emb.seethemdie-第15章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
automobile when he should have been at the beach。 Block was a fat man。 Not one of those fat men who try to kid themselves by applying euphemistic terms like 〃stout〃 or 〃chubby〃 to their obesity。 He was fat。 F…A…T。 And being fat； he sweated a great deal。 And being a person who sweated … fat men； Block knew； never perspired … he did not appreciate being locked in a parked car in the middle of Isola on a day like today。
He bore the heat with tolerant malice for as long as he could。 Then he got out of the car and tried to find out just what the hell was causing the tie…up。 As far as he could see； there had been no accident。 It always annoyed the hell out of Block when there was an accident。 In the first place； careful drivers didn't get into accidents。 And in the second and more important place； even if the wrecked car itself didn't block the road； traffic always slowed down to a snail's pace because every passing motorist wanted to study the extent of the damage。
Today； there had been no accident。 And yet traffic was tied up on the avenue in both directions。 Now why？ Block wondered。 With the instincts of an old bloodhound； he followed the crowd。 They all seemed to be heading in the same direction； and he assumed the prime attraction was in that direction。 Waddling along； mopping his brow with a big white handkerchief； cursing mildly under his breath； Block made his way up the avenue； and stopped at the luncheonette on the corner。 A sailor was sitting at the counter。 Block sidled up to him and said； 〃What's going on； mate？〃 He had never been in the navy； but he was a born salesman who adapted his speech to fit any and all occasions。 〃Why can't I get my car through here？ What's going on？〃
The sailor did not answer。 The sailor kept dabbing at his face with a wadded handkerchief。 Block didn't see the blood on the handkerchief； so he assumed the sailor was hot and wiping away sweat。 He sympathized with the sailor and turned to the man behind the counter。
〃Can you tell me what's going on？〃 he asked。
〃The traffic's tied up；〃 Luis said。
〃You're telling me it's tied up？〃 Block said； and he began chuckling； his layers of fat jiggling。 〃Say； what kind of answer is that？ It's tied up downtown and uptown and probably crosstown； too。 What's going on？ A parade？〃
〃There's a gunman in the apartment up there；〃 the sailor said suddenly。
〃A what？〃 Block wiped his brow。 〃A gunman； did you say？〃
〃Pepe Miranda；〃 Luis put in； nodding。
〃I never heard of him。 What'd he do； rob a bank？〃 Block said； and he began chuckling； the fat jiggling all over him again。 He didn't look at all like Santa Claus。
〃You live in this city？〃 Luis asked。
〃Sure； I live in this city。 Not around here； though。 I live in Calm's Point。 What is this Miranda； a celebrity？〃
〃He's a killer；〃 the sailor said quietly。
〃Yeah？〃 Block opened his eyes wide in appreciation。 〃Yeah？ A killer？〃
〃That's what he is；〃 Jeff said。
〃They going up there to get him？〃 Block said。
〃That's what it looks like。 You better go back to your car； mister。 There might be shooting around here。〃
〃No； no；〃 Block said； very interested now。 〃I want to watch this。 I want to see him die。〃
He shoved his way through the crowd； using his huge stomach like a battering ram。
〃Louise；〃 Jeff said； 〃what time is it？〃
〃I don't know。 Eleven…thirty； something like that。 Why？〃
〃I'm 。。。 I'm supposed to meet a girl here。 At noon。〃
〃Sailor； why don't you take your own advice？ Get out of here before you run into more trouble。 Take a walk over to the park； eh？ When the girl es； I'll tell her you're waiting there for her。 What's her name？〃
〃China。 That's a funny name； ain't it？〃
〃Not for a Spanish girl。 Only in Spanish； it's pronounced Chee…na。〃 Luis shrugged。 〃A lot of the girls today； they give it the English sound。 Or maybe people do it for them； and then they decide it's easier that way。〃 He paused。 〃Go。 Go to the park。 I'll tell her where you are。〃
〃I thought she was a whore when I first met her； Louise。 That's a damn rotten way to start off； isn't it？〃
〃Well； I know many men who have married prostitutes；〃 Luis said。 〃They make good wives。〃
〃Oh； she ain't！〃 Jeff said； almost shouting the words in his haste。 〃I didn't mean to give you that impression。 I mean； you can see that； once you know her。 She's got this 。。。 this real sweet face； you know？〃
Luis smiled。 〃Si。〃
〃Yeah； like a little girl； you know？〃 He grinned at Luis and then quickly said； 〃Not that she doesn't look womanly。 I mean； she certainly has all the 。。。 the 。。。 things a 。。。 woman has。〃
〃I have never seen an ironing board among Puerto Rican women；〃 Luis said。
〃Huh？〃
Luis curved his hand through the air； pantomiming a woman with unmonly pronounced curves。
〃Oh； yes；〃 Jeff said。 〃Sure。 But she doesn't look sloppy； you understand that； don't you？ I mean； she's not one of these。。。〃 He used his hands to indicate a woman whose upper portions were mountainous。。 Both men nodded in solemn agreement on the proper size of a bosom。 〃She talks nice； too；〃 Jeff said。 〃I like a girl with a good voice and 。。。 and eyes that look at you。 When she talks； I mean。 She looks at you。 That's good。 It makes you feel like 。。。 like you're important。〃
〃Si； a man must feel that he is important。〃
〃That's what I didn't like about Fletcher； Louise。 I just felt like anybody else there。 It's funny but； well； meeting her I feel like …1 don't know …1 feel like me！ That's pretty stupid； ain't it？ I mean； like who the hell else would I feel like？ And I hardly even know her。 I mean； she's just another girl； isn't she？〃
〃Sure；〃 Luis agreed； 〃she's just another girl。 You can find girls anywhere。〃
〃Well； now she's not exactly just another girl；〃 Jeff said hastily。 〃She's prettier than most； you know。〃
〃Pretty girls are easy to find； sailor。 The world is full of pretty girls。 And for every man in the world； there is one girl who is pretty。〃
〃Sure； sure。 But she's； well； I guess you could call her beautiful。 I guess you really could； Louise。〃 He paused。 〃Do you 。。。 do you think she'll e？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Luis said。 〃Perhaps。〃
〃I hope so。 Gee； Louise； I hope so。〃
From Zip's vantage place on the packing crate； he saw her at once； working her way through the crowd。 He waved to her instantly； and then shouted； 〃Elena！ Hey； Elena； over here！〃 He poked Sixto and said； 〃Hey； Sixto； it's Elena。〃
Softly； Sixto said； 〃I thought China wass your girl。〃
〃Variety； huh？〃 Zip said； grinning。 〃Hey； Elena！〃
The girl waved back。 She was sixteen years old； an attractive girl with dark hair and dark eyes； wearing a skirt and blouse。 The girl with her； slightly shorter than she； was wearing black tapered slacks and a boy's white shirt。 〃Hello； Zip；〃 Elena called； and then said to her friend； 〃Juana； it's Zip and the boys。〃
Flatly； Juana said； 〃He's a terrifying creep。〃
〃He's not so bad；〃 Elena said。 〃e on。〃
They walked over to the crate。 Zip offered his hand to Elena and pulled her up beside him。 Papa studied the chivalrous gesture； and then repeated it； offering his hand to Juana who took it with the disdain of a countess accepting aid from a doorman。
〃You ever see anything like this； Elena？〃 Zip asked excitedly。 〃He shot one of them。〃
〃Who shot one of them？〃 Elena asked。
〃Pepe Miranda！〃 Papa said。
〃Who？〃
〃Pepe Miranda；〃 Zip said。 〃He's got a whole arsenal in that apartment with him。 The cops can't figure how to get him out。 Man you shoulda seen him。 He e right up to the window and spit at the bastards！〃
〃Who's this？〃 Juana asked； turning her attention to Zip。
Papa； as if repeating a lesson he had learned； a lesson he had indeed learned earlier from Cooch； said； 〃He the grays thin' ever happen this neighborhood。〃
〃Yeah？〃 Juana said aloofly。 〃I never heard of him。〃
〃So that's what this is all about；〃 Elena said。 〃We were walking over on the next block and everybody was heading here like somebody hit the numbers for a million dollars。〃
〃There ain't no numbers on Sunday；〃 Juana said distantly。 She was not a very pretty girl； but she had learned somewhere that her eyes were very attractive and had further learned how to use make…up on them。 Her eyes were the focal point of her face； as green as jade and； bined with her jet…black hair； they created an instant impression of desirability which overshadowed the true facts of her plainness。
〃You came through the next block？〃 Zip asked Elena。
〃Sure。 Why not？〃
〃No reason。〃 He paused。 〃That's Royal Guardian territory。〃
〃So what？〃
〃Nothing。 Nothing。〃
〃Royal Guardians or not；〃 Elena said； 〃this is a free country。〃
〃We walk where we want to；〃 Juana added。
〃That's because you're a chick。 It ain't so easy when you're a guy；〃 Zip said。
〃Why not？〃 Juana asked。
〃Because it ain't； that's all。 You can't go messing in another club's territory。〃
〃That's nuts。 Haven't you got anything better to do than play war？ That's kid stuff。〃
〃There's nothing kid stuff about it；〃 Zip said。 〃You just don't know。〃
〃I know plenty；〃 Juana said。 〃You haven't got anything better to do； that's all。 That's why you've got these territories and these street bops and。。。〃
〃I got plenty to do；〃 Zip said。 〃We always got plenty to do； ain't we； Sixto？〃
〃Sure； he's got plenty to do；〃 Elena said。 〃He's got China to chase after。〃
〃Hey； listen；〃 Zip said； grinning。 〃How about a hug； Elena？〃
〃If you had things to do；〃 Juana persisted； 〃you wouldn't get involved in this childish nonsense。 What you are is an acting…out neurotic。〃
〃A what？〃 Zip said。
〃An acting…out neurotic；〃 Juana said professorially。
〃How e you're so smart； huh？ Where'd you get your medical degree； huh？〃
〃I read an article in the newspapers；〃 Juana said smugly。
〃Dig the big reader！〃 Zip said； and he burst out laughing。 Dismissing her； he turned to Elena； 〃Hey； e on； no hug for me？〃
〃Go hug China；〃 Elena said coldly。
〃e on； e on；〃 Zip said； still grinning。 But his grin seemed to have no effect on Elena。 Deliberately she turned to Sixto。
〃Who's your cute friend？〃 she asked archly。
〃Huh？〃 Zip said。
〃What're you？〃 she asked Sixto。 〃The strong silent type？〃
〃Me？〃 Sixto asked； bewildered by her sudden attention。
〃What's your name？〃 she asked； moving closer to him； smiling the way she had once seen Jane Russell smile in a movie。
〃Sixto；〃 he answered。
〃The article said you're insecure；〃 Juana said to Zip。
〃Don't give me any bull you read in the newspapers；〃 he said； turning on her angrily； miffed by Elena's behavior。 〃I don't believe nothing I read。〃
〃You probably don't even know how to read；〃 Juana said。
The thing that was happening on the packing crate was rather odd。 Because despite Juana's protests that Zip was a terrifying creep； an acting…out neurotic； and insecure to boot； her conversational efforts had all been directed at him。 And even though her approach took the form of an attack； it was clear that she was bidding for Zip's attention and no one else's。 Elena； meanwhile； was doing exactly the same thing； even though she seemed to be addressing Sixto。 A none…too…subtle tug of war was taking place on that crate。 Whatever Zip's flaws； he was obviously recognized by the girls as the most desirable of the three boys。 And； thank
