Driving Force Part 9

Harvesaidwithhumour,'WecouldputPatontheextraWatermeadruns,whenshe'sbetter,andyourtemporaryreplacementcoulddoanybeforethat.'

'Goodthinking!'IstifledtoobroadasmileandmadeanoteforIsobeltoallocateNigelchieflytoMarigoldEnglish,whosepulseshemightracetogoodeffect.

Intime,apolicecarcreptcarefullythroughthegates,bringingCIDinvestigators,anofficialdoctorandaphotographer.HarveandIwentouttothebarn,whereSandywa.s.showingJoggertohisplain-clothescolleaguesandBruceFarwaywastalkingimportantlytohispolicecounterpart.Theofficialphotographertookbrightflashofficialphotographsfromthesameanglesasmyown.

AstatementfromHarveaboutfindingthebodywastakendownandreadouttohiminthecuriouslystiltedEnglishsuchproceedingsseemedtoincur.Harvesignedtheresulteventhoughthewordsweren'thisown,andFarway,SandyandIconfirmedthatthebodywasaswe'dfoundit,andthatnothinghadbeenaddedorsubtractedfromthescene.

Sandy'scolleagueswereimpersonal,withouthumour.Allfatalaccidentshadtobethoroughlyinvestigated,theysaid,andtherewouldbefurtherquestions,nodoubt,onthemorrow.

Thesameblackhea.r.s.ethathadcollectedKevinKeithOgden,oroneverylikeit,arrivedinthefarmyard,andpresentlyanotherfinishedlifeleftmylandundercanvasandstrapsinametalcoffin.

Thepolice,unsmiling,followed.Farway,SandyandIwatchedthemgo,I,atleast,withrelief.

'Allverysad,'Farwaysaidwithacertainbriskness,notcaringonewayortheother.

'Alocalcharacter,'Sandysaid,nodding.

Notmuchofanepitaph,Ithought.Isaid,'Sandy,whenyoudroveJoggerhomelastnight,wasitinyourcarorhis?'

'Lastnight?Mycar.Thatoldwreckofavanwillstillbeatthepub.'

'Thatoldwreckisactuallymine,'Itoldhim.'I'llcollect.i.tlater.Doyoustillhavethekeys?'

Theywereinhishouse,itseemed,forsafekeeping.IsaidIwouldpickthemupshortlyandwithasighofreliefhelefttosalvagetheremainsofhisSundayoff.

BruceFarwayfollowed,notwastingonmeanyoftheslightlyfawningregardhe'dlavishedonMichaelorthepolicedoctor,merelynoddingacoolfarewell.Harvewalkedbacktohisownhouseforhislong-postponedlunchandIwanderedroundinthebarn,staringintothenowemptypitandcheckingthatnothinginthetoolstorewasoutofplace.

Thetoolstorewasas.p.a.cioustwentyfeetbyten,windowless.Iunlockedthewidedoor,switchedonthelightandstoodlookingatJogger'sdomain;atthepairofheavy-dutyhydraulicjacks,thevastarrayofspannersandwrenches,thelabelledboxesofspareparts,therollsofcable,thechains,cansofoil,drumsofgrease,asetofsixnewMichelintyreswaitingforinstallation.Thefloorwasfilthyb.u.t.thetoolswereclean,oftenthewaywithJogger.AsfarasIcouldsee,nothinghaddisturbedthegeneraltidinesshemiraculouslymaintainedinthestoreroom.Thevanincontrastwouldcontainahopelesslookingjumblefromwhichhewouldneverthelesspluckjustthepliersheneeded.

Iswitchedoffthelight,lockedthestore,andwalkedoutbesidethelongworkbenchinthebarn,ast.u.r.dyshelfwhichborenothingatthatmomentbutasmallandalargevice,bothboltedon.Therewerenotoolsanywherelyingabout.Nothingamancouldtripover,howeverdrunk.

MoroselyIleftthebarn,turningoffthelightsbutasusualnotlockingthedoortotheyard.Enoughwasenough,I'dalwaysthought.Wekeptthetoolslockedawayandtherewasthepadlockontheoutergate.Securitycouldbecomean.o.bsession,andanywayI'dbeenguardingagainstthieves,notagainstsmugglers.

Notagainstmurder.

Ishiedpainfullyawayfromthatword.Icouldn'tbelieveit.Didn'twanttobelieveit.

Murdercouldn'thappen.NottoJogger.Notbecauseofanemptycashboxandtwoemptytubes.Notbecausehe'dshothismouthoffdownattheboozer.

Ihadasenseofjumpingtoover-dramaticconclusions.Itwouldbebesttowaitforthepost-mortemfindings.

IsatintheofficethinkingofJogger:notofthemannerofhisdeath,butofthemanhehadbeen.

Aloner,anoldsoldier,adriverofarmytruckswhoseonlyactiveservicewarzonehadbeentheNorthernIrishborder.Healmostneverspokeofit,thoughhismatesinatruckaheadofhimhadbeenblownapartbyabomb.

I'dacquiredhisservicesasafixtureorfittingalongwiththefarmyardandthehorseboxes,thetransactionapparentlytohisliking:andI'dcountedmyselfluckytohavehimanddidn'tnowknowwhereIwouldfindanyoneelseas.e.xpert,undemandingandcommitted.

Imournedhimalsosimply,withoutselfinterest.Grievedforhimasaman.Inhisownwayhe'dbeenawholeperson,notneedingwhatothersmightthinkhelacked.Nooneshouldimposetheirownperceptionoffulfilmentonanyoneelse.

Alittlelater,whentheafternoonfadedtodark,IwalkeddowntoSandy'shouseandcollectedthekeysofJogger'svan.Sandygavethemtomewithoutquestion:Isignedforthemmerely,a.s.sandyknewthevanbelongedtome.Itdidn'tseemtooccurtohimthatperhapsacoupleofkeysontheringwereJogger'sown.Continuingon,IwalkedtothepubthatJoggerfavouredanddulyfoundthevaninthecarparkthere.Atfirstsighttherewasnothingwrongwithit.Onsecondsight,Ifoundthatthetworeardoorswereslightlyajar,andinside,wherethereshouldhavebeenthesliderandajumbleoftoolsinabigredplasticcrate,therewasnothingbutrustydustonthebaremetalfloor.

Isighed.AwholepubfulofpeoplehadseenSandytakeJoggerhome,leavingavanfulofeasypickingsbehindhim.IsupposedIshouldbepleasedthatthevanitselfhadn'tgonetoo,andthat.i.tstillhadwheels,tyres,petrolandanengine.

IdroveittheshortdistancetoJogger'squarters,whichIsofarknewonlyexternallyasaricketylookinggaragewithanupperstorey.

Insomedistantpast,theplacehadbeenachauffeur'slodging,althoughthehouseithadservedhadlonggone.Keepingmeuptodateondevelopments,formonthsandmonthsJoggerhadconductedarunningbattlewithgoodsoulsonthelocalcouncilwhowantedtodeclarethebuildingunfitforhabitation,Joggermaintainingthathishomewasasitalwayshadbeenandthat.i.twasthecouncilwhoseideashadchanged.Ithoughtthatonecouldprobablydefendevenacaveonthoseterms,butJogger'sstrongandquasi-logicalindignationhadtodatewonhimtheday.

Ilaboriouslyopenedoneoftheoldcreakingwoodenfrontgaragedoors,leavingthevanoutsideandlettingenoughstreet-lampintoshowmetheemptys.p.a.ceinside.ThewaytoJogger'sroom,he'dsaid,layacrossthegarageandupsomenarrowstairsbythebackwall,andupthereIcametoaflimsydoorthatopenedeasilywhenItriedthehandle.Noneedforkeys.IfoundalightswitchandsteppedforthefirsttimeintoJogger'sprivateworld,feelingboththat.i.twasaterribleintrusionandalsothathewouldhavewantedsomeonetocareenoughtogothere,toseeitforhimonelasttimeandmakesuretherewasnodesecration.

Jogger'shomewasashe'dleft.i.t,amessuntouchedbywhoeverhadstolenthetools.He'dearnedgoodmoneyforyearsyethadevidentlychosentoliveasifpovertybreatheddownhisneck,hissaggingarmchaircoveredwithagrubbyoldtablecloth,thetablecoveredwithnewspaper,thefloorwithlinoleum.Thearmymightoncehavecoercedhimintospit-and-polishingeneral,butonlyinhisworkhadthattrainingprevailedoverwhatIguessedmighthavebeenthefamiliarmannerofhischildhood.Thiswasthewayhefeltcomfortable,thishisoldshoes.

Therewasnokitchen,merelyafewmugsandplatesontopofachestofdrawerswithtea,sugar,driedmilkandbiscuitsinpacketsalongside.TheonedrawerIopenedrevealedatangleofoldclothes.Thesuitandshirtheworefordrivingweredrapedonahangeronahookonthebackofthedoor.

Hisbed,amatterofjumbledkhaki-colouredblanketsonadivan,wasbyconventionalstandardsunmade.Impossibletotellwhetherornothe'dsleptthereduringthepastnight.

Irealisedthattheplacewasn'tascoldasthedayoutsideandcameacrossthefirstsignofluxury,asmallconvectionheatertakingtheedgeoffnature.Therewasalsoacolourtelevision,threecratesofbeer,ashiningelectrickettleandatelephone.Againstonewallleanedastackofmildlyp.o.r.nographicmagazines,representingonecopyaweekforacoupleofyears,andinas...o...b..xonashelfIcameacrosshisbirthcertificate,hisarmydischargepapersandthepa.s.s-bookofabuildingsociety,thetotalofhissavingsraisingmyeyebrowsandshowingexactlywhathe'ddonewithhispaypackets.

IlefthispaperswhereI'dfoundthemandlookedintoasketchybathroomwhichwaswhatIbythenexpected,hardlyspotlessbutnotdisgusting,basicwiththrowawayrazorsandagap-toothedcomb.

WalkingbackthroughhisroomIlefteverythingasitwas,includingtheheater.Thewholeplacestillsmelledofhim,ofoil,earthanddust.Whilehissmellremained,sowouldhe.Theworthycouncilwouldsweepitallawaysoonenough.

Ilockedhisdoor,closedtheoutergaragedooranddrovethevantothefarmyardwonderingwhyJoggerhadgonetothebarnwithoutkeysorhiswheels...andwhen...andhow...andwhowith?

Intheoffices,Jogger'slog-booklayonIsobel'sdesk,readyforhertotypethedetailsintothecomputer.ItookthebookwithmetomyownofficeandsatreadingwhatJoggerhadwritten.

Thebarebonesofthetriponly.Nocomments.Nofrills.He'dcollectedfournamedsteeplechasersfromaPixhillstableanddriventhemdowntheM4toChepstowraces.Timeofleavingbase,timeofpick-up,timeofarrival,timeofdeparturefromracecourse,timeofdeliverybackatstable,timeofreturntobase.Dieselintakerecordedinlitres.Odometerreadingsentered.Cleaningcompleted.Totalnumberofhoursworked.Numberofthosehoursspentbehindthewheel.

Nothingaboutaliensorlonerangers.

Depressed,Ireplacedthelog-bookonIsobel'sdeskandthoughtIcouldn'tdoanymoretherethatwasuseful.Fourofthefleetwerestillout,notcountingtheoneinFranceandtheoneinIreland,butHarvewouldseethemreturn.Iwouldhearsoonenoughifanythingwentwrong.Iyawned,lockedupandwenthome.

RevivedbytheproductofScotlandIsatinmyswivellingarmchairandrewoundthetapeoftheansweringmachineonmyprivateline.I'dtransferredthebusinesslinetoIsobelforreceivingandmakingbookingsforthefleet,butpersonalcallscameinonadifferentnumber.OnthatSunday,I'dswitchedtheprivateansweringmachineonwhenIwentupstairstoshower,left.i.tonwhileIpickedflowersandtookthemtothecemetery,left.i.tonofcoursefortheWatermeads'lunch,andithadbeenoneversince.Thetapewoundbusilyback.

Ipressedtheplayb.u.t.tonandnearlyfelloutofthechair.

ThefirstvoicewasJogger's,hoa.r.s.e,c.o.c.kney,unhurried,unafraid.

'Ihatethisb.l.o.o.d.ymachine,'hesaid.'Wherehaveyougone,Freddie?Someone'shalf-inchedthevan.It'snotinthegaragehere,sometea-leaf'sb.l.o.o.d.ynickeditwhileIwaszizzing.You'dbettertellSandy-No...wait...hangabout...'Hisvoicestoppedforawhileandtheninsomeembarra.s.smentwenton,'Er,um,cancelthat,Freddie.Iknowwhereitis.It'sdowntheboozer.ForgetIsaidit,OK?'

Thelineclickedoff,b.u.t.thesecondcallwasalsofromJogger.'Iremembered,like,aboutthevan.Sandy'sgotthekeys.I'llwalkalongtothefarmyardfirstforadeckoandthenI'llgetthekeys.Anyway,Iwanttotellyou,takeabutcher'satthemnuns.IfoundadeadoneinthepitlastAugust,anditwascrawlingandPolandhadthesamefiveonahorselastsummeranditdied.Whatdoyouthink?'

Hisvoicestopped,leavingmewiththeproblemthatIdidn'tknowwhathe'dbeentalkingabout.

Nunsinthepit!Dead,moreover,likehimself.PooroldJogger,pooroldexasperatingman.

Whycouldn'theeversaythingsstraightout?Hisrhymingslanghadn'tseriouslymatteredbeforethis,butnowitwasinfuriating.Half-inchedmeantpinched,atea-leafwasathief,abutcher'scamefrombutcher'shook,look.Allthosewerecommonparlance,partofthegenerallanguage.ButwhatwerenunsandcrawlingandPoland?

WhatIneeded,Idecided,wasarhymingdictionary,andinthemorningIwouldbuyone.

I'dswitchedmyprivate-lineansweringmachineonatabouteleveno'clockthatmorning.Joggerhadbeenalivethen.Tobe'prettycold'inthepitbythreeintheafternoon,hemusthavediednotlongafterhisphonecalls.Isatforawhilesimplylookingatthemachineasifinsomestupidwayitcouldbringmymechanicbacktolife.IfI'dbeenabletospeaktohimmyself,maybehewouldhavebeenstillalive.Icouldn'thearthephone'schirrupwhenIwasintheshowerorthroughthebuzzofmyelectricrazor.Perhapshe'dphonedthen,butIhadn'tnoticedthe'messagereceived'lightshining.Morelikelyhe'dtriedwhenI'dlefttopickandtaketheflowers.Imusthavemissedhimbyseconds.

Withuna.s.suageableregretIranthroughacoupleofothermessagesonthetapeandItoldoneortwopeopleaboutJogger.Thewholevillage,onewayoranother,wouldknowofitbybedtime.

Byseven-thirtythenextmorning,afteratroublednight'ssleep,IwasalongatthefarmyardtalkingtothetwodriverswhoweretakingrunnerstoSouthwell.Therewasa.n.a.ll-weathertrackupthere,justnorth-eastofNottingham,givinganunderfootsurfacewhichhadprovedpopularbecauseitdidn'tcrack,freezeorfloodliketurf.ItsonlydrawbackasfarasPixhilltrainerswereconcernedwasitsdistanceofahundredandfiftymilesfromhome:asfarasCroftRacewayswasconcerned,thedistancefilledthecoffers.Itwasaboutthefurthesttheboxeswentoutandbackinoneday,entailingearlystartsandlatereturns.Anythingmuchfurthermeantovernightstopsortwodriverstoworkinspells.

OnthatMonday,wehadsixboxesgoingtoracecourses,twotakingbroodmares,twoabroadandfourstandingidle,whichinviewofthepersistentflusituationwasjustaswell.

IwasoutinthefarmyardwhenawomandrovethroughthegatesinasmallFordrunaboutthathadbeenalongtimeoutoftheshowroom.Shestoppedoutsidetheofficesandemergedfrombehindthewheelstretchingtoatallthinheightinjeans,paddedjacketanddarkhairsc.r.a.pedbackintoanuntidyponytail.Nomake-up,nonailvarnish,nopretenceatyouth.

Shewas,a.s.she'dsaidshe'dbe,almostunrecognisable.

Iwentacross.'Nina?'Isaid.

Shesmiledbriskly.Tmearly,I'mafraid.'

'Allthebetter.I'llintroduceyoutotheotherdrivers...butfirstI'dbettertellyouwhat'sfillingtheirminds.'

ShelistenedtothefindingofJoggerwithafrownandimmediatelyasked,'HaveyoutoldPatrickVenablesaboutthis?'

'Notyet.'

I'lldoit.I'llreachhimathome.'

Itookherintomyofficeandlistenedtohermakethecall.'Itcouldwellbeanaccident,'shetoldherboss.'Freddiehopesso.Thelocalpolicehaveitinhand.Whatdoyouwantmetodo?'

Shelistenedforawhileandsaid'Yes'afewtimes,andthenhandedthereceivertome.'Hewantstotalktoyou.'

'FreddieCroft,'Isaid.

'Letmegetthisright.Thisdeadmanistheonewhofoundtheemptycontainersstucktoyourhorseboxes?'

'Yes.Mymechanic.'

'Andbesidesyouandme,whoknewhe'dfoundthem?'

'EveryonewhoheardhimsayingsoinapubinPixhillonSat.u.r.daynightandunderstandsrhymingslang.'HecursedwithfeelingandIexplainedaboutJogger'slinguistichabits.'Thelocalpolicemanheardhimbut.i.tdidn'tmaketotalsensetohim.Itwouldhavemadetotalsense,though,toanyonewhoknewthecontainerswerethere.Lonerangersandaliensunderthelorries,Joggersaid.Bylonerangershemeantstrangers.Clearasdaylight.'

'Iagree.'PatrickVenablespaused.'Whowasinthepub?'

'It'sapopularplace.I'llaskthelandlord.I'llgoinatlunchtimeandtellhimI'llstandapinttoeveryonewhowasthereonSat.u.r.daynight,onJogger'slastvisit.Inmemory,sortof.'

Withhumourinhisvoice,hesaid,'Itcan'tdoanyharm.Apartfromthat,I'llputoutfeelerstowardsyourlocalpolicetoseewhatthey'rethinking.ThisJogger'sdeathmaybejustanunfortunatecoincidence.'

'Ihopeso,indeed,'Isaidfervently.

HewantedtospeaktoNinaagainandshesaid'Yes'afewmoretimes,and'GoodbyePatrick'attheend.

'Hewantsmetophonehimlater,'shesaid.'Andonsecondthoughts,headvisesyoutobecarefulinthepub.'

ItoldheraboutJogger'slastmessageontheansweringmachine.

I'llwriteitdownforyouwhenIgohome,'Isaid,'but.i.t'sprettyincomprehensible.HeusedtomakeuphisownrhymesandI'veneverheardhimusethesebefore.'

Shegazedatme.'You'vehadmorepracticethanmost.'

'Mm.Ithoughtofbuyingarhymingdictionary,thoughit'smoreamatterofguessing.Imean,whenhesaidcarpetshemeantdrugs.Carpetsandrugs.Youdon'thavetojustfindtherhyme,youhavetofindthewordthatgoeswiththerhyme,andthata.s.sociationarosesolelyinJogger'sownbrain.'

'Andifhehadn'tdied,'shesaid,nodding,'youcouldsimplyhaveaskedhimwhathemeant.'

'Yes.Hejustlikedtoplaygames,tochallengeme,Isuppose,inaquietsortofway.Butdon'tgetmewrong,hethoughtnaturallyinthatrhymingfashion.Itwasnosortofeffort.Itwouldcomeoutspontaneously.ThetroubleisthatIdon'tknowifwhathesaidyesterdaymorningwasofdesperateimportanceoronlyapa.s.singcomment.Idon'tknowifdesperateimportancewouldcomeoutinrhyme.Pa.s.singcommentsdidoften.'

HarvecameintotheofficeatthatmomentandIintroducedNinaasthenewtemporarydriver.Harvetriednottolookdubious,knowingIpreferredyoungerdriversbecauseoftheirrelativetireless-nessandseeingthepresentsubst.i.tuteashalfwaytogranny-hood.

WehavetogivePatatleasttwoweekstorecoverfromthissortorflu,'Ipointedout,havingdiscoveredfrompastexperiencethattooearlyareturntosuchaphysicaljobcausedfurtherdaysoffintheend.'Nina'sveryexperiencedwithhorsesandwithdrivinghorseboxesandwe'llgivehergoodhelpwithdirections.'

Helistenedtothefirmnessinmyvoiceandmadethebestofit.Iaskedhimtoshowherthecanteenandthenhowtofilloutatemporarylogandalsotoexplaintohertherefuellingandcleaningroutines.Shefollowedhimmeeklyoutoftheoffice,ashadowofyesterday'swomanandnothalfasinteresting.

Theday'sworkbegan.ThetwoSouthwellboxessetofftopickuptheirloadsandtheotherdriversbeganarriving,mostofthemmakingstraightfortheteaandtoastinthecanteen.Davecreakedalongonhisrustybicycle.Nigelcamerunning,keepingfit.AllofthemalreadyknewaboutJogger,asdidIsobelandRose,whodrovetoworkinsmallcars,collectingmilkandnewspapersontheway.

OutintheyardIhadaquickprivatewordwithNinabeforeshesetoffwithDavetocollectherhorsesforTaunton.

Isaid,'Theboxyou'redrivingisonewithanemptycontainerstuckonthebottom.You'dbetterknow,thoughIcan'tthinkitwillbeusedforanythingtoday.'

'Thanks,'shesaiddryly,'I'llkeepalookout.'

Iwatchedherstartupanddriveoff.Shecertainlymanagedthehorseboxcompetently,manoeuvringthroughthegateseasilyandturningeconomicallyintotheroad.Harve,watchingherdeparturewithhisheadononeside,couldfindnothingtocriticise.Hegavemeashrugandraisedeyebrows,judgementdeferred.

Halfanhourlater,whenshereturned,pausingoutsidethegate,DavejumpeddownfromthecabandwithagrinreportedtoHarveandmethat,'Theoldgirlcantwiddleahorseboxonapennyandthehorsesarepurringalloverher.Wheredidyoufindher?'

'SheappliedforBrett'sjob,'Isaid.'Sodidfourothersbyphoneyesterday.I'vetwocomingforinterviewsthismorning.Theword'sflownaroundthatwe'reshortofadriver.'

'Isn'tthisNinabirdstayingthen?'Daveasked,disappointed.

'We'llseehowitgoes.'

ThesecondboxboundforTauntonrumbledpastNina,hooting,andshesetoffafterit,followinginconvoy.

'Coulddoworse,'Harvesaidgenerously.'Sheseemssensiblesofar.'

ItoldDavethatoncethepaperworkwasfixedhewouldbegoingtoFrancetocollectJerichoRich'sdaughter'snewshow-jumper.Philwoulddrive,andtheywouldstayovernight.Davelookedpleased,ashelikedsuchexcursions,butwhenhe'dambledoffHarvequeriedmychoiceofPhil.

'DoyoumeanPhilinhissuper-six?Justforoneshowjumper?'

Inodded.'He's.e.xperienced.It'sbesthegoes.It'savaluablehorseandIdon'twantanythinggoingwrongwithanyotherjourneytodowithJerichoRich.Philwillcomebackwithouthitchhikers,deadoralive.'

Harvewinced,smiledandagreed.

Backintheoffice,IurgedIsobeltochasetheagentsfordoc.u.mentationforthattrip.Weusedtheservicesofspecialistsforoverseaspaperwork,astheyunderstoodtheneeds,workedfastandseldommadeerrors.