"Herunsthepoorb.u.g.g.e.rsonrock-hardgoingtoo,"Harvewentondisapprovingly."Doesn"tseemtocareiftheyfinishlame."
"Theylimpallthewaytothebank."
"Youcanlaugh,"Harveobjected,"buthe"sstillarottentrainer."
"WehavethatcoltofhistobringbackfromItalynextweek,"Iremindedhim."Isobel"sarrangedthepaperworkandtheferryforMonday."
"Abrokendowncolt,"Harvesaid,sniffing.
"Er...yes."
"Who"sgoing?"
"Whodoyousuggest?HeaskedforLewisandDave."
Harveshrugged."Wemayaswellpleasehim."
"Ithoughtso,yes."
AcrossthefarmyardNinaemergedfromhersearchandshookherheadexaggeratedly.
IsaidtoHarve,"YourememberthatcashboxcontainerthatJoggerfoundstuckunderthenine-box?Hasanythingoccurredtoyouaboutwhat.i.tcouldbefor?"
"Ihaven"tthoughtabout.i.t,"hesaidfrankly."Joggerfoundtwomore,didn"the,andtheywereallempty?Whateverwasinthemishistory."Hesoundedasunconcernedasever."PooroldJogger."
a.s.sandyhadtoldmeofftherecordthattheJoggerenquirywasveeringtomurder,Ididn"tmentionittoHarve.Everyonewouldfindoutonlytoosoon.HarveandIwentbacktowardshisboxandheeyedthebackviewofNina,whowasdisappearingintothebarn.
"Thisjob"stoomuchforher,"heobserved,notunkindly."She"sagooddriverbyallaccounts,butNigelsaysshegetstiredeasily."
"She"stemporary,"Isaid."Onemoreweek,ifwegetnooneelsedownwithflu."
TheotherWolverhamptonboxreturned.IleftHarvetosupervisetheendofthedayandfollowedNina"scara.s.shewavedtoHarveanddrovethroughthegates.ShestoppedafterhalfamiletowalkbackandsuggestIfollowhertoaplacetoeatthatshepa.s.sedeveryday,andhalfanhourlaterwebothpulledintothebusycarparkofarestaurantwheregoodcheapfoodwasimportantandthebaritselfsecondary.
Shehadloosedandcombedherhairandappliedlipstick,sothattheNinaIhaddinnerwithlookedyoungerandhalfwaybacktotheoriginal.Theplacewascrowded,thetablessmallandclosetogether.Weatesteak,chipsandfriedonionswithacarafeofhouseredwineandachunkofcheddarcheese."Igetfedupwithhealthyeating,"Ninasaid,secureinherslenderbody."Didyoustarvewhenyouwereajockey?"
"Grilledfishandsalads,"Isaid,nodding.
"Havesomeb.u.t.ter."Withasmileshepa.s.sedmeasmallsilver-wrappedpacket."Iadorejunkfood.Mydaughterdespisesme."
"Blackforestchocolatecake?"Isuggested,handingherthemenu.
"I"mnotthatmad."
Companionablywedrankcoffee,neitherofusinmuchhurrytobegone.
ItoldherthepolicethoughtJoggerhadbeenmurderedandthatperhapsInowonlyhadhourstofindsolutionsbeforewewereswampedbyheavyboots.
"You"reunfairtothepolice,"sheobserved.
"Idaresay."
"Thesolutions,Idoagree,seemasfarawayasever."
"SandySmith,"Isaid,"saysit"samatterofaskingtherightquestions."
"Whichare?"
"Yes,well,there"stherub."
"Thinkofone."Shedrankhercoffee,smiling.
"Allright,"Isaid."WhatdoyouthinkofAziz?"
"What?"Shewa.s.surprised;almost,Iwouldhavesaid,disconcerted.
"He"sodd,"Iremarked."Idon"tknowhowhecouldhavecausedanyofmytroubles,butheturnedupinmyfarmyardthedayafterJoggerdiedandIgavehimBrett"s...o...b..causehespeaksFrenchandArabicandhadworkedinaMercedesgarage.Butmysistersayshe"sfartoobrightforwhathe"sdoingandIrespectmysister"sinsight.SowhyisAzizworkingforme?"
SheaskedhowmysisterknewAzizandIexplainedaboutthedayhefetchedtheoldhorses,andthathe"ddrivenLizzietoHeathrowthenextmorning.
"ThatTuesdaynight,whenIendedupinSouthamptonDocks,Idon"tknowifAzizhelpedtoputmethere."
"Oh,no,"shesaid,shocked."I"msurehedidn"t."
"Whyareyousosure?"
"It"sjust...he"ssocheerful."
"Onecansmileandsmileandbeavillain."
"NotAziz,"shesaid.
Tobehonest,mygutreactiontoAzizwasthesameasNina"s:hemightbearoguebutnotavillain.YetIdidhavevillainsaboutme,andIbadlyneededtoknowthem.
"WhokilledJogger?"sheasked.
Isaid,"Whowouldyouputyourmoneyon?"
"Dave,"shesaid,withouthesitation."He"sgotaviolentstreakthathenevershowsyou."
"I"veheardabout.i.t.ButnotDave.No,I"veknownhimtoolong."Icouldhearthedoubtscreepingintomyownvoice,despitemyconviction."Davedidn"tknowaboutthecontainersunderthefloorboards."
"Onecangrinalittleboygrinandbeavillain."
AgainstallprobabilityIlaughed,mycaresunaccountablylifting.
"ThepolicewillfindJogger"skiller,"Ninasaid,"andyouwillhavenomoretroubleandIwillgohomeandthatwillbethat."
"Idon"twantyoutogohome."
Isaiditwithoutthinking,andsurprisedmyselfasmuchasher.Shelookedatmethoughtfully,unerringlyhearingwhatIhadn"tmeanttosay.
"That"slonelinessspeaking,"shesaidslowly.
"I"mhappyalone."
"Yes.LikeIam."
Shefinishedhercoffeeandpattedhermouthonanapkinwithanairoffinality.
"Timetogo,"shesaid."Thanksforthedinner."
Ipaidthebillandwewentouttothecars,hersandmine,bothourworkhorsewheels.
"Goodnight,"shesaidmatter-of-factly."Seeyouinthemorning."Sheclimbedwithoutpauseortensionintoherseat,adeptatunembarra.s.singpartings."Goodnight,Freddie."
"Night,"Isaid.
Shedroveawaywithasmile,friendly,nothingelse.Iwasn"tsurewhetherornottofeelrelieved.
SometimeduringthenightIwokesuddenly,hearingagaininmymindSandy"sinsistentvoice,"Youhavetoasktherightquestions."
I"dthoughtofaquestionIshouldhaveasked,andhadn"t.I"dbeenslowanddim.Iwouldaskthequestionfirstthinginthemorning.
Firstthinginthemorning,rousingmefromdepthsofrenewedslumber,thetelephonebellbroughtMarigold"sloudvoiceintomywincingear.
I"mnottoohappyaboutyourfriendPeterman,"shesaid,comingatoncetothepoint."I"dlikeyouradvice.Canyoucallroundhere?Say,ataboutnineo"clock?"
"Mm,"Isaid,surfacinga.s.sluggishlyasanyhalf-drownedswimmer."Yes,Marigold.Nineo"clock.Fine."
"Areyoudrunk?"shedemanded.
"No,justasleep."Inbed,supine,eyesshut."But.i.t"ssevenalready,"shepointedoutseverely."Theday"shalfover.
I"llbethere."Ifumbledthereceivertowardsitsbedsidecradle.;"Good,"hervoicesaidfromadistance."Great."
Sleepwasalluring,sleepatemptress,sleepasbeckoningasadrug.OnlytheremembranceoftheessentialquestionIhadn"taskedgotmeoutofbedandintothebathroom.
Sat.u.r.daymorning.Coffee.Cornflakes.
Stillbleary-brained,Ipaddedfromthekitchenintothewreckofthesitting-roomandswitchedonthecomputer.Therewasnocrashofharddisk.IcalledupIsobel"snewentriesofdetailsofthedriversandfoundthemstillbasicandabbreviated:names,addresses,datesofbirth,next-of-kin,drivinglicencenumbers,journeysdriventhatweek,hoursspentatthewheel.
Invadingherprivacy,ItypedNina"sname,andreadheraddress,careofLauderhillAbbey,Stow-on-the-Wold,andherage,forty-four.
Nineyearsolderthanmyself.Eightandahalf,tobeaccurate.Idrankmysecondcupofcoffeeveryhotandwonderedhowmuchthatagegapmattered.
Iansweredfourtelephonecallsinquicksuccession,receiving,altering,agreeingtotripsforthatdayandtypingthemintotheprogrammeforIsobel,whoworkedintheofficemostSat.u.r.daymorningsfromeightuntilnoon.Attentoeightshephonedmeherself,reportingherarrival,allowingmegratefullytoswitchthebusinesslinetothefarmyard.
Idrovealongtheremyselftowatchtheday"sjourneysbeginandtosortoutanylast-minutehitches,butagainIsobelandHarveseemedtohaveeverythingrunningsmoothly.
Nina(forty-four)gavemeasmallh.e.l.losmilea.s.shearrivedtogotoLingfield,herappearanceasdeterminedlyunattractiveasever.Harve,Philandthecrowdwereinandoutofthecanteen,stretching,pickingupworksheets,flirtingmildlywithIsobel.AnySat.u.r.daymorning.Anotherraceday.Twenty-fourhoursinalife.
Mostofthefleethadgonebyeight-thirty.IwentintoIsobel"sofficetofindhertypingtheday"sadjustedprogrammesintohercomputer,workingmostlyfromwhatI"dtypedinathome.
"How"sthings?"Iaskedvaguely.
"Alwaysfrantic."Shesmiled,happyenough.
"Iwanttoaskyoutoremembersomething."
"Fireaway."Shewentontyping,lookingatthescreen.
"Um,"Isaid,"lastAugust..."Ipaused,waitingformoreofherattention.
"WhataboutlastAugust?"sheaskedvaguely,stilltyping."YougoawayinAugust."
"Yes,Iknow.WhenIwasawaylastAugust,whatdidJoggerfindintheinspectionpit?"
Shestoppedtypingandlookedatmeinpuzzlement.
"Whatdidyousay?"sheasked.
"WhatdidJoggerfindinthepit?Somethingdead.Whatdidhefinddeadinthepit?"
"ButJogger...hewasdeadinthepit,wasn"the?"
"LastSundayJoggerwasdeadinthepit,yes.ButlastAugust,apparentlyhefoundsomethingelsedeadthere...adeadnun,hesaid,but.i.tcan"thavebeenadeadnun.Socanyourememberwhathefound?Didhetellyou?Didhetellanyone?"
"Oh."Herforeheaddevelopedlinesofthoughta.s.sheraisedhereyebrows."Idovaguelyremember,but.i.twasn"tanythingtoworryyouabout.Imean,itwa.s.sosilly."
"Whatdidhefind?"
"Ithinkitwasarabbit."
"Arabbit"
"Yes.Adeadrabbit.Hesaiditwascrawlingwithmaggotsorsomethingandhethrewitintheskip.Thatwasall."
"Areyousure?Iaskeddoubtfully.
Shenodded."Hedidn"tknowwhatelsetodowithit,sohethrewitintheskip."
"Imean,areyousureitwasarabbit?"
"Ithinkso.Ididn"tseeit.Joggersaiditmusthavehoppedintheresomehowandonceithadfallenintothepitofcourseitcouldn"tgetout."
"No,"Iagreed."Doyourememberwhatdayitwas?"
Sheshookherheaddecisively."Ifyoucan"trememberit,itmusthavebeenwhenyouwereaway."Sheturnedautomaticallytothecomputerandagainthefamiliarfrustrationcrossedherface."Itmighthavebeenintherecordswelost,thoughIdon"treallythinkso.Ican"trememberbotheringtoenteranythinglikethat."