Driving Force Part 37

Yes,Freddie.

Ifeltfor,andfound,theroundendofthecontainerabovetherearfueltank.Iunscrewedandlaiditonthegroundbesideme.Iswitchedonthetorchandraisedmyheadtolookintothecontainer.

Myhairbrushedagainstthemetal.Tonsofsteel.Shutup.MyhandswereslipperywithsweatandIcouldhardlybreatheandmyheartpounded,andI'driskeddeathinracingthousandsoftimesoverfourteenyearsandIhadn'tcared...ithadbeennothinglikethis.

Insidethetubularcontainertherelaywhatseemedtobealongflatnarrowplywoodtraystretchingawayintoshadow.Standingontheplywoodwasan.o.blongplastickitchenfood-boxveryliketheoneI'dtakentoScotland,exceptthatthisonehadnolid.

GrippingthetorchconvulsivelyIstuckmyarmwiththetorchintothetubeforadeeperlook.

Thekitchenfood-boxheldwater.

Littlestarsappearedabovethetubularcontainer,showingontheundersideofthehorseboxfloorabove.Thestarswerefromthetorch-lightinsidethetube.Thestarsweretheresultofholesinthetube.

'Therewouldhavetobeairholesinthecontainer,'Guggenheimhadsaid.

Therewereairholes.

Ipeeredstraightintothetube,myheadhardagainstthemetalabove,armsconstrictedbymetalonbothsides,nervesshottopatheticcrumbs.

Deepalonginthetubesomethingmoved.Aneyeshonebrightly.Inhismetalburrow,therabbitseemedatease.

Iswitchedoffthetorch,screwedtheendbackontothetubeandwriggledoutagainintothefreenightair.

Ilayonthehardground,regrouping,heartthudding,ashamedofmyself.Nothing,Ithought,nothingwouldgetmetodoanythinglikethateveragain.

Inthemorning,lifeinthefarmyardlookednormal.

Lewis,predictably,wasannoyedthatI'dallocatedNinatogowithhiminsteadofDave.

'Davewasn'twellonSat.u.r.day,'Isaid.'I'mnotriskinghimgettingfluawayinItaly.'

Daveatthatmomentcreakedintoviewonhisbicycle,obliginglyflushedandheavy-eyed.Fluwasn'tgoingtostophim,hesaid.

'Sorry,but.i.tis,'Ireplied.'Gohometobed.'

Ninaarrivedlookingtheepitomeoffemininefrailty,yawningartisticallyandstretching.Lewisregardedherthoughtfullyandmadenomoreobjections.

HeandshebothcollectedtheirtravelkitsfromIsobelandwentoverthepaperworkrequirementswithher.WhenLewiswentintothewashroomIhadaprivatemomenttomurmurinNina'sear.

'You'retakinganunwithyou.'

Wide-eyed,shesaid,'Howdoyouknow?'

'Isawherarrive.'

'When?'

'Fivethismorning.Aboutthen.'

'Sothat'swhy...

Lewisreappeared,sayingiftheyweregoingtocatchtheferrythey'dbetterbeoff.

'Phonehome,'Isaid.

'Surething,'heagreedeasily.

Hedroveoutofthegatewithoutaworryintheworld.Ihopedtoh.e.l.lthatNinawouldcomebacksafely.

Fromthebusinesspointofviewitwasnotanoverpoweringlybusyday,b.u.t.theplainclothespolicesweptinwithsharpeyestotakeovertheplacebeforenine,settingupaninterviewroominmyoffice.Dispossessed,Ishowedthemwhatevertheywanted,offeredthemtherunofthecanteenandsatforawhileonasparechairinIsobel'soffice,watchingherwork.

Sandydroveininhisuniform,stillconfusedinhisloyalties.

'Tellthemaboutthecontainers,'heblurted.'Ihaven't.'

'Thanks,Sandy.'

'Didyoufindyouranswers?'

'Iaskedsomequestions.'

HeknewIwasn'tbeingopenwithhim,butheseemedtopreferignorance.Inanycase,hejoinedhiscolleaguesandranerrandsforthemallday.

Thecolleaguesfoundoutaboutthecontainersfromthelandlordofthepub.

'Lonerangers?'Irepeatedwhentheyaskedmeoutinthefarmyard.'Yes,Joggercameacrossthreecontainersunderthelorries.Allempty.Wedon'tknowhowlongthey'vebeenthere.'

TheForcewantedtoinspectthem.Goahead,Iagreed,thoughPhilwouldn'tbebackwithhisownhorseboxuntilevening.

Lewishadreachedtheferryingoodtime,Isobelreported,andwasnowinFrance.Imetaphoricallybitmynails.

Thepoliceinterviewedeveryonetheycouldreachandspenttimeslidinginandoutundertheboxes.Ratherthemthanme.WhenPhilreturnedtheyremovedthetubefromabovethefueltanks(withmypermission)andbrought.i.touttowhereitcouldbeeasilyinspected.Fourfeetlong,eightinchesindiameter,emptyexceptfordust,smallholespunchedthroughit,screwcapmissing.

Theytookitawayforexamination.Iwonderediftheywouldfindrabbithairsinit.

Idrovehome.Thelittlehelicopterhadgone.Mypoorcrunchedcarstoodaloneandforlorn,awaitingatow-truckonthemorrow.Ipattedit.Silly,really.Theendofabigpartofmylife.Sayinggoodbye.

Iwentearlytobedandtossedandturned.

InthemorningLewisreportedtoIsobelthathehadclearedtheMontBlanctunnelandwouldcollectthecoltbeforenoon.

Thepoliceaskedmorequestions.HalfthefleetsetofftotakemerchandisetoDoncastersales,NigeldrivingforMarigold.Iprogressedfrommetaphoricalnailbitingtoactual.

AtnoonLewisreportedthatBenjyUsher'scoltwasunmanageable.

Italkedtohimmyself.

'I'mnotdrivingit,'hesaid.'It'sawildanimal.It'lldamagethebox.It'llhavetostayhere.

'IsNinaaround?'

'She'stryingtopacifyit.Nochance.'

'Letmetalktoher.'

Shecameontheline.'Thecolt'sscared,'sheagreed.'Hekeepstryingtoliedownandthrashabout.Givemeanhour.'

'Ifhe'sreallyunmanageable,comebackwithouthim.'

'OK.'.

'Anythingelse?'Iasked.

'No.Nothing.'

Isat.w.a.tchingtheclock.

Arteranhour,Lewisphonedback.'Ninareckonsthecoltsuffersfromclaustrophobia,'hesaid.'Hegoesberserkifwetrytoshuthiminasinglestallinthehorsebox,andalsoifwetrytotiehimup.She'sgothimquiet,like,buthe'slooseinabigstall,likewearrangeitforamareandfoal.Youknow.Roomforthree,alltohimself.Andshe'sopenedallthewindows.Thecolt'sstandingwithhisnoseoutofoneofthematthemoment.Whatdoyoureckon?'

'It'suptoyou,'Isaid.I'lltellMrUsherwecan'tbringhiscoltout,ifyoulike.'

'No.'Hesoundedindecisivebutfinallysaid,'OK,I'llgiveitatry.Butifhegoesmadagainwhenwestartoff,I'llscrubit.'

'Right.'

Aclaustrophob.i.+.c.horse.Wedidsometimescomeacrossanimalsthatnoamountofpersuasionorbruteforcewouldgetthemuparampintoahorsebox.Isympathisedwiththem,especiallyafterthepreviousnight,butIcouldhavedone,thistime,withadozydocilepa.s.sengergivingLewisnotrouble.

Iwaited.Anotherhourcrawledby.

'Theymustbeontheirway,'Isobelsaid,unconcerned.

'Ihopeso.'

Anotherhour.Nonews.

'I'mgoingtoMichaelWatermead's,'ItoldIsobel.'CallmeonthemobilephoneifLewisreports.'

Shenodded,busywithotherthings,andItrundleddowntoMichael'stryingtoworkouthowbesttotellhimsomethinghewouldn'twanttohear.

Hewa.s.surprisedtoseemeinthehourofafternoondoldrumsbeforetheladsarrivedtofeedandwaterthehorsesandprepare,themforthenight.

'h.e.l.lo!'hesaid.'WhatcanIdoforyou?Comealongin.'

Hetookmeintoasmallfriendlysitting-room,notthebigimposingroomofSunday-lunchchampagnec.o.c.ktails.He'dbeenreadingnewspapers,whichlayscatteredoveralowtableandnearbyarmchair,andheroughlygatheredthemtogethertomakeas.p.a.ceformetosit.

'Maudie'sout,'hesaid.'I'llmakesometeainaminute.'

Hewavedformetositdown,obviouslywaitingformetobegin.Andwheretobegin...thatwastheproblem.

'Youremember,'Isaid,'themanwhodiedinoneofmyhorseboxes?'

'Died?Ohyes,ofcourse.OnthewaybackfromtakingJericho'stwo-year-olds,wretchedman.'

'Mm.'Ipaused.'Look,'Isaidawkwardly,'Iwouldn'tbotheryouwiththis,butIdowanttoclearsomethingup.'

'Carryon,then.'Hesoundedreceptive,notimpatient,simplyinterested.

ItoldhimthatDavehadpickedthemanupnotcasuallybutbyarrangement.Michaelfrowned.Iexplainedaboutthecarrier-bagwiththethermosflaskthatI'dfoundinthenine-boxthenextevening,andIshowedhimthelasttwotubesthathadbeencarriedinthethermos,thatI'dhadinmysafe.

'Whatarethey?'heaskedcuriously,holdingoneuptothelight.'What'sinthem?'

'Viraltransportmedium,'Isaid.'Fortransportingavirus.'

'Virus...'Hewa.s.shocked.'Didyousayvirus?

Virus,toalltrainers,meant'thevirus',thedreadedrespiratoryinfectionthatmadehorsescoughandrunatthenose.Theviruscouldputastableoutofwinnersformostofayear.Theworstnewspossible,thatwas'thevirus'.

Michaelhandedthetubesbackasifthey'dstunghim.

'TheycamefromPontefract,'Isaid.'FromYorks.h.i.+re.'

Hestared.'They'vegotthevirusupthere.Twoorthreeyardshaveit.'Helookedworried.'Youhaven'tmixedanyofmyhorsesinwithhorsesfromupnorth,haveyou?Because,ifso...'

'No,'Isaidpositively.'Yourhorsesalwaystravelalone,unlessyougivespecificpermissionotherwise.I'dnevereverputyourhorsesindangerofinfectioninmytransport.'

Hemarginallyrelaxed.'Ididn'tthinkyouwould.'Hewaseyeingthetubesasiftheyweresnakes.'Whyareyoutellingmethis?'

'BecauseIthink...er...ifthehitchhikerhadn'tdied,thevirusthatwasinthesetubesmighthavefounditswayintothelastofJerichoRich'sstring-thefillies-onthelastdayofthetransfertoNewmarket.'

Hestaredsomemore.Hethought.i.tover.'Butwhy?heasked.'That'scriminal.'

'Mm.'

'Why?'hesaidagain.

TogetevenwithJerichoRich.'

'Ohno,'hesaidprotestingly,standingupsharply,stridingawayfromme,angerrising.'Iwouldnever,neverdoathinglikethat.'

'Iknowyouwouldn't.'

Heswungroundfuriously.'Thenwho?'

'Um...Ithink...youmightaskTessa.'

'Tessa!'Hisangerincreased;atme,notather.'Shewouldn't.What'smoreshecouldn't.Thisisutterrubbish,Freddie,andI'mnotlisteningtoanymoreofit.'

Isighed.'Allright.'Istooduptogo.'Sorry,Michael.'