dk.watchers-第87部分

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orever。〃
　　　
　Travis　took　the　first　tray　of　cookies　out　of　the　oven　and　put　them　on　a　rack　to　cool。
　Einstein　came　sniffing　around；　and　Travis　said；　〃They're　too　hot　yet。〃
　The　dog　returned　to　the　living　room　to　look　out　the　front　window　at　the　rain。
　　
　　
　Just　before　Nora　turned　off　the　Coast　Highway；　Vince　slid　down　on　the　seat；　below　the　window　level；　out　of　sight。　He　kept　the　gun　on　her。　〃I'll　blow　that　baby　right　out　of　your　belly　if　you　make　the　slightest　wrong　move。〃
　She　believed　him。
　Turning　onto　the　dirt　lane；　which　was　muddy　and　slippery；　Nora　drove　up
　the　hill　toward　the　house。　The　overhanging　trees　shielded　the　road　from　the　worst　of　the　rain　but　collected　the　water　on　their　branches　and　sent　it　to　the　ground　in　fatter　droplets　or　rivulets。
　She　saw　Einstein　at　a　front　window；　and　she　tried　to　e　up　with　some　signal　that　would　mean　〃trouble；〃　that　the　dog　would　instantly　understand。　She　couldn't　think　of　anything。
　Looking　up　at　her；　Vince　said；　〃Don't　go　all　the　way　to　the　barn。　Stop　right　beside　the　house。〃
　His　plan　was　obvious。　The　corner　of　the　house　where　the　pantry　and　cellar　stairs　were　located　had　no　windows。　Travis　and　Einstein　would　not　be　able　to　see　the　man　getting　out　of　the　truck　with　her。　Vince　could　hustle　her　around　the　corner；　onto　the　back　porch；　and　inside　before　Travis　realized　something　was　wrong。
　Maybe　Einstein's　canine　senses　would　detect　danger。　Maybe。　But　。　。　。　Einstein　had　been　so　ill。
　　
　　Einstein　padded　into　the　kitchen；　excited。
　Travis　said；　〃Was　that　Nora's　truck？〃
　Yes。
　The　retriever　went　to　the　back　door　and　did　a　dance　of　impatience…then　stood　still；　cocked　his　head。
　　　
　Nora's　stroke　of　luck　came　when　she　least　expected　it。
　When　she　parked　alongside　the　house；　engaged　the　hand　brake；　and　switched　off　the　engine；　Vince　grabbed　her　and　dragged　her　across　the　seat；　out　of　his　side　of　the　truck　because　that　was　the　side　against　the　back　end　of　the　house　and　most　difficult　to　see　from　windows　at　the　front　corner　of　the　structure。　Climbing　from　the　pickup；　pulling　her　by　one　hand；　he　was　looking　around　to　be　sure　Travis　was　not　nearby；　distracted；　he　couldn't　keep　his　revolver　on　Nora　as　closely　as　before。　As　she　slid　across　the　seat；　past　the　glove　box；　she　popped　open　the　door　and　snatched　up　the　。38　pistol。　Vince　must　have　heard　or　sensed　something　because　he　swung　toward　her；　but　he　was　too　late。　She　jammed　the　。38　into　his　belly　and；　before　he　could　raise　his　gun　and　blow　her　head　off；　she　squeezed　the　trigger　three　times。
　With　a　look　of　shock；　he　slammed　back　against　the　house；　which　was　only　three　feet　behind　him。
　She　was　amazed　by　her　own　cold…bloodedness。　Crazily；　she　thought　that　no　one　was　so　dangerous　as　a　mother　protecting　her　children；　even　if　one　child　was　unborn　and　the　other　was　a　dog。　She　fired　once　more；　point…blank；　at　his　chest。
　Vince　went　down　hard；　face…first　on　the　wet　ground。
　She　turned　from　him　and　ran。　At　the　corner　of　the　house　she　almost　collided
　with　Travis；　who　vaulted　over　the　porch　railing　and　landed　in　a　crouch　in　front　of　her；　holding　the　Uzi　carbine。
　〃I　killed　him；〃　she　said；　hearing　hysteria　in　her　voice；　fighting　to　control　it。　〃I　shot　him　four　times；　I　killed　him；　my　God。〃
　Travis　rose　from　a　crouch；　bewildered。　Nora　threw　her　arms　around　him　and　put　her　head　against　his　chest。　As　chilling　rain　beat　upon　them；　she　reveled　in　the　living　warmth　of　him。
　〃Who…〃　Travis　began。
　Behind　Nora；　Vince　issued　a　shrill　breathless　cry　and；　rolling　onto　his　back；　fired　at　them。　The　bullet　struck　Travis　high　in　the　shoulder　and　knocked　him　backward。　If　it　had　been　two　inches　to　the　right；　it　would　have　hit　Nora　in　the　head。
　She　was　almost　pulled　off　her　feet　when　Travis　fell　because　she　was　holding　him。　But　she　let　go　fast　enough　and　went　to　the　left；　in　front　of　the　truck；　out　of　the　line　of　fire。　She　got　only　a　quick　look　at　Vince；　who　was　holding　his　revolver　in　one　hand　and　clutching　his　stomach　with　the　other；　trying　to　get　off　the　ground。
　In　that　glimpse　before　she　cowered　down　in　front　of　the　pickup；　she　had　not　seen　any　blood　on　the　man。
　What　was　happening　here？　He　could　not　possibly　have　survived　three　rounds　in　the　stomach　and　one　in　the　chest。　Not　unless　he　actually　was　immortal。
　Even　as　Nora　scrambled　for　the　cover　of　the　truck；　Travis　had　been　getting　off　his　back；　sitting　up　in　the　mud。　Blood　was　visible　on　him；　spreading　across　his　chest　from　his　shoulder；　soaking　his　shirt。　He　still　had　the　Uzi　in　his　right　hand；　which　functioned　in　spite　of　the　wound　in　that　shoulder。　As　Vince　pulled　off　a　wild　second　shot；　Travis　opened　fire　with　the　Uzi。　His　position　was　no　better　than　Vince's；　the　spray　of　bullets　snapped　into　the　house　and　ricocheted　along　the　side　of　the　truck；　indiscriminate　fire。
　He　stopped　shooting。　〃Shit。〃　He　struggled　onto　his　feet。
　Nora　said；　〃Did　you　get　him？〃
　〃He　made　it　around　the　front　of　the　house；〃　Travis　said；　and　headed　that　way。
　　
　　
　Vince　figured　he　was　approaching　immortality；　almost　there；　if　he　had　not　already　arrived。　He　was　in　need　of…at　most…only　a　few　more　lives；　and　his　only　concern　was　that　he　would　be　snuffed　out　when　he　was　that　close　to　his　Destiny。　As　a　result；　he　took　precautions。　Like　the　latest　and　most　expensive　model　Kevlar　bulletproof　vest。　He　was　wearing　one　under　his　sweater；　which　was　what　had　stopped　the　four　shots　the　bitch　had　tried　to　pump　into　him。　The　slugs　had　flattened　against　the　vest；　drawing　no　blood　whatsoever。　But；　Jesus；　they　had　hurt。　The　impact　had　knocked　him　against　the　wall　of　the　house　and　had　driven　the　breath　out　of　him。　He　felt　as　if　he　had　lain　on　a
　giant　anvil　while　someone　repeatedly　pounded　a　blacksmith's　hammer　into　his　gut。
　Hunched　over　his　pain；　hobbling　toward　the　front　of　the　house；　trying　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　the　damn　Uzi；　he　was　sure　he　was　going　to　be　shot　in　the　back。　But　somehow　he　made　it　to　the　corner；　climbed　the　porch　steps；　and　got　out　of　Cornell's　line　of　fire。
　Vince　took　some　satisfaction　in　having　wounded　Cornell；　though　he　knew　it　wasn't　mortal。　And　having　lost　the　element　of　surprise；　he　was　in　for　a　protracted　battle。　Hell；　the　woman　looked　to　be　almost　as　formidable　as　Cornell　himself…a　crazy　Amazon。
　He　could　have　sworn　there　was　something　of　the　timid　mouse　in　the　woman；　that　it　was　her　nature　to　submit。　Obviously；　he　misjudged　her…and　that　spooked　him。　Vince　Nasco　was　not　accustomed　to　making　such　mistakes；　mistakes　were　for　lesser　men；　not　for　the　child　of　Destiny。
　Scuttling　across　the　front　porch；　certain　that　Cornell　was　ing　fast　behind　him；　Vince　decided　to　go　into　the　house　instead　of　heading　for　the　woods。　They　would　expect　him　to　run　for　the　trees；　take　cover；　and　reconsider　his　strategy。　Instead；　he'd　go　straight　into　the　house　and　find　a　position　from　which　he　could　see　both　the　front　and　rear　doors。　Maybe　he'd　take　them　by　surprise　yet。
　He　was　passing　a　large　window；　heading　for　the　front　door；　when　something　exploded　through　the　glass。
　Vince　cried　out　in　surprise　and　fired　his　revolver；　but　the　shot　went　into　the　porch　ceiling；　and　the　dog…Jesus；　that's　what　it　was；　the　dog…hit　him　hard。　The　gun　flew　out　of　his　hand。　He　was　knocked　backward。　The　dog　clung　to　him；　claws　snagged　in　his　clothes；　teeth　sunk　in　his　shoulder。　The　porch　railing　disintegrated。　They　tumbled　out　into　the　front　yard；　into　the　rain。
　Screaming；　Vince　hammered　at　the　dog　with　his　big　fists　until　it　squealed　and　let　go　of　him。　Then　it　went　for　his　throat；　and　he　just　knocked　it　off　in　time　to　prevent　it　tearing　open　his　windpipe。
　His　gut　still　throbbed；　but　he　hitched　and　stumbled　back　to　the　porch；　looking　for　his　revolver…and　found　Cornell　instead。　Bleeding　from　his　shoulder；　Cornell　was　on　the　porch；　looking　down　at　Vince。
　Vince　felt　a　great　wild　surge　of　confidence。　He　knew　that　he　had　been　right　all　along；　knew　that　he　was　invincible；　immortal；　because　he　could　look　straight　into　the　muzzle　of　the　Uzi　without　fear；　without　the　slightest　fear；　so　he　grinned　up　at　Cornell。　〃Look　at　me；　look！　I'm　your　worst　nightmare。〃
　Cornell　said；　〃Not　even　close；〃　and　opened　fire。
　　
　　In　the　kitchen　Travis　sat　in　a　chair；　with　Einstein　at　his　side；　while　Nora　dressed　his　wound。　As　she　worked；　she　told　him　what　she　knew　about　the　man　who　had　forced　his　way　into　the　truck。
　〃He　was　a　damn　wild　card；〃　Travis　said。　〃No　way　we　could　ever　have　known　he　was　out　there。〃
　〃I　hope　he's　the　only　wild　card。〃
　Wincing　as　Nora　poured　alcohol　and　iodine　into　the　bullet　hole；　wincing　again　as　she　bound　the　wound　with　gauze　by　passing　it　under　his　armpit；　he　said；　〃Don't　worry　about　making　a　great　job　of　it。　The　bleeding's　not　that　bad。　No　artery's　been　hit。〃
　The　bullet　had　gone　through；　leaving　a　hideous　exit　wound；　and　he　was　in　considerable　pain；　but　for　a　while　yet　he　would　be　able　to　function。　He　would　have　to　seek　medical　attention　later；　maybe　from　Jim　Keene　to　avoid　the　questions　that　any　other　doctor　would　surely　insist　on　having　answered。　For　now；　he　was　only　concerned　that　the　wound　be　bound　tight　enough　to　allow　him　to　dispose　of　the　dead　man。
　Einstein　was　battered；　too。　Fortunately；　he　had　not　been　cut　when　he　smashed　through　the　front　window。　He　did　not　seem　to　have　any　broken　bones；　but　he　had　taken　several　hard　blows。　Not　in　the　best　of　shape　to　begin　with；　he　looked　bad…muddy　and　rain…soaked　and　in　pain。　He　would　need　to　see　Jim　Keene；　too。
　Outside；　rain　was　falling　harder　than　ever；　pounding　on　the　roof；　gurgling　noisily　through　gutters　and　downspouts。　It　was　slanting　across　the　front　porch　and　through　the　shattered　window；　but　they　did　not　have　time　to　worry　about　water　damage。
　〃Thank　God　for　the　rain；〃　Travis　said。　〃No　one　in　the　area　will　have　heard　the　gunfire　in　this　downpour。〃
　Nora　said；　〃Where　will　we　dump　the　body？〃
　〃I'm　thinking。〃　And　it　was　hard　to　think　clearly　because　the　pain　in　his　shoulder　throbbed　up　and　into　his　head。
　She　said；　〃We　could　bury　him　here；　in　the　woods…〃
　〃No。　We'd　always　know　he　was　there。　We'd　always　worry　about　the　body　being　dug　up　by　wild　animals；　found　by　hikers。　Better　。　。　。　there're　places　along　the　Coast　Highway　where　we　could　pull　over；　wait　until　there's　no　traffic；　drag　him　out　of　the