'Tessacanbeabitofahandful,sometimes,'Shelookedmildlyruefulbutforgiving.'Seventeen'sarebelliousage,Isuppose.'

'Didyourebel?'Iasked.

'No,actually.Idon'tthinkso.Didyou?'

'Iwas...o...b..syriding.'

'Andhereyoustillare,inyourfather'shouse.'Shemockedmegently.'Youneverevenlefthome.'

'HomeiswhereverIam,'Isaid.

'Wow.How'sthatforuttersecurity!'

'Youwouldn'tcaretoleaveMichael,Isuppose?'

'Andfourchildren?Andanintegratedlife?AndI'molderthanyou,anyway.'

Thethingthatmadethegamemostworthplaying,Ithought,wasthecertaintythatIwouldn'twinit.Shefinishedherdrinkhappily,mydesireforheraspleasurableanintoxificationasthebubbles.Casualconsummationwouldhavespoiledthefutureandshewastoonicetoallowit.Sheputdownhergla.s.sandstoodup,smiling.

'Ifyouneedanything,letusknow.'

'Yes,'Isaid.

'SeeyouonSunday,then.'

Iwalkedouttohercarwithherandgotanaffectionate,pa.s.sionlesskissandacarefreewavea.s.sheturnedhercaranddeparted.Celibacy,Ithought,returningtothehouse,couldgoonfortoolong,andtoolong,atthatpoint,wasayear.TheolderIgrew,themoreIsawconsequencesinadvanceandthemoreIcared,likeMaudie,aboutnotdoingdamageforthesakeofapa.s.singpleasure.Ilookedbackovertheyearswithhorror,sometimes.AfterI'dlostSusanPalmerstone,I'ddriftedinandoutofseveralrelationshipswithoutunderstandingthatImighthaveawokenmuchdeeperfeelingsthanIfeltmyself;andI'ddodgedathrownplateortwoandlaughedabout.i.t.Howdreadfullylongithadtakenmetostopgrazing.Allthesame...Isighed.

Iwentintothesitting-roomtoseewhatIcouldretrievefromthemess,andstoodconsideringtheansweringmachine,whichhadbeensplitintotwopieceswithitsguts,intheshapeofrecordingtape,unspoolingontothefloor.

Onthetape,Ithought,wasJogger'svoice.

Ihadn'tintheendwrittendownexactlywhathe'dsaid,andalthoughIcouldmoreorlessremember,Iwasn'tcertainofbeingexact.NoamountofrhymingdictionarywouldhelpifIgottheoriginalwordswrong.Irummagedinthekitchenforastarscrewdriverandothertoolsandliberatedthehackedpiecesofca.s.settefromtheansweringmachine,tryingnottotearthetapeitselfbutfindingthattheaxe,ingoingthroughoneofthespools,hadseveredalotofitintoveryshortlengths.

Cursing,Isoughtandfoundanoldca.s.settewithnothingofnoteonit,andtookthatapartandremovedallthetapefromit.ThenIcarefullyunrolledthewholeofthelongestsectionoftapefromtheansweringmachine'soneundamagedspoolandwounditfromitsbeginningontooneofthenewlyfreedspools.Iattachedtheseveredendtothesecondfreedspoolandreplacedthemintotheirca.s.sette,s.c.r.e.w.i.n.gitshutagain.

ThenIsearchedthehouseforanoldseldom-usedpocket-sizedca.s.setteplayerwhichIknewIhadsomewhere,butnaturallywhenIfinallyranittoearthitsbatterieswereflat.

AshortpauseensuedwhileIraidedanothergadgetwiththesamesizebatteriesinworkingorder,butfinally,withasortofprayer,Ipressedthe'play'b.u.t.tonandheldmybreath.

'Ihatethisb.l.o.o.d.ymachine,'Jogger'svoicesaid.'Wherehaveyougone,Freddie?'

Loudandclear.Hallelujah.

Thewholeofhismessagewasthere,thoughslightlydistortedbymynothavingwoundthetapeevenlyenough.WhenIranitbackandthenforwardagainthedistortionshaddisappeared.Itookasheetofpaperandwrotedownwhathe'dsaid,wordforword,indicatinghispauseswithdots,butIstilldidn'tunderstandhismeaning.

AdeadnuninthepitlastAugust.

Mostunlikely!Someonewouldhavetoldmeabout.i.teventhoughI'dspentagooddealofAugustinFrance(Deauvilleraces)andAmerica(Saratoga,ditto).

Whatrhymedwithnun?Bun,done,fun,run,sun...

No.Whatpairedwithnun?

Nunandmonk.

Monk...bunk,chunk,dunk,drunk,funk,hunk,junk,punk,sunk,stunk,chipmunk.

Adeadchipmunk?Adeadfunk?Adeadhunk?Hunkofwhat?Deadjunk.Deadpunk?Adeaddrunk'?

IwouldgivethetranscripttoNina,Ithought,andletthecollectivebrainsoftheJockeyClubSecurityServicelooseonit.Ilaidthenonsenseasidefeelingthatevenifwecrackedthecodethemessagecouldturnouttobeirrelevant.Joggerobviouslyhadn'tknownhewasgoingtodie.Hehadn'tbeenleavingmeanintenselysignificantmessage,fearingittobehislast.

WithashiftoffocusIswitchedonthenewcomputer,hopingtherewouldn'tbeaflashandafizzleandanothertotalcollapseofharddisk.Amazingly,however,thewizardhadrestoredmetosmoothcomputerlife,everythingworkingasbefore.IcalledupIsobel'sofficemachinetoseewhat,ifanything,sheandRosehadenteredandfiledsincethatmorning.

They'dbeenbusy,bothofthem.They'dbeenquick,conscientious,generouswiththeirtime.I'dtoldbothofthemtostartwiththatday'sentriesandgoslowlybackwardsbetweentheirotherjobs,iftheycould,butnottogofurtherbackinanycasethanthebeginningofthemonth.

'Leaveitonpaperfornow,'Isaid.

'b.u.t.thespreadsheets...'Rosesaid.

'Leavethespreadsheets.'

'Ifyousayso,'sheagreeddoubtfully.

'It'sourownfaultwelosteverything,'Isobelsaiddolefully.

'Nevermind.'Istilldidn'ttellthemImightproducefullback-upcopiesif,first,thesafecrackerdidn'tsomehowdestroythemingettingthesafeopen,andif,second,theMichelangelovirushadn'talreadywipedthemout.Ialsodidn'twanttoincurarepeatattackonmyselformybelongingsifsomeoneheardthedisks.e.xistedandknewtheycouldrevealhighriskinformation.Thebruiseonmyheadmightbefading,butmycarandmysitting-roomcontinuallyremindedmethatmelodramainPixhillhadcomethroughmygatesandmightnotyetbeextinct.

OnthescreenIreadthenextday'sengagementsforthefleet.Notbadforthatweek:steeplechaserstoWolverhamptonandLingfieldPark.Broodmarestothreestuds.IrishhorsestoBristolairport,returninghomefromCheltenham.

AdvanceplansforSat.u.r.daylookedgood.

IcalledupthedirectoryoffilestoseewhatelseIsobelandRosehadenteredandfoundanunusualonethere:'Visitors'.

'Visitors'turnedouttobethelistI'daskedthemforofeveryonetheycouldrememberwho'dvisitedthefarmyardofficelately.

Thedears,Ithought,pleased.Helpfulbeyondduty.

Thelistread: Allthedrivers.e.xceptGerryandPat,whohaveflu.(They'llbothbeworkingagainnextweekorsoonafter,theysay.)Vicandhiswife(theybothnowhaveflu).TessaWatermead(lookingforNigelorLewis).JerichoRich(abouthishorses).ConstableSmith(aboutthedeadman).DrFarway(aboutthedeadman).MrTigwood(collectingbox).Betsy(MrWatermead'ssecretary).BrettGardner(whenheleft).MrsWilliams(cleaner).LornaLipton(lookingforFC,buthewasdrivingtheshuttle).Paul(Isobel'sbrother,borrowedsomemoney).Mandeliveringdisinfectantchemicals.

Itypedathankyoumessageontothelistandmadeaback-upcopyofthenewworkontoacleanunusedfloppy,thoughIsuspectedtheofficewouldbeankle-deepinback-upsfromnowon.Iswitchedoffthecomputer,madesomefood,dranktherestofthechampagneandthoughtalotaboutviruses,bothorganicandelectronic.

Ninatelephoned,yawning,ataboutten.

'Whereareyou?'Iasked.

'Inthecabofthehorsebox,inthefarmyard.We'verefuelledandNigel'shosingdowntheoutsideofthebox,thankG.o.d.I'mknackered.'

'Whathappened?'

'Nothing,don'tworry.Thetripwentaccordingtoplan.We'vedeliveredtheshowjumper.Theowner'sfather,JerichoRich,hewastherewhenweunloaded,shoutingordersallovertheplace.Whatab.l.o.o.d.yawkwardman.Inearlysnappedhisheadoffb.u.t.thoughtI'dbetternot,foryoursake.No,nothingmuchelsehappened,it'sjustthatthislong-distancedrivinglarkisajobforstrongyoungmen,you'rerightaboutthat.'

'HowdidyougetonwithNigel?'

'MyG.o.d,he'srandy.HadhishandonmykneeacoupleoftimesandI'moldenoughtobehismother.Actuallyhe's...o...b..dfun.Nocomplaints.Wechattedalot.CanItellyoutomorrow?'Sheyawnedagain.'He'snearlyfinishedthecleaning.He'sgotinexhaustiblestamina.'

'Hischiefvirtue,'Iagreed.

'Seeyouinthemorning.Bye.'

InthemorningIwenttothefarmyardearly,wantingtoseesomeofthedriversbeforetheysetoff.HarvehimselfwasdownforanearlystarttoWolverhampton,andinsuchabsencesofhisIveryoftenwanderedaroundincasetherewerelast-minutequeriesoralterations.

Earlystartswerenormal,asmosttrainersinsistedontheirhorsesarrivingatacourseatleastthreehoursbeforetheywereduetorace.Inthewinter,whenracingcouldstartatnooninordertocompletetheprogrammeintheabbreviateddaylight,thedriverscouldbeloadingatsixorseveninthedarkandunloadinginthedarktwelvehourslater,accordingtothelengthofthejourney.Bythevernalequinox,wewereloadingandunloadingatdawnandduskwiththelonglightsummerdaysbeckoning,andinthethreeyearsI'dhadthebusinessI'dseenaregularpatternofenergyenhancedbythesun.TheworkloadmightbethesameinJanuaryandJune,butnotthefatiguelevel.

MostofthedriverswereinthecanteenwhenIarrivedonthatFriday.Theskyoutsidewasgloriouslypinkandginger,high,clearandcold.Inthecanteenthetealookedthecolourofteakwithstrengthtomatch,andwhiteplasticteaspoonsstooduprightinthesugarbowl.

'Morning,Freddie...'

Iansweredthechorus.'Goodmorning.'

HarvehadalreadysetofftoWolverhampton.Icheckedtheothera.s.sembleddriversagainstthelistI'dcopiedfromthecomputerscreenandfoundthemallwellbriefedbyHarveandIsobel.IrealisedI'dleftalottothosetwosinceTuesdaynightandhadbeenmoreaffectedthanI'dacknowledgedbytherattlingofmybrain.

Phil,DaveandLewiswerethere,Lewisshowingnosignofflu.Nigel,despitehislatereturntheeveningbefore,exudedundiminishedanimalstrength.Azizsmiled,asever.Abunchofotherslookedattheirwatches,dranktheirtannin,usedthewashroomandambledoutonacollectivemissiontopickupmostofthePixhillhorsesthatwererunningthatafternoonatLingfieldPark.

DavewasdowntogowithAzizinthenine-boxonabroodmaremissiontoIreland.Bothmenhadarrivedinplentyoftime,andIaskedDavetocomealongtomyofficeasIhadsomethingtodiscusswithhim.Hecameinhisusualhappy-go-luckyway,carryinghisteamugandwearinganamiableunsuspectingexpression.

Igesturedtohimtositinthechairinfrontofthedeskandclosedthedoorbehindus.

'OK,Dave,'Isaid,takingthechairbehindthedeskandfeelingirritationwithhim,ratherthanoutrightanger,'wh.o.a.rrangedyourdiarrhoea?'

'What?'Heblinked,dismissingthethoughtcrossinghismind.DismissingthepossibilitythatIknewwhathe'ddone.Dismissingitwrongly,toosoon.

'Diarrhoea,'Iremindedhim,'needingastopatSouthMimmsservicestationtobuyImodium.'

'Oh...yes.That.Mm.That'sright.'

'Wh.o.a.rrangedthatstop?'

'What?Well,noone.Ihadthesquits,like.'

'Let'sjustfaceit,Dave,'Isaidashadewearily,'youdidnotpickupKevinKeithOgdenbyaccident.'

'Who?'

'Thehitchhiker.Andlet'sstopplayinggames.YouknowperfectlywellwhoImean.Youwenttohisinquestyesterday.YouandBrettstoppedatSouthMimms...o...b..causeofanymythicalsquitsb.u.t.topickupapa.s.sengerinordertotakehimtoChieveley.Allofwhichyoudidnottellthecoroner.'

Dave'smouthopenedwithautomaticdenialsreadyandclosedonaccountofwhathesawinmyface.

'Wh.o.a.rrangedit?'Irepeated.

Hedidn'tknowwhattosay.Icouldalmostchartthetumblingthoughts;couldclearlyseetheindecision.Iwaitedwhileheconsultedhisteaandsearchedforanswersinthebrighteningskybeyondthewindow.Thelittle-boyfrecklesasalwayslenthis.e.xpressionanaturalairofinnocenceb.u.t.thehalf-slyartfula.s.sessinglookhefinallygavemespokeofamoreadultguilt.

'Therewasnothingwronginit,'hesaidwheedlingly.

'Howdoyouknow?'

HetriedoneoftheingratiatinggrinstowhichIwasbythenimmune.'Whatmakesyouthinkitwasarranged?LikeIsaid,therewasthisgeezercadgingalift...'

'Stopit,Dave,'Isaidsharply.'Ifyouwanttokeepyourjob,you'lltellmethetruth.'

Shockstoppedhim.I'dneverlookedforbiddingtohimbefore.'Thetruth,'Iurged.

'Honestly,Freddie,Ididn'tmeannoharm.'Hebegantolookworried.'Whatharmcoulditdo?'

'Whatwasthearrangement?'

'Look,itcouldn'tdonoharmtogiveama.n.a.lift.'

'Whopaidyou?'

'I...well...'

'Who?'Iinsisted.'Oryougetonyourbikenowandyoudon'tcomeback.'

'Noone,'hesaiddesperately.'Allright.Allright.Iwa.s.supposedtobepaid,butIneverwas.'Hisdisgustlookedgenuine.'Imean,youweren'tsupposedtoknowabouthim,b.u.t.thenhedied...'Hisvoicefaded,therealisationofhisadmissionhittinghome.'TheysaidIwouldfindanenvelopeinthecabofthenine-boxfirstthingFriday,butofcoursetheboxwasoutsideyourhouseandtherewasnoenvelopeinitinthemorning,thoughIlookedforitwhenwewerecleaning,like,andI'veneverheardnomore,andit'snotfair.'

'Servesyouright,'Isaidunsympathetically.'Wh.o.a.rethey?

'What?'

''They'whosaidyouwouldfindanenvelopeinthecab?'

'Well 'Dave!'Isaid,exasperated.'Getonwithit.'

'Yes,but,see,Idon'tknow.'

Isaidsarcastically,'YouagreedtodosomethingyouknewIhadoverandoveragainforbidden,andyoudon'tknowwhoyoujeopardisedyourjobfor?'

'Yes,but...'

'n.o.buts,'Isaid.'Howdid'they'getintouchwithyou,andwere'they'amanorawoman?'

'Er...'

Iwouldstranglehim,Ithought.

'Allright,'hesaid,'allright.'Hetookanunhappybreath.'Itwasashe,andshephonedmeathomeandmywifeanswereditandshedidn'tlikeitbeingsomestrangewoman,notIsobel,like,butanywaythiswomanjustsaiditwouldbeworthmywhiletogivethisma.n.a.lift,andyoudon'tturndownwindfallslikethat.Imean...well...it'sallbeermoney,isn't.i.t?'

Didyourecognisehervoice?'