It was after a discussion with David Congreve and then Barry Harte that Pearly made up his mind to use the knowledge he had about Deidre Utterspan’s affair. The CEO had been going over budget accounts with him. Finances became even more of an issue than usual in election year, and Pearly didn’t want any blowouts. ‘I think I should tell you,’ said David when they were taking a break for coffee in the mayor’s office. ‘I think I should tell you that Councillor Harte made several requests for financial material concerning both recreational grants and the port. Not directly to me, of course, but I was informed. There it is, and I just mention it.’ Councillors were entitled to request information from staff, but Pearly and his CEO knew what it indicated in this instance. Harte had been a Pearly stalwart on council, partner in a long-established legal practice, keen to see the town grow and prosper. A man of some influence and quiet authority. He hadn’t been informally in contact with Pearly much lately, and that was significant.

Pearly thanked David for his information. It was a sign of personal loyalty that he appreciated, and that even surprised him a little. Since the Christchurch trip, however, Pearly sensed that the CEO had committed as an ally in practice, although making no declaration. It was an outcome well worth the faintest, lingering smell in the Falcon’s interior. Several times David had made reference to the Christchurch experience, even managed a wryly humorous comment or two concerning the conquistador and the lost wallet.

When Pearly was alone he rang Barry, and without mentioning the request for information asked him, without challenge or heat, if he could still count on his support. There was a pause before the lawyer’s reply. Not a silence of evasion, but time allowed for an appropriate, considered expression, which is the legal way. ‘I was planning to have a chat with you, Pearly, before the next council meeting. I think you’ve done a fine job over nearly two terms, and I hope my support at the table has shown that. I do think, though, that you’ve got rather bogged down in this port development thing to the detriment of almost everything else. To be honest, I wonder if we need to pull back and have a reappraisal, and I do have some sympathy for the criticism put forward by Philip and others.’