dk.watchers-第83部分

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med　stunned　and　flattered　and　delighted　that　she　had　seen　fit　to　immortalize　him　in　paint。　He　got　three　new　Mickey　Mouse　videotapes；　a　pair　of　fancy　metal　food　and　water　bowls　with　his　name　engraved　on　them　to　replace　the　plastic　dishes　he　had　been　using；　his　own　small　battery　powered　clock　that　he　could　take　with　him　to　any　room　in　the　house　（he　was　showing　an　increasing　interest　in　time）；　and　several　other　presents；　but　he　Was　repeatedly　drawn　to　the　portrait；　which　they　propped　against　the　wall　for　his　inspection。　Later；　when　they　hung　it　above　the　living…room　fireplace；　Einstein　stood　on　the　hearth　and　peered　up　at　the　picture；　pleased　and　proud。
　Like　any　kid；　Einstein　perversely　took　almost　as　much　pleasure　in　playing　With　empty　boxes；　crumpled　wrapping　paper；　and　ribbons　as　he　did　with　the　gifts　themselves。　And　one　of　his　favorite　things　was　a　joke　gift：　a　red　Santa
　cap　with　a　white　porn…porn　on　the　tip；　which　was　held　on　his　head　by　an　elastic　strap。　Nora　put　it　on　him　just　for　fun。　When　he　saw　himself　in　a　mirror；　he　was　so　taken　with　his　appearance　that　he　objected　when；　a　few　minutes　later；　she　tried　to　take　the　cap　off　him。　He　kept　it　on　most　of　the　day。
　Jim　Keene　and　Pooka　arrived　in　the　early　afternoon；　and　Einstein　herded　them　straight　into　the　living　room　to　look　at　his　portrait　above　the　mantel。　For　an　hour；　watched　over　by　Jim　and　Travis；　the　two　dogs　played　together　in　the　back　yard。　That　activity；　having　been　preceded　by　the　excitement　of　the　morning's　gift…giving；　left　Einstein　in　need　of　a　nap；　so　they　returned　to　the　house；　where　Jim　and　Travis　helped　Nora　prepare　Christmas　dinner。
　After　his　nap；　Einstein　tried　to　interest　Pooka　in　Mickey　Mouse　cartoons；　but　Nora　saw　that　he　met　with　only　limited　success。　Pooka's　attention　span　didn't　even　last　long　enough　for　Donald　or　Goofy　or　Pluto　to　get　Mickey　into　trouble。　In　respect　of　his　panion's　lower　10；　and　apparently　not　bored　with　such　pany；　Einstein　turned　the　television　off　and　engaged　in　strictly　doggy　activities：　some　light　wrestling　in　the　den　and　a　lot　of　lying　around；　nose　to　nose；　silently　muning　with　each　other　about　canine　concerns。
　By　early　evening；　the　house　was　filled　with　the　aromas　of　turkey；　baked　corn；　yams；　and　other　goodies。　Christmas　music　played。　And　in　spite　of　the　interior　shutters　that　had　been　bolted　over　the　windows　when　the　early…winter　night　had　fallen；　in　spite　of　the　guns　near　at　hand；　in　spite　of　the　demonic　presence　of　The　Outsider　that　always　lurked　in　the　back　of　her　mind；　Nora　had　never　been　happier。
　During　dinner；　they　talked　about　the　baby；　and　Jim　asked　if　they　had　given　any　thought　to　names。　Einstein；　eating　in　the　corner　with　Pooka；　was　instantly　intrigued　by　the　idea　of　participating　in　the　naming　of　their　firstborn。　He　dashed　immediately　to　the　pantry　to　spell　out　his　suggestion。
　Nora　left　the　table　to　see　what　name　the　dog　thought　suitable。
　MICKEY。
　〃Absolutely　not！〃　she　said。　〃We're　not　naming　my　baby　after　a　cartoon　mouse。〃
　DONALD。
　〃Nor　a　duck。〃
　PLUTO。
　〃Pluto？　Get　serious；　fur　face。〃
　GOOFY。
　Nora　firmly　restrained　him　from　pushing　the　letter…dispensing　pedals　any　more；　gathered　up　the　used　tiles　and　put　them　away；　turned　off　the　pantry　light；　and　went　back　to　the　table。　〃You　may　think　it's　hilarious；〃　she　told　Travis　and　Jim；　who　were　choking　with　laughter；　〃but　he's　serious！〃
　After　dinner；　sitting　around　the　tree　in　the　living　room；　they　talked　about　many　things；　including　Jim's　intention　of　getting　another　dog。　〃Pooka　needs　to　have　another　of　his　kind；〃　the　vet　said。　〃He's　almost　a　year　and　a　half　old　now；　and　I'm　of　the　belief　that　human　panionship　isn't　enough　for　them　after　they're　well　past　the　puppy　stage。　They　get　lonely　like　we　do。　And　since　I'm　going　to　get　him　a　panion；　I　might　as　well　get　a　female　purebred　lab
　and　maybe　wind　up　with　some　nice　puppies　to　sell　later。　So　he's　going　to　have　not　only　a　friend　but　a　mate。〃
　Nora　had　not　noticed　that　Einstein　was　any　more　interested　in　that　part　of　the　conversation　than　in　any　other。　However；　after　Jim　and　Pooka　had　gone　home；　Travis　found　a　message　in　the　pantry　and　called　Nora　over　to　have　a　look　at　it。
　MATE。　A　PANION；　PARTNER；　ONE　OF　A　PAIR。
　The　retriever　had　been　waiting　for　them　to　notice　the　carefully　arranged　tiles。　Now　he　appeared　behind　them　and　regarded　them　quizzically。
　Nora　said；　〃Do　you　think　you'd　like　a　mate？〃
　Einstein　slipped　between　them；　into　the　pantry；　disarranged　the　tiles；　and　made　a　reply。
　IT'S　WORTH　THINKING　ABOUT。
　〃But；　listen；　fur　face；〃　Travis　said；　〃you're　one　of　a　kind。　There's　no　other　dog　like　you；　with　your　JO。〃
　The　retriever　considered　that　point　but　was　not　dissuaded。
　LIFE　IS　MORE　THAN　INTELLECT。
　〃True　enough；〃　Travis　said。　〃But　I　think　this　needs　a　lot　of　consideration。〃
　LIFE　IS　FEELINGS。
　〃All　right；〃　Nora　said。　〃We'll　think　about　it。〃
　LIFE　IS　MATE。　SHARING。
　〃We　promise　to　think　about　it　and　then　discuss　it　with　you　some　more；〃　Travis　said。　〃Now　it's　getting　late。〃
　Einstein　quickly　made　one　more　message。
　BABY　MICKEY？
　〃Absolutely　not！〃　Nora　said。
　　
　　
　That　night；　in　bed；　after　she　and　Travis　made　love；　Nora　said；　〃I'll　bet　he　is　lonely。〃
　〃Jim　Keene？〃
　〃Well；　yes；　I　bet　he's　lonely；　too。　He's　such　a　nice　man；　and　he'd　make　someone　a　great　husband。　But　women　are　just　as　choosy　about　looks　as　men　are；　don't　you　think？　They　don't　go　for　husbands　with　hound…dog　faces。　They　marry　the　good…looking　ones　who　half　the　time　treat　them　like　dirt。　But　I　didn't　mean　Jim。　I　meant　Einstein。　He　must　get　lonely　now　and　then。〃
　〃We're　with　him　all　the　time。〃
　〃No；　we're　really　not。　I　paint；　and　you　do　things　in　which　poor　Einstein　doesn't　get　included。　And　if　you　do　go　back　to　real　estate　eventually；　there'll　be　a　lot　of　time　when　Einstein's　without　anyone。〃
　〃He　has　his　books。　He　loves　books。〃
　〃Maybe　books　aren't　enough；〃　she　said。
　They　were　silent　for　so　long　that　she　thought　Travis　had　fallen　asleep。　Then　he　said；　〃If　Einstein　mated　and　produced　puppies；　what　would　they　be　like？〃
　〃You　mean…would　they　be　as　smart　as　he　is？〃
　〃I　wonder　。　。　。　Seems　to　me　there's　three　possibilities。　First；　his　intelligence　isn't　inheritable；　so　his　puppies　would　just　be　ordinary　puppies。　Second；　it　is　inheritable；　but　the　genes　of　his　mate　would　dilute　the　intelligence；　so　the　puppies　would　be　smart　but　not　as　smart　as　their　father；　and　each　succeeding　generation　would　get　dimmer；　duller；　until　eventually　his　great…great…greatgrandpups　would　just　be　ordinary　dogs。〃
　〃What's　the　third　possibility？〃
　〃Intelligence；　being　a　survival　trait；　might　be　genetically　dominant；　very　dominant。〃
　〃In　which　case　his　puppies　would　be　as　smart　as　he　is。〃
　〃And　their　puppies　after　them；　on　and　on；　until　in　time　you'd　have　a　colony　of　intelligent　golden　retrievers；　thousands　of　them　all　over　the　world。〃
　They　were　silent　again。
　Finally　she　said；　〃Wow。〃
　Travis　said；　〃He's　right。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃It　is　something　worth　thinking　about。〃
　　　
　4
　Vince　Nasco　had　never　anticipated；　back　in　November；　that　he　would　need　a　full　month　to　get　a　whack　at　Ramon　Velazquez；　the　guy　in　Oakland　who　was　a　thorn　in　the　side　of　Don　Mario　Tetragna。　Until　he　wasted　Velazquez；　Vince　would　not　be　given　the　names　of　people　in　San　Francisco　who　dealt　in　false　ID　and　who　might　help　him　track　down　Travis　Cornell；　the　woman；　and　the　dog。　So　he　had　an　urgent　need　to　reduce　Velazquez　to　a　hunk　of　putrefying　meat。
　But　Velazquez　was　a　goddamn　shadow。　The　man　did　not　make　a　step　without　two　bodyguards　at　his　side；　which　should　have　made　him　more　rather　than　less　conspicuous。　However；　he　conducted　his　gambling　and　drug　enterprises…infringing　on　the　Tetragna　franchise　in　Oakland…with　all　the　stealth　of　Howard　Hughes。　He　slipped　and　slithered　on　his　errands；　using　a　fleet　of　different　cars；　never　taking　the　same　route　two　days　in　a　row；　never　meeting　in　the　same　place；　using　the　street　as　an　office；　never　staying　anywhere　long　enough　to　be　made；　marked；　and　wiped　out。　He　was　a　hopeless　paranoid　who　believed　everyone　was　out　to　get　him。　Vince　couldn't　keep　the　man　in　sight　long　enough　to　match　him　with　the　photograph　that　the　Tetragnas　had　supplied。　Ramon　Velazquez　was　smoke。
　Vince　didn't　get　him　until　Christmas　Day；　and　it　was　a　hell　of　a　mess　when　it　went　down。　Ramon　was　at　home　with　a　lot　of　relatives。　Vince　came　at　the　Velazquez　property　from　the　house　behind　it；　over　the　high　brick　wall　between　one　big　lot　and　the　other。　ing　down　on　the　other　side；　he　saw　Velazquez　and　some　people　at　a　barbecue　on　the　patio　near　the　pool；　where　they　were　roasting　an　enormous　turkey…did　people　barbecue　turkeys　anywhere　but　in
　California？…and　they　all　spotted　him　immediately　though　he　was　half　an　acre　away。　He　saw　the　bodyguards　reaching　for　weapons　in　their　shoulder　holsters；　so　he　had　no　choice　but　to　fire　indiscriminately　with　his　Uzi；　spraying　the　entire　patio　area；　taking　out　Velazquez；　both　bodyguards；　a　middle…aged　woman　who　must　have　been　somebody's　wife；　and　an　old　dame　who　had　to　be　somebody's　grandmother。
　Ssssnap。
　Ssssnap。
　Ssssnap。
　Ssssnap。
　Ssssnap。
　Everyone　else；　inside　and　outside　of　the　house；　was　screaming　and　diving　for　cover。　Vince　had　to　climb　the　wall　back　into　the　yard　of　the　house　next　door…where　nobody　was　home；　thank　God…and　as　he　was　hauling　his　ass　over　the　top；　a　bunch　of　Latino　types　at　the　Velazquez　place　opened　fire　on　him。　He　barely　got　away　with　his　hide　intact。
　The　day　after　Christmas；　when　he　showed　up　at　a　San　Francisco　restaurant　owned　by　Don　Tetragna；　to　meet　with　Frank　Dicenziano；　a　trusted　Family　capo　who　answered　only　to　the　don　himself；　Vince　was　worried。　The　fratellanza　had　a　code　about　assassinations。　Hell；　they　had　a　code　about　everything…probably　even　bowel　movements…and　they　took　their　codes　seriously；　but　the　code　of　assassination　was　maybe　taken　a　little　more　seriously　than　others。　The　first　rule　of　that　code　was：　You　don't　hit　a　man　in　the　pany　of　his　family　unless　he's　gone　to　ground　and　you　just　can't　reach　him　any　other　way。　Vince　felt　fairly　safe　on　that　score。　But　another　rule　was　that　you　never　shot　a　man's　wife　or　kids　or　his　grandmother　in　order　to　get　at　him。　Any　hit　man　who　did　such　a　thing　would　probably　wind　up