Blood Sport Part 7

'I'mgoingforaswim,'shesaid.'Bringyourdrink.'

Shemixedherselfanewoneinpa.s.sing,andwithoutlookingbackcrossedthegreencarpet,pulledopenaslidinggla.s.sdoor,pushedthroughtheinsectscreenoutsideit,andwalkedwithrock-likesteadinessacrossapavedterraceandontoadeepgreenlawn.Sighing,Igottomyfeetandfollowedher.Thegra.s.swasthickandresilient,adifferentspeciesaltogetherfromEnglishturf,andasprinklerononesidethrewdiamondspraysaroundlikewater.

Shestoppedonanotherpavedarearoundakidney-shapedpoolandunfastenedsomeclipsonheryellowdress,whichcameoffinonepieceandlefttwomoreinviewunderneath.Herbodywa.s.slenderandwellcaredfor,butnotatallayounggirl's.Middletolateforties,Ithought:andthesortofwomanwhowouldhavebeenuninterestingunderthirty.

Sheslippedintothewaterandfloated,andIwatchedthesunmakewateredsilkripplesoverherbrownstomach.

'Comeonin,'shesaid.'Thereareplentyofswimsuitsinthehut.'

Ismiledandshookmyhead,andsatdownononeofthesoftplasticpool-sidechairs.Shetookhertime,hummingandsplas.h.i.+nggentlywithherhands.Thesunwashot,butnotlikeinthecity.Itookmyjacketoffandfeltheatbakingintomyskinthroughthewhitecottons.h.i.+rt.Peacefulnessgraduallyseepedintoo.Iwasinnohurryforhertorejoinme,whichshepresentlydid,thewaterdropss.h.i.+ningsinglyonheroiledskin.

'You'vehardlytouchedyourdrink,'sheobservedaccusingly.

'Surelyyou'renotoneofthosesoftb.u.g.g.e.rswhocan'tholdtheirliquor?'Shepickedupherowngla.s.sandwentonprovingthatshe,atanyrate,wasn't.

'Chrysalis...'Ibegan.

Sheinterruptedimmediately.'Doyouride?'

'Ican,'Isaid,'butIdon't.'

'Whynot?'

'Ihaven'tahorse.Norakingdomtogiveforone.'

'Drinkyourwhisky,'shesaid,smiling.

'Inawhile.'

'Thenstripof!andgetinthepool.'

Ishookmyhead.

'Whynot?'

'IlikeitasIam.'AndIhadtoomanybruises,fromtheweir.

Sheshrugged,halfannoyed.'Don'tyoudoanyb.l.o.o.d.ything?'

'HowmanypeopleknewatwhathourChrysaliswouldleaveKennedyAirport?'

'G.o.d,'shesaid,'you'reab.l.o.o.d.ybore.'

'Don'tyouwantthehorseback?'

'No,'shesaidvehemently,'asfarasI'mconcerned,we'dbefarbetteroffwiththeinsurance.'

'Twohundredthousanddollars,'Iagreed,'isaheckof.a.gamble.SupposingheneversiredanotherlikeMoth?'

'There'snostoppingDave,whenhe'ssethismindonsomething'Shesatontheedgeofafull-lengthchairbedandsmoothedcreamontoherfacefromaduskypinktube.'Andhehadmeanttoselloffabitofthat,whenhegotback.G.o.dknowswhatwillhappennowhe'sstrungupinthoseG.o.ddampulleys.'

'He'llbehomeinaboutfourweeks.'

'Yeah.Sohesaid.'Shelaydownflatandclosedhereyes.'Itoldhimtotakehistime.It's...o...b..l.o.o.d.yexpensivebeingilloverhere.'

Fivequietminutespa.s.sed.Asinglejetplaneflewacross,asilverstreaksohighuponecouldn'thearituntilithadgone.Theairwa.s.still.Theoiledbrownbodyintheyellowbikinitookinaheftydoseofultravioletandtheicecubesmeltedinthedrinks.

'Takeyourclothesoff,forG.o.d'ssake,'shesaid,withoutopeninghereyes.'Orareyouashamedofthatpink-whiteslugofabodytheEnglishusuallybringoverhere?'

I'dbetterbegoing.'

'Dowhatyoud.a.m.nwelllike.'Sheflutteredalaxwristinadoublegesturewhichsaidequallywell,stay,orgood-bye.

Istoodupandwalkedovertothehut,alargebeautifullymadepinewoodstructurewithaprotrudingfrontroof,forshade.Insidewereabathroomandtwochangingrooms,andinthetinylobbysomeshelvesinacupboardheldbrightcolouredtowelsandswimsuits.Itookapairofblueshortsandputthemon.Thebruisesonmylegsverynearlymatched.Ileftmys.h.i.+rton,pickedupatowelforapillow,andwentbackandlaydownonthenextbedtohers.

Shemerelygruntedwithhereyesstillshut,butafteranotherminuteshesaid,'IfyouwanttoknowaboutthetimetableforChrysalis,you'dbetteraskSamHengelmaninLexington.Hefixedthevan.Herunsaprivateservicefromhere.Davecalledmeandtoldmethedatethehorsewasbeings.h.i.+ppedover,andIcalledSamHengelman.Andhetookitfromthere.'

'Whoelsedidyoutellthes.h.i.+ppingdateto?'

'Itwasn'tanyG.o.ddamsecret,forG.o.d'ssake.1calledsixorsevenofthesyndicatetoletthemknow.Daveaskedmeto.HalfKentuckyknewabout.i.t,Iguess.'

Shesuddenlysatupstraightandopenedhereyes.

'Whytheh.e.l.ldoesitmatterhowmanypeopleknewwhenChrysaliswascoming?Itwasn'thimthehi-jackerswanted.Theysimplymadeab.a.l.l.sofitandtookthewrongtruck.'

'Supposingtheygotjustwhattheywanted?'

'Wereyoubornyesterday?Theblood-lineiswhatbreederspaystudfeesfor.Chrysalisisn'tworthasoutoanyone,iftheycan'tusehispedigree.Noone'sgoingtoevensendadecentmaretoastallionsomeonejusthappenstohavehandy,whichhasnonameinthestudbook,nohistory,andnopapers;letalonepayfifteenthousanddollarsfortheprivilege.'

'b.u.t.tressLifehavebeenlookingforaninsuranceswindle.'

'Theycanlook'I'lllthey'reblueintheface.'Shepickeduphergla.s.s,swallowed,andgrimaced.'Thisdrink'saswarmasthatpoolandjusta.s.sodden.Mixmeanother,w.i.l.l.you?'Sheheldoutthegla.s.stomeandIunwoundmyselffromthebedandtookitandmyownbackintothehouse.Imixedherthesamesizedoseasbefore,concoctedadifferentoneformyself,andtookthembothback,theiceclinkingcoollyasIwalked.

'Thanks.'Shesankalmosthalf.'That'sbetter.'

Istoodbesidethepoolandputonetoeinthewater.Itwasbloodwarm,ormore.

'What'sthematterwithyourlegs,'shesaid.

'Thesameasyourhusband's,onlyminedidn'tbreak.'

'What'sunderthes.h.i.+rt?'

'Thesun'stoohot.Icandowithoutasunburn.'

'Yeah.'Shelayflatagain.'Pink-whiteslug.'

Smiling,Isatdownontheedgeofthepoolwithmybacktowardsheranddangledmyfeetinthewater.Iought,Isupposed,togoawayanddosomethingmoreuseful,likeinterviewingSamHengelman.ButWaltwouldnodoubthavethoughtofthat,anddoneit,sincehisthreateningmigrainewouldonlyhavelasteduntilthecarwehadrentedhadtakenmeoutofsight.WaltandDave'swifehadn'texactlyclicked.

'MrHawkins.'shesaidfrombehindme.

'Mm?'

'Whatdoyoudoforaliving?'

I'macivilservant.'

'Withthis?'

Therewasasharpmetallicclick,theonesoundguaranteedtoraisethehairsonmyneckasifI'dneverleftthejungle.

'Doyouknowwhatyou'redoingwiththatthing?'Iasked,asconversationallyasIcould.

'Yes.'

'Thenputthesafetyon.'

Shedidn'tanswer,andIstoodupandturnedround,andlookedstraightintothebarrelofmyowngun.

Ideserveit,Ithought.Slow,carelessandstupid,Iwasanythingonecaredtomention.

Shewa.s.sittingwithherlegscurledunderneathher,theLugerlodgedunwaveringlyinherfist.Thegapbetweenus,fiveyardsatleast,wastoogreatforanythingconstructiveinthewayofaction,soIsimplystoodstill.

'You'reacoolb.a.s.t.a.r.d,I'llsaythatforyou.'

'Youwon'tshootme,'Isaid,smiling.

'Whynot?'

'I'mnotinsuredforamillionandahalf.'

Hereyeswidened.'DoesthatmeanthatyouthinkthatI...'...shotChrysalis?'

'It'spossible.'

Shestared.'You'reaG.o.ddamfool.'

'Soareyou,ifImaysayso.Thatgungoesoffveryeasily.'

Shelookeddownat.i.tvaguelyandbeforeIcouldstophershethrewitawayfromherontothepavingstones.Thejarasithitthegroundinevitablyfuedit.Flamestreakedoutofthebarrel,andthebulletsmashedthroughthewhiskygla.s.swhichstoodonthegroundbesideherlongchair,nineinchesfromherbody.

Ittookherasecondtorealisewhathadhappened,thensheshudderedheavilyandputherhandsoverherface.Iwalkedacrosstofetchthegun,andputthesafetyon,andthenperchedonthebedfacingher.

'Games,'shesaidinashatteredvoice.'WhatdoIhavebutgames?Bridgeandgolf.Allgames.'

'Thistoo?'IputtheLugerbackintheunderarmnicheandb.u.t.tonedthestrap.

'IjustthoughtI'dmakeyousweat.'

'Why?'

'That'sab.l.o.o.d.ygoodquestion.Ab.l.o.o.d.ygoodquestion.Allgames.Lifeisallb.l.o.o.d.ygames.'

'Andwe'reallpoorb.l.o.o.d.ylosers,'Iagreedsardonically.

Sheputherhandsdownandlookedatme.Hereyesweredry,buthalfhera.s.surancehaddrainedaway.

'Itwasonlyagame.Ididn'tmeanyouanyharm.'

Shethoughtshewastellingthetruth,butI'dmettoomanyofthetrickstheunconsciousmindgetsupto.PerhapsbecauseI'dsavedherhusband,orwaslookingforhishorse,ormerelyrepresentedsomeobscureformofmalechallenge,she'dhadanundoubtedurgetodestroyme.Andshewasaverytroubledladyinfarmoreobviouswaysthanthat.'Givemeyourdrink,'shesaidabruptly.

'I'llgetyousomemorewhisky,'Isaid.

'Yourswilldo,'sheinsisted.

Igaveherthegla.s.s,butonesipwasenough.Drygingerale.Ontherocks.

'Doyoucheatallalongtheline?'

'Wheneverit'skinder,orsafer,orgetsbetterresults.'

Iwalkedawayacrossthelawnandbroughtherbackanothergla.s.s.Shetookamoderatepullandput.i.tdownamidtheruinsofthefirstone.

'Staytodinner,'shesaid.Shemadeitacasualsuggestionratherthanawarminvitation,andIansweredherneed,nothertone.

'Allright.'

Shenoddedbrieflyandflattenedherselffacedown,toroastherback.Ilaywithonearmovermyeyestos.h.i.+eldthemfromthedirectsun,andthoughtaboutallthethingsshehadn'tasked,likehowwasDavewhenIsawhimandhowbadwasthebrokenthigh.

Afterawhileshewentbacktofloating.

'Comeonin,'shecalled.

Ishookmyhead.

'Don'tbesoprissy,'shesaid.'I'mnotaswooningvirgin.Ifyourlegsarelikethat,therestofyoumustbethesame.Takethatb.l.o.o.d.ys.h.i.+rtoffandgiveyourselfabreak.'

Itwasindeedveryhot,andtheclearbluewaterlookedgood.Isighed,stoodup,tookthes.h.i.+rtoff,andsliddownintothepool.ItslukewarmantigravitationalgentlenessunlockedknotsandtensionsinmynervesandmusclesthatIhadn'tevenrealisedwerethere,andIswamandfloatedtranquillyfornearlyanhour.WhenfinallyIhauledmyselfoutovertheedgeshewa.s.smoothingonanothercoatingofoil.Herwhiskygla.s.swasempty.

'IsDaveinthatstatetoo?'sheasked,eyeingme 'Prettymuch.'

ShegrimacedslightlyandsaidnothingwhenIputmys.h.i.+rtbackon.

Thesunhadbeguntoloseitsheightintheskyandshadowswerefanningoutfromthetrees.Agoldensheenlayonthebigcreamcolonialtypehouseacrossthegreenlawn.Thepoolwaterstilled,andthequietnessoftheplacecreptsubtlyintoallthesenses.

'It'ssobeautifulhere,'Isaid.Aba.n.a.lenoughphraseforthepromiseofpeace.

Shelookedroundcasually.'Isupposeitis.Butwe'removing,ofcourse.'