dk.nightchills-第34章

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therefore；　she　felt　unclean　every　time　she　went　to　bed。　There　were　plenty　of　rooms　in　the　inns；　she　said；　but　she　would　almost　have　preferred　to　sleep　in　the　stables。　That　morning　（as　she　wrote　the　letter）　her　chauffeur　had　driven　her　to　Golgotha；　that　most　sweetly　sacred　of　places；　and　she　had　read　to　herself　from　the　Bible　as　the　car　wended　its　way　to　that　shrine　of　both　sorrow　and　everlasting　joy。　But　even　Golgotha　had　been　spoiled　for　her。　Upon　arriving　there；　she　found　that　the　holy　hill　was　literally　swarming　with　sweaty　Southern　Negro　Baptists。　Southern　Negro　Baptists；　of　all　people。　Furthermore。
　The　white　telephone　rang。　Its　soft；　throaty　burrrr…burrrrburrrr　was　instantly　recognizable。
　The　white　phone　was　the　most　private　line　in　the　house。　Only　Ogden　and　Ernst　knew　the　number。
　He　put　down　the　letter；　waited　until　the　telephone　had　rung　a　second　time；　picked　up　the　receiver。　〃Hello？〃
　〃I　recognize　your　voice；〃　Salsbury　said　guardedly。　〃Do　you　find　mine　familiar？〃
　〃Of　course。　Are　you　using　your　scrambler？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Salsbury　said。
　〃Then　there's　no　need　to　talk　in　riddles　and　be　mysterious。
　Even　if　the　line　is　tapped；　which　it　isn't；　they　can't　make　sense　of　what　we're　saying。〃
　〃With　the　situation　what　it　is　at　my　end；〃　Salsbury　said；　〃I　think　we　should　take　the　precaution　of　riddle　and　mystery　and　not　trust　solely　in　the　scrambler。〃
　〃What　is　the　situation　at　your　end？〃
　〃We've　got　serious　trouble　here。〃
　〃At　the　test　site？〃
　〃At　the　test　site。〃
　〃Trouble　of　what　sort？〃
　〃There's　been　one　fatality。〃
　〃Will　it　pass　for　natural　causes？〃
　〃Not　in　a　million　years。〃
　〃Can　you　handle　it　yourself？〃　〃No。　There　are　going　to　be　more。〃　〃Fatalities？〃　Dawson　asked。　〃We've　got　people　here　who　are　unaffected。〃　〃Unaffected　by　the　program？〃　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Why　should　that　lead　to　fatalities？〃　〃My　cover　is　blown。〃
　〃How　did　that　happen？〃　Salsbury　hesitated。
　〃You'd　better　tell　me　the　truth；〃　Dawson　said　sharply。　〃For　all　our　sakes。　You'd　better　tell　me　the　truth。〃
　〃I　was　with　a　woman。〃
　〃You　fool。〃
　〃It　was　a　mistake；〃　Salsbury　admitted。
　〃It　was　idiotic。　We'll　discuss　it　later。　One　of　these　unaffected　people　came　upon　you　while　you　were　with　the　woman。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃If　your　cover　is　blown　it　can　be　repaired。　Undramatically。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not　I　ordered　the　killer　to　do　what　he　did。〃　Despite　the　riddle　form　of　the　conversation；　the　events　in　Black　River　were　being　all　too　clear　to　Dawson。　〃I　see。〃　He　thought　for　a　moment。　〃How　many　are　unaffected？〃
　〃Besides　a　couple　of　dozen　babies　and　very　young　children；　at　least　four　more。　Maybe　five。〃
　〃That's　not　so　many。〃
　〃There's　another　problem。　You　know　the　two　men　we　sent　up　here　at　the　beginning　of　the　month？〃
　〃To　the　reservoir。〃
　〃They　were　seen。〃
　Dawson　was　silent。
　〃If　you　don't　want　to　e；〃　Salsbury　said；　〃that's　okay。　But　I　have　to　have　some　help。　Send　our　partner　and…〃
　〃We'll　both　arrive　tonight　by　helicopter；〃　Dawson　said。　〃Can　you　bold　it　yourself　until　nine　or　ten　o'clock？〃
　〃I　think　so。〃
　〃You　had　better。〃
　Dawson　hung　up。
　Oh　Lord；　he　thought；　You　sent　him　to　me　as　an　instrument　of　Your　will。　Now　Satan's　gotten　to　him。　Help　me　to　set　all　of　this　aright。　I　only　want　to　serve　You。
　He　telephoned　his　pilot　and　ordered　him　to　fuel　the　helicopter　and　have　it　at　the　landing　pad　behind　the　Greenwich　house　within　the　hour。
　He　dialed　three　numbers　before　he　located　Klinger。　〃There's　some　trouble　up　north。〃
　〃Serious？〃
　〃Extremely　serious。　Can　you　be　here　in　an　hour？〃
　〃Only　if　I　drive　like　a　maniac。　Better　make　it　an　hour　and　a　quarter。〃
　〃Get　moving。〃
　Dawson　hung　up　again。
　Oh　Lord；　he　thought；　both　of　these　men　are　infidels。　I　know　that。　But　You　sent　them　to　me　for　Your　own　purposes；　didn't　You？　Don't　punish　me　for　doing　Your　will；　Lord。
　He　opened　the　lower　right…hand　drawer　of　the　desk　and　took　Out　a　folder　thick　with　papers。
　The　label　on　it　said：
　HARRISON…BODREI　DETECTIVE　AGENCY
　SUBJECT：　OGDEN　SALSBURY
　　
　Thanks　to　the　Harrison…Bodrei　Agency；　he　understood　his　partners　almost　better　than　they　understood　themselves。　For
　the　past　fifteen　years　he　had　kept　a　constantly　updated　file　on　Ernst　Klinger。　The　Salsbury　dossier　was　paratively　new；　begun　only　in　January　1975；　but　it　traced　his　life　all　the　way　back　through　his　childhood；　and　it　was　undeniably　plete。　Having　read　it　ten　or　twelve　times；　from　cover　to　cover；　Dawson　felt　that　he　should　have　anticipated　the　current　crisis。
　Ogden　was　neither　stark…raving　mad　nor　perfectly　sound　of　mind。　He　was　a　pathological　woman…hater。　Yet　periodically　he　indulged　in　lascivious　sprees　of　whoring；　using　as　many　as　seven　or　eight　prostitutes　during　a　single　weekend。　Occasionally；　there　was　trouble。
　To　Dawson's　way　of　thinking；　two　of　the　reports　in　the　file　were　more　important；　told　more　about　Ogden；　than　all　of　the　others　bined。　He　withdrew　the　first　of　them　from　the　folder　and　read　it　yet　again。
　A　week　past　his　eleventh　birthday；　Ogden　was　taken　from　his　mother　and　made　a　ward　of　the　court。　Katherine　Salsbury　（widowed）　and　her　lover；　Howard　Parker；　were　later　convicted　of　child　abuse；　child　molestation；　and　corrupting　the　morals　of　a　minor。　Mrs。　Salsbury　was　sentenced　to　seven　to　ten　years　in　the　New　Jersey　Correctional　Institution　for　Women。　Upon　her　conviction；　Ogden　was　transferred　to　the　home　of　a　neighbor；　Mrs。　Carrie　Barger　（now　Peterson）；　where　he　became　one　of　several　foster　children。　This　interview　was　conducted　with　Mrs。　Carrie　Peterson　（now　sixty…nine　years　old）　in　her　home　in　Teaneck；　New　Jersey；　on　the　morning　of　Wednesday；　January　22；　1975。　The　subject　was　obviously　intoxicated　even　at　that　early　hour　and　sipped　at　a　glass　of　〃just　plain　orange　juice〃　throughout　the　interview。　The　subject　was　not　aware　that　she　was　being　recorded。
　Dawson　had　marked　the　sections　of　the　report　that　most　interested　him。　He　skipped　ahead　to　the　third　page。
　AGENT：　Living　next　door　to　Mrs。　Salsbury；　you　must　have　witnessed　a　great　many　of　those　beatings。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Oh；　yes。　Oh；　I　should　say。　From　the　time
　that　Ogden　was　old　enough　to　walk；　he　was　a　target　for　her。　That　woman！　The　least　little　thing　he　did…whup！　she　beat　him　black　and　blue。
　AGENT：　Spanked　him？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　No；　no。　She　hardly　ever　spanked。　Had　she　only　spanked！　That　wouldn't　have　been　so　horrid。　But　that　woman！　She　started　out　hitting　him　with　her　open　hands。　On　the　head　and　all　about　his　sweet　little　face。　As　he　got　older　she'd　sometimes　use　her　fists。　She　was　a　big　woman；　you　know。　She'd　use　her　fists。　And　she'd　pinch。　Pinch　his　little　arms　。　。　。　I　cried　many　the　time。　He'd　e　over　to　play　with　my　foster　children；　and　he'd　be　a　mess。　His　little　arms　would　be　spotted　with　bruises。　Just　spotted　all　over　with　bruises。
　AGENT：　Vas　she　an　alcoholic？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　She　drank。　Some。　But　she　wasn't　addicted　to　gin　or　anything。　She　was　just　mean。　Naturally　mean。　And　I　don't　think　she　was　too　smart。　Sometimes；　very　dim…witted　people；　when　they　get　frustrated；　they　take　it　out　on　children。　I've　seen　it　before。　Too　often。　Suffer　the　little　children。　Oh；　they　suffer　so　much；　I　tell　you。
　AGENT：　She　had　a　great　many　lovers？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Dozens。　She　was　a　vile　woman。　Very　mon…looking　men。　Always　very　mon…looking。　Dirty。　Crude　laborers。　Her　men　drank　a　lot。　Sometimes　they'd　stay　with　her　as　much　as　a　year。　More　often　it　was　a　week　or　two；　a　month。
　AGENT：　This　Howard　Parker…　
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Him！
　AGENT：　How　long　was　he　with　Mrs。　Salsbury？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Nearly　six　months；　I　think；　before　the　crime。　What　a　horrible　man。　Horrible！
　AGENT：　Did　you　know　what　was　happening　in　the　Salsbury　house　when　Parker　was　there？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Of　course　not！　I'd　have　called　the　police　at　once！　Of　course　the　night　of　the　crime…Ogden　came　to　me。　And　then　I　did　call　the　police。
　AGENT：　Do　you　mind　talking　about　the　crime？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　It　still　upsets　me。　To　think　of　it。　What　a　horrible　man！　And　that　woman。　To　do　that　to　a　child。
　AGENT：　Parker　was…bisexual？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　He　was　what？
　AGENT：　He　customarily　had　relations　with　both　sexes。　Is　that　right？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　He　raped　a　little　boy！　It's　。　。　。　I　don't　know。　I　just　don't　know。　Why　did　God　make　some　people　so　wicked？　I　love　children。　Have　all　my　life。　Love　them　more　than　anything。　I　can't　understand　a　man　like　that　Parker。
　AGENT：　Does　it　embarrass　you　to　talk　about　the　crime？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　A　little　bit。
　AGENT：　If　you　can　bear　with　me。　。　。　It's　really　important　that　you　answer　a　few　more　questions。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　If　it's　for　Ogden's　sake；　like　you　said；　I　surely　can。　For　Ogden's　sake。　Although　he　never　es　back　to　see　me。　You　know　that？　After　I　took　him　in　and　raised　him　from　the　age　of　eleven。　He　just　never　es　back。
　AGENT：　The　court　records　of　that　time　were　not　properly　explicit。　Either　that　or　the　judge　had　some　of　the　testimony　altered　to　protect　the　boy's　reputation。　I　am　not　certain　whether　Mr。　Parker　subjected　the　boy　to…you'll　excuse　me；　but　it　has　to　be　said…to　oral　or　anal　intercourse。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　That　horrible　man！
　AGENT：　Do　you　know　which　it　was？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Both。
　AGENT：　I　see。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　With　the　mother　watching。　His　mother　watched！　Can　you　imagine　such　a　thing？　Such　a　rotten　thing？　To　do　that　to　a　defenseless　child。　。　。　What　monsters　they　were！
　AGENT：　I　didn't　mean　to　make　you　cry。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　I'm　not　crying。　Just　a　tear　or　two。　It's　so　sad。　Don't　you　think？　So　terribly　sad。　Suffer　the　little　children。
　AGENT：　There's　no　need　to　continue　with…　
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Oh；　but　you　said　this　was　for　Ogden's　sake；　that　you　needed　to　ask　all　of　this　for　Ogden's　sake。　He　was　one　of　my　children。　Foster　children。　But　I　felt　like　they　were　my　own。　I　loved　them　dearly。　Loved　all　of　them。　Little　dears；　every　one。　So　if　it's　for　Ogden's　sake　。　。　。　Well　。　。　。　For　months；　without　anyone　at　all　knowing；　with　poor　little　Ogden　too　afraid　to　tell　any…one；　that　terrible　Howard　Parker　。　。　。　was　using　the　boy。　。　。　using。　。　。　his　mouth。　And　the　mother　watching！　She　was　a　vicious　woman。　And　sick。　Very　sick。
　AGENT：　And　the　night　of　the　crime…　MRS。　PETERSON：　Parker　used　the　boy。。　。　he　used　。　。　。　the
　boy's　rectum。　Hurt　him　terribly。　You　can't　know　the　pain　that　boy　suffered。
　AGENT：　Ogden　came　to　you　that　night。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　I　lived　right　next　door　to　them。　He　came　to　me。　Shaking　like　a　leaf。　Scared　out　of　his　wits。　The　poor；　poor　baby。　。　。　Crying　his　heart　out；　he　was。　That　awful　Parker　had　beat　him　up。　His　lips　were　cracked。　One　eye　was　puffed　and　black。　At　first　I　thought　that　was　all　that　was　wrong　with　him。　But　I　soon　discovered。　。　。　the　other。　We　rushed　him　to　the　hospital。　He　needed　eleven　stitches。　Eleven！　AGENT：　Eleven…rectal　stitches？
　MRS。　PETERSON：　That's　right。　He　was　in　such　pain。　And　he　was　bleeding。　He　had　to　stay　in　the　hospital　for　nearly　a　week。
　AGENT：　And　eventually　you　became　his　foster　mother。
　MRS。　PETERSON：　Yes。　And　never　sorry　for　it。　He　was　a　fine　boy。　A　dear　boy。　Very　bright　too。　At　school　they　said　he　was　a　genius。　He　won　all　of　those　scholarships　and　went　up　to　Harvard。　You'd　think　he'd　e　to　see　me；　wouldn't　you？　After　all　I　did　for　him？　But　no。　He　never　es。　He　never　es　around。　And　now　the　social
　wo