Part 27 (1/2)

TheejectionslothadbeenonthesideofthegunawayfromWalt,b.u.t.thecasessometimesshotoutstraightupwardsinsteadofsideways,andIbegantowonderiftheeighthcouldpossiblyhavetravelledfarenoughovertobeunderneathhim.Ididn'twanttodisturbhim:butIhadtofindthelittlebra.s.sthimbleThen,whenI'ddecidedIhadnochoice,Isawit.Bentanddusty,partlyflattened,nolongers.h.i.+ning.IpickeditupfromthespotwhereIhadbeenhalf-lyinginthepathofMatt'scar.Hehadrunoverit.

AfterthatIattendedtothegrounditself.Tyremarksdidn'tshowontheroughdustysurface,b.u.t.thehoofprintsdidtosomeextent.Ifetchedabroomoftwigsfromthebarnandsweptthemout.

Thegaragewasnext.Ipunchedthroughintothecartheremainingcornerofthewindscreenwithitssignificantbullethole,andIpickedupeveryoneofthecigarettestubswhichtoldwhereandhowlongMatthadwaited.Theywentintoatrashcanstandingafewyardsalongfromthehousedoor.

Matthadn'tlockedthehousewhenhewentout.Iwentintolookforoneessentialpieceofinformation;theaddressoftheplace,andthenameofitsowner.Thetorchlightsweptoverthethreadbarecoversandelderlyfurniture,andinonedrawerofalargedresserIfoundwhatthefarmerusedforanoffice.ThejumbleofbillsandlettersgavemewhatIwanted.WilburBellman,FarValleyFarm,Kingman.Onthescratchpadbesidethetelephone,Matthadwrittenabonus.Inheavyblackballpointwerethesimplewords:'Insurance.9p.m.'

BeforeleavingIgavethebigdilapidatedliving-roomafinalcircuitwiththetorchandthebeamflickeredoveraphotographinacardboardfolderstandingonashelf.Somethingaboutthefaceinitstruckmeasfamiliar,andIswungthetorchbackforasecondandcloserlook.

Thepatientpa.s.sivefaceofKiddosmiledout,asuntroubledasithadbeenwhenhetoldWaltandmeaboutOffen'smares.Loopyunformedwritingstraggledoverthelowerhalfofthepicture.'ToMaandPa,fromyourlovingson.'

IfOffenhadsenthisstudgroomtoMiamitojoinhisparents,Kiddo'sloyaltytohisemployerwasacertainty.IalmostadmiredOffen'stechniqueinfurnis.h.i.+nghimselfinonethrowwithan.o.bscurehideoutforthehorsesandanon-talkingemployee.

AfterthehousethereremainedonlyWalt.Nothingtodob.u.t.tosaygood-bye.

Iwentdownonmykneesbesidehiminthedust,b.u.t.thesilentformwasalreadysubtlynotWalt.Deathshowed.Itookoffonegloveandtouchedhishand:stillwarminthewarmair,butwithoutthefirmnessoflife.

TherewasnopointinsayingtohimwhatIfelt.Ifhisspiritwa.s.stillhoveringsomewherearound,hewouldknow.

Ilefthimlyingthereinthedark,andwentbacktoSam.

Hetookoneslowlookatmyfaceandsaidinanappalledvoice,'You'renotleavinghimthere?'

Inodded,andclimbedupbesidehim.

'Butyoucan't...'

Isimplynoddedagain,andgesturedtohimtostartupanddriveaway.Hediditwithaviciousnessthatmusthaverockedthestallionsontheirfeet,andwewentbacktoKingmanwithoutspeaking.HisrevulsionatwhatIhaddonereachedmeinalmosttangiblewaves.

Ididn'tcare.IfeltonlyonegrimengulfingacheforthemanI'dleftbehind.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN.

Lynnieputherbrownhandtentativelyonmineandsaid.'Gene...what'sthematter?'

'Nothing,'Isaid.'YoulookworsethanyoudidwhenyoucamebackwithChrysalis.Muchworse.'

Thefooddoesn'tagreewithme.'

Shesnortedandtookherhandaway.Weweresittingontheseaterrace,waitingforEunicetocomedownfordinner,withthesungallopingthelastlaptoduskandthedaiquiristinklingwithcivilisedice.

'IsWaltbackyet?'Lynniesaid.'No.'

'He'safunnyman,isn'the?'shesaid.'Allmoodsandglumlooks,andthensuddenlyhesmiles,andyourealisehowniceheis.Ilikehim.'AfterapauseIsaid,'SodoI.'

'Howwa.s.sanFrancisco?'sheasked.'Foggy.'

'What'sthematter?'

'Nothing.'

Shesighedandshookherhead.

Eunicearrivedinacloudofyellowchiffonandclankedhergoldbraceleta.s.shestretchedforherdrink.Shewascheerfulandglowing;almosttoomuchtobear.

'Well,yousonofab.i.t.c.h,whendidyoucrawlin?'

'Thisafternoon,'Isaid.

'Sowhat'snew?'

'I'vegivenuptryingtofindthehorses.'

Eunicesatupstraightwithajerk.'Forcryingoutloud!'

'I'llbestartinghomesoon.Tomorrowevening,Iexpect.'

'Oh,no,'Lynniesaid.

'Oh,yes,I'mafraidso.Theholidaysareover.'

'Theydon'tlookasifthey'vedoneyoumuchgood,'Euniceobserved.'Sonowhowdoyoudealwithit?'

'Withwhat?'

'Withflopping.Withnotmakingout.'

Isaidwryly,'Lookitsmackintheeyeanddareittobiteyou.'

'Itprobablywill,'saidEunicesardonically,'It'llchewmetob.l.o.o.d.ybits.'Shedrankthesecondquarterofherdrinkandlookedmethoughtfullyover.'Cometothinkofit,itseemstohavedonethattoyoualready.'

'MaybeI'lltakeupgolf.'

Shelaughed,moreinternallyrelaxedthanI'deverseenher.'Games,'shesaid,'areabore.'

WhentheywentintoeatIcouldn'tfaceit,anddroveoffinsteadtofetchthetaperecorderfromtherocksatOrpheusFarm.Theshortjourneyseemedtiresomelylong.IthadbeennearlyfourhundredandfiftymilesbacktoSantaBarbarafromKingman,andneitherbath,shave,nortwohoursflatonthebedseemedtohavehadanyeffect.

BackinmyroomatTheVacationerIlistenedtothewholeofthetape'sfour-hourplayingtime.Thefirstconversations,twoorthreebusinesscalls,werefromthepreviousmorning,afterWalthadputinanewreel.ThentherewasalmostanhourandahalfofaninterviewbetweenOffenandamanfromtheBloodstockRegistryOffice.Theyhadalreadybeenouttoseethehorses,andOffenwaspilingproofonproofthatthehorsesinhisbarnwereveritablyMoviemakerandCentigrade.AgroomwhohadcaredforCentigradeduringhisracingdayswasaskedintosignastatementhe'dmadethatherecognisedthehorseandwouldifnecessarysweartoitsident.i.tyinanyenquiry.

ThebloodstockmanapologisedconstantlythatanyoneshouldhavedoubtedOffen.Offenenjoyedthescene,thejokerumblinglikeanundertone.Afterthey'dgonehelaughedaloud.Ihopedhe'denjoyedit.Hewouldn'tbelaughingmuchforalongtimetocome.

NextonthetapewasapieceofOffengivinghishousemaninstructionsforreplenis.h.i.+ngthedrinkstocks,thenanhour'stelevisionprogramme.Andafterthat,Matttelephoned.

Icouldn'thearhisvoiceatall,onlyOffen'sreplies:b.u.t.theywereenough.

'h.e.l.lo,Matt.'...