And,moredrearily,hownotto.
CHAPTERFOUR.
Theb.u.t.tressLifeofficesonThirty-ThirdStreetwerehighoncustomerappealonthesixthfloor.Onthefifthandsevenththeytuckedthecomputersandelectrictypewritersintofunctionalplasterboardcubicles.IsatthreeinchesdeepinblackleatherandconsideredthatofallAmericancraftsmenIadmiredtheirchairdesignersmost:innoothercountryintheworldcouldonesitonthesameseatforseveralhourswithoutprotestfromthesacro-iliac.
Ihadwaitedfortypleasantlycoolminutesalready.Longenoughtodiscoverthattherowsofpotplantsalongthelowwalldividingtheforty-foot-squarehallintofivesmallerbaysweremadeofplastic.Longenoughtoadmirethepinewoodwalls,theankledeepcarpet,thecarefullyloweredceilingwithitsinsetlights.Ineachbaytherewasalargedesk,withonelargechairbehindit,oneattheside,oneinfront.Nearlyalloccupied.Dividingeachbayneatlyintwostoodasecond,smallerdesk;forthesecretary-receptionistwithhisbackdiscreetlytohisboss.Infrontofhim,ineachbay,thelongblackleatherbenchforwaitingon.
Iwaited.Therewa.s.stillsomeoneforthebigmantoseebeforeme.Verysorry,saidthesecretaryapologetically,b.u.t.theschedulehadbeencrowdedevenbeforeMrTeller"scablearrived.CouldIpossiblywait?
Sowhynot?Ihadthreeweekstospare.
Thelightwasdim,andpipedmusicpouredovereverythinglikesyrup.Thatandthebuilt-indeadnessoftheacousticsmadetheearnestconsultationsgoingonatthefivebigdeskscompletelyinaudibletothewaitingbenches,whileatthesametimegivingthecustomersacomfortingillusionthattheyweren"taloneintheirtroubles.Everyone,atthecoreofthings,wasalone.Justsomemorethanothers.
Ihadn"tsleptallnightafterleavingLynnie;butnotherfault.Ithadbeenonelongstupidstrugglebetweenacravingforoblivionandconvictionthatappeasingitwasn"tsomuchmorallywrongasathoroughgoingdefeat.Ihadneverlearnedtoacceptdefeat.ObstinacyhadgivenmewhatsuccessIhadhadinmyjob,anditaloneseemedtobekeepingmealive,sinceallotherpropswereasmuchuseastoothpicksinanavalanche.EnthusiasmforfindingDaveTeller"shorseburnedinmeasbrightlyaswetcoaldust:andthenationwouldhardlycollapseifIleft.i.tsemploy.
Carolinehadcrowdedlikeaflood-tidethroughmyheadanddownmybody.Caroline...whomIwouldhavemarried,haditnotbeenforthehusbandwhowouldnotdivorceher.
Carolinehadlefthimtolivewithme,andhadfeltguiltyabout.i.t.Amess.Anordinary,everydaymess.Herfinepa.s.sionhadfrettedawayoversixfrustratingyearsofwill-hewon"t-he;andtotheendhewouldn"t.Notthathe"devergotherback.IntheyearsinceshehadleftmeshehadreturnedtonursingandwasworkingasasisterinaNairobihospital,impervioustocome-backlettersfromeitherofus.
ThesharppainofherdeparturehaddulledtotheextentthatInolongerfelt.i.tthrougheverywakingminute:itcamestabbingbackatlongerandlongerintervals.Butwhenitdid,Irememberedhera.s.she"dbeenatthebeginning,andthehungerwasprettywellunbearable.Itwaseasyenoughtofinddifferentgirlstotalkto,toworkwith,totaketobed:hardtofindamatchonalllevels;andCarolinehadbeenamatch.Inthepastyear,insteadofreceding,thelonelinesshadclosedin.Mywork,ofitsnature,setmeapart.AndIhadnoonetogohometo,tosharewith,tocarefor.Thefutilityandemptinesshadgonedowntomyroots,andnothingseemedtolieaheadbutyearsandyearsmoreofwhatIwasalreadyfindingintolerable.
Theclientsatthebigdeskstoodup.shookhands,andleft.Thesecretaryusheredthemanwiththeearlierappointmentroundintothepresence.Iwentonwaiting,withoutimpatience.Iwasaccustomedtoit.
Thepunt,investigatedinHenleythatmorning,hadproducednothingb.u.t.tendifferentsetsofsmudgedfingerprints,ofwhichthetopmostandstickiestwerePeter"s.TheYogiBearhandkerchiefwasonitswayroundthemanufacturers,inthedistanthopethatsomeonecouldtellwhereithadbeensold.Dave Teller,brieflyvisited,hadsaidwanlytochargeeverythingtohim.TheSuperVC10whichliftedoffat3p.m.BritishsummertimefromHeathrowhadlandedatKennedyat3.10.b.u.t.tressLifecloseditsdoorsat6,whichgaveitstillahalfhourtogo.Andoutsideinthecanyonstreetsthehundreddegreeheatwavecreptupanotchtoahundredandone.
Myturncameroundforthebigdesk.Thebigman,onhisfeetbehindit,heldoutalargedryflabbyhandandproducedthesinceresmileoftheprofessionalinsuranceman.Havingsettledmeintothelargecomfortablechairalongsidehesatdownhimselfandpickedupthecablediscreetlyplacedtohandbythesecretary.Apolishedchunkofwoodsatonthedeskbetweenus.Onit,neatgoldlettersfacingmesaidhelpfully:PaulM.Zeissen.
"WereceivedthiscablefromMrTeller,"hesaid.Aslight,veryslightundertoneofdisapproval.
Inodded.Ihadsent.i.tmyself.
"Ourowninvestigatorsareexperts."Hedidn"tlikemecoming:buthewouldn"twanttolosetheTellerpolicies.Hispolitenesshadeffortbehindit.
Ismoothedhimdown,morefromhabitthananythingelse.
"Ofcourse.Pleasethinkofmesimplyasanauxiliary.MrTellerpersuadedmetocomeoverbecausehehasunfortunatelybrokenaleginEngland,andwillbeimmobilisedinhospitalforafewweeks.Hesentmeverymuchonimpulse,asapersonalfriend,to...kindofrepresenthim.ToseeiftherewasanythingIcoulddo.Therewasnosuggestionthathewasn"tsatisfiedwithyourfirm."Ipauseddelicately."Ifhecriticisedanyone,itwasthepolice."
PaulM.Zeissen"ssmilewarmedupafractionfromwithin:buthehadn"trisentohighexecutivestatusinhistoughprofessionwithoutdisbelievinghalfthateveryonesaid.Thatwasallrightwithme.HalfofwhatI"dsaidwastrue.Orhalftrue,anyway.
"MrTellerunderstandsofcourse,"hesaid,"that.i.tisforourownsakesthatwearelookingforthehorse?"
"Naturally,"Iagreed."MrTellerisalsomostanxiousthatyoushouldsucceed,asthehorseisirreplaceable.Hewouldinfinitelypreferhisreturntoanyamountofinsurancemoney."
"Amillionandahalf,"saidZeissenreverently.
"Worthmoreonthehoof,"Isaid.
Heglancedatmewithafirstgleamofrealwelcome.Oncehe"dswallowedthefirm"saffrontedpride,itwasquiteclearthatthey"dnothingtolosebylettingmein.
"Oneofourbestmen,WaltPrensela,isinchargeoftheChrysaliscase,"hesaid."He"llgiveyouthepicture.Heknowsyou"recoming,Isenthimamemowithacopyofthecable."Hepressedtheswitchonhisdeskintercom.
"Walt?WehaveMrHawkinsfromEnglandhere.ShallIhavehimcomeuptoyounow?"
Thepolitequestionwas,a.s.soofteninAmericanaffairs,anequallypoliteorder.Theaffirmativedulycame.Zeissenflippedtheswitchandstoodup.
"Walt"sofficeisonefloorup,numberfourseven.Anyonewilldirectyou.Wouldyouliketogoupnow?"
Iwould;andIwent.
I"dexpectedtohavetodealwiththesameruffledfeathersinfourseven,butIdidn"t,becauseWalthaddonehishomework,thoughIwasn"tsureofthatatfirst.Hegreetedmewithbusiness-likecasualness,shookhands,wavedmetothesparechair,andsatdownhimself,allinfivesmoothseconds.Muchmyage,Ijudged,butshorterandagooddealthicker.Hishandsweresquareandpowerfulwithnailssobriefthatthefingertips"padsseemedtobeboilingoverbackwards.ThereweremiddleEuropeanoriginsinthebonestructureoftheskull,toppedbyroughlycroppedwirygrey-brownhair,andhisdeep-socketedbrowneyesweresetpermanentlyintotheI-don"t-believe-a-word-of-itexpressionofhisbossdownstairs,onlymoreso.
"So,Gene,"hesaid,neitherwithnorwithoutmuchfriendliness,"you"vecomealongway."
"DaveTeller"sidea,Walt,"Isaidmildly.
"Lookingforhorses...doyoudomuchofthat?"Hisvoicewasflat;uninformative.
"Practicallynone.Howaboutyou?"
Hisnostrilstwitched."Ifyoumean,wasitIwhodidn"tfindtheothertwo,thenno,itwasn"t."
Itriedasmile:didn"tgetoneback.
Hesaid:"b.u.t.tressLifehadtopayupforAllyxthreeyearsago.Onemillionsixhundredandforty-threethousandsevenhundredandtwenty-ninedollars,giveortakeanickel.Showman,thefirstone,wasinsuredwithanothercompany."
"Accident?"Imurmured."Ordesign."
Herubbedhisleftthumboverthetopoftheround-endedfingers,thefirstofahundredtimesIsawthatgesture."Nowthatyou"vecome,design.Before,Iwasn"tsure."
"I"mofficiallyonholiday,"1protested."IcameonlybecauseTelleraskedme.Youshouldreadnomeaningintoit."Hegavemealevel,halfsardonicstare.
"Icheckedyouout,"hesaid,flickingatthecopyofthecable,whichlayonhisdesk."IwantedtoknowjustwhatsortofLimeybusybodywasbeingwishedontome."
Ididn"tsayanything,andhemadeaclickingnoiseatthesideofhismouth,expressiveofunderstanding,resignationandacceptance,allinone.
"Ascreener,"hesaid."HowcomeTellerfoundyou?"
"Howcomeyoufoundme?"Iaskedinstead."Imentionedyournameintwoplaces,"hesaidcomplacently."TheF.B.I.,andtheC.I.A.Andgotapositivereactionfromboth.Acoupleofusefulpalstherefilledmein.Itseemsyou"reamajorstumblingblockinthewayoftheplantingofspiesincertainGovernmentdepartmentsandplaceslikebiologicalwarfareresearchlaboratories;andyou"vepa.s.sedonsomeusefulwarningsonthatsubjecttoourpeopleatFortDetrick.Theysaytheothersidehavetriedtodeteryou,alittleroughly,onceortwice."Hesighed."Youhaveacleanbillwithourboys.Andhow."
"Andwithyou?"
"Theysaidyoudidn"tlikelimelight."
"It"sallyours"
"JustsoasIstandinrightwithb.u.t.tress."Mydecisivenodsatisfiedhim.Ifwefoundthehorse,hewaswelcometothehandshakes.
"Fillmein,then,"Isaid."HowdidChrysalisgetlost?"Waltglancedathiswatchandcheckeditagainsttheelectricclockonthewall.Thelittlebox-likeofficehadnowindows,asthesinglegla.s.spanelfacedoutontothecorridor;andalthoughitwascoolandcomfortableenough,itwasnoplacetotalkifonedidn"thaveto.
"Fiveaftersix,"Waltsaid."Doyouhaveanyotherengagements?"
"Knowanygoodbars?"Isuggested.
"Amindreader."Heraisedeyestoheaven."There"sDalaney"sablockupBroadway."
Westeppedoutoftheair-conditioningintotheswelteringstreet,up30degreesintwopaces.Withthehumidityrunningalsoat98percent,walkingaslittleasahundredyardsleftonedamptotheskin.Inevermindedit:NewYorkinaheatwavewasalwayspreferabletoNewYorkinasnowstorm,oranywherehottoanywherecold,forthatmatter.Coldseepedfurtherthanintothebones;numbedthemind,drainedthewill.Ifthedepressiondeepenedtowardswinter,defeatwouldcomewiththesnow.
Dalaney"swa.s.spillingoutontothepavementwithabusinessconventionletoutofschool.An.o.blongnametabsatoneachneatTerylenelapel,aconfidentsmilehidtheanxietybehindeveryface;theystretchedfromthesubstantialgroupoutsideintothedeepcoolgloomofthebar.Pushingthroughthemlookedaproblem;conversationintheircompanyanimpossibility.
"Howaboutyourhotel?Whereareyoustaying?"Waltsaid.
"TheBiltmore."
Walt"seyebrowsrosetwoclearinches.
"Teller"spaying,"Isaid."Hehasanaccountthere."
"Whatdidyoudothen?Savehislife?"
"Sixtimes,"Iagreed,matchinghissarcasm.
"Hemustreallythink,"Waltsaidreflectively,"thatyoumightgethishorseback."
"We,"Isaid.
"Nope.You.There"snotrail.I"velooked."
Acolouredcabdriverinrolledupshirtsleevestookustothehotel,hotairblowinginguststhroughtheopenwindoweachtimeheaccelerated.Thecitymovedsluggishlyunderthebrazensun,andtherewasmorerubbishtha.n.u.suallitteringthestreets.
"Thisisafilthytown,"saidWalt,seeingitthroughmyeyes."GivemeChicago."
"Toocold,"Isaidautomatically."Beautiful,b.u.t.toocold.Thatfreezingwindoffthelake..."
"AreyouguysfromChicago?"saidthecabdriver."Iwasbornthere,intheLoop."
Walttalkedtohimaboutthat.Idriftedawayintothedisorientatedstateofnotcaringajotaboutthecabdriver,orWalt,orDaveTeller,orCaroline,oranyoneonearth.WewentuptomyroomintheBiltmoreandIdraggedthroughthehostmotionsofringingdownforabottleofscotchandiceandseeingtoheat,lightandashtrays.Waltloosenedhistieandtookafirstappreciativeswallow.
"Youlookp.o.o.ped,"hesaid.
"Naturalstate."
"Iguessit"smidnightalready,toyou."
"Iguess."
Therewasaconsiderabledrinkingpause.Thenhesaid,shiftinghisst.u.r.dybodyinthewhiteleatherchair,"Well,doyouwanttoknowaboutthishorse,ordon"tyou?"
"Sure."Theboredominmyanswercameovershockinglystrong,eventome.Helookedfaintlystartledandthenspeculative,butwhenhespokeitwa.s.strictlybusiness.
"TheyweretakinghiminahorsevanfromKennedyAirporttoLexington,Kentucky.He"dspentthecompulsorytwenty-fourhoursimmigrationquarantineintheairportstable,alongwithsixotherhorseswhichcameoveronthesameflight.Allnormalatthattime.TheyloadedChrysalisandfourothersintothevan,anddrovewestwardsfromNewYorkonthePennsylvaniaturnpike."
Time?"Iasked.
"LeftKennedy4p.m.Monday.LastMonday,thatis.Aweektoday.EstimatedLexingtonmiddayTuesday.700miles."
"Stops?"
"Yeah,"Waltsaid,"Stops.That"swherethetroublestarted."Heswirledtheclinkingiceroundinhisgla.s.s."TheytooktheirfirstmealstopatadinernearAllentown,about85milesfromNewYork.Therewerefourmeninthevan,twodriversandtwogrooms.Driversinthecab,groomsinbackwiththecargo.Atthefirststoptheytookturnstoeat,driversfirst,groomsafter.Thedriverschivviedthegrooms,andgavethemtooshortatimetoeatagoodmeal.Therewasanunfriendlyargument."
"Theyallsayso?"
"Yeah.I"vetalkedtoallfour,oneatatime.They"realltryingtheirhardesttopintheblameontheothers.TheyleftthedinerandwentabouttwohundredmilestotheirnightstopatBedford.Thatwasn.o.better.Farfromcoolingoff,theyhadbeguntoscuffle.
"Theyturnedofftheturnpikeontotheinterstatehighway-seventy-southofPittsburg,andleftthatagainatZanesville,takingthesouth-westforktoCincinatti.AboutfiftymilesfurtherontheyturnedduesouthtocrosstheOhioriverintoKentucky,andgoonthroughParisanddowntheParisPiketoLexington."
"I"llneedtoseeitonamap,"Isaid.
Henodded."FromZanesvilletoParistheytooksecondaryroutes,thoughallpavedroads,ofcourse.Right?NowitwasinOhiothatthevanwashijacked,anditwasoverthestateborderinKentuckywhenitwasfound,whichhascausedacoupleofargumentshereandthere."
"Hi-jacked!That"sthefirstI"veheardofthat."
"Itwashi-jackedbymistakeforatruckfulofliquorwhichwasabouttwentymilesbehinditalongtheroad.Thevanslookedalike,samecolour,samesize,andneitherofthemhadanylargeidentifyingsigns."
"Howdidithappen?"
"Bythattime,Tuesdaymorning,thedriversandgroomswerealleatingatthesametime,thoughateachendofthelunchcounter.Theyleftthehousesunguardedforafullquarterhour,andduringthattimesomeonesimplydroveoffwiththewholeworks."
"Surelythedriverslockedup,andtookthekeys,atleast?"
"Ohsure.Itwasanexpertjobthough.Adirectwirecontactfromthebatteryterminalstothestartermotor."
"Sothenwhat?"
"Whentheyfoundthevangonethedriverscalledthepolice,but.i.twasn"tuntilWednesdaymorningthatthevanwasfoundofftheroadandoutofsightaroundahillinKentucky.But-nohorses.Therampsweredown,andallthehorseshadbeenletloose."
"Deliberately."
"Sure.Untied.Allthehalterswerestillinthevan.Thoseracehorseswereallfreewithn.o.bridleoranythingtocatchthemby.TheKentuckyboysreckonthehorseswereletouttocreateadiversion,togetthecopsoffthetailsofthehi-jackersbymakingthemchasehorsesallover."
"Anditworked."
"Yeah,"saidWaltgloomily.Theownerskickedupstink.Allthehorseswerevaluable,notonlyChrysalis.ButonlyChrysaliswasinsuredwithb.u.t.tress."