Blood Sport Part 2

'Don'tknow...Hecrashedintotheweir.'

'Wedidn'tseeyougoover.Wewerewatching...'

'Theymusthavegoneunder,'saidthelock-keeper.'Throughoneofthegates.Thosegateswindupwards,sameasasashwindow.We'vegottwoofthemacoupleoffeetopenatthebottomtoday,withtheriverabitfullafterallthatrain.'

Inodded.'Under.'

DaveTellerchokedandwokeupagain,coughinguncontrollablythroughthepuddleinhislungs,everycoughjerkinghimvisiblyintoagony.Fromhisflutteringgestureitwasclearwherethetroublelay.

'Hisleg.'Keeblesaid.'He's...o...b..eeding...couldhehavebrokenit?'

Thejarwhenhehadhittheweirhadbeenenough.Isaidso.'Wecan'tdoanythingforhim,'saidKeeble,watchinghimhelplessly.

Thecrowdarounduswaited,murmuringinsympathybutenjoyingthedisaster,listeningtoTellercoughing,watchinghimclutchhandfulsofgra.s.sinrigidfingers.Notasc.r.a.pofusebeggingthemtogoaway.

'Whathappenedtothepunt?'IaskedKeeble.

'Wetoweditash.o.r.e.Lynniegotholdoftherope.Thosekidswereterriblyshocked.'Helookedroundforthemvaguely,b.u.t.theyweren'tinthecrowd.'Isupposethey'vestayedbackatthelock.ThegirlwasnearlyhystericalwhenyouandDavedidn'tcomeup.'Arememberingbleaknesscameintohisface.'Wetowedthemintothelockcutandmooredthere.Thenwera.n.a.longtothelocktogetthelock-keeper...andhewasalreadydownhere.'Helookedupacrosstherivertotheprettyweir.'Howlongwereyouunderthewater?'

'Acoupleofcenturies.'

'Seriously.'

'Can'ttell.Maybethreeminutes.'

'Longenough.'

'Mm.'

Helookedmeoverobjectively,bosstoemployee.Oneshoulderofmygreenjerseys.h.i.+rtwasrippedinajaggedtear.

'Bruised,'hesaidmatter-of-factly.

'Theweir,'Iagreed,'hask.n.o.bson.'

'It'slikeaflightofstepsunderthere,'saidthelock-keepersolemnly.'Goingdownfromthetopleveltothisone,yousee.Thecurrentwouldhaverolledyourightdownthosesteps,Ireckon.Infact.i.t'sableedingmiracleyouevercameup,ifyouaskme.There'ssomeeveryyearfallinthisriverandnevergetseenagain.Currenttakesthemalongthebottomallthewaytothesea.'

'Charming,'Keeblesaidunderhisbreath.

DaveTellerstoppedcoughing,rolledslightlyontohisbackandputhiswristinhismouth.Hisstrongbeakynosestuckuncompromisinglyuptothesky,andthewetnessonhisfacewasn'tfromtheThames.AfterawhilehemovedhishandandaskedKeeblewhathadhappened.Keeblebrieflyexplained,andthescrewedupeyesslidroundtome.

'Luckyyouwerewithus,'hesaidweakly,thesmileinhisvoicemakingnoprogressonhisface.Hemovedhishandapprehensivelybehindhisear,andwincedwhenitreachedtheb.u.mp.'Idon'trememberathing.'

'Doyourememberaskingmetolookforyourhorse?'Henoddedafraction,slowly.'Yuh.Yousaidno.'

'I'vechangedmymind,'Isaid.'I'llgo.'

InthecabinoftheFlyingLinnetKeeblewatchedmeslowlystripoffmysoddenclothes.Ihadnever,asfarasIremembered,feltsoweak.I'dlefthalfmymusclesundertheweir.b.u.t.tonswouldnolongercomeoutoftheirholes.

'Youheardwhatthemansaid,'Keebleremarked.'Itwasluckyyouwerewithus.'

Ididn'tanswer.

'Makeanoteofit,'Keeblesaid.'Stickaround.Youneverknowwhenyou'llbeneeded.'

'Sure,'Isaid,refusingtoacknowledgethatIunderstoodwhathewastalkingabout.

Hewouldn'tbedeterred.'You'relikeDave'shorse.Irreplaceable.'

Mylipstwitched.Thatwasthecrunch,allright.Hisjobwouldbealittleharderifhelosthisheadcookandbottle-washer.Personalregarddidn'tcomeintoit.

Istruggledoutofmyjersey.Hehandedmeatowel,glancingnon-committallyatthemarksofthisandpreviouscampaigns.

'I'mserious,Gene.'

'Yeah,'Isighed.'Well...I'mstillhere.'

Itwastoomuchofanadmission,butatleast.i.tseemedtorea.s.surehimenoughtochangethesubject.

'WhyareyougoingtotheStates?'

'MaybeIoweittohim.'

'Who?Dave?'

Inodded.

'Idon'tfollow,'hesaidfrowning.'Surelyheowesyou?Ifanyoneowesanything.'

'No.IfI'dbeenquicker,hewouldn'thavegonein,wouldn'tnowhaveasmashedthigh.Toomuchwhiskyandwineandsleepinginthesun.Iwasmuchtooslow.Abysmally,shamefullyslow.'

Hemadeagestureofimpatience.'Don'tberidiculous,Gene.Nospeedonearthcouldhavepreventedanaccidentlikethat.'

Iputthetowelroundmyneckandstartedtotakeoffmytrousers.

'Thataccident,'Isaidbriefly,'wasattemptedmurder.'

Hegazedatme,eyesblinkingslowlybehindthemildspectacles.Thenheturned,openedthecabindoor,andsteppedupintothec.o.c.kpit.IheardhimshoutingtoPeter.

'Getoutofthatpuntatonce,there'sagoodchap.Anddon'tletanyoneelsegetinit.It'simportant.'

'NotevenLynnie?'

'NotevenLynnie.'

'Idon'twantto,'saidLynnie'svoiceinawailfromthec.o.c.kpit.'Ineverwanttogoinapuntagain.'

Shewasn'tmuchherfather'sdaughter.Hismindwasastoughasoldboots.Thechubbybodywhichcontaineditcamebackintothecabinandshutthedoor.

'Convinceme,'hesaid.

'Theboyandgirlhavescarpered.'

Heraisedhiseyebrowsandprotested.'Theywerefrightened.'

'Theydidn'tstoptoanswerquestions.TheymayquitepossiblythinkDaveandIaredead,becausetheydidn'tevenwaittomakesure.Ishouldsaytheyneverevenintendedtoappearatanyinquest.'

Hewa.s.silent,thinkingabout.i.t.Theboyandgirlhadgonefromthelockwhenwehadeventuallyreturnedtoit:goneunnoticed,leavingthepuntbehind.NoonehadgiventhemathoughtuntilafterthedoctorhadsplintedTeller'slegandseenhimcarriedonastretcherahundredyardstoanambulance.Whenthedoctoraskedhowtheaccidenthappened,thecausesofitweren'taround.

'Wedon'tknow,'Keeblesaid.'Theymayverylikelyhavecomedownthetowpathandseenyouwereallright,andtheymighthavedozensofpersonalreasonsfornotwantingtostay.'

Ifinishedkickingmylegsoutoftheclammycottontrousersandpeeledoffmysocks.

'Theboystoodonthesterntoolong.Heshouldhavebeenhelpingwiththerope.'

Keeblefrowned.'Certainlyheseemedunconcerned,butIdon'tthinkherealisedquitewhatajamtheywerein.Notlikethegirldid.'

'Thefirsttimehemoved,hehitDavestraightonthehead.'

'Puntpolesareclumsyifyouaren'tcareful...andhecouldn'thavecountedonDavestandinginsovulnerableaspot.'

'He'dbeenstandingtheremostoftheway,seeingtothebowrope.'

'Theboyandgirlcouldn'tknowthat.'

'Hewascertainlystandingtherewhenweapproachedthepunt.'

'And,'Keeblesaidinademolis.h.i.+ngvoice,'noonewoulddeliberatelyputthemselvesintosomuchdangerjusttobaitatrap.'

Idriedmylegsandwonderedwhattodoaboutmyunderpants.

Keeblesigheddownhisnoseandflutteredhisfingers.'Nooneexceptyou.'

Hereachedintoalockerandproducedabundleofclothes.

'Emergencyfalling-inkit,'heexplained,givingthemtome.'Idon'tsupposeanythingwillfit.'

Astherewasamixtureofhisowncast-offs,whichweretoowide,andLynnie'swhichweretoonarrow,hewasright.Everything,besides,wastooshort.

'Inaddition,'hewenton,'howdidtheboyandgirlknowwewereontheriveratallandwouldbecomingdownthroughHarbourLock?Howlongdidyouexpectthemtowaitthereclingingtothepost?Howdidtheyknowexactlywhichboattohail,andhowdidtheyavoidbeingrescuedbyanyotherboat?'

'Thebestaccidentsalwayslookasiftheycouldn'tpossiblybeanythingelse.'

'Igrantyouthat,'hesaid,nodding.'Ijustthinkthatthisoneliterallycouldn'tbesetup.'

'Yesitcould.Withasafegetout,inthatifitdidn'tworkaccordingtoplan,ifforinstancePeterhadbeenonthebowsinsteadofDave,theyhadnoneedtogointotheactofyellingforhelp,becauseofcoursetheywaitedtomakesureitwasusbeforetheystarted.'

'Theywereindanger,'Keebleprotested.

'Maybe.I'dliketotakeacloserlookatthatpost.'

'Andtheremighthavebeenotherboatsaround,helping.Orwatching.'

'IfDavenevercamewithinrangeofthepuntpole,theylostnothingbutanopportunity.Ifotherboatshadbeenwatching,therewouldsimplyhavebeenmorepeopletocryaccident.Thegirlwa.s.screamingandsplas.h.i.+nganddramaticallydroppingherropewhentheboyhitDave.Wewereallwatchingher,nothim.Anysizedaudiencewouldhavebeendoingthesame.'

'AndhowcouldboyandgirlhaveknownwhereDavewouldbethisSunday,inthefirstplace?AndwhyonG.o.d'searthshouldanyonewanttokillhim?'

IsteppedintosomeagedgreytrousersofKeeble'sandfoundthemafoottoogenerousroundthewaist.Mybosswordlesslyheldoutashortstripedelasticschoolboybelt,whichtookcareoftheproblembygrippinglikeatourniquet.

'Itwasasimpleaccident,Gene.Ithadtobe.'

Thetrousersendedfourinchesabovemyankles,andthesocksIslowlyfumbledmywayintomadenoefforttobridgethegap.

'Gene!'saidKeeble,exasperated.

Isighed.'You'llagreeI'masortofspecialistinarrangingaccidents?'

'Notusuallyfatalones,'heprotested.

'Notoften.'Andnomore,ifIcouldwriggleoutofit.'Justageneralstagemanagingofevents,sothatthevictimbelievesthatwhathashappenedtohimisthemerestmischance.'

Keeblesmiled.'You'vesprungmoreharesthatway...'

'So,'Isaidreasonably.'I'mapttospotarig-upwhenIseeone.'

Thesmilehalffadedandchangedintospeculation.

'Andno,'Isaid,'IwasnotconcussedintherecentboatingpartyandIhaven'tgot.w.a.teronthebrain.'

'Keepyourtelepathytoyourself,'hesaiduncomfortably.'Ijustthinkyouaremistaken.'

'O.K..thenI'llspendmyholidayinPutney.'

Hesaid'No,'sovehemently,soexplosively,thattherewasnosubtletyleftinthesituation.FromhisnakedalarmIsawunmistakablyhowmuchheunderstoodofmydepressedmentalstateandhowconvincedhewasthatIwouldn'tsurvivethreeweeksofmyowncompany.Shocked,IrealisedthathisreliefwhenIansweredhistelephonecallhadnotbeenatfindingmeathome,butatfindingmealive.Hehaddugmeoutontotherivertokeepaneyeonmeandwaspreparedtosendmeoffonanyoldwildgoosechasesolongasitkeptmeoccupied.Thenmaybe,Isupposed,hethoughtIwouldsnapoutofit.

'Theblues,'Isaidgently,'havebeenwithmeforalongtime.'

'Notlikethis.'

Ihadnoanswer.

Afterapausehesaidpersuasively,'Threeworldcla.s.sstallionsdisappearing...isn'tthatalsothesortofaccidentyoudon'tbelievein?'

'Yes,itis.Especiallywhensomeonetriestogetridofthemanwhoboughttwoofthem.'

Heopenedhismouthandshut.i.tagain.Ialmostsmiled.

'Itwasacraftsman'saccident,'Isaid.'Itcouldhardlyhavebeendonebetter.Alltheydidn'tbargainforwasinterferencefromsomeonelikeme.'