Blood Sport Part 5

And,moredrearily,hownotto.

CHAPTERFOUR.

Theb.u.t.tressLifeofficesonThirty-ThirdStreetwerehighoncustomerappealonthesixthfloor.Onthefifthandsevenththeytuckedthecomputersandelectrictypewritersintofunctionalplasterboardcubicles.IsatthreeinchesdeepinblackleatherandconsideredthatofallAmericancraftsmenIadmiredtheirchairdesignersmost:innoothercountryintheworldcouldonesitonthesameseatforseveralhourswithoutprotestfromthesacro-iliac.

Ihadwaitedfortypleasantlycoolminutesalready.Longenoughtodiscoverthattherowsofpotplantsalongthelowwalldividingtheforty-foot-squarehallintofivesmallerbaysweremadeofplastic.Longenoughtoadmirethepinewoodwalls,theankledeepcarpet,thecarefullyloweredceilingwithitsinsetlights.Ineachbaytherewasalargedesk,withonelargechairbehindit,oneattheside,oneinfront.Nearlyalloccupied.Dividingeachbayneatlyintwostoodasecond,smallerdesk;forthesecretary-receptionistwithhisbackdiscreetlytohisboss.Infrontofhim,ineachbay,thelongblackleatherbenchforwaitingon.

Iwaited.Therewa.s.stillsomeoneforthebigmantoseebeforeme.Verysorry,saidthesecretaryapologetically,b.u.t.theschedulehadbeencrowdedevenbeforeMrTeller'scablearrived.CouldIpossiblywait?

Sowhynot?Ihadthreeweekstospare.

Thelightwasdim,andpipedmusicpouredovereverythinglikesyrup.Thatandthebuilt-indeadnessoftheacousticsmadetheearnestconsultationsgoingonatthefivebigdeskscompletelyinaudibletothewaitingbenches,whileatthesametimegivingthecustomersacomfortingillusionthattheyweren'taloneintheirtroubles.Everyone,atthecoreofthings,wasalone.Justsomemorethanothers.

Ihadn'tsleptallnightafterleavingLynnie;butnotherfault.Ithadbeenonelongstupidstrugglebetweenacravingforoblivionandconvictionthatappeasingitwasn'tsomuchmorallywrongasathoroughgoingdefeat.Ihadneverlearnedtoacceptdefeat.ObstinacyhadgivenmewhatsuccessIhadhadinmyjob,anditaloneseemedtobekeepingmealive,sinceallotherpropswereasmuchuseastoothpicksinanavalanche.EnthusiasmforfindingDaveTeller'shorseburnedinmeasbrightlyaswetcoaldust:andthenationwouldhardlycollapseifIleft.i.tsemploy.

Carolinehadcrowdedlikeaflood-tidethroughmyheadanddownmybody.Caroline...whomIwouldhavemarried,haditnotbeenforthehusbandwhowouldnotdivorceher.

Carolinehadlefthimtolivewithme,andhadfeltguiltyabout.i.t.Amess.Anordinary,everydaymess.Herfinepa.s.sionhadfrettedawayoversixfrustratingyearsofwill-hewon't-he;andtotheendhewouldn't.Notthathe'devergotherback.IntheyearsinceshehadleftmeshehadreturnedtonursingandwasworkingasasisterinaNairobihospital,impervioustocome-backlettersfromeitherofus.

ThesharppainofherdeparturehaddulledtotheextentthatInolongerfelt.i.tthrougheverywakingminute:itcamestabbingbackatlongerandlongerintervals.Butwhenitdid,Irememberedhera.s.she'dbeenatthebeginning,andthehungerwasprettywellunbearable.Itwaseasyenoughtofinddifferentgirlstotalkto,toworkwith,totaketobed:hardtofindamatchonalllevels;andCarolinehadbeenamatch.Inthepastyear,insteadofreceding,thelonelinesshadclosedin.Mywork,ofitsnature,setmeapart.AndIhadnoonetogohometo,tosharewith,tocarefor.Thefutilityandemptinesshadgonedowntomyroots,andnothingseemedtolieaheadbutyearsandyearsmoreofwhatIwasalreadyfindingintolerable.

Theclientsatthebigdeskstoodup.shookhands,andleft.Thesecretaryusheredthemanwiththeearlierappointmentroundintothepresence.Iwentonwaiting,withoutimpatience.Iwasaccustomedtoit.

Thepunt,investigatedinHenleythatmorning,hadproducednothingb.u.t.tendifferentsetsofsmudgedfingerprints,ofwhichthetopmostandstickiestwerePeter's.TheYogiBearhandkerchiefwasonitswayroundthemanufacturers,inthedistanthopethatsomeonecouldtellwhereithadbeensold.Dave Teller,brieflyvisited,hadsaidwanlytochargeeverythingtohim.TheSuperVC10whichliftedoffat3p.m.BritishsummertimefromHeathrowhadlandedatKennedyat3.10.b.u.t.tressLifecloseditsdoorsat6,whichgaveitstillahalfhourtogo.Andoutsideinthecanyonstreetsthehundreddegreeheatwavecreptupanotchtoahundredandone.

Myturncameroundforthebigdesk.Thebigman,onhisfeetbehindit,heldoutalargedryflabbyhandandproducedthesinceresmileoftheprofessionalinsuranceman.Havingsettledmeintothelargecomfortablechairalongsidehesatdownhimselfandpickedupthecablediscreetlyplacedtohandbythesecretary.Apolishedchunkofwoodsatonthedeskbetweenus.Onit,neatgoldlettersfacingmesaidhelpfully:PaulM.Zeissen.

'WereceivedthiscablefromMrTeller,'hesaid.Aslight,veryslightundertoneofdisapproval.

Inodded.Ihadsent.i.tmyself.

'Ourowninvestigatorsareexperts.'Hedidn'tlikemecoming:buthewouldn'twanttolosetheTellerpolicies.Hispolitenesshadeffortbehindit.

Ismoothedhimdown,morefromhabitthananythingelse.

'Ofcourse.Pleasethinkofmesimplyasanauxiliary.MrTellerpersuadedmetocomeoverbecausehehasunfortunatelybrokenaleginEngland,andwillbeimmobilisedinhospitalforafewweeks.Hesentmeverymuchonimpulse,asapersonalfriend,to...kindofrepresenthim.ToseeiftherewasanythingIcoulddo.Therewasnosuggestionthathewasn'tsatisfiedwithyourfirm.'Ipauseddelicately.'Ifhecriticisedanyone,itwasthepolice.'

PaulM.Zeissen'ssmilewarmedupafractionfromwithin:buthehadn'trisentohighexecutivestatusinhistoughprofessionwithoutdisbelievinghalfthateveryonesaid.Thatwasallrightwithme.HalfofwhatI'dsaidwastrue.Orhalftrue,anyway.

'MrTellerunderstandsofcourse,'hesaid,'that.i.tisforourownsakesthatwearelookingforthehorse?'

'Naturally,'Iagreed.'MrTellerisalsomostanxiousthatyoushouldsucceed,asthehorseisirreplaceable.Hewouldinfinitelypreferhisreturntoanyamountofinsurancemoney.'

'Amillionandahalf,'saidZeissenreverently.

'Worthmoreonthehoof,'Isaid.

Heglancedatmewithafirstgleamofrealwelcome.Oncehe'dswallowedthefirm'saffrontedpride,itwasquiteclearthatthey'dnothingtolosebylettingmein.

'Oneofourbestmen,WaltPrensela,isinchargeoftheChrysaliscase,'hesaid.'He'llgiveyouthepicture.Heknowsyou'recoming,Isenthimamemowithacopyofthecable.'Hepressedtheswitchonhisdeskintercom.

'Walt?WehaveMrHawkinsfromEnglandhere.ShallIhavehimcomeuptoyounow?'

Thepolitequestionwas,a.s.soofteninAmericanaffairs,anequallypoliteorder.Theaffirmativedulycame.Zeissenflippedtheswitchandstoodup.

'Walt'sofficeisonefloorup,numberfourseven.Anyonewilldirectyou.Wouldyouliketogoupnow?'

Iwould;andIwent.

I'dexpectedtohavetodealwiththesameruffledfeathersinfourseven,butIdidn't,becauseWalthaddonehishomework,thoughIwasn'tsureofthatatfirst.Hegreetedmewithbusiness-likecasualness,shookhands,wavedmetothesparechair,andsatdownhimself,allinfivesmoothseconds.Muchmyage,Ijudged,butshorterandagooddealthicker.Hishandsweresquareandpowerfulwithnailssobriefthatthefingertips'padsseemedtobeboilingoverbackwards.ThereweremiddleEuropeanoriginsinthebonestructureoftheskull,toppedbyroughlycroppedwirygrey-brownhair,andhisdeep-socketedbrowneyesweresetpermanentlyintotheI-don't-believe-a-word-of-itexpressionofhisbossdownstairs,onlymoreso.

'So,Gene,'hesaid,neitherwithnorwithoutmuchfriendliness,'you'vecomealongway.'

'DaveTeller'sidea,Walt,'Isaidmildly.

'Lookingforhorses...doyoudomuchofthat?'Hisvoicewasflat;uninformative.

'Practicallynone.Howaboutyou?'

Hisnostrilstwitched.'Ifyoumean,wasitIwhodidn'tfindtheothertwo,thenno,itwasn't.'

Itriedasmile:didn'tgetoneback.

Hesaid:'b.u.t.tressLifehadtopayupforAllyxthreeyearsago.Onemillionsixhundredandforty-threethousandsevenhundredandtwenty-ninedollars,giveortakeanickel.Showman,thefirstone,wasinsuredwithanothercompany.'

'Accident?'Imurmured.'Ordesign.'

Herubbedhisleftthumboverthetopoftheround-endedfingers,thefirstofahundredtimesIsawthatgesture.'Nowthatyou'vecome,design.Before,Iwasn'tsure.'

'I'mofficiallyonholiday,'1protested.'IcameonlybecauseTelleraskedme.Youshouldreadnomeaningintoit.'Hegavemealevel,halfsardonicstare.

'Icheckedyouout,'hesaid,flickingatthecopyofthecable,whichlayonhisdesk.'IwantedtoknowjustwhatsortofLimeybusybodywasbeingwishedontome.'

Ididn'tsayanything,andhemadeaclickingnoiseatthesideofhismouth,expressiveofunderstanding,resignationandacceptance,allinone.

'Ascreener,'hesaid.'HowcomeTellerfoundyou?'

'Howcomeyoufoundme?'Iaskedinstead.'Imentionedyournameintwoplaces,'hesaidcomplacently.'TheF.B.I.,andtheC.I.A.Andgotapositivereactionfromboth.Acoupleofusefulpalstherefilledmein.Itseemsyou'reamajorstumblingblockinthewayoftheplantingofspiesincertainGovernmentdepartmentsandplaceslikebiologicalwarfareresearchlaboratories;andyou'vepa.s.sedonsomeusefulwarningsonthatsubjecttoourpeopleatFortDetrick.Theysaytheothersidehavetriedtodeteryou,alittleroughly,onceortwice.'Hesighed.'Youhaveacleanbillwithourboys.Andhow.'

'Andwithyou?'

'Theysaidyoudidn'tlikelimelight.'

'It'sallyours'

'JustsoasIstandinrightwithb.u.t.tress.'Mydecisivenodsatisfiedhim.Ifwefoundthehorse,hewaswelcometothehandshakes.

'Fillmein,then,'Isaid.'HowdidChrysalisgetlost?'Waltglancedathiswatchandcheckeditagainsttheelectricclockonthewall.Thelittlebox-likeofficehadnowindows,asthesinglegla.s.spanelfacedoutontothecorridor;andalthoughitwascoolandcomfortableenough,itwasnoplacetotalkifonedidn'thaveto.

'Fiveaftersix,'Waltsaid.'Doyouhaveanyotherengagements?'

'Knowanygoodbars?'Isuggested.

'Amindreader.'Heraisedeyestoheaven.'There'sDalaney'sablockupBroadway.'

Westeppedoutoftheair-conditioningintotheswelteringstreet,up30degreesintwopaces.Withthehumidityrunningalsoat98percent,walkingaslittleasahundredyardsleftonedamptotheskin.Inevermindedit:NewYorkinaheatwavewasalwayspreferabletoNewYorkinasnowstorm,oranywherehottoanywherecold,forthatmatter.Coldseepedfurtherthanintothebones;numbedthemind,drainedthewill.Ifthedepressiondeepenedtowardswinter,defeatwouldcomewiththesnow.

Dalaney'swa.s.spillingoutontothepavementwithabusinessconventionletoutofschool.An.o.blongnametabsatoneachneatTerylenelapel,aconfidentsmilehidtheanxietybehindeveryface;theystretchedfromthesubstantialgroupoutsideintothedeepcoolgloomofthebar.Pus.h.i.+ngthroughthemlookedaproblem;conversationintheircompanyanimpossibility.

'Howaboutyourhotel?Whereareyoustaying?'Waltsaid.

'TheBiltmore.'

Walt'seyebrowsrosetwoclearinches.

'Teller'spaying,'Isaid.'Hehasanaccountthere.'

'Whatdidyoudothen?Savehislife?'

'Sixtimes,'Iagreed,matchinghissarcasm.

'Hemustreallythink,'Waltsaidreflectively,'thatyoumightgethishorseback.'

'We,'Isaid.

'Nope.You.There'snotrail.I'velooked.'

Acolouredcabdriverinrolledups.h.i.+rtsleevestookustothehotel,hotairblowinginguststhroughtheopenwindoweachtimeheaccelerated.Thecitymovedsluggishlyunderthebrazensun,andtherewasmorerubbishtha.n.u.suallitteringthestreets.

'Thisisafilthytown,'saidWalt,seeingitthroughmyeyes.'GivemeChicago.'

'Toocold,'Isaidautomatically.'Beautiful,b.u.t.toocold.Thatfreezingwindoffthelake...'

'AreyouguysfromChicago?'saidthecabdriver.'Iwasbornthere,intheLoop.'

Walttalkedtohimaboutthat.Idriftedawayintothedisorientatedstateofnotcaringajotaboutthecabdriver,orWalt,orDaveTeller,orCaroline,oranyoneonearth.WewentuptomyroomintheBiltmoreandIdraggedthroughthehostmotionsofringingdownforabottleofscotchandiceandseeingtoheat,lightandashtrays.Waltloosenedhistieandtookafirstappreciativeswallow.

'Youlookp.o.o.ped,'hesaid.

'Naturalstate.'

'Iguessit'smidnightalready,toyou.'

'Iguess.'

Therewasaconsiderabledrinkingpause.Thenhesaid,s.h.i.+ftinghisst.u.r.dybodyinthewhiteleatherchair,'Well,doyouwanttoknowaboutthishorse,ordon'tyou?'

'Sure.'Theboredominmyanswercameovershockinglystrong,eventome.Helookedfaintlystartledandthenspeculative,butwhenhespokeitwa.s.strictlybusiness.

'TheyweretakinghiminahorsevanfromKennedyAirporttoLexington,Kentucky.He'dspentthecompulsorytwenty-fourhoursimmigrationquarantineintheairportstable,alongwithsixotherhorseswhichcameoveronthesameflight.Allnormalatthattime.TheyloadedChrysalisandfourothersintothevan,anddrovewestwardsfromNewYorkonthePennsylvaniaturnpike.'

Time?'Iasked.

'LeftKennedy4p.m.Monday.LastMonday,thatis.Aweektoday.EstimatedLexingtonmiddayTuesday.700miles.'

'Stops?'

'Yeah,'Waltsaid,'Stops.That'swherethetroublestarted.'Heswirledtheclinkingiceroundinhisgla.s.s.'TheytooktheirfirstmealstopatadinernearAllentown,about85milesfromNewYork.Therewerefourmeninthevan,twodriversandtwogrooms.Driversinthecab,groomsinbackwiththecargo.Atthefirststoptheytookturnstoeat,driversfirst,groomsafter.Thedriverschivviedthegrooms,andgavethemtooshortatimetoeatagoodmeal.Therewasanunfriendlyargument.'

'Theyallsayso?'

'Yeah.I'vetalkedtoallfour,oneatatime.They'realltryingtheirhardesttopintheblameontheothers.TheyleftthedinerandwentabouttwohundredmilestotheirnightstopatBedford.Thatwasn.o.better.Farfromcoolingoff,theyhadbeguntoscuffle.

'Theyturnedofftheturnpikeontotheinterstatehighway-seventy-southofPittsburg,andleftthatagainatZanesville,takingthesouth-westforktoCincinatti.AboutfiftymilesfurtherontheyturnedduesouthtocrosstheOhioriverintoKentucky,andgoonthroughParisanddowntheParisPiketoLexington.'

'I'llneedtoseeitonamap,'Isaid.

Henodded.'FromZanesvilletoParistheytooksecondaryroutes,thoughallpavedroads,ofcourse.Right?NowitwasinOhiothatthevanwas.h.i.+jacked,anditwasoverthestateborderinKentuckywhenitwasfound,whichhascausedacoupleofargumentshereandthere.'

'Hi-jacked!That'sthefirstI'veheardofthat.'

'Itwas.h.i.+-jackedbymistakeforatruckfulofliquorwhichwasabouttwentymilesbehinditalongtheroad.Thevanslookedalike,samecolour,samesize,andneitherofthemhadanylargeidentifyingsigns.'

'Howdidithappen?'

'Bythattime,Tuesdaymorning,thedriversandgroomswerealleatingatthesametime,thoughateachendofthelunchcounter.Theyleftthehousesunguardedforafullquarterhour,andduringthattimesomeonesimplydroveoffwiththewholeworks.'

'Surelythedriverslockedup,andtookthekeys,atleast?'

'Ohsure.Itwasanexpertjobthough.Adirectwirecontactfromthebatteryterminalstothestartermotor.'

'Sothenwhat?'

'Whentheyfoundthevangonethedriverscalledthepolice,but.i.twasn'tuntilWednesdaymorningthatthevanwasfoundofftheroadandoutofsightaroundahillinKentucky.But-nohorses.Therampsweredown,andallthehorseshadbeenletloose.'

'Deliberately.'

'Sure.Untied.Allthehalterswerestillinthevan.Thoseracehorseswereallfreewithn.o.bridleoranythingtocatchthemby.TheKentuckyboysreckonthehorseswereletouttocreateadiversion,togetthecopsoffthetailsofthehi-jackersbymakingthemchasehorsesallover.'

'Anditworked.'

'Yeah,'saidWaltgloomily.Theownerskickedupstink.Allthehorseswerevaluable,notonlyChrysalis.ButonlyChrysaliswasinsuredwithb.u.t.tress.'