璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第126部分

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‘Looks　like　they‘re　following　us；　yes。　Now；　you　let　me　handle　this；　okay？‘　The　last　unengaged　part　of　his　consciousness　was　proud　of　Kelly‘s　calm　and　confidence。　Yes；　there　was　danger；　but　Kelly　knew　about　danger；　knew　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　than　the　people　in　the　Roadrunner。　If　they　wanted　a　lesson　in　what　danger　really　was；　they‘d　e　to　the　right　fucking　place。
Kelly‘s　hands　tingled　on　the　wheel　as　he　eased　left；　then　braked　and　turned　hard　right。　He　couldn‘t　corner　as　well　as　the　Roadrunner；　but　these　streets　were　wide　…　and　being　in　front　gave　him　the　choice　of　path　and　timing。　Losing　them　would　be　hard；　but　he　knew　where　the　police　station　was。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　leading　them　there。　They‘d　break　contact　at　that　point。
They　might　shoot；　might　find　a　way　to　disable　the　car；　but　if　that　happened；　he　had　the　。45；　and　a　spare　clip；　and　a　box　of　ammo　in　the　glove　partment。　They　might　be　armed；　but　they　sure　as　hell　weren‘t　trained。　He‘d　let　them　get　close　。。。　how　many？　Two？　Maybe　three？　He　ought　to　have　checked；　Kelly　told　himself；　remembering　that　there　hadn‘t　been　time。
Kelly　looked　in　the　mirror。　A　moment　later　he　was　rewarded。　The　headlights　of　another；　uninvolved　car　a　block　away　shone　straight　through　the　Roadrunner。　Three　of　them。　He　wondered　what　they　might　be　armed　with。　Worst…case　was　a　shotgun。　The　real　worst…case　was　a　rapid…fire　rifle；　but　street　hoods　weren‘t　soldiers；　and　that　was　unlikely。
Probably　not；　but　let‘s　not　make　any　assumptions；　his　brain　replied。
His　。45　Colt；　at　close　range；　was　as　lethal　as　a　rifle。　He　quietly　blessed　his　weekly　practice　as　he　turned　left。　If　it　es　to　that；　let　them　get　close　and　go　for　a　quick　ambush。　Kelly　knew　all　there　was　to　know　about　ambushes。　Suck　‘em　in　and　blow　‘em　away。
The　Roadrunner　was　ten　yards　behind　now；　and　its　driver　was　wondering　what　to　do　next。
That‘s　the　hard　part。　isn‘t　it？　Kelly　thought　for　his　pursuer。　You　can　get　close　as　you　want；　but　the　other　guy　is　still　surrounded　by　a　ton　of　metal。　What　are　you　going　to　do　now？　Ram　me；　maybe？
No；　the　other　driver　wasn‘t　a　total　fool。　Sitting　on　the　rear　bumper　was　the　trailer　hitch；　and　ramming　would　have　driven　it　right　through　the　Roadrunner‘s　radiator。　Too　bad。
The　Roadrunner　made　a　move　to　the　right。　Kelly　saw　its　headlights　rock　backwards　as　the　driver　floored　his　big　V…8；　but　being　in　front　helped。　Kelly　snapped　the　wheel　to　the　right　to　block。　He　immediately　learned　that　the　other　driver　didn‘t　have　the　stomach　to　hurt　his　car。　He　heard　tires　squeal　as　the　Roadrunner　braked　down　to　avoid　a　collision。　Don‘t　want　to　scratch　that　red　paint；　do　we？　Good　news　for　a　change！　Then　the　Roadrunner　snapped　left；　but　Kelly　covered　that　move　also。　It　was　like　sailboats　in　a　tacking　duel；　he　realized。
‘Kelly；　what‘s　happening？‘　Pam　asked；　her　voice　cracking　on　every　word。
His　reply　was　in　the　same　calm　voice　he‘d　used　for　the　past　few　minutes。　‘What‘s　happened　is　that　they‘re　not　very　smart。‘
‘That‘s　Billy‘s　car　…　he　loves　to　race。‘
‘Billy；　eh？　Well；　Billy　likes　his　car　a　little　too　much。　If　you　want　to　hurt　somebody；　you　ought　to　be　willing　to　…　‘　Just　to　surprise　them；　Kelly　stomped　on　his　brakes。　The　Scout　nose…dived；　giving　Billy　a　really　good　look　at　the　chromed　trailer　hitch。　Then　Kelly　accelerated　again；　watching　the　Roadrunner‘s　reaction。　Yeah；　he　wants　to　follow　close；　but　I　can　intimidate　him　real　easy；　and　he　won‘t　like　that。　He‘s　probably　a　proud　little　fuck。
There；　that‘s　how　I　do　it。
Kelly　decided　to　go　for　a　soft　kill。　No　sense　getting　things　plicated。　Still；　he　knew　that　he　had　to　play　this　one　very　carefully　and　very　smart。　His　brain　started　measuring　angles　and　distances。
Kelly　hit　his　accelerator　too　hard　taking　a　corner。　It　almost　made　him　spin　out；　but　he‘d　planned　for　that　and　only　botched　the　recovery　enough　to　make　his　driving　look　sloppy　to　Billy；　who　was　doubtless　impressed　with　his　own　abilities。　The　Roadrunner　used　its　cornering　and　wide　tires　to　close　the　distance　and　hold　formation　on　Kelly‘s　starboard…quarter。　A　deliberate　collision　now　could　throw　the　Scout　pletely　out　of　control。　The　Roadrunner　held　the　better　hand　now；　or　so　its　driver　thought。
Okay　。。。
Kelly　couldn‘t　turn　right　now。　Billy　had　blocked　that。　So　he　turned　hard　left；　taking　a　street　through　a　wide　strip　of　vacant　lots。　Some　highway　would　be　built　here。　The　houses　had　been　cleared　off；　and　the　basements　filled　in　with　dirt；　and　the　night‘s　rain　had　turned　that　to　mud。
Kelly　turned　to　look　at　the　Roadrunner。　Uh…oh。　The　right…side　passenger　window　was　ing　down。　That　meant　a　gun；　sure　as　hell。　Cutting　this　a　little　close；　Kelly　。。。　But　that；　he　realized　instantly；　could　be　made　to　help。　He　let　them　see　his　face；　staring　at　the　Roadrunner；　mouth　open　now；　fear　clearly　visible。　He　stood　on　the　brakes　and　turned　hard　right。　The　Scout　bounded　over　the　half…destroyed　curb；　obviously　a　maneuver　of　panic。　Pam　screamed　with　the　sudden　jolt。
The　Roadrunner　had　better　power；　its　driver　knew；　better　tires；　and　better　brakes；　and　the　driver　had　excellent　reflexes；　all　of　which　Kelly　had　noted　and　was　now　counting　on。　His　braking　maneuver　was　covered　and　nearly　matched　by　the　Roadrunner；　which　then　mimicked　his　turn；　also　bouncing　over　the　crumbling　cement　of　an　eradicated　neighborhood；　following　the　Scout　across　what　had　recently　been　a　block　of　homes；　falling　right　into　the　trap　Kelly　had　sprung。　The　Roadrunner　made　it　about　seventy　feet。
Kelly　had　already　downshifted。　The　mud　was　a　good　eight　inches　deep；　and　there　was　the　off…chance　that　the　Scout　might　get　stuck　momentarily；　but　the　odds　were　heavily　against　that。　He　felt　his　car　slow；　felt　the　tires　sink　a　few　inches　into　the　gooey　surface；　but　then　the　big；　coarsely　treaded　tires　bit　and　started　pulling　again。　Yeah。　Only　then　did　he　turn　around。
The　headlights　told　the　story。　The　Roadrunner；　already　low…slung　for　cornering　paved　city　streets；　yawed　wildly　to　the　left　as　its　tires　spun　on　the　gelatinous　surface；　and　when　the　vehicle　slowed；　their　spinning　merely　dug　wet　holes。　The　headlights　sank　rapidly　as　the　car‘s　powerful　engine　merely　excavated　its　own　grave。　Steam　rose　instantly　when　the　hot　engine　block　boiled　off　some　standing　water。
The　race　was　over。
Three　men　got　out　of　the　car　and　just　stood　there；　unfortable　to　have　mud　on　their　shiny　punk　shoes；　looking　at　the　way　their　once…clean　car　sat　in　the　mud　like　a　weary　sow　hog。　Whatever　nasty　plans　they‘d　had；　had　been　done　in　by　a　little　rain　and　dirt。　Nice　to　know　I　haven‘t　lost　it　yet；　Kelly　thought。
Then　they　looked　up　to　where　he　was；　thirty　yards　away。
‘You　dummies！‘　he　called　through　the　light　rain。　‘See　ya　‘round；　assholes！‘　He　started　moving　again；　careful；　of　course；　to　keep　his　eyes　on　them。　That‘s　what　had　won　him　the　race；　Kelly　told　himself。　Caution；　brains；　experience。　Guts；　too；　but　Kelly　dismissed　that　thought　after　allowing　himself　just　the　tiniest　peek　at　it。　Just　a　little　one。　He　nursed　the　Scout　back　onto　a　strip　of　pavement；　upshifted；　and　drove　off；　listening　to　the　little　clods　of　mud　thrown　by　his　tires　into　the　wheel　wells。
‘You　can　get　up　now；　Pam。　We　won‘t　be　seeing　them　for　a　while。‘
Pam　did　that；　looking　back　to　see　Billy　and　his　Roadrunner。　The　sight　of　him　so　close　made　her　face　go　pale　again。　‘What　did　you　do？‘
‘I　just　let　them　chase　me　into　a　place　that　I　selected；‘　Kelly　explained。　‘That‘s　a　nice　car　for　running　the　street；　but　not　so　good　for　dirt。‘
Pam　smiled　for　him；　showing　bravery　she　didn‘t　feel　at　the　moment；　but　pleting　the　story　just　as　Kelly　would　have　told　it　to　a　friend。　He　checked　his　watch。　Another　hour　or　so　until　shift　change　at　the　police　station。　Billy　and　his　friends　would　be　stuck　there　for　a　long　time。　The　smart　move　was　to　find　a　quiet　place　to　wait。　Besides；　Pam　looked　like　she　needed　a　little　calming　down。　He　drove　for　a　little　while；　then；　finding　an　area　with　no　major　street　activity；　he　parked。
‘How　are　you　feeling？‘　he　asked。
‘That　was　scary；‘　she　replied；　looking　down　and　shaking　badly。
‘Look；　we　can　go　right　back　to　the　boat　and　…‘
‘No！　Billy　raped　me。。。　and　killed　Helen。　If　I　don‘t　stop　him；　he‘ll　just　keep　doing　it　to　people　I　know。‘　The　words　were　as　much　to　persuade　herself　as　him；　Kelly　knew。　He‘d　seen　it　before。　It　was　courage；　and　it　went　part　and　parcel　with　fear。　It　was　the　thing　that　drove　people　to　acplish　missions；　and　also　the　thing　that　selected　those　missions　for　them。　She‘d　seen　the　darkness；　and　finding　the　light；　she　had　to　extend　its　glow　to　others。
‘Okay；　but　after　we　tell　Frank　about　it；　we　get　you　the　hell　out　of　Dodge　City。‘
‘I‘m　okay；‘　Pam　said；　lying；　knowing　he　saw　the　lie；　and　ashamed　of　it　because　she　didn‘t　grasp　his　intimate　understanding　for　her　feelings　of　the　moment。
You　really　are；　he　wanted　to　tell　her；　but　she　hadn‘t　learned　about　those　things　yet。　And　so　he　asked　a　question：　‘How　many　other　girls？‘
‘Doris；　Xantha；　Paula；　Maria；　and　Roberta　。。。　they‘re　all　like　me；　John。　And　Helen　。。。　when　they　killed　her；　they　made　us　watch。‘
‘Well；　with　a　little　luck　you　can　do　something　about　that；　honey。‘　He　put　his　arm　around　her；　and　after　a　time　the　shaking　stopped。
‘I‘m　thirsty；‘　she　said。
‘There‘s　a　cooler　on　the　bac