dk.watchers-第73部分

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　〃Dr。　Pepper；　huh？　What　kind　of　beer　was　in　there　before　you　drank　it　all？〃
　〃Hey；　man；〃　Tommy　said。　〃Why're　you　hassling　us？　Are　you　a　cop　or　what？〃
　〃Yeah；　in　fact；　I　am。〃
　〃Where's　your　uniform？〃　one　of　the　boys　asked。
　〃Undercover。　Listen；　I'm　disposed　to　let　you　kids　go　on；　not　check　your　breath　for　liquor　or　anything。　But　I　have　to　know…did　you　see　an　old　white…haired　guy　on　the　beach　tonight？〃
　〃Who　cares　about　old　guys？〃　one　of　the　boys　asked。　〃We　were　looking　for　women。〃
　〃You'd　have　noticed　this　old　character　if　you'd　seen　him。　He'd　most　likely　have　been　wearing　swim　trunks。〃
　〃Tonight？〃　Tommy　said。　〃It's　almost　December；　man。　You　feel　that　wind？〃
　〃Maybe　he　was　wearing　something　else。〃
　〃Didn't　see　him；〃　Tommy　said。　〃No　old　guy　with　white　hair。　Any　you　guys　see　him？〃
　The　other　three　said　they　had　not　seen　any　old　fart　fitting　the　description　they　had　been　given；　and　then　they　were　allowed　to　drive　on；　north　from　the　public　beach；　into　a　residential　area　of　seaside　homes　and　private　beaches。
　When　they　had　rounded　a　low　hill　and　were　out　of　sight　of　the　man　who　had　stopped　them；　they　pulled　the　blanket　off　Garrison；　and　he　sat　up　with　considerable　relief。
　Tommy　dropped　the　other　three　boys　off　at　their　houses　and　took　Garrison　home　with　him　because　his　parents　were　out　for　the　evening。　He　lived　in　a　house　that　looked　like　a　ship　with　multiple　decks；　slung　over　a　bluff；　all　glass　and　angles。
　Following　Tommy　into　the　foyer；　Garrison　caught　a　glimpse　of　himself　in　a　mirror。　He　looked　nothing　like　the　dignified　silver…haired　barrister　known　by　everyone　in　the　city's　courts。　His　hair　was　wet；　dirty；　and　matted。　His　face　Was　smeared　with　dirt。　Sand；　bits　of　grass；　and　threads　of　seaweed　were　stuck
　to　his　bare　skin　and　tangled　in　his　gray　chest　hair。　He　grinned　happily　at　himself。
　〃There's　a　phone　in　here；〃　Tommy　said　from　the　den。
　　　
　After　preparing　dinner；　eating；　cleaning　up；　and　then　worrying　about　Einstein's　loss　of　appetite；　Nora　and　Travis　had　forgotten　about　calling　Garrison　Dilworth　and　thanking　him　for　the　care　with　which　he　had　packaged　and　shipped　her　paintings。　They　were　sitting　in　front　of　the　fireplace　when　she　remembered。
　In　the　past；　when　they　had　called　Garrison；　they　had　done　so　from　public　phones　in　Carmel。　That　had　proved　to　be　an　unnecessary　precaution。　And　now；　tonight；　neither　of　them　was　in　the　mood　to　get　in　the　car　and　drive　into　town。
　〃We　could　wait　and　call　him　from　Carmel　tomorrow；〃　Travis　said。
　〃It'll　be　safe　to　phone　from　here；〃　she　said。　〃If　they'd　made　a　link　between　you　and　Garrison；　he'd　have　called　and　warned　us　off。〃
　〃He　might　not　know　they've　made　a　link；〃　Travis　said。　〃He　might　not　know　they're　watching　him。〃
　〃Garrison　would　know；〃　she　said　firmly。
　Travis　nodded。　〃Yeah；　I'm　sure　he　would。〃
　〃So　it's　safe　to　call　him。〃
　She　was　halfway　to　the　phone　when　it　rang。
　The　operator　said；　〃I　have　a　collect　call　for　anyone　from　a　Mr。　Garrison　Dilworth　in　Santa　Barbara。　Will　you　accept　the　charges？〃
　　　
　A　few　minutes　before　ten　o'clock；　after　conducting　a　thorough　but　fruitless　search　of　the　park　and　beach；　Lem　reluctantly　admitted　that　Garrison　Dilworth　had　somehow　gotten　past　him。　He　sent　his　men　back　to　the　courthouse　and　harbor。
　He　and　Cliff　also　drove　back　to　the　harbor　to　the　sport　yacht　from　which　they　had　based　their　surveillance　of　Dilworth。　When　they　put　in　a　call　to　the　Coast　Guard　cutter　pursuing　the　Amazing　Grace；　they　learned　that　the　attorney's　lady　had　turned　around　well　short　of　Ventura　and　was　heading　north　along　the　coast；　back　to　Santa　Barbara。
　She　entered　the　harbor　at　ten　thirty…six。
　At　the　empty　slip　belonging　to　Garrison；　Lem　and　Cliff　huddled　in　the　crisp　wind；　watching　her　bring　the　Hinckley　smoothly　and　gently　into　its　mooring。　It　was　a　beautiful　boat；　beautifully　handled。
　She　had　the　gall　to　shout　at　them；　〃Don't　just　stand　there！　Grab　the　lines　and　help　tie　her　up！〃
　They　obliged　primarily　because　they　were　anxious　to　speak　with　her　and　could　not　do　so　until　the　Amazing　Grace　was　secured。
　Once　their　assistance　had　been　rendered；　they　stepped　through　the　railing　gate。　Cliff　was　wearing　Top…Siders　as　part　of　his　boater's　disguise；　but　Lem　was　in　street　shoes　and　not　at　all　sure…footed　on　the　wet　deck；　especially　as　the　boat　was　rocking　slightly。
　Before　they　could　say　a　word　to　the　woman；　a　voice　behind　them　said；　〃Excuse　me；　gentlemen…〃
　Lem　turned　and　saw　Garrison　Dilworth　in　the　glow　of　a　dock　lamp；　just　boarding　the　boat　behind　them。　He　was　wearing　someone　else's　clothes。　His　pants　were　much　too　big　in　the　waist；　cinched　in　with　a　belt。　They　were　too　short　in　the　legs；　so　his　bare　ankles　were　revealed。　He　wore　a　voluminous　shirt。
　〃…please　excuse　me；　but　I've　got　to　get　into　some　warm　clothes　of　my　own　and　have　a　pot　of　coffee…〃
　Lem　said；　〃God　damn　it。〃
　〃…to　thaw　out　these　old　bones。〃
　After　a　gasp　of　astonishment；　Cliff　Soames　let　out　a　hard　bark　of　laughter；　then　glanced　at　Lem　and　said；　〃Sorry。〃
　Lem's　stomach　cramped　and　burned　with　an　incipient　ulcer。　He　did　not　wince　with　pain；　did　not　double　over；　did　not　even　put　a　hand　on　his　gut；　gave　no　indication　of　disfort　because　any　such　sign　from　him　might　increase　Dilworth's　satisfaction。　Lem　just　glared　at　the　attorney；　at　the　woman；　then　left　without　saying　a　word。
　〃That　damn　dog；〃　Cliff　said　as　he　fell　into　step　at　Lem's　side　on　the　dock；　〃sure　inspires　one　hell　of　a　lot　of　loyalty。〃
　Later；　bedding　down　in　a　motel　because　he　was　too　tired　to　close　the　temporary　field　office　tonight　and　go　home　to　Orange　County；　Lem　Johnson　thought　about　what　Cliff　had　said。　Loyalty。　One　hell　of　a　lot　of　loyalty。
　Lem　wondered　if　he　had　ever　felt　such　a　strong　bond　of　loyalty　to　anyone　as　the　Cornells　and　Garrison　Dilworth　apparently　felt　toward　the　retriever。　He　tossed　and　turned；　unable　to　sleep；　and　he　finally　realized　there　was　no　use　trying　to　switch　off　his　inner　lights　until　he　satisfied　himself　that　he　was　capable　of　the　degree　of　loyalty　and　mitment　that　he　had　seen　in　the　Cornells　and　their　attorney。
　He　sat　up　in　the　darkness；　leaning　against　the　headboard。
　Well；　sure；　he　was　damn　loyal　to　his　country；　which　he　loved　and　honored。
　And　he　was　loyal　to　the　Agency。　But　to　another　person？　All　right；　Karen。
　His　wife。　He　was　loyal　to　Karen　in　every　way…in　his　heart；　mind；　and　gonads。
　He　loved　Karen。　He　had　loved　her　deeply　for　almost　twenty　years。
　〃Yeah；〃　he　said　aloud　in　the　empty　motel　room　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　〃yeah；　if　you're　so　loyal　to　Karen；　why　aren't　you　with　her　now？〃
　But　he　wasn't　being　fair　to　himself。　After　all；　he　had　a　job　to　do；　an　important　job。
　〃That's　the　trouble；〃　he　muttered；　〃you've　always…always…got　a　job　to　do。〃
　He　slept　away　from　home　more　than　a　hundred　nights　a　year；　one　in　three。　And　when　he　was　home；　he　was　distracted　half　the　time；　his　mind　on　the
　latest　case。　Karen　had　once　wanted　children；　but　Lem　had　delayed　the　start　of　a　family；　claiming　that　he　could　not　handle　the　responsibility　of　children　until　he　was　sure　his　career　was　secure。
　〃Secure？〃　he　said。　〃Man；　you　inherited　your　daddy's　money。　You　started　out　with　more　of　a　cushion　than　most　people。〃
　If　he　was　as　loyal　to　Karen　as　those　people　were　to　that　mutt；　then　his　mitment　to　her　should　mean　that　her　desires　ought　to　e　before　all　others。　If　Karen　wanted　a　family；　then　family　should　take　precedence　over　career。　Right？　At　least　he　should　have　promised　and　started　a　family　when　they　were　in　their　early　thirties。　His　twenties　could　have　gone　to　the　career；　his　thirties　to　child…rearing。　Now　he　was　forty…five；　almost　forty…six；　and　Karen　was　forty…three；　and　the　time　for　starting　a　family　had　passed。
　Lem　was　overe　with　a　great　loneliness。
　He　got　out　of　bed；　went　into　the　bathroom　in　his　shorts；　switched　on　the　light；　and　stared　hard　at　himself　in　the　mirror。　His　eyes　were　bloodshot　and　sunken。　He　had　lost　so　much　weight　on　this　case　that　his　face　was　beginning　to　look　downright　skeletal。
　Stomach　cramps　seized　him；　and　he　bent　over；　holding　onto　the　sides　of　the　sink；　his　face　in　the　basin。　He'd　been　afflicted　only　for　the　past　month　or　so；　but　his　condition　seemed　to　be　worsening　with　startling　speed。　The　pain　took　a　long　time　to　pass。
　When　he　confronted　his　reflection　in　the　mirror　again；　he　said；　〃You're　not　even　loyal　to　your　own　self；　you　asshole。　You're　killing　yourself；　working　yourself　to　death；　and　you　can't　stop。　Not　loyal　to　Karen；　not　loyal　to　yourself。　Not　really　loyal　to　your　country　or　the　Agency；　when　it　es　right　down　to　it。　Hell；　the　only　thing　you're　totally　and　unswervingly　mitted　to　is　your　old　man's　crackpot　vision　of　life　as　a　tightrope　walk。〃
　Crackpot。
　That　word　seemed　to　reverberate　in　the　bathroom　long　after　he'd　spoken　it。　He　had　loved　and　respected　his　father；　had　never　said　a　word　against　him。　Yet　today　he　had　admitted　to　Cliff　that　his　dad　had　been　〃impossible。〃　And　now…crackpot　vision。　He　still　loved　his　dad　and　always　would。　But　he　was　beginning　to　wonder　if　a　son　could　love　a　father　and；　at　the　same　time；　pletely　reject　his　father's　teachings。
　A　year　ago；　a　month　ago；　even　a　few　days　ago；　he　would　have　said　it　was　impossible　to　hold　fast　to　that　love　and　still　be　his　own　man。　But　now；　by　God；　it　seemed　not　only　possible　but　essential　that　he　separate　his　love　for　his　father　from　his　adherence　to　his　father's　workaholic　code。
　What's　happening　to　me？　he　wondered。
　Freedom？　Freedom；　at　last；　at　forty…five？
　Squinting　into　the　mirror；　he　said；　〃Almost　forty…six。〃
　　　
　NINE
　1
　Sunday；　Travis　noted　that　Einstein　still　had　less　of　an　appetite　than　usual；　but　by　Monday；　November　29；　the　retriever　seemed　fine。　On　Monday　and　Tuesday；　Einstein　finished　every　scrap　of　his　meals；　and　he　read　new　books。　He　sneezed　only　once　and　did　not　cough　at　all。　He　drank　more　water　than　in　the　past；　though　not　an　excessive　amount。　If　he　seemed　to　spend　more　time　by　the　fireplace；　if　he　padded　through　the　house　less　energetically　。　。　。　well；　winter　was　swiftly　settling　upon　them；　and　animals'　behavior　changed　with　the　seasons。
　At　a　bookstore　in　Carmel；　Nora　bought　a　copy　of　The　Dog　Owner's　Home　Veterinary　Handbook。　She　spent　a　few　hours　at　the　kitchen　table；　rea