Driving Force Part 14

'Oh?Comealongthen,Aziz.'

Iwatchedthemclimbaboard,twototallyincompatiblemenwiththewell-intentionedCause-embracerbetweenthem.Azizlookedgrimlyoutofthewindowinmydirection,allrelishfortheday,smallatbest,evaporating.Icouldn'tblamehim.I'dhavehatedtohavetakenhisplace.

Underthatnine-box,Ireflected,asAzizturnedcompetentlyoutofthegate,wasthemagnetJoggerhadfound.I'dtakenitontrustthatthenailsintheinsulatingblockofwoodwerestillholdingfast.Ihadn'twarnedAzizitwasthere.Ihadn'ttoldhimtolookoutforstrangerstryingtorollunderthefueltanksectionofthecha.s.sis.Icouldn'tenvisageanyoneseekingtotransportanythinginsuchawkwardsecrecybetweenYorks.h.i.+reandPixhill,whenallthey'dhavetodowasdrivedowninacar.

Harveleftin.a.z.iz'swake,settingoutfiveminutesafter,intimetopickuptworunnersforthelaterracesatCheltenham.Anotherboxhadalreadyleftforthesamedestination,twohadgonetoBristolairporttocollectIrishhorsesflyingoverforGoldCupdayandthreewereoutwithbroodmares.Notbad,considering.

IwentintotheofficeswhereIsobelandRosewerelookinginfrustrationatblankcomputerscreensandaskingwhattheyshoulddowiththeday.

'Typelettersontheold-fas.h.i.+onedtypewriter?'Isuggested.

'Isupposewe'llhaveto,'Rosesaid,disgusted.

'Themanpromisedhe'dcometomorrow,'Ia.s.suredher.

'Notbeforetime.'

Tigwood'scollectingboxstoodonIsobel'sdeskandIpickeditupandshookit.Theresultwasahollowrattle,threeorfourcoinsatmost.

'MrTigwoodcametoemptyitlastweek,'Isobelsaid.'Therewasn'tmuchinthere.Hethinksweshouldtryharder.'

'Perhapsweshould.'

IwentouttomyjalopyanddrovetoNewburytoleavemyfilmofJoggerwithaone-hourdevelopingoutfitandtocollecttheordered,reservedandreadyrhymingdictionary.Ihadn'tactuallyseenoneofthesebeforeandsatinthecarparkflickingoverthepagestopa.s.sthehour'swait,findingthattherhymeswerelistednotinregularalphabeticalfas.h.i.+onbutallstartingwithvowels.

'Amely',Iread.'Gamely,lamely,namely,tamely'.

'Etter-better,debtor,fetter,getter,letter,setter,sweater,wetter...'

'Oard-board,floored,ford,gourd,h.o.a.rd,horde,oared,pored,sword,toward,aboard,afford...'

Hundredsandthousandsofrhymes,availablebutuseless.IrealisedIneededtohaveJogger'scrypticstatementsundermyeyes,notjustinmymemory.MaybeifIcouldsimultaneouslyseewhathe'dsaid,somesparkmightflyoutofentrieslike'unch-brunch,bunch,crunch,hunch,lunch,munch,punch,scrunch...'

Alwaysremembering,Ithoughtindepression,thatinJogger'sc.o.c.kneyaccentbikebecameboikeandlady,lidey,andtsanddscouldbeswallowedandnotheard.

Closingthebook,Icollectedthesharpsadpicturesofhisdeathanddrovehometotidythehouseandgetmysister'sroomready,whichmeantmakingthebedandopeningthewindowstoletinwhateverMarchcaredtodeliver.

Ipickedmoredaffodilsandputtheminavase,andpunctuallyatnoonmysisterLizziearrived.

Sheflewinliterally,fromonhigh,inahelicopter.

CHAPTER6.

LizzieownedaquartershareofthetinyRobinson22,heronlyextravaganceandthewayshechosetouseherinheritancefromourparents.Tomymind,thehelicopterwasherequivalentofRoger'scruises.h.i.+psandmysteeplechasing,theeldersister'sstatementthatifboyscouldhavetoys,socouldgirls.Shehadshownuseachinturnaschildrenhowtorunacomplicatedtrainset.She'dtaughtushowtobatunafraidatcricket,she'dclimbedtreeslikeacat;inherteensshe'dledusintojunglewoodsandscarycavesanddefendedusandliedforusinourwrongdoings.Becauseofher,we'dgrownupunderstandingmanyfacesofcourage.

Shecuttheengineand,whentherotorhadstopped,jumpeddownfromthelittlegla.s.sbubbleandwalkedcollectedlytomeetmeonthetarmac.

'Hi,'shesaid;small,light,wiry,pleasedwithlife.

Ihuggedher.

'Haveyoufixedlunch?'sheasked.

'No.'

'Good.Ibroughtapicnic.'

Shereturnedtothehelicopterandretrievedacarrier,whichwetookwithusintothehouse.Shenevercameemptyhanded.Ineverwastedtimecateringforherexcepttoputchampagneonice.Ipoppedthecorkandpoureditstraight,andsherelaxedinabigchair,takingadeepfizzygulpandlookingmeovera.s.sistersdo.

'Howwastheflight?'Iasked.

'b.u.mpyoverthemoors.Somesnowstilllyingabout.IdroppeddownatCarlisletorefuel.Fourhours,doortodoor.'

'Threehundredandfiftymiles,'Isaid.

'Nearenough.'

'It'sgreattoseeyou.'

'Mm.'Shestretched,almostpurring.'Tellmeall.'

Itoldheragooddeal,explainingwhoeveryonewas:SandySmith,BruceFarway,theWatermeads,JerichoRich,Brett,Dave,KevinKeithOgdenandJogger.ItoldheraboutNinaYoungandhermetamorphosis.

Sheinspectedtheemptycashboxstandinginallitsgrimeonthenewspaper.IshowedhertherhymingdictionaryandplayedherthetapeofJogger'slastmessage,butallthementalagilityunderthegreyingdarkcapofhaircouldn'tunlocktheoldsoldier'smeaning.

'Sillyman,'Lizziesaid.'Didhefallorwashepushed?'

'Pus.h.i.+ngsomeoneintoafive-feetdeepinspectionpitisnotasurefirewayofkillingthem.'

'Anaccidentalpush,then.'

'Noonehasowneduptoit.'

WithsomehesitationIofferedtoshowherthephotographsofJoggerinthepit.

'I'mnotsqueamish,'sheprotested.'Handthemover.'

Shestudiedthematlength.'There'snothingtotell,onewayoranother.'

'No,'Iagreed,takingthephotosbackandreturningthemtotheirpacket.

Afterapausesheasked,'Whataboutthesetubesinthethermosflask?'

Itooktwoofthetubesfrommysafe,whereI'dkeptthemovernight,andgavethemtoher.Sheunwrappedeachfromitstissueandheldthemuptothelight.

'Tenccs,'shesaid,readingthesmallnumbers.'Inotherwords,onetablespoonful.'

'Onlyone?'Iwa.s.slightlysurprised.I'dthoughtthetubesheldmore.

'Onlyone,'Lizzieconfirmed.'Alargemouthful.'

'Yuk.'

'Well,yes,itwouldn'tbeprudenttodrinkthis.'Sheputthetubesbackintothetissues,andintoherhandbag,justlikeNina.'Isupposeyouwanttheresultslike,say,yesterday?'

'Itwouldbehelpful.'

'Dayaftertomorrow,'shepromisedprosaically.'Thebestthatcanbedone.'

'I'lltryforpatience.'

'Neveryourbestvirtue.'

Shesniffedthecontentsofthethermosandpouredalittleintoasparegla.s.s,puttinghernosedownclosetothesurface.

'Coffee,'shesaid,'andthemilk'soff.'

'It'sbeeninthethermossinceThursdayatleast.'

'Doyouwantthisa.n.a.lysedaswell?'

'Whatdoyouthink?'Iasked.

Shesaid,'I'dthinkthecoffeewasjusttheretocus.h.i.+onthetubes.'

'Leaveit,then,'Isaid.

Wedrankmorechampagneandunpackedthepicnic,whichwasthegloriousgiftofarguablythebestrestaurantinScotland,LaPotiniereatGullaneinEastLothian.'TheBrownssendyoutheirlove,'Lizziesaid,referringtotheowners.'Theywanttoknowwhenyou'recomingback.'

Theywouldwanttoknowsixmonthsinadvanceandeventhenonemightnotgetatable.SometimesLizzie,theirclosefriend,hadbeendownonherknees.Thistime,they'dsentchickenb.r.e.a.s.t.sstuffedwithamousselineofcream,hazelnutsandCalvadosandawatercresssaladwithitshazelnutoildressingpackedseparately,followedbyalightlemoncheesecakethatmeltedtoambrosiaonthetongue.

IseldomcaredmuchwhatIate.Lizziedeploreditandeducatedmewhenshecould.I'dhavebeenwillingtohavegraduatedatLaPotiniere.

WecompanionablywatchedthefirstoftheCheltenhamracesontelevision,anditwasnouselookingback,itwasthreeyearssinceI'dfinishedsecondintheChampionHurdle,abittersweetlossontheday.

Begladyou'reoutoftheworryofit,'Lizziesaid,watchingmewatchingthejockeys.

'Whatworry?'

Theworryofsomeoneelsebeinggivenyourrides.'

Ismiled.Thatwas,foralljockeys,theworstofworries,andIsaid,'You'reright.It'sarelief.NowIonlyhavetoworryaboutothertransportfirmspinchingmycustomers.'

'WhichIdon'tsupposetheydo,much.'

'Notsofar,luckily.'

ThephonerangwithacallfromIsobel,reportingprogress.

'Everything'sOK,'shesaid.'Thatnewman,Aziz,hasphonedfromYorks.h.i.+retosaytheywanthimtobringbackeightanimals,notseven,andtheeighthisahalf-baldoldponythatcanhardlywalk.Whatdoyouwanthimtodo?'

'JohnTigwood'sthere,'Isaid.'Ifhe'llberesponsibleiftheponydiesontheway,we'lls.h.i.+pit.TellAziztogetTigwoodtowriteanoteabsolvingus,andsignanddateit,includingthetime.'

'Right.'

'HowdidAzizsound?'

'Fedup,'Isobelsaidcheerfully.'Can'tblamehim.'

'What'sallthatabout?'LizzieaskedlazilyasIputdownthereceiver,andIexplainedaboutthegeriatricexpeditionandgaveherarun-downonJohnTigwood,profit-makingphilanthropist.

'Afanatic?'

'Hehastobe.'

Wewatchedtherestoftheraces,all,thatis,thatwereshown.Isobelphonedagaininmid-programmeatfourtoreportallwell;shewasgoingoffhome.OneofthelocalhorsesHarvehaddriventoCheltenhamhadwon,hadInoticed?

'Yes,terrific.'

'Goodforcustomatthepub,'sheobserved,brightgirl,remindingme,asithappened,thatIhadn'tcheckedthatdayonJogger'smemorial.

ItoldLizzieaboutthememorial,andthereasonforit.

'Soyoudon'tthinkitwasanaccident!'shesaid.

'Iwant.i.ttobe.'

Whentheraceshadfinished,weswitchedoffthetelevisionandjusttalkedingeneral,andlaterAziztelephoneddirecttomyhouse,sayinghehopedIdidn'tmindb.u.t.theofficewa.s.shut-withmyownnumberonitsansweringmachine.

'No,ofcoursenot,Idon'tmind.Whereareyou?'

'Chieveleyservicestation;thatplacenorthofNewbury.I'minside,inaphonebooth.Iwantedtotalktoyouwithoutthemlistening.'

'What'sthematter?'

'It'smyfirstdaywithyou,andI...'Hestopped,seekingthewords.'Doyoumind,'hesaidinarush,'comingtomeetthisboxwhereveritisthatI'mtakingit?'

'CentaurCare.'

'Yes.Thesehorsesaren'tfittotravel.ItoldMrTigwoodbutheinsistedwebringthem.MrsLipton'sworriedthey'lldiebeforeweunloadthem...'

'Allright,'Isaiddecisively.'WhenyougetnearPixhill,callmeagainonthehorseboxphoneandI'lldriveroundatonce.Don'tlettherampsdownuntilIgetthere.Sitinthecabandwriteupthelogsheet.Doanything.Understand?'