The Hunt For Rose

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Larry Liberian was shuffling paper on his desk in Canberra, there was a knock on his door. "Come in."

  It was his secretary. "Jodi Stanton couldn't make the appointment; she has sent a Mr Whistler."

  "Ah, Whistler, I read his column on Flaxmead every week, send him in."

  Whistler had lost a lot of weight and his rise to journalistic fame had failed to change his character. He shook hands with the prime minister and sat down making himself comfortable. "Jodi sends her apologies unfortunately she is too ill to attend."

  "Oh, nothing series I hope."

  "The flu. I'm quite excited to be able to fill in for her."

  "Well could be fate, no one knows more about Flaxmead than yourself."

  "Flaxmead, you wish to talk about Flaxmead."

  "My staff did mention to Jodi the meeting was regarding Flaxmead, probably why she sent you."

  "Oh."

  "Not long now till the big challenge in Kentucky." Larry beamed confidence rubbing his hands together. "I would like to attend the challenge and wanted to invite Jodi and her staff including the Fields to travel with me to Kentucky."

  "Jodi and the Fields will not be attending."

  Larry looked shocked. "Ahh, do you know why."

  "Mr Stanton feels a similar fate as Phar Lap awaits Flaxmead and he wishes to focus on the event."

  Larry played with his ear. "Err, Mr Stanton, wonderful to have such an experienced person arranging security. I will be calling the American president a few days before the event to voice concern about a reassurance of the Phar Lap episode and the need for assistance in the field of security."

  "I don't believe Mr Stanton needs any help with security, he has devised a transportation plan."

  "Of which you are privy too."

  Whistler laughed. "You must be joking."

  Larry shuffled around in his seat nervously playing with his tie. "Whistler, sorry I don't know your first name."

  "Everyone calls me Whistler to the point I can't remember I have one."

  "Oh I see. Look Whistler, the entire heart of the nation will be carried by Flaxmead when he runs in the US. This is not a horse race it's a statement of endeavour."

  "The whole things bullshit."

  "I beg your pardon."

  "Currently it's a bullshit competition, I was talking to Bryce Thunderbolts owner only yesterday and he openly suggested his horse could not beat Flaxmead."

  "Good grief, what an extraordinary thing for an American to say."

  "I agree with him to a certain degree, but that statement is not entirely true. Flaxmead's times are better than Thunderbolts but not by a massive margin. The start is without gates and the surface favours the American. Bryce is an entrepreneur, he likes making money, and he can make money from a loss just as well as a win. Odds."

  "Odds, I'm not with you."

  "Betting odds, the too and fro has begun, no bookmaker can favour either horse too many variables. With clever media reports and betting Bryce stands to make a fortune, he couldn't care if his horse wins or losses."

  "Mmm, I see. But it means a lot to us."

  "Absolutely and probably the American president but not Bryce, if Bryce lost money he would be a laughing stock among his friends, if he lost the race wouldn't even be discussed at the dinner table. I've studied this man and his horses for some time."

  "So I could return with news that lifts the hearts of the nation."

  "After your first budget even Flaxmead would have trouble lifting the hearts of the nation."

  "Look I realise you are a journalist and assure you all thing we are doing are for the better of the nation."

  "My opinion is you are using Flaxmead to lift your image, currently you have done nothing to convince me otherwise, Prime Minister Stanwell did the same thing."

  "Well you have your democratic right to voice your opinion but I find it disappointing. I will be tacking a contingent to Kentucky and I believe we will be hosted by the President."

  "He wouldn't miss the opportunity or he's a fool and I very much doubt that."

  Larry changed direction. "So there isn't a horse that can beat Flaxmead."

  "The Arabs continue to steer clear of Flaxmead, they have some fast horses, difficult to get information on them but they could challenge Flaxmead."

  "Surely if they believed that they would focus on running against him."

  "They withdrew the horses they entered at Ascot, not only that those horses were not their best. Think of this, if Flaxmead wins in the US the Arabs are playing a game of one upmanship. If Flaxmead then goes to the Middle East to run and is beaten the Arabs have constituted a coup in public relations."

  Larry looked concerned. "That won't happen."

  "No, Stanton would advise against going anywhere near the Middle East, for obvious reasons."

  "The race would be over you might say."

  Whistler chuckled under his breath. "Hardly, if the Arabs wanted to challenge they would be forced to come here."

  Larry raised his eyebrows, shuffling forwards and leaning on his desk. "Think of the national interest, millions of tourists, expanding media coverage even across the Middle East, China. I agree with you, have you suggested this to the Flaxmead management team."

  "No I got it from them, for some reason Stanton is driving the entire process toward this outcome, I believe he wishes to reduce risk and allow the Fields to attend Flaxmead's runs."

  "So, a lot riding on this Kentucky business. Your opinion of motive will not change my plans. As a representative of Flaxmead's media you decline my offer."

  "I am instructed to decline any offer of integrated appearance be it private or public."

  "Disappointing but thank you for being so frank, you have however outlined sense in the move. Please convey my best wishes to Jodi Stanton regarding her unfortunate illness."

  Whistler stood up and shook hands with Liberian, Larry walked over and opened the door for him and he left. Liberian asked his secretary to call Lachlan Peabody. Peabody had been waiting not far away and was present in a few minutes, he closed the door and sat down. "Well what is the result?"

  "No people outside the stable team are attending in the US. Stanton is calling the shots and would appear even people close to the team know little. Jodi Stanton sent a representative here claiming she is sick."

  "Who was it?"

  "Whistler the journalist that reports on Flaxmead for Jodi Stanton."

  "You must have learnt something, the mans a walking encyclopaedia on the thoroughbred racing industry."

  "Yes I did but of no consequence currently, arrange our Kentucky attendance with the White House."