"Hemightreckonthatifhewaslosingeverythinganyway,he"dmakesureyouwentdownaswell.AndImeandown."
EveryinstincttoldmenottoletWaltmeetMattClive.
"Supposehewon"tmakealateappointment?"hesaid."WhenIgrantmostofthecompanywouldhavegonehome,anditwouldbemoredifficulttocheck.Supposeheinsistsonthreeintheafternoon,oreventhenextmorning?Doyouwanttos.n.a.t.c.hthosehorsesbyday?"
"Notmuch.But.i.twouldtakehimatleasttwohourseachway.Addanhourforwaitingandchecking.Evenifhecalledthepolice,itwouldn"tbeforthreehoursafterhelefthome.We"dhavebeengonewiththehorsesfortwoofthose."
Waltobstinatelyshookhishead."Thelimitsaretoonarrow.Ahorsevanwon"tbeabletodobetterthanthirtymilesanhouronthefarmroad,ifthatmuch.YouhavetogointoKingman,whichisintheoppositedirectionfromKentucky,andthenroundandacrossArizona...therearen"ttoomanyroadsinthatState,it"smostlydesert.Thepolicecouldfindyoutooeasily."
"DownthroughPhoenix..."
"TheroadtoPhoenixtwiststhroughmountains,withhairpincurvesmostoftheway."
"Idon"twantyouwalkingintoanemptyhousewithMattClive."
Helookedatmewithoutexpression."Butyouwouldgo.Ifhedidn"tknowyou,Imean."
That"sdifferent."
"How?"hesaid,halfinsulted,halfchallenging.
Ilookedathimsideways."IbetIcanrunfasterthanyou."
Hisforeheadrelaxed."You"reinprettygoodshape,I"llgiveyouthat.Allthesame,I"mgoingtoLasVegas."
He"dmanoeuvredmeintonotbeingabletopersuadehimagainst.i.tonthegroundsofsafety;andfromallotherpointsofviewitwasagoodidea.AgainstmyinstinctIagreedintheendthatheshouldgo.
"I"lldriftonouttomorrowandlookatthefarmbeyondKingman,"Isaid."Isupposeyoucouldn"tseewhethertherewereanyotherhorsestherebesidesthetwowe"reafter?"
Helookedstartled."Youmeantheremightbeanotheridentificationproblem?"
"Perhaps.ThoughI"dsayit"scertainourtwohaveMoviemaker"sandCentigrade"sstudbooknumberstattooedinsidetheirmouths.Theywouldhaveto,tosatisfyvisitinggrooms,forinstance,thattheirmareswerebeingmatedwiththerightstallion.ButI"veneverseenthem...ShowmanandAllyx.Ifthereareotherhorsesthere,it"llsimplymeangoingroundpeeringintoalltheirmouthsuntilIfindtherightones."
Waltraisedhiseyestoheaven."Youmakeeverythingsoundsodarnedeasy.Likeit"sonlyfivemilestothetopofEverest,andeveryonecanwalkfivemiles,can"tthey?"
Smiling,Iaskedhimforprecisedirectionstothefarm,andhetoldme.
"Andnowthisend..."Isaid."HowmanystringscanyoupullwiththeLosAngelesfraudsquad?"
"Notmany,"hesaid."Idon"tknowanyoneoutthere."
"Butwithb.u.t.tressLifebehindyou?"
Hesighed."Isupposeyouwantmetogoanddipmytoesinthewater?"
"Jumprightin,"Iagreed."Talkyourwaytothetopchap,andtellhimb.u.t.tressLifesuspectthatMoviemakerandCentigradeareShowmanandAllyx.Geteverythingnicelystirredup.MakeOffenprovebeyondanydoubtthatthetwohorsesatOrpheusliterallyareMoviemakerandCentigrade."
Henodded."O.K.I"llstartthismorning.Havetogoalittlecarefully,though,orOffenwillcomeupsofastwithalibelsuitthatwe"llwonderwhathitus."
"Youmustbeusedtoducking."
"Yeah."
IgavehimthepageMissBritthadwrittenoutformeinLexington.
"Herearethefigures.Noonecanquestionthese,notevenOffen.Youmightfindthemusefulingettingthelawmoving."
Hetuckedthepaperintohispocketandnodded,andshortlyafter,withthehabitualmartyredsigh,leveredhimselfoutofhischairandambledonhisway.
Isatandthoughtforawhilebutgotnowherenew.TherewasgoingtobelittleelseformetodobutwaitandwatchforthenextfewdayswhileSamHengelmanrolledhiswaytwothousandmilesacrossthecontinent.
WhenIwentdowntolunchIfoundEuniceandLynniesittingincoolbrightdressesunderthedappledshadeofthesea-facingterrace.Theirhairwasglossyandneat,theirbigearringsgentlyswinging,theirlegssmoothandtanned,thewhitesoftheireyesadetergentwhite.
Theydidn"tgetthelingeringscrutinytheydeserved.Withthem,equallycrisp,equallyatease,satCulhamJamesOffen,UncleBark.
Allthreeseemedasc.r.a.pdisconcertedwhenIfoldedmyselfgentlyontothefourthchairroundthelowtableonwhichstoodtheirlongfrosteddrinks.
OffenandInoddedtoeachother.Therewa.s.stillinhismannerthesuperior,self-satisfiedamus.e.m.e.nthehadtreatedmewithathishouse.Rea.s.suring.Lynniesmiled,butwithaquicksidelongglanceatEunicetomakesuresuchtreacheryhadn"tbeennoticed.Eunicehadonan"I-am-your-employer"s-wife"face,whichdidn"twipefrommymind,norhers,Iimagine,thememoryofthefluffypinkwrapper.
"Wethoughtyou"dgonetoL.A.withWalt,"Lynniesaid.
Eunicegaveherasharpglancewhichshedidn"tsee."WeranintoMrOffeninthelobbyhere,wasn"tthatextraordinary?"
"Extraordinary,"Iagreed.
Offen"swhiteeyebrowswentupanddowninanembarra.s.smenthecouldn"tentirelysmother.
"Itsurehasbeenapleasure,"hesaid,"togettoknowyoufolksbetter."HespokeexclusivelytoEunice,however.
Shehadwarmedagaintothecharmhehadswitchedonforher,andgavemethetagendofascornfulglance.HowcouldI,sheinferred,imaginethisniceinfluentialcitizencouldbeacrook.
"HowareMattandYolathesedays?"Isaidconversationally.
Offenvisiblyjumped,andablightfellontheparty."Suchcharmingyoungpeople,"Isaidbenignly,andwatchedEunicerememberingwhathadhappenedtoDave,andalsoperhapswhatWalthadtoldherabouttheirattackonme."Yournephewandniece,Ibelieve?"
Offen"spaleblueeyesweretheleastimpressivefeatureinhistannedfacewithitssnow-whiteframe.Ireadinthematouchofwariness,andwonderedwhetherinproddingEunicetofacerealityIhaddisturbedhiscomplacencytoofar.
"Theywouldsureliketomeetyouagain,"hesaidslowly,andtheheavyill-feelingbehindthewordscurdledfinallyforEunicehismilk-of-human-kindnessimage.
"Areyouexpectingthemwithinthenextfewdays?"Iasked,droppinginthemeresttouchofanxiety.
Hesaidhewasn"t,andhisinneramus.e.m.e.ntabruptlyreturned.IhadsucceededinconvincinghimIwouldbetryingtoremovehishorsesfromOrpheusprettysoonnow;andshortlyafterwardshegotpurposefullytohisfeet,bentabeamingsmileonEunice,asmalleroneonLynnieandasmugoneonme,andmadeanimportantexitthroughthemotel.
AfteralongpauseEunicesaidflatly,"IguessIwaswrongaboutthatguybeingsweet."
Weateanamicablelunchandspenttheafternoononthebeachunderafringedumbrella,withthebrightgreen-bluePacifichissinggentlyonthesand.Outontherollersthegoldenboysrodetheirsurfboards,andflatbymysidelittleLynniesighedtothebottomofherlungswithcontentment."Iwishthiscouldgoonforever,"shesaid."SodoI."
Eunice,ontheothersideofLynnie,proppedherselfupononeelbow."I"mgoingtotakeadip,"shesaid."Coming?"
"Inaminute,"Lynniesaidlazily,andEunicewentalone.Wewatchedhertightwell-shapedfigurewalkunwaveringlydowntothewater,andLynniesaidwhatIwasthinking."Shehardlydrinksatall,now."
"You"regoodforher."
"Ohsure."Shelaughedgently,stretchinglikeacat."Isn"tthisheatjustgorgeous?"
"Mm."
"Whatareallthosescarsonyou?"
"Lionsandtigersandappendicitis."Shesnorted."Shallwegoinandswim?"
"Inaminute.WhatdidyouandEuniceandOffensaytoeachotherbeforeIarrived?"
"Oh..."Shesoundedbored."Hewantedtoknowwhatyouweredoing.EunicetoldhimyouandWaltwerecookingsomethingupbutshedidn"tknowwhat.And...er...yes...heaskedifWaltwasreallyaninsuranceman,andEunicesaidhewas...andheaskedotherthingsaboutyou,whatyourjobwasandsoon,andwhyyouwereoutherewithus..."
"DidEunicetellhimIgothertoshowhimthatphotographonpurpose?DidshetellhimthatIwascertainthehorsesthathehasatOrpheusFarmareMoviemakerandCentigrade?"
Lynnieshookherhead.
"You"requitesure?"
"Yes,absolutely.Wouldithavebeenanuisanceifwehad?"
"Afairwaytobeingdisastrous."
"Don"tworrythen.Hewasonlyhereaboutaquarterofanhourbeforeyoucamedown,andallEunicesaidwasthatyouwereer...er...wellheractualwordswere,somedimb.l.o.o.d.ylittleofficeworkeronvacation."Lynnielaughed."Shesaidherhusbandhadbeengratefultoyouforsavinghislifeandwaspayingyourbillhere,andthatallyouseemedtobeinterestedinatpresentwasagirlupinSanFrancisco."
IlookeddowntowhereEunice"sheadbobbedinthesurfandwonderedwhethershe"dgivenhimperfectanswersfromdesignorb.i.t.c.hiness.
"What"sshelike?"Lynniesaid.
"Who?"
"ThegirlinSanFrancisco."
"You"dbetteraskWalt,"Isaid,turningmyheadtolookather."Heinventedher."
Shegaspedandlaughedinone."Ohgood!Imean...er...thenwhatwereyoureallydoing?"
"Ah,well,"Isaid."Nowthat"ssomethingI"dhateEunicetohavetoldCulhamOffen."
Shelaylookingbackatmesteadilyforseveralseconds.Somuchmorea.s.surance,Ithoughtidly,thanonthatdayontheriver,whenshehadstillbeenachild.
"Isthatwhyyou"vetolduspracticallynothing?Don"tyoutrusther?"
"She"sneverwantedthehorsesback."
Lynnieblinked."Butshewouldn"t...shewouldn"thaveruinedonpurposewhatyou"retryingtodo.Afterall,you"redoingitforherhusband."
Ismiled,andshesatupabruptlyandputherarmsroundherknees.
"Youmakemefeelso...naive."
"You,"Isaid,"areadorable."
"Andnowyou"relaughingatme."
IwantedimpulsivelytosaythatIlovedher,butIwasn"tsurethat.i.twastrue.Maybeall1wantedwasanantidotetodepression.ShewascertainlythebestI"dfound.
"I"mgoingawayagaininthemorning,"Isaid.
"ToSanFrancisco?"
"Somewherelikethat."
"Howlongfor?"
"Twonights."
"Thisisyourlastweek,"shesaid,lookingouttosea.
Thethoughtleaptinvoluntarily,ifonlyitwere...Ishookmyheadabruptly,asifonecouldemptythebrainbyforce,andclimbedslowlyupontomyfeet.
"There"stoday,anyway,"Isaid,smiling,"Let"sgoandgetwet."
Waltcamebackatsevenwithdraggingfeetandaragingthirst.
"ThosedetectivesfromtheD.A."sofficewillscalpmeiftheyfindoutwe"reonlyusingthem,"hesaidgloomily,upinmyroom."TwoofthemhaveagreedtogoouttoOrpheusFarmtomorrow,andI"mmeetingthemontheL.A.roadtoshowthemtheway.Dayaftertomorrow,someguyfromthebloodstockregistryofficeisgoingout.IgottheD.A."sofficetocallhimandfixit."
"Couldn"tbebetter."
WaltrechargedhisbatterieswithOldGrandadandsaid,"Sowhat"snewwithyou?"
"Offencamehereonafact-findingmission."
"Hedidwhat?"
"Camelookingforanswers.GotsomerealbeautiesfromEunicewhichwon"thelphimany,andwentawaybelievingwe"dbebackonhisdoorstepprettysoon."
"Iguess,"Waltsaid,"thathewantedtoknowifwe"dcalleditoffandgonehome,andwhetheritwa.s.safetobringthosehorsesbackagain.It"sdayssincehesawanysignofus.MusthavebeenlikesittingonanH-bombwithatrickyfiringpin."Heswallowedappreciativelyandrolledhistongueoverhisgums."He"llgetalltheactionhewants,tomorrow."
Whenheploddedtiredlyofftoshowerbeforedinner,ItelephonedtoJeffRoots.
"HowwasMiami?"Isaid.
"Hotandhorrible,andIgainedfourpounds."
Commiserating,IthankedhimforhishelpwiththenewspaperfilesandtoldhimthatowingtoMissBrittwehadfoundthetwostallions.