‘It’s all I can think about. When you’re up there in the bush, among the trees and the cliffs, it’s hard not to believe there’s someone out there, watching you. And, well, the one thing that was never explained in 1985 was little Dorrie Dossett. She was the only witness, she’s the source of the Hungry Man stories.’

‘From what I understand, she had Down’s syndrome,’ said Con.

‘That doesn’t make you see things that aren’t there, Con,’ said Gabriella.

‘Dorrie said that a tall, thin, bearded bushman took her from her backyard,’ said Eliza. ‘He took her up the mountain and down into a cave. She said she saw Rose Cahil there, still alive. She said Rose was missing fingers and toes. She said the man, the Hungry Man, had eaten them. Then Dorrie escaped when he was sleeping and found her way back.’

‘Again, I’m sorry, but Down’s syndrome doesn’t lend itself to daring escapes from deranged serial killers,’ said Con.

‘But you’re not the only one who thinks that way,’ said Gabriella. ‘Maybe he was complacent around her, maybe he didn’t tie her up.’

‘Dorrie was never taken seriously, she was an inconvenience,’ said Eliza. ‘The police had their man – Ted Barclay – but he was in custody at the time Dorrie Dossett was taken. They weren’t happy about it, but Ted was granted bail after that, and you know what happened then.

‘A lot of people disregarded Dorrie’s testimony. Ted was the groundsman at the school and there were rumours that she knew him, that they were friends and she made up a story to protect him.’

Footsteps came down the hall and then a shirtless Tom North appeared, hesitating at the sight of Con and Gabriella. ‘Ah,’ said Tom. ‘Sorry.’ He spun on his heel and headed back up the corridor.

‘No, please,’ said Con, rising. ‘We need to chat with you, too.’

Tom hesitated, then returned. Con and Gabriella had spoken to him briefly in the car park by the trail, together with Jack Michaels, but he looked different now in just track pants. His jaw looked too big for his face – ‘Juice Jaw’, they called it. When he’d turned, Con had seen the acne on his back. Tom North was definitely on steroids. He filed that away in his mind.

‘Not sure what else I can tell you,’ said Tom.

‘I have some new questions. Take a seat,’ said Con. ‘Tell me about the girls – let’s start with Jasmine Murphy.’

‘She’s a good egg,’ said Tom. He sat down at the kitchen counter. ‘I only had her for PE. She’d get in and have a go. Little thing, had a bit of a reputation for being a bad girl. The guys just flocked to her. I’m not sure how she did it.’