dk.watchers-第14部分

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　Einstein　raised　his　head　from　Travis's　lap。
　Travis　thought　he　saw　sympathy　in　the　dog's　eyes。　Maybe　because　that　was　what　he　wanted　to　see。
　〃That's　eight　years　ago；　when　I　was　twenty…eight。　Left　the　army。　Came　home　to　California。　Got　a　real…estate　license　because　my　dad　had　sold　real　estate；　and　I　didn't　know　what　else　to　do。　Did　real　well；　maybe　'cause　I　didn't　care　if　they　bought　the　houses　I　showed　them；　didn't　push；　didn't　act　like　a　salesman。　Fact　is；　I　did　so　well　that　I　became　a　broker；　opened　my　own　office；　hired　salespeople。〃
　Which　was　how　he　had　met　Paula。　She　was　a　tall　blond　beauty；　bright　and　amusing；　and　she　could　sell　real　estate　so　well　that　she　joked　about　having　lived　an　earlier　life　in　which　she　had　represented　the　Dutch　colonists　when　they　had　bought　Manhattan　from　the　Indians　for　beads　and　trinkets。　She　was　smitten　with　Travis。　That's　what　she'd　told　him：　〃Mr。　Cornell；　sir；　I　am　smitten。　I　think　it's　your　strong；　silent　act。　Best　Clint　Eastwood　imitation　I've　ever　seen。〃　Travis　resisted　her　at　first。　He　did　not　believe　he　would　jinx　Paula；　at　least；　he　didn't　consciously　believe　it；　he　had　not　openly　reverted　to　childhood　superstition。　But　he　did　not　want　to　risk　the　pain　of　loss　again。　Undeterred　by　his　hesitancy；　she　pursued　him；　and　in　time　he　had　to　admit　he　Was　in　love　with　her。　So　in　love　that　he　told　her　about　his　lifelong　tag　game　With　Death；　something　of　which　he　spoke　to　no　one　else。　〃Listen；〃　Paula　said；　〃you　won't　have　to　mourn　me。　I'm　going　to　outlive　you　because　I'm　not　the　type　to　bottle　up　my　feelings。　I　take　out　my　frustrations　on　those　around　me；　so　I'm　bound　to　shave　a　decade　off　your　life。〃
　They　had　been　married　in　a　simple　courthouse　ceremony　four　years　ago；
　the　summer　after　Travis's　thirty…second　birthday。　He　had　loved　her。　Oh　God；　how　he　had　loved　her。
　To　Einstein；　he　said；　〃We　didn't　know　it　then；　but　she　had　cancer　on　our　wedding　day。　Ten　months　later；　she　was　dead。〃
　The　dog　put　its　head　down　in　his　lap　again。
　For　a　while；　Travis　could　not　continue。
　He　drank　some　beer。
　He　stroked　the　dog's　head。
　In　time　he　said；　〃After　that；　I　tried　to　go　on　as　usual。　Always　prided　myself　in　going　on；　facing　up　to　anything；　keeping　my　chin　up；　all　that　bullshit。　Kept　the　real…estate　office　running　another　year。　But　none　of　it　mattered　any　more。　Sold　it　two　years　ago。　Cashed　in　all　my　investments；　too。　Turned　everything　into　cash　and　socked　it　in　the　bank。　Rented　this　house。　Spent　the　last　two　years　。　。　。　well；　brooding。　And　I　got　squirrelly。　Hardly　a　surprise；　huh？　Squirrelly　as　hell。　Came　full　circle；　you　see；　right　back　to　what　I　believed　when　I　was　a　kid。　That　I　was　a　danger　to　anyone　who　gets　close　to　me。　But　you　changed　me；　Einstein。　You　turned　me　around　in　one　day。　I　swear；　it's　like　you　were　sent　to　show　me　that　life's　mysterious；　strange；　and　full　of　wonders…　and　that　only　a　fool　withdraws　from　it　willingly　and　lets　it　pass　him　by。〃
　The　dog　was　peering　up　at　him　again。
　He　lifted　his　beer　can；　but　it　was　empty。
　Einstein　went　to　the　fridge　and　got　another　Coors。
　Taking　the　can　from　the　dog；　Travis　said；　〃Now；　after　hearing　the　whole　sorry　thing；　what　do　you　think？　You　think　it's　wise　for　you　to　hang　around　with　me？　You　think　it's　safe？〃
　Einstein　woofed。
　〃Was　that　a　yes？〃
　Einstein　rolled　onto　his　back　and　put　all　four　legs　in　the　air；　baring　his　belly　as　he　had　done　earlier　when　he　had　permitted　Travis　to　collar　him。
　Putting　his　beer　aside；　Travis　got　off　his　chair；　settled　on　the　floor；　and　stroked　the　dog's　belly。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃All　right。　But　don't　die　on　me；　damn　you。　Don't　you　dare　die　on　me。〃
　　
　　
　6
　　
　Nora　Devon's　telephone　rang　again　at　eleven　o'clock。
　It　was　Streck。　〃Are　you　in　bed　now；　prettiness？〃
　She　did　not　reply。
　〃Do　you　wish　I　was　there　with　you？〃
　Since　the　previous　call；　she　had　thought　about　how　to　handle　him　and　had　e　up　with　several　threats　she　hoped　might　work。　She　said；　〃If　you　don't　leave　me　alone；　I'll　go　to　the　police。〃
　〃Nora；　do　you　sleep　in　the　nude？〃
　She　was　sitting　in　bed。　She　sat　up　straighter；　tense；　rigid。　〃I'll　go　to　the
　police　and　say　you　tried　to　。　。　。　to　force　yourself　on　me。　I　will；　I　swear！　will。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　see　you　in　the　nude；〃　he　said；　ignoring　her　threat。　〃I'll　lie。　I'll　say　you　r…raped　me。〃
　〃Wouldn't　you　like　me　to　put　my　hands　on　your　breasts；　Nora？〃
　Dull　cramps　in　her　stomach　forced　her　to　bend　forward　in　bed。　〃I'll　have　the　telephone　pany　put　a　tap　on　my　line；　record　all　the　calls　I　get；　so　I'll　have　proof。〃
　〃Kiss　you　all　over；　Nora。　Wouldn't　that　be　nice？〃
　The　cramps　were　getting　worse。　She　was　shaking　uncontrollably；　too。　Her　voice　cracked　repeatedly　as　she　employed　her　final　threat：　〃I　have　a　gun。　I　have　a　gun。〃
　〃Tonight　you'll　dream　about　me；　Nora。　I'm　sure　you　will。　You'll　dream　about　me　kissing　you　everywhere；　all　over　your　pretty　body…〃
　She　slammed　the　phone　down。
　Rolling　onto　her　side　on　the　bed；　she　hunched　her　shoulders　and　drew　up　her　knees　and　hugged　herself。　The　cramps　had　no　physical　cause。　They　were　strictly　an　emotional　reaction；　generated　by　fear　and　shame　and　rage　and　enormous　frustration。
　Gradually；　the　pain　passed。　Fear　subsided；　leaving　only　rage。
　She　was　so　wrenchingly　innocent　of　the　world　and　its　ways；　so　unaccustomed　to　dealing　with　people；　that　she　couldn't　function　unless　she　restricted　herself　to　the　house；　to　a　private　world　without　human　contact。　She　knew　nothing　about　social　interaction。　She　had　not　even　been　capable　of　holding　a　polite　conversation　with　Garrison　Dilworth；　Aunt　Violet's　attorney…Nora's　attorney　now…during　their　meetings　to　settle　the　estate。　She　had　answered　his　questions　as　succinctly　as　possible　and　had　sat　in　his　presence　with　her　eyes　downcast　and　her　cold　hands　fidgeting　in　her　lap；　crushingly　shy。　Afraid　of　her　own　lawyer！　If　she　couldn't　deal　with　a　kind　man　like　Garrison　Dilworth；　how　could　she　ever　handle　a　beast　like　Art　Streck？　In　the　future；　she　wouldn't　dare　have　a　repairman　in　her　home；　no　matter　what　broke　down；　she　would　just　have　to　live　in　ever…worsening　decay　and　ruin　because　the　next　man　might　be　another　Streck…or　worse。　In　the　tradition　established　by　her　aunt；　Nora　already　had　groceries　delivered　from　a　neighborhood　market；　so　she　did　not　have　to　go　out　to　shop；　but　now　she　would　be　afraid　to　let　the　delivery　boy　into　the　house；　he　had　never　been　the　least　aggressive；　suggestive；　or　in　any　way　insulting；　but　one　day　he　might　see　the　vulnerability　that　Streck　had　Seen　。
　She　hated　Aunt　Violet。
　On　the　other　hand；　Violet　had　been　right：　Nora　was　a　mouse。　Like　all　mice；　her　destiny　was　to　run；　to　hide；　and　to　cower　in　the　dark。
　Her　fury　abated　just　as　her　cramps　had　done。
　Loneliness　took　the　place　of　anger；　and　she　wept　quietly。
　Later；　sitting　with　her　back　against　the　headboard；　blotting　her　reddened　eyes　with　Kleenex　and　blowing　her　nose；　she　bravely　vowed　not　to　bee　a　recluse。　Somehow　she　would　find　the　strength　and　courage　to　venture　out　Into　the　world　more　than　she'd　done　before。　She　would　meet　people。　She
　would　get　to　know　the　neighbors　that　Violet　had　more　or　less　shunned。　She　would　make　friends。　By　God；　she　would。　And　she　wouldn't　let　Streck　intimidate　her。　She　would　learn　how　to　handle　other　problems　that　came　along　as　well；　and　in　time　she　would　be　a　different　woman　from　the　one　she　was　now。　A　promise　to　herself。　A　sacred　vow。
　She　considered　unplugging　the　telephone；　thus　foiling　Streck；　but　she　was　afraid　she　might　need　it。　What　if　she　woke；　heard　someone　in　the　house；　and　was　unable　to　plug　in　the　phone　fast　enough？
　Before　turning　out　the　lights　and　pulling　up　the　covers；　she　closed　the　lockless　bedroom　door　and　braced　it　shut　with　the　armchair；　which　she　tilted　under　the　knob。　In　bed；　in　the　dark；　she　felt　for　the　butcher's　knife；　which　she'd　placed　on　the　nightstand；　and　she　was　reassured　when　she　put　her　hand　directly　upon　it　without　fumbling。
　Nora　lay　on　her　back；　eyes　open；　wide　awake。　Pale　amber　light　from　the　streetlamps　found　its　way　through　the　shuttered　windows。　The　ceiling　was　banded　with　alternating　strips　of　black　and　faded　gold；　as　if　a　tiger　of　infinite　length　were　leaping　over　the　bed　in　a　jump　that　would　never　end。　She　wondered　if　she　would　ever　sleep　easily　again。
　She　also　wondered　if　she　would　find　anyone　who　could　care　about　her…　and　for　her…out　there　in　the　bigger　world　that　she　had　vowed　to　enter。　Was　there　no　one　who　could　love　a　mouse　and　treat　it　gently？
　Far　away；　a　train　whistle　played　a　one…note　dirge　in　the　night。　It　was　a　hollow；　cold；　and　mournful　sound。
　　
　　
　7
　Vince　Nasco　had　never　been　so　busy。　Or　so　happy。
　When　he　called　the　usual　Los　Angeles　number　to　report　success　at　the　Yarbeck　house；　he　was　referred　to　another　public　phone。　This　one　was　between　a　frozen…yogurt　shop　and　a　fish　restaurant　on　Balboa　Island　in　Newport　Harbor。
　There；　he　was　called　by　the　contact　with　the　sexy；　throaty；　yet　little…girl　voice。　She　spoke　circumspectly　of　murder；　never　using　incriminating　words　but　employing　exotic　euphemisms　that　would　mean　nothing　in　a　court　of　law。　She　was　calling　from　another　pay　phone；　one　she　had　chosen　at　random；　so　there　was　virtually　no　chance　that　either　of　them　was　tapped。　But　it　was　a　Big　Brother　world　where　you　didn't　dare　take　risks。
　The　woman　had　a　third　job　for　him。　Three　in　one　day。
　As　Vince　watched　the　evening　traffic　inching　past　on　the　narrow　island　street；　the　woman…whom　he　had　never　seen　and　whose　name　he　didn't　know…gave　him　the　address　of　Dr。　Albert　Hudston　in　Laguna　Beach。　Hudston　lived　with　his　wife　and　a　sixteen…year…old　son。　Both　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Hudston　had　to　be　hit；　however；　the　boy's　fate　was　in　Vince's　hands。　If　the　kid　could
　be　kept　out　of　it；　fine。　But　if　he　saw　Vince　and　could　serve　as　a　witness；　he　had　to　be　eliminated；　too。
　〃Your　discretion；〃　the　woman　said。
　Vince　already　knew　that　he　would　erase　the　kid；　because　killing　was　more　useful　to　him；　more　energizing；　if　the　victim　was　young。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　he'd　blown　away　a　really　young　one；　and　the　prospect　excited　him。
　〃I　can　only　emphasize；〃　the　contact　said；　driving　Vince　a　little　nuts　with　her　breathy　pauses；　〃that　this　option　must　be　exercised　with　all　due　speed。　We