Driving Force

Chapter 40

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.

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