th.red dragon-第7部分

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　Lewis　cranked　his　truck　and　drove　on　down　the　alley。　Now　he　would　have　to　find　another　place　to　finish　his　lunch。　He　was　sorry。　The　big　shade　tree　had　been　a　good　lunch　place　for　years。
　It　was　directly　behind　Charles　Leeds's　house。
　
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　At　five…thirty　P。M。　Hoyt　Lewis　drove　in　his　own　automobile　to　the　Cloud　Nine　Lounge；　where　he　had　several　boilermakers　to　ease　his　mind。
　When　he　called　his　estranged　wife；　all　he　could　think　of　to　say　was　〃I　wish　you　was　still　fixing　my　lunch。〃
　〃You　ought　to　have　thought　about　that；　Mr。　Smarty；〃　she　said；　and　hung　up。
　He　played　a　gloomy　game　of　shuffleboard　with　some　linemen　and　a　dispatcher　from　Georgia　Power　and　looked　over　the　crowd。　Goddamned　airline　clerks　had　started　ing　in　the　Cloud　Nine。　All　had　the　same　little　mustache　and　pinkie　ring。　Pretty　soon　they'd　be　fixing　the　Cloud　Nine　English　with　a　damned　dart　board。　You　can't　depend　on　nothing。
　〃Hey；　Hoyt。　I'll　match　you　for　a　bottle　of　beer。〃　It　was　his　supervisor；　Billy　Meeks。
　〃Say；　Billy；　I　need　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃What's　up？〃
　〃You　know　that　old　son　of　a　bitch　Parsons　that's　all　the　time　calling　up？〃
　〃Called　me　last　week；　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　Meeks　said。　〃What　about　him？〃
　〃He　said　somebody　was　reading　my　route　ahead　of　me；　like　maybe　somebody　thought　I　wasn't　making　the　rounds。　You　don't　think　I'm　reading　meters　at　home；　do　you？〃
　〃Nope。〃
　〃You　don't　think　that；　do　you？　I　mean；　if　I'm　on　a　man's　shit　list　I　want　him　to　e　right　out　and　say　it。〃
　〃If　you　was　on　my　shit　list；　you　think　I'd　be　scared　to　say　so　to　your　face？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃All　right；　then。　If　anybody　was　checking　your　route；　I'd　know　it。　Your　executives　is　always　aware　of　a　situation　like　that。　Nobody's　checking　up　on　you；　Hoyt。　You　can't　pay　any　attention　to　Parsons；　he's　just　old　and　contrary。　He　called　me　up　last　week　and　said；　'Congratulations　on　getting　wise　to　that　Hoyt　Lewis。'　I　didn't　pay　him　any　mind。〃
　〃I　wish　we'd　put　the　law　on　him　about　that　meter；〃　Lewis　said。　〃I　was　just　setting　back　there　in　the　alley　under　a　tree　trying　to　eat　my　lunch　today　and　he　jumped　me。　What　he　needs　is　a　good　ass…kicking。〃
　〃I　used　to　set　back　there　myself　when　I　had　the　route；〃　Meeks　said。　〃Boy；　I　tell　you　one　time　I　seen　Mrs。　Leeds　…　well；　it　don't　seem　right　to　talk　about　it　now　she's　dead　…　but　one　or　two　times　she　was　out　there　sunning　herself　in　the　backyard　in　her　swimming　suit。　Whooee。　Had　a　cute　little　peter　belly。　That　was　a　damn　shame　about　them。　She　was　a　nice　lady。〃
　〃Did　they　catch　anybody　yet？〃
　〃Naw。〃
　〃Too　bad　he　got　the　Leedses　when　old　Parsons　was　right　down　the　street　convenient；〃　Lewis　observed。
　〃I'll　tell　you　what；　I　don't　let　my　old　lady　lay　around　out　in　the　yard　in　no　swimming　suit。　She　goes　'Silly　Billy；　who's　gonna　see　me？'　I　told　her；　I　said　you　can't　tell　what　kind　of　a　insane　bastard　might　jump　over　that　hedge　with　his　private　out。　Did　the　cops　talk　to　you？　Ask　you　had　you　seen　anybody？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　think　they　got　everybody　that　has　a　route　out　there。　Mailmen；　everybody。　I　was　working　Laurelwood　on　the　other　side　of　Betty　Jane　Drive　the　whole　week　until　today；　though。〃　Lewis　picked　at　the　label　on　his　beer。　〃You　say　Parsons　called　you　up　last　week？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Then　he　must　have　saw　somebody　reading　his　meter。　He　wouldn't　have　called　in　if　he'd　just　made　it　up　today　to　bother　me。　You　say　you　didn't　send　nobody；　and　it　sure　wasn't　me　he　saw。〃
　〃Might　have　been　Southeastern　Bell　checking　something。〃
　〃Might　have　been。〃
　〃We　don't　share　poles　out　there；　though。〃
　〃Reckon　I　ought　to　call　the　cops？〃
　〃Wouldn't　hurt　nothing；〃　Meeks　said。
　〃Naw；　it　might　do　Parsons　some　good；　talk　with　the　law。　Scare　the　shit　out　of　him　when　they　drive　up；　anyhow。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　5
　
　Graham　went　back　to　the　Leeds　house　in　the　late　afternoon。　He　entered　through　the　front　door　and　tried　not　to　look　at　the　ruin　the　killer　had　left。　So　far　he　had　seen　files；　a　killing　floor　and　meat　…　all　aftermath。　He　knew　a　fair　amount　about　how　they　died。　How　they　lived　was　on　his　mind　today。
　A　survey；　then。　The　garage　contained　a　good　ski　boat；　well　used　and　well　maintained；　and　a　station　wagon。　Golf　clubs　were　there；　and　a　trail　bike。　The　power　tools　were　almost　unused。　Adult　toys。
　Graham　took　a　wedge　from　the　golf　bag　and　had　to　choke　up　on　the　long　shaft　as　he　made　a　jerky　swing。　The　bag　puffed　a　smell　of　leather　at　him　as　he　leaned　it　back　against　the　wall。　Charles　Leeds's　things。
　Graham　pursued　Charles　Leeds　through　the　house。　His　hunting　prints　hung　in　the　den。　His　set　of　the　Great　Books　were　all　in　a　row。　Sewanee　annuals。　H。　Allen　Smith　and　Perelman　and　Max　Shulman　on　the　bookshelves。　Vonnegut　and　Evelyn　Waugh。　C。　S。　Forrester's　Beat　to　Quarters　was　open　on　a　table。
　In　the　den　closet　a　good　skeet　gun；　a　Nikon　camera；　a　Bolex　Super　Eight　movie　camera　and　projector。
　Graham；　who　owned　almost　nothing　except　basic　fishing　equipment；　a　third…hand　Volkswagen；　and　two　cases　of　Montrachet；　felt　a　mild　animosity　toward　the　adult　toys　and　wondered　why。
　Who　was　Leeds？　A　successful　tax　attorney；　a　Sewanee　footballer；　a　rangy　man　who　liked　to　laugh；　a　man　who　got　up　and　fought　with　his　throat　cut。
　Graham　followed　him　through　the　house　out　of　an　odd　sense　of　obligation。　Learning　about　him　first　was　a　way　of　asking　permission　to　look　at　his　wife。
　Graham　felt　that　it　was　she　who　drew　the　monster；　as　surely　as　a　singing　cricket　attracts　death　from　the　red…eyed　fly。
　Mrs。　Leeds；　then。
　She　had　a　small　dressing　room　upstairs。　Graham　managed　to　reach　it　without　looking　around　the　bedroom。　The　room　was　yellow　and　appeared　undisturbed　except　for　the　smashed　mirror　above　the　dressing　table。　A　pair　of　L。　L。　Bean　moccasins　was　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　closet；　as　though　she　had　just　stepped　out　of　them。　Her　dressing　gown　appeared　to　have　been　flung　on　its　peg；　and　the　closet　revealed　the　mild　disorder　of　a　woman　who　has　many　other　closets　to　organize。
　Mrs。　Leeds's　diary　was　in　a　plum　velvet　box　on　the　dressing　table。　The　key　was　taped　to　the　lid　along　with　a　check　tag　from　the　police　property　room。
　Graham　sat　on　a　spindly　white　chair　and　opened　the　diary　at　random：
　
　　　　December　23rd；　Tuesday；　Mama's　house。　The　children　are　still　asleep。　When　Mama　glassed　in　the　sun　porch；　I　hated　the　way　it　changed　the　looks　of　the　house；　but　it's　very　pleasant　and　I　can　sit　here　warm　looking　out　at　the　snow。　How　many　more　Christmases　can　she　manage　a　houseful　of　grandchildren？　A　lot；　I　hope。
　　　　A　hard　drive　yesterday　up　from　Atlanta；　snowing　after　Raleigh。　We　had　to　creep。　I　was　tired　anyway　from　getting　everyone　ready。　Outside　Chapel　Hill；　Charlie　stopped　the　car　and　got　out。　He　snapped　some　icicles　off　a　branch　to　make　me　a　martini。　He　came　back　to　the　car；　long　legs　lifting　high　in　the　snow；　and　there　was　snow　in　his　hair　and　on　his　eyelashes　and　I　remembered　that　I　love　him。　It　felt　like　something　breaking　with　a　little　pain　and　spilling　warm。
　　　　I　hope　the　parka　fits　him。　If　he　got　me　that　tacky　dinner　ring；　I'll　die。　I　could　kick　Madelyn's　big　cellulite　behind　for　showing　hers　and　carrying　on。　Four　ridiculously　big　diamonds　the　color　of　dirty　ice。　Icicle　ice　is　so　clear。　The　sun　came　through　the　car　window　and　where　the　icicle　was　broken　off　it　stuck　up　out　of　the　glass　and　made　a　little　prism。　It　made　a　spot　of　red　and　green　on　my　hand　holding　the　glass。　I　could　feel　the　colors　on　my　hand。
　　　　He　asked　me　what　I　want　for　Christmas　and　I　cupped　my　hands　around　his　ear　and　whispered：　Your　big　prick；　silly；　in　as　far　as　it　will　go。
　　　　The　bald　spot　on　the　back　of　his　head　turned　red。　He's　ahvays　afraid　the　children　will　hear。　Men　have　no　confidence　in　whispers。
　
　The　page　was　flecked　with　detective's　cigar　ash。
　Graham　read　on　as　the　light　faded；　through　the　daughter's　tonsillectomy；　and　a　scare　in　June　when　Mrs。　Leeds　found　a　small　lump　in　her　breast。　（Dear　God；　the　children　are　so　small。）
　Three　pages　later　the　lump　was　a　small　benign　cyst；　easily　removed。
　
　Dr。　Janovich　turned　me　loose　this　afternoon。　We　left　the　hospital　and　drove　to　the　pond。　We　hadn't　been　there　in　a　long　while。　There　never　seems　to　be　enough　time。　Charlie　had　two　bottles　of　champagre　on　ice　and　we　drank　them　and　fed　the　ducks　while　the　sun　went　down。　He　stood　at　edge　of　the　water　with　his　back　to　me　for　a　while　and　I　think　he　cried　a　little。
　Susan　said　she　was　afraid　we　were　ing　home　from　the　hospital　with　another　brother　for　her。　Home！
　
　Graham　heard　the　telephone　ring　in　the　bedroom。　A　click　and　the　hum　of　an　answering　machine。　〃Hello；　this　is　Valerie　Leeds。　I'm　sorry　I　can't　e　to　the　phone　right　now；　but　if　you'll　leave　your　name　and　number　after　the　tone；　we'll　get　back　to　you。　Thank　you。〃
　Graham　half…expected　to　hear　Crawford's　voice　after　the　beep；　but　there　was　only　the　dial　tone。　The　caller　had　hung　up。
　He　had　heard　her　voice；　now　he　wanted　to　see　her。　He　went　down　to　the　den。
　
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　He　had　in　his　pocket　a　reel　of　Super　Eight　movie　film　belonging　to　Charles　Leeds。　Three　weeks　before　his　death；　Leeds　had　left　the　film　with　a　druggist　who　sent　it　away　for　processing。　He　never　picked　it　up。　Police　found　the　receipt　in　Leeds's　wallet　and　got　the　film　from　the　druggist。　Detectives　viewed　the　home　movie　along　with　family　snapshots　developed　at　the　same　time　and　found　nothing　of　interest。
　Graham　wanted　to　see　the　Leedses　alive。　At　the　police　station；　the　detectives　had　offered　Graham　their　projector。　He　wanted　to　watch　the　movie　at　the　house。　Reluctantly　they　let　him　check　it　out　of　the　property　room。
　Graham　found　the　screen　and　projector　in　the　den　closet；　set　them　up；　and　sat　down　in　Charles　Leeds's　big　leather　armchair　to　watch。　He　felt　something　tacky　on　the　chair　arm　under　his　palm　…　a　child's　sticky　fingerprints　fuzzed　with　lint。　Graham's　hand　smelled　like　candy。
　It　was　a　pleasant　little　silent　home　movie；　more　imaginative　than　most。　It　opened　with　a　dog；　a　gray　Scotty；　asleep　on　the　den　rug。　The　dog　was　disturbed　momentarily　by　the　moviemaking　and　raised　his　head　to　look　at　the　camera。　Then　he　went　to　sleep　again。　A　jumpy　cut　to　the　dog　still　asleep。　Then　the　Scotty's　ears　perked　up。　He　rose　and　barked；　and　the　camera　followed　him　into　the　kitchen　as　he　ran　to　the　door　and