thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第19节

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　into　the　lobby　with　all　her　gear。　She　was　still　unhinged　and　babbling　when　he　led　her　away。　I　drove　around　a　corner　and　waited　for　him。
　　Ten　minutes　later　he　shuffled　up　to　the　car　and　got　in。　〃Take　off　slowly；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　attract　any　attention。〃　When　we　got　out　on　Las　Vegas　Boulevard　he　explained　that　he'd　given　one　of　the　airport　cab…hasslers　a　10　bill　to　see　that　his　〃drunk　girlfriend〃　got　to　the　Americana；　where　she　had　a　reservation。　〃I　told　him　to　make　sure　she　got　there；〃　he　said。
　　〃You　think　she　will？〃　He　nodded。　〃The　guy　said　he'd　pay　the　fare　with　the　extra　five　bucks　I　gave　him；　and　tell　the　cabbie　to　humor　her。　I　told　him　I　had　some　business　to　take　care　of；　but　I'd　be　there　myself　in　an　hour…and　if　the　girl　wasn't　already　checked　in；　I'd　e　back　out　here　and　rip　his　lungs　out。〃
　　〃That's　good；〃　I　said。　〃You　can't　be　subtle　in　this　town。〃　He　grinned。　〃As　your　attorney；　I　advise　you　to　tell　me　where　you　put　the　goddamn　mescaline。〃　I　pulled　over。　The　kit…bag　was　in　the　trunk。　He　fetched　out　two　pellets　and　we　each　ate　one。　The　sun　was　going　down　behind　the　scrub　hills　northwest　of　the　city。　A　good　Kristofferson　tune　was　croaking　out　of　the　radio。　We　cruised　back　to　town　through　the　warm　dusk；　relaxed　on　the　red　leather　seats　of　our　electric　white　Coupe　de　Ville。
　　〃Maybe　we　should　take　it　easy　tonight；〃　I　said　as　we　flashed　past　the　Tropicana。
　　〃Right；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　find　a　good　seafood　restaurant　and　some　red　salmon。　I　feel　a　powerful　lust　for　red　salmon。〃　I　agreed。　〃But　first　we　should　go　back　to　the　hotel　and　set…in。　Maybe　have　a　quick　swim　and　some　rum。〃　He　nodded；　leaning　back　on　the　seat　and　staring　up　at　the　sky。　Night　was　ing　down　slowly。
　　
　　　4。　No　Refuge　for　Degenerates。。。Reflections　on　a　Muderous　Junkie
　　
　　We　drove　through　the　parking　lot　of　the　Flamingo　and　around　the　back；　through　the　labyrinth；　to　our　wing。　No　problem　with　parking；　no　problem　with　theelevator；　and　the　suite　was　dead　quiet　when　we　entered：　half…dark　and　peacefully　elegant；　with　big　sliding　walls　opening　out　on　the　lawn　and　the　pool。
　　The　only　thing　moving　in　the　room　was　the　red…blinking　message　light　on　the　telephone。　〃Probably　room　service；〃　I　said。　〃I　ordered　some　ice　and　booze。　I　guess　it　came　while　we　were　gone。
　　My　attorney　shrugged。　〃We　have　plenty；〃　he　said。　〃But　we　might　as　well　get　more。　Hell　yes；　tell　them　to　send　it　up。〃　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　the　desk。　〃What's　the　mes　sage？〃　I　asked。　〃My　light　is　blinking。〃　The　clerk　seemed　to　hesitate。　I　could　hear　papers　shuffling。　〃Ah　yes；〃　he　saidfinally。　〃Mister　Duke？　Yes；　you　have　two　messages。　One　says；　'Wele　to　Las　Vegas；　from　the　Na　tional　District　Attorneys'　Association。〃'　〃Wonderful；〃　I　said。
　　〃。。。。　and　the　other；〃　he　continued；　〃says；　'Call　Lucy　at　the　Americana；　room　1000。〃'　'What？〃　He　repeated　the　message。　There　was　no　mistake。
　　〃Holy　shit！〃　I　muttered。
　　〃Excuse　me？〃　said　the　clerk。
　　I　hung　up。
　　
　　？　　？　　？
　　
　　My　attorney　was　doing　the　Big　Spit　again；　in　the　bathroom。　I　walked　out　on　the　balcony　and　stared　at　the　pool；　this　kidney…shaped　bag　of　bright　water　that　shimmered　outside　our　suite。　I　felt　like　Othello。　Here　I'd　only　been　in　town　a　few　hours；　and　we'd　already　laid　the　groundwork　for　a　classic　tragedy。　The　hero　was　doomed；　he　had　already　sown　the　seed　of　his　own　downfall。
　　But　who　was　the　Hero　of　this　filthy　drama？　I　turned　away　from　the　pool　and　confronted　my　attorney；　now　emerging　from　the　bathroom　and　wiping　his　mouth　with　a　towel。　His　eyes　were　glazed　and　limpid。　〃This　goddamn　mescaline；〃　he　muttered。　〃Why　the　fuck　can't　they　make　it　a　little　less　pure？　Maybe　mix　it　up　with　Rolaids；　or　something？〃
　　〃Othello　used　Dramamine；〃　I　said。
　　He　nodded；　hanging　the　towel　around　his　neck　as　he　reached　out　to　flip　on　the　TV　set。　〃Yeah；　I　heard　about　those　remedies。　Your　man　Fatty　Arbuckle　used　olive　oil。〃
　　〃Lucy　called；〃　I　said。
　　〃What？〃　He　sagged　visibly…like　an　animal　taking　a　bullet。　〃I　just　got　the　message　from　the　desk。　She's　at　the　Americana；　room　1600。。。and　she　wants　us　to　call。〃　He　stared　at　me。。。and　just　then　the　phone　rang。
　　I　shrugged　and　picked　it　up。　There　was　no　point　trying　to　hide。　She　had　found　us；　and　that　was　enough。
　　〃Hello；〃　I　said。
　　It　was　the　room　clerk　again。
　　〃Mister　Duke？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Hello；　Mister　Duke。　I'm　sorry　we　were　cut　off　a　moment　ago。。；　but　I　thought　I　should　call　again；　because　I　was　won　dering　。　。
　　〃What？〃　I　sensed　things　closing　down　on　us。　This　fucker　was　about　to　spring　something　on　me。　What　had　that　crazy　bitch　aid　to　him？　I　tried　to　stay　calm。
　　〃We're　watching　the　goddamn　news！〃　I　screamed。　〃What　the　fuck　are　you　interrupting　me　for？〃　Silence。
　　〃What　do　you　want？　Where's　the　goddamn　ice　I　ordered？　Where's　the　booze？　There's　a　war　on；　man！　People　are　being　killed！〃
　　〃Killed？〃　He　almost　whispered　the　word。
　　〃In　Vietnam！〃　I　yelled。　〃On　the　goddamn　television！〃
　　〃Oh。。。yes。。。yes；〃　he　said。　〃This　terrible　war。　When　will　it　end？〃
　　〃Tell　me；〃　I　said　quietly。　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　snapping　back　to　his　desk…clerk　tone。　〃I　thought　I　should　tell　you。。。because　I　know　you're　here　with　the　Police　Convention。。。that　the　woman　who　left　that　message　for　you　sounded　very　disturbed。〃　He　hesitated；　but　I　said　nothing。
　　〃I　thought　you　should　know　this；〃　he　said　finally。
　　〃What　did　you　say　to　her？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Nothing。　Nothing　at　all；　Mister　Duke。　I　merely　took　the　message。〃　He　paused。
　　〃But　it　wasn't　that　easy；　talking　to　that　woman。　She　was。。。well。。。extremelynervous。　I　think　she　was　crying。〃
　　〃Crying？〃　My　brain　had　locked　up。　I　couldn't　think。　The　drug　was　taking　over。　〃Why　was　she　crying？〃
　　〃Well。。。ah。。。she　didn't　say；　Mister　Duke。　But　since　I　knew　the　nature　of　your　work　I　thought。。。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Look；　you　want　to　be　gentle　with　that　woman　if　sheever　calls　again。　She's　our　case　study。　We're　watching　her　very　carefully。〃　I　felt　my　head　unwind　ing　now；　the　words　came　easily：　〃She's　perfectly　harmless；　of　course。。。there'll　be　no　trouble。。。this　woman　has　been　into　laudanum；　it's　a　controlled　experiment；　but　I　suspect　we'll　need　your　cooperation　before　this　thing　is　over。〃
　　〃Well。。。certainly；〃　he　said。　〃We're　always　happy　to　cooperate　with　the　police。。。just　as　long　as　there　won't　be　any　rouble。。。for　us；　I　mean。〃
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。　〃You're　protected。　Just　treat　this　or　woman　like　you'd　treat　any　other　human　being　in　trouble。〃
　　〃What？〃　He　seemed　to　be　stuttering。　〃Ah。。。yes；　yes；　I　see　what　you　meen　。　。　。　yes。。。so　you'll　be　responsible　then？〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　I　said。　〃And　now　I　have　to　get　back　to　the　news。〃
　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　muttered。
　　〃Send　the　ice；〃　I　said；　and　hung　up。
　　My　attorney　was　smiling　peacefully　at　the　TV　set。　〃Good　work；〃　he　said。　〃They'll　treat　us　like　goddamn　lepers；　after　that。〃　I　nodded；　filling　a　tall　glass　with　Chivas　Regal。
　　〃There　hasn't　been　any　news　on　the　tube　for　three　hours；〃　he　said　absently。
　　〃That　poor　fool　probably　thinks　we're　plugged　into　some　kind　of　special　cop　channel。　You　should　call　back　and　ask　him　to　send　up　a　3000　watt　sensing　capacitator；　along　with　the　ice。　Tell　him　ours　just　burned　out　。。
　　〃You　forgot　about　Lucy；〃　I　said。　〃She's　looking　for　you。〃　He　laughed。　〃No；　she's　looking　for　you。〃
　　〃Me？〃
　　〃Yeah。　She　really　flipped　over　you。　The　only　way　I　could　get　rid　of　her；　out　there　in　the　airport；　was　by　saying　you　were　taking　me　out　to　the　desert　for　a　showdown…that　you　wanted　me　out　of　the　way　so　you　could　have　her　all　to　yourself。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Shit；　I　had　to　tell　her　something。　I　said　she　should　go　to　the　Americana　and　wait　to　see　which　one　of　us　came　back。〃　He　laughed　again。　〃I　guess　she　figures　you　won。　That　phone　message　wasn't　for　me；　was　it？〃　I　nodded。　It　made　no　sense　at　all；　but　I　knew　it　was　true。　Drug　reasoning。　The　rhythms　were　brutally　clear…and；　to　him；　they　made　excellent　sense。
　　He　was　slumped　in　the　chair；　concentrating　on　Mission　Im　possible。
　　I　thought　for　a　while；　then　stood　up　and　began　stuffing　things　into　my　suitcase。
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Never　mind；〃　I　said。　The　zipper　stuck　momentarily；　butl　yanked　it　shut。　Then　I　put　on　my　shoes。
　　〃Walt　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃Jesus；　you're　not　leaving？〃　I　nodded。　〃You're　goddamn　right；　I'm　leaving。　But　don't　worry。　I'll　stop　at　the　desk　on　my　way　out。　You'll　be　taken　care　of。〃　He　stood　up　quickly；　kicking　his　drink　over。　〃OK；　god　damnit；　this　is　serious！　Where's　my　。357？〃　I　shrugged；　not　looking　at　him　as　I　crammed　the　Chivas　Regal　bottles　into　my　hand…satchel。　〃I　sold　it　in　Baker；〃　I　said。　〃I　owe　you　35　bucks。〃
　　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　he　shouted。　〃That　thing　cost　me　a　hundred　and　ninety　goddamn　dollars！〃　I　smiled。　〃You　told　me　where　you　got　that　gun；〃　I　said。　〃Remember？〃　He　hesitated；　pretending　to　think。　〃Oh　yeah；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Yeah。。。that　punk　out　in　Pasadena　。。　。〃　Then　he　flared　again。　〃So　it　cost　me　a　goddamn　grand。　That　asshole　shot　a　narc。　He　was　looking　at　life！。。。shit；　three　weeks　in　court；　and　all　I　got　was　a　fucking　six…shooter。〃
　　〃You're　stupid；〃　I　said。　〃I　warned　you　about　dealing　with　junkies　on　credit…especially　when　they're　guilty。　You're　lucky　the　bastard