'Why didn't you?'

'Wouldn't have worked. Never does.'

'So instead you're giving me this?' she said.

'I'm not giving you anything. You bought that yourself, from a bong shop. Understand?'

'Ah, right. A bong shop.'

I whistled for Hooch, clipped him to the lead and we headed up the beach, back towards the car.

'Find a hiding spot for that, Chloe. A good one. Not your drawer.'

'Okay.'

'You don't want your parents finding it. Or your drugs. They'll freak. Send you to Tasmania.'

'What's in Tasmania?'

'Nothing.'

She laughed.

'And don't score in clubs. Only buy from people you know.'

'I know.'

'And don't ever sell them.'

She scoffed. 'Oh, so now I'm a dealer? What next, the first female Don?'

'I'm just telling you. We send our undercover guys into the clubs every weekend. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.'

She laughed again, louder this time, and pointed at Hooch's backside. 'Yeah right, you cops stand out like dogs' b.a.l.l.s.'

Now I laughed. She was right. It wasn't something you could fake.

'You're a good kid, Chloe. Smart. Don't f.u.c.k that up.'

'I won't. Study's important to me. I'm halfway to an Honours in Commerce. After that I'll count beans for a living. For now, weekends are my playtime. That's it.'

We crossed Beach Road and walked slowly by the millionaires' village. I felt a connection with her, a bridge. I knew she'd be fine.

'Guess what,' I said, removing an envelope from my pocket. 'I got two tickets to Wolfmother.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, I was going to take Ella, but we can't make it and I thought you might want to go. They're playing at the Espy next week. You should take your dad,' I said, handing her the envelope.

'Thanks,' she said, smiling awkwardly, 'but Dad doesn't like Wolfmother. He likes, I don't know, stuff like ... G.o.d, I don't even know what he likes.'

'Exactly.'

After Chloe had stuffed the envelope away there was a moment of silence. She probably wanted to take her boyfriend but that wasn't the deal.

'Look, I don't have a daughter,' I said. 'If I did, I'd want one just like you.'

'Yeah, right right.'

'I would. And you know what? I'd want her to take me out from time to time. It wouldn't matter where we went. I'd just want to spend some time with her. I know your dad feels the same way about you.'

'You think so?'

'I know so. So take him out and have a good time.'

When we reached the service station I gave her my mobile number and she keyed it into her phone.

'If ever anything goes wrong for you when you're out with your friends, call me,' I said. 'Anything at all, okay?'

'Thank you.'

I tugged Hooch's lead and said, 'I'll be walking him a bit from now on. Might need a buddy. Interested?'

'Sure. What about Ella? Hear you're getting back together?'

'Yeah, we'll see.'

She got in the car, started the engine and wound down the window. 'Thanks again.'

'We never had this conversation, Chloe.'

'What conversation?'

She smiled cheekily, winked at me and drove out of the forecourt.

38.

ST KILDA FELT DIFFERENT that Sat.u.r.day, everything still. Traffic on the Esplanade was light, the beach near empty. Even Luna Park was unusually silent. No music, no screams. After months of almost relentless heat there was a crisp breeze in the air, reminding me that everything came to an end. that Sat.u.r.day, everything still. Traffic on the Esplanade was light, the beach near empty. Even Luna Park was unusually silent. No music, no screams. After months of almost relentless heat there was a crisp breeze in the air, reminding me that everything came to an end.

Hooch tugged at the lead, pulling me towards the water. Already I knew he would grow into a powerful dog, and a sense of pride filled my gait as we crossed the gra.s.sy foresh.o.r.e together. Funny how life dealt its cards, I mused. Working the Dallas Boyd case had been a lesson in irony. Through the loss of life came the saving of life, and the clarification of my own. Hooch was the perfect reminder of this. I no longer had certainty in my career, but I didn't mind.

When that call came through over the radio and I found Dallas Boyd's body in the loading bay at the rear of Cafe Vit, everything changed. I'd been back on deck only a month and thought I was ready for anything, but I was wrong. The case had cost me dearly. I'd fallen out with my boss, made vital mistakes in the investigation, and for the second time in my career I'd almost lost my life. But seeing Ella in hospital was the final straw. From then on the direction of my life would change forever.

To get what you want, you have to know what you want. Think carefully about what you want, for knowing what you want is often harder than getting it. As I guided Hooch around to the Stokehouse courtyard, I finally understood my mother's wisdom. As I guided Hooch around to the Stokehouse courtyard, I finally understood my mother's wisdom.

'Easy boy,' I said, tying Hooch to a palm tree and heading inside.

As usual, Logan was there, loading a dishwasher and wiping down the bar. He smiled as I approached, then noticed the bandage on my neck. 'Hey big fella, I heard you copped a bit of a flogging. Didn't think I'd see you for a while.'

'It's been a big week,' I said. 'And I'm rooted.'

'You look it, man. Maybe you need a break.'

'Yeah, but give me a beer first.'

Logan filled a pot and handed it over, nodding quickly, no payment needed. My hand trembled as I lifted the gla.s.s to my lips and I had to rest it back on the bar.

While Logan served some other customers, I watched a television news report about the web of paedophiles netted over the past few days. The sound was muted but it wasn't hard to read what was happening. Will Novak had been charged with murder and was on remand. Together with his cooperation, the laptop had provided enough evidence to arrest the priest, Miles Jorgensen, along with several other staff at Back Outside, all members of The Holy Brethren. Perhaps more significantly, a senior bureaucrat from the health minister's office had also been implicated. No charges had been laid as yet, but the bureaucrat's face had been all over the news and the wheels were in motion to bring him down for receiving kickbacks after advising the minister to approve the joint-funding package to Back Outside and CARS the previous year. In response to this, as well as the revelations about the physical abuse Dallas Boyd had suffered, the state government had promised a full-scale inquiry into the Child Protection system in Victoria. To top it off, Vincent Rowe had been charged with molestation and Rachel Boyd was in foster care, out of harm's way. For now, at least.

It wasn't an ideal outcome but one I thought Dallas would still have been proud of. Perhaps I would've been pleased too had I not been so badly duped by Novak. It was a betrayal of trust I didn't think I'd ever recover from.

'Cool change is finally coming,' Logan said, leaning on the bar, watching the horizon. 'They say it might even snow on the Alps tonight, help put all the fires out. Can you imagine that, snow in February?'

'A miracle,' I said. 'It's probably all that could've done it.'

He gestured towards the water in the bay, which was sloshing in chaotic swirls as a cold southerly swept in. Clouds gathered in the distance, thunder rumbling somewhere beyond. There would be no more blood sunsets for a while, hopefully not for the rest of the year. Autumn and winter were on the way, and the city was ready for it.

'People say it's ugly when it's like that,' Logan said. 'But I like it. It's mysterious and brooding at the same time. The water actually looks dangerous, like the mask has been removed.'

I'd never thought about it like that before, but I had to agree.

'Supposed to be meeting Ella again,' I said. 'Reckon you could make her a drink?'

'Sure, the usual?'

'Nah, probably just a soda to start with, then we'll see what she ' I stopped when I saw her walking along the path towards the courtyard. 'Here she comes.'

Logan made the drink and slid it across the bar but didn't offer me one.

'You don't need another gla.s.s just yet,' he said with a wink. 'Yours is still half full.'

'Thanks. You're a good man, Logan,' I said.

I carried the drinks out to Ella, who peeled off her sungla.s.ses and kissed me gently on the cheek.

'How're the st.i.tches?' she asked, eyeing my neck.

'Itchy.'

'Jenny said you had to have them redone.'

I nodded and a long silence followed. I'd figured it would be awkward like this until she knew I was serious about my decision. She'd said she didn't blame me for what had happened, but I suspected she was just being polite. What she'd really meant was that our relationship would remain in limbo until I could prove I was ready for a change. That wasn't a problem any more. I knew exactly exactly what I wanted. what I wanted.

Sipping my beer, I slid a copy of the Police Gazette Police Gazette across the table, open to the job opportunities section, where I'd highlighted a position on offer at headquarters. across the table, open to the job opportunities section, where I'd highlighted a position on offer at headquarters.

'What's this?' she asked.

'There's a job going at Prisoner Movements. I've put in for it.'

She looked at me, unsure what I was telling her.

'It's a desk job,' I said. 'All I'd have to do is keep records on the prisoners and liaise with government and the bra.s.s. No street action.'

'So no more investigations?'

'Maybe a bit of a.s.sistance to the Prison Squad, but no hands-on work.'

She read the page again, as if it could confirm or dispute my answer.

'So you're leaving St Kilda?'

'If I get the job.'

'What if you don't?'

'Then I'm still done, Ella. I'll stay on carer's leave for as long as I can. Either way, I'm out. Finished. I'm not going back to St Kilda.'

'But ...' She put the page down and stared out over the bay, the wind blowing strands of hair across her face. I followed her line of sight and saw an ocean liner coming into port.

'Are you doing this for me?' she asked.

'No. For us.'

Hooch startled me by barking from behind the palm tree. When no one responded Ella lowered her voice and asked if I knew whose dog it was.

'Ah, that's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about,' I said. I explained how Hooch fitted into the case, how Sparks had been murdered and how the dog would most likely be destroyed if he didn't find a home. I ended the story with my visit to the animal shelter and my decision to adopt him. I didn't tell her about my talk with Chloe or my phone call to Dad because I figured or at least hoped there would be time for that later.

'He's still a puppy,' I said, not sensing support. 'And now I've got time to train him, get him socialised.'

'What about Prince?'

'It's not Prince I'm worried about. Lots of people own dogs and cats.'

'Well, what about your apartment? It's barely big enough for you.'

I nodded. 'That's the only issue. I mean, I've got the beach and the park nearby, but it's not the same. Dogs need s.p.a.ce, a piece of dirt to call their own.'

'So what are you going to do?'

'I'll just have to make do, see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, at least I've tried.'