Free Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry Page B

now?’ Kris asked.
    He hadn’t yet thought much beyond getting outside, into space and air. His car and the gear in it had been seized for examination,
     and it would be ages – weeks perhaps, maybe longer – before he got anything back. The forensic people would go through his
     clothes, looking for blood or any signs of his involvement in the murder. They’d probably even go through his laptop, check
     his emails and other web activity.
    In the meantime, he was stranded here, with only what he had on him. He was lucky they’d left him with the clothes he was
     wearing; although one of the forensic mob had looked him over during the afternoon.
    ‘I don’t suppose there’s an express bus for Sydney tonight?’ he asked.
    The corner of her mouth twisted in a sympathetic grimace. ‘Sorry, next bus is Monday morning. Bus to Dubbo, then train to
     Sydney. Not exactly “express”.’
    He swore silently. Monday. And today was only Friday. He ran through his options. Take his chances hitching out of town, find
     a hotel in Birraga and ask Liam to drive up and get him tomorrow, or hang around another three nights, and take the bus. None
     of them appealed.
    ‘Jeanie’s phoned a few times, worried about you. She said that if you need a place to stay, you’re welcome to use the cabin
     out the back of her place.’ With a faint trace of hesitancy, she added, ‘I’ll be leaving here around six, if you want a ride
     back to Dungirri.’
    He could only think that Jeanie’s trust and offer of accommodation had reassured Kris of his character. Another reason to
     be grateful to Jeanie. He’d seen her by the road, when they’d arrested him this morning, her obvious worry for him painful
     beneath his anger. The girl had been there, too. He still had to do something about her.
    He added Jeanie’s offer – and the sergeant’s – to his list of options, and quickly dismissed the others. Dungirri wouldn’t
     want to see more of him, but as well as seeing Jeanie, he had acouple of things he could do there before he left for good, like trying to find out for himself if anyone had seen anything
     last night, and making some financial arrangement with Jeanie for the girl. He could get Liam to drive up tomorrow, and they
     could be out of Dungirri in twenty-four hours.
    Not totally sure if it was the right decision, he nodded anyway. ‘Thanks. I’d appreciate it. Anywhere still open that I could
     buy a change of clothes?’
    ‘Robertson’s will be open until five-thirty. And there’s a new Target in the old bank building on the corner. But don’t expect
     the kind of range you’d find in Sydney. If money is a problem, I can phone Captain Tan from the Salvation Army and I’m sure
     they’ll be happy to assist.’
    ‘Money’s not a problem, Blue,’ he told her, more roughly than he intended.
    The door from an inner office swung open, and Petric and Macklin sauntered through, hardly glancing at Gil.
    ‘We’re off, Kris,’ Petric said. ‘Thanks for all your help.’
    ‘Drive safely.’ She shook hands out of courtesy, but there was not a lot in the way of warmth, by Gil’s reckoning.
    That shouldn’t have cheered him, but it did.
    On his way out, Petric turned back, with that expression of polite concern that Gil was fast coming to distrust. ‘Oh, by the
     way, Gillespie, we just heard. Unfortunately, Vince Russo passed away this afternoon. He never regained consciousness.’

    Kris caught the flare of anger, quickly controlled, on Gil’s face. Not good news then, as far as he was concerned.
    Joe didn’t wait for a response, just dropped that information as if it were an afterthought, and continued on his way. Afterthought
     be damned. Petric had to be playing some sort of game. She’d overhead him earlier this afternoon, telling Craig Macklin of
     the Russo guy’s death. What the hell his strategy and purpose was, she had no idea.
    She opened her mouth to ask Gil about Russo, but her phone rang and by the