'You'renotdealingwithcommonsense,'Azizsaid.'Yoursistershowedmethehavocinyoursittingroom.You'vegotagold-platedwreckerontheloose.Can'tyouhearhim?He'sshoutingatyou,'Lookatme,lookatwhatIcando,seehowcleverIam.'Thatsortofcharacterlikestakingrisks.It'slife'sblood.Itgiveshimhisbuzz.'

Isaidflatly,'Howdoyouknow?'

Theshiningeyesflickered.'Observation,'hesaid.

'Observationofwho?'

'Oh,thispersonandthat.'Heflappedahandvaguely.'Nooneparticular.'

Ididn'tpursueit.Hewasn'tgoingtotellme.Iwasinterested,allthesame,inhisa.s.sessment.Itmatchedprettyfaithfullywhattheexperthadsaidaboutthepatternofcomputerviruswriters,thelook-at-clever-mesyndrome.Theoverpoweringself-regardthatcouldexpressitselfonlyindestruction.

'Doesonewrecker,'Iaskedslowly,'eggonanother?'

His.e.xpressionwa.s.street-smartbeyondanyotherI'dmet.'Everheardoffootballyobbos?'

Murderous,Ithought.

IthankedAzizfordrivingLizzie.

'Nicelady,'hesaid.'Anyoldtime.'

Irubbedahandovermyface,askedAziztocheckwithHarveaboutjobsforthenextdayandtoldIsobelandRoseI'dbebackinthemorning.

OntheshortwayhomeInoticedthatmyneighbourhadasmallpileofbricksbesidehisgate.Thebrickshadbeenthereforweeks,Irealised.I'dneverpaidthemanyattention.

IstoppedthejalopybythewreckoftheJaguarandlookedthroughthes.p.a.cethathadoncebeenthedriver'ssidewindow.Therewasindeedabrick-ortheremainsofone-jumbledinthesqueezeds.p.a.ce.Thebrickhadbrokenintothreepieces.Brickswerebrittle.Brickdustwasreddish,likerust.

I'mdelirious,Ithought.

IletmyselfintothehousewiththekeysAzizhadbroughtfromLizzieandswitchedonthetelevisioninmybedroomtowatchtheracingatCheltenham.

Isatinthearmchairandthenlayonthebedandthenfellinexorablyasleepasifbrain-deadandstayedthatwayuntillongafterthelasthorsehadpa.s.sedthewinningpost.

Thursdaymorning,CheltenhamGoldCupday,oncegreetedwithraisedpulseandthuddinghope,foundmethatparticularweekwithacreakingstiffnessinmylimbsandacravingtocurlupandlettheworldpa.s.sby.

Instead,drivenbycuriositymorethanasenseofduty,IputonshirtandtieanddrovetoWinchester,pausingforfiveminutesonthewaywithIsobelandRose.Theycouldfillinthetimebeforethearrivalofthecomputer-reviver,Isuggested,bymakingalistofeveryonetheycouldthinkofwho'dsetfootintheirofficesthepreviousweek.

Theylookedatmeblankly.Dozensofpeoplehadcrossedtheirdoorstep,itseemed,startingwithallthedrivers.Iwouldtakethedriversforgranted,Isaid.Justlisteveryoneelse,andputastaragainstthosethathadbeeninonFriday.Theyweredoubtfuliftheycouldremember.Try,Isaid.

IcollectedDavefromthecanteenandtookhimwithmetoWinchester,thoughhewasreluctanttogoandspentthewholetwenty-minutejourneyinunaccustomedsilence.

TheinquestonKevinKeithOgden,proved,a.s.sandyhadpromised,tobeacomparativelysimpleaffair.Thecoroner,quietandbusinesslike,hadreadthepaperworkbeforecomingtotheproceedingsand,thoughthorough,sawn.o.benefitinwastingtime.

Hespokewithkindnesstoathin,miserablewomaninblack,whoagreedthatyes,shewasLynnMelissaOgden,andyes,shehadidentifiedthedeadmanasherhusband,KevinKeith.

BruceFarway,consulted,reportedthathe'dbeencalledtothehouseofFrederickCroftonthepreviousThursdayeveningandhaddeterminedKevinKeithtobedeceased.Thecoroner,readingaloudfromapaper,acceptedthepost-mortemreportthatdeathhadresultedfromheartfailurecausedbyastringofabstrusemedicalconditionsthatprobablynooneintheroomunderstoodexceptFarway,whowasnodding.

ThecoronerhadreceivedaletterfromKevinKeith'sowndoctordetailingthepatient'shistoryandthepillshehadbeenadvisedtokeeptaking.Heaskedthewidowifthepillshadbeenfaithfullyswallowed.Notalways,shesaid.

'Mr...er...Yates?'askedthecoroner,lookingaroundforaresponse.

'Here,sir,'Daveansweredhoa.r.s.ely.

'YougavealifttoMrOgdeninoneofMrCroft'shorseboxes,isthatright?Tellusabout.i.t.'

Davemadeita.s.shortashecould,sweatinganduncomfortable.

'Wecouldn'twakehim,like,atChieveley...'

ThecoroneraskedifKevinKeithhadshownanyphysicaldistressbeforethat.

'No,sir.Heneversaidaword.Wethoughthewasasleep,like.'

'MrCroft?'thecoronersaid,identifyingmeeasily.'YoucalledPoliceConstableSmithwhenyou'dseenMrOgden?'

'Yes,sir.'

'AndConstableSmith,youcalledDrFarway?'

'Yes,sir.'

Thecoronershuffledthepaperstogetherandlookedneutrallyatthosepresent.'ThefindingofthiscourtisthatMrKevinOgdendiedofnaturalcauses.'Afterapause,whennoonemoved,hesaid,'That'sall,everyone.Thankyouforyourattendance.Youhaveeachbehavedwithcommendablepromptnessandcommonsenseinthissadoccurrence.'

HegaveMrsOgdenonelastsympatheticsmile,andthatwasthat.WetroopedoutontothepavementandIheardMrsOgdenenquiringforlornlyabouttaxis.

'MrsOgden,'Isaid,'canIgiveyoualift?'

Shefocusedweak-lookinggreyeyesonmyfaceandindecisivelyflutteredherhands.'It'sonlytotherailway...'

I'lltakeyou...ifyoudon'tmindaFourtrak?'

Shelookedasifshe'dneverheardofaFourtrakbutwouldhavesettledforanelephantifallelsefailed.

IpersuadedSandytotakeDavebacktoPixhillandsetoffwithMrsOgdenwhowasnotexactlycryingbutinadefinitestateofshock.

'Itdidn'ttakelong,didit?'shesaiddefeatedly.'Itdidn'tseemmuchofathing,didit?Imean,notattheendofsomeone'slife.'

'Notagreatthing,'Iagreed.'Butyou'llhaveaserviceofthanksgiving,perhaps.'

Shedidn'tlookcheered.Shesaid,'AreyouFreddieCroft?'

'That'sright.'Iglancedather,thinking.'Whendoesyourtrainleave?'Iasked.

'Notforages.'

'Howaboutsomecoffee,then?'

Shesaidwanlythat.i.twouldbeniceandsettledapatheticallyintoanarmchairintheemptyfrontloungeofamock-Tudorhotel.CoffeetookitstimecomingbutwasfreshinaCafetierepot,withcreamandrosebuddedchinaonasilverytray.

MrsOgden,untilthenhuddledpalelyintoherblackshapelessovercoat,begantoloosenalittlebyundoingtheb.u.t.tons.Underthecoat,moreblack.Blackshoes,blackhandbag,blackgloves,blackscarf.Anoverstatement.

'Aterribleshockforyou,'Isaid.

'Yes.'

'Yourdaughtermustbeacomfort.'

'Weneverhadadaughter.Hemadethatup,togetlifts.'

'Didhe?'

'Hehadtomakethingsup.'Shegavemeasuddenlookofpanic,thefirstcrackintheice.'Helosthisjob,yousee.'

'Hewas...asalesman?'Iguessed.

'No.Hewasinsales.Under-manager.Thefirmgottakenover.Mostofthemanagementweremaderedundant.'

'I'msosorry.'

'Hecouldn'tgetanotherjob,yousee.Notatfifty-four,withabadheart.'

'Life'sunfair.'

'He'sbeenunemployedforfouryears.We'vespenttheredundancymoneyandoursavings...thebuildingsociety'srepossessingthehouse...and...and...it'salltoomuch.'

Andhe'dbouncedcheques,Ithought,andfailedtopayhotelbills,andtriedtoliveonsc.r.a.psgleanedfromafeebletransportscheme,travellingaroundfreebyliftscadgedonthebasisofasob-storyaboutanon-existentdaughter'swedding.

LynnMelissaOgdenlookedashammeredintothegroundasatentpeg.Shehadgreyingstraightbrownhairtiedbackinthenapeofherneckwithanarrowblackribbon.Nocosmetics.Pinchedlinesroundhermouth.Thecordsof.a.geinherneck.

Iaskedsympathetically,'Doyouyourselfhaveajob?'

'Iusedto.'Thegreynessinherskinlookedlikedespair.'Iworkedinagreengrocer'sbutKev...wellhe'sgonenow,itcan'thurttosayit...Kevtooksomemoneyoutoftheirtill,andtheywereprettygoodabout.i.t,theydidn'tgetthepoliceb.u.t.theysaidI'dhavetogo.'

'Yes.'

'Wewereeatingonthatmoney.'Shetrembledwithfutileanger.'Feedingourselvesonmywagesandthethingslikerottingfruitandveggiesthattheshopcouldn'tsell.Howcouldhe?'

'Hecouldhavesoldthatring,perhaps,'Isuggested.'Isawitonhisfinger...goldandonyx.'

'Thatwasafake,'shesaiddully.'Hesoldtherealonemonthsago.Hemisseditsomuch...Hecried,youknow.SoIboughthimthatone...itwasrubbish,butheworeit.'

Irefilledhercoffeecup.Shedrankabsently,thecupclatteringonthesaucerwhensheput.i.tdown.

'WhydidyourhusbandwanttogototheChieveleyservicestation?'Iasked.

'Hehadto-'Shestoppedandconsidered,thensaid,'Idon'tsupposeitmattersanymore.Hecan'tgetintoanymoretrouble...ItoldhimIcouldn'tbearanymoreofit,butIdid,ofcourse.We'dbeenmarriedthirty-threeyears...Ilovedhimonceb.u.t.then...foralongtime...I'vebeensorryforhim,yousee,andIcouldn'tkickhimout,couldI?Becausewherewouldhego?Andhehadn'tbeenhomeforweeksbecausethepolicehadbeenround...Idon'tknowwhyI'mtellingyou...

'Becauseyouneedtotellsomeone'

'Oh,yes.Andappearances,yousee?Ican'ttellourneighboursandwehardlyhaveanyfriendsleftbecauseKevborrowedmoneyfromthem...'

Andneverrepaid.Thewordswerea.s.starkasifshe'dactuallysaidthem.

'SowhywashegoingtoChieveley?'Iaskedagain.

'Peopleusedtophonethehouseandaskhimtotakethingsforthemfromoneplacetoanother.Isaidhe'dgetintotroubledoingthat.Imean,hecouldhavebeencarryingbitstomakebombs,ordrugs,oranything.Quiteoftenhetookdogsorcats...hequitelikedthat.HeputanadinHorseandHoundsometimes.Peoplewouldpayhistrainfaretotaketheiranimalsbuthe'dcashintheticketsandgothumbing.Imean,hehadn'tanyprideleft,yousee.Everythinghadcomeapart.'

'Wretched,'Isaid.

'Wepaidthephonebill,'shesaid.'Wealwayspaidthephonebill.AndI'dtakethemessagesforhimandhewouldphonemewheneverhecouldusesomeone'sphonefornothing.Butwecouldn'thavegoneonmuchlonger...'

'No.'

'It'sablessingforhim,really,thathedied.'

'MrsOgden...

'Well,itis.Hewasashamed,yousee,mypooroldboy.'

IthoughtofalltheirawfulsharedmiseryandjudgedthatKevinKeithhadbeenundeservedlyluckytohavehadLynnMelissa.

'Hewasn'tcarryingananimalinmyhorsebox,though,'Isaid.

'No.'Shelookeddoubtful.'Itwa.s.somethingtodowithanimals,though.ItwasananswertotheHorseandHoundad.Awomanphoned.ShewantedKevtomeetsomeoneatPontefractservicestationandgotoSouthMimmsservicestationandthengoinyourhorseboxtoChieveley.'

'Ah,'Isaid.

Shedidn'tunderstandthedepthofcomprehensioninmyvoice,butlookedsimplysurprisedbyit.

'WhowashegoingtomeetatChieveley?'Iasked.

'Shedidn'tsay.Shejustsaidsomeonewouldmeethimwhenhegotoutofthehorsebox.Someonewouldmeethimandpayhimandtakewhathewascarrying,andthatwouldbetheendofit.'

'Andyouagreedtothat?'

'Well,yes,ofcourseIdid.Welivedonit,yousee.'

'WhowashemeetingatPontefract?'

'Shejustsaid'someone'wouldmeethimandgivehimasmallcarrierbag.'

'Didshesaywhatwouldbeinit?'

'Yes,shesaidathermosflaskbuthewasn'ttoopenit.'

'Mm.Wouldhehaveopenedit?'

'Oh,no.'Shewasdefinite.'He'dbeafraidofnotbeingpaid.Andhealwayssaidwhathedidn'tknowcouldn'thurthim.'