dk.nightchills-第39章
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'When he reached the head of the stairs； Paul got on his hands and knees。 People seldom looked up as they hurried about their business； especially when they were in a familiar place； however； there was no reason to risk being seen。 He crawled around the bell to the opposite side of the platform。
Jenny and Rya were sitting on the floor； their back to the half…wall。 The 。22 rifle lay at Jenny's side。 She was talking to the girl in a low voice； telling her a joke or a story； trying to help
her ease her tensions and overe some of her grief。 Jenny glanced at Paul； smiled； but kept her attention focused on Rya。
That should be my job； Paul thought。 Helping Rya。 Reassuring her and forting her； being with her。
And then he thought； No。 For the time being； your job is to prepare yourself to kill at least one man。 Maybe two or three。 Maybe as many as half a dozen。
Suddenly he wondered how the violence past and the violence yet to e would affect his relationship with his daughter。 Knowing he had killed several men； would Rya fear him as she now feared Bob Thorp？ Knowing he was capable of the ultimate brutal act； would she ever be at ease with him again？ Death had taken his wife and his son。 Would alienation take his daughter from him？
Sam was on his knees； peering over the belfry wall。
Deeply disturbed but aware that this wasn't the time to worry about more than a few hours of the future； easing in beside Sam； Paul looked eastward； to his left。 He could see Edison's General Store half a block away。 Karkov's service station and garage。 The houses in the last section of town。 The baseball diamond on the meadow near the river。 At the end of the valley； near the bend in the highway； a police car was angled across both lanes。
〃Roadblock。〃
Sam said； 〃I've seen it。〃
〃Salsbury does have us penned up。〃
〃And right now he's probably wondering why the hell we haven't tried to call the cops or leave Black River。〃
To Paul's right was the main part of town。 The square。 Ultman's Cafe with its pair of enormous black oak trees。 The municipal building。 Beyond the square； more lovely houses：
brick houses and stone houses and white gingerbread Gothic houses and trim little bungalows。 A couple of shops with striped awnings out in front。 The telephone pany office。 St。 Margaret Mary's。 The cemetery。 The Union Theater with its old fashioned marquee。 And then the road to the mill。 The entire panorama； so recently scrubbed by the storm； looked crisp and
bright and quaint…and too innocent to contain the evil that he knew it harbored。
〃You still think Salsbury's holed up in the municipal building？〃 Paul asked。
〃Where else？〃
〃I guess so。〃
〃The chief's office is the logical mand center。〃
Paul looked at his watch。 〃A quarter past five。〃
〃We'll wait here until dark；〃 Sam said。 〃Nine o'clock or thereabouts。 Then we'll sneak across the street； get past his guards with the code phrase； and reach him before he's seen us ing。〃
〃It sounds so easy。〃
〃It will be；〃 Sam said。
Lightning flashed like a fuse and thunder exploded and rain like shrapnel clattered on the tower roof and on the streets below。
5：20 P。M。
Smiling as he had been told to smile； his arms folded across his broad chest； Bob Thorp leaned casually against the window sill and watched Salsbury； who was working at Bob's desk
The infinity transmitter was connected to the office telephone。 The line was open to Sam Edison's place…or at least the number had been dialed； and the line should have been open。
Salsbury hunched over the chief's desk； the receiver gripped so tightly in his right hand that his knuckles appeared to be about to slice through the pale skin that sheathed them。 He listened closely for some sound； some insignificant tiny little sound of human origin； from the general store or from the living quarters on the two floors above the store。
Nothing。
〃e on；〃 he said impatiently。
Silence。
Cursing the infinity transmitter； telling himself that the damned thing hadn't worked； that it was a piece of crappy Belgian…made hardware and so what could you expect； he hung up。 He checked to see if the wires were attached to the proper terminals； then dialed the Edisons' number again。
The line opened： hissing； a soft roar not unlike the echo of your own circulation when you held a seashell to your ear。
In the background at the Edison's place； a clock ticked rather noisily； hollowly。
He looked at his watch。 5：24
Nothing。 Silence。
5：26
He hung up； dialed again。
He heard the ticking clock。
5：28
5：29
5：30
No one spoke over there。 No one cried or laughed or sighed or coughed or yawned or moved。
5：32
5：33
Salsbury pressed the receiver to his ear as hard as he could； concentrated； strained with his whole body and attention to hear Edison or Annendale or one of the others。
5：34
5：35
They were over there。 Dammit； they were！
5：36
He slammed the receiver into its cradle。
The bastards know I'm listening to them； he thought。 They're trying to be quiet； trying to worry me。 That's it。 That has to be
it。
He picked up the telephone and dialed the Edisons' number。
A ticking clock。 Nothing else。
5：39
5：40
〃Bastards！〃
He hung up the phone with a bang！
Suddenly he was drenched with perspiration。
Clammy and unfortable； he got to his feet。 But he was frozen by rage； he couldn't move。
He said to Thorp； 〃Even if they did get out of the store some way； somehow； they can't have left town。 That's absolutely impossible。 None of them's a magician。 They can't have done it。 I've got it all sewed up。 Haven't I？〃
Thorp smiled at him。 He was still operating under the previous orders Salsbury had given him。
〃Answer me； damn you！〃
Thorp's smile vanished。
Salsbury was livid and greasy with sweat。 〃Haven't I got this fucking town sewed up tight？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 Thorp said obediently。
〃No one can get out of this crummy burg unless I let them out of it。 Isn't that right？〃
〃Yes。 You've got it sewn up。〃
Salsbury was shaking。 Dizzy。 〃Even if they slipped out of the store； I can find them。 I can find them any damned time I want to。 Can't I？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I can tear this goddamned town apart； rip it wide open and find those sonsofbitches。〃
〃Any time you want。〃
〃They can't escape。〃
Abruptly sitting down； almost as if he had collapsed； Salsbury said； 〃But that doesn't matter。 They haven't left the store。 They can't have left it。 It's guarded。 Closely guarded。 It's a damned prison。 So they're still in the place。 Being quiet as mice。 They know I'm listening。 They're dying to trick me。 That's what it is。 A trick。 That's precisely what it is。〃
He dialed the Edisons' number。
He heard the familiar ticking of the clock in one of the rooms where there was a receiver。
5：44
5：45
He hung up。
Dialed again。
Ticking。。。
5：46
5：47
He hung up。
Grinning at the chief of police； he said； 〃Do you realize what they want me to do？〃
Thorp shook his head： no。
〃They want me to panic。 They want me to order you to make a house…to…house search for them。〃 He giggled。 〃I could do that。 I could make everyone in town cooperate in a house…to…house search。 But that would take hours。 And then I'd have to erase the memory of it from everyone's mind； Four hundred minds。 That would take a couple of hours more。 They want me to waste my time。 Precious time。 They want me to panic and waste hours and maybe give them a chance to slip by me in the confusion。 Isn't that what they want？〃
Salsbury giggled。 〃Well； I'm not playing their game。 I'm going to wait for Dawson and Klinger。 I'm not going to panic。 Not me。 I am in control of the situation…and I'll stay that way。〃
Ti…under boomed over the valley and reverberated in the two office windows。
He dialed the general store。
5：50
5：51
He giggled and hung up。
Then he had a startling thought： if the Edisons and the Annendales knew he was listening to them； that meant they knew the entire story； the truth； knew who he was； really was； and what be was doing here in Black River。 。 。 And that was impossible。
He dialed again。
5：52
Nothing。 Silence。
He put down the receiver and turned to Thorp。 〃Well； I guess it doesn't matter if they do know。 They can't get away。 I've got them where I want them。 I have the power 。 。 。〃 He stared at the infinity transmitter for a while； then looked back at Thorp。 〃What do you think Miriam will do when she finds out about the power I've got？〃
〃Who's Miriam？〃
〃You know Miriam。〃
〃I don't know her。〃
〃She's my ex…wife。〃
〃A rotten bitch。〃
Thorp said nothing。
〃Frigid as a Popsicle。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃
〃I know what she'll do；〃 Salsbury said。 〃She'll e crawling to me。 Old Miriam。 Crawling to me； Bob。 On her hands and knees。 She will。 Won't she？〃
〃Yes；〃 Thorp said。
The power。。。
〃You know what I'll do？〃
Thorp said； 〃No。〃
〃You know what the hell I'll do when that rotten bitch es on her hands and knees； crawling on her hands and knees to me？〃
〃Kick her in the face。〃
〃That's assault；〃 Thorp said。
〃Same for Dawson。 Kick him in the face。〃
〃That's assault。 You'll wind up in jail。〃
〃I'll get Dawson；〃 Salsbury said solemnly。 Then he giggled。 〃I'll get that sanctimonious old bastard。〃
Thorp frowned。
〃Think I could find a pair of jackboots； Bob？〃
〃A pair of what？〃
〃Maybe there are a few people； just a few people； not many mind you； that I'd want jackboots for。〃
6：30 P。M。
〃Hello？〃
〃Mrs。 Wolinski？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I am the key。〃
〃I am the lock。〃
〃Is your husband there？〃 〃He's upstairs right now。〃
〃Is he alone upstairs？〃 〃Alone？ Yes。〃 〃Are you alone downstairs？〃 〃Yes。〃
〃Do you know Sam Edison？〃 〃Oh； sure。〃
〃Is he at your house now？〃 〃Sam？ No。〃
〃Is Jenny Edison at your house？〃 〃No。 Why should she be？〃
〃Haven't you seen either of the Edisons today？〃
〃No。 Look here； I…〃
〃Mrs。 Wolinski； when you hang up your telephone； you'll forget every word of this conversation。 You'll only remember that someone called and tried to sell you life insurance。 Someone from Bexford。 Is that understood？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Hang up； Mrs。 Wolinski。〃
6：45 P。M。
〃St。 Margaret Mary's。〃
〃Is this the rectory？〃 〃Yes； it is。〃 〃Father O'Hara？〃 〃Speaking。〃
〃I am the key。〃
〃I am the lock。〃
〃Are you alone； father？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What about your housekeeper？〃
〃She's gone home for the day。〃
〃Do you know Sam and Jenny Edison？〃
〃Certainly。 Fine people。〃 〃Is either of them with you now？〃
〃Here at the rectory？ No。〃
〃In the church perhaps？〃 〃No。 Why do you ask？〃
〃Have you seen either of the Edisons today？〃
〃No。 I…〃
〃Do you know Paul Annendale？〃
〃I don't believe so。 If there's some sort of emergency…〃 〃Shut up； O'Hara。 When you hang up your telephone； you'll forget every word of this conversation。 You'll only remember that someone dialed a wrong number。 Is that understood？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Hang up； O'Hara。〃
7：00 P。M。
either of the Edisons today？〃 〃I saw Sam。 Down at the store。〃 〃When was that； Mrs。 Jamison？〃 〃This morning。 Around nine。〃 〃You haven't seen him since？〃
〃Mrs。 Jamison； I don't want you to go away from the phone。 You stand right there。 But give the receiver to you
