Chapter 21

“I’ll be back, Adelotus,” Patrick said later in the afternoon. “I think that if I give you most of a day a week, you can keep your head above water.”

“Ah, you remember! That would be good of you. What were you thinking?”

“Tuesdays or Wednesdays.”

“Either would be fine. Thank you for what you did today.”

“And thank you. We should keep one another informed.”

“Yes. Perhaps when it’s over, you could write a piece of your own.”

“Perhaps.”

Adelotus brevis was Sean’s ‘totem’. The tusked frog is from an ancient lineage with around 100 million years worth of independent evolution, and has large bony tusks protruding from its lower jaw which the males use to fight each other. It is the only Australian frog species in which the males are larger than the females, and has an unusual marbled belly in black, white and red. This species is native to the East Coast of Australia.

Patrick was just parking the car when his cell rang.

“Hello.”

“This is your aged parent.”

“I think Dickens writes ‘A.P.’ in Great Expectations.”

“Possibly, but over this connection, I can’t see whether you’re nodding vigorously. I was wondering whether there was any news on the political front.”

“Not that I know of. I’ve just returned from a day at the Tobin Center.”

“Oh?”

“I thought that Sean might help me decide and so I phoned and went to see him yesterday.”

“And you’re just getting home?...”

“Very funny. No, I offered to do a day’s editorial work in recompense for his efforts.”

“Aha! And... ?”

“Well, there’s no evidence of anyone riding around in a Rolls. But I think there’s some dishonesty.”

“Hmm. Have you ever read Peacock?”

“No. Eighteenth century?”

“Nineteenth. Early to middle. Not for every taste. I’ve always found him funny and a great parodist.”

“Well, I’ve never read him.”

“You should. Especially Melincourt. It’ll cure you of even being curious about politics.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Love to Rachel.”

“Right.”

The next morning, Patrick got a call from Roy Ah-See.

“Patrick, we need your legal assistance.”

“Roy, I’ll need a lot more information. I have a contract of sorts with the Ministry.”

“I know. I also know, through Jason and Sean, that you have been ... ah ... researching the title registrar’s activities.”

“True.”

“Sean told me that you don’t think true venality is involved.”

“I think I said that I had discovered no evidence.”

“Have you ever visited their office here in Sydney?”

“No.”

“It is on Level 16 of the Law Courts on Queens Square. It is well-staffed and well-furnished. Do you know the Metro Aboriginal Lands Council? They are in Redfern. On George Street.”

“I haven’t had any contact with the ALC.”

“Well, briefly, in the light of the Federal Court’s finding in the case in the west, we, together with the Metro ALC and the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation, want to file that each and every land title in NSW awarded since the 1993 Act be placed in limbo until the circumstances of those awards can be evaluated. I think I got that right.”

“Wow! You got it right, Roy. Does the Land Council have a lawyer?”

“Several, but one who is familiar with property rights.”

“Excellent. But all of this is prolog. This is not why you called.”

“True. When I spoke to Sean, he suggested that the groups nominate you as our Trustee.”

“You’re kidding!”

“No. We in Parramatta know you. You have visited in Nowra. You have been instrumental in at least three instances in this state. You are a member of the bar. You are known to the Minister. And you are untainted by the Tribunal, whether they have been venal or not.”

“I am honored. You may put me forward. We will see what ensues.”

“Thank you, Patrick. I will talk to Craig, Jason and Sean.”

“And I with my father and my wife.”

Rachel was there when he put down the phone, so Patrick told her the gist right away. “What will it mean?”

“I’m not sure but many people in Canberra won’t be happy. I’m going to call my dad. He’s been telling me to avoid politics.”

“Wouldn’t this be the opposite of politics?”

“No. This would be the quiet center of the whirlpool. But there might be a lot of trash in the maelstrom. Listen in while I call Gordy.”