dk.coldfire-第43节

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and　she　thought　she　knew　what　it　was；　but　she　didn't　want　to　use　it　until　the　right　moment。　
　When　Jim　finished　eating；　he　looked　up　from　his　empty　plate　and　said；　〃Okay；　I've　listened　to　your　pitch；　I've　fed　you；　and　now　I　want　you　to　go。〃　
　〃No；　you　don't。〃　
　He　blinked。　〃Miss　Thorne…〃　〃You　called　me　Holly　before。〃　
　〃Miss　Thorne；　please　don't　make　me　throw　you　out。〃　
　〃You　don't　want　me　to　go；〃　Holly　said；　striving　to　sound　more　confident　than　she　felt。　〃At　all　the　scenes　of　these　rescues；　you've　given　only　your　first　name。　No　one's　learned　anything　more　about　you。　
　Except　me。　You　told　me　you　lived　in　southern　California。　You　told　me　your　last　name　was　Ironheart。〃　
　〃I　never　said　you　were　a　bad　reporter。　You're　good　at　prying　information〃　〃I　didn't　pry。　You　gave　it。　And　if　it　wasn't　something　you　wanted　to　give；　a　grizzly　bear　with　an　engineering　degree　and　crowhar　couldn't　pry　it　out　of　you。　I　want　another　beer。〃　
　〃I　asked　you　to　go。〃　
　〃Don't　stir　yourself　I　know　where　you　keep　the　suds。〃　
　She　got　up；　stepped　to　the　refrigerator；　and　withdrew　another　bottle　of　Corona。　She　was　walking　on　the　wild　side　now；　at　least　for　her；　but　a　third　beer　gave　her　an　excuse…even　if　a　flimsy　one　to　stay　and　argue　with　him。　
　She　had　downed　three　bottles　last　night；　at　the　motel　cocktail　lounge　in　Dubuque。　But　then　she　had　still　been　saturated　with　adrenaline；　as　superalert　and　edgy　as　a　Siamese　cat　on　Benzedrine；　which　canceled　out　the　alcohol　as　fast　as　it　entered　her　bloodstream。　
　Even　so；　she　had　hit　the　bed　as　hard　as　a　lumberjack　who'd　downed　a　dozen　boilermakers。　If　she　passed　out　on　Ironheart；　she'd　no　doubt　wake　up　in　her　car；　out　in　the　street；　and　she　would　never　get　inside　his　house　again。　She　opened　the　beer　and　returned　to　the　table　with　it。　
　〃You　wanted　me　to　find　you；〃　she　said　as　she　sat　down。　
　He　regarded　her　with　all　the　warmth　of　a　dead　penguin　frozen　to　an　ice　flow。　〃I　did；　huh？〃　〃Absolutely。　That's　why　you　told　me　your　last　name　and　where　I　could　find　you。〃　
　He　said　nothing。　
　〃And　you　remember　your　last　words　to　me　at　the　airport　in　Portland？〃　〃No。〃　
　〃It　was　the　best　e…on　line　any　guy's　ever　dropped　on　me。〃　
　He　waited。　
　She　made　him　wait　a　little　longer　while　she　took　a　sip　of　beer　straight　from　the　bottle。　〃Just　before　you　closed　the　car　door　and　went　into　the　terminal；　you　said；　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne。'〃　〃Doesn't　sound　like　much　of　a　e…on　line　to　me。〃　
　〃It　was　romantic　as　hell。〃　
　〃　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne。〃　And　what　had　you　just　said　to　me。　
　You're　an　asshole；　Mr。　Ironheart'？〃　〃Ho；　ho；　ho；〃　she　said。　〃Try　to　spoil　it；　go　ahead；　but　you　can't。　
　I'd　told　you　that　your　modesty　was　refreshing；　and　you　said；　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne。〃　My　heart　just　now　went　pitty…pat…pitty…pat　again；　remembering　it。　
　Oh；　you　knew　just　what　you　were　doing；　you　smoothie。　Told　me　your　name；　told　me　where　you　lived；　gave　me　a　lot　of　those　eyes；　those　damned　eyes；　played　coy；　then　hit　me　with　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne；'　and　walked　away　like　Bogart。〃　
　〃I　don't　think　you　should　have　any　more　of　that　beer。〃　
　〃Yeah？　Well；　I　think　I'll　sit　here　all　night；　drinking　one　of　'em　after　another。〃　
　He　sighed。　〃In　that　case；　I'd　better　have　another　one　myself〃　He　got　another　beer　and　sat　down　again。　
　Holly　figured　she　was　making　progress。　
　Or　maybe　he　was　setting　her　up。　Maybe　getting　cozy　over　Corona　was　a　trick　of　some　kind。　He　was　clever；　all　right。　Maybe　he　was　going　to　try　to　drink　her　under　the　table。　Well；　he'd　lose　that　one；　because　she'd　be　under　the　table　long　before　him！　〃You　wanted　me　to　find　you；〃　she　told　him。　
　He　said　nothing。　
　〃You　know　why　you　wanted　me　to　find　you？〃　He　said　nothing。　
　〃You　wanted　me　to　find　you　because　you　really　did　think　I　was　refreshing；　and　you're　the　loneliest；　sorriest　guy　between　here　and　Hardrock；　Missouri。〃　
　He　said　nothing。　He　was　good　at　that。　He　was　the　best　guy　in　the　world　at　saying　nothing　at　just　the　right　time。　
　She　said；　〃You　make　me　want　to　smack　you。〃　
　He　said　nothing。　
　Whatever　confidence　the　Corona　had　given　her　suddenly　began　to　drain　away。　She　sensed　that　she　was　losing　again。　For　a　couple　of　rounds；　there；　she　had　definitely　been　winning　on　points；　but　now　she　was　being　beaten　back　by　his　silence。　
　〃Why　are　all　these　boxing　metaphors　running　through　my　head？〃　she　asked　him。　〃I　hate　boxing。〃　
　He　slugged　down　some　of　his　Corona　and；　with　a　nod；　indicated　her　bottle；　from　which　she　had　drunk　only　a　third。　〃You　really　insist　on　finishing　that？〃　〃Hell；　yes。〃　She　was　aware　that　the　brewski　was　beginning　to　affect　her；　perhaps　dangerously；　but　she　was　still　plenty　sober　enough　to　recognize　that　the　moment　had　e　for　her　knockout　punch。　〃If　you　don't　tell　me　about　that　place；　I'm　going　to　sit　here　and　drink　myself　into　a　fat；　slovenly；　alcoholic　old　crone。　I'm　going　to　die　here　at　the　age　of　eighty…two；　with　a　liver　the　size　of　Vermont。〃　
　〃Place？〃　He　looked　baffled。　〃What　place？〃　Now。　She　chose　a　soft　but　clear　whisper　in　which　to　deliver　the　punch：　〃The　windmill。〃　
　He　didn't　exactly　fall　to　the　canvas；　and　no　cartoon　stars　swarmed　around　his　head；　but　Holly　could　see　that　he　had　been　rocked。　
　〃You've　been　to　the　windmill？〃　he　asked。　
　〃No。　You　mean　it's　a　real　place？〃　〃If　you　don't　know　that　much；　then　how　could　you　know　about　it　at　all？〃　〃Dreams。　Windmill　dreams。　Each　of　the　last　three　nights。〃　
　He　paled。　The　overhead　light　was　not　on。　They　were　sitting　in　shadows；　illuminated　only　by　the　secondhand　glow　of　the　rangehood　and　sink　lights　in　the　kitchen　and　by　a　table　lamp　in　the　adjacent　family　room；　but　Holly　saw　him　go　pale　under　his　tan。　His　face　seemed　to　hover　before　her　in　the　gloom　like　the　face…shaped　wing　configuration　of　a　big　snow…white　moth。　
　The　extraordinary　vividness　and　unusual　nature　of　the　nightmare…and　the　fact　that　the　effects　of　the　dream　had　continued　after　she　had　awakened　in　her　motel　room…had　encouraged　her　to　believe　that　it　was　somehow　connected　with　Jim　Ironheart。　Two　encounters　with　the　paranormal　in　such　close　succession　had　to　be　linked。　But　she　was　relieved；　all　the　same；　when　his　stunned　reaction　confirmed　her　suspicion。　
　〃Limestone　walls；〃　she　said。　〃Wooden　floor。　A　heavy　wooden　door；　banded　in　iron；　that　opens　on　some　limestone　steps。　A　yellow　candle　in　a　blue　dish。〃　
　〃I've　dreamed　about　it　for　years；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Once　or　twice　a　month。　Never　more　often　than　that。　Until　the　last　three　nights。　But　how　can　we　be　having　the　same　dream？〃　〃Where's　the　real　windmill？〃　〃On　my　grandparents'　farm。　North　of　Santa　Barbara。　In　the　Santa　Ynez　Valley。〃　
　〃Did　something　terrible　happen　to　you　there；　or　what？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃No。　Not　at　all。　I　loved　that　place。　It　was。　。　
　。　a　sanctuary。〃　
　〃Then　why　did　you　go　pale　when　I　mentioned　it？〃　〃Did　I？〃　〃Picture　an　albino　cat　chasing　a　mouse　around　a　corner　and　running　into　a　Doberman。　That　pale。〃　
　〃Well；　when　I　dream　of　the　mill；　it's　always　frightening…〃　〃Don't　I　know　it。　But　if　it　was　a　good　place　in　your　life；　a　sanctuary　like　you　say；　then　why　does　it　feature　in　nightmares？〃　〃I　don't　know。〃　
　〃Here　we　go　again。〃　
　〃I　really　don't；〃　he　insisted。　〃Why　did　you　dream　about　it；　if　you've　never　even　been　there？〃　She　drank　more　beer；　which　did　not　clarify　her　thinking。　〃Maybe　because　you're　projecting　your　dream　at　me。　As　a　way　to　sort　of　make　a　connection　between　us；　draw　me　to　you。〃　
　〃Why　would　I　want　to　draw　you　to　me？〃　〃Thanks　a　lot。〃　
　〃Anyway；　like　I　told　you　before；　I'm　no　psychic；　I　don't　have　abilities　like　that。　I'm　just　an　instrument。〃　
　〃Then　it's　this　higher　power　of　yours；〃　she　said。　〃It's　sending　me　the　same　dream　because　it　wants　us　to　connect。〃　
　He　wiped　one　hand　down　his　face。　〃This　is　too　much　for　me　right　now。　
　I'm　so　damned　tired。〃　
　〃Me；　too。　But　it's　only　nine…thirty；　and　we've　still　got　a　lot　to　talk　about。〃　
　〃I　only　slept　about　an　hour　last　night；〃　he　said。　
　He　really　did　look　exhausted。　A　shave　and　a　shower　had　made　him　presentable；　but　the　bruise…dark　rings　around　his　eyes　were　getting　darker；　end　he　had　not　regained　color　in　his　face　after　turning　pale　at　the　mention　of　her　windmill　dreams。　
　He　said；　〃We　can　pick　this　up　in　the　morning。〃　
　She　frowned。　〃No　away。　I'll　e　back　in　the　morning；　and　you　won't　let　me　in。〃　
　〃I'll　let　you　in。〃　
　〃That's　what　you　say　now。〃　
　〃If　you're　having　that　dream；　then　you're　part　of　this　whether　I　like　it　or　not。〃　
　His　tone　of　voice　had　gone　from　cool　to　cold　again；　and　it　was　clear　that　what　he　meant　by　〃whether　I　like　it　or　not〃　was　really　〃even　though　I　don't　like　it。〃　
　He　was　a　loner；　evidently　always　had　been。　Viola　Moreno；　who　had　great　affection　for　him；　claimed　he　was　well…liked　by　his　students　and　colleagues。　She'd　spoken　of　a　fundamental　sadness　in　him；　however；　that　separated　him　from　other　people；　and　since　quitting　his　teaching　position；　he　had　seen　little　of　Viola　or　his　other　friends　from　that　life。　Though　intrigued　by　the　news　that　he　and　Holly　were　sharing　a　dream；　though　he　had　called　her　〃refreshing；〃　though　he　was　to　some　degree　attracted　at　her；　he　obviously　resented　her　intrusion　into　his　solitude。　
　Holly　said；　〃No　good。　You'll　be　gone　when　I　get　here　in　the　morning；　I　won't　know　where　you