dk.watchers-第15部分

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！


xercised　with　all　due　speed。　We　want　the　deal　concluded　tonight。　By　tomorrow；　the　petition　will　be　aware　of　what　we're　trying　to　swing；　and　they'll　get　in　our　way。〃
　Vince　knew　the　〃petition〃　must　be　the　police。　He　was　being　paid　to　kill　three　doctors　in　a　single　day…doctors；　when　he　had　never　killed　a　doctor　before…so　he　knew　there　was　something　that　linked　them；　something　the　cops　would　pick　up　on　when　they　found　Weatherby　in　the　trunk　of　his　car　and　Elisabeth　Yarbeck　beaten　to　death　in　her　bedroom。　Vince　didn't　know　what　the　link　was　because　he　never　knew　anything　about　the　people　he　was　hired　to　kill；　and　he　didn't　really　want　to　know　anything。　It　was　safer　that　way。　But　the　cops　would　link　Weatherby　with　Yarbeck　and　both　of　them　with　Hudston；　so　if　Vince　did　not　get　to　Hudston　tonight；　the　police　would　be　providing　the　man　with　protection　by　tomorrow。
　Vince　said；　〃I　wonder。　。　。　do　you　want　the　option　exercised　in　the　same　way　as　the　other　two　deals　today？　You　want　a　pattern？〃
　He　was　thinking　maybe　he　should　burn　the　Hudston　house　to　the　ground　with　them　in　it　to　cover　the　murders。
　〃No；　we　absolutely　do　want　a　pattern；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Same　as　the　others。　We　want　them　to　know　we've　been　busy。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃We　want　to　tweak　their　noses；〃　she　said；　and　laughed　softly。　〃We　want　to　rub　in　the　salt。〃
　Vince　hung　up　and　walked　to　the　Jolly　Roger　for　dinner。　He　had　vegetable　soup；　a　hamburger；　fries；　onion　rings；　coleslaw；　chocolate　cake　with　ice　cream；　and　（as　an　afterthought）　apple　pie；　all　of　which　he　washed　down　with　five　cups　of　coffee。　He　was　ordinarily　a　big　eater；　but　his　appetite　increased　dramatically　after　a　job。　In　fact；　when　he　finished　the　pie；　he　wasn't　full。　Understandable。　In　one　busy　day；　he　had　absorbed　the　life　energies　of　Davis　Weatherby　and　the　Yarbecks；　he　was　overcharged；　a　racing　engine。　His　metabolism　was　in　high　gear；　he　would　need　more　fuel　for　a　while；　until　his　body　stored　the　excess　life　energies　in　biological　batteries　for　future　use。
　The　ability　to　absorb　the　very　life　force　of　his　victim　was　the　Gift　that　made　him　different　from　all　other　men。　Because　of　the　Gift；　he　would　always　be　Strong；　vital；　alert。　He　would　live　forever。
　He　had　never　divulged　the　secret　of　his　splendid　Gift　to　the　throaty…voiced　Woman　or　to　any　of　the　people　for　whom　he　worked。　Few　people　were　imaginative　and　open…minded　enough　to　consider　seriously　such　an　amazing　talent。　Vince　kept　it　to　himself　because　he　was　afraid　they'd　think　he　was　crazy。
　Outside　the　restaurant；　he　stood　on　the　sidewalk　for　a　while；　just　breathing　deeply；　savoring　the　crisp　sea　air。　A　chilly　night　wind　blew　off　the　harbor；　sweeping　scrap　paper　and　purple　jacaranda　blossoms　along　the　pavement。
　Vince　felt　terrific。　He　believed　he　was　as　much　of　an　elemental　force　as　were　the　sea　and　wind。
　From　Balboa　Island；　he　drove　south　to　Laguna　Beach。　At　eleven…twenty；　he　parked　his　van　across　the　street　from　the　Hudston　house。　It　was　in　the　hills；　a　single…story　home　slung　on　a　steep　slope　to　take　advantage　of　ocean　views。　He　saw　lights　in　a　couple　of　windows。
　He　climbed　between　the　seats　and　sat　down　in　the　back　of　the　van；　out　of　sight；　to　wait　until　all　of　the　Hudstons　had　gone　to　bed。　Soon　after　leaving　the　Yarbeck　house；　he　had　changed　out　of　his　blue　suit　into　gray　slacks；　a　white　shirt；　a　maroon　sweater；　and　a　dark…blue　nylon　jacket。　Now；　in　the　darkness；　he　had　nothing　to　do　except　take　his　weapons　out　of　a　cardboard　box；　where　they　were　hidden　beneath　two　loaves　of　bread；　a　four…roll　package　of　toilet　tissue；　and　other　items　that　gave　the　impression　he　had　just　been　to　the　market。
　The　Walther　P…38　was　fully　loaded。　After　finishing　the　job　at　the　Yarbeck　house；　he　had　screwed　a　fresh　silencer　onto　the　barrel；　one　of　the　new　short　ones　that；　thanks　to　the　high…tech　revolution；　was　half　the　length　of　older　models。　He　set　the　gun　aside。
　He　had　a　six…inch　switchblade　knife。　He　put　it　in　the　right　front　pocket　of　his　trousers。
　When　he　had　wound　the　wire　garrote　into　a　tight　coil；　he　tucked　it　into　the　left　inside　pocket　of　his　jacket。
　He　had　a　sap　weighted　with　lead　pellets。　That　went　into　his　right　exterior　jacket　pocket。
　He　did　not　expect　to　use　anything　but　the　gun。　However；　he　liked　to　be　prepared　for　any　eventuality。
　On　some　jobs　he　had　used　an　Uzi　submachine　gun　that　had　been　illegally　converted　for　automatic　fire。　But　the　current　assignment　did　not　require　heavy　armament。
　He　also　had　a　small　leather　packet；　half　the　size　of　a　shaving　kit；　which　contained　a　few　simple　burglary　tools。　He　did　not　bother　to　inspect　those　instruments。　He　might　not　even　need　them　because　a　lot　of　people　were　amazingly　lax　about　home　security；　leaving　doors　and　windows　unlocked　during　the　night；　as　if　they　believed　they　were　living　in　a　nineteenth…century　Quaker　village。
　At　eleven…forty　he　leaned　between　the　front　seats　and　looked　through　the　side　window　at　the　Hudston　house。　All　the　lights　were　out。　Good。　They　were　in　bed。
　To　give　them　time　to　fall　asleep；　he　sat　down　in　the　back　of　the　van　again；　ate　a　Mr。　Goodbar；　and　thought　about　how　he'd　spend　some　of　the　substantial　fees　that　he　had　earned　just　since　this　morning。
　He'd　been　wanting　a　power　ski；　one　of　those　clever　machines　that　made　it　possible　to　water…ski　without　a　boat。　He　was　an　ocean　lover。　Something　about
　the　sea　drew　him；　he　felt　at　home　in　the　tides　and　was　most　fully　alive　when　be　was　moving　in　harmony　with　great；　surging；　dark　masses　of　water。　He　enjoyed　scuba　diving；　windsailing；　and　surfing。　His　teenage　years　had　been　spent　more　on　the　beach　than　in　school。　He　still　rode　the　board　now　and　then；　when　the　surf　was　high。　But　he　was　twenty…eight；　and　surfing　now　seemed　tame　to　him。　He　wasn't　as　easily　thrilled　as　he　had　once　been。　He　liked　speed　these　days。　He　pictured　himself　skimming　over　a　slate…dark　sea　on　power　skis；　hammered　by　the　wind；　jolted　by　an　endless　series　of　impacts　with　eternally　ining　breakers；　riding　the　Pacific　as　a　rodeo　cowboy　would　ride　a　bronco　。
　At　twelve…fifteen　he　got　out　of　the　van。　He　tucked　the　pistol　under　the　waistband　of　his　trousers　and　crossed　the　silent；　deserted　street　to　the　Hudston　house。　He　let　himself　through　an　unlocked　wooden　gate　onto　a　side　patio　brightened　only　by　moonlight　filtered　through　the　leafy　branches　of　an　enormous　sheltering　coral　tree。
　He　paused　to　pull　on　a　pair　of　supple　leather　gloves。
　Mirrored　by　moonbeams；　a　sliding　glass　door　connected　the　patio　with　the　living　room。　It　was　locked。　A　penlight；　extracted　from　the　packet　of　burglary　tools；　also　revealed　a　wooden　pole　laid　in　the　interior　track　of　the　door　to　prevent　it　from　being　forced。
　The　Hudstons　were　more　security…conscious　than　most　people；　but　Vince　was　unconcerned。　He　fixed　a　small　suction　cup　to　the　glass；　used　a　diamond　cutter　to　carve　a　circle　in　the　pane　near　the　door　handle；　and　quietly　removed　the　cutout　with　the　cup。　He　reached　through　the　hole　and　disengaged　the　lock。　He　cut　another　circle　near　the　sill；　reached　inside；　and　removed　the　wooden　pole　from　the　track；　pushing　it　under　the　drawn　drapes；　into　the　room　beyond。
　He　did　not　have　to　worry　about　dogs。　The　woman　with　the　sexy　voice　had　told　him　that　the　Hudstons　had　no　house　pets。　That　was　one　reason　why　he　liked　working　for　these　particular　employers：　their　information　was　always　extensive　and　accurate。
　Easing　the　door　open；　he　slipped　through　the　closed　drapes　into　the　dark　living　room。　He　stood　for　a　moment；　letting　his　eyes　adjust　to　the　gloom；　listening。　The　house　was　tomb…silent。
　He　found　the　boy's　room　first。　It　was　illuminated　by　the　green　glow　of　the　numerals　on　a　digital　clock…radio。　The　teenager　was　lying　on　his　side；　snoring　softly。　Sixteen。　Very　young。　Vince　liked　them　very　young。
　He　moved　around　the　bed　and　crouched　along　the　side　of　it；　face…to…face　With　the　sleeper。　With　his　teeth；　he　pulled　the　glove　off　his　left　hand。　Holding　the　pistol　in　his　right　hand；　he　touched　the　muzzle　to　the　underside　of　the　boy's　chin。
　The　kid　woke　at　once。
　Vince　slapped　his　bare　hand　firmly　against　the　boy's　forehead　and　simultaneously　fired　the　gun。　The　bullet　smashed　up　through　the　soft　underside　of　the　kid's　chin；　through　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　into　his　brain；　killing　him　instantly。
　Ssssnap。
　An　intense　charge　of　life　energy　burst　out　of　the　dying　body　and　into　Vince。　It　was　such　pure；　vital　energy　that　he　whimpered　with　pleasure　as　he　felt　it　surge　into　him。
　For　a　while　he　crouched　beside　the　bed；　not　trusting　himself　to　move。　Transported。　Breathless。　At　last；　in　the　dark　he　kissed　the　dead　boy　on　the　lips　and　said；　〃I　accept。　Thank　you。　I　accept。〃
　He　crept　cat…swift；　cat…silent　through　the　house　and　quickly　found　the　master　bedroom。　Sufficient　light　was　provided　by　another　digital　clock　with　green　numerals　and　the　soft　glow　of　a　night…light　ing　through　the　open　bathroom　door。　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Hudston　were　both　asleep。　Vince　killed　her　first…　Ssssnap。
　…without　waking　her　husband。　She　slept　in　the　nude；　so　after　he　received　her　sacrifice；　he　put　his　head　to　her　bare　breasts　and　listened　to　the　stillness　of　her　heart。　He　kissed　her　nipples　and　murmured；　〃Thank　you。〃
　When　he　circled　the　bed；　turned　on　a　nightstand　lamp；　and　woke　Dr。　Hudston；　the　man　was　at　first　confused。　Until　he　saw　his　wife's　staring；　sightless　eyes。　Then　he　shouted　and　grabbed　for　Vince's　arm；　and　Vince　clubbed　him　over　the　head　twice　with　the　butt　of　the　gun。
　Vince　dragged　the　unconscious　Hudston；　who　also　slept　in　the　nude；　into　the　bathroom。　Again；　he　found　adhesive　tape；　with　which　he　was　able　to　bind　the　doctor's　wrists　and　ankles。
　He　filled　the　tub　with　cold　water　and　wrestled　Hudston　into　it。　That　frigid　bath　revived　the　doctor。
　In　spite　of　being　naked　and　bound；　Hudston　tried　to　push　up　out　of　the　cold　water；　tried　to　launch　himself　at　Vince。
　Vince　hit　him　in　the　face　with　the　pistol　and　shoved　him　down　into　the　tub　again。
　〃Who　are　you？　What　do　you　want？〃　Hudston　spluttered　as　his　face　came　up　out　of　the　water。
　〃I've　killed　your　wife　and　your　son；　and　I'm　going　to　kill　you。〃
　Hudston's　eyes　seemed　to　sink　back　into　his　damp；　pasty　face。　〃Jimmy？　Oh；　not　Jimmy；　really；　no。〃
　〃Your　boy　is　dead；〃　Vince　insisted。　〃I　blew　his　brains　out。〃
　At　the　m