'G'day. How's things?'

'Pretty good thanks, Sam. Do you mind knocking off for a while so we can have a chat? We've got a few questions we'd like to ask you.'

'Yeah, okay, we'll go over there.' Sam indicated a shady spot a couple of feet from where they now stood. Although it was autumn, the sun was still very warm.

The questioning took quite some time. Once the detectives were satisfied that they had covered everything, they left.

'Strewth, they sure got stuck into us. They seem to be onto somethin' this time. Hope they b.l.o.o.d.y are. They have to nail the b.a.s.t.a.r.d soon,' Sam muttered.

'They went over and over the same d.a.m.n things. If they haven't got it straight this time, they never b.l.o.o.d.y will.' Eric sighed and wiped perspiration from his forehead.

'Yeah, they'll go back to their nice comfy office, or better still, the pub and talk about it now. I've got a stinkin' headache. I'm calling it a quits for today.' Des turned and stalked away, leaving Sam and Eric staring after him.

The detectives pulled into the driveway at Kia-Ora.

Digger and Karl were having lunch. Hazel answered their knock at the door and showed them into the lounge room.

'I'll get Digger and Karl for you. I won't be a jiff.' She bustled out of the room, removing her ap.r.o.n as she went.

The detectives stood, looking around the room.

'Nice place they have here. Someone's got good taste.' Bennett remarked, admiring the antique furniture.

When Karl and Digger came, they were questioned thoroughly. They were made to go over and over all the fires and phone calls everything. Then Win and Ellie were called in. They were asked to go over the phone calls again, over and over until both women wanted to scream.

Eventually, the detectives seemed satisfied and left.

'h.e.l.l! They're not messin' around now. They almost made me feel guilty,' Karl declared. 'Any of you feel like that?'

'Yeah, they do, they're certainly on the ball this time. I wonder what or who they've got their sights on now,' Digger mused.

'Why did they keep asking us if we use mosquito coils? I know the fires are started with them but we've told them before we don't use them here. I kept telling them we didn't, but they came back to it and asked again!' Win said, puzzled.

'And why ask us about other people in the family using them? Surely they could ask them themselves,' Ellie wondered aloud. 'I wonder why the city detectives weren't with them. I haven't seen them around much, have you?'

'Ha!' laughed Win. 'They're probably at the station. They wouldn't want to get their nice shiny shoes dirty out here in the country! C'mon, let's finish our lunch.'

'Let's get back to the station and show this to Moore and Riley. We've got plenty here to go over,' Bennett said to Simpson once they were out in the car.

'You agree with their theory?' Simpson asked.

'It doesn't matter if we do or not. We've gathered all they asked us to, so now it's up to Moore and Riley; they're the ones leading this investigation now,' Bennett replied.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

After dinner, Eric went to his sleepout, exhausted after his hard day's work and the grilling from the detectives.

Des had spent the last part of the day lying on his bed. Attempts by Connie to rouse him had only resulted in him snapping at her.

Sam stuck his head in the door and called Des for dinner. He too got yelled at to leave.

After dinner, Sam and Connie decided to sit on the veranda in the cool of the autumn evening. A few more weeks and it would be winter.

As they chatted, a police car drove up the driveway. Detectives Bennett and Simpson alighted and walked to the veranda.

'Evenin,' greeted Sam. 'What brings you back so soon?'

'Evening, Sam, Mrs Mason. Is Eric around?' Bennett asked.

'Yes, he's out back. I'll call him if you like. He's in the sleep out. He went to bed early,' Connie answered.

'No need, Mrs Mason. We'll go and see him there,' Bennett told her.

'Why do you want to see him again?' Sam asked, frowning.

'Just routine...' Bennett answered. He gestured with a tilt of his head for Simpson to follow him. 'You two wait here,' he instructed.

Sam and Connie stayed on the veranda. The att.i.tude of the detectives left them wondering and made them both uneasy. What could they possibly want with Eric, especially at this time of the night?

Eric opened his door to the two detectives.

'Evening, Eric. May we come in?' Bennett asked politely, pushing straight past him.

'What's wrong?' Eric asked in surprise, stepping back to let them enter.

'Mason, we have a warrant to search your room,' Simpson told him.

Eric's mouth fell open in shock. 'You've got what?'

'You heard, mate. Now, let us get on with it.' Bennett pushed past Eric and began riffling through his things.

Simpson was busily going through the bottom of Eric's wardrobe when he suddenly sat back on his haunches. 'Look here, mate.' He called Bennett over and produced a box.

'Well! Well! Well! What have we here?' Bennett turned and looked at Eric.

'What are you doing with these, pal?' He held up the contents of the box... mosquito coils!

'Those... s.h.i.t they're old as the hills. I was usin' 'em a few years ago for the b.l.o.o.d.y mosquitos. I forgot they were even there,' Eric replied, confused.

'That's what you say. We'd like to discuss this further,' Bennett said. He nodded to Simpson.

'Eric Mason, we'd like you to accompany us to the Albury Police Station for further questioning.' Simpson placed a firm hand on Eric's shoulder.

'Am I under arrest?' Eric asked, in shock.

'Not at this stage. Come along.'

Sam and Connie were completely stunned. They couldn't believe what they saw as they watched Eric, seated in the back of the police car, being driven off to the police station.

After they left, Sam turned to Connie. 'This's bulls.h.i.t! Grab a cardigan, Con. We'll go down to Kia-Ora and tell them what's happened.'

How could they possibly think that Eric was the firebug?

It took them only few minutes to walk the short distance to Kia-Ora.

Hazel answered the door. 'h.e.l.lo Connie, Sam. Lovely to see you, nice evening for a stroll.' She smiled and ushered them into the lounge room.

'Well h.e.l.lo you two. This is an unexpected pleasure. Sit down. Hazel, would you bring extra cups please?' Emmie said brightly.

Sam and Connie sat uneasily. This wasn't going to be easy. Eric was the apple of Emmie's eye.

'Look, there's no easy way to say what I have to tell you,' Sam said sullenly.

Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He stood up and ran his hand nervously through his hair.

'Well, Sam, get on with it!' Karl said impatiently.

'The detectives came back again tonight. They wanted to talk to Eric again.'

'Why?' Emmie sat forward on her chair.

'They had a search warrant. They searched his room and found a box with mosquito coils in it that he'd kept from when he used them...' Sam paused.

'And... Sam, tell us...' Win said anxiously.

'They've taken him in for questioning!' Sam blurted.

'They've what?!' they all said at once.

'That's right. He's had to go into Albury Police Station to be questioned,' Connie told them.

'That's preposterous!' Emmie gasped. 'Surely they can't think he's the firebug?'

'They haven't actually arrested him, have they?' Digger asked, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

'No. Not yet, anyway,' Sam replied. 'They said it was just for questioning but it doesn't sound too good to me!'

'Now he's in there, those jokers won't let up on him! Fancy wastin' time takin' Eric in! The stupid b.a.s.t.a.r.ds should be out there tryin' to find the real mongrel!' Karl shouted. 'We'll have to tell Dawn. She's goin to be b.l.o.o.d.y frantic about this. d.a.m.n the b.l.o.o.d.y fools! Eric of all people! They've gone b.l.o.o.d.y crazy!' Karl stood up, clenching his fists.

'They're desperate to pin it on someone! They've been runnin' 'round the valley like idiots for friggin' months, gettin' nowhere. So 'course they're desperate!' Digger said furiously.

'Those b.l.o.o.d.y city cops've been here five friggin' minutes an' now they haul our Eric in. You tell me what evidence they have on him. He's the last person they should be lookin' at!' Sam rubbed his unshaven chin in dismay, adding, 'I don't trust those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. They'd do anythin' to make 'emselves look good! Eric doesn't even fit the b.l.o.o.d.y description. Somethin's not right about this!' He paced the floor in agitation, his voice rose louder and louder.

'They can't lay charges on an innocent man. They'll have to let him go.' Emmie was visibly shaking. Ellie and Win glanced at each other, concern in their eyes.

'It'll be alright, Mum. They can't charge Eric without sufficient proof. We all know he's innocent.' Ellie was grateful for the supportive murmurs in the room. 'Hazel, would you be kind enough to get Mum a small brandy?' she asked.

Win placed a light blanket over Emmie's trembling knees. 'There, Mum, everything will be fine.'

Karl went with Sam and Connie to break the news to Dawn and Jeff.

Dawn was frantic, just as Karl had predicted. She immediately rang the police station. They told her that Eric was not able to come to the phone. He was in the interrogation room.

'This is all a nightmare!' she cried. 'They can't lay the blame on him. He's not the d.a.m.n firebug!' she sobbed. 'Have you all stopped and thought what this could really mean?' she choked, looking at them with desperation in her eyes. 'If they think he's the firebug, then they'll say that he made those phone calls and Lord help us... he'd be held responsible for Harry's murder!' Dawn collapsed into a chair and covered her face with shaking hands, sobbing her heart out.

Everyone glanced at each other. No one had thought that far yet. Connie tried to calm Dawn the best she could. She placed a cup of tea in front of her but it was left untouched.

's.h.i.t!' Sam said suddenly. 'We didn't tell Des. He wouldn't have heard the cops. If he's woken up and found us all missing, he'll wonder what the h.e.l.l is goin' on,' Sam said.

'Well, if you'd like to stay here with Dawn til Jeff gets back, I'll drop in and tell him,' Karl offered.

'Thanks mate,' Sam said. 'Jeff's gonna hit the roof about this. He's out on patrol lookin' for the real b.a.s.t.a.r.d, meanwhile the cops are interrogatin' an innocent bloke... f.u.c.kin' idiots!'

Des had heard the detectives take Eric in. He was deeply distressed about it. He had also seen Sam and Connie leave. He knew they would be worried sick. He was on his bed deep in thought. He was in the same position with his arm shielding his face when Karl poked his head around the door.

Karl sensed he was not sleeping. 'You heard what happened, mate?' Karl asked.

'Yeah, I saw 'em take him. The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are wrong!' Des shouted and leapt from the bed, kicking a boot across the room.

'f.u.c.k Karl! We have to do somethin'.' Des ran his fingers through his hair. 'Why pin it on Eric? Why? What evidence could they possibly have? h.e.l.l, there isn't any! Eric's not the friggin firebug!'

Karl spoke gently to Des. He was distraught. He stayed with him until he calmed down.

Des and Eric grew up together in the valley and were more like brothers than cousins. They did most things together from an early age. They were b.u.g.g.e.rs when they were young boys. They'd play jokes on other family members and roll around with laughter together when their pranks were discovered. They both got push bikes at the same time and would ride flat out up and down Centaur Road dropping in on the 'rellies' to say g'day. It was no surprise to see Des so terribly upset at Eric being in strife; they always had each other's backs.

Down at Kia-Ora, Ellie and Win had coaxed Emmie to bed. Knowing that she would be awake all night thinking about Eric, they had given her a mild sleeping pill.

'What next, d.a.m.n it! As if we haven't had enough without this to contend with. The firebug's caused more damage than ever. This will send Eric over the edge,' Ellie said, worried.

'We'll give him as much support as we possibly can. The poor kid must be distraught. I hate the thought of him being in there tonight with them grilling him. They'll give him a rough time of it, you can be sure,' Win replied. 'You know there'll be some people in the valley who'll believe he's guilty. There's a few nasty ones who'll take great delight in hearing a Mason is in trouble!'

Eric had been left alone in the interrogation room. He sat with his head in his hands, very close to tears, but he was determined not to crack. The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds weren't going to pin this on him. He was innocent and he would prove it!