Joe and Rob retrieved the borrowed Range Rover from the hospital car park and headed back to the farmhouse. Rob called ahead to update Brodie and alert him to their return. By this time the rain had stopped, most of the dark clouds had lifted and although the wind was still gusting fairly strongly, the atmosphere, like the moods, had lightened markedly.
When they got into the farmhouse, the two hostages were still cable-tied and had been taped to chairs with strong gaffer tape, lengths of which had also been stuck over their mouths. Neither of them reacted when Rob and Joe returned, they both sat, heads bowed, staring at the timber floor.
Alan Brodie and Ryan were in the spacious farmhouse kitchen, sitting at a large wooden, table, nursing mugs of tea. Brodie stood, walked over to the wo
