‘Because you never answer yours. Jake,’ she said. ‘It’s been two weeks since you left. Talk to me.’

‘Nic, I …’

‘And tell the truth. I know when you’re lying.’

That was precisely the problem.

‘I’ve been tearing my hair out,’ she said, ‘wondering what I missed. Work’s no fun without you. And you’ve never gone this long without spending time with Pete in your life. He’s really missing you, I can tell.’

‘Nic.’

‘And then I find out you came back to Melbourne this week and didn’t even let me know?’

‘He told you?’

‘Of course Pete told me. He’s my husband.’

And an idiot who slept with another woman. In Jake’s bed, no less. Jake had screamed at Pete for putting him in a position where he either had to stay silent—which meant reducing his contact with Nic significantly—or saying something that triggered the breakdown of Nic and Pete’s marriage.

‘Why the hell would you do this?’ he’d yelled.

‘You don’t need women like I do,’ Pete had screamed back, scrambling to pull his clothes on. ‘You never have.’

‘You have the best woman on the planet already, you greedy dickhead!’

‘Jake?’

The sound of Nic’s voice pulled him back to the present; he gritted his teeth. ‘Look, Nic, I’ve been working around the clock on this bloody awful murder, and I just need some space …’

‘Bull. Shit. Even if that’s it, it doesn’t explain why you’ve just cut us out of your life. What are you hiding?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Are you sick? Do you have cancer, or something? Whatever it is, you know I’ll be there for you. Just let me in!’

Nic’s compassion almost broke his resolve. ‘No. Nothing like that.’

‘Are you in trouble? Did you uncover something at work that puts you in danger?’

‘No.’

A pack of drunk tradies burst through the pub door, spilling noisily into the street. Jake turned his back on them and covered one ear, wandering a few paces into the wafts of mist rolling up the street.

‘Then what is it?’ Nic was saying. ‘If you don’t want to tell me what’s happened, I can live with that. But why don’t we at least catch up. Fly back one weekend and we’ll hang out?’

‘I’m sorry Nic, I can’t.’

‘You’ll have to come back to civilisation at some point.’

Jake drew a ragged breath. ‘I made this move to find some time for myself, and to change things. I need a fresh start.’

‘And how’s that working out for you?’ Nic always became narky when thwarted.

‘So far, not so good,’ he attempted to lighten the mood. ‘Some missing kids, murders, rapes, pretty horrendous shit all round.’

‘Keeping busy then.’

‘Always. But when it’s done with I’ll still need space.’