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ArecipefordisasterifeverIheardone.
Shelookedatherwatch,thankedmeforthecoffeeandsaidshe'dbettergetalongtothestation,ifIdidn'tmind.
'Howaboutthetrainfare?'Iasked.
'Oh...theygavemeavoucher.Thepoliceorthecourtorsomeone.TheygavemeonetocomedownlastSat.u.r.day,too,toidentifyhim.'Shesighedheavily.'Everyone'sbeenkind.'
PoorMrsOgden.Idrovehertothestationandwaitedwithheruntilhertraincame,thoughshesaidIneedn't.Iwouldhavelikedtogivehermoneytoseeherthroughsomeofherpresenttroubles,butIdidn'tthinkshewouldtakeit.IwouldgetheraddressfromSandy,Ithought,andsendhersomethinginremembranceofKevinKeith,herpooroldboywhoseemedtohaveprecipitatedmeintoamaelstrom.
CHAPTER9.
AsIwasleavingWinchesterthecarphonerang.Isobel'svoicesaid,'Oh,good,I'vebeentryingtoreachyou.ThepolicearehereaboutJogger.'
'Whichpolice?'
'NotSandySmith.Twoothers.Theywanttoknowwhenyou'llbeback.'
'Tellthemtwentyminutes.Didthecomputermancome?'
'He'sherenow.Anotherhalf-hour,hesays.'
Fine.'
'NinaYoungphoned.SheandNigelhavepickeduptheJerichoRichshowjumperandthey'reontheirwayback.Noincidents,shesaidtotellyou.'
'OK.'.
IcompletedthejourneyandkeptthepolicewaitingwhileIcheckedwiththeyoungcomputerexpertinIsobel'soffice.Yes,heconfirmed,hehadbroughtwithhimareplacementcomputerformyhouse,asrequested,andhewouldcomestraightawaytofixitup.
AfterI'dtalkedtothepolice,Isaid.
Helookedathiswatchandranhisfingersthroughhishair.I'mdueatMichaelWatermead'sstables.Samejobasthis.I'lldohimfirst,thencometoyou.'
'Michael?'Iasked,surprised.
Hesmiled.'Ratherapt,Ithought,beingMichelangelo,buthedidn'tthinkitfunny.'
'No,hewouldn't.'
Barelydigestingthenews,letalonethesignificance,ofthefailureoftheWatermeadharddisk,Iwentalongtowherethepolicemenwaitedinmyownoffice.
TheyprovedtobethetwowhosemannerhadsoeasilyraisedmyantagonismontheirMondayvisit.IresolvedforSandy'ssaketobecooperative,andansweredtheirquestionstruthfully,politelyandbriefly.Theyexudedsuspicionandhostility,forwhichIcouldseenoreason,andtheyaskedmostofMonday'squestionsoveragain.
Theyneeded,theyannounced,totakesc.r.a.pingsofthedirtsurroundingandinsidetheinspectionpit.Gorightahead,Isaid.TheytoldmetheywereintheprocessofaskingmystaffwhathadbroughtJoggertothefarmyardontheSundaymorning.
Fine.
HadIinstructedhimtogotothefarmyardonthatmorning?
No,Ihadn't.
DidIobjecttohisgoingthereonaSundaymorning?
'No.AsImentionedbefore,allthestaffcouldgoinandoutofthefarmyardwhenevertheyliked.'
Whywasthat?
'Companypolicy,'Isaid,anddidn'tfeellikeexplainingthatthedrivers'prideintheirvehiclesledthemtomakethemmorepersonal,whichtheydidchieflyonSundays.CurtainswerehungonSundays.Seatandmattresscoverswerefitted.Bitsofcarpetappearedunderfoot.Wiveshelpedwiththehomes-from-homes.Metalandfurniturepolishaccompaniedpride.LoyaltyandcontentmentweretheproductsofSundays.
DidJoggernormallygotothefarmyardonSundays?
IsaidthatthehorsetransportbusinesswasalwaysworkingonSundays,thoughusuallynotasbusilyasonallotherdays.JoggerwouldcertainlyconsideritnormaltogotothefarmyardonaSunday./P Theyasked,a.s.sandyhadpredicted,whatIhadbeendoingonthatSundaymorning.Itoldthem.Theywroteitdowndubiously.
Yousayyoupickeddaffodilsfromyourgardenandputthemonyourparents'grave?Yes,Idid.WasIinthehabitofdoingthat?Itookflowerstherefromtimetotime,Isaid.Howoften?Fiveorsixtimesayear.
Igathered,bothfromtheirgeneralatt.i.tudeandthelimitationsoftheirquestions,thattherewa.s.stillinthecollectivepolicemindabasicindecisionastohowtoviewJogger'sdeath;accidentorworse.
Rust,Ithought,woulddecideforthem.
Iwentwiththemandwatchedthemtakesc.r.a.pingsfromallroundthepit.Theyfedthepatchesofdirtintosmallplasticbags,closingandlabellingeachwithitsareaofprovenance.Northendofpitfloor...east,west,south.Northinteriorwallofpit...east,west,south.Northrimofpit...east,west,south.
Theywerethoroughandfair.Onewayoranother,rustwouldtell.
Theydroveawayfinally,leavingmetomyambivalentfeelingsandtwoalarmedsecretaries.
Isobelsaid,scandalised,'TheyaskedushowyouandJoggergotalong!Whydidtheyaskthat?Joggerfellintothepit,didn'the?'
'Theyhavetofindout.'
'But...but...'
'Mm,'Isaid,'let'shopehefell.'
'Allthedriverssayhemusthave.They'vebeensayingsoallweek.'
Tryingtoconvincethemselves,Ithought.
Idrovehome,wherethecomputerwhizzsoonjoinedme.Hestoodwithhislegsapartinthecentreofmydevastatedsitting-room,thehandcombingthroughthehairnon-stop.
'Yes,'Isaidtohisstunnedsilence.'Ittookabitofstrengthandalotofpleasure.'
'Pleasure?'Hethought.i.tover.'Iguessso.'
Heputthewreckoftheoldcomputerontooneofthefewfreeareasofcarpetandinstalledthenewversioninitsplace,attachingittoitsphonelinetothecomputerinIsobel'sroom.AlthoughIwouldstillmaintainmypencilcharts,itwasrea.s.suringtoseethescreencomealiveagainwiththeactivelinktotheoffice.
'Iguaranteethatthisnewdiskisclean,'theexpertsaid.'AndI'msellingyouadiskyouca.n.u.setocheckthat.i.tstaysthatway.'Heshowedmehowto'scan'thedisk.'Ifyoufindanyvirusonthere,pleasephonemeatonce.'
'Icertainlywill.'Iwatchedhisbusyfingersandaskedafewquestions.'IfsomeonefedtheMichelangelovirusintotheofficecomputer,woulditalsoinfectthecomputerhere?'
'Yes,itwould,a.s.soonasyoucalledtheofficeprogrammesontoyourscreen.Andtheotherwayround.Ifsomeonefedthevirusintohere,theofficewouldcatchit.Itwouldthenspreadtoallthecomputersonthesamenetwork.'
'LikeRose's?'
'IsRosetheothersecretary?Yes,sure,intohersinaflash.'
'And...um...ifwemakeback-upfloppydisks,wouldthevirusbeinthose,too?'
Hesaidearnestly,'Ifyoudohaveanyback-ups,letmecheckthembeforeyouusethem.'
'Yes.'
'Butyourgirlssaidtheyhadn'tmadeanyforages.'
'Iknow.'Ipaused.'DidMichaelWatermead'ssecretarymakeback-ups?'
Hehesitated.'Don'tknowifIshouldtellyou.'
'Professionaletiquette?'
'Sortof.'
'She'lltellIsobel,anyway.'
'Then...er...yes,shedid,andtheback-upfloppyshe'sbeenusinglatelyhasMichelangeloonit.I'mhavingtocleanuptheirwholeact.'
'w.i.l.l.yousavetheirrecords?'
'Everychance.'
Hefinishedtheinstallationandgavemeacheerfulpityinglook.'Youneedlessons,'hesaid.'Youneedtoknowaboutwrite-protectandboot-upfloppydisks,forastart.Icouldteachyou,ifyoulike,thoughyou'reprettyold.'
'Howlonghaveyoubeenincomputers?'Iasked.
'FrombeforeIcouldholdapen.'
ThewayIcouldride,Ithought.
'I'llcomeforlessons,'Isaid.
'Really?Great,then.Reallygreat.'
Afterhe'dgoneImanagedtostayawaketowatchalltheracingatCheltenhamandhadthebitter-sweetsatisfactionofseeinganorseI'dschooledandtaughthisbusinesswintheGoldCup.
Ishouldhavebeenridinghim.Imighthavebeen...Well,ithadtobeenoughtorememberthefirstofhistriumphs,ascrambleofatwo-milehurdle.Enoughtorememberhisfirststeeplechase,ahigh-cla.s.snoviceracethathe'dwonbyoutjumpingtheoppositionthoughnearlygivingitawaybyflounderingallovertheplaceinthelasthundredyards.I'driddenhimeighttimesinallintofirstplacepastthewinningpost,andnowherehewas,nineyearsoldandastar,charginguptheCheltenhamhilla.s.straightasadiewithallthepanacheandcourageajockeycouldhopefor.
G.o.ddammit...
Ishookoffthesickeningself-pityingregrets.Ishouldhavegotoveritbythistime,Itoldmyself.Adecentperiodofmourningwasreasonable,b.u.t.threeyearsalongtheroadIshouldhavestoppedlookingback.IsupposedratheruneasilythatIwouldn'tbefreeofnostalgiauntilthelastofthehorsesI'driddenwasheadingtowardsCentaurCare.Noteventhen,ifmanylikePetermanturneduponmydoorstep.
TheminuteIswitchedoffthesetthetelephonerangandIlistenedtoLizzie'svoicesoundingsurprised.
'h.e.l.lo!IthoughtI'dgetyouransweringmachine.Ithoughtyou'dbeatCheltenham.'
'Ididn'tgo.'
'Soitseems.Whynot?Isyourheadallright?'
'Nothingtoworryabout.Ikeepwantingtogotosleep.'
'Thoroughlynatural.Listentonature.'
'Yes,ma'am.'
'ThanksforlendingmeAziz.Whatafascinatingyoungman.'
'Ishe?'
'Toobrightforhisjob,I'dsay.'
'Whydoyouthinkso?Ineedbrightdrivers.'
'Mostdriverscan'tdiscusstheperiodictableofelements,letaloneinFrench.'
Ilaughed.
'Justthinkabout.i.t.Anyway,'shesaid,'I'veareportonyourtubes.'
Ittookmeafewsecondstoworkoutwhichtubesshemeant,typicalofthesluggishstateofmybrain.
'Tubes,'Isaid.'Oh,great.'
'Theyeachcontained10ccsofviraltransportmedium.'
'Ofwhat?
'Tobepreciseabouttheingredients,thetubescontainedbovinealb.u.min,glutamicacid,sucroseandanantibioticcalledGentamicin,allinsterilewateratabalancedpHof7.3.'
'Er...'Isaid,reachingforapencil.'Spellallthatslowly.'
Shelaughedanddidso.
'Butwhat'sitfor?'Iasked.
