ericlustbader.the ninja-第76节

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the　heat　bined　to　streak　the　air　as　it　rose　in　waves　from　the　asphalt　of　the　street。
　'You　know；'　Tomkin　said　while　they　were　stalled；　'money's　a　funny　thing。　Most　people　who　don't　have　it　want　it　very　badly。　But　the　ones　who　have　it；　if　they　have　any　sense　at　all；　know　what　a　fantastic　burden　it　is。　There　are　mornings　I　don't　want　to　get　up　and　go　to　the　office；　despite　the　excitement。　I　feel　as　if　my　body　weighs　tons；　as　if　every　breath　I　take　is　made　painful　by　pressure。'　Up　ahead；　at　Sixth　Avenue；　the　light　turned　green。　No　one　moved。　After　a　moment；　horns　started　blaring。
　'But　there　are　decisions　to　be　made；'　he　continued。　'Decisions　involving　millions　of　dollars　and　the　lives　of　thousands　of　my　employees　throughout　the　world。　There's　nobody　but　me　to　make　them。'　His　voice　turned　reflective。　'That's　excitement　enough；　don't　you　think？　To　know　you're　performing　something　in　a　way　no　one　else　can。　You　know　about　that　as　well　as　I　do；　eh？　You　do　what　you　do　better　than　anyone　else。'
　'And　what's　that？'
　Tomkin's　eyes　narrowed　as　if　he　were　looking　through　cigarette　smoke。　'You're　a　very　deadly　man；　Nick。　Don't　think　I　can't　feel　it。　Even　before　I　saw　what　you　could　do　with　Frank　and　Whistle。　Oh；　it　was　nice　to　see　a　graphic　example　of　what　had　been　in　my　mind's　eye；　of　course。　But　I　was　as　certain　of　you　as　I　have　been　of　anything。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I'm　glad　Justine　likes　you　…　I　think　you'll　be　good　for　her。　She　should　get　to　know　what　a　real　man's　like。'
　The　light　had　turned　red　again　but　the　horns　hadn't　diminished。
　'What's　the　problem；　Tom？'　he　said　into　the　grille。
　'Bus　broken　down；　Mr　Tomkin；'　came　the　electronically　filtered　reply。　'Won't　be　long　now。'
　'Buses；'　Tomkin　said；　readjusting　his　position。　'Christ；　I　haven't　been　on　a　bus　in　over　thirty　years。'
　'Money'll　do　that　to　you；'　Nicholas　said　blandly。
　'The　only　thing　that　money　does；'　Tomkin　said　sharply；　'is　corrupt。'
　Nicholas　turned　his　head。　'Does　that　include　you？'
　'We're　all　susceptible；　we　all　succumb。　There're　no　exceptions；　none　at　all。　In　that　respect；　money's　the　great　leveller。　It　makes　fools　of　us　all。'　He　barked　a　laugh。　'All　those　assholes　who　tell　you　that　money　hasn't　changed　'em　are　full　of　shit。　Of　course　it　has。　They　just　like　to　stare　at　illusions　they　build　for　themselves。　As　for　me；　I'm　a　realist。　I　take　the　drawbacks　and　accept　them。　Everything　has　its　price　tag　…　you　just　gotta　make　sure　you　got　enough　to　pay。
　'Now　take　my　late　wife；　for　example。　Jesus；　there　was　a　woman　who　knew　sure　as　hell　what　she　wanted　only　she　didn't　have　the　guts　to　e　to　grips　with　what　went　along　with　it。　People　like　her；　they　piss　me　off　no　end；　'cause　all　they　want　is　to　stand　and　squat　in　a　stream　all　day　long　while　someone　es　and　wipes　their　asses　for　them　three　times　a　day。　You　think　they　ever　heard　of　the　word　responsibility？　Not　a　chance。'
　They　began　to　move　now　and　the　limo　slid　to　a　stop　at　the　far　corner　where　Wolf's　Delicatessen　stood。
　'e　on；'　Tomkin　said。　'I　don't　know　about　you　but　I　can't　wait　to　taste　a　Number　One　bination。'
　Behind　them；　in　the　limo；　the　second　bug；　perfectly　hidden　under　the　carpet；　remained　undetected　and　undisturbed。
　'You're　not　impressed？'
　'It　seems　like　a　lot　of　space　for　one　person。'
　'I'm　claustrophobic。'
　Croaker　laughed。　'Yeah；　well。　I　could　see　where　you　wouldn't　be　in　this　place。'　He　came　back　from　the　windows　overlooking　the　East　River　and　Queens。　His　fingers　stroked　the　butter…soft　leather　of　the　brown　couch。
　'Beautiful；'　he　murmured。
　'It　gets　a　lot　of　attention。'　Her　topaz　eyes　regarded　him　playfully。　'Why；　Lieutenant；　I　believe　you're　blushing。　Don't　tell　me　you've　never　met　anyone　of　my　profession　before　…　that　would　be　too　much　to　swallow。'
　He　groaned　at　the　deliberate　double　entendre。　'Do　you　always　talk　like　that？'
　'Only　when　I'm　…　only　occasionally。'　He　wondered　what　she
　had　been　going　to　say。　'Hey；　I'm　hungry。'　Immediately　her　face　fell。　'But；　oh；　there's　nothing　here　…'
　'That's　okay；　I've　got　to　…'
　'Oh；　don't　go。　Please。　Not　yet；　anyway。'　She　crossed　the　room　to　the　phone。　'You　deserve　some　time　off　…　at　least　to　eat。　And　they　know　where　to　reach　you　if　something　really　hot　es　up。〃
　Yeah；　he　thought。　Like　the　address　of　the　lady　who'll　nail　your　old　man　to　the　bathroom　wall。　He　felt　immediately　embarrassed　and　wondered　why。　He'd　never　felt　that　way　before。
　Gelda　had　her　ear　to　the　receiver；　was　saying；　'I'll　order　us　up　some　food。　How　about　Italian？　Do　you　like　Italian　food？　I　love　it。'
　'Okay。　Fine。'
　She　nodded；　dialled　a　number；　waited　a　moment。　'Philip；'　she　said。　'It's　G。　Yeah；　fine。　What　about　you？　You　sure？　You　sound　a　little　funny。　No？　Hey；　how'd　you　like　to　get　me　some　food。　Mario's；　yeah。　For　two。　You　know　what。　Okay。　'Bye。'　She　turned　round。
　'Who's　Philip？'　he　asked。　'Not　a　runner　or　something　stupid　like　that？　You　wouldn't　do　something　like　that　to　me；　would　you？'
　'Don't　worry。　No。　He's　just　a　kid　who　hangs　around。　Does　stuff　for　some　…　of　us。'　She　saw　the　look　on　his　face。　'Cut　it　out。　He's　got　no　family　but　us。　We　all　love　him　and　he　knows　it。　Is　that　monstrous？'
　He　smiled。　'Sounds　all　right。〃　He　moved　round　to　the　front　of　the　couch；　sat　down；　'Feels　nice。'
　She　followed　him；　said　when　she　was　very　close；　standing　over　him；　'You　should　feel　it　without　clothes　on。〃
　He　gave　a　slightly　unfortable　laugh。
　Gelda　walked　towards　the　bedroom　doorway。　She　began　to　take　off　her　silk　blouse。　Before　she　had　disappeared　through　the　doorway；　he　had　seen　the　flawless　expanse　of　her　naked　back。　Despite　the　fullness　of　her　breasts；　she　wore　no　bra。
　'What　are　you　doing？'　He　got　up　from　the　couch；　stood　uneasily　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。
　'Just　changing。'　He　heard　her　voice　drift　back　to　him。　'Don't　worry；　I　won't　attack　you。'
　'I　wasn't　thinking　of　that；'　he　said　not　quite　honestly。
　'Good。'
　He　heard　the　sensuous　rustle　of　silk　against　firm　flesh。
　'Do　you　want　to　e　in；'　she　said；　'so　I　can　see　you　while　we　talk？'
　Tm　all　right　out　here。'　He　felt　like　a　schoolboy　on　his　first　real　date。
　'Listen；'　she　said；　'you've　seen　my　mind。　I　can't　imagine　what　would　embarrass　you　about　seeing　my　body。'
　'Nothing；'　he　said　automatically。
　'All　right；　then。'
　He　stood　where　he　was　for　a　moment；　feeling　an　outsider　in　this　plush　yet　intimate　landscape。　In　his　mind；　he　tried　to　summon　up　clear　images　of　what　she　did　here　but　he　could　find　nothing。　He　had　an　active　imagination；　at　the　moment　it　had　shut　down　entirely。
　He　walked　to　the　doorway；　stood　looking　in　on　the　threshold；　a　voyeur　at　his　first　peep…hole。
　She　stood　with　one　leg　up　on　the　bedspread；　putting　on　a　stocking。　A　stocking；　he　thought；　not　panty　hose。　The　perfect　foot　was　dark；　the　flesh　shining　through　the　silk　mesh　so　that　the　black　was　made　pale；　an　altogether　new　colour。　The　toes　indented　the　spread　as　if　she　had　stepped　along　the　crest　of　a　sand　dune。　Her　legs　seemed　endless。
　She　wore　bikini　panties；　a　girdle；　both　flesh…coloured；　soft　and　lacy。　Otherwise；　she　was　nude。　The　effect　was　startling。
　She　twisted　her　head　over　her　shoulder　to　look　at　him。　Her　topaz　eyes　were　very　light。　She　smiled　ingenuously。　'There。'　The　voice　was　but　a　wisp。　'That　wasn't　so　bad；　was　it？'
　'I　wish　you'd　put　on　some　clothes。'
　She　walked　across　the　room。　He　tried　not　to　stare　at　the　movement　of　her　breasts　at　each　step　but　he　had　given　himself　an　impossible　task。　When　she　reached　the　wardrobe　she　raised　her　arms　and　his　temperature　at　the　same　time。　She　drew　out　a　forest…green　satin　robe；　came　towards　him。　'Is　that　better；　Lew　…　I　can　call　you　Lew？　After　all；　I　threw　up　all　over　you　in　the　van；　I　ought　to　be　able　to　call　you　by　your　first　name。　At　the　very　least。'　She　brushed　by　him；　went　into　the　living　room　with　the　ghost　of　a　smile。
　He　detached　himself　from　the　doorjamb；　wondering　what　he　was　doing　still　here；　always　on　the　job；　that's　me；　he　thought。　But　what　was　really　on　his　mind　was　his　dark　apartment　crouching　as　deserted　as　Wall　Street　at　a　weekend　waiting　for　him　to　return。　Going　home　to　that　seemed　as　out　of　the　question　as　when　it　had　been　filled　with　Alison's　scent。
　'Should　we　go　to　bed　now　or　after　the　food　gets　here？'　He　could　not　quite　keep　the　anger　out　of　his　voice。　There　was　a　degree　of　control　he　felt　had　abandoned　him　some　time　when　his　attention　had　been　elsewhere。
　Gelda　turned　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　Her　belted　robe　opened　as　if　on　cue　and　he　saw　the　gleaming　length　of　one　leg。　'Is　that　what　you　think？'　She　was　still　smiling　softly；　like　the　gentle　glow　from　a　heavily　shaded　lamp。
　'It's　obvious；　isn't　it？'
　'Is　it？'　One　eyebrow　arched。　'You　know　my　sexual　preference。'
　Of　course；　he　had　forgotten。　Deliberately？　He　felt　an　idiot。　He　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets　again；　turned　away　too　embarrassed　to　apologize。　Mental　sets；　he　thought　savagely。　Isn't　it　odd　how　the　eyes　see　one　thing　and　the　mind　…　that　great　plex　monstrosity　…　makes　leaps　of　illogicality　to　form　conclusions。　He　felt；　abruptly；　just　as　he　had　that　scorching　summer's　day　in　Hell's　Kitchen　when　not　even　the　turned…on　hydrants　helped；　when　the　steaming　air　hung　like　layers　of　blankets　your　well…meaning　but　misguided　mother　had　wrapped　you　in　when