She stole another glance behind her. The SES officer there had let her in the door when she’d explained who she was, and now found herself in a debate with another young woman, who was also demanding to join the search.

‘You just let that woman in, why can’t you let me in?’ she said. ‘We’re here to help!’

There was a whole crowd of wannabe search volunteers, camped in tents around the paddock that bordered the community hall, which had once been an old church, complete with ramshackle cemetery. It had begun snowing, out of what had previously been a clear blue sky, and some people had started campfires. It was becoming a miniature festival, complete with coffee and toastie vans, and music pumping from somewhere.

Eliza shook the slush off her hiking jacket and walked towards the end of the timber-floored hall. A group of men and women stood around a table on the small stage, framed by red curtains and dusty plaques and trophies on the walls. The room was loud and echoing with voices, and even though the old radiators were firing from the walls, Eliza’s breath still misted, her glasses fogging up.

As she walked up the steps, she brushed her hair from the leopard-print scarf, still tied around her head, and she studied the people around the table. There was a man standing at the head of the table, pointing at the map, trailing his finger along a path. The others were all angled towards him, leaning in, so it had to be Constable Darren Cahil, the search controller. He was in his mid-forties, dark full hair swept back, a Geelong Cats scarf loose around his neck, trailing down either side of his jacket.

Eliza drew closer until she could hear what he was saying.

‘. . . even if just one person stays overnight in each hut, you never know when they might stumble into —’ He looked up. His eyes were alert. ‘Miss Ellis,’ he said.

The others around the table looked her way. She caught glimpses of curiosity and pity on their faces. She could imagine what they were thinking. This is the teacher who was there when the girls went missing. She’s the whole reason we’re in this mess. Who does she think she is, coming here?

You’re being paranoid, she chided herself, gripping her permission slip tighter.

‘You’ve come to help with the search,’ said Darren matter-of-factly.

‘I want to join a team,’ she said.

A woman in SES overalls picked at her nails and an important-looking man in police uniform turned to Darren. ‘I know exactly where we could take Miss Ellis to —’

‘Let me go for a walk with Miss Ellis,’ said Darren quickly, giving the others a warm smile. ‘Make sure we get someone stationed in all the remaining mountain huts, and give each of them a satellite phone.’