That ain't the question he might've been expecting, although it's a fair enough one. What's he gonna tell her about it: that he was conned into going there and killing a guy? That he was so hell-bent on revenge he believed what Hibbs told him, that Duckett was actually Sawyer? That he found out too late, got drunk, got in a bar-room brawl with some government someone-or-other, spent the night in jail, and then got deported 'cause he broke a damn coffee mug?

Hell no. In fact, his normal M.O. would be to turn it right around on her: look her in the face, arms folded across his chest, and go how come you were in Australia?

Yeah, that'd be his usual way of doin' things. But things with Freckles are anything but usual, so he makes an exception. Sure. He can answer.

"Had some business to attend to." And then he goes ahead and adds one more thing. "A favor for a friend."