Blood Sport Part 15

'Wellno,Ijustwonderedifyou'dseenone.Notthismorning,early?'

'No,itwasjustachance.Sure.Yeah.Thanksanyway.'Sheputdownthereceiverwithacrash.

Waltraisedhiseyebrows.'Pikelet?'

'CoupleofshopsandafillingstationwheretheClives'ownroadjoinsthemainroadtoJackson.'

'Justaswellwedidn't...'hebegan,andthenchangeditto,'Isthatwhyyouinsistedonthelongwayround?'

'Partly,'Iagreed.'IwantedittolookasifChrysalishadgoneoffbyhimself.Iwantedtoavoidthemrealisinghe'dbeendeliberatelystolenKeepthemguessingabit,giveustimetogetwellclear.'

Thetapebeganagain.Mattcamebackrunning.

'Yola.Thatman.Thatd.a.m.nedman.'

'Whatman?'Shewasbewildered.

'ThemanthatpulledTelleroutoftheriver.Howlonghashebeenhere?'

Yolasaidalmostinawhisper,'Here?'

Mattwa.s.shouting.'Here.Havingbreakfast.Stayinghere,youstupidb.i.t.c.h.'

'Idon't...Idon't...'

'IsawhimatReadingtoo,'Mattsaid.'HecalledtoseeTellerinthehospital.Theylethiminpastallthewatchdogs.Isawhimlookingoutofthewindow.Howtheh.e.l.ldidhegethere?WhyinG.o.d'snamedidn'tyouspothim,youstupid,stupid...He'stheonethat'stakenthehorse.AndI'lld.a.m.nwellmakehimbringitback.'

'How?'Yolasaid,wailing.

'Excuseme,'saidthevoiceofthegirlwhowaitedattable.'Excuseme,MissClive.MrHochnerwants.h.i.+sbill.'

'Thereonthedesk,'Yolasaid.

'WhichisHochner?'Matt,urgent.

TheGermanincabinthree.'

'Wherewashesittingatbreakfast?Whatdoeshelooklike?'

'Hehadhisbacktothedoorfromthehall,'thegirlsaid.'He'swearingablueandwhitechecks.h.i.+rt,andhe'squitetallandhasdarkbrownhairandatiredsortofface.'

'Givehimthebillthen,'Mattsaid,andwaiteduntilshehadgone.'Hochner!'Thevoicewasalmostincoherentwithrage.'Howlonghashebeenhere?'

'Since...Tuesday.'Yola'svoicewasfaint.

'Getyourrifle,'Mattsaid.'Ifhewon'tgiveusthathorseback...I'llkillhim.'

Thereweresmallmovingaboutsounds,andthetapewentquiet.Thetimetheyhadspentinmycabintelescopedintotwentysecondsofsilence;andtherecordingbeganagain.

'Hewasright,Matt,'Yolasaid.'Weshouldhavelethimgo.'Hervoicehadgonequietwithdespair,butMatt'sstillrodeonanger.

'Hehadhischance.Heshouldhavetolduswhathe'ddonewithChrysalis.'

AfterapauseYolasaid,'Hewasn'tgoingtodothat.Hesaidso.Whateveryoudo,hesaid,youwon'trecoverthehorse.'

'Shutup,'Mattsaidviolently.

'Matt.'Awailinhervoice.'Hewasright.Wewon'trecoverthehorse,andhisfriendswillcomelookingforhim,likehesaid.'

'They'llonlyfindanaccident.'

'b.u.t.theywon'tbelieveit.'

'Theywon'tbeabletoproveanydifferent,'Mattinsisted.

AfteranotherpauseYolasaidalmostwithoutemotion,'Ifhegotthehorsecleanaway...ifsomeoneelsehas.h.i.+mnow,andhe'sonhiswaybacktoTeller...they'llknowwehadChrysalishere.We'llbearrestedforthat.'

'Hochnerwasn'tgoingtosayhe'dstolenthehorsefromhere.'

'Butyouwouldn'tlisten.'Yolasuddenlyflaredintoangerofherown.'Hewasrightallthetime.Weshouldhavelethimgo.We'dhavelostChrysalis...b.u.t.thiswaywe'reinterribletrouble,they'llneverbelievehediedbyaccident,we'llhavethewholeF.B.I,hereandwe'llendup...we'llendupin...'

'Shutup,'Mattsaid.'Shutup.'

'Hemightnotbedeadyet...can'twegoandstopit?'Hervoicewasurgent,beseeching.

'Andhavehimaccuseusofattemptedmurder?Don'tbesuchafool.Noonecanproveitisn'tanaccident,canthey?Canthey?'

'Isupposenot...'

'Soyouleavehim,Yola.Youjustleavehim.Hehadhischance.Igavehimhischance...Youjustwaitforsom.eofthegueststoseethesmokeandcomeandtellyou,likewesaid.Don'tyoutrygoingupthere.Justdon'ttryit.'

'No...'

'AndI'mgoingbackonthemountainwiththewranglers.Chrysaliswentacrossthebridge.Histracksarethere.Well...I'mgoingtracking.MrCleverHochnermightbebluffingallalongtheline.HemighthaveChrysalistiedtosometreeupthere,andhemightnothavetoldanyonewhereheis,andnoonewillcomeasking.'Heconvincedhimselfthatthisviewofthingswasreasonable,andintheendYolahalfwayagreed.

'We'llhavetotellUncleBark,'shesaidfinally.

Therewasablankpausewhiletheyconsideredthis.

'He'llblowhistop.'Mattsaidgloomily.'Afterallthatplanning.'

'He'llhavetoknow,'Yolasaid.

'I'llcallhimthisevening,ifwehaveto.ButwemighthavefoundChrysalisbythen.'

'Isurehopeso...'

Mattwentawaythenonhissearch,andpresently,afterYolahadlefttogobacktotheranch-house,therewascontinuedsilenceonthetape.

Waltswitchedtherecorderoffandlookedacrossatmewithacompleteabsenceofexpression.

'Whatdidtheydo?'

Itoldhim.

'Wouldithavepa.s.sedasanaccident?'

'Iexpectso.Neatlittlepicture:manlightingcigarette,throwsmatchabsentmindedlyintubofpepinsteadofwastebasket,panics,spillsthestuff,stepswildlybackfromflames,tripsoverstoveandknocks.h.i.+mselfout.Bingo.'

'Doyousmoke,though?'

'Sometimes.Theyusedmyownpack,fromthebedsidetable.Andmyownmatches.Itwasimpulsive,unpremeditated.Theyjustlookedroundandusedwhatcametohand.They'requitegoodat.i.t.'

'Luckyyouwokeupintime,'Waltsaid.

'Isupposeso.'IshutmyeyesandwonderedhowhewouldreactifIaskedhimtogooutforsomecodeine.

'I'veworkedwithoneortwopeoplelikeyoubefore,'hesaid.'AndIcan'tsayIlikeit.'

'Thanks,'Isaidsardonically.Nopills.

'Withyourkind,'hesaid,'dyingcomeseasy.It'slivingtakestheguts.'

Iopenedmyeyes.Hewaswatchingmesteadily,hissoberfaceremovinganypossibilitythathewasintendingtobefunny.

'Howareyouonguts?'heasked.

'Freshout.'

Hesigheddeeply.'Thatfigures.'

'Walt...'Ibegan.

'Itstruckmefirstlastnight,onthemountain.YouweresureanxiousaboutChrysalis,butyoudidn'tgiveaG.o.ddamaboutfallingoffthetopyourself.Itmademefreezejusttowatchyouleadinghimalongthatledge...andyoucamebackascalmasifithadbeenyourownbackyard.'

Hewasapologising,inhisindirectway,forhisstartlingappearanceonthepath.

'Walt,'Isaid,halfsmiling.'w.i.l.l.yougogetmesomethingforaheadache?'

CHAPTERELEVEN.

Eunice,Lynnie,SamKitchens,andstudgroomChubLodovskileanedinarowontherailofthestallions'paddockatMidwayandwatchedChrysaliseatKentuckygra.s.swithopinionsvaryingfromLodovski'senthusiasmtoEunice'sresignation.

Thehalfamillionpounds'worthlookednonetheworseforhistripuptheTetons.Betterthanontheranch,a.s.samKitchenshadremovedalltheWyomingdustfromhiscoatonthejourneyback,andthebayhideshonewithglitteringgoodhealthinthesuns.h.i.+ne.Therewasn't,Lodovskia.s.suredme,theslightestchanceofhisgoingmissingagain.

Batteriesofphotographersandpressmenhadcomeandgone:thestallionhadbeen'found'strayingonthelandofafriendofDaveTeller'saboutthirtymilesfromwherehehaddisappeared.Alltheexcitementwasover.

IwalkedbacktoDave'shousewithEuniceandLynnie,andEunicepouredmeadrinkwhichwasfour-fifthswhiskyandone-fifthice.

'Whoputyouthroughwhatmeatgrinder?'shesaid.'Youlooklikeahoneymooncoupleonthetenthnight.'

SamHengelmanhaddrivenintoMidwaywithChrysalisatlunchtime(Tuesday).IhadflowntoNewYorkwithWaltthedaybefore,andhadjustbacktrackedtoLexington,intimetocatchthetailendofEuniceinterviewingthepress.Severalofthathardbittenfraternityhadtotteredoutpastmewithpole-axedexpressionsandLynniehadbeenhalfwaythroughafitofgiggles.

Imadeinroadsintotheheftydrink.

'Icoulddowithagoodlongsleep,'Iadmitted.'Ifyoucouldgivemeabed?Orthere'sthemotel...'

'Stayhere,'Eunicesaidabruptly.'Ofcourseyou'restayinghere.'

IlookedfromhertoLynnie.Icouldn'tstayinthehousewithonealone:perfectlyproperwithboth.Silly.

'Thanks,then.AndImustcallDave,inEngland.'

Dave,stillinhospital,soundedincredulous.

'Ihearditonanewsflash,nothalfanhourago,'hesaid.'Chrysalisjustplainturnedup.'

'Hesuredid,'Isaiddryly.

'Wherehadhebeen?'

'It'salongstory,'Isaid,'Andwireshaveears.b.u.t.theexpensesstandrightnowatsomewherenearsixthousandthreehundreddollars.Isthatenoughforyou,ordoyouwanttogoonforsomeanswers?'

'Towhatquestions,fella?'Hesoundeduncertain.

'TowhyChrysaliswas.h.i.+-jacked,andwhyyoufellintheriver.Andanotherthing:doyouwantAllyxback?'

'ForG.o.d'ssake...doyouknowwhereheis?'

'No.ButmaybeIcouldfindhim.However,ifIdo,andwegetaspositiveanidentificationasonChrysalis,theinsurancemoneyonAllyxwillhavetoberepaidtob.u.t.tressLife.Thatwillbetheequivalentofbuyinghimalloveragain.He'sthreeyearsoldernow,andyou'llhavelostthreecropsoffoals.Hemaynotbeagoodpropositionforyouoryoursyndicateanymore.Inwhichcaseyoumightprefernottohavehimfound.It'suptoyou.'

'Jeez,'hesaid.

'w.i.l.l.youthinkitover,andcallback?'Isuggested.'YourwifeandLynniearefillingmeupwithfoodanddrink,andIguessI'llbestayingheretonight.Butifyouwantmetogoon,w.i.l.l.youclearitwithKeeble?I'mduebackatmydeskatninea.m.nextMondaymorning,andImightnotmakeit.'

'Sure,'hesaid,somewhatweakly,andIhandedthereceivertoEunice.

'How'sitgoing,honey?'shesaid,andItookagoodswallow,putmyheadbackonthechair,andlistenedtoherlong-married-wifelyconversationwithmyeyesshut.

'Don'taskmehowhedidit,Dave,Idon'tknow.AllIknowisherangfromNewYorkyesterdayafternoonandaskedmeforthenameofanyclosefriendofourswhowasinfluentialandrespected,preferablyhighupinhorsebreedingcircles,andwhosewordwouldbetakenasgospelbythepress.So,afterarakearoundIsaidIguessedJeffRootsfilledthebill;andloandbeholdChrysalisturneduponJeff'slandthismorning...Yeah,thehorseisasgoodasnew;whereverhe'sbeenthey'vetreatedhimright...Look,Dave,surelyenough'senough?IheardwhatGenesaidaboutfindingAllyx.Well,don'tdoit.WeneedAllyxlikeadoseofclap.AndyourboyhereisnoG.o.ddamHercules,apuffofwindwouldknockhimoff,thewayhe'scomeback...Lynnie'sfine,sure.We'retakingatriptomorrowouttoCalifornia.I'llmeasureupthecurtainsforthenewplace,thingslikethat,andLynniecanhavesomedaysonthebeachandmaybetrysomesurfingwiththosedeVeseyboys.Solook,whydon'twetakeGenewithus,huh?...Sure,I'vemadereservationsatTheVacationerinSantaBarbara...they'reboundtohaveanotherroom Ilistenedtoherplanswithdisappointment.IfIwantedtolazeanywhere,itwasrightwhereIwas,ontheMidwayFarm.Bythepeacefulpoolinthequietgreengarden,sleeping,drinking,andlookingatLynnie.

Euniceputdownthereceiver,andwehaddinner,andlateintheeveningDaverangthroughagain.