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‘Sounds like complicated work . . . and dangerous?’

‘Yep. Sometimes it’s not successful because crocs can be territorial. There are stories of them travelling hundreds of miles to come back to a favourite spot.’ Ellie looked at him and the colour ran up into her cheeks. ‘I’m sorry. I tend to rabbit on a bit. Where did you work before you came here?’

‘All over the place.’ Kane avoided a direct answer. ‘Any more sandwiches?’ Ellie caught his eye again as she passed another packet to him but this time her expression was clear. She was well aware that he was avoiding anything personal. He didn’t want to share. What he’d been through was his own business and the last thing he wanted was more sympathy. If it wasn’t for his mother being ill, he wouldn’t be visiting her either. He didn’t want to hear any more questions about what had happened. Or any more accolades about his supposed heroic status.

Christ, he just wanted to forget it and get on with life.

‘Come on, let’s go back.’ He wolfed down the sandwich and stood. Kane’s pleasure in the day had dimmed.

The look that Ellie threw him as she slipped the backpack over her shoulders added to his mood. She opened her mouth as if to say something and then obviously changed her mind.

She didn’t show him the crocodile traps as they walked back over the rocks and through the monsoon forest.

Chapter 7

Saturday

Arnhem Highway

David had left their SUV at home in the garage last night and taken a bus to the airport where he’d picked up the rental car. Gina had booked and paid by phone with her credit card as he had instructed. He’d parked two streets away, walked down two blocks and come in through their back garden. This morning he got up early, retrieved the car and had bundled them and their luggage in before sunrise – the kids awake and excited about their adventure to Kakadu. Gina had watched, her lips set in a straight line, as David had looked up and down the street, but it was as quiet as always. No one knew where they were going and he’d made sure that not even a chance remark to neighbours could alert anyone who might enquire.

‘Just a small precaution.’ Maybe he was being overcautious but he didn’t trust Fairweather. ‘You know what politics is like . . . and the media. This is a big week and I’m just being careful.’

‘No, I don’t know what politics is like. That’s your life. And if you would tell me why or how we have to be “careful”, I could be careful too, without having to travel away from home in the middle of the night.’ Gina had stared at him, her beautiful eyes full of concern, and David tried to reassure her.

‘It’ll be a good rest for you. One last chance to take some time for yourself before the baby. There’s a day spa and a crèche for the kids. Two weeks of doing nothing. Order in room service, sleep when the kids nap. You can have a total rest. You’ll enjoy the luxury suite by the pool. We’ll have a good time.’

‘We?’ She was softening a little.

‘I’ll be with you both weekends. You can go off and get pampered and I’ll sit with the kids this afternoon.’

The forgotten feeling of being the most important person in his wife’s world came rushing back when Gina reached over and wrapped her fingers around his.

‘No, sei la mia anima gemella. We will spend the weekend together before you go back to your office to whatever is so important.’ Her voice was soft and David smiled at her and squeezed her fingers.

‘You know you are my soulmate too, bella. Don’t ever doubt that.’

He’d thought of nothing but the safety of his family over the past twenty-four hours as he’d tried to prepare for the upcoming environmental committee meeting. The drive along the Arnhem Highway had given him a couple of hours to focus on the carefully worded position statement. Even though Kakadu was a national park administered by the federal government, the government of the Territory still played a major role under the recent amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The environmental impact statement for the proposed mineral exploration on the northern edge of Kakadu had been submitted by Black Coal Holdings.

‘Are we nearly there?’ Andrew’s loud whine pulled David’s mind from the response he was drafting in his head.

‘Daddy! Are we nearly there?’

David nodded absently and the sound of a game resumed from Andrew’s iPad in the back seat.

He glanced across at Gina; she’d dropped her Kindle and was dozing, her head on the leather headrest of the hire car. Her olive cheeks were lightly tinged with a rosy flush as the sunlight played on her face. She breathed softly through gently parted lips, and her hands were folded protectively over the soft swell of her pregnant stomach. She was more beautiful now than when he’d first met her.

A muscle clenched in David’s gut. Was he doing the right thing by bringing them down here?

The boundary change and the exploration licence votes could be brought forward. Maybe his vote wouldn’t make any difference anyway? He wondered what Fairweather was capable of – how many others did he have in his pocket? Maybe he should have gone to the police after that comment about his children. But David didn’t trust the influence that Fairweather had with the police either.

It could be the end of his career if the seabed mining approval went public before the approval was reversed. He’d set that in motion yesterday. David gripped the steering wheel and stared at the straight road ahead. Christ, he’d seen enough politicians across the country take a fall recently. The corruption commission hearings down in New South Wales had put paid to the careers of many.

‘Daddy! How much longer? I need a wee.’

‘Almost. Can you hang on for a few more minutes?’ David pushed away the thoughts filling his head and tried to focus on his family. ‘How about an ice-cream when we get there, buddy?’

He had emails to read when he got there; his phone had been dinging non-stop all the way down the highway. Gina had offered to read them to him as she often did when he was driving but he’d shaken his head. She’d shrugged and given him a strange look, before turning back to her Kindle.