"So who the hell is he?" Bazza asked.

"They don't know. Woods' boss came up to identify him but didn't know the man. He had a photo of Woods on his phone though so they're sendin' it through."

Davo stared back at the board. "We need to trace Woods' steps last week. See if we can find where he went. Baz take Whitey and get down there. Go through the local boys like a dose of Epsom salts. Find any leads then go to the steelworks and talk to his mates. Stay in touch with Fits."

Bazza suddenly moved with purpose. "No worries Boss. Y'can drive this time," he said tossing a set of car keys to Bill.

"Marty, start to put together a list of all the key players and their family and colleagues. I want all the details - names, addresses, when they last showered if you've got it. Share it on the app so everyone can have it." He turned to Tommy. "You got a smartphone or tablet?"

"iPad."

"Then set 'im up get 'im one of our spare SIMs too or it'll cost the Met a fortune. Richo, take Barbara and...hang on." Davidson's phone rang loudly. "Davidson...yeah...okay...no problem."

He hung up and clapped his hands to get the attention of everyone. "Right, listen up. They traced the call from the boy to a public phone on Wollongong railway station..."

"You mean he found one that worked down there? The kid really is a genius!" Gibbo interrupted and everyone except the English detectives laughed.

"Yeah, righto. Settle down. This gives us our best clue. He's somewhere in the Gong so we need to focus our attention there. Richo, take Barbara there and start at the railway. I'll see if we can get CCTV to give us more clues as to where he went. Ring Fits when you get there and we might be able to fine tune it for you."

"What about Inspector Lynley?" Barbara asked. She did not want to be separated.

"I thought he could go with Kosti and start following up on the grandmother. Talk to old neighbours, use his charm. See what we can find."

"But we're a team," Barbara said, "I think we should stay together."

"I don't have enough officers to start tripling up Sergeant. I can't let the two of you out alone. For a start you don't know the place let alone how people here think and you're not licenced to carry a weapon. You'll have phones if you get too lonely." His tone was not threatening, nor was it sarcastic and Tommy could understand his point.

"It'll be fine Davo," Tommy said smoothly, "but we might just have a quick word before we head off."

Davo nodded and Tommy opened the door. He found a quiet spot by the window. "Look Barbara I know this is hard but Roo has to be our first concern. Richo or whatever they call him seems friendly and sensible. I trust him with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Barbara bristled at the implication she needed looking after.

"That I can relax because you'll be safe with him. We don't know this city or this country. We can't treat it like England but I would have objected if they'd paired you with Bazza."

Barbara relaxed a little. "Yeah well Kosti's like a barracuda. Watch yourself with her because I don't think you're safe."

Tommy tried hard to keep a straight face. "Why if I didn't know better Babs I'd think you were jealous."

"I'm not jealous! And don't you EVER call me Babs! I just don't want you to be lured into some sort of trap by her fancy clothes and sweet smile. She's after you and I don't want you to...feel used."

"Feel used?" Tommy said chuckling, "most men dream of being used by someone who looks like that." Barbara glared at him. "But I'm not most men," he added hastily.

"Well enjoy your day being shown the sights!" Barbara turned and stormed back into the room. Tommy was slightly stunned but delighted. Why would she be angry and jealous if she did not have feelings for him? He might be able to tell her how he felt once they found the boy.

Back inside Davo was still assigning roles. Fits was staying to monitor everything and work with Marty on keeping everyone informed. Gibbo and Davo were going to investigate the paedophile connection with the team upstairs in Vice. "Check in with Fits please everybody, when you arrive and then at least every two hours. Hopefully we can end this today. Good luck and stay safe."

Cam led Barbara to a large white sedan in the car park that looked like every other car there. "You all wear suits and drive the same cars. Is there any originality in this country?" she asked.

"It's a police car. We get different colours but essentially they're all the same. Isn't it like that in London?"

"No, detectives use our own cars," she said climbing into the passenger seat. "Tommy's is an old classic car of some sort. No mod cons at all."

"That'd be weird," Cam replied as he checked the safety catch was engaged on his service pistol before he settled into the driver's seat. "The Health and Safety guys here would never allow that."

Cam pulled the car out on the road while Barbara ogled the technology inside the car. It had a computer, an iPad, a large GPS and a radio arranged like a pilot's console. It looked like something out of Star Trek.

"Do you want to go back to the hotel first and get changed?"

"Why? Because I'm not neat enough for you?" she growled.

"No 'cause I saw your face when Davo talked about respect. I think it's important to you to be respected and blending in will help."

Barbara did feel Bazza and the others were so condescending partly because of her appearance. Tommy had dressed appropriately and she wished he had suggested that she wear her suit. She would raise that with him tonight when he got home. Home? Bloody hell you're not living with him!

"Yeah, ta Cam." He smiled broadly at her use of his preferred name.

She changed quickly into her navy suit and white blouse then rushed downstairs ruing that she had brought shoes with heels a little too high for policing. At least she would blend in, to a culture of reverse snobbery that she could not understand.

"Nice suit," Cam said with a smirk, "you look like a female version of Tommy. Is that the London copper uniform?"

Barbara had had about enough. She wanted to scream at him but managed to keep it to a more tolerable raised voice. "We didn't co-ordinate wardrobes because we started off on different flights! I thought Australians were supposed to be laid-back and casual and not care about appearances but you're all...I don't know, egotistical snobs!"

Cam simply laughed as he pulled out onto the road. "Not, really. We only tease people we like. You've only got one suit with you haven't you?"

"I've only got one suit! What I was wearing was what I usually wear to work," she confessed. "No one has ever spoken about the respect thing in England although Tommy used to wear suits all the time but that's just him. I understand it though, I'd just never thought of it that way."

"It's not a big deal Barbara. You're only here for a few days. I'll get them to lay off a bit. I think Davo was trying to establish his authority. He was pretty upset that Tommy was sent over. You were comin' because the boy trusts you but by sendin' him it looks as if The Met don't think we're up to it. You both come with pretty high raps as investigators and we get a lot of crap from the Poms, sorry the English, about being an unruly, layabout mob descended from convicts. He gave us all a speech about makin' sure we behave and don't get shown up. I think we were tryin' a bit too hard."

Barbara looked across and smiled at him. She liked his no-nonsense honesty and his sensitivity in calling her Barbara. "Thanks. I'm sorry. I never thought about how it would look to your team but we don't see it that way. We just want to find Roo."

Cam smiled and nodded. "I can see that. So whereabouts in London are you from?"

Tommy's journey was less pleasant. Kosti drove like a rally driver, dodging in and out of lanes as she threaded her way through the suburbs. When they crossed a bridge over a large river Tommy paused briefly to think the landscape was attractive but then he focussed again on watching the road. Tommy felt vaguely unwell and vowed never to complain about Barbara's driving again. To make it worse Kosti had grilled him constantly about his family: where he lived, where he went to school, where he went to university. He had stuck broadly to the truth simply omitting the size of his house in Cornwall and his title.

"Oh I love London. I went there for a few months when I backpacked around Europe. I always thought it was the one city I would love to spent time living in. Where do you live?"

"Inner London," he replied, "near work."

"How do your family find living in London?"

"I live by myself." Lynley could see that was only going to create more questions. "My wife died in an accident nearly two years ago."

"Oh, how dreadful! I'm so sorry. Had you been married long?"

"A few years. And what about you?" he asked trying to change the subject.

"Oh no, I'm single. I haven't met Mr Right yet but I know what I want."

"I'm sure you do," he said, fearing he fitted her criteria a bit too well. "Tell me about policing in Australia."

Half an hour later his phone buzzed. "Lynley."

"Hiya. It's me."

"I can tell that." It was wonderful to hear her voice after being confined with 'The Inquisitor' as he had dubbed Kosti.

"Cam thought we should stop at a place called Bulls Eye..." Barbara laughed at something said in the background. "No sorry Bulli Tops at the tourist centre. He and I have had a few ideas we thought we should discuss."

"Okay, just a minute," Tommy said then turned to Alessa. "It's Barbara they want us to stop at the tourist centre at Bulli Tops."

"Sure, we'll be there in about fifteen." He could tell her friendly tone was forced.

Tommy turned back to his phone. He could hear laughter. "Did you hear that? We should be there in a quarter of an hour."

"Good. We're about five minutes behind you. Stop it Cam! Okay see you there."

Tommy kept the phone close to his ear despite the beeping. Barbara and Cam seemed to be getting on very well. Cam was far too young for her but it was rare for her to be so at ease with someone so early. A surge of primal jealousy raced through him - Barbara was his sergeant, his partner. He inhaled to control his anger and stared out the window.

Cam was proving to be a good tourist guide. As they drove through the suburbs he explained their history and told her quirky stories of crimes and events. The pointed out landmarks as they drove through the bush bordering the national park and wound down the window making her smell the eucalyptus scent of the forest. Barbara had relaxed and enjoyed his company, begrudgingly admitting she had met an Australian male she liked.

"I've had an idea," Cam said excitedly, "and I won't be offended if you say no."

"I'm intrigued," she said cautiously.

"Would you ever wear used clothing?"

Barbara stared at him. "I've never thought about it but I'm not a charity case."

"Oh no, I know but most of my suits are second-hand."

"But they're expensive...and tailored."

"I have a secret," he said conspiratorially, "I buy them at a recycled clothing store run by my friend Davie. There's a bloke with my build who sells his clothes there and Davie rings me when he brings in somethin' I'd like. I was thinkin' you could pick up a couple of quality suits. They wouldn't look like you rushed out and bought them so everyone here'll think it's how you dress but you can buy two or three for the price of one. Most of them are sold by rich tossers from the Eastern Suburbs that can't be seen to wear anything more than half a dozen times. They're all clean and almost new. We could go over tonight after we get back."

Barbara was unsure but could see the logic. "No harm in looking I guess."

Cam gave her a broad, warm smile vaguely reminiscent of Tommy's. He pressed a button on his steering wheel. "Dial Sammy."

The car answered him. "Dialling Sammy at mobile. Is this correct?"

"Yes."

After a few rings a husky, lively voice answered, "Sammy Hilford, hair artist extraordinaire."

"Hi gorgeous! Listen..."

"Hello Lover! Am I on speakerphone again? Hi Whitey!" In a few short words Sammy had exuded an irrepressible love of life that made Barbara smile.

"Actually I'm not with Whitey today, I've got Barbara with me. She's from England."

"Hello Barbara. Ooh, there's a story, do tell."

By the end of the call Sammy had promised to arrange something with Davie for tonight and the boys had insisted on taking Barbara and Tommy out to dinner tomorrow night. Barbara hoped that she had not appeared shocked but as he rang off Cam apologised. "Sorry, I should have mentioned Sammy."

"No, that's fine," she replied.

"If you don't think Tommy will approve then..."

Barbara was genuinely surprised. "Why would he care? Anyway it's none of his business. Does everyone know?"

Cam looked at her and frowned. "Yeah, of course. I'm in the Police contingent every year for the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. I don't hide it."

"Okay well it's not a problem if Tommy finds out. I don't think the Met are quite so accepting. They tend to be rather stuffy at times."

"Is that why you and Tommy try to hide your relationship?"

"Oh we're not...we're just friends." Barbara felt the tips of her ears burning and hoped she had not blushed to hard.

Cam looked at her for a minute and cocked his head in thought. "Well it's got nothing to do with me but if you're not then you're mad. You both want it, any fool can see that, so just go for it. He's not married or anything is he?"

"Widowed."

"Then there's no impediment. Just follow your heart Barbara."

Barbara was spared further conversation as Cam turned off the highway and parked beside the tourist centre. Tommy was standing at the railing at the lookout behind the centre beside Kosti who was standing far too close as she pointed out landmarks. Still stunned by Cam's candid observation she wondered how to be less transparent. Calling him Tommy was not helping but she could hardly revert to Sir now. She sighed and walked towards them.

Cam spoke and Tommy turned. He ran his hand through his hair, pushing an errant lock back into place and smiled so earnestly that Barbara stumbled on the stony path. Cam's arms were around her in a second. "Careful!"

His anger at the easy friendship with Cam disappeared the instant Tommy saw her. He noticed that she had changed into her suit. The tapered trousers accentuated her hourglass figure. He liked it when she dressed up a little and stopped hiding behind oversized coats. He could not help but smile at some inappropriate and ill-timed thoughts. The smile vanished instantly when she tripped and Cam caught her. It was a reflex action but he hated seeing someone else's hands on her.

Barbara could feel Cam's hand in her back directing her to stand beside Tommy. He was certainly not subtle! "I had no idea we were so high," she exclaimed spotting the view. They were on an escarpment that dropped sharply down a verdant slope towards a thin strip of land and a vast expanse of peacock blue sea. Several long sweeps of golden sand were broken by grey, rocky headlands that stretched into the water like bony fingers.

The land was dotted with houses. Near the bush they were arranged in neat rows on large blocks and Barbara could almost see hundreds of men marching up and down their lawns every weekend manicuring them to perfection. By the beach a main road and a railway line broke up the suburban regularity. Large steel and glass mansions clung tenaciously to the headlands while smaller, older cottages with brightly painted roofs of red and green nestled under a canopy of large fig trees.

Looking south Tommy's attention was captured by the port. Huge ships bobbed in the sea, all turned into the tide and patiently waiting to collect or disgorge their cargo. To the left of the port entrance large mountains of coal waited for export and on the right, amongst long faded blue buildings covered in years of red dust, were long lines of iron ore awaiting processing into steel. Tall stacks belched fluffy clouds of white steam every twenty seconds as the coking oven were quenched. Railways and trucks moved amongst the buildings and Tommy imagined the noise and heat as coal, ore and limestone were transformed into molten steel then moulded and rolled into building products that shape so much of the world.

Cam pointed out the city and the lake to Barbara and told her about the suburbs and roughly where everyone in Roo's story lived. Tommy glowered at him but he seemed oblivious, confirming Lynley's view that the damned man was infatuated with his sergeant. He moved closer to Barbara so that they were almost touching. He heard a change in her breathing when she sensed how close he was standing. Her hands came up to grip the top of the steel railing as if she had to steady herself. He smiled at the affect he had on her and wondered if she was thinking about this morning by the window. Does she know how I feel?