of my daybook, removed one of the documents I’d pulled from the DHS file Sarah Harrigan had given me and slid it across the desk.
‘Actually, I don’t think Kirzek killed him,’ I said. ‘This is a post-release report on Dallas Boyd, dated the year before last, just after he was released from Malmsbury. The clinician’s name is at the bottom – you recognise it?’
Novak frowned. ‘Where did you get this?’
‘Doesn’t matter where I got it. Do you recognise the name of the clinician who wrote the report?’
‘Yes. Josh Graham. He used to work here. Left about six months ago.’
‘Now works for the Back Outside program, correct?’
‘Ah, I don’t . . . what are you getting at? We have a lot of links with Back Outside. We receive at least half of our clients through that program.’
‘I know. Can you read the text I’ve highlighted?’
. . . while the client’s substance abuse issues appear to have stabilised, his current involvement in the sex industry, particularly in and around the St Kilda environs, gives rise for concern. This is especially concerning given the link between sex work, physical abuse and substance misuse . . .
Novak folded the page in half, looked up.
‘You told me you had no idea he was in the sex game,’ I said.
‘That’s right, I didn’t.’
‘But this report says otherwise.’
‘I didn’t write that report. Josh Graham did.’
‘Come on, Will. You’re the boss here. Don’t tell me these reports don’t cross your desk.’
Novak opened the page again and stared at the text, as if it were a cue card prompting an answer.
‘I see hundreds of these reports every month. I have to skim through the details.’
‘Dallas Boyd was a star client here, a success story,’ I countered. ‘You said yourself, it’s not every day you get kids like him come along. Surely you would’ve noticed a report raising concerns about your star client working the sex game.’
‘What are you implying? I’m not sure I like the tone of these questions.’
‘You lied to me, Will. In my experience there are only two reasons why people lie to police. They’re either scared or they’re involved.’
‘I completely resent that. I’ve been nothing but open and frank with you. Any other worker would have made you jump through a whole bunch of legal hoops before they even agreed to open the door. But not me, I gave you full cooperation. Jesus, I even gave you keys to Dallas Boyd’s apartment. Did you actually have a warrant before you looked through it?’
I didn’t answer.
‘I got you addresses. I even went with you to visit –’
Novak was cut off by the phone ringing on his desk. At first he ignored it then snatched it up, turning away to face the window and speaking in a low voice. Outside, Tammy York and Fletch walked through the gate and approached the front porch, stopping halfway up the path to speak to another client. I wondered what they were doing here and got my answer when Fletch shook hands and exchanged something with the other client.
Novak put down the phone, swivelled back around on his chair. ‘That was our sister agency in Footscray,’ he said. ‘We’ve got a kid holed up in his room threatening to slash up, off his face on meth. A Critical Assessment Team’s on the way. Who knows if they’ll get there in time.’
I waited.
‘Meanwhile, three kids from our detox unit over there have decided to go AWOL and two clinicians have called in sick,’ he continued. ‘As you can see, it’s a typical Monday morning and I’ve got all the time in the world.’
‘Want to hear the rest or not?’
‘Sure. I like being accused of impropriety, especially by someone I’ve bent over backwards for.’
From my daybook I produced a list I’d pulled from within the files Sarah Harrigan had given me. It comprised almost fifty names, one of which I’d highlighted.
‘Justin Quinn,’ I said, putting the page on the desk in front of him. ‘You said you didn’t know him.’
‘I don’t.’
‘Then why is his name on this list?’
Novak snatched up the page and read over it.
‘That’s your current client list,’ I explained. ‘Says right there that Justin Quinn had his first assessment last week, referred to CARS by Back Outside. So why did you tell me you didn’t know him?’
‘This is a total breach of privacy,’ Novak blurted. ‘These kids deserve more respect. Did Sarah Harrigan give you this?’
‘Like I said, it doesn’t matter who gave it to me. Just answer my question about