Pay Dirt Read Free Page B

her. Normally he thought of her as having
the kind of grave beauty that didnt need a smile or other signs of life, but
now she grinned. Her nose wrinkled. It altered her entire face.

    * * * *

    SIX

    The
day started badly for Trigg and it got worse. First there was an article in Cosmopolitan. Hed gone into Cut and Dried for a body-wave, add a few centimetres to
his height, and he was under the dryer, flipping pages, when he came to Short
MenAre They Sexy? Raelene had yanked him out before he finished the article
but not before hed read that because Alan Ladd was so short, Hollywood had
shot all his love scenes with him standing on a box.

    Then when Trigg walked back down the
main street of Goyder, two people made cracks about the LTD getting stolen in
Belcowie the day before, and his reflection in the shop windows showed that his
body-wave was full of air, standing up from his head like it was in shock. His
cuban-heeled elastic-sided boots seemed to expand to the size of footballs on
his feet. He had the feeling the whole of Goyder was laughing at him. It got so
bad that he stopped and bought a tub of Brylcreem, and back at Trigg Motors he
plastered his hair down and saw clients without getting up from behind his
desk.

    But hed asked the mayor to drop by
after lunch. Hed have to stand up then there was a lot at stake. She arrived
at two-fifty, twenty minutes late, and he took her on a tour of the showrooms,
service bays and car lots of Trigg Motors, calling her your worship.

    Then he took her back to his office.
Coffee? he said. Tea? Something stronger? I got sherry, gin and tonic, rum
and coke?

    The mayors cats-arse mouth
tightened. She seemed to sniff. Im afraid I have to get back to chambers,
she said.

    Trigg knew then that hed lost, but
still, he grew businesslike and clapped his hands together. Ill be brief, he
said. Ive been in this city ten years. Trigg Motors is a pretty big concern,
I employ a lot of people, plus theres all the other spin-offs for the local
economy. The citys done a lot for me, now I want to give something back.

    Mr Trigg

    Liberal endorsement for Central
Ward next month, Trigg cut in. As a Councillor I could do a lot for this
city.

    The mayor had started to back
towards the door. She was a neat little package in her formal spring suit,
stiff hair and handbag, and Trigg wanted to push her over. Oh, I am sorry,
the mayor said. The Partys already got someone in mind for Central.

    That was quick, Trigg said, before
he could stop himself.

    Mr Trigg, there are procedures.
Long service to the Liberal Party, and so forth.

    Trigg wanted to say, And old
money. And brown-nosing. He held it back and kept his voice even. Perhaps
if I could address the local branch?

    The mayor stopped backing away from
him and seemed to come to a decision. Her chin up, her back straight, she said,
I think it only fair to tell you we cant afford to do anything, well, open to
interpretation.

    Triggs face changed. Spit it out,
he snarled.

    The mayor flushed. The rumours, ...
Im sorry, Mr Trigg, she said.

    This time she reached the door and
opened it and disappeared through it.

    Triggs right hand went up to shape
and pat his hair. It came away slicked with Brylcreem. He checked in his desk
drawer mirror and saw a gleam of oil on the tops of his ears. He wiped them
with his handkerchief. He was churning inside. His debts were crippling him;
business was non-existent. But try and expand, make the necessary contacts, and
see where it got you. The old money had this town sewn up tight.

    The call on his private line came
soon after that. He heard the STD beeps and then Leo Mesic in Melbourne was
saying, You were down this month.

    Trigg went pale. Panic settled in
him. He hated and feared the Mesics.

    Well? the voice said.

    Trigg tried to rally. After all,
Melbourne was six hundred and fifty kilometres away. I was down last month and
Ill be down next month. Theres a recession on.

    The voice went on as if he