"I"mgoingforaswim,"shesaid."Bringyourdrink."
Shemixedherselfanewoneinpa.s.sing,andwithoutlookingbackcrossedthegreencarpet,pulledopenaslidinggla.s.sdoor,pushedthroughtheinsectscreenoutsideit,andwalkedwithrock-likesteadinessacrossapavedterraceandontoadeepgreenlawn.Sighing,Igottomyfeetandfollowedher.Thegra.s.swasthickandresilient,adifferentspeciesaltogetherfromEnglishturf,andasprinklerononesidethrewdiamondspraysaroundlikewater.
Shestoppedonanotherpavedarearoundakidney-shapedpoolandunfastenedsomeclipsonheryellowdress,whichcameoffinonepieceandlefttwomoreinviewunderneath.Herbodywa.s.slenderandwellcaredfor,butnotatallayounggirl"s.Middletolateforties,Ithought:andthesortofwomanwhowouldhavebeenuninterestingunderthirty.
Sheslippedintothewaterandfloated,andIwatchedthesunmakewateredsilkripplesoverherbrownstomach.
"Comeonin,"shesaid."Thereareplentyofswimsuitsinthehut."
Ismiledandshookmyhead,andsatdownononeofthesoftplasticpool-sidechairs.Shetookhertime,hummingandsplashinggentlywithherhands.Thesunwashot,butnotlikeinthecity.Itookmyjacketoffandfeltheatbakingintomyskinthroughthewhitecottonshirt.Peacefulnessgraduallyseepedintoo.Iwasinnohurryforhertorejoinme,whichshepresentlydid,thewaterdropsshiningsinglyonheroiledskin.
"You"vehardlytouchedyourdrink,"sheobservedaccusingly.
"Surelyyou"renotoneofthosesoftb.u.g.g.e.rswhocan"tholdtheirliquor?"Shepickedupherowngla.s.sandwentonprovingthatshe,atanyrate,wasn"t.
"Chrysalis..."Ibegan.
Sheinterruptedimmediately."Doyouride?"
"Ican,"Isaid,"butIdon"t."
"Whynot?"
"Ihaven"tahorse.Norakingdomtogiveforone."
"Drinkyourwhisky,"shesaid,smiling.
"Inawhile."
"Thenstripof!andgetinthepool."
Ishookmyhead.
"Whynot?"
"IlikeitasIam."AndIhadtoomanybruises,fromtheweir.
Sheshrugged,halfannoyed."Don"tyoudoanyb.l.o.o.d.ything?"
"HowmanypeopleknewatwhathourChrysaliswouldleaveKennedyAirport?"
"G.o.d,"shesaid,"you"reab.l.o.o.d.ybore."
"Don"tyouwantthehorseback?"
"No,"shesaidvehemently,"asfarasI"mconcerned,we"dbefarbetteroffwiththeinsurance."
"Twohundredthousanddollars,"Iagreed,"isaheckof.a.gamble.SupposingheneversiredanotherlikeMoth?"
"There"snostoppingDave,whenhe"ssethismindonsomething"Shesatontheedgeofafull-lengthchairbedandsmoothedcreamontoherfacefromaduskypinktube."Andhehadmeanttoselloffabitofthat,whenhegotback.G.o.dknowswhatwillhappennowhe"sstrungupinthoseG.o.ddampulleys."
"He"llbehomeinaboutfourweeks."
"Yeah.Sohesaid."Shelaydownflatandclosedhereyes."Itoldhimtotakehistime.It"s...o...b..l.o.o.d.yexpensivebeingilloverhere."
Fivequietminutespa.s.sed.Asinglejetplaneflewacross,asilverstreaksohighuponecouldn"thearituntilithadgone.Theairwa.s.still.Theoiledbrownbodyintheyellowbikinitookinaheftydoseofultravioletandtheicecubesmeltedinthedrinks.
"Takeyourclothesoff,forG.o.d"ssake,"shesaid,withoutopeninghereyes."Orareyouashamedofthatpink-whiteslugofabodytheEnglishusuallybringoverhere?"
I"dbetterbegoing."
"Dowhatyoud.a.m.nwelllike."Sheflutteredalaxwristinadoublegesturewhichsaidequallywell,stay,orgood-bye.
Istoodupandwalkedovertothehut,alargebeautifullymadepinewoodstructurewithaprotrudingfrontroof,forshade.Insidewereabathroomandtwochangingrooms,andinthetinylobbysomeshelvesinacupboardheldbrightcolouredtowelsandswimsuits.Itookapairofblueshortsandputthemon.Thebruisesonmylegsverynearlymatched.Ileftmyshirton,pickedupatowelforapillow,andwentbackandlaydownonthenextbedtohers.
Shemerelygruntedwithhereyesstillshut,butafteranotherminuteshesaid,"IfyouwanttoknowaboutthetimetableforChrysalis,you"dbetteraskSamHengelmaninLexington.Hefixedthevan.Herunsaprivateservicefromhere.Davecalledmeandtoldmethedatethehorsewasbeingshippedover,andIcalledSamHengelman.Andhetookitfromthere."
"Whoelsedidyoutelltheshippingdateto?"
"Itwasn"tanyG.o.ddamsecret,forG.o.d"ssake.1calledsixorsevenofthesyndicatetoletthemknow.Daveaskedmeto.HalfKentuckyknewabout.i.t,Iguess."
Shesuddenlysatupstraightandopenedhereyes.
"Whytheh.e.l.ldoesitmatterhowmanypeopleknewwhenChrysaliswascoming?Itwasn"thimthehi-jackerswanted.Theysimplymadeab.a.l.l.sofitandtookthewrongtruck."
"Supposingtheygotjustwhattheywanted?"
"Wereyoubornyesterday?Theblood-lineiswhatbreederspaystudfeesfor.Chrysalisisn"tworthasoutoanyone,iftheycan"tusehispedigree.Noone"sgoingtoevensendadecentmaretoastallionsomeonejusthappenstohavehandy,whichhasnonameinthestudbook,nohistory,andnopapers;letalonepayfifteenthousanddollarsfortheprivilege."
"b.u.t.tressLifehavebeenlookingforaninsuranceswindle."
"Theycanlook"I"lllthey"reblueintheface."Shepickeduphergla.s.s,swallowed,andgrimaced."Thisdrink"saswarmasthatpoolandjusta.s.sodden.Mixmeanother,w.i.l.l.you?"Sheheldoutthegla.s.stomeandIunwoundmyselffromthebedandtookitandmyownbackintothehouse.Imixedherthesamesizedoseasbefore,concoctedadifferentoneformyself,andtookthembothback,theiceclinkingcoollyasIwalked.
"Thanks."Shesankalmosthalf."That"sbetter."
Istoodbesidethepoolandputonetoeinthewater.Itwasbloodwarm,ormore.
"What"sthematterwithyourlegs,"shesaid.
"Thesameasyourhusband"s,onlyminedidn"tbreak."
"What"sundertheshirt?"
"Thesun"stoohot.Icandowithoutasunburn."
"Yeah."Shelayflatagain."Pink-whiteslug."
Smiling,Isatdownontheedgeofthepoolwithmybacktowardsheranddangledmyfeetinthewater.Iought,Isupposed,togoawayanddosomethingmoreuseful,likeinterviewingSamHengelman.ButWaltwouldnodoubthavethoughtofthat,anddoneit,sincehisthreateningmigrainewouldonlyhavelasteduntilthecarwehadrentedhadtakenmeoutofsight.WaltandDave"swifehadn"texactlyclicked.
"MrHawkins."shesaidfrombehindme.
"Mm?"
"Whatdoyoudoforaliving?"
I"macivilservant."
"Withthis?"
Therewasasharpmetallicclick,theonesoundguaranteedtoraisethehairsonmyneckasifI"dneverleftthejungle.
"Doyouknowwhatyou"redoingwiththatthing?"Iasked,asconversationallyasIcould.
"Yes."
"Thenputthesafetyon."
Shedidn"tanswer,andIstoodupandturnedround,andlookedstraightintothebarrelofmyowngun.
Ideserveit,Ithought.Slow,carelessandstupid,Iwasanythingonecaredtomention.
Shewa.s.sittingwithherlegscurledunderneathher,theLugerlodgedunwaveringlyinherfist.Thegapbetweenus,fiveyardsatleast,wastoogreatforanythingconstructiveinthewayofaction,soIsimplystoodstill.
"You"reacoolb.a.s.t.a.r.d,I"llsaythatforyou."
"Youwon"tshootme,"Isaid,smiling.
"Whynot?"
"I"mnotinsuredforamillionandahalf."
Hereyeswidened."DoesthatmeanthatyouthinkthatI..."...shotChrysalis?"
"It"spossible."
Shestared."You"reaG.o.ddamfool."
"Soareyou,ifImaysayso.Thatgungoesoffveryeasily."
Shelookeddownat.i.tvaguelyandbeforeIcouldstophershethrewitawayfromherontothepavingstones.Thejarasithitthegroundinevitablyfuedit.Flamestreakedoutofthebarrel,andthebulletsmashedthroughthewhiskygla.s.swhichstoodonthegroundbesideherlongchair,nineinchesfromherbody.
Ittookherasecondtorealisewhathadhappened,thensheshudderedheavilyandputherhandsoverherface.Iwalkedacrosstofetchthegun,andputthesafetyon,andthenperchedonthebedfacingher.
"Games,"shesaidinashatteredvoice."WhatdoIhavebutgames?Bridgeandgolf.Allgames."
"Thistoo?"IputtheLugerbackintheunderarmnicheandb.u.t.tonedthestrap.
"IjustthoughtI"dmakeyousweat."
"Why?"
"That"sab.l.o.o.d.ygoodquestion.Ab.l.o.o.d.ygoodquestion.Allgames.Lifeisallb.l.o.o.d.ygames."
"Andwe"reallpoorb.l.o.o.d.ylosers,"Iagreedsardonically.
Sheputherhandsdownandlookedatme.Hereyesweredry,buthalfhera.s.surancehaddrainedaway.
"Itwasonlyagame.Ididn"tmeanyouanyharm."
Shethoughtshewastellingthetruth,butI"dmettoomanyofthetrickstheunconsciousmindgetsupto.PerhapsbecauseI"dsavedherhusband,orwaslookingforhishorse,ormerelyrepresentedsomeobscureformofmalechallenge,she"dhadanundoubtedurgetodestroyme.Andshewasaverytroubledladyinfarmoreobviouswaysthanthat."Givemeyourdrink,"shesaidabruptly.
"I"llgetyousomemorewhisky,"Isaid.
"Yourswilldo,"sheinsisted.
Igaveherthegla.s.s,butonesipwasenough.Drygingerale.Ontherocks.
"Doyoucheatallalongtheline?"
"Wheneverit"skinder,orsafer,orgetsbetterresults."
Iwalkedawayacrossthelawnandbroughtherbackanothergla.s.s.Shetookamoderatepullandput.i.tdownamidtheruinsofthefirstone.
"Staytodinner,"shesaid.Shemadeitacasualsuggestionratherthanawarminvitation,andIansweredherneed,nothertone.
"Allright."
Shenoddedbrieflyandflattenedherselffacedown,toroastherback.Ilaywithonearmovermyeyestoshieldthemfromthedirectsun,andthoughtaboutallthethingsshehadn"tasked,likehowwasDavewhenIsawhimandhowbadwasthebrokenthigh.
Afterawhileshewentbacktofloating.
"Comeonin,"shecalled.
Ishookmyhead.
"Don"tbesoprissy,"shesaid."I"mnotaswooningvirgin.Ifyourlegsarelikethat,therestofyoumustbethesame.Takethatb.l.o.o.d.yshirtoffandgiveyourselfabreak."
Itwasindeedveryhot,andtheclearbluewaterlookedgood.Isighed,stoodup,tooktheshirtoff,andsliddownintothepool.ItslukewarmantigravitationalgentlenessunlockedknotsandtensionsinmynervesandmusclesthatIhadn"tevenrealisedwerethere,andIswamandfloatedtranquillyfornearlyanhour.WhenfinallyIhauledmyselfoutovertheedgeshewa.s.smoothingonanothercoatingofoil.Herwhiskygla.s.swasempty.
"IsDaveinthatstatetoo?"sheasked,eyeingme "Prettymuch."
ShegrimacedslightlyandsaidnothingwhenIputmyshirtbackon.
Thesunhadbeguntoloseitsheightintheskyandshadowswerefanningoutfromthetrees.Agoldensheenlayonthebigcreamcolonialtypehouseacrossthegreenlawn.Thepoolwaterstilled,andthequietnessoftheplacecreptsubtlyintoallthesenses.
"It"ssobeautifulhere,"Isaid.Aba.n.a.lenoughphraseforthepromiseofpeace.
Shelookedroundcasually."Isupposeitis.Butwe"removing,ofcourse."