The Broken Shore Page #5

- You're telling me to quit?

Your call.

Just don't do that prick Hopgood

any favours at the inquest.

Singo talked about those with the grip.

Blokes with the power to hurt and the

power to stop people from hurting them.

Hopgood's got it in spades.

In a very short time,

I've grown to hate this place.

- Yeah, weather's not much.

- It's not the weather.

There's something wrong with this place.

Testing, testing.

It's a shrunken city.

Shrunk right down to the sh*t.

Sit down, Donny.

- How're you going?

- Alright.

I'm his mum and he didn't do it.

Helen Castleman

from the Aboriginal Legal Service.

I'll be representing Donny. I take it

you're in charge of this debacle?

Donny, this is just

a follow-up interview

to see if there's anything you remember

that you want to tell us.

- I take it you've advised your client.

- Of course.

You are Donald Charles Coulter of 27,

Fraser Street, the Daunt Settlement...

- ..at Cromarty, is that right?

- Yes.

Before we start, Donny,

you're not obliged to say or do anything

but anything you do say will be...

My client is going to exercise

those rights.

He's not going to answer any questions

in this interview.

Interview suspended 9:47am.

You care to step outside for a minute?

You know if Donny tells his story,

there might be no opposition to bail.

What have you got on him?

Being a passenger in a mate's car?

If you've got anything to tell us,

pal, better tell us now.

We were bringing the ute back,

that's all.

- It wasn't stealing.

- Shh'. He's not one of us, love.

If you think you can hold him

while you build a case for murder...

- Bail hearing's 12:15.

- OK, I will put it to my client.

- Bit of history there?

- Too good for me.

Donny's mother was with her son

the night of the attack, so no deal.

We have an alibi.

In which case,

bail will be strenuously opposed.

There's a real danger

the witness will abscond.

They spend their whole lives

covering up for their men.

The husbands, the fathers, the sons.

Doesn't matter what the bastards do.

We've got nothing that says Donny was

there when Bourgoyne was murdered.

Oh, I'm black so I'm meant

to empathise with the Daunt boys.

That what you're saying?

No, but keep an open mind. As a cop.

What's going on? You know he's innocent'.

It's bullshit, Cashin. He's innocent'.

The kid gets bail.

- Get off your phone'.

- Alright.

- Well, it gives us no leverage.

- I know.

But the Minister told the Chief

and the Chief told the Commissioner

and it's pass the political hot potato.

Righto.

And I meant to say, I spoke to Trace.

Apparently, Singo was in Blue Balls.

He never mentioned it. He wasn't

in Homicide then, he was in Arson.

Some fire, way back

in the Jurassic period.

Thanks.

Nuh.

We are not opposing bail.

- Dave?

- Thought you'd buggered off.

Left me with your mad dogs

and your debt.

That's certainly my follow-up plan.

You ever laid a stone?

I think some things

are best left to the professionals.

That's what they say.

Hey, Coulter, ya f***in' bastard'.

Hey, Donny, you in there, mate?

Donny, come out'.

Come on, get yourself out'.

- Donny, I'm frightened.

- Just go to sleep, mate.

It'll be OK. Just close your eyes.

Sleep, mate.

Get out of here.

Piss off'. Go away'. Piss off'.

Get out of here, now'.

Oh, you're having a golden run,

aren't you?

Shoot a couple of kids

and then terrorise the other one.

I'm afraid I need a coffee

before I can listen to your crap.

Are you telling me you know nothing

about the cars in the Daunt last night?

No, I bloody don't.

Donny's mother said that there were cars

shining headlights into her house

all night long.

He's scared out of his wits.

Sh*t, Joe, what are you guys

playing at? Dumb arseholes.

Donny missed his bail appointment

this morning.

Right.

Donny's mum said the little prick's been

a bit weepy.

What do you know about cars

flashing their headlights

into his window all night, scaring him?

I wasn't on last night.

Fast a-f***in'- sleep.

I can ask around for you, if you like.

Pottery classes. Big future.

No, I thought we agreed we'd meet here

and then march down to Coun... Right.

Great.

- Sorry.

- No, you're right.

Bit of confusion.

Right, the plan is that we'll assemble

here, do the speeches,

then we will march down Moorhouse,

cross at Enright

and then finish up

at the Council offices.

- OK.

- We ready to go?

Ah, yes.

You know Helen?

She's President of Wildcoast Australia.

A person of many parts,

our Ms Castleman.

And you, Detective. One minute

Homicide and now crowd control.

Oh, come on. Don't pick on our Joe.

He's one of the few

that actually signed this petition.

Bobby, do you remember Joe?

- Yeah, Joe Cashin. Bern's cousin.

- G'day, Bobby. It's been a while.

That's good memory.

Yeah, I wouldn't have finished

primary school without Bern.

- Best kid on your side in a fight.

- Yeah, that's true.

Just in case you didn't know,

I'm your local Member.

Mate, I'd actually thought

United Australia was a soccer team.

Might as well be.

I understand you were there.

Bad business, eh?

Yeah, kids carrying weapons.

Yeah, well, I'm not here

to stir up sh*t.

Sad fact is, more votes

in saving penguins

than saving black kids in this country.

- Sorry, we're on.

- Good to see you, Joe.

Bobby.

I want to talk to you today about loss.

You see, I should know. I'm Aboriginal.

All we seem to talk about is loss.

Our land, our culture

and most recently...

..my beautiful crazy nephew

and his mate.

Everything is taken away from you -

that's the moment you truly understand

the exquisite pain

that accompanies loss.

How loss can fracture lives,

how it can empty you of hope...

Hopgood's chasing you.

Said to say he's found someone.

I mean, look about you.

This place is paradise.

To my people, it is a sacred ground...

Cashin to Cromarty, come in.

...and those that fear it and

must destroy it, we here must care.

To lose is to lose

just one more piece of our soul

until nothing is left.

Donny, Donny, Donny.

Why would he kill himself, eh?

11.95 and a discount voucher

for a pizza.

Everything to live for.

Tipped 'em off, did ya?

Transparency, mate.

That's how it's done now.

Bullshit. Have you

even told his mum yet?

You gonna let her find out

on national television?

- Well, you can tell her, mate.

- I'm not your f***in' mate.

Suppose you're not.

The case is closed. Not too many

innocent people kill themselves.

Smile for the cameras, mate.

Detective, do you have

anything to say at this stage?

Yeah, go and get f***ed.

Joe?

- How're you going?

- I don't know what they are.

Vases, jugs.

C-B 83. Charles Bourgoyne.

Just do this one.

Now he tells me.

And tomorrow, I want you to go into

Cromarty station and steal some files.

I want everything they've got

on the Companions camp fire of '83.

Why don't we just ask for it?

Don't let Hopgood see

what you're doing.

Keep your nose clean. This is dangerous.

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