thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第16部分

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　　I　nodded　to　Lucy；　who　was　eyeing　me　with　definite　venom。　I　was　clearly　some　kind　of　enemy；　some　ugly　intrusion　on　her　scene。。。and　it　was　clear　from　the　way　she　moved　around　the　room；　very　quick　and　tense　on　her　feet；　that　she　was　sizing　me　up。　She　was　ready　for　violence；there　was　not　much　doubt　about　that。　Even　my　attorney　picked　up　on　it。
　　〃Lucy！〃　he　snapped。　〃Lucy！　Be　cool；　goddamnit！　Remember　what　happened　at　the　airport。。。no　more　of　that；　OK？〃　He　smiled　nervously　at　her。　She　had　the　look　of　a　beast　that　had　just　been　tossed　into　a　sawdust　pit　to　fight　for　its　life　。　。　。　〃Lucy　。　。。　this　is　my　client；　this　is　Mister　Duke；　the　famous　journalist。　He's　pairing　for　this　suite；　Lucy。　He's　on　our　side。〃　She　said　nothing。　I　could　see　that　she　was　not　entirely　in　control　of　herself。　Huge　shoulders　on　the　woman；　and　a　chin　like　Oscar　Bonavena。　I　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　casually　reached　into　my　satchel　for　the　Mace　can。。。and　when　I　felt　my　tumb　on　the　Shoot　button　I　was　tempted　to　jerk　the　thing　out　and　soak　her　down　on　general　principles；　I　desperately　needed　peace；　rest；　sanctuary。　The　last　thing　I　wanted　was　a　fight　to　the　finish；　in　my　own　hotel　room；　with　some　kind　of　drug…crazed　hormone　monster。
　　My　attorney　seemed　to　understand　this；　he　knew　why　my　hand　was　in　the　satchel。
　　〃No！〃　he　shouted。　〃Not　here！　We'll　have　to　move　out！〃　I　shrugged。　He　was　twisted。　I　could　see　that。　And　so　was　Lucy。　Her　eyes　were　feverish　and　crazy。　She　was　staring　at　me　like　I　was　something　that　would　have　to　be　rendered　helpless　before　life　could　get　back　to　whatever　she　considered　normal。
　　My　attorney　idled　over　and　put　his　arm　around　her　shoulders。　〃Mister　Duke　is　my　friend；〃　he　said　gently。　〃He　lovesartists。　Let's　show　him　your　paintings。〃　For　the　first　time；　I　noticed　that　the　room　was　full　of　artwork…maybe　forty　or　fifty　portraits；　some　in　oil；　some　charcoal；　all　more　or　less　the　same　size　and　all　the　same　face。　They　were　propped　up　on　every　flat　surface。　The　face　was　vaguely　familiar；　but　I　couldn't　get　a　fix　on　it。　It　was　a　girl　with　a　mouth；　a　big　nose　and　extremely　glittering　eyes…a　demonically　sensual　face；　the　kind　of　overstated；　embarrassingly　dramatic　renderings　that　you　find　in　the　bedrooms　of　young　female　art　students　who　get　hung　up　on　horses。
　　'Lucy　paints　portraits　of　Barbra　Streisand；〃　my　attorney　explained。　〃She's　an　artist　up　in　Montana。。　。〃　He　turned　to　the　girl。　〃What's　that　town　where　you　live？〃　She　stared　at　him；　then　at　me；　then　back　at　my　attorney　again。　Then　finally　she　said；　〃Kalispel。　Way　up　north。　I　drew　these　from　TV。〃　My　attorney　nodded　eagerly。　〃Fantastic；〃　he　said。　〃She　came　all　the　way　down　here　just　to　give　all　these　portraits　to　Barbra。　We're　going　over　to　the　Americana　Hotel　tonight；　and　meet　her　backstage。〃　Lucy　smiled　bashfully。　There　was　no　more　hostility　in　her。　I　dropped　the　Mace　can　and　stood　up。　We　obviously　had　a　serious　case　on　our　hands。　I　hadn't　counted　on　this：　Finding　my　attorney　whacked　on　acid　and　locked　into　some　kind　of　preternatural　courtship。
　　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃I　guess　they've　brought　the　car　around　by　now。　Let's　get　the　stuff　out　of　the　trunk。〃　He　nodded　eagerly。　〃Absolutely；　let's　get　the　stuff。〃　Hesmiled　at　Lucy。　〃We'll　be　right　back。　Don't　answer　the　phone　if　it　rings。〃　She　grinned　and　made　the　one…finger　Jesus　freak　sign。　〃God　bless；〃　she　said。
　　My　attorney　pulled　on　a　pair　of　elephant…leg　pants　and　a　glaze…black　shirt；　then　we　hurried　out　of　the　room。　I　could　see　he　was　having　trouble　getting　oriented；　but　I　refused　to　humor　him。
　　〃Well　。。。〃　I　said。　〃What　are　your　plans？〃
　　〃Plans？〃　We　were　waiting　for　the　elevator。
　　〃Lucy；〃　I　said。
　　He　shook　his　head；　struggling　to　focus　on　the　question。　〃Shit；〃　he　said　finally。　〃I　met　her　on　the　plane　and　I　had　all　that　acid。〃　He　shrugged。　〃You　know；　those　little　blue　barrels。　Jesus；　she's　a　religious　freak。　She's　running　away　from　home　for　something　like　the　fifth　time　in　six　months。　It's　terrible。　I　gave　her　that　cap　before　I　realized。。。shit；　she's　never　even　had　adrinkf'　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃it'll　probably　work　out。　We　can　keep　her　loaded　and　peddle　her　ass　at　the　drug　convention。〃　He　stared　at　me。
　　〃She's　perfect　for　this　gig；〃　I　said。　〃These　cops　will　go　fifty　bucks　a　head　to　beat　her　into　submission　and　then　gang…fuck　her。　We　can　set　her　up　in　one　of　these　back…street　motels；　hang　pictures　of　Jesus　all　over　the　room；　then　turn　these　pigsloose　on　her。。。Hell；　she's　strong；　she'll　hold　her　own。〃　His　face　was　twitching　badly。　We　were　in　the　elevator　now；　descending　into　the　lobby。　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　he　muttered。　〃I　knew　you　were　sick；　but　I　never　expected　to　hear　you　actually　say　that　kind　of　stuff。〃　He　seemed　stunned。
　　I　laughed。　〃It's　straight　economics。　This　girl　is　a　godsend！〃　I　fixed　him　with　a　natural　Bogart　smile；　all　teeth　。。　。　Shit；　we're　almost　broke！　And　suddenly　you　pick　up　some　muscle…bound　loony　who　can　make　us　a　grand　a　day。〃
　　〃No！〃　he　shouted。　〃Stop　talking　like　that！〃　The　elevator　door　opened　and　we　walked　toward　the　parking　lot。
　　〃I　figure　she　can　do　about　four　at　a　time；〃　I　said。　〃Christ；　if　we　keep　her　full　of　acid　that's　more　like　two　grand　a　day；　maybe　three。〃
　　〃You　filthy　bastard！〃　he　sputtered。　〃I　should　cave　your　fucking　head　in！〃　He　was　squinting　at　me；　shielding　his　eyes　from　the　sun。　I　spotted　the　Whale　about　fifty　feet　from　the　door。　〃There　it　is；〃　I　said。　〃Not　a　bad　looking　car；　for　a　pimp　。。
　　He　groaned。　His　face　reflected　the　struggle　that　I　knew　he　was　having；　in　his　brain；　with　sporadic　acid　rushes：　Bad　waves　of　painful　intensity；　followed　by　total　confusion。　When　I　opened　the　trunk　of　the　Whale　to　get　the　bags；　he　got　angry。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃　he　snapped。　〃This　isn't　Lucy's　car。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃It's　mine。　This　is　my　luggage。〃
　　〃The　fuck　it　is！〃　he　shouted。　〃Just　because　I'm　a　goddamn　'I　lawyer　doesn't　mean　you　can　walk　around　stealing　stuff　right　in　front　of　me！〃　He　backed　away。　〃What　the　hell　is　wrong　with　you？　We'll　never　beat　a　rap　like　this。〃
　　
　　After　much　difficulty；　we　got　back　to　the　room　and　tried　to　have　a　serious　talk　with　Lucy。　I　felt　like　a　Nazi；　but　it　had　to　be　done。　She　was　not　right　for　us…not　in　this　fragile　situation。　It　was　bad　enough　if　she　were　only　what　she　appeared　to　be…a　strange　young　girl　in　the　throes　of　a　bad　psychotic　episode…but　what　worried　me　far　more　than　that　was　the　likelihood　that　she　would　probably　be　just　sane　enough；　in　a　few　hours；　to　work　herself　into　a　towering　Jesus…based　rage　at　the　hazy　recollection　of　being　picked　up　and　seduced　in　the　Los　Angeles　International　Airport　by　some　kind　of　cruel　Samoan　who　fed　her　liquor　and　LSD；　then　dragged　her　to　a　Vegas　hotel　room　and　savagely　penetrated　every　orifice　in　her　body　with　his　throbbing；　uncircumcised　member。
　　I　had　a　terrible　vision　of　Lucy　crashing　into　Barbra　Strei…sand's　dressing　room　at　the　Americana　and　laying　thisbrutal　story　on　her。　That　would　finish　us。　They　would　track　us　down　and　probably　castrate　us　both；　prior　to　booking　I　explained　this　to　my　attorney；　who　was　now　in　tears　at　the　idea　of　sending　Lucy　away。　She　was　still　powerfully　twisted；　and　I　felt　the　only　solution　was　to　get　her　as　far　as　possible　from　the　Flamingo　before　she　got　straight　enough　to　remember　where　she'd　been　and　what　happened　to　her。
　　Lucy；　while　we　argued；　was　lying　on　the　patio；　doing　a　charcoal　sketch　of　Barbra　Streisand。　From　memory　this　time。　It　was　a　full…faced　rendering；　with　teeth　like　baseballs　and　eyes　like　jellied　fire。
　　The　sheer　intensity　of　the　thing　made　me　nervous。　This　girl　was　a　walking　bomb。　God　only　knows　what　she　might　be　doing　with　all　that　mis…wired　energy　right　now　if　she　didn't　have　her　sketch　pad。　And　what　was　she　going　to　do　when　she　got　straight　enough　to　read　The　Vegas　Vistitor；　as　I　just　had；　and　learn　that　Streisand　wasn't　due　at　the　Americana　for　another　three　weeks？
　　My　attorney　finally　agreed　that　Lucy　would　have　to　go。　The　possibility　of　a　Mann　Act　conviction；　resulting　in　disbarment　proceedings　and　total　loss　of　his　livelihood；　was　a　key　factor　in　his　decision。　A　nasty　federal　rap。　Especially　for　a　monster　Samoan　facing　a　typical　white　middle…class　jury　in　Southern　California。
　　〃They　might　even　call　it　kidnapping；〃　I　said。　〃Straight　to　the　gas　chamber；　like　Chessman。　And　even　if　you　manage　to　beatthat；　they'll　send　you　back　to　Nevada　for　Rape　and　Congensual　Sodomy。〃
　　〃No！〃　he　shouted。　〃I　felt　sorry　for　the　girl；　I　wanted　to　help　her！〃　I　smiled。　〃That's　what　Fatty　Arbuckle　said；　and　you　know　what　they　did　to　him。〃
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Never　mind；〃　I　said。　〃Just　picture　yourself　telling　a　jury　that　you　tried　to　help　this　poor　girl　by　giving　her　LSD　and　then　taking　her　out　to　Vegas　for　one　of　your　special　stark…naked　back　rubs。〃　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃You're　right。　They'd　probably　burn　me　at　the　goddamn　stake。。。set　me　on　fire　right　there　in　the　dock。　Shit；　it　doesn't　pay　to　try　to　help　somebody　these　days　。。
　　We　coaxed　Lucy　down　to　the　car；　telling　her　that　we　thought　it　was　about　time　to　〃go　meet　Barbra。〃　We　had　no　trouble　convincing　her　that　she　should　take　all　her　artwork；　but　she　couldn't　understand　why　my　attorney　wanted　to　bring　her　suitcase　along。　〃I　don't　want　to　embarrass　her；〃　she　protested。　〃She'll　think　I'm　trying　to　move　in　with　her；　or　something。〃

　　〃No　she　won't；〃　I　said　quickly。。。but　that　was　all　I　could　think　of　to　say。　I　felt　like　Martin　Bormann。　What　would　happen　to　this　poor　wretch　when　we　cut　her　loose？　Jail？　White　slavery？　What　would　Dr。　Darwin　do　under　these　circumstances？　（Survival　of　the。。。fittest？　Was　that　the　proper　word？　Had　Darwin　ever　considered　the　idea　of　temporary　unfitness？　Like　〃temporary　insanity。〃　Could　the　Doctor　have　made　room　in　his　theory　for　a　thing　like　LSD？）　All　this　was　academic；　of　course。　Lucy　was　a　potentially　fatal　millstone　on　both　our　necks。　There　was　absolutely　no　choice　but　to　cut　her　adrift　and　hope　her　memory　was　fucked。　But　some　acid　victims…especially　nervous　mongoloids…have　a　strange　kind　of　idiot…sapient　capacity　for　remembering　odd　details　and　nothing　else。　It　was　possible　that　Lucy　might　spend　two　more　days　in　the　grip　of　total　amnesia；　then　snap　out　of　it　with　no　memory　of　anything　but　ourroom　number　at　the　Flamingo。。。。
　　I　thought　about　t