The Butcherbird (15 page)

‘Jack, thank you so much for coming. Very good of you. I know how busy you’ve been with the results. And the media.’

Two things in these opening remarks caused Jack to pause. It was the first time Sir Laurence had ever used his name—and with warmth. And the reference to the ‘media’ had just a hint of an edge to it. But perhaps he was imagining it. He’d never seen Prue Patterson after the dinner and nothing had appeared in the press. Probably she was offended by his rejection of her offer. But Jack-the-lad was no more. He’d never be able to live without Louise, he knew that. This whole HOA mess had brought home to him how much he relied on her.

‘So I must say you’re looking wonderfully well, Jack, despite the pressure of the job. It doesn’t bother you at all, the dimension, the intricacy? You take it all in your stride? I must say your public appearances seem to be virtuoso performances.’

Jack wondered how long the web of flattery would be wound around him before the sharp end of the meeting was revealed.

‘And I must commend your major initiatives within the company. Particularly, I refer to your efforts to reduce costs and your concentration on the soundness of our P&L and balance sheet. I understand you’re also looking into the precise nature of the company’s reinsurance contracts?’ He waited for some affirmation, which wasn’t forthcoming. ‘As chairman, I am formally requesting you to report any concerns or irregularities on any of these matters directly to me. I want you to pursue all of them relentlessly and, if possible, to redouble your efforts. We must adhere to the highest standards of probity and fiscal certainty, so if any evidence, no matter how flimsy, should surface which gives you cause for concern, you must bring it straight to me. I’m sure you see the importance of this.’

Alarm bells were ringing in Jack’s head, but to what purpose was unclear. ‘Of course, Laurence. I’m just doing some preliminary work, particularly on the cost side.’ Hedley Stimson had warned him to be circumspect with Sir Laurence when he informed him of the impending meeting.

‘Watch him, son, he’s a twisted vine that one. See if he takes notes in the meeting. He’s probably trying to get something on the record to cover his own back. If he takes notes, you take notes. He can’t use a recording without you knowing and without your permission, but watch him.’

There were no notes taken. Sir Laurence sat very still in his chairman’s chair, which was upholstered in the same beige material as the other nineteen chairs around the table, but with a higher back. The suit was immaculate as always, the tie perfectly knotted, the shirt pink as always.

‘My suggestion, Jack, is that you form a committee to investigate these matters, should any of them crystallise as real issues. Such a committee might comprise yourself as chairman, Renton Healey on the financial side, and perhaps our internal auditor. Something of that nature. You could then report directly to me. We must be proactive at all times, yes?’

‘Yes, of course, Laurence, and thank you for the suggestions. It may be a bit premature for that, but I’ll certainly bear it in mind.’

‘Excellent. That’s agreed then. You will alert me immediately if anything develops. You have my complete support in all your efforts. Proceed without fear or favour.’

The sky was ablaze with weird geometric shapes in brilliant colours, vaguely reminiscent of a cubist painting. Somewhere in the Domain or the gardens surrounding the Museum of Modern Art, lasers or other devices of illusionists and magicians were creating shifting pictures on the clouds, as the human interest swarmed in through the portico. The women were in full plumage. The invitation had read ‘Party’, not ‘Cocktails’ or ‘Reception’, and the starting time was eight, rather than six-thirty or seven. There weren’t so many real parties nowadays—maybe there’d be dancing, mixing, darkness, happenings, scandals, gossip … In the forecourt, beautiful young women in dinner jackets were strolling about with peacocks on leads and a tall, muscled black man, also in a dinner jacket but with no shirt, just a bare chest and a white bow tie, stood motionless with a brightly coloured parrot on his shoulder. Strange, discordant, but not unpleasant, music wafted through the evening air from time to time as the guests queued to enter, and there was a disturbing, musky, vaguely sexual fragrance around. Waiters flitted about the queue with trays bearing champagne flutes and martini glasses filled with a milky viscous substance. When they were asked what the cocktails contained, they just smiled their pretty smiles and shrugged, as they’d been trained, and watched the women take the cocktails anyway, giggling nervously.

By the time the guests had entered the Biddulph Gallery there was expectation, almost danger, in the air.

The new gallery was pristine. Not a single picture interrupted the stark white walls as they swept up to the domed roof with massive skylights. The only adornment was the inscription THE BIDDULPH GALLERY on the entrance wall, not quite as high as it had been when Archie Speyne had made his pitch, and not in the black lettering of the dummy run. The bold sans serif script was built up with gold leaf—less obvious but so much more elegant. Although wisps of smoke whirled lazily through the vast space from time to time, not like the substance from a theatre smoke machine but more ethereal, almost like breath on a cold day, the gleam of the Biddulph name glinted always above the carefully groomed heads.

Everyone was here. Seven hundred and fifty people, everyone hand-picked, the crčme de la crčme, a perfect potpourri of business and political leaders, arts scions, artists, socialites, actors, a sprinkling of legendary sports figures—not too many because they never dressed well— and just the right dash of wankers. No one had declined, no one. Well, those who had were nobodies now. When the invitations went out—unusual in themselves, just a card with the whole of one side covered with a full-colour depiction of a strange painting labelled ‘The Tiger, Franz Marc 1912 (Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus)’, and on the other, in gold, the briefest details of the party, people were clamouring to get on the list, ringing Archie Speyne, the chairman of the museum, Mac, anyone who’d ever been connected with HOA. Women were berating their husbands with, ‘I’m telling you, John, if you can’t get us to that party, after all I’ve done for this city, after what you’ve done for—whatever, we’re finished. I’m not helping anyone anymore, I don’t care who they are, they can stick all their charities and museums and whatever wherever they want. That’s it.’

It was difficult to find a target to aim all this venom at. Archie said, truthfully, that he wasn’t in control of the list. Mac said, mainly truthfully, that it was the museum’s party, not his. The invitees smiled, smugly, and refrained from asking friends and acquaintances if they were attending until at least two minutes into any conversation.

Mac stood at the far end of the gallery, champagne flute in hand, and gazed around with deep satisfaction. Who would have thought old tight arse Laurence Treadmore could get together a show quite like this. Sure he’d hired someone, but at least he’d known who to hire. Mac would have to look after him. Christ, he was already looked after well enough. Probably even creaming something off the top of this event. But no—he was too smart for that, was Sir Laurence. His arrangements would be buried deep where no one would ever find them.

Mac winced inwardly as he felt Edith’s hand on his arm. Not because it was Edith’s hand, but because it reminded him that Bonny wasn’t here. There were occasions and there were occasions. One didn’t hide these things but nor did you flaunt them when the conclave of wives was in session. It would cost him plenty. So what. He was already enjoying his night immensely. He had no idea what was about to unfold and he didn’t care. It felt right. It had the makings.

Mac felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find the wide smile of Maxwell Newsome a few centimetres from his face. ‘Fantastic, Mac, absolutely brilliant. Betty was just saying she hasn’t had so much fun for years and the party hasn’t even started yet.’

Mac shrugged a humble shrug. ‘Evening Max, Betty. It’s not really my party, you know, I’m just a guest. Ask Edith.’

There was little point in asking Edith, as everyone knew, since Edith seldom spoke at public functions other than to laugh and nod, which had to count as speech. Maxwell Newsome smiled a knowing smile. ‘Sure Mac, we believe you. If the museum board could stir themselves to put on a show like this, we’d be here all the time. It’s usually cheap wine and sixties-style savouries, not all—this.’ He gestured at the myriad waiters sliding in and out of knots of people with trays of tiny morsels. Everything was tiny, Mac thought, even the waiters. The lamb chops were barely the size of a forefinger. The bloody lamb must have been slaughtered three weeks after it was born. Bastards. Still, they were terrific lamb chops. There were tiny hamburgers barely bigger than a thumbnail, tiny lobster pieces on tiny blinis, delicious wee morsels dropping down surgically tightened throats all over the Biddulph Gallery.

Mac drew Maxwell Newsome to one side, leaving the wives to chat. ‘Max, a moment if you don’t mind.’

‘On a night like this, Mac, no one could deny you anything.’ He winked. ‘And with the rising share price, why would anyone want to?’

‘Yes, that’s what I want to talk to you about. I’m thinking of selling a few shares, to balance up the portfolio.’

‘Hmm. It never looks good, Mac. A director. A major shareholder. Tends to spook the market a bit, just when everything is back in splendid order. You see what I mean.’

‘That’s why I’d prefer it wasn’t public—to protect the interests of the other shareholders.’

‘But you know the ASX rules. As a director, you have to advise the market immediately when you buy or sell. You don’t even get much grace these days. They’re very strict about that. And the newspapers publish those trades each week. There’s no way around it.’

‘I know the goddamn rules, Max, but how does that help anyone? They’re stupid rules, made for shonky types and start-up companies. This is HOA, one of the biggest companies in Australia, and I’ll only be selling a small percentage of my holding. The shares aren’t even in my name—some company owns them. We don’t want the share price to drop for everyone else just because I’ve sold a few shares, do we?’

Maxwell Newsome stroked his chin thoughtfully. ‘It’s really not a question for me, Mac. The individual director is responsible for reporting the sales. Of course, if you don’t control the company that owns the shares, you’re not required to report. I’m sure Laurence could advise you.’

‘Naturally I always value his counsel. But I wouldn’t want any leaks from any other source.’

‘I’ll handle the matter personally, Mac. No need to worry there. But I must stress the responsibility to report is yours.’

‘And I’ll stick to the letter of the law, Max, you know that. Come on, let’s join the girls before they get completely smashed.’

It was a night for intimate and productive conversations. Jack and Louise stood quietly in a corner on their own watching the passing parade. ‘It’s rather nice to be out, lover boy. Invitations have been rather thin on the ground lately.’

It was true, Jack thought. They used to sit together after dinner with their diaries open comparing dates, deciding where to go, where not to go. There was still a wad of corporate invitations to boxes for sporting events or nights at the opera, but few to the real society bashes. Louise hated business commitments, hated being invited by strangers who she knew had no interest in her, or Jack really, except to fill a space at a corporate table and try to grease their way into some HOA contract. A tall good-looking man in a beautifully cut dinner jacket approached.

‘Good evening, Jack. And this must be Louise.’ Jack shook hands. ‘Darling, this is the Pope—I mean Clinton … ah, John, Normile.’

Louise raised her eyebrows. ‘Good heavens, Mr Normile, you are a man of many names. Are they aliases, do you change them by days of the week, or were your parents just a little confused?’

‘I think it’s Jack who’s confused. John is fine and it’s a great pleasure to meet you.’

She liked him immediately. The room seemed full of people with angles, with Janus faces and cubist poses like the shapes projected on the walls. This man stood straight and square, looked her in the eyes when he talked, not away to see what he was missing somewhere else, and his smile was distributed evenly across the mouth, unlike the lopsided smile of sarcasm or contempt. Jack was called away by a beefy, red-faced business type, leaving Louise and the Pope together.

‘I understand you’ve been a great help to my husband.’

‘Not yet, I’m afraid, but we’re hoping to be.’

‘Who’s we, Mr Normile?’

‘Just some friends. We’re trying to keep it all low key and anonymous.’

She looked at him with her direct, uncompromising stare. ‘You need to understand we work as a team when the chips are down. Sometimes I step forward if he steps back, you understand?’

He held her gaze and, without realising it, reached out one hand to also hold her arm, as if to steady her. ‘I do.’

‘Then there might come a time when you or someone else will need to call me. And I’ll need to know everything. Play your Boys’ Own games in the meanwhile, but not when the time comes.’

They could see Jack returning to them and the Pope released her arm gently and moved away. She watched his tall spare figure weave its way through the crowd with a nod here, a wave there, as Jack reached her side. ‘He’s a good man to have on your side.’

Louise smiled. ‘Yes. When this is all over, I’d love to have dinner with him and his wife. Does he have a wife?’

‘I think so. At least he had one. He’s always been a bit of a mystery. And in the group we don’t really talk about our personal lives.’

They moved from their corner into the melee, arm in arm. As they reached the centre of the throbbing mass, the unusually excited voice of Archie Speyne could just be heard over the hubbub. ‘Ladies and gentlemen. Friends. Ladies and gentlemen.’

It was to no avail. Silencing this crowd, fuelled with adrenalin cocktails, would require more than Archie’s entrails. A cell phone rang in someone’s pocket. Then another, and another, and within a few seconds scores of tones and tinny music grabs and feeble fake bells were bleating all over the room. People began to laugh and fumble to switch off the offending gadgets, but the number added to the cacophony outgrew the few that were stilled, and as conversation ceased and at last subsided the buzz of the electronic locusts grew louder. A spotlight now framed Archie and the small round podium he was standing on rose a couple of metres higher. Suddenly, a massive amplified bell tolled and, as it did so, all the cell phones stopped their buzzing simultaneously. There was silence for a moment, and then scattered applause.