to
think about the future. Never faced retrenchment.
Wyatt didnt argue with him. His
life was precarious in its own way but he didnt intend to moan to Harbutt
about it. He changed the subject. Hows Dern?
Havent seen him.
Thea?
All Harbutts attention was directed
at his cigarette. He rolled the burning tip on the edge of the ashtray,
examined the hot cone. I think Dern told her to get lost.
Wyatt said, Ive been thinking
about those jobs he proposed.
Harbutt looked at him then. I didnt
exactly think youd come back for old times sake. Which one?
The warehouse sale this weekend.
Why that one?
Because we walk away with cash in
our pockets. With the other two jobs theres only the promise of it from some
insurance company. Plus the wait. The longer we wait, the greater the chance
theyll track us down.
But you said the place was too
open, too many angles to figure.
It could work if we hide on the
premises at closing time. Disable the nightwatchman, blow the safe at our
leisure.
Harbutt nodded. Some of his old form
was returning. His cigarette burnt itself out, his beer went flat. Last day of
the sale is on Monday, he said at last. We do it on Sunday night?
Yes.
Could be a goer.
What can you tell me about the
place itself?
They call it The Barn because thats
what its like, a huge barn. They sell liquidation gearfurniture, clothes,
electrical gear, tools, records and tapes, laid out on these long benches.
Wheres the safe likely to be?
Theres a mezzanine level, offices
and that. Up there, Id say.
You think we could hide in the
place unnoticed?
Plenty of places, Harbutt said. Toilets,
storage rooms, under a bench, even in one of them rubbish bins on wheels.
Where does Thea work?
Harbutt patted his pockets for his
cigarettes. Nine to five at their head office in town. She wont be there.
Wyatt watched his friend. I dont
want Dern or Thea to know about this.
Harbutt straightened in his chair. Got
you.
They fell silent.
Which leaves the safe, Wyatt said.
Are you up to it?
Harbutt splayed his fingers. They
were more or less steady. Give me a combination, a drill, a stick of
gelignite, whatever you like.
I want you to lay off the booze
till after the job.
Harbutt nodded.
Good. Well make a dry run. The
sale opens tomorrow, so it has to be tonight.
Youre mad, Harbutt said. The
nightwatchman.
Its a risk we have to take. There
wont be any money on the premises, so hes not likely to be too jumpy. We need
to know where to hide when the time comes, what kind of safe it is, the best
way out. We can keep out of his way easily enough. If he spots us, well run,
thats all.
They separated and met again at The
Barn late that afternoon. It sat alone on an immense asphalted field outside
Geelong. At one time it had been a supermarket called Super City; the old name
was still discernible, painted over on the facia board. The front was all
glass, two storeys high and running the length of the building. The glass
curved inwards from a shallow channel choked with pansies. A sign said: The
Longest Curved Glass Window in the Southern Hemisphere. It was five oclock
and several vans and lorries were backed up at the side of the building. A
dozen men were carting sofas, refrigerators, sealed cartons and racks of
dresses through the side doors.
Wyatt and Harbutt approached the
front door. They each carried a clipboard and wore a dustcoat with the word Inspector
stitched across the top pocket.
Workplace safety check, Wyatt told
the security man at the door.
The man shrugged. It meant nothing
to him. The world was full of grey men in dustcoats writing things on
clipboards.
Wyatt and Harbutt went inside.
Wooden trestle tables groaned under the weight of Taiwanese calculators, Korean
batteries, Chinese shoes. Refrigerators and toasters were stacked around the
walls. Armchairs and sofa beds littered an area the size of a tennis court in
one corner. Sales staff hurried around, pricing goods and pasting
think about the future. Never faced retrenchment.
Wyatt didnt argue with him. His
life was precarious in its own way but he didnt intend to moan to Harbutt
about it. He changed the subject. Hows Dern?
Havent seen him.
Thea?
All Harbutts attention was directed
at his cigarette. He rolled the burning tip on the edge of the ashtray,
examined the hot cone. I think Dern told her to get lost.
Wyatt said, Ive been thinking
about those jobs he proposed.
Harbutt looked at him then. I didnt
exactly think youd come back for old times sake. Which one?
The warehouse sale this weekend.
Why that one?
Because we walk away with cash in
our pockets. With the other two jobs theres only the promise of it from some
insurance company. Plus the wait. The longer we wait, the greater the chance
theyll track us down.
But you said the place was too
open, too many angles to figure.
It could work if we hide on the
premises at closing time. Disable the nightwatchman, blow the safe at our
leisure.
Harbutt nodded. Some of his old form
was returning. His cigarette burnt itself out, his beer went flat. Last day of
the sale is on Monday, he said at last. We do it on Sunday night?
Yes.
Could be a goer.
What can you tell me about the
place itself?
They call it The Barn because thats
what its like, a huge barn. They sell liquidation gearfurniture, clothes,
electrical gear, tools, records and tapes, laid out on these long benches.
Wheres the safe likely to be?
Theres a mezzanine level, offices
and that. Up there, Id say.
You think we could hide in the
place unnoticed?
Plenty of places, Harbutt said. Toilets,
storage rooms, under a bench, even in one of them rubbish bins on wheels.
Where does Thea work?
Harbutt patted his pockets for his
cigarettes. Nine to five at their head office in town. She wont be there.
Wyatt watched his friend. I dont
want Dern or Thea to know about this.
Harbutt straightened in his chair. Got
you.
They fell silent.
Which leaves the safe, Wyatt said.
Are you up to it?
Harbutt splayed his fingers. They
were more or less steady. Give me a combination, a drill, a stick of
gelignite, whatever you like.
I want you to lay off the booze
till after the job.
Harbutt nodded.
Good. Well make a dry run. The
sale opens tomorrow, so it has to be tonight.
Youre mad, Harbutt said. The
nightwatchman.
Its a risk we have to take. There
wont be any money on the premises, so hes not likely to be too jumpy. We need
to know where to hide when the time comes, what kind of safe it is, the best
way out. We can keep out of his way easily enough. If he spots us, well run,
thats all.
They separated and met again at The
Barn late that afternoon. It sat alone on an immense asphalted field outside
Geelong. At one time it had been a supermarket called Super City; the old name
was still discernible, painted over on the facia board. The front was all
glass, two storeys high and running the length of the building. The glass
curved inwards from a shallow channel choked with pansies. A sign said: The
Longest Curved Glass Window in the Southern Hemisphere. It was five oclock
and several vans and lorries were backed up at the side of the building. A
dozen men were carting sofas, refrigerators, sealed cartons and racks of
dresses through the side doors.
Wyatt and Harbutt approached the
front door. They each carried a clipboard and wore a dustcoat with the word Inspector
stitched across the top pocket.
Workplace safety check, Wyatt told
the security man at the door.
The man shrugged. It meant nothing
to him. The world was full of grey men in dustcoats writing things on
clipboards.
Wyatt and Harbutt went inside.
Wooden trestle tables groaned under the weight of Taiwanese calculators, Korean
batteries, Chinese shoes. Refrigerators and toasters were stacked around the
walls. Armchairs and sofa beds littered an area the size of a tennis court in
one corner. Sales staff hurried around, pricing goods and pasting
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