dk.nightchills-第53节

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's　cot。
　〃You'll　be　stopping　at　the　end　of　Main　Street　to　pick　up　her　boyfriend；〃　Sam　said。　He　had　already　talked　to　Phil　Karkov　on　the　telephone；　had　primed　him　to　play　the　role　of　the　anxiety…stricken　lover　at　the　hospital…just　as　he　had　primed　Lolah　to　play　a　bewildered　rape　victim　who　had　been　attacked　in　her　apartment。　〃Phil　will　be　staying　at　the　hospital　with　her；　but　you'll　e　back　as　soon　as　you've　learned　she's　going　to　be　okay。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Crowell　said。
　Sam　closed　the　doors。　He　went　around　to　the　driver's　window　to　reinforce　the　story　that　he　had　planted　in　the　mind　of　the　night　duty　volunteer　fireman　who　was　behind　the　wheel。
　At　first　it　seemed　that　there　was　no　way　to　break　through　Salsbury's　iron　resolve；　no　way　to　open　him　up　and　make　him
　talk。　He　was　in　great　pain…shaking；　sweating；　dizzy…but　he　refused　to　make　things　easier　for　himself。　He　sat　in　Thorp's　office　chair　with　an　air　of　authority　that　simply　did　not　make　sense　under　the　circumstances。　He　leaned　back　and　gripped　his　shoulder　wound　and　kept　his　eyes　shut。　Most　of　the　time　he　ignored　Paul's　questions。　Occasionally　he　responded　with　a　string　of　profanities　and　sex　words　that　sounded　as　if　they　had　been　arranged　to　convey　the　minimum　of　meaning。
　Furthermore；　Paul　wasn't　a　born　inquisitor。　He　supposed　that　if　he　knew　the　proper　way　to　torture　Salsbury；　if　he　knew　how　he　could　cause　the　man　mind…shattering　pain　without　actually　destroying　him…and　if　he　had　the　stomach　for　it…he　could　get　the　truth　in　short　order。　When　Salsbury's　stubbornness　became　particularly　infuriating；　Paul　used　the　butt　of　his　revolver　to　jar　the　man's　shoulder　wound。　That　left　Salsbury　gasping。　But　it　wasn't　enough　to　make　him　talk。　And　Paul　was　incapable　of　any　more　effective　cruelties。
　〃Who　were　the　men　in　the　helicopter？〃　Salsbury　didn't　answer。
　〃Were　they　government　people？〃　Silence。
　〃Is　this　a　government　project？〃　〃Go　to　hell。〃
　If　he　knew　what　most　terrified　Salsbury；　he　could　use　that　to　crack　him。　Every　man　had　one　or　two　deeply　ingrained　fears…　some　of　them　quite　rational　and　some　utterly　irrational…that　shaped　him。　And　with　a　man　like　this；　a　man　so　apparently　in　the　borderlands　of　sanity；　there　should　be　more　than　the　usual　number　of　terrors　to　play　upon。　If　Salsbury　were　afraid　of　heights；　he　could　take　the　bastard　up　to　the　church　bell　tower　and　threaten　to　throw　him　off　if　he　didn't　talk。　If　Salsbury　were　severely　afflicted　with　agoraphobia；　he　could　take　him　to　the　flattest　and　biggest　open　space　in　town…perhaps　to　the　baseball　field…and　stake　him　down　in　the　very　center　of　it。　If；　like　the　protagonist　in　i　984；　he　were　brought　near　to　madness　merely　by　the　thought　of　being　placed　in　a　cage　with　rats…　Suddenly　Paul　remembered　how　Salsbury　had　reacted　to　him
　when　he　had　first　e　into　the　room。　The　man　had　been
　shocked；　damned　scared；　devastated。　But　not　just　because　Paul　had　surprised　him。　He　had　been　terrified　because；　for　some　reason　known　only　to　himself；　he　had　thought　that　Paul　was　a　man　named　Parker。
　What　did　this　Parker　do　to　him？　Paul　wondered。　What　could　he　possibly　have　done　to　leave　such　a　deep　and　indelible　scar？
　〃Salsbury？〃
　Silence。
　〃V/ho　were　the　men　in　the　helicopter？〃　〃You're　a　fucking　bore。〃
　〃Were　they　government　people？〃
　〃A　regular　broken　record。〃
　〃You　know　what　I'm　going　to　do　to　you；　Salsbury？〃　He　didn't　deign　to　answer。
　〃You　know　what　I'm　going　to　do？〃　Paul　asked　again。　〃Doesn't　matter。　Nothing　will　work。〃
　〃I'll　do…what　Parker　did。〃
　Salsbury　didn't　respond。　He　didn't　open　his　eyes。　However；　he　grew　stiff　in　the　chair；　tense；　every　muscle　knotted　tight。
　〃Exactly　what　Parker　did；〃　Paul　said。
　'When　Salsbury　finally　opened　his　eyes　there　was　a　monstrous　horror　in　them；　a　trapped　and　haunted　look　that　Paul　had　never　seen　anywhere　but　in　the　eyes　of　cornered；　panic…stricken　wild　animals。
　This　is　it；　Paul　thought。　This　is　the　key；　the　pressure　point；　the　knife　with　which　I'll　open　him。　But　how　should　I　react　if　he　calls　my　bluff？
　He　was　close　to　getting　the　truth；　so　close…but　he　hadn't　the　vaguest　idea　what　Parker　had　done。
　〃How　do　you。　。　。　How　do　you　know　Parker？〃　Salsbury　asked。　His　voice　was　a　thin；　pathetic　whine。
　Paul's　spirits　lifted　even　further。　If　Salsbury　didn't　recall　that　it　was　he　who　had　first　mentioned　this　Parker；　then　the　use　of　the　name　carried　a　great　deal　of　weight。
　〃Never　mind　how　I　know　him；〃　Paul　said　shortly。　〃But　I　do。　I　know　him　well。　And　I　know　what　he　did　to　you。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　was　only　。　。　。　eleven。　You　wouldn't。〃
　〃I　would。　And　enjoy　it〃
　〃But　you　aren't　the　type；〃　Salsbury　said　desperately。　He　had　been　shiny　with　sweat；　now　he　was　dripping　with　it　〃You　just　aren't　the　type！〃
　〃What　type　is　that？〃
　〃Queer！〃　he　blurted。　〃You　aren't　a　damned　queer！〃　Still　bluffing　but　with　more　good　cards　on　the　table　to　back
　his　hand；　Paul　said；　〃We　don't　all　look　like　what　we　are；　you　know。　Most　of　us　don't　advertise　it。〃
　〃You　were　married。〃
　〃Doesn't　matter。〃
　〃You　had　children！〃　Paul　shrugged。
　〃You're　sniffing　around　that　Edison　bitch！〃
　〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　AC…DC？〃　Paul　asked。　He　grinned。　Salsbury　closed　his　eyes。
　〃Ogden？〃
　He　said　nothing。
　〃Get　up；　Ogden。〃
　〃Don't　touch　me。〃
　〃Lean　against　the　desk。〃
　〃I　won't　get　up。〃　〃e　on。　You'll　love　it。〃
　〃No。　I　won't。〃　〃You　loved　it　from　Parker。〃
　〃That's　not　true！〃　〃You're　the　type。〃　〃I'm　not。〃　〃Admit　it。〃　He　didn't　move。　〃A　talent　for　Greek。〃　Salsbury　winced。　〃No。〃　〃Lean　on　the　desk。〃　〃It　hurts　。　。
　〃Of　course。　Now　get　up　and　lean　on　the　desk　and　drop　your　pants。　e　on。〃
　Salsbury　shuddered。　His　face　was　drawn　and　ashen。
　〃If　you　don't　get　up；　Ogden；　I'll　have　to　throw　you　out　of　that　chair。　You　can't　refuse　me。　You　can't　get　away　from　me。　You　can't　fight　me　off；　not　when　I've　got　the　gun；　not　when　your　arm's　all　torn　up　like　that。〃
　〃Oh；　Jesus　God；〃　Salsbury　said　miserably。
　〃You'll　love　it。　You'll　love　the　pain。　Parker　told　me　how　much　you　love　the　pain。〃
　Salsbury　began　to　cry。　He　didn't　weep　gently　or　quietly；　but　let　go　with　great；　wracking　sobs。　Tears　seemed　to　spurt　from　his　eyes。　He　shook　and　gagged。
　〃Are　you　scared；　Ogden？〃　〃S…Scared。　Yes。〃
　〃You　can　save　yourself。〃　〃From　。　。　。　from　。　。　。〃
　〃From　being　raped。〃
　〃H…How？〃
　〃Answer　my　questions。〃　〃Don't　want　to。〃
　〃Get　up　then。〃
　〃Please　。　。
　Ashamed　of　himself；　sick　of　this　violent　game　but　determined　to　carry　on　with　it；　Paul　took　hold　of　the　front　of　Salsbury's　shirt。　He　shook　him　and　tried　to　lift　him　out　of　the　chair。　〃When　I'm　done　with　you；　I'll　let　Bob　Thorp　have　you。　I'll　tape　your　mouth　so　you　can't　talk　to　him；　and　I'll　program　him　to　put　it　to　you。〃　He　was　incapable　of　doing　that；　of　course。　But　Salsbury　obviously　believed　he　would。　〃And　not　just　Thorp。　Others。　Half　a　dozen　others。〃
　With　that；　Salsbury's　resistance　dissolved。　〃Anything。　I'll　tell　you　anything；〃　he　said；　his　voice　distorted　by　the　wretched　sobbing　that　he　couldn't　control。　〃Anything　you　want。　Just　don't　touch　me。　Oh；　Jesus。　Oh；　don't　touch　me。　Don't　make　me　undress。　Don't　touch。　Don't。〃
　Still　twisting　Salsbury's　shirt　in　his　left　hand；　leaning　toward　the　man；　nearly　shouting　in　his　face；　Paul　said；　〃Who　were　those　men　in　the　helicopter？　Unless　you　want　to　be　used　until　you're　raw；　you　better　tell　me　who　they　were。〃
　〃Dawson　and　Klinger。〃
　〃There　were　three。〃
　〃I　don't　know　the　pilot's　name。〃
　〃Dawson　and　Klinger。　First　names？〃
　〃Leonard　Dawson　and…〃　〃The　Leonard　Dawson？〃　〃Yes。　And　Ernst　Klinger。〃
　〃Is　Klinger　a　government　man？〃
　〃He's　an　army　general。〃
　〃Is　this　a　military　project？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃A　government　project？〃
　〃No；〃　Salsbury　said。
　Paul　knew　all　of　the　questions。　There　was　no　point　in　the　rapid…fire　interrogation　at　which　he　had　to　hesitate。
　And　there　was　never　a　single　moment　when　Salsbury　dared　hesitate。
　Ernst　Klinger　crouched　behind　a　yard…high　wall　of　shrubbery　across　the　alleyway　from　the　municipal　parking　lot。　Stunned；　confused；　he　watched　them　load　the　woman　into　the　white　Cadillac　van　with　the　words　BLACK　RIVER…EMERGENCY　painted　in　red　letters　on　the　side。
　At　11：02　the　ambulance　pulled　out　of　the　parking　lot；　swung　into　the　alley　and　from　there　onto　North　Union　Road。　It　turned　right；　toward　the　square。
　Its　bright　red　flashers　washed　the　trees　and　the　buildings；　and　Sent　crimson　snakes　of　light　wriggling　along　the　wet　pavement。
　The　bearded；　white…haired　man　who　stood　in　the　parking　lot　was　Sam　Edison。　Klinger　recognized　him　from　a　photograph　that　he　had　seen　in　one　of　the　rooms　above　the　general　store；　little　more　than　an　hour　ago。
　Edison　watched　the　ambulance　until　it　turned　east　at　the　Square。　He　was　too　far　away　for　Klinger　to　get　a　shot　at　him　with　the　Webley。　When　the　ambulance　was　out　of　sight；　he　went　inside　the　municipal　building。
　Have　we　lost　control　of　the　town？　Klinger　asked　himself。　Is
　it　all　ing　down　on　our　heads：　the　field　test；　the　plan；　the　project；　the　future？　Sure　as　hell　looks　that　way。　Sure　does。　So。。。　Is　it　time　to　get　out　of　Black　River；　out　of　the　country　with　a　big　bundle　of　cash　and　the　phony　identity　Leonard　provided？
　Don't　panic；　another　part　of　him　thought。　Don't　be　rash。　Wait。　See　what　happens。　Give　it　a　few　minutes。
　He