ericlustbader.the ninja-第95部分

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　'Shit！'　He　aimed；　fired　again。　This　time；　no　ricochet。　Had　it　been　a　hit　？
　There　was　a　vertical　and　the　last　horizontal　row　before　the　suspect　could　get　to　street　level　and　he　would　be　most　vulnerable；　DeLong　reasoned；　in　descent。　With　difficulty；　he　held　himself　in　check。　Binghamton's　broken　body　was　like　a　heavy　weight　close　by　him　and　he　fought　the　rising　desire　to　empty　his　pistol　at　the　moving　shape。　Wait；　he　cautioned　himself。　Wait　and　get　this　bastard　when　he's　closer　and　there's　no　doubt。
　Now　the　shadow　was　at　the　end　of　the　first…floor　fire　escape　landing　and　DeLong　sighted　carefully；　using　both　hands；　one　cupped　over　the　other　to　steady　his　aim　He　fixed　on　the　point　of　the　access　to　the　hanging　ladder。　His　forefinger　tightened　on　the　trigger。　Wait。　Tidal　breathing。　Wait。　Now。　Here　he　es。　Shots；　three　in　rapid　fire。
　Nothing　happened。
　DeLong　raised　his　gun；　puzzled。　Where　was　the　bastard？
　Then　he　picked　up　movement　on　the　street　in　the　periphery　of　his　vision。　Impossible；　he　thought。　How　the　hell　had　he　made
　the　drop　without　using　the　ladder？　And　without　a　sound？
　He　swivelled；　legs　spread；　aiming　the　。38　in　the　classic　pose　he　had　been　taught　so　well　at　the　Academy。　Silence。　No　movement。　He　tried　to　recall　the　path　of　the　motion　and　extrapolate　。。。
　Felt　the　presence　so　close　that　he　was　startled。　He　dropped　to　one　knee；　fired　fast　and　accurately　on　reflex。　But　in　the　space　of　that　last　instant　he　saw　the　figure　leap　at　him。　The　left　hand　was　extended　and　DeLong　could　make　out　a　short　black…wood　stick；　blunt…ended；　as　big　around　as　his　own　nightstick。　He　braced　for　an　overhand　blow　and　thus　was　totally　unprepared　for　the　horizontal　thrust。　He　was　dumbfounded　by　the　useless　gesture。
　The　rounded　end　just　touched　the　cloth　of　his　uniform　over　his　heart。　It　was　only　then　that　he　jerked　to　the　searing　pain　lancing　through　him　as　the　seven…inch　stiletto　blade；　powered　by　a　high…thrust　steel　spring；　shot　out　from　the　end　of　the　wooden　stick；　puncturing　from　front　to　back。　It　speared　his　heart；　went　through　one　lung　and　DeLong　was　dead　before　he　hit　the　ground。
　The　flying　form　was　by　him；　veiled　by　the　first　gout　of　blood；　heard　DeLong's　last　gasp　which；　to　the　policeman's　dying　brain；　sounded　like　the　loudest　shout　in　the　world。
　Nicholas　led　Croaker　back　through　the　apartment。　Women；　half…clothed；　stood　in　the　doorways；　staring　curiously　at　them。
　Ah　Ma；　having　received　the　warrant　papers　from　Willow；　stood　stone…faced　with　Penny　at　her　side。　Willow　was　in　the　back　suite　the　Japanese　had　used；　seeing　to　the　boy　and　trying　to　soothe　the　girl's　shattered　nerves。　Willow　is　wonderful　in　a　crisis；　Ah　Ma　thought；　resignedly。　The　way　I　used　to　be。　She　sighed　silently。　I　do　not　want　to　go　in　there；　she　thought。　Once　it　would　have　been　the　first　place　I'd　run。　To　help。　But　no　more。　Times　have　changed　and　so　have　I。　She　put　one　arm　around　Penny's　shoulders；　as　much　to　keep　the　girl　beside　her　as　to　reassure　her。
　'You　should　have　caught　him；'　Ah　Ma　said　in　Mandarin　to　Nicholas。　'Now　he　may　e　back　here。　He　won't　be　happy。　His　security　was　broken。'
　'He　won't　be　back；'　Nicholas　reassured　her。　'He　has　already　killed　the　leak。'
　They　had　to　go　out　by　the　front；　the　long　way　around；　surely；　because　in　the　dark　and　without　radio　linkage　they　could　not　chance　egress　via　the　back　window。　Gunfire　still　came　to　them；　sporadic　and　muffled　by　the　intervening　walls　of　the　building。　In　the　hallway　a　dog　was　barking　and　someone　one　flight　down　had　turned　up　a　TV　set；　perhaps　to　drown　out　the　noise　from　outside。
　'Christ！'　Croaker　said；　rubbing　at　his　eyes　as　they　pounded　down　the　stairs。　'What　a　goddamned　mess。'
　More　shots　as　they　emerged　into　the　hot　sticky　night　and　they　；　　　ran　down　Doyers；　heading　for　Pell　Street。
　They　saw　the　blue…and…white　first；　slewed　at　an　angle。　Nicholas　saw　the　two　bodies　immediately。　One　was　outlined　in　the　foreground；　the　other　cloaked　in　a　spider's　web　of　shadows　at　the　end　of　the　street。　He　paused；　his　eyes　searching　from　left　to　right　and　back　again。
　Croaker　pushed　past　him；　his　gun　at　the　ready；　but　checked　when　he　saw　the　first　body。　Slowly；　warily　he　went　towards　it　in　a　semi…crouch　and；　on　one　knee；　turned　it　carefully　over。　He　recognized　DeLong　at　once；　was　appalled　at　the　amount　of　blood。　He　searched　in　vain　for　any　sign　of　life。　His　hand　came　away　soaked。
　He　got　up　and；　crabwise；　scuttled　quickly　down　the　street；　checked　Binghamton's　cooling　body。　He　stood　up　and　bolstered　his　gun。　He　came　back；　passed　Nicholas　without　a　word　and　slid　in　behind　the　wheel　of　the　patrol　car。
　He　called　dispatch；　asking　for　the　meat　wagon　and　the　associate　M。E。　on　call。　Then　he　sent　out　an　A。P。B。　He　was　still　on　the　phone　when　Nicholas　came　up；　leaning　on　the　frame　of　the　open　door。
　'He's　long　gone；　I'm　afraid。'
　Croaker　cradled　the　receiver；　put　his　head　onto　the　back　of　the　seat；　closing　his　eyes。　'They　were　my　best　team。'　His　eyes　snapped　open　and　his　big　fist　pounded　the　steering　wheel　so　hard　it　jumped。　'The　best　goddamned　team！'　He　sighed。　'I'm　sorry　now　I　didn't　listen　to　you。　I　don't　know　who　that　guy　out　there　is　but　…'
　'Lew；'　Nicholas　said；　'slide　over。　I　want　to　talk　to　you　before　the　crowd　es。'
　Croaker　turned　to　look　at　him　as　he　slid　over　to　the　passenger's　side。　Far　off；　they　could　hear　the　wailing　rise　and　fall　of　a　siren。　It　could　have　been　an　ambulance。
　'I　know　who　the　ninja　is。'
　Croaker　sat　perfectly　still　for　a　moment。
　'How　long　have　you　known？'
　Nicholas　blew　out　a　breath　as　if　that　would　relieve　the　heaviness　he　suddenly　felt。　The　deaths　in　the　present　had　bined　with　the　deaths　in　his　past；　rushing　forward　to　engulf　him　once　again。　He　felt　very　tired　and　very　sad。
　'Not　long；　really。　In　the　hallway　outside　Ah　Ma's。'
　'I　see。'
　And　then　he　told　Croaker　everything；　spewing　it　all　out　as　if　that　might　cleanse　his　soul；　relieve　him　of　a　burden　which；　he　felt　now；　he　had　been　carrying　far　too　long。
　'Do　you　mean　to　tell　me；'　Croaker　said；　when　he　had　finished；　'that　Saigo　isn't　after　Tomkin　at　all？　That　he's　after　you？'
　'Yes　and　no；'　Nicholas　said　wearily。　'He　is　going　to　kill　Tom…kin　all　right；　unless　we　stop　him；　but　I　believe　he　took　on　the　job　to　get　to　me　also。　It's　the　only　way　all　of　the　killings　make　sense。'
　'I　see　that；　of　course；　but　this　is　like　a　blood　vendetta。'
　'It's　a　matter　of　honour。'
　'But　you　must　have　known　it　was　ing。'　The　siren's　wail　was　louder　now；　a　cry　in　the　night；　and　the　sound　of　excited　voices　pitched　back　at　them　off　the　brick　walls。　'Weren't　you　afraid　of　…？'
　Nicholas　gave　him　a　wan　smile　as　he　shook　his　head。　Time　to　go；　he　thought。　'I　am　prepared　for　it。　I've　been　prepared　for　a　long　time　now。'　He　climbed　out　of　the　car。　Every　muscle　seemed　to　ache　and　his　head　throbbed　as　if　it　were　in　a　vice。　He　leaned　in　so　that　Croaker　could　hear　him　as　the　blue…and…white　drew　up；　followed　by　the　ambulance。　The　street　lit　up　red　and　white；　red　and　white　like　the　entrance　to　an　amusement　park。
　'You　see；　Lew；'　he　said　with　infinite　slowness；　'I　am　a　ninja；　too。'
　'Nick；　wait！'
　But　he　was　already　walking　past　the　oning　people；　crowding　into　the　street；　into　the　glare　of　the　dense　night。
　'Sam。'
　Daddy。　Daddy。　Daddy。　He　had　never　said　that　word　in　his　life　yet　he　thought　it　now。　'Yes？'　'Sam。'
　'Who　is　this？'　'Are　you　still　my　rabbi？'
　'Oy；　Nick。　Nick！　Is　it　really　you？'　Goldman's　voice　was　light。
　'It's　me。'
　'My　God；　how　are　you？'
　'All　right。　How's　Edna？'
　'Edna？　Edna's　fine。　Dying　to　see　you。　Where　are　you？'　Silence。　'Nick；　are　you　all　right？'
　'To　be　honest；　no。〃
　'Just　a　minute。　What。。。？'　The　sound　of　muffled　voices　came　to　him；　a　conversation　from　another　world。　A　world　where　there…were　homes　and　families；　children。　Mortgage　payments　and；　perhaps；　a　two…week　trip　to　Europe　in　the　spring。　What　was　he　doing　here；　anyway？
　'Listen。　Are　you　in　the　city　？　Edna　says　to　e　right　up。　It's　a　Friday　night。　She's　made　chicken　soup。　With　lokshen。　Your　favourite；　remember？'
　'I　remember。'　He　remembered　everything　now。
　'So　e　over。　We'll　eat。　We'll　talk。'　Pause。　'You'll　make　Edna　very　happy。　She's　been　worried　about　you。'
　He　rested　his　head　against　the　acoustic　panel　of　the　booth。　Traffic　raced　by　him；　just　beyond　his　reach。
　'Yes；'　he　said　after　a　time。　'Okay。　I'll　be　over。'
　He　hung　up　and　hailed　a　cab。　The　Goldmans　lived　in　the　Dakota　on　Seventy…second　and　Central　Park　West。　They　took　the　Bowery；　which　turned　into　Third　Avenue；　all　the　way　up　to　Forty…second　Street　where　the　taxi　turned　left；　heading　cross…town　to　Eighth　Avenue。
　Just　after　Broadway；　Nicholas　leaned　forward；　tapped　the　intervening　plastic　partition。　'I've　changed　my　mind。　I'll　get　off　here。'　He　paid　and　got　out。
　He　had　been　idly　staring　put　of　the　left…side　window　as　they　passed　the　long　line　of　movie　marquees　along　that　tawdry　street　when　he　had　seen　the　film　titles。
　He　watched　the　two…way　traffic；　crossed　to　the　south　side　of　the　street。　He　walked　west；　past　a　couple　of　the　new…era　glass　and　chrome　porn　shops；　proudly　announcing　'Couples　Wele'。　The　doors　were　thrown　open　in　one　and　a　tall　black　man　in　wide　hat　and　tight　green　trousers　lounged　in　the　doorway。　'Hits；'　he　murmured；　'loose　joints；　coke；