The Broken Shore Page #6

I've got something of interest.

I just passed an illegal fence

on my property

and I'm on my way to discuss it.

Oh, you're talking about

the pre-existing heritage path

leading to my historical boundary.

I s'pose you're going to charge me

with trespass now?

I certainly reserve the right to.

Some day-old plunger coffee? I can

reheat it if you want. Like a bickie?

- If they're my only options.

- Put a bit of rum in it for you.

Oh, yeah, that might bring

the feeling back to my hands.

Just a puddle.

- And what room do you call this?

- This is the ballroom.

I'm not apologising for my place.

It's a ruin.

I'm waiting for another ruin

to be built.

And let me guess, this is where

you go to after the ball?

That's the withdrawing room.

It's where we withdraw.

Cheers.

- Mm, wow.

- No half measures here.

Hello.

I'm not here to grill you, Joe.

It just seems like the government

are happy to let this business die.

Oh, there's no politics about homicide.

I think we're just waiting for things

to calm down.

This is the Daunt.

It's not going to cool down.

Do you at least accept the possibility

that those boys didn't attack Bourgoyne?

Yes, it's possible.

I heard that you tried to call off

the chase but Hopgood ignored you.

Oh, Helen, that's police business.

I can't...

- They say Hopgood is a killer.

- Who's they? The Greek chorus?

You've got family in the Daunt...

The people I'm related to

see me as another white maggot cop.

That's something

you wouldn't understand.

Maybe not. But people say

that Luke Walshe was executed.

You were there. Was he?

Corey Pascoe's sister Suzie said that

her brother had a watch,

an expensive watch,

given to him over a year ago.

Jesus, Joe, these kids were killed

over a bloody watch.

What if there was two of them?

What if Corey was just going to Sydney

to sell his watch?

Do you cops ever think about justice

or can you just do no wrong?

Cops are just like lawyers,

only they don't get rich

and people try to kill them.

I... I just can't seem

to get this right with you...

Remind me when you ever tried?

You came over here screaming

blue murder about a piece of land

that I would have come

to some agreement with you over.

Now you're trying to tell me

how to do my job.

Are you interested in the truth?

The truth? Or the truth that suits you?

Thanks for the coffee.

I'll find my own way out.

No, I want to be a witness

to any alleged falls.

Think you can set up a meeting

with Suzie Pascoe?

Away from the station?

I came back here to...

Because I needed some quiet.

I'd forgotten how unsettling

quiet actually is.

Sorry, that was just an impulse.

Not a sane one.

Stop watching me.

Abalone gone missing from down your way,

has it?

Worse. Truckload of beer.

We think someone from here flogged it.

Hundred percent certainty, I'd say.

Well, these files are ancient.

Should try the modern era.

Suzie, this is Detective Cashin.

He's big and he's ugly

but maybe he can help.

G'day, Suzie.

Corey had a watch before Sydney.

Long before the old bloke died.

He showed it to me.

Did he say how he got it?

Just that it was a present from someone.

It's a big present.

Do you know who gave it to him?

- Maybe Ray Piggott.

- Ray Piggott.

I know Ray.

So you're saying

he traded weed for the watch?

It's alright. You're not in any trouble,

I promise.

People grow a bit of weed around here.

Make a few bucks. Not much work.

- How else they gonna make it?

- Sure.

Do you remember

what brand the watch was?

Nuh. It started with a 'br'...

I don't know.

Is that it?

No, that's not it.

That has a white face.

Corey's had a black one,

with all these little clock things.

Thanks, Suzie.

- Is that it?

- Mm-hm.

That's barely a report. Three deaths.

Bare minimum report. Three deaths.

The Moral Companions camp was for boys,

orphans and the like.

Gave them a holiday, bit of fun.

And this fire in '83, that put an end

to everything, didn't it?

Mm.

Any idea where they kept their records?

Names of staff, kids' names?

I had nothing to do with it.

Charles kept them separately.

In this book, though,

it says he transferred two grand

to the same Companions account

every month.

There's no details here.

What's that about?

May I?

There's another two payments here,

$200,000 each.

What's that, 30 years ago.

There's no name.

It'll be some other charity

he was supporting at the time.

Yes, it's very likely.

But I need to see some bank details.

Confidential, I'm afraid.

No such thing in a murder case, Cecily.

Excuse me. Yeah?

Yeah, mate,

the kid's story checks out.

Bourgoyne did buy two Branlaus from

a shop called Cozzens on Collins Street.

Yeah, one black face, one white.

He knew them well.

Sh*t. I don't suppose any idiot

thought to ask the Sydney pawnbroker

for a description of the bloody watch.

- Apparently not.

- Ah, f*** it! Alright, thanks.

I saw you on the telly the other night.

You were being rude then too.

I need to work on my media skills, yes.

Nothing on the two big cheques.

Might be in his tax files.

But I do have an address

on the monthly payment.

It's in North Melbourne

somewhere.

Moral Companions.

Pollard. Arthur.

So they tied someone down here

and made 'em watch?

What's his connection with Bourgoyne?

This place was

on Bourgoyne's payroll.

And the vinegar. I could smell it

at Bourgoyne's place that morning.

Glad to see you dropped the case.

'They gave me gall to eat and when I

was thirsty, gave me vinegar to drink.'

What?

The Book of Common Prayer. A psalm.

Baptist education

for little Aboriginal boys.

Well, your corpse had form.

Used to work at an orphanage

until he was given the boot.

- What the hell?

- Let me guess.

Oklahoma? Kiss Me Kate?

Let's run a check

on the names of the boys

listed as state orphans

around these dates.

You always in pain?

- Oh, it's mainly when you're around.

- I'll ignore that.

How'd you go in the city?

I know you won't tell me.

Police business.

But I know you haven't given up.

Now, you now have a lovely new neighbour

who would like to invite you

to her house for a drink.

And maybe microwave some party pies.

Party pies. Wow.

Yes, I'm told that people in your circle

quite enjoy them.

I'll follow you? That way you won't be

able to give me a speeding ticket.

I know.

I'm living in an Emily Bronte novel.

I haven't committed to furniture yet.

It's just a fridge and a stove

and microwave.

No personality.

Well, party pies are perfect, then.

Very little personality in a party pie.

Did you inherit those eyes?

Yeah, one from each parent.

If you, um, if you look closely,

they're not quite the same.

Oh, I know your eyes.

You were a person of interest at school.

Do you feel the need to talk to me

in cop-speak?

Yeah.

- You never noticed me.

- I did. You were always glowering.

There's something sexy about a glower.

You still glower.

- What's a glower?

- Don't question your gift.

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