gns.snakes-第19部分

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ched　the　garage；　though；　he　wasn't　in　much　danger。　He　had　to　keep　consoling　himself　with　that　fact。　'I　had　to　e　out　and　do　some　work　today；　not　just　for　the　money　but　because　I'd　go　bloody　crazy　if　I　stayed　indoors。'
　　
　　'Me；　too。'　John　Price　began　rolling　himself　a　cigarette。　'They　don't　need　me　at　present。'　He　waved　his　free　hand　vaguely　in　the　direction　of　the　moors。　'We've　scoured　the　moors；　acres　of　barley　have　been　devastated　by　fire；　and　yesterday　they　hunted　the　remaining　fields。　Nothing　at　all。　The　snakes　seem　to　have　disappeared　totally。'
　　
　　'You　think　they　might've　moved　on？'
　　
　　'If　so　there　have　been　no　reports　of　their　having　been　sighted。　I　have　my　doubts。'
　　
　　'Meaning　they're　still　in　Stainforth？'
　　
　　'。'　reckon　so；　right　under　our　bloody　noses。　But　where？　I　was　hoping　that　as　a　jobbing　gardener；　knowing　the　village　and　the　gardens；　you　might　have　some　idea。'
　　
　　Keith　puckered　his　lips；　scratched　his　shock　of　unruly　copper　hair。　'Couldn't　rightly　say；　there　are　so　many　patches　of　wilderness。　I　could　name　several　gardens　that　I　go　to　that　could　hide　a　hundred　snakes；　and　a　lot　more　that　I　don't　work　in。'
　　
　　'The　authorities　are　worried　now　that　the　reptiles　might　actually　be　in　the　village。'　Price　drew　deeply　on　a　crumpled　cigarette；　inhaled　the　strong　smoke。　'They're　going　to　search　every　garden；　hedgerow　and　patch　of　wasteland　in　Stainforth　today。　They　just　asked　me　to　stand　by　in　case　they　need　me　for　identifying　any　species　they　might　be　lucky　enough　to　shoot。　The　inhabitants　arc　scared　already　but　that's　nothing　to　what　they're　going　to　be　when　gangs　of　armed　searchers　and　dogs　start　invading　their　gardens。　The　media　doesn't　help。　Every　morning　there's　a　blown…up　picture　of　some　deadly　snake　on　the　front　page　of　just　about　every　paper。　The　police　have　booted　out　the　sightseers；　sent　'em　packing　in　no　uncertain　terms；　and　sealed　off　the　road。　I'm　half　expecting　them　to　evacuate　the　village。　It　would　certainly　be　the　safest　thing　to　do。'
　　
　　'I'll　keep　my　eyes　peeled。'　Suddenly　Keith　felt　very　cold　standing　there　in　the　hot　sunshine。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　to　see　right　now　was　another　snake。　'Well；　I　reckon　this　mower　has　finally　had　it；　so　that's　as　good　an　excuse　as　any　to　pack　it　in　for　today。'
　　
　　'Fancy　a　pint？　The　Rising　Sun　is　remaining　open；　regardless。'
　　
　　'I'd　like　to；'　Keith　shuffled　his　feet　awkwardly。　'In　fact；　there's　nothing　I'd　like　better；　but　I　haven't　seen　my　girlfriend　for　three　days。　She's　not　at　work　and　maybe　her　parents　have　left　the　village　for　a　time。　I've　got　to　go　and　see　what's　happened。'
　　
　　John　Price　nodded。　'I'll　see　you　around　then。'　He　dropped　his　gaze；　added　with　a　hint　of　embarrassment；　'I　think　that　maybe　two　fellers　moving　quietly　and　knowing　what　they're　about　might　stand　more　chance　of　finding　these　snakes　than　a　whole　army　of　searchers　beating　hell　out　of　the　vegetation。'
　　
　　'Is　that　an　invitation　to　join　you　in　a　snake　hunt？'
　　
　　'Yeah；　I　guess　it　is。'
　　
　　There　was　a　long　pause；　an　uneasy　silence　before　Keith　replied。　'Maybe；　I　can't　rightly　say　at　this　moment；　it　all　depends　on　my　girl。　I　got　problems；　you　see。　Tell　you　what；　I'll　try　and　get　'em　sorted　out　today　and　if　everything's　OK　you　and　me'll　take　a　look　around　tomorrow；　I　can't　mit　myself　further　then　that　at　this　moment。'
　　
　　'Fair　enough；'　John　Price　dropped　the　butt　of　his　cigarette　on　to　the　tarmac；　ground　it　to　shreds　with　his　heel。　'You　e　down　to　my　place；　Mrs　Harrison's　bungalow；　early　in　the　morning　and　we'll　see　what's　doing　then。'
　　
　　Keith　watched　the　other　walk　back　down　the　drive；　slow　loping　steps；　another　man　who　had　to　be　doing　something　or　else　he　would　go　crazy。
　　
　　And　as　he　pulled　the　clapped…out　Atco　back　up　the　drive　to　the　garage　the　gardener　was　praying　that　the　search　parties　might　find　the　reptiles　today　and　destroy　them。　If　they　did　not　then　he　would　be　as　scared　as　the　rest　of　the　villagers。　He　hadn't　promised　to　go　on　a　snake　hunt；　though。
　　
　　But　he　knew　that　he　would　help　John　Price　to　seek　the　killers　out　all　the　same。
　　
　　As　he　drove　out　of　the　Yardleys'　gateway　he　had　to　wait　for　a　convoy　of　army　Land　Rovers　to　pass；　open…backed　vehicles　packed　with　men　in　camouflage　clothing；　armed　with　shotguns。　Slowing；　pulling　into　the　side　of　the　road；　beginning　to　disembark。　So　sinister　in　the　main　street　of　an　English　village。
　　
　　Keith's　flesh　crept　and　his　mouth　was　dry；　the　kind　of　dryness　that　even　a　lager　at　the　Rising　Sun　would　not　alleviate。　Basic　fear；　terror　because　there　was　no　doubt　in　his　mind　that　the　snakes　were　right　here　in　Stainforth　village。　Hiding　out　somewhere。
　　
　　And　nobody　would　sleep　easily　in　their　beds　again　until　every　one　of　those　killers　was　dead。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　11
　　
　　'I'M　GOING　to　see　Kirsten；　Mother。'
　　
　　Not　wholly　a　lie。　I'm　going　to　try　and　see　Kirsten；　Mother；　do　my　damnedest。　She　wasn't　at　home　earlier　and　the　car　wasn't　in　the　garage；　and　in　all　probability　my　guess　was　correct　that　they've　left　Stainforth　for　the　present。　Except　I've　got　a　feeling　that　they'll　be　back　soon。　Maybe　I'm　clinging　to　vain　hopes　but　at　least　if　I　go　down　there　and　hang　around　I'm　actually　doing　something。　I　can't　stay　here　and　be　interrogated　all　evening。
　　
　　'Are　you　sure　it's　all　right　to　go　out？'
　　
　　'Well；　I've　been　out　most　of　the　day　gardening；　haven't　I；　and　I'm　OK。'　Liar；　you　changed　your　mind　and　went　for　a　pint　in　the　Rising　Sun　after　you'd　been　to　the　Davis　house。　A　pity　you　didn't　go　with　that　Price　feller　in　the　first　place。　Still；　it　had　helped　to　fill　the　day　in。
　　
　　'Like　I　told　you　earlier；　Keith；　the　soldiers　have　been　all　through　the　gardens　in　the　village　today。　Gave　me　quite　a　turn；　I　can　tell　you；　men　with　guns　on　the　lawns；　poking　in　the　shrubs。'
　　
　　'But　they　didn't　find　anything；　did　they；　Mother？'
　　
　　'No…oo…oo　。　。　。　but　they　might　have。'
　　
　　Jesus　Christ；　there　might　be　a　nuclear　war　tonight　and　we'll　al！　be　blown　to　blazes！　'Don't　you　worry；　these　snakes　have　probably　high…tailed　it　out　of　the　area　and　in　a　couple　of　days　Stainforth　will　be　declared　safe　and　the　roads　opened　up　again。'
　　
　　'Maybe。'　Joan　Doyle　resigned　herself　for　the　second　time　that　day　to　the　fact　that　there　was　no　way　she　was　going　to　stop　her　son　from　going　out。　'What　time　will　you　be　back？'
　　
　　'Shouldn't　be　too　late。'
　　
　　The　only　way　he　could　end　these　conversations　was　by　going　out　and　closing　the　door。　She　would　sit　up　and　wait　until　he　returned；　damn　it；　that　was　her　fault。
　　
　　He　looked　at　his　watch。　A　quarter　past　eight。　He　had　not　realised　that　it　was　as　late　as　that。　Nevertheless；　he　had　given　the　Davis　family　plenty　of　time　to　return　home　if　they　were　going　to。　And　if　they　hadn't　then　he　might　just　go　back　to　the　Rising　Sun　again。
　　
　　Damnation；　he　still　had　not　filled　up　with　petrol。　It　was　too　late　now；　the　garage　would　be　closed。　The　needle　had　dropped　into　the　red　sector　on　the　gauge。　But　that　usually　meant　there　was　half　a　gallon　left　in　the　tank。　Or　thereabouts。　A　mile　to　the　Davis　house　and　a　mile　back；　it　should　be　plenty。　There　were　times　when　you　had　to　be　an　optimist。
　　
　　You're　wasting　your　time；　Keith　Doyle。　What　else　can　I　do？　I　have　to　do　something。　It's　all　part　of　a　parental　plan　by　the　Davises。　Take　Kirsten　out　of　the　environment；　work　on　her。　You're　wasting　your　time　on　that　Doyle　boy；　even　if　he　has　got　a　string　of　qualifications　he　hasn't　got　a。　job。　You've　been　in　Stainforth　too　long；　you　haven't　widened　your　scope。　There　are　shoals　of　fish　in　the　sea。
　　
　　The　snakes　came　in　very　convenient　when　you　needed　a　seemingly　bona　fide　excuse　to　whisk　your　daughter　out　of　the　clutches　of　a　man　you　did　not　approve　of。　Oh　yes；　they　had　e　just　when　they　were　needed　as　far　as　Jack　and　Mary　Davis　were　concerned。
　　
　　But　if　Kirsten　is　pregnant　that　really　throws　a　spanner　in　their　connivings；　Keith　smiled　to　himself。　They　would　have　to　let　her　make　the　choice　then。　Or　would　they？　Surely　they　would　not　force　her　to　have　an　abortion？
　　
　　Army　vehicles　still　lined　the　village　street　but　there　was　no　sign　of　the　hunters。　They　would　keep　at　it　until　darkness　fell。　He　remembered　that　half…promise　about　tomorrow。　I　don't　have　to　go　with　John　Price；　I　only　said　I'd　give　it　some　thought。
　　
　　And　then　he　saw　Kirsten　Davis！
　　
　　The　sudden　shock　caused　him　to　swerve；　bump　against　the　kerb。　It　can't　be；　I'm　having　hallucinations。　The　right　place；　just　past　the　church；　the　time　was　right　too。　Except　that　their　meeting　had　been　arranged　for　three　days　ago。
　　
　　The　van's　brakes　squealed　their　protest；　the　engine　stalled　and　he　was　leaning　across　the　passenger　seat　to　pull　the　door　catch　down　with　a　hand　that　shook。
　　
　　Kirsten　was　wearing　a　light　blue　dress；　almost　a　mini；　that　showed　her　shapely　legs　off　to　perfection。　A　low…cut　neckline；　a　cleavage　that　had　you　wanting　to　see　the　rest。　Only　her　expression　worried　him；　pale…faced；　eyes　that　were　red…rimmed　from　crying；　black　pouches　beneath　them　from　lack　of　sleep。　Distraught；　her　hair　was　not　as　immaculate　as　it　usu