Driving Force Part 3

'AmIlookingforanythingparticular?'

'Justforanythingyoudon'tunderstand.'

Hepeeredatmespeculatively.'ThisboxwenttoItalyearlier,dinnit?'

Iagreedthat.i.thad.'WentlastFriday,returnedbyTuesdayevening.'Therehadbeennoproblemsorhold-ups,though;asfarasIknew,ofcourse.

'ThatBrettnevercleansitproper.GotnoJekyll.'

JekyllandHyde,Ithought:pride.

'BretthadWednesdayoff,'Isaid.'HarvedrovealoadofcoltstoNewmarketthatdayinthisbox.BretttookittoNewmarketandbackyesterday.Acoupleofoddthingshavehappened,so...carryonwiththecheck.'

'Youtalkingaboutthatstiff?'

Partly.'

'Hedidn'thavenochancetodufftheboxup,though,didhe?'

'Idon'tknowanymorethanyou,'Isaid.'Andgetamoveon,Jogger,I'vegottogetthisthingcleanedandoutontheroadwithinanhour.'

Helaydownphilosophicallyandshovedhimselftrustinglyoutofsight,exceptforhisfeet,undertenorsotonsofsteel.Justtheprospectofitgavemeasortofclaustrophobia,whichJoggerknewaboutbutloftilyforgave.Myfailingincreasedhisself-esteem:itdidnoharm.

IwentbacktothehouseandHarvephoned.

'Dave'sonhiswayalongtoyounow,'hesaidwithagitation.'ButhesaysBrett's.p.a.ckinghisbags.'

'He'sdoingwhat?

'DavesaysBrett'snotacompletethicko,heknows.h.i.+strialthreemonthsisnearlyupandthatyouwon'tkeephimon.He'sduckingoutfirst.Thatwayhecangoaroundsayinghegaveyouthechuck,nottheotherwayround.He'llbewhingingallovertheplaceabouthowhardheworkedhere,Davesays,andhowyouneverappreciatedhim.'

'Hecangetonwithit,'Isaid.'Thethingis,whatabouttoday?'

'TheMarigoldshuttle,'Harvesaid.'Brettwasdoingthat.'

'Exactly.Whoelsehavewegot?'Iknewtheanswera.s.soonasIasked.Wehadme.

'Well...'Hehesitated.

'Yes,allright.I'lldoitifthere'snooneelse.'

'It'snotjusttheshuttle,'hewentonunhappily.'Vic'swifesayshe'sgotatemperatureofahundredandthreeandnowayishedrivingtoSandown.'

Oneofthosedays.

'They'rebothhereatthefarm,'Harvewenton,'Vicandhismissus.Hesayshewantstogo,shesaysshe'lldivorcehim.Youcanseehe'sgotafever,though.'

'Sendhimhome,he'lljustspreadthefluaroundmore.'

'OK.But...'

'Givemeaminute.Inspirationwillstrike.'

Helaughed.'Hurryitup,'hesaid,disconnecting.

Isuckedmyteeth.Ifracehorsetrainershadn'tbeenasfussyastheynormallywere,IcouldhavetravelledthetwoSurrey-boundbroodmaresinoneoftheboxestaking'chaserstoSandown.Theboxcouldhavedroppedoffthetworacers,takenthemarestotheirdestinationandreturnedtoSandowntobringthe'chasershome.ImighthaveriskeditifIhadn'tbeensurethetrainerinquestionwouldgettohearofitfromhislads:andthetrainerinquestionwouldnevereverlethisownhorsestravelwithanyhorsesfromanyotherstables.Sendinghisrunnersincompanywithbroodmareswouldlosemehiscustominstantlyandevermore.

Iwentouttothenine-horsebox.JoggerwasnowheretobeseenbutwhenIyelledhisnameapairofbootsslidoutintoview,followedbygrease-cloggedtrousers,filthyarmysweaterandadirt-streakedface.

'You'reright,we'vepickedupastranger,'hereported,andadded,grinningwithyellowteeth.'Didyouknow?Youmusthaveknown.'

'No,Ididn't.'NorwasIpleased.Veryputout,infact.

'Haveadecko,'heencouragedme,removinghimselffromthesliderandslylyofferingmehisplace.

'I'lltakeyourwordforit,'Isaid,stayingupright.'Whathaveyoufound?'

'I'dsayit'sstuckonwithamagnet.'Hegavemehisopinionjudiciously.'It'sasortoftinbox.Likeabigcashbox,liddownwards.'

's.h.i.+ny?'Iasked.

'Coursenot.Want.i.tout?'

'Yes,butwait...um...we'vegotthreedriversnowwithflu.Wouldyoudoarunyourself,justtohelpout?'

Herubbedhisgreasyhandsdownhistrousersandlookeddubious.Drivingmeantcleaningupandtherewasnodoubthefelthappierdirty.Iseldomaskedhimtodrivemorethanhisregulartestrunsonalltheboxes,whenhelistenedtotheirresonancesastoalanguageandheardtroublebeforeithappened.

'Broodmares,nottotheraces,'Iexplained.

'Wellthen...when?'

'Lunchtime.'

'Bonus?'

'Sure,ifyoudoyourregularmaintenanceworkaswell.'

Heshrugged,laydownagainontheslideranddisappeared.Iwentbacktomydesk,phonedHarveandtoldhim,'Jogger.'

'He'sdriving?'Hesoundedincredulous.'Heagreed?'

'ThebroodmarestoSurrey,'Iconfirmed.'It'sPhilwhoseboxisinformaintenance,isn't.i.t?Wakehimup,twisthisarm,sobstuffifyoulike,tellhimhisdayoff'spostponed,weneedhimtotakeVic'sboxtoSandown.'

'OK.'.

'Thatshouldcoverit,'Isaid.

'Fingerscrossed.'

'Comedownhereyourself,wouldyou,whenyouhaveaminute?'

Afterthebriefestofpauseshesaid,'Right.'

HewouldbewonderingwhatIwantedbutnottothelevelofworry.Atleast,Ihopednot.

Daveatthatpointbicycledinacrossthetarmacandleanedhisrustyconveyanceagainstmywoodpile.Davedidhaveacar,evenrustierthanthecycle,but.i.tspentmostofthetimeoutofaction.Oneday,he'dbeensayingformonths,hewouldequipitwithretreadsandget.i.tbackontheroad.Noonebelievedhim.Hespenthismoneyongreyhounds.

Heknockedontheoutsidedooronhiswayinandappearedinthesitting-roomdoorwaywiththemartyredairofhavingsteppedoutofatumbril.

'Youwantedme,Freddie?'Hewasnervousb.u.t.tryingforbravado:notasuccess.

'IwantyouandBretttocleanthatbox.It'sdueoutagainbeforenine.'

'But,Brett-'Hestopped.

'Goon.'

'Harvetoldyou,didn'the?Brettsayshe'llbewaitingattheofficedoorforhisP45thesecondIsobelgetsthere,thenhe'soff.'

'He'sduesomewagesandholidaymoney,'Isaid,unruffled.'Yougetbackonyourbikeandgoandtellhimhecanhaveitnow,here,incash,butcleaningthatboxisyesterday'sjob,andifhedoesn'tfinis.h.i.+t,hisunemploymentdatesfromyesterdaymorning.Nopayforyesterday,understand?'

'Youcan'tdothat,'Davesaiduncertainly.

'Wanttobet?Byrights,heshouldgivemeaweek'snotice.Andaskhimifhethinkshemighteverneedareference.'

Davegavemeahollowlook.

'Hurryandfetchhim,'Isaid.'Andcomebackyourself.'

Whenhe'dgoneIswitchedonthecomputerandbroughtBrettandhisaffairstothescreen.Everyjourneyhe'ddoneformewaslistedthere,withdates,times,horses'names,expensesandnotes.Thedaybefore'sjourneyofninetwo-year-oldstoNewmarkethadbeenenteredonlyas'proposed':nodeadbodiesyetclutteredtheentry.

Histermsofemploymentwerethere,alongwithdaysworkedandholidayent.i.tlementearned:noproblematalltoputtogetherhispresentdue.Iprintedacopyoftheincomeinformation,readytogivetohim.

Throughthewindow,IwatchedJoggerheel-and-toehiswaytowardsthehouse,agreyish-brownshapelikeabigs...o...b..xinhishands.Hecameintothesitting-roomandplonkedtheobjectdownonmychart,notcaringaboutmundaneconsiderationslikedirt.HelookedsurprisedwhenIaskedhimtolifttheboxupagainsothatIcouldspreadanewspaperunderit.

'Ihadah.e.l.lofajobgettingitoff,'hesaid.'Likealimpetmine,itwas.'

'Where'sthemagnet?'Iasked.

'Stillstucktothecha.s.sis,behindthesecondfueltank.Super-gluejob,mostlike.Thisboxcameoffintheend,thoughIhadtouseatyrelever.Noonemeant.i.ttomove,I'mtellingyou.'

'Howlongwouldyousayit'sbeenthere?'

Theboxwasthickwithgrimeexceptforacleancircularsaucer-sizedpatchonitsundersidewhereithadbeenincontactwiththemagnet.

Joggershruggedunhappily.'It'snotinaplaceIneedtoinspectallthatoften.'

'Aweek?Amonth?More?'

'Dunno,'hesaid.

Ipickedtheboxupinthenewspaperandshookit.Itwascomparativelylight,withnorattle.

'Empty,'Joggersaid,nodding.

Aboutfifteeninchesbytenbysixdeep,itwasastrongold-fas.h.i.+onedgreymetalcashboxwithroundedcorners,arecessedcarryinghandleandast.u.r.dylock.Nokey,naturally.Adentononeedgefromthetyrelever.Thecarryinghandle,stuckintoitsrecess,wouldn'tliftup.

'Canyouopenit?'Iasked.'Withoutbreakingit.'

Joggergavemeasidewayslook.'IcouldpickthelockifIfetchmytoolsandyousquinttheotherway.'

'Goon,then.'

Hedecidedtotaketheboxouttohisvanforthejobandpresentlywithayellowgrinreturnedwithitopen.

Nothinginside,notevendust.Iputmynosedowntoit.Itsmelledsurprisinglycleaninsideconsideringthegrimeontheoutside.Itsmelledevenfresh,liketalc.u.mpowderorsoap.

'Howdifficultwasittosearchunderneath?'Iasked.

'Easy,onaslider.Veryeasyoveraninspectionpit,ifyouknewwheretolook.Inearlymissedit,though.It'sthesamecolouraseverythingelseunderthere.See,that'sit,youwouldn'texpecttoseeit,unlessyouknewitwasthere.You'dhavetoparkthatbitoverthepit,too,whichyouwouldn'tnormallydo.'

'HowlongsinceyouhadBrett'sboxovertheinspectionpit?'

Heraisedhiseyebrows.'Didanoilchange,checkedtheairbrakes,sayfiveweeksago.Totaloverhaulmust'vebeenbeforeChristmas.Don'tremembertheday.'

'Thecomputerwillhaveit,'Isaid.

Joggerlookedacrossatthedarkscreenwithoutfavour.Helikedtobeabletoinventmemories,nothavethemchecked.

'Thanks,anyway,'Isaidwarmly.'Iwouldn'thavefoundthiscashboxmyselfinamillionyears.'

Theyellowteethmadeabriefappearance.'Youwanttogetunderthere,'hesaid.

Butno,Ididn't.

DavecamebackonhisbicyclefollowedbyBrett,slowly,inhiscar,neitherofthemshowingmuchappet.i.teforthemorning.Theycameintothesitting-room,greetedJoggerunenthusiasticallyandlookedwithoutreactionatthedirtygreycashboxlyingopenonthenewspaper.

'Haseitherofyouseenthatbefore?'Iaskedneutrally.

Uninterestedly,theysaidtheyhadn't.

'It'snotmyfaultthehorseboxwasn'tcleaned,'Brettsaiddefensively.'SandySmithwouldn'tletmenearitlastnight.'

'Cleanitnow,w.i.l.l.you,whileIa.s.sembleyourpaypacket?'

'ItwasDave'sideatogivethatma.n.a.lift.'

'Yes,soyousaid.'