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Archie said； 'Take your time；' but sounded as if he didn't mean it。
I smiled。 I said； 'Owen Yorkshire was there。 So was Lord Tilepit。 So was Ellis Quint。'
'Quint！' Davis Tatum exclaimed。
'Mm。 Well 。。。 you asked me to find out if there was a heavyweight lumbering about behind the Quint business； and the answer is yes； but it is Ellis Quint himself。'
'But he's a playboy；' Davis Tatum protested。 'What about the big man； Yorkshire？' Tatum's own bulk quivered。 'He's getting known。 One hears his name。'
I nodded。 'Owen Cliff Yorkshire is a heavyweight in the making。'
'What do you mean？'
I ached。 I hadn't really noticed the wear and tear until then。 Win now； pay later。
'Megalomania；' I said。 'Yorkshire's on the edge。 He has a violent unpredictable temper and an uncontrolled desire to be a tycoon。 I'd call it incipient megalomania because he's spending far beyond sanity on self…aggrandisement。 He's built an office block fit for a major industry…and it's mostly empty…before building the industry first。 He's publicity mad…he's holding a reception for half of Liverpool on Monday。 He has plans…a desire…to take over the whole horse…feed nuts industry。 He employs at least two bodyguards who will murder to order because he fears his petitors will assassinate him 。。。 which is paranoia。'
I paused； then said； 'It's difficult to describe the impression he gives。 Half the time he sounds reasonable； and half the time you can see that he will simply get rid of anyone who stands in his way。 And he is desperate 。。。 desperate 。。。 to save Ellis Quint's reputation。'
Archie asked 'Why？' slowly。
'Because；' I said； 'he has spent a colossal amount of money on an advertising campaign featuring Ellis； and if Ellis is found guilty of cutting off a horse's foot； that campaign can't be shown。'
'But a few advertisements can't have cost that much；' Archie objected。
'With megalomania；' I said； 'you don't just make a few economically priced advertisements。 You really go to town。 You engage an expensive highly prestigious firm in this case； Intramind Imaging of Manchester and you travel the world。'
With clumsy fingers I took from my belt the folded copy of the paper in the Quint box…file in Mrs Dove's office。
'This is a list of racecourses；' I said。 'These racecourses are where they filmed the mercials。 A thirty…second mercial gleaned from each place。 The expense is phenomenal。'
Archie scanned the list unprehendingly and passed it to Charles； who read it aloud。
'Flemington； Germiston； Sha Tin； Churchill Downs； Woodbine； Longchamps； K。L。； Fuchu 。。。'
There were fifteen altogether。 Archie looked lost。
'Flemington；' I said； 'is where they run the Melbourne Cup in Australia。 Germiston is outside Johannesburg。 Sha Tin is in Hong Kong。 Churchill Downs is where they hold the Kentucky Derby。 K。L。 is Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia； Woodbine is in Canada； Longchamps is in Paris； Fuchu is where the Japan Cup is run in Tokyo。'
They all understood。
'Those mercials are reported to be brilliant；' I said； 'and Ellis himself wants them shown as much as Yorkshire does。'
'Have you seen them？' Davis asked。
I explained about the box of BETACAM tapes。 'Making those special Broadcasting Quality tapes themselves must have been fearfully expensive…and they need special playing equipment which I didn't find at Topline Foods； so no； I haven't seen them。'
Norman Picton； with his policeman's mind； asked； 'Where did you see the tapes？ Where did you get that list of racecourses？'
I said without emotion； 'In an office at Topline Foods。'
He gave me a narrow inspection。
'My car；' I told him； 'is still somewhere in Frodsham。 Could you get your pals up there to look out for it？' I gave him its registration number； which he wrote down。
'Why did you leave it？' he asked。
'Er 。。。 I was running away at the time。' For all that I tried to say it lightly； the grim reality reached them。
'Well；' I sighed； 'I'd invaded Yorkshire's territory。 He found me there。 It gave him the opportunity to get rid of the person most likely to send Ellis to jail。 I accepted that possibility when I went there but； like you； I wanted to know what was causing terrible trouble behind the scenes。 And it is the millions spent on those ads。' I paused； and went on； 'Yorkshire and Ellis set out originally； months ago； not to kill me but to discredit me so that nothing I said would get Ellis convicted。 They used a figurehead； Topline Foods director； Lord Tilepit； because he owned The Pump。 They persuaded Tilepit that Ellis was innocent and that I was all that The Pump has maintained。 I don't think Tilepit believed Ellis guilty until today。 I don't think The Pump will say a word against me from now on。' I smiled briefly。 'Lord Tilepit was duped by Ellis； and so； also； to some extent； was Owen Yorkshire himself。'
'How； Sid？' Davis asked。
'I think Yorkshire too believed in Ellis。 Ellis dazzles people。 Knowing Ellis； to Yorkshire； was a step up the ladder。 Today they planned together to 。。。 er 。。。 wipe me out of the way。 Yorkshire would have done it himself in reckless anger。 Ellis stopped him； but left it to chance that the bodyguards might do it 。。。 but I escaped them。 Yorkshire now knows Ellis is guilty； but he doesn't care。 He cares only to be able to show that brilliant ad campaign； and make himself king of the horse…nuts。 And； of course； it's not just horse…nuts that it's all about。 They're a stepping stone。 It's about being the Big Man with the power to bring mayors to his doorstep。 If Yorkshire isn't stopped you'll find him manipulating more than The Pump。 He's the sort of man you get in the kitchens of political clout。'
After a moment； Archie asked； 'So how do we stop him？'
I shifted wearily in the chair and drank some brandy； and said； 'I can； possibly； give you the tools。'
'What tools？'
'His secret files。 His financial manoeuvrings。 His debts。 Details of bribes； I'd guess。 Bargains struck。 You scratch my back； I'll scratch yours。 Evidence of leverage。 Details of all his dealings with Ellis； and all his dealings with Tilepit。 I'll give you the files。 You can take it from there。'
'But；' Archie said blankly； 'where are these files？'
'In my puter in London。'
I explained the internet transfer and the need for password cracking。 I couldn't decide whether they were gladdened or horrified by what I'd done。 A bit of both； I thought。
Charles looked the most shocked； Archie the least。
Archie said； 'If I ask you； will you work for me another time？'
I looked into the knowing eyes； and smiled； and nodded。
'Good；'he said。
CHAPTER 14
I went home to Aynsford with Charles。
It had been a long evening in Archie's house。 Archie； Davis； Norman and Charles had all wanted details； which I found as intolerable to describe as to live through。 I skipped a lot。
I didn't tell them about Ellis's games with my hands。 I didn't know how to explain to them that； for a jockey； his hands were at the heart of his existence 。。。 of his skill。 One knew a horse by the feel of the bit on the reins； one listened to the messages； one interpreted the vibrations； one talked to a horse through one's