Georgie slipped her hand into Matt’s as they wandered along the sand. “There’s got to be some kind of staging post, right? Somewhere they gather the animals from all their smugglers and then take them out to the island.”
“You think it’s more than just the two you caught?”
She nodded. “Definitely. Their area was south of the ranges. Surely an operation like Stonefish would have more lackeys getting animals from all over.”
“They wouldn’t hang around for long though.”
He was right. “So maybe they all deliver on one night, but at different times.”
They reached one of the inlets and waded across. At low tide it would be easy to cross in a four-wheel drive, but there were no tyre marks. This way led to the new track they’d discovered recently. The one Lee had used to flee the scene after he’d shot Tan. “Did you and Darcy investigate the track Lee escaped on?”
“Yeah, but only to see where it came out. We knew it ended at the beach.”
They reached the track with deep tyre grooves in the sand. Matt frowned. “That’s made by more than one car.”
Georgie tensed. “So someone has been here regularly?”
Matt nodded and unclipped the radio on his shorts. “Darcy, have you or Brandon been on Lee’s track?”
Georgie held her breath until Darcy replied, “No. What gives?”
“Looks like it’s been used since then. We’ll take a look.”
“Be careful.”
They followed the track almost a kilometre back to where they’d found the cairn. This had to be the rendezvous point. Georgie avoided walking in the tyre tracks in case the police could get a mould. She moved through the bush towards the beach. Gouge marks in the sand at the high tide mark proved a boat had been there recently. She scowled. “They’ve been here since the police searched the island.”
Matt nodded and crouched to take a closer look at the sand. “There’s a good footprint here.” He radioed Darcy. “If you guys are finished, do you want to head back to the house and call Nhiari?”
“You found something?”
“Some tracks. The police might be able to get something useful.”
“You two got enough water?”
Georgie nodded at Matt’s questioning glance. “Yeah. If the police are going to be too long, you can pick us up.”
“Roger that.”
It was a short boat ride to Retribution Island and a few smaller islands dotted beyond it. “Did you guys check out the other islands as well as Retribution?” Georgie asked.
“No. We didn’t have time.”
The police might have, but Georgie was curious what was out there. “After Dot and Nhiari arrive, maybe we should bring Dad’s dinghy down and look.”
Matt looked incredulous. “You think Dot and Nhiari will be cool with that?”
Georgie grinned. “All right, after they leave.”
“We shouldn’t get involved, Georgie. These guys are dangerous.”
Georgie studied him. “If it was Darcy suggesting it, would you answer differently?”
Matt at least had the grace to look her in the eye. “Fair point. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“But you don’t care about Darcy?” She was pushing him, she knew it.
“He can take care of himself.”
