js&cs.thebridge-第49节

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　　Pause。　Interference　crackled　on　the　line。
　　〃I'm　afraid；〃　she　said；　louder　than　she　would　have　liked；　〃that　I　have　some　bad　news　for　you。　Yes；　I　said　bad　news　。。。　〃
　　Laura　faltered　a　little　and　blinked　back　tears；　tasting　the　bitter　words　on　her　tongue。
　　Not　for　the　last　time。
　　
　　
　　　Forty
　　　
　　Blake　was　just　finalizing　his　vacation　plans　when　he　realized　he　had　forgotten　to　turn　off　the　paper　shredder。
　　His　Lexus　was　already　warming　in　the　driveway。　His　bags　were　packed　and　stowed　in　the　trunk。　His　emotions　were　likewise　stashed　away；　until　such　time　as　he　could　once　again　afford　the　luxury。
　　At　the　moment；　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　keep　them　down。
　　Maybe　it　was　because　he　never　really　expected　for　everything　to　e　apart　like　this；　one　thread　unraveling　another　until　the　old　cheap…suit　metaphor　came　chillingly　true；　maybe　it　was　because　he　knew　that　his　vacation　could　very　likely　turn　permanent。
　　Either　way；　his　world　was　ing　apart　at　the　seams；　and　that　fact　left　him　more　than　a　bit　rattled。　He　was　about　to　walk　away　from　his　house；　his　position　in　the　munity；　and　virtually　everything　he　valued　in　the　world。　Forced　to　start　over；　by　the　skin　of　his　teeth；　which　was　just　about　all　he'd　have　left。
　　That；　and　the　attaché　case　full　of　kickback　money　he'd　kept　stashed　away。　For　that　rainy　day。
　　Which　had　finally　e。
　　Blake　finished　his　rounds　on　hold；　cordless　phone　pressed　anxiously　to　his　ear。　Unfortunately；　travel　agents　didn't　work　Sundays；　but　a　quick　scan　of　the　phone　book　had　yielded　the　direct　ticketing　numbers　for　several　major　airlines。　He　was　booking　flights　on　all　of　them；　just　to　be　on　the　safe　side。
　　In　his　study；　the　paper　shredder　was　quietly　humming　near　his　desk；　a　garbage　bag　full　of　important　ex…papers　lay　mulched　beside　it。　As　he　switched　it　off；　the　ticket　agent　came　back　on。
　　〃Mr。　Blake；　you're　confirmed　on　American　flight　141　leaving　Baltimore/Washington　International　at　5：45；　changing　in　Miami　to　Viacao　Airlines　flight　61　for　Rio　de　Janeiro；〃　the　agent　said；　a　model　of　pleasant　efficiency。　〃Will　anyone　else　be　traveling　with　you？〃
　　Blake　paused；　proceeded　to　count　off　the　number　of　people　he　honestly　cared　about　in　this　world。　It　didn't　take　long；　in　fact；　if　he　were　brutally　honest　he　could　do　it　on　the　fingers　of　one　hand。　Or；　more　to　the　point；　a　single　finger。
　　〃Just　me；〃　he　said。
　　Five　minutes　later；　Werner　Blake　locked　the　front　door　for　the　last　time；　turned　his　back　on　a　former　life。
　　And　froze；　as　the　ACTION…9　News　car　pulled　up。
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　Kirk　jubilantly　hissed。　〃Thank　you；　Jesus　。。。　〃
　　The　whole　way　up　the　hill；　he'd　been　terrified　that　things　just　weren't　going　to　pan　out。　Blake　wouldn't　be　there。　Blake　would　be　dead。　Blake　would　somehow　prove　to　be　the　Archangel　Michael；　and　therefore　impervious　to　harm。
　　But　no。　There　he　was。　And；　like　a　blessing　from　God；　his　engine　was　running　and　his　trunk　was　open。　This　was　a　man　who　was　going　on　a　trip。　Under　major　duress。
　　Blessed　was　not　the　word。　Kirk　felt　downright　sanctified。
　　He　was　out　of　the　car　practically　before　it　stopped。　Blake's　eyes；　in　that　moment；　were　huge。　Kirk　would　have　given　a　million　dollars　to　have　captured　that　look；　but　it　was　gone　forever。　By　the　time　Kirk　got　the　camera　up　and　running；　Blake　was　halfway　to　his　car；　and　his　face　was　made　of　stone。
　　Kirk　knew　better　than　to　say　a　fucking　word。　This　was　the　kind　of　footage　you　ran　as　video　verite…bona　fide　documentary　footage…left　to　speak　for　itself　and　ask　questions　of　later。　No　way　did　you　do　anything　other　than　walk　as　fast　as　you　possibly　could；　never　letting　the　subject　escape　for　one　second　from　the　camera's　gaze。
　　They　were　on　an　intercept　course；　a　race　to　see　who　could　make　it　to　the　open　trunk　first。　Blake　was　closer；　by　about　twenty　feet；　but　he　could　only　move　so　fast　without　looking　pretty　goddamn　silly　on　the　tape。　Kirk；　on　the　other　hand；　liked　the　urgency　that　moving　fast　gave　the　footage；　it　had　a　muscular；　war…correspondentlike　feel。
　　And　the　fact　was；　it　did　goose　Blake　into　walking　chust　a　leetle　beet　faster　than　one　normally　might。　Which　was　to　say；　stiff…legged。　Unnatural…looking。
　　Which　was　to　say；　guilty　as　shit。
　　Very　nice；　Kirk　thought；　grinning。　Now　give　us　a　nasty　look。
　　But　Blake　was　slick；　a　seasoned　public　official。　He　wasn't　about　to　acknowledge　the　camera；　and　his　face　gave　nothing　away。　Worse；　he　and　his　car　were　just　slightly　uphill；　which　meant　that　Kirk　couldn't　get　that　peek　into　the　trunk　he　really　wanted　unless　he　moved　just　a　little　bit　faster　himself　。。。
　　
　　You　little　sonofabitch！　Blake　wanted　to　scream。　Not　an　option。　All　he　could　do　was　get　to　the　trunk。　Until　then；　he　couldn't　so　much　as　let　his　eyelids　flicker；　much　less　track　Bogarde's　movement　or　plan　his　next　move。
　　And　the　distance　was　closing　now。　Seven　yards；　six。　He　kept　waiting　for　the　prick　to　step　in　front　of　him；　nail　him　with　a　tight　closeup　and　say　CHEESE　。。。　！
　　And　suddenly　he　heard　the　words　〃Excuse　me；〃　and　it　was　like　a　bolt　from　the　blue。　Something　sparked　to　brilliance　in　his　mind；　illuminated　the　path　that　he　must　choose　。。。
　　。。。　and　before　Kirk　could　say　another　word；　Blake　jumped；　stopping　and　turning　toward　the　camera　with　such　genuine　surprise　on　his　face　that；　had　Kirk　not　known　it　was　utter　bullshit；　there'd　have　been　no　way　of　knowing。　Kirk　found　himself　stopping；　too；　stunned　into　miseration。
　　〃JESUS；　Kirk！〃　Blake　yelled。　〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　Then　he　let　out　a　perfectly　modulated；　natural…looking　sigh；　made　of　equal　parts　exasperation；　laughter；　and　forgiveness。　〃You；〃　he　continued；　〃scared　the　hell　out　of　me！〃
　　And　it　played；　that　was　the　horrible　thing。　The　camera　was　utterly　fooled。　Kirk　could　feel　his　boner　of　opportunity　dwindle　even　as　he　spoke。　〃Mr。　Blake　。。。　〃
　　〃Werner；〃　Blake　corrected　him；　stepping　closer。　〃Good　to　see　you；　young　man！〃　He　leaned　forward　and　out　of　frame　to　pat　Kirk；　too　hard；　on　the　shoulder。　Then；　without　warning；　he　turned　back　toward　the　car　and　started　walking　again：　not　too　fast；　but　purposefully。
　　And　Kirk　realized　that　it　didn't　matter　who　got　to　the　trunk　first　anymore。　In　fact；　Blake　aimed　wide　of　the　trunk　and　straight　toward　the　passenger　side；　all　but　inviting　Kirk　to　follow。
　　〃I'm　sorry　I　don't　have　time　to　talk；〃　Blake　said；　over　his　shoulder。　〃As　you　can　see；　I'm　about　to　leave　on　a　business　trip　。。。　〃
　　The　camera　took　its　eye　off　of　Blake　to　look　in　the　trunk。　A　couple　of　suitcases。
　　What　did　you　expect？　Kirk　screamed　at　himself。　Bodies？
　　
　　Blake　was　really　starting　to　enjoy　himself　now。　The　expression　on　Bogarde's　face　was　absolutely　priceless。　He　hated　to　leave　just　as　it　was　getting　good。　But　he　did；　after　all；　have　a　plane　to　catch。
　　〃So　if　you'll　excuse　me　。。。　〃　he　continued。
　　〃Mr。　Blake；〃　Bogarde　interrupted；　doing　his　best　self…important　Sam　Donaldson　routine。　〃Are　you　aware　of　the　illegal　dumping　at　Black　Bridge？〃
　　〃My　God；　haven't　you　spoken　with　Tom？〃　Blake　asked；　looking　puzzled。　〃I　just　talked　with　him　less　than　an　hour　ago。　Everything's　under　control。〃
　　He　opened　the　rear　door；　almost　into　the　lens。　Kirk　backed　off；　jerked　the　camera　skyward。　Blake　tossed　his　briefcase　in　and　slammed　the　door。
　　〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Blake；〃　Kirk　pressed；　〃but　what　does　that　mean？　'Under　control'？〃
　　〃It　means　it's　taken　care　of。〃　Letting　a　beat　of　annoyance　slip。　〃Does　your　station　manager　know　you're　up　here？〃
　　〃What　about　the　allegations　that　Paradise　Waste　Dis　。。。　〃
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　Blake　said；　stepping　back　and　bumping　the　camera　as　he　passed　by。
　　〃　。。。　posal　is　illegally　dumping　toxic　waste　at　Black　Bridge？〃　Nearly　apoplectic　now。
　　It　was　all　Blake　could　to　to　keep　from　smiling；　though　Strained　Benevolence　was　the　official　emotion　du　jour。　〃Young　man；　you're　not　paying　attention。　I've　spoken　to　your　boss；　and　there　will　be　a　full　report　for　your　eleven　o'clock　edition。　If　you　hurry；　instead　of　wasting　your　time　and　mine；　perhaps　you'll　get　your　scoop　after　all。〃
　　And　then…just　for　Kirk　and　all　the　nice　folks　at　home…he　fired　his　best　wink　at　the　camera。
　　
　　MOTHERFUCKER！　Kirk　wanted　to　scream。　You　corrupt　old　worthless　motherfucking　PUKE！
　　Not　an　option。　It　wouldn't　play　on　prime　time。
　　But　that　wasn't　even　the　worst。
　　The　worst　was　that　Blake　was　right。　He　had　been　scooped；　at　the　top　echelon。　They　knew　about　the　dumping。　They　probably　knew　about　everything。　And　They　would　decide　how　it　played；　including　Kirk's　role　in　its　disclosure。
　　If　any　。。。
　　And　that　was　the　ultimate　conviction…deflator。　That　was　the　death　of　the　wind　in　his　sails。　He　didn't　even　know　what　he　was　standing　here　for　anymore；　aiming　his　camera　at　this　fucking　guy。　He　didn't　know　why　he　didn't　just　go　home。
　　Until　Blake　winked　at　him。
　　There　was　something　obscene　about　that　wink。　Kirk　thought　a　second；　then　decided　that；　yes；　obscene　was　the　best　word　to　describe　it。　This　was　a　man　who　was　too　smug　for　words；　a　man　who　knew　he　could　not　be　beaten。
　　To　Kirk；　this　was　utterly　unacceptable。
　　He　started　to　think　what　if　I　nuke　this　guy？　Does　anyone　else　have　a　scoop　on　THAT？　It　was　a　liberating