BeforeIcouldfindthenumber,myglancefellonthesmallgla.s.sphialsonthetray,andinsteadofsummoningthecomputerman,Iphonedmysister.
CHAPTER5.
Shewas,asusual,hardtofind.IleftmessagesforheralloverthephysicsdepartmentofEdinburghUniversityandintheadministrativesectionthereandtheaffiliatedresearchlaboratoriesandinan.o.bservatory,andtriedtheRector"swife"sprivateline,allnumbersleftoverfromformersearches.Noresults.
Waitinguntilshewenthomeintheeveningswasfruitlessa.s.shespentallhertimeininaccessiblemeetingsandcommittees,andcatchingherbetweenwakinganddepartureinthemorningsfine-tunedthingstoavariablefiveminutes."PleaseaskhertophoneFreddie":aftersixattemptsIgaveupandwentbacktoraisingthecomputerpeopleadozenorsomilesuptheroad.
FromthateffortIgotthenumber-un.o.btainablenoiseandalsopresentlyavoicea.s.suringmethatthelinehadbeendisconnected.Tryingagainproducedthesameresult.Irritated,Iphonedmybarberwhooperatedfourshopsalongfromthecomputers,andaskedwhatwasgoingon.
"Theyvanishedovernightonedaylastweek,"hetoldmeincarefreetones."Didabunk.Justuppedandscarpered.Tookeverything,lefttheplacebare.We"reallstrugglingalongheresincetheyputourrentsupdiabolicallyandIshouldn"twonderiftheshoeshopdoesn"tgonext."
"Dammit,"Isaid.
"Sorry,mate."
Ididabitofyellow-fingerswalkingandsecuredashakypromisefromastrangerto"putmeonthelist"."Can"tcometomorrow,sorry,notachance."
Sighing,Iflickedagainovertheyellowpages,asIhadtheminmyhand,andtrackeddownarhymingdictionaryinoneofthebookshops.Thelastonetheyhad,Iwaswarned,b.u.t.theywouldkeepitforme.
WhenIputthereceiverdownthistime,thephonerangimmediately.Is.n.a.t.c.hedthereceiverupagainandsaid"Lizzie?"hopefully.
"Expectingaladyfriend,areyou?"SandySmithteasedheavily."Sorry,can"toblige."
"Mysister."
"Oh,sure."
"HowcanIhelpyou?"
"Otherwayround,"hesaid."IsaidI"dletyouknowaboutyourhitchhiker.Theydidthepost-mortemandhediedofaheartattack.Myocardialinfarction.Tickerstoppedworking.They"vescheduledtheinquestforThursday.Ahalf-hourjob,evidenceofident.i.ty,thatsortofthing.DrFarway"sreport.Thatdriverofyoursmightbewanted.ThatBrett."
"He"sleft.Won"tDavedo?"
"Ohaye,Idaresay."Nothisresponsibility,Igathered.
"Thanks,Sandy,"Isaidsincerely."HowaboutJogger?"
"That"sabitdifferent."Hesoundedcautioussuddenly."There"snoreportyetonhim.AsfarasIknow,theyhaven"tcuthimupsofar,like.They"realwaysbusyonMondays."
"w.i.l.l.youletmeknowwhenyouhear?"
"Can"tpromise."
"Well,doyourbest."
Hesaiddoubtfullythathewould,andIwonderedifhe"dbeensubvertedbymytwoplain-clothesvisitorsintocastingmeasopposition.Allthesame,he"dkepthiswordoverKevinKeithOgden,andmaybeourlongacquaintanceshipwouldremainadurablebridge.
Isatforawhilethinkingofeverythingthathadhappenedoverthepastfivedays,untileventuallythephonerangagainandthistimeitwasindeedmysister.
Whodidyouleaveunturned?"shedemanded."I"vebeendelugedbyaveritablefloodof"PhoneFreddie"s".Sowhat"sup?"
"Firstofall,whereareyouandhowareyoudoing?"
"Yousurelydidn"tsendallthoseSOSsjustforafiresidechat!"
"Er,no.Butifweshouldgetcutoff,whereareyou?"
Shereadoutanumber,whichIaddedtothelist."ProfessorQuipp"slodgings,"shesaidcrisply.
Iwonderedifeveryoneexceptmehadknownwheretofindher.She"dhadseverallovers,nearlyallbearded,allacademics,notalwaysscientists.ProfessorQuippsoundedthelatest.Ididn"tmakethemistake,however,ofutteringaloudanunretractableguess.
"Iwaswondering,"Isaiddiffidently,"ifyoucouldgetsomethinga.n.a.lysedforme.Inthechemistryschool,perhaps."
"Whatsortofthing?"
"Someunknownliquidina10cctube."
"Areyouserious?"Shesoundedasifshethoughtmecrazy."Whatisit?Wheredidyouget.i.t?"
"IfIknewwhat.i.twasIwouldn"tneedtofindout."
"Ohbrother..."Shesoundedsuddenlymorefriendly."Tellmeall."
Itoldheraboutthecarrierfoundinoneofmyboxesandthesixtubesinthethermos.
"Quitealotofweirdthingshavehappened,"Isaid."Iwanttoknowwhatmyhorseboxwascarryingand,apartfromyou,theonlypersonIcouldaskwouldbethelocalvetorelsetheJockeyClub.Actually,I"llgivetheJockeyClubatubeortwotobefair,butIwanttoknowtheanswermyself,andifIentrust.i.talltoanysortofauthorityI"velostcontrolofit."
Sheunderstoodverywellaboutlosingcontrolofresearchresults.Ithadhappenedtoheronce,andshe"dneverstoppedresentingit.
"Ithought,"Iwenton,"thatyou"dbesuretoknowsomeonewithagaschromatographorwhateverit"scalled,andcouldgetthejobdoneformeprivately."
Shesaidslowly,"Yes,Icoulddoit,butareyousureit"snecessary?Idon"twanttowasteafavourI"mowed.Whatelsehashappened?"
"Twodeadmenandsomeemptycontainersstucktotheundersidesofatleastthreeof-mylorries."
"Whatdeadmen?"
"Ahitchhikerandmymechanic.Hefoundthecontainers."
"Whatsortofcontainers?"
"Forsmuggling,maybe."
Shewa.s.silent,evaluating."There"sachance,"shesaidslowly,"thatyoucouldbethoughtguiltyofwhatever"sgoneon."
"Yeah.Acertainty,giventheatt.i.tudeofthetwopolicemenwhocameheretoday."
"Andyoulovethepolice,ofcourse."
"I"msure,"Isaid,"thatthereareanynumberofcivilisedintelligentculturedpolicemendoingbrilliantlycompa.s.sionatejobsallovertheplace.Ijustseemtohavemetthosewho"vehadthelaughkickedoutofthem."
Sheremembered,asIdid,atimeinthepastwhenI"dbeggedthepolice(notSandy,andnotinPixhill)topreserveayoungwomanfromherviolenthusband.Domesticaffairsweren"ttheirbusiness,I"dbeentoldsniffily,andaweeklatershe"ddiedfromabeating.Ithadbeenthesubsequentlyshruggedpoliceshoulderswhichhadinfuriatedme,notanysortofblightedpa.s.sion,a.s.she"dbeenbarelymorethananacquaintance.Officialindifferencehadbeenliterallydeadly.Toolatethatyearsafterwardsanewdirectivehaddecreed"domestics"tobeworthyofaction:inme,thedamagehadbeendonewhenI"dbeenidealisticandtwenty.
"Howarethingsingeneral?"Lizziesaid.
"Thebusinessisbusy."
"Andthelovelife?"
"Onhold."
"Andhowlongsinceyoudeliveredflowerstotheforebears?"
"Yesterday,actually."
"Really?"Shedidn"tknowwhethertobeimpressedordisbelieving."Imean...truly?"
Truly.ThefirsttimesinceChristmas,mindyou."
"Theregoesyourfatalhonestyagain.Itellyou,itgetsyouintomoretrouble..."Shebrokeoff,pondering."Howdoyouproposetogetthesemysterioustubesupheretome?"
"Post,Isuppose.Courier,better."
Hm."Apause."Whatareyoudoingtomorrow?"
GoingtoCheltenham.It"sChampionHurdleDay."
"Isit?SinceyoustoppedhurlingyoursouloverthosefencesI"velosttouchwithracing.WhatifIflydown?I"mdueacoupleofdaysoff.WecouldwatchtheracesonTV,youcouldtellmeallandtakemeouttodinnerandI"llflybackonWednesdaymorning.Getmyoldroomready.Whatdoyousay?"
"w.i.l.l.youcometothehouseorthefarm?"
"Thehouse,"shesaidwithdecision."It"seasier."
"Noon?"
"Asnearasdammit."
"Lizzie,"Isaidgratefully,"thanks."
Hervoicewasdry."You"reonetoughcookie,brotherdear,solessofthesob-stuff."
"Whereverdidyouhearsuchlanguage?"
"Inthecinema."
Smiling,Isaidatemporarygoodbyeandputdownthereceiver.Shewouldcome,a.s.shealwayshad,drivenbyaninbuiltcompulsiontohurrytotheaidofherbrothers.Theeldestofthefamilybyagapoffiveyears,shehadmotheredfirstourbrotherRogerandthensixyearslatermyself,afiercehenwithchicks.Hadshehadchildrenofherown,thoseinstinctsmighthavediednaturallyonmyaccount,astheyhadforRoger,who"dachievedacosywifeandthreeboysofhisown,butasI,likeher,hadnevermarried-ornotsofar-Iseemedstilltobenotonlybrotherbutsurrogateson.
Shortishandthin,herbobbeddarkhairlatelypepperedwithgrey,shewhiskedaroundherownhabitateitherinblackacademicgownsorwhitelaboratoryoveralls,herdartingmindengagedwithpa.r.s.ecs,quantumleapsandblackandwhitedwarfs.Shepublishedpapers,shetaughtintensely,she"dmadeaname;shewas,inoroutofbedwiththelatestbeard,asfarasIcouldsee,fulfilled.
ItwasagoodsixmonthssinceI"dtakenthetraintoherScottishdoortospendtwodayswithher.Twodayscompressedsixmonths"conversationintoaspanshepreferred.Herone-nighttriptoPixhillwastypical;shewouldneversitstillforaweek.
Thinkingabouther,IsatonatthefarmyarduntilNinacameback,herboxempty,therunnerssafelyreturnedtotheirstable.Sheparkedbythepumpsandfilledthetanksandcameyawningovertotheofficetoputtheday"slogthroughtheletter-box,a.s.she"dbeenasked.
Iwentouttomeether."Howdiditgo?"Iasked.
"Utterlyuneventfulinanymeaningfulway.Fascinatinginothers.Hasanythinghappenedhere?"
Ishookmyhead."Notreally.ThepolicecameagainaboutJogger.Iarrangedhismemorialatthepub,weshouldgetagoodlistofnamestomorrow.Thecomputer"sactingup.Andafteryou"vecleanedthathorseboxI"vesomethingtoshowyou."
Sheglancedindisfavouratthedustyvehicle."DoyoureallymeanIshouldcleanit?"
"Harvewillexpect.i.t.Insideandout."
Shegavemeanold-fashionedsidewayslookofirony."Idon"tthinkPatrickVenablesintendedthisatall."
"Undercoverisundercover,"Isaidmildly."IfIdoitforyouandHarvecomesbackinthemiddle,myauthorityinthisplaceisdownthedrainwiththedisinfectant."
Todoherjustice,shecomplainednomorebutdrovetheboxtothecleaningareaandattackeditwiththepressurisedwater,squeegeeinguntilthewindowsshone.
Harvedidinfactreturnwhileshewasbusyandtookherindustryforgranted.WhilehefilledhistanksandwaitedhisturnwiththewaterIreturnedtomyofficeandslightlyrearrangedtheitemsonthecanteentray,removingfourofthepuzzlinglittletubesfromsightandstowingthemdeepinadeskdrawer.Withtimetospare,Ipickeduptheunopenedpacketofsandwichesandreadthelabelonit:"BeefandTomato".Therewasalsoapricestickerlabelandasell-bydate,whichidentifiedtheFridayjustpast.
FridaywasthedayI"ddoneMarigold"sshuttleandfoundthecarrierwiththethermos.Friday"ssandwiches.ButIhadn"tstoppedanywherefortheladstobuysandwichesoranythingelse.
Ifrowned."BeefandTomato."I"dseena"BeefandTomato"sandwichwrapper,empty,onlyadayortwoago,butwhereexactly?Theanswerarrivedslowly.InBrett"srubbishinthenine-box,ofcourse.
Ninacameintotheofficeandsprawledinthechairacrossfrommine,thedeskbetweenus.
"WhatdoIdotomorrow?"sheasked."Ilearnedalotaboutracingtodaybutd.a.m.nallaboutsmuggling.IthinkPatrickbelievedIwouldinstantlyspotwhat"sgoingon,butIcouldbehereamonthandseenothingiftoday"sanythingtogoby."
Noone,"Iremindedher,"ha.s.seenanythinggoingon.Perhapsyou"reheretoseehowanythingcould."
"Whichyoucouldseebetterthanme."
"No,Idon"tthinkso.I"dsaynothingmuchhappenswhenI"maroundsimplybecauseI"maround.I"dliketosendyouonatriptoFranceorItalyorIreland,b.u.t.therewehitabitofasnag."
"whatsnag?Idon"tmindgoing.I"dquitelikeit,infact."
"Ihavetosendtwodriversbecauseofthehours."
"That"sOK."
Ismiled."Notreally.Thewivesofthemarrieddriverstakeexceptiontomesendingtheirhusbandsabroadwithawoman.Myusualwomandriver,Pat,consequentlynevergoesabroad,toherdisgust.IcouldofcoursesendyouwithNigel,who"snotmarried,butPatherselfwon"tgowithhim,he"dseduceanun."