ericlustbader.the ninja-第13部分

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iving　room　where　she　still　stood　where　he　had　left　her。　She　stared　at　him；　her　eyes　very　bright。　'Not　a　hit　man　…　someone　you　read　about　in　the　papers　when　there's　some　gangland　killing　in　New　Jersey　or　Brooklyn。　No；　this　is　the　kind　of　man　you　never　hear　about。　He's　far　too　clever　to　give　himself　any　notoriety　except　among　an　elite　core　of　potential　clients。　But　I　really　don't　know　too　much　about　that　end　of　it。'　He　looked　up　at　her　as　he　settled　himself　on　the　sofa　once　more。　'Are　you　getting　all　this？'
　There　was　silence　for　a　time；　just　the　sound　of　the　surf　seeming　far　away。　She　moved；　at　last；　over　to　the　stereo；　putting　on　a　record。　But　almost　immediately　she　took　the　needle　off　the　groove　as　if　the　music　were　some　intruder　now　to　be　kept　away。
　'He　called　me　home　during　my　sophomore　year　at　Smith；'　she　said　with　her　back　to　him。　Her　voice　was　flat　and　dry　and　contained。　'Sent　his　goddamn　private　jet　for　me　so　I　was　sure　not　to　miss　any　of　my　classes。'　She　turned　round　but　her　head　was　down；　her　gaze　riveted　on　a　paper　clip　she　held；　working　it　back　and　forth　until　it　snapped　apart。
　'Well；　I　was；　I　don't　know；　I　guess　〃frightened〃　is　the　word。　I　couldn't　imagine　what　emergency　he'd　called　me　back　home　for。　I　immediately　thought　of　my　mother。　Funny；　not　Gelda；　she　never　got　sick。　Not　like　Mother。
　'Anyway；　I　was　brought　into　the　study　and　there　he　was　standing　before　the　fire；　toasting　his　hands。　I　stood　watching　him　with　my　loden　coat　brushed　with　snow；　not　even　bothering　to　take　it　off。　He　offered　me　a　drink。〃　Her　head　snapped　up　and　she　impaled　him　with　her　eyes。　'Can　you　imagine　I　He　offered　me　a　drink　as　calmly　as　if　we　were　business　partners　about　to　discuss　an　important　deal。
　'It's　odd；　you　know。　That's　precisely　the　image　I　had　at　the　time。　It　was　prophetic。　〃My　dear；〃　he　said；　〃I've　got　a　surprise　for　you。　I've　e　across　a　most　extraordinary　man。　He'll　be　here　any　moment。　I　imagine　the　snow's　delayed　him　a　bit。　e。　Take　off　your　coat　and　sit　down。〃　But　I　stayed　where　I　was；　dumbfounded。　〃Is　this　why　you　flew　me　home？〃　I　asked。　〃Well；　yes。　I　want　you　to　meet　him。　He's　ideal　for　you。　His　family's　in　the　right　bracket　and　quite　well　connected。　He's　good…looking　and　a　three…letter　man　to　boot。〃　〃Father；〃　I　said；　〃you　scared　me　half　to　death　over　some　mad　idea　that　…〃　〃I　scared　you？〃　〃Yes；　I　thought　something　had　happened；　to　Mother　or　…〃　〃Don't　be　so　idiotic；　Justine！　I　can't　think　what　I'm　going　to　do　with　you。〃　I　stormed　out；　furious；　and　he　just　couldn't　understand　what　he　had　done　to　upset　me。　It　was　all　done　out　of　love；　he　told　me。　〃Do　you　know　how　much　time　I　spent　making　this　selection？〃　he　said　as　I　went　out　the　door。'　She　sighed。　'For　my　father；　time　was　always　his　most　precious　modity。'
　'People　don't　do　that〃　any　more；'　he　said。　'Trade　off　other　people　as　if　they　were　things。'
　'Oh　no？'　She　laughed　sardonically。　'It　happens　all　the　time；　all　around。'　She　spread　out　her　arms。　'In　marriages；　when　die　woman's　expected　to　perform　certain　duties；　in　divorces；　when　the　kids　are　used　as　bargaining　points；　in　affairs。　All　the　time；　Nick。　Grow　up；　will　you？'
　He　got　up　off　the　sofa；　annoyed　at　her　height　advantage。　'I'll　bet　your　father　used　to　say　that　to　you。　〃Grow　up；　Justine。〃'
　'You're　a　bastard；　you　know　that？'
　'C'mon。　You're　not　going　to　start　another　fight　now；　are　you？　I　told　you　…'
　'Bastard！'　She　leaped　across　the　intervening　coffee　table；　her　body　crashing　against　his；　her　hands　flailing　against　him；　but　he　caught　her　slender　wrists　without　difficulty；　pinioning　her。
　'Now；　listen；'　he　said。　'I　don't　mind　horsing　around　with　you；　but　I　told　you；　I'm　not　Chris　and　you're　not　going　to　provoke　a　fight　with　me　every　time　you　want　some　attention。　There're　other　ways　to　get　it。　For　instance；　you　could　ask。'
　'I　shouldn't　have　to　ask；'　she　said。
　'Oho！　So　that's　it。　I　don't　have　ESP。　I'm　just　a　human　being。　And　I　don't　need　psychodramas。'
　'But　I　do。'
　'No；'　he　said；　'you　don't。'　He　let　her　go。
　'Prove　it。'
　'You're　the　only　one　who　can　do　that。'
　'Not　alone；　I　can't。'　She　stared　up　into　his　face。　Her　hand　lifted。　Her　fingertips　grazed　his　cheek。　'Help　me；'　she　whispered。　'Help　me。'
　His　mouth　covered　her　open　lips。
　It　seemed　highly　improbable　that　Billy　Shawtuck　should　have　got　the　nickname　'Wild　Bill'　but　nevertheless　there　it　was。　He　was　a　ruddy…plexioned　man　in　his　early　forties；　shortish　and　not　even　stocky。　He　always　wore　long…sleeved　shirts；　even　at　the　height　of　summer　when；　even　out　here　near　the　shore；　there　was　more　sweat　than　wind　around。
　Ask　his　buddies　at　Grendel's　and　they　would　tell　you　that　was　because　he　didn't　like　to　show　off　his　enormous　biceps。　Of　course；　if　pressed；　they　would　also　tell　you　he　came　to　his　nickname　by　way　of　eschewing　beers　for　a　double　Scotch　on　the　rocks　every　time。　Apparently　the　heat　didn't　bother　him　much。
　Billy　worked　for　Lilco；　riding　power…lines；　and；　he　always　said　to　those　he　beat　at　arm　wrestling　off…hours　at　Grendel's；　he　came　by　his　muscles　honestly。　'I　didn't　have　to　go　to　no　fag　gym　every　day　to　get　these；'　he'd　say；　downing　the　double　Scotch　on　the　rocks　in　a　swallow　and　raising　his　arm　to　order　another。　'Shit；　my　job　does　all　that。　Honest　work　you　can　sweat　at。'　Then　he　would　shake　his　head　full　of　sandy　hair。　'I'm　not　one　of　those　goddamned　desk　jockeys。'
　Grendel's　was　a　local　watering　hole　…　almost　exclusively　blue…collar　（the　writers　had　their　own　favourite）　…　several　miles　outside　West　Bay　Bridge；　roadside　to　Montauk　Highway。
　Late　in　the　evening；　Billy　Shawtuck　stood　in　the　doorway　of　Grendel's　preparatory　to　leaving。　The　sky　was　turning　from　indigo　to　black；　the　traffic　from　the　highway　taking　on　a　spectral　quality　as　headlights　and　tail…lights　flicked　by　like　the　inquisitive　eyes　of　nocturnal　animals。
　On　the　top　of　the　steps；　Billy　took　a　deep　breath　and　cursed　the　summer　influx。　We're　all　gonna　die　of　carbon　monoxide　poisoning　one　of　these　days；　he　thought。
　Not　four　paces　away；　his　Lilco　truck　stood　waiting　for　him；　but　this　evening　he　was　reluctant　to　leave　the　cheery　warmth　of　the　bar。　Music　blatted　at　his　back　from　the　juke　inside。　Tony　Bennett　singing　'I　Left　My　Heart　in　San　Francisco〃。
　You　could　take　San　Francisco；　Billy　thought；　take　the　whole　of　the　West　Coast　and　shove　it　up　your　ass。　He'd　been　out　there　in　the　Army　and　had　e　to　hate　it。　I　didn't　leave　anything　there　but　a　good　case　of　the　clap。　He　laughed。　But；　damn；　I'm　sure　sorry　I　took　this　late　job。　Time　and　a　half　was　all　well　and　good　but　some　days　…　well；　some　days　it　just　wasn't　worth　it。　He　had　a　feeling　that　this　was　one　of　those　days。
　Sighing　deeply；　he　went　down　the　stairs　but　not　before　giving　the　finger　to　Tony　Bennett　and　his　shit…ass　city。
　His　mood　changed；　however；　as　he　banged　down　one　of　the　dark　side　roads　and　he　began　to　whistle　tunelessly。　He　didn't　think　this　job　was　going　to　take　too　long。

　And；　of　course；　by　that　time　he　was　thinking　of　Helene　and　the　stuff　he　had　bought　her　from　the　Frederick's　of　Hollywood　catalogue。　Agh；　he　thought；　maybe　it　came　in　the　mail　today。　It　was　about　due。
　He　was　picturing　Helene's　long…legged　frame　in　the　clothes　…he　laughed：　if　you　could　call　them　that　…　as　he　came　around　the　last　bend　to　the　beach…front　property　and　saw　the　black…clad　figure　step　right　into　the　beam　of　his　left…side　headlight。
　'What　the　fuck！'　He　stepped　on　the　brakes　and　swerved　over　to　the　right　shoulder。　Leaning　out　of　the　window；　he　called；　'You　stupid　bastard！　I　mighta　killed　you。　What's　the　matter　with　…'
　The　door　on　his　side　crashed　open　and　it　felt　as　if　a　tornado　hurled　him　out　of　the　cab。　'Hey！'　He　rolled　across　the　cool　tarmac。　'Hey；　buddy！'
　He　got　to　his　feet　in　a　boxer's　semi…crouch；　his　fists　up　in　front　of　his　chest。
　'Not　to　fool　around；　you　sonovabitch。'
　His　eyes　opened　wide　as　he　saw　the　flash　of　the　long　blade　in　the　wash　of　the　headlights。　Christ；　he　thought；　a　sword。　A　sword？　Jesus；　I　must　be　drunk。
　A　moth　batted　in　the　headlight；　dazzled；　and　the　cicadas　sizzled。　Close　at　hand；　the　surf　hissed　and　shushed　like　a　nanny　calming　a　crying　baby。
　He　threw　a　punch。　It　never　connected。
　The　air　in　front　of　him　seemed　to　split　apart　and　vibrated　like　a　bead　curtain。
　He　felt　two　sensations　almost　simultaneously。　They　were　the　sharpest；　most　exquisitely　painful　feelings　he　had　ever　experienced。
　Once；　just　outside　the　base；　he　had　had　a　scuffle　with　an　M。P。　and　the　bastard　had　managed　to　slash　him　with　a　knife；　wounding　him　in　the　side；　before　he　had　had　a　chance　to　bury　his　fist　in　the　M。P。's　face。　It　was　the　guardhouse　for　him　for　that；　but　he　had　never　felt　so　satisfied　in　his　life。
　But　that　pain；　that　burning　was　nothing　to　what　Billy　Shaw…tuck　felt　now。　The　blur　of　the　blade　pierced　the　night　and　then　pierced　Billy。　From　the　top　of　his　right　shoulder　down　across　his　abdomen　to　the　left　side　of　his　pelvis。　His　guts　began　to　spill　out　and　his　nostrils　were　suffused　with　a　nauseating　stench。
　'Jesus　Chri　…'
　Then　the　round　wooden　pole　crashed；　whistling　like　a　boy　at　play；　onto　his　shoulder。　He　heard　the　sharp　crack　as　the　bones　broke　but；　astoundingly；　there　was　absolutely　no　pain。　Only　the　feeling　that　he　had　been　driven　straight　through　the　tarmac　of