Driving Force Part 40

Theworst,'Azizsaidslowly.

Thedrivingforcewithinyou,Ithought,leapsout.Understress,itcan'tbehidden.

Applythestress.

'DoyouhaveanyreasontothinkanyonewoulddestroyIrkabAlhawa?'Azizasked,frowning.

'No.Ijustintendtousethethoughtasalever.'

'Todowhat?'

'Waitandsee,andguardmyback.'

Azizleanedsidewaysagainstthepa.s.sengerdooranda.s.sessedmequizzically,theirrepressiblesmilereappearing.

'You'renotlikeyoulook,areyou?'hesaid.

'HowdoIlook?'

'Physical.'

'Sodoyou,'Isaid.

'b.u.t.then...Iam.'

Anoddally,Ithought;andunexpectedly,Iwasgladhewasthere.

ACroftRacewayshorseboxcameovertheoppositehill.Iraisedapairofbinocularsandfocused,andsawthehorse'sheadstickingoutofthewindow.

'That'sthem,'Isaid.'LewisandNina.'

ThehorseboxturnedintotheroadtowardsBenjyUsher'sstables,almostnextdoortoMichael's.IstartedtheFourtrakanddrovedownthehill,reachingBenjy'syardalmostbeforeLewisswitchedoffhisengine.

Benjy'sheadappearedinhisupstairswindow,pokingoutratherlikehiscolt'sfromthehorsebox.Heissuedorderstohisladsbelowwithhiscustomaryforce,andLewisandNinaloweredtheramp.Igotoutofmyjalopyandwatchedthem.

Mypresencetherewastakenforgrantedbyeveryone.NinanoticedAzizstillsittingintheFourtrakandthrewhimanenquiringglance,towhichherespondedwithaquickthumbs-up.

Thecoltclatteredwild-eyeddowntheramp,ledbyNina,andlimpedawayinthehandsofBenjy'sheadlad.BenjyshoutedanenquirytoLewisaboutthejourney:Lewiswentnearertothewindowandshoutedup,'Itallwentright.'Benjy,relieved,retreatedandclosedhiswindow.

IsaidtoNina,'DidyoustopanywheresinceDover?'

'No.'

'Good.GowithAziz,now,w.i.l.l.you?'

IwentovertoAzizandspoketohimthroughtheFourtrak'swindow.

'PleasetakeNinawithyouandgotothefarmyard.Theremaybeayoungmanwanderingaboutthere,carryingasmallanimaltransporter.Hisname'sGuggenheim.Collecthimandinaboutaquarterofanhourtakehimonwithyou.'

'Whereto?'

'ToCentaurCare.Thatplacewhereyoutooktheoldhorses.I'lldrivethishorseboxandmeetyouthere.'

'Letmecomewithyou,'hesaid.

'No.LookafterNina.'

'Asifsheneededit!'

'Everyoneneedstheirbackwatched.'

Ilefthim,walkedovertothehorseboxwhileLewiswasliftingtherampbackintoplace,andclimbedintothedriver'sseat.

Lewiswa.s.surprised,butwhenIwavedhimtowardsthepa.s.sengersideheclimbedintherewithoutdemur.He'dworkedformefortwoyears:hewasaccustomedtodoingwhatIsaid.

IstartedthepowerfulengineanddrovecarefullyoutofBenjy'syard,continuingondowntheroadtowardsMichael'splace.OppositeMichael'sgate,wheretheroadtemporarilywidenedandthes.p.a.ceallowedit,Ipulledtheboxovertotheside,steppedonthefoot-brake,rolledgentlytoastop,appliedthehand-brakeandswitchedoff.

Lewislookedsurprised,butnotvery.Thevagariesofbosses,hismannerseemedtoimply,hadtobetolerated.

'How'stherabbit?'Isaidconversationally.

His.e.xpressiongavenewmeaningtothewordflabbergasted.Helookedforamomentasifhishearthadactuallystoppedbeating.Hismouthopenedandnosoundcameout.

Lewis,Ithought,withhisbikerpast,histattooeddragon,his.e.xpertfists;Lewiswithhisbimboandhisambitionsforhisbaby,Lewismightbeadishonestmuscle-manouttomakemoney,buthewasnoactor.

'I'lltellyouwhatyou'vebeendoing,'Isaid.'BenjyUsherownsastableinFrancewherehediscoveredlastyearbychancethatthehorsestherewerefallingillwithanunspecifiedfever.Helearnedthattherewasapossibilitythatthefeverwascarriedbyticks.Sohethought.i.tagoodwheezetobringtheillnesstoEnglandandgiveittoafewhorsesheresoastoclearhispathabittowinnershemightnototherwisehave.TheproblemwashowtobringthetickstoEngland;andfirstofall,youtriedtobringthemonsoapwhichyoucarriedinacashboxstucktothebottom.o.f.oneofmynine-boxesthatyouweredrivingatthetime.'

Lewiswentonlookingdumbfounded,apulsethrobbingnowinaswelledveinonhisforehead.

'Theticksdidn'tsurvivethatjourney.Theydon't,asyounowknow,survivelongenoughonsoap.Adifferentwayoftravelhadtobefound.Ananimal.Ahamster,maybe.Orarabbit.Howarewedoing?'

Silence.

'YoulookedaftertheWatermeads'rabbits.Perfect.Youthoughttheywouldn'tmissoneortwo,b.u.t.theydid.Anyway,lastyear,drivingPat'sfour-box,youwenttoFrancetotheEcurieBonneChance,that'sBenjyUsher'splaceoutsideBelley,downneartheRiverRhone,andyouwipedticksontoarabbit.Youbrought.i.tbackhere,wipedtheticksfromtherabbitontotwooldhorsesthatBenjyUsherhadinapaddockoutsidehisdrawing-roomwindow,andalthoughoneofthemdied,thereyoubothwerewithflourishingliveticksontheother,readytobetransferredtoanyhorsethatBenjydecidedon,andthatyoucouldgetclosetobydrivingittotheraces.'

Iwonderedwhatincipientheartfailurelookedlike.

'Theticksareunpredictable,'Icontinued,'andintheendprobablyjustdisappeared,soinAugustyouwentagaintoFrance,b.u.t.thistimetakingtheboxPhildrivesnow,whichyouusedtodriveregularlyatthattime.Butonthatoccasion,thingswentwrong.Thehorseboxwasdueformaintenanceandwasdrivenstraighttothebarnonyourreturn.Thecaphadunscreweditselffromthetube,perhapsfromvibration.Beforeyoucouldretrievetherabbit,itfellintotheinspectionpitanddied,andJoggerthrewitaway,ticksandall.'

Strangledsilence.

'Sothisyear,'Isaid,'youwentinthenewsuper-sixtofetchthetwo-year-oldsforMichaelWatermead,andyoutookarabbitwithyou.Thetickscamebackaliveandweretransferredtotheoldhorse,Peterman.ButPetermanwenttoMarigoldEnglish,notBenjyUsher,andPetermandied.Theticksdiedsoonafterhim.SonowwehavetheFlatseasonabouttostartandalltheChesterVaseandDanteStakescontestantsthisyeararestrongandhealthystill,soyousetoffwiththerabbittofetchBenjyUsher'scoltfromMilan,andonthewaybackyoustoppedattheEcurieBonneChance,andwhatw.i.l.l.youbetthatinthetubecontainerabovethefueltanksofthishorseboxwe'llfindarabbitwithtickson?'

Silence.

Iasked,'Whydidn'tyoujustwipeticksstraightontoBenjy'scolt?'

'Hewantsittoraceagainwhenitsleggetshealed.'

Theadmissionslippedpainlesslyout.Lewis'svoicewashoa.r.s.e.Hedidn'teventrytoprotestinnocence.

'Sonow,'Isaid,'we'regoingtotaketherabbitstraighttoCentaurCare,wherethetwooldhorsesdestinedforBenjy'sfieldarewaiting.Thistimeyouarenotgoingtohavetoretrievetherabbitfromthetubeateleveno'clockatnight,andhitmeontheheadwhenIcatchyouat.i.t.'

'Inever,'hesaidfiercely.'Ineverhityou.'

'Youdiddropmeintothewater,though.Andyousaid'Ifthisdoesn'tgivehimflu,nothingwill.''

Lewisseemedtohavegonebeyondbeingastoundedandhadreachedthestageofanxietytosalvagewhateverhecould.

'Ineededthemoney,'hesaid,'formykid'seducation.'

Onemoreshock,Ithought,andhewouldreallystarttalking.

Isaid,'Ifitcametoachoice,whichwouldyouprefer,todriveIrkabAlhawatotheDerbyandmaybebringhimbackasthewinnerinyourownboxonthetelevisiontothisvillage,ortoinfecthimwithtickstostophimevenrunning?'

'He'dneverdothat!'hesaid.Hishorror,indeed,lookedgenuine.

'He'sviolentandspiteful,'Isaid,'sowhynot?'

'No!'Hestaredatme,belatedlythinking.'Wh.o.a.reyoutalkingabout?'

'JohnTigwood,ofcourse.'

Lewisclosedhiseyes.

'Benjy'srewardiswinning,'Isaid.'Yoursismoney.Tigwood'sisthepowertospoilotherpeople'sachievements.That'sacommonersinthanyoumaythink.Knockingpeopleisamajorsport.'

Towinbycheating.Ambitionforone'schild.Maliceandsecretly-enjoyeddestructivepower,bolsteringaninadequatepersonality.Toeachhisdrivingforce.

Andmine?Ah,mine.Whoeverunderstoodhisown?

Lewislookedsick.

'DoesBenjyUsherpayTigwood?'Iasked.

Lewissaidwithouthumour,'Hegiveshimwadsofthestuffinoneofthosecollectingtins,rightoutinpublic.'

AfterapauseIsaid,'Tellmewhathappenedthenightyouchuckedmeinthewater.'

Hepracticallymoaned,'I'mnogra.s.s.'

'You'reawitness,'Isaid.'Witnessesgetofflighter.'

'Ididn'tdoyourcar.'

'Youdidn'tkillJogger,'Ipointedout,'becauseyouwereinFrance.Butasformycar,youcertainlycouldhavedoneit.'

'Ididn't.Inever.Hedid.'

'Well...why?'

Lewisstaredatme,hiseyesdeepintheirsockets.

'See,hewaslikeawildthing.Goingonaboutyouhavingeverythingsoeasy.Whyshouldyouhaveeverything,hesaid,whenhehadnothing.Thereyouwere,hesaid,withyourhouseandyourmoneyandyourlooksandyourbusinessandbeingatopjockeyallthattimeandeveryonelikingyou,andwhatdidhehave,peopleneverlookedpleasedtoseehim,theyturnedawayfromhim.Whateverhedid,hewouldneverbeyou.Heabsolutelyhatedyou.Itturnedmystomach,like,butIreckonedhemightturnonmeifIcontradictedhimsoIwentalongwithhim...andhehadtheaxewithhiminhiscar...'

'Didhehitmewiththeaxe?'Iaskedincredulously.

'No.Arustyoldtyrelever.Hehadalotoftoolsinhiscar,hesaid,whenhehityouweputyouinthebootofmycar,astherewasmoreroom,andhetoldmetodrivetothedocks.Hewaslaughing,see!'

'DidyouthinkIwasdead?'

'Ididn'tknow,like.Butyouweren't.Youweretalking,sortofdelirious,whenwegotthere.Inevermeanttokillyou.Honest.'

'Mm.'

'Hesaidwewereinittogether.HesaidhowwouldIlikehimtogetmeintrouble.HowwouldIliketolosemyjobandnotdrivethebesthorsesanymore.'

Lewisstoppedtalking,lookingnowatafuturewhichmeantallthosethings.

'b.l.o.o.d.yb.u.g.g.e.r,'hesaid.

'SoyoucamebackfromSouthampton,'Isaid,takingitforgranted,'andcollectedtheaxeandchoppedupmyhouseandmycarandmysister'shelicopter.'

'Hedidthat.Hedidit.Hewa.s.shoutingandravingandlaughing.Hechoppedallthestuffinyourroom.Sob.l.o.o.d.ystrong.I'lltellyou,hefrightenedmerigid.'

'Youwatchedhim?'

'Well...yeah.'

'Andenjoyedit?'

'Never.'

Buthehad,Isaw.Hemightjustpossiblyhavebeenfrightenedbythevigourofthatattackbutdeepdowntherehadbeenanawestruckguiltypleasure.

Ruefully,Irestartedtheengine.

'Like,'Lewissaid,'howdidyouknowaboutthejourneys?'

They'reinthecomputer.'

'Hesaidhe'dwipedoutyourrecordsontheSundaywithaMichelangeloorsomething,andnottoworry.'

'Ihadcopies,'Isaidsuccinctly.

TigwoodhadbeeninthepubthenighteveryoneheardJoggersayhe'dfoundthesecretcontainers.FromspitehemusthavestolenJogger'stools.ThenifJoggerfoundTigwoodtamperingwithmycomputerontheSunday...IcouldseeTigwoodgoingtohiscarforJogger'sowntyrelever,walkingalongtothebarnafterhimandaimingjustonelethalblow.Joggerwouldn'thaveexpectedit.Heknewofnoreasontofear.

Ireleasedthebrakesandstarteddowntheroad.