If they didn’t have conclusive proof before, the latest info from Queensland changed that. Ian Kinch’s movements for the last two months had been tracked.
He had disappeared at the start of October, at almost exactly the same time as the two scientists. This had been confirmed by his social media blackout – his Facebook silent, his Twitter account closed – his bank account untroubled.
Mike’s and Stevie’s family and friends had been helpful, concerned about their loved ones. And even more concerned now that the police were making enquiries.
Most recalled a guy fitting Ian Kinch’s description, good-looking and quick-witted, a new mate that Mike and Stevie had hung around with since Skyline had let them go. An odd bunch given how introverted Mike and Stevie were compared to Ian. For a few weeks before their disappearance they had been hitting clubs and bars every few nights. As if they were trying to blow all their redundancy money. As if it was their last night on earth. Their friends had been worried about the influence this new guy seemed to have but couldn’t deny that Mike and Stevie deserved some release.
Emmaline was now convinced that there were three miners in Kallayee. She imagined a timeline. Knowing that Skyline had given them the boot, they went out to blow off some steam and fell in with Ian. They got to talking, maybe about opportunities or just work in general. Ian then persuaded them to steal the data, or Mike and Stevie knew about the data already but didn’t know what to do with it. At this stage the first seemed more likely. An outgoing and street-smart Ian Kinch would have gained influence over the introverted scientists. Maybe he even appointed himself head of the crew, a dangerous but intriguing development for the previously reserved pair. Ian learned what the data could do. He hatched a plan and sourced the mining equipment, the serial numbers scrubbed. Ian Kinch was the face, Mike Andrews and Stevie Amaranga the brains, studying the data, surveying and picking the target. Kallayee might have been a lucky first stab or maybe they had tried a few locations in mid-to late November, before settling on Kallayee.
Weeks of hard graft had been put into the tunnel. A vein found, fortune struck. Then the Maguire family had shown up and interrupted them. So why didn’t Ian Kinch scare them off immediately? He had previous convictions for theft and minor assault after all. But the family had lived alongside them for more than a couple of weeks. Did it take that long for someone in the family, possibly Lorcan Maguire, to uncover the mine? Then he was chased and killed? But what about Naiyana and Dylan? The still un-answered question.
Finally she had a lead. Now that they could place the three miners and the family together in Kallayee, Emmaline needed to find out where the miners had gone.