IthadbeentheirbadluckthatbythemerestchanceIhadleftthedenuntillast.
Yoladisconnected,andafterthetwentysecondsgaponthetape,UncleBarkcalledupMattfromthedownstairstelephone.Matt"scommentsweremostlyinaudiblethoughdetectablyexplosive.Heagreedtogotothehouse,butnothingOffensaidgaveanyclueastowhereMattwasatthatmoment.Itappearedonlythathewa.s.somewherewithinareasonableradiusofLasVegas,ashewasgoingtobeabletodrivethere,seetothingsatthehouse,andgetbackintimetofeedthehorsesintheevening:whichnarroweditdowntosomewhereinanareaofroughlyahundredandfiftythousandsquaremiles.Apockethandkerchief.
Abrieftelephoneconversationofnointerestfollowedandthen,presumablyintheafternoon,Offenhadswitchedonhistelevisionsettowatcharacingprogramme.AsfarasIcouldtellfromspotchecks,ithadusedupthewholeoftherestofthefour-hourplayingtime.
Sighing,Iswitchedoff,andwentdownstairs.LynnieandEunice,dressedindazzlingcolours,weredrinkingdaiquirisandwatchingthePacificsunset.Igotanothercoolwelcomeandmonosyllabicreplytomyenquiriesabouttheirday.
FinallyEunicesaiddistantly,"DidyouhaveagoodtimeinSanFrancisco?"
Iblinked."Yes,thankyou."
TheyrelapsedintoalongersilencewhichwasbrokenonlybyawaitercomingtotellmeIwaswantedonthetelephone.
ItwasWalt.
"Whereareyou?"Isaid.
"LasVegasairport."
"Howdiditgo?"
"Youcanrelax,"hesaidcomfortably."ThehorsesareonasmallfarminavalleyinArizona,outbeyondKingman.WelandedthereandIaskedaroundsome.Seemsthecouplewhoownthefarmdon"tmakemuchofaliving,butlastweektheysaidafriendwasgivingthematriptoMiami,andayoungfellowwouldbelookingaftertheplacewhiletheywereaway."
"That"sgreat,"Isaidwithemphasis.
"Thepaintmadeiteasy.Weheardhimyellingbluemurderwhenhesawit,butIguessithaddriedonbythenandhecouldn"tget.i.toff,becauseitwaswaypastmidday,andI"dbeguntoworrythathe"dgonealreadyandwehadn"theardhimorthatthey"dpickedyouupplantingthebug...anyway,wetookoffwhenhisenginestarted,andtheyellowsplashwaseasytoseefromaheight,justasyousaid.HewentrightthroughLasVegasandoutontotheHooverDamroadandacrossintoArizona.Ikeptthebinocularsonhimandweneverflewnearenoughforhimtonoticeus,I"mcertainofthat.Hewentupawindinggradedroadintothehillssouth-eastofKing-man,andthatwasit."
"You"vedonemarvels."
"Oh,sure.Itwa.s.simplerthanwewerepreparedfor,though.Youcouldhearthebugprettyclearlythroughthehelicopter"sheadsetsashighastwothousandfeet,andwecouldhavefollowedhiminthedarkifwe"dhadto,especiallyashehadhisradioonformostoftheway.Wecouldhearmusicandnewsbroadcastsnowandthen."
"Areyoucomingbacktonight?"
"Yeah,there"saplaneinahalfhourfromnow.But.i.t"llbebetterthanmidnightwhenIgetin."
"I"llbeawake,"Isaid."Andjustbytheway,Walt,whatdidyoutellEuniceandLynnieIwasdoinginSanFrancisco?"
Heclearedhisthroat."Isaidyouhadsomeunfinishedbusinessthere."
"Whatsortofbusiness?"
"Uh...like...er...female."
"Thanks,"Isaidsarcastically."You"rearightpal."
SomethingverylikealaughlingeredinmyearasIdisconnected.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN.
LynnieandEunicetalkedbrightlytoeachotheroverdinnerandIsatmakingplansforthenextdayanddidn"tlisten.Politelyaftercoffeewepartedforthenight,andatelevenIdroveouttoOrpheuswithafreshreelforthereceiverintherocks,andbroughtbacktheoneIhadfittedearlier.
WaltcamebackintomyroomasIwasrunningitthrough,andwebothlistenedtoCulhamJamesOffentalkingtoMattandthentoYola.
Yolawasabetterbetfromourpointofview,becauseherangryfemininevoicescatteredhighersoundwavesoutofthereceiver,andonecouldimagineUncleBarkholdingitinchesawayoutofdeferencetohiseardrums.
Hewasdoinghisbesttosootheher."Mattsaysitcouldhavebeenworse;someofthesevandalshavethrownmola.s.sesandpreservesandevensewagearoundinpeople"shouses..."
"Hesaysthewholeplaceiscoveredinflour...it"lltakeweekstoclearup."
"It"llvacuumquiteeasily,won"t.i.t?It"snotstickyanditdoesn"tstain."
Butshecouldn"tbeconsoled,evenwhenheremindedherthatthemoneywa.s.safe,andthatherminkwraphadn"tbeenstolen.
"ButMattsays,"shewailed,"that.i.twaswhite."
"Flourwillshakeout...andmightevencleanit."
"Youdon"tunderstand."
"SureIdo,Yola,"hesaidpatiently."Youfeellikeitwasyouwhowasa.s.saulted,notyourhouse.Youfeeldirtyandfuriousandyou"dliketokicktheb.a.s.t.a.r.dswhodidit.Sure,Iknow.Wehadthievesinhereonce,whenyourAuntEllenwasalive.Theystoleallherrings,andshesaiditwaslikebeingraped."
Theytalkedaboutthebreak-inforagoodwhilelonger,andWaltraisedaneyebrowandremaikedthatIseemedtohavegottenreasonablerevengeforthatclaponthehead.
WewerebothyawningbythetimeOffenwasthroughfortheevening.Thelasthalfhourconsistedofhimtellinghishouseboyhisplansandrequirements,andnoneofthesebetrayedanyanxietyoruncertainty.CulhamJameswasconfident,andIwasgladofit.Worriedmenpatroltheirdefences.
Waltwentofftobed,andalthoughIhadn"tsleptatallthepreviousnightIwokeagainafteronlythreehours.Thecolouredlightsontheoutsideofthemotelthrewprismaticreflectionsontheceiling.Istaredupatthem,tryingtomakepatternsandshapes,tryinganysillyrusetostopmymindfromnose-divingintothepit.Thetugoftheunfinishedchasewasveryfaint,andwhetherAllyxandShowmaneversiredanotherfoalseemedamatterofsupremeunimportance.Fraud,theft,attemptedmurder...whocared?
IhadlefttheLugerinitsbeltholsteracrosstheroomonachair.NeithertheClivesnorOffenwerelikelytocomecreepingthroughthenighttodomein,andmyusualenemiesweresixthousandmilestotheeast.Theonlydangerlayinmyself,thedeadliestenemyofthelot.Thetheorythatgoingtobedwiththegunoutofreachwouldlessenitsmagnetictemptationwasprovingadrearyflop.
Onemoreday,Ithoughtintheend.Anyonecouldmanagejustonemoreday.Ifyousaidthatfirmlyenougheverynight,onemightevenfinishthecourse.
Dawncreptuponthecolouredbulbsandwashedthemout.Itookashowerandshaved,andadmittedthatIhadseenhealthierlookingmenthantheoneinmyreflection.
WaltcamealongtomyroomwhenIwasmidwaythroughorangejuiceandcoffeeateight-thirty."Whatyouneed,"hesaid,eyeingthis,"issomegoodsolidfood."
"Idon"tfeelhungry."
Hiseyesslidtomyfaceandaway."Comeondownandeatwithme."
Ishookmyhead."I"llwaitforyou."
Hewouldn"tgoalone.Heorderedhot-cakesandeggsandcoffeefromroomservice,andwegotstraightdowntobusinesswhilehedemolishedthem.
"It"lltaketwoandahalfdaysforSamHengelmantogettoKingman,"Isaid.
Henoddedwithhismouthfull.
"Hewa.s.startingearlythismorning,"Iwenton,"Icalledhimlastnight,afteryou"dbeenthroughfromLasVegas.He"sdrivingthevanhimself,andhe"scomingalone.Thatmeanshisjourneytimewillbelonger,but.i.tseemedbetterthatwayfromthesecrecypointofview."
"Didyoutellhimitwasanothers.n.a.t.c.h?"Waltsaiddoubtfully.
Ismiled."IengagedhimtocomeandcollectahorsebelongingtoDaveTeller.Heaskedifwewerelikelytobecollectingthisoneinalonelyplaceatnight,andIsaidyes,weprobablywould."
"Andhedidn"tbackout?"
"HemerelyremarkedthathehadnogreatobjectiontoaneasybuckifIwoulda.s.surehimhecouldn"tgotojailforit."
Waltwipederranteggoffhischin."Andcouldhe?"
"Icouldn"ttellhimitwasimpossible.Oddsofathousandtoone,Isaid.Hesaidathousandbucksagainstonechanceofgoingtojailwasn"tenough."
Waltlaughed."Sohowmuchishecomingfor?"
"Fifteenhundred,pl.u.s.thenormalhiringfee,plus.e.xpenses."
"Notbadforoneweek"swork."Hepaused,stirringsugar,thensaidtentatively,"Whatdoyougetoutofthisyourself?"
"Me?"Isaidinsurprise."I"venoidea.ThreeweeksheatwaveinsteadoftheEnglishsummer..."
"Didn"tyounegotiateafee?"
"No."
"Howcome?"
Ttdidn"toccurtome."
Hisfacecrinkledintoamixtureofemotionswithwhatappearedtobeamazementandpitycomingoutontop.
"Howaboutyou?"Isaid.
"I"mnotonvacation,"hepointedout."Igetaprettygoodsalary,andalsoacutofeverythingIsavethecompany."
"SoChrysalishasbeenworththeextrawork?"
"Atamillionandahalf,areyoukidding?"Waltlookedatmeearnestly."Look,Gene,I"mgoingtogiveyouonehalfofthatcut..."
"No,"Isaid,interrupting."Idon"twant.i.t."
"YouknowdarnedwellIwouldn"thavefoundthathorse,notinamillionyears.Norgothimbackalivesoquickly.Andasfortheseothertwo..."
"Youkeepitforyourkids,"Isaid,"b.u.t.thanks,anyway."
Hewouldhavegoneoninsisting,butIwouldn"tlisten,andaftertwoattemptshegaveitup.Inthebackofmymind,asIoutlinedwhatIsuggestedweshoulddonext,therelingeredabittersuspicionthatIhadn"tacceptedhisgiftbecauseitwouldbeaselfishwasteifIdidn"tstickaroundtospendit.Ihadrejectedanystringsofconsciencetyingmetolife.Thedeath-seekingforcewasuptoanotherofitstricks.
"Apincermovement,Ithink,"Isaid."Orrather,asimultaneousattackontwofronts."
"Huh?"
"KeepCulhamJamesOffen"sattentionrivetedontheMoviemakerandCentigradehehasonhisfarmwhilewespiritawaytheothers."
"Er,quite,"Waltagreed.
"YoucantakeOffen,"Isaid.
"Andyoutakethehorses?"
Inodded.Waltconsideredwhatmighthappenifweexchangedroles,anddidn"targue.
"WhatarethechancesoffindingoutwhichcompanyMattinsurestheLasVegashousewith?"
Waltthoughtabout.i.t."Ouragenttheremightbeableto.Butwhy?"
"I...er...wouldrathertakethosehorseswhenIknowMattissafelyaway."
Waltsmiled.
"So,"Iwenton,"itshouldn"tbetoodifficulttogethimtogobacktothehouseonPitts.Sayforinstancehisinsurancecompanyrequiredhimtomakeaninspectionofhissecurityarrangementsandsignsomedoc.u.mentorother,beforetheywouldrenewfullcover?WeknowfromthetelephonecallstoOffenthatMattandYolahaveasafeinthedenwithalotofmoneyinit.Mattwon"twanttobeuninsuredformorethanaminute,afterhavingonebreak-inalready."
"Wecouldn"taskhiscompanytodothat..."Waltpausedandlookedatmewithsuspicion.
"Quiteright,"Inodded."Youcan.Youknowallthejargon.a.s.soonaswehearfromSamHengelmanthathehasreachedtheArizonaborder,youcanstartthespielonMatt."
"Fromhere?"
"Yes.Askhimwhattimewouldbeconvenientforhim,b.u.t.trytomanoeuvrehimintocominglateintheafternoonorearlyevening,saysixorseven.Thenitwouldbedarkwhenhegothome,andlate,whichshouldhamperhimabitwhenhefindsthehorsesaregone...hemightevenstopoffinLasVegasforacoupleofhoursatthetables."
Waltsaidthoughtfully,"IreckonI"dbettergotothehouseonPittsvilleandmeethim."
"No,"Isaidabruptly.
Helookedatme."You"dthoughtofit?"
"YouarenotgoinganywherenearMattClive."
"Andwhynot?"
"Youwantasplitskullorsomething?"
"Likewebbedfeet."Thesmilehovered."Allthesame,whatisMattgoingtodowhenhearrivesathishouseandnoinsurancemanturnsup?Whatwouldyoudo?Callthecompany,Iguess.Andthenwhat?Hediscoversnooneinthecompanyknowsanythingabouthimhavingtocomebacktothehouse,andhestartsthinkinglikecrazy.AndifIwerehimI"dcallthelocalcopsandgetthemwhizzingouttothefarmforalook-see.Youdidn"tseetheroadtherefromKingman.ButIdid.Therearenoturningsoffitforthelasttenmilestothefarm.Whatifyoumetthecopsheadon,youandSamHengelmanandtwostolenhorses?"
"Hewouldn"triskcallingincops."