"Wouldyoumind...ifIcamewithyou?"
Istirredinsurprise.
"Ithoughtyouwantedtostayhereforever."
"Mm.b.u.t.thatwaswithyou...andEunice.Nowyou"regoing...andEunicehasn"tbeenheremuchthisweek,youknow.I"vespentagesallonmyown,andthereisn"tthatmuchtodoonabeach,whenyoudoiteveryday..."
"WherehasEunicebeen?"
"SantaMonica,likenow.There"ssomeplacethereshespendsallhertimein,wheretheyimportvasesandbitsofsculptureandexpensivelightfittings,andthingslikethat.Shetookmetherethedaybeforeyesterday...Imustsayit"sprettygorgeous.Marvellousfabrics,too."
"Shemightfeelhurtifyoujustpackupandleaveher."
"Well,no.Imentionedittoherbeforeshewentthismorning,andhonestlyIthinkifanythingshewasrelieved.ShejustsaidifIreallywantedtogo,O.K.,andshewouldprobablybemovingdowntoSantaMonicainadayortwoanyway."
"Ifyoureallywantto,then.I"mcatchingthenightflighttoWashington...I"veavisittomakeinLexingtontomorrowmorning.Afterthat,backtoNewYork,andhome."
"Youdon"tmindifItagalong?"Shesoundedasc.r.a.puncertain.
"Cometothinkofit,"Isaid,"youcanwakemeatthestops."
WehadasandwichforlunchwhichIcouldn"teat,andattwothegirlfromthereceptiondeskcametosayIwaswantedonthetelephone.PaulM.ZeissentoldmeinasuitablyhushedvoicethattheArizonapolicehadbeenmostco-operativeandhadgonetoBellman"sfarmasasked,andhadfoundWaltdead.Imadeshockednoises.ZeissensaidwouldIpackWalt"sthingsandsendthemback?IsaidIwould.
"Isuppose,"hesuggesteddiffidently,"thatyouandhehadnotcompletedyourotherbusiness?"
"Thehorses?"
"Onehorse.Allyx,"hesaidreprovingly."Showmanwasinsuredwithanothercompany."
"Oh...yes.Allyxshouldbeincirculation,safeandauthenticatedwithinamonthorso.IexpecttheBloodhorseBreedersa.s.sociationwillbegettingintouchwithyou.Waltworkedveryhardatthis,anditwasentirelyowingtohiseffortsthatb.u.t.tressLifewillberecoveringmostofthemillionandahalfitpaidout."
"Wheredidhefindthehorse?"
"Ican"ttellyou.Doesitmatter?"
"No..."hesaidthoughtfully."Goodsback,noquestionsasked...weworkonthatprinciple,thesameasanyothercompany."
"Rightthen,"Isaid."Andyou"llofcoursepayhiscommissiontohiswidow?"
"Uh...ofcourse.AndnaturallyWalthadinsuredhislifewithus...MrsPrenselawillbewellprovidedfor,Ifeelsure."
Providedfor.Money.ButnoWalt.Nopicnic.
Isaidgood-byetoZeissenandwentslowlybacktoLynnie.WhenItoldherWaltwasdead,shecriedforhim.
Upstairs,whenIpackedhisclothes.IlingeredagoodwhileovertheframedphotographofhimwithAmyandthekids,andintheendput.i.tinmysuitcase,nothis.Itcouldhardlybetheonlyphotographhiswifewouldhaveofhim,andIdidn"tthinkshe"dworrymuchifitdidn"treturnwithhisbaggage.
EunicecamebacktiredandabstractedfromSantaMonica,andafterabsorbingtheshockofWalt"sdeathwasunaffectedwhenLynnietoldheroverearlydinnerthatshewasgoinghomewithme.
"Muchbettertotravelwithamantolookafteryou,honey,"sheagreedabsentmindedly:andthen,givingmeamorecharacteristicsharpglance,added"Don"tlethimgetuptoanytricks."
Lynniesighed."Hewouldn"t."
"Huh,"shesaid,butwithoutconviction,andthenaskedme,"w.i.l.l.youbeseeingDavewhenyougetback?"
Inodded."Verysoonafter."
"Tellhimthen,w.i.l.l.you,thatI"vefoundadarlinglittlebusinessinSantaMonica.They"relookingforapartnerwithsomecapital,toopenanotherbranch,andiftheaccountsarerightI"dliketodoit.I"llwritetohim,ofcourse,butyoucouldexplain...Iguessyoucouldexplainbetterthananyone."
"I"llexplain."
ShesaidshewastootiredtocomeallthewaybacktoLosAngelestoseeusoff,andwesaidgood-byetoherinthelobby,whereshekissedLynnieandthenmeonthecheekwithaquitesurprisingstrengthoffeeling.
Lynniesaid,aswedroveaway."I"llmissher.Isn"tthatextraordinary.I"llreallymissher."
"You"llcomeback."
"Itwon"tbethesame..."
IreturnedthehiredcartotheHertzagentattheairport,wecaughttheplanetoWashington,andImadeuponpartsofthewayforthethreenightswithoutsleep.LynniesaidatLexingtonthatshecouldquiteseewhyIneededsomeonetowakemeatthestops.
WewentinataxitoJeffRoots"houseandhisteenagedaughterstookLynnieoffforaswiminthepoolwhileIsatwithhimunderhisvine-coveredtrellisandthoughthowcoolandsubstantialhelookedinhisbrightopenneckedSundayshirt.
"SamHengelmanshouldreachLexingtonsometimethisafternoonorearlyevening,"Isaid."He"llcallyoutoknowwheretotakethehorses."
"That"sallfixed,"Rootsnodded.
"Wouldyougivehimamessagefromme?"
"Sure."
"Justtellhimeverything"sO.K:thatIsaidso."
"Sure.Youare,aren"tyou,onehundredpercentcertainthatthesetwodefinitelyareShowmanandAllyx?"
"Onehundredpercent.Thereisn"ttheslightestdoubt."
Hesighed."I"llgettheidentificationstarted.ThoughwhoistoknowShowmanaftertenyears?Abaywithnomarkings...andonlyafour-year-oldwhenhecamefromEngland."Hepaused,thensaid,"HaveyouanysuggestionsastohowwecanstartprosecutingOffenforfraudandtheft?"
Ishookmyhead."I"mnotapoliceman.Notinterestedinpunishment,onlyprevention."Ismiledbriefly."Icametogetthehorsesback.Nothingelse.Well...they"reback.I"vedonewhatIwasengagedfor,andthat"sasfarasIgo."
Heeyedmea.s.sessingly."DoyouwantOffentogooncollectinghugestudfees,then?"
"Hewon"t,"Isaid."NotifsomeonestartsaquickrumourimmediatelythatbothMoviemakerandCentigradehavebeensufferingfroman.o.bscureviruswhichwillcertainlyhaveaffectedtheirvirility.Ownersofmarescanbequietlyadvisedtoinsisttheydon"tpayanystudfeesuntilthefoalshaveshowntheirquality.Afterthat...well,OffendoeslegallyownMoviemakerandCentigrade,andhe"sent.i.tledtothefeestheyearnontheirownmerits."
"You"reextraordinary,"hesaid."Don"tyouwanttoseeOffenbehindbars?"
"Notpa.s.sionately,"Isaid.Offenhadenjoyedhisprestigealmostmorethanhisincome.Hewouldbelosingboth.AndYola...shewasgoingtohavetoworkhard,withoutMatt,andprobablywithouttheexpensivehouseonPitts.Barsseemedsuperfluous.
Heshookhishead,givingmeupasabadjob."We"llhavetoprosecute,I"msureofitI"llhavetogetlawyerstoseeabout.i.t."
Hecalledthehousemantobringoutdrinks,andmerelysighedwhenIsaidI"da.s.soonsharehissugarfreetonic.
Wesippedthewell-icedinnocuousstuffandhesaidagainthatOffenwouldhavetobeprosecuted,ifonlytoprovideareasonforAllyxandShowmanhavingdisappearedforsomanyyears,andtoaccountforthetattoomarksinsidetheirmouths.
"Icanseeyouwouldthinkthat,"Isaid"Ialsothinkyou"llhaveaterriblejobprovingthatanyofthemaresbookedtoMoviemakerandCentigradewereactuallycoveredbyShowmanorAllyx.Ididn"tfindShowmanandAllyxonOffen"sfarm.Idoubtifanyonewouldtestifythattheywereeverthere.CertainlyOffenwoulddenyit,andgoondenyingittothebitterend.It"shisonlyhope."Ipaused."Ididmanagetogetsometaperecordings,butunfortunately,eveniftheycouldbeusedasevidence,theyareinconclusiveOffennevermentionedShowmanorAllyxbyname."
Rootsstaredgloomilyintos.p.a.ce.
"Thismakesitdifficult,"hesaid."WhatyouareinfactsayingisthatweknowOffenswitchedthestallions,becauseofthetattoomarks,butnoonewillbeabletoproveit?"
IlookeddowntowhereLynniewasjumpingintothepoolinabigsplashcontestwithRoots"daughters.Herlight-heartedlaughterfloatedup,carefreeandveryyoung "Iwouldn"ttry,"Isaid"RightlyorwronglyIdecidedtorepossessthestolengoodsbystealingthemback.First,sothatOffenwouldhavenochanceofdestroyingthem.Second,sothatthereshouldn"tbeyearsofdelaywhilelawyersarguedthecase,yearsofthestallionsstandingidle,withtheirvaluediminishingdaybydayandtheirbloodlineswasting.Third,andmostimportant,thatthereshouldbenochanceofOffengettingthembackoncethedusthadsettled.Becauseifhehadanysensehewouldswear,andprovidewitnessestoswear,thatthehorsesindisputeweretwounracedhalfbredanimalsofnoaccount,andhe"dexplainthetattoosontheirlipsbysayinghe"dusedthemtotryoutsomenewtypeofink.Whatmorelikely,hewouldsay,thanthatheshouldrepeatthenumbersofhistwobesthorses?Hecouldmakeitsoundalotmorereasonablethanthatheshouldhavestolentwoworldfamousstallionsandconductedalargescalefraud.Hehasgreatpersonalcharm."
Rootsnodded."I"vemethim."
"ShowmanandAllyxwerebeinglookedafterbyOffen"snephew,"Isaid"Offencansayhe"dlenthimtwooldnagstohackaroundon,andhecan"timaginewhyanyonewouldwanttostealthem."
"Hecouldputupanexcellentdefence,Iseethat,"headmitted.
"Hispresentstudgroomisinnocent,"Iadded."Andwouldconvinceanyoneofit.Ifyouleavethingsastheyare,Offenwon"tgetAllyxandShowmanback.Ifyouprosecutehim,hemay."
Helookedshattered,staringintohisgla.s.sbutseeingwithexperiencedeyeseverysideofthestickyproblem.
"Wecouldtrybloodtests,"hesaidatlast.
"Bloodtests?"
"Forpaternity,"henodded"Ifthereisanydoubtaboutwhichhorseha.s.siredacertainfoal,wetakebloodtests.Ifonedisputedsire"sbloodisofasimilargrouptothefoal"s,andtheotherdisputedsire"sisdifferent,weconcludethatthefoalwa.s.siredbythesimilarsire."
"Andlikeinhumans,"Iasked,"youcantellwhichhorsecouldnothavesiredwhichfoal,butyoucouldn"tsaywhich,ofasimilarbloodgroup,actuallydid?"
"That"sright."
Wethought.i.tover.Thenhesaidcheerfully,"Ifwecanprovethatnoneoftheso-calledMoviemakerfoalscouldinfacthavebeensiredbyMoviemaker,butcouldallhavebeensiredbyShowman,we"llhaveOffensewnuptight."
"Couldn"thepossiblyhavemadesure,beforeheeverboughtMoviemaker,thathisandShowman"sbloodgroupsweresimilar?Imean,ifhe"sabreeder,he"dknowaboutbloodtests."
Roots"gloomreturned."Isupposeit"spossible.AndpossiblethatCentigradeandAllyxaresimilartoo."Helookedupsuddenlyandcaughtmesmiling."It"sallrightforyoutothinkit"sfunny,"hesaid,wrylymatchingmyexpression."Youdon"thavetosortoutthemess.WhatinG.o.d"snamearewegoingtodoabouttheStudBook?Moviemaker"s...thatis,Showman"s...getarealreadysiringfoals,insomecases.Themixupisinthesecondgeneration.Howareweevergoingtoput.i.tstraight?"
"Evenif,"Ipointedout,tryinghardtokeepthehumouroutofmyvoiceandface,"evenifyouproveMoviemakercouldn"thavesiredthefoalshe"ssupposedtohavedone,youcan"tproveShowmandid."
Hegavemeacomicallypainedlook."Whatothersirecouldhavegotsuchbrilliantstock?"Heshookhishead."We"llpinitonOffenintheend,evenifwehavetowaituntilafterShowmanandAllyxhavebeenre-syndicatedandtheirfirstofficialcropshavewonasmuchstakemoneyasalltheothers.Offenwouldn"tbeabletosaythenthattheyweretwohalf-brednagshe"dgivenhisnephewtohackaroundon.We"llgethimintheend."
"Theracingscandaloftheyear,"Isaidsmiling.
"Oftheyear?Areyoukidding?Ofthecentury."
LynnieandIflewfromKennedythatnightonaSuperVC10,withdinneroverCanadaatmidnightandbreakfastoverIrelandthreehourslater.Ispenttheintervallookingatherwhileshesleptbesidemeinhersloped-backchair.Herskinwasclosetexturedlikeababy"s,andherfacewasthatofachild.Thewomaninsidewa.s.stillabud,withalongwaytogrow.
KeeblemetusatHeathrow,andasusualitwasraining.Lynniekissedhimaffectionately.Hewentsofarastoshakemyhand.Therewasapatchofstubbleonhisleftcheek,andtheeyesblinkedquicklybehindthemildgla.s.ses.SantaBarbarawa.s.sixthousandmilesaway.Wewerehome.
Keeblesuggestedacupofcoffeebeforewelefttheairportandaskedhisdaughterhowshe"denjoyedherself.Shetoldhimnon-stopfortwentyminutes,hersuntanglowinginthegreysummermorningandherbrowneyesalight.
Helookedfinallyfromhertome,andhisfacesubtlycontracted.
"Andwhathaveyoubeendoing?"hesaid.
LynnieansweredwhenIdidn"t."He"sbeenwithusonthebeachagooddealofthetime,"shesaiddoubtfully.
Keeblestrokedherarm"Didyoufindthehorses?"heasked.
Inodded.
"Allthree?"
"Withhelp."
"ItoldDaveI"ddropyouoffatthehospitalwhenweleavehere,"hesaid."He"sstillstrungup,buthehopestobeoutnextweek."
"I"vealottotellhim,andthere"salothe"llhavetodecide."Theworstbeing,Ithought,whethertocarryonwithhismovealongsideOrpheusFarm,ortodisappointEuniceinhernewfoundbusiness.Nothingwaseversimple.Nothingwaseasy.
"Youdon"tlookwell,"Keeblesaidabruptly.
"I"lllive,"Isaid,andhiseyesflickeredwithamixtureofsurpriseandspeculation.Ismiledlopsidedlyandsaiditagain."I"lllive."
Westooduptogo.InsteadofshakinghandsLynniesuddenlyputherarmsroundmywaistandherheadonmychest.
"Idon"twanttosaygood-bye,"shesaidindistinctly."Iwanttoseeyouagain."
"Well,"Isaidreasonably."Youwill."
"Imean...often."
ImetKeeble"seyesoverherhead.Hewaswatchinghergravely,butwithoutdisquiet.
"She"stooyoung,"Isaidtohim,andheknewexactlywhatImeant.NotthatIwastoooldforher,b.u.t.thatshewastooyoungforme.Tooyounginexperience,understanding,andwickedness.
"I"llgetolder,"shesaid."Willtwenty-onedo?"
Herfatherlaughed,butshegrippedmyarm."Willit?"
"Yes,"Isaidrecklessly,andfoundonesecondlaterthatIreallymeant.i.t.
"She"llchangehermind,"Keeblesaidwithcasualcertainty.
Isaid,"Ofcourse,"tohim,butLynnielookedupintomyeyesandshookherhead.