emb.seethemdie-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Have　you　got　it　straight？〃　Byrnes　asked　his　men。
　〃I　want　the　fire　escape；〃　Parker　said。
　〃We'll　see　about　that。〃
　〃I　want　to　be　the　one　who　gets　him；〃　Parker　said。　〃I　want　to　blow　his　head　off。〃
　〃Sometimes；　Parker；　you　turn　my　goddamn　stomach；〃　Byrnes　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Well；　what　do　you　want　to　say　something　like　that　for？〃
　〃Skip　it；〃　Byrnes　said。　〃Do　you　understand　the　plan？〃
　〃I　understand　it；〃　Parker　said　sullenly。
　〃Frankie？〃
　〃I've　got　it。〃
　〃Steve？〃
　〃Run　through　it　once　more；　would　you；　Pete？〃
　〃Okay；　this　is　it　in　a　nutshell。　I'm　going　to　tell　Miranda　we're　ing　in　after　him。　A　pile　of　us'll　rush　the　stoop　when　the　shooting　starts。　Miranda　…　I　hope　…　will　think　we're　going　to　force　the　apartment　door　from　the　hallway。　But　one　of　us　will　break　away　from　the　rest　and　flatten　himself　against　the　side　of　the　building。〃
　〃Me；〃　Parker　said。
　〃Whoever　it　is；　he'll　pull　down　the　ladder　of　the　fire　escape　and　climb　up　to　the　first　floor。　He　may　be　able　to　get　Miranda　from　the　window。　Otherwise；　he'll　have　to　enter　the　apartment　and　have　it　out　there。　It's　tricky；　but　I'd　rather　risk　one　man　than　a　dozen。〃
　〃Let's　get　started；〃　Parker　said。
　〃In　a　minute。　I　need　a　volunteer　for　that　fire　escape　job。〃
　〃You've　already　got　your　volunteer；　Lieutenant；〃　Parker　said。
　〃You've　got　two〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃Keep　out　of　this；　Frankie。　This　is　my　baby。〃
　〃Why　should　it　be？〃
　〃Because　I　want　it。〃
　〃I'll　decide　who。。。〃　Byrnes　started。
　〃Lieutenant；　you'd　be　crazy　to　send　up　a　guy　who's。。。〃　Parker　cut　himself　short。
　〃Who's　what？〃　Hemandez　asked。
　〃Okay！　Who's　got　a　personal　stake　in　this；　okay？〃
　〃Personal？　What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃You　grew　up　with　Miranda！〃
　〃What　difference　does　that　make？　We　want　him　out　of　that　apartment；　don't　we？〃
　〃We　want　him　dead；〃　Parker　said。　〃He's　a　punk。　He　should　have　been　killed　a　long　time　ago。　He's　the　biggest　stink　in　these　streets。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　know　about　the　stink　here；　Parker？　Did　you。。。〃
　〃I　seen　plenty　of　it。　I　been　in　this　precinct　for。。。〃
　〃Did　you　grow　up　with　the　stink　in　your　nostrils；　day　and　night？　Did　you　live　with　it　every　day　of　your　life？〃
　〃You're　telling　me　about　this　precinct？　I　know　it　like　my　own　mother。　There's　nothing　you　can　tell　me　about。。。〃
　〃No；　nothing！　To　you；　this　precinct　is　one　big　violation；　one　big　crime　being　mitted　every　hour　on　the　hour。　And　you're　scared　of　the　place！　You're　scared　out　of　your　wits！〃
　〃Scared？　Who　the　hell。。。〃
　〃Well　to　me　it's　people！　And　they　deserve　a　goddamn　break！　They　want　to　get　that　son　of　a　bitch　as　much　as　you　do！〃
　〃They　want　him　to　hold　off　the　whole　damn　city！〃　Parker　shouted。　〃You　know　that！　You　know　it's　true！〃
　〃They　only　want　a　Puerto　Rican　to　win　for　a　change。　Okay；　if　I　go　up　there；　a　Puerto　Rican　wins。〃
　〃If　I　go　up。。。〃
　〃If　you　go　up；　you　purge　yourself。　You　think　killing　him　is　gonna　help　you；　Parker？　You　think　that's　the　answer？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　the　hell　you're　talking　about。〃
　〃If　you　go　up　there；　you　acplish　nothing。　Not　for　yourself；　and　not　for　the　city。　You'll　be　making　Miranda　a　hero。　I'm　telling　you　that　right　now。　You　kill　him；　and　this　neighborhood　has　a　martyr。　The　kids'll　be　playing　Pepe　Miranda　and　the　Cops　for　the　next　six　weeks。〃
　〃The　hell　with　the　kids。　You　think　I'm　interested　in。。。　？〃
　〃Who's　gonna　show　them；　Parker？　You　want　a　hundred　more　Mirandas　ten　years　from　now？〃
　〃You　gonna　show　them？〃　Parker　asked　sarcastically。
　〃If　I　kill　him；〃　Hernandez　said　flatly；　〃the　neighborhood　gets　nothing　but　a　dead　punk。〃
　〃You've　got　him；　Frankie；〃　Byrnes　said。
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Get　to　the　car；　Parker。　Radio　the　men　on　the　next　block　to　open　up。　I　want　to　draw　his　fire　away　from　these　windows。〃
　〃You're　sending　Hernandez　up　there？〃
　〃Yes。　Any　plaints？〃
　〃Damn　right　I've　got　a…〃
　〃Take　it　to　the　mayor！〃　Byrnes　snapped；　and　he　turned　his　back　and　walked　toward　the　patrolman　who　was　holding　the　megaphone。　Parker　stared　after　him；　spat　viciously　into　the　gutter；　and　then　walked　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　squad　car。
　A　reporter　behind　the　barricade　caught　at　Hernandez's　sleeve。　〃Hey；　are　you　in　charge　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃No。〃
　〃Well；　who　is？　Can't　we　get　some　men　in　there　for　pictures？〃
　〃The　police　department'll　send　out　pictures；〃　Hernandez　said。　He　pushed　past　the　reporter　and　walked　to　the　luncheonette。　〃Look　at　these　kids；〃　he　said　to　Luis。　〃Sucking　violence　from　the　same　tits　Miranda　used。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃He's　waiting　up　there　to　die；　Luis；　you　know　that？　He's　waiting　up　there　for　us　to　kill　him。〃
　Luis　nodded。
　〃And　you　know　something？　I　think　he　wants　to　die。　I　think　he　wants　to　end　it；　once　and　for　all。〃
　The　two　girls　who　came　around　the　avenue　and　stopped　at　the　mouth　of　the　street　were　apparently　more　interested　in　beginning　something　than　in　ending　it。　They　were　both　tall　brunettes。　One　was　wearing　a　tight；　bright…red　silk　dress。　The　other　wore　the　identical　dress　in　yellow。　The　dresses　were　designed　to　exhibit　and　reveal；　they　were　incapable　of　keeping　a　secret。　Every　nuance　of　flesh　beneath　the　skintight　silk；　every　subtle　hint　of　muscle　or　bone；　every　flowing　curve；　every　dimple；　every　pucker；　insistently　shrieked　its　existence　to　the　most　casual　observer。　The　girls　were　not　the　bashful　type。　They　moved　with　a　fluidity　of　breast；　hip；　thigh　and　leg　that　aided　the　dresses　in　their　task　of　nonconcealment。　They　were；　in　fact；　so　much　the　Hollywood　concept　of　what　a　whore　should　look　like　that　at　first　glance　they　seemed　to　be　imitations。　If　there　was　one　quality　which　every　prostitute　in　the　87th　Precinct　shared；　it　was　the　ability　to　look　like　anything　but　a　street　walker。　In　most　instances；　the　precinct　whore　was　the　best…dressed　girl　on　the　streets。　Her　careful　grooming；　more　than　any　other　attribute；　was　usually　the　one　clue　to　her　occupation。
　These　two　were　either　new　at　the　trade；　or　else　they'd　canceled　their　subscriptions　to　Vogue　magazine。　In　any　case；　they　walked　directly　to　the　barricade　and　stopped　there。　The　girl　in　the　red　dress　touched　the　arm　of　the　nearest　patrolman　who　turned；　ready　to　start　yelling；　and　then　looked　as　if　a　movie　queen　had　wandered　into　his　bedroom　by　mistake。
　〃Excuse　me；　officer；〃　she　said　in　a　tiny　little　voice；　〃but　can't　we　get　through　here？　We　work　right　across　the　street。〃
　〃Where？〃　the　patrolman　asked。
　〃At　La　Gallina。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　do　there？〃
　The　girl　in　the　red　dress　seemed　at　a　loss　for　words。　She　turned　to　her　panion。　The　other　girl　smiled　at　the　patrolman　sweetly　and　said；　〃We're　in　。。。　ah　。。。　public　relations。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry；　girls；〃　the　patrolman　said。　〃My　orders　are　to　let　nobody　through　this　barricade　unless　he's　a　cop　or　a　fireman。　Now　you　two　girls　ain't　cops　or　firemen；　are　you？〃　He　grinned　politely；　thinking　how　clever　he　was　being；　and　making　a　note　to　repeat　his　ment　to　the　boys　in　the　locker　room　when　he　checked　in　later。
　〃No；　indeed；〃　the　one　in　the　red　dress　said。
　They　moved　away　from　the　barricade。
　〃What　now；　Marge？〃　the　one　in　the　yellow　dress　asked。
　Marge　shrugged。　〃Let's　hang　around。　It　looks　like　a　lively　crowd。　There　may　be　something　in　it　for　us；　Marie。〃
　Marie　looked　skeptical。　Together；　walking　with　a　hip…swiveling；　crazy…socketing；　ball…bearing；　thigh…thrusting；　leg…strutting　motion　that　turned　every　head　on　the　block；　they　began　appraising　the　potential　customers　watching　the　siege。　Marie　raised　an　eyebrow　at　Marge；　and　Marge　glanced　in　the　direction　she　indicated。
　They　were　both　looking　at　Frederick　Block；　the　fat　man。
　
　
　12
　
　There　are　times　when　it　must　be　nice　to　have　a　Cinemascope　camera　and　stereophonic　sound。　There　are　times　when　it　must　be　great　to　have　a　wide　screen　stretching　across　the　front　of　the　world；　with　things　happening　on　every　corner　of　that　screen；　with　the　eye　gathering　in　all　these　things　like　a　net　sweeping　the　ocean　floor。　It　isn't　enough　to　say　this　and　this　were　happening　here；　that　and　that　were　happening　there。　A　city　street　is　not　a　tiny　canvas；　a　city　street　is　not　a　page　in　a　book。　It　is　a　tumultuous　thing　teeming　with　life；　and　you　can't　hope　to　capture　life　in　a　sentence　or　a　brush　stroke。　The　things　that　happened　on　that　street；　on　that　particular　day　in　July；　happened　almost　simultaneously；　separate　and　distinct　from　each　other；　but　nonetheless　almost　at　the　same　time；　so　that　there　was　a　feeling　of　continuous　motion；　of　one　event　overlapping　and　flowing　into　the　next。　The　wide　screen　stretched　the　length　of　a　city　block。　The　life　on　that　street　stretched　to　the　very　edges　of　time。
　Cooch　stood　on　the　steps　of　the　building　next　door　to　the　church。
　China　came　down　a　flight　of　stairs　and　into　bright　sunshine。
　A　man　selling　ices　entered　the　street　at　the　opposite　end。
　Marge　and　Marie；　the　two　prostitutes；　approached　Frederick　Block。
　Jeff　Talbot　looked　at　the　wall　clock　and　left　the　luncheonette。
　Two　boys　wearing　bright…gold　jackets　turned　into　the　block。
　The　cops　of　the　87th　rushed　the　doorway　to　the　left　of　La　Gallina。
　These　are　the　things　that　happened；　minute　overlapping　minute；　time　lost　and　time　replaced　by　the　tireless　eye　of　space。　These　are　the　things　that　happene