‘Well that depends if you find fraud exciting or not. I suspect not. It doesn’t do a hell of a lot for me.’

‘Corporate stuff?’

‘If you could call any business in Gore big enough to be corporate. Yeah, it’s the usual; greedy buggers who think everyone else is too thick to notice the ledgers aren’t quite what they should be or that the money is haemorrhaging out of the place.’

‘Don’t you just love it when the arrogant take a tumble?’ He didn’t notice the barb.

‘Yes, but we’ve got to prove it in court, and all its associated rigmarole. So here I am.’ He took a sip from his beer, and then fixed me in the eye with one of his intense looks. I sometimes wondered if he practised them in the mirror, as he seemed fully aware of the effect his set of crystalline blue eyes had on the fairer sex. ‘You’re looking well, Dunedin seems to be suiting you.’

My hand drifted up and brushed away an errant lock of hair. ‘Thanks. It’s the fresh sea air, as opposed to the charming rendering aroma from the Mataura meat works. Slight improvement, don’t you think?’ I certainly didn’t miss that element of rural life. ‘Speaking of Mataura, do you think they miss me?’

He threw back his head with a ha-ha. ‘Oh, you’re referred to often, but I’m not sure I could say it’s in entirely complimentary terms.’

No surprise there. I didn’t endear myself when I managed to expose a major conspiracy that saw a few community leaders enjoying the pleasure of Her Majesty’s hospitality for the next few years. It wasn’t them so much I was thinking about though. ‘How’s Lockie getting on nowadays?’

Paul flicked his look on to low beam and sat back. It was probably bad form to ask him about my ex, but I had to know. ‘About as good as can be expected. Did you know he was moving on?’

‘No.’ Though I was hardly surprised. His wife had been murdered and he had a young daughter to think of. I’d be getting out too. Come to think of it, I did. ‘Is he heading over to Queenstown to be nearer Gaby’s parents?’

‘Yeah. They’ve jacked him up with a job, and Gaby’s mum will look after Angel for him during the day. A new start.’

Good, I thought. They’d have great support in Queenstown, and Leonore would love having her granddaughter close to hand.

‘Greetings, young Sam.’ I looked up to see Smithy arrive at the table, beer in hand. ‘Am I interrupting?’