Driving Force Part 17

Irolledontomybackandfoundmyselfstaringstraightintotheeyesofalargepurposefuldog.Thedogpulledagainstaleashheldbyaburlyfigureinanavyuniformwithapeakedcapandaglintingsilverbadge.Thedogworealightmuzzlewhichlookedinadequateforthejob.

'DidyouhearwhatIsaid?Clearoff.'

Itriedtospeakandachievedonlyanincoherentcroak.

Authoritylookeddispleased.Thedog,anunfriendlyrottweiler,loweredhisheadtominehungrily.

Tryingagain,Isaid,'Ifellin.'Thistimethemessagereacheditstargetbutwithmoderateresults.

'Idon'tcareifyouswamtheChannel,getupandclearoff.'

Imadeanefforttositup.Gotasfarasoneelbow.Thedogwarilyretreatedastep,leavinghisoptionsopen.

'WhereamI?'Isaid.

'IntheDocks,ofcourse.'

Inthedocks.Whereelse?

'Whichdocks?'Isaid.'Whichport?'

'What?'

'I...don'tknowwhereIam.'

Hewasfarfromrea.s.suredbymyobviousweakness.Withthedogattheready,hesaidsuspiciously,'Southampton,ofcourse.'

SouthamptonDocks.WhySouthamptonDocks?Mybewildermentgrew.

'Comeon.Getgoing.Noone'sallowedonherewhenthedock'sshut.AndIcan'tstanddrunks.'

'Ihitmyhead,'Isaid.

Heopenedhismouthasiftosayhedidn'tcareifI'dbeendecapitated,butinsteadsaidgrudgingly,'Didyoufalloffas.h.i.+p?'

'Idon'treallyknow.'

'Youcan'tliehere,allthesame.'

Iwasn'tsosureIcouldgetupandwalkandhemust,Ithought,haveseenit,ashesuddenlythrustdownareachinghandtobegrasped.HepulledmevigorouslytomyfeetandIheldontothelampstandardandfeltdizzy.

'Youwantadoctor,'hesaidaccusingly.

'Justgivemeaminute.'

'Youcan'tstayhere.It'sagainstorders.'

Seenatlevelheight,hewasatruculent-lookingfiftyis.h.i.+ndividualwithalargenoseandsmalleyesandthethingrimmouthofperpetualwariness.He'dbeenafraidofme,Isaw.

Ididn'tmindhismanner.Tobeanight.w.a.tchmaninadockareawastofacedangersfromknavesandthieves,andamanlyingwhereheshouldn'thadtobetreatedasahazarduntilprovedtobeharmless.

'Doyouhaveatelephone?'Iasked.

'Intheguardroom,yes.'

Hedidn'tsayIcouldn'tuseit,whichwasinvitationenough.Iletgoofthelampstandardandtotteredafewshakysteps,lurchingsidewaysoffastraightlineandtryinghardtobehavewithmoresensethanIfelt.

'Here,'hesaidroughly,grabbingmyarm.'You'llfallinagain.'

'Thanks.'

Heheldmysleeve,notexactlysupportingmebutcertainlyahelp.WithfeetthatseemedhardlytobelongtomeImadeaslowpa.s.sagedownalongdockandarrivedfinallyatsomelargebuildings.

'Thisway,'hesaid,tuggingmysleeve.

Wewentthroughtallirongatesinahighfenceandoutontoapavement.Acar-parkingarealayahead,followedbyalowwall,withapublicroadwaybeyondthat.Notraffic.Itriedlookingatmywatchtoseethetimeandhitaslightsnag:nowatch.

Ipeeredfeeblyalongtheroadinbothdirectionswhilethenight.w.a.tchmanfedakeyintoalock,andIfoundIwaslookingatarecognisablelandmark,somewhereI'dbeenbefore,anorientatingbuildingtellingmeexactlywhereIwas,ifstillnotwhy.

'Comein,'thenight.w.a.tchmaninvited.'Thephone'sonthewall.You'llhavetopayforit,ofcourse.'

'Mm.'Inoddeda.s.sent,feltforwalletandcoins,andfoundneither.Nothinginanyofmypockets.Thenight.w.a.tchman.o.bservedthesearchjudiciously.

'Haveyoubeenmugged?'

'Itlookslikeit.'

'Don'tyouremember?'

'No.'Ilookedatthetelephone.'Icanreversethecharges,'Isaid.

Hemadeana.s.sentingwave.ItookthereceiveroffthewallandrealisedthatifIphonedmyownhousewhatIwouldgetwouldbemyansweringmachine.Itwaspossibletode-activateitfromadistancebutnotonareversechargecall.Sighing,Igotthroughtothenumber,listenedtomyvoicesayingIwasoutandtoleaveamessage,andwentthroughtheswitch-offroutine.Thenight.w.a.tch-manaskedcrosslywhatIwasdoing.

'Gettingtheoperator,'Isaid,redialling.

Theoperatortriedmynumberandsaidtherewasnoanswer.

'Pleasekeeptrying,'Isaidanxiously.'Iknowsomeone'sthere,butshe'llbeasleep.Youneedtowakeher.'

Lizzie'sbedroomwasnexttomine,wherethephonewouldberinging.Iexhortedhersilentlytowakeup,totireoftheringing,togetupandanswerit.Comeon,Lizzie...comeonforG.o.d'ssake.

Agesseemedtopa.s.sbeforeshefinallysaid,'h.e.l.lo?',thickwithsleep.Theoperator,followingmyinstructions,askedifshewouldtakeacallfromherbrother,MrCroft,inSouthampton.

Whenshespoketomedirectshesaid,astonished,'Roger?Isthatyou?IthoughtyouwereintheCaribbean.'

'It'sFreddie,'Isaid.

'Butyoucan'tbeinSouthampton.Roger'ss.h.i.+pgoestoSouthampton.'

Explainingwasimpossible,andbesides,thenight.w.a.tchmanwaslisteningavidlytoeveryword.

'Lizzie,'Isaiddesperately,'comeandcollectme.I'vebeenrobbedofmoney...everything.I'vebeeninthewaterandI'mfreezingandIhitmyhead,andtobehonestIfeelrotten.ComeintheFourtrak,it'soutsideonthetarmac.Thekey'sonahookbesidethebackdoor.Pleasedocome.'

'Heavens!Comewhere?

'GotothemainroadtoNewbury,b.u.t.turnsouth.That'stheA34.ItjoinstheWinchesterbypa.s.s.ThenfollowthesignstoSouthamptonandwhenyougettheretaketheroadtotheDocksandtheIsleofWightferries.Therearesignseverywhere.I'm...I'mdowntherebytheDocks.TheIsleofWightferryterminalisjustalongtheroad.I'llgothere...andwaitforyou.'

Shesaid,'Areyous.h.i.+vering?

Icoughedconvulsively.'Bringmesomeclothes.Andsomemoney.'

'Freddie...'Shesoundedshockedandunsure.

'Iknow,'Isaidcontritely,'it'sthemiddleofthenight.It'lltakeyouthree-quartersofanhour,about...

'Butwhathappened?Ithoughtyouwerehereinbed,butyoudidn'tanswerthephone.HowdidyougettoSouthampton?

'Idon'tknow.Look,Lizzie,justcome.'

Shemadeuphermind.'IsleofWightferry.SouthamptonDocks.Forty-fiveminutes.FivemorewhileIdress.Justhanginthere,buddyboy.Thecavalry'scoming.'

'Thecinemahasalottoanswerfor.'

'Atleastyoursenseofhumour'sstillworking.'

'It'sacloserunthing.'

I'llbethere,'shesaid,andputdownthephone.

Ithankedthenight.w.a.tchmanandtoldhimmysisterwouldcome.HethoughtIshouldhavetelephonedthepolice.

'I'drathergohome,'Isaid,andrealisedIsimplyhadn'tthoughtofaskingforpolicehelp.ThatwouldinvolvetoomanyquestionsandIhadnotenoughanswers.Andalsonotenoughstaminaleftforsittingonahardchairinapolicestation,orforhavingmyb.u.mpsread.ThesourceofmytroubleslaynotinSouthamptonbutbackinPixhill,andifthetransitfromonetotheotherwaswhollyablank,IdidvaguelyrememberdrivingtheJaguartothefarmyardandcallingtoHarve.

Thetroubleslayonmydoorstep,inmyfarmyard,undermylorries,inmybusiness.Iwantedtogohome,tosortthemout.

CHAPTER7.

Lizzie,truetoform,cametorescueherlittlebrother.

Thenight.w.a.tchmanletmespendmostofthewaitinhisunder-heatedguardroom,evengoingsofarastobrewmeacupofteatoalleviatemys.h.i.+vers,allunderthebalefuleyesofhisattentivedog.Whenthehandsoftheclockonhiswallstoodattwo,hesaidI'dhavetoleaveasitwastimeforhisrounds,soIthankedhimandwalked...well,shambled...alongtheroadtotheferryterminalandsatinshadowonthepavementthereatoneendofthebuilding,myspineagainstthewall,myarmshuggingmyknees.I'dknownworseconditions,just.

Notfaraway,ontheothersideofanopenworkmetalfence,lightglintedonwater.Ilookedatthescenevaguely,thenwithspeculation.Isupposethereweremanyplaceslikethat,whereindarknesssemi-consciouspeoplecouldbeslidintothebrinywithn.o.bodynoticing.Thereweremilesofavailablesh.o.r.elineinSouthamptonDocks.

TheFourtrakcame,slowed,movedhesitantlyintotheparkingareaandstopped.Istoodup,pressingagainstthewallforsupport,andtookafewpacesforwardintothelight.Lizziesawmeandcamerunningfromthevehicle,stoppingdeadafewfeetfromme,wide-eyedandshocked.

'Freddie!'

'Ican'tlookasbadasallthat,'Iprotested.

Shedidn'ttellmehowIlooked.ShecameanddrapedoneofmyarmsoverhershouldersandwalkedwithmetotheFourtrak.

'Takeoffthatwetjacket,'shecommanded.'You'lldieofexposure.'

Marginallybetterthandrowning,Ithought,thoughIdidn'tsayso.

Onceinsidetheb.u.t.tylittlevehicleIstruggledoutofallthewetthingsandputonthedrysubst.i.tutes,includingfleece-linedbootsandthewarmestpaddedjacketIowned.WhenLizziecopedshedidnothingbyhalves.

Igothertodriveasneartheguardroomaswecouldmanage.Thenight.w.a.tchmanandhisdogwereathomeagainandissuedforthsuspiciously.WhenIofferedhimmoneyforthefirsttelephonecallandforhistroubleandkindnessheatfirstrefuseditwithindignation,raisingone'sregardforthesaltoftheBritishearth.

'Takeit,'Iurged,'Ioweyou.Drinktomyhealth.'

Hetookthenotedubiously,onlyhalfconcealinghispleasure.

'You'llgetpneumoniaanyway,shouldn'twonder,'hesaid.

ThewayIfelt,hemightwellberight.

Lizziedrovebackhomethewayshe'dcome,dartingglancesatmeeveryfewseconds.Thecold-inducedshuddersandshakesgraduallyabatedinmybodyuntileventuallyevenmygutsfeltwarmedagain,butconverselyalongwithwarmthcameoverwhelmingtirednesssothatallIwantedwastoliedownandsleep.

'Butwhathappened?Lizzieasked.

'Iwenttothefarmyard.'

'Yousaidyouweregoingtoclosethegates,'shesaid,nodding.

'DidI?Well...someonehitmeonthehead.'

'Freddie!Who?'

Dontknow.WhenIwokeupIwasbeingdroppedintowater.JustaswellIdidwakeup,really.'

Shewaspredictablyhorrified.'Theymeantyoutodrown!'

'Idon'tknowaboutthat.'I'dbeenpuzzledeversinceI'dbeenconscious.'Iftheywantedmedead,whynotfinishthejobonmyhead?WhytakemeallthewaytoSouthamptonDocks?Iftheywantedparticularlytodrownme,there'saperfectlygoodpondinPixhill.'

'Don'tjokeabout.i.t.'

'Mayaswell.'Isaid.'AllIrememberaboutthemissomeonesaying,'Ifthisdoesn'tgivehimflu,nothingwill.'

'b.u.t.that'snonsensical!'

'Mm.'