dk.nightchills-第44章

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　〃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？〃
　He　said　nothing。
　〃Get　up；　Ogden。〃
　〃Don't　touch　me。〃
　〃Lean　against　the　desk。〃
　〃I　won't　get　up。〃　〃e　on。　You'll　love　it。〃
　〃No。　I　won't。〃　〃You　loved　it　from　Parker。〃
　〃That's　not　true！〃　〃You're　the　type。〃　〃I'm　not。〃　〃Admit　it。〃　He　didn't　move。　〃A　talent　for　Greek。〃　Salsbury　winced。　〃No。〃　〃Lean　on　the　desk。〃　〃It　hurts　。　。
　〃Of　course。　Now　get　up　and　lean　on　the　desk　and　drop　your　pants。　e　on。〃
　Salsbury　shuddered。　His　face　was　drawn　and　ashen。
　〃If　you　don't　get　up；　Ogden；　I'll　have　to　throw　you　out　of　that　chair。　You　can't　refuse　me。　You　can't　get　away　from　me。　You　can't　fight　me　off；　not　when　I've　got　the　gun；　not　when　your　arm's　all　torn　up　like　that。〃
　〃Oh；　Jesus　God；〃　Salsbury　said　miserably。
　〃You'll　love　it。　You'll　love　the　pain。　Parker　told　me　how　much　you　love　the　pain。〃
　Salsbury　began　to　cry。　He　didn't　weep　gently　or　quietly；　but　let　go　with　great；　wracking　sobs。　Tears　seemed　to　spurt　from　his　eyes。　He　shook　and　gagged。
　〃Are　you　scared；　Ogden？〃　〃S…Scared。　Yes。〃
　〃You　can　save　yourself。〃　〃From　。　。　。　from　。　。　。〃
　〃From　being　raped。〃
　〃H…How？〃
　〃Answer　my　questions。〃　〃Don't　want　to。〃
　〃Get　up　then。〃
　〃Please　。　。
　Ashamed　of　himself；　sick　of　this　violent　game　but　determined　to　carry　on　with　it；　Paul　took　hold　of　the　front　of　Salsbury's　shirt。　He　shook　him　and　tried　to　lift　him　out　of　the　chair。　〃When　I'm　done　with　you；　I'll　let　Bob　Thorp　have　you。　I'll　tape　your　mouth　so　you　can't　talk　to　him；　and　I'll　program　him　to　put　it　to　you。〃　He　was　incapable　of　doing　that；　of　course。　But　Salsbury　obviously　believed　he　would。　〃And　not　just　Thorp。　Others。　Half　a　dozen　others。〃
　With　that；　Salsbury's　resistance　dissolved。　〃Anything。　I'll　tell　you　anything；〃　he　said；　his　voice　distorted　by　the　wretched　sobbing　that　he　couldn't　control。　〃Anything　you　want。　Just　don't　touch　me。　Oh；　Jesus。　Oh；　don't　touch　me。　Don't　make　me　undress。　Don't　touch。　Don't。〃
　Still　twisting　Salsbury's　shirt　in　his　left　hand；　leaning　toward　the　man；　nearly　shouting　in　his　face；　Paul　said；　〃Who　were　those　men　in　the　helicopter？　Unless　you　want　to　be　used　until　you're　raw；　you　better　tell　me　who　they　were。〃
　〃Dawson　and　Klinger。〃
　〃There　were　three。〃
　〃I　don't　know　the　pilot's　name。〃
　〃Dawson　and　Klinger。　First　names？〃
　〃Leonard　Dawson　and…〃　〃The　Leonard　Dawson？〃　〃Yes。　And　Ernst　Klinger。〃
　〃Is　Klinger　a　government　man？〃
　〃He's　an　army　general。〃
　〃Is　this　a　military　project？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃A　government　project？〃
　〃No；〃　Salsbury　said。
　Paul　knew　all　of　the　questions。　There　was　no　point　in　the　rapid…fire　interrogation　at　which　he　had　to　hesitate。
　And　there　was　never　a　single　moment　when　Salsbury　dared　hesitate。
　Ernst　Klinger　crouched　behind　a　yard…high　wall　of　shrubbery　across　the　alleyway　from　the　municipal　parking　lot。　Stunned；　confused；　he　watched　them　load　the　woman　into　the　white　Cadillac　van　with　the　words　BLACK　RIVER…EMERGENCY　painted　in　red　letters　on　the　side。
　At　11：02　the　ambulance　pulled　out　of　the　parking　lot；　swung　into　the　alley　and　from　there　onto　North　Union　Road。　It　turned　right；　toward　the　square。
　Its　bright　red　flashers　washed　the　trees　and　the　buildings；　and　Sent　crimson　snakes　of　light　wriggling　along　the　wet　pavement。
　The　bearded；　white…haired　man　who　stood　in　the　parking　lot　was　Sam　Edison。　Klinger　recognized　him　from　a　photograph　that　he　had　seen　in　one　of　the　rooms　above　the　general　store；　little　more　than　an　hour　ago。
　Edison　watched　the　ambulance　until　it　turned　east　at　the　Square。　He　was　too　far　away　for　Klinger　to　get　a　shot　at　him　with　the　Webley。　When　the　ambulance　was　out　of　sight；　he　went　inside　the　municipal　building。
　Have　we　lost　control　of　the　town？　Klinger　asked　himself。　Is
　it　all　ing　down　on　our　heads：　the　field　test；　the　plan；　the　project；　the　future？　Sure　as　hell　looks　that　way。　Sure　does。　So。。。　Is　it　time　to　get　out　of　Black　River；　out　of　the　country　with　a　big　bundle　of　cash　and　the　phony　identity　Leonard　provided？
　Don't　panic；　another　part　of　him　thought。　Don't　be　rash。　Wait。　See　what　happens。　Give　it　a　few　minutes。
　He　looked　at　his　watch。　11：03。
　Thunder　rumbled　in　the　mountains。
　It　was　going　to　rain　again。
　11：04。
　He　had　been　hunkered　down　for　so　long　that　his　legs　ached。　He　longed　to　stand　up　and　stretch。
　What　are　you　waiting　here　for？　he　asked　himself。　You　can't　plan　your　strategy　without　information。　You've　got　to　reconnoiter。　They're　probably　in　Thorp's　office。　Get　under　those　windows。　Maybe　you　can　hear　what　they're　up　to。
　At　five　minutes　past　the　hour；　he　hurried　across　the　alley。　He　dodged　from　car　to　car　in　the　parking　lot；　and　then　to　the　thick　trunk　of　a　pine　tree。
　Just　like　in　Korea；　he　thought　almost　happily。　Or　Laos　in　the　late　fifties。　Just　like　it　must　have　been　for　the　younger　guys　in　Nam。　mando　work　in　an　enemy　town。　Except　this　time　the　enemy　town　is　American。
　　
　11：05　P。M。
　　
　Sam　stood　in　the　doorway　and　studied　Ogden　Salsbury；　who　was　still　in　the　spring…backed　office　chair。　To　Paul；　Sam　said；　〃You're　sure　he　told　you　everything？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　that　everything　he's　told　you　is　true？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃This　is　important；　Paul。〃
　〃He　didn't　withhold　anything；〃　Paul　said。　〃And　he　didn't　lie　to　me。　I'm　sure　of　it。〃
　Stinking　of　sweat　and　blood；　crying　quietly；　Salsbury　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。
　Does　he　understand　what　we're　saying？　Paul　wondered。　Or　is　be　broken；　shattered；　unable　to　think　clearly；　unable　to　think　at　all？
　Paul　felt　unclean；　sick　to　his　soul。　In　dealing　with　Salsbury；　be　had　descended　to　the　man's　own　level。　He　told　himself　that　these　were　after　all　the　1970s；　the　very　first　years　of　a　brave　new　world；　a　time　when　individual　survival　was　difficult　and　when　it　counted　for　more　than　all　else；　the　age　of　the　machine　and　of　the　machine's　morality；　perhaps　the　only　era　in　the　entire　span　of　history　when　the　ends　truly　did　justify　the　means…but　he　still　felt　unclean。
　〃Then　the　time　has　e；〃　Sam　said　quietly。　〃One　of　us　has　to…do　it。〃
　〃A　man　named　Parker　apparently　raped　him　when　he　was　eleven　years　old；〃　Paul　said。　He　was　speaking　to　Sam；　but　he　was　watching　Ogden　Salsbury。
　〃Does　that　make　any　difference？〃　Sam　asked。
　〃It　should。〃
　〃Does　it　make　any　difference　that　Hitler　might　have　been　born　of　a　syphilitic　parent？　Does　it　make　any　difference　that　he　was　mad？　Does　that　bring　back　the　six　million　dead？〃　Sam　was　talking　softly　but　with　tremendous　force。　He　was　trembling。　〃Does　what　happened　to　him　when　he　was　eleven　justify　what　he　did　to　Mark？　If　Salsbury　wins；　if　he　takes　control　of　everyone；　does　it　matter　what　happened　to　him　when　he　was　eleven？〃
　〃There's　no　other　way　to　stop　him？〃　Paul　asked；　although　he　knew　the　answer。
　〃We've　already　discussed　that。〃
　〃I　guess　we　have。〃
　〃I'll　do　it；〃　Sam　said。
　〃No。　If　I　can't　get　up　the　courage　here；　I　won't　be　any　help　to　you　later；　with　Dawson　and　Klinger。　We　may　be　in　a　tight　spot　with　one　of　those。　You'll　have　to　know　that　you　can　count
　Letting　go　of　his　left　shoulder；　reaching　out　as　if　to　shake　with　one　bloody　hand；　Salsbury　said；　〃Wait。　I'll　make　you　a　partner。　Both　of　you。　Partners。〃
　Paul　aimed　at　the　center　of　the　man's　chest。
　〃If　you're　partners；　you'll　have　everything。　Everything　you　could　want。　All　the　money　you　could　ever　spend。　All　the　money　in　the　world。　Think　of　that！〃
　Paul　thought　of　Lolah　Tayback。
　〃Partners。　That　doesn't　mean　just　money。　Women。　You　can　have　all　of　the　women　you　want；　any　women　you　want；　no　matter　who　they　are。　They'll　crawl　to　you。　Or　men；　if　that's　what　you　like。　You　can　even　have　children。　Little　girls。　Nine　or　ten　years　old。　Little　boys。　Anything　you　want。〃
　Paul　thought　of　Mark：　a　lump　of　frosted　meat　jammed　into　a　food　freezer。
　And　he　thought　of　Rya：　traumatized　perhaps；　but　with　a　chance　to　live　a　halfway　normal　life。
　He　squeezed　the　trigger。
　The　Magnum　bucked　in　his　hand。
　Because　of　his　revolver's　impressive　kick…which　jolted　Paul　from　hand　to　shoulder　in　spite　of　that　fact　that　he　was　using　。38　Special　ammunition　rather　than　Magnums…the　bullet　was　high。　It　tore　through　Salsbury's　throat。
　Blood　and　bits　of　flesh　spattered　the　metal　firearms　cabinet。　The　roar　of　the　shot　was　deafening。　It　bounced　back　and　forth　between　the　walls；　echoed　inside　Paul's　skull；　reverberated　as　it　would　forever　in　his　memory。
　He　squeezed　off　another　round。
　That　one　took　Salsbury　in　the　chest；　nearly　rocked　him　and　the　chair　backward　onto　the　floor。
　He　turned　away　from　the　dead　man。
　〃Are　you　going　to　be　sick？〃　Sam　asked。
　〃I'm　all　right。〃　He　was　numb。
　〃There's　a　toilet　at　the　end　of　the　hail；　to　your　left。〃
　〃I'm　okay；　Sam。〃
　〃You　look…〃
　〃I　killed　men　in　the　war。　Killed　men　over　in　Asia。　Remember？〃
　〃This　is　different。　I　understand　that。　In　the　war　it's　always　with　rifles　or　grenades　or　mortars。　It's　never　from　three　feet　with　a　handgun。〃
　〃I'm　fine。　Believe　me。　Just　fine。〃　He　went　to　the　door；　pushed　past　Sam；　stumbled　into　the　corridor　as　if　he　had　tripped；　turned　left；　ran　to　the　washroom；　and　threw　up。
　Scuttling　sideways　like　a　hermit　crab；　the　Webley　ready　in　his　right　hand；　Klinger　reached　the　western　flank　of　the　municipal　building　and　found　that　the　lawn　there　was　littered　with　glass。　He　hadn't　made　a　sound　on　his　run　from　the　shrubbery。　Now；　pieces　of　glass　snapped　and　crunched　under　his　shoes；　and　he　cursed　silently。　One　of　the　windows　in　the　police　chief's　office　was　broken；　and　a　few　of　the　slats　in　the　Venetian　blind　were　bent　out　of　shape；　providing　a　convenient　peephole　for　his　reconnaissance　work。
　As　he　was　rising　up　to　have　a　look　inside…cautious　as　a　suspicious　mouse　sniffing　the　cheese　in　the　trap…two　shots　exploded　virtually　in　front　of　his　face。　He　froze…then　realized　that　he　hadn't　been　seen；　that　no　one　was　firing　at　him。
　Through　the　twisted　slats　of　the　blind；　he　could　see　two…thirds　of　Thorp's　starkly　furnished　and　somewhat　sterile　office：
　gray…blue　walls；　a　pair　of　three…drawer　filing　cabinets；　an　oak　work　table；　a　bulletin　board　with　an　aluminum　frame；　bookshelves；　most　of　a　massive　metal　desk…　And　Salsbury。
　Dead。　Very　dead。
　Where　was　Sam　Edison？　And　the　other　one；　Annendale？　And　the　woman；　the　little　girl？
　There　appeared　to　be　no　one　in　the　room　except　Salsbury。　Salsbury's　corpse。
　Suddenly　afraid　of　losing　track　of　Edison　and　Annendale；　afraid　that　they　might　somehow　get　away　or　sneak　around　behind　him；　afraid　of　being　outmaneuvered；　Klinger　turned　from　the　windows。　He　loped　to　the　end　of　the　lawn；　then　across　the
　parking　lot　and　the　alleyway。　He　hid　behind　the　hedge　again；　where　he　manded　a　good　view　of　the　back　door　of　the　municipal　building。
　When　he　came　out　of　the　washroom；　Sam　was　waiting　in　the　corridor　for　him。
　〃Feeling　better？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Paul　said。
　〃It's　rough。〃
　〃It'll　get　worse。〃
　〃That　it　will。〃
　〃Christ。〃
　〃What　did　you　learn　from　Salsbury？　Who　were　those　men　in　the　helicopter？〃
　Leaning　against　the　wall；　Paul　said；　〃His　partners。　One　of　them　was　H。　Leonard　Dawson。〃
　〃I'll　be　damned。〃
　〃The　other　one　is　a　general。　United　States　Army。　His　nam