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‘I don’t know. My gut tells me we should all go back to Standley Chasm, but if they’re already back there, it means I’ll have made the wrong call. Bloody hell, I don’t know.’

‘How about we all wait here while you go back and find them? Without your pack, and being downhill most of the way, it won’t take long.’

Andrew stared past him, thinking. ‘Yes, that makes sense. Then if I don’t find them, I can report it in when I reach the Chasm, and we can get the company chopper in the air fast. If they are there, I’ll get the chopper up anyway and it can drop me off up here back to you guys and we can carry on.’ He looked relieved to have come to a decision. ‘It’s just got me beat where they’ve gone. P.D. has more sense than to go off the trail.’

‘Okay, see if your spare battery’s there and if not, tell the others you’re heading back to look for them.’

Andrew nodded. ‘I was just thinking about when I come back. There’s a small helipad at the back of the bluff. If the rest of you set out for there, it’ll save time when I come back. We can get to Birthday Waterhole a bit late, but I can call Jodie from the café at Standley Chasm and let her know we’re behind schedule. God, that blasted Paul. I should have sent them back when he put on that performance at Fish Hole.’

‘I just hope they’re okay.’ Graysen looked at him intently. ‘I can’t get out of my mind him holding Cecily over that cliff.’

‘But the three of them couldn’t go over. Unless one of them pushed the other two. What makes you so suspicious of Paul?’ Andrew asked.

Graysen hesitated.

‘Graysen? Why?’

‘Because someone’s wiped some photos off my memory card. The ones I took of Paul and Cecily at the edge of the cliff.

Chapter 17

Bridle Path Lookout to Brinkley Bluff

As Andrew had predicted, the battery was not in his pack. He rummaged through what was left in there after the morning tea supplies were taken out, on the pretext of looking for his wallet. ‘I must have left it in the pack that went in the car with Jodie. All good.’ His voice was upbeat. ‘I’ll probably be back before you guys finish morning tea. If not, I’ll catch up to you at Brinkley Bluff.’

‘Do you want a quick cuppa, Andrew?’ Miska asked.

‘Thanks, put a big splash of milk in for me. I’ll chug it down and get going. Graysen, I’m going to make you honorary trek guide while I’m gone. I know you’ve had a lot of experience in Nepal.’ Andrew forced a chuckle. ‘Be kind to them and don’t push them too hard.’

Miska tipped the tea from the billy and went across to get the milk, and then passed it to Andrew.

He drained the cup and set off at a jog, carrying a light pack with water in it. Graysen stared along the track after he was out of sight, worried about what he was going to find.

‘A cuppa for you too, boss?’ Zed called out with a grin.

‘No, thanks, I’ll stick with water.’ Graysen frowned. Maybe he and Andrew were overreacting; no one else seemed to be terribly worried about the three missing.

Clive ambled over to Graysen and Sandy, his tea in one hand and a muesli bar in the other.

‘I’m feeling a bit below par, since we stopped, so Jenny and I are going to head off now and take it really slow. I’ve read up on this leg and the trail is well signposted. If you don’t catch us, we’ll wait at the Bluff and won’t go any further.

‘Okay, mate, take care. We don’t want any more sprained ankles.’

‘Will do. See you guys up at the Bluff.’

Zed came over to Graysen and Sandra. ‘What should we do with the pack, do you think? Andrew didn’t say.’ Zed had already put his own large pack on his back. ‘I’ve got my stuff to carry, and you’ve got your cameras. Do you reckon it’ll be okay if we leave it here?’

‘I can’t see a problem with that. Andrew’ll come back this way.’ Graysen decided not to mention the possibility of Andrew coming in by helicopter.

‘Okay, I saw a bit of a cave a couple of hundred metres back. I’ll take it back and put in in there.’

‘I’m going to take some photos,’ Graysen said. ‘Sandy and I won’t be far behind you.’

It was a while before Zed came back. ‘Safely stowed.’

‘Thanks, see you soon. Be careful, it’s not been a good day.’

‘We will. And don’t worry, we’ll take care of Maggie,’ he called over his shoulder as he followed the trail along the razorback ridge.