Blood Sport Part 18

'LosCaillosisashortdistancenorth-eastofLosAngeles.'Isaid.'Ithoughtofstayingabitfurthernorth,onthecoast.'

'Ifyoulike.'

'CometoTheVacationer,GrandBeach,SantaBarbara,then.I'llmeetyoutheretomorrow.'

Herepeatedtheaddress.'Who'spaying?'hesaid.

'b.u.t.tressLifeandDaveTellercanfight.i.toutbetweenthem.I'llputthemotelonTeller's.e.xpenses.Canyouwringthefareoutofyouroffice?'

'Iguessso.'Hissighcamewearilyoverthewire.'Mywifeandkidsaren'tgoingtolikeit.IwasfixingtotakethemonapicnicthisSunday.'

'Postponeitaweek,'Isuggested.

'It'sbeenpostponedtwicealready,onyouraccount.'

'Oh.'

Afterashortpausehesaid,'Aroundsix,tomorrow,localtime.Thatdo?'

'Thatwoulddoverywell'

'Seeyou,'hesaidbriefly,andputdownhisreceiverwithacrash.IreturnedtheTellerinstrumentmorekindlytoitscradleandsurveyedthegreenandtomatoroom.

Nothingtodo.

Mixedadrinkwithprecision,anddrankit.Wandereddowntothepool,thoughtaboutaswiminthedusk,andcouldn'tbebotheredtoundress.Wentbacktothehouse,andateadinnercookedandservedbyEva,whochatteredsolonginherpleasureathavingsomeonetospeaktoinherownlanguagethatIheartilyregrettedI'deverusedit.Wisheddesperatelyshewouldstopandgoaway,andwhenatlastshedid,thatwasnogoodeither.

Triedtoreadandturnedsixpageswithouttakinginaword.Wanderedrestlesslyagainintotheblackvelvetdeepgreengarden,andsatinoneofthechairsbythepool,lookingatdarknessinsideandout.Unreasonable,Ithoughtdrearily,thatIshouldn'thaverecoverednormallyfromlosingCaroline,thatIdidn'tvaluethefreedomothermenenvied,thatIcouldn'tbecontentwithallIhad:cruelthatdepressionwasnorespecterofstatusorachievementandstrucksodeepthatnoworldlysuccesscouldalleviateit.

Greatfame,universalhonour,drovesofpersonalfriendshaddemonstrablyfailedtosaveawholestringofgeniusesfromitsclutches,andeveryyearitbaggeditsthousandsfromunimportantpeoplelikemewhowouldneverseetheirnameinprintorlights,anddidn'tnecessarilywantto.Probablydepressionwasanillnessasdefiniteasjaundice,andonedaytheywouldinoculatebabiesagainst.i.t.IsupposedIcouldcountmyselfluckynottohavehaditinitsacuteform,whereitsgrey-blackoctopustentaclesreachedoutandsuckedintoeverycornerofthespirituntilquitequicklylifebecameliterallyunbearable,andthehighjumpsuddenlypresenteditselfwithblindingclarityastheonlylogical,theonlypossiblerelief.

Iwouldn'tcometothatday,ifIcouldhelpit.Iwouldnot.

TheVacationerwasrightdownonthebeach,withthesoundofthebrightbluePacificcreepinginamurmurunderthetransistors,theairconditioning,thecivilisedchatter,thesquallingofchildrenandtherevvingofcars.Therewerenooceanroomsleft.WaltandI,nextdoortoeachother,overlookedtheparkinglot.

EuniceandLynniewereoutwhenIarrivedandstilloutwhenWaltcheckedinatsix,b.u.t.theywerebackwhenIwentdownwithhimforadrinkbeforedinner.IhadleftanoteatthedeskforEunice,butIhadn'ttoldWaltshewouldbethere.HestoppeddeadinhistrackswhenhesawhersittingwithLynnie,andturnedonmeanarrow-eyedcompositeglanceofdislikeandanger.IfI'dtoldhimshewastobewithus,hewouldn'thavecome:heknewthatIknewit.Hewasent.i.tledtohisrage.

Eunicewas,however,thewifeofaverygoodclientofhisfirm.Heswallowedhisfeelingslikeapill,andchasedthemdownwithadoublebourboninsilence.EuniceandLynniewereonfrostedlookingdaiquirisandhappywithit.Theybothlookedmarvellous,withhoneybrownskinandalanguoroussun-filledwayofmoving.Euniceworefluorescentgreenwithbitsofgoldatanatomicalpointslikeears,wristsandfeet.Lynniehadacquiredalocalgrownhotpink-orangetunic,andthefewstrapsofhersandalsseemedtobemadeofpolishedsemi-preciousstones.EvenWalt,afterawhile,couldn'ttakehiseyesawayfromthemforlong.

Wehaddinneroutside,underatrellislitbyhundredsoftinymulti-colouredlights,onashallowterracewhichleddirectlyoutontothesand.Eunice'slanguagewasforoncea.s.softastheseabreeze,andconsequentlyasasocialeveningitdevelopedintoareasonablesuccess.

OverthecoffeeIaskedEunicewithacasualnesswhichdrewapiercingglancefromWalt,'HaveyoubyanychanceheardofaracehorsebreedercalledCulhamJamesOffen?'

'Heardofhim?'shesaid.'OfcourseIhave.Everyonehas.'

'Ihaven't,'Waltsaidflatly.Onecouldn'texpectcompletecapitulation.Hewasdoingverywell.

'Imean,everyoneinthebloodstockworldwouldhaveheardofhim,'Euniceexplainedwithoutobviouspatience.'HehasthatterrificallysuccessfulstallionMoviemaker.AndDavesaysoneoughttothinkofsendingmarestoanotheroneofhis,Centigrade...Thefirstcropoffoalsarewinningtwo-year-oldracesthisseasonallovertheplace.Butquiteapartfromthat,'shesmiledbroadly,'Iguesswe'llbeseeingagooddealofhimfromnowon.'

'Er...why?'Iaskeddiffidently.

'Ournewplaceisrightnexttohis.'

Walt'smouthfellopenandIstoppedstirringmycoffee.

'Whatdidyousay?'Isaid,feelingmyeyesgoblank,asIknewtheyalwaysdidundershock.

'Ournewplace,wherewe'removingto,isrightacrosstheroadfromOffen.Wecanseehispaddocksfromourbedroomwindows.'IgapedinfascinationatEunicewhilesheoutlinedinsuchblissfulignorancethereasonfortheattemptedmurderofherhusband.HehimselfhadtoldmethattheexecutorsofthelateDavisL.Davishadacceptedhistenderforthefarmonlyrecently,duringtheweekbeforeourmomentoustripontheriver.Sothesomething'G.o.ddamstupid'whichhadhappenedtoYolaandMattdive'sschemewasthattheyhaddiscoveredthatofallthepeopleonearthitwastobeDaveTellerwhowastobeOffen'snewcloseneighbour.Theyhaddiscovereditafterthey'dhi-jackedthehorse,ortheywouldn'thavegoneaheadwiththeplan.

'Whyareyoulaughing?'Euniceasked,frowning.'What'ssofunny?'

'It'snotfunny,'Iagreed,straighteningmyface.'Farfromit.DoyouknowCulhamJamespersonally?'

'Notyet.Doesitmatter?'Shestilllookedpuzzled.

'Itcouldbewisernottomakeclosefriendswithhimintoomuchofahurry.'

'Whynot?'

'Mightproveap.r.i.c.klyflower.'IhadamentalvisionofDavelookingoutofhisbedroomwindowdayafterday,lookingovertothepaddockswhereChrysalisandAllyxwereletouttograze.Hemightneverhaverecognisedthem.Butalsohemight.CulhamJamessimplycouldn'ttaketherisk.YolaandMatthadflownimmediatelytoEnglandtodisposeofDavealongwayfromtherealsceneofdanger.

WhileAllyxremainedatOrpheusFarmandDavecontinuedmakingactiveplanstomovealongside,theexplosivesituationwouldstillexist.ThoughMattClivemighthavegivenuptemporarily,IferventlyhopedthatRadnor-Halleywouldn'tlettheirvigilanceslideamillimetre.AcalltoKeeblewouldbewise...evenatCalifornia-Londonrates.

'I'mgoingforawalkonthesh.o.r.e,'saidLynnie,kickingoffthepebblysandals.'Who'scoming?'

IbeatWalttoitbyquickerreflexes,andcollectedagrimlookfromhimasIlefthimalonewithEunice.Lynnieremarkedonit,grinning,asweambledsilentlyawayonthetricklingsand.

'He'sputoffbythebloodies,'Iexplained.'That'sall.'

'Shesaysitlessoftenoverhere,'Lynniecommented.'Andshedoesn'tdrink,exceptoneortwobeforelunch,untilafterwe'vechangedintheevening.Whyisthat,doyouthink?'

'She'sescapedfromtheLexingtoncage.'

'Thatheavenlyhouse...acage?'

'Uhhuh.'

'Thenewoneisn'thalfsobeautiful,'sheprotested.

'Itwillbe,whenEunicehasfinished.Andthenthewallswillcloseinagain.'

'Anothercage,doyoumean?'Shesoundeduncertain.

'Anothercage,'Iagreed.

'Lifecan'tbejustescapingfromonecageandendingupinanother,'shesaidexplosively,repudiatingviolentlysobleakavision.

'Everyonelivesinsidebars,'Isaid.'Thetrickisnottowanttogetout.'

'Stopit,'shesaidindistress.'Idon'twanttohearthat.'

'Theyusedtokeeplinnetsaspets,'Isaid.'b.u.t.therearen'tanylinnetsincagesanymore.Budgerigarsinstead.You'llbeallright,littlelinnet.'

'Ineverknowwhenyou'rebeingserious.'

'Always.'

'Buthalfthetimewhatyousayisso...socrazy.'

'Lifeisserious,lifeiscrazy.Anythingcrazyisserious,andeverythingseriousiscrazy...I'llraceyoualongtothatbeachhut.'

Shebeatmetoitinherbarefeet,andleanedagainsttheroughwoodenwalllaughingandgettingherbreathbackwhileItippedhalfatonofsandoutofmyshoes.Wewalkedonalittlefurther,andthensatdowninthewarmnightandlookedoutacrosstheshadowypeacefulocean.Nolandbetweenusandj.a.pan,halfaworldaway.

'Didyoucomeoutheretobewith...us,ortofindAllyx?'shesaid.

'Both.'

Sheshookherhead.'YoubroughtWalt.ThatmakesittofindAllyx.'

'Waltwouldhavechosentostaysomewhereelse,'Isaid,smiling.'SoCaliforniaforAllyx,SantaBarbaraforyou.Satisfied?'

Shemurmuredsomethingunintelligible,andwesatinsilencewhileshescuffedsandintoaheapwithhertoes.

'w.i.l.l.youfindhim,doyouthink?'sheaskedintheend.

'Allyx?Wemightdo.'

'When,roughly?'

'Idon'tknow.Tomorrow,maybe.'

'Andthen...you'llgohome?'

'Iguess.'

'Backtoanoffice...'Shesweptoutanarm,embracingthewidesky.Backtoanoffice,Ithoughtcoldly:andtotheperpetualdiggingintopeople'sprivacy,totheoccasionalsnaringofabentapplicant,todrizzle,toPutney,tothevacuumoftheflat.To,inshort,mynormallife.Thetrickwasnottowanttoslipthroughthebars.

'Whatareyougoingtodo,nowthatyou'veleftschool?'Iasked.

Shesuckedinabreath.'Afterthis,alltheoldthingsseemhorriblydreary.'

'They'llsoongiveDaveawalkingplaster...'

'Iknow,'shewailed.'Don'tthinkIdon'tknow.Iwa.s.supposedtobestartingasecretarialcourseinSeptember...Iutterlydon'twantto,anymore.Whycan'teveryonejustliveonthebeachandbewarmallthetime...'Sherockedwithherarmslacedroundherbentupknees.

'Notenoughbeach.'

Shegiggled.'Youarejustabouttheleastromanticma.n.a.live.ComesofbeingaCivilServant,Isuppose.LikeDaddy.'

Intimewewalkedbackalongbytheedgeoftheseaandpausedwhenwecamelevelwiththemotel.Sheputherhandonmyarmandsimplystoodtherewaiting.Ikissedherforehead,andthenhernose,andfinallyhermouth.Itwasallverygentle,andutterlyunnerving.

'Thisisnogood,'Isaid,takingmyhandsfromhershoulders,'Nogoodatall.'

'I'vebeenkissedbefore,'shesaidanxiously.'Ireallyhave.'

'Thatisn'twhatImeant,'Isaid,halflaughing.'You'dqualifyforadiploma.No...it'sjust,littleLynnie,thatwe'realongwayfromhome...andIneverkissbrunettesmorethanonceonaFriday.'Iturnedawaytowardsthemotelandjerkedmyheadforhertofollow.ThebestresolutionsintheworldwouldcomeacropperfacedwithsomethinglikeLynnie,andimmediateflightwastheonlycourse.Itdidn'tseemtobepopularwithLynnieherself,butIcouldn'thelpthat.IwalkedherbrisklyupthebeachandmadeajokeaboutwhatWaltwouldbesayingtoEunice,andwearrivedbackinreasonableordertofindthat.i.twasnothing:theyweresittingacrossthetablefromeachotherinamiles-apartsilence.EunicegaveusalongcoollookandWaltoneofdisillusion,andLynniequiteunnecessarilyblushed,confirmingtheirobvioussuspicion.Theharmlesslittlewalkhadn'tbeenagoodideafromanyoneoffourpointsofview.

WaltandIdrovequietlyintoOrpheusFarmthefollowingmorning.Hedidthetalking:athoroughlyprofessionalpieceofwork,insurancepatteratthedouble.Asurveyfornewfireregulations,hegliblyexplained,necessitatedusseeingovertheentireestablishment.

Wesaw.Everystallineverybarn,everyhayloft,everystrawbale,everyinch.WesawMoviemaker.WesawCentigrade.Wemadeagreatmanynotes.

CulhamJamesOffenhimselfescortedusroundthecoolestbarncontaininghisfourprizestallions.Agreatdealofselfsatisfactionsatonhisshoulderslikeanimperviousduck's-backmantle.Iconsideredthiswithuneasysuspicion.

UncleBarkwasnotonlyamaninhisfiftieswithwhitehair,buthehadagreystationwagoninathirdofhislargegarage.IsawWaltgivingitasidelongglance.UndoubtedlyitwasUncleBarkwhohaddeliveredtheSnailExpresstrailertooldHagstrom'sboyatRockSprings;andverylikelyUncleBarkwhohadfollowedSamHengelman'sva.n.a.longtheturnpike.Impossibletoprove,though,atthisdistance.

Thecolourofhishairwaspremature.Veryfewwrinklesmarkedthesmoothsuntannedface,fromwhichwhiteeyebrowsstoodoutlikeabracketofsnow,nearlymeetingoverthenose.Hiseyelasheswerealsowhite,b.u.t.thealbinonon-pigmentationstoppedshortoftheeyes:notpink,butaclearpaleblue.

Hecarriedhisheadstifflyonathickmuscularneck,andthelargebodybeneaththeairywhites.h.i.+rtlookedsolidmorethansoft.Notamantoignoreinanycompany.Aphysiquewhichteemednaturallywithsuccess:andsuccesshadgivenhimanarroganceofexpressionwhereadecenthumilitywouldhavebeenmorefitting.

Thewholefarmhadthehighglossofmoney-no-object.Mathematicallyprecisewhitepaintedwoodrailingsringedthepaddocks,andtheapproachtotheSpanish-stylehousewaslandscapedwithwateredlawnsandpalmsandanoccasionalbedfullofspikyredflowerswithsharppurplishleaves.Wedidn'tpenetratethehouse:Walt'sfireinsuranceonlystretchedtothestabling.

Afterwe'dseenthestallionsOffenhandedusovertohisstudgroom,afairsurprisinglyyoungmanhecalledKiddo,whohadadrawlingwesternvoiceandanairofhavingbeenbornwithouturgency.Everysecondwordwas'uh',andhiswalkwasthirty-twoframesasecond;slowmotion.

'Beenherelong?"Iaskedhim,ashepointedoutthespotlessfoalingstalls.

'Fiveorsixmonths,'hesaid,showingnoresentmentatapersonalquestion;goodnatured,unsuspicious,nosignofnerves.

'Youmustbegood,togetajoblikethissoyoung,'Icongratulatedhim.

Afterapausehesaid,'Igotafeelingforhorses,see?Mares,theyfoaldownnearlyalwaysatnight.Comesfromhavingtogivebirthinthedarkoutinthewild,youunderstand?'

'Whyinthedark?'askedWalt,puzzled.

Anotherpause.Notforadeliberatechoiceofwhatorwhatnottosay,Irealised,butjustamomentofwaitingwhiletheinstinctiveknowledgecoalescedintowords.

'Theydrop'embyday,somehungryhyenacomesalongandkillsthefoalinthefirsthalfhour.Foals,now,they'rereadiertorunatbirththanmostothercritturs,butyou'vegottogive'emahalfhourtodryoff.'

'b.u.t.theydon'thavetorun,here,'Waltprotested.

'Naturedon'tknowthat,'Kiddopointedoutreasonably.'Anotherthing,maresmostlydroptheirfoalsprettyquick.Don'ttakesomeofthemnotimeatall.Andthen,see,Ialwaysknowwhenamare'sready,andmostoftenIgoouttothestallandmakesureshe'sdoingallright.'

'Howdoyouknow?'Iasked,fascinated.

Amuchlongerpause.Thenhesaid,'Idon'tknowhowIknow.Igotafeelingforit.Ijustwakeupsomenightsandthink,thatRoseisaboutready,andIgoonouttoher,andmaybetheresheis,notneedingabitofhelp,ormaybewiththecordroundthefoal'sneck,stranglingit.Ibinwithhorses,see,allmylife.'

'Wherewereyoubeforeyoucamehere?'Iasked.

'Uh...allover.HadajobinLexingtonawhileback,b.u.t.theysaidIdidn'tkeepgoodtimeturningupatwork.'Hegrinnedsuddenly,abigmischievouslighting-upofthepa.s.sivepatientface.'Then...uh...IwaswithafellerinMaryland...hehadabarnwasfallingdownandhoneysucklebreakinghisfencesandcreepingintohiswindows,buthesurehadsomeprettymaresandoneofthemwasthedamofthehorsewhowonthePreaknessayearback.ThoughIdon'tgototheraces,myself.'