ericlustbader.the ninja-第68部分

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t's　dead。　They　found　him　last　night。'　He　didn't　say　where。　'His　neck　had　been　broken。〃
　Nicholas　took　a　deep　breath　and　sat　down　in　the　sand。　He　wrapped　his　arms　round　his　legs；　stared　out　to　sea。
　'Nick。。。'
　He　felt　numb；　as　if　his　brain　had　been　anaesthetized。　He　recalled　Doc　Deerforth　talking　about　pain。　This　seemed　more　than　enough。　This　was　the　day　of　Terry's　and　Ei's　funeral。
　'Jesus；'　he　said。　'Jesus。'
　Croaker　crouched　down　next　to　him。　'Nick；'　he　said　gently；　'there　was　no　other　way　to　tell　you。　There　was　the　phone　but　I　couldn't　do　that。'
　Nicholas　nodded。　Through　the　numbness；　he　understood。　Croaker　had　recognized　the　debt　he　owed　him。　He　appreciated　the　fact　that　the　Lieutenant　had　e　all　the　way　out　here　when　he　only　had　to　have　someone　pick　up　a　phone　and　dial。　He　remembered　that　the　two　had　had　dinner　last　night　and　wondered　if　this　was；　in　part；　Vincent's　legacy。　If　so；　it　was　a　fitting　one。
　'Nick；'　Croaker　said。　He　hesitated。
　Nicholas's　gaze　swung　round。　'What's　going　on？　You　have　to　tell　me。'　'I　don't　know。　What　do　you　mean？　I　…　look；　Tomkin's　involved。　Up　to　his　armpits。　He　received　a　ninja　warning　about　a　week　ago。　It　fits　in。　I've　seen　it。　It's　authentic。　He　has　a　lot　of　business　deals　with　a　number　of　high…powered　Japanese　firms。　No　one's　very　buddy…buddy　in　business；　least　of　all　them。　He　crossed　them　in　some　way。　Anyhow；　it's　a　mortal　offence　he's　mitted。　There's　no　doubt　they've　sent　one　over　to　kill　him。'
　'It's　been　tried　before。　Tomkin's　a　grown…up　bastard　…now。　He　doesn't　need　your　help。'
　Nicholas　shook　his　head。　　'That's　where　you're　wrong。　Without　me；　he's　a　dead　man。'
　'But　it　makes　no　sense；　don't　you　see？　The　two　deaths　out　here；　the　three　in　the　city。　None　have　any　link　with　Tomkin。'
　'They　must　have；'　Nicholas　said；　stubbornly。　'Look；　he's　even　made　an　attempt　to　frighten　Justine。'　He　told　Croaker　about　the　furred　thing　thrown　through　the　kitchen　window。
　Croaker　looked　at　him　for　a　moment。　Beyond；　he　could　hear　the　surf　hissing　as　it　sucked　at　the　beachfront。　The　sounds　of　laughter　were　bright　and　brittle　as　if　they　were　made　to　be　broken。
　'What　if；'　Croaker　said　slowly；　'that　message　wasn't　meant　for　Justine。'
　Nicholas　stared　at　Croaker。
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　'I　think　it's　time　we　faced　the　facts。　I　think　that　warning　was　meant　for　you。'
　Nicholas　gave　a　short；　sharp　laugh。　For　me？　Oh；　don't　be　idiotic。　There's　no　reason　…'
　'There　must　be；'　Croaker　said　earnestly。　'Look　at　the　pattern。　The　two　deaths　out　here。　Terry　and　Eileen。　Now　Vincent　in　the　city。　You're　the　central　point　to　all　the　deaths。'
　'I　didn't　know　the　second　man　out　here。'
　'No；　but　the　murder　happened　close　to　you。'
　'Lew；　they　happened　close　to　a　lot　of　people。'
　'But　only　to　one　who's　had　three　friends　murdered　subsequently。〃
　It　was　logical　of　course；　but；　Nicholas　knew；　logic　was　often　not　the　answer。
　He　shook　his　head。　'I　don't　think　I　can　buy　it。　As　I　said；　there's　no　reason。　'It's　a　smoke…screen。'
　'A　hell　of　a　smoke…screen！'　Croaker　snorted。
　'It　wouldn't　matter　to　him；　don't　you　see？　He　must　know　that　I'm　involved　through　Justine。　I'm　the　danger　to　him；　not　you；　or　Tomkin's　muscle。　He　knows　that。　No；　he's　after　Tom…kin；　plain　and　simple。　He's　just　trying　to　muddy　the　water。〃
　Croaker　held　up　a　hand。　'Okay；　okay。　It　was　just　a　theory。　But　I　gotta　tell　you；　I　hope　you're　right　because　I　cared　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　about　Vincent　Ito　than　I　do　about　Raphael　Tom…kin。'
　Nicholas　looked　at　him。　It　was　as　close　as　they　both　could　e　to　the　outward　recognition　of　their　friendship。　He　smiled。　〃Thanks。　That　means　a　lot　…　to　me。　I　know　it　would　to　Vincent；　too。'
　They　stood　up。　Croaker　had　kept　his　suit　jacket　on　despite　the…heat　of　the　day。　Now　he　was　sweating　profusely　and　he　shrugged　out　of　it。　His　thin　white　shirt　was　stained　with　sweat。　'　　'You　ready　to　go　back？'
　Nicholas　nodded。　'One　thing；　Lew。'　He　hesitated。
　'Shoot。'
　'You　may　not　want　to　tell　me。'
　〃Then　I　won't。　Okay？'
　Nicholas　smiled。　'Okay。'　They　began　to　walk　up　the　beach　towards　Croaker's　car。　'What　is　it　between　you　and　Tom…kin？'
　Croaker　opened　the　door；　slung　his　jacket　onto　the　back　seat。　He　got　in　behind　the　wheel。　He　had　parked　in　the　shade　but　the　interior　was　still　hot。　Nicholas　got　in　on　the　passenger's　side　and　Croaker　started　the　engine。
　'You're　right；'　he　said。　'I　might　not　want　to　tell　you。　And　a　few　days　ago；　I　wouldn't　have。'　He　made　a　broken　U…turn；　began　to　drive　up　Dune　Road　towards　the　bridge　across　the　canal。　'But　everything's　different　now　and　I　guess　I　figure　if　I　can't　trust　you；　there　ain't　nobody　to　trust；　and　I　can't　live　my　life　like　that。'
　They　rumbled　across　the　bridge；　heading　past　the　houses　and　the　small　bobbing　boats　with　their　stowed　outboard　motors；　towards　the　highway。
　'You　know　about　the　Didion　thing。'
　Nicholas　was　surprised。　'You　mean　the　murder　of　dial　model？　Sure；　but　only　what　was　spread　across　the　papers。　I　used　to　see　her　in　practically　every　magazine　I　picked　up。'
　'Yeah；'　Croaker　said　meditatively。　'Beautiful　lady。　Just　beautiful。　Like　they　invented　the　word　for　her。'
　'It　sounds　like　…'
　'Nah。　Not　what　you　think。'　They　swung　onto　the　highway　and　Croaker　picked　up　speed。　The　wind　was　still　hot　enough　to　keep　them　from　cooling　off。　'But　it　struck　me；　you　know；　that　this　girl's　a　person　just　like　everyone　else。　All　anyone　thinks　of　is　the　image；　you　know？　Her　face；　her　body　like　that；　the　facade。　No　one　would　stop　to　think　that　she　might　be　just　as　fucked　up　as　all　the　rest　of　us；　huh？　That　she　belched　after　a　good　meal；　dial　she　might　fart　once　in　a　while。　Human　things。'
　He　switched　lanes；　avoiding　a　blue　and　white　bus；　its　diesel　exhaust　asphyxiating。　He　jammed　his　horn　as　they　came　abreast；　then　they　were　shooting　away　westward。
　'Then　she　was　dead　and　everybody　was　making　a　stink。　She　was　a　celebrity　and　responsible　for　a　helluva　lot　of　bread；　not　to　mention　the　hold　she　had　on　a　multiple　million　fantasies。　But　nobody；　I　guarantee　you；　said：　There's　another　life　stupidly　wasted。　Well；　buddy；　dial's　what　I　thought　about　when　I　stood　there　in　the　middle　of　her　bedroom　and　looked　at　her　cool　body。　I　thought：　She's　a　human　being　and　I　want　to　know　who　did　this　to　her。'　He　shrugged。　'But；　hell；　I'd　do　the　same　for　any　two…bit　whore　who　got　knocked　over。　Done　it　mucho　times。　Doesn't　go　down　well　with　my　captain。　But；　shit；　I　never　cared　a　rat's　ass　about　that　fucker。　〃A　waste　of　the　taxpayer's　money；　Croaker；〃　he'd　say　to　me。　〃Find　something　more　valuable　to　do　with　your　time。〃　Jesus！'　He　hit　the　steering…wheel　with　his　fist。　'Can　you　beat　that？　Christ；　that　bastard's　always　got　one　finger　in　his　nose　and　the　other　up　his　ass！
　'Anyway；　this　case　turns　out　to　be　the　ballbuster　of　all　time。　I　mean；　there　isn't　one　goddamned　break。　All　I　get　is　mystery　and　for　that　I　can　go　to　the　movies。
　'From　what　I　。get　from　her　bedroom；　there　was　someone　else　there　that　night。　A　woman。　A　woman　who　had；　it　appeared；　been　intimate　with　Angela　Didion　and　who　might　conceivably　have　seen　the　murder　being　mitted。　Only　problem　is；　she's　disappeared　as　if　she'd　never　existed。
　'So　I'm　left　with　nada　and　the　papers　are　screaming　for　a　solution；　which　puts　the　missioner　to　screaming　at　Captain　Finnigan；　who　…　but　why　belabour　the　point；　right？　You　get　the　picture。'
　They　turned　off　before　the　multiple　exits　leading　to　Manhattan　and；　in　a　slow　curving　glide；　moved　onto　Queens　Boulevard。　The　westbound　traffic　was　only　moderate　and　they　made　good　time。
　'Two　or　three　uniforms　went　through　　the　building　doing　preliminary　checks　…　seeing　who　saw　what。　But　it　being　the　Actium　House；　they　were　told　to　step　softly　and　whisper　at　all　times。　The　result　they　e　back　with　is　nobody　knows　nothing。
　'Okay。　Fair　enough。　But　a　week　later；　with　everyone　scream…ing^for　blood　…　my　blood　…　I　decide　to　take　a　peek　myself。　To　give　you　the　Reader's　Digest　version　so　you　won't　fall　asleep　from　boredom　on　me；　it　turns　out　that　the　uniform　assigned　to　canvass　Angela　Didion's　floor　missed　one　tenant。　Turns　out　she　was　away　when　he　came　round　and　had　just　e　back。　A　little　careful　digging　turns　up　the　interesting　fact　that　she　left　the　morning　after　the　murder　…　early　…　…for　Palm　Springs。　She　stayed　for　seven　days　and　then　　　　returned。　She　was　an　older　woman。　In　her　late　fifties　but　looking　a　good　ten　years　older。　An　alcoholic。　I　interviewed　her　at　ten　in　the　morning　and　her　breath　stank　of　gin。　Her　hands　shook　and　she　couldn't　stop　herself　from　going　to　the　bottle　while　I　was　there。'
　He　turned　off　Queens　Boulevard　at　Yellowstone　Boulevard；　went　soudi。　They　were　in　Forest　Hills。
　'But　even　more　interesting　was　that　she　swore　she　saw　a　man　visit　Angela　Didion　…　the　same　man　…　over　the　past　six　months。　It　might　have　been　going　on　longer。　Six　months　is　when　she　became　aware　of　him。　Apparently　there　was　a　fight　there　one　night　and　from　then　on　she　kept　a　sharp　lookout　through　　her　door　peephole。　Nothing　better　to　do　with　her　time。'　He　pulled　up　in　front　of　a　medium…sized　one…storey　building
　with　a　white　brick　facade。　It　had　dark　green；　rather　ginger…bready　trim。　A　swinging　sign　on　the　lawn　at　the　front；　black　on　white；　read：　PARKSIDE　FUNERAL　HOME。　A　large　shade　elm　stood