"You"renotdealingwithcommonsense,"Azizsaid."Yoursistershowedmethehavocinyoursittingroom.You"vegotagold-platedwreckerontheloose.Can"tyouhearhim?He"sshoutingatyou,"Lookatme,lookatwhatIcando,seehowcleverIam."Thatsortofcharacterlikestakingrisks.It"slife"sblood.Itgiveshimhisbuzz."
Isaidflatly,"Howdoyouknow?"
Theshiningeyesflickered."Observation,"hesaid.
"Observationofwho?"
"Oh,thispersonandthat."Heflappedahandvaguely."Nooneparticular."
Ididn"tpursueit.Hewasn"tgoingtotellme.Iwasinterested,allthesame,inhisa.s.sessment.Itmatchedprettyfaithfullywhattheexperthadsaidaboutthepatternofcomputerviruswriters,thelook-at-clever-mesyndrome.Theoverpoweringself-regardthatcouldexpressitselfonlyindestruction.
"Doesonewrecker,"Iaskedslowly,"eggonanother?"
His.e.xpressionwa.s.street-smartbeyondanyotherI"dmet."Everheardoffootballyobbos?"
Murderous,Ithought.
IthankedAzizfordrivingLizzie.
"Nicelady,"hesaid."Anyoldtime."
Irubbedahandovermyface,askedAziztocheckwithHarveaboutjobsforthenextdayandtoldIsobelandRoseI"dbebackinthemorning.
OntheshortwayhomeInoticedthatmyneighbourhadasmallpileofbricksbesidehisgate.Thebrickshadbeenthereforweeks,Irealised.I"dneverpaidthemanyattention.
IstoppedthejalopybythewreckoftheJaguarandlookedthroughthes.p.a.cethathadoncebeenthedriver"ssidewindow.Therewasindeedabrick-ortheremainsofone-jumbledinthesqueezeds.p.a.ce.Thebrickhadbrokenintothreepieces.Brickswerebrittle.Brickdustwasreddish,likerust.
I"mdelirious,Ithought.
IletmyselfintothehousewiththekeysAzizhadbroughtfromLizzieandswitchedonthetelevisioninmybedroomtowatchtheracingatCheltenham.
Isatinthearmchairandthenlayonthebedandthenfellinexorablyasleepasifbrain-deadandstayedthatwayuntillongafterthelasthorsehadpa.s.sedthewinningpost.
Thursdaymorning,CheltenhamGoldCupday,oncegreetedwithraisedpulseandthuddinghope,foundmethatparticularweekwithacreakingstiffnessinmylimbsandacravingtocurlupandlettheworldpa.s.sby.
Instead,drivenbycuriositymorethanasenseofduty,IputonshirtandtieanddrovetoWinchester,pausingforfiveminutesonthewaywithIsobelandRose.Theycouldfillinthetimebeforethearrivalofthecomputer-reviver,Isuggested,bymakingalistofeveryonetheycouldthinkofwho"dsetfootintheirofficesthepreviousweek.
Theylookedatmeblankly.Dozensofpeoplehadcrossedtheirdoorstep,itseemed,startingwithallthedrivers.Iwouldtakethedriversforgranted,Isaid.Justlisteveryoneelse,andputastaragainstthosethathadbeeninonFriday.Theyweredoubtfuliftheycouldremember.Try,Isaid.
IcollectedDavefromthecanteenandtookhimwithmetoWinchester,thoughhewasreluctanttogoandspentthewholetwenty-minutejourneyinunaccustomedsilence.
TheinquestonKevinKeithOgden,proved,a.s.sandyhadpromised,tobeacomparativelysimpleaffair.Thecoroner,quietandbusinesslike,hadreadthepaperworkbeforecomingtotheproceedingsand,thoughthorough,sawn.o.benefitinwastingtime.
Hespokewithkindnesstoathin,miserablewomaninblack,whoagreedthatyes,shewasLynnMelissaOgden,andyes,shehadidentifiedthedeadmanasherhusband,KevinKeith.
BruceFarway,consulted,reportedthathe"dbeencalledtothehouseofFrederickCroftonthepreviousThursdayeveningandhaddeterminedKevinKeithtobedeceased.Thecoroner,readingaloudfromapaper,acceptedthepost-mortemreportthatdeathhadresultedfromheartfailurecausedbyastringofabstrusemedicalconditionsthatprobablynooneintheroomunderstoodexceptFarway,whowasnodding.
ThecoronerhadreceivedaletterfromKevinKeith"sowndoctordetailingthepatient"shistoryandthepillshehadbeenadvisedtokeeptaking.Heaskedthewidowifthepillshadbeenfaithfullyswallowed.Notalways,shesaid.
"Mr...er...Yates?"askedthecoroner,lookingaroundforaresponse.
"Here,sir,"Daveansweredhoa.r.s.ely.
"YougavealifttoMrOgdeninoneofMrCroft"shorseboxes,isthatright?Tellusabout.i.t."
Davemadeita.s.shortashecould,sweatinganduncomfortable.
"Wecouldn"twakehim,like,atChieveley..."
ThecoroneraskedifKevinKeithhadshownanyphysicaldistressbeforethat.
"No,sir.Heneversaidaword.Wethoughthewasasleep,like."
"MrCroft?"thecoronersaid,identifyingmeeasily."YoucalledPoliceConstableSmithwhenyou"dseenMrOgden?"
"Yes,sir."
"AndConstableSmith,youcalledDrFarway?"
"Yes,sir."
Thecoronershuffledthepaperstogetherandlookedneutrallyatthosepresent."ThefindingofthiscourtisthatMrKevinOgdendiedofnaturalcauses."Afterapause,whennoonemoved,hesaid,"That"sall,everyone.Thankyouforyourattendance.Youhaveeachbehavedwithcommendablepromptnessandcommonsenseinthissadoccurrence."
HegaveMrsOgdenonelastsympatheticsmile,andthatwasthat.WetroopedoutontothepavementandIheardMrsOgdenenquiringforlornlyabouttaxis.
"MrsOgden,"Isaid,"canIgiveyoualift?"
Shefocusedweak-lookinggreyeyesonmyfaceandindecisivelyflutteredherhands."It"sonlytotherailway..."
I"lltakeyou...ifyoudon"tmindaFourtrak?"
Shelookedasifshe"dneverheardofaFourtrakbutwouldhavesettledforanelephantifallelsefailed.
IpersuadedSandytotakeDavebacktoPixhillandsetoffwithMrsOgdenwhowasnotexactlycryingbutinadefinitestateofshock.
"Itdidn"ttakelong,didit?"shesaiddefeatedly."Itdidn"tseemmuchofathing,didit?Imean,notattheendofsomeone"slife."
"Notagreatthing,"Iagreed."Butyou"llhaveaserviceofthanksgiving,perhaps."
Shedidn"tlookcheered.Shesaid,"AreyouFreddieCroft?"
"That"sright."Iglancedather,thinking."Whendoesyourtrainleave?"Iasked.
"Notforages."
"Howaboutsomecoffee,then?"
Shesaidwanlythat.i.twouldbeniceandsettledapatheticallyintoanarmchairintheemptyfrontloungeofamock-Tudorhotel.CoffeetookitstimecomingbutwasfreshinaCafetierepot,withcreamandrosebuddedchinaonasilverytray.
MrsOgden,untilthenhuddledpalelyintoherblackshapelessovercoat,begantoloosenalittlebyundoingtheb.u.t.tons.Underthecoat,moreblack.Blackshoes,blackhandbag,blackgloves,blackscarf.Anoverstatement.
"Aterribleshockforyou,"Isaid.
"Yes."
"Yourdaughtermustbeacomfort."
"Weneverhadadaughter.Hemadethatup,togetlifts."
"Didhe?"
"Hehadtomakethingsup."Shegavemeasuddenlookofpanic,thefirstcrackintheice."Helosthisjob,yousee."
"Hewas...asalesman?"Iguessed.
"No.Hewasinsales.Under-manager.Thefirmgottakenover.Mostofthemanagementweremaderedundant."
"I"msosorry."
"Hecouldn"tgetanotherjob,yousee.Notatfifty-four,withabadheart."
"Life"sunfair."
"He"sbeenunemployedforfouryears.We"vespenttheredundancymoneyandoursavings...thebuildingsociety"srepossessingthehouse...and...and...it"salltoomuch."
Andhe"dbouncedcheques,Ithought,andfailedtopayhotelbills,andtriedtoliveonsc.r.a.psgleanedfromafeebletransportscheme,travellingaroundfreebyliftscadgedonthebasisofasob-storyaboutanon-existentdaughter"swedding.
LynnMelissaOgdenlookedashammeredintothegroundasatentpeg.Shehadgreyingstraightbrownhairtiedbackinthenapeofherneckwithanarrowblackribbon.Nocosmetics.Pinchedlinesroundhermouth.Thecordsof.a.geinherneck.
Iaskedsympathetically,"Doyouyourselfhaveajob?"
"Iusedto."Thegreynessinherskinlookedlikedespair."Iworkedinagreengrocer"sbutKev...wellhe"sgonenow,itcan"thurttosayit...Kevtooksomemoneyoutoftheirtill,andtheywereprettygoodabout.i.t,theydidn"tgetthepoliceb.u.t.theysaidI"dhavetogo."
"Yes."
"Wewereeatingonthatmoney."Shetrembledwithfutileanger."Feedingourselvesonmywagesandthethingslikerottingfruitandveggiesthattheshopcouldn"tsell.Howcouldhe?"
"Hecouldhavesoldthatring,perhaps,"Isuggested."Isawitonhisfinger...goldandonyx."
"Thatwasafake,"shesaiddully."Hesoldtherealonemonthsago.Hemisseditsomuch...Hecried,youknow.SoIboughthimthatone...itwasrubbish,butheworeit."
Irefilledhercoffeecup.Shedrankabsently,thecupclatteringonthesaucerwhensheput.i.tdown.
"WhydidyourhusbandwanttogototheChieveleyservicestation?"Iasked.
"Hehadto-"Shestoppedandconsidered,thensaid,"Idon"tsupposeitmattersanymore.Hecan"tgetintoanymoretrouble...ItoldhimIcouldn"tbearanymoreofit,butIdid,ofcourse.We"dbeenmarriedthirty-threeyears...Ilovedhimonceb.u.t.then...foralongtime...I"vebeensorryforhim,yousee,andIcouldn"tkickhimout,couldI?Becausewherewouldhego?Andhehadn"tbeenhomeforweeksbecausethepolicehadbeenround...Idon"tknowwhyI"mtellingyou...
"Becauseyouneedtotellsomeone"
"Oh,yes.Andappearances,yousee?Ican"ttellourneighboursandwehardlyhaveanyfriendsleftbecauseKevborrowedmoneyfromthem..."
Andneverrepaid.Thewordswerea.s.starkasifshe"dactuallysaidthem.
"SowhywashegoingtoChieveley?"Iaskedagain.
"Peopleusedtophonethehouseandaskhimtotakethingsforthemfromoneplacetoanother.Isaidhe"dgetintotroubledoingthat.Imean,hecouldhavebeencarryingbitstomakebombs,ordrugs,oranything.Quiteoftenhetookdogsorcats...hequitelikedthat.HeputanadinHorseandHoundsometimes.Peoplewouldpayhistrainfaretotaketheiranimalsbuthe"dcashintheticketsandgothumbing.Imean,hehadn"tanyprideleft,yousee.Everythinghadcomeapart."
"Wretched,"Isaid.
"Wepaidthephonebill,"shesaid."Wealwayspaidthephonebill.AndI"dtakethemessagesforhimandhewouldphonemewheneverhecouldusesomeone"sphonefornothing.Butwecouldn"thavegoneonmuchlonger..."
"No."
"It"sablessingforhim,really,thathedied."
"MrsOgden...
"Well,itis.Hewasashamed,yousee,mypooroldboy."
IthoughtofalltheirawfulsharedmiseryandjudgedthatKevinKeithhadbeenundeservedlyluckytohavehadLynnMelissa.
"Hewasn"tcarryingananimalinmyhorsebox,though,"Isaid.
"No."Shelookeddoubtful."Itwa.s.somethingtodowithanimals,though.ItwasananswertotheHorseandHoundad.Awomanphoned.ShewantedKevtomeetsomeoneatPontefractservicestationandgotoSouthMimmsservicestationandthengoinyourhorseboxtoChieveley."
"Ah,"Isaid.
Shedidn"tunderstandthedepthofcomprehensioninmyvoice,butlookedsimplysurprisedbyit.
"WhowashegoingtomeetatChieveley?"Iasked.
"Shedidn"tsay.Shejustsaidsomeonewouldmeethimwhenhegotoutofthehorsebox.Someonewouldmeethimandpayhimandtakewhathewascarrying,andthatwouldbetheendofit."
"Andyouagreedtothat?"
"Well,yes,ofcourseIdid.Welivedonit,yousee."
"WhowashemeetingatPontefract?"
"Shejustsaid"someone"wouldmeethimandgivehimasmallcarrierbag."
"Didshesaywhatwouldbeinit?"
"Yes,shesaidathermosflaskbuthewasn"ttoopenit."
"Mm.Wouldhehaveopenedit?"
"Oh,no."Shewasdefinite."He"dbeafraidofnotbeingpaid.Andhealwayssaidwhathedidn"tknowcouldn"thurthim."