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‘Well, I am here. And I’m going to stay.’

She stepped to the side and reached for another plastic chair. Kane was still regarding her steadily, but his face had softened and all she could see was a man who was uncertain and alone, as his mother lay dying in the room across the corridor.

‘You don’t have to talk to me. I can get you a coffee.’ Ellie kept her voice soft.

‘Thank you.’ Kane reached for her hand and held it loosely. They sat there without speaking until the door opened. The doctor stepped out and walked across to them.

‘She’s asleep and resting as comfortably as we can make her. Perhaps you’d like to sit with her.’ He glanced across at Ellie. ‘You can both go in if you would like to. At this stage . . . we don’t worry about the rules.’ He turned to Kane. ‘Did you manage to contact her husband yet? I’m sorry, it won’t be long now.’

Kane stood and kept Ellie’s hand tightly in his. She swallowed down as hard as she could. The ache in her throat burned as she tried to hold the tears back.

‘Thank you. I’ll go in,’ Kane said. The doctor nodded and touched him briefly on the shoulder before he walked away.

‘I don’t expect you to come in.’ His mouth turned up in a ghost of a smile. ‘Maybe you could get me a coffee from downstairs? I think the coffee shop stays open till late.’

‘Sure. If not, there’s sure to be a coffee machine.’ It would be good to help out in a tangible way. Ellie turned to go, but Kane’s hand on her shoulder stayed her. He pulled her gently into his arms and she slipped her arms around his waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head and Ellie rubbed his back, trying to soothe his tight muscles. They stood together without speaking for a minute, before Kane stepped back.

‘Thank you. Later . . . after . . . we need to talk.’

‘Okay.’ She turned away towards the lift, conscious of Kane’s gaze on her. But when she reached the lift and looked back he had gone. Ellie gave in to the ache in her throat and the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Chapter 20

Wednesday night

Parliament House, Darwin

David slipped his finger into his collar and pulled it away from his neck. Despite the air-conditioning, the room was stuffy and his shirt was sticking to him. For the first time since he’d entered public service he’d begun to question whether it was worth it. Loosening his tie, he closed his eyes, wishing he was at Makowa Lodge with Gina and the kids, relaxing by the pool with nothing to worry about.

Now the sterile smell of a conference room surrounded him. And a critical vote loomed ahead. As long as Gina and the kids stayed safe he could handle it; but two weeks was a long time to be away from them and the new baby’s birth was getting closer. Once the two decisions were made, he’d be talking to security. The votes would be cast and Fairweather would no longer have a hold over him.

The outcome of tonight’s committee meeting was crucial. If the vote approved the change to the national park boundary, the meeting on Monday to vote on the exploration licence would be critical. The future – or even the survival – of Kakadu National Park swung in the balance, dependent on the outcome of these two committee votes. But if tonight’s vote rejected the boundary change, it was highly unlikely that the exploration licence would be approved – Fairweather’s plans would be dead in the water.

David glanced up as Bill Jarragah hurried into the conference room, only a minute or so before the meeting was due to start. His arm was in a sling and his clothes were rumpled. He pointed to the sling with a shrug of his good shoulder.

‘Silly accident,’ he said, but despite the good-natured teasing that followed he would not be drawn on what had happened.

David watched as Bill took a seat across from him. He and Bill were the only representatives who were on both the committees. The chair called the meeting to order and David focused his attention on the proceedings.

The Honourable Member for Berry read the minutes of the last General Purpose Standing Committee, his speech punctuated by the occasional clink of crockery as members made their way to the corner of the room to replenish their coffee.

When he finished he put the minutes down and looked around the table. ‘It needs to be made quite clear that the outcome of this vote today will impact another one next week.’

David tipped his head to the side and listened carefully; they were getting to the critical part of the discussion that had been raised briefly at the last meeting.

‘It is most unusual for a boundary to be reduced rather than resuming other land to add to the national park.’ The member’s voice was flat and David wondered whether he was only going through the motions. Maybe his tone indicated the way he would vote. Hopefully the point he raised showed he was against it.

David looked around the room at the other committee members and caught the eye of Bill Jarragah. Bill lowered his gaze. He knew that Bill would vote against this. He could always count on the Aboriginal vote to protect the water and environment of the Territory; David was as sure of that as he was that the sun would rise in the morning. His gaze settled on each of the committee members in turn and he began to perspire.

Were Fairweather’s threatening words just posturing? Would he really go after Gina and the kids? Again, David reached up and ran his fingers between his collar and his neck, before he reached for his water glass.

One of the other members held up his hand. ‘Are we discussing the specific property here or are we still in general discussion?’

The member for Berry looked at him over his glasses, as though it was a question where the answer was obvious. David didn’t mind, the more dissension there was, the less chance that the vote would be in the affirmative.

‘Yes, I am sure everyone on both committees has been made aware that it is the South Alligator River property where Black Coal Holdings is seeking to drill for the purposes of exploration.’

‘So if the boundary change is approved, it is more likely that the exploration licence will be approved?’ Bill spoke quietly.