Theworst,"Azizsaidslowly.
Thedrivingforcewithinyou,Ithought,leapsout.Understress,itcan"tbehidden.
Applythestress.
"DoyouhaveanyreasontothinkanyonewoulddestroyIrkabAlhawa?"Azizasked,frowning.
"No.Ijustintendtousethethoughtasalever."
"Todowhat?"
"Waitandsee,andguardmyback."
Azizleanedsidewaysagainstthepa.s.sengerdooranda.s.sessedmequizzically,theirrepressiblesmilereappearing.
"You"renotlikeyoulook,areyou?"hesaid.
"HowdoIlook?"
"Physical."
"Sodoyou,"Isaid.
"b.u.t.then...Iam."
Anoddally,Ithought;andunexpectedly,Iwasgladhewasthere.
ACroftRacewayshorseboxcameovertheoppositehill.Iraisedapairofbinocularsandfocused,andsawthehorse"sheadstickingoutofthewindow.
"That"sthem,"Isaid."LewisandNina."
ThehorseboxturnedintotheroadtowardsBenjyUsher"sstables,almostnextdoortoMichael"s.IstartedtheFourtrakanddrovedownthehill,reachingBenjy"syardalmostbeforeLewisswitchedoffhisengine.
Benjy"sheadappearedinhisupstairswindow,pokingoutratherlikehiscolt"sfromthehorsebox.Heissuedorderstohisladsbelowwithhiscustomaryforce,andLewisandNinaloweredtheramp.Igotoutofmyjalopyandwatchedthem.
Mypresencetherewastakenforgrantedbyeveryone.NinanoticedAzizstillsittingintheFourtrakandthrewhimanenquiringglance,towhichherespondedwithaquickthumbs-up.
Thecoltclatteredwild-eyeddowntheramp,ledbyNina,andlimpedawayinthehandsofBenjy"sheadlad.BenjyshoutedanenquirytoLewisaboutthejourney:Lewiswentnearertothewindowandshoutedup,"Itallwentright."Benjy,relieved,retreatedandclosedhiswindow.
IsaidtoNina,"DidyoustopanywheresinceDover?"
"No."
"Good.GowithAziz,now,w.i.l.l.you?"
IwentovertoAzizandspoketohimthroughtheFourtrak"swindow.
"PleasetakeNinawithyouandgotothefarmyard.Theremaybeayoungmanwanderingaboutthere,carryingasmallanimaltransporter.Hisname"sGuggenheim.Collecthimandinaboutaquarterofanhourtakehimonwithyou."
"Whereto?"
"ToCentaurCare.Thatplacewhereyoutooktheoldhorses.I"lldrivethishorseboxandmeetyouthere."
"Letmecomewithyou,"hesaid.
"No.LookafterNina."
"Asifsheneededit!"
"Everyoneneedstheirbackwatched."
Ilefthim,walkedovertothehorseboxwhileLewiswasliftingtherampbackintoplace,andclimbedintothedriver"sseat.
Lewiswa.s.surprised,butwhenIwavedhimtowardsthepa.s.sengersideheclimbedintherewithoutdemur.He"dworkedformefortwoyears:hewasaccustomedtodoingwhatIsaid.
IstartedthepowerfulengineanddrovecarefullyoutofBenjy"syard,continuingondowntheroadtowardsMichael"splace.OppositeMichael"sgate,wheretheroadtemporarilywidenedandthes.p.a.ceallowedit,Ipulledtheboxovertotheside,steppedonthefoot-brake,rolledgentlytoastop,appliedthehand-brakeandswitchedoff.
Lewislookedsurprised,butnotvery.Thevagariesofbosses,hismannerseemedtoimply,hadtobetolerated.
"How"stherabbit?"Isaidconversationally.
His.e.xpressiongavenewmeaningtothewordflabbergasted.Helookedforamomentasifhishearthadactuallystoppedbeating.Hismouthopenedandnosoundcameout.
Lewis,Ithought,withhisbikerpast,histattooeddragon,his.e.xpertfists;Lewiswithhisbimboandhisambitionsforhisbaby,Lewismightbeadishonestmuscle-manouttomakemoney,buthewasnoactor.
"I"lltellyouwhatyou"vebeendoing,"Isaid."BenjyUsherownsastableinFrancewherehediscoveredlastyearbychancethatthehorsestherewerefallingillwithanunspecifiedfever.Helearnedthattherewasapossibilitythatthefeverwascarriedbyticks.Sohethought.i.tagoodwheezetobringtheillnesstoEnglandandgiveittoafewhorsesheresoastoclearhispathabittowinnershemightnototherwisehave.TheproblemwashowtobringthetickstoEngland;andfirstofall,youtriedtobringthemonsoapwhichyoucarriedinacashboxstucktothebottom.o.f.oneofmynine-boxesthatyouweredrivingatthetime."
Lewiswentonlookingdumbfounded,apulsethrobbingnowinaswelledveinonhisforehead.
"Theticksdidn"tsurvivethatjourney.Theydon"t,asyounowknow,survivelongenoughonsoap.Adifferentwayoftravelhadtobefound.Ananimal.Ahamster,maybe.Orarabbit.Howarewedoing?"
Silence.
"YoulookedaftertheWatermeads"rabbits.Perfect.Youthoughttheywouldn"tmissoneortwo,b.u.t.theydid.Anyway,lastyear,drivingPat"sfour-box,youwenttoFrancetotheEcurieBonneChance,that"sBenjyUsher"splaceoutsideBelley,downneartheRiverRhone,andyouwipedticksontoarabbit.Youbrought.i.tbackhere,wipedtheticksfromtherabbitontotwooldhorsesthatBenjyUsherhadinapaddockoutsidehisdrawing-roomwindow,andalthoughoneofthemdied,thereyoubothwerewithflourishingliveticksontheother,readytobetransferredtoanyhorsethatBenjydecidedon,andthatyoucouldgetclosetobydrivingittotheraces."
Iwonderedwhatincipientheartfailurelookedlike.
"Theticksareunpredictable,"Icontinued,"andintheendprobablyjustdisappeared,soinAugustyouwentagaintoFrance,b.u.t.thistimetakingtheboxPhildrivesnow,whichyouusedtodriveregularlyatthattime.Butonthatoccasion,thingswentwrong.Thehorseboxwasdueformaintenanceandwasdrivenstraighttothebarnonyourreturn.Thecaphadunscreweditselffromthetube,perhapsfromvibration.Beforeyoucouldretrievetherabbit,itfellintotheinspectionpitanddied,andJoggerthrewitaway,ticksandall."
Strangledsilence.
"Sothisyear,"Isaid,"youwentinthenewsuper-sixtofetchthetwo-year-oldsforMichaelWatermead,andyoutookarabbitwithyou.Thetickscamebackaliveandweretransferredtotheoldhorse,Peterman.ButPetermanwenttoMarigoldEnglish,notBenjyUsher,andPetermandied.Theticksdiedsoonafterhim.SonowwehavetheFlatseasonabouttostartandalltheChesterVaseandDanteStakescontestantsthisyeararestrongandhealthystill,soyousetoffwiththerabbittofetchBenjyUsher"scoltfromMilan,andonthewaybackyoustoppedattheEcurieBonneChance,andwhatw.i.l.l.youbetthatinthetubecontainerabovethefueltanksofthishorseboxwe"llfindarabbitwithtickson?"
Silence.
Iasked,"Whydidn"tyoujustwipeticksstraightontoBenjy"scolt?"
"Hewantsittoraceagainwhenitsleggetshealed."
Theadmissionslippedpainlesslyout.Lewis"svoicewashoa.r.s.e.Hedidn"teventrytoprotestinnocence.
"Sonow,"Isaid,"we"regoingtotaketherabbitstraighttoCentaurCare,wherethetwooldhorsesdestinedforBenjy"sfieldarewaiting.Thistimeyouarenotgoingtohavetoretrievetherabbitfromthetubeateleveno"clockatnight,andhitmeontheheadwhenIcatchyouat.i.t."
"Inever,"hesaidfiercely."Ineverhityou."
"Youdiddropmeintothewater,though.Andyousaid"Ifthisdoesn"tgivehimflu,nothingwill.""
Lewisseemedtohavegonebeyondbeingastoundedandhadreachedthestageofanxietytosalvagewhateverhecould.
"Ineededthemoney,"hesaid,"formykid"seducation."
Onemoreshock,Ithought,andhewouldreallystarttalking.
Isaid,"Ifitcametoachoice,whichwouldyouprefer,todriveIrkabAlhawatotheDerbyandmaybebringhimbackasthewinnerinyourownboxonthetelevisiontothisvillage,ortoinfecthimwithtickstostophimevenrunning?"
"He"dneverdothat!"hesaid.Hishorror,indeed,lookedgenuine.
"He"sviolentandspiteful,"Isaid,"sowhynot?"
"No!"Hestaredatme,belatedlythinking."Wh.o.a.reyoutalkingabout?"
"JohnTigwood,ofcourse."
Lewisclosedhiseyes.
"Benjy"srewardiswinning,"Isaid."Yoursismoney.Tigwood"sisthepowertospoilotherpeople"sachievements.That"sacommonersinthanyoumaythink.Knockingpeopleisamajorsport."
Towinbycheating.Ambitionforone"schild.Maliceandsecretly-enjoyeddestructivepower,bolsteringaninadequatepersonality.Toeachhisdrivingforce.
Andmine?Ah,mine.Whoeverunderstoodhisown?
Lewislookedsick.
"DoesBenjyUsherpayTigwood?"Iasked.
Lewissaidwithouthumour,"Hegiveshimwadsofthestuffinoneofthosecollectingtins,rightoutinpublic."
AfterapauseIsaid,"Tellmewhathappenedthenightyouchuckedmeinthewater."
Hepracticallymoaned,"I"mnogra.s.s."
"You"reawitness,"Isaid."Witnessesgetofflighter."
"Ididn"tdoyourcar."
"Youdidn"tkillJogger,"Ipointedout,"becauseyouwereinFrance.Butasformycar,youcertainlycouldhavedoneit."
"Ididn"t.Inever.Hedid."
"Well...why?"
Lewisstaredatme,hiseyesdeepintheirsockets.
"See,hewaslikeawildthing.Goingonaboutyouhavingeverythingsoeasy.Whyshouldyouhaveeverything,hesaid,whenhehadnothing.Thereyouwere,hesaid,withyourhouseandyourmoneyandyourlooksandyourbusinessandbeingatopjockeyallthattimeandeveryonelikingyou,andwhatdidhehave,peopleneverlookedpleasedtoseehim,theyturnedawayfromhim.Whateverhedid,hewouldneverbeyou.Heabsolutelyhatedyou.Itturnedmystomach,like,butIreckonedhemightturnonmeifIcontradictedhimsoIwentalongwithhim...andhehadtheaxewithhiminhiscar..."
"Didhehitmewiththeaxe?"Iaskedincredulously.
"No.Arustyoldtyrelever.Hehadalotoftoolsinhiscar,hesaid,whenhehityouweputyouinthebootofmycar,astherewasmoreroom,andhetoldmetodrivetothedocks.Hewaslaughing,see!"
"DidyouthinkIwasdead?"
"Ididn"tknow,like.Butyouweren"t.Youweretalking,sortofdelirious,whenwegotthere.Inevermeanttokillyou.Honest."
"Mm."
"Hesaidwewereinittogether.HesaidhowwouldIlikehimtogetmeintrouble.HowwouldIliketolosemyjobandnotdrivethebesthorsesanymore."
Lewisstoppedtalking,lookingnowatafuturewhichmeantallthosethings.
"b.l.o.o.d.yb.u.g.g.e.r,"hesaid.
"SoyoucamebackfromSouthampton,"Isaid,takingitforgranted,"andcollectedtheaxeandchoppedupmyhouseandmycarandmysister"shelicopter."
"Hedidthat.Hedidit.Hewa.s.shoutingandravingandlaughing.Hechoppedallthestuffinyourroom.Sob.l.o.o.d.ystrong.I"lltellyou,hefrightenedmerigid."
"Youwatchedhim?"
"Well...yeah."
"Andenjoyedit?"
"Never."
Buthehad,Isaw.Hemightjustpossiblyhavebeenfrightenedbythevigourofthatattackbutdeepdowntherehadbeenanawestruckguiltypleasure.
Ruefully,Irestartedtheengine.
"Like,"Lewissaid,"howdidyouknowaboutthejourneys?"
They"reinthecomputer."
"Hesaidhe"dwipedoutyourrecordsontheSundaywithaMichelangeloorsomething,andnottoworry."
"Ihadcopies,"Isaidsuccinctly.
TigwoodhadbeeninthepubthenighteveryoneheardJoggersayhe"dfoundthesecretcontainers.FromspitehemusthavestolenJogger"stools.ThenifJoggerfoundTigwoodtamperingwithmycomputerontheSunday...IcouldseeTigwoodgoingtohiscarforJogger"sowntyrelever,walkingalongtothebarnafterhimandaimingjustonelethalblow.Joggerwouldn"thaveexpectedit.Heknewofnoreasontofear.
Ireleasedthebrakesandstarteddowntheroad.