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Ebony Aitken did not depart on the tour of the East MacDonnell Ranges with Anna and Amber and the twenty or so other tourists camping at Ross River Homestead. One of them was always going to stay back at the Homestead; it was a part of the plan. Hot, dry, dusty riverbeds and steep perilous escarpments, not to mention the flies, held no attraction for Ebony. The choice of who was to wait in the relevant comfort of the Homestead was a no-brainer. She would go on the next tour.
The logistics of the overall plan were a long time in the formulation. Weeks had been spent discussing, debating, agreeing and disagreeing until it was settled. Wherever possible, they tried not to be perceived as having traveled to Alice Springs as a trio. The illusion had to be that the three women did not know
