35
Peter Cornwell left Alice Springs two hours before dawn. When he arrived at Mount Liebig, he parked his hire car in a secluded area close to where he expected to find the money. It was still dark, but the sky was filled with stars and, coupled with a hint of light to the east as a wisp of faint, pre-dawn light peeped above the horizon, he knew full daylight would soon arrive.
He did not want to be out here in this place in broad daylight so, steeling himself, he walked, retracing his steps time and time again until he was so exhausted that he was starting to believe he was never going to find it. Perspiration ran down his face, stung his eyes, and dripped off his numerous chins.
Any physical exertion requiring more than a modicum of personal input was a foreign concept to Peter Cornw
