The Snow Tiger / Night of Error. Desmond Bagley
I think he made Harrison shiver a bit.’ Privately he thought it tactless to describe the sufferings of an avalanche victim such as Zdarsky to one who had himself been caught in an avalanche, and he wondered how much Liz had said. ‘How are you feeling, Joe?’
‘A bit better this morning. I could have stayed yesterday afternoon in spite of my damn fool doctor.’
‘You do as he says,’ Ballard advised. ‘What do you think, Liz?’
‘I think Joe should do as he likes. Doctor doesn’t always know best.’
Cameron laughed. ‘Oh, it’s good to have a pretty girl here – especially when she’s on my side. But you really shouldn’t be here, Liz.’ He nodded towards the window. ‘You should be out there, enjoying the sunshine. On a tennis court, maybe.’
‘I’ve got plenty of time for tennis, Joe,’ she said. ‘The rest of my life. Are they looking after you well here?’
‘Okay, I guess – but it’s just like any other hospital. The food is terrible – they have too many dieticians and too few cooks.’
‘We’ll have something sent in,’ said Ballard. ‘Won’t we Liz?’
She smiled. ‘I’m not bad at home cooking.’
They stayed until Cameron sent them off, saying that young people must have something better to do than to sit around in hospitals. Outside, in the sunshine, Ballard said, ‘Doing anything in particular, Liz?’
‘Not really.’
‘What about having lunch with me?’
She hesitated fractionally, but said, ‘I’d like that.’
‘We’ll go in my car. I’ll bring you back on my way to the airport this afternoon. I’m meeting someone.’
‘It’ll cost you lunch for two. I’ll have to bring Victor. I can’t leave him in my car.’
‘Sure.’
She laughed. ‘Love me – love my dog.’
As Ballard started the engine of his car, he said, ‘Did you mean what you said yesterday – about leaving New Zealand?’
‘I’ve been thinking about it.’
‘Where would you go?’
‘England, I suppose – at first anyway. Then perhaps America. You’ve travelled around a bit, haven’t you? I’ve always wanted to travel – to see things.’
He drove out of the hospital grounds. ‘Yes, I’ve been places, but they’ve always been working trips. I’ll tell you one thing – I certainly never expected to come back to New Zealand.’
‘Then why did you?’
Ballard sighed. ‘My grandfather wanted me to. He was a forceful old bird.’
‘He was! I didn’t know he was dead.’
‘He died a few days ago.’
‘Oh, Ian! I am sorry.’
‘So am I, in a way. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but I’ll miss him. Now that he’s gone I won’t be staying with the Ballard group. In fact, I’ve just about made that impossible.’
‘It’s like Mike says – neither of us get on with our relatives.’ Liz laughed. ‘I had a row with Charlie last night. Someone saw us in the restaurant yesterday and split to Charlie.’
‘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