Read The Day of the Gecko for Free Online Page B

Susie seemed to be enjoying hers. They nattered on for a while about this and that. Susie said there was a number next to the phone where Les could get in touch if he wanted to and she’d ring now and again herself.
    Before long it was time to go. Les took Susie’s bags and carried them out to the car. To avoid confusion and any trauma, Les decided to let Susie punch in the numbers on the security system.
    The traffic was a little heavier than Les had expected and it was getting on for 5.30 when they pulled up at the domestic terminal. Susie seemed a little anxious and was in a hurry to get out of the car, considering her flight didn’t leave till seven.
    â€˜Do you need any help?’ asked Les. ‘I can go and get you a trolley.’
    â€˜No, it’s all right.’ Susie grabbed her suitcase and handbag and slung the bag of CDs over her shoulder.
    Les adjusted the strap a little and gave her a quick but affectionate kiss. ‘I’ll see you when you get back.’
    â€˜Sunday night, Les.’ Susie gave Les a quick peck in return. ‘You know where that number is if you need me in Melbourne.’
    Les grinned. ‘No worries,’ he nodded.
    Susie turned and hurried for the door. As Les got back in his car he noticed a dark-haired man in jeans approach Susie as she walked inside. He said something to her briefly, then took her overnight bag and was gone. Les nodded once more. Yeah, I didn’t really think you’d need me to help you with your luggage, Side Valve, old pal.
    Norton drove to Bondi Junction, got a park in Bronte Road, then walked down to one of those Low-Cost places and got a dozen ninety-minute cassettes. He was about to have a freshly squeezed orange juice when he bumped into a couple of blokes he used to play football with that he hadn’t seen for a while. They’d just won some money at the TAB and were going over to Billy The Pigs for a steak and a few beers. If Les wanted to join them, they’d shout. Not being a man to knock back a free feed and happy to catch up with a couple of old mates, Les did just that. Consequently it wasn’t getting any earlier when Les got back to Susie’s and all the parking spaces were gone out the front. Les cruised down the driveway, hit the buzzer and the security door creaked and rumbled open in its own sweet time. Susie’s garage wasn’t the biggest in the world but with a bit of twisting andturning, Les was able to get the old ute into it and a minute later he was inside the unit.
    He stacked the dozen bottles of Toohey’s long necks he’d bought when he left The Pigs into the fridge, then unpacked his clothes and hung them in Susie’s wardrobe alongside her dresses and jackets. I wonder if there’s anything in there might fit me, he mused. Les shook his head. No, I doubt it. And I don’t like her colour sense all that much anyway. Some of her handbags aren’t bad though. He grabbed his towel and shaving gear and headed for the shower.
    Susie’s bathroom was about half as big as Les’s with a frosted, glass shower cabinet, separate bath and a toilet. Like the kitchen, it was spotlessly clean with a few indoor plants and little, fluffy women’s do-dads here and there, plus jars of cotton buds and dried flowers and things around the bathroom sink and mirror. Les had a shave, then changed into a pair of jocks and a plain white T-shirt. He got a beer from the fridge and stood in front of all the CDs. He was tempted to get into the music straight away, but he had all week and there was a programme about old American gangsters he wanted to watch on SBS, plus they were having a repeat double-header of
KYTV
. Norton switched the TV on and settled back.
    By the time they’d finished Les had knocked off four beers and he was starting to yawn and there was no way he was going to watch the late movie on SBS —
The Revenge of Grudnar the Crab Shelter
— a tormented