The Snow Tiger / Night of Error. Desmond Bagley
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Название: The Snow Tiger / Night of Error
Автор: Desmond Bagley
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Приключения: прочее
isbn: 9780007347704
isbn:
Dan Edwards was busily scribbling. ‘Boy, oh boy, oh boy! Good copy at last.’ He tore off a sheet and handed it to a youth behind him. ‘Get that back to the office as fast as you can.’
Harrison laid down his gavel. ‘Dr McGill: you say that the mine management had a meeting with the Hukahoronui Town Council on the afternoon of Friday, the fifth of July.’
‘No, sir. I said that was the arrangement at the meeting in the morning. In the event it proved to be impossible.’
‘Why?’
‘Three of the councillors were absent from town that day and it was impossible to find a quorum. The meeting was held next morning – the Saturday morning.’
‘A delay of half a day.’
‘Yes, sir.’ McGill hesitated. ‘Mr Ballard and I debated whether or not to approach the two councillors who remained in town and we decided against it. Our view was that such an important matter should be communicated to the council as a whole; we did not want to tell a complicated story twice.’
‘So you met on the Saturday?’
‘Yes, sir. There was one other person present at my request.’
‘Oh, who was that?’
‘Mr Turi Buck. I have to tell you that I was not present during the entire meeting. I left half way through.’
Harrison bent forward and said to Reed, ‘Is Mr Buck present?’
‘Yes, Mr Chairman.’ Reed turned in his seat. ‘Will you step forward, Mr Buck?’
Turi Buck came forward and stood before the rostrum. ‘Were you present during the entire meeting under discussion, Mr Buck?’ Harrison asked.
‘Yes, sir; I was.’ Turi’s voice was strong.
‘Then you will replace Dr McGill in the witness chair.’
McGill stepped down and went back to his place, winking at Ballard as he passed.
Harrison said, ‘Mr Buck, would you be related to that illustrious member of your race, Sir Peter Buck?’
A ghost of a smile hovered on Turi’s seamed face. ‘No, sir.’
‘I see.’ Harrison drew his note-pad towards him. ‘Can you tell us who was present at this meeting?’
‘There was Ia … Mr Ballard and Mr Cameron from the mine. Dr McGill was there. And there was Mr Houghton, the mayor, and Mr Peterson – that’s to say John Peterson – and Eric Peterson, Mr Warrick and Mrs Samson.’
‘The last five were members of the council?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Harrison consulted a list. ‘Wasn’t Mr Quentin present?’
‘Oh yes; he was there. I forgot about him.’
‘Well, Mr Buck, perhaps you can tell us what went on at the meeting.’
Turi frowned. ‘It started off by Dr McGill telling of what he’d found. From what I’ve been hearing while I’ve been here I’d say it was just what he’d said at the meeting at the mine on the Friday. He told them there was a danger of avalanche and he told them why.’
‘What was the general reaction?’
‘They didn’t believe him.’
Lyall put up his hand. ‘Mr Chairman.’
‘Yes, Mr Lyall?’
‘It is incumbent on me to point out that of the ten people present at that meeting only four are able to be here at this inquiry. I ought to add that of the five council members only Mr Eric Peterson is able to be here.’
Harrison stared at him. ‘Now that you have given me that information – of which, I might add, I was well aware – what am I supposed to do with it?’
‘With respect, sir, one might think that Mr Eric Peterson is best qualified to give the reaction of the council.’
‘Does Mr Peterson wish to be a witness?’
‘He does.’
‘Then he will have his chance later. At present we are hearing the evidence of Mr Buck.’
‘Again with respect, Mr Chairman; may I point out that of the original mine management only Mr Ballard is here. Mr Dobbs and Mr Quentin are dead, and Mr Cameron is in hospital. It is well known in Hukahoronui that Mr Ballard and Mr Buck are friends of many years standing, and there has been evidence given here of the friendship between Mr Ballard and Dr McGill. It may be thought that the evidence given here is, shall we say, too one-sided.’
Harrison leaned back in his chair. ‘It is evident, Mr Lyall, that you are doing at least one of two things. You are impugning the integrity of this Commission, or you are questioning the honesty of Mr Buck. Possibly you are doing both. Do I understand you correctly?’
‘I do not question the integrity of the Commission, sir.’
Turi’s face was stricken as he half rose from his chair. Ian Ballard wriggled in his seat. He dug his elbow into Rickman’s ribs, and said, ‘The bastard! the utter bastard! Intervene and get on with that line of questioning I gave you.’
Rickman shook his head. ‘It would be most unwise. It wouldn’t be in the interests of the company.’ He twisted his head and looked at Lyall. ‘See how he’s stirring things up.’
‘But, God damn it, he’s making us into some sort of conspiracy.’
Rickman stared at him unwinkingly. ‘But not involving the company,’ he snapped.
Turi Buck lifted his hands helplessly. They were trembling as he said to Harrison, ‘May I be excused from the witness chair, sir?’
‘No, you may not, Mr Buck.’ Harrison turned his head. ‘Yes, Mr Ballard?’
Ballard lowered his hand. ‘I would like to question Mr Buck.’
Harrison frowned. ‘I thought you had representation, Mr Ballard. I gave warning at the beginning of this hearing that I would not allow it to be turned into a free-for-all.’
Ballard said, ‘As of thirty seconds ago Mr Rickman ceased to represent me personally. He will, of course, continue to represent the company.’
A wave of noise washed across the hall. Amid the uproar Rickman said, ‘You bloody young fool! What the devil do you think you’re doing?’
‘You’re fired,’ said Ballard briefly.
Harrison СКАЧАТЬ