Confessions, lies and family ties
When prolific thief Wayne Schofield finds himself trapped in a cupboard while robbing homeowner Fiona Mills, he hears a man and woman arguing followed by a gunshot. Three days later he’s arrested and charged with the murder of Fiona Mills. In court, a jury convicts him of murder. Ten years later, Wayne walks free after an appeal judge quashes his sentence. Determined to change his life, and prove his innocence Wayne announces he is authoring a tell-tale book on his criminal life.
A senior officer assigns Detective Inspector Alan Truman to reopen the Mills case and find the truth with a new sidekick Detective Constable Geoffrey Hawke who used to date Fiona’s daughter, Portia.
Three criminal associates who used Wayne’s talents on jobs find their freedom under threat. One summons DI Truman to his bedside to hear his dying confessions. The second finds himself trapped in his own thoughts, knowing time is running short. The third decides to travel to the UK and silence Wayne using his personal touch.
When Hawke interviews the three older Mills siblings and close friends of Fiona, he hears a raft of similar allegations of murder and deceit. When a former lover of Portia speaks to the police, he brings new information to the investigation but also the element of personal revenge.
As Hawke progresses the investigation, he is handed a ten-year-old handwritten note that points to a squirrel and a chain of unlikely events leading to the death of Mrs Mills.