"Don"tknow...Hecrashedintotheweir."
"Wedidn"tseeyougoover.Wewerewatching..."
"Theymusthavegoneunder,"saidthelock-keeper."Throughoneofthegates.Thosegateswindupwards,sameasasashwindow.We"vegottwoofthemacoupleoffeetopenatthebottomtoday,withtheriverabitfullafterallthatrain."
Inodded."Under."
DaveTellerchokedandwokeupagain,coughinguncontrollablythroughthepuddleinhislungs,everycoughjerkinghimvisiblyintoagony.Fromhisflutteringgestureitwasclearwherethetroublelay.
"Hisleg."Keeblesaid."He"s...o...b..eeding...couldhehavebrokenit?"
Thejarwhenhehadhittheweirhadbeenenough.Isaidso."Wecan"tdoanythingforhim,"saidKeeble,watchinghimhelplessly.
Thecrowdarounduswaited,murmuringinsympathybutenjoyingthedisaster,listeningtoTellercoughing,watchinghimclutchhandfulsofgra.s.sinrigidfingers.Notasc.r.a.pofusebeggingthemtogoaway.
"Whathappenedtothepunt?"IaskedKeeble.
"Wetoweditash.o.r.e.Lynniegotholdoftherope.Thosekidswereterriblyshocked."Helookedroundforthemvaguely,b.u.t.theyweren"tinthecrowd."Isupposethey"vestayedbackatthelock.ThegirlwasnearlyhystericalwhenyouandDavedidn"tcomeup."Arememberingbleaknesscameintohisface."Wetowedthemintothelockcutandmooredthere.Thenwera.n.a.longtothelocktogetthelock-keeper...andhewasalreadydownhere."Helookedupacrosstherivertotheprettyweir."Howlongwereyouunderthewater?"
"Acoupleofcenturies."
"Seriously."
"Can"ttell.Maybethreeminutes."
"Longenough."
"Mm."
Helookedmeoverobjectively,bosstoemployee.Oneshoulderofmygreenjerseyshirtwasrippedinajaggedtear.
"Bruised,"hesaidmatter-of-factly.
"Theweir,"Iagreed,"hask.n.o.bson."
"It"slikeaflightofstepsunderthere,"saidthelock-keepersolemnly."Goingdownfromthetopleveltothisone,yousee.Thecurrentwouldhaverolledyourightdownthosesteps,Ireckon.Infact.i.t"sableedingmiracleyouevercameup,ifyouaskme.There"ssomeeveryyearfallinthisriverandnevergetseenagain.Currenttakesthemalongthebottomallthewaytothesea."
"Charming,"Keeblesaidunderhisbreath.
DaveTellerstoppedcoughing,rolledslightlyontohisbackandputhiswristinhismouth.Hisstrongbeakynosestuckuncompromisinglyuptothesky,andthewetnessonhisfacewasn"tfromtheThames.AfterawhilehemovedhishandandaskedKeeblewhathadhappened.Keeblebrieflyexplained,andthescrewedupeyesslidroundtome.
"Luckyyouwerewithus,"hesaidweakly,thesmileinhisvoicemakingnoprogressonhisface.Hemovedhishandapprehensivelybehindhisear,andwincedwhenitreachedtheb.u.mp."Idon"trememberathing."
"Doyourememberaskingmetolookforyourhorse?"Henoddedafraction,slowly."Yuh.Yousaidno."
"I"vechangedmymind,"Isaid."I"llgo."
InthecabinoftheFlyingLinnetKeeblewatchedmeslowlystripoffmysoddenclothes.Ihadnever,asfarasIremembered,feltsoweak.I"dlefthalfmymusclesundertheweir.b.u.t.tonswouldnolongercomeoutoftheirholes.
"Youheardwhatthemansaid,"Keebleremarked."Itwasluckyyouwerewithus."
Ididn"tanswer.
"Makeanoteofit,"Keeblesaid."Stickaround.Youneverknowwhenyou"llbeneeded."
"Sure,"Isaid,refusingtoacknowledgethatIunderstoodwhathewastalkingabout.
Hewouldn"tbedeterred."You"relikeDave"shorse.Irreplaceable."
Mylipstwitched.Thatwasthecrunch,allright.Hisjobwouldbealittleharderifhelosthisheadcookandbottle-washer.Personalregarddidn"tcomeintoit.
Istruggledoutofmyjersey.Hehandedmeatowel,glancingnon-committallyatthemarksofthisandpreviouscampaigns.
"I"mserious,Gene."
"Yeah,"Isighed."Well...I"mstillhere."
Itwastoomuchofanadmission,butatleast.i.tseemedtorea.s.surehimenoughtochangethesubject.
"WhyareyougoingtotheStates?"
"MaybeIoweittohim."
"Who?Dave?"
Inodded.
"Idon"tfollow,"hesaidfrowning."Surelyheowesyou?Ifanyoneowesanything."
"No.IfI"dbeenquicker,hewouldn"thavegonein,wouldn"tnowhaveasmashedthigh.Toomuchwhiskyandwineandsleepinginthesun.Iwasmuchtooslow.Abysmally,shamefullyslow."
Hemadeagestureofimpatience."Don"tberidiculous,Gene.Nospeedonearthcouldhavepreventedanaccidentlikethat."
Iputthetowelroundmyneckandstartedtotakeoffmytrousers.
"Thataccident,"Isaidbriefly,"wasattemptedmurder."
Hegazedatme,eyesblinkingslowlybehindthemildspectacles.Thenheturned,openedthecabindoor,andsteppedupintothec.o.c.kpit.IheardhimshoutingtoPeter.
"Getoutofthatpuntatonce,there"sagoodchap.Anddon"tletanyoneelsegetinit.It"simportant."
"NotevenLynnie?"
"NotevenLynnie."
"Idon"twantto,"saidLynnie"svoiceinawailfromthec.o.c.kpit."Ineverwanttogoinapuntagain."
Shewasn"tmuchherfather"sdaughter.Hismindwasastoughasoldboots.Thechubbybodywhichcontaineditcamebackintothecabinandshutthedoor.
"Convinceme,"hesaid.
"Theboyandgirlhavescarpered."
Heraisedhiseyebrowsandprotested."Theywerefrightened."
"Theydidn"tstoptoanswerquestions.TheymayquitepossiblythinkDaveandIaredead,becausetheydidn"tevenwaittomakesure.Ishouldsaytheyneverevenintendedtoappearatanyinquest."
Hewa.s.silent,thinkingabout.i.t.Theboyandgirlhadgonefromthelockwhenwehadeventuallyreturnedtoit:goneunnoticed,leavingthepuntbehind.NoonehadgiventhemathoughtuntilafterthedoctorhadsplintedTeller"slegandseenhimcarriedonastretcherahundredyardstoanambulance.Whenthedoctoraskedhowtheaccidenthappened,thecausesofitweren"taround.
"Wedon"tknow,"Keeblesaid."Theymayverylikelyhavecomedownthetowpathandseenyouwereallright,andtheymighthavedozensofpersonalreasonsfornotwantingtostay."
Ifinishedkickingmylegsoutoftheclammycottontrousersandpeeledoffmysocks.
"Theboystoodonthesterntoolong.Heshouldhavebeenhelpingwiththerope."
Keeblefrowned."Certainlyheseemedunconcerned,butIdon"tthinkherealisedquitewhatajamtheywerein.Notlikethegirldid."
"Thefirsttimehemoved,hehitDavestraightonthehead."
"Puntpolesareclumsyifyouaren"tcareful...andhecouldn"thavecountedonDavestandinginsovulnerableaspot."
"He"dbeenstandingtheremostoftheway,seeingtothebowrope."
"Theboyandgirlcouldn"tknowthat."
"Hewascertainlystandingtherewhenweapproachedthepunt."
"And,"Keeblesaidinademolishingvoice,"noonewoulddeliberatelyputthemselvesintosomuchdangerjusttobaitatrap."
Idriedmylegsandwonderedwhattodoaboutmyunderpants.
Keeblesigheddownhisnoseandflutteredhisfingers."Nooneexceptyou."
Hereachedintoalockerandproducedabundleofclothes.
"Emergencyfalling-inkit,"heexplained,givingthemtome."Idon"tsupposeanythingwillfit."
Astherewasamixtureofhisowncast-offs,whichweretoowide,andLynnie"swhichweretoonarrow,hewasright.Everything,besides,wastooshort.
"Inaddition,"hewenton,"howdidtheboyandgirlknowwewereontheriveratallandwouldbecomingdownthroughHarbourLock?Howlongdidyouexpectthemtowaitthereclingingtothepost?Howdidtheyknowexactlywhichboattohail,andhowdidtheyavoidbeingrescuedbyanyotherboat?"
"Thebestaccidentsalwayslookasiftheycouldn"tpossiblybeanythingelse."
"Igrantyouthat,"hesaid,nodding."Ijustthinkthatthisoneliterallycouldn"tbesetup."
"Yesitcould.Withasafegetout,inthatifitdidn"tworkaccordingtoplan,ifforinstancePeterhadbeenonthebowsinsteadofDave,theyhadnoneedtogointotheactofyellingforhelp,becauseofcoursetheywaitedtomakesureitwasusbeforetheystarted."
"Theywereindanger,"Keebleprotested.
"Maybe.I"dliketotakeacloserlookatthatpost."
"Andtheremighthavebeenotherboatsaround,helping.Orwatching."
"IfDavenevercamewithinrangeofthepuntpole,theylostnothingbutanopportunity.Ifotherboatshadbeenwatching,therewouldsimplyhavebeenmorepeopletocryaccident.Thegirlwa.s.screamingandsplashinganddramaticallydroppingherropewhentheboyhitDave.Wewereallwatchingher,nothim.Anysizedaudiencewouldhavebeendoingthesame."
"AndhowcouldboyandgirlhaveknownwhereDavewouldbethisSunday,inthefirstplace?AndwhyonG.o.d"searthshouldanyonewanttokillhim?"
IsteppedintosomeagedgreytrousersofKeeble"sandfoundthemafoottoogenerousroundthewaist.Mybosswordlesslyheldoutashortstripedelasticschoolboybelt,whichtookcareoftheproblembygrippinglikeatourniquet.
"Itwasasimpleaccident,Gene.Ithadtobe."
Thetrousersendedfourinchesabovemyankles,andthesocksIslowlyfumbledmywayintomadenoefforttobridgethegap.
"Gene!"saidKeeble,exasperated.
Isighed."You"llagreeI"masortofspecialistinarrangingaccidents?"
"Notusuallyfatalones,"heprotested.
"Notoften."Andnomore,ifIcouldwriggleoutofit."Justageneralstagemanagingofevents,sothatthevictimbelievesthatwhathashappenedtohimisthemerestmischance."
Keeblesmiled."You"vesprungmoreharesthatway..."
"So,"Isaidreasonably."I"mapttospotarig-upwhenIseeone."
Thesmilehalffadedandchangedintospeculation.
"Andno,"Isaid,"IwasnotconcussedintherecentboatingpartyandIhaven"tgot.w.a.teronthebrain."
"Keepyourtelepathytoyourself,"hesaiduncomfortably."Ijustthinkyouaremistaken."
"O.K..thenI"llspendmyholidayinPutney."
Hesaid"No,"sovehemently,soexplosively,thattherewasnosubtletyleftinthesituation.FromhisnakedalarmIsawunmistakablyhowmuchheunderstoodofmydepressedmentalstateandhowconvincedhewasthatIwouldn"tsurvivethreeweeksofmyowncompany.Shocked,IrealisedthathisreliefwhenIansweredhistelephonecallhadnotbeenatfindingmeathome,butatfindingmealive.Hehaddugmeoutontotherivertokeepaneyeonmeandwaspreparedtosendmeoffonanyoldwildgoosechasesolongasitkeptmeoccupied.Thenmaybe,Isupposed,hethoughtIwouldsnapoutofit.
"Theblues,"Isaidgently,"havebeenwithmeforalongtime."
"Notlikethis."
Ihadnoanswer.
Afterapausehesaidpersuasively,"Threeworldcla.s.sstallionsdisappearing...isn"tthatalsothesortofaccidentyoudon"tbelievein?"
"Yes,itis.Especiallywhensomeonetriestogetridofthemanwhoboughttwoofthem."
Heopenedhismouthandshut.i.tagain.Ialmostsmiled.
"Itwasacraftsman"saccident,"Isaid."Itcouldhardlyhavebeendonebetter.Alltheydidn"tbargainforwasinterferencefromsomeonelikeme."