emb.seethemdie-第21部分

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ngs　that　happened。。。
　Cooch　stood　on　the　steps　of　the　building　next　door　to　the　church。　He　had　been　standing　there　for　ten　minutes　now；　watching　the　people　pour　down　the　church　steps　and　into　the　bright　confused　sunshine　of　the　street。　There　were　not　many　people　left　inside　the　church　now。　He　looked　at　his　wrist　watch；　and　then　studied　the　few　stragglers　again。　He　was　certain　that　Alfredo　Gomez　had　not　left　the　apartment　to　attend　mass　this　morning。　But　he　would　wait　a　few　moments　more；　just　to　make　sure。
　Against　his　belly　he　could　feel　the　hard；　cold　metal　of　the　pistols　he　had　retrieved　from　Chico　and　Estaban。　The　weapons　made　him　feel　very　strong　and　very　powerful。　Too；　he　considered　this　independent　reconnaissance　an　act　of　foresight　worthy　of　a　general。　He　would　wait　until　everyone　had　e　out　of　the　church；　and　then　he　would　go　back　to　Zip　with　the　guns　and　with　a　report　on　Alfie's　whereabouts。　This　was　acting　above　and　beyond　the　call　of　duty。　Zip　would　be　pleased。　And　whereas　it　would　not　be　as　dramatic　to　catch　Alfie　in　his　house　instead　of　on　the　church　steps；　Cooch　didn't　much　care。　The　important　thing　was　to　wash　the　little　bastard。　That　was　the　important　thing。
　Cooch　had　been　thinking　about　it　all　week　long；　ever　since　Zip　first　got　the　idea。　There　were　times　when　Cooch　couldn't　sit　still；　just　thinking　about　it。　There　were　two　stimulating　and　contradictory　feelings　which　rushed　through　Cooch's　mind　and　body　whenever　he　considered　what　they　were　about　to　do。　The　first　of　these　was　the　very　concept　of　killing。　This　excited　him。　He　had　fantasized　the　squeezing　of　a　trigger　many　times；　had　imagined　Alfie　tumbling　down　the　church　steps；　had　wondered　what　it　would　feel　like　to　know　that　he　had　killed　another　human　being。　He　had　convinced　himself　that　Alfie　deserved　killing。　He　had；　after　all；　messed　with　China。
　This　was　the　second　idea；　and　this　was　as　exciting　as　the　first。　A　hundred　or　more　times　in　the　past　week；　Cooch　had　imagined　Alfie　messing　with　China。　He　wondered　just　what　Alfie　had　done　to　her；　and　his　imagination　created　new　images　each　time。　Alfie　gently　stroking　China's　full　breast。　Alfie　unbuttoning　China's　blouse。　Alfie　thrusting　both　hands　beneath　China's　skirt。　Alfie。。。
　The　images　continued　to　stimulate　him。　And　they　were　images　clouded　with　guilt。　Lying　alone　in　his　bed　at　night；　he　would　think　of　Alfie　and　China；　and　then　he　would　roll　over　into　his　pillow　and　think　The　son　of　a　bitch　has　to　die　for　that。
　Of　that　he　was　certain。
　Alfredo　Gomez　had　to　die。
　Standing　on　the　steps　of　the　tenement；　he　watched　the　last　few　stragglers　leaving　the　church；　and　he　thought　again　of　Alfie　and　China；　and　he　bit　his　lip　and　then　thought　of　shooting　the　little　bastard。
　China　came　down　a　flight　of　stairs　and　into　the　bright　sunshine。
　The　tenement　hallway　had　been　dark；　and　she　blinked　now　against　the　sudden　brilliance；　knowing　she　still　had　at　least　five　minutes　before　she　was　to　meet　the　sailor；　not　wanting　to　get　there　too　early　or　seem　too　anxious；　and　yet　almost　unable　to　control　the　forward　motion　of　her　feet　as　they　took　her　onto　the　stoop。　Jeff　was　his　name。　Jeff；　Jeff；　Jeff；　her　mind　echoed；　and　her　heart　beat　with　the　idea　of　the　rendezvous；　and　she　found　herself　gripping　the　shopping　bag　in　her　hand　more　tightly。　She　had　wrapped　chicken　in　wax　paper；　had　put　up　some　eggs　to　boil　before　going　to　church；　had　later　packed　the　hard…boiled　eggs；　and　salt；　and　fruit；　and　a　thermos　of　iced　coffee；　all　of　which　were　in　the　shopping　bag　now。　She　wondered　if　he　liked　chick…
　〃Hello；　China。〃
　She　blinked　and　then　shielded　her　eyes　from　the　overhead　sun。
　〃Oh；　hello；　Cooch；〃　she　answered；　and　she　smiled　and　began　to　walk　around　him；　but　he　stepped　into　her　path。
　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　you；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Oh？〃　China　glanced　at　her　watch。　〃Cooch；　I　haven't　got　time　to　talk　to　you　right　now。　I　have　to。。。〃
　〃About　what　we're　going　to　do　for　you　today。〃
　〃What？　I　don't　under…〃
　〃Alfie？〃　Cooch　said；　smiling。
　〃Alfie？〃　She　paused；　puzzled。　〃Alfredo；　do　you　mean？　Alfredo　Gomez？〃
　'Uh…huh；〃　Cooch　said；　nodding。
　〃What　about　him？〃　She　looked　at　her　watch。　She　would　have　to　hurry。　With　all　that　police　trouble　up　the　street；　she　would　have　to　cut　around　the　avenue　and　that　didn't　leave　much　time　to。。。
　〃We're　gonna　get　him；〃　Cooch　said。　〃For　what　he　done　to　you。〃
　〃What？〃　she　asked。
　〃Alfie；〃　he　repeated。
　〃Yes；　but　what　。。。　what　did　you　say？〃　She　studied　his　face。　She　was　certain　she　had　heard　him　correctly；　and　yet　his　words　hadn't　seemed　to　make　any　sense。
　〃For　what　he　done　to　you；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃You　know。〃
　〃No。　I　don't　know。〃
　He　had　taken　a　step　closer　to　her；　and　she　had　backed　away　from　him　slightly。　Blocking　her　path　to　the　steps；　he　moved　closer　now；　so　that　she　was　forced　to　take　another　step　backward；　almost　into　the　darkened　hallway　of　the　building。
　〃You　know　what　he　done；　China；〃　Cooch　said。
　She　looked　at　his　face。　His　face　looked　very　strange。　He　was　a　very　young　boy　with　a　ridiculously　silly　mustache　over　his　upper　lip；　and　she　had　always　thought　。。。　but　now　he　。。。　he　。。。　looked　different　somehow。
　〃I　have　a　gun；〃　he　said　suddenly。
　〃Sj？〃
　〃A　gun；　China。〃
　〃What　。。。　what。。。〃　She　was　forced　to　back　away　from　him　again；　into　the　hallway　this　time。　He　stood　silhouetted　in　the　doorway　of　the　building；　the　bright　sunshine　behind　him。　His　hand　moved。　For　a　moment；　she　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing。　And　then　she　saw　the　dull　glint　of　metal。
　〃It's　a　Luger；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Wh…what　are　you　going　to　do　with　that；　Cooch？〃
　〃Kill　Alfie；〃　he　answered。
　〃Kill。。。？　Why？　What　for？〃
　〃For　what　he　done　to　you？〃
　〃He　didn't　do　anything　to　me！〃　China　said。
　〃You　know　what　he　done；　China。〃　He　held　the　gun　up　close　to　her　face。　〃You　know　what　he　done。〃
　She　was　truly　frightened　now。　She　did　not　want　to　retreat　further　into　the　hallway；　but　he　kept　moving　closer　and　closer　to　her；　and　there　was　no　place　to　go　but　back。　For　a　crazy　moment；　she　wanted　to　turn　and　run　up　the　steps　to　her　apartment。　And　then　it　was　too　late。　He　had　stepped　between　her　and　the　steps　and　was　moving　toward　her　again　so　that；　in　backing　away　from　him；　she　stumbled　toward　the　garbage　cans　stacked　under　the　steps　on　the　ground　floor。
　〃Cooch；　I　。。。　I　have　to　go；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。　Alfie　didn't　do　anything　to　me。　If　you're　angry　at　him　because　you　think。。。〃
　〃This　is　what　he　done；　China；〃　Cooch　said；　and　his　hand　reached　out　for　her。
　She　felt　his　fingers　tighten　on　her　breast；　and　she　screamed；　pulling　away　from　him。　His　fingers　clung。　She　thought　her　blouse　would　tear。　Blindly；　she　brought　up　the　shopping　bag；　swinging　it　at　him；　screaming；　and　then　shoving　her　way　past　him　into　the　bright　sunlight　again；　rushing　down　the　steps；　still　screaming；　into　the　crowd。
　A　man　selling　ices　entered　the　street　at　the　opposite　end。
　〃Pidaguas！〃　he　called。　〃Pidaguas！　e　buy　some　pidaguas。〃
　Zip；　standing　on　the　crate；　turned　to　watch　the　man　who　pushed　through　the　crowd　with　his　cart。　〃Hey；　you　want　some　ices？〃　he　asked　Elena。
　〃You　got　any　loot？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Zip　answered。　〃What　flavor　you　want？〃
　〃Lemon；〃　Elena　said。
　〃I'll　have　a　lemon；　too；〃　Juana　said。
　〃Oh；　now　she　knows　me；〃　Zip　said；　leaping　down　from　the　crate。　〃Now　it's　buying　time；　she　knows　me。　Okay。　I'm　the　last　of　the　red…hot　spenders。　Everybody　gets　ices！〃
　From　the　crate；　Papa　said；　〃Me；　too；　Zeep？〃
　〃You；　too；　Papa！　Everybody！　Everybody　gets　pidaguas　today！　Hey；　Mac；　slow　down！　Don't　you　want　no　business？〃
　He　went　over　to　the　cart　and　placed　his　order。　He　seemed　happy　as　hell。　He　paid　no　attention　at　all　to　the　detectives　who　stood　not　six　feet　from　him。
　〃Where　are　your　men；　Andy？〃　Byrnes　asked。
　〃ing；　sir。〃
　Byrnes　turned　to　Hemandez　who　stood　staring　up　at　the　first　floor　of　the　tenement。　〃You　scared；　Frankie？〃
　〃A　little；〃　Hernandez　answered。
　〃I　don't　blame　you。〃　He　paused。　〃This　is　the　damnedest　thing　ever；　isn't　it？　The　last　one　I　remember　like　this　was　back　in　1931　when　this　guy　Nelson　O'Brien　was　holed　up　in　an　apartment　on　the　North　Side。　I　was　a　patrolman　at　the　time。　He　held　off　a　hundred　and　fifty　cops　for　two　hours　that　day。　We　were　chopping　holes　in　the　roof　and　dropping　tear　gas　down　on　him；　but　the　bastard　wouldn't　give　up。　We　wounded　him　three　times；　but　he　was　still　standing　when　we　went　into　the　apartment　to　collar　him。　Standing　and　cursing　…　but　out　of　amo。　He'd　hidden　both　his　guns　in　his　socks；　hoping　to　use　them　later　for　an　escape。　A　real　prize；　he　was。〃
　Byrnes　paused　and　stared　at　Hernandez。　〃I　didn't　feel　so　hot　that　day；　Frankie。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃They　guy　in　the　apartment　was　Nelson　O'Brien。〃　He　paused　again。　〃I'm　Irish。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃But　I'll　tell　you　something；　Frankie。　The　guys　like　Nelson　O'Brien　don't　stop　me　from　marching　in　the　St。　Paddy's　day　parade　every　year。　You　understand　me？〃
　〃I　understand　you。〃
　〃Good。〃　Byrnes　hesitated。　〃Take　care　of　yourself　on　that　goddamn　fire　escape；〃　he　said。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　lose　a　good　cop。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hernandez　said。
　Byrnes　extended　his　hand。　〃Good　luck；　Frankie。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Byrnes　turned　to　walk　back　to　the　squad　car。　〃Pe