Driving Force Part 22

'Theremustberustroundtheedgesofyourinspectionpit,'Sandysaid.

'IhopetoG.o.dthereis.'

Welookedateachotherblankly,stillnotwantingtoputtheobvioussurmiseintowords.

Sandysaid,'Thepost-mortemputhistimeofdeathataboutnoon.'

'Didit?'

'Therewillbealotofenquiries.'

Inodded.

'They'llwanttoknowwhatyouweredoingatthetime,'Sandysaid.'They'reboundtoask.'

Pickingflowers,puttingthemonmyparents'graveanddrivingtoMaudieWatermead'slunch.Notbrilliant,asalibiswent.

'Let'sgoalongtothepubforadrink,'Isuggested.

'Ican't.'Helookedashadescandalised.'I'monduty.'

'Wecoulddrinkc.o.ke,'Isaid.'IhavetogoandsettleupforJogger'smemorial.'

'Oh.'Sandy'sfacelookedrelieved.'Allrightthen.'

'Canwegoinyourcar?MyFourtrak'soutonanerrand.'

Hewasreluctanttotakemeanduncomfortableinhisrefusal.

'Don'tworry,Sandy,'Isaid,tiredlyteasinghim.'Iwon'tcompromiseyou.I'lldriveJogger'soldvan.Youdon'thavetocomeifyoudon'twantto.'

Hedidwantto,however.WedroveinconvoytoJogger'sboozerandIgavethelandlordaheavycheque.Thelandlordwaswellpleasedwiththetradeandhaddonehisbestwiththesignatures,'whichfilledasheetofpaperthesizeofatabloidnewspaperandwereaccompaniedbyencouragingcomments.'PooroldJogger,joggedhislast.''Uptheapplesandpearstothepearlies.Goforit,Jog.'

'Upstairstothepearlygates,'Sandyinterpreted,readingwithme.

'Gonetothegreatoilchangeinthesky,'thelandlordsaid,pointing.'That'smine.'

'Mostappropriate,'Ia.s.suredhim.

HalfofPixhillseemedtohavesignedtheirnamesbutunfortunatelyallovertheplace,notinthetidycolumnsI'denvisaged.Mostofmydriverswerethere,includingLewis,whohadbeeninFrancecollectingMichael'stwo-year-oldsonthatSat.u.r.daynight.Icommentedonit.ThelandlordagreedthatmorepeoplehadsignedthememorialthanhadbeenwithJoggeronhislastevening.'Theywantedtopaytheirrespects,'heexplained.

'Andtodrinkthefreebeer,'Sandysaid.

'Well...oldJoggerwasagoodmate.'

'Mm,'Iagreed.'SowhichofthesepeoplewereactuallyhereonSat.u.r.day?Sandy,youwerehere.You'llknow.'

'Iwasoffduty,'heprotested.

'Youreyeswerestillworking.'

Sandylookedatthecrowdednamesandpointedoutafewwithastubbyfinger.

'Ofyourdrivers,Davedefinitely,heprettywellliveshere.AlsoPhilandhismissus,andNigelwhowaschattingheruptoPhil'sdisgust,andHarvelookedin.AndBrett,theonewhodrovethatdeadman,Ogden,hewastheredefinitely,eventhoughhewa.s.supposedtohaveleftPixhill.Hewasgrousingaboutyouhavinggotshotofhim.'

Hisgazemovedoverthenames.

'BruceFarway!He'ssignedit.Ididn'tseehimhere.'

'Thedoctor?'Thelandlordnodded.'Heoftencomesinwiththosebookpeoplewhositinthatfarcornerputtingtheworldtorights.HedrinksAquaLibra.'Heconcentratedonth.e.s.h.eet,readingupsidedown.'AwholebunchofWatermead'sladswerehereandsomefromhalfthestablesinPixhill.Thatnewlady,MrsEnglish,someofherladscame.Newfaces.Notabadbunch.AndJohnTigwood,he'salwaysinandoutwiththosecollectingboxes.AndWatermead'ssonanddaughter,theywerehereSat.u.r.day,b.u.t.theyhaven'tbeeninsincesotheirnamesaren'tdown,see?'

Iasked,surprised,'DoyoumeanTessaandEd?'/P 'Aye.'

b.u.t.they'reunderage,'Sandysaidpompously.They'renoteighteen.'

Thelandlordtookmildoffence.'I'donlyservethemsoftdrinks.Theybothlikedietc.o.ke.'Heglancedatmeslyly.'ShelikesthatNigel,too.Thatdriverofyours.'

'Doesheencourageher?'Iasked.

Thelandlordlaughed.'Heencouragesanythingwitht.i.ts.'

'You'llbeintroubleservingthemwithoutanadult,'Sandysaid.

'ShesaidNigelwasbuying.'

'You'llbeintrouble,'Sandyrepeated.

'Theydidn'tstaylong,'thelandlordsaiddefensively.'They'dprobablygonebeforeyougothere.'Hesniffed.'Idaresaysomeofthoseladsaren'teighteeneither,ifthetruthweretold.'

'Youbecareful,'Sandywarned.'Youcanloseyourlicencefasterthanblink.'

'HowearlydidJoggergetdrunk?'Iasked.

'Idon'tservedrunks,'thelandlordsaidvirtuously.Sandysnorted.

'Howearly,then,'Irephrasedit,'didJoggerstarttalkingaboutaliens,littlegreenmenandlonerangers?'

'Hewasherefromsixo'clockuntilSandydrovehimhome,'thelandlordsaid.

'Whatrateofpintsperhour?'

'Twoatleast,'Sandysaid.'Joggercouldknock'embackwiththebest.'

'Hewasn'tdrunk,'thelandlordmaintained.'Maybenotfittodrivehisvan,butnotdrunk.'

'Reelingabit,'Sandysaid.'HewasonaboutthealiensbeforeIgothereateightorthereabouts.Andtellingtheworld,hewas,aboutPolandhavingfiveonahorselastsummer.'

'Why?'thelandlordaskedme.'Whatdoesitmatter?'

'Yes,'Sandysaid,'andwhatdidJoggermean?'

'Heavenknows.'

'Joggerknowsinheaven.'Thelandlordwasdelightedwithhisownwit.'Hearthat?Joggerknowsinheaven.'

'Verygood,'Sandysaidheavily.

'Didanythingelsehappen?'Iasked.'Whostolethetoolsoutofhisvan?'

Thelandlordsaidhehadn'taclue.

'DavetoldJoggertoshutup,'Sandysaid.

'What?'

'Joggerwasgettingonhisnerves.JoggerjustlaughedsoDavetookaswipeathim.'

Thelandlordnodded.'HeknockedJogger'sdrinkover.'

'HehitJogger?'Isaid,astonished.Jogger,becauseofhisfancyfootwork,hadbeeninstinctivelyquickonhisfeet.

'Hemissedhim,'Sandysaid.'YouhavetogetupearlytohitJogger.'

Wealllistenedinsilencetowhathe'djustsaid.

'Yes,well...'Sandysaid,stirring.'TimeIreportedbackonduty.Areyoustaying,Freddie?'

'Nope.'

Ifollowedhimout,leavingthememorialwiththelandlordforframingandhangingonthewall.

'ThatTessa,'Sandysaid,puttingonhisofficialhat,'she'sawildone.Nothigh-spirited,Idon'tmean.Imean,well,borderlinedelinquent.I'dnotbesurprisedifsheendsupincourt.'

Ithoughtheexaggerated,but.i.tookhisestimationseriously.Hespenthislifewithminoroffenders:everylocalbobbydidinvillages,buthewasparticularlygoodatpreventionasopposedtoretribution.'Idon'tsupposeyoucouldwarnMichaelWatermead,couldyou?'heasked.

'Difficult.'

'Try,'hesaid.'SaveMrsWatermead'stears.'

Iwa.s.startledbyhisimagery.'OK,'Isaid.

'Good.'

'Sandy Hestoppedinmid-step.'Yes?'

'IfsomeonekilledJogger...ifhedidn'tjustfall...well,catchtheb.u.g.g.e.r.'

Helistenedtothecommitmentinmyvoice.'Andcatchtheb.u.g.g.e.rwhotookyoutoSouthampton?Catchtheb.u.g.g.e.rwhosmashedyourcarandyourhouseandyoursister'slittlewings?'

'Ifit'spossible.'

'Butyoudon'ttrustmycolleagues.Youdon'thelpthem.'

Iftheytreatedmeasa.n.a.lly,notasuspect,we'dgetonbetter.'

'It'sjusttheirway.'

Welookedateachotherpeacefully,long-timefriendsuptoapoint.Alonetogether,we'dhavebeenalliesinanyinvestigation.Withhiscolleaguestakingcharge,theprofessionalfencerosebetweenuslikedragons'teeth.No-man's-landwouldkeephimloyallyintheopposingtrenches,thoughsurrept.i.tiouslyhemightsendmesemaph.o.r.emessages.I'dhavetosettleforthat.Sowouldhe.

IdroveJogger'soldvanbacktothefarmyardandparkeditagainbesidethebarn.Itstworeardoorswerestillunlockedandinsidetherewa.s.stillnothingbutsomereddishgreydust.Idrovemyfingersthroughthedustandlookedatthem,notintheleasthappywithwhatIsaw.Thereddishparticlesamongthegreywere,totheunmagnifiedeye,suspiciouslylikerust.

BrushingthedustoffmyfingersIwentintothebarnandstoodlookingatthefloorthere,especiallyattheedgesofthepit.Therewasgreaseinplenty,andgeneraldirt.Therewouldcertainlyberustembeddedinit.Steelanddampweatherinfalliblyshedferric.o.xide.Rustwouldbethere.

Allthesame,inmemoryIsurveyedJogger'slosttools;theoldslider,thesharpaxe,thejumbledsmallspanners,theloopsofwire...allthose,andthetyrelever.Anoldstrongtyreiron,aslongasone'sarm.Ferrousmetal,awideopeninvitationtorust.

IwalkedbacktomyofficeandwonderedhowmuchofmyhoveringnauseawasduetotheblowonmyownheadortheimaginedscrunchofarustytyreironintoJogger's.

You'dhavetogetupearlytohitJogger...

He'ddiedaboutnooninbroaddaylight.

Ithadtohavebeenanaccident.Ididn'twanthimtohavediedsimplybecausehe'dworkedforme.Icoulddealwithattacksonmyself.Ididn'twanttobeartheguiltofsomeoneelse'sdeath.

AzizcamebackfromHeathrow,hisirrepressiblegoodspiritshoveringinaliquidsmileevenwhilehecommiseratedwithmeovertheJaguar.

'Itcan'thavebeeneasytogetacartorunatthatspeedintoahelicopter.Notonflatland.Notwithoutriskingyourneck.'

'That'snocomfort,'Ipointedout.

'Itookaquickdeckointothewreck,'hesaid,bright-eyed.'I'dsaytheacceleratorpedalwaswedgeddownwithabrick.'

'Abrick?Ihaven'tanybricks.'

'What'sabrickdoingthere,then?'

Ishookmyhead.

'You'dhavetobenippy,'hesaid.'You'dhaveonlysecondstogetclearonceyou'dgotupenoughspeed.'

'Ithasautomaticgears,'Isaidthoughtfully.'Itsets...set...offslowly,lefttoitself.'

Henoddedhappily.'Nicelittleproblem.'

'Howwouldyousolveit,then?'

Hehadalreadybeenthinkingabout.i.t,asheansweredwithouthesitation,'I'dwinddownthedriver'swindow,forastart.I'dhaveabricklashedtooneendofastickwiththeotherendthroughthewindow.I'dslideintothedriver'sseat,starttheengine,putthegearleverindrive,slideoutagainatslowspeedandshutthedoor,thenthroughthewindowI'dpushtheacceleratordownhardwiththebrickandjumpawayjustbeforeimpact.'Hegrinned.'Mindyou,itwouldtakenerve.Andyou'dhavetostartagoodwaybackfromthehelicoptertogetupenoughspeedforthatamountofdamage.You'dhavetoberunningbytheend.'

'Theremustbeasimplerway,'Isaid.'Noonewouldrisktheirlifelikethat.'