pbien.jaws-第6节

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！


pig　after　truffles。　In　the　summer　of　1971　the　daughter　of　one　of　Amity's　richest　families　had　died　off　the　Scotch　Road　beach。　To　Brody；　there　was　no　evidence　of　foul　play；　and　since　the　family　opposed　an　autopsy；　the　death　was　officially　listed　as　drowning。
　　　　　　　But　Meadows　had　reason　to　believe　that　the　girl　was　on　drugs　and　that　she　was　being　supplied　by　the　son　of　a　Polish　potato　farmer。　It　took　Meadows　almost　two　months　to　get　the　story；　but　in　the　end　he　forced　an　autopsy　which　proved　that　at　the　time　she　drowned　the　girl　had　been　unconscious　from　an　overdose　of　heroin。　He　also　tracked　down　the　pusher　and　exposed　a　fairly　large　drug　ring　operating　in　the　Amity　area。　The　story　reflected　badly　on　Amity　and　worse　on　Brody；　who；　because　several　federal　violations　were　involved　in　the　case；　wasn't　even　able　to　redeem　his　earlier　insouciance　by　making　an　arrest　or　two。　And　it　won　Meadows　two　regional　journalism　prizes。
　　　　　　　Now　it　was　Brody's　turn　to　press　for　full　disclosure。　He　intended　to　close　the　beaches　for　a　couple　of　days；　to　give　the　shark　time　to　travel　far　from　the　Amity　shoreline。　He　didn't　know　whether　or　not　sharks　could　acquire　a　taste　for　human　flesh　（as　he　had　heard　tigers　do）；　but　he　was　determined　to　deprive　the　fish　of　any　more　people。
　　　　　　　This　time　he　wanted　publicity；　to　make　people　fear　the　water　and　stay　away　from　it。
　　　　　　　Brody　knew　there　would　be　a　strong　argument　against　publicizing　the　attack。　Like　the　rest　of　the　country；　Amity　was　still　feeling　the　effects　of　the　recession。　So　far；　the　summer　was　shaping　up　as　a　mediocre　one。　Rentals　were　up　from　last　year；　but　they　were　not　〃good〃　rentals。　Many　were　〃groupers；〃　bands　of　ten　or　fifteen　young　people　who　came　from　the　city　and　split　the　rent　on　a　big　house。　At　least　a　dozen　of　the　7；000　…　10；000…a…season　shore…front　houses　had　not　yet　been　rented；　and　many　more　in　the　5；000　class　were　still　without　leases。　Sensational　reports　of　a　shark　attack　might　turn　mediocrity　into　disaster。
　　　　　　　Still；　Brody　thought；　one　death　in　mid…June；　before　the　crowds　e；　would　probably　be　quickly　forgotten。　Certainly　it　would　have　less　effect　than　two　or　three　more　deaths　would。　The　fish　might　well　have　disappeared　already；　but　Brody　wasn't　willing　to　gamble　lives　on　the　possibility：　the　odds　might　be　good；　but　the　stakes　were　prohibitively　high。
　　　　　　　He　dialed　Meadows'　number。　〃Hey；　Harry；〃　he　said。　〃Free　for　lunch？〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　been　wondering　when　you'd　call；〃　said　Meadows。　〃Sure。　My　place　or　yours？〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　Brody　wished　he　hadn't　called　at　mealtime。　His　stomach　was　still　groaning；　and　the　thought　of　food　nauseated　him。　He　glanced　up　at　the　wall　calendar。　It　was　a　Thursday。　Like　all　their　friends　on　fixed；　tight　ines；　the　Brodys　shopped　according　to　the　supermarket　specials。　Monday's　special　was　chicken；　Tuesday's　lamb；　and　so　forth　through　the　week。　As　each　item　was　consumed；　Ellen　would　note　it　on　her　list　and　replace　it　the　next　week。　The　only　variables　were　bluefish　and　bass；　which　were　inserted　in　the　menu　when　a　friendly　fisherman　dropped　his　overage　by　the　house。
　　　　　　　Thursday's　special　was　hamburger；　and　Brody　had　seen　enough　chopped　meat　for　one　day。
　　　　　　　〃Yours；〃　he　said。　〃Why　don't　we　order　out　from　Cy's？　We　can　eat　in　your　office。〃
　　　　　　　〃Fine　with　me；〃　said　Meadows。　〃What　do　you　want？　I'll　order　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃Egg　salad；　I　guess；　and　a　glass　of　milk。　I'll　be　right　there。〃　Brody　called　Ellen　to　tell　her　he　wouldn't　be　home　for　lunch。　Harry　Meadows　was　an　immense　man；　for　whom　the　act　of　drawing　breath　was　exertion　enough　to　cause　perspiration　to　dot　his　forehead。　He　was　in　his　late　forties；　ate　too　much；　chain…smoked　cheap　cigars；　drank　bonded　Bourbon；　and　was；　in　the　words　of　his　doctor；　the　Western　world's　leading　candidate　for　a　huge　coronary　infraction。
　　　　　　　When　Brody　arrived；　Meadows　was　standing　beside　his　desk；　waving　a　towel　at　the　open　window。　〃In　deference　to　what　your　lunch　order　tells　me　is　a　tender　stomach；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　trying　to　clear　the　air　of　essence　of　White　Owl。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　appreciate　that；〃　said　Brody。　He　glanced　around　the　small；　cluttered　room；　searching　for　a　place　to　sit。
　　　　　　　〃Just　throw　that　crap　off　the　chair　there；〃　Meadows　said。　〃They're　just　government　reports。　Reports　from　the　county；　reports　from　the　state；　reports　from　the　highway　mission　and　the　water　mission。　They　probably　cost　about　a　million　dollars；　and　from　an　informational　point　of　view　they　don't　amount　to　a　cup　of　spit。〃
　　　　　　　Brody　picked　up　the　heap　of　papers　and　piled　them　atop　a　radiator。　He　pulled　the　chair　next　to　Meadows'　desk　and　sat　down。
　　　　　　　Meadows　rooted　around　in　a　large　brown　paper　bag；　pulled　out　a　plastic　cup　and　a　cellophane…wrapped　sandwich；　and　slid　them　across　the　desk　to　Brody。　Then　he　began　to　unwrap　his　own　lunch；　four　separate　packages　which　he　opened　and　spread　before　himself　with　the　loving　care　of　a　jeweler　showing　off　rare　gems：　a　meatball　hero；　oozing　tomato　sauce；　a　plastic　carton　filled　with　oily　fried　potatoes；　a　dill　pickle　the　size　of　a　small　squash；　and　a　quarter　of　a　lemon　meringue　pie。　He　reached　behind　his　chair　and　from　a　small　refrigerator　withdrew　a　sixteen…ounce　can　of　beer。　〃Delightful；〃　he　said　with　a　smile　as　he　surveyed　the　feast　before　him。
　　　　　　　〃Amazing；〃　said　Brody；　stifling　an　acid　belch。　〃Absofuckinlutely　amazing。　I　must　have　had　about　a　thousand　meals　with　you；　Harry；　but　I　still　can't　get　used　to　it。〃
〃Everyone　has　his　little　quirks；　my　friend；〃　Meadows　said　as　he　lifted　his　sandwich。　〃Some　people　chase　other　people's　wives。　Some　lose　themselves　in　whiskey。　I　find　my　solace　in　nature's　own　nourishment。〃
　　　　　　　〃That'll　be　some　solace　to　Dorothy　when　your　heart　says；　'That's　enough；　buster；　adios。'〃
　　　　　　　〃We've　discussed　that；　Dorothy　and　I；〃　said　Meadows；　filtering　the　words　through　a　mouthful　of　bread　and　meat；　〃and　we　agree　that　one　of　the　few　advantages　man　has　over　other　animals　is　the　ability　to　choose　the　way　to　bring　on　his　own　death。　Food　may　well　kill　me；　but　it's　also　what　has　made　life　such　a　pleasure。　Besides；　I'd　rather　go　my　way　than　end　up　in　the　belly　of　a　shark。　After　this　morning；　I'm　sure　you'll　agree。〃
　　　　　　　Brody　was　in　the　midst　of　swallowing　a　bite　of　egg　salad　sandwich；　and　he　had　to　force　it　past　a　rising　gag。　〃Don't　do　that　to　me；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　They　ate　in　silence　for　a　few　moments。　Brody　finished　his　sandwich　and　milk；　wadded　the　sandwich　wrapper　and　stuffed　it　into　the　plastic　cup。　He　leaned　back　and　lit　a　cigarette。　Meadows　was　still　eating；　but　Brody　knew　his　appetite　wouldn't　be　diminished　by　any　discussion。　He　recalled　a　time　when　Meadows　had　visited　the　scene　of　a　bloody　automobile　accident　and　proceeded　to　interview　police　and　survivors　while　sucking　on　a　coconut　Popsicle。　〃About　the　Watkins　thing；〃　Brody　said。　〃I　have　a　couple　of　thoughts；　if　you　want　to　hear　them。〃　Meadows　nodded。　〃First；　it　seems　to　me　that　the　cause　of　death　is　cut…anddried。　I've　already　talked　to　Santos；　and　…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　you　know　what　he　thinks。　It　was　a　shark　attack；　clear　and　simple。　And　if　you'd　seen　the　body；　you'd　agree。　There's　just　no　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　see　it。〃
　　　　　　　Brody　was　astonished；　mostly　because　he　couldn't　imagine　how　anyone　who　had　seen　that　mess　could　be　sitting　there　now；　licking　lemon…pie　filling　off　his　fingers。　〃So　you　agree？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　I　agree　that's　what　killed　her。　But　there　are　a　few　things　I'm　not　so　sure　of。〃
　　　　　　　〃Like　what？〃
　　　　　　　〃Like　why　she　was　swimming　at　that　time　of　night。　Do　you　know　what　the　temperature　was　at　around　midnight？　Sixty。　Do　you　know　what　the　water　temperature　was？　About　fifty。　You'd　have　to　be　out　of　your　mind　to　go　swimming　under　those　conditions。〃
　　　　　　　〃Or　drunk；〃　said　Brody；　〃which　she　probably　was。〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe。　No；　you're　right　…　probably。　I've　checked　around　a　little；　and　the　Footes　don't　mess　with　grass　or　mescaline　or　any　of　that　stuff。　There's　one　other　thing　that　bothers　me；　though。〃
　　　　　　　Brody　was　annoyed。　〃For　Christ's　sake；　Harry；　stop　chasing　shadows。　Once　in　a　while；　people　do　die　by　accident。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　not　that。　It's　just　that　it's　damn　funny　that　we've　got　a　shark　around　here　when　the　water's　still　this　cold。〃
　　　　　　　〃Is　it？　Maybe　there　are　sharks　who　like　cold　water。　Who　knows　about　sharks？〃
　　　　　　　〃There　are　some。　There's　the　Greenland　shark；　but　they　never　e　down　this　far；　and　even　if　they　did；　they　don't　usually　bother　people。　Who　knows　about　sharks？　I'll　tell　you　this：　At　the　moment　I　know　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　about　them　than　I　did　this　morning。
　　　　　　　After　I　saw　what　was　left　of　Miss　Watkins；　I　called　a　young　guy　I　know　up　at　the　Woods　Hole　Oceanographic　Institute。　I　described　the　body　to　him；　and　he　said　it's　likely　that　only　one　kind　of　shark　would　do　a　job　like　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　kind？〃
　　　　　　　〃A　great　white。　There　are　others　that　attack　people；　like　tigers　and　hammerheads　and　maybe　even　makos　and　blues；　but　this　fellow　Hooper　…　Matt　Hooper　…　told　me　that　to　cut　a　woman　in　half　like　that　you'd　have　to　have　a　fish　with　a　mouth　like　this〃　…　he　spread　his　hands　about　three　feet　apart　…　〃and　the　only　shark　that　grows　that　big　and　attacks　people　is　the　great　white。　There's　another　name　for　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh？〃　Brody　was　begi