dk.watchers-第20部分

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est　legs　Vince　had　ever　seen。　She　and　Haines　moved　farther　along　the　railing；　until　they　were　about　forty　feet　from　Vince；　where　they　went　into　a　clinch　that　made　Vince　blush。
　For　the　next　few　minutes；　Vince　edged　along　the　railing　toward　them；　leaning　out　dangerously　now　and　then；　craning　his　neck　to　gawk　down　at　the　crashing　waves　that　threw　water　twenty　feet　into　the　air…saying　〃Whooo　boy！〃　when　a　particularly　big　breaker　hit　the　craggy　outcroppings　of　stone…　trying　to　make　it　look　as　if　his　movement　in　their　direction　was　entirely　innocent。
　Though　they　had　turned　their　backs　to　him；　the　breeze　carried　bits　of　their　conversation。　The　woman　seemed　worried　that　her　husband　might　find　out　that　Haines　was　in　town；　and　Haines　was　pushing　her　to　make　up　her　mind　about　tomorrow　night。　The　guy　was　shameless。
　The　highway　cleared　of　traffic　again；　and　Vince　decided　he　might　not　get　another　opportunity　to　nail　Haines。　He　closed　the　last　few　feet　between　him　and　the　girl；　grabbed　her　by　the　nape　of　the　neck　and　the　belt　of　her　shorts；　plucked　her　off　the　ground；　and　threw　her　over　the　railing。　Screaming；　she　plummeted　toward　the　rocks　below。
　It　happened　so　fast　that　Haines　didn't　even　have　time　to　react。　The　instant　the　woman　was　airborne；　Vince　turned　on　the　startled　doctor　and　punched　him　in　the　face；　twice；　splitting　both　his　lips；　breaking　his　nose；　and　knocking　him　unconscious。
　As　Haines　crumpled　to　the　ground；　the　woman　hit　the　rocks　below；　and　Vince　received　her　gift　even　at　that　distance：　Ssssnap。
　He　would　have　liked　to　lean　over　the　railing　to　take　a　long　look　at　her　shattered　body　on　the　rocks　down　there；　but　unfortunately　he　had　no　time　to　spare。　The　highway　would　not　long　be　free　of　traffic。
　He　carried　Haines　back　to　the　Ford　and　put　him　in　the　front　seat；　letting　him　slump　against　the　door　as　if　sleeping　peacefully。　He　made　sure　the　man's　head　tipped　back　to　let　the　blood　from　his　nose　trickle　down　his　throat。
　From　the　coast　highway；　which　was　twisty　and　frequently　in　poor　repair　for　such　a　major　route；　Vince　followed　a　series　of　lesser　unpaved　roads；　each　narrower　and　more　rugged　than　the　one　before；　traveling　from　gravel　to　dirt　surfaces；　heading　deeper　into　the　rain　forest；　until　he　came　to　a　lonely　dead　end　at　a　green　wall　of　immense　trees　and　lush　vegetation。　Twice　during　the　drive；　Haines　had　begun　to　regain　consciousness；　but　Vince　had　quieted　the　doctor　by　thumping　his　head　against　the　dashboard。
　Now；　he　dragged　the　unconscious　man　out　of　the　Ford；　through　a　gap　in　the　brush；　and　deep　under　the　trees；　until　he　found　a　shady　clearing　floored　with　hairy　moss。　Cawing　and　trilling　birds　fell　silent；　and　unknown　animals　with　peculiar　voices　moved　off　through　the　underbrush。　Large　insects；　including　a　beetle　as　big　as　Vince's　hand；　scuttled　out　of　his　way；　and　lizards　scampered　up　tree　trunks。
　Vince　returned　to　the　Ford；　where　he　had　left　some　interrogation　equipment　in　the　trunk。　A　packet　of　syringes　and　two　vials　of　sodium　pentothal。　A　leather　sap　weighted　with　lead　pellets。　A　hand…applied　Taser　that　resembled　a　remote…control　device　for　a　television　set。　And　a　corkscrew　with　a　wooden　handle。
　Lawton　Haines　was　still　unconscious　when　Vince　returned　to　the　clearing。　His　breath　rattled　in　his　broken　nose。
　Haines　should　have　been　dead　twenty…four　hours　ago。　The　people　who　had　employed　Vince　for　three　jobs　yesterday　had　expected　to　use　another　freelancer　who　lived　in　Acapulco　and　operated　throughout　Mexico。　But　that　guy　had　died　yesterday　morning　when　a　long…awaited　air…mail　package　from　Fortnum　&　Mason　in　London　surprisingly　contained　two　pounds　of　plastic　explosives　instead　of　assorted　jellies　and　marmalades。　Out　of　desperate　necessity；　the　outfit　in　Los　Angeles　had　given　the　job　to　Vince；　though　he　was　getting　to　be　dangerously　overworked。　It　was　a　big　break　for　him；　for　he　was　sure　this　doctor　must　also　be　connected　with　Banodyne　Laboratories　and　could　provide　more　details　about　the　Francis　Project。
　Now；　exploring　the　rain　forest　around　the　clearing　where　Haines　lay；　Vince　found　a　fallen　tree　from　which　he　was　able　to　pull　off　a　loose；　curved　section　of　thick　bark　that　would　serve　as　a　ladle。　He　located　an　algae…mottled　stream　and　scooped　up　nearly　a　quart　of　water　in　the　bark　vessel。　The　stuff　looked　foul。　No　telling　what　exotic　bacteria　thrived　in　it。　But；　of　course；　at　this　point　the　possibility　of　disease　would　not　matter　to　Haines。
　Vince　threw　the　first　ladle　of　water　in　Haines's　face。　A　minute　later　he　returned　with　a　second　scoopful　from　which　he　forced　the　doctor　to　drink。　After　a　lot　of　spluttering；　choking；　gagging；　and　a　little　vomiting；　Haines　was　at　last　clearheaded　enough　to　understand　what　was　being　said　to　him；　and　to　respond　intelligibly。
　Holding　up　the　leather　sap；　the　Taser；　and　the　corkscrew；　Vince　explained　how　he'd　use　each　of　them　if　Haines　was　uncooperative。　The　doctor…who　revealed　himself　to　be　a　specialist　in　brain　physiology　and　function…proved　more　intelligent　than　patriotic；　and　he　eagerly　divulged　every　detail　of　the　top…secret　defense　work　in　which　he　was　engaged　at　Banodyne。
　When　Haines　swore　there　was　no　more　to　be　told；　Vince　prepared　the　sodium　pentothal。　As　he　drew　the　drug　into　the　syringe；　he　said；　conversationally；　〃Doctor；　what　is　it　with　you　and　women？〃
　Haines；　lying　on　his　back　in　the　hairy　moss　with　his　arms　at　his　sides；　exactly　as　Vince　had　told　him　to　lie；　was　not　able　to　adjust　quickly　to　the　change　of　subject。　He　blinked　in　confusion。
　〃I　been　following　you　since　lunch；　and　I　know　you　got　three　of　them　on　a　String　in　Acapulco…〃
　〃Four；〃　Haines　said；　and　in　spite　of　his　terror　a　visible　pride　surfaced。　〃That　Mercedes　I'm　driving　belongs　to　Giselle；　the　sweetest　little…〃
　〃You're　using　one　woman's　car　to　cheat　on　her　with　three　others？〃
　Haines　nodded　and　tried　to　smile；　but　he　winced　as　the　smile　sent　new　waves　of　pain　through　his　ruined　nose。　〃I've　always　。　。　。　had　this　way　with　the　ladies。〃
　〃For　God's　sake！〃　Vince　was　appalled。　〃Don't　you　realize　these　aren't　the　sixties　or　seventies　any　more？　Free　love's　dead。　It's　got　a　price　now。　Steep　price。　Haven't　you　heard　about　herpes；　AIDS；　all　that　stuff？〃　Administering　the　pentothal；　he　said；　〃You　must　be　a　carrier　for　every　venereal　disease　known　to　man。〃
　Blinking　stupidly　at　him；　Haines　at　first　looked　baffled　and　then　was　deep　in　a　pentothal　sleep。　Under　the　drug；　he　confirmed　all　that　he　had　already　told　Vince　about　Banodyne　and　the　Francis　Project。
　When　the　drug　wore　off；　Vince　used　the　Taser　on　Haines；　just　for　the　fun　of　it；　until　the　batteries　wore　out。　The　scientist　twitched　and　kicked　like　a　half…crushed　water　bug；　back　bowed；　digging　at　the　moss　with　his　heels　and　head　and　hands。
　When　the　Taser　was　of　no　further　use；　Vince　beat　him　unconscious　with　the　leather　sap　and　killed　him　by　applying　the　corkscrew　to　the　space　between　two　ribs；　angling　it　up　into　the　beating　heart。
　Ssssnap。
　Throughout；　a　sepulchral　silence　hung　over　the　rain　forest；　but　Vince　sensed　a　thousand　eyes　watching；　the　eyes　of　wild　things。　He　believed　that　the　hidden　watchers　approved　of　what　he　had　done　to　Haines　because　the　scientist's　lifestyle　made　him　an　affront　to　the　natural　order　of　things；　the　natural　order　that　all　the　creatures　of　the　jungle　obeyed。
　He　said；　〃Thank　you；〃　to　Haines；　but　he　did　not　kiss　the　man。　Not　on　the　mouth。　Not　even　on　the　forehead。　Haines's　life　energy　was　as　invigorating　and　wele　as　anyone's；　but　his　body　and　spirit　were　unclean。
　　
　4
　Nora　went　straight　home　from　the　park。　The　mood　of　adventure　and　the　spirit　of　freedom　that　had　colored　the　morning　and　the　early　afternoon　could　not　be　recaptured。　Streck　had　sullied　the　day。
　Closing　the　front　door　behind　her；　she　engaged　the　regular　lock；　the　dead…bolt　lock；　and　the　brass　safety　chain。　She　went　through　the　downstairs　rooms；　drawing　the　drapes　tightly　shut　at　all　the　windows　to　prevent　Arthur　Streck　from　seeing　inside　if　he　should　e　prowling　around。　But　she　could　not　tolerate　the　resultant　darkness；　so　she　turned　on　every　lamp　in　every　room。　In　the　kitchen；　she　closed　the　shutters　and　checked　the　lock　on　the　back　door。
　Her　contact　with　Streck　had　not　only　terrified　her　but　had　left　her　feeling　dirty。　More　than　anything；　she　wanted　a　long；　hot　shower。
　But　her　legs　were　suddenly　shaky　and　weak；　and　she　was　seized　by　a　spell　of　dizziness。　She　had　to　grab　hold　of　the　kitchen　table　to　steady　herself。　She　knew　she　would　fall　if　she　tried　to　climb　the　stairs　just　then；　so　she　sat　down；　folded　her　arms　on　the　table；　put　her　head　in　her　arms；　and　waited　until　she　felt　better。
　When　the　worst　of　the　dizziness　passed；　she　remembered　the　bottle　of　brandy　in　the　cupboard　by　the　refrigerator；　and　she　decided　a　drink　might　help　steady　her。　She　had　bought　the　brandy…Remy　Martin…after　Violet　had　died　because　Violet　had　not　approved　of　any　stronger　drink　than　partially　fermented　apple　cider。　As　an　act　of　rebellion；　Nora　had　poured　a　glass　of　brandy　for　herself　when　she　had　e　home　from　her　aunt's　funeral。　She　had　not　enjoyed　it　and　had　emptied　most　of　the　contents　of　the　glass　down　the　drain。　But　now　it　seemed　that　a　shot　of　brandy　would　stop　her　shivering。
　First　she　went　to　the　sink　and　washed　her　hands　repeatedly　under　the　hottest　water　she　could　tolerate；　using　both　soap　and　then　a　lot　of　Ivory　dishwashing　liquid；　scrubbing　away　every　trace　of　Streck。　When　she　was　done；　her　hands　were　red　and　looked　raw。
　She　brought　the　brandy　bottle　and　a　glass　to　the　table。　She　had　read　books　in　which　characters　had　sat　down　with　a　fifth　of　booze　and　a　heavy　load　of　despair；　determined　to　use　the　former　to　wash　away　the　latter。　Sometimes　it　worked　for　them；　so　maybe　it　would　work　for　her。　If　brandy　could　improve　her　state　of　mind　even　marginally；　she　was　prepared　to　drink　the　whole　damn　bottle。
　But　she　did　not　have　it　in　her　to　be　a　lush。　She　spent　the　next　two　hours　sipping　at　a　single　glass　of　Remy　Martin。
　When　she　tried　to　turn　her　mind　away　from　thoughts　of　Streck；　she　was　relentlessly　tormented　by　memories　of　Aunt　Violet；　and　when　she　tried　not　to　think　of　Violet；　she　was　right　back　to　Streck　again；　and　when　she　forced　herself　to　put　both　of　them　out　of　her　mind；　she　thought　of　Travis　Cornell；　the　man