"Ahundredpercent."
Anothergoodtheorydownthedrain.
"Didanyoneelse,"Iasked,"knowenoughtogetnearenoughtothecomputerlastFridaytofeedanydiskintoit?"
"I"vethoughtandthought..."Shestopped."WhylastFriday?"
"OrSat.u.r.day,"Isaid."Ourcomputerwizardthinkswepickeduptheinfectionaslateasthat."
"Ohgolly."
"Nothingcomestoyourmind?"
"No."Itwasawailofregretandworry."IwishIknew."
"Didyouleaveanyofthosepeopleonyourlistofvisitorsaloneinyouroffice?"
"But...but...ohdear.Ican"tremember.Imighthavedone.Iwouldn"thaveseenanythingwronginit.Imean,thereweren"tanystrangersthere,notrightinmyoffice,andIcan"tbelieve..."
"It"sallright,"Isaid."Don"tthinkabout.i.t."
"Ican"thelpit."
Iputthephonedownjusta.s.sandySmithrolledontomytarmac.Hecametowardsthebackdoortakingoffhispeakedcapandcombinghisflattenedhairwithhisfingers.
"Comein,"Isaid,meetinghim."Whisky?"
"I"monduty,"hesaiddoubtfully.
"Who"stoknow?"
HesquareditwithhisconscienceandtooktheScotchwithwater.Wesatinthekitchen,oneoneachsideofthetable,andherelaxedasfarasunb.u.t.toninghistunic.
"It"saboutJogger,"hesaid.Hefrownedathisgla.s.s,hisroundedfacetroubled."Aboutrust."
Hisgloomspreadtomefast."Whatdidtheyfind?"Iasked.
"I"veheard,"hebegan,andIreflectedthatthiswa.s.sandy"ssemaph.o.r.eat.i.tsbest."I"ve...er...unofficiallyheardthattheydidfindrustallroundthepitandontheedges.b.u.t.therustwaseverywheremixedwithoilandgrease.Andtherewasn"tanyoilorgreaseinthewoundonJogger"shead."
"d.a.m.n,"Isaid.
"They"regoingtotreat.i.tasmurder.Don"tsayItoldyou."
"No.Thanks,Sandy."
"They"llbeaskingyouquestions."
"They"veaskedquestionsalready,"Isaid.
"They"llwanttoknowwhohaditinforJogger."
"Iwanttoknowthattoo."
IknewoldJogforyears,"Sandysaid."Hewasn"tonetohaveenemies."
"Iwouldthink,"Isaidneutrally,"thathemayhavedonewhatIdidonTuesdaynight,whichwastowalkintothefarmyardunexpectedly.Maybebothofuswerehitontheheadtopreventusseeing...whatever...butJoggerdied,andwasputintothepittomakeitlooklikeanaccident."
Sandygazedatmethoughtfully.
"What"sgoingonthere,inthefarmyard?"heasked.
"Idon"tknow.Ib.l.o.o.d.ydon"tknow,andit"sdrivingmecrazy."
"DidJoggerknow?"
"It"spossiblehefoundout.That"sperhapswhyhedied,andIdidn"twant.i.ttobethat.I"vebeensortofprayingforittobeprovedanaccident."
"You"vethoughtallalong,though,that.i.twasmurder."Hescratchedhisneckabsentmindedly."WhatdidJoggermeanaboutlonerangersunderyourlorries?Mycolleagueswillwanttoknow."
I"llshowyou,"Isaid."Comeintothesitting-room."
WewentintothejumbledwreckageandIledhimacrosstowhereI"dleftthecashboxJoggerhadprisedfromunderthenine-boxaweekago.
IledSandytotheplace,b.u.t.thecashboxwasn"tthere.
That"sodd,"Isaid."Itwasrighthereonthisspotonthenewspaper "Whatwas?"
Idescribedthecashbox:greymetal,ordinary,fresh-smellinginside,empty,unlockedbyJogger,theroundmarkofwhereithadbeenheldontoamagnettheonlybrightsectiononitsfilthygrime-ladenexterior.
IlookedroundtheroomforitandsodidSandy,pokingaboutinthegeneralmess.
Nocashbox.
"Whendidyoulastseeit?"Sandyasked.
"Tuesday,Isuppose.Ishowedittomysister."Ifrowned."Whenthisroomwasdoneover,Ididn"tthinktolookforthecashbox."
Hesupposed,hesaid,thathecouldunderstandthat,andaskedifanythingelsewasmissing.
"Idon"tthinkso."
"Joggersaidlonerangers.Plural.Theremusthavebeenmorethanone."
"Twooftheotherboxeshavebeentrundlingaboutwithcontainersfixedtotheirundersides:b.u.t.thecontainersareempty,sameasthecashboxwas."
Sandysaiddoubtfully,"EveryoneinthepublastSat.u.r.dayheardhimtalkingabout.i.t.Imean,hecan"thavebeenkilledtostophimtellinganyoneaboutthembecausehe"dalreadydoneit."
"What"smore,"Isaid,"Dave,HarveandBrett,besidesJogger,sawthecashboxhereinthisroom,justafterJoggerlevereditoffthenine-box.Itwasonmydeskatthatpoint,inplainsight.Iput.i.tdownonthefloorsometimelater."
"Youmusthaveanideawhat.i.twasfor,"Sandysaid,apoliceman-likesuspicioncreepingintohisvoicedespitethenon-adversarialstatusbetweenus.
"Wethoughtofdrugs,ifthat"swhatyoumean?Harve,JoggerandIdiscussedthat.Butdrugsdon"tjustappearoutofthinair.Someonehadtosupplythem.HarveandIdon"tbelievethatanyofourdriversdealindrugs.Imean,therewouldbesigns,wouldn"tthere?Andmoneygoingaround.Wewouldnotice."
"Whydidn"tyoutellmeaboutthislastTuesday?"Stillthesuspicioustone."Youshouldhavetoldme,Ireckon."
"Iwantedtofindoutformyselfwhat"shappening.Istilldo,butIhaven"tmuchchanceifthere"samurderinvestigationgoingon.You"llhavetoadmitthatonceyourcolleaguesgettolookingatthecontainersunderthelorries,thosecontainerswillneverbeusedagain.Iwantedtoleavetheminplace,tokeepquietaboutthemandtowait.IimploredJoggernottotalkabouttheminthepub,b.u.t.thebeergotthebetterofhim.I"mafraidthathesaidtoomuch.I"mafraidheblewthewholeoperationandfrightenedthefishaway.I"vebeenhopinghedidn"t.ButyourcolleagueswillcertainlyfrightenhimawayforeverandIwillneverfindout...andthat"swhyIdidn"ttellyou,becauseyou"reapolicemanfirstandafriendsecond,andyourconsciencewouldn"thaveletyoukeepsilent."
Hesaidslowly,"You"rerightaboutthat."
"It"sFridayevening,"Isaid."HowlongcanyousitonwhatI"vetoldyou?"
"Freddie..."Hewasunhappy.
TillMonday?"
"Ohs.h.i.t.Whatdoyouwanttodobeforethen?"
"Togetsomeanswers."
"Youhavetoasktherightquestions,"hesaid.
Hedidn"tpromiseeventemporarysilenceandIdidn"ttrytocrowdhimwithadecision.Hewoulddowhateversatcomfortablyinhisownmind.
Heb.u.t.tonedhistunicroundhissolidwaist.Hesaidhe"dbetterbegoing.Onhiswayouthepickeduphispeakedcapandput.i.ton,reachinghiscarasafullyuniformedandthoroughpoliceman,lookinguncompromisinginhisvocation.
Ipouredtheremainsofhiswhiskydownthekitchensinkandhopedourfriendshipwasn"tslidingawaywithitdownthedrain.
CHAPTER11.
IdrovealongtothefarmyardwhenNinaphonedtosayshewasback,andfoundherfillinghertanks,yawningasbefore.
Lewishadfinishedcleaninghisboxandwaspositioningitinitsusualplace.HarveandPhilweren"tbacksofarfromWolverhamptonbutexceptforAziz"snine-box,whichhadgonetoIreland,thebroodmareforcehadreturned.
Lewisslidhiscompletedlogthroughtheofficeletter-box,toldmebrieflythathe"dtakenhispairsafelybacktoMrUsherandthathe"dhadtohelptheUsherheadtravellingladsaddlealltherunnersastheirladswereuselessandNinahadsaidshewasn"tdressedforit.HethoughtlittleofNina,Igathered,forlettinghimdosomuchwork.Theapprovalshe"dlavishedthatmorningonthephotosofhisbabyhad,Ithoughtinamus.e.m.e.nt,beenwasted.
Ninadrovealongtothecleaningareaandsettoworkwiththepressurehose.Lookingatheroldjeans,theunsmartsweaterandthesc.r.a.pedbackhairescapinginwisps,onecouldseewhyshe"dbackedawayfrompublicgaze,quiteapartfromthefactthatsomeoneinthehorseworldmighthaverecognisedherandaskedastonishedquestions.
Lewisleft.IwentovertoNinaandofferedtocleanherboxforherifshewoulddoadifferentjobforme.Sheagreedwithrelief,saying,"WhatifHarvecomesback?"
I"llthinkofsomething."
"OK.WhatdoIdo?"
"Fetchthenewsliderfromthebarnandlookatallthefueltankstoseeifthereareanycontainersstuckonthem."
Shewa.s.surprised."IthoughtJoggerlookedandtherewereonlythethree."
"Lookingback,"Isaid,"hetoldmeofthree.Idon"tknowforsureifhe"dlookedunderalltheothers.Ijustwanttocheck."
"Allright,"sheagreed."Don"tyouwanttodoityourself?"
"Notparticularly."
Shegavemeacuriouslookbutmadenocomment,justfetchedthesliderfromthebarnandstartedmethodicallyalongtherow.Ifinishedthecleaning,insideandout,andpositionedherboxwhereitbelonged,joiningherafterwardsbytheofficedoor.
"Well,"shesaid,rubbingdirtoffherelbows,"There"sonemore,andit"sunderLewis"sbox,but.i.t"sempty,liketheothers.Lewis!SowetooktwohiddencontainerstoLingfieldtoday,butIstayedwiththelorriesthewholetime,toLewis"sdisgust,buthecouldperfectlywellmanagetohelptheheadtravellingladsaddleuponhisown,hedidn"tneedmereally,butI"minhisbadbooks."Thethoughthardlyupsether."Noonecameneareitherbox,I"dswearit.Nooneshowedtheslightestinterestintheirundersides."
Ithoughtback."Lewis"sboxwasonitswaytoFrancewhenJoggerfoundthesecondandthirdcontainer.LewiswentonFriday,andgotbackatabouttwoonTuesdaymorning."
"Thereyouare,then.Joggerdidn"tknowaboutLewis"sbox.HewasdeadbeforeLewis...o...b..ck."
Harvedroveintothefarmyard,hislightsbrightinthegatheringdusk.
"DoyouwantmetocheckHarve"s?"Ninaasked.
"Ifyouhaveachance.Andanyotherswe"vemissed."
"OK."Sheyawnedagain."AmIdrivingtomorrow?"
"Isobel"sgotyoudownagainforLingfield."
"Oh,well...atleastIknowtheway,now."
Isaidpenitently,"Idon"tevenknowwhereyoulive.Doyouhavealongdrivehome?"
"NearStow-on-the-Wold,"shesaid."Ittakesmeanhour."
That"safaircommute.Um...howaboutifIgiveyoudinnersomewhereonyourwayhome?"
I"mhardlydressedforgoingouttodinner."
"Apub,then?"
"Yes,allright.Thankyou."
IwentovertotalktoHarveashefilledhistanksandfoundhimhappytohavetakenawinnertoWolverhampton,ashe"dalsobackedit.Theladwiththehorsehadtoldhimitwasacertainty."Foronce,hewasright."
WhenhistankswerefullIaskedhimtocomeovertotheofficetolookatthenextday"sschedule.Hecameasamatterofcoursewhile,lookingback,IsawNinatakingtheopportunitytoslideunderneathhisboxforaninspection.
Wewentthroughthelist,whichwashealthilybusy.HehimselfwasdownforChepstow,oneofhisfavouriteruns."Good,"hesaid.ItoldhimaboutBenjyUsheroverlookingthehurdlers."HowheevertrainsawinnerI"llneverknow,"hesaid."Mindyou,hehastheluckofthedevil.Whoelsehadthreewalkoverslastsummer?YouremembertherewasthatbuggoingaboutinPixhill?AllthoseCla.s.sicTrialweight-for-ageraces,theyalwayscutuptofiveorsixrunnerseveryyearanyway,andMrUsher"salwayskeentowinthem.HewontheChesterVaselastyearagainstonlytwoopponents.Iknow,becauseIdrovehiswinnermyself,ifyouremember?"
Inodded."He"salwaystendedtoenterhorsesinracesthatarelikelytohaveveryfewrunners,"Iagreed."Iwonseveraltwo-andthree-horseracesforhimmyself,mostlythree-milechases."