dk.nightchills-第43章

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ked　young　woman　lying　on　the　floor；　spread…eagled；　conscious　but　dazed。　And　Salsbury：　face　flushed；　sweat…filmed；　spotted　with　blood；　eyes　wild；　savage…looking。　He　was　kneeling　over　the　woman；　and　he　seemed　like　a　troll；　an　evil　and　disgusting　bug…eyed　troll。　He　was　pressing　a　revolver　between　her　pale　thighs　in　a　vile；　grotesque　imitation　of　the　sex　act。　Paul　was　so　mesmerized　by　the　scene；　so　riveted　by　revulsion　and　outrage；　that　for　a　few　seconds　he　forgot　altogether　that　he　was　in　terrible　danger。
　Salsbury　took　advantage　of　Paul's　and　Sam's　inability　to　act。　He　stood　up　as　if　he　had　had　an　electric　shock；　pointed　his　revolver；　and　fired　at　Paul's　head。
　The　shot　was　a　bit　too　high；　an　inch　or　two；　no　more　than　that。　The　bullet　slammed　into　the　wall　beside　the　door。　Chips　of　plaster　rained　down　on　Paul's　shoulders。
　Still　crouching；　he　pulled　off　two　quick　shots　of　his　own。　The　first　was　wide　of　the　mark；　it　smashed　through　the　Venetian　blinds　and　shattered　one　of　the　windows。　The　second　struck　Salsbury　in　the　left　shoulder；　approximately　four　inches　above　the　nipple。　It　caused　him　to　drop　his　gun；　almost　lifted　him　off　his　feet；　pitched　him　backward　as　if　he　were　a　sack　full　of　rags。
　He　was　thrown　to　the　floor　by　the　impact　of　the　bullet；　and　he　slumped　against　the　wall　beneath　the　windows。　He　clutched　his　left　shoulder　with　his　right　hand；　but　for　all　the　pressure　he　applied；　blood　still　streamed　between　his　fingers。　Pain　pulsed　rhythmically　within　him；　deep　within　him　exactly　as　the　power　bad　once　done：　tat…tat…tat…tat…tat…tat。
　A　man　came　toward　him。　Blue…eyed。　Curly…haired。
　He　couldn't　see　very　well。　His　vision　was　blurred。　But　the　sight　of　those　bright　blue　eyes　was　sufficient　to　catapult　him
　back　in　time；　back　to　the　memory　of　another　pair　of　blue　eyes；　and　he　said；　〃Parker。〃
　The　blue…eyed　man　said；　〃Who's　Parker？〃
　〃Don't　tease　me；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃Please　don't　tease　me。〃
　〃I'm　not　teasing。〃　〃Don't　touch　me。〃　〃Who's　Parker？〃　〃Please　don't　touch　me；　Parker。〃　〃Me？　That's　not　my　name。〃　Salsbury　began　to　cry。
　The　blue…eyed　man　took　him　by　the　chin　and　forced　his　head　up。　〃Look　at　me；　damn　you。　Look　at　me　closely。〃
　〃You　hurt　me　bad；　Parker。〃
　〃I。　Am。　Not。　Parker。〃
　For　a　moment　the　blazing　pain　subsided。　Salsbury　said；　〃Not　Parker？〃
　〃My　name's　Annendale。〃
　The　pain　blossomed　again；　but　the　past　receded　to　its　proper　place。　He　blinked　and　said；　〃Oh。　Oh；　yes。　Annendale。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　ask　you　a　lot　of　questions。〃
　〃I'm　in　terrible　pain；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃You　shot　me。　You　hurt　me。　That　isn't　right。〃
　〃You're　going　to　answer　my　questions。〃
　〃No；〃　Salsbury　said　adamantly。　〃None　of　them。〃
　〃All　of　them。　You'll　answer　all　of　them；　or　I'll　blow　your　damned　head　off；〃　the　blue…eyed　man　said。
　〃Okay。　Do　it。　Blow　my　head　off。　That's　better　than　losing　all　of　it。　That's　better　than　losing　the　power。〃
　〃Who　were　those　men　in　the　helicopter？〃
　〃None　of　your　business。〃　〃Were　they　government　men？〃　〃Co　away。〃
　〃You're　going　to　die　sooner　or　later；　Salsbury。〃
　〃Oh；　is　that　so？　Like　hell　I　am。〃
　〃You　are。　So　save　yourself　some　pain。〃　Salsbury　said　nothing。
　〃Were　they　government　men？〃
　〃Fuck　off。〃
　The　blue…eyed　man　reversed　the　revolver　in　his　right　hand；　and　he　used　the　butt　to　rap　hard　on　Salsbury's　right　hand。　The　blow　seemed　to　send　jagged　shards　of　glass　through　his　skinned　knuckles。　But　that　was　the　least　of　the　pain。　The　shock　was　transmitted　through　his　hand；　to　and　into　the　tender；　bloody　wound　in　his　shoulder。
　He　gasped。　He　bent　over　and　almost　vomited。
　〃Do　you　see　what　I　mean？〃
　〃Bastard。〃
　〃Were　they　government　men？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　told　you　。　。　。　to　。　。　。　fuck　off。〃
　Klinger　parked　the　car　on　West　Main　Street；　two　blocks　from　the　town　square。
　He　slid　out　from　behind　the　wheel；　closed　the　door…and　heard　gunfire。　Three　shots。　One　right　after　the　other。　Inside；　muffled　by　walls。　Not　far　away。　Toward　town。　The　municipal　building？　He　stood　very　still　and　listened　for　at　least　a　minute；　but　there　was　nothing　more。
　He　took　the　snub…nosed　。32　Webley　from　the　ankle　holster　and　flicked　off　the　safety。
　He　hurried　into　the　alleyway　beside　the　Union　Theater；　taking　a　safe　if　circuitous　route　to　the　back　door　of　the　municipal　building。
　9
　10：55　P。M。
　IN　THE　AMBULANCE　LoIah　Tayback　lay　on　a　cot；　strapped　down　at　chest　and　thighs。　A　crisp　white　sheet　was　drawn
　up　to　her　neck。　Her　head　had　been　elevated　with　two　pillows　to　prevent　her　from　choking　on　her　own　blood　during　the　trip　to　the　hospital　in　Bexford。　Although　her　breathing　was　regular；　it　was　labored；　and　she　moaned　softly　as　she　exhaled。
　Behind　the　ambulance；　at　the　open　bay　doors；　Sam　stood　with　Anson　Crowell；　Thorp's　night　deputy。　〃All　right。　Let's　go　through　it　one　more　time。　'What　happened　to　her？〃
　〃She　was　attacked　by　a　rapist；〃　the　deputy　said；　as　Sam　had　programmed　him　to　say。
　〃Where　did　it　happen？〃
　〃In　her　apartment。〃　〃Who　found　her？〃　〃I　did。〃
　〃Who　called　the　police？〃　〃Her　neighbors。〃　〃Why？〃
　〃They　heard　screaming。〃　〃Did　you　catch　her　assailant？〃　〃I'm　afraid　not。〃
　〃Do　you　know　who　he　is？〃　〃No。　But　we're　working　on　it。〃
　〃Have　any　leads？〃
　〃A　couple。〃
　〃What　are　they？〃
　〃I'd　prefer　not　to　say　at　this　time。〃　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　might　prejudice　the　case。〃
　〃By　talking　to　other　policemen？〃
　〃We're　real　careful　in　Black　River。〃　〃That's　being　too　careful；　isn't　it？〃
　〃No　offense。　That's　just　how　we　operate。〃。
　〃Do　you　have　a　description　of　the　man？〃
　The　deputy　recited　a　list　of　physical　characteristics　that　Sam　had　made　up　off　the　top　of　his　head。　The　fictitious　assailant　did　not　remotely　resemble　the　real　one；　Ogden　Salsbury。
　〃What　if　the　state　police　or　the　Bexford　police　offer　assistance　in　the　case？〃
　〃I　tell　them　thanks　but　no　thanks；〃　the　deputy　said。　〃We'll　handle　it　ourselves。　We　prefer　it　that　way。　Besides；　I　don't　have　the　authority　to　allow　them　to　e　in　on　it。　That　would　be　up　to　the　chief。〃
　〃Good　enough；〃　Sam　said。　〃Get　in。〃
　The　deputy　clambered　into　the　passenger　bay　of　the　ambulance　and　sat　on　the　padded　bench　beside　Lolah　Tayback's　cot。
　〃You'll　be　stopping　at　the　end　of　Main　Street　to　pick　up　her　boyfriend；〃　Sam　said。　He　had　already　talked　to　Phil　Karkov　on　the　telephone；　had　primed　him　to　play　the　role　of　the　anxiety…stricken　lover　at　the　hospital…just　as　he　had　primed　Lolah　to　play　a　bewildered　rape　victim　who　had　been　attacked　in　her　apartment。　〃Phil　will　be　staying　at　the　hospital　with　her；　but　you'll　e　back　as　soon　as　you've　learned　she's　going　to　be　okay。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Crowell　said。
　Sam　closed　the　doors。　He　went　around　to　the　driver's　window　to　reinforce　the　story　that　he　had　planted　in　the　mind　of　the　night　duty　volunteer　fireman　who　was　behind　the　wheel。
　At　first　it　seemed　that　there　was　no　way　to　break　through　Salsbury's　iron　resolve；　no　way　to　open　him　up　and　make　him
　talk。　He　was　in　great　pain…shaking；　sweating；　dizzy…but　he　refused　to　make　things　easier　for　himself。　He　sat　in　Thorp's　office　chair　with　an　air　of　authority　that　simply　did　not　make　sense　under　the　circumstances。　He　leaned　back　and　gripped　his　shoulder　wound　and　kept　his　eyes　shut。　Most　of　the　time　he　ignored　Paul's　questions。　Occasionally　he　responded　with　a　string　of　profanities　and　sex　words　that　sounded　as　if　they　had　been　arranged　to　convey　the　minimum　of　meaning。
　Furthermore；　Paul　wasn't　a　born　inquisitor。　He　supposed　that　if　he　knew　the　proper　way　to　torture　Salsbury；　if　he　knew　how　he　could　cause　the　man　mind…shattering　pain　without　actually　destroying　him…and　if　he　had　the　stomach　for　it…he　could　get　the　truth　in　short　order。　When　Salsbury's　stubbornness　became　particularly　infuriating；　Paul　used　the　butt　of　his　revolver　to　jar　the　man's　shoulder　wound。　That　left　Salsbury　gasping。　But　it　wasn't　enough　to　make　him　talk。　And　Paul　was　incapable　of　any　more　effective　cruelties。
　〃Who　were　the　men　in　the　helicopter？〃　Salsbury　didn't　answer。
　〃Were　they　government　people？〃　Silence。
　〃Is　this　a　government　project？〃　〃Go　to　hell。〃
　If　he　knew　what　most　terrified　Salsbury；　he　could　use　that　to　crack　him。　Every　man　had　one　or　two　deeply　ingrained　fears…　some　of　them　quite　rational　and　some　utterly　irrational…that　shaped　him。　And　with　a　man　like　this；　a　man　so　apparently　in　the　borderlands　of　sanity；　there　should　be　more　than　the　usual　number　of　terrors　to　play　upon。　If　Salsbury　were　afraid　of　heights；　he　could　take　the　bastard　up　to　the　church　bell　tower　and　threaten　to　throw　him　off　if　he　didn't　talk。　If　Salsbury　were　severely　afflicted　with　agoraphobia；　he　could　take　him　to　the　flattest　and　biggest　open　space　in　town…perhaps　to　the　baseball　field…and　stake　him　down　in　the　very　center　of　it。　If；　like　the　protagonist　in　i　984；　he　were　brought　near　to　madness　merely　by　the　thought　of　being　placed　in　a　cage　with　rats…　Suddenly　Paul　remembered　how　Salsbury　had　reacted　to　him
　when　he　had　first　e　into　the　room。　The　man　had　been
　shocked；　damned　scared；　devastated。　But　not　just　because　Paul　had　surprised　him。　He　had　been　terrified　because；　for　some　reason　known　only　to　himself；　he　had　thought　that　Paul　was　a　man　named　Parker。
　What　did　this　Parker　do　to　him？　Paul　wondered。　What　could　he　possibly　have　done　to　leave　such　a　deep　and　indelible　scar？
　〃Salsbury？〃
　Silence。
　〃V/ho　were　the　men　in　the　helicopter？〃　〃You're　a　fucking　bore。〃
　〃Were　they　government　people？〃
　〃A　regular　broken　record。〃
　〃You　know　what　I'm　going　to　do　to　you；　Salsbury？〃　He　didn't　deign　to　answer。
　〃You　know　what　I'm　going　to　do？〃　Paul　asked　again。　〃Doesn't　matter。　Nothing　will　work。〃
　〃I'll　do…what　Parker　did。〃
　Salsbury　didn't　respond。　He　didn't　open　his　eyes。　However；　he　grew　stiff　in　the　chair；　tense；　every　muscle　knotted　tight。
　〃Exactly　what　Parker　did；〃　Paul　said。
　'When　Salsbury　finally　opened　his　eyes　there　was　a　monstrous　horror　in　them；　a　trapped　and　haunted　look　that　Paul　had　never　seen　anywhere　but　in　the　eyes　of　cornered；　panic…stricken　wild　animals。
　This　is　it；　Paul　thought。　This　is　the　key；　the　pressure　point；　the　knife　with　which　I'll　open　him。　But　how　should　I　react　if　he　calls　my　bluff？
　He　was　close　to　getting　the　truth；　so　close…but　he　hadn't　the　vaguest　idea　what　Parker　had　done。
　〃How　do　you。　。　。　How　do　you　know　Parker？〃　Salsbury　asked。　His　voice　was　a　thin；　pathetic　whine。
　Paul's　spirits　lifted　even　further。　If　Salsbury　didn't　recall　that　it　was　he　who　had　first　mentioned　this　Parker；　then　the　use　of　the　name　carried　a　great　deal　of　weight。
　〃Never　mind　how　I　know　him；〃　Paul　said　shortly。　〃But　I　do。　I　know　him　well。　And　I　know　what　he　did　to　you。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　was　only　。　。　。　eleven。　You　wouldn't。〃
　〃I　would。　And　enjoy　it〃
　〃But　you　aren't　the　type；〃　Salsbury　said　desperately。　He　had　been　shiny　with　sweat；　now　he　was　dripping　with　it　〃You　just　aren't　the　type！〃
　〃What　type　is　that？〃
　〃Queer！〃　he　blurted。　〃You　aren't　a　damned　queer！〃　Still　bluffing　but　with　more　good　cards　on　the　table　to　back
　his　hand；　Paul　said；　〃We　don't　all　look　like　what　we　are；　you　know。　Most　of　us　don't　advertise　it。〃
　〃You　were　married。〃
　〃Doesn't　matter。〃
　〃You　had　children！〃　Paul　shrugged。
　〃You're　sniffing　around　that　Edison　bitch！〃
　〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　AC…DC？〃　Paul　asked。　He　grinned。　Salsbury　closed　his　eyes。
　〃Ogden