‘Cornelius, the people on this island will shut you out as easily as look at you. They’ll turn against you – maybe they already have. This is Tasmania’s biggest case of the decade, maybe Australia’s too. It’s a media frenzy and you and Gabriella have just been painted as the bad guys by the town’s tragic heroine, Madison Mason. If your condition comes out —’

‘We’re about to interview Jack Michaels. We’re close.’

‘There is no “we”. Inform Gabriella she’s off the case, on my orders. Melinda Tran will take her place as your partner.’

‘Commander —’

‘That’s my last word, Cornelius.’ She sounded tired, sad. ‘Update me in the morning. An old woman needs her sleep.’

The line went dead. There were a few moments of silence as Con sat, breathing deeply.

‘These things are harder to use than you’d think,’ said Murphy.

Irritated, Con glanced across.

He saw his own lock picks sticking out of the keyhole in the cuffs, which were still fastened around Murphy’s wrists.

Con stared for several seconds, trying to make sense of it, then checked his pockets. ‘What the hell?’ He launched over the centre console to snatch them back.

‘You’re not the only one who knows how to pick pockets,’ said Murphy, leaning back in his seat. ‘But I never learned how to pick locks.’ He rattled his cuffs.

‘Stealing from a cop. Do you want to go to jail?’

‘Don’t act righteous, Badenhorst. I saw you lift Jack’s phone from his pocket.’

‘That doesn’t concern you.’

‘Since it’s my missing bloody daughter that he was screwing, I’d say it bloody does concern me,’ said Murphy. ‘You didn’t have a warrant to search his phone, did you? Be really interesting to see what your commander says about that.’

‘I don’t have time for this.’ Con revved the engine, then sped off the kerb. ‘What did you mean when you said Jack had stolen your seeds?’

‘Don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Murphy.

‘Oh, for . . .’ Con took a big breath. ‘Murphy, like you just said, he was with your missing daughter. Will you work with us or against us?’

‘I’ll work against anyone who thinks I’m to blame,’ said Murphy.

‘You think we’re going to frame you? Mate, do you think this is a bloody movie? You’re some misunderstood hero? The cops aren’t out to get you, Murphy.’

Murphy laughed, loud and sarcastic. ‘You really don’t know how things work around here, do you?’

I’m getting real sick of people telling me that, thought Con, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles went white. ‘Then explain it to me. If you can manage to string three words together, you inbred country dipshit.’ He didn’t mean to shout the last words.