cpike.thelastvampire-第11部分

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　〃Can　you　get　into　his　files？　I　mean；　do　you　know　the　password？〃
　He　hesitates。　〃How　did　you　know　he　has　it　set　up　that　a　password　is　required？〃
　There　is　a　note　of　suspicion　in　his　question；　and　once　more　I　marvel　at　Ray's　perceptive　abilities。　But　I　do　not　marvel　long　because　I　have　waited　for　this　very　moment　since　I　killed　his　father　two　days　ago；　and　I　have　no　intention　of　upsetting　my　plan。
　〃I　didn't；〃　I　say。　〃But　it　is　a　mon　way　to　protect　files。〃
　He　appears　satisfied。　〃Yeah；　I　can　get　into　his　files。　The　password　is　a　nickname　he　had　for　me　when　I　was　a　kid。〃
　I　do　not　need　to　ask　him　what　it　is；　which　may　only　increase　his　suspicion。　Instead　I　jump　to　my　feet。　〃e　on；　let's　go　to　his　office　right　now。　You'll　sleep　better　knowing　what　he's　up　to。〃
　He　is　startled。　〃Right　now？〃
　〃Well；　you　don't　want　to　go　looking　at　his　files　when　his　secretary's　there。　Now　is　the　perfect　time。　I'll　e　with　you。〃
　〃But　it's　late。〃　He　yawns。　〃I'm　tired。　I　was　thinking　I　should　go　home。　Maybe　he'll　be　there。〃
　〃That's　an　idea。　Check　to　see　if　he's　at　home　first。　But　if　he's　not；　and　he　hasn't　left　you　a　message；　then　you　should　go　to　the　office。〃
　〃Why　are　you　so　worried　about　my　father？〃
　I　stop　suddenly；　as　if　his　question　wounds　me。　〃Do　you　have　to　ask？〃　I　am　referring　to　the　ment　I　made　about　my　own　poor　dead　father　and　feel　no　shame　using　him　that　way。　Ray　looks　suitably　embarrassed。　He　sets　down　his　glass　of　wine　and　gets　up　from　the　floor。
　〃Sorry。　You　may　be　right；〃　he　says。　〃I'll　sleep　better　knowing　what's　going　on。　But　if　you　e　with　me；　then　I'll　have　to　bring　you　back　here。〃
　〃Maybe。〃　I　give　him　a　quick　kiss。　〃Or　maybe　I'll　just　fly　home。〃
　
　
　5
　
　
　At　Ray's　house　I　wait　in　the　car　while　he　goes　in　to　see　if　his　father　has　returned；　or　if　there　is　a　message　from　him。　Naturally；　I　am　not　surprised　when　Ray　returns　a　couple　of　minutes　later　downcast。　The　cold　has　sobered　him　up；　and　he　is　worried。　He　climbs　into　the　car　beside　me　and　turns　the　key　in　the　ignition。
　〃No　luck？〃　I　ask。
　〃No。　But　I　got　the　key　to　his　building。　We　won't　have　to　break　in。〃
　〃That's　a　relief。〃　While　I　had　Ray　look　away；　I　intended　just　to　break　the　lock。
　We　drive　to　the　building　I　visited　only　forty…eight　hours　earlier。　It　is　another　cold　night。　Throughout　the　years　I　have　gravitated　toward　the　wanner　climates；　such　as　my　native　India。　Why　I　have　chosen　to　e　to　Oregon；　I　am　not　sure。　I　glance　over　at　Ray　and　wonder　if　it　has　something　to　do　with　him。　But　of　course　I　don't　believe　that　because　I　don't　believe　in　destiny；　much　less　in　miracles。　I　do　not　believe　Krishna　was　God；　or　if　he　was　God…maybe　he　was　God；　I　simply　do　not　know　for　sure…then　I　do　not　believe　he　knew　what　he　was　doing　when　he　created　the　universe。　I　have　such　contempt　for　the　lotus…eyed　one。
　Yet；　after　all　these　years；　I　have　never　been　able　to　stop　thinking　about　him。
　Krishna。　Krishna。　Krishna。
　Even　his　name　haunts　me。
　Ray　lets　us　into　the　building。　Soon　we　are　standing　outside　Mr。　Michael　Riley's　office　door。　Ray　searches　for　another　key；　finds　it。　We　step　inside。　The　lights　are　off；　he　could　leave　them　off　and　I　would　still　be　able　to　find　my　way　around。　But　he　turns　them　on　and　heads　straight　into　his　father's　office。　He　sits　at　the　puter　while　I　stand　off　to　one　side。　I　survey　the　floor。　Minute　drops　of　blood　have　seeped　into　and　dried　in　the　cracks　between　the　tiles。　They　are　not　noticeable　to　mortal　eyes；　but　the　police　will　find　them　if　they　search。　I　decide；　no　matter　what　happens；　that　I　must　return　and　do　a　more　thorough　cleaning。　Ray　boots　the　puter　and　hastily　enters　the　secret　password；　thinking　that　I　do　not　catch　it。　But　I　do…RAYGUN。
　〃Can　you　check　what　his　latest　entries　were？〃　I　ask。
　〃That's　exactly　what　I'm　doing。〃　He　looks　over　at　me。　〃You　know　about　puters；　don't　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　move　closer　so　I　can　see　the　monitor。　A　menu　flashes　on　the　screen。　The　puter　is　equipped　with　a　mouse。　Ray　chooses　something　called　Pathlist。　A　list　of　files　appears　on　the　screen。　They　are　dated。　The　number　of　bytes　they　occupy　on　the　hard　disk　is　also　listed。　A　rectangular　outline　flashes　around　the　file　at　the　top。
　ALISA　PERNE。
　Ray　points　to　the　screen。　〃He　must　be　working　with　this　person。　Or　else　investigating　her。〃　He　reaches　for　the　Enter　button。　〃Let's　see　who　this　woman　is。〃
　〃Wait。〃　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder。　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃
　〃Hear　what？〃
　〃That　sound。〃
　〃I　don't　hear　anything。〃
　〃I　have　sensitive　hearing。　I　heard　someone　outside　the　building。〃
　Ray　pauses　and　listens。　〃It　could　have　been　an　animal。〃
　〃There　it　is　again。　Didn't　you　hear　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　I　appear　mildly　anxious。　〃Ray。　Could　you　please　see　if　anyone's　there？〃
　He　thinks　a　moment。　〃Sure。　No　problem。　Stay　here。　Lock　the　door。　I'll　call　to　you　when　I　return。〃　He　goes　to　get　up。
　But　he　exits　the　files　before　he　leaves；　although　he　leaves　the　puter　running。
　Interesting；　I　think。　He　was　willing　to　sleep　with　me；　but　he　doesn't　trust　me　alone　with　his　father's　files。　Smart　boy。
　The　moment　he's　out　the　door；　I　lock　it　and　hurry　to　the　puter。　I　enter　the　password　and　call　up　the　files。　I　can　speed　read　like　no　mortal　and　have　a　photographic　memory；　yet　I　cannot　read　nearly　as　fast　as　a　modern　puter　can　copy。　From　the　other　night　I　know　Mr。　Riley　has　a　box　of　formatted　three…and…a…half…inch　high…density　diskettes　in　his　desk。　I　remove　two　from　the　drawer　and　slip　one　into　the　puter。　I　am　familiar　with　the　word　processor。　I　set　it　to　copying　the　file。　Mr。　Riley　had　accumulated　a　lot　of　information　on　me。　The　Alisa　Perne　file　is　large。　I　estimate；　given　the　equipment　I　am　using；　that　it　will　take　me　five　minutes　to　copy　the　file　onto　both　diskettes。　Ray　will　return　before　then。　While　the　file　copies；　I　return　to　the　office　entrance　and　study　the　lock。　I　can　hear　Ray　walking　down　the　stairs。　He　hums　as　he　walks。　He　doesn't　think　there　is　anyone　outside。
　I　decide　to　jam　the　lock。　Taking　two　paper　clips　from　Riley's　desk；　and　bending　them　into　usable　shapes；　I　slip　them　into　the　tumblers。　The　first　diskette　finally　fills　as　Ray　returns　from　his　quick　outside　inspection。　I　slip　in　the　second　diskette。
　〃Sita；〃　Ray　calls。　〃It's　me。　There　was　no　one　there。〃
　I　speak　from　the　back　office。　〃You　want　me　to　open　the　door　for　you？　I　locked　it　like　you　said。〃
　〃Never　mind；　I　have　the　key。〃　He　inserts　the　key　into　the　lock。　But　the　door　does　not　open。　〃Sita；　it　won't　open。　Have　you　thrown　the　latch？〃
　I　approach　the　door　slowly　so　that　my　voice　will　sound　closer；　but　I　have　turned　the　monitor　around　so　that　I　can　keep　an　eye　on　it。　The　bytes　accumulate　quickly；　but　so；　I　suppose；　do　Ray's　suspicions。
　〃There　is　no　latch；〃　I　say。　〃Try　the　key　again。〃
　He　tries　a　few　times。　〃Open　the　door　for　me。〃
　I　give　the　appearance　of　trying　real　hard　to　open　it。　〃It's　stuck。〃
　〃It　opened　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Ray；　I'm　telling　you　it's　stuck。〃
　〃Is　the　lock　latch　turned　up？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Turn　it　sideways。〃
　〃I　can't　get　it　to　turn。　Am　I　going　to　be　stuck　in　here　all　night？〃
　〃No。　There's　got　to　be　a　simple　solution　to　this。〃　He　thinks　a　moment。　〃Look　in　my　father's　desk。　See　if　you　can　find　a　pair　of　pliers。〃
　I　am　happy　to　return　to　the　desk。　In　a　minute　I　have　to　remove　my　second　diskette　and　exit　the　files。　I　open　and　close　the　drawers　while　I　wait　for　the　copying　to　finish。　When　it　is　plete；　I　jump　into　the　file；　scan　the　first　page；　then　highlight　the　remainder　of　the　file…which　is　several　hundred　pages　long…and　delete　it。　Now　the　Alisa　Perne　file　contains　only　the　first　page；　which　holds　nothing　of　vital　importance。　I　return　to　the　screen　that　requests　the　password。　I　put　both　diskettes　in　my　back　pocket。　Striding　back　to　the　door；　I　pull　out　the　paper　clips　and　slip　them　in　my　back　pocket　as　well。　I　open　the　door　for　Ray。
　〃What　happened？〃　he　asks。
　〃It　just　came　unstuck。〃
　〃That's　weird。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　there's　no　one　outside？〃
　〃I　didn't　see　anyone。〃
　I　yawn。　〃I'm　getting　tired。〃
　〃You　were　full　of　energy　a　few　minutes　ago。　You　want　me　to　take　you　home　now？　I　can　e　back　later　and　study　the　file。〃
　〃You　may　as　well　look　at　it　while　you're　here。〃
　Ray　returns　to　the　puter。　I　lounge　around　the　reception　area。　Ray　lets　out　a　sound　of　surprise。　I　peek　in　the　door　at　him。
　〃What　is　it？〃　I　ask。
　〃There　isn't　much　in　this　file。〃
　〃Does　it　say　who　Alisa　Feme　is？〃
　〃Not　really。　It　just　gives　some　background　information　on　who　contacted　my　dad　to　investigate　her。〃
　〃That　should　be　helpful。〃
　〃It's　not；　because　even　that　information　is　cut　off　in　midsentence。〃　Ray　frowns。　〃This　is　an　odd　file　for　my　dad　to　create。　I　wonder　if　it's　been　tampered　with。　I　could　have　sworn　。。。〃　He　looks　at　me。
　〃What？〃　I　ask。
　He　glances　back　at　the　screen。　〃Nothing。〃
　〃No；　Ray；　tell　me。　You　could　have　sworn　what？〃　I　worry　he　may　have　registered　how　big　the　file　was　when　he　first　started　on　the　puter。　Certainly　it　is　much　smaller　now。　Ray　shakes　his　head。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　says。　〃I'm　tired；　too。　I'm　going　to　look　at　this　stuff　tomorrow。〃　He　exits　the　files　and　turns　off　the　puter。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃OK。〃
　Half　an　hour　later　I　am　at　home；　my　real　home；　the　mansion　on　the　hill　overlooking　the　ocean。