Blood Sport Part 22

IthadbeentheirbadluckthatbythemerestchanceIhadleftthedenuntillast.

Yoladisconnected,andafterthetwentysecondsgaponthetape,UncleBarkcalledupMattfromthedownstairstelephone.Matt'scommentsweremostlyinaudiblethoughdetectablyexplosive.Heagreedtogotothehouse,butnothingOffensaidgaveanyclueastowhereMattwasatthatmoment.Itappearedonlythathewa.s.somewherewithinareasonableradiusofLasVegas,ashewasgoingtobeabletodrivethere,seetothingsatthehouse,andgetbackintimetofeedthehorsesintheevening:whichnarroweditdowntosomewhereinanareaofroughlyahundredandfiftythousandsquaremiles.Apockethandkerchief.

Abrieftelephoneconversationofnointerestfollowedandthen,presumablyintheafternoon,Offenhadswitchedonhistelevisionsettowatcharacingprogramme.AsfarasIcouldtellfromspotchecks,ithadusedupthewholeoftherestofthefour-hourplayingtime.

Sighing,Iswitchedoff,andwentdownstairs.LynnieandEunice,dressedindazzlingcolours,weredrinkingdaiquirisandwatchingthePacificsunset.Igotanothercoolwelcomeandmonosyllabicreplytomyenquiriesabouttheirday.

FinallyEunicesaiddistantly,'DidyouhaveagoodtimeinSanFrancisco?'

Iblinked.'Yes,thankyou.'

TheyrelapsedintoalongersilencewhichwasbrokenonlybyawaitercomingtotellmeIwaswantedonthetelephone.

ItwasWalt.

'Whereareyou?'Isaid.

'LasVegasairport.'

'Howdiditgo?'

'Youcanrelax,'hesaidcomfortably.'ThehorsesareonasmallfarminavalleyinArizona,outbeyondKingman.WelandedthereandIaskedaroundsome.Seemsthecouplewhoownthefarmdon'tmakemuchofaliving,butlastweektheysaidafriendwasgivingthematriptoMiami,andayoungfellowwouldbelookingaftertheplacewhiletheywereaway.'

'That'sgreat,'Isaidwithemphasis.

'Thepaintmadeiteasy.Weheardhimyellingbluemurderwhenhesawit,butIguessithaddriedonbythenandhecouldn'tget.i.toff,becauseitwaswaypastmidday,andI'dbeguntoworrythathe'dgonealreadyandwehadn'theardhimorthatthey'dpickedyouupplantingthebug...anyway,wetookoffwhenhisenginestarted,andtheyellowsplashwaseasytoseefromaheight,justasyousaid.HewentrightthroughLasVegasandoutontotheHooverDamroadandacrossintoArizona.Ikeptthebinocularsonhimandweneverflewnearenoughforhimtonoticeus,I'mcertainofthat.Hewentupawindinggradedroadintothehillssouth-eastofKing-man,andthatwasit.'

'You'vedonemarvels.'

'Oh,sure.Itwa.s.simplerthanwewerepreparedfor,though.Youcouldhearthebugprettyclearlythroughthehelicopter'sheadsetsas.h.i.+ghastwothousandfeet,andwecouldhavefollowedhiminthedarkifwe'dhadto,especiallyashehadhisradioonformostoftheway.Wecouldhearmusicandnewsbroadcastsnowandthen.'

'Areyoucomingbacktonight?'

'Yeah,there'saplaneinahalfhourfromnow.But.i.t'llbebetterthanmidnightwhenIgetin.'

'I'llbeawake,'Isaid.'Andjustbytheway,Walt,whatdidyoutellEuniceandLynnieIwasdoinginSanFrancisco?'

Heclearedhisthroat.'Isaidyouhadsomeunfinishedbusinessthere.'

'Whatsortofbusiness?'

'Uh...like...er...female.'

'Thanks,'Isaidsarcastically.'You'rearightpal.'

SomethingverylikealaughlingeredinmyearasIdisconnected.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN.

LynnieandEunicetalkedbrightlytoeachotheroverdinnerandIsatmakingplansforthenextdayanddidn'tlisten.Politelyaftercoffeewepartedforthenight,andatelevenIdroveouttoOrpheuswithafreshreelforthereceiverintherocks,andbroughtbacktheoneIhadfittedearlier.

WaltcamebackintomyroomasIwasrunningitthrough,andwebothlistenedtoCulhamJamesOffentalkingtoMattandthentoYola.

Yolawasabetterbetfromourpointofview,becauseherangryfemininevoicescatteredhighersoundwavesoutofthereceiver,andonecouldimagineUncleBarkholdingitinchesawayoutofdeferencetohiseardrums.

Hewasdoinghisbesttosootheher.'Mattsaysitcouldhavebeenworse;someofthesevandalshavethrownmola.s.sesandpreservesandevensewagearoundinpeople'shouses...'

'Hesaysthewholeplaceiscoveredinflour...it'lltakeweekstoclearup.'

'It'llvacuumquiteeasily,won't.i.t?It'snotstickyanditdoesn'tstain.'

Butshecouldn'tbeconsoled,evenwhenheremindedherthatthemoneywa.s.safe,andthatherminkwraphadn'tbeenstolen.

'ButMattsays,'shewailed,'that.i.twaswhite.'

'Flourwillshakeout...andmightevencleanit.'

'Youdon'tunderstand.'

'SureIdo,Yola,'hesaidpatiently.'Youfeellikeitwasyouwhowasa.s.saulted,notyourhouse.Youfeeldirtyandfuriousandyou'dliketokicktheb.a.s.t.a.r.dswhodidit.Sure,Iknow.Wehadthievesinhereonce,whenyourAuntEllenwasalive.Theystoleallherrings,andshesaiditwaslikebeingraped.'

Theytalkedaboutthebreak-inforagoodwhilelonger,andWaltraisedaneyebrowandremaikedthatIseemedtohavegottenreasonablerevengeforthatclaponthehead.

WewerebothyawningbythetimeOffenwasthroughfortheevening.Thelasthalfhourconsistedofhimtellinghishouseboyhisplansandrequirements,andnoneofthesebetrayedanyanxietyoruncertainty.CulhamJameswasconfident,andIwasgladofit.Worriedmenpatroltheirdefences.

Waltwentofftobed,andalthoughIhadn'tsleptatallthepreviousnightIwokeagainafteronlythreehours.Thecolouredlightsontheoutsideofthemotelthrewprismaticreflectionsontheceiling.Istaredupatthem,tryingtomakepatternsandshapes,tryinganysillyrusetostopmymindfromnose-divingintothepit.Thetugoftheunfinishedchasewasveryfaint,andwhetherAllyxandShowmaneversiredanotherfoalseemedamatterofsupremeunimportance.Fraud,theft,attemptedmurder...whocared?

IhadlefttheLugerinitsbeltholsteracrosstheroomonachair.NeithertheClivesnorOffenwerelikelytocomecreepingthroughthenighttodomein,andmyusualenemiesweresixthousandmilestotheeast.Theonlydangerlayinmyself,thedeadliestenemyofthelot.Thetheorythatgoingtobedwiththegunoutofreachwouldlessenitsmagnetictemptationwasprovingadrearyflop.

Onemoreday,Ithoughtintheend.Anyonecouldmanagejustonemoreday.Ifyousaidthatfirmlyenougheverynight,onemightevenfinishthecourse.

Dawncreptuponthecolouredbulbsandwashedthemout.Itookashowerandshaved,andadmittedthatIhadseenhealthierlookingmenthantheoneinmyreflection.

WaltcamealongtomyroomwhenIwasmidwaythroughorangejuiceandcoffeeateight-thirty.'Whatyouneed,'hesaid,eyeingthis,'issomegoodsolidfood.'

'Idon'tfeelhungry.'

Hiseyesslidtomyfaceandaway.'Comeondownandeatwithme.'

Ishookmyhead.'I'llwaitforyou.'

Hewouldn'tgoalone.Heorderedhot-cakesandeggsandcoffeefromroomservice,andwegotstraightdowntobusinesswhilehedemolishedthem.

'It'lltaketwoandahalfdaysforSamHengelmantogettoKingman,'Isaid.

Henoddedwithhismouthfull.

'Hewa.s.startingearlythismorning,'Iwenton,'Icalledhimlastnight,afteryou'dbeenthroughfromLasVegas.He'sdrivingthevanhimself,andhe'scomingalone.Thatmeans.h.i.+sjourneytimewillbelonger,but.i.tseemedbetterthatwayfromthesecrecypointofview.'

'Didyoutellhimitwasanothers.n.a.t.c.h?'Waltsaiddoubtfully.

Ismiled.'IengagedhimtocomeandcollectahorsebelongingtoDaveTeller.Heaskedifwewerelikelytobecollectingthisoneinalonelyplaceatnight,andIsaidyes,weprobablywould.'

'Andhedidn'tbackout?'

'HemerelyremarkedthathehadnogreatobjectiontoaneasybuckifIwoulda.s.surehimhecouldn'tgotojailforit.'

Waltwipederranteggoffhischin.'Andcouldhe?'

'Icouldn'ttellhimitwasimpossible.Oddsofathousandtoone,Isaid.Hesaidathousandbucksagainstonechanceofgoingtojailwasn'tenough.'

Waltlaughed.'Sohowmuchishecomingfor?'

'Fifteenhundred,pl.u.s.thenormalhiringfee,plus.e.xpenses.'

'Notbadforoneweek'swork.'Hepaused,stirringsugar,thensaidtentatively,'Whatdoyougetoutofthisyourself?'

'Me?'Isaidinsurprise.'I'venoidea.ThreeweeksheatwaveinsteadoftheEnglishsummer...'

'Didn'tyounegotiateafee?'

'No.'

'Howcome?'

Ttdidn'toccurtome.'

Hisfacecrinkledintoamixtureofemotionswithwhatappearedtobeamazementandpitycomingoutontop.

'Howaboutyou?'Isaid.

'I'mnotonvacation,'hepointedout.'Igetaprettygoodsalary,andalsoacutofeverythingIsavethecompany.'

'SoChrysalishasbeenworththeextrawork?'

'Atamillionandahalf,areyoukidding?'Waltlookedatmeearnestly.'Look,Gene,I'mgoingtogiveyouonehalfofthatcut...'

'No,'Isaid,interrupting.'Idon'twant.i.t.'

'YouknowdarnedwellIwouldn'thavefoundthathorse,notinamillionyears.Norgothimbackalivesoquickly.Andasfortheseothertwo...'

'Youkeepitforyourkids,'Isaid,'b.u.t.thanks,anyway.'

Hewouldhavegoneoninsisting,butIwouldn'tlisten,andaftertwoattemptshegaveitup.Inthebackofmymind,asIoutlinedwhatIsuggestedweshoulddonext,therelingeredabittersuspicionthatIhadn'tacceptedhisgiftbecauseitwouldbeaselfishwasteifIdidn'tstickaroundtospendit.Ihadrejectedanystringsofconsciencetyingmetolife.Thedeath-seekingforcewasuptoanotherofitstricks.

'Apincermovement,Ithink,'Isaid.'Orrather,asimultaneousattackontwofronts.'

'Huh?'

'KeepCulhamJamesOffen'sattentionrivetedontheMoviemakerandCentigradehehasonhisfarmwhilewespiritawaytheothers.'

'Er,quite,'Waltagreed.

'YoucantakeOffen,'Isaid.

'Andyoutakethehorses?'

Inodded.Waltconsideredwhatmighthappenifweexchangedroles,anddidn'targue.

'WhatarethechancesoffindingoutwhichcompanyMattinsurestheLasVegashousewith?'

Waltthoughtabout.i.t.'Ouragenttheremightbeableto.Butwhy?'

'I...er...wouldrathertakethosehorseswhenIknowMattissafelyaway.'

Waltsmiled.

'So,'Iwenton,'itshouldn'tbetoodifficulttogethimtogobacktothehouseonPitts.Sayforinstancehisinsurancecompanyrequiredhimtomakeaninspectionofhissecurityarrangementsandsignsomedoc.u.mentorother,beforetheywouldrenewfullcover?WeknowfromthetelephonecallstoOffenthatMattandYolahaveasafeinthedenwithalotofmoneyinit.Mattwon'twanttobeuninsuredformorethanaminute,afterhavingonebreak-inalready.'

'Wecouldn'taskhiscompanytodothat...'Waltpausedandlookedatmewithsuspicion.

'Quiteright,'Inodded.'Youcan.Youknowallthejargon.a.s.soonaswehearfromSamHengelmanthathehasreachedtheArizonaborder,youcanstartthespielonMatt.'

'Fromhere?'

'Yes.Askhimwhattimewouldbeconvenientforhim,b.u.t.trytomanoeuvrehimintocominglateintheafternoonorearlyevening,saysixorseven.Thenitwouldbedarkwhenhegothome,andlate,whichshouldhamperhimabitwhenhefindsthehorsesaregone...hemightevenstopoffinLasVegasforacoupleofhoursatthetables.'

Waltsaidthoughtfully,'IreckonI'dbettergotothehouseonPittsvilleandmeethim.'

'No,'Isaidabruptly.

Helookedatme.'You'dthoughtofit?'

'YouarenotgoinganywherenearMattClive.'

'Andwhynot?'

'Youwantasplitskullorsomething?'

'Likewebbedfeet.'Thesmilehovered.'Allthesame,whatisMattgoingtodowhenhearrivesathishouseandnoinsurancemanturnsup?Whatwouldyoudo?Callthecompany,Iguess.Andthenwhat?Hediscoversnooneinthecompanyknowsanythingabouthimhavingtocomebacktothehouse,andhestartsthinkinglikecrazy.AndifIwerehimI'dcallthelocalcopsandgetthemwhizzingouttothefarmforalook-see.Youdidn'tseetheroadtherefromKingman.ButIdid.Therearenoturningsoffitforthelasttenmilestothefarm.Whatifyoumetthecopsheadon,youandSamHengelmanandtwostolenhorses?'

'Hewouldn'triskcallingincops.'