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'Kevin told me it cost a quarter of a million。 You're simply being evasive。'
'What it cost and what it was worth are different。 It might have won the Derby。 It might have been worth millions。 No one knows。'
'Do you always play word games？'
'Quite often；' I nodded。 'Like you do。'
'Where did you go to school？'
'Ask Kevin；'I said； smiling。
'Kevin's told me things about you that you wouldn't want me to know。'
'Like what？'
'Like it's easy to be taken in by your peaceful front。 Like you having tungsten where other people have nerves。 Like you being touchy about losing a hand。 That's for starters。'
I would throttle Kevin； I thought。 I said； 'How are the frogs' legs？'
'Muscular。'
'Never mind；' I said。 'You have sharp teeth。'
Her mind quite visibly changed gears from patronising to uncertain； and I began to like her。
Risky to like her； of course。
After the curry and the frogs we drank plain black coffee and spent a pause or two in eye…contact appraisal。 I expected she saw me in terms of adjectives and paragraphs。 I saw her with appeased curiosity。 I now knew what the serial reputation…slasher looked like at dinner。
In the way one does； I wondered what she looked like in bed； and in the way that one doesn't cuddle up to a potential cobra； I made no flicker of an attempt to find out。
She seemed to take this passivity for granted。 She paid for our meal with a Pump business credit card； as promised； and crisply expected I would kick in my share on Monday as an exclusive for Kevin。
I promised what I knew I wouldn't be able to deliver； and offered her a lift home。
'But you don't know where I live！'
'Wherever；' I said。
'Thanks。 But there's a bus。'
I didn't press it。 We parted on the pavement outside the restaurant。 No kiss。 No handshake。 A nod from her。 Then she turned and walked away； not looking back： and I had no faith at all in her mercy。
On Sunday morning I reopened the small blue suitcase Linda had lent me； and read again through all the clippings that had to do with the maimed Kent ponies。
I played again the video tape of the twenty…minute programme Ellis had made of the child owners； and watched it from a different； and sickened； perspective。
There on the screen he looked just as friendly； just as charismatic； just as expert。 His arms went round Rachel in sympathy。 His good…looking face filled with passion and outrage。 Blinding ponies； cutting off a pony's foot； he said； those were crimes akin to murder。
Ellis； I thought in wretchedness； how could you？ What if he can't help it？
I played the tape a second time； taking in more details and attentively listening to what he had actually said。
His instinct for staging was infallible。 In the shot where he'd miserated with the children all together； he had had them sitting around on hay bales in a tack room； the children dressed in riding breeches； two or three wearing black velvet riding hats。 He himself had sat on the floor among them； casual in a dark open…necked jogging suit； a peaked cap pushed back on his head； sunglasses in pocket。 Several of the children had been in tears。 He'd given them his handkerchief and helped them cope with grief。
There were phrases he had used when talking straight to camera that had brought the children's horrors sharply to disturbingly visual life： 'pierced empty sockets； their eyesight running down their cheeks；' and 'a pure…bred silver pony proud and shining in the moonlight'。
His caring tone of voice alone had made the word…pictures bearable。
'A silver pony shining in the moonlight。' The basis of Rachel's nightmare。
'In the moonlight。' He had seen the pony in the moonlight。
I played the tape a third time； listening with my eyes shut； undistracted by the familiar face； or by Rachel in his forting hug。
He said； 'A silver pony trotting trustfully across the field lured by a handful of horse…nuts。'
He shouldn't have known that。
He could have known it if any of the Ferns had suggested it。
But the Ferns themselves wouldn't have said it。 They hadn't fed Silverboy on nuts。 The agent of destruction that had e by night had brought the nuts。
Ellis would say； of course； that he had made it up； and the fact that it might be true was simply a coincidence。 I rewound the tape and stared for a while into space。 Ellis would have an answer to everything。 Ellis would be believed。
In the afternoon I wrote a long； detailed report for Norman Picton： not a joyous occupation。
Early Monday morning； as he had particularly requested it； I drove to the police station in Newbury and personally delivered the package into the Detective Inspector's own hands。
'Did you talk about this to anybody？' he asked。
'No。'
'Especially not to Quint？'
'Especially not。 But 。。。' I hesitated； 'they're a close family。 It's more than likely that on Saturday evening or yesterday； Ginnie and Gordon told Ellis that you and I and Archie were sniffing round the Land…Rover and that you took away the shears。 I think you must consider that Ellis knows the hunt is on。'
He nodded disgustedly。 'And as Ellis Quint officially lives in the Metropolitan area； we in the Thames Valley district cannot pursue our enquiries 。。。'
'You mean； you can't haul him down to the local Regent's Park nick and ask him awkward questions； like what was he doing at 3。00 a。m。 on Saturday？'
'That's right。 We can't ask him ourselves。'
'I thought these divisions were being done away with。'
'Everything takes time。'
I left him to sort out his problems and set off to drive to Kent。 On the way； wanting to give Rachel Ferns a cheering…up present； I detoured into the maze of Kingston and； having parked； walked around the precincts looking for inspiration in the shops。
A windowful of tumbling puppies made me pause； perhaps Rachel needed an animal to love； to replace the pony。 And perhaps Linda would not be pleased at having to house…train a growing nuisance that moulted and chewed the furniture。 I went into the pet shop； however； and that's how I came to arrive at Linda Ferns' house with my car full of fish tank； water weeds； miniature ruined castle walls； electric pump； lights； fish food； instructions； and three large lidded buckets of tropical fish。
Rachel was waiting by the gate for my arrival。
'You're half an hour late；' she accused。 'You said you'd be here by twelve。'
'Have you heard of the M25 ？'
'Everyone makes that motorway an excuse。'
'Well； sorry。'
Her bald head was still a shock。 Apart from that she looked well； her cheeks full and rounded by steroids。 She wore a loose sundress and clumpy trainers on stick…like legs。 It was crazy to love someone else's child so prehensively； yet for the first time ever； I felt the idea of fatherhood take a grip。
Jenny had refused to have children on the grounds that any racing day could leave her a widow； and at the time I hadn't cared one way or another。 If ever I married again； I thought； following Rachel into the house； I would long for a daughter。
Linda gave me a bright bright smile； a pecking kiss and the offer of a gin and tonic while she threw together some pasta for ou