dk.nightchills-第34节

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He　kept　b…b…banging　Mark's　head。　。　。　his　head。。　。　banging　it　against　the　stove。　It　was　awful。　B…banging　it　。　。　。　over　and　over　again　。　。　。　and　all　the　blood。　。　。　Oh；　God；　Daddy；　it's　crazy　but　it's　true！〃
　It　was　crazy。
　And　it　couldn't　be　true。
　Yet　when　she　first　came　into　the　store…breathing　hard；　half…choking　and　half…crying；　babbling　as　if　she　were　in　a　fever；　so　unlike　herself…he　felt　an　icy　hand　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　As　she　told　her　improbable　story；　the　glacial　fingers　lingered。　And　they　were　still　there。
　He　turned　the　corner　onto　Union　Road。　The　police　chief's　house　was　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　the　last　on　the　street；　near　the　river。　The　garage；　large　enough　for　two　cars　and　topped　by　a　workman's　loft；　lay　fifty　yards　beyond　the　house。　He　pulled　into　the　driveway　and　parked　the　station　wagon　in　front　of　the　garage。
　〃Where's　the　canary　cage？〃　he　asked。
　Rya　said；　〃It　was　over　there。　Near　the　window。　They've　moved　it。〃
　〃Looks　calm。　Peaceful。　Doesn't　seem　like　a　murder　took　place　half　an　hour　ago。〃
　〃Inside；〃　Rya　said　sharply。　〃They　killed　him　inside。〃
　Jenny　took　hold　of　the　girl's　hand　and　squeezed　it。　〃Rya…〃
　〃Inside。〃　Her　face　was　set；　she　was　resolute。
　〃Let's　have　a　look；〃　Paul　said。
　They　got　out　of　the　car　and　crossed　the　freshly　mown　lawn　to　the　back　of　the　house。
　Emma　had　evidently　heard　them　drive　up；　for　by　the　time　they　reached　the　kitchen　stoop；　she　had　the　door　open　and　was　waiting　for　them。　She　wore　a　royal　blue　floor…length　corduroy　housecoat　with　a　high　neckline；　round　collar；　and　light　blue　corduroy　belt　at　the　waist。　Her　long　hair　was　bed　back　and　tucked　behind　her　ears；　held　in　place　by　a　few　bobby　pins。　She　was　smiling；　pleased　to　see　them。
　〃Hi；〃　Paul　said　awkwardly。　He　was　suddenly　at　a　loss　for　words。　If　even　a　tiny　fraction　of　Rya's　tale　were　true；　Emma　would　not　be　this　serene。　He　began　to　feel　foolish　for　having　placed　any　faith　whatsoever　in　such　a　bizarre　story。　He　couldn't　imagine　how　he　would　ever　tell　Emma　about　it。
　〃Hi　there；〃　she　said　cheerily。　〃Hello；　Rya。　Jenny；　how　is　your　father？〃
　〃Fine；　thanks；〃　Jenny　said。　She　sounded　quite　as　bewildered　as　Paul　felt。
　〃Well；〃　Emma　said；　〃I'm　still　in　my　robe。　The　breakfast　dishes　haven't　been　washed。　The　kitchen's　a　greasy　mess。　But　if　you　don't　mind　sitting　down　in　a　disaster　zone；　you're　wele　to　visit。〃
　Paul　hesitated。　〃Something　wrong？〃　Emma　asked。　〃Is　Bob　home？〃　〃He's　at　work。〃　〃When　did　he　leave？〃
　〃Same　as　every　day。　A　few　minutes　before　nine。〃
　〃He's　at　the　police　station？〃
　〃Or　cruising　around　in　the　patrol　car。〃　Emma　no　longer　needed　to　ask　if　something　was　wrong；　she　knew。　〃Why？〃　Why　indeed？　Paul　thought。　Rather　than　explain；　he　said；　〃Is　Mark　here？〃
　〃He　was；〃　Emma　said。　〃He　and　Jeremy　went　over　to　the　basketball　court　behind　the　Union　Theater。〃
　〃When　was　that？〃
　〃Half　an　hour　ago。〃
　It　seemed　to　him　that　she　had　to　be　telling　the　truth；　for　her　statement　could　be　verified　or　disproved　so　easily。　If　her　husband　had　killed　Mark；　what　could　she　hope　to　gain　by　such　a　flimsy　lie？　Besides；　he　didn't　think　she　was　the　sort　of　woman　who　could　take　part　in　the　cover…up　of　a　murder…certainly　not　with　such　apparent　equanimity；　not　without　showing　a　great　deal　of　stress　and　guilt。
　Paul　looked　down　at　Rya。
　Her　face　was　still　a　mask　of　stubbornness…and　even　more　pale　and　drawn　than　it　had　been　in　the　car。　〃What　about　Buster？〃　she　asked　Emma。　Her　voice　was　sharp　and　too　loud。　〃Did　they　take　Buster　over　to　the　court　so　he　could　play　basket…ball　with　them？〃
　Understandably　bewildered　by　the　girl's　uncharacteristic　nastiness　and　her　intense　reaction　to　such　a　simple　statement；
　Emma　said；　〃The　squirrel？　Oh；　they　left　him　with　me。　Do　you　want　the　squirrel？〃　She　stepped　back；　out　of　the　doorway；　〃e　in。〃
　For　a　moment；　recalling　the　tale　of　mindless　violence　that　Rya　had　related　just　thirty　minutes　ago；　Paul　wondered　if　Bob　Thorp　was　in　the　kitchen；　waiting　for　him
　But　that　was　absurd。　Emma　was　not　aware　that　supposedly　a　boy　had　been　slain　in　her　kitchen　this　morning；　he　would　have　wagered　nearly　any　sum　on　that。　And　in　the　light　of　Emma's　innocence；　Rya's　story　seemed　altogether　a　fantasy…and　not　really　a　very　good　one；　at　that。
　He　went　inside。
　The　canary　cage　stood　in　one　corner；　next　to　the　flip…top　waste　can。　Buster　sat　on　his　hind　feet　and　busily　nibbled　an　apple。　His　tail　flicked　straight　up；　and　he　went　stiff　as　a　wooden　squirrel　when　he　became　aware　of　the　guests。　He　assessed　Paul　and　Rya　and　Jenny　as　if　he　had　never　seen　them　before；　decided　there　was　no　danger；　and　returned　to　his　breakfast。
　〃Mark　told　me　he　likes　apples；〃　Emma　said。
　〃He　does。〃
　The　kitchen　held　no　evidence　that　a　violent　and　deadly　struggle　had　taken　place　there。　The　dishes　on　the　table　were　spotted　with　dried　egg　yolk；　butter；　and　crumbs　of　toast。　The　clock…radio　produced　soft　instrumental　music；　an　orchestrated　version　of　a　pop　tune。　The　new　issue　of　the　weekly　newspaper；　distributed　that　morning；　was　folded　in　half　and　propped　against　two　empty　juice　glasses　and　the　sugar　bowl。　A　cup　of　steaming　coffee　stood　beside　the　paper。　If　she　had　watched　her　husband　murder　a　child；　could　Emma　have　sat　down　to　read　less　than　an　hour　after　the　killing？　Improbable。　Impossible。　There　was　no　blood　on　the　wall　behind　the　electric　range；　no　blood　on　the　range　itself；　and　no　blood；　not　even　one　thin　smear；　on　the　tile　floor。
　〃Did　you　e　to　get　Buster？〃　Emma　asked。　She　was　clearly　perplexed　by　their　behavior。
　〃No；〃　Paul　said。　〃But　we'll　take　him　off　your　hands。　Actually；　I'm　ashamed　to　tell　you　why　we　did　e。〃
　〃They　cleaned　it　up；〃　Rya　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　hear…〃
　〃They　cleaned　up　the　blood；〃　she　said　excitedly。
　Paul　pointed　one　finger　at　her。　〃You　have　caused　quite　enough　trouble　for　one　day；　young　lady。　You　keep　quiet。　I'll　talk　to　you　later。〃
　Ignoring　his　warning；　she　said；　〃They　cleaned　up　the　blood　and　hid　his　body。〃
　〃Body？〃　Emma　looked　confused。　〃What　body？〃
　〃It's　a　misunderstanding；　a　hoax；　or…〃　Paul　began。
　Rya　interrupted　him。　To　Emma　she　said；　〃Mr。　Thorp　killed　Mark。　You　know　he　did。　Don't　lie！　You　stood　at　that　chair　and　watched　him　beat　Mark　to　death。　You　were　naked　and…〃
　〃Rya！〃　Paul　said　sharply。
　〃It's　true！〃
　〃I　told　you　to　be　quiet。〃
　〃She　was　naked　and…〃
　In　eleven　years　he　had　never　been　required　to　deal　out　any　punishment　more　severe　than　a　twenty…four…hour　suspension　of　some　of　her　privileges。　But　now；　angry；　he　started　toward　her。　Rya　pushed　past　Jenny；　threw　open　the　kitchen　door；　and　ran。　Shocked　by　her　defiance；　angry　and　yet　worried　about　her；　Paul　went　after　her。　When　he　set　foot　on　the　stoop；　she　was　already　out　of　sight。　She。　couldn't　have　had　time　to　run　to　the　garage　or　to　the　station　wagon；　therefore；　she　must　have　slipped　around　the　corner　of　the　house；　either　left　or　right。　He　decided　she　would　most　likely　head　for　Union　Road；　and　he　went　that　way。　When　he　reached　the　sidewalk　he　saw　her　and　called　to　her。
　She　was　nearly　a　block　away；　on　the　far　side　of　the　street；　still　running。　If　she　heard　him；　she　didn't　respond；　she　disappeared　between　two　houses。
　He　crossed　the　street　and　followed　her。　But　when　he　reached　the　rear　lawns　of　those　houses；　she　wasn't　there。
　〃Rya！〃
　She　didn't　answer　him。　She　might　have　been　too　far　away　to　hear…but　he　suspected　that　she　was　hiding　nearby。
　〃Rya；　I　just　want　to　talk　to　you！〃
　Nothing。　Silence。
　Already　his　anger　had　largely　given　way　to　concern　for　her。　What　in　the　name　of　God　had　possessed　the　girl？　Why　had　she　concocted　such　a　grisly　story？　And　how　had　she　managed　to　tell　it　with　such　passion？　He　hadn't　really　believed　any　of　it；　not　from　the　start…yet　he'd　been　so　impressed　by　her　sincerity　that　he'd　e　to　the　Thorp　house　to　see　for　himself。　She　wasn't　a　liar　by　nature。　She　wasn't　that　good　an　actress。　At　least　not　in　his　experience。　And　when　her　story　was　shown　to　be　a　lie；　why　had　she　defended　it　so　ardently？　How　had　she　defended　it　so　ardently；　knowing　it　was　a　lie？　Did　she　believe；　perhaps；　that　it　wasn't　a　fabrication？　Did　she　think　that　she　actually　had　seen　her　brother　killed？　But　if　that　was　the　case；　she　was…mentally　disturbed。　Rya？　Mentally　disturbed？　Rya　was　tough。　Rya　knew　how　to　cope。　Rya　was　a　rock。　Even　an　hour　ago　he　would　have　staked　his　life　on　her　soundness　of　mind。　Was　there　any　psychological　disorder　that　could　strike　a　child　so　suddenly；　without　warning；　without　any　symptoms　beforehand？
　Deeply　worried；　he　went　back　across　the　Street　to　apologize　to　Emma　Thorp。
　　
　2
　10：15　A。M。
　JEREMY　THORP　STOOD；　almost　as　if　at　attention　before　a　military　court；　in　the　center　of　the　kitchen。
　〃Do　you　understand　what　I've　said？〃　Salsbury　asked。　〃Yeah。〃
　〃You　know　what　to　do？〃
　〃Yeah。　I　know。〃　〃Any　questions？〃　〃Just　one。〃　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃What　do　I　do　if　they　don't　show　up？〃
　〃They'll　show　up；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃But　what　if　they　don't？〃　〃You　have　a　watch；　don't　you？〃　The　boy　held　up　one　thin　wrist。
　〃You　wait　twenty　minutes　for　them。　If　they　don't　show　up　in　that　time；　e　straight　back　here。　Is　that　understood？〃
　〃Yeah。　Twenty　minutes。〃
　〃Get　moving。〃
　The　boy　started　toward　the　door。
　〃Don't　leave　that　way。　They'll　see　you。　Go　out　the　front。〃　Jeremy　went　down