Blood Sport Part 10

Heledthewayupthestaircaseintothebalconybarandorderedvodkaandtonic.IaskedifIcouldhavethetonicwithoutthevodkaandheremarkedthatmyfather,anenthusiasticalcoholic,wouldhaveturnedinhisgrave.

'Whatareyoudoingnowthen?'hesaid,sippingtheclearfizzymixture.'StillintheCivilService?'

'Yes.'Inodded.'ButI'monleaveatpresent.'

'Italwaysseemedrumtome,youdoingsomethingso...sotame,'hesaid.'Consideringthesortofboyyouwere.'Heshrugged.'Neverwouldhavethought.i.t.Youroldfatheralwaysthoughtyou'ddosomethinginracing,youknow.Yourodewellenough,youknewyourwayaround.Can'tunderstandit.'Helookedatmeaccusingly.'ThosetwoyearsintheArmydidyounogood.'

Ismiled.'ItwaswhileIwasintheArmythattheyofferedmethisjob.'

'Safe,Isuppose,'hesaid,makingallowances.'Prospects,pension,andallthat.'

'Mm,'Isaidnon-committally.'Actually,Ireallycameheretodaytoseeyou,toaskyouaboutChrysalis.'

'Havetheyfoundhim,doyouknow?'hesaid.

'Notyet,no.TheAmericanwhoboughthimisafriendofmyboss,andthey'veaskedme,asIknowyou,toseeifyouwoulddothemafavour.'

'IfIcan,'hesaidpromptly.'IfIcan.'

'Theirproblemis,'Iexplained,'thatifandwhenaloosehorseisfound,especiallyifhe'ssomedistancefromwherehewaslost,howaretheytobesureitisChrysalis.'

Helookedstartledandthenamused.'Thatcertainlyisaproblem.ButChrysalishasn'tbeeninmyyardsince...let'ssee...fouryearslastOctober.Idon'tknowwhetherI'dbecertainofhim,notabsolutelycertain,ifIsawhim,forinstance,amongtwentyothersratherlikehim.Andyou'dwant.i.ttobemorepositivethanthat.'

'Yes,'Iagreed.'ActuallyIrangyourhomethismorningandyoursecretarysaidI'dfindyouhere.AndhealsosaidChrysalis'soldladwouldbehere.SanrKitchens.WouldyoumindifIhadawordwithhim?'

'That'sright,hecamewithMilkmaidforthefour-thirty.No,Idon'tmind,youaskhimwhatyoulike.'

'MrDaveTeller,whoboughtChrysalis,wonderswhetheryouwouldletSamKitchensgoovertotheStatesforafewdays,ifandwhenthehorseturnsup,toidentifyhim.MrTellerwillpayhisfareandexpenses.'

Arkwrightlaughed.'Samwilllikethat.He'snotabadchap.Prettyreliable.'

Thenifhe'sneeded,you'llgetacablesayingwhichflighthe'stogoon,andsoon.Willthatbeallright?'

Henodded.'YoutelltheAmericanI'lllethimgo.'

Ithankedhim.'They'llbeverygrateful.'Iboughthimanothervodkaandtonicandwetalkedabouthorses.

SamKitchenswalkedhisfairyoungMilkmaidaroundtheparaderingandIriskedtenbobonher,butsheturnedouttobeacow.IjoinedArkwrightwhileheranhishanddownthefilly'slegsandlistenedtothejockeyexplainingforciblythat.i.twasn'tdowntherethatthetroublelay,butupinherpea-sizedbrain.

Ladsusuallyresentcriticismoftheircharges,butfromhis.e.xpressionKitchens,ashortstockymanofaboutthirty,heldmuchthesameview.Iaskedhim,afterintroductionsfromArkwright,whetherhewouldknowChrysalisagainwithenoughcertaintytotestifyifnecessaryinacourtoflaw.

'Sure,'hesaidwithouthesitation.'I'dknowtheboy.Ihadhimthreeyears.Sure,I'dknowhim.MaybeIcouldn'tpickhimoutofaherd,now,butI'dknowhimcloseto.Thewayhis.h.i.+degrows,andlittlenicksinhisskin,Iwouldn'thaveforgottenthose.'

'That'sfine,'Isaid,nodding.'Wasthere...isthere...anythingspecialabouthim,whichmighthelpsomeonewho'dneverseenhimbeforetorecognisehim?'

Hethought.i.toverforseveralminutes.'It'sfouryears.More,nearlyfive,see.TheonlythingIrememberis,wehadtroublewithhisoffhindhoof.Itwasthin,usedtocrackatthesameplaceeverytime.b.u.t.thestudhewenttomighthavecuredit,ashewasn'tracinganymore.Orhemightjusthavegrownoutofit,beingoldernow.'Hepaused.'Tellyousomething,helikedsardines.He'stheonlyhorseIknowofwhohadatasteforsardines.'

Ismiled.'That'sprettyodd.Howdidyoufindout?'

'Tookmyteaintohisboxonce.Sardinesontoast.Iput.i.tdownforaminuteonthewindowsill,andwhenIlookedroundhe'dscoffedthelot.Ittickledme,itdid.Iusedtoshareatinfulwithhimsometimes,afterthat.Healwayslikedthem.'Istayedforthelastraceandpickedanotherloser.Iwouldhavemadealousytrainer,anyway.

CHAPTERSEVEN.

IreachedtheAirTerminalateight-fifteen,butLynniewastherefirst.

'Icouldn'tsleepmuch,'shesaid.'I'veneverbeentoAmericabefore.'

I'dbeentoAmericaadozentimes.Ihadn'tsleptmucheither.

Lynnie'sclothes,adeeppinks.h.i.+nyPVCraincoatovertheorangetandress,werehavingananti-soporificeffectoneveryoneinsight.Resistinganurgetogropefordarkgla.s.sesIfeltanuncommonlifttothespirits,whichlastedtomidAtlantic.ThereLynniewenttosleepandastrongwaveofnon-enthusiasmforfindingChrysalisinvadedmymindlikeoneenormousyawn.Iwouldn'tmind,Ithoughtidly,Ireallywouldn'tmindlazingaroundthatswimmingpoolwithEuniceandLynnie,doingnothingatallbutdrinkinsuns.h.i.+ne,peace,scotch,andanuninterruptedviewoftwowell-shapedfemalesinbikinis.Peacemostofall.Lielikealog,andnotthink,notfeel.Andsleep.Sleepforsixteenhoursadayandmindlesslylazeawaytheothereight:aprogrammeasneartodeathasdammit.Averysmallstepfromtheretoeternity,tomakethepeacepermanent...

'Whatareyouthinkingabout?'Lynniesaid.

Shehadopenedhereyesandwaswatchingmyface.

'Heaven,'Isaid.

Sheshookherheadslightly.'h.e.l.l,morelike.'Shesatupbriskly.'Howlongbeforeweland?'

'Aboutanhour.'

'WillIlikeMrsTeller?'

'Haven'tyoumetherbefore?'Iasked.

'Once,whenIwaslittle.Idon'trememberher.'

Ismiled.'Sheisn'teasytoforget.'

'Exactly,'Lynniesaid.'There'ssomethinG.o.ddaboutmegoingtostaywithher.OfcourseIsaidI'dloveto,andwhowouldn'tgooffonanytriptogetawayfromschool,letaloneasuperonelikethis,butIdistinctlythinkthatDaddyandMrTellerhaveanulteriormotiveandIwanttoknowwhat.i.tis.'

'Theywanthertohavecompany,tostopherdrinkingtoomuchalone.'

'Wow!'Shelookedsurprised.'You'renotserious?'

'Theydidn'tsayso.I'monlyguessing.'

'ButIcan'tstopherdrinking,'sheprotested.

'Don'ttry.Shedoesn'tgetdrunk.Andyou'lllikeherallright,aslongasyourearsdon'tfalloff.'

Shelaughed.'Mymotherwouldn'tapproveofher?'

'Quitelikelynot.'

'Jexpectthat'swhyI'veonlymetheronce.'Shegrinnedatmemischievouslywithoutashredofself-consciousness,Joan'sinfluencewaningvisiblywitheveryhundredmiles.

Itwaslatemorning,localtime,whenwecheckedinattheBiltmore.FromthereLynniedepartedonfootforaprivatetourofNewYork,andIcabbeddowntowntob.u.t.tressLife.Theheatwavewa.s.stillinposition,theairstillsaturated.Lethargyandhazehungoverthecity,andbuildingss.h.i.+veredlikemiragesthroughtheblueexhaustsofthecars.Onceovertheb.u.t.tressbuilding'sthresholdthetemperatezonetookover:Irodeuptotheseventhfloorwiththehumidityinmyclothescondensingintowater,andsaggeddamplyintoWalt'ssparechairinfourseven.

'Goodtrip?'hesaid.'Youlook...'hehesitated.

'Yeah,'Isaid.'p.o.o.ped.'

Hesmiled.Itwasworthwaitingfor.There'saloadtobereadinasmile,andWalt'swasagoodone.

'How'sitwiththeSnailExpress?'Iasked.

Hepickedalistoffhisdesk.'Theywereveryco-operative.Onlytroubleis,theyhadaboutthirty-fivetrailersoutonthosedateswhichjustmighthavebeengoingwestontheturnpike.'Hehandedmethepapersympathetically.'Itwasaprettylongshot,ofcourse.'

'Hm.'Ilookedatthelistofnamesandaddresses,andatmywatch.'Ithinkwe'dbettercheckthem.'

'Ihadafeelingyou'dsaythat.'Atouchofgloom.

Ismiledathim.'I'llstart.i.t,ifyoulike.Doyouknowwherewecangetgoodenlargementsofasnapshotdonequickly?'Henoddedandmentionedaname,andIgavehimthenegative.'Thetoplefthandcorner.Acouple.Manandgirl.'Henoddedagain.'Andthere'sthishandkerchief.'Iproducedit.'Wouldyoumindmakingatourofalltheofficesonthisfloor,andperhapsthefifthaswell,andfindingoutwhateveryonea.s.sociateswithit?'

Walttookthesmallwhitesquarecuriously.

'YogiBear,'hesaid.'What'sthepoint?'

'ItbelongedtoagirlwhomayknowmorethansheoughtaboutChrysalis.Thegirlonthenegative.'

'Findher,findthehorse?'Hewashalfincredulous,afractionexcited.

'Maybe.'

'Rightthen,'hesaidatthedoor.'Seeyou.'

Istudiedthelist.SnailExpresshaddonetheirbest.Mostnameshadtwoaddresses,theoldandthenew.Allwerefollowedbyaplaceandadate,thedepotwherethetrailerhadbeencheckedinafteritstrip.Therewereseveraltelephonenumbersfortheeasternaddresses,afewforthewest.

Workingstolidlydownthelist,withlongpauseswhilenewinhabitantswenttofindthenewtelephonenumbersoftheold,IsaidIwascallingfromSnailExpress,wantingtoknowthattheservicehadbeensatisfactory,orifthecustomershadanysuggestionsorcomplaints.Ilistenedtomorepraisethancriticism,andeventuallycheckedofftwenty-sevengenuinehirings.

WaltcamebackwhileIwasbitingtheendofoneofhispencilsandwonderingwhattodonext.Itwasthreeo'clock.He'daddedlunchtohisitinerarybuthecarriedalargewhitepackage,whichheopenedcarefully.SixenlargementsofthecornerofPeter'snegative.Varioussizes,frompostcardtoninebyseven.Thefaceswereclearestonthesmallestprint,toofuzzyonthelargest.

'Hesayshe'llrunoffasmanyasyouwantbythisevening,ifyoulethimknowatonce.'

'Askhimforsix,then.Postcardsize.'

'O.K.'Hepickedupthereceiver,pressedtheb.u.t.tons,andasked.

Theboyandgirlstoodsidebyside,theirheadsturnedslightlytotheleft,towardswherewehadsatunderthesunumbrella.Theirfaceswerecalm,good-looking,andsomewhatalike.Theboy'shairwasdarker.Theywereofalmostthesameheight.Thechecksoftheboy'ss.h.i.+rtstoodoutclearly,andoneofitsb.u.t.tonswaseitherundoneormissing.Thegirlhadawatchwithanextrawidestraponherleftwrist.Shehadn'tbeenwearingitwhileshehungontothepost.

'All-Americankids,'Waltcommented.'Sowhat?'

'Sohowdidyougetonwiththehandkerchief?'

Waltproducedit.Alittlelimper,alittlegrubbierthanbefore.

'FifteenYogiBears,tendon't-bother-me-nows,sixlewdsuggestions,andoneYellowstonePark.'

'Onewhere?'

'YellowstonePark.'

'WhyYellowstonePark?'

'That'swhereYogiBearlives.Atleast,it'scalledJellystoneinthecartoons,but.i.t'sYellowstonereally.'

'ReallivebearsstillinYellowstone?'

'Ohsure.'

'Anaturalbeautyspot...holidayplace,isn't.i.t?'Irememberedvaguely.

Waltnodded.

'Withsouvenirs?'Isuggested.

'Greatlotofhelpthatwouldbetous.'

Iagreed.Itwouldonlynarrowthefielddowntooneofthethousandswho'dbeentoYellowstonesometime,oroneoftheotherthousandswhoknewsomeonewho'dbeentoYellowstonesometime.ButIrememberedaJamaicanwould-bea.s.sistanttotheBiologicalWarfareDefenceLaboratoryatPortonwho'dbeenturneddownbecauseofaRussian-madebustofCastroinhisbedroom.Souvenirssometimeshadtheiruses.

'Thehandkerchiefprobablycamefromj.a.pan.Doyouhavealeg-manwhocancheckwhoimportedit,andwhereitwa.s.soldoverhere?'

'Leg-man?'Waltechoeddismally.'That'sme.'Heputthehandkerchiefawayinitsenvelope,chasedupafewanswersonthetelephoneandheavedhimselfreluctantlytohisfeet.'ImayaswellgoseeamanaboutaYogi,then.How'rethetrailers?'

'Twenty-sevenareO.K.Oftheothereight,fivedon'tanswer,andthreehavenotelephone.'

Itriedtwoofthenon-answerersyetagain.Stillnoreply.WaltlookedthroughtheshorterlistI'dmadeoftheunchecked.

'Theysurewentallover,didn'tthey?'Hesaid.'Nebraska,Kentucky,NewMexico,California,Wyoming,Colorado,TexasandMontana.Justdon'taskmetolegitaroundallthoseplaces!'Hedriftedoutofthedoorandhissolidfootstepsdiminuendoeddownthepa.s.sage.

Iwentontryingthenumbersnowandthen.AftertwohoursIhadcrossedTexasoffthelist,bittentheendrightoffWalt'spencilandstartedonitaninchfurtherdown,decidedIcouldn'tworkmanydaysinhisrabbithutchofanoffice,andwonderedhowEunicewasmakingoutbesideherpool.

Thetelephonebuzzed.

'AreyoustayingattheBiltmoreagain?'Waltsaid.

'Yes.'

'Meetmeinthebarthere,'hesuggested.'I'mnearertherethantoyou.'

'Sure,'Isaid.'I'monmyway.'