dk.watchers-第30部分

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　〃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　things　on　a　daily　basis。〃
　〃Child's　play；〃　Johnny　said；　spinning　around　once　in　his　black　leather　chair；　then　jumping　to　his　feet　with　a　grin。　〃Now；　I'm　gonna　fuck　Samantha。　Hey！　You　want　to　join　in？　Two　studs　like　us；　going　at　her　at　the　same　time；　we　could　reduce　that　bitch　to　a　little　pile　of　jelly；　have　her　begging　for　mercy。　How　about　it？〃
　Vince　was　glad　for　the　weird　green　lighting　because　it　covered　the　fact　that　he　had　gone　ghost…pale。　The　idea　of　messing　around　with　that　infected　slut；　that　diseased　whore；　that　rotting　and　festering　round…heeled　pump；　was　enough　to　make　him　sick。　He　said；　〃Got　an　appointment　I　can't　break。〃
　〃Too　bad；〃　Johnny　said。
　Vince　forced　himself　to　say；　〃Would've　been　fun。〃
　〃Maybe　next　time。〃
　The　very　idea　of　the　three　of　them　going　at　it　。　。　。　well；　it　made　Vince　feel　unclean。　He　was　overe　by　a　desire　for　a　steaming…hot　shower。
　6
　Sunday　night；　pleasantly　tired　from　a　long　day　in　Solvang；　Travis　thought　he　would　fall　asleep　the　moment　he　put　his　head　on　his　pillow；　but　he　did　not。　He　couldn't　stop　thinking　about　Nora　Devon。　Her　gray　eyes　flecked　with　green。　Glossy　black　hair。　The　graceful；　slender　line　of　her　throat。　The　musical　sound　of　her　laughter；　the　curve　of　her　smile。
　Einstein　was　lying　on　the　floor　in　the　pale…silver　light　that　came　through　the　window　and　vaguely　illuminated　one　small　section　of　the　dark　room。　But　after　Travis　tossed　and　turned　for　an　hour；　the　dog　finally　joined　him　on　the　bed　and　put　his　burly　head　and　forepaws　on　Travis's　chest。
　〃She's　so　sweet；　Einstein。　One　of　the　gentlest；　sweetest　people　I've　ever　known。〃
　The　dog　was　silent。
　〃And　she's　very　bright。　She's　got　a　sharp　mind；　sharper　than　she　realizes。　She　sees　things　I　don't　see。　She　has　a　way　of　describing　things　that　make　them　fresh　and　new。　The　whole　world　seems　fresh　and　new　when　I　see　it　with　her。〃
　Though　still　and　quiet；　Einstein　had　not　fallen　asleep。　He　was　very　attentive。　〃When　I　think　about　all　that　vitality；　intelligence；　and　love　of　life　being　suppressed　for　thirty　years；　I　want　to　cry。　Thirty　years　in　that　old　dark　house。　Jesus。　And　when　I　think　of　how　she　endured　those　years　without　letting　it　make　her　bitter；　I　want　to　hug　her　and　tell　her　what　an　incredible　woman　she　is；　what　a　strong　and　courageous　and　incredible　woman。〃
　Einstein　was　silent；　unmoving。
　A　vivid　memory　flashed　back　to　Travis：　the　clean　shampoo　smell　of　Nora's　hair　when　he　had　leaned　close　to　her　in　front　of　a　gallery　window　in　Solvang。　He　breathed　deep　and　could　actually　smell　it　again；　and　the　scent　accelerated　his　heartbeat。
　〃Damn；〃　he　said。　〃I've　only　known　her　a　few　days；　but　damn　if　I　don't　think　I'm　falling　in　love。〃
　Einstein　lifted　his　head　and　woofed　once；　as　if　to　say　it　was　about　time　that　Travis　realized　what　was　happening；　and　as　if　to　say　that　he　had　brought　them　together　and　was　pleased　to　take　credit　for　their　future　happiness；　and　as　if　to　say　that　it　was　all　part　of　some　grand　design　and　that　Travis　was　to　stop　fretting　about　it　and　just　go　with　the　flow。
　For　another　hour；　Travis　talked　about　Nora；　about　the　way　she　looked　and　moved；　about　the　melodic　quality　of　her　soft　voice；　about　her　unique　perspective　on　life　and　her　way　of　thinking；　and　Einstein　listened　with　the　attentiveness　and　genuine　interest　that　was　the　mark　of　a　true；　concerned　friend。　It　was　an　exhilarating　hour。　Travis　had　never　thought　he　would　love　anyone　again。　Not　anyone；　not　at　all；　and　certainly　not　this　intensely。　Less　than　a　week　ago；　his　abiding　loneliness　had　seemed　unconquerable。
　Later；　thoroughly　exhausted　both　physically　and　emotionally；　Travis　slept。
　Later　still；　in　the　hollow　heart　of　night；　he　came　half　awake　and　was　dimly　aware　that　Einstein　was　at　the　window。　The　retriever's　forepaws　were　on　the　windowsill；　his　snout　against　the　glass。　He　was　staring　out　at　the　darkness；　alert。
　Travis　sensed　that　the　dog　was　troubled。
　But　in　his　dream；　he　had　been　holding　Nora's　hand　under　a　harvest　moon；　and　he　did　not　want　to　e　fully　awake　for　fear　he　would　not　be　able　to　regain　that　pleasant　fantasy。
　　　
　7
　On　Monday　morning；　May　24；　Lemuel　Johnson　and　Cliff　Soames　were　at　the　small　zoo…mostly　a　petting　zoo　for　children…in　sprawling　Irvine　Park；　on　the　eastern　edge　of　Orange　County。　The　sky　was　cloudless；　the　sun　bright　and　hot。　The　immense　oaks　did　not　stir　a　leaf　in　the　motionless　air；　but　birds　swooped　from　branch　to　branch；　peeping　and　trilling。
　Twelve　animals　were　dead。　They　lay　in　bloody　heaps。
　During　the　night；　someone　or　something　had　climbed　the　fences　into　the　pens　and　had　slaughtered　three　young　goats；　a　white…tailed　deer　and　her　recently　born　fawn；　two　peacocks；　a　lop…eared　rabbit；　a　ewe　and　two　lambs。
　A　pony　was　dead；　though　it　had　not　been　savaged。　Apparently；　it　had　died　of　fright　while　throwing　itself　repeatedly　against　the　fence　in　an　attempt　to　escape　whatever　had　attacked　the　other　animals。　It　lay　on　its　side；　neck　twisted　in　an　improbable　angle。
　The　wild　boars　had　been　left　unharmed。　They　snorted　and　sniffed　continuously　at　the　dusty　earth　around　the　feeding　trough　in　their　separate　enclosure；　looking　for　bits　of　food　that　might　have　spilled　yesterday　and　been　missed　until　now。
　Other　surviving　animals；　unlike　the　boars；　were　skittish。
　Park　employees…also　skittish…were　gathered　near　an　orange　truck　that　belonged　to　the　county；　talking　with　two　Animal　Control　officers　and　with　a　young；　bearded　biologist　from　the　California　Department　of　Wildlife。
　Crouching　beside　the　delicate　and　pathetic　fawn；　Lem　studied　the　wounds　in　its　neck　until　he　could　no　longer　tolerate　the　stench。　Not　all　of　the　foul　odors　were　caused　by　the　dead　animals。　There　was　evidence　that　the　killer　had　deposited　feces　and　sprayed　urine　on　its　victims；　just　as　it　had　done　at　Dalberg's　place。
　Pressing　a　handkerchief　against　his　nose　to　filter　the　reeking　air；　he　moved　to　a　dead　peacock。　Its　head　had　been　torn　off；　as　had　one　leg。　Both　of　its　clipped　wings　were　broken；　and　its　iridescent　feathers　were　dulled　and　pasted　together　with　blood。
　〃Sir；〃　Cliff　Soames　called　from　the　adjoining　pen。
　Lem　left　the　peacock；　found　a　service　gate　that　opened　into　the　next　enclosure；　and　joined　Cliff　at　the　carcass　of　the　ewe。
　Flies　swarmed　around　them；　buzzing　hungrily；　settling　upon　the　ewe；　then　darting　off　as　the　men　fanned　them　away。
　Cliff's　face　was　bloodless；　but　he　did　not　look　as　shocked　or　as　nauseated　as　he　had　been　last　Friday；　at　Dalberg's　cabin。　Perhaps　this　slaughter　didn't
　affect　him　as　strongly　because　the　victims　were　animals　instead　of　human　beings。　Or　perhaps　he　was　consciously　hardening　himself　against　the　extreme　violence　of　their　adversary。
　〃You'll　have　to　e　to　this　side；〃　Cliff　said　from　where　he　crouched　beside　the　ewe。
　Lem　stepped　around　the　sheep　and　squatted　beside　Cliff。　Though　the　ewe's　head　was　in　the　shadow　of　an　oak　bough　overhanging　the　pen；　Lem　saw　that　her　right　eye　had　been　torn　out。
　Without　ment；　Cliff　used　a　stick　to　lever　the　left　side　of　the　ewe's　head　off　the　ground；　revealing　that　the　other　socket　was　also　vacant。
　The　cloud　of　flies　thickened　around　them。
　〃Looks　like　it　was　our　runaway；　all　right；〃　Lem　said。
　Lowering　his　own　handkerchief　from　his　face；　Cliff　said；　〃There's　more。〃　He　led　Lem　to　three　additional　carcasses…both　lambs　and　one　of　the　goats…　that　were　eyeless。　〃I'd　say　it's　beyond　argument。　The　damn　thing　that　killed　Dalberg　last　Tuesday　night；　then　roamed　the　foothills　and　canyons　for　five　days；　doing　。　。
　〃What？〃
　〃God　knows　what。　But　it　wound　up　here　last　night。〃
　Lem　used　his　handkerchief　to　mop　the　sweat　off　his　dark　face。　〃We're　only　a　few　miles　north…northwest　of　Dalberg's　cabin。〃
　Cliff　nodded。
　〃Which　way　you　think　it's　headed？〃
　Cliff　shrugged。
　〃Yeah；〃　Lem　said。　〃No　way　of　knowing　where　it's　going。　Can't　begin　to　outthink　it　because　we　haven't　the　slightest　idea　how　it　thinks。　Let's　just　pray　to　God　it　stays　out　here　in　the　unpopulated　end　of　the　county。　I　don't　want　to　even　consider　what　could　happen　if　it　decides　to　head　into　the　easternmost　suburbs　like　Orange　Park　Acres　and　Villa　Park。〃
　On　the　way　out　of　the　pound；　Lem　saw　that　the　flies　were　gathered　on　the　dead　rabbit　in　such　numbers　that　they　looked　like　a　piece　of　dark　cloth　draped　over　the　carcass　and　rippling　in　a　light　breeze。
　　
　　
　Eight　hours　later；　at　seven　o'clock　Monday　evening；　Lem　stepped　up　to　the　lectern　in　a　large　meeting　room　on　the　grounds　of　the　Marine　Air　Station　at　El　Toro。　He　leaned　toward　the　microphone；　tapped　it　with　a　finger　to　be　sure　it　was　active；　heard　a　loud　hollow　thump；　and　said；　〃May　I　have　your　attention；　please？〃
　A　hundred　men　were　seated　on　metal　folding　chairs。　They　were　all　young；　well…built；　and　healthy…looking；　for　they　were　members　of　elite　Marine　Intelligence　units。　Five　two…squad　platoons　had　been　drawn　from　Pendleton　and　other　bases　in　California。　Most　of　them　had　been　involved　in　the　search　of　the　Santa　Ana　foothills　last　Wednesday　and　Thursday；　following　the　breakout　at　the　Banodyne　labs。
　They　were　still　searching；　having　just　returned　from　a　full　day　in　the　hills　and　canyons；　but　they　were　no　longer　conducting　the　operation　in　uniform。　To　deceive　reporters　and　local　authorities；　they　had　driven　in　cars　and　pickups　and　Jeep　wagons　to　various　points　along　the　current　search　perimeter。　They　had　gone　into　the　wilds　in　groups　of　three　or　four；　dressed　as　ordinary　hikers：
　jeans　or　khaki　pants　in　the　rugged　Banana　Republic　style；　T…shirts　or　cotton　safari　shirts；　Dodger　or　Budweiser　or　John　Deere　caps；　or　cowboy　hats。　They　went　armed　with　powerful　handguns　that　could　be　quickly　concealed　in　nylon　backpacks　or　under　their　loose　T…shirts　if　they　encountered　real　hikers　or　state　authorities。　And　in　Styrofoam　coolers；　they　carried　pact　Uzi　submachine　guns　that　could　be　brought　into　service　in　seconds　if　they　found　the　adversary。
　Every　man　in　the　room　had　signed　a　secrecy　oath；　which　put　him　in　jeopardy　of　a　long　prison　term　if　he　ever　divulged　the　nature　of　this　operation　to　anyone。　They　knew　what　they　wer