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job at it. I’m just minding the store for the moment ’til Greg gets back from lunch,” she said. “Mark’s at the hospital in Toorrup with his Kate, having their first.”
    “So you’re about to be a grandmother?”
    “Heavens, no – Greg has four already.”
    “Wow, and you not a day over forty-five. I’d never have guessed.”
    “Tease,” she said, pushing him with her palm.“Speaking of kids, was that your Ruby I saw in the park the other day? I had to do a double take; for a moment I thought I was looking at a fair-headed Elizabeth. How strange that you and Elizabeth would produce a girl with such blonde hair, you two so dark and all.”
    Cam looked around the store for eavesdroppers and put his fingers to his lips. “Actually, Mrs W, I think it’s from a bottle.”
    She shook her head. “Kids today, what they do to themselves, I don’t know. Still, there’s a lot worse than a bit of hair dye. That boy she was with, well, I wouldn’t want to meet him at night down a dark alley.”
    Cam felt as if he’d just received a body blow. He had to jerk in a breath to get the words out. “Boy? What boy?”
    “Goodness, Cam, have I said something I shouldn’t?”
    He forced out a smile. “She never told me, that’s all. Do you know who he is?”
    “What’s-his-name’s apprentice, you know, runs the mechanic shop.”
    “Cliff Donovan?”
    “That’s him, and the boy’s Angelo, Angelo Arnoldi. He helps out with the bushfire brigade too. He can’t be too bad if he does that I suppose. I’ve always said young people these days don’t have enough community spirit, so it makes a change to have one who’s willing to help out.”
    A man in work clothes walked into the shop and started to look around.“Can I help you with anything, love?” Mrs Wilmot asked him.
    An idea came to Cam while he waited for her to finish serving her customer. When he asked, she said she’d be happy to have Ruby help out in the shop every now and then. But even with the arrangements made, he continued to the station with heavy steps, eyes to the ground, concentrating on the cracks in the pavement.

6
    The police sub-district of Glenroyd covered an area of over two thousand kilometres, so it was rare to find all five officers at the station at any one time. Theirs was an integrated system meaning that no one specialised in any particular duty, all spending equal time on traffic, crime and community duties. Vince and Leanne were where Cam had left them earlier, and the other two officers, Derek and Pete, were still out on traffic patrol.
    Vince was hunched over the computer keyboard, struggling with Monday’s interviews. Leanne was manning the front counter and communications. She started at Cam’s entrance, shoving a meat pie on to her lap and betraying herself with a guilty look that did nothing but draw his attention to the blob of sauce on her chin. She flashed him a self-conscious grin; perhaps she hoped to encourage some good-natured banter. But his frown wiped the smile from her face as quickly as her hand could dash away the sauce and she hunched further into the counter.
    Cam pulled up a chair next to Vince.“Tell me all,” he said to the sweating Senior Constable. Vince seemed more than happy to have a break from the computer. After pecking out one last word, he rocked back in his chair until it creaked.
    “You said the body had been ID’d,” Cam said.
    Vince picked up a fax from his desk. “Victim identified from dental records as fifty-six year old Herbert Bell, no fixed address.”
    “Background check?”
    “Yup, it’s all here,” he said waving the fax. “Next of kin listed as a Mr Toby Bell, brother. He’s a real estate agent in Toorrup.”
    Cam looked at his watch. He should have plenty of time to get to Toorrup, break the bad news and be back home before dark.
    Vince continued. “Criminal record, numerous court appearances, fines, community service, but no time spent inside. His offences ranged