The Godson by Robert G. Barrett Read Free Book Online Page B

Billy couldn’t find anything funny about standing around the front of the club that night and at one am Les made sure their next cups of coffee were well-laced with Jim Beam Black Label. But the cold kept the mugs away and there wasn’t so much as a cross word let aloneany fisticuffs all night. So apart from the weather, and with a few bourbon coffees under their belts, Saturday evening went smoother than a Mormon’s haircut. However, Les and Billy were still more than pleased when at three-thirty they had the place locked, bolted and barred and were sitting in the warmth of Price’s office having an after-work and end-of-week drink.
    There was the usual idle chit-chat as the first two rounds of drinks went down. Price and Eddie didn’t seem to be saying a great deal. Les and Billy commented on the weather and the money they’d won on the pokies and Price’s horse. The big surprise of the night was George Brennan. Having lost the bet to Les and knowing he was in for a ferocious bagging, Les had expected him to have a 25 carat case of the shits. On the contrary, he was all smiles. Les hit him with a couple of barbed sling-offs early in the piece but the fat casino manager wouldn’t come in at all — he simply shrugged his shoulders and copped it sweet. This took the wind right out of Norton’s sails. So he quietly collected his $100 and his case of beer and even conceded that the Easts try was a fluke and Balmain should have won. Billy Dunne couldn’t believe his ears. Eventually though, the small talk about football, racehorses and the weather drifted off and all eyes turned to Price and Eddie. George was the first to swing the subject around to what was on everyone’s mind.
    â€˜So,’ he said casually. ‘How was the trip to Canberra, Price? Everything go all right?’
    â€˜The trip to Canberra? It was good. Cold. But yes, everything did go all right,’ replied Price. He stared at the deafening silence coming from his three trusted employees and exchanged a half smile with Eddie. ‘I suppose you’re all wondering what we were up to down there. And why we left in such a hurry?’
    â€˜Well…’ George gave a noncommittal shrug of his shoulder while Les and Billy tried to look indifferent. But it was patently obvious they were all swarming like bees.
    â€˜Okay.’ Price eased back in his padded leather chair. ‘I’ll tell you what’s going on.’ He fixed his gaze on Norton. ‘I would have had to anyway.’
    While Eddie got them all another drink, Price told them the reason he and Eddie went to Canberra. He simplified it as much as possible. But he did mention the lunch with O’Malley, the fact that Peregrine was a baronet and the Attorney General’s godson. How it was the IRA that were after him and how they were going to hide him on the farm Eddie knewabout in the Tweed Valley for two weeks. Eddie didn’t mention what he had done while he was down there.
    There was a puzzled, if not slightly amused silence for a moment as what Price had just told them sunk in. Then Billy spoke.
    â€˜Shit!’ he said. ‘You had lunch with the Attorney General of Australia?’
    â€˜Yes,’ nodded Price. ‘The Right Honourable Laurence O’Malley QC. Hard to imagine a bloke I used to SP with in pubs would finish up Attorney General of Australia, isn’t it?’ Billy shook his head in amazement.
    â€˜And you’re going to hide this Peregrine bloke up the North Coast somewhere for two weeks,’ said Les.
    â€˜That’s right,’ said Price, then he and Eddie exchanged smiles. ‘And that’s where you come in, Les me old son.’
    â€˜I come in?’
    â€˜Yeah. Who do you think’s going to take Peregrine up to the Tweed Valley and put him under his wing for a fortnight?’ Norton blinked as Price motioned his Scotch and soda towards him. ‘You