The Godson Read Online Free Page B

Jewish. And if word somehow has filtered through, some Mick out here would be a moral to take a pot at him. It’s still all a bit of a lark to poor silly Peregrine. The stupid prick honestly doesn’t know how much strife he’s in.’
    â€˜So what do you want me to do, Loz?’
    â€˜Take him out in the bush somewhere, say up the North Coast where it’s warm and isolated. You must know someone who can look after this Beecham’s pill for a couple of weeks?’
    â€˜Yeah, I can fix it up. No trouble at all.’
    O’Malley couldn’t help but clap his hands together with relief. ‘Good man. Well, I’ll let you know when he’s arriving and what he looks like and all that.’
    â€˜Okey-doke. Consider it done.’
    â€˜Good on you, Price.’
    The silvery-haired casino owner held up his empty glass. ‘So how about a drink?’
    Happy and relieved at knowing that everything was now in Price’s capable hands, O’Malley cheerfully topped up their glasses and once again the conversation went back to old times. Another hour or so went by — the rest of the Bowmore was gone, and Price and O’Malley were starting to roar.
    â€˜Okay, Price,’ said O’Malley getting to his feet. ‘Now that we’ve got that other business out of the way, how about I shout you to a nice lunch? You hungry?’
    â€˜Yeah. All this piss and cold weather. I’m starving,’ replied Price.
    â€˜Good. Well, I’m going to shout you to the best fish meal in Canberra.’
    â€˜At a restaurant?’ Price looked at O’Malley quizzingly. ‘That’s a bit dicey isn’t it? You being seen out in public with me?’
    â€˜Hah!’ The Attorney General held up a commanding finger. ‘Don’t think I haven’t thought of that.’
    O’Malley went to a cabinet at the other side of the room leaving Price staring at the fire. He rummaged around in a drawer for a few moments then walked back over and stood in front of Price.
    â€˜Well, what do you reckon?’
    When Price looked up, the Attorney General was wearing a loose fitting black wig, horn-rim glasses and a false moustache. He stared at him expressionless for a moment and shook his head.
    â€˜Is that a wig, or did your cat die? You look like Lamont Cranston’s father-in-law.’
    â€˜Yes. But I don’t look like me — do I, Price?’
    â€˜What about the nose, Loz?’
    â€˜I’ve booked it a separate table.’
    â€˜And does it pay for its own food?’
    â€˜Certainly.’
    â€˜Then let’s go.’ Price stood up and put on his jacket. ‘And where are you taking me? They got a No Names in Canberra, have they?’
    The Attorney General slipped an arm around his old friend’s shoulders. ‘Price,’ he said. ‘I am going to take you where they’ve got the fattest, juiciest Clyde River oysters you’ve ever tasted. And they do a Braidwood Rainbow trout in lemon butter that’ll give you a horn a foot long.’
    â€˜Fair dinkum. Where is it?’
    â€˜It’s a bit of a sneak go. The Alislie Hotel. Over near the War Memorial? Yvonne,’ he called out towards the study.
    B ARELY TWO MINUTES drive from the War Memorial, Eddie pulled the Rolls up in a small car park at the front of the Alislie Hotel, a single-storey building, spread out over almost the entire block. With its red, pink and white decor, rambling vines and well-manicured gardens, it looked like one of those gracious old hotels you would find in England or on parts of the continent. There was a covered driveway where a set of steps ran up to a polished double-oak door, but there were no parking spaces.
    â€˜Go round the back,’ said Dutchy. ‘There’s plenty round there.’
    Eddie found himself in a large parking area at the rear of the hotel. He locked the car and followed her through the back entrance and