Part 34 (2/2)

My head, heart and body rejoiced in chorus, but this wasn't the occasion for a victory dance.

'Mirabelle just texted me some of the preliminary results for Forster in Darwin,' said Luke. 'It's a four per cent swing to us. That would mean Fred Smythe now has one of the safest seats in the country, even after all that immigration stuff.'

'Four?' I asked. Luke looked up at me and nodded.

Maddy wrote the number on the board.

A private number called my phone. 'Roo, it's Felicia Lunardi calling from Cloncurry. I wondered whether you could do me a favour.'

'Anything, Felicia. How's it all going up there?'

'Mick O'Donoghue has told me that exit polls for Rafter are indicating a clear victory, but I can't get through to anyone at party HQ. Can you look into it for me?'

'I'm on it.' I hung up. 'That was Lunardi. Who should I talk to at party HQ to check exit polls?'

'Give Mirabelle's office a call. What did she say?'

'Something about exit polls and victory.'

Maddy laughed. 'I'd eat my hat.'

'It's Roo Stanhope from the LOO's office,' I said to one of Mirabelle's men. 'What are you seeing in Forster?'

'We're not reading anything into the exit polls,' he said. 'It's not possible. It said something like 47.3 on the primary in key booths. With preferences she'd be looking at...No. That's ridiculous. Just don't read anything into these figures. Keep in mind that the bulk of that seat will come down to postal votes.'

I wrote it down, far-fetched as it was.

'Thanks,' I said. 'I'd appreciate it if you could keep me posted on that seat.'

Felicia, stay calm, but exit polls in some booths say you've got 47.3% of the primary vote. Let me know if you hear anything else. Roo 'Um, Maddy, Mirabelle's office is saying 47.3 on the primary in Forster.'

No sooner had her whiteboard marker squeaked the digits than she erased them.

'Write it down,' I said.

'I need to bring Max and the family in,' Di said. 'Roo, can you give me a hand?'

I followed her out.

'Roo, I want to talk to you about something,' said Di as we walked. 'Two things, actually. One, regardless of what happens tonight, Luke has asked me to step into his shoes as Chief of Staff. If Max is fine with that, I want to know that I can count on you to stick around.'

I opened my mouth to speak.

'Think about it,' she cut in. Her phone rang. 'Di speaking, can you hold for a minute?' She muted her phone and gave me her full attention. 'Two, if you're going to f.u.c.k over senior journalists in future, would you mind checking with me first? I mean obviously it worked and all, but Christ that was risky-not just for you but for all of us. We need to be a team here, okay?'

There was no defence. 'Sorry, Di.'

'No worries,' she said. 'How did it feel?'

The answer to that question was obvious in my smile. She took the call.

'Right, they're outside,' she said. 'Let's grab them. There's going to be a scrum and it's a bit dangerous out there with all those people, so I'll need you to steer them in pretty tightly with me and the cops.'

She wasn't wrong. When we stepped out into the mild April night the cicadas' shrill din drowned out the crowd, but as soon as Max got out of his car it was mayhem. The cameras clung to us. 'I love you, Max,' screamed a lady near me. 'Good luck, mate,' said a man with a toddler on his shoulders. Sh.e.l.ly and Abigail cowered, squeezing my hands. Milly grabbed her dad's arm to give him something to lean on. Max smiled and strolled into the building as casually as he could. A purple-clad fanatic shrieked in my ear. 'He looks like a Ribena berry,' said Abigail. Finally, we made it inside.

'It's like the FIFA World Cup out there,' said the LOO.

'Don't flatter yourself, Dad,' said Abigail.

The RSL bar was now full of our friends and family, including mine. Max stuck his head in to say h.e.l.lo to everyone, but fast became overwhelmed. You could see the pulse in his neck.

'Come on,' said Milly, 'let's get you guys some food.'

'I can't eat,' said Max, walking into the president's office, 'but I can't just sit here.'

'Max, I need you to have a look at your speeches,' said Di.

'Plural?'

'There are two possible outcomes.'

's.h.i.+t, I hadn't even thought about the speech.'

'Get Theo for me, Roo,' Di said.

I gave her a look that I hoped might say perhaps this isn't the most appropriate moment to be throwing a drunkard in a novelty s.h.i.+rt into the mix. The look failed, so I went to find him.

'Where's Theo?'

Beryl pointed to the Gents.

I knocked on the toilet door and covered my eyes to open it. 'Theo?' I called out. 'Are you all right?'

'It depends on who is asking.'

'Roo. Which other Englishwoman would come to find you in the loo at an RSL?'

'I'm fine, Roo.'

'Bulls.h.i.+t,' I said, searching my Toolkit. 'I'll get Beryl to get you some food. And you need a shower. What was the last meal you ate?'

'Kebab,' he groaned.

'I've put my emergency toothbrush next to the sink as well as some shower-in-a-can, a razor and cream-use all of it, wash your face and then join us in the president's office.'

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