ArecipefordisasterifeverIheardone.
Shelookedatherwatch,thankedmeforthecoffeeandsaidshe"dbettergetalongtothestation,ifIdidn"tmind.
"Howaboutthetrainfare?"Iasked.
"Oh...theygavemeavoucher.Thepoliceorthecourtorsomeone.TheygavemeonetocomedownlastSat.u.r.day,too,toidentifyhim."Shesighedheavily."Everyone"sbeenkind."
PoorMrsOgden.Idrovehertothestationandwaitedwithheruntilhertraincame,thoughshesaidIneedn"t.Iwouldhavelikedtogivehermoneytoseeherthroughsomeofherpresenttroubles,butIdidn"tthinkshewouldtakeit.IwouldgetheraddressfromSandy,Ithought,andsendhersomethinginremembranceofKevinKeith,herpooroldboywhoseemedtohaveprecipitatedmeintoamaelstrom.
CHAPTER9.
AsIwasleavingWinchesterthecarphonerang.Isobel"svoicesaid,"Oh,good,I"vebeentryingtoreachyou.ThepolicearehereaboutJogger."
"Whichpolice?"
"NotSandySmith.Twoothers.Theywanttoknowwhenyou"llbeback."
"Tellthemtwentyminutes.Didthecomputermancome?"
"He"sherenow.Anotherhalf-hour,hesays."
Fine."
"NinaYoungphoned.SheandNigelhavepickeduptheJerichoRichshowjumperandthey"reontheirwayback.Noincidents,shesaidtotellyou."
"OK.".
IcompletedthejourneyandkeptthepolicewaitingwhileIcheckedwiththeyoungcomputerexpertinIsobel"soffice.Yes,heconfirmed,hehadbroughtwithhimareplacementcomputerformyhouse,asrequested,andhewouldcomestraightawaytofixitup.
AfterI"dtalkedtothepolice,Isaid.
Helookedathiswatchandranhisfingersthroughhishair.I"mdueatMichaelWatermead"sstables.Samejobasthis.I"lldohimfirst,thencometoyou."
"Michael?"Iasked,surprised.
Hesmiled."Ratherapt,Ithought,beingMichelangelo,buthedidn"tthinkitfunny."
"No,hewouldn"t."
Barelydigestingthenews,letalonethesignificance,ofthefailureoftheWatermeadharddisk,Iwentalongtowherethepolicemenwaitedinmyownoffice.
TheyprovedtobethetwowhosemannerhadsoeasilyraisedmyantagonismontheirMondayvisit.IresolvedforSandy"ssaketobecooperative,andansweredtheirquestionstruthfully,politelyandbriefly.Theyexudedsuspicionandhostility,forwhichIcouldseenoreason,andtheyaskedmostofMonday"squestionsoveragain.
Theyneeded,theyannounced,totakesc.r.a.pingsofthedirtsurroundingandinsidetheinspectionpit.Gorightahead,Isaid.TheytoldmetheywereintheprocessofaskingmystaffwhathadbroughtJoggertothefarmyardontheSundaymorning.
Fine.
HadIinstructedhimtogotothefarmyardonthatmorning?
No,Ihadn"t.
DidIobjecttohisgoingthereonaSundaymorning?
"No.AsImentionedbefore,allthestaffcouldgoinandoutofthefarmyardwhenevertheyliked."
Whywasthat?
"Companypolicy,"Isaid,anddidn"tfeellikeexplainingthatthedrivers"prideintheirvehiclesledthemtomakethemmorepersonal,whichtheydidchieflyonSundays.CurtainswerehungonSundays.Seatandmattresscoverswerefitted.Bitsofcarpetappearedunderfoot.Wiveshelpedwiththehomes-from-homes.Metalandfurniturepolishaccompaniedpride.LoyaltyandcontentmentweretheproductsofSundays.
DidJoggernormallygotothefarmyardonSundays?
IsaidthatthehorsetransportbusinesswasalwaysworkingonSundays,thoughusuallynotasbusilyasonallotherdays.JoggerwouldcertainlyconsideritnormaltogotothefarmyardonaSunday./P Theyasked,a.s.sandyhadpredicted,whatIhadbeendoingonthatSundaymorning.Itoldthem.Theywroteitdowndubiously.
Yousayyoupickeddaffodilsfromyourgardenandputthemonyourparents"grave?Yes,Idid.WasIinthehabitofdoingthat?Itookflowerstherefromtimetotime,Isaid.Howoften?Fiveorsixtimesayear.
Igathered,bothfromtheirgeneralatt.i.tudeandthelimitationsoftheirquestions,thattherewa.s.stillinthecollectivepolicemindabasicindecisionastohowtoviewJogger"sdeath;accidentorworse.
Rust,Ithought,woulddecideforthem.
Iwentwiththemandwatchedthemtakesc.r.a.pingsfromallroundthepit.Theyfedthepatchesofdirtintosmallplasticbags,closingandlabellingeachwithitsareaofprovenance.Northendofpitfloor...east,west,south.Northinteriorwallofpit...east,west,south.Northrimofpit...east,west,south.
Theywerethoroughandfair.Onewayoranother,rustwouldtell.
Theydroveawayfinally,leavingmetomyambivalentfeelingsandtwoalarmedsecretaries.
Isobelsaid,scandalised,"TheyaskedushowyouandJoggergotalong!Whydidtheyaskthat?Joggerfellintothepit,didn"the?"
"Theyhavetofindout."
"But...but..."
"Mm,"Isaid,"let"shopehefell."
"Allthedriverssayhemusthave.They"vebeensayingsoallweek."
Tryingtoconvincethemselves,Ithought.
Idrovehome,wherethecomputerwhizzsoonjoinedme.Hestoodwithhislegsapartinthecentreofmydevastatedsitting-room,thehandcombingthroughthehairnon-stop.
"Yes,"Isaidtohisstunnedsilence."Ittookabitofstrengthandalotofpleasure."
"Pleasure?"Hethought.i.tover."Iguessso."
Heputthewreckoftheoldcomputerontooneofthefewfreeareasofcarpetandinstalledthenewversioninitsplace,attachingittoitsphonelinetothecomputerinIsobel"sroom.AlthoughIwouldstillmaintainmypencilcharts,itwasrea.s.suringtoseethescreencomealiveagainwiththeactivelinktotheoffice.
"Iguaranteethatthisnewdiskisclean,"theexpertsaid."AndI"msellingyouadiskyouca.n.u.setocheckthat.i.tstaysthatway."Heshowedmehowto"scan"thedisk."Ifyoufindanyvirusonthere,pleasephonemeatonce."
"Icertainlywill."Iwatchedhisbusyfingersandaskedafewquestions."IfsomeonefedtheMichelangelovirusintotheofficecomputer,woulditalsoinfectthecomputerhere?"
"Yes,itwould,a.s.soonasyoucalledtheofficeprogrammesontoyourscreen.Andtheotherwayround.Ifsomeonefedthevirusintohere,theofficewouldcatchit.Itwouldthenspreadtoallthecomputersonthesamenetwork."
"LikeRose"s?"
"IsRosetheothersecretary?Yes,sure,intohersinaflash."
"And...um...ifwemakeback-upfloppydisks,wouldthevirusbeinthose,too?"
Hesaidearnestly,"Ifyoudohaveanyback-ups,letmecheckthembeforeyouusethem."
"Yes."
"Butyourgirlssaidtheyhadn"tmadeanyforages."
"Iknow."Ipaused."DidMichaelWatermead"ssecretarymakeback-ups?"
Hehesitated."Don"tknowifIshouldtellyou."
"Professionaletiquette?"
"Sortof."
"She"lltellIsobel,anyway."
"Then...er...yes,shedid,andtheback-upfloppyshe"sbeenusinglatelyhasMichelangeloonit.I"mhavingtocleanuptheirwholeact."
"w.i.l.l.yousavetheirrecords?"
"Everychance."
Hefinishedtheinstallationandgavemeacheerfulpityinglook."Youneedlessons,"hesaid."Youneedtoknowaboutwrite-protectandboot-upfloppydisks,forastart.Icouldteachyou,ifyoulike,thoughyou"reprettyold."
"Howlonghaveyoubeenincomputers?"Iasked.
"FrombeforeIcouldholdapen."
ThewayIcouldride,Ithought.
"I"llcomeforlessons,"Isaid.
"Really?Great,then.Reallygreat."
Afterhe"dgoneImanagedtostayawaketowatchalltheracingatCheltenhamandhadthebitter-sweetsatisfactionofseeinganorseI"dschooledandtaughthisbusinesswintheGoldCup.
Ishouldhavebeenridinghim.Imighthavebeen...Well,ithadtobeenoughtorememberthefirstofhistriumphs,ascrambleofatwo-milehurdle.Enoughtorememberhisfirststeeplechase,ahigh-cla.s.snoviceracethathe"dwonbyoutjumpingtheoppositionthoughnearlygivingitawaybyflounderingallovertheplaceinthelasthundredyards.I"driddenhimeighttimesinallintofirstplacepastthewinningpost,andnowherehewas,nineyearsoldandastar,charginguptheCheltenhamhilla.s.straightasadiewithallthepanacheandcourageajockeycouldhopefor.
G.o.ddammit...
Ishookoffthesickeningself-pityingregrets.Ishouldhavegotoveritbythistime,Itoldmyself.Adecentperiodofmourningwasreasonable,b.u.t.threeyearsalongtheroadIshouldhavestoppedlookingback.IsupposedratheruneasilythatIwouldn"tbefreeofnostalgiauntilthelastofthehorsesI"driddenwasheadingtowardsCentaurCare.Noteventhen,ifmanylikePetermanturneduponmydoorstep.
TheminuteIswitchedoffthesetthetelephonerangandIlistenedtoLizzie"svoicesoundingsurprised.
"h.e.l.lo!IthoughtI"dgetyouransweringmachine.Ithoughtyou"dbeatCheltenham."
"Ididn"tgo."
"Soitseems.Whynot?Isyourheadallright?"
"Nothingtoworryabout.Ikeepwantingtogotosleep."
"Thoroughlynatural.Listentonature."
"Yes,ma"am."
"ThanksforlendingmeAziz.Whatafascinatingyoungman."
"Ishe?"
"Toobrightforhisjob,I"dsay."
"Whydoyouthinkso?Ineedbrightdrivers."
"Mostdriverscan"tdiscusstheperiodictableofelements,letaloneinFrench."
Ilaughed.
"Justthinkabout.i.t.Anyway,"shesaid,"I"veareportonyourtubes."
Ittookmeafewsecondstoworkoutwhichtubesshemeant,typicalofthesluggishstateofmybrain.
"Tubes,"Isaid."Oh,great."
"Theyeachcontained10ccsofviraltransportmedium."
"Ofwhat?
"Tobepreciseabouttheingredients,thetubescontainedbovinealb.u.min,glutamicacid,sucroseandanantibioticcalledGentamicin,allinsterilewateratabalancedpHof7.3."
"Er..."Isaid,reachingforapencil."Spellallthatslowly."
Shelaughedanddidso.
"Butwhat"sitfor?"Iasked.