TheejectionslothadbeenonthesideofthegunawayfromWalt,b.u.t.thecasessometimesshotoutstraightupwardsinsteadofsideways,andIbegantowonderiftheeighthcouldpossiblyhavetravelledfarenoughovertobeunderneathhim.Ididn"twanttodisturbhim:butIhadtofindthelittlebra.s.sthimbleThen,whenI"ddecidedIhadnochoice,Isawit.Bentanddusty,partlyflattened,nolongershining.IpickeditupfromthespotwhereIhadbeenhalf-lyinginthepathofMatt"scar.Hehadrunoverit.
AfterthatIattendedtothegrounditself.Tyremarksdidn"tshowontheroughdustysurface,b.u.t.thehoofprintsdidtosomeextent.Ifetchedabroomoftwigsfromthebarnandsweptthemout.
Thegaragewasnext.Ipunchedthroughintothecartheremainingcornerofthewindscreenwithitssignificantbullethole,andIpickedupeveryoneofthecigarettestubswhichtoldwhereandhowlongMatthadwaited.Theywentintoatrashcanstandingafewyardsalongfromthehousedoor.
Matthadn"tlockedthehousewhenhewentout.Iwentintolookforoneessentialpieceofinformation;theaddressoftheplace,andthenameofitsowner.Thetorchlightsweptoverthethreadbarecoversandelderlyfurniture,andinonedrawerofalargedresserIfoundwhatthefarmerusedforanoffice.ThejumbleofbillsandlettersgavemewhatIwanted.WilburBellman,FarValleyFarm,Kingman.Onthescratchpadbesidethetelephone,Matthadwrittenabonus.Inheavyblackballpointwerethesimplewords:"Insurance.9p.m."
BeforeleavingIgavethebigdilapidatedliving-roomafinalcircuitwiththetorchandthebeamflickeredoveraphotographinacardboardfolderstandingonashelf.Somethingaboutthefaceinitstruckmeasfamiliar,andIswungthetorchbackforasecondandcloserlook.
Thepatientpa.s.sivefaceofKiddosmiledout,asuntroubledasithadbeenwhenhetoldWaltandmeaboutOffen"smares.Loopyunformedwritingstraggledoverthelowerhalfofthepicture."ToMaandPa,fromyourlovingson."
IfOffenhadsenthisstudgroomtoMiamitojoinhisparents,Kiddo"sloyaltytohisemployerwasacertainty.IalmostadmiredOffen"stechniqueinfurnishinghimselfinonethrowwithan.o.bscurehideoutforthehorsesandanon-talkingemployee.
AfterthehousethereremainedonlyWalt.Nothingtodob.u.t.tosaygood-bye.
Iwentdownonmykneesbesidehiminthedust,b.u.t.thesilentformwasalreadysubtlynotWalt.Deathshowed.Itookoffonegloveandtouchedhishand:stillwarminthewarmair,butwithoutthefirmnessoflife.
TherewasnopointinsayingtohimwhatIfelt.Ifhisspiritwa.s.stillhoveringsomewherearound,hewouldknow.
Ilefthimlyingthereinthedark,andwentbacktoSam.
Hetookoneslowlookatmyfaceandsaidinanappalledvoice,"You"renotleavinghimthere?"
Inodded,andclimbedupbesidehim.
"Butyoucan"t..."
Isimplynoddedagain,andgesturedtohimtostartupanddriveaway.Hediditwithaviciousnessthatmusthaverockedthestallionsontheirfeet,andwewentbacktoKingmanwithoutspeaking.HisrevulsionatwhatIhaddonereachedmeinalmosttangiblewaves.
Ididn"tcare.IfeltonlyonegrimengulfingacheforthemanI"dleftbehind.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN.
Lynnieputherbrownhandtentativelyonmineandsaid."Gene...what"sthematter?"
"Nothing,"Isaid."YoulookworsethanyoudidwhenyoucamebackwithChrysalis.Muchworse."
Thefooddoesn"tagreewithme."
Shesnortedandtookherhandaway.Weweresittingontheseaterrace,waitingforEunicetocomedownfordinner,withthesungallopingthelastlaptoduskandthedaiquiristinklingwithcivilisedice.
"IsWaltbackyet?"Lynniesaid."No."
"He"safunnyman,isn"the?"shesaid."Allmoodsandglumlooks,andthensuddenlyhesmiles,andyourealisehowniceheis.Ilikehim."AfterapauseIsaid,"SodoI."
"Howwa.s.sanFrancisco?"sheasked."Foggy."
"What"sthematter?"
"Nothing."
Shesighedandshookherhead.
Eunicearrivedinacloudofyellowchiffonandclankedhergoldbraceleta.s.shestretchedforherdrink.Shewascheerfulandglowing;almosttoomuchtobear.
"Well,yousonofab.i.t.c.h,whendidyoucrawlin?"
"Thisafternoon,"Isaid.
"Sowhat"snew?"
"I"vegivenuptryingtofindthehorses."
Eunicesatupstraightwithajerk."Forcryingoutloud!"
"I"llbestartinghomesoon.Tomorrowevening,Iexpect."
"Oh,no,"Lynniesaid.
"Oh,yes,I"mafraidso.Theholidaysareover."
"Theydon"tlookasifthey"vedoneyoumuchgood,"Euniceobserved."Sonowhowdoyoudealwithit?"
"Withwhat?"
"Withflopping.Withnotmakingout."
Isaidwryly,"Lookitsmackintheeyeanddareittobiteyou."
"Itprobablywill,"saidEunicesardonically,"It"llchewmetob.l.o.o.d.ybits."Shedrankthesecondquarterofherdrinkandlookedmethoughtfullyover."Cometothinkofit,itseemstohavedonethattoyoualready."
"MaybeI"lltakeupgolf."
Shelaughed,moreinternallyrelaxedthanI"deverseenher."Games,"shesaid,"areabore."
WhentheywentintoeatIcouldn"tfaceit,anddroveoffinsteadtofetchthetaperecorderfromtherocksatOrpheusFarm.Theshortjourneyseemedtiresomelylong.IthadbeennearlyfourhundredandfiftymilesbacktoSantaBarbarafromKingman,andneitherbath,shave,nortwohoursflatonthebedseemedtohavehadanyeffect.
BackinmyroomatTheVacationerIlistenedtothewholeofthetape"sfour-hourplayingtime.Thefirstconversations,twoorthreebusinesscalls,werefromthepreviousmorning,afterWalthadputinanewreel.ThentherewasalmostanhourandahalfofaninterviewbetweenOffenandamanfromtheBloodstockRegistryOffice.Theyhadalreadybeenouttoseethehorses,andOffenwaspilingproofonproofthatthehorsesinhisbarnwereveritablyMoviemakerandCentigrade.AgroomwhohadcaredforCentigradeduringhisracingdayswasaskedintosignastatementhe"dmadethatherecognisedthehorseandwouldifnecessarysweartoitsident.i.tyinanyenquiry.
ThebloodstockmanapologisedconstantlythatanyoneshouldhavedoubtedOffen.Offenenjoyedthescene,thejokerumblinglikeanundertone.Afterthey"dgonehelaughedaloud.Ihopedhe"denjoyedit.Hewouldn"tbelaughingmuchforalongtimetocome.
NextonthetapewasapieceofOffengivinghishousemaninstructionsforreplenishingthedrinkstocks,thenanhour"stelevisionprogramme.Andafterthat,Matttelephoned.
Icouldn"thearhisvoiceatall,onlyOffen"sreplies:b.u.t.theywereenough.
"h.e.l.lo,Matt."...
"Slowdown,I"mnottakingthisin.Wheredidyousayyouwere?"
"WhatareyoudoingontheroadtoLasVegas?"
"Well,Icanseethehousemustbeinsured."
"Youfoundwhatunderthegloveshelf?"
"Howdoyouknowit"sahomer."
"Alltheseminutetransmittersareamysterytome."
"Whocouldhaveput.i.tthere?"
"Idon"tfollowyou.Whatwasthataboutyellowpaint?"
"b.u.t.thepolicesaiditwasvandals.
"Allright,Matt,don"tshout.I"mdoingmybest.Nowlet"sgetthisclear.Youwerefumblingforapackofcigarettesandyoudislodgedthis...thing.Bug,whateveryousaid.Andyou"reworriednowthatHawkinsandPrenselaput.i.tinyourcar,andthattheyusedthatandtheyellowpainttofollowyou,sothattheyknowwhereyou"vebeenstaying,ormaybe.Isthatright?"
"Matt,Ithinkyou"reblowingthisthinguptoobig."
"Butdidyouactuallyseeaplanefollowingyou?"
"Well,yes,sure,ifyouthinkyoushouldgoback,goback.Thehorsesarefarmoreimportantthantheinsuranceonthehouse.But.i.thinkyou"rewrong.HawkinsandPrenselahavebeenconcentratingonMoviemakerandCentigradehere,they"vestirreduptheDA."sofficefromL.A.andthebloodstockregistry,andit"sbeenathreeringedcircushereforthelastcoupleofdays.Theywouldn"thavebeentryingtofindanyhorsesanywhereelse,becausethey"resurethey"rehereinthebarn."
"Well,Idon"tknowwhocouldhaveplantedthebug."
"Yeah.Allright.Goonback,then."
"Callmeinthemorning."
"Goodnight,Matt."
Thereceiverwentdown,andforafewsecondsthereweretheindistinctnoisesofOffengoingovertheconversationagaininhismind,punctuatingitwith"umphs"andsmalldoubtfulgrunts.
IswitchedthetapeofftemporarilyandthoughtbitterlyaboutMattfindingthebug.Ihadn"thadachancetoremoveit:onmyfirstnightvisittothefarmthecarinthegaragehadbeentheonehe"dhiredwhilehisownwasbeingcleanedofpaint.ButneitherhadIlookeduponitasaverygreathazard,becausethelittlecapsuleswerelightandclungtightly.IthadbeenlonG.o.ddsagainsthimgropingforcigaretteswhiledrivinginthedark,anddislodgingit.Ihadn"ttakenitintoaccount.
Sometimeonhiswaybacktothefarmitmusthavestruckhimthattheinsuranceappointmentmightbephoney;thatifwehadtrickedhimintogoingtoLasVegasoncealready,wemightbetrickinghimagain.Ifwe"dgothimoutoftheway,itcouldonlybetotakethehorses.Sohe"dwait;inthedark,readytospring.
Hemusthavebeguntothink,whenhe"dsatoutthethreehoursittooktomendthegasket,thatUncleBarkwasrightandhewaswrong:butallthesamehe"dgoneonwaiting.And,intheend,wehadcome.
Iswitchedthetapeonagainfortherest.Thewholenighthadbeentelescopedintothefewsecondssilence,becausewhenOffenmadehisnextcallitwasclearlymorning.
"Yola,isthatyou?"
Afaintclackingreachedthebug.Yola"shigherpitchedvoicedisturbedmoreair.
"HaveyouheardfromMatt?"
"No,hesaidhe"dcallmethismorning,andhehasn"t.Ican"tgetanyanswerfromthefarm."
"I"dforgottenthehensandthecalves."
"Well,notreally.HecalledmelastnightbecausehehadsomecrazyideaHawkinshadtracedthehorses..."
AloudsquawkfromYola.
"Somethingaboutalisteningbugandyellowpaint."
YolatalkedforsometimeandwhenOffenansweredhesoundedanxious.
"Yeah,Iknowhefoundthefirstonewhenwethoughtthatwasimpossible...doyoureallythinkMattmayberight?"
"Yola,that"srightout.Whydon"tyougoyourself?"
"Closetheranchthen.Sendthemallhome."
"Look,ifyou"reright,ifMatt"sright...saywhenhewentbacklastnighttheD.A."smenweresittingtherewaitingforhim?Saythey"resittingthererightnow,waitingformetoturnupandseewhyMattdoesn"tanswerhiscalls?No,Yola,I"mnotwalkingintothatfarmandfindIhavetoanswerquestionslikewhatIamdoingthere,andwhatarethosetwohorsesinthebarn,withMoviemakerandCentigrade"sregistrationstattooedinsidetheirlips?I"mnotgoing."
"Mattmaybeoffonsomeplanofhisown."
"No.I"llgivehimtoday.IfIhaven"theardfromhimbymorningI"ll...well,I"llthinkofsomething."
Yola"sfinalremarkwasloud,andIhearditclearly.Fullofanxiety,fullofanguish.
"Ifanything"shappenedtoMatt..."
Theendofthetaperanoffthereel,andIswitchedofftherecorder.ForYola,asforWalt"swife,lifewouldneverbethesameagain.
Iwenttobedandlayawake,feelingfeverishfromlackofsleep.Relaxedeverylimb,butmymindwouldhavenoneofit.Itwasfilledtoofull,asithadbeenallday,ofapictureofWaltstilllyingonhisbackinthefarmyard.Thesunhadrisenandblazedonhim,andsetagain.Hewouldhavenoshelteruntiltomorrow.Icouldn"tsleepuntilhehad.Itriedto,butIcouldn"t.
OnmywaybacktoSantaBarbaraI"dstoppedforcoffeeandahandfulofchange,andI"dtelephonedtoPaulM.Zeissenintheb.u.t.tressLifeofficeonThirtyThirdStreet.Ithadbeennearlysixp.m.NewYorktime.Zeissenwaspreparingtogohomefortheweek-end.Iwasalittleworried,Itoldhim,aboutWalt.HehadgonetodosomelifeinsurancebusinessonafarminArizona,andIhadn"theardfromhimsince.ZeissenandItalkeditoverforafewminutesinunurgentcivilizedtones,andarrangedfinallythatifIhadn"theardfromWaltbymorning.b.u.t.tressLifewouldringtheArizonaStatePoliceinKingman,andaskthemasafavourtogoouttothefarm,justtocheck.
InthemorningIwouldringZeissenathishome.Bynoon,perhaps,theKingmanpolicewouldreachthefarm.Theywouldreadthestory:insurancesalesmanarrivesforappointment,getsoutofcar.MattClive,hurryingbacktomeethim,swingsintotheyard,seesadarkfiguretoolate,hitshim,runsstraightonintowallbecausejudgmentsuspendedbyhorroratcollision.Matt,withwhiskyinsidehim,andabottleinthecar.Insidethehouse,the9p.m.insuranceappointmentwritteninMatt"shand.Andnothingelse.Nohorses.Nosuggestionofvisitors.Nosignthat.i.tcouldhavebeenanythingbutatragicallyunluckyaccident.
Matthadbeengoodataccidents.
SowasI.
IlayonmystomachonthebeachallmorningwhileLynniesatbesidemeandtrickledsandthroughherfingers.EunicehadgonetoSantaMonica,downthecoast.
"Areyoureallygoinghomethisevening?"Lynniesaid.
"Firsthop,yes."