gns.thedruidconnection-第23部分

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n　the　land　now　that　it's　been　taken　out　of　the　Green　Belt？　Tolson　Contractors；　for　instance。'
　　
　　'No。　Even　they　couldn't　do　all　these　things。　I　tell　you　we've　got　to　get　the　hell　out　of　here；　Lola；　while　we're　still　in　one　piece。'
　　
　　'And　kiss　goodbye　to　a　cool　million。'
　　
　　'Better　to　be　sane　and　alive。'
　　
　　'You're　panicking。'　Her　pulses　were　racing。　With　Marion　dead；　Lola　stood　to　gain　a　share　in　that　million；　maybe　more。　They　didn't　even　have　to　get　rid　of　Hurst's　wife　now。　It　was　plain　sailing；　all　a　matter　of　time。　'Somebody　wants　you　to　throw　in　the　towel。'
　　
　　'Sure　they　do　。　。　。　spooks　who　can　either　burn　you　up　or　else　drive　you　mad。　I　remember　reading　once　that　there's　a　curse　on　anybody　who　interferes　with　church　land。'
　　
　　'It's　only　an　untidy　bit　of　a　field　and　nobody'll　be　harmed　by　it　being　built　on。　A　few　snobbish　villagers　are　getting　uptight　but　what　the　hell。　Look；　I'll　move　back　to　the　house　with　you。'
　　
　　'No。　I'm　not　spending　another　night　there。'
　　
　　'What　about　this　guy；　Sabat？　I　thought　you　said　Boyce　was　paying　him　to　exorcise　the　place。　What　the　hell's　he　playing　at？'
　　
　　'He's　a　bloody　fake；　a　con…man。　We　can　count　him　out。　There's　something　there　which　nobody　can　get　the　better　of　and　I'm　going　to　make　sure　I'm　not　the　next　on　its　hit…list。'
　　
　　'You're　not　running　away；'　Lola　appeared　to　relax；　smiled。　'I'll　stick　by　you；　Darren。'
　　
　　He　swallowed；　nodded。　Lola　refilled　his　glass；　sensed　that　she　was　winning。　Okay；　there　was　something　funny　going　on　but　the　prize　money　was　too　big　to　drop　out　of　the　race　just　like　that。　She　turned　away；　stared　out　of　the　window　down　into　the　busy　shopping　street　below。　Here；　amidst　this　awful　seething　mass　of　humanity　they　had　to　be　safe。　Safety　in　numbers。　'If　you　won't　go　back　home　then　you'd　better　move　into　the　flat　here　with　me；　at　least　until　pletion　date。'
　　
　　'No；'　he　stared　fixedly　at　the　wall　in　front　of　him。　'I'm　getting　right　away　from　here。　I'll　withdraw　my　tender；　that　way　it'll　let　me　out。　Let　Tolson　Contractors　put　in　an　offer。　Boyce　won't　get　a　backhander　off　them。　It'll　fuck　him　up　properly；　the　hypocritical　bastard！'
　　
　　'You　won't　be　withdrawing　your　tender；　Darren；'　there　was　a　menace　in　her　tone　which　had　him　jerking　round　to　look　at　her。　'No　way。'
　　
　　'Why　not？　It's　my　business　whether　I　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Ours；　Darren；'　she　laughed　harshly。　'Don't　forget；　I'm　in　on　this；　too。　Marion's　dead；　so　is　the　Planning　Officer。　There　are　only　three　people　who　know　about　the　deal　which　was　set　up；　you；　Boyce　。　。　。　and　me。　You　just　got　yourself　a　new　partner；　Darren；　and　I'm　not　having　anybody　run　out　on　me。　We'll　see　it　through　together。　I　thought　that　was　how　it　was　going　to　be；　anyway。　I　guess　you　could　be　in　a　lot　of　trouble　if　you　cut　and　run　and　word　got　around　that　all　this　had　been　one　big　crooked　fix。　1　can　just　see　the　headlines　in　the　papers　now　…　〃Crooked　Builder　and　Bishop　Sent　Down　on　Corruption　Charge〃。　Ten　years　at　the　very　least！'
　　
　　'You　blackmailing　bitch！'　he　snapped。
　　
　　'Don't　put　it　like　that；　Darren；'　she　laughed　softly。　'You're　no　good　without　a　woman　behind　you　and　you　need　me　even　more　now　that　Marion's　gone。'
　　
　　He　sighed；　saw　that　his　entwined　fingers　trembled。　'Okay；　what's　the　next　move　since　you've　obviously　had　all　this　worked　out　for　some　time？'
　　
　　'We　sit　it　out；'　she　lit　a　cigarette；　studied　him　through　a　cloud　of　tobacco　smoke。　'I　don't　believe　in　this　hocus…pocus；　quite　frankly。　I　think　it's　someone　trying　to　scare　us　off　and　we're　damned　well　not　going　to　be　scared。　We　move　back　to　your　place；　Darren。　Okay？'
　　
　　'Okay；'　he　stood　up。　'But　don't　forget　I've　got　that　Federation　meeting　in　London　tomorrow。　Maybe　you'd　be　better　off　staying　here　until　I　get　back。'
　　
　　'I　move　in；'　she　drew　hard　on　her　cigarette；　fixed　him　with　a　determined　stare。　Today。　And　just　make　sure　you　e　right　back　from　London。'
　　
　　'I'll　be　back；'　Darren　Hurst　tried　to　shake　off　his　misgivings。　He　was　a　very　frightened　man。
　　
　　Lola　appreciated　the　opportunity　to　savour　her　new　home　while　Darren　was　away。　This　luxurious　town　house　was　a　good　step　up　from　the　flat　her　lover　had　bought　her。　Really　spacious；　it　gave　one　the　opportunity　to　relax。　After　Darren　had　left　for　London　she　spent　most　of　the　evening　arranging　things　how　she　wanted　them。　There　were　a　lot　of　Marion's　things　that　would　have　to　be　thrown　out　before　she　could　finally　think　of　the　place　as　her　own。　Lola　smiled　her　satisfaction　into　the　hall　mirror；　she　wasn't　going　to　bee　any　Second　hand　Rose！
　　
　　She　was　thirty…seven。　Darren　still　believed　she　was　thirty…four；　what　did　three　years　matter　except　to　herself？　Her　long　blonde　hair　would　disguise　any　premature　flecks　of　grey　for　a　few　years　yet。　She　was　fortunate　in　that　she'd　always　had　a　good　figure　without　having　to　go　on　any　of　those　stupid　diets　which　most　women　seemed　to　be　obsessed　with。　She　ate　and　drank　what　she　liked　and　as　much　as　she　liked。　And　men　still　fawned　around　her。　She　certainly　got　all　she　wanted　out　of　life！
　　
　　Her　pale　blue　eyes　narrowed；　maybe　she　was　getting　tired　of　Darren。　Certainly　he　was　being　neurotic　lately。　One　could　argue　that　he　had　just　cause；　but　on　the　other　hand　they　had　seriously　discussed　removing　Marion　from　the　scene。　Lola　recalled　their　conversation　of　only　a　few　nights　ago　when　they　had　lain　naked　and　satisfied　in　the　bed　at　the　flat。　Darren　had　had　a　'foolproof　idea　for　getting　rid　of　his　wife。　He　would　take　her　out　one　evening　to　a　local　beauty　spot；　a　lake　where　picnickers　and　lovers　ran　their　cars　down　to　the　water's　edge。　There　was　a　slight　incline　and　no　barrier；　the　council　seemed　oblivious　to　the　danger。　It　would　take　an　accident；　a　drowning；　to　get　any　kind　of　action　out　of　them。　Well；　they　were　due　to　have　their　first　one　soon！　Darren　would　ensure　that　all　the　car　doors　were　locked　except　the　driver's。　He'd　get　the　car　rolling；　jump　out　at　the　last　second　before　they　hit　the　water。　It　was　deep　just　there　and　Marion　couldn't　swim；　anyway；　even　if　she　managed　to　escape　from　the　vehicle。　He'd　make　sure　he　got　a　ducking　himself　before　he　went　for　help。　It　couldn't　go　wrong。
　　
　　Lola　laughed　aloud。　Christ；　he　didn't　appreciate　how　lucky　he　was。　Somebody　had　done　the　job　for　him　and　he　didn't　even　run　the　risk　of　a　murder　rap。　And　if　he　had　a　conscience；　which　she　doubted；　there　would　be　nothing　to　plague　him　for　the　rest　of　his　life　and　he　could　tell　himself　that　he　had　not　intended　to　go　through　with　it　anyway。　So　why　was　the　idiot　getting　all　worked　up？　Okay；　there　had　to　be　a　killer　at　large　but　Marion　had　apparently　gone　to　the　churchyard　voluntarily　so　one　could　only　conclude　that　she'd　had　a　date　with　him。　It　looked　as　if　it　was　the　same　guy　who　had　burned　that　curate　up。　As　for　Stone；　he'd　been　cooked　in　a　fire　at　his　own　house；　a　pure　accident　that　would　in　no　way　be　connected。　And　again　it　was　an　ill　wind　。　。　。　Darren　wouldn't　have　to　pay　Stone　out　for　fixing　the　planning　permission　now。　Just　the　bishop；　but　they　needed　Boyce　to　remain　alive　until　contracts　were　exchanged；　otherwise　some　of　the　other　church　hierarchy　might　go　and　concede　to　public　opinion　and　call　the　whole　thing　off。
　　
　　Lola　concluded　that　she　had　a　lot　to　look　forward　to。　In　a　way　it　would　be　nice　to　be　without　Darren　and　his　vivid；　frightened　imagination　tonight。　There　was　nothing　to　be　scared　of。
　　
　　All　the　same；　she　jumped　when　the　front　door　knocker　sent　its　deep；　vibrant　tones　throughout　the　house。　She　tensed；　wondered　who　the　hell　it　could　be。　It　might　be　the　police。　Surely　they　didn't　think　Darren　had　murdered　Marion；　Lola　had　already　told　them　that　he　had　been　with　her　the　whole　of　that　night。　Maybe　they　had　e　round　to　give　her　a　grilling；　hoping　that　she　might　change　her　story。　You　couldn't　trust　the　cops；　they'd　been　real　bastards　back　in　her　hooker　days。
　　
　　It　might　be　Bishop　Boyce；　crapping　himself　with　fright。　。　。　。
　　
　　The　knocker　banged　again；　insistently；　louder　than　before；　and　with　her　stomach　muscles　tightening　into　a　ball；　and　her　shapely　legs　suddenly　feeling　decidedly　rubbery；　Lola　went　to　answer　it。
　　
　　For　some　seconds　she　just　stood　and　stared　at　the　man　on　the　threshold。　A　little　quiver　ran　up　her　spine。　There　was　something　so　goddamned　rugged　about　his　features；　that　vivid　cheek　scar；　the　moustache；　his　eyes；　his　powerful　build　and　a　score　of　other　things　besides。　You　got　the　feeling　that　if　you　didn't　know　him　already　then　you　damned　well　should　as　soon　as　possible。
　　
　　'Good　evening；'　his　smile；　those　eyes　had　her　catching　her　breath　because　she　knew　he　was　mentally　undressing　her。　Tin　looking　for　Mr　Hurst。'
　　
　　'I　。。。　I'm　afraid　he's　not　in。'　For　Christ's　sake　don't　tell　a　stranger　that　you'll　be　all　alone　in　the　house　tonight。
　　
　　'Perhaps　I　could　e　inside　and　wait。'
　　
　　She　wanted　to　say　'no；　you　bloody　well　can't'　but　somehow　the　words　wouldn't　e。　God；　this　was　a　real　hunk　of　a　man　and　she　was　curious　to　find　out　more。
　　
　　'I　don't　even　know　your　name；　Mr。　。　。　。　'　the　words　came　out　with　a　slight　tremble　in　her　tone。
　　
　　'Sabat！'
　　
　　The　name　hit　her　like　a　rush　of　hot　air　bringing　an　immediate　flush　to　her　cheeks。　Those　legs　felt　even　weaker　and　her　heart　was　starting　to　pound。　So　this　was　the　guy　in　question！　She'd　imagined　him　to　be　some　kind　of　white…haired　fifteenth　century　witchfinder。　Instead。　。　。　。
　　
　　'e　in；　Sabat。'　Somehow　'mister'　seemed　out　of　place。
　　
　　Suddenly　it　was　as　though　she　had　lost　control　of　the　situation。　She　was　holding　the　door　wide　for　him　to　step　into　the　hall；　closing　it　after　him；　when　she　should　have　slammed　it　in　his　face　at　the　outset。
　　
　　'I'm　Lola；'　it　sounded　trite；　a　meaningless　introduction。
　　
　　'I　know。'　He　smiled　again。　'I　knew　I'd　find　you　here　but　all　the　same　I　wanted　to　have　a　word　with　Darren。'
　　
　　'He　won't　be　back　until　tomorrow。'
　　
　　'Oh；　I　see。'　Sabat　concealed　his　annoyance；　time　was　running　out。　April　29；　two　nights　until　the　deadline　set　by　the　Cult　of　the　Severed　Head。　Maybe　he　should　have　gone　for　the　bishop　first。　'I　realise　it　i