The Day of the Gecko Read Free Page A

for a while. Still hairdressing?’
    â€˜Yeah, casual. That and some waitressing. Plus I do a bit of buying and selling on the side. I bought a home unit, Les, and it’s a constant battle between myself and the bank as to whether I should still be allowed to live there.’
    â€˜Yeah, I know what you mean. They can be drop-kicks all right. I’m lucky. I own my joint.’
    â€˜I got a young student staying with me at the moment. That helps a bit.’
    Norton’s eyes narrowed for a second. ‘Yeah, I’ve got a boarder at my place too.’
    â€˜Warren?’
    â€˜That’s him.’ Les decided to change the subject. ‘So what’s this buying and selling you do? Guns, drugs?’
    â€˜That’s more in your line, isn’t it? No. CDs. Imports mainly. What about you, Les? What are you up to these days? You look good.’
    â€˜So do you, Susie. Don’t worry about that.’
    â€˜Thank you, Les.’
    Norton told her pretty much the truth. Casual work at the club. He’d had a couple of trips away. A bit ofwhat happened. They laughed and joked. Susie said it was work mostly for her, trying to pay off a home unit. She hadn’t been going out much and when she did it was generally no great turn-on
and
expensive. Les smiled at her and thought, ‘why not?’
    â€˜Well, I get a night off from the pickle factory now and again. How about we go out and have a nice meal? Or see a movie? Anything you like. Just for old times’ sake. This time, throw something over me I like. Jim Beam or Eumundi Lager.’
    Susie tossed back her head and laughed, then put her hand on Norton’s and looked at him. ‘All right, Les. That sounds good to me. I always had fun when we went out together.’
    Norton gave Susie’s hand a warm squeeze. ‘Did we ever.’
    â€˜The thing is, though, I’m flying down to Melbourne at seven tonight. I won’t be back till Sunday.’
    Les seemed to sense something in Susie’s voice. ‘Everything’s okay? Nothing . . .?’
    â€˜Actually it’s an old aunty died. She left the family two houses. So after the funeral and the weeping and wailing there’s the reading of the will. And I’m not sure, but I think I’m in the whack. Shit! I hope so.’
    â€˜Yeah, wouldn’t that be handy,’ agreed Norton.
    â€˜So I’m away for a week.’ Susie took her hand away and looked evenly at Norton for a moment. ‘Les, would you mind if I asked you a small favour?’
    â€˜I suppose not,’ shrugged Les. ‘What is it?’
    â€˜Your place is only just round the comer from my unit. Would you keep an eye on it for me while I’m away?’
    â€˜What about the boarder? What’s wrong with him?’
    â€˜He’s away somewhere.’ Susie’s voice seemed to soften. ‘It’s two minutes from your place. I’ve got all this stuff there, and there’s been some strange goingson lately. For an old friend, Les?’ she added with a coy smile that could have meant anything.
    Norton stared at Susie. It was as if the heavens had opened up and all the storm clouds had rolled away, leaving great shafts of sunshine. The answer to his problem. Les looked briefly at the sky. You’re up there, pal. I know you are.
    â€˜I’ll go one better than that, Susie,’ he said. ‘How would you like me to move into the place while you’re away? Guard it night and day. I’ll do it for you, Susie.’
    â€˜You will?’ Susie gave a bit of a double blink.
    Les looked Susie straight in the eye. ‘I’ve just had my place done over for white ants and Bondi butterflies. The place is full of poisonous, deadly chemical smells. Plus I’ve had a carpet mob in.’
    â€˜Yes. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to clean your place up, Les. The last time I was there, the dog next door used to leave its backyard to bury