

Joyce frowned. Was it my imagination, or did she look slightly relieved? ‘If this sorry bitch was mentioned on your website,’ she finished, ‘I wouldn’t have wasted my money.’