The first thing I noticed about the town meeting was the ratio of men to women was about ten to one. The second thing I noticed was that the hall in the council’s Chamber of Commerce was so much nicer than the scout hall used by the women of the CWA. The wood-panelled walls were decorated with portraits of men hung among shining boards with the names of men in gold denoting the long history of mayors and councilmen. Men milled around chatting together, some in suits, some in farmer’s flannel, some in between. While it gladdened my heart that finally the men in town were going to address the issue of the drug-facilitated sexual assaults, I wondered why more women hadn’t turned up; they’d seemed very invested at the CWA meeting.

Richard Tippet stepped up on the stage and tapped the microphone. The sound magnified like thumping. Men took their seats and the couple of women I’d noticed made their way up the back and into the kitchen. Ah, I thought, one of those kinds of meetings.

‘Good evening, ladies and gents,’ said Tippet jovially, despite the distinct lack of ladies, ‘good to see such a turn-out of concerned citizens.’ He looked around the room and there was a murmur among the crowd. Tippet’s expression turned grave. ‘Tonight, we are going to hear from Senior Detective Warren Harvey about what the police are doing in response to this drugging that killed poor Merv Evans.’

‘Hear, hear!’ boomed an array of voices.

I only just managed to stop my mouth from dropping open in surprise. How did Tippet know that Merv had been drugged? That was an investigation secret, a potential card up our sleeve, and here was Tippet announcing it to the world.

I turned to Wozza and nudged him with my elbow. He too looked surprised. And a little green around the gills.

Tippet continued. ‘As mayor, I promise to find urgent solutions to this problem facing the men of Deception Bay.’ He banged his fist on the lectern. There was cheering.

The men? What was he talking about?

‘It’s come to the point where a man can’t have a quiet beer without fearing for his life.’

Suddenly, I understood. This meeting wasn’t about the women at all! Women had been targeted and there were five victims so far in neighbouring towns, not to mention Kara and DeeDee and Meg, but it took a man accidentally caught up in the case to rally the troops. Rage quickened my breath.

I scanned the room. Frank Forester the lawyer was there. Ralph Murphy from the pub was there. And, in the back row, I spied the school principal, Duncan Edwards.

Beside me, Wozza looked an even deeper shade of green.

‘I think I’m gonna throw up,’ he said, pushing himself up from his chair and hurrying from the room.