dk.watchers-第18部分

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dows　and　bolted　doors；　which　was　worse　than　the　telephone；　infinitely　worse。
　〃Look　at　me；　Nora。〃
　No。
　〃Look　at　me。〃
　The　last　of　the　disintegrating　cookie　fell　from　her　right　hand。
　Streck　took　her　left　hand；　and　she　tried　to　resist　him；　but　he　squeezed；　grinding　the　bones　of　her　fingers；　so　she　surrendered。　He　put　her　hand　palm　down　on　his　bare　thigh。　His　flesh　was　firm　and　hot。
　Her　stomach　twisted；　and　her　heart　thumped；　and　she　did　not　know　which　she　would　do　first…puke　or　pass　out。
　Moving　her　hand　slowly　up　and　down　his　bare　thigh；　he　said；　〃I'm　what　you　need；　prettiness。　I　can　take　care　of　you。〃
　As　if　it　were　a　wad　of　paste；　the　oatmeal　cookie　glued　her　mouth　shut。　She　kept　her　head　down；　but　she　raised　her　eyes　to　look　out　from　under　her　brow。　She　hoped　to　see　someone　nearby　to　whom　she　could　call　for　help；　but　there　were　only　two　young　mothers　with　their　small　children；　and　even　they　were　too　far　away　to　be　of　assistance。
　Lifting　her　hand　from　his　thigh；　putting　it　on　his　bare　chest；　Streck　said；　〃Having　a　nice　stroll　today？　Did　you　like　the　mission？　Hmmm？　And　weren't　the　yucca　blossoms　pretty　at　the　courthouse？〃
　He　rambled　on　in　that　cool；　smug　voice；　asking　her　how　she　had　liked　other　things　she'd　seen；　and　she　realized　he　had　been　following　her　all　morning；　either　in　his　car　or　on　foot。　She　hadn't　seen　him；　but　there　was　no　doubt　he　bad　been　there　because　he　knew　every　move　she　had　made　since　leaving　the　house；　which　frightened　and　infuriated　her　more　than　anything　else　he　had　done。
　She　was　breathing　hard　and　fast；　yet　she　felt　as　if　she　could　not　get　her　breath。　Her　ears　were　ringing；　yet　she　could　hear　every　word　he　said　too　clearly。　Though　she　thought　she　might　strike　him　and　claw　at　his　eyes；　she　was　also　paralyzed；　on　the　verge　of　striking　but　unable　to　strike；　simultaneously　strong　with　rage　and　weak　with　fear。　She　wanted　to　scream；　not　for　help　but　in　frustration。
　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃you've　had　a　real　nice　stroll；　a　nice　lunch　in　the　park；　and　you're　in　a　relaxed　mood。　So　you　know　what　would　be　nice　now？　You　know　what　would　make　this　a　terrific　day；　prettiness？　A　really　special　day？　What　we'll　do　is　get　in　my　car；　go　back　to　your　place；　up　to　your　yellow　room；　get　in　that　four…poster　bed…〃
　He'd　been　in　her　bedroom！　He　must　have　done　it　yesterday。　When　he　was　supposed　to　have　been　in　the　living　room　fixing　the　TV；　he　must　have　sneaked　upstairs；　the　bastard；　prowling　through　her　most　private　place；　invading　her　sanctuary；　poking　through　her　belongings。
　〃…that　big　old　bed；　and　I'm　going　to　strip　you　down；　honey；　strip　you　down　and　fuck　you…〃
　Nora　would　never　be　able　to　decide　whether　her　sudden　courage　arose　from　the　horrible　realization　that　he'd　violated　her　sanctuary；　whether　it　was　that　he　had　spoken　an　obscenity　in　her　presence　for　the　first　time；　or　whether　both；　but　she　snapped　her　head　up　and　glared　at　him　and　spat　the　wad　of　uneaten　cookie　in　his　face。　Flecks　of　spittle　and　damp　spatters　of　food　stuck　on　his　right　cheek；　right　eye；　and　on　the　side　of　his　nose。　Bits　of　oatmeal　Clung　in　his　hair　and　speckled　his　forehead。　When　she　saw　anger　flash　into　Streck's　eyes　and　contort　his　face；　Nora　felt　a　surge　of　terror　at　what　she'd　done：　But　she　was　also　elated　that　she　had　been　able　to　break　the　bonds　of　emotional　paralysis　that　had　immobilized　her；　even　if　her　actions　brought　her　grief；　even　if　Streck　retaliated。
　And　he　did　retaliate　swiftly；　brutally。　He　still　held　her　left　hand；　and　she
　was　unable　to　wrench　free。　He　squeezed　hard；　as　he　had　done　before；　grinding　her　bones。　It　hurt；　Jesus；　it　hurt。　But　she　did　not　want　to　give　him　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　her　cry；　and　she　was　determined　not　to　whimper　or　beg；　so　she　clenched　her　teeth　and　endured。　Sweat　prickled　her　scalp；　and　she　thought　she　might　pass　out。　But　the　pain　was　not　the　worst　of　it；　the　worst　was　looking　into　Streck's　disturbing　ice…blue　eyes。　As　he　crushed　her　fingers；　he　held　her　not　merely　with　his　hand　but　with　his　gaze；　which　was　cold　and　infinitely　strange。　He　was　trying　to　intimidate　and　cow　her；　and　it　was　working…　by　God；　it　was…because　she　saw　in　him　a　madness　with　which　she　would　never　be　able　to　cope。
　When　he　saw　her　despair；　which　evidently　pleased　him　more　than　a　cry　of　pain　could　have　done；　he　stopped　grinding　her　hand；　but　he　did　not　let　go。　He　said；　〃You'll　pay　for　that；　for　spitting　in　my　face。　And　you'll　enjoy　paying　for　it。〃
　Without　conviction；　she　said；　〃I'll　plain　to　your　boss；　and　you'll　lose　your　job。〃
　Streck　only　smiled。　Nora　wondered　why　he　did　not　bother　to　wipe　the　bits　of　oatmeal　cookie　from　his　face；　but　even　as　she　wondered　about　it　she　knew　the　reason：　he　was　going　to　make　her　do　it　for　him。　First；　he　said；　〃Lose　my　job？　Oh；　I　already　quit　working　for　Wadlow　TV。　Walked　out　yesterday　afternoon。　So　I'd　have　time　for　you；　Nora。〃
　She　lowered　her　eyes。　She　could　not　conceal　her　fear；　was　shaken　by　it　until　she　thought　her　teeth　would　chatter。
　〃I　never　do　stay　too　long　in　a　job。　Man　like　me；　full　of　so　much　energy；　gets　bored　easy。　I　need　to　move　around。　Besides；　life's　too　short　to　waste　all　of　it　working；　don't　you　think？　So　I　keep　a　job　for　a　while；　till　I've　got　some　money　saved；　then　I　coast　as　long　as　I　can。　And　once　in　a　while　I　run　into　a　lady　like　you；　someone　who　has　a　powerful　need　for　me；　someone　who's　just　crying　out　for　a　man　like　me；　and　so　I　help　her　along。〃
　Kick　him；　bite　him；　go　for　his　eyes；　she　told　herself。
　She　did　nothing。
　Her　hand　ached　dully。　She　remembered　how　hot　and　intense　the　pain　had　been。
　His　voice　changed；　became　softer；　soothing；　reassuring；　but　that　frightened　her　even　more。　〃And　I'm　going　to　help　you；　Nora。　I'll　be　moving　in　for　a　while。　It's　going　to　be　fun。　You're　a　little　nervous　about　me；　sure；　I　understand　that；　I　really　do。　But　believe　me；　this　is　what　you　need；　girl；　this　is　going　to　turn　your　life　upside　down；　nothing's　ever　going　to　be　the　same　again；　and　that's　the　best　thing　could　happen　to　you。〃
　　　
　2
　Einstein　loved　the　park。
　When　Travis　slipped　off　the　leash；　the　retriever　trotted　to　the　nearest　bed
　of　flowers…big　yellow　marigolds　surrounded　by　a　border　of　purple　polyanthuses…and　walked　slowly　around　it；　obviously　fascinated。　He　went　to　a　blazing　bed　of　late…blooming　ranunculuses；　to　another　of　impatiens；　and　his　tail　wagged　faster　with　each　discovery。　They　said　dogs　could　see　in　only　black　and　white；　but　Travis　would　not　have　bet　against　the　proposition　that　Einstein　possessed　full…color　vision。　Einstein　sniffed　everything…flowers；　shrubbery；　trees；　rocks；　trash　cans；　crumpled　litter；　the　base　of　the　drinking　fountain；　and　every　foot　of　ground　he　covered…no　doubt　turning　up　olfactory　〃pictures〃　of　people　and　dogs　that　had　passed　this　way　before；　images　as　clear　to　him　as　photographs　would　have　been　to　Travis。
　Throughout　the　morning　and　early　afternoon；　the　retriever　had　done　nothing　amazing。　In　fact；　his　I'm…just…an…ordinary…dumb…dog　behavior　was　so　convincing　that　Travis　wondered　if　the　animal's　nearly　human　intelligence　came　only　in　brief　flashes；　sort　of　the　beneficial　equivalent　of　epileptic　seizures。　But　after　all　that　had　happened　yesterday；　Einstein's　extraordinary　nature；　though　seldom　revealed；　was　no　longer　open　to　debate。
　As　they　were　strolling　around　the　pond；　Einstein　suddenly　went　rigid；　lifted　his　head；　raised　his　floppy　ears　a　bit；　and　stared　at　a　couple　sitting　on　a　park　bench　about　sixty　feet　away。　The　man　was　in　running　shorts；　and　the　woman　wore　a　rather　baggy　gray　dress；　he　was　holding　her　hand；　and　they　appeared　to　be　deep　in　conversation。
　Travis　started　to　turn　away　from　them；　heading　out　toward　the　open　green　of　the　park　to　give　them　privacy。
　But　Einstein　barked　once　and　raced　straight　toward　the　couple。
　〃Einstein！　Here！　e　back　here！〃
　The　dog　ignored　him　and；　nearing　the　pair　on　the　bench；　began　to　bark　furiously。
　By　the　time　Travis　reached　the　bench；　the　guy　in　running　shorts　was　standing。　His　arms　were　raised　defensively；　and　his　hands　were　fisted　as　he　warily　moved　back　a　step　from　the　retriever。
　〃Einstein！〃
　The　retriever　stopped　barking；　turned　away　from　Travis　before　the　leash　Could　be　clipped　to　the　collar　again；　went　to　the　woman　on　the　bench；　and　Put　his　head　in　her　lap。　The　change　from　snarling　dog　to　affectionate　pet　was　so　sudden　that　everyone　was　startled。
　Travis　said；　〃I'm　sorry。　He　never…〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；〃　said　the　guy　in　running　shorts；　〃you　can't　let　a　vicious　dog　run　loose　in　a　park！〃
　not　vicious；〃　Travis　said。　〃He…〃
　Bullshit；〃　the　runner　said；　spraying　spittle。　〃The　damn　thing　tried　to　bite　me。　You　enjoy　lawsuits　or　something？〃
　don't　know　what　got　into…〃
　Get　it　out　of　here；〃　the　runner　demanded。
　Nodding；　embarrassed；　Travis　turned　to　Einstein　and　saw　that　the　woman　had　coaxed　the　retriever　onto　the　bench。　Einstein　was　sitting　with　her；　facing　her；　his　forepaws　in　her　lap；　and　she　was　not　merely　petting　him　but　hugging
　him。　In　fact；　there　was　something　a　little　desperate　about　the　way　she　was　holding　on　to　him。
　〃Get　it　out　of　here！〃　the　runner　said　furiously。
　The　guy　was　taller；　broader　in　the　shoulders；　and　thicker　in　the　chest　than　Travis；　and　he　took　a　couple　of　steps　forward；　looming　over　Travis；　using　his　superior　size　to　intimidate。　By　being　aggressive；　by　looking　and　acting　a　little　dangerous；　he　was　accustomed　to　getting　his　way。　Travis　despised　such　men。
　Einstein　turned　his　head　to　look　at　the　runner；　bared　his　teeth；　and　growled　low　in　his　throat。
　〃Listen；　buddy；〃　the　runner　said　angrily；　〃are　you　deaf；　or　what？　I　said　that　dog's　got　to　be　put　on　a　leash；　and　I　see　the　leash　there　in　your　hand；　so　what　the　hell　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　Travis　began　to　realize　something　was　wrong。　The　runner's　self…righteous　anger　was　overdone…as　if　he　had　been　caught　in　a　shameful　act　and　was　trying　to　conceal　his　guilt　by　going　immediately　and　aggressively　on　the　offensive。　And　the　woman　was　behaving　peculiarly。　She　had　not　spoken　a　word。　She　was　pale。　Her　thin　hands　trembled。　But　judging　by　the　way　she　petted　and　clung　to　the　dog；　it　wasn't　Einstein　that　frightened　her。　And　Travis　wondered　why　a　couple　would　go　to　the　park　dressed　so　differently　from　each　other；　one　in　running　shorts　and　the　other　i