ss.iftomorrowcomes-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


enediction。　Lovely　old　homes　and　estates　in　the　square　are　sheltered　from　the　bustling　street　traffic　by　tall　hedges　and　graceful　magnolia　trees。　Joe　Romano　lived　in　one　of　those　houses。
　
　Tracy　waited　until　dark　before　she　set　out。　The　parades　had　moved　on　to　Chartres　Street；　and　in　the　distance　Tracy　could　hear　an　echo　of　the　pandemonium　she　had　been　swept　up　in　earlier。
　
　She　stood　in　the　shadows；　studying　the　house；　conscious　of　the　heavy　weight　of　the　gun　in　her　purse。　The　plan　she　had　worked　out　was　simple。　She　was　going　to　reason　with　Joe　Romano；　ask　him　to　clear　her　mother's　name。　If　he　refused；　she　would　threaten　him　with　the　gun　and　force　him　to　write　out　a　confession。　She　would　take　it　to　Lieutenant　Miller；　and　he　would　arrest　Romano；　and　her　mother's　name　would　be　protected。　She　wished　desperately　that　Charles　were　there　with　her；　but　it　was　best　to　do　it　alone。　Charles　had　to　be　left　out　of　it。　She　would　tell　him　about　it　when　it　was　all　over　and　Joe　Romano　was　behind　bars；　where　he　belonged。　A　pedestrian　was　approaching。　Tracy　waited　until　he　had　walked　past　and　the　street　was　deserted。
　
　She　walked　up　to　the　house　and　pressed　the　doorbell。　There　was　no　answer。　He's　probably　at　one　of　the　private　krewes　balls　given　during　Mardi　Gras。　But　I　can　wait；　Tracy　thought。　I　can　wait　until　he　gets　home。　Suddenly；　the　porch　light　snapped　on；　the　front　door　opened；　and　a　man　stood　in　the　doorway。　His　appearance　was　a　surprise　to　Tracy。　She　had　envisioned　a　sinister…looking　mobster；　evil　written　all　over　his　face。　Instead；　she　found　herself　facing　an　attractive；　pleasant…looking　man　who　could　easily　have　been　mistaken　for　a　university　professor。　His　voice　was　low　and　friendly。　〃Hello。　May　I　help　you？〃
　
　〃Are　you　Joseph　Romano？〃　Her　voice　was　shaky。
　
　〃Yes。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　He　had　an　easy；　engaging　manner。　No　wonder　my　mother　was　taken　in　by　this　man；　Tracy　thought。
　
　〃I…　I'd　like　to　talk　to　you；　Mr。　Romano。〃
　
　He　studied　her　figure　for　a　moment。　〃Certainly。　Please　e　in。〃
　
　Tracy　walked　into　a　living　room　filled　with　beautiful；　burnished　antique　furniture。　Joseph　Romano　lived　well。　On　my　mother's　money；　Tracy　thought　bitterly。
　
　〃I　was　just　about　to　mix　myself　a　drink。　What　would　you　like？〃
　
　〃Nothing。〃
　
　He　looked　at　her　curiously。。　〃What　was　it　you　wanted　to　see　me　about；　Miss…？〃
　
　〃Tracy　Whitney。　I'm　Doris　Whitney's　daughter。〃
　
　He　stared　at　her　blankly　for　an　instant；　and　then　a　look　of　recognition　flashed　across　his　face。　〃Oh；　yes。　I　heard　about　your　mother。　Too　bad。〃
　
　Too　bad！　He　had　caused　the　death　of　her　mother；　and　his　only　ment　was：　〃Too　bad。〃
　
　〃Mr。　Romano；　the　district　attorney　believes　that　my　mother　was　guilty　of　fraud。　You　know　that's　not　true。　I　want　you　to　help　me　clear　her　name。〃
　
　He　shrugged。　〃I　never　talk　business　during　Mardi　Gras。　It's　against　my　religion。〃　Romano　walked　over　to　the　bar　and　began　mixing　two　drinks。　〃I　think　you'll　feel　better　after　you've　had　a　drink。〃
　
　He　was　leaving　her　no　choice。　Tracy　opened　her　purse　and　pulled　out　the　revolver。　She　pointed　it　at　him。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　will　make　me　feel　better；　Mr。　Romano。　Having　you　confess　to　exactly　what　you　did　to　my　mother。〃
　
　Joseph　Romano　turned　and　saw　the　gun。　〃You'd　better　put　that　away；　Miss　Whitney。　It　could　go　off。〃
　
　〃It's　going　to　go　off　if　you　don't　do　exactly　what　I　tell　you　to。　You're　going　to　write　down　how　you　stripped　the　pany；　put　it　into　bankruptcy；　and　drove　my　mother　to　suicide。〃
　
　He　was　watching　her　carefully　now；　his　dark　eyes　wary。　〃I　see。　What　if　I　refuse？〃
　
　〃Then　I'm　going　to　kill　you。〃　She　could　feel　the　gun　shaking　in　her　hand。
　
　〃You　don't　took　like　a　killer；　Miss　Whitney。〃　He　was　moving　toward　her　now；　a　drink　in　his　hand。　His　voice　was　soft　and　sincere。　〃I　had　nothing　to　do　with　your　mother's　death；　and　believe　me；　I…〃　He　threw　the　drink　in　her　face。
　
　Tracy　felt　the　sharp　sting　of　the　alcohol　in　her　eyes；　and　an　instant　later　the　gun　was　knocked　from　her　hand。
　
　〃Your　old　lady　held　out　on　me；〃　Joe　Romano　said。　〃She　didn't　tell　me　she　had　a　horny…looking　daughter。〃
　
　He　was　holding　her；　pinning　her　arms；　and　Tracy　was　blinded　and　terrified。　She　tried　to　move　away　from　him；　but　he　backed　her　into　a　wall；　pressing　against　her。
　
　〃You　have　guts；　baby。　I　like　that。　It　turns　me　on。〃　His　voice　was　hoarse。　Tracy　could　feel　his　body　hard　against　hers；　and　she　tried　to　twist　away；　but　she　was　helpless　in　his　grip。
　
　〃You　came　here　for　a　little　excitement；　huh？　Well；　Joe's　going　to　give　it　to　you。〃
　
　She　tried　to　scream；　but　her　voice　came　out　in　a　gasp。　〃Let　me　go！〃
　
　He　ripped　her　blouse　away。　〃Hey！　Look　at　those　tits；〃　he　whispered。　He　began　pinching　her　nipples。　〃Fight　me；　baby；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　love　it！〃
　
　〃Let　go　of　me！〃
　
　He　was　squeezing　harder；　hurting　her。　She　felt　herself　being　forced　down　to　the　floor。
　
　〃I'll　bet　you've　never　been　fucked　by　a　real　man；〃　he　said。　He　was　astride　her　now；　his　body　heavy　on　hers；　his　hands　moving　up　her　thighs。　Tracy　pushed　out　blindly；　and　her　fingers　touched　the　gun。　She　grabbed　for　it；　and　there　was　a　sudden；　loud　explosion。
　
　〃Oh；　Jesus！〃　Romano　cried。　His　grip　suddenly　relaxed。　Through　a　red　mist；　Tracy　watched　in　horror　as　he　fell　off　her　and　slumped　to　the　floor；　clutching　his　side。　〃You　shot　me。。。　you　bitch。　You　shot　me。。。。〃
　
　Tracy　was　transfixed；　unable　to　move。　She　felt　she　was　going　to　be　sick；　and　her　eyes　were　blinded　by　stabbing　pain。　She　pulled　herself　to　her　feet；　turned；　and　stumbled　to　a　door　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　She　pushed　it　open。　It　was　a　bathroom。　She　staggered　over　to　the　sink；　filled　the　basin　with　cold　water；　and　bathed　her　eyes　until　the　pain　began　to　subside　and　her　vision　cleared。　She　looked　into　the　cabinet　mirror。　Her　eyes　were　bloodshot　and　wild　looking。　My　God；　I've　just　killed　a　man。　She　ran　back　into　the　living　room。
　
　Joe　Romano　lay　on　the　floor；　his　blood　seeping　onto　the　white　rug。　Tracy　stood　over　him；　white…faced。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said　inanely。　〃I　didn't　mean　to…〃
　
　〃Ambulance。。。〃　His　breathing　was　ragged。
　
　Tracy　hurried　to　the　telephone　on　the　desk　and　dialed　the　operator。　When　she　tried　to　speak；　her　voice　was　choked。　〃Operator；　send　an　ambulance　right　away。　The　address　is　Four…twenty…one　Jackson　Square。　A　man　has　been　shot。〃
　
　She　replaced　the　receiver　and　looked　down　at　Joe　Romano。　Oh；　God；　she　prayed；　please　don't　let　him　die。　You　know　I　didn't　meal：　to　kill　him。　She　knelt　beside　the　body　on　the　floor　to　see　if　he　was　still　alive。　His　eyes　were　closed；　but　he　was　breathing。　〃An　ambulance　is　on　its　way；〃　Tracy　promised。
　
　She　fled。
　
　She　tried　not　to　run；　afraid　of　attracting　attention。　She　pulled　her　jacket　close　around　her　to　conceal　her　ripped　blouse。　Four　blocks　from　the　house　Tracy　tried　to　hail　a　taxi。　Half　a　dozen　sped　past　her；　filled　with　happy；　laughing　passengers。　In　the　distance　Tracy　heard　the　sound　of　an　approaching　siren；　and　seconds　later　an　ambulance　raced　past　her；　headed　in　the　direction　of　Joe　Romano's　house。　I've　got　to　get　away　from　here；　Tracy　thought。　Ahead　of　her；　a　taxi　pulled　to　the　curb　and　discharged　its　passengers。　Tracy　ran　toward　it；　afraid　of　losing　it。　〃Are　you　free？〃
　
　〃That　depends。　Where　you　goin'？〃
　
　〃The　airport。〃　She　held　her　breath。
　
　〃Get　in。〃
　
　On　the　way　to　the　airport；　Tracy　thought　about　the　ambulance。　What　if　they　were　too　late　and　Joe　Romano　was　dead？　She　would　be　a　murderess。　She　had　left　the　gun　back　at　the　house；　and　her　fingerprints　were　on　it。　She　could　tell　the　police　that　Romano　had　tried　to　rape　her　and　that　the　gun　had　gone　off　accidentally；　but　they　would　never　believe　her。　She　had　purchased　the　gun　that　was　lying　on　the　floor　beside　Joe　Romano。　How　much　time　had　passed？　Half　an　hour？　An　hour？　She　had　to　get　out　of　New　Orleans　as　quickly　as　possible。
　
　〃Enjoy　the　carnival？〃　the　driver　asked。
　
　Tracy　swallowed。　〃I…　yes。〃　She　pulled　out　her　hand　mirror　and　did　what　she　could　to　make　herself　presentable。　She　had　been　stupid　to　try　to　make　Joe　Romano　confess。　Everything　had　gone　wrong。　How　can　I　tell　Charles　what　happened？　She　knew　how　shocked　he　would　be；　but　after　she　explained；　he　would　understand。　Charles　would　know　what　to　do。
　
　**********
　
　When　the　taxi　arrived　at　New　Orleans　International　Airport；　Tracy　wondered；　Was　it　only　this　morning　that　I　was　here？　Did　all　this　happen　in　just　one　day？　Her　mother's　suicide。。。　the　horror　of　being　swept　up　in　the　carnival。。。　the　man　snarling；　〃You　shot　me。。。　you　bitch。。。。〃
　
　When　Tracy　walked　into　the　terminal；　it　seemed　to　her　that　everyone　was　staring　at　her　accusingly。　That's　what　a　guilty　conscience　does；　she　thought。　She　wished　there　were　some　way　she　could　learn　about　Joe　Romano's　condition；　but　she　had　no　idea　what　hospital　he　would　be　taken　to　or　whom　she　could　call。　He's　going　to　be　all　right。　Charles　and　I　will　e　back　for　Mother's　funeral；　and　Joe　Romano　will　be　fine。　She　tried　to　push　from　her　mind　the　vision　of　the　man　lying　on　the　white　rug；　his　blood　staining　it　red。　She　had　to　hurry　home　to　Charles。
　
　Tracy　approached　the　Delta　Airlines　counter。　〃I'd　like　a　one…way　ticket　on　the　next　flight　to　Philadelphia；　please。　Tourist。〃
　
　The　passenger　representative　consulted　his　puter。　〃That　will　be　Flight　three…o…four。　You're　in　luck。　I　have　one　seat　left。〃
　
　〃What　time　does　the　plane　leave？〃
　
　〃In　twenty　minutes。　You　just　have　time　to　board。〃
　
　As　Tracy　reached　into　her　purse；　she　sensed　rather　than　saw　two　uniformed　police　officers　step　up　on　either　side　of　her。　One　of　them　said；　〃Tracy　Whitney？〃
　
　Her　heart　stopped　beating　for　an　instant。　It　would　be　stupid　to　deny　my　identity。　〃Yes。。。〃
　
　〃You're　under　arrest。〃
　
　And　Tracy　felt　the　cold　steel　of　handcuffs　snapped　on　her　wrists。
　
　**********
　
　Everything　was　happening　in　slow　motion　to　someone　else。　Tracy　watched　herself　being　led　through　the　airport；　manacled　to　one　of　the　policemen；　while　passersby　turned　to　stare。　She　was　shoved　into　the　back　of　a　black…and…white　squad　car　with　steel　mesh　separating　the　front　seat　from　the　rear。　The　police　car　sped　away　from　the　curb　with　red　lights　f