emb.seethemdie-第21部分

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　〃Here；　take　it；〃　he　said；　handing　her　the　handkerchief。　〃I　hardly　used　it　yet。〃
　She　took　the　handkerchief　and　blew　her　nose。
　〃You　want　some　ices？〃　Zip　asked　lamely。
　〃No。　Zip；　you　won't　hurt　him；　will　you？　He　did　nothing　to　me；　believe　me。　He's　a　nice　boy。〃
　Zip　did　not　answer。
　〃You'll　be　doing　something　very　wrong　if　you　hurt　him。〃
　〃You　ain't　sore　at　me；　are　you？〃　His　voice　dropped。　〃Like　because　I　said　you　was　my　girl？〃
　〃No。　I'm　not　sore。〃
　〃I　won't　say　it　no　more；〃　he　said　gently。　He　shrugged。　〃I　don't　even　know　why　I　said　it。〃　He　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Except　maybe　because　you're　so　nice；　you　know？〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　answered；　and　she　smiled　weakly。　She　handed　him　the　handkerchief。　〃I　got　it　all　wet。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　okay；　that's　okay。〃　He　shrugged。　〃You　feel　a　little　better　now？〃
　〃A　little。〃
　〃You　really　shouldn't　cry；　China。　It's　a　sin　to　cry　unless　like　something　serious　happens；　you　know？　Like　unless　you　lost　somebody　or　something。〃
　〃I　did　lose　somebody；　Zip。〃　Her　eyes　clouded　for　an　instant；　and　then　she　shook　her　head。　〃You　promised？　About　Alfredo？〃
　〃Well；　I　didn't　exactly。。。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　want　you　to　get　into　trouble；〃　she　said。
　He　stared　at　her　as　if　she　had　uttered　the　words　in　Russian。　His　brow　furrowed。　He　kept　staring　at　her。　The　concept　seemed　new　to　him。　Nor　could　he　understand　her　concern。　It　wasn't　as　if　she　was　struck　on　him　or　anything；　he　knew　lots　of　girls　who　were；　but　China　wasn't。　So　what　was　it？　Why　should　she　give　a　damn　about　him　one　way　or　the　other？　And　yet；　he　knew　she　wasn't　lying。　Standing　with　her；　he　knew　that　she　was　as　much　concerned　for　his　safety　as　she　was　for　Alfie's。
　〃I　got　to　think　about　it；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　think　about　it。　Please。〃　She　touched　his　hand　briefly；　and　started　off　toward　the　corner。
　He　watched　her　go；　a　frown　on　his　face。
　〃Pidaguas；〃　the　man　at　the　cart　said。
　Zip　nodded。　The　man　had　put　the　five　cups　of　ices　into　a　cardboard　container。　Zip　paid　him；　and　then　picked　up　the　container　with　both　hands。　He　kept　frowning；　and　then　the　frown　disappeared；　and　his　face　broke　into　a　grin　as　he　turned　back　toward　the　packing　crate。
　Frankie　Hernandez　had　reached　the　hanging　ladder　of　the　fire　escape。
　Be　careful　with　those　buttets；　he　thought。　If　you　dumb　bastards　put　them　any　lower；　you'll　hit　me。　And　that　would　be　the　end　of　this　Uttk　caper。
　Bracing　himself；　the　gun　in　his　holster　now；　he　leaped　up　for　the　hanging　ladder；　missed；　and　dropped　silently　to　the　pavement。　He　flattened　himself　against　the　building　and　looked　up。　The　volley　from　the　rooftops　was　effectively　keeping　Miranda　away　from　the　windows。　He　moved　out；　jumped　for　the　ladder　again；　caught　it　with　one　hand；　reached　up　with　the　second　hand；　and　then；　hand　over　hand；　began　climbing。　The　ladder　began　to　drop　as　he　climbed；　inching　on　squeaking；　rusted　iron　hinges；　drowned　out　by　the　roar　of　the　guns　from　across　the　street。　He　drew　his　。38；　hefted　it　in　his　hand；　and　began　climbing　the　remaining　rungs　to　the　fire　escape。
　The　people　in　the　street　watched　him　silently。
　The　guns　showered　destruction　against　the　front　of　the　building。
　Zip　was　still　smiling　when　he　reached　the　crate；　still　thinking　of　what　China　had　said。　Somehow；　he　felt　curiously　relieved；　as　if　。。。　as　if　something　very　heavy　had　been　taken　off　his　mind。　And　then　he　heard　the　voice。
　〃Well；　now；　ain't　this　nice？　One　of　the　darling　Latin　Purples　bought　ices　for　us！〃
　He　looked　up　sharply。　He　recognized　the　gold　jacket　instantly；　and　the　words　〃Royal　Guardian〃　flashed　into　his　mind；　and　he　told　himself　not　to　be　afraid；　but　he　felt　a　tight　knot　of　fear　beginning　in　his　stomach。
　〃H…hello；　Tommy；〃　he　said。
　〃Hello；　Zip；〃　Tommy　answered。　〃You're　just　in　time。　Get　your　boy　off　the　box。〃
　〃Get　。。。　but。。。〃　He　paused；　nibbling　his　lip。　The　carton　of　ices　in　his　hands　felt　suddenly　very　heavy。　〃But　it's　。。。　it's　my　box；〃　he　said。　〃I　brought　this　all　the　way　over　from　the。。。〃
　〃It　belongs　to　whoever's　using　it；〃　Tommy　said。　〃And　we　want　to　use　it〃
　〃Aw　look；　Tommy；〃　Zip　said；　〃what　do　you　want　bad　blood　for；　huh？　Can't　we。。。？〃
　Tommy　reached　up　suddenly；　twisting　his　face　into　Papa's　trouser　leg；　pulling　him　off　balance；　and　dumping　him　into　the　street。　Zip；　his　hands　full　of　ices；　his　mind　whirring　with　the　new　thoughts　China　had　put　there；　stood　by　helplessly；　wondering　what　to　do　now；　wondering　why。。。
　〃Blow；〃　Phil　said　to　him。
　〃Aw；　e　on；　Phil；　can't　we。。。？〃
　〃Li'1　Killer；〃　Phil　corrected。
　〃Sure；　can't　we。。。？〃
　〃Blow！〃　Phil　said　firmly。
　He　shoved　out　at　Zip　suddenly。　Tommy；　trained　for　the　maneuver；　stuck　out　his　foot　Zip　tripped；　staggered　backward；　the　cups　of　ices　leaving　his　hands　and　spattering　over　the　street。　He　jumped　to　his　feet　instantly；　his　hand　darting　for　his　pocket。　Nothing　was　in　his　mind　right　now　but　salvation。　If　China　had　said　anything　to　him；　he'd　now　forgotten　it。　All　he　knew　was　that　he　was　being　threatened　by　two　Royal　Guardians；　that　he　was　outnumbered　and　vulnerable。
　As　his　hand　closed　on　the　switch　knife　in　his　pocket；　he　thought　only　I　got　to　get　out　of　this。
　〃Don't　pull　the　blade；　Zip；〃　Tommy　said　gently。
　Zip's　eyes　moved　quickly　to　Tommy；　saw　that　his　hand　was　already　in　his　pocket。　They　flicked　to　Phil　who　was　ready　to　charge　in　on　his　flank。　Undecided；　he　faced　them。　Elena；　on　the　crate；　began　to　laugh　nervously。　Tommy　grinned　and　then　picked　up　the　laugh；　and　then　Phil　joined　him；　and　their　laughter　was　triumphant　and；　hearing　the　laughter；　Zip　began　to　tremble。　He　wanted　to　fight　them；　he　wanted　to　destroy　them；　wanted　to　pull　the　blade　and　rip　into　them；　show　them　who　he　was；　show　them　who　they　were　laughing　at。　But　fear　aawled　in　his　belly　like　black　worms；　and　he　felt　his　fingers　loosening　their　grip　on　the　knife。　In　impotent　rage；　his　eyes　brimming　with　tears　he　did　not　wish　to　show；　he　whirled　suddenly　and　kicked　at　one　of　the　ices　cups　in　the　street。
　And　then　he　saw　Hernandez　on　the　fire　escape。
　Flat　against　the　side　of　the　building；　edging　silently　past　the　first　shattered　window；　and　then　the　next；　his　gun　in　his　hand；　Hernandez　hesitated　for　a　moment；　and　then　crouched　beside　the　third　window。
　He　brought　up　his　revolver。
　Zip　understood　what　was　happening　in　an　instant。
　Burning　with　shame　and　indignation；　wanting　to　explode；　wanting　to　show　these　rotten　bastards　they　couldn't　kick　him　around；　wanting　to　shout；　to　rip；　to　gouge；　to　release　the　shame　that　growled　inside　him；　wanting　to　show　that　he　was　Zip；　Zip；　ZIP！；　he　looked　up　at　the　first…floor　windows　and　suddenly；　without　knowing　why；　he　cupped　his　hands　to　his　mouth。
　〃Pepe！〃　he　bellowed。　〃The　fire　escape！〃
　
　
　13
　
　When　Hernandez　heard　the　yell；　he　thought　at　first　that　his　ears　were　deceiving　him。　His　immediate　reaction　was　to　turn　his　head　toward　the　street。　And　then　he　realized　that　Miranda；　in　the　apartment；　had　whirled　at　the　sound　of　the　shouted　words。　And　then　he　recognized　the　look　in　Miranda's　eyes；　and　Hernandez　tightened　his　finger　on　the　trigger　of　the　。38；　and　then　he　heard　the　explosions　inside　the　apartment　and　then　he　was　spinning　backward　and　falling。　He　had　been　crouched　outside　the　window；　so　he　fell　no　more　than　three　feet　to　the　iron　floor　of　the　fire　escape；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　falling　through　space　for　a　very　long　time；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　hit　the　iron　slats　with　the　force　of　a　meteor　slamming　into　the　earth。
　There　were　two　bullets　in　his　chest。
　He　had　never　been　shot　before；　not　when　he'd　been　a　Marine　participating　in　the　Iwo　Jima　landings；　and　not　since　he'd　joined　the　police　force。　He　had　seen　wounded　men；　a　lot　of　wounded　men；　when　he'd　been　in　the　service；　but　somehow　he　had　detached　the　wound　itself　from　the　event　which　had　caused　the　wound。　He　had　been　raised　on　the　kid　games　of　Cops　and　Robbers；　Cowboys　and　Indians；　bang！　I　got　you！　bang！　you're　dead！　and　there　had　always　been　something　glamorous　to　the　idea　of　getting　shot。　Even　when　he　had　seen　the　open　gaping　wounds；　the　notion　of　glamour　had　persisted。
　He　knew　now　that　the　notion　was　false；　and　he　wondered　which　con　man　had　ever　sold　him　such　a　silly　bill　of　goods。　When　the　bullets　slammed　into　his　chest；　he　felt　nothing　at　first　but　impact。　He　had　been　punched　before；　punched　with　hard　driving　fists　that　had　knocked　the　wind　out　of　him；　and　he　knew　what　it　felt　like　to　be　hit。　He　had　once　been　struck　with　a　hammer　swung　by　a　delirious　building　superintendent；　catching　the　blow　on　his　shoulder；　feeling　the　sharp　sudden　pain　of　metal　against　flesh。　But　he　had　never　been　shot；　and　he　knew　now　that　when　a　man　got　shot　he　didn't　daintily　clutch　his　chest　and　say；　〃Uggggh！〃　and　then　do　a　fancy　movie…extra　dive。　He　knew　that　the　force　of　a　bullet　was　like　the　force　of　a　steam　lootive；　and　he　knew　that　when　you　got　hit　with　a　bullet；　you　got　knocked　off　your　feet。　It　was　as　simple　as　that。　Maybe　everyone　didn't　get　knocked　off　his　feet　when　he　was　shot；　but　the　bullets　that　struck　Hernandez　spun　him　around　from　his　crouch　and　then　knocked　him　flat　to　the　fire　escape。
　He　felt　only　impact　and　shock　at　first；　and　then　the　cold　sensation　of　falling　through　space；　will…less；　unable　to　control　himself；　simply　falling；　falling；　and　then　colliding　with　metal；　powerless　to　stick　out　his　arms　to　cushion　the　fall。
　And　then　he　was　on　fire。
　The　fire　engulfed　him。　It　started　with　the　two　gaping　holes　in　his　back　where　the　bullets　had　left　his　body；　and　then　ran　straight　through　his　body　like　burning　tunnels　to　the　two　smaller　holes　at　the　points　of　entry；　and　then　suddenly　flared　up　to　consume　his　entire　chest；　and　then　his　shoulders；　and　then　his　throat　and　his　face；　a　roaring　fire。　He　found　it　hard　to　breathe；　he　sucked　in　air　through　his　parted　lips；　and　he　dimly　realized　that　one　of　the　bullets　must　have　gone　through　a　lung；　and　then　blood　bubbled　out　of　his　mouth；　and　he　thought　it　was　saliva　until　he　saw　its　bright…red　splash　on　the　cuff　of　his　shirt；　and　then　he　panicked。
　Gasping　for　breath；　his　body　on　fire；　pain　lancing　through　him；　he　felt　the　panic　rush　into　his　head　and　settle　behind　his　eyes　like　a　pair　of　thumbs　pressing　outward。　More　blood　bubbled　from　his　mouth。
　Giddily；　he　wondered　if　he　were　going　to　die。
　The　t