‘Good afternoon,’ she said. ‘I’ll put a call in.’ The man nodded and spun for the plastic seats that were bolted to the far wall. He perched on the edge of a seat, his feet apart, leaning forward to wring his hands.

‘They’ll be down in just a moment,’ Hayley called out and received a terse ‘Thanks’ in reply. Hayley remained standing, pretending to be busy by moving bits around her desk. It was less than a minute before a male detective from Child Protection arrived. It wasn’t the same person Hayley had spoken to on the phone. The seated man slapped his thighs as he stood up to shake the detective’s outstretched hand. The detective was instantly cheery when he said, ‘This shouldn’t take long’ and then they were both gone. Hayley’s attention was now drawn to where the doors parted again as her colleague Gary arrived. A crisp packet led the charge this time, scraping across the concrete before being trampled under his foot. He was late back from an appointment, his face looking flushed and hassled.

‘Ah, Gary! Could you do me a favour and just pick those few bits up? Every time that door opens the breeze drags something in. It’s driving me crazy.’ Gary looked unimpressed. He was much younger than her, young enough for this to be his first job. He reached out for the carrier bag that Hayley wafted at him. ‘Thanks, love!’

He didn’t take long. Hayley was glad when he finished so the doors could close to the chill.

‘Getting cold again!’ she said as he made his way across the front of the counter.

‘Was all right earlier in the sun. Not that we get much being cooped up in here though.’ Gary paced through to the back office where he stayed for a few minutes. By the time he reappeared he had shed his coat.

‘I didn’t realise the time, forty minutes and we’ll be closing up. Much going on?’ he said, then sniffed.

The internal door clacked and shook before she could answer. The man in his shiny tie and packet shirt reappeared. The same detective who had welcomed him in now hung at the internal door to speak. ‘See you in a couple of weeks then.’ They shook hands again, the metal case of the visitor’s watch catching in the light. The detective turned to where Hayley had already opened the folder where she recorded the visits for registered sex offenders. She knew the process. Hayley watched the man out until the doors fell shut behind him.

‘Does he work nearby? An office or something?’ Hayley spoke to the detective who was still holding the internal door open.

‘Nope. I reckon he puts a shirt and tie on just for you, Hayley!’ His eyes sparkled with mischief. ‘He’s always dressed up.’