Desmond Bagley - The Snow Tiger / Night of Error

‘Don’t get into trouble because of me, Liz.’

‘I’m tired of Charlie’s tantrums. I’m a grown woman and I’ll meet whoever I like. I told him so last night.’ She rubbed the side of her face reflectively.

Ballard glanced sideways and caught the action. ‘He hit you?’

‘Not for the first time, but it’s going to be the last.’ She saw the expression on Ballard’s face. ‘Not to worry, Ian. I can defend myself. I’m reckoned to be a pretty aggressive tennis player and those smash services develop the muscles.’

‘So you hit him back. I doubt if that would make much of an impression on Charlie.’

She grinned impishly. ‘I happened to be holding a plateful of spaghetti at the time.’ When Ballard burst out laughing she added, ‘Eric socked him, too. We’re quite a happy family, we Petersons.’

He turned the car into the hotel car park. As they walked into the foyer he said, ‘The grub’s not bad here; they serve quite a good lunch. But what about a drink first?’

‘Something long and cold,’ she agreed.

‘We’ll have it by the pool,’ he said. ‘This way.’ Suddenly he stiffened and halted in his stride.

‘What’s the matter?’

‘The forces are rallying. It’s Cousin Francis. Now where the devil did he spring from?’

A youngish man in a business suit stepped in front of them. ‘Morning, Ian,’ he said, abruptly and unsmilingly.

‘Good morning, Frank,’ said Ballard. ‘Miss Peterson, this is my cousin, Frank Ballard.’

Frank Ballard gave her a curt nod. ‘I want to talk to you, Ian.’

‘Sure. We’re just going to have drinks by the pool. Join us.’

Frank shook his head. ‘In private.’

‘All right. After lunch, then.’

‘No, I haven’t the time. I’m catching a plane back to Sydney almost immediately. It’ll have to be now.’

‘Don’t mind me,’ said Liz. ‘I’ll wait for you by the pool. Come on, Victor.’ She walked away without waiting for an answer.

Frank said, ‘What about your room?’

‘All right.’ Ballard led the way. They walked in silence until they reached the room. As he closed the door Ballard said, ‘What brings you from Australia, Frank?’

Frank swung around. ‘You bloody well know what brings me. Why the hell did you put old Crowell through the hoops the way you did yesterday? He was on the phone to me, crying on my shoulder long distance.’

Ian smiled. ‘Just trying to elicit a bit of truth.’

There was no answering smile from Frank. ‘Now look here, Ian. You’re getting the company into a right mess. A fine bloody managing director you are.’

‘Aren’t you forgetting that Crowell suspended me from duty? Or is what you’ve just said an offer of the job back?’

‘You flaming idiot! The suspension was only until the Inquiry was over. If you’d have used your brains and kept quiet everything would have been all right, and you’d be back in the saddle next week. As it is, I’m not so sure. You’ve been throwing so much mud at the company that I’m not sure you’re fit for the position.’

Ian sat on the bed. ‘If I’d kept quiet I’d be a dead duck, and you know it. Between the company and the Petersons I wouldn’t stand a chance. Did you really think I’d stand still and let you make a patsy out of me?’

‘This is a Ballard company,’ said Frank furiously. ‘We take care of our own. Have you no family feeling?’

‘You’d take care of me like a fox takes care of a rabbit,’ snapped Ian.

‘If that’s what you think, I’m sorry.’ Frank’s finger shot out. ‘When the inquiry starts again on Monday you’d better keep quiet. No more appeals to the grandstand like those you’ve been making. If you promise to do that then maybe there’ll still be a job for you in the Group. I doubt if I’ll be able to swing the managing directorship of Hukahoronui – my old man’s hopping mad – but I still think I can guarantee some kind of job.’

‘Thanks,’ said Ian ironically. ‘But I’m underwhelmed by your generosity. You know what I think of the Group – I’ve never made a secret of it.’

‘For Christ’s sake!’ burst out Frank. ‘You know how big we are. We just have to pass the word around and you’ll never get a job in mining again. Look, you don’t even have to do anything – just stop asking damn fool questions in public.’

Ian stood up. ‘Don’t push me, Frank,’ he warned.

‘I haven’t even started yet. For God’s sake, be reasonable, Ian. Do you know how much the share price of the company has dropped since yesterday? All this adverse publicity is having an effect even in London. We’re dropping money fast.’

‘I bleed for you.’

‘You know we’re going to float a new issue of Hukahoronui shares. What chance do you think we’ll have if you continue to hold up the chairman of the board as a bloody fool?’

‘The foolishness of Crowell is none of my doing – he’s a self-made idiot. That’s why you have him there – because he’ll jump when he’s told. You ought to be getting rid of Crowell, not me.’

‘You’re impossible,’ said Frank disgustedly. ‘We’re not getting rid of you.’

‘No,’ agreed Ian. ‘I’m leaving under my own power, and in my own way. I don’t take easily to blackmail, Frank, and the way you’re going you’re likely to cook your own goose.’

Frank looked up and said sharply, ‘What do you mean?’

‘Have you considered the composition of the Commission of Inquiry? There’s Harrison, the chairman, and his two assessors, both experts in their fields. Rolandson knows about snow, and French is from the Department of Mines. He hasn’t said much yet.’

‘So?’

‘So any more pressure from you and I’ll start asking questions about conditions in that mine, and by the time I’m through French will write a report that’ll curl your hair – a report that the shareholders won’t like at all. Then you’ll see something really happen to the share price.’

‘You’re being really hard-nosed about this, aren’t you? Why, Ian?’

‘Do you have to ask after what you’ve been doing? I don’t like being manipulated, Frank. I don’t like being pushed around. I’m no Crowell. And another thing: the day before I was fired – and let’s give it the right name, Frank; none of this bull about suspension – I saw the result of the latest assay. Rich pickings, Frank, my boy; very rich pickings. But can you tell me why those results haven’t been given to the shareholders?’

‘That’s none of your bloody business.’

‘It might be if I buy some shares. Not that I will, of course. That mine is going to make someone a fortune, but the way you’ll set it up I don’t think the ordinary shareholders will see much of it.’

‘Nobody will make anything if you get on your hind legs and start asking damn fool questions about avalanche defences,’ said Frank sourly. ‘Good God, do you know how much it will cost us if this bloody Commission goes the wrong way?’

Ian stared at him. ‘What do you mean – the wrong way? Were you thinking of not putting in avalanche defences?’

‘Hell, there’s only an avalanche every thirty years or so. By the time the next one comes the mine will be worked out.’

Ian took a deep breath. ‘You damned fool! That was when the trees were still on the west slope. Now they’re gone there’s likely to be a fall in any period of heavy snow.’

‘All right.’ Frank flapped his hand impatiently. ‘We’ll re-afforest the slope. That’ll cost less than the snow rakes your friend McGill wants to have.’

‘Frank, do you know how long it takes for a tree to grow? I thought you lot were bad enough but now I know the depth of your greed.’ Ballard’s voice was hard. ‘And I suggest we bring this conversation to a sudden halt.’ He crossed to the door and threw it open.