Driving Force Part 30

'Ahundredpercent.'

Anothergoodtheorydownthedrain.

'Didanyoneelse,'Iasked,'knowenoughtogetnearenoughtothecomputerlastFridaytofeedanydiskintoit?'

'I'vethoughtandthought...'Shestopped.'WhylastFriday?'

'OrSat.u.r.day,'Isaid.'Ourcomputerwizardthinkswepickeduptheinfectionaslateasthat.'

'Ohgolly.'

'Nothingcomestoyourmind?'

'No.'Itwasawailofregretandworry.'IwishIknew.'

'Didyouleaveanyofthosepeopleonyourlistofvisitorsaloneinyouroffice?'

'But...but...ohdear.Ican'tremember.Imighthavedone.Iwouldn'thaveseenanythingwronginit.Imean,thereweren'tanystrangersthere,notrightinmyoffice,andIcan'tbelieve...'

'It'sallright,'Isaid.'Don'tthinkabout.i.t.'

'Ican'thelpit.'

Iputthephonedownjusta.s.sandySmithrolledontomytarmac.Hecametowardsthebackdoortakingoffhispeakedcapandcombinghisflattenedhairwithhisfingers.

'Comein,'Isaid,meetinghim.'Whisky?'

'I'monduty,'hesaiddoubtfully.

'Who'stoknow?'

HesquareditwithhisconscienceandtooktheScotchwithwater.Wesatinthekitchen,oneoneachsideofthetable,andherelaxedasfarasunb.u.t.toninghistunic.

'It'saboutJogger,'hesaid.Hefrownedathisgla.s.s,hisroundedfacetroubled.'Aboutrust.'

Hisgloomspreadtomefast.'Whatdidtheyfind?'Iasked.

'I'veheard,'hebegan,andIreflectedthatthiswa.s.sandy'ssemaph.o.r.eat.i.tsbest.'I've...er...unofficiallyheardthattheydidfindrustallroundthepitandontheedges.b.u.t.therustwaseverywheremixedwithoilandgrease.Andtherewasn'tanyoilorgreaseinthewoundonJogger'shead.'

'd.a.m.n,'Isaid.

'They'regoingtotreat.i.tasmurder.Don'tsayItoldyou.'

'No.Thanks,Sandy.'

'They'llbeaskingyouquestions.'

'They'veaskedquestionsalready,'Isaid.

'They'llwanttoknowwhohaditinforJogger.'

'Iwanttoknowthattoo.'

IknewoldJogforyears,'Sandysaid.'Hewasn'tonetohaveenemies.'

'Iwouldthink,'Isaidneutrally,'thathemayhavedonewhatIdidonTuesdaynight,whichwastowalkintothefarmyardunexpectedly.Maybebothofuswerehitontheheadtopreventusseeing...whatever...butJoggerdied,andwasputintothepittomakeitlooklikeanaccident.'

Sandygazedatmethoughtfully.

'What'sgoingonthere,inthefarmyard?'heasked.

'Idon'tknow.Ib.l.o.o.d.ydon'tknow,andit'sdrivingmecrazy.'

'DidJoggerknow?'

'It'spossiblehefoundout.That'sperhapswhyhedied,andIdidn'twant.i.ttobethat.I'vebeensortofprayingforittobeprovedanaccident.'

'You'vethoughtallalong,though,that.i.twasmurder.'Hescratchedhisneckabsentmindedly.'WhatdidJoggermeanaboutlonerangersunderyourlorries?Mycolleagueswillwanttoknow.'

I'llshowyou,'Isaid.'Comeintothesitting-room.'

WewentintothejumbledwreckageandIledhimacrosstowhereI'dleftthecashboxJoggerhadprisedfromunderthenine-boxaweekago.

IledSandytotheplace,b.u.t.thecashboxwasn'tthere.

That'sodd,'Isaid.'Itwasrighthereonthisspotonthenewspaper 'Whatwas?'

Idescribedthecashbox:greymetal,ordinary,fresh-smellinginside,empty,unlockedbyJogger,theroundmarkofwhereithadbeenheldontoamagnettheonlybrightsectiononitsfilthygrime-ladenexterior.

IlookedroundtheroomforitandsodidSandy,pokingaboutinthegeneralmess.

Nocashbox.

'Whendidyoulastseeit?'Sandyasked.

'Tuesday,Isuppose.Ishowedittomysister.'Ifrowned.'Whenthisroomwasdoneover,Ididn'tthinktolookforthecashbox.'

Hesupposed,hesaid,thathecouldunderstandthat,andaskedifanythingelsewasmissing.

'Idon'tthinkso.'

'Joggersaidlonerangers.Plural.Theremusthavebeenmorethanone.'

'Twooftheotherboxeshavebeentrundlingaboutwithcontainersfixedtotheirundersides:b.u.t.thecontainersareempty,sameasthecashboxwas.'

Sandysaiddoubtfully,'EveryoneinthepublastSat.u.r.dayheardhimtalkingabout.i.t.Imean,hecan'thavebeenkilledtostophimtellinganyoneaboutthembecausehe'dalreadydoneit.'

'What'smore,'Isaid,'Dave,HarveandBrett,besidesJogger,sawthecashboxhereinthisroom,justafterJoggerlevereditoffthenine-box.Itwasonmydeskatthatpoint,inplainsight.Iput.i.tdownonthefloorsometimelater.'

'Youmusthaveanideawhat.i.twasfor,'Sandysaid,apoliceman-likesuspicioncreepingintohisvoicedespitethenon-adversarialstatusbetweenus.

'Wethoughtofdrugs,ifthat'swhatyoumean?Harve,JoggerandIdiscussedthat.Butdrugsdon'tjustappearoutofthinair.Someonehadtosupplythem.HarveandIdon'tbelievethatanyofourdriversdealindrugs.Imean,therewouldbesigns,wouldn'tthere?Andmoneygoingaround.Wewouldnotice.'

'Whydidn'tyoutellmeaboutthislastTuesday?'Stillthesuspicioustone.'Youshouldhavetoldme,Ireckon.'

'Iwantedtofindoutformyselfwhat'shappening.Istilldo,butIhaven'tmuchchanceifthere'samurderinvestigationgoingon.You'llhavetoadmitthatonceyourcolleaguesgettolookingatthecontainersunderthelorries,thosecontainerswillneverbeusedagain.Iwantedtoleavetheminplace,tokeepquietaboutthemandtowait.IimploredJoggernottotalkabouttheminthepub,b.u.t.thebeergotthebetterofhim.I'mafraidthathesaidtoomuch.I'mafraidheblewthewholeoperationandfrightenedthefishaway.I'vebeenhopinghedidn't.ButyourcolleagueswillcertainlyfrightenhimawayforeverandIwillneverfindout...andthat'swhyIdidn'ttellyou,becauseyou'reapolicemanfirstandafriendsecond,andyourconsciencewouldn'thaveletyoukeepsilent.'

Hesaidslowly,'You'rerightaboutthat.'

'It'sFridayevening,'Isaid.'HowlongcanyousitonwhatI'vetoldyou?'

'Freddie...'Hewasunhappy.

TillMonday?'

'Ohs.h.i.t.Whatdoyouwanttodobeforethen?'

'Togetsomeanswers.'

'Youhavetoasktherightquestions,'hesaid.

Hedidn'tpromiseeventemporarysilenceandIdidn'ttrytocrowdhimwithadecision.Hewoulddowhateversatcomfortablyinhisownmind.

Heb.u.t.tonedhistunicroundhissolidwaist.Hesaidhe'dbetterbegoing.Onhiswayouthepickeduphispeakedcapandput.i.ton,reachinghiscarasafullyuniformedandthoroughpoliceman,lookinguncompromisinginhisvocation.

Ipouredtheremainsofhiswhiskydownthekitchensinkandhopedourfriendshipwasn'tslidingawaywithitdownthedrain.

CHAPTER11.

IdrovealongtothefarmyardwhenNinaphonedtosayshewasback,andfoundherfillinghertanks,yawningasbefore.

Lewishadfinishedcleaninghisboxandwaspositioningitinitsusualplace.HarveandPhilweren'tbacksofarfromWolverhamptonbutexceptforAziz'snine-box,whichhadgonetoIreland,thebroodmareforcehadreturned.

Lewisslidhiscompletedlogthroughtheofficeletter-box,toldmebrieflythathe'dtakenhispairsafelybacktoMrUsherandthathe'dhadtohelptheUsherheadtravellingladsaddlealltherunnersastheirladswereuselessandNinahadsaidshewasn'tdressedforit.HethoughtlittleofNina,Igathered,forlettinghimdosomuchwork.Theapprovalshe'dlavishedthatmorningonthephotosofhisbabyhad,Ithoughtinamus.e.m.e.nt,beenwasted.

Ninadrovealongtothecleaningareaandsettoworkwiththepressurehose.Lookingatheroldjeans,theunsmartsweaterandthesc.r.a.pedbackhairescapinginwisps,onecouldseewhyshe'dbackedawayfrompublicgaze,quiteapartfromthefactthatsomeoneinthehorseworldmighthaverecognisedherandaskedastonishedquestions.

Lewisleft.IwentovertoNinaandofferedtocleanherboxforherifshewoulddoadifferentjobforme.Sheagreedwithrelief,saying,'WhatifHarvecomesback?'

I'llthinkofsomething.'

'OK.WhatdoIdo?'

'Fetchthenewsliderfromthebarnandlookatallthefueltankstoseeifthereareanycontainersstuckonthem.'

Shewa.s.surprised.'IthoughtJoggerlookedandtherewereonlythethree.'

'Lookingback,'Isaid,'hetoldmeofthree.Idon'tknowforsureifhe'dlookedunderalltheothers.Ijustwanttocheck.'

'Allright,'sheagreed.'Don'tyouwanttodoityourself?'

'Notparticularly.'

Shegavemeacuriouslookbutmadenocomment,justfetchedthesliderfromthebarnandstartedmethodicallyalongtherow.Ifinishedthecleaning,insideandout,andpositionedherboxwhereitbelonged,joiningherafterwardsbytheofficedoor.

'Well,'shesaid,rubbingdirtoffherelbows,'There'sonemore,andit'sunderLewis'sbox,but.i.t'sempty,liketheothers.Lewis!SowetooktwohiddencontainerstoLingfieldtoday,butIstayedwiththelorriesthewholetime,toLewis'sdisgust,buthecouldperfectlywellmanagetohelptheheadtravellingladsaddleuponhisown,hedidn'tneedmereally,butI'minhisbadbooks.'Thethoughthardlyupsether.'Noonecameneareitherbox,I'dswearit.Nooneshowedtheslightestinterestintheirundersides.'

Ithoughtback.'Lewis'sboxwasonitswaytoFrancewhenJoggerfoundthesecondandthirdcontainer.LewiswentonFriday,andgotbackatabouttwoonTuesdaymorning.'

'Thereyouare,then.Joggerdidn'tknowaboutLewis'sbox.HewasdeadbeforeLewis...o...b..ck.'

Harvedroveintothefarmyard,hislightsbrightinthegatheringdusk.

'DoyouwantmetocheckHarve's?'Ninaasked.

'Ifyouhaveachance.Andanyotherswe'vemissed.'

'OK.'Sheyawnedagain.'AmIdrivingtomorrow?'

'Isobel'sgotyoudownagainforLingfield.'

'Oh,well...atleastIknowtheway,now.'

Isaidpenitently,'Idon'tevenknowwhereyoulive.Doyouhavealongdrivehome?'

'NearStow-on-the-Wold,'shesaid.'Ittakesmeanhour.'

That'safaircommute.Um...howaboutifIgiveyoudinnersomewhereonyourwayhome?'

I'mhardlydressedforgoingouttodinner.'

'Apub,then?'

'Yes,allright.Thankyou.'

IwentovertotalktoHarveashefilledhistanksandfoundhimhappytohavetakenawinnertoWolverhampton,ashe'dalsobackedit.Theladwiththehorsehadtoldhimitwasacertainty.'Foronce,hewasright.'

WhenhistankswerefullIaskedhimtocomeovertotheofficetolookatthenextday'sschedule.Hecameasamatterofcoursewhile,lookingback,IsawNinatakingtheopportunitytoslideunderneathhisboxforaninspection.

Wewentthroughthelist,whichwashealthilybusy.HehimselfwasdownforChepstow,oneofhisfavouriteruns.'Good,'hesaid.ItoldhimaboutBenjyUsheroverlookingthehurdlers.'HowheevertrainsawinnerI'llneverknow,'hesaid.'Mindyou,hehastheluckofthedevil.Whoelsehadthreewalkoverslastsummer?YouremembertherewasthatbuggoingaboutinPixhill?AllthoseCla.s.sicTrialweight-for-ageraces,theyalwayscutuptofiveorsixrunnerseveryyearanyway,andMrUsher'salwayskeentowinthem.HewontheChesterVaselastyearagainstonlytwoopponents.Iknow,becauseIdrovehiswinnermyself,ifyouremember?'

Inodded.'He'salwaystendedtoenterhorsesinracesthatarelikelytohaveveryfewrunners,'Iagreed.'Iwonseveraltwo-andthree-horseracesforhimmyself,mostlythree-milechases.'