'Herunsthepoorb.u.g.g.e.rsonrock-hardgoingtoo,'Harvewentondisapprovingly.'Doesn'tseemtocareiftheyfinishlame.'

'Theylimpallthewaytothebank.'

'Youcanlaugh,'Harveobjected,'buthe'sstillarottentrainer.'

'WehavethatcoltofhistobringbackfromItalynextweek,'Iremindedhim.'Isobel'sarrangedthepaperworkandtheferryforMonday.'

'Abrokendowncolt,'Harvesaid,sniffing.

'Er...yes.'

'Who'sgoing?'

'Whodoyousuggest?HeaskedforLewisandDave.'

Harveshrugged.'Wemayaswellpleasehim.'

'Ithoughtso,yes.'

AcrossthefarmyardNinaemergedfromhersearchandshookherheadexaggeratedly.

IsaidtoHarve,'YourememberthatcashboxcontainerthatJoggerfoundstuckunderthenine-box?Hasanythingoccurredtoyouaboutwhat.i.tcouldbefor?'

'Ihaven'tthoughtabout.i.t,'hesaidfrankly.'Joggerfoundtwomore,didn'the,andtheywereallempty?Whateverwasinthemishistory.'Hesoundedasunconcernedasever.'PooroldJogger.'

a.s.sandyhadtoldmeofftherecordthattheJoggerenquirywasveeringtomurder,Ididn'tmentionittoHarve.Everyonewouldfindoutonlytoosoon.HarveandIwentbacktowardshisboxandheeyedthebackviewofNina,whowasdisappearingintothebarn.

'Thisjob'stoomuchforher,'heobserved,notunkindly.'She'sagooddriverbyallaccounts,butNigelsaysshegetstiredeasily.'

'She'stemporary,'Isaid.'Onemoreweek,ifwegetnooneelsedownwithflu.'

TheotherWolverhamptonboxreturned.IleftHarvetosupervisetheendofthedayandfollowedNina'scara.s.shewavedtoHarveanddrovethroughthegates.ShestoppedafterhalfamiletowalkbackandsuggestIfollowhertoaplacetoeatthatshepa.s.sedeveryday,andhalfanhourlaterwebothpulledintothebusycarparkofarestaurantwheregoodcheapfoodwasimportantandthebaritselfsecondary.

Shehadloosedandcombedherhairandappliedlipstick,sothattheNinaIhaddinnerwithlookedyoungerandhalfwaybacktotheoriginal.Theplacewascrowded,thetablessmallandclosetogether.Weatesteak,chipsandfriedonionswithacarafeofhouseredwineandachunkofcheddarcheese.'Igetfedupwithhealthyeating,'Ninasaid,secureinherslenderbody.'Didyoustarvewhenyouwereajockey?'

'Grilledfishandsalads,'Isaid,nodding.

'Havesomeb.u.t.ter.'Withasmileshepa.s.sedmeasmallsilver-wrappedpacket.'Iadorejunkfood.Mydaughterdespisesme.'

'Blackforestchocolatecake?'Isuggested,handingherthemenu.

'I'mnotthatmad.'

Companionablywedrankcoffee,neitherofusinmuchhurrytobegone.

ItoldherthepolicethoughtJoggerhadbeenmurderedandthatperhapsInowonlyhadhourstofindsolutionsbeforewewereswampedbyheavyboots.

'You'reunfairtothepolice,'sheobserved.

'Idaresay.'

'Thesolutions,Idoagree,seemasfarawayasever.'

'SandySmith,'Isaid,'saysit'samatterofaskingtherightquestions.'

'Whichare?'

'Yes,well,there'stherub.'

'Thinkofone.'Shedrankhercoffee,smiling.

'Allright,'Isaid.'WhatdoyouthinkofAziz?'

'What?'Shewa.s.surprised;almost,Iwouldhavesaid,disconcerted.

'He'sodd,'Iremarked.'Idon'tknowhowhecouldhavecausedanyofmytroubles,butheturnedupinmyfarmyardthedayafterJoggerdiedandIgavehimBrett's...o...b..causehespeaksFrenchandArabicandhadworkedinaMercedesgarage.Butmysistersayshe'sfartoobrightforwhathe'sdoingandIrespectmysister'sinsight.SowhyisAzizworkingforme?'

SheaskedhowmysisterknewAzizandIexplainedaboutthedayhefetchedtheoldhorses,andthathe'ddrivenLizzietoHeathrowthenextmorning.

'ThatTuesdaynight,whenIendedupinSouthamptonDocks,Idon'tknowifAzizhelpedtoputmethere.'

'Oh,no,'shesaid,shocked.'I'msurehedidn't.'

'Whyareyousosure?'

'It'sjust...he'ssocheerful.'

'Onecansmileandsmileandbeavillain.'

'NotAziz,'shesaid.

Tobehonest,mygutreactiontoAzizwasthesameasNina's:hemightbearoguebutnotavillain.YetIdidhavevillainsaboutme,andIbadlyneededtoknowthem.

'WhokilledJogger?'sheasked.

Isaid,'Whowouldyouputyourmoneyon?'

'Dave,'shesaid,withouthesitation.'He'sgotaviolentstreakthathenevershowsyou.'

'I'veheardabout.i.t.ButnotDave.No,I'veknownhimtoolong.'Icouldhearthedoubtscreepingintomyownvoice,despitemyconviction.'Davedidn'tknowaboutthecontainersunderthefloorboards.'

'Onecangrinalittleboygrinandbeavillain.'

AgainstallprobabilityIlaughed,mycaresunaccountablylifting.

'ThepolicewillfindJogger'skiller,'Ninasaid,'andyouwillhavenomoretroubleandIwillgohomeandthatwillbethat.'

'Idon'twantyoutogohome.'

Isaiditwithoutthinking,andsurprisedmyselfasmuchasher.Shelookedatmethoughtfully,unerringlyhearingwhatIhadn'tmeanttosay.

'That'slonelinessspeaking,'shesaidslowly.

'I'mhappyalone.'

'Yes.LikeIam.'

Shefinishedhercoffeeandpattedhermouthonanapkinwithanairoffinality.

'Timetogo,'shesaid.'Thanksforthedinner.'

Ipaidthebillandwewentouttothecars,hersandmine,bothourworkhorsewheels.

'Goodnight,'shesaidmatter-of-factly.'Seeyouinthemorning.'Sheclimbedwithoutpauseortensionintoherseat,adeptatunembarra.s.singpartings.'Goodnight,Freddie.'

'Night,'Isaid.

Shedroveawaywithasmile,friendly,nothingelse.Iwasn'tsurewhetherornottofeelrelieved.

SometimeduringthenightIwokesuddenly,hearingagaininmymindSandy'sinsistentvoice,'Youhavetoasktherightquestions.'

I'dthoughtofaquestionIshouldhaveasked,andhadn't.I'dbeenslowanddim.Iwouldaskthequestionfirstthinginthemorning.

Firstthinginthemorning,rousingmefromdepthsofrenewedslumber,thetelephonebellbroughtMarigold'sloudvoiceintomywincingear.

I'mnottoohappyaboutyourfriendPeterman,'shesaid,comingatoncetothepoint.'I'dlikeyouradvice.Canyoucallroundhere?Say,ataboutnineo'clock?'

'Mm,'Isaid,surfacinga.s.sluggishlyasanyhalf-drownedswimmer.'Yes,Marigold.Nineo'clock.Fine.'

'Areyoudrunk?'shedemanded.

'No,justasleep.'Inbed,supine,eyesshut.'But.i.t'ssevenalready,'shepointedoutseverely.'Theday'shalfover.

I'llbethere.'Ifumbledthereceivertowardsitsbedsidecradle.;'Good,'hervoicesaidfromadistance.'Great.'

Sleepwasalluring,sleepatemptress,sleepasbeckoningasadrug.OnlytheremembranceoftheessentialquestionIhadn'taskedgotmeoutofbedandintothebathroom.

Sat.u.r.daymorning.Coffee.Cornflakes.

Stillbleary-brained,Ipaddedfromthekitchenintothewreckofthesitting-roomandswitchedonthecomputer.Therewasnocrashofharddisk.IcalledupIsobel'snewentriesofdetailsofthedriversandfoundthemstillbasicandabbreviated:names,addresses,datesofbirth,next-of-kin,drivinglicencenumbers,journeysdriventhatweek,hoursspentatthewheel.

Invadingherprivacy,ItypedNina'sname,andreadheraddress,careofLauderhillAbbey,Stow-on-the-Wold,andherage,forty-four.

Nineyearsolderthanmyself.Eightandahalf,tobeaccurate.Idrankmysecondcupofcoffeeveryhotandwonderedhowmuchthatagegapmattered.

Iansweredfourtelephonecallsinquicksuccession,receiving,altering,agreeingtotripsforthatdayandtypingthemintotheprogrammeforIsobel,whoworkedintheofficemostSat.u.r.daymorningsfromeightuntilnoon.Attentoeightshephonedmeherself,reportingherarrival,allowingmegratefullytoswitchthebusinesslinetothefarmyard.

Idrovealongtheremyselftowatchtheday'sjourneysbeginandtosortoutanylast-minutehitches,butagainIsobelandHarveseemedtohaveeverythingrunningsmoothly.

Nina(forty-four)gavemeasmallh.e.l.losmilea.s.shearrivedtogotoLingfield,herappearanceasdeterminedlyunattractiveasever.Harve,Philandthecrowdwereinandoutofthecanteen,stretching,pickingupworksheets,flirtingmildlywithIsobel.AnySat.u.r.daymorning.Anotherraceday.Twenty-fourhoursinalife.

Mostofthefleethadgonebyeight-thirty.IwentintoIsobel'sofficetofindhertypingtheday'sadjustedprogrammesintohercomputer,workingmostlyfromwhatI'dtypedinathome.

'How'sthings?'Iaskedvaguely.

'Alwaysfrantic.'Shesmiled,happyenough.

'Iwanttoaskyoutoremembersomething.'

'Fireaway.'Shewentontyping,lookingatthescreen.

'Um,'Isaid,'lastAugust...'Ipaused,waitingformoreofherattention.

'WhataboutlastAugust?'sheaskedvaguely,stilltyping.'YougoawayinAugust.'

'Yes,Iknow.WhenIwasawaylastAugust,whatdidJoggerfindintheinspectionpit?'

Shestoppedtypingandlookedatmeinpuzzlement.

'Whatdidyousay?'sheasked.

'WhatdidJoggerfindinthepit?Somethingdead.Whatdidhefinddeadinthepit?'

'ButJogger...hewasdeadinthepit,wasn'the?'

'LastSundayJoggerwasdeadinthepit,yes.ButlastAugust,apparentlyhefoundsomethingelsedeadthere...adeadnun,hesaid,but.i.tcan'thavebeenadeadnun.Socanyourememberwhathefound?Didhetellyou?Didhetellanyone?'

'Oh.'Herforeheaddevelopedlinesofthoughta.s.sheraisedhereyebrows.'Idovaguelyremember,but.i.twasn'tanythingtoworryyouabout.Imean,itwa.s.sosilly.'

'Whatdidhefind?'

'Ithinkitwasarabbit.'

'Arabbit'

'Yes.Adeadrabbit.Hesaiditwascrawlingwithmaggotsorsomethingandhethrewitintheskip.Thatwasall.'

'Areyousure?Iaskeddoubtfully.

Shenodded.'Hedidn'tknowwhatelsetodowithit,sohethrewitintheskip.'

'Imean,areyousureitwasarabbit?'

'Ithinkso.Ididn'tseeit.Joggersaiditmusthavehoppedintheresomehowandonceithadfallenintothepitofcourseitcouldn'tgetout.'

'No,'Iagreed.'Doyourememberwhatdayitwas?'

Sheshookherheaddecisively.'Ifyoucan'trememberit,itmusthavebeenwhenyouwereaway.'Sheturnedautomaticallytothecomputerandagainthefamiliarfrustrationcrossedherface.'Itmighthavebeenintherecordswelost,thoughIdon'treallythinkso.Ican'trememberbotheringtoenteranythinglikethat.'