dk.watchers-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


mpty。　Good。　He　carried　Weatherby's　corpse　out　of　the　laundry　room；　put　it　in　the　trunk；　closed　and　locked　the　lid。
　Vince　had　been　told　that　the　doctor's　body　must　not　be　discovered　until　tomorrow。　He　did　not　know　why　the　timing　was　important；　but　he　prided　himself　on　doing　flawless　work。　Therefore；　he　returned　to　the　laundry　room；　put　the　metal　cart　where　it　belonged；　and　looked　around　for　signs　of　violence。　Satisfied；　he　closed　the　door　on　the　yellow　and　white　room；　and　locked　it　with　Weatherby's　keys。
　He　turned　out　the　garage　lights；　crossed　the　darkened　space；　and　let　himself　out　the　side　door；　where　he　had　entered　during　the　night　by　quietly　loiding　the　flimsy　lock　with　a　credit　card。　Using　the　doctor's　keys；　he　relocked　the　door　and　walked　away　from　the　house。
　Davis　Weatherby　lived　in　Corona　Del　Mar；　within　sight　of　the　Pacific　Ocean。　Vince　had　left　his　two…year…old　Ford　van　three　blocks　from　the　doctor's　house。　The　walk　back　to　the　van　was　very　pleasant；　invigorating。　This　was　a　fine　neighborhood　boasting　a　variety　of　architectural　styles；　expensive　Spanish　casas　sat　beside　beautifully　detailed　Cape　Cod　homes　with　a　harmony　that　had　to　be　seen　to　be　believed。　The　landscaping　was　lush　and　well　tended。　Palms　and　ficus　and　olive　trees　shaded　the　sidewalks。　Red；　coral；　yellow；　and　Orange　bougainviflaeas　blazed　with　thousands　of　flowers。　The　bottlebrush
　trees　were　in　bloom。　The　branches　of　jacarandas　dripped　lacy　purple　blossoms。　The　air　was　scented　with　star　jasmine。
　Vincent　Nasco　felt　wonderful。　So　strong；　so　powerful；　so　alive。
　　
　3
　Sometimes　the　dog　led；　and　sometimes　Travis　took　the　lead。　They　went　a　long　way　before　Travis　realized　that　he　had　been　pletely　jolted　out　of　the　despair　and　desperate　loneliness　that　had　brought　him　to　the　foothills　of　the　Santa　Ana　Mountains　in　the　first　place。
　The　big　tattered　dog　stayed　with　him　all　the　way　to　his　pickup；　which　was　parked　along　the　dirt　lane　under　the　overhanging　boughs　of　an　enormous　spruce。　Stopping　at　the　truck；　the　retriever　looked　back　the　way　they　had　e。
　Behind　them；　black　birds　swooped　through　the　cloudless　sky；　as　if　engaged　in　reconnaissance　for　some　mountain　sorcerer。　A　dark　wall　of　trees　loomed　like　the　ramparts　of　a　sinister　castle。
　Though　the　woods　were　gloomy；　the　dirt　road　onto　which　Travis　had　stepped　was　fully　exposed　to　the　sun；　baked　to　a　pale　brown；　mantled　in　fine；　soft　dust　that　plumed　around　his　boots　with　each　step　he　took。　He　was　surprised　that　such　a　bright　day　could　have　been　abruptly　filled　with　an　overpowering；　palpable　sense　of　evil。
　Studying　the　forest　out　of　which　they　had　fled；　the　dog　barked　for　the　first　time　in　half　an　hour。
　〃Still　ing；　isn't　it？〃　Travis　said。
　The　dog　glanced　at　him　and　mewled　unhappily。
　〃Yeah；〃　he　said；　〃I　feel　it　too。　Crazy　。　。　。　yet　I　feel　it；　too。　But　what　the　hell's　out　there；　boy？　Huh？　What　the　hell　is　it？〃
　The　dog　shuddered　violently。
　Travis's　own　fear　was　amplified　every　time　he　saw　the　dog's　terror　manifested。
　He　put　down　the　tailgate　of　the　truck　and　said；　〃e　on。　I'll　give　you　a　lift　out　of　this　place。〃
　The　dog　sprang　into　the　cargo　hold。
　Travis　slammed　the　gate　shut　and　went　around　the　side　of　the　truck。　As　he　pulled　open　the　driver's　door；　he　thought　he　glimpsed　movement　in　nearby　brush。　Not　back　toward　the　forest　but　at　the　far　side　of　the　dirt　road。　Over　there；　a　narrow　field　was　choked　with　waist…high　brown　grass　as　crisp　as　hay；　a　few　bristly　clumps　of　mesquite；　and　some　sprawling　oleander　bushes　with　roots　deep　enough　to　keep　them　green。　When　he　stared　directly　at　the　field；　he　saw　none　of　the　movement　he　thought　he　had　caught　from　the　corner　of　his　eye；　but　he　suspected　that　he　had　not　imagined　it。
　With　a　renewed　sense　of　urgency；　he　climbed　into　the　truck　and　put　the　revolver　on　the　seat　beside　him。　He　drove　away　from　there　as　fast　as　the
　washboard　lane　permitted；　and　with　constant　consideration　for　the　four…legged　passenger　in　the　cargo　bed。
　Twenty　minutes　later；　when　he　stopped　along　Santiago　Canyon　Road；　back　in　the　world　of　blacktop　and　civilization；　he　still　felt　weak　and　shaky。　But　the　fear　that　lingered　was　different　from　that　he'd　felt　in　the　forest。　His　heart　was　no　longer　drumming。　The　cold　sweat　had　dried　on　his　hands　and　brow。　The　odd　prickling　of　nape　and　scalp　was　gone…and　the　memory　of　it　seemed　unreal。　Now　he　was　afraid　not　of　some　unknown　creature　but　of　his　own　strange　behavior。　Safely　out　of　the　woods；　he　could　not　quite　recall　the　degree　of　terror　that　had　gripped　him；　therefore；　his　actions　seemed　irrational。
　He　pulled　on　the　handbrake　and　switched　off　the　engine。　It　was　eleven　o'clock；　and　the　flurry　of　morning　traffic　had　gone；　only　an　occasional　car　passed　on　the　rural　two…lane　blacktop。　He　sat　for　a　minute；　trying　to　convince　himself　that　he　had　acted　on　instincts　that　were　good；　right；　and　reliable。
　He　had　always　taken　pride　in　his　unshakable　equanimity　and　hardheaded　pragmatism…in　that　if　in　nothing　else。　He　could　stay　cool　in　the　middle　of　a　bonfire。　He　could　make　hard　decisions　under　pressure　and　accept　the　consequences。
　Except…he　found　it　increasingly　difficult　to　believe　something　strange　had　actually　been　stalking　him　out　there。　He　wondered　if　he　had　misinterpreted　the　dog's　behavior　and　had　imagined　the　movement　in　the　brush　merely　to　give　himself　an　excuse　to　turn　his　mind　away　from　self…pity。
　He　got　out　of　the　truck　and　stepped　back　to　the　side　of　it；　where　he　came　face…to…face　with　the　retriever；　which　stood　in　the　cargo　bed。　It　shoved　its　burly　head　toward　him　and　licked　his　neck；　his　chin。　Though　it　had　snapped　and　barked　earlier；　it　was　an　affectionate　dog；　and　for　the　first　time　its　bedraggled　condition　struck　him　as　having　a　ical　aspect。　He　tried　to　hold　the　dog　back。　But　it　strained　forward；　nearly　clambering　over　the　side　of　the　cargo　hold　in　its　eagerness　to　lick　his　face。　He　laughed　and　ruffled　its　tangled　coat。
　The　retriever's　friskiness　and　the　frenzied　wagging　of　its　tail　had　an　unexpected　effect　on　Travis。　For　a　long　time　his　mind　had　been　a　dark　place；　filled　with　thoughts　of　death；　culminating　in　today's　journey。　But　this　animal's　unadulterated　joy　in　being　alive　was　like　a　spotlight　that　pierced　Travis's　inner　gloom　and　reminded　him　that　life　had　a　brighter　side　from　which　he　had　long　ago　turned　away。
　〃What　was　that　all　about　back　there？〃　he　wondered　aloud。
　The　dog　stopped　licking　him；　stopped　wagging　its　matted　tail。　It　regarded　him　solemnly；　and　he　was　suddenly　transfixed　by　the　animal's　gentle；　warm　brown　eyes。　Something　in　them　was　unusual；　pelling。　Travis　was　half…mesmerized；　and　the　dog　seemed　equally　captivated。　As　a　mild　spring　breeze　rose　from　the　south；　Travis　searched　the　dog's　eyes　for　a　clue　to　their　special　Power　and　appeal；　but　he　saw　nothing　extraordinary　about　them。　Except。　。　。　well；　they　seemed　somehow　more　expressive　than　a　dog's　eyes　usually　were；　more　intelligent　and　aware。　Given　the　short　attention　span　of　any　dog；　the　retriever's　unwavering　stare　was　damned　unusual。　As　the　seconds　ticked　past　and　as　neither　Travis　nor　the　dog　broke　the　encounter；　he　felt
　increasingly　peculiar。　A　shiver　rippled　through　him；　occasioned　not　by　fear　but　by　a　sense　that　something　uncanny　was　happening；　that　he　was　teetering　on　the　threshold　of　an　awesome　revelation。
　Then　the　dog　shook　its　head　and　licked　Travis's　hand；　and　the　spell　was　broken。
　〃Where'd　you　e　from；　boy？〃
　The　dog　cocked　its　head　to　the　left。
　〃Who's　your　owner？〃
　The　dog　cocked　its　head　to　the　right。
　〃What　should　I　do　with　you？〃
　As　if　in　answer；　the　dog　jumped　over　the　truck's　tailgate；　ran　past　Travis　to　the　driver's　door；　and　climbed　into　the　pickup's　cab。
　When　Travis　peered　inside；　the　retriever　was　in　the　passenger's　seat；　looking　straight　ahead　through　the　windshield。　It　turned　to　him　and　issued　a　soft　woof；　as　if　impatient　with　his　dawdling。
　He　got　in　behind　the　wheel；　tucked　the　revolver　under　his　seat。　〃Don't　believe　I　can　take　care　of　you。　Too　much　responsibility；　fella。　Doesn't　fit　in　with　my　plans。　Sorry　about　that。〃
　The　dog　regarded　him　beseechingly。
　〃You　look　hungry；　boy。〃
　It　woofed　once；　softly。
　〃Okay；　maybe　I　can　help　you　that　much。　I　think　there's　a　Hershey's　bar　in　the　glove　partment　。　。　。　and　there's　a　McDonald's　not　far　from　here；　where　they've　probably　got　a　couple　hamburgers　with　your　name　on　them。　But　after　that　。　。　。　well；　I'll　either　have　to　let　you　loose　again　or　take　you　to　the　pound。〃
　Even　as　Travis　was　speaking；　the　dog　raised　one　foreleg　and　hit　the　glove…partment　release　button　with　a　paw。　The　lid　fell　open。
　〃What　the　hell…〃
　The　dog　leaned　forward；　put　its　snout　into　the　open　box；　and　withdrew　the　candy　in　its　teeth；　holding　the　bar　so　lightly　that　the　wrapping　was　not　punctured。
　Travis　blinked　in　surprise。
　The　retriever　held　forth　the　Hershey's　bar；　as　if　requesting　that　Travis　unwrap　the　treat。
　Startled；　he　took　the　candy　and　peeled　off　the　paper。
　The　retriever　watched；　licking　its　lips。
　Breaking　the　bar　into　pieces；　Travis　paid　out　the　chocolate　in　morsels。　The　dog　took　them　gratefully　and　ate　almost　daintily。
　Travis　watched　in　confusion；　not　certain　if　what　had　happened　was　truly　extraordinary　or　had　a　reasonable　explanation。　Had　the　dog　actually　understood　him　when　he　had　said　there　was　candy　in　the　glove　box？　Or　had　it　detected　the　scent　of　chocolate？　Surely　the　latter。
　To　the　dog；　he　said；　〃But　how　did　you　know　to　press　the　button　to　pop　the　lid　open？〃
　It　stared；　licked　its　chops；　and　accepted　another　bit　of　candy。
　He　said；　〃Okay；　okay；　so　maybe　that's　a　trick　you've　been　taught。　Though　it's　not　the　sort　of　thing　anyone　would　ordinarily　train　a　dog　to　do；　is　it？　Roll　over；　play　dead；　sing　for　your　supper；　even　walk　on　your　hind　feet　a　little　ways　。　。　。　yeah；　those're　things　that　dogs　are　trained　to　do　。　。　。　but　they're　not　trained　to　open　locks　and　latches。
　The　retriever　gazed　longingly　at　the　last　morsel　of　chocolate；　but　Travis　withheld　the　goody　for　a　moment。
　The　timing；　for　God's　sake；　had　been　uncanny。　Two　seconds　after　Travis　had　referred　to　the　chocolate；　the　dog　had　gone　for　it。
　〃Did　you　understand　what　I　said？〃　Travis　asked；　feeling　foolish　for　suspecting　a　dog　of　possessing　language　s