Soon by Charlotte Grimshaw Page A

it.’
    â€˜Wants who to discuss it?’
    â€˜The community. The punters. He wants prevention campaigns. Like for the road toll.’
    David finished his drink and rattled his glass at Troy. ‘Doesn’t that mean everyone gets obsessed with it and more and more people do it?’
    â€˜Like lemmings,’ Karen said.
    â€˜Thanks, Troy, another please. I suppose like lemmings. Sort of. Anyway, car crashes are accidents. Why should we stand in the way if someone actually wants to die?’
    The Cock laughed. His eyes were intelligent, his expression was alert, and when his eye fell on people they tended to squirm. The big thing about the Cock was that he was the brains. (David was the brains but also the charm.) The Cock was tall and solid, with symmetrical features, narrow eyes and a thin, hoarse voice. It was said that he wanted David’s job, but didn’t have the support, since voters and many in the party found him frightening. He had wide and intimidating interests, including a fondness for Norse mythology. He had a degree from Harvard as well as from Auckland University; he was supposed to have extraordinary financial prescience; and was more right wing than it was advisable for the party to reveal. His preferred tone, when selling unpopular policies, was one of hypnotic blandness. He specialised in creating what they called ‘a mood for change’ — this involved manipulating the public into demanding the very measures he and David had planned to foist on them all along.
    Simon always felt wary, as if he had something to hide, when the Cock was around. Karen was repelled by his smoothness and quite frightened of him.
    â€˜Suicides. Vince Buckley is a complete arsehole,’ David said.
    â€˜But he’s our arsehole,’ the Cock replied.
    â€˜He’s your arsehole.’
    â€˜He’s an arsehole we’re all saddled with.’
    â€˜Oh please,’ Sharon called out. ‘Do you mind?’
    â€˜Who is that lovely creature?’ the Cock said.
    â€˜Isn’t she,’ David said with pride. They watched as Elke crossed the lawn on her way to the beach.
    The Cock said, ‘My, how she’s grown. She doesn’t look like you, Roza, but she’s very like you. It’s the way she moves.’
    â€˜How observant,’ Roza said.
    â€˜She’s conscious of being looked at but she’s not going to show it,’ the Cock added with a little flourish, as Elke disappeared down the path between the hedges. Simon took note: the Cock had uncharacteristically shown his hand. He wanted to impress Roza.
    Roza gave him a gracious smile.
    David said, ‘Bravo, Cahane.’ The Cock registered the mocking tone. He caught Simon’s eye and stared for a moment, as though coldly weighing up whether he mattered.
    The group broke up before dinner. Karen disappeared, and Juliet and Sharon went off with the young Miles children. David took the Cock and Ed Miles into his office, and Simon and Roza were left alone.
    He said, ‘The Cock’s wife’s very animated.’
    Roza paced nervously. ‘Good God, I can hardly stand it. Let’s walk somewhere. The High Priestess has got Johnnie; she’ll be fumigating and delousing him, so I’ve got nothing to do until dinner. Let’s walk along the beach.’
    â€˜We haven’t got much time.’
    â€˜I can’t stand the insipid talk; I feel caged.’
    Simon said, ‘Cahane’s always interesting.’
    â€˜He’s too interesting.’
    â€˜He likes you.’
    Roza paused. ‘He does. I suddenly thought that, just now.’
    â€˜And David noticed, and then Cahane was irritated. No, disconcerted.’
    â€˜Yes! I thought all that too. The Cock’s wife is so vacuous. Thank God you’re here. You’re not vacuous.’ She added, ‘You and Karen, I mean.’
    â€˜It’s lucky you and Karen get on so well.’
    She stopped