Driving Force - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
'Ahundredpercent.'
Anothergoodtheorydownthedrain.
'Didanyoneelse,'Iasked,'knowenoughtogetnearenoughtothecomputerlastFridaytofeedanydiskintoit?'
'I'vethoughtandthought...'Shestopped.'WhylastFriday?'
'OrSat.u.r.day,'Isaid.'Ourcomputerwizardthinkswepickeduptheinfectionaslateasthat.'
'Ohgolly.'
'Nothingcomestoyourmind?'
'No.'Itwasawailofregretandworry.'Iwis.h.i.+knew.'
'Didyouleaveanyofthosepeopleonyourlistofvisitorsaloneinyouroffice?'
'But...but...ohdear.Ican'tremember.Imighthavedone.Iwouldn'thaveseenanythingwronginit.Imean,thereweren'tanystrangersthere,notrightinmyoffice,andIcan'tbelieve...'
'It'sallright,'Isaid.'Don'tthinkabout.i.t.'
'Ican'thelpit.'
Iputthephonedownjusta.s.sandySmithrolledontomytarmac.Hecametowardsthebackdoortakingoffhispeakedcapandcombinghisflattenedhairwithhisfingers.
'Comein,'Isaid,meetinghim.'Whisky?'
'I'monduty,'hesaiddoubtfully.
'Who'stoknow?'
HesquareditwithhisconscienceandtooktheScotchwithwater.Wesatinthekitchen,oneoneachsideofthetable,andherelaxedasfarasunb.u.t.toninghistunic.
'It'saboutJogger,'hesaid.Hefrownedathisgla.s.s,hisroundedfacetroubled.'Aboutrust.'
Hisgloomspreadtomefast.'Whatdidtheyfind?'Iasked.
'I'veheard,'hebegan,andIreflectedthatthiswa.s.sandy'ssemaph.o.r.eat.i.tsbest.'I've...er...unofficiallyheardthattheydidfindrustallroundthepitandontheedges.b.u.t.therustwaseverywheremixedwithoilandgrease.Andtherewasn'tanyoilorgreaseinthewoundonJogger'shead.'
'd.a.m.n,'Isaid.
'They'regoingtotreat.i.tasmurder.Don'tsayItoldyou.'
'No.Thanks,Sandy.'
'They'llbeaskingyouquestions.'
'They'veaskedquestionsalready,'Isaid.
'They'llwanttoknowwhohaditinforJogger.'
'Iwanttoknowthattoo.'
IknewoldJogforyears,'Sandysaid.'Hewasn'tonetohaveenemies.'
'Iwouldthink,'Isaidneutrally,'thathemayhavedonewhatIdidonTuesdaynight,whichwastowalkintothefarmyardunexpectedly.Maybebothofuswerehitontheheadtopreventusseeing...whatever...butJoggerdied,andwasputintothepittomakeitlooklikeanaccident.'
Sandygazedatmethoughtfully.
'What'sgoingonthere,inthefarmyard?'heasked.
'Idon'tknow.Ib.l.o.o.d.ydon'tknow,andit'sdrivingmecrazy.'
'DidJoggerknow?'
'It'spossiblehefoundout.That'sperhapswhyhedied,andIdidn'twant.i.ttobethat.I'vebeensortofprayingforittobeprovedanaccident.'
'You'vethoughtallalong,though,that.i.twasmurder.'Hescratchedhisneckabsentmindedly.'WhatdidJoggermeanaboutlonerangersunderyourlorries?Mycolleagueswillwanttoknow.'
I'llshowyou,'Isaid.'Comeintothesitting-room.'
WewentintothejumbledwreckageandIledhimacrosstowhereI'dleftthecashboxJoggerhadprisedfromunderthenine-boxaweekago.
IledSandytotheplace,b.u.t.thecashboxwasn'tthere.
That'sodd,'Isaid.'Itwasrighthereonthisspotonthenewspaper 'Whatwas?'
Idescribedthecashbox:greymetal,ordinary,fresh-smellinginside,empty,unlockedbyJogger,theroundmarkofwhereithadbeenheldontoamagnettheonlybrightsectiononitsfilthygrime-ladenexterior.
IlookedroundtheroomforitandsodidSandy,pokingaboutinthegeneralmess.
Nocashbox.
'Whendidyoulastseeit?'Sandyasked.
'Tuesday,Isuppose.Ishowedittomysister.'Ifrowned.'Whenthisroomwasdoneover,Ididn'tthinktolookforthecashbox.'
Hesupposed,hesaid,thathecouldunderstandthat,andaskedifanythingelsewasmissing.
'Idon'tthinkso.'
'Joggersaidlonerangers.Plural.Theremusthavebeenmorethanone.'
'Twooftheotherboxeshavebeentrundlingaboutwithcontainersfixedtotheirundersides:b.u.t.thecontainersareempty,sameasthecashboxwas.'
Sandysaiddoubtfully,'EveryoneinthepublastSat.u.r.dayheardhimtalkingabout.i.t.Imean,hecan'thavebeenkilledtostophimtellinganyoneaboutthembecausehe'dalreadydoneit.'
'What'smore,'Isaid,'Dave,HarveandBrett,besidesJogger,sawthecashboxhereinthisroom,justafterJoggerlevereditoffthenine-box.Itwasonmydeskatthatpoint,inplainsight.Iput.i.tdownonthefloorsometimelater.'
'Youmusthaveanideawhat.i.twasfor,'Sandysaid,apoliceman-likesuspicioncreepingintohisvoicedespitethenon-adversarialstatusbetweenus.
'Wethoughtofdrugs,ifthat'swhatyoumean?Harve,JoggerandIdiscussedthat.Butdrugsdon'tjustappearoutofthinair.Someonehadtosupplythem.HarveandIdon'tbelievethatanyofourdriversdealindrugs.Imean,therewouldbesigns,wouldn'tthere?Andmoneygoingaround.Wewouldnotice.'
'Whydidn'tyoutellmeaboutthislastTuesday?'Stillthesuspicioustone.'Youshouldhavetoldme,Ireckon.'
'Iwantedtofindoutformyselfwhat'shappening.Istilldo,butIhaven'tmuchchanceifthere'samurderinvestigationgoingon.You'llhavetoadmitthatonceyourcolleaguesgettolookingatthecontainersunderthelorries,thosecontainerswillneverbeusedagain.Iwantedtoleavetheminplace,tokeepquietaboutthemandtowait.IimploredJoggernottotalkabouttheminthepub,b.u.t.thebeergotthebetterofhim.I'mafraidthathesaidtoomuch.I'mafraidheblewthewholeoperationandfrightenedthefishaway.I'vebeenhopinghedidn't.ButyourcolleagueswillcertainlyfrightenhimawayforeverandIwillneverfindout...andthat'swhyIdidn'ttellyou,becauseyou'reapolicemanfirstandafriendsecond,andyourconsciencewouldn'thaveletyoukeepsilent.'
Hesaidslowly,'You'rerightaboutthat.'
'It'sFridayevening,'Isaid.'HowlongcanyousitonwhatI'vetoldyou?'
'Freddie...'Hewasunhappy.
TillMonday?'
'Ohs.h.i.+t.Whatdoyouwanttodobeforethen?'
'Togetsomeanswers.'
'Youhavetoasktherightquestions,'hesaid.
Hedidn'tpromiseeventemporarysilenceandIdidn'ttrytocrowdhimwithadecision.Hewoulddowhateversatcomfortablyinhisownmind.
Heb.u.t.tonedhistunicroundhissolidwaist.Hesaidhe'dbetterbegoing.Onhiswayouthepickeduphispeakedcapandput.i.ton,reachinghiscarasafullyuniformedandthoroughpoliceman,lookinguncompromisinginhisvocation.
Ipouredtheremainsofhiswhiskydownthekitchensinkandhopedourfriends.h.i.+pwasn'tslidingawaywithitdownthedrain.
CHAPTER11.
IdrovealongtothefarmyardwhenNinaphonedtosayshewasback,andfoundherfillinghertanks,yawningasbefore.
Lewishadfinishedcleaninghisboxandwaspositioningitinitsusualplace.HarveandPhilweren'tbacksofarfromWolverhamptonbutexceptforAziz'snine-box,whichhadgonetoIreland,thebroodmareforcehadreturned.
Lewisslidhiscompletedlogthroughtheofficeletter-box,toldmebrieflythathe'dtakenhispairsafelybacktoMrUsherandthathe'dhadtohelptheUsherheadtravellingladsaddlealltherunnersastheirladswereuselessandNinahadsaidshewasn'tdressedforit.HethoughtlittleofNina,Igathered,forlettinghimdosomuchwork.Theapprovalshe'dlavishedthatmorningonthephotosofhisbabyhad,Ithoughtinamus.e.m.e.nt,beenwasted.
Ninadrovealongtothecleaningareaandsettoworkwiththepressurehose.Lookingatheroldjeans,theunsmartsweaterandthesc.r.a.pedbackhairescapinginwisps,onecouldseewhyshe'dbackedawayfrompublicgaze,quiteapartfromthefactthatsomeoneinthehorseworldmighthaverecognisedherandaskedastonishedquestions.
Lewisleft.IwentovertoNinaandofferedtocleanherboxforherifshewoulddoadifferentjobforme.Sheagreedwithrelief,saying,'WhatifHarvecomesback?'
I'llthinkofsomething.'
'OK.WhatdoIdo?'
'Fetchthenewsliderfromthebarnandlookatallthefueltankstoseeifthereareanycontainersstuckonthem.'
Shewa.s.surprised.'IthoughtJoggerlookedandtherewereonlythethree.'
'Lookingback,'Isaid,'hetoldmeofthree.Idon'tknowforsureifhe'dlookedunderalltheothers.Ijustwanttocheck.'
'Allright,'sheagreed.'Don'tyouwanttodoityourself?'
'Notparticularly.'
Shegavemeacuriouslookbutmadenocomment,justfetchedthesliderfromthebarnandstartedmethodicallyalongtherow.Ifinishedthecleaning,insideandout,andpositionedherboxwhereitbelonged,joiningherafterwardsbytheofficedoor.
'Well,'shesaid,rubbingdirtoffherelbows,'There'sonemore,andit'sunderLewis'sbox,but.i.t'sempty,liketheothers.Lewis!SowetooktwohiddencontainerstoLingfieldtoday,butIstayedwiththelorriesthewholetime,toLewis'sdisgust,buthecouldperfectlywellmanagetohelptheheadtravellingladsaddleuponhisown,hedidn'tneedmereally,butI'minhisbadbooks.'Thethoughthardlyupsether.'Noonecameneareitherbox,I'dswearit.Nooneshowedtheslightestinterestintheirundersides.'
Ithoughtback.'Lewis'sboxwasonitswaytoFrancewhenJoggerfoundthesecondandthirdcontainer.LewiswentonFriday,andgotbackatabouttwoonTuesdaymorning.'
'Thereyouare,then.Joggerdidn'tknowaboutLewis'sbox.HewasdeadbeforeLewis...o...b..ck.'
Harvedroveintothefarmyard,hislightsbrightinthegatheringdusk.
'DoyouwantmetocheckHarve's?'Ninaasked.
'Ifyouhaveachance.Andanyotherswe'vemissed.'
'OK.'Sheyawnedagain.'AmIdrivingtomorrow?'
'Isobel'sgotyoudownagainforLingfield.'
'Oh,well...atleastIknowtheway,now.'
Isaidpenitently,'Idon'tevenknowwhereyoulive.Doyouhavealongdrivehome?'
'NearStow-on-the-Wold,'shesaid.'Ittakesmeanhour.'
That'safaircommute.Um...howaboutifIgiveyoudinnersomewhereonyourwayhome?'
I'mhardlydressedforgoingouttodinner.'
'Apub,then?'
'Yes,allright.Thankyou.'
IwentovertotalktoHarveashefilledhistanksandfoundhimhappytohavetakenawinnertoWolverhampton,ashe'dalsobackedit.Theladwiththehorsehadtoldhimitwasacertainty.'Foronce,hewasright.'
WhenhistankswerefullIaskedhimtocomeovertotheofficetolookatthenextday'sschedule.Hecameasamatterofcoursewhile,lookingback,IsawNinatakingtheopportunitytoslideunderneathhisboxforaninspection.
Wewentthroughthelist,whichwashealthilybusy.HehimselfwasdownforChepstow,oneofhisfavouriteruns.'Good,'hesaid.ItoldhimaboutBenjyUsheroverlookingthehurdlers.'HowheevertrainsawinnerI'llneverknow,'hesaid.'Mindyou,hehastheluckofthedevil.Whoelsehadthreewalkoverslastsummer?YouremembertherewasthatbuggoingaboutinPixhill?AllthoseCla.s.sicTrialweight-for-ageraces,theyalwayscutuptofiveorsixrunnerseveryyearanyway,andMrUsher'salwayskeentowinthem.HewontheChesterVaselastyearagainstonlytwoopponents.Iknow,becauseIdrovehiswinnermyself,ifyouremember?'
Inodded.'He'salwaystendedtoenterhorsesinracesthatarelikelytohaveveryfewrunners,'Iagreed.'Iwonseveraltwo-andthree-horseracesforhimmyself,mostlythree-milechases.'