Peter Maitland-Smith

Simon Bootham and David Whyatt couldn’t be more dissimilar. But the mining industry can prompt odd friendships. Bootham is trusted by his acquaintances though he has an aloof personality and a murky past. His present is building into something of growing suspicion also. He has a mission to travel to the Kimberleys though his growing band of acquaintances has no idea what it is. Even Judy, Bootham’s reluctant companion, thinks it’s a simple wilderness camping excursion with an incredibly well equipped host. The host just has to pull it all off before he is caught out for something else

Roly Dapsett knows the Kimberleys. He has been a career geologist all his working life and has developed an unhealthy obsession over the precious gems he spends every awake moment trying to uncover. His slackening hold on his sanity is beginning to affect his judgement and behaviour, and he has no tolerance for campers. He needs help and stirs the interest of a mining giant that cares even less for geologists and campers.

Is it to be a simple wilderness camping trip to one of the remotest places in Australia? Or was their guide on the run? Only one person knew the agenda and the route and he wasn’t telling. Even after 3 years in the mining industry together David Whyatt was no closer to knowing Boothams motives than his girlfriend was. Now Whyatt had a new girlfriend and was having to leave in a hurry as well. They were all headed to the Kimberleys now, unaware that the police were closing in.

Other interested parties with different motives were heading to the Kimberleys as well .Backed by the murky underbelly of a gigantic international corporation they had methods of dealing with impediments to their acquisitive natures. But even they are about to find out that not only the good die young.