Driving Force Part 24

ArecipefordisasterifeverIheardone.

Shelookedatherwatch,thankedmeforthecoffeeandsaidshe'dbettergetalongtothestation,ifIdidn'tmind.

'Howaboutthetrainfare?'Iasked.

'Oh...theygavemeavoucher.Thepoliceorthecourtorsomeone.TheygavemeonetocomedownlastSat.u.r.day,too,toidentifyhim.'Shesighedheavily.'Everyone'sbeenkind.'

PoorMrsOgden.Idrovehertothestationandwaitedwithheruntilhertraincame,thoughshesaidIneedn't.Iwouldhavelikedtogivehermoneytoseeherthroughsomeofherpresenttroubles,butIdidn'tthinkshewouldtakeit.IwouldgetheraddressfromSandy,Ithought,andsendhersomethinginremembranceofKevinKeith,herpooroldboywhoseemedtohaveprecipitatedmeintoamaelstrom.

CHAPTER9.

AsIwasleavingWinchesterthecarphonerang.Isobel'svoicesaid,'Oh,good,I'vebeentryingtoreachyou.ThepolicearehereaboutJogger.'

'Whichpolice?'

'NotSandySmith.Twoothers.Theywanttoknowwhenyou'llbeback.'

'Tellthemtwentyminutes.Didthecomputermancome?'

'He'sherenow.Anotherhalf-hour,hesays.'

Fine.'

'NinaYoungphoned.SheandNigelhavepickeduptheJerichoRichshowjumperandthey'reontheirwayback.Noincidents,shesaidtotellyou.'

'OK.'.

IcompletedthejourneyandkeptthepolicewaitingwhileIcheckedwiththeyoungcomputerexpertinIsobel'soffice.Yes,heconfirmed,hehadbroughtwithhimareplacementcomputerformyhouse,asrequested,andhewouldcomestraightawaytofixitup.

AfterI'dtalkedtothepolice,Isaid.

Helookedathiswatchandranhisfingersthroughhishair.I'mdueatMichaelWatermead'sstables.Samejobasthis.I'lldohimfirst,thencometoyou.'

'Michael?'Iasked,surprised.

Hesmiled.'Ratherapt,Ithought,beingMichelangelo,buthedidn'tthinkitfunny.'

'No,hewouldn't.'

Barelydigestingthenews,letalonethesignificance,ofthefailureoftheWatermeadharddisk,Iwentalongtowherethepolicemenwaitedinmyownoffice.

TheyprovedtobethetwowhosemannerhadsoeasilyraisedmyantagonismontheirMondayvisit.IresolvedforSandy'ssaketobecooperative,andansweredtheirquestionstruthfully,politelyandbriefly.Theyexudedsuspicionandhostility,forwhichIcouldseenoreason,andtheyaskedmostofMonday'squestionsoveragain.

Theyneeded,theyannounced,totakesc.r.a.pingsofthedirtsurroundingandinsidetheinspectionpit.Gorightahead,Isaid.TheytoldmetheywereintheprocessofaskingmystaffwhathadbroughtJoggertothefarmyardontheSundaymorning.

Fine.

HadIinstructedhimtogotothefarmyardonthatmorning?

No,Ihadn't.

DidIobjecttohisgoingthereonaSundaymorning?

'No.AsImentionedbefore,allthestaffcouldgoinandoutofthefarmyardwhenevertheyliked.'

Whywasthat?

'Companypolicy,'Isaid,anddidn'tfeellikeexplainingthatthedrivers'prideintheirvehiclesledthemtomakethemmorepersonal,whichtheydidchieflyonSundays.CurtainswerehungonSundays.Seatandmattresscoverswerefitted.Bitsofcarpetappearedunderfoot.Wiveshelpedwiththehomes-from-homes.Metalandfurniturepolishaccompaniedpride.LoyaltyandcontentmentweretheproductsofSundays.

DidJoggernormallygotothefarmyardonSundays?

IsaidthatthehorsetransportbusinesswasalwaysworkingonSundays,thoughusuallynotasbusilyasonallotherdays.JoggerwouldcertainlyconsideritnormaltogotothefarmyardonaSunday./P Theyasked,a.s.sandyhadpredicted,whatIhadbeendoingonthatSundaymorning.Itoldthem.Theywroteitdowndubiously.

Yousayyoupickeddaffodilsfromyourgardenandputthemonyourparents'grave?Yes,Idid.WasIinthehabitofdoingthat?Itookflowerstherefromtimetotime,Isaid.Howoften?Fiveorsixtimesayear.

Igathered,bothfromtheirgeneralatt.i.tudeandthelimitationsoftheirquestions,thattherewa.s.stillinthecollectivepolicemindabasicindecisionastohowtoviewJogger'sdeath;accidentorworse.

Rust,Ithought,woulddecideforthem.

Iwentwiththemandwatchedthemtakesc.r.a.pingsfromallroundthepit.Theyfedthepatchesofdirtintosmallplasticbags,closingandlabellingeachwithitsareaofprovenance.Northendofpitfloor...east,west,south.Northinteriorwallofpit...east,west,south.Northrimofpit...east,west,south.

Theywerethoroughandfair.Onewayoranother,rustwouldtell.

Theydroveawayfinally,leavingmetomyambivalentfeelingsandtwoalarmedsecretaries.

Isobelsaid,scandalised,'TheyaskedushowyouandJoggergotalong!Whydidtheyaskthat?Joggerfellintothepit,didn'the?'

'Theyhavetofindout.'

'But...but...'

'Mm,'Isaid,'let'shopehefell.'

'Allthedriverssayhemusthave.They'vebeensayingsoallweek.'

Tryingtoconvincethemselves,Ithought.

Idrovehome,wherethecomputerwhizzsoonjoinedme.Hestoodwithhislegsapartinthecentreofmydevastatedsitting-room,thehandcombingthroughthehairnon-stop.

'Yes,'Isaidtohisstunnedsilence.'Ittookabitofstrengthandalotofpleasure.'

'Pleasure?'Hethought.i.tover.'Iguessso.'

Heputthewreckoftheoldcomputerontooneofthefewfreeareasofcarpetandinstalledthenewversioninitsplace,attachingittoitsphonelinetothecomputerinIsobel'sroom.AlthoughIwouldstillmaintainmypencilcharts,itwasrea.s.suringtoseethescreencomealiveagainwiththeactivelinktotheoffice.

'Iguaranteethatthisnewdiskisclean,'theexpertsaid.'AndI'msellingyouadiskyouca.n.u.setocheckthat.i.tstaysthatway.'Heshowedmehowto'scan'thedisk.'Ifyoufindanyvirusonthere,pleasephonemeatonce.'

'Icertainlywill.'Iwatchedhisbusyfingersandaskedafewquestions.'IfsomeonefedtheMichelangelovirusintotheofficecomputer,woulditalsoinfectthecomputerhere?'

'Yes,itwould,a.s.soonasyoucalledtheofficeprogrammesontoyourscreen.Andtheotherwayround.Ifsomeonefedthevirusintohere,theofficewouldcatchit.Itwouldthenspreadtoallthecomputersonthesamenetwork.'

'LikeRose's?'

'IsRosetheothersecretary?Yes,sure,intohersinaflash.'

'And...um...ifwemakeback-upfloppydisks,wouldthevirusbeinthose,too?'

Hesaidearnestly,'Ifyoudohaveanyback-ups,letmecheckthembeforeyouusethem.'

'Yes.'

'Butyourgirlssaidtheyhadn'tmadeanyforages.'

'Iknow.'Ipaused.'DidMichaelWatermead'ssecretarymakeback-ups?'

Hehesitated.'Don'tknowifIshouldtellyou.'

'Professionaletiquette?'

'Sortof.'

'She'lltellIsobel,anyway.'

'Then...er...yes,shedid,andtheback-upfloppyshe'sbeenusinglatelyhasMichelangeloonit.I'mhavingtocleanuptheirwholeact.'

'w.i.l.l.yousavetheirrecords?'

'Everychance.'

Hefinishedtheinstallationandgavemeacheerfulpityinglook.'Youneedlessons,'hesaid.'Youneedtoknowaboutwrite-protectandboot-upfloppydisks,forastart.Icouldteachyou,ifyoulike,thoughyou'reprettyold.'

'Howlonghaveyoubeenincomputers?'Iasked.

'FrombeforeIcouldholdapen.'

ThewayIcouldride,Ithought.

'I'llcomeforlessons,'Isaid.

'Really?Great,then.Reallygreat.'

Afterhe'dgoneImanagedtostayawaketowatchalltheracingatCheltenhamandhadthebitter-sweetsatisfactionofseeinganorseI'dschooledandtaughthisbusinesswintheGoldCup.

Ishouldhavebeenridinghim.Imighthavebeen...Well,ithadtobeenoughtorememberthefirstofhistriumphs,ascrambleofatwo-milehurdle.Enoughtorememberhisfirststeeplechase,ahigh-cla.s.snoviceracethathe'dwonbyoutjumpingtheoppositionthoughnearlygivingitawaybyflounderingallovertheplaceinthelasthundredyards.I'driddenhimeighttimesinallintofirstplacepastthewinningpost,andnowherehewas,nineyearsoldandastar,charginguptheCheltenhamhilla.s.straightasadiewithallthepanacheandcourageajockeycouldhopefor.

G.o.ddammit...

Ishookoffthesickeningself-pityingregrets.Ishouldhavegotoveritbythistime,Itoldmyself.Adecentperiodofmourningwasreasonable,b.u.t.threeyearsalongtheroadIshouldhavestoppedlookingback.IsupposedratheruneasilythatIwouldn'tbefreeofnostalgiauntilthelastofthehorsesI'driddenwasheadingtowardsCentaurCare.Noteventhen,ifmanylikePetermanturneduponmydoorstep.

TheminuteIswitchedoffthesetthetelephonerangandIlistenedtoLizzie'svoicesoundingsurprised.

'h.e.l.lo!IthoughtI'dgetyouransweringmachine.Ithoughtyou'dbeatCheltenham.'

'Ididn'tgo.'

'Soitseems.Whynot?Isyourheadallright?'

'Nothingtoworryabout.Ikeepwantingtogotosleep.'

'Thoroughlynatural.Listentonature.'

'Yes,ma'am.'

'ThanksforlendingmeAziz.Whatafascinatingyoungman.'

'Ishe?'

'Toobrightforhisjob,I'dsay.'

'Whydoyouthinkso?Ineedbrightdrivers.'

'Mostdriverscan'tdiscusstheperiodictableofelements,letaloneinFrench.'

Ilaughed.

'Justthinkabout.i.t.Anyway,'shesaid,'I'veareportonyourtubes.'

Ittookmeafewsecondstoworkoutwhichtubesshemeant,typicalofthesluggishstateofmybrain.

'Tubes,'Isaid.'Oh,great.'

'Theyeachcontained10ccsofviraltransportmedium.'

'Ofwhat?

'Tobepreciseabouttheingredients,thetubescontainedbovinealb.u.min,glutamicacid,sucroseandanantibioticcalledGentamicin,allinsterilewateratabalancedpHof7.3.'

'Er...'Isaid,reachingforapencil.'Spellallthatslowly.'

Shelaughedanddidso.

'Butwhat'sitfor?'Iasked.