Miki peered up the valley where cloud was beginning to descend, blotting the view of the mountains. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘Just to the edge of the forest.’

Leon swung open the door, shifting a paint tin and a couple of brushes to clear the front seat.

‘What’s the paint for?’ she asked.

‘Someone painted graffiti all over the toilets up in the park. The boss wants me to fix it.’ He reached to snatch a jumper from the floor and tossed it in the back. ‘Okay, you’re right to get in.’

Miki settled in the passenger seat and snapped in her seatbelt. The car was dirty: greasy takeaway wrappers and clods of mud on the floor. On the dashboard: scattered maps and a pair of sunglasses with a broken arm. Leon’s work boots were muddy too, with patches of dried dirt on his trouser cuffs. His hair was ruffled as if he’d forgotten to brush it, and his shirt was creased; maybe he didn’t own an iron.

‘Crappy weather, isn’t it?’ he said, putting the car in gear and taking off up the road. ‘Not the best for working outside.’

‘Isn’t it too wet to paint?’

Leon shrugged. ‘The weather’s supposed to break up.’

‘Need some help?’ Miki had enjoyed painting when she and Kurt had renovated the shop just after they’d moved in.

‘It won’t be much fun … But I suppose you’re dressed for it,’ he eyed her overalls, ‘so if you want to help, many hands make light work.’

They drove into the forest, catching up to a tourist bus slowly ferrying a load of passengers to the sky walk. There were few safe places to overtake, so they were stuck behind it to the turn-off.

Along the road to the park, Leon stopped to pick up a Coke can and other rubbish that had been left on the road. ‘Idiots,’ he said, dropping the trash in the back. ‘You’d think people who come up here wouldn’t litter, but they’re as stupid as everyone else.’

A Mars bar wrapper among the litter made Miki think of Max. He’d stolen one the other day. She’d been suspicious for a while that he’d been stealing, and she was worried about him, afraid of what would happen if Kurt caught him. She also knew Shane could be volatile. Leon lived next door to Max and they seemed to get along—maybe she should mention it. ‘How’s Max going?’ she asked. ‘Does he chat to you much?’

‘He seems okay,’ Leon said. ‘We talk from time to time, when he comes over to see the dog and kick the footy, but it’s hard to get much out of him. He’s pretty closed up. I was too, at that age.’

‘I think he’s been stealing from the shop,’ Miki said. ‘I’m not sure why.’