‘I wanted to ask about the body,’ she says. ‘The body that was found on the beach here in Sydney thirty years ago.’

‘Yes.’ He takes his glasses off and rests them on the table in front of him. ‘What about it?’

‘Was it Mandy? The body – was it her?’

‘No. The Maroubra body turned out not to be a match for Mrs Mallory, after all,’ he says, with an indifference that Isla does not believe. He returns his glasses to his face. ‘They were the same age, height and so forth. But it seems the Maroubra woman had given birth.’ He waves his finger at a non-existent window, as if the beach at Maroubra might be visible beyond the wall. ‘Mrs Mallory’s medical records showed she had no children.’

‘Why did you call my dad and tell him you’d found Mandy’s body?’

‘We believed at the time—’

‘You called him before you checked Mandy’s medical records.’

‘We may have been a little hasty.’

She sits forward in the chair. ‘You were trying to scare him. You knew you didn’t have Mandy’s body but you thought you could force a confession.’

‘That’s a strong accusation, Miss Green.’ He tugs at his cuffs. ‘I can assure you that’s not the case.’

The strip lighting flickers overhead.

‘Are you still searching for a body?’

‘None of the records in New South Wales were a match.’

‘What does that mean?’

He smiles, as if she were a slow learner. ‘It means we’re closing the case.’

She is briefly speechless. Inspector Perry sits back in his seat.

‘Aren’t you searching outside of New South Wales?’

‘No need.’

‘Don’t her family want the search to continue? Her husband?’

‘Mr Mallory believes his wife is alive.’

She laughs. She doesn’t know if she is relieved or shocked or something else. The case is closed. She can get on a plane, go back to her life.

‘Steve thinks Mandy’s alive?’

‘He made a statement to that effect.’

‘When?’

‘Few days back. He contacted the station with some new information. It seems Mrs Mallory withdrew funds from a Sydney branch of the Commonwealth Bank early in 1968, shortly after their house was sold. She took a large sum out as a cash withdrawal. We checked the bank records. The amount matches.’

‘How do you know that was Mandy?’

‘Steve had moved away. He didn’t return to Sydney.’

Isla thinks Inspector Perry is less bored than he appears. There is something sharp behind his weary disinterest. She thinks of Steve, close to tears that day in Ropes Crossing, saying he thought Mandy was dead.

‘Why didn’t Steve mention this before? He seems to have changed his story.’

‘Miss Green, I’m not sure you understand.’ He leans across his desk. ‘It’s over. Your father is in the clear. I’m grateful to your family for their cooperation. I know it hasn’t been easy.’

The strip lighting ticks and buzzes. Isla stares at his tower of paperwork. The mahogany and leather of his desk.