th.red dragon-第17部分

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　The　letter　seemed　too　diffident　and　shy　when　he　read　it　over。　He　had　signed　it　〃Avid　Fan。〃
　He　brooded　over　the　signature　for　several　minutes。
　〃Avid　Fan〃　indeed。　His　chin　rose　an　imperious　fraction。
　He　put　his　gloved　thumb　in　his　mouth；　removed　his　dentures；　and　placed　them　on　the　blotter。
　The　upper　plate　was　unusual。　The　teeth　were　normal；　straight　and　white；　but　the　pink　acrylic　upper　part　was　a　tortuous　shape　cast　to　fit　the　twists　and　fissures　of　his　gums。　Attached　to　the　plate　was　a　soft　plastic　prosthesis　with　an　obturator　on　top；　which　helped　him　dose　off　his　soft　palate　in　speech。
　He　took　a　small　case　from　his　desk。　It　held　another　set　of　teeth。　The　upper　casting　was　the　same；　but　there　was　no　prosthesis。　The　crooked　teeth　had　dark　stains　between　them　and　gave　off　a　faint　stench。
　They　were　identical　to　Grandmother's　teeth　in　the　bedside　glass　downstairs。
　Dolarhyde's　nostrils　flared　at　the　odor。　He　opened　his　sunken　smile　and　put　them　in　place　and　wet　them　with　his　tongue。
　He　folded　the　letter　across　the　signature　and　bit　down　hard　on　it。　When　he　opened　the　letter　again；　the　signature　was　enclosed　in　an　oval　bite　mark；　his　notary　seal；　an　imprimatur　flecked　with　old　blood。
　
　
　CHAPTER　12
　
　Attorney　Byron　Metcalf　took　off　his　tie　at　five　o'clock；　made　himself　a　drink；　and　put　his　feet　up　on　his　desk。
　〃Sure　you　won't　have　one？〃
　〃Another　time。〃　Graham；　picking　the　cockleburs　off　his　cuffs；　was　grateful　for　the　air　conditioning。
　〃I　didn't　know　the　Jacobis　very　well；〃　Metcalf　said。　〃They'd　only　been　here　three　months。　My　wife　and　I　were　there　for　drinks　a　couple　of　times。　Ed　Jacobi　came　to　me　for　a　new　will　soon　after　he　was　transferred　here；　that's　how　I　met　him。〃
　〃But　you're　his　executor。〃
　〃Yes。　His　wife　was　listed　first　as　executor；　then　me　as　alternate　in　case　she　was　deceased　or　infirm。　He　has　a　brother　in　Philadelphia；　but　I　gather　they　weren't　close。〃
　〃You　were　an　assistant　district　attorney。〃
　〃Yeah；　1968　to　'72。　I　tan　for　DA　in　'72。　It　was　close；　but　I　lost。　I'm　not　sorry　now。
　〃How　do　you　see　what　happened　here；　Mr。　Metcalf？〃
　〃The　first　thing　I　thought　about　was　Joseph　Yablonski；　the　labor　leader？〃
　Graham　nodded。
　〃A　crime　with　a　motive；　power　in　that　case；　disguised　as　an　insane　attack。　We　went　over　Ed　Jacobi's　papers　with　a　fine…tooth　b　…　Jerry　Estridge　from　the　DA's　office　and　I。
　〃Nothing。　Nobody　stood　to　make　much　money　off　Ed　Jacobi's　death。　He　made　a　big　salary　and　he　had　some　patents　paying　off；　but　he　spent　it　almost　as　fast　as　it　came　in。　Everything　was　to　go　to　the　wife；　with　a　little　land　in　California　entailed　to　the　kids　and　their　descendants。　He　had　a　small　spendthrift　trust　set　up　for　the　surviving　son。　It'll　pay　his　way　through　three　more　years　of　college。　I'm　sure　he'll　still　be　a　freshman　by　then。〃
　〃Niles　Jacobi。〃
　〃Yeah。　The　kid　gave　Ed　a　big　pain　in　the　ass。　He　lived　with　his　mother　in　California。　Went　to　Chino　for　theft。　I　gather　his　mother's　a　flake。　Ed　went　out　there　to　see　about　him　last　year。　Brought　him　back　to　Birmingham　and　put　him　in　school　at　Bardwell　munity　College。　Tried　to　keep　him　at　home；　but　he　dumped　on　the　other　kids　and　made　it　unpleasant　for　everybody。　Mrs。　Jacobi　put　up　with　it　for　a　while；　but　finally　they　moved　him　to　a　dorm。〃
　〃Where　was　he？〃
　〃On　the　night　of　June　28？〃　Metcalf's　eyes　were　hooded　as　he　looked　at　Graham。　〃The　police　wondered　about　that；　and　so　did　I。　He　went　to　a　movie　and　then　back　to　school。　It's　verified。　Besides；　he　has　type…O　blood。　Mr。　Graham；　I　have　to　pick　up　my　wife　in　half　an　hour。　We　can　talk　tomorrow　if　you　like。　Tell　me　how　I　can　help　you。
　〃I'd　like　to　see　the　Jacobis'　personal　effects。　Diaries；　pictures；　whatever。〃
　〃There's　not　much　of　that　…　they　lost　about　everything　in　a　fire　in　Detroit　before　they　moved　down　here。　Nothing　suspicious　…　Ed　was　welding　in　the　basement　and　the　sparks　got　into　some　paint　he　had　stored　down　there　and　the　house　went　up。
　〃There's　some　personal　correspondence。　I　have　it　in　the　lockboxes　with　the　small　valuables。　I　don't　remember　any　diaries。　Everything　else　is　in　storage。　Niles　may　have　some　pictures；　but　I　doubt　it。　Tell　you　what　…　I'm　going　to　court　at　nine…thirty　in　the　morning；　but　I　could　get　you　into　the　bank　to　look　at　the　stuff　and　e　back　by　for　you　afterward。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Graham　said。　〃One　other　thing。　I　could　use　copies　of　everything　to　do　with　the　probate：　claims　against　the　estate；　any　contest　of　the　will；　correspondence。　I'd　like　to　have　all　the　paper。
　〃The　Atlanta　DA's　office　asked　me　for　that　already。　They're　paring　with　the　Leeds　estate　in　Atlanta；　I　know；〃　Metcalf　said。
　〃Still；　I'd　like　copies　for　myself。〃
　〃Okay；　copies　to　you。　You　don't　really　think　it's　money；　though；　do　you？〃
　〃No。　I　just　keep　hoping　the　same　name　will　e　up　here　and　in　Atlanta。〃
　〃So　do　I。〃
　
　#　#　#
　
　Student　housing　at　Bardwell　munity　College　was　four　small　dormitory　buildings　set　around　a　littered　quadrangle　of　beaten　earth。　A　stereo　war　was　in　progress　when　Graham　got　there。
　Opposing　sets　of　speakers　on　the　motel…style　balconies　blared　at　each　other　across　the　quad。　It　was　Kiss　versus　the　1812　Overture。　A　water　balloon　arched　high　in　the　air　and　burst　on　the　ground　ten　feet　from　Graham。
　He　ducked　under　a　clothesline　and　stepped　over　a　bicycle　to　get　through　the　sitting　room　of　the　suite　Niles　Jacobi　shared。　The　door　to　Jacobi's　bedroom　was　ajar　and　music　blasted　through　the　crack。　Graham　knocked。
　No　response。
　He　pushed　open　the　door。　A　tall　boy　with　a　spotty　face　sat　on　one　of　the　twin　beds　sucking　on　a　four…foot　bong　pipe。　A　girl　in　dungarees　lay　on　the　other　bed。
　The　boy's　head　jerked　around　to　face　Graham。　He　was　struggling　to　think。
　〃I'm　looking　for　Niles　Jacobi。〃
　The　boy　appeared　stupefied。　Graham　switched　off　the　stereo。
　〃I'm　looking　for　Niles　Jacobi。〃
　〃Just　some　stuff　for　my　asthma；　man。　Don't　you　ever　knock？〃
　〃Where's　Niles　Jacobi？〃
　〃Fuck　if　I　know。　What　do　you　want　him　for？〃
　Graham　showed　him　the　tin。　〃Try　real　hard　to　remember。〃
　〃Oh；　shit；〃　the　girl　said。
　〃Narc；　goddammit。　I　ain't　worth　it；　look；　let's　talk　about　this　a　minute；　man。〃
　〃Let's　talk　about　where　Jacobi　is。〃
　〃I　think　I　can　find　out　for　you；〃　the　girl　said。　Graham　waited　while　she　asked　in　the　other　rooms。　Everywhere　she　went；　modes　flushed。
　There　were　few　traces　of　Niles　Jacobi　in　the　room　…　one　photograph　of　the　Jacobi　family　lay　on　a　dresser。　Graham　lifted　a　glass　of　melting　ice　off　it　and　wiped　away　the　wet　ring　with　his　sleeve。
　The　girl　returned。　〃Try　the　Hateful　Snake；〃　she　said。
　
　#　#　#
　
　The　Hateful　Snake　bar　was　in　a　storefront　with　the　windows　painted　dark　green。　The　vehicles　parked　outside　were　an　odd　assortment；　big　trucks　looking　bobtailed　without　their　trailers；　pact　cars；　a　lilac　convertible；　old　Dodges　and　Chevrolets　crippled　with　high　rear　ends　for　the　drag…strip　look；　four　full…dress　Harley…Davidsons。
　An　air　conditioner；　mounted　in　the　transom　over　the　door；　dripped　steadily　onto　the　sidewalk。
　Graham　ducked　around　the　dribble　and　went　inside。
　The　place　was　crowded　and　smelled　of　disinfectant　and　stale　Canoe。　The　bartender；　a　husky　woman　in　overalls；　reached　over　heads　at　the　service　bar　to　hand　Graham　his　Coke。　She　was　the　only　woman　there。
　Niles　Jacobi；　dark　and　razor…thin；　was　at　the　jukebox。　He　put　the　money　in　the　machine；　but　the　man　beside　him　pushed　the　buttons。
　Jacobi　looked　like　a　dissolute　schoolboy；　but　the　one　selecting　the　music　did　not。
　Jacobi's　panion　was　a　strange　mixture；　he　had　a　boyish　face　on　a　knobby；　muscular　body。　He　wore　a　T…shirt　and　jeans；　worn　white　over　the　objects　in　his　pockets。　His　arms　were　knotty　with　muscle；　and　he　had　large；　ugly　hands。　One　professional　tattoo　on　his　left　forearm　said　〃Born　to　Fuck。〃　A　crude　jailhouse　tattoo　on　his　other　arm　said　〃Randy。〃　His　short　jail　haircut　had　grown　out　unevenly。　As　he　reached　for　a　button　on　the　lighted　jukebox；　Graham　saw　a　small　shaved　patch　on　his　forearm。
　Graham　felt　a　cold　place　in　his　stomach。
　He　followed　Niles　Jacobi　and　〃Randy〃　through　the　crowd　to　the　back　of　the　room。　They　sat　in　a　booth。
　Graham　stopped　two　feet　from　the　table。
　〃Niles；　my　name　is　Will　Graham。　I　need　to　talk　with　you　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　Randy　looked　up　with　a　bright　false　smile。　One　of　his　front　teeth　was　dead。　〃Do　I　know　you？〃
　〃No。　Niles；　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃
　Niles　arched　a　quizzical　eyebrow。　Graham　wondered　what　had　happened　to　him　in　Chino。
　〃We　were　having　a　private　conversation　here。　Butt　out；〃　Randy　said。
　Graham　looked　thoughtfully　at　the　marred　muscular　forearms；　the　dot　of　adhesive　in　the　crook　of　the　elbow；　the　shaved　patch　where　Randy　had　tested　the　edge　of　his　knife。　Knife　fighter's　mange。
　I'm　afraid　of　Randy。　Fire　or　fall　back。
　〃Did　you　hear　me？〃　Randy　said。　〃Butt　out。〃
　Graham　unbuttoned　his　jacket　and　put　his　identification　on　the　table。
　〃Sit　still；　Randy。　If　you　try　to　get　up；　you're　gonna　have　two　navels。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　sir。〃　Instant　inmate　sincerity。
　〃Randy；　I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me。　I　want　you　to　reach　in　your　left　back　pocket。　Just　use　two　fingers。　You'll　find　a　five…inch　knife　in　there　with　a　Flicket　clamped　to　the　blade。　Put　it　on　the　table。　。　。　。　Thank　you。〃
　Graham　dropped　the　knife　into　his　pocket。　It　felt　greasy。　〃Now；　in　your　other　pocket　is　your　wallet。　Get　it　out。　You　sold　some　blood　today；　didn't　you？〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃So　hand　me　the　slip　they　gave　you；　the　one　you　show　next　time　at　the　blood　bank。　Spread　it　out　on　the　table。〃
　Randy　had　type…O　blood。　Scratch　Randy。
　〃How　long　have　you　been　out　of　jail？〃
　〃Three　weeks。〃
　〃Who's　your　parole　officer？〃
　〃I'm　not　on　parole。〃
　〃That's　probably　a　lie。〃　Graham　wanted　to　roust　Randy。　He　could　get　him　for　carrying　a　knife　over　the　legal　length。　Being　in　a　place　with　a　liquor　license　was　a　parole　violation。　Graham　knew　he　was　angry　at　Randy　because　he　had　feared　him。
　〃Randy。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Get　out。〃
　
　#　#　#
　
　〃I　don't　know　what　I　can　tell　you；　I　didn't　know　my　father　very　well；〃　Niles　Jacobi　said　as　Graham　drove　him　to　the　school。　〃He　left　Mother　when　I　was　three；　and　I　didn't　see　him　after　that　…　Mother　wouldn't　have　it。〃
　〃He　came　to　see　you　last　spring。〃
　〃Yes。