‘Every man can find a way to justify what he wants to do. What will be her next excuse, once a week is up? Once she has a taste for the easy money of the game?’

‘I’ll be able to stop her,’ said Mackerel. ‘I know that I will.’

‘Swear it,’ said Ahab, his eyes lit up from below by the glow of his cigarette. ‘Swear to me you’ll stop her if this gets too big.’

‘I swear,’ said Mackerel.

‘Alright.’ Ahab ground out his cigarette on the gravel drive, appearing to come to a decision. ‘Then I’ll stay out of your way. For now. Forest will be staying with me. You’re not to hurt him.’

‘Why do you call him Forest? That’s not his real name.’

Ahab gave a wave and climbed back into his ute.

‘You should’ve told me!’ he shouted. But Ahab was gone.

CHAPTER 41

AHAB

Ahab’s mind turned over events as he drove back to the Mermaid’s Darling. He’d surprised himself with the way he’d spoken to Mackenzie. Was he growing too trusting in his old age . . .?

No, he wasn’t that old.

But the Business is the cause of all of this, he thought, pulling into his parking space at the inn. The Business is what brought Blackbeard here. So how could I allow him and Shelby to start another one?

Why don’t I put a stop to it now?

Usually he knew instinctively what the right thing to do was. Right now, he felt adrift.

But one thing seemed the right thing to do.

Shelby, who had lost the most, deserved to at least try.

Upstairs, he’d put Davey and Forest into a shared room – he wanted them to keep an eye on each other.

When he got up the stairs, he wondered briefly if they had killed each other while he was gone.

He was relieved to find Davey lying on the bed, looking at the ceiling, and Forest in the armchair reading one of the children’s picture books left in the rooms for guests.

‘If it’s true what those two are saying . . .’ began Ahab. ‘If becoming a supplier to Blackbeard is the only way to find him —’

‘It’s true,’ said Davey before he’d finished.

‘But you’re against it,’ said Ahab.

‘How could I support it? Of course I can’t. Shelby . . . it’s too risky. We should just cut our losses and run.’

‘Then why don’t you?’ said Ahab. ‘Take Shelby and Kane, and run?’

‘That’s no life for her . . . on the run with me.’

‘And being an ice cook is better?’

‘I tried to talk her out of it!’ said Davey. Ahab felt sorry for his cousin. The spark he’d gained at seeing his wife had gone, leaving him even worse than before. ‘You need to put a stop to it!’