Driving Force Part 38

IwentoutofhishouseandovertomyFourtrakandhefollowedmeindecisivelyasfaras.h.i.+sdoor.

'Comeback,'hesaid.

Iretracedafewstepsinhisdirection.

'Youcan'tmakeaccusationslikethatandsimplyb.u.g.g.e.roff,'hesaid.'Doyouordon'tyouwanttogoondrivingmyhorses?'

'Verybadly,'Iadmitted.

'Thenthisisnotthewaytogoabout.i.t.'

'Ican'tletmybusinessbeusedforcarryingvirusesfromplacetoplaceanddonothingtostopit.'

'Huh,'hesaidonalowbreath.'Whenyouthinkofitlikethat...b.u.t.tessa?It'spreposterous.Shewouldn'tknowhowtodoit,forastart.'

'I'dliketoaskher,'Isaidreasonably.'Issheathome?'

Helookedathiswatch.'Sheoughttobehereatanyminute.Sheonlywentshopping.'

'Icouldcomeback,'Isaid.

Hehesitated,thenjerkedhisheadtowardstheinsideofthehouse,biddingmetofollow.'Youmightaswellwait,'hesaid.

Ifollowedhimthroughtothesitting-room.

'Tessa,'hesaid,notbelievingit.'You'vegot.i.tallwrong.'

'IfIhave,I'llgrovel.'

Hegavemeasharplook.'You'llneedto.'

Wewaited.Michaeltriedtoreadanewspaperandput.i.tdowncrossly,unabletoconcentrate.

'Nonsense,'hesaid,meaningwhatI'dsaidaboutTessa.'Totalnonsense.'

Hisdaughterreturned,lookingintothesitting-rooma.s.shepa.s.sed,festoonedwithboutiquebags,onherwayupstairs.Brownhaired,lighteyed,perpetuallysulky-looking,sheglancedatmewithdisfavour.

'Comein,Tessa,'herfathersaid.'Shutthedoor.'

'Iwanttogoupstairs.'Shepeeredintooneofthebags.'Iwanttotrythisdresson.'

'Comein,'hesaid,sharplyforhim,andfrowning,ungraciously,shedidso.

'Whatisit,then?'sheasked.

'Allright,Freddie,'herfathersaidtome.'Askher.'

'Askmewhat?'Shewasdispleased,butnotfrightened.

'Um...'Isaid,'didyouarrangeforsometubescontainingvirustobebroughttoPixhill?'

Ittookamomentformydeliberatelycasualtoneofvoicetoreachherunderstanding.WhensherealisedwhatI'daskedher,shestoppedfidgetingwithhershoppingandgrewstillwithshock,herfacestiffening,mouthopen,eyeswary.EventoMichaelitwasplainthatsheknewwhatIwastalkingabout.

'Tessa,'hesaiddespairingly.

'Well,whatofit?'shesaiddefiantly.'WhatifIdid?Itnevergothere.Sowhat?'

Itookthetwotubesoutofmypocketagainandputthemonthetable.Shelookedatthemvaguely,thenworkedoutwhattheywere.Abadmomentforher,Ithought.

'Thereweresixtubes,'Isaid.'Whatwereyougoingtodowiththem?PourthecontentsupthenosesofsixfilliesbelongingtoJerichoRich?'

'Dad!'Sheturnedtohim,imploring,'Getridofhim.'

'Ican't,'Michaelsaidsadly.'Isthatwhatyouintended?'

'Ididn'tdoit.'Shesoundedtriumphantmorethanabashed.

'Youdidn'tdoit,'Iagreed,'becauseyourcourierdiedofheartfailureonthejourneyandfailedtodeliverthethermos.'

'Youdon'tknowanything,'shesaid.'You'remakingitup.'

'YouwantedtogetevenwithJerichoRichfortakinghishorsesawaybecausehemadeapa.s.satyouandyouslappedhisface.Youthoughtyouwouldmakehishorsesillsotheycouldn'twin,servehimright.Yousawanadvertis.e.m.e.ntinHorseandHoundsayingmoreorless'anythingtransportedanywhere',soyouphonedthenumberintheadandarrangedforKevinKeithOgden-themanwhodied-topickupathermosatPontefractservicestationandbringitdowntheA1tothejunctionwiththeM25atSouthMimms.Youarrangedwithmydriver,Dave,togetOgdenpickedupthereandtobringhimtoChieveley.YouphonedDavelateintheeveningafterhegotbackfromFolkestone,asyouknewitwasnogoodtryingtoreachhimearlierbecauseyouknewhisschedule.You'realwaysinandoutofIsobel'sofficeandyoucouldseetheday'slist.Ogdenwa.s.supposedtodisembarkatChieveleyandhandoverthethermos,butashe'ddiedmymenbroughthimallthewaytomyhouse.IexpectyoumayhavebeensurprisedwhenOgdendidn'tappearatChieveley,but.i.twa.s.soonalloverthevillagewhynot,andcertainlyyourfatherknewabout.i.talmostatonce.'Ipausedbriefly.Neitherfathernordaughtertriedtospeak.

'WhenyoufoundOgdenwasdead,'Iwenton,'youknewthethermoshadtobestillinthehorsebox,soyoucamelookingforit,Tessa,disguisedindarkclotheswithablackbalaclavaoveryourhead,sothatifIsawyouIwouldn'tknowyou.Ifoundyouinthecab,ifyouremember,andyouranaway.'

ItwasMichaelwhosaid,'No.'

'Youcouldn'tfindthethermos,'ItoldTessa.'Youtriedtwice.ThenIdecidedtosleepinthecab,whichputanendtoit.'

Michaelsaid,'Idon'tbelieveit.'Buthedid.

I'llmakeadealwithyou,'IsaidtoTessa.'Iwon'ttellJerichoRichwhatyouintendedforhisfilliesifyou'llanswerafewquestions.'

'Youcan'tproveathing,'shesaid,narrowinghereyes.'Andthat'sblackmail.'

'Maybe.Inreturnformynevermentioningthisagaintoanyone,Iwantafewanswers.It'snotabadbargain.'

'HowdoIknowyou'llkeepit?'

'Hewill,'Michaelsaid.

'Whydoyoutrusthimsomuch?'hisdaughterdemanded.

'Ijustdo.'

Shedidn'tlikeit.Shetossedherhead.Shesaidtightly,'Whatdoyouwanttoknow?'

'Chiefly,'Isaid,'wheredidthevirustransportmediumcomefrom?'

'What?'

Irepeatedthequestion.Shewentonlookingblank.

'Theliquidinthosetubes,'Isaid,'isamixtureusedfortransportingvirusesoutsidealivingbody.'

'Idon'tunderstand.'

'Ifyousimplycollectedthenasaldischargeofahorsewiththevirus,'Isaid,'theviruswoulddisappearinaveryshorttime.TobringtheinfectiontoPixhillfromYorks.h.i.+rebyroad,thewayitcame,you'dneedtocombinethenasaldischargewithamixturethatwouldkeepthevirusactive.That'swhat'sinthesetubes,thatmixture.Eveninthese,aviruswon'tsurvivemorethantwodays.Thismixturehereisharmlessnow.Butwherediditcomefrom?'

Shedidn'tanswer.Michaelsaid,'Where,Tessa?'

'Idon'tknow.Idon'tknowwhatyou'retalkingabout.'

'Allyouknow,'Isuggested,'wasthatifyouheldahorse'sheadupandpouredthemixturedownhisnostril,hewouldbeinfected?'

'Well,probably.Probablybeinfected.'

'Whotoldyou?'Iasked.'Whogotthestuffforyou?'

Silence.

'Tessa?'Michaelsaid.

'WasitBenjyUsher?'Iasked.

'No!'Shewastrulyastonished.'Ofcoursenot.'

'NotBenjy,'Michaelagreed,amused.'Butwho,Tessa?'

'I'mnotsaying.'

'That'sunfortunate,'Imurmured.

Asilencelengthenedwhilethehead-t.o.s.s.e.r,thewhisperer,thought.i.tover.

'Oh,allright,'sheburstout.'ItwasLewis.'

Michaelwasa.s.surprisedasIwasnot.Iwouldhavebeenastoundedifshe'dsaidanyoneelse.

'Idon'tknowwherehegot.i.tfrom,'shesaidwildly.'Allhesaidwashecouldgetapalupnorthtocollectsomesnotfromahorsewiththevirus-that'swhathesaid,snot,notallposhlikenasaldischarge-andthispalwouldtakeittoPontefractservicestationifIcouldgetsomeonetocollect.i.t.Thepalcouldn'tgetawaytobringitdownhereandI'dnochanceofgoingtoYorks.h.i.+rewithoutmakingendless.e.xcuses,soyes,I'dseentheadinthemagazineandsuggestedtoLewisthatIcoulduseitandhesaidgetDavetopickthemanup;DavewasdownforthetriptoNewmarketandhewoulddoanythingformoney,andthemanwouldgettoChieveley,whereIcouldmeethimeasily,andhowwasItoknowhewasgoingtodie'?IphonedLewisandtoldhimwhathadhappenedandaskedhimtofindthethermosformebutallhewoulddowasgivemethekeytogetintothecabwith.Andifyouwanttoknow,youlookedprettystupidwhenyoucaughtmesearching,whenyouweretryingtoruninsleepingshortsandgumbootsandaraincoathalfoff.Prettysilly,youlooked.'

'Iexpectso,'Isaidequably.'Didyoulookunderthehorseboxaswellasinit?'

'MrKnow-all,aren'tyou?Yes,Idid.'

'Er,why?'

'Lewistoldmeonedayyoucouldcarryanythingunderthehorseboxesifyouwantedto.'

'Whydidhesaythat?'Iasked.

'Whydoesanyonesayanything?Helikedsayingthingstogetyougoing.Hesaidhe'dcarriedsoapinacontainerunderoneofyourboxes,buthe'dgivenitup,itdidn'twork.'

'Soap,'Michaelsaid,hopelesslylost,'whyeversoap?'

'Idon'tknow.HowshouldIknow?Lewisjustsaysweirdthings.Justhisway.'

'So...er...'Isaid,'didyoufindanysoapundermyhorsebox?'

'No,ofcourseIdidn't.Iwaslookingforathermos.Therewasnothingatallunderthere.Itwasallfilthydirty.'

'WhenyoutriedtogetNigeltotakeyoutoNewmarketwiththefillies,'Isaid,'wereyoustillhopingtofindtheviruscontainerandinfectthehorsesonthejourney?'

'WhatifIwas?'

'Itwasadifferenthorsebox,'Isaid.

'Itwasn't...well,theyalllookalike.'

'Manydo.'

Shelookedshattered.

'DidyoupayDave?'Iaskedmildly.

'No,Ididn't.Imean,Inevergotthestuff,didI?'

'Andyoudidn'tpayOgden,becausehewasdead.DidyoupayLewis?'

Afterapauseshesaidsullenly,'Hewanteditinadvance.So,yes.'

Michaelsaid,'Tessa,'again,almostwailing.

'WellIdiditforyou,Dad,'shesaid.'IhateJerichoRich.TakinghishorsesawaybecauseIslappedhisface!Ididitforyou.'

Michaelwasovercome,fulloftoo-easyindulgence.Ididn'tbelieveher,butperhapsMichaelneededto.

CHAPTER13.

Isobelwa.s.stillintheofficewhenIreturnedtothefarmyardalthoughitwasbythennearlyfive.Rosehadgonehome.

Lewishadphoned,Isobelsaid.Ihadjustmissedhim.HeandNinawerebackthroughtheMontBlanctunnelandhadstoppedforasandwichandrefuelling.Ninahadbeendriving.Thecolthadhaditsheadoutofthewindowallthewaybuthadnotgoneberserk.Lewiswouldbedrivingnorththroughthenight,thoughhewouldstopsomewheretofillthejerrycanswithFrenchwaterforthecolt.