The drone resonated through the water. It was all around him, consuming everything, the whole ocean trembling in anticipation of what would come next.

CHAPTER 55

AHAB

Constable Linda had just dropped Ahab off at Ivy’s house, her lights flashing and siren still sounding. He still had blood on him. No time to wash. No time for anything but to find Ivy. She’d hired Frankie. Ivy knew Blackbeard better than anyone – he had to find out what she knew.

He walked through the front gate, fringed blue butterflies in the flowers of the daisy bush along the path, the heady scent of ocean and breeze. Safe Harbour. The end of an era.

Linda hadn’t noticed anything different about Ahab. She was devastated by Kane’s murder, and carried along by the frantic search for De Corrado. She’d brought Ahab here as a personal favour, but she wanted him out of the car. ‘I’ll go to Shelby’s place and . . . break the news.’ She’d looked like she was in shock herself. ‘I’ll wait there for you to arrive – she’ll want someone she trusts there.’

During the last hour – had it really been that long? – the police had listened to the hikers’ testimonies, but they’d grasped right away that Ahab was not the aggressor. Vance was being taken to the station in the back of another squad car at this very moment, but Ahab knew the man wouldn’t talk. He was scared enough of Blackbeard as it was.

After they’d taken Vance in, the police had taken photographs of Ahab and evidence swabs from his clothes and fingernails, as well as impounding his ute. But in the end they’d believed him when he said he needed to be with the grieving family – news of Kane’s death would soon spread like wildfire. For Ahab, there would be more police interviews to come, official statements, a criminal trial . . . a funeral.

But for now, he had to talk to Ivy.

He pounded on the white timber door, dried blood on his knuckles. A kookaburra laughed in the gumtree. The Black Wind bellowed.

Most of the Shacktown police force were out scouring the town for De Corrado and the fake Forest, and as they’d driven up to Safe Harbour Linda had let him listen in on the police radio. The pair hadn’t been found at Frankie’s house – nor had Frankie – but there were signs of a struggle.