The Butcherbird Read Online Free PDF Page A

times.’
    Jack observed them all with deep affection. This was the family sport, scoring points off Dad, but he knew it was their way of expressing love and that the day it stopped he would have lost more than respect. He looked across to the dog sleeping quietly on the rug, for support, but received none.
    ‘All right then, who’s the President of Tanzania?’
    ‘Where is Tanzania?’ Shane was always ready to answer a question with a question.
    Jack smiled at his only son, the prodigal son he always called him, without really knowing the meaning of ‘prodigal’.’I cannot be called upon to give clues in the great game of life.’
    ‘Meaning he doesn’t know and therefore loses the great game of life.’ Louise raised her eyebrows at him again.
    ‘A preposterous and outrageous slander. Tanzania is in Africa, situated conveniently near Zambia and Uganda, especially if you live in either of those highly desirable localities. As the atlas will confirm.’
    Sarah had already leapt up to fetch the reference books. ‘He’s right, Mum, it is in Africa.’
    ‘Of course it’s in Africa, darling, but it’s a hundred to one your father doesn’t know who the President is and is relying on the fact that none of our books are up to date. Am I right?’
    The phone rang. Jack gestured for Sarah to answer it. ‘Why do I always have to get it?’
    ‘Because it’s usually for you.’
    Louise held his gaze. ‘You won’t get away with this bluff, you know.’
    Sarah called. ‘It’s for Dad. A Mr Biddulph.’
    Jack was startled. Louise watched him. ‘Big Mac strikes again. You are popular. Remember, we can’t afford another weekend away or we’ll go broke—and besides, Shane has rugby.’
    Jack took the call in the atrium and they could only hear him mumbling and the occasional word. He returned after a few minutes, running his fingers through his thick hair absentmindedly.
    ‘You haven’t sold the house and left the family homeless or something, have you? You look somewhat addled.’
    ‘I am. More than somewhat.’
    ‘Well, what did he say? We’re all agog. And keen to get back to Tanzania and the leader of that great nation.’
    Jack gazed around the room, around the knot of his family, apparently not seeing. ‘He said all roads lead to me. He said he’d been thinking about me ever since the weekend. He said he wants me to come and discuss running his company. That’s about it.’
    They were all quiet. The kitchen clock ticked. ‘Why would he do that?’ Jack shot her a look. ‘I didn’t mean it that way. We all know you’re a genius and an MBA and all, not to mention your ravishing good looks. But he’s in the insurance business, isn’t he? You don’t know anything about that.’
    ‘Or who the President of Tanzania is.’ Sarah tried to emulate her mother’s arched brows.
    ‘Yeah, it’s strange. I assume he’s talking about the insurance company. He’s in all sorts of things privately, but that’s the big public face. I was too stunned to ask. He cut off any questions and said, come and talk. I was the only one, all roads led to me. He repeated that. Don’t think about it, just come and talk. That was the line.’ Again the fingers ran through the hair.
    ‘Why would you? You run your own company. Quite well we feel, don’t we, group? Although we may razz you from time to time, you’re a good little earner. Why would you bother to talk to him?’
    Jack didn’t answer. He looked up. Shifting clouds and a full moon were visible through the glass roof. ‘Well, are you going to talk?’
    He nodded slowly. ‘I’m going to have a chat. Why not? It’s intriguing. I’m a bit bored, to tell you the truth, doing the same thing. I don’t mean I’m going to do this, whatever it is, but there’s no harm in talking.’
    ‘You’re late, Jack. Just off the nest, I’ll bet. And missing a great story. Start again, Maroubra, this one’s a cracker.’
    Jack slid into the only vacant chair at the long