按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
house。 Can you remember？ Way back。 I think he may have been asking you about me。 Like sort of checking up； like a reference。 You probably told him that I play chess。'
He thought about it； searching for the memory。
'I would always give you a good reference；' he said。 'Is there any reason why you'd prefer I didn't？'
'No； definitely not。'
'I've been asked several times about your character and ability。 I always say if they're looking for an investigator they couldn't do better。'
'You're 。。。 very kind。'
'Kind； my foot。 Why do you ask about this Archibald Church？'
'Kirk。'
'Kirk； then。'
I drank some brandy and said； 'Do you remember that day you came with me to the Jockey Club？ The day we got the head of the Security section sacked？'
'I could hardly forget it； could I？'
'You didn't tell Archie Kirk about it； did you？'
'Of course not。 I never talk about it。 I gave you my word I wouldn't。'
'Someone has；' I said morosely。
'The Jockey Club didn't actually swear an oath of silence。'
'I know。' I thought a bit and asked； 'Do you know a barrister called Davis Tatum？ He's the head of chambers of the prosecuting counsel at Ellis's trial。'
'I know of him。 Never met him。'
'You'd like him。 You'd like Archie； too。' I paused； and went on； 'They both know about that day at the Jockey Club。'
'But Sid 。。。 does it really matter？ I mean； you did the Jockey Club a tremendous favour； getting rid of their villain。'
'Davis Tatum and； I'm sure； Archie； have engaged me to find out who is moving behind the scenes to get the Quint trial quashed。 And I'm not telling you that。'
He smiled。 'Client confidentiality？'
'Right。 Well； Davis Tatum made a point of telling me that he knew all about the mandarins insisting I took off my shirt； and why。 I think he and Archie are trying to reassure themselves that if they ask me to do something dangerous； I'll do it。'
He gave me a long slow look； his features still and expressionless。
Finally he said； 'And will you？'
I sighed。'Probably。'
'What sort of danger？'
'I don't think they know。 But realistically； if someone has an overwhelming reason for preventing Ellis's trial from ever starting； who is the person standing chiefly in the way？'
'Sid！'
'Yes。 So they're asking me to find out if anyone might be motivated enough to ensure my permanent removal from the scene。 They want me to find out if and who and why。'
'God； Sid。'
From a man who never blasphemed； those were strong words。
'So 。。。' I sighed； 'Davis Tatum gave me a name； Owen Yorkshire； and told me he owned a firm called Topline Foods。 Now Topline Foods gave a sponsored lunch at Aintree on the day before the Grand National。 Ellis Quint was guest of honour。 Also among the guests was a man called Lord Tilepit； who is both on the Board of Topline Foods and the proprietor of The Pump； which has been busy mocking me for months。'
He sat as if frozen。
'So；' I said； 'I'll go and see what Owen Yorkshire and Lord Tilepit are up to； and if I don't e back you can kick up a stink。'
When he'd organised his breath； he said； 'Don't do it； Sid。'
'No 。。。 but if I don't； Ellis will walk out laughing； and my standing in the world will be down the tubes for ever； if you see what I mean。'
He saw。
After a while he said； 'I do vaguely remember talking to this Archie fellow。 He asked about your brains。 He said he knew about your physical resilience。 Odd choice of words…I remember them。 I told him you played a wily game of chess。 And it's true； you do。 But it was a long time ago。 Before all this happened。'
I nodded。 'He already knew a lot about me when he got his sister to phone at five…thirty in the morning to tell me she had a colt with his foot off。'
'So that's who he is？ Mrs Bracken's brother？'
'Yeah。' I drank brandy and said； 'If you're ever talking to Sir Thomas Ullaston； would you mind asking him…and don't make a drama of it…if he told Archie Kirk or Davis Tatum about that morning in the Jockey Club？'
Sir Thomas Ullaston had been Senior Steward at the time； and had conducted the proceedings which led to the removal of the head of the Security section who had arranged for Chico and me to be thoroughly deterred from investigating anything ever again。 As far as I was concerned it was all past history； and I most emphatically wanted it to remain so。
Charles said he would ask Sir Thomas。
'Ask him not to let The Pump get hold of it。'
Charles contemplated that possibility with about as much horror as I did myself。
The bell of the side…door rang distantly； and Charles frowned at his watch。
'Who can that be？ It's almost eight o'clock。'
We soon found out。 An ultra…familiar voice called 'Daddy？' across the hall outside； and an ultra…familiar figure appeared in the doorway。 Jenny 。。。 Charles's younger daughter 。。。 my sometime wife。 My still…embittered wife； whose tongue had barbs。
Smothering piercing dismay I stood up； and Charles also。
'Jenny；' Charles said； advancing to greet her。 'What a lovely surprise。'
She turned her cheek coolly； as always； and said； 'We were passing。 It seemed impossible not to call in。' She looked at me without much emotion and said； 'We didn't know you were here until I saw your car outside。'
I took the few steps between us and gave her the sort of cheek to cheek salutation she'd bestowed on Charles。 She accepted the politeness； as always； as the civilised acknowledgement of adversaries after battle。
'You look thin；' she observed； not with concern but with criticism； from habit。
She； I thought； looked as beautiful as always； but there was nothing to be gained by saying so。 I didn't want her to sneer at me。 To begin with； it ruined the sweet curve of her mouth。 She could hurt me with words whenever she tried； and she'd tried often。 My only defence had been and still was silence。
Her handsome new husband had followed her into the room； shaking hands with Charles and apologising for having appeared without warning。
'My dear fellow； any time；' Charles assured him。
Anthony Wingham turned my way and with self…conscious affability said； 'Sid 。。。' and held out his hand。
It was extraordinary； I thought； enduring his hearty embarrassed grasp； how often one regularly shook hands in the course of a day。 I'd never really noticed it before。
Charles poured drinks and suggested dinner。 Anthony Wingham waffled a grateful refusal。 Jenny gave me a cool look and sat in the gold brocade chair。
Charles made small talk with Anthony until they'd exhausted the weather。 I stood with them but looked at Jenny； and she at me。 Into a sudden silence she said； 'Well； Sid； I don't suppose you want me to say it； but you've got yourself into a proper mess this time。'
'No。'
'No what？'
'No； I don't want you to say it。'
'Ellis Quint！ Biting off more than you can chew。 And back in the summer the papers pestered me too。 I suppose you know？'
I unwillingly nodded。
'That reporter from The Pump；' Jenny plained。 'India Cathcart； I couldn't get rid of her。 She wanted to know all about you and about our divorce。 Do you know what she wrote？ She wrote that I'd told her