mc.prey-第17部分

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　〃That'd　be　good；〃　Ellen　said。　〃But　I　guess　you've　had　to　put　in　long　hours　。。。〃
　〃Not　that　long；〃　Julia　said。　〃All　things　considered；　it　hasn't　been　bad。　Just　the　last　week　or　so。〃　I　saw　Nicole's　eyes　widen。　Eric　was　staring　at　his　mother　as　he　ate。　But　the　kids　didn't　say　anything。　Neither　did　I。
　〃It's　just　a　transition　period；〃　Julia　continued。　〃All　panies　have　these　transitional　periods。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Ellen　said。
　The　sun　was　going　down。　The　air　was　cooler。　The　kids　left　the　table。　I　got　up　and　started　to　clear。　Ellen　was　helping　me。　Julia　kept　talking；　then　said；　〃I'd　love　to　stay；　but　I　have　something　going　on；　and　I　have　to　get　back　to　the　office　for　a　while。〃　If　Ellen　was　surprised　to　hear　this；　she　didn't　show　it。　All　she　said　was；　〃Long　hours。〃
　〃Just　during　this　transition。〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃Thanks　for　holding　the　fort；　honey。〃　At　the　door；　she　turned；　blew　me　an　air　kiss。　〃Love；　Jack。〃
　And　she　left。
　Ellen　frowned；　watching　her　go。　〃Just　a　little　abrupt；　wouldn't　you　say？〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃Will　she　say　good…bye　to　the　kids？〃
　〃Probably　not。〃
　〃She'll　just　run　right　out　the　door？〃
　〃Right。〃
　Ellen　shook　her　head。　〃Jack；〃　she　said；　〃I　don't　know　if　she's　having　an　affair　or　not；　but…what's　she　taking？〃
　〃Nothing；　as　far　as　I　know。〃
　〃She's　on　something。　I'm　certain　of　it。　Would　you　say　she's　lost　weight？〃
　〃Yes。　Some。〃
　〃And　sleeping　very　little。　And　obviously　speedy　。。。〃　Ellen　shook　her　head。　〃A　lot　of　these　hard…charging　executives　are　on　drugs。〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。
　She　just　looked　at　me。
　I　went　back　into　my　office　to　call　Ricky；　and　from　the　office　window　I　saw　Julia　backing　her　car　down　the　driveway。　I　went　to　wave　to　her；　but　she　was　looking　over　her　shoulder　as　she　backed　away。　In　the　evening　light　I　saw　golden　reflections　on　the　windshield；　streaking　from　the　trees　above。　She　had　almost　reached　the　street　when　I　thought　I　saw　someone　sitting　in　the　passenger　seat　beside　her。　It　looked　like　a　man。
　I　couldn't　see　his　features　clearly　through　the　windshield；　with　the　car　moving　down　the　drive。　When　Julia　backed　onto　the　street；　her　body　blocked　my　view　of　the　passenger。　But　it　seemed　as　if　Julia　was　talking　to　him；　animatedly。　Then　she　put　the　car　in　gear　and　leaned　back　in　her　seat；　and　for　a　moment　I　had　a　brief；　clear　look。　The　man　was　backlit；　his　face　in　shadow；　and　he　must　have　been　looking　directly　at　her　because　I　still　couldn't　make　out　any　features；　but　from　the　way　he　was　slouching　I　had　the　impression　of　someone　young；　maybe　in　his　twenties；　though　I　honestly　couldn't　be　sure。　It　was　just　a　glimpse。　Then　the　BMW　accelerated；　and　she　drove　off　down　the　street。
　I　thought：　the　hell　with　this。　I　ran　outside；　and　down　the　driveway。　I　reached　the　street　just　as　Julia　came　to　the　stop　sign　to　the　end　of　the　block；　her　brake　lights　flaring。　She　was　probably　fifty　yards　away；　the　street　illuminated　in　low；　slanting　yellow　light。　It　looked　as　if　she　was　alone　in　the　car；　but　I　really　couldn't　see　well。　I　felt　a　moment　of　relief；　and　of　foolishness。　There　I　was；　standing　in　the　street；　for　no　good　reason。　My　mind　was　playing　tricks　on　me。　There　was　nobody　in　the　car。
　Then；　as　Julia　made　the　right　turn；　the　guy　popped　up　again；　like　he　had　been　bent　over；　getting　something　from　the　glove　partment。　And　then　the　car　was　gone。　And　in　an　instant　all　my　distress　came　flooding　back；　like　a　hot　pain　that　spread　across　my　chest　and　body。　I　felt　short　of　breath；　and　a　little　dizzy。
　There　was　somebody　in　the　car。
　I　trudged　back　up　the　driveway；　feeling　churning　emotions；　not　sure　what　to　do　next。　〃You're　not　sure　what　to　do　next？〃　Ellen　said。　We　were　doing　the　pots　and　pans　at　the　sink；　the　things　that　didn't　go　in　the　dishwasher。　Ellen　was　drying；　while　I　scrubbed。　〃You　pick　up　the　phone　and　call　her。〃
　〃She's　in　the　car。〃
　〃She　has　a　car　phone。　Call　her。〃
　〃Uh…huh；〃　I　said。　〃So　how　do　I　put　it？　Hey　Julia；　who's　the　guy　in　the　car　with　you？〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃That's　going　to　be　a　tough　conversation。〃
　〃Maybe　so。〃
　〃That'll　be　a　divorce；　for　sure。〃
　She　just　stared　at　me。　〃You　don't　want　a　divorce；　do　you。〃
　〃Hell；　no。　I　want　to　keep　my　family　together。〃
　〃That　may　not　be　possible；　Jack。　It　may　not　be　your　decision　to　make。〃
　〃None　of　this　makes　any　sense；〃　I　said。　〃I　mean　the　guy　in　the　car；　he　was　like　a　kid；　somebody　young。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃That's　not　Julia's　style。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Ellen's　eyebrows　went　up。　〃He　was　probably　in　his　twenties　or　early　thirties。　And　anyway；　are　you　so　sure　about　Julia's　style？〃
　〃Well；　I've　lived　with　her　for　thirteen　years。〃
　She　set　down　one　of　the　pots　with　a　bang。　〃Jack。　I　understand　that　all　this　must　be　hard　to　accept。〃
　〃It　is；　it　is。〃　In　my　mind；　I　kept　replaying　the　car　backing　down　the　driveway；　over　and　over。　I　was　thinking　that　there　was　something　strange　about　the　other　person　in　the　car；　something　odd　in　his　appearance。　In　my　mind；　I　kept　trying　to　see　his　face　but　I　never　could。　The　features　were　blurred　by　the　windshield；　by　the　light　shifting　as　she　backed　down　the　drive　。。。　I　couldn't　see　the　eyes；　or　the　cheekbones；　or　the　mouth。　In　my　memory；　the　whole　face　was　dark　and　indistinct。　I　tried　to　explain　that　to　her。
　〃It's　not　surprising。〃
　〃No？〃
　〃No。　It's　called　denial。　Look　Jack；　the　fact　is；　you　have　the　evidence　right　in　front　of　your　eyes。　You've　seen　it；　Jack。　Don't　you　think　it's　time　you　believed　it？〃
　I　knew　she　was　right。　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃It's　time。〃
　The　phone　was　ringing。　My　hands　were　up　to　the　elbows　in　soap　suds。　I　asked　Ellen　to　get　it；　but　one　of　the　kids　had　already　picked　it　up。　I　finished　scrubbing　the　barbecue　grill；　handed　it　to　Ellen　to　dry。
　〃Jack；〃　Ellen　said；　〃you　have　to　start　seeing　things　as　they　really　are；　and　not　as　you　want　them　to　be。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　call　her。〃
　At　that　moment　Nicole　came　into　the　kitchen；　looking　pale。
　〃Dad？　It's　the　police。　They　want　to　talk　to　you。〃
　　
　DAY　5　
　9：10　P。M。
　Julia's　convertible　had　gone　off　the　road　about　five　miles　from　the　house。　It　had　plunged　fifty　feet　down　a　steep　ravine；　cutting　a　track　through　the　sage　and　juniper　bushes。　Then　it　must　have　rolled；　because　now　it　lay　at　an　angle；　wheels　facing　upward。　I　could　see　only　the　underside　of　the　car。　The　sun　was　almost　down；　and　the　ravine　was　dark。　The　three　rescue　ambulances　on　the　road　had　their　red　lights　flashing；　and　the　rescue　crews　were　already　rappelling　down　on　ropes。　As　I　watched；　portable　floodlights　were　set　up；　bathing　the　wreck　in　a　harsh　blue　glow。　I　heard　the　crackle　of　radios　all　around。
　I　stood　up　on　the　road　with　a　motorcycle　police　officer。　I　had　already　asked　to　go　down　there；　and　was　told　I　couldn't；　I　had　to　stay　on　the　road。　When　I　heard　the　radios；　I　said；　〃Is　she　hurt？　Is　my　wife　hurt？〃
　〃We'll　know　in　a　minute。〃　He　was　calm。
　〃What　about　the　other　guy？〃
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　he　said。　He　had　a　headset　in　his　helmet；　because　he　just　started　talking　in　a　low　voice。　It　sounded　like　a　lot　of　code　words。　I　heard　〃。。。　update　a　four…oh…two　for　seven…three…nine　here　。。。〃
　I　stood　at　the　edge；　and　looked　down；　trying　to　see。　By　now　there　were　workers　all　around　the　car；　and　several　hidden　behind　the　upturned　frame。　A　long　time　seemed　to　pass。
　The　cop　said；　〃Your　wife　is　unconscious　but　she's　。。。　She　was　wearing　her　seat　belt；　and　stayed　in　the　car。　They　think　she's　all　right。　Vital　signs　are　stable。　They　say　no　spinal　injuries　but　。。。　she　。。。　sounds　like　she　broke　her　arm。〃
　〃But　she's　all　right？〃
　〃They　think　so。〃　Another　pause　while　he　listened。　I　heard　him　say；　〃I　have　the　husband　here；　so　let's　eight…seven。〃　When　he　turned　back　to　me；　he　said；　〃Yes。　She's　ing　around。　She'll　have　to　be　checked　for　internal　bleeding　at　the　hospital。　And　she's　got　a　broken　arm。　But　they　say　she's　all　right。　They're　getting　her　on　a　stretcher　now。〃
　〃Thank　God；〃　I　said。
　The　policeman　nodded。　〃This　is　a　bad　piece　of　road。〃
　〃This　has　happened　before？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Every　few　months。　Not　usually　so　lucky。〃
　I　flipped　open　my　cell　phone　and　called　Ellen；　told　her　to　explain　to　the　kids　there　was　nothing　to　worry　about；　that　Mom　was　going　to　be　okay。　〃Especially　Nicole；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　take　care　of　it；〃　Ellen　promised　me。
　I　flipped　the　phone　shut　and　turned　back　to　the　cop。　〃What　about　the　other　guy？〃　I　said。
　〃She's　alone　in　the　car。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃There　was　another　guy　with　her。〃
　He　spoke　on　his　headset；　then　turned　back　to　me。　〃They　say　no。　There's　no　sign　of　anyone　else。〃
　〃Maybe　he　was　thrown；〃　I　said。
　〃They're　asking　your　wife　now　。。。〃　He　listened　a　moment。　〃She　says　she　was　alone。〃
　〃You're　kidding；〃　I　said。
　He　looked　at　me；　shrugged。　〃That's　what　she　says。〃　In　the　flashing　red　lights　of　the　ambulances；　I　couldn't　read　his　expression。　But　his　tone　implied：　another　guy　who　doesn't　know　his　own　wife。　I　turned　away；　looked　over　the　edge　of　the　road。
　One　of　the　rescue　vehicles　had　extended　a　steel　arm　with　a　winch　that　hung　over　the　ravine。　A　cable　was　being　lowered。　I　saw　the　workers；　struggling　for　footing　against　the　steep　slope；　as　they　attached　a　stretcher　to　the　winch。　I　couldn't　see　Julia　clearly　on　the　stretcher；　she　was　strapped　down；　covered　in　a　silver　space　blanket。　She　started　to　rise；　passing　through　the　cone　of　blue　light；　then　into　darkness。
　The　cop　said；　〃They're　asking　about　drugs　and　medicines。　Is　your　wife　taking　any　drugs　or　medicines？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。〃
　〃How　about　alcohol？　Was　she　drinking？〃
　〃Wine　at　dinner。　One　or　two　glasses。〃
　The　cop　turned　away　and　spoke　again；　quietly　in　the　darkness。　After　a　pause；　I　heard　him　say；　〃That's　affirmative。〃
　The　stretcher　twisted　slowly　as　it　rose　into　the　air。　One　of　the　workers；　halfway　up　the　slope；　reached　out　to　steady　it。　The　stretcher　continued　upward。
　I　still　couldn't　see　Julia　clearly；　until　it　reached　the　level　of　the　road　and　the　rescue　workers　swung　it　around；　and　unclipped　it　from　the　line。　She　was　swollen；　her　left　cheekbone　was　purple　and　the　forehead　above　her　left　eye　was　purple　as　well。　She　must　have　hit　her　head　pretty　hard。　She　was　breathing　shallowly。　I　moved　alongside　the　stretcher。　She　saw　me　and　said；　〃Jack　。。。〃　and　tried　to　smile。
　〃Just　take　it　easy；〃　I　said。
　She　gave　a　little　cough。　〃Jack。　It