Cooper looks at her. ‘Funny how he said Detective Yardley thought the girls might have been involved in porn.’

Oli’s phone rings from the depths of her bag, making them both jump. It’s Dawn. Oli answers on speaker.

‘There’s been a sighting of Nicole Horrowitz and her kid,’ Dawn yells. ‘In Bendigo. Channel Nine are running with it right now.’

‘What exactly are they running with?’ replies Oli.

‘Melissa bloody Warren is shoving a microphone in the face of some convenience-store worker who claims she saw Nicole and her kid last night.’

‘Do you want me to head out there?’ Oli says reluctantly. ‘I can.’

‘It’s fine. TJ’s going.’

‘TJ?’

‘He got word from a source that something was brewing, so he’s already on his way. There’s nothing new on O’Brien today, and he was happy to step in on this. I just wanted you to know in case it blows up.’ In a slightly gentler tone, Dawn adds, ‘The podcast is going well. The sales guys have been inundated with advertising interest, so just focus on that, okay?’

‘We’re on it.’ Oli hangs up with a flourish. ‘Fuck,’ she mutters.

‘She gave TJ the scoop?’ Cooper asks.

‘I think he gave himself the scoop.’

He shrugs good-naturedly. ‘All the more reason to make this second episode incredible. You ready?’

‘Now?’ she says, wiping coffee off her lip.

‘Why not? Now we’ve created the hunger, we need to feed the beast!’

She attempts to put aside her bruised ego, clears her throat and fixes headphones over her ears.

It takes longer this time. They re-record several sections as Oli loses her way a few times and Cooper stumbles over some questions.

Three hours later, she pulls off her headphones. The hair around her ears is damp, and she rubs her eyes. ‘No chance of forgetting lunch today. I’m starving.’

They pack up and head downstairs, walking in silence to a Vietnamese restaurant around the corner. The city is different on the weekend, full of tourists who have their eyes trained to the sky, exclaiming over buildings and landmarks that Oli barely ever notices.

After the steaming food is placed in front of them, she raises her chopsticks and eats while Cooper babbles away, laying out various ideas for the third episode. She welcomes the chance to sit and listen, to block the nagging worry about work and Dean.

Cooper pauses for breath and water. ‘We need more,’ he says, wiping his mouth. ‘We don’t have much that’s new. Miles will be interesting, but we need more.’

‘Ren will add some flavour, but you’re right, it’s not enough. Maybe I really should ask Bowman. He knows about the podcast.’

‘As long as he keeps an open mind,’ Cooper says earnestly.