a bit cramped – I’m lucky to have an office at all.’
‘This is fine, don’t worry,’ said Sarah as she pulled over a chair and began to sift through the paperwork.
Dan wandered over to the window and looked out. The air-conditioning belied the fact the outside temperature was hitting the mid-thirties. He turned and leaned against the window sill. ‘What do you know about Delaney Energy?’ he asked Hayley. ‘Does it have much of an influence around here?’
Hayley nodded. ‘Absolutely. It’s owned outright by a guy called Morris Delaney. He likes to give the impression he’s a bit of a philanthropist. You know, hands out money to various arts events, a couple of high profile charities. Of course, it’s all about marketing his brand.’ She stepped round her desk, sat in a chair and indicated to Dan to take the seat opposite before she continued. ‘His father owned mining interests in South Australia. When he died about forty years ago, Morris Delaney inherited the business and just kept acquiring more and more assets. He’s a shrewd businessman, but there are rumours surrounding him that he’s very violent. No-one will say anything to the media though – they’re too frightened.’
Sarah walked over to Hayley’s desk and began to unravel the bundle containing Peter’s lecture notes. ‘This is what Peter sent to me, just before he was murdered,’ she said. ‘We’re still trying to fathom exactly what he was investigating but there is a phrase that keeps cropping up – white gold. Especially as a powder. Have you ever heard it mentioned in connection with Delaney?’
Hayley shook her head. ‘No – can’t say that I have. What’s it supposed to do?’
Dan shrugged. ‘We’re not too sure. We spoke to a friend of ours back in England and he reckons it’s to do with alternative energy.’ He stretched out his legs. ‘Not like wind farms though – apparently this stuff packs a punch if it can be manufactured on a large scale.’
Hayley turned in her chair and began sifting through a pile of loose papers, then dragged out a white card from beneath a file. ‘This might help shed some light – at least where Delaney’s concerned,’ she said, and slid it across the desk to Dan.
He picked it up and read the ornate writing. It was an invitation to a press conference – to be given that evening, by Morris Delaney. Dan held it up to Hayley. ‘Aren’t you going?’
‘Hell, yes,’ she grinned. ‘That one was for a colleague of mine but something kicked off in far north Queensland yesterday and he’s gone up there to file a report for our six o’clock bulletin tonight.’ She turned to Sarah. ‘I’m sorry – there’s only one. Are you going to fight over it?’
Dan smiled. ‘No – because I’m going.’
Sarah looked up sharply and glared at him. ‘I’m the journalist around here.’
Dan shrugged. ‘And that’s precisely why you’re not going – I want to gauge what this Delaney character is like, not tip him off to the fact we’re onto him. And I know you won’t be able to stop yourself asking some rather pointed questions.’
Sarah shrugged. ‘Okay, you go. I’ll spend the time finding out if there’s any connection between Peter’s notes and what information Hayley’s given me.’ She put all the documentation into her bag. ‘I’m fascinated by this guy – he’s manipulated laws and everything to get his own way over the years. There must be something here to give us an idea of what he’s really up to.’
Hayley nodded, then looked at her watch. ‘What I’ve managed to uncover is more information than what you’ll pick up on the internet articles, so at least you’ll get a head start,’ she said. ‘I’m really sorry but I’ll have to kick you out so I can get ready for our six o’clock bulletin and get a team prepared for the press conference – is there somewhere at the hotel you can get your head down?’
Dan nodded. ‘They have a business
‘This is fine, don’t worry,’ said Sarah as she pulled over a chair and began to sift through the paperwork.
Dan wandered over to the window and looked out. The air-conditioning belied the fact the outside temperature was hitting the mid-thirties. He turned and leaned against the window sill. ‘What do you know about Delaney Energy?’ he asked Hayley. ‘Does it have much of an influence around here?’
Hayley nodded. ‘Absolutely. It’s owned outright by a guy called Morris Delaney. He likes to give the impression he’s a bit of a philanthropist. You know, hands out money to various arts events, a couple of high profile charities. Of course, it’s all about marketing his brand.’ She stepped round her desk, sat in a chair and indicated to Dan to take the seat opposite before she continued. ‘His father owned mining interests in South Australia. When he died about forty years ago, Morris Delaney inherited the business and just kept acquiring more and more assets. He’s a shrewd businessman, but there are rumours surrounding him that he’s very violent. No-one will say anything to the media though – they’re too frightened.’
Sarah walked over to Hayley’s desk and began to unravel the bundle containing Peter’s lecture notes. ‘This is what Peter sent to me, just before he was murdered,’ she said. ‘We’re still trying to fathom exactly what he was investigating but there is a phrase that keeps cropping up – white gold. Especially as a powder. Have you ever heard it mentioned in connection with Delaney?’
Hayley shook her head. ‘No – can’t say that I have. What’s it supposed to do?’
Dan shrugged. ‘We’re not too sure. We spoke to a friend of ours back in England and he reckons it’s to do with alternative energy.’ He stretched out his legs. ‘Not like wind farms though – apparently this stuff packs a punch if it can be manufactured on a large scale.’
Hayley turned in her chair and began sifting through a pile of loose papers, then dragged out a white card from beneath a file. ‘This might help shed some light – at least where Delaney’s concerned,’ she said, and slid it across the desk to Dan.
He picked it up and read the ornate writing. It was an invitation to a press conference – to be given that evening, by Morris Delaney. Dan held it up to Hayley. ‘Aren’t you going?’
‘Hell, yes,’ she grinned. ‘That one was for a colleague of mine but something kicked off in far north Queensland yesterday and he’s gone up there to file a report for our six o’clock bulletin tonight.’ She turned to Sarah. ‘I’m sorry – there’s only one. Are you going to fight over it?’
Dan smiled. ‘No – because I’m going.’
Sarah looked up sharply and glared at him. ‘I’m the journalist around here.’
Dan shrugged. ‘And that’s precisely why you’re not going – I want to gauge what this Delaney character is like, not tip him off to the fact we’re onto him. And I know you won’t be able to stop yourself asking some rather pointed questions.’
Sarah shrugged. ‘Okay, you go. I’ll spend the time finding out if there’s any connection between Peter’s notes and what information Hayley’s given me.’ She put all the documentation into her bag. ‘I’m fascinated by this guy – he’s manipulated laws and everything to get his own way over the years. There must be something here to give us an idea of what he’s really up to.’
Hayley nodded, then looked at her watch. ‘What I’ve managed to uncover is more information than what you’ll pick up on the internet articles, so at least you’ll get a head start,’ she said. ‘I’m really sorry but I’ll have to kick you out so I can get ready for our six o’clock bulletin and get a team prepared for the press conference – is there somewhere at the hotel you can get your head down?’
Dan nodded. ‘They have a business
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