Get Charlie Noah

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Rodney Reid moved down the hallway of his home using a crutch under his right arm. He had no right foot. It had been amputated years ago following a motor vehicle accident involving him and some drunken mates. His wife, Doctor Rose Reid had actually amputated it. That is how they met. He stopped briefly and looked back at Ben. 'You can't fail a psychological test you idiot. It's not that kind of a test.'

'I sort of hit on his receptionist,' said Ben.

'Young?'

'Fairly young.'

'Jesus...not again!'

'She is also a transsexual.'

Rodney stopped as if he had run into a brick wall. 'What?'

'I'm a lost cause Rod. I almost picked up a drag.'

'Good Lord Almighty! Didn't you know?'

'I should have known. I always do. This one blew me away.'

'Shit Ben. We better have a drink.'

'It's almost lunch time.'

'You need a drink. You look like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards.'

'I threw up in the middle of Macquarie Street,' said Ben. 'I couldn't get a taxi because stuff was all over my shirt. I had to wash in a fountain in Hyde Park and a vagrant offered to share his sandwich with me.'

'Bloody hell! That's not good.'

'It was a Pecks Paste sandwich. I hate Pecks Paste.'

'I'm sorry Ben,' said Rodney as they reached the sunroom at the back of the house. 'I didn't realise the impact this psychological assessment might have on you.'

Ben dropped into a cane lounge chair with frangipani print covers. 'He dug into parts of my life that I thought were dead and buried. He especially wanted to know about Peta and her death and what that meant to me. He wanted to know how many women I'd slept with. Can you believe that?'

'How many have you slept with?' asked Rodney as he sat down opposite Ben and leaned his crutch against the wall.

'How the fuck do I know! I don't keep score you know.'

'It's been quite a few though.'

'So?'

'And most of them quite a lot younger than you.'

'Don't you start on me Rod. I've had a gut full let me tell you.'

'And now this transsexual thing,' said Rodney getting to his feet. 'I forgot the beer. Do you want a beer?'

'No. I'm going home. Thanks for looking after my car. I wouldn't trust anyone at those parking stations in the city to take care of it.'

'That's why you should drive a bomb like me and not a damn Aston Martin.'

'It was a gift and you know it. I could hardly say no,' said Ben. 'That would have been impolite.'

'Yeah right,' said Rodney grabbing his timber crutch and hopping quickly towards the kitchen. 'When will you get Doctor Pugh's report?'

'He's going to mail it to me with a copy to you in a week or so but I won't be around so he might as well save himself the trouble.'

'Where the hell will you be?'

'I don't know but right away from Sydney.'

'Not that walkabout shit again,' said Rodney as he sat back in the chair with an open can of beer. 'How long will you be gone for this time?'