dk.watchers-第26部分

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　Walt　said；　〃You　can　keep　your　lip　zipped　if　you　insist；　but　you　can't　keep　me　totally　in　the　dark。　I　can　figure　out　a　few　things　for　myself。　I'm　not　stupid。〃
　〃Never　thought　you　were。〃
　〃Tuesday　morning；　every　damn　police　department　in　Orange　and　San　Bernardino　counties　gets　an　urgent　request　from　your　NSA　asking　us　to　be　prepared　to　cooperate　in　a　manhunt；　details　to　follow。　Which　puts　us　all　on　edge。　We　know　what　you　guys　are　responsible　for…guarding　defense　research；　keeping　the　vodka…pissing　Russians　from　stealing　our　secrets。　And　since　Southern　California's　the　home　of　half　the　defense　contractors　in　the　country；　there's　plenty　to　be　stolen　here。〃
　Lem　kept　his　eyes　on　the　woods；　kept　his　mouth　shut。
　〃So；〃　Walt　continued；　〃we　figure　we're　going　to　be　looking　for　a　Russian　agent　with　something　hot　in　his　pockets；　and　we're　happy　to　have　a　chance　to　help　kick　some　ass　for　Uncle　Sam。　But　by　noon；　instead　of　getting　details；　we　get　a　cancellation　of　the　request。　No　manhunt　after　all。　Everything's　under　control；　your　office　tells　us。　Original　alert　was　issued　in　error；　you　say。〃
　〃That's　right。〃　The　agency　had　realized　that　local　police　could　not　be　sufficiently　controlled　and；　therefore；　could　not　be　fully　trusted。　It　was　a　job　for　the　military。　〃Issued　in　error。〃
　〃Like　hell。　By　late　afternoon　of　the　same　day；　we　learn　Marine　choppers　from　El　Toro　are　quartering　the　Santa　Ana　foothills。　And　by　Wednesday　morning；　a　hundred　Marines　with　high…tech　tracking　gear　are　flown　in　from　Camp　Pendleton　to　carry　on　the　search　at　ground　level。〃
　〃I　heard　about　that；　but　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　agency；〃　Lem　said。
　Walt　studiously　avoided　looking　at　Lem。　He　stared　off　into　the　trees。　Clearly；　he　knew　Lem　was　lying　to　him；　knew　that　Lem　had　to　lie　to　him；　and　he　felt　it　would　be　a　breach　of　good　manners　to　make　Lem　do　it　while　they　maintained　eye　contact。　Though　he　looked　crude　and　ill…mannered；　Walt　Gaines　was　an　unusually　considerate　man　with　a　rare　talent　for　friendship。
　But　he　was　also　the　county　sheriff；　and　it　was　his　duty　to　keep　probing　even　though　he　knew　Lem　would　reveal　nothing。　He　said；　〃Marines　tell　us　it's　just　a　training　exercise。〃
　〃That's　what　I　heard。〃
　〃We're　always　notified　of　training　exercises　ten　days　ahead。〃
　Lem　did　not　reply。　He　thought　he　saw　something　in　the　forest；　a　flicker　of　shadows；　a　darkish　presence　moving　through　piny　gloom。
　〃So　the　Marines　spend　all　day　Wednesday　and　half　of　Thursday　out　there　in　the　hills。　But　when　reporters　hear　about　this　'exercise'　and　e　snooping　around；　the　leathernecks　suddenly　call　it　off；　pack　up；　go　home。　It　was　almost　as　if　。　。　。　whatever　they　were　looking　for　was　so　worrisome；　so　damn　topsecret　that　they'd　rather　not　find　it　at　all　if　finding　it　meant　letting　the　press　know　about　it。〃
　Squinting　into　the　forest；　Lem　strained　to　see　through　steadily　deepening　shadows；　trying　to　catch　another　glimpse　of　the　movement　that　had　drawn　his　attention　a　moment　ago。
　Walt　said；　〃Then　yesterday　afternoon　the　NSA　asks　to　be　kept　informed　about　any　'peculiar　reports；　unusual　assaults；　or　exceedingly　violent　murders。'　We　ask　for　clarification；　don't　get　any。〃
　There。　A　ripple　in　the　murkiness　beneath　the　evergreen　boughs。　About　eighty　feet　in　from　the　perimeter　of　the　woods。　Something　moving　quickly　and　stealthily　from　one　sheltering　shadow　to　another。　Lem　put　his　right　hand　under　his　coat；　on　the　butt　of　the　pistol　in　his　shoulder　holster。
　〃But　then　just　one　day　later；〃　Walt　said；　〃we　find　this　poor　son　of　a　bitch　Dalberg　torn　to　pieces…and　the　case　is　peculiar　as　hell　and　about　as　'exceedingly　violent'　as　I　ever　hope　to　see。　Now　here　you　are；　Mr。　Lemuel　Asa　Johnson；　director　of　the　Southern　California　Office　of　the　NSA；　and　I　know　you　didn't　e　coppering　in　here　just　to　ask　me　whether　I　want　onion　or　guacamole　dip　at　tomorrow　night's　bridge　game。〃
　The　movement　was　closer　than　eighty　feet；　much　closer。　Lem　had　been　confused　by　the　layers　of　shadows　and　by　the　queerly　distorting　late…afternoon　sunlight　that　penetrated　the　trees。　The　thing　was　no　more　than　forty　feet　away；　maybe　closer；　and　suddenly　it　came　straight　at　them；　bounded　at　them　through　the　brush；　and　Lem　cried　out；　drew　the　pistol　from　his　holster；　and　involuntarily　stumbled　backward　a　few　steps　before　taking　a　shooter's　stance　with　his　legs　spread　wide；　both　hands　on　the　gun。
　〃It's　just　a　mule　deer！〃　Walt　Gaines　said。
　Indeed　it　was。　Just　a　mule　deer。
　The　deer　stopped　a　dozen　feet　away；　under　the　drooping　boughs　of　a　spruce；　peering　at　them　with　huge　brown　eyes　that　were　bright　with　curiosity。　Its　head　was　held　high；　ears　pricked　up。
　〃They're　so　used　to　people　in　these　canyons　that　they're　almost　tame；〃　Walt　said。
　Lem　let　out　a　stale　breath　as　he　holstered　his　pistol。
　The　mule　deer；　sensing　their　tension；　turned　from　them　and　loped　away　along　the　trail；　vanishing　into　the　woods。
　Walt　was　staring　hard　at　Lem。　〃What's　out　there；　buddy？〃
　Lem　said　nothing。　He　blotted　his　hands　on　his　suit　jacket。
　The　breeze　was　stiffening；　getting　cooler。　Evening　was　on　its　way；　and　night　was　close　behind　it。
　〃Never　saw　you　spooked　before；〃　Walt　said。
　〃A　caffeine　jag。　I've　had　too　much　coffee　today。〃
　〃Bullshit。〃
　Lem　shrugged。
　〃It　seems　to've　been　an　animal　that　killed　Dalberg；　something　with　lots　of　teeth；　claws；　something　savage；〃　Walt　said。　〃Yet　no　damn　animal　would　carefully　place　the　guy's　head　on　a　plate　in　the　center　of　the　kitchen　table。　That's　a　sick　joke。　Animals　don't　make　jokes；　not　sick　or　otherwise。　Whatever　killed　Dalberg　。　。　。　it　left　the　head　like　that　to　taunt　us。　So　what　in　Christ's　name　are　we　dealing　with？〃
　〃You　don't　want　to　know。　And　you　don't　need　to　know　'cause　I'm　assuming　jurisdiction　in　this　case。〃
　〃Like　hell。〃
　〃I've　got　the　authority；〃　Lem　said。　〃It's　now　a　federal　matter；　Walt。　I'm　impounding　all　the　evidence　your　people　have　gathered；　all　reports　they've　written　thus　far。　You　and　your　men　are　to　talk　to　no　one　about　what　you've　seen　here。　No　one。　You'll　have　a　file　on　the　case；　but　the　only　thing　in　it　will　be　a　memo　from　me；　asserting　the　federal　prerogative　under　the　correct　statute。　You're　out　from　under。　No　matter　what　happens；　no　one　can　blame　you；　Walt。〃
　〃Shit。〃
　〃Let　it　go。〃
　Walt　scowled。　〃I've　got　to　know…〃
　〃Let　it　go。〃
　〃…are　people　in　my　county　in　danger？　At　least　tell　me　that　much；　damn　it。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃In　danger？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　if　I　fought　you；　if　I　tried　to　hang　on　to　jurisdiction　in　this　case；　would　there　be　anything　I　could　do　to　lessen　that　danger；　to　insure　the　public　safety？〃
　〃No。　Nothing；〃　Lem　said　truthfully。
　〃Then　there's　no　point　in　fighting　you。〃
　〃None；〃　Lem　said。
　He　started　back　toward　the　cabin　because　the　daylight　was　fading　fast；　and　he　did　not　want　to　be　near　the　woods　as　darkness　crept　in。　Sure；　it　had　only　been　a　mule　deer。　But　next　time？
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Walt　said。　〃Let　me　tell　you　what　I　think；　and　you　just　listen。　You　don't　have　to　confirm　or　deny　what　I　say。　All　you've　got　to　do　is　hear　me　out。〃
　〃Go　on；〃　Lem　said　impatiently。
　The　shadows　of　the　trees　crept　steadily　across　the　bristly　dry　grass　of　the　clearing。　The　sun　was　balanced　on　the　western　horizon。
　Walt　paced　out　of　the　shadows　into　the　waning　sunlight；　hands　in　his　back　pockets；　looking　down　at　the　dusty　ground；　taking　a　moment　to　collect　his　thoughts。　Then：　〃Tuesday　afternoon；　somebody　walked　into　a　house　in　Newport　Beach；　shot　a　man　named　Yarbeck；　and　beat　his　wife　to　death。　That　night；　somebody　killed　the　Hudston　family　in　Laguna　Beach…husband；　wife；　and　a　teenage　son。　Police　in　both　munities　use　the　same　forensics　lab；　so　it　didn't　take　long　to　discover　one　gun　was　used　both　places。　But　that's　about　all　the　police　in　either　case　are　going　to　learn　because　your　NSA　has　quietly　assumed　jurisdiction　in　those　crimes；　too。　In　the　interest　of　national　security。〃
　Lem　did　not　respond。　He　was　sorry　he　had　even　agreed　to　listen。　Anyway；　he　was　not　taking　direct　charge　of　the　investigation　into　the　murders　of　the　scientists；　which　were　almost　surely　Soviet…inspired。　He'd　delegated　that　task　to　other　men；　so　he'd　be　free　to　concentrate　on　finding　the　dog　and　The　Outsider。
　The　sunlight　was　burnt　orange。　The　cabin　windows　smoldered　with　reflections　of　that　fading　fire。
　Walt　said；　〃Okay。　Then　there's　Dr。　Davis　Weatherby　of　Corona　Del　Mar。　Missing　since　Tuesday。　This　morning；　Weatherby's　brother　finds　the　doctor's　body　in　the　trunk　of　his　car。　Local　pathologists　hardly　arrive　at　the　scene　before　NSA　agents　show　up。〃
　Lem　was　slightly　unnerved　by　the　swiftness　with　which　the　sheriff　evidently　gathered；　coordinated；　and　absorbed　information　from　various　munities　that　were　not　in　the　unincorporated　part　of　the　county　and　were　not；　therefore；　under　his　authority。
　Walt　grinned　but　with　little　or　no　humor。　〃Didn't　expect　me　to　have　made　all　these　connections；　huh？　Each　of　these　things　happened　in　a　different　police
　jurisdiction；　but　as　far　as　I'm　concerned　this　county　is　one　sprawling　city　of　two　million　people；　so　I　make　it　my　business　to　work　hand　in　glove　with　all　the　local　departments。〃
　〃What's　your　point？〃
　〃My　point　is　that　it's　astonishing　to　have　six　murders　of　upstanding　citizens　in　one　day。　This　is　Orange　County；　after　all；　not　L。A。　And　it's　even　more　astonishing　that　all　six　deaths　are　related　to　urgent　matters　of　national　security。　So　it　arouses　my　curiosity。　I　start　checking　into　the　backgrounds　of　these　people；　looking　for　something　that　links　them…〃
　〃Walt；　for　Christ's　sake！〃
　〃…and　I　discover　they　all　work…or　did　work…for　something　called　Banodyne　Laboratories。〃
　Lem　was　not　angry。　He　couldn't　get　angry　with　Walt…they　were　tighter　than　brothers…but　the　big　man's　canniness　was　maddening　right　now。　Lem　said；　〃Listen；　you've　no　right　to　conduct　an　investigation。〃
　〃I'm　sheriff；　remember？〃
　〃But　none　of　these　murders…except　Dalberg　here…falls　into　your　jurisdiction　to　begin　with；〃　Lem　said。　〃And　even　if　it　did　。　。　。　once　the　NSA　steps　in；　you've　no　right　to　continue。　In　fact；　you're　expressly　forbidden　by　law　to　continue。〃
　Ignoring　him；　Walt　said；　〃So　I　look　up　Banodyne；　see　what　kind　of　work　they　do；　and　I　discover　they're　into　genetic　engineering；　rebinant
　DNA…〃
　〃You're