The wrinkles on Campbell’s face shifted into a scowl. ‘I was in the kitchen making tea because this one’—he stabbed a thumb at his son again, causing the coffee in his other hand to slop over the side of the cup and on to the sheets on his lap—‘was on the phone instead of looking after me. Next thing I know, I wake up here. Max said you’re the one who found me?’

‘It appears that you either fell over backwards and hit your head on something—maybe the corner of the table—or someone hit you from behind.’ Jake had wondered about the freshly washed pan on the side of the kitchen sink. Would anyone be so casual as to smack Campbell on the back of the head with it then take the time to wash away any blood spatters while Mason lay on the floor nearby? ‘Can you think of someone who might have reason to attack you?’

Campbell glanced at O’Brien, then back to Jake. ‘If they didn’t take any of my vines, and it wasn’t Max, then I have no idea who it was.’

‘Dad!’

‘I know you want me gone as soon as possible.’

‘Somewhere safe. So things like this don’t happen.’

‘You didn’t hear or see anything, Max?’ Jake asked.

‘The first I heard of it was you shouting to see if anyone else was in the house. Why were you there?’

‘I wanted to ask you about the back roads behind the estate. I’ve been trying to determine how someone might be able to drive in and out for access to the vineyard without being seen on the main road. From satellite images it looks as though it’s possible on fire trails?’

Max smiled. ‘That takes me back! Yes, there are dirt tracks through the bush that allow you to get to and from town and most of the other farms in the area.’

‘Why do you say, “takes you back”?’

He smiled again. ‘Teenage trysts.’

‘So the backroads are common knowledge?’

‘Everyone at high school was using them.’

That was something, at least. A thorough canvassing of everyone who had travelled the road to and from the campground on Friday night and early morning hadn’t identified any unaccounted vehicles. Perhaps this was how Ava’s killer had transported her body to the vineyard.

Jake returned to questioning Max’s father. ‘With Ms O’Brien being found on your property, we need to look into whether there’s any relationship between what happened to her and what’s happened to you.’

‘You think whoever did that to Ava also attacked Mason?’ O’Brien said.

Was that panic in his voice? ‘We can’t rule it out,’ Jake said. ‘Please tell me again, Mr Campbell, what was your relationship with Ava?’