Driving Force Part 11

BeforeIcouldfindthenumber,myglancefellonthesmallgla.s.sphialsonthetray,andinsteadofsummoningthecomputerman,Iphonedmysister.

CHAPTER5.

Shewas,asusual,hardtofind.IleftmessagesforheralloverthephysicsdepartmentofEdinburghUniversityandintheadministrativesectionthereandtheaffiliatedresearchlaboratoriesandinan.o.bservatory,andtriedtheRector'swife'sprivateline,allnumbersleftoverfromformersearches.Noresults.

Waitinguntilshewenthomeintheeveningswasfruitlessa.s.shespentallhertimeininaccessiblemeetingsandcommittees,andcatchingherbetweenwakinganddepartureinthemorningsfine-tunedthingstoavariablefiveminutes.'PleaseaskhertophoneFreddie':aftersixattemptsIgaveupandwentbacktoraisingthecomputerpeopleadozenorsomilesuptheroad.

FromthateffortIgotthenumber-un.o.btainablenoiseandalsopresentlyavoicea.s.suringmethatthelinehadbeendisconnected.Tryingagainproducedthesameresult.Irritated,Iphonedmybarberwhooperatedfourshopsalongfromthecomputers,andaskedwhatwasgoingon.

'Theyvanishedovernightonedaylastweek,'hetoldmeincarefreetones.'Didabunk.Justuppedandscarpered.Tookeverything,lefttheplacebare.We'reallstrugglingalongheresincetheyputourrentsupdiabolicallyandIshouldn'twonderiftheshoeshopdoesn'tgonext.'

'Dammit,'Isaid.

'Sorry,mate.'

Ididabitofyellow-fingerswalkingandsecuredashakypromisefromastrangerto'putmeonthelist'.'Can'tcometomorrow,sorry,notachance.'

Sighing,Iflickedagainovertheyellowpages,asIhadtheminmyhand,andtrackeddownarhymingdictionaryinoneofthebookshops.Thelastonetheyhad,Iwaswarned,b.u.t.theywouldkeepitforme.

WhenIputthereceiverdownthistime,thephonerangimmediately.Is.n.a.t.c.hedthereceiverupagainandsaid'Lizzie?'hopefully.

'Expectingaladyfriend,areyou?'SandySmithteasedheavily.'Sorry,can'toblige.'

'Mysister.'

'Oh,sure.'

'HowcanIhelpyou?'

'Otherwayround,'hesaid.'IsaidI'dletyouknowaboutyourhitchhiker.Theydidthepost-mortemandhediedofaheartattack.Myocardialinfarction.Tickerstoppedworking.They'vescheduledtheinquestforThursday.Ahalf-hourjob,evidenceofident.i.ty,thatsortofthing.DrFarway'sreport.Thatdriverofyoursmightbewanted.ThatBrett.'

'He'sleft.Won'tDavedo?'

'Ohaye,Idaresay.'Nothisresponsibility,Igathered.

'Thanks,Sandy,'Isaidsincerely.'HowaboutJogger?'

'That'sabitdifferent.'Hesoundedcautioussuddenly.'There'snoreportyetonhim.AsfarasIknow,theyhaven'tcuthimupsofar,like.They'realwaysbusyonMondays.'

'w.i.l.l.youletmeknowwhenyouhear?'

'Can'tpromise.'

'Well,doyourbest.'

Hesaiddoubtfullythathewould,andIwonderedifhe'dbeensubvertedbymytwoplain-clothesvisitorsintocastingmeasopposition.Allthesame,he'dkepthiswordoverKevinKeithOgden,andmaybeourlongacquaintances.h.i.+pwouldremainadurablebridge.

Isatforawhilethinkingofeverythingthathadhappenedoverthepastfivedays,untileventuallythephonerangagainandthistimeitwasindeedmysister.

Whodidyouleaveunturned?'shedemanded.'I'vebeendelugedbyaveritablefloodof'PhoneFreddie's'.Sowhat'sup?'

'Firstofall,whereareyouandhowareyoudoing?'

'Yousurelydidn'tsendallthoseSOSsjustforafiresidechat!'

'Er,no.Butifweshouldgetcutoff,whereareyou?'

Shereadoutanumber,whichIaddedtothelist.'ProfessorQuipp'slodgings,'shesaidcrisply.

Iwonderedifeveryoneexceptmehadknownwheretofindher.She'dhadseverallovers,nearlyallbearded,allacademics,notalwaysscientists.ProfessorQuippsoundedthelatest.Ididn'tmakethemistake,however,ofutteringaloudanunretractableguess.

'Iwaswondering,'Isaiddiffidently,'ifyoucouldgetsomethinga.n.a.lysedforme.Inthechemistryschool,perhaps.'

'Whatsortofthing?'

'Someunknownliquidina10cctube.'

'Areyouserious?'Shesoundedasifshethoughtmecrazy.'Whatisit?Wheredidyouget.i.t?'

'IfIknewwhat.i.twasIwouldn'tneedtofindout.'

'Ohbrother...'Shesoundedsuddenlymorefriendly.'Tellmeall.'

Itoldheraboutthecarrierfoundinoneofmyboxesandthesixtubesinthethermos.

'Quitealotofweirdthingshavehappened,'Isaid.'Iwanttoknowwhatmyhorseboxwascarryingand,apartfromyou,theonlypersonIcouldaskwouldbethelocalvetorelsetheJockeyClub.Actually,I'llgivetheJockeyClubatubeortwotobefair,butIwanttoknowtheanswermyself,andifIentrust.i.talltoanysortofauthorityI'velostcontrolofit.'

Sheunderstoodverywellaboutlosingcontrolofresearchresults.Ithadhappenedtoheronce,andshe'dneverstoppedresentingit.

'Ithought,'Iwenton,'thatyou'dbesuretoknowsomeonewithagaschromatographorwhateverit'scalled,andcouldgetthejobdoneformeprivately.'

Shesaidslowly,'Yes,Icoulddoit,butareyousureit'snecessary?Idon'twanttowasteafavourI'mowed.Whatelsehashappened?'

'Twodeadmenandsomeemptycontainersstucktotheundersidesofatleastthreeof-mylorries.'

'Whatdeadmen?'

'Ahitchhikerandmymechanic.Hefoundthecontainers.'

'Whatsortofcontainers?'

'Forsmuggling,maybe.'

Shewa.s.silent,evaluating.'There'sachance,'shesaidslowly,'thatyoucouldbethoughtguiltyofwhatever'sgoneon.'

'Yeah.Acertainty,giventheatt.i.tudeofthetwopolicemenwhocameheretoday.'

'Andyoulovethepolice,ofcourse.'

'I'msure,'Isaid,'thatthereareanynumberofcivilisedintelligentculturedpolicemendoingbrilliantlycompa.s.sionatejobsallovertheplace.Ijustseemtohavemetthosewho'vehadthelaughkickedoutofthem.'

Sheremembered,asIdid,atimeinthepastwhenI'dbeggedthepolice(notSandy,andnotinPixhill)topreserveayoungwomanfromherviolenthusband.Domesticaffairsweren'ttheirbusiness,I'dbeentoldsniffily,andaweeklatershe'ddiedfromabeating.Ithadbeenthesubsequentlyshruggedpoliceshoulderswhichhadinfuriatedme,notanysortofblightedpa.s.sion,a.s.she'dbeenbarelymorethananacquaintance.Officialindifferencehadbeenliterallydeadly.Toolatethatyearsafterwardsanewdirectivehaddecreed'domestics'tobeworthyofaction:inme,thedamagehadbeendonewhenI'dbeenidealisticandtwenty.

'Howarethingsingeneral?'Lizziesaid.

'Thebusinessisbusy.'

'Andthelovelife?'

'Onhold.'

'Andhowlongsinceyoudeliveredflowerstotheforebears?'

'Yesterday,actually.'

'Really?'Shedidn'tknowwhethertobeimpressedordisbelieving.'Imean...truly?'

Truly.ThefirsttimesinceChristmas,mindyou.'

'Theregoesyourfatalhonestyagain.Itellyou,itgetsyouintomoretrouble...'Shebrokeoff,pondering.'Howdoyouproposetogetthesemysterioustubesupheretome?'

'Post,Isuppose.Courier,better.'

Hm.'Apause.'Whatareyoudoingtomorrow?'

GoingtoCheltenham.It'sChampionHurdleDay.'

'Isit?SinceyoustoppedhurlingyoursouloverthosefencesI'velosttouchwithracing.WhatifIflydown?I'mdueacoupleofdaysoff.WecouldwatchtheracesonTV,youcouldtellmeallandtakemeouttodinnerandI'llflybackonWednesdaymorning.Getmyoldroomready.Whatdoyousay?'

'w.i.l.l.youcometothehouseorthefarm?'

'Thehouse,'shesaidwithdecision.'It'seasier.'

'Noon?'

'Asnearasdammit.'

'Lizzie,'Isaidgratefully,'thanks.'

Hervoicewasdry.'You'reonetoughcookie,brotherdear,solessofthesob-stuff.'

'Whereverdidyouhearsuchlanguage?'

'Inthecinema.'

Smiling,Isaidatemporarygoodbyeandputdownthereceiver.Shewouldcome,a.s.shealwayshad,drivenbyaninbuiltcompulsiontohurrytotheaidofherbrothers.Theeldestofthefamilybyagapoffiveyears,shehadmotheredfirstourbrotherRogerandthensixyearslatermyself,afiercehenwithchicks.Hadshehadchildrenofherown,thoseinstinctsmighthavediednaturallyonmyaccount,astheyhadforRoger,who'dachievedacosywifeandthreeboysofhisown,butasI,likeher,hadnevermarried-ornotsofar-Iseemedstilltobenotonlybrotherbutsurrogateson.

Shortishandthin,herbobbeddarkhairlatelypepperedwithgrey,shewhiskedaroundherownhabitateitherinblackacademicgownsorwhitelaboratoryoveralls,herdartingmindengagedwithpa.r.s.ecs,quantumleapsandblackandwhitedwarfs.Shepublishedpapers,shetaughtintensely,she'dmadeaname;shewas,inoroutofbedwiththelatestbeard,asfarasIcouldsee,fulfilled.

ItwasagoodsixmonthssinceI'dtakenthetraintoherScottishdoortospendtwodayswithher.Twodayscompressedsixmonths'conversationintoaspanshepreferred.Herone-nighttriptoPixhillwastypical;shewouldneversitstillforaweek.

Thinkingabouther,IsatonatthefarmyarduntilNinacameback,herboxempty,therunnerssafelyreturnedtotheirstable.Sheparkedbythepumpsandfilledthetanksandcameyawningovertotheofficetoputtheday'slogthroughtheletter-box,a.s.she'dbeenasked.

Iwentouttomeether.'Howdiditgo?'Iasked.

'Utterlyuneventfulinanymeaningfulway.Fascinatinginothers.Hasanythinghappenedhere?'

Ishookmyhead.'Notreally.ThepolicecameagainaboutJogger.Iarrangedhismemorialatthepub,weshouldgetagoodlistofnamestomorrow.Thecomputer'sactingup.Andafteryou'vecleanedthathorseboxI'vesomethingtoshowyou.'

Sheglancedindisfavouratthedustyvehicle.'DoyoureallymeanIshouldcleanit?'

'Harvewillexpect.i.t.Insideandout.'

Shegavemeanold-fas.h.i.+onedsidewayslookofirony.'Idon'tthinkPatrickVenablesintendedthisatall.'

'Undercoverisundercover,'Isaidmildly.'IfIdoitforyouandHarvecomesbackinthemiddle,myauthorityinthisplaceisdownthedrainwiththedisinfectant.'

Todoherjustice,shecomplainednomorebutdrovetheboxtothecleaningareaandattackeditwiththepressurisedwater,squeegeeinguntilthewindowsshone.

Harvedidinfactreturnwhileshewasbusyandtookherindustryforgranted.WhilehefilledhistanksandwaitedhisturnwiththewaterIreturnedtomyofficeandslightlyrearrangedtheitemsonthecanteentray,removingfourofthepuzzlinglittletubesfromsightandstowingthemdeepinadeskdrawer.Withtimetospare,Ipickeduptheunopenedpacketofsandwichesandreadthelabelonit:'BeefandTomato'.Therewasalsoapricestickerlabelandasell-bydate,whichidentifiedtheFridayjustpast.

FridaywasthedayI'ddoneMarigold'sshuttleandfoundthecarrierwiththethermos.Friday'ssandwiches.ButIhadn'tstoppedanywherefortheladstobuysandwichesoranythingelse.

Ifrowned.'BeefandTomato.'I'dseena'BeefandTomato'sandwichwrapper,empty,onlyadayortwoago,butwhereexactly?Theanswerarrivedslowly.InBrett'srubbis.h.i.+nthenine-box,ofcourse.

Ninacameintotheofficeandsprawledinthechairacrossfrommine,thedeskbetweenus.

'WhatdoIdotomorrow?'sheasked.'Ilearnedalotaboutracingtodaybutd.a.m.nallaboutsmuggling.IthinkPatrickbelievedIwouldinstantlyspotwhat'sgoingon,butIcouldbehereamonthandseenothingiftoday'sanythingtogoby.'

Noone,'Iremindedher,'ha.s.seenanythinggoingon.Perhapsyou'reheretoseehowanythingcould.'

'Whichyoucouldseebetterthanme.'

'No,Idon'tthinkso.I'dsaynothingmuchhappenswhenI'maroundsimplybecauseI'maround.I'dliketosendyouonatriptoFranceorItalyorIreland,b.u.t.therewehitabitofasnag.'

'whatsnag?Idon'tmindgoing.I'dquitelikeit,infact.'

'Ihavetosendtwodriversbecauseofthehours.'

'That'sOK.'

Ismiled.'Notreally.Thewivesofthemarrieddriverstakeexceptiontomesendingtheirhusbandsabroadwithawoman.Myusualwomandriver,Pat,consequentlynevergoesabroad,toherdisgust.IcouldofcoursesendyouwithNigel,who'snotmarried,butPatherselfwon'tgowithhim,he'dseduceanun.'