th.red dragon-第23部分

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　〃This　crazy　guy　wants　to　kill　you；　does　he？〃
　〃We　don't　know　that。　I　just　didn't　feel　easy　with　him　knowing　where　the　house　is。〃
　〃You　gonna　kill　him？〃
　Graham　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment。　〃No。　It's　just　my　job　to　find　him。　They'll　put　him　in　a　mental　hospital　so　they　can　treat　him　and　keep　him　from　hurting　anybody。〃
　〃Tommy's　mother　had　this　little　newspaper；　Will。　It　said　you　killed　a　guy　in　Minnesota　and　you　were　in　a　mental　hospital。　I　never　knew　that。　Is　it　true？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　started　to　ask　Mom；　but　I　figured　I'd　ask　you。〃
　〃I　appreciate　your　asking　me　straight　out。　It　wasn't　just　a　mental　hospital；　they　treat　everything。〃　The　distinction　seemed　important。　〃I　was　in　the　psychiatric　wing。　It　bothers　you；　finding　out　I　was　in　there。　Because　I'm　married　to　your　mom。
　〃I　told　my　dad　I'd　take　care　of　her。　I'll　do　it；　too。〃
　Graham　felt　he　had　to　tell　Willy　enough。　He　didn't　want　to　tell　him　too　much。
　The　lights　went　out　in　the　kitchen。　He　could　see　Molly's　dim　outline　inside　the　screen　door　and　he　felt　the　weight　of　her　judgment。　Dealing　with　Willy　he　was　handling　her　heart。
　Willy　clearly　did　not　know　what　to　ask　next。　Graham　did　it　for　him。
　〃The　hospital　part　was　after　the　business　with　Hobbs。〃
　〃You　shot　him？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How'd　it　happen？〃
　〃To　begin　with；　Garrett　Hobbs　was　insane。　He　was　attacking　college　girls　and　he　…　。　。　。　killed　them。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃With　a　knife；　anyway　I　found　a　little　curly　piece　of　metal　in　the　clothes　one　of　the　girls　had　on。　It　was　the　kind　of　shred　a　pipe　threader　makes　…　remember　when　we　fixed　the　shower　outside？
　〃I　was　taking　a　look　at　a　lot　of　steamfitters；　plumbers　and　people。　lt　took　a　long　time。　Hobbs　had　left　this　resignation　letter　at　a　construction　job　I　was　checking。　I　saw　it　and　it　was　。　。　。　peculiar。　He　wasn't　working　anywhere；　and　I　had　to　find　him　at　home。
　〃I　was　going　up　the　stairs　in　Hobbs's　apartment　house。　A　uniformed　officer　was　with　me。　Hobbs　must　have　seen　us　ing。　I　was　halfway　up　to　his　landing　when　he　shoved　his　wife　out　the　door　and　she　came　falling　down　the　stairs　dead。〃
　〃He　had　killed　her？〃
　〃Yeah。　So　I　asked　the　officer　I　was　with　to　call　for　SWAT；　to　get　some　help。　But　then　I　could　hear　kids　in　there　and　some　screaming。　I　wanted　to　wait；　but　I　couldn't。〃
　〃You　went　in　the　apartment？〃
　〃I　did。　Hobbs　had　caught　this　girl　from　behind　and　he　had　a　knife。　He　was　cutting　her　with　it。　And　I　shot　him。〃
　〃Did　the　girl　die？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃She　got　all　right？〃
　〃After　a　while；　yes。　She's　all　right　now。
　Willy　digested　this　silently。　Faint　music　came　from　an　anchored　sailboat。
　Graham　could　leave　things　out　for　Willy；　but　he　couldn't　help　seeing　them　again　himself。
　He　left　out　Mrs。　Hobbs　on　the　landing　clutching　at　him；　stabbed　so　many　times。　Seeing　she　was　gone；　hearing　the　screaming　from　the　apartment；　prying　the　slick　red　fingers　off　and　cracking　his　shoulder　before　the　door　gave　in。　Hobbs　holding　his　own　daughter　busy　cutting　her　neck　when　he　could　get　to　it；　her　struggling　with　her　chin　tucked　down；　the　。38　knocking　chunks　out　of　him　and　he　still　cutting　and　he　wouldn't　go　down。　Hobbs　sitting　on　the　floor　crying　and　the　girl　rasping。　Holding　her　down　and　seeing　Hobbs　had　gotten　through　the　windpipe；　but　not　the　arteries。　The　daughter　looked　at　him　with　wide　glazed　eyes　and　at　her　father　sitting　on　the　floor　crying　〃See？　See？〃　until　he　fell　over　dead。
　That　was　where　Graham　lost　his　faith　in　。38's。
　〃Willy；　the　business　with　Hobbs；　it　bothered　me　a　lot。　You　know；　I　kept　it　on　my　mind　and　I　saw　it　over　and　over。　I　got　so　I　couldn't　think　about　much　else。　I　kept　thinking　there　must　be　some　way　I　could　have　handled　it　better。　And　then　I　quit　feeling　anything。　I　couldn't　eat　and　I　stopped　talking　to　anybody。　I　got　really　depressed。　So　a　doctor　asked　me　to　go　into　the　hospital；　and　I　did。　After　a　while　I　got　some　distance　on　it。　The　girl　that　got　hurt　in　Hobbs's　apartment　came　to　see　me。　She　was　okay　and　we　talked　a　lot。　Finally　I　put　it　aside　and　went　back　to　work。〃
　〃Killing　somebody；　even　if　you　have　to　do　it；　it　feels　that　bad？〃
　〃Willy；　it's　one　of　the　ugliest　things　in　the　world。〃
　〃Say；　I'm　going　in　the　kitchen　for　a　minute。　You　want　something；　a　Coke？〃　Willy　liked　to　bring　Graham　things；　but　he　always　made　it　a　casual　adjunct　to　something　he　was　going　to　do　anyway。　No　special　trip　or　anything。
　〃Sure；　a　Coke。〃
　〃Mom　ought　to　e　out　and　look　at　the　lights。〃
　
　#　#　#
　
　Late　in　the　night　Graham　and　Molly　sat　in　the　back…porch　swing。　Light　rain　fell　and　the　boat　lights　cast　grainy　halos　on　the　mist。　The　breeze　off　the　bay　raised　goose　bumps　on　their　arms。
　〃This　could　take　a　while；　couldn't　it？〃　Molly　said。
　〃I　hope　it　won't；　but　it　might。〃
　〃Will；　Evelyn　said　she　could　keep　the　shop　for　this　week　and　four　days　next　week。　But　I've　got　to　go　back　to　Marathon；　at　least　for　a　day　or　two　when　my　buyers　e。　I　could　stay　with　Evelyn　and　Sam。　I　should　go　to　market　in　Atlanta　myself。　I　need　to　be　ready　for　September。〃
　〃Does　Evelyn　know　where　you　are？〃
　〃I　just　told　her　Washington。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃It's　hard　to　have　anything；　isn't　it？　Rare　to　get　it；　hard　to　keep　it。　This　is　a　damn　slippery　planet。〃
　〃Slick　as　hell。〃
　〃We'll　be　back　in　Sugarloaf；　won't　we？〃
　〃Yes　we　will。〃
　〃Don't　get　in　a　hurry　and　hang　it　out　too　far。　You　won't　do　that？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Are　you　going　back　early？〃
　He　had　talked　to　Crawford　half　an　hour　on　the　phone。
　〃A　little　before　lunch。　If　you're　going　to　Marathon　at　all；　there's　something　we　need　to　tend　to　in　the　morning。　Willy　can　fish。〃
　〃He　had　to　ask　you　about　the　other。〃
　〃I　know；　I　don't　blame　him。〃
　〃Damn　that　reporter；　what's　his　name？〃
　〃Lounds。　Freddy　Lounds。〃
　〃I　think　maybe　you　hate　him。　And　I　wish　I　hadn't　brought　it　up。　Let's　go　to　bed　and　I'll　rub　your　back。〃
　Resentment　raised　a　minute　blister　in　Graham。　He　had　justified　himself　to　an　eleven…year…old。　The　kid　said　it　was　okay　that　he　had　been　in　the　rubber　Ramada。　Now　she　was　going　to　rub　his　back。　Let's　go　to　bed　…　it's　okay　with　Willy。
　When　you　feel　strain；　keep　your　mouth　shut　if　you　can。
　〃If　you　want　to　think　awhile；　I'll　let　you　alone；〃　she　said。
　He　didn't　want　to　think。　He　definitely　did　not。　〃You　rub　my　back　and　I'll　rub　your　front；〃　he　said。
　〃Go　to　it；　Buster。〃
　
　#　#　#
　
　Winds　aloft　carried　the　thin　rain　out　over　the　bay　and　by　nine　A。M。　the　ground　steamed。　The　far　targets　on　the　sheriff's　department　range　seemed　to　flinch　in　the　wavy　air。
　The　rangemaster　watched　through　his　binoculars　until　he　was　sure　the　man　and　woman　at　the　far　end　of　the　firing　line　were　observing　the　safety　rules。
　The　Justice　Department　credentials　the　man　showed　when　he　asked　to　use　the　range　said　〃Investigator。〃　That　could　be　anything。　The　rangemaster　did　not　approve　of　anyone　other　than　a　qualified　instructor　teaching　pistolcraft。
　Still；　he　had　to　admit　the　fed　knew　what　he　was　doing。
　They　were　only　using　a　。22…caliber　revolver　but　he　was　teaching　the　woman　bat　shooting　from　the　Weaver　stance；　left　foot　slightly　forward；　a　good　two…handed　grip　on　the　revolver　with　isometric　tension　in　the　arms。　She　was　firing　at　the　silhouette　target　seven　yards　in　front　of　her。　Again　and　again　she　brought　the　weapon　up　from　the　outside　pocket　of　her　shoulderbag。　It　went　on　until　the　rangemaster　was　bored　with　it。
　A　change　in　the　sound　brought　the　rangemaster's　glasses　up　again。　They　had　the　earmuffs　on　now　and　she　was　working　with　a　short；　chunky　revolver。　The　rangemaster　recognized　the　pop　of　the　light　target　loads。
　He　could　see　the　pistol　extended　in　her　hands　and　it　interested　him。　He　strolled　along　the　firing　line　and　stood　a　few　yards　behind　them。
　He　wanted　to　examine　the　pistol；　but　this　was　not　a　good　time　to　interrupt。　He　got　a　good　look　at　it　as　she　shucked　out　the　empties　and　popped　in　five　from　a　speedloader。
　Odd　arm　for　a　fed。　It　was　a　Bulldog　。44　Special；　short　and　ugly　with　its　startling　big　bore。　It　had　been　extensively　modified　by　Mag　Na　Port。　The　barrel　was　vented　near　the　muzzle　to　help　keep　the　muzzle　down　on　recoil；　the　hammer　was　bobbed　and　it　had　a　good　set　of　fat　grips。　He　suspected　it　was　throated　for　the　speedloader。　One　hell　of　a　mean　pistol　when　it　was　loaded　with　what　the　fed　had　waiting。　He　wondered　how　the　woman　would　stand　up　to　it。
　The　ammunition　on　the　stand　beside　them　was　an　interesting　progression。　First　there　was　a　box　of　lightly　loaded　wadcutters。　Then　came　regular　service　hardball；　and　last　was　something　the　range…master　had　read　much　about　but　had　rarely　seen。　A　row　of　Glaser　Safety　Slugs。　The　tips　looked　like　pencil　erasers。　Behind　each　tip　was　a　copper　jacket　containing　number…twelve　shot　suspended　in　liquid　Teflon。
　The　light　projectile　was　designed　to　fly　at　tremendous　velocity；　smash　into　the　target　and　release　the　shot。　In　meat　the　results　were　devastating。　The　rangemaster　even　recalled　the　figures。　Ninety　Glasers　had　been　fired　at　men　so　far。　All　ninety　were　instant　one…shot　stops。　In　eighty…nine　of　the　cases　immediate　death　resulted。　One　man　survived；　surprising　the　doctors。　The　Glaser　round　had　a　safety　advantage；　too　…　no　ricochets；　and　it　would　not　go　through　a　wall　and　kill　someone　in　the　next　room。
　The　man　was　very　gentle　with　her　and　encouraging；　but　he　seemed　sad　about　something。
　The　woman　had　worked　up　to　the　full　service　loads　now　and　the　rangemaster　was　pleased　to　see　she　handled　the　recoil　very　well；　both　eyes　open　and　no　flinch。　True；　it　took　her　maybe　four　seconds　to　get　the　first　one　off；　ing　up　from　the　bag；　but　three　were　in　the　X　ring。　Not　bad　for　a　beginner。　She　had　some　talent。
　He　had　been　back　in　the　tower　for　some　time　when　he　heard　the　hellish　racket　of　the　Glasers　going　off。
　She　was　pumping　all　five。　It　was　not　standard　federal　practice。　The　rangemaster　wondered　what　in　God's　name　they　saw　in　the　silhouette　that　it　would　take　five　Glasers　to　kill。
　Graham　came　to　the　tower　to　turn　in　the　earmuffs；　leaving　his　pupil　sitting　on　a　bench；　head　down；　her　elbows　on　her　knees。
　The　rangemaster　thought　he　should　be　pleased　with　her；　and　told　him　so。　She　had　e　a　long　way　in　one　day。　Graham　thanked　him　absently。　His　expression　puzzled　the　rangemaster。　He　looked　like　a　man　who　had　witnessed　an　irrevocable　loss