rm.thenightboat-第24部分

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ike　golden；　liquid　columns；　but　in　places　the　darkness　was　like　the　bottom　of　the　ocean。　Birds　screeched　and　fluttered　in　the　maze　of　limbs；　their　forms　giving　a　brief　glimpse　of　red　or　blue　or　yellow　as　they　sought　safety　at　higher　altitudes。
　　Kip　chose　the　right…hand　pathway　and　turned　onto　it；　driving　through　a　large　circular　puddle　of　standing　rainwater　that　sucked　at　the　tires。　Strands　of　mist　clung　close　to　the　earth；　wrapping　themselves　around　the　dark　trunks　of　trees　and　slithering　into　the　high　grasses。　Kip　had　driven　for　perhaps　ten　more　minutes；　wondering　if　he'd　made　a　mistake　again；　when　he　saw　a　tree　lying　directly　across　the　road。　He　stopped　the　jeep　just　in　front　of　it；　the　tree　had　been　living　when　felled。　He　could　see　the　marks　on　the　shattered　trunk　where　the　axes　had　been　used。　This　was　the　right　road　after　all。
　　Kip　climbed　out　of　the　jeep；　stepped　over　the　tree；　and　began　to　walk。　In　the　absence　of　engine　noise　the　cries　of　the　birds　seemed　louder；　some　piercing　and　arrogant；　others　sadly　sweet。　A　little　farther　on　Kip　saw　a　face　drawn　in　ashes　on　a　tree　trunk；　the　eyes　were　wide　and　staring；　the　mouth　open；　showing　rows　of　teeth。　A　warning；　Kip　thought。　It　was　a　sign　to　keep　the　curious　out；　and　perhaps　more　than　an　obvious　reference　to　the　Carib's　heritage　of　cannibalism。　As　he　passed　the　symbol　he　heard　someone　running　in　the　jungle；　bare　feet　crushing　leaves。　The　sound　quickly　faded　away；　and　Kip　knew　he'd　been　seen。
　　The　jungle　had　been　cleared　less　than　a　hundred　yards　ahead；　he　could　see　the　Carib　village；　which　consisted　of　a　score　of　shantylike；　unpainted　clapboard　dwellings；　battered　from　years　of　hard　weather　and　sun。　A　rundown　store　with　tin　placards　advertising　COCA…COLA　and　PRINCE　ALBERT　TOBACCO　stood　at　the　center　of　the　village；　its　shingled　roof　half…collapsed　and　in　some　spots　bared　down　to　the　wood。　Just　beyond　the　village；　on　Carib　Point　overlooking　the　blue　sheen　of　the　Caribbean；　was　a　useless　squat　tower；　now　decayed；　green　vines　covered　its　base　and　all　the　glass　on　its　lamp　deck　had　been　long　broken。　Strung　between　the　houses　were　lines　of　drying；　tattered　clothes；　and　here　and　there　were　small　square　plots　of　scraggly　corn　and　beans。
　　A　naked　child　sat　on　the　ground　sailing　a　piece　of　wood　whittled　into　a　boat　in　a　brackish…looking　puddle；　and　he　looked　up　with　surprised　eyes　as　Kip　entered　Caribville。　A　group　of　other　children　had　already　seen　him　and　had　run　away；　followed　by　their　short…haired　yellow　dog；　who　stopped　to　snarl　and　bark　at　the　constable。　Some　men　had　gathered　in　front　of　the　store；　their　eyes　sharp　and　bright；　their　features　appearing　more　chiseled　and　harder　than　those　of　the　Coquina　villagers；　their　plexions　a　tawny　gold。　An　attractive　woman　with　long　black　hair　who　had　been　carrying　a　basket　balanced　on　her　head　stopped　in　her　tracks　when　she　saw　Kip；　when　she　had　regained　her　posure　she　continued　on；　moving　away　toward　one　of　the　houses。　People　peered　at　him　from　screened　doors　and　windows　as　he　walked　deeper　into　Caribville。　He　sensed　their　hostility。　They　had　never　accepted　him　as　the　authority；　as　law　on　the　island；　and　they　disliked　anyone　whose　ancestry　was　tied　with　the　British。
　　The　men　at　the　front　of　the　store　began　to　separate　as　Kip　reached　them；　and　they　were　gone　before　he　could　speak　to　them。　Kip　stood　at　the　doorway；　his　gaze　sweeping　across　the　village。　A　single　road　headed　downhill　to　a　semicircle　of　beach　below。　At　the　Carib　harbor；　there　was　a　wharf　where　a　few　rusty　old　trawlers　lay　moored。　Kip　could　see　some　of　the　men　working　on　their　boats。　Farther　along　the　beach　stood　a　huge　concrete　hulk；　just　the　steel　framework　and　walls　of　a　building。　At　one　time；　a　British　firm　had　tried　to　build　a　hotel　and　marina　there　but　the　project　had　fallen　through。　Now　it　stood　as　a　silent　sentinel　of　progress　thwarted：　the　jungle　had　grown　back　around　it；　and　spiders　and　lizards　had　claimed　the　building　as　a　shelter　from　the　heat。
　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　someone　asked；　in　a　heavily　accented　voice　that　mixed　English　and　Spanish。
　　Kip　looked　around。　A　heavyset　man　in　a　T…shirt　stood　behind　the　screen　door；　his　hands　on　his　hips。　His　hair　was　cropped　very　short；　but　his　glossy；　black　sideburns　had　been　allowed　to　grow　wild　and　full。　His　eyes　were　small　burning　embers　under　thick　black　brows；　and　they　regarded　the　constable　with　a　mixture　of　curiosity　and　disdain。
　　〃I　want　to　see　the　Chief　Father；〃　Kip　told　him。
　　The　Carib　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds；　sizing　the　other　man　up。　〃And　why？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Official　police　business。〃
　　〃Is　that　so？　Well；　then；　you　can　talk　to　me；　I'm　Cheyne's　brother…in…law。〃
　　Kip　shook　his　head。　〃That　won't　do。　Is　Cheyne　here　or　not？〃
　　〃He　ain't；〃　the　man　said。　〃He's　took　his　boat　out　this　morning。〃
　　Kip　didn't　believe　the　man。　When　he　looked　to　one　side　he　saw　two　other　Carib　men；　both　burly　and　tough…looking；　leaning　against　the　remnants　of　a　brick　wall；　watching　him。　One　pretended　to　pare　his　nails　with　a　knife　blade。　〃It's　Cheyne　I　want　to　see；〃　Kip　said；　gazing　at　the　men。　〃There's　been　trouble　over　in　Coquina　village。　A　man's　dead；　and　I　want　to　know。。。〃
　　〃We　heard　about　that；〃　the　man　said。　〃All　about　it。　So　you　e　up　here　to　ask　questions　about　us；　thinking　mebbe　we　had　something　to　do　with　it？　Go　away；　constable。　You　ain't　wele　here。〃
　　〃Thanks　for　your　help；〃　Kip　told　him　acidly；　watching　the　other　two　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　〃I　know　where　Cheyne　lives；　I'll　find　him　myself。〃　As　he　walked　away；　he　heard　the　man　call　out；　〃Better　watch　your　step　around　here；　constable！　This　ain't　no　fuckin'　pastel　pink　Coquina　village　you　in　now！〃　There　was　laughter；　and　someone　cursed　and　spat；　but　Kip　paid　them　no　attention。　He　reached　a　house　farther　down　the　row　of　decrepit　shacks；　and　knocked　on　the　door　frame。　Waited；　knocked　again。　The　door　opened　a　few　inches　and　a　smooth…skinned；　pretty　woman　peered　out　at　him　cautiously。
　　〃I'm　looking　for　him；〃　Kip　said。
　　She　shook　her　head；　spoke　a　few　words　in　the　brisk　native　dialect。　〃Gone；〃　she　said。　〃He　gone。〃　She　pointed　toward　the　ocean。
　　〃When　is　he　ing　back？〃
　　The　woman　shrugged；　not　understanding。　In　the　dim　confines　of　the　house　a　baby　began　crying；　and　Kip　heard　an　aged　voice　call　out。　The　woman　looked　over　her　shoulder；　nodding；　and　then　closed　the　door　in　the　constable's　face。
　　Damn！　he　thought　angrily。　Cheyne　was　the　only　one　who'd　talk　to　him；　and　he　was　a　hard　man　to　track　down；　the　other　Caribs　would　just　as　soon　spit　as　look　at　him。　Kip　left　the　house；　walking　back　past　the　store　to　his　jeep；　ignoring　the　stares　of　the　men　and　their　curses　flung　at　his　back。　Deep　within　him　he　knew　the　Caribs　had　had　nothing　to　do　with　Turk's　murder。　He　was　desperately　trying　to　convince　himself　that　the　answer　was　logical；　something　he　could　put　his　finger　on；　but　the　more　he　brooded　over　it　the　more　the　answer　seemed　to　elude　him。　It　led　him　into　a　place　of　darkness；　a　cramped　passage　moving　him　inexorably　toward　a　closed　iron　hatch。
　　THAT　WAS　NOT　REAL！　he　told　himself　for　the　thousandth　time；　trying　to　make　the　thought　convincing。　That　was　not；　could　never　be；　real！　Of　course；　it　was　his　job　to　be　concerned。　He　was　responsible　for　the　Coquina　villagers　and　the　Caribs　as　well；　even　though　those　people　looked　to　their　Chief　Father　as　the　ultimate　authority。
　　As　he　reached　the　jeep　Kip　realized　the　birds　were　silent；　the　myriad　noises　now　were　strangely　and　disturbingly　absent。　The　breeze　swept　in；　rattling　foliage　and　sending　the　mist　through　the　trees　with　questioning　fingers。　Silence　swelled　in　the　sun…ribbed　shadows；　louder　than　the　screeching　of　the　birds。　It　was　an　oppressive　quiet；　and　Kip　wondered　what　had　caused　it。
　　He　started　the　engine　and　began　to　thread　his　way　along　the　road；　away　from　the　red　points　of　eyes　that　had　been　watching。
　　And　hungering。
　　　
　　　Thirteen
　　
　　THE　SINGLE…ENGINE　PLANE　circled　a　few　times　above　the　island's　interior　and　then　dropped　smoothly　down　into　the　trees。　Moore　had　seen　it　and；　out　of　curiosity；　he　drove　his　pickup　truck　along　a　road　into　jungle；　across　open　flats　and　through　areas　black　with　thicket；　trees；　and　vines　shutting　off　the　sunlight。　The　road　came　into　a　wide　clearing；　there　was　a　narrow；　packed…dirt　airstrip　and　a　tin…roofed　shed。　Beyond　the　strip；　at　the　fringe　of　the　deeper　jungle；　was　a　farmhouse。　A　black　man　in　dungarees　stood　there　watching　the　thing　that　had　e　from　the　sky。　That　didn't　happen　often　on　Coquina。
　　Moore　turned　onto　the　airstrip　and　pulled　up　alongside　the　plane。　Some　sort　of　symbol　was　painted　on　the　craft's　side；　a　white　circle　with　the　letters　JHF　in　white　at　its　center。　He　could　see　movement　in　the　cockpit；　a　figure　in　a　tan　jumpsuit　pulled　at　a　duffel　bag　wedged　between　two　seats。　Moore　climbed　out　of　the　truck　and　approached　the　open　cockpit　door。　〃Can　I　give　you　a　hand？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　the　pilot　said；　working　the　bag　free　and　hefting　it　over　the　side　to　Moore。　〃Take　this　bloody　thing。　But　be　careful；　there's　expensive　camera　gear　inside。〃
　　Moore　caught　the　heavy　bag；　but　stood　braced　at　the　cockpit　doorway　staring。
　　The　pilot　was　a　young　woman；　her　hair　pinned　up　in　a　cap　but　a　single　curl　of　gold　showing　at　the　neck。　He　had　just　caught　a　glimpse　of　her　profile　as　she　turned　to　give　him　the　bag。　She　lifted　a　suitcase　and　very　carefully　laid　it　outside　the　cockpit　as　Moore　stepped　back　to　give　her　room。　She　glanced　up；　appraising　him　with　her　clear　gray　eyes；　and　offered　her　hand。　〃Jana　Thornton；〃　she　said；　Moore　shook　her　hand　and　started　to　speak；　but　she　turned　away　again　for　a　smaller　suitcase　on　the　co…pilot's　seat。　She　put　it　down　on　the　ground　and　went　on；　〃I　wasn't　expecting　a　weling　party。　I　couldn't　raise　a　wireless　signal；　but　if　I've　plotted　correctly　this　has　to　be　Coquina。〃
　　〃It　is。〃
　　〃Then　I'm　where　I　want　to　be。〃　She　turned　to　look　down　the　rutted；　pot…holed　airstrip。　〃I　don't　expect　you　have　many　mercial　flights　here；　do　you？〃
　　〃No；〃　Moore　agreed。　〃We're　not　exactly　a　tourist　mecca。〃
　　She　nodded　thoughtfully；　returning　to　the　cockpit　and　emerging　again　with　a　few　bricks；　which　she　placed　as　stops　against　the　plane's　tires。　Moore　carried　the　bags　to　his　truck　and　then　turned　back　t