ch.doublewhammy-第33部分

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　After　James　had　left　the　room；　Catherine　came　over　and　knelt　down　on　the　floor　next　to　Decker。　〃Tell　me　what's　happened；　Rage。〃
　〃Somebody's　trying　to　frame　me　for　a　murder。〃
　〃Who？　Not　the　Fish　People！〃
　〃Afraid　so；〃　Decker　said。　He　was　ready　for　a　trenchant　scolding…this　was　Catherine's　specialty…but　for　some　reason　（probably　pity）　she　refrained。
　〃The　guy　out　back；　Grizzly　Adams…〃
　〃He's　all　right；〃　Decker　said。
　〃James　is　scared　of　him。〃
　〃So　am　I；　but　he's　all　I've　got。〃
　Catherine　kissed　him　lightly　on　the　ear。　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do？〃
　For　one　flushed　moment　Decker　felt　his　heart　stop。　Bump；　bump…then　dead　air。　All　from　a　whiff　of　perfume　and　a　silly　peck　on　the　earlobe。　It　was　so　wonderful　that　Decker　almost　forgot　she'd　dumped　him　for　a　guy　who　wore　ninety…dollar　bathrobes。
　Catherine　said；　〃I　want　to　help。〃
　〃Does　James　have　a　broker？〃　Decker　asked。
　〃Yes。　Hutton；　Shearson；　somebody　big　like　that。　It's　a　VIP　account；　that　much　I　know。　They　sent　us　a　magnum　of　champagne　last　Christmas。〃
　Decker　said；　'This　is　what　I　need。　Tell　James　you　got　a　tip　at　the　beauty　parlor…〃
　〃Oh；　please。〃
　〃Or　wherever；　Catherine；　just　tell　him　you　got　a　tip　on　a　stock。　It's　traded　as　OCN；　I　think。　The　Outdoor　Christian　Network。　See　if　your　husband's　broker　can　send　over　a　prospectus。　I　need　a　copy　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　She　said；　〃He'll　think　it's　odd。　We　never　talk　about　his　investments。〃
　〃Try　it；〃　Decker　said。　〃Play　dumb　and　sweet　and　just…trying…to…help。　You　can　do　it。〃
　〃You're　still　an　asshole；　Rage。〃
　〃And　you're　still　a　vision；　Catherine。　Would　your　husband　get　too　terribly　upset　if　you　and　I　took　off　our　clothes　and　hopped　in　the　shower？　We　can　tell　him　it's　part　of　my　medical　treatment。　Hot…water　traction；　they　call　it。〃
　At　that　moment　James　walked　in；　too　preoccupied　to　notice　his　wife　scooting　back　to　the　ottoman。　James　was　carrying　a　foam…padded　brace；　the　kind　that　fastens　around　the　neck　like　a　collar。
　〃That　man；〃　he　said　indignantly；　〃has　built　a　bonfire　in　our　backyard！〃
　Catherine　went　to　the　window。　〃For　heaven's　sake　it's　not　a　bonfire；〃　she　said。　〃It's　just　a　barbecue；　honey；　no　worse　than　you　and　your　hibachi。〃
　〃But　the　hibachi　is　gas；〃　James　protested。
　R。　J。　Decker　pushed　himself　off　the　sofa　and　went　to　see　for　himself。　Skink　huddled　in　a　familar　pose　beneath　the　avocado　tree；　crouched　on　his　haunches；　tending　a　small　campfire。
　〃He　looks　like　a　damn　hobo；〃　James　said。
　〃That's　enough；〃　Catherine　snapped。　〃He's　not　hurting　anybody。〃
　Decker　observed　that　Skink　had　fashioned　a　rotisserie　spit　out　of　dead　branches。　He　was　cooking　a　chunk　of　gray　meat　over　the　fire；　rotating　it　slowly　by　hand。
　〃What　do　you　suppose　he's　got　there？〃　Catherine　said。
　〃Probably　something　gross　he　scrounged　from　the　garbage；〃　James　said。　〃Or　maybe　a　duck　out　of　that　filthy　canal。〃
　In　the　flickering　shadows　Decker　couldn't　be　sure；　but　he　had　a　pretty　good　idea　what　his　friend　was　fixing　for　dinner。　It　was　Bambi；　of　course。　Skink　was　serenely　roasting　the　doctor's　pet　poodle。
　
　R。　J。　Decker　took　a　bed　in　one　of　the　guestrooms；　but　he　couldn't　sleep。　Dancing　on　the　walls　were　cartoon　sheep　in　red　tuxedos…wallpaper　for　a　baby's　room；　obviously；　but　Catherine　had　never　been　too　wild　about　kids。　On　this　matter　the　chiropractor　had　failed　to　change　her　mind。　Still；　Decker　admired　his　optimism　for　leaving　the　nursery　wallpaper　up。
　When　Decker　closed　his　eyes；　the　tuxedoed　sheep　were　replaced　by　the　face　of　Dennis　Gault：　the　seething　visage　of　a　man　trying　to　strangle　him。　Decker　wondered　if　the　fistfight　at　Gault's　condominium　had　been　an　act　like　everything　else；　he　wondered　if　Gault　were　really　that　clever　or　ballsy；　or　if　things　had　just　fallen　right。　Decker　couldn't　wait　to　meet　up　with　Gault　and　ask　him。　Afterward　it　would　be　nice　to　choke　the　sonofabitch　so　decisively　that　his　eyeballs　would　pop　out　of　his　skull　and　roll　across　his　fancy　glass　desk　like　a　couple　of　aggies。
　At　about　three　o'clock　Decker　gave　up　on　sleep　and　got　out　of　bed。　From　the　window　there　was　no　sign　of　Skink's　campfire；　or　of　Skink　himself。　Decker　assumed…hoped；　at　least…that　he　was　curled　up　in　the　bushes　somewhere。
　For　Decker；　being　in　the　same　house　with　Catherine　was　unnerving。　Though　it　was　also　the　house　of　James；　Catherine's　tastes　predominated…smart　and　elegant；　and　so　expensive　that　Decker　marveled　how　such　a　destitute　mongrel　as　himself　had　managed　to　keep　her　as　long　as　he　had。　If　only　he　could　steal　a　few　moments　alone　with　her　now；　but　how？　Skink　wanted　to　be　on　the　road　before　dawn_　there　was　little　time。
　Barefoot；　and　wearing　only　his　underwear；　Decker　made　his　way　through　the　long　hallways；　which　smelled　of　Catherine's　hair　and　perfume。　A　couple　of　times；　near　doorways；　Decker　had　to　step　carefully　over　the　white　beams　of　photosensitive　alarm　units；　which　were　mounted　at　knee…level　throughout　the　house。
　Photoelectronic　burglar　alarms　were　the　latest　rage　among　the　rich　in　Miami；　thanks　to　a　widely　publicized　case　in　which　a　whole　gang　of　notorious　cat　burglars　was　captured　inside　a　Star　Island　mansion　after　tripping　the　silent　alarm。　The　gang　had　prised　bold　Mariel　refugees　relatively　new　to　the　country　and　unschooled　in　the　basic　skills　and　technology　of　modern　burglary。　While　looting　the　den　of　the　mansion；　one　of　the　Cuban　intruders　had　spotted　a　wall…mounted　photoelectronic　unit　and　naturally　assumed　it　was　a　laser　beam　that　would　incinerate　them　all　if　they　dared　cross　it。　Consequently；　they　did　not。　They　sat　there　all　night　and；　the　next　morning；　surrendered　sheepishly　to　police。　The　incident　made　all　the　TV　news。　Photo…electronic　burglar　alarms　became　so　popular　that　burglars　soon　began　to　specialize　in　stealing　the　alarms　themselves。　In　many　of　the　houses　where　such　devices　were　installed；　the　alarm　itself　was　more　valuable　than　anything　else　on　the　premises。　For　a　while；　all　the　fences　in　Hialeah　were　paying　twice　as　much　for　stolen　burglar　alarms　as　they　were　for　Sony　VCRs；　but　even　at　five　hundred　a　pop　it　was　virtually　impossible　for　thieves　to　keep　up　with　the　demand。
　Tiptoeing　around　the　alarm　beams；　Decker　found　the　master　bedroom　at　the　far　west　end　of　Catherine's　house。　He　listened　at　the　door　to　make　sure　nothing　was　going　on；　and　was　greatly　relieved　to　hear　the　sound　of　snoring。
　Decker　slipped　into　the　room。　He　stood　at　the　door　until　his　eyes　adjusted；　the　window　shades　were　drawn　and　it　was　very　dark。　Gradually　he　inched　toward　the　source　of　the　snoring　until　his　right　foot　stubbed　a　wooden　bed　poster。　Decker　bit　back　a　groan；　and　one　of　the　two　forms　in　the　big　bed　stirred　and　turned　slightly　under　the　covers。　Decker　knelt　by　the　side　of　the　bed；　and　the　form　snored　directly　into　his　face。
　〃Catherine；〃　he　whispered。
　She　snored　again；　and　Decker　remembered　how　difficult　it　was　to　wake　her　up。　He　shook　her　gently　by　the　shoulder　and　said　her　name　again。　This　time　she　swallowed；　sighed；　and　groggily　opened　her　eyes。　When　she　saw　who　it　was；　she　sat　up　immediately。
　She　put　her　hand　on　the　back　of　Decker's　head　and　pulled　him　close。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Hey；　careful　with　the　neck；〃　Decker　whispered　back。
　Catherine　glanced　at　her　husband　to　make　sure　he　was　still　dozing。　Decker　had　counted　on　James　being　a　sound　sleeper；　unlike　surgeons　or　obstetricians；　chiropractors　rarely　had　to　go　tearing　off　to　the　hospital　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　Back　spasms　could　wait。　James　was　probably　accustomed　to　getting　a　full　nine　hours。
　〃What　is　it；　Rage？〃　Catherine　said　into　his　ear。　Her　hair　was　tangled　from　sleep；　and　her　eyes　were　a　little　puffy；　but　Decker　didn't　care　at　all。　He　kissed　her　on　the　mouth　and　boldly　slipped　a　hand　under　her　nightshirt。
　During　the　kiss　Catherine　sort　of　gulped；　but　still　she　closed　her　eyes。　Decker　knew　this　because　he　peeked；　he　had　to。　Some　women　closed　their　eyes　during　kissing　just　to　be　polite；　but　Catherine　never　did　unless　she　was　honestly　enjoying　herself。　Decker　was　pleased　to　see　her　eyes　shut。　The　activity　beneath　the　nightshirt　was　another　matter。　With　an　elbow　Catherine　deftly　had　pinned　his　hand　to　her　left　breast；　obviously　that　was　as　far　as　Mr。　Hand　would　be　allowed　to　go。　It　was　all　right　with　Decker；　the　left　one　had　always　been　his　favorite；　anyway。
　Catherine　pulled　away　and　said；　〃You're　nuts。　Get　outta　here。〃
　〃e　to　my　room；〃　Decker　said。
　Catherine　shook　her　head　and　gestured　toward　her　husband。
　〃Leave　him　here；〃　Decker　said　playfully。
　〃He'll　notice　if　I　get　out　of　bed。〃
　〃Just　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃No…〃
　So　he　kissed　her　again。　This　time　she　gave　a　shy　purr；　which　Decker　correctly　read　more　as　tolerance　than　total　surrender。　The　second　kiss　lasted　longer　than　the　first；　and　Decker　was　getting　fairly　heated　up　when　James　suddenly　rolled　over；　snorted；　and　said；　〃Cath？〃
　Carefully　she　lay　down　on　the　pillow；　Decker's　hand　still　resting　on　her　breast。　〃Yes；　hon？〃　she　said。
　Cath。
　Hon。
　Very　sweet；　Decker　thought；　a　regular　goddamn　testimonial　to　marital　bliss。　He　started　to　remove　his　hand　but　Catherine　wouldn't　let　him。　Decker　smiled　in　the　dark。
　〃Cath；〃　James　said　torpidly；　〃did　Bambi　ever　e　in？〃
　〃No；　honey；〃　she　said。　〃He's　probably　out　on　the　porch。　Go　back　to　sleep　now。〃
　Catherine　held　motionless　until　James's　breathing　grew　thick　and　regular。　Then　she　turned　her　back　to　him　so　that　she　and　Decker　were　face…to…face　at　the　edge　of　the　bed。
　〃Go　back　to　your　room；〃　she　whispered。　〃Give　me　about　ten　minutes。〃
　〃Thatta　girl；〃　Decker　said；　rising　off　his　knees。　〃One　more　kiss。〃
　Catherine　said；　〃Ssshhh；〃　but　she　kissed　him　back。　This　time　she　let　her　tongue　sneak　into　his　mouth。
　〃We'll　need　your　boat。〃
　Catherine　and　Decker　opened　their　eyes　mid…kiss　and　stared　at　each　other。　The　whisper　did　not　belong　to　James。
　〃The　boat；〃　Skink　said。
　Catherine　saw　his　tangled　face　looming　impassively　over　Decker's　shoulder。
　〃I　don't　mean　to　interrupt；〃　Skink　said；　〃but　there's　some　cops　out　front。〃
　Decker　stood　up　and　fought　back　a　panic。　It　had　to　be　Al　Garcia。　He　knew　about　the　divorce；　and　Catherine　would　have　been　high　on　his　list　of　interviews。　The　surprising　thing　was　that　he'd　e　in　the　dead　of　night…unless；　of　course；　he　knew　Decker　wa