dk.watchers-第29部分

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　〃You're　looking　good；〃　Johnny　said。　〃Taking　care　of　yourself；　I　see。　Still　mean　as　a　snake？〃
　〃A　rattlesnake；〃　Vince　said；　a　little　embarrassed　to　be　saying　such　a　stupid　thing；　but　he　knew　it　was　the　kind　of　outlaw　crap　that　Johnny　liked　to　hear。
　〃Hadn't　seen　you　in　so　long　I　thought　maybe　the　cops　busted　your　ass。〃
　〃I'll　never　do　time；〃　Vince　said；　meaning　that　he　knew　prison　was　not　part　of　his　destiny。
　Johnny　took　it　to　mean　that　Vince　would　go　down　shooting　rather　than　submit　to　the　law；　and　he　scowled　and　nodded　approval。　〃They　ever　get　you　in　a　corner；　blow　away　as　many　of　'em　as　you　can　before　they　take　you　out。　That's　the　only　clean　way　to　go　down。〃
　Johnny　The　Wire　was　an　astonishingly　ugly　man；　which　probably　explained　his　need　to　feel　that　he　was　a　part　of　a　great　romantic　tradition。　Over　the　years　Vince　had　noticed　that　the　better…looking　hoods　never　glamorized　what　they　did。　They　killed　in　cold　blood　because　they　liked　killing　or　found　it　necessary；　and　they　stole　and　embezzled　and　extorted　because　they　wanted　easy　money；　and　that　was　the　end　of　it：　no　justifications；　no　self…glorification；　which　was　the　way　it　ought　to　be。　But　those　with　faces　that　appeared　to　have　been　crudely　molded　from　concrete；　those　who　resembled　Quasimodo　on　a　bad　day…well；　many　of　them　tried　to　pensate　for　their　unfortunate　looks　by　casting　themselves　as　Jimmy　Cagney　in　Public　Enemy。
　Johnny　was　wearing　a　black　jumpsuit；　black　sneakers。　He　always　wore　black；　probably　because　he　thought　it　made　him　look　sinister　instead　of　just　ugly。
　From　the　foyer；　Vince　followed　Johnny　into　the　living　room；　where　the　furniture　was　upholstered　in　black　fabric　and　the　end　tables　were　finished　in　glossy　black　lacquer。　There　were　ormolu　table　lamps　by　Ranc；　large　silver…dusted　Deco　vases　by　Daum；　a　pair　of　antique　chairs　by　Jacques　Ruhlmann。　Vince　knew　the　history　of　these　things　only　because；　on　previous　visits；　Johnny　The　Wire　had　stepped　out　of　his　tough…guy　persona　long　enough　to　babble　about　his　period　treasures。
　A　good…looking　blonde　was　reclining　on　a　silver…and…black　chaise　longue；　reading　a　magazine。　No　older　than　twenty；　she　was　almost　embarrassingly　ripe。　Her　silver…blond　hair　was　cut　short；　in　a　pageboy。　She　was　wearing　Chinese…red　silk　lounging　pajamas　that　clung　to　the　contours　of　her　full　breasts；　and　when　she　glanced　up　and　pouted　at　Vince；　she　seemed　to　be　trying　to　look　like　Jean　Harlow。
　〃This　is　Samantha；〃　Johnny　The　Wire　said。　To　Samantha；　he　said；　〃Toots；　this　here　is　a　made　man　that　nobody　messes　with；　a　legend　in　his　own　time。〃
　Vince　felt　like　a　jackass。
　〃What's　a　'made　man'？〃　the　blonde　asked　in　a　high…pitched　voice　she'd　no　doubt　copied　from　the　old　movie　star　Judy　Holliday。
　Standing　beside　the　longue；　cupping　one　of　the　blonde's　breasts　and　fondling　it　through　the　silk　pajamas；　Johnny　said；　〃She　doesn't　know　the　lingo；　Vince。　She's　not　of　the　fratellanza。　She's　a　valley　girl；　new　to　the　life；　unaware　of　our　customs。〃
　〃He　means　I'm　no　greaseball　guinea；〃　Samantha　said　sourly。
　Johnny　slapped　her　so　hard　that　he　nearly　knocked　her　off　the　chaise　longue。　〃You　watch　your　mouth；　bitch。〃
　She　put　a　hand　to　her　face；　and　tears　shimmered　in　her　eyes；　and　in　a　little…girl　voice；　she　said；　〃I'm　sorry；　Johnny。〃
　〃Stupid　bitch；〃　he　muttered。
　〃I　don't　know　what　gets　into　me；〃　she　said。　〃You're　good　to　me；　Johnny；　and　I　hate　myself　when　I　act　like　that。〃
　To　Vince；　it　appeared　to　be　a　rehearsed　scene；　but　he　supposed　that　was　just　because　they'd　been　through　it　so　many　times　before；　both　privately　and　publicly。　From　the　shine　in　Samantha's　eyes；　Vince　could　tell　she　enjoyed　being　slapped　around；　she　smart…mouthed　Johnny　just　so　he'd　hit　her。　Johnny　clearly　liked　slapping　her；　too。
　Vince　was　disgusted。
　Johnny　The　Wire　called　her　a　〃bitch〃　again；　then　led　Vince　out　of　the　living　room　and　into　the　big　study；　closing　the　door　behind　them。　He　winked　and　said；　〃She's　a　little　uppity；　that　one；　but　she　can　just　about　suck　your　brains　out　through　your　cock。〃
　Half…sickened　by　Johnny　Santini's　sleaziness；　Vince　refused　to　be　drawn　into　such　a　conversation。　Instead；　he　withdrew　an　envelope　from　his　jacket　pocket。　〃I　need　information。〃
　Johnny　took　the　envelope；　looked　inside；　thumbed　casually　through　the　wad　of　hundred…dollar　bills；　and　said；　〃What　you　want；　you　got。〃
　The　study　was　the　only　room　in　the　house　untouched　by　Art　Deco。　It　was　strictly　high…tech。　Sturdy　metal　tables　were　lined　up　along　three　walls；　and　eight　puters　stood　on　them；　different　makes　and　models。　Every　puter　had　its　own　phone　line　and　modem；　and　every　display　screen　was　aglow。　On　some　screens；　programs　were　running；　data　flickered　across　them　or　scrolled　from　top　to　bottom。　Drapes　were　drawn　over　the　windows；　and　the　two　flexible…neck　work　lamps　were　hooded　to　prevent　glare　on　the　monitors；　so　the　predominant　light　was　electronic…green；　which　gave　Vince　a　peculiar　feeling　of　being　under　the　surface　of　the　sea。　Three　laser　printers　were　producing　hard　copies　with　only　vague　whispering　sounds　that　for　some　reason　brought　to　mind　images　of　fish　swimming　through　ocean…floor　vegetation。
　Johnny　The　Wire　had　killed　half　a　dozen　men；　had　managed　bookie　and　numbers　operations；　had　planned　and　executed　bank　robberies　and　jewelry　heists。　He　had　been　involved　in　the　Fustino　Family's　drug　operations；　extortion　rackets；　kidnapping；　labor…union　corruption；　record　and　videotape　counterfeiting；　interstate　truck　hijacking；　political　bribery；　and　child　pornography。　He　had　done　it　all；　seen　it　all；　and　although　he　had　never　exactly　been　bored　by　any　criminal　undertaking；　no　matter　how　long　or　often　he　had　been　involved　in　it；　he　had　grown　somewhat　jaded。　During　the　past　decade；　as　the　puter　opened　exciting　new　areas　of　criminal　activity；　Johnny　had　seized　the　opportunity　to　move　where　no　mafia　wiseguy　had　gone　before；　into　challenging　frontiers　of　electronic　thievery　and　mayhem。　He　had　a　gift　for　it；　and　he　soon　became　the　mob's　premier　hacker。
　Given　time　and　motivation；　he　could　break　any　puter　security　system　and　pry　through　a　corporation's　or　a　government　agency's　most　sensitive　information。　If　you　wanted　to　run　a　major　credit…card　scam；　charging　a　million　bucks　worth　of　purchases　to　other　people's　American　Express　accounts；　Johnny　The　Wire　could　suck　some　suitable　names　and　credit　histories　out　of　TRW's　files　and　matching　card　numbers　from　American　Express's　data　banks；　and　you　were　in　business。　If　you　were　a　don　under　indictment　and　about　to　go　to　trial　on　heavy　charges；　and　if　you　were　afraid　of　the　testimony　to　be　given　by　one　of　your　cronies　who　had　turned　state's　evidence；　Johnny　could　invade　the　Department　of　Justice's　most　well…guarded　data　banks；　discover　the　new　identity　that　had　been　given　the　stool　pigeon　through　the　Federal　Witness　Relocation　Program；　and　tell　you　where　to　send　the　hit　men。　Johnny　rather　grandly　called　himself　the　'Silicon　Sorcerer；〃　though　everyone　else　still　called　him　The　Wire。
　As　the　mob's　hacker；　he　was　more　valuable　than　ever　to　all　the　Families　nationwide；　so　valuable　that　they　didn't　even　mind　if　he　moved　to　a　parative　backwater　like　San　Clemente；　where　he　could　live　the　good　beach　life　while　he　worked　for　them。　In　the　age　of　the　microchip；　Johnny　said；　the　world　was　one　small　town；　and　you　could　sit　in　San　Clemente…or　Oshkosh…　and　pick　someone's　pocket　in　New　York　City。
　Johnny　dropped　into　a　high…backed　black　leather　chair　equipped　with　rubber　wheels；　in　which　he　could　roll　swiftly　from　one　puter　to　the　next。　He　said；　〃So！　What　can　the　Silicon　Sorcerer　do　for　you；　Vince？〃
　〃Can　you　tap　into　police　puters？〃
　〃It's　a　snap。〃
　〃I　need　to　know　if；　since　last　Tuesday；　any　police　agency　in　the　county　has　opened　a　file　on　any　particularly　strange　murders。〃
　〃Who're　the　victims？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I'm　just　looking　for　strange　murders。〃
　〃Strange　in　what　way？〃
　〃I'm　not　exactly　sure。　Maybe　。　。　。　somebody　with　his　throat　torn　out。　Somebody　ripped　to　pieces。　Somebody　all　chewed　up　and　gouged　by　an　animal。〃
　Johnny　gave　him　a　peculiar　look。　〃That's　strange；　all　right。　Something　like　that　would　be　in　the　newspapers。〃
　〃Maybe　not；〃　Vince　said；　thinking　of　the　army　of　government　security　agents　that　would　be　working　diligently　to　keep　the　press　in　the　dark　about　the　Francis　Project　and　to　conceal　the　dangerous　developments　on　Tuesday　at　the　Banodyne　labs。　〃The　murders　might　be　in　the　news；　but　the　police　will　probably　be　suppressing　the　gory　details；　making　them　look　like　ordinary　homicides。　So　from　what　the　papers　print；　I　won't　be　able　to　tell　which　victims　are　the　ones　I'm　interested　in。〃
　〃All　right。　Can　do。〃
　〃You'd　also　better　prowl　around　at　the　County　Animal　Control　Authority　to　see　if　they're　getting　any　reports　of　unusual　attacks　by　coyotes　or　cougars　or　other　predators。　And　not　just　attacks　on　people；　but　on　livestock…cows；　sheep。　There　might　even　be　some　neighborhood；　probably　on　the　eastern
　edge　of　the　county；　where　a　lot　of　family　pets　are　disappearing　or　being　chewed　up　real　bad　by　something　wild。　If　you　run　across　that；　I　want　to　know。〃
　Johnny　grinned　and　said；　〃You　tracking　down　a　werewolf？〃
　It　was　a　joke；　he　did　not　expect　or　want　an　answer。　He　had　not　asked　why　this　information　was　needed；　and　he　would　never　ask；　because　people　in　their　line　of　work　did　not　poke　into　each　other's　business。　Johnny　might　be　curious；　but　Vince　knew　that　The　Wire　would　never　indulge　his　curiosity。
　Vince　was　unnerved　not　by　the　question　but　by　the　grin。　The　green　light　from　the　puter　screens　was　reflected　by　Johnny's　eyes　and　by　the　saliva　on　his　teeth　and；　to　a　lesser　extent；　by　his　wiry　copper…colored　hair。　As　ugly　as　he　was　to　begin　with；　the　eerie　luminescence　made　him　look　like　a　revived　corpse　in　a　Romero　film。
　Vince　said；　〃Another　thing。　I　need　to　know　if　any　police　agency　in　the　county　is　running　a　quiet　search　for　a　golden　retriever。〃
　〃A　dog？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Cops　don't　usually　look　for　lost　dogs。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Vince　said。
　〃This　dog　got　a　name？〃
　〃No　name。〃
　〃I'll　check　it　out。　Anything　else？〃
　〃That's　it。　When　can　you　put　it　together？〃
　〃I'll　call　you　in　the　morning。　Early。〃
　Vince　nodded。　〃And　depending　on　what　you　turn　up；　I　might　need　you　to　keep　tracking　these