dk.nightchills-第52部分

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　He　took　a　Smith　&　Wesson　。38　Police　Special　from　the　firearms　cabinet　behind　Thorp's　desk。　He　located　a　box　of　shells　on　the　top　shelf　and　loaded　the　handgun。
　He　returned　to　Lolah　Tayback。
　She　was　on　the　floor　in　the　center　of　the　room；　lying　on　her　side　with　her　knees　drawn　up。　Both　of　her　eyes　were　bruised　and　swollen。　Her　lower　lip　was　split。　Her　septum　was　broken；　and　blood　trickled　from　her　delicate　nostrils。　Although　she　was　barely　conscious；　she　groaned　miserably　when　she　saw　him。
　〃Poor　Lolah；〃　he　said　mock　sympathetically。
　Through　the　thin　slits　of　her　swollen　eyelids；　she　watched　him　apprehensively。
　He　held　the　gun　to　her　face。
　She　closed　her　eyes。
　With　the　barrel　of　the　。38；　he　drew　circles　around　her　breasts　and　prodded　her　nipples。
　She　shuddered。
　He　liked　that。
　The　file　room　was　a　cold；　impersonal　place。　The　fluorescent　strip　lighting；　institutional…green　walls；　yellowed　Venetian　blinds；　rank　on　rank　of　gray　metal　cabinets；　and　brown　tile　floor　made　it　a　perfect　place　for　an　interrogation。
　Sam　said；　〃Bob；　is　there　anyone　in　your　office　right　now？〃
　〃Yes。　A　couple　of　people。〃　〃Who？〃
　〃Lolah　Tayback…and　him。〃　〃Who　is　'him'？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　don't　know。〃
　〃You　don't　know　his　name？〃　〃Gee；　I　guess　not。〃
　〃Is　it　Salsbury？〃　Thorp　shrugged。
　〃Is　he　a　somewhat　chubby　man？〃
　〃About　forty　pounds　too　heavy；〃　Thorp　said。　〃And　he　wears　very　thick　glasses？〃
　〃Yeah。　That's　him。〃
　〃And　he's　alone　with　Lolah？〃
　〃Like　I　said。〃
　〃You're　certain　of　that？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Paul　said；　〃And　his　friends？〃
　〃What　friends？〃　Thorp　asked。
　〃In　the　helicopter。〃
　〃They　aren't　here。〃　〃Neither　of　them？〃　〃Neither　of　them。〃　〃Where　are　they？〃　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Aren't　they　at　the　mill？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Will　they　be　back？〃
　〃I　don't　know　that　either。〃　〃Who　are　they？〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　don't　know。〃
　Sam　said；　〃That's　it；　then。〃
　〃We　go　after　him？〃　Paul　asked。
　〃Right　now。〃
　〃I'll　hit　the　door　first。〃
　〃I'm　older；〃　Sam　said。　〃I've　got　less　to　lose。〃　〃I'm　younger…and　faster；〃　Paul　said。
　〃Speed　won't　matter。　He　won't　be　expecting　us。〃
　〃And　maybe　he　will；〃　Paul　said。
　Reluctantly；　Sam　said；　〃All　right。　You　first。　But　I'll　be　damned　close　behind。〃
　Salsbury　forced　her　to　lie　on　her　back。　He　parted　her　legs　with　one　hand　and　put　the　cool　steel　barrel　of　the　。38　between　her　silken　thighs。　He　shivered　and　licked　his　lips。　With　his　left　hand　he　slid　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose。　〃Do　you　want　it？〃　he　asked　eagerly。　〃Do　you　want　it？　Well；　I'm　going　to　give　it　to　you。　All　of　it。　Every　last　inch　of　it。　Do　you　hear　me；　you　little　bitch？　Little　animal。　Bust　you　wide　open。　Wide　open。　Going　to　truly　and　really　give　it　to　you。　。　。〃
　*　*　*
　Paul　hesitated　outside　of　the　closed　door　to　the　police　chief's　office。　When　he　heard　Salsbury　talking　inside　and　knew　that　the　man　was　unaware　of　their　presence　in　the　building；　he　threw　open　the　door　and　went　inside　fast；　crouching；　the　big　。357　Magnum　shoved　out　in　front　of　him。
　At　first　he　couldn't　believe　what　he　saw；　didn't　want　to　believe　what　he　saw。　There　was　a　badly　beaten；　naked　young　woman　lying　on　the　floor；　spread…eagled；　conscious　but　dazed。　And　Salsbury：　face　flushed；　sweat…filmed；　spotted　with　blood；　eyes　wild；　savage…looking。　He　was　kneeling　over　the　woman；　and　he　seemed　like　a　troll；　an　evil　and　disgusting　bug…eyed　troll。　He　was　pressing　a　revolver　between　her　pale　thighs　in　a　vile；　grotesque　imitation　of　the　sex　act。　Paul　was　so　mesmerized　by　the　scene；　so　riveted　by　revulsion　and　outrage；　that　for　a　few　seconds　he　forgot　altogether　that　he　was　in　terrible　danger。
　Salsbury　took　advantage　of　Paul's　and　Sam's　inability　to　act。　He　stood　up　as　if　he　had　had　an　electric　shock；　pointed　his　revolver；　and　fired　at　Paul's　head。
　The　shot　was　a　bit　too　high；　an　inch　or　two；　no　more　than　that。　The　bullet　slammed　into　the　wall　beside　the　door。　Chips　of　plaster　rained　down　on　Paul's　shoulders。
　Still　crouching；　he　pulled　off　two　quick　shots　of　his　own。　The　first　was　wide　of　the　mark；　it　smashed　through　the　Venetian　blinds　and　shattered　one　of　the　windows。　The　second　struck　Salsbury　in　the　left　shoulder；　approximately　four　inches　above　the　nipple。　It　caused　him　to　drop　his　gun；　almost　lifted　him　off　his　feet；　pitched　him　backward　as　if　he　were　a　sack　full　of　rags。
　He　was　thrown　to　the　floor　by　the　impact　of　the　bullet；　and　he　slumped　against　the　wall　beneath　the　windows。　He　clutched　his　left　shoulder　with　his　right　hand；　but　for　all　the　pressure　he　applied；　blood　still　streamed　between　his　fingers。　Pain　pulsed　rhythmically　within　him；　deep　within　him　exactly　as　the　power　bad　once　done：　tat…tat…tat…tat…tat…tat。
　A　man　came　toward　him。　Blue…eyed。　Curly…haired。
　He　couldn't　see　very　well。　His　vision　was　blurred。　But　the　sight　of　those　bright　blue　eyes　was　sufficient　to　catapult　him
　back　in　time；　back　to　the　memory　of　another　pair　of　blue　eyes；　and　he　said；　〃Parker。〃
　The　blue…eyed　man　said；　〃Who's　Parker？〃
　〃Don't　tease　me；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃Please　don't　tease　me。〃
　〃I'm　not　teasing。〃　〃Don't　touch　me。〃　〃Who's　Parker？〃　〃Please　don't　touch　me；　Parker。〃　〃Me？　That's　not　my　name。〃　Salsbury　began　to　cry。
　The　blue…eyed　man　took　him　by　the　chin　and　forced　his　head　up。　〃Look　at　me；　damn　you。　Look　at　me　closely。〃
　〃You　hurt　me　bad；　Parker。〃
　〃I。　Am。　Not。　Parker。〃
　For　a　moment　the　blazing　pain　subsided。　Salsbury　said；　〃Not　Parker？〃
　〃My　name's　Annendale。〃
　The　pain　blossomed　again；　but　the　past　receded　to　its　proper　place。　He　blinked　and　said；　〃Oh。　Oh；　yes。　Annendale。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　ask　you　a　lot　of　questions。〃
　〃I'm　in　terrible　pain；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃You　shot　me。　You　hurt　me。　That　isn't　right。〃
　〃You're　going　to　answer　my　questions。〃
　〃No；〃　Salsbury　said　adamantly。　〃None　of　them。〃
　〃All　of　them。　You'll　answer　all　of　them；　or　I'll　blow　your　damned　head　off；〃　the　blue…eyed　man　said。
　〃Okay。　Do　it。　Blow　my　head　off。　That's　better　than　losing　all　of　it。　That's　better　than　losing　the　power。〃
　〃Who　were　those　men　in　the　helicopter？〃
　〃None　of　your　business。〃　〃Were　they　government　men？〃　〃Co　away。〃
　〃You're　going　to　die　sooner　or　later；　Salsbury。〃
　〃Oh；　is　that　so？　Like　hell　I　am。〃
　〃You　are。　So　save　yourself　some　pain。〃　Salsbury　said　nothing。
　〃Were　they　government　men？〃
　〃Fuck　off。〃
　The　blue…eyed　man　reversed　the　revolver　in　his　right　hand；　and　he　used　the　butt　to　rap　hard　on　Salsbury's　right　hand。　The　blow　seemed　to　send　jagged　shards　of　glass　through　his　skinned　knuckles。　But　that　was　the　least　of　the　pain。　The　shock　was　transmitted　through　his　hand；　to　and　into　the　tender；　bloody　wound　in　his　shoulder。
　He　gasped。　He　bent　over　and　almost　vomited。
　〃Do　you　see　what　I　mean？〃
　〃Bastard。〃
　〃Were　they　government　men？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　told　you　。　。　。　to　。　。　。　fuck　off。〃
　Klinger　parked　the　car　on　West　Main　Street；　two　blocks　from　the　town　square。
　He　slid　out　from　behind　the　wheel；　closed　the　door…and　heard　gunfire。　Three　shots。　One　right　after　the　other。　Inside；　muffled　by　walls。　Not　far　away。　Toward　town。　The　municipal　building？　He　stood　very　still　and　listened　for　at　least　a　minute；　but　there　was　nothing　more。
　He　took　the　snub…nosed　。32　Webley　from　the　ankle　holster　and　flicked　off　the　safety。
　He　hurried　into　the　alleyway　beside　the　Union　Theater；　taking　a　safe　if　circuitous　route　to　the　back　door　of　the　municipal　building。
　9
　10：55　P。M。
　IN　THE　AMBULANCE　LoIah　Tayback　lay　on　a　cot；　strapped　down　at　chest　and　thighs。　A　crisp　white　sheet　was　drawn
　up　to　her　neck。　Her　head　had　been　elevated　with　two　pillows　to　prevent　her　from　choking　on　her　own　blood　during　the　trip　to　the　hospital　in　Bexford。　Although　her　breathing　was　regular；　it　was　labored；　and　she　moaned　softly　as　she　exhaled。
　Behind　the　ambulance；　at　the　open　bay　doors；　Sam　stood　with　Anson　Crowell；　Thorp's　night　deputy。　〃All　right。　Let's　go　through　it　one　more　time。　'What　happened　to　her？〃
　〃She　was　attacked　by　a　rapist；〃　the　deputy　said；　as　Sam　had　programmed　him　to　say。
　〃Where　did　it　happen？〃
　〃In　her　apartment。〃　〃Who　found　her？〃　〃I　did。〃
　〃Who　called　the　police？〃　〃Her　neighbors。〃　〃Why？〃
　〃They　heard　screaming。〃　〃Did　you　catch　her　assailant？〃　〃I'm　afraid　not。〃
　〃Do　you　know　who　he　is？〃　〃No。　But　we're　working　on　it。〃
　〃Have　any　leads？〃
　〃A　couple。〃
　〃What　are　they？〃
　〃I'd　prefer　not　to　say　at　this　time。〃　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　might　prejudice　the　case。〃
　〃By　talking　to　other　policemen？〃
　〃We're　real　careful　in　Black　River。〃　〃That's　being　too　careful；　isn't　it？〃
　〃No　offense。　That's　just　how　we　operate。〃。
　〃Do　you　have　a　description　of　the　man？〃
　The　deputy　recited　a　list　of　physical　characteristics　that　Sam　had　made　up　off　the　top　of　his　head。　The　fictitious　assailant　did　not　remotely　resemble　the　real　one；　Ogden　Salsbury。
　〃What　if　the　state　police　or　the　Bexford　police　offer　assistance　in　the　case？〃
　〃I　tell　them　thanks　but　no　thanks；〃　the　deputy　said。　〃We'll　handle　it　ourselves。　We　prefer　it　that　way。　Besides；　I　don't　have　the　authority　to　allow　them　to　e　in　on　it。　That　would　be　up　to　the　chief。〃
　〃Good　enough；〃　Sam　said。　〃Get　in。〃
　The　deputy　clambered　into　the　passenger　bay　of　the　ambulance　and　sat　on　the　padded　bench　beside　Lolah　Tayback's　cot。
　〃You'll　be　stopping　at　the　end　of　Main　S