40
Richard ‘Maxwell’ Smart stepped from the front door of the small Papunya police station and crossed to the waist-high rail bordering the narrow verandah that ran the length of the station building. Here, he paused, leaned against the rail and looked out across the small community. It was difficult for him to harness his emotions and not get too far ahead of himself.
He wanted so badly to believe that Tracy would soon be back home but he had been a cop long enough to know that things don’t always go the way you might expect, or hope. He was curious as to why they hadn’t yet heard of where Tracy and her class were being held. It seemed the people responsible for the k********g had picked up the ransom money before dawn. It was now mid-morning, why hadn’t the bastards let them know where
