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'You'renotdealingwithcommonsense,'Azizsaid.'Yoursistershowedmethehavocinyoursittingroom.You'vegotagold-platedwreckerontheloose.Can'tyouhearhim?He'sshoutingatyou,'Lookatme,lookatwhatIcando,seehowcleverIam.'Thatsortofcharacterlikestakingrisks.It'slife'sblood.Itgives.h.i.+mhisbuzz.'
Isaidflatly,'Howdoyouknow?'
Thes.h.i.+ningeyesflickered.'Observation,'hesaid.
'Observationofwho?'
'Oh,thispersonandthat.'Heflappedahandvaguely.'Nooneparticular.'
Ididn'tpursueit.Hewasn'tgoingtotellme.Iwasinterested,allthesame,inhisa.s.sessment.Itmatchedprettyfaithfullywhattheexperthadsaidaboutthepatternofcomputerviruswriters,thelook-at-clever-mesyndrome.Theoverpoweringself-regardthatcouldexpressitselfonlyindestruction.
'Doesonewrecker,'Iaskedslowly,'eggonanother?'
His.e.xpressionwa.s.street-smartbeyondanyotherI'dmet.'Everheardoffootballyobbos?'
Murderous,Ithought.
IthankedAzizfordrivingLizzie.
'Nicelady,'hesaid.'Anyoldtime.'
Irubbedahandovermyface,askedAziztocheckwithHarveaboutjobsforthenextdayandtoldIsobelandRoseI'dbebackinthemorning.
OntheshortwayhomeInoticedthatmyneighbourhadasmallpileofbricksbesidehisgate.Thebrickshadbeenthereforweeks,Irealised.I'dneverpaidthemanyattention.
IstoppedthejalopybythewreckoftheJaguarandlookedthroughthes.p.a.cethathadoncebeenthedriver'ssidewindow.Therewasindeedabrick-ortheremainsofone-jumbledinthesqueezeds.p.a.ce.Thebrickhadbrokenintothreepieces.Brickswerebrittle.Brickdustwasreddish,likerust.
I'mdelirious,Ithought.
IletmyselfintothehousewiththekeysAzizhadbroughtfromLizzieandswitchedonthetelevisioninmybedroomtowatchtheracingatCheltenham.
Isatinthearmchairandthenlayonthebedandthenfellinexorablyasleepasifbrain-deadandstayedthatwayuntillongafterthelasthorsehadpa.s.sedthewinningpost.
Thursdaymorning,CheltenhamGoldCupday,oncegreetedwithraisedpulseandthuddinghope,foundmethatparticularweekwithacreakingstiffnessinmylimbsandacravingtocurlupandlettheworldpa.s.sby.
Instead,drivenbycuriositymorethanasenseofduty,Iputons.h.i.+rtandtieanddrovetoWinchester,pausingforfiveminutesonthewaywithIsobelandRose.Theycouldfillinthetimebeforethearrivalofthecomputer-reviver,Isuggested,bymakingalistofeveryonetheycouldthinkofwho'dsetfootintheirofficesthepreviousweek.
Theylookedatmeblankly.Dozensofpeoplehadcrossedtheirdoorstep,itseemed,startingwithallthedrivers.Iwouldtakethedriversforgranted,Isaid.Justlisteveryoneelse,andputastaragainstthosethathadbeeninonFriday.Theyweredoubtfuliftheycouldremember.Try,Isaid.
IcollectedDavefromthecanteenandtookhimwithmetoWinchester,thoughhewasreluctanttogoandspentthewholetwenty-minutejourneyinunaccustomedsilence.
TheinquestonKevinKeithOgden,proved,a.s.sandyhadpromised,tobeacomparativelysimpleaffair.Thecoroner,quietandbusinesslike,hadreadthepaperworkbeforecomingtotheproceedingsand,thoughthorough,sawn.o.benefitinwastingtime.
Hespokewithkindnesstoathin,miserablewomaninblack,whoagreedthatyes,shewasLynnMelissaOgden,andyes,shehadidentifiedthedeadmanasherhusband,KevinKeith.
BruceFarway,consulted,reportedthathe'dbeencalledtothehouseofFrederickCroftonthepreviousThursdayeveningandhaddeterminedKevinKeithtobedeceased.Thecoroner,readingaloudfromapaper,acceptedthepost-mortemreportthatdeathhadresultedfromheartfailurecausedbyastringofabstrusemedicalconditionsthatprobablynooneintheroomunderstoodexceptFarway,whowasnodding.
ThecoronerhadreceivedaletterfromKevinKeith'sowndoctordetailingthepatient's.h.i.+storyandthepillshehadbeenadvisedtokeeptaking.Heaskedthewidowifthepillshadbeenfaithfullyswallowed.Notalways,shesaid.
'Mr...er...Yates?'askedthecoroner,lookingaroundforaresponse.
'Here,sir,'Daveansweredhoa.r.s.ely.
'YougavealifttoMrOgdeninoneofMrCroft'shorseboxes,isthatright?Tellusabout.i.t.'
Davemadeita.s.shortashecould,sweatinganduncomfortable.
'Wecouldn'twakehim,like,atChieveley...'
ThecoroneraskedifKevinKeithhadshownanyphysicaldistressbeforethat.
'No,sir.Heneversaidaword.Wethoughthewasasleep,like.'
'MrCroft?'thecoronersaid,identifyingmeeasily.'YoucalledPoliceConstableSmithwhenyou'dseenMrOgden?'
'Yes,sir.'
'AndConstableSmith,youcalledDrFarway?'
'Yes,sir.'
Thecoronershuffledthepaperstogetherandlookedneutrallyatthosepresent.'ThefindingofthiscourtisthatMrKevinOgdendiedofnaturalcauses.'Afterapause,whennoonemoved,hesaid,'That'sall,everyone.Thankyouforyourattendance.Youhaveeachbehavedwithcommendablepromptnessandcommonsenseinthissadoccurrence.'
HegaveMrsOgdenonelastsympatheticsmile,andthatwasthat.WetroopedoutontothepavementandIheardMrsOgdenenquiringforlornlyabouttaxis.
'MrsOgden,'Isaid,'canIgiveyoualift?'
Shefocusedweak-lookinggreyeyesonmyfaceandindecisivelyflutteredherhands.'It'sonlytotherailway...'
I'lltakeyou...ifyoudon'tmindaFourtrak?'
Shelookedasifshe'dneverheardofaFourtrakbutwouldhavesettledforanelephantifallelsefailed.
IpersuadedSandytotakeDavebacktoPixhillandsetoffwithMrsOgdenwhowasnotexactlycryingbutinadefinitestateofshock.
'Itdidn'ttakelong,didit?'shesaiddefeatedly.'Itdidn'tseemmuchofathing,didit?Imean,notattheendofsomeone'slife.'
'Notagreatthing,'Iagreed.'Butyou'llhaveaserviceofthanksgiving,perhaps.'
Shedidn'tlookcheered.Shesaid,'AreyouFreddieCroft?'
'That'sright.'Iglancedather,thinking.'Whendoesyourtrainleave?'Iasked.
'Notforages.'
'Howaboutsomecoffee,then?'
Shesaidwanlythat.i.twouldbeniceandsettledapatheticallyintoanarmchairintheemptyfrontloungeofamock-Tudorhotel.Coffeetookitstimecomingbutwasfres.h.i.+naCafetierepot,withcreamandrosebuddedchinaonasilverytray.
MrsOgden,untilthenhuddledpalelyintoherblackshapelessovercoat,begantoloosenalittlebyundoingtheb.u.t.tons.Underthecoat,moreblack.Blackshoes,blackhandbag,blackgloves,blackscarf.Anoverstatement.
'Aterribleshockforyou,'Isaid.
'Yes.'
'Yourdaughtermustbeacomfort.'
'Weneverhadadaughter.Hemadethatup,togetlifts.'
'Didhe?'
'Hehadtomakethingsup.'Shegavemeasuddenlookofpanic,thefirstcrackintheice.'Helosthisjob,yousee.'
'Hewas...asalesman?'Iguessed.
'No.Hewasinsales.Under-manager.Thefirmgottakenover.Mostofthemanagementweremaderedundant.'
'I'msosorry.'
'Hecouldn'tgetanotherjob,yousee.Notatfifty-four,withabadheart.'
'Life'sunfair.'
'He'sbeenunemployedforfouryears.We'vespenttheredundancymoneyandoursavings...thebuildingsociety'srepossessingthehouse...and...and...it'salltoomuch.'
Andhe'dbouncedcheques,Ithought,andfailedtopayhotelbills,andtriedtoliveonsc.r.a.psgleanedfromafeebletransportscheme,travellingaroundfreebyliftscadgedonthebasisofasob-storyaboutanon-existentdaughter'swedding.
LynnMelissaOgdenlookedashammeredintothegroundasatentpeg.Shehadgreyingstraightbrownhairtiedbackinthenapeofherneckwithanarrowblackribbon.Nocosmetics.Pinchedlinesroundhermouth.Thecordsof.a.geinherneck.
Iaskedsympathetically,'Doyouyourselfhaveajob?'
'Iusedto.'Thegreynessinherskinlookedlikedespair.'Iworkedinagreengrocer'sbutKev...wellhe'sgonenow,itcan'thurttosayit...Kevtooksomemoneyoutoftheirtill,andtheywereprettygoodabout.i.t,theydidn'tgetthepoliceb.u.t.theysaidI'dhavetogo.'
'Yes.'
'Wewereeatingonthatmoney.'Shetrembledwithfutileanger.'Feedingourselvesonmywagesandthethingslikerottingfruitandveggiesthattheshopcouldn'tsell.Howcouldhe?'
'Hecouldhavesoldthatring,perhaps,'Isuggested.'Isawitonhisfinger...goldandonyx.'
'Thatwasafake,'shesaiddully.'Hesoldtherealonemonthsago.Hemisseditsomuch...Hecried,youknow.SoIboughthimthatone...itwasrubbish,butheworeit.'
Irefilledhercoffeecup.Shedrankabsently,thecupclatteringonthesaucerwhensheput.i.tdown.
'WhydidyourhusbandwanttogototheChieveleyservicestation?'Iasked.
'Hehadto-'Shestoppedandconsidered,thensaid,'Idon'tsupposeitmattersanymore.Hecan'tgetintoanymoretrouble...ItoldhimIcouldn'tbearanymoreofit,butIdid,ofcourse.We'dbeenmarriedthirty-threeyears...Ilovedhimonceb.u.t.then...foralongtime...I'vebeensorryforhim,yousee,andIcouldn'tkickhimout,couldI?Becausewherewouldhego?Andhehadn'tbeenhomeforweeksbecausethepolicehadbeenround...Idon'tknowwhyI'mtellingyou...
'Becauseyouneedtotellsomeone'
'Oh,yes.Andappearances,yousee?Ican'ttellourneighboursandwehardlyhaveanyfriendsleftbecauseKevborrowedmoneyfromthem...'
Andneverrepaid.Thewordswerea.s.starkasifshe'dactuallysaidthem.
'SowhywashegoingtoChieveley?'Iaskedagain.
'Peopleusedtophonethehouseandaskhimtotakethingsforthemfromoneplacetoanother.Isaidhe'dgetintotroubledoingthat.Imean,hecouldhavebeencarryingbitstomakebombs,ordrugs,oranything.Quiteoftenhetookdogsorcats...hequitelikedthat.HeputanadinHorseandHoundsometimes.Peoplewouldpayhistrainfaretotaketheiranimalsbuthe'dcas.h.i.+ntheticketsandgothumbing.Imean,hehadn'tanyprideleft,yousee.Everythinghadcomeapart.'
'Wretched,'Isaid.
'Wepaidthephonebill,'shesaid.'Wealwayspaidthephonebill.AndI'dtakethemessagesforhimandhewouldphonemewheneverhecouldusesomeone'sphonefornothing.Butwecouldn'thavegoneonmuchlonger...'
'No.'
'It'sablessingforhim,really,thathedied.'
'MrsOgden...
'Well,itis.Hewasashamed,yousee,mypooroldboy.'
IthoughtofalltheirawfulsharedmiseryandjudgedthatKevinKeithhadbeenundeservedlyluckytohavehadLynnMelissa.
'Hewasn'tcarryingananimalinmyhorsebox,though,'Isaid.
'No.'Shelookeddoubtful.'Itwa.s.somethingtodowithanimals,though.ItwasananswertotheHorseandHoundad.Awomanphoned.ShewantedKevtomeetsomeoneatPontefractservicestationandgotoSouthMimmsservicestationandthengoinyourhorseboxtoChieveley.'
'Ah,'Isaid.
Shedidn'tunderstandthedepthofcomprehensioninmyvoice,butlookedsimplysurprisedbyit.
'WhowashegoingtomeetatChieveley?'Iasked.
'Shedidn'tsay.Shejustsaidsomeonewouldmeethimwhenhegotoutofthehorsebox.Someonewouldmeethimandpayhimandtakewhathewascarrying,andthatwouldbetheendofit.'
'Andyouagreedtothat?'
'Well,yes,ofcourseIdid.Welivedonit,yousee.'
'WhowashemeetingatPontefract?'
'Shejustsaid'someone'wouldmeethimandgivehimasmallcarrierbag.'
'Didshesaywhatwouldbeinit?'
'Yes,shesaidathermosflaskbuthewasn'ttoopenit.'
'Mm.Wouldhehaveopenedit?'
'Oh,no.'Shewasdefinite.'He'dbeafraidofnotbeingpaid.Andhealwayssaidwhathedidn'tknowcouldn'thurthim.'