pzb.drawingblood-第74节

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e　got　this　whole　place　blanketed。　If　you　know　where　he　is　and　don't　tell　us；　all　sorts　of　bad　things　could　happen　to　you。〃
　　〃　'Scuse　me？〃　Terry　tapped　the　side　of　his　head　with　the　heel　of　his　hand。　〃I　must　be　hearing　wrong。　I　thought　I　woke　up　in　America　this　morning。〃
　　〃You　did；　Mr。　Buckett。〃　Cover　leaned　in　menacingly。　〃And　possession　of　marijuana　is　illegal　in　America。　Aren't　you　a　little　stoned　right　now？〃
　　Shit。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；　but　I　gotta　get　back　to　work。　If　you　want　to　waste　your　time　getting　a　warrant　and　searching　my　store；　go　ahead。　You　won't　find　anything。　I　thought　you　guys　were　supposed　to　guard　the　President；　not　harass　innocent　citizens。〃　He　saw　both　agents'　jaws　go　stiff　when　he　said　President。
　　〃We　do　our　jobs；　Mr。　Buckett。〃　That　was　Cover；　cold　and　deadly。　〃We　expect　innocent　citizens　to　help　us　out　when　they　can。〃
　　〃And　the　rest　of　us　are　guilty；　huh？〃
　　〃Of　something；　Mr。　Buckett。〃　Even　with　mirrorshades　on；　Cover　managed　to　look　smug。　〃Everybody's　guilty　of　something。　And　we　can　find　out　what。　Good　afternoon。〃
　　〃And　a　terrific　afternoon　to　you；〃　said　Terry　as　he　went　back　into　the　store　and　locked　the　door　behind　him。　He　stood　there　for　a　minute　watching　them　walk　away；　cold　shivers　running　up　his　spine。　He　couldn't　help　but　wonder　what　in　hell　he　was　getting　into　here。
　　But　he　knew　which　side　he　was　on；　and　that　was　about　all　he　needed　to　know。　Terry　looked　at　the　phone；　thought　of　calling　Kinsey。　But　what　if　the　agents　were　hiding　around　the　corner；　waiting　to　see　if　he　would　jump　on　the　phone　as　soon　as　they　left？
　　He　stuck　his　head　through　the　curtain。　The　back　room　reeked　of　pine　air　freshener。　〃Bad　news。　The　spooks　are　here　looking　for　him。〃
　　Eddy's　eyes　went　very　wide。　〃Did　they　follow　us？　Did　we　lead　them　here？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　They　didn't　seem　to　know　you　were　around。　I　got　the　impression　they　were　acting　on　some　kind　of　tip。〃
　　〃The　newspaper。　Shit！　Goddamn　that　fucking　Phoetus！〃　Eddy　pounded　her　small　fists　against　her　knees。　Angry；　with　her　jeweled　ears　and　spiky　haircut　and　elegant　Asian　face；　she　looked　like　some　sort　of　feral…eyed　Tibetan　goddess。　A　couple　of　extra　arms　and　a　lolling　tongue　would　have　capped　off　the　image　perfectly。
　　〃Look；〃　said　Terry；　〃I'm　gonna　sneak　out　and　make　a　call。〃
　　Dougal　reached　into　a　pocket　of　his　baggy　fatigues　and　pulled　out　a　cellular　phone。　〃You　wan'　use　this？〃
　　〃Well…sure。〃　Terry　examined　the　sleek　little　gadget。　〃Where　do　you　turn　it　on？〃　Dougal　showed　him。　He　dialed　Kinsey's　home　number；　heard　a　truncated　ring；　then　a　piercing　electronic　voice。
　　〃The…number…you…have…reached…has…been…temporarily…disconnected　。　。　。〃
　　〃Goddamn；　I　wish　that　guy　would　keep　his　bills　paid。　I　guess　we　better　get　over　there。〃
　　Eddy　tapped　his　arm。　〃Was　one　of　those　spooks　named　Cover？〃
　　〃Yeah；　the　spookier　one。〃
　　〃I　can't　go　out　there。　He'll　recognize　me。〃
　　〃I　think　they're　gone…〃
　　〃Our　car　is　parked　all　the　way　down　by　the　hardware　store。　I　can't　take　the　chance。〃
　　She　was　right；　Terry　realized。　〃Okay；　wait　here　by　the　back　door。　We'll　pull　up　in　the　alley　and　get　you。〃
　　Terry　and　Dougal　left　the　Whirling　Disc　together　and　walked　with　elaborate　nonchalance　along　a　series　of　back　streets；　gradually　winding　toward　the　other　end　of　town。　Terry　imagined　agents　lurking　behind　every　telephone　pole；　peering　through　every　tinted　window。　〃Doesn't　your　car　have　Louisiana　plates？〃　he　asked　Dougal。　〃Won't　it　be　dangerous　to　drive　through　downtown？〃
　　〃No　mon。　We　stop　on　de　way　here　at　a…what　you　call　de　toilets　by　de　road？〃
　　〃Rest　stop？〃
　　〃Ya　mon。　We　fin'　a　car　broken　down　but　still　have　de　license　plate；　an'　I　take　de　liberty　of　borrowin'　de　plate。〃
　　Terry　nodded；　marveling。　He　had　met　plenty　of　freaks　in　his　time；　plete　fuckups　and　brilliant　artists　and　everything　in　between。　But　for　sheer　resourcefulness；　he　thought；　these　kids　outdid　them　all。
　　Still；　they　didn't　have　the　U。S。　Government　on　their　side；　weighing　the　scale　down　with　money　and　power。　Street　smarts　wouldn't　be　much　use　against　a　loaded　Uzi。
　　Terry　didn't　stop　sweating　until　they　had　Eddy　safely　in　the　car；　crouching　in　the　back　seat　with　a　towel　over　her　head；　and　they　were　well　on　their　way　to　Kinsey's。　Even　then；　he　couldn't　quit　looking　in　the　rearview　mirror。
　　
　　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty　Four
　　
　　Kinsey　moved　Zach's　car　into　the　driveway　and　parked　his　own　behind　it。　The　Mustang　wasn't　exactly　camouflaged；　but　it　was　less　noticeable　than　it　had　been　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　front　yard。　He　settled　Trevor　and　Zach　in　his　bedroom；　then　folded　himself　onto　the　couch。　He　had　only　been　in　bed　for　two　hours　when　the　Mustang　pulled　up　in　his　yard；　and　he　had　to　open　the　club　later。　Soon　he　was　asleep　again；　his　dreams　blessedly　free　from　blaring；　whining　horns　and　the　smell　of　engine　grease。
　　In　the　bedroom；　Trevor　lay　flat　on　his　back　staring　at　the　ceiling。　His　splinted　hand　felt　heavy　and　remote。　Zach　was　nestled　into　the　crook　of　his　left　arm；　legs　thrown　over　Trevor's；　fingers　idly　playing　with　Trevor's　hair。　They　had　each　taken　one　of　the　painkillers　the　doctor　had　prescribed　for　them；　and　they　were　numb　but　contented。　Enough　so；　eventually；　to　talk　about　the　night　before。
　　〃What　were　you　wearing　there？〃　Zach　asked。
　　〃A　suit　with　wide　lapels。　A　tie。　And　fancy　shoes。〃
　　〃Me　too。　But　I　had　a　beret。〃
　　〃You　were　Dizzy。〃
　　〃Huh？〃
　　〃Dizzy　Gillespie。　Bobby　used　to　look　at　pictures　of　him　and　Charlie　Parker　to　draw　his　characters'　clothes。　They　always　wore　these　real　sharp　suits。〃
　　〃We　were　in　the　same　place；　weren't　we？〃
　　〃We　were　in　Birdland。〃
　　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　　〃It　means　we　were　inside　my　father's　brain。　Or　we　were　in　hell。　Or　we　were　hallucinating。　How　the　fuck　should　I　know？　You　were　there。　You　saw　it。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。　Trevor　wondered　if　he　had　spoken　too　sharply；　but　he　did　not　want　to　pick　apart　what　had　happened　in　the　house；　not　yet。　He　wasn't　sure　he　ever　would。
　　Finally　Zach　asked；　〃Where　should　we　go　next？〃　His　voice　was　beginning　to　fade　out。　He　pressed　his　face　into　the　side　of　Trevor's　chest　and　closed　his　eyes。
　　〃Have　a　dream；〃　Trevor　told　him；　〃and　make　it　be　about　a　beach。　It　has　pure　white　sand　and　clear　turquoise　water；　and　the　sun　feels　like　warm　honey　on　your　skin。　Stop　someone　on　the　beach　and　ask　them　where　you　are。　Then　remember　it；　and　we'll　go　there。〃
　　〃Ohhh；　yes　。　。　。〃　He　felt　Zach's　body　relax　pletely。　〃。　。　。　love　you；　Trev　。　。　。〃
　　〃I　love　you　too；〃　he　whispered　into　the　cool　silence　of　the　room。　It　was　true；　it　was　all　true；　and　they　could　both　be　alive　to　believe　it。　Trevor　was　still　amazed　by　this　knowledge。
　　You　could　kill　someone　because　you　loved　them　too　much；　he　realized　now；　but　that　was　nothing　to　do　with　art。　The　art　was　in　learning　to　spend　your　life　with　someone；　in　having　the　courage　to　be　creative　with　someone；　to　melt　each　other's　souls　to　molten　temperatures　and　let　them　flow　together　into　an　alloy　that　could　withstand　the　world。　He　and　Zach　had　used　each　other's　addictions　to　hurl　themselves　into　Birdland。　But　addictions　could　fuel　talents；　and　talents　surely　fueled　love。　And　what　else　had　brought　them　back　but　love？
　　Zach's　breathing　was　slow；　even：　a　wholly　peaceful　sound。　Trevor　wondered　if　he　might　be　able　to　sleep　too。　He　let　his　body　settle　into　Zach's；　synchronized　his　breathing　and　his　heartbeat　with　Zach's。
　　Minutes　later　he　was　as　deeply　asleep　as　he　had　ever　been；　and　his　sleep　was　dreamless。
　　
　　Dougal's　ancient　station　wagon　pulled　up　in　front　of　Kinsey's　house。　Eddy　saw　the　black　Mustang　in　the　driveway；　and　her　heart　leapt。　〃That's　Zach's　car！〃
　　Terry　and　Dougal　followed　her　up　the　walk。　Terry　knocked；　waited；　knocked　louder。　Eddy　could　not　make　herself　stand　still。　After　a　few　agonizing　minutes；　the　door　opened　a　crack　and　a　bright　blue　eye　peered　out。　Then　it　swung　all　the　way　open；　and　a　very　tall；　very　thin　man　in　rumpled　pajamas　smiled　Wearily　at　them。　〃Mornin'；　Terry。〃　He　nodded　at　Eddy　and　Dougal；　then　stood　there　rubbing　his　long　skinny　jaw　and　looking　politely　puzzled。
　　〃Mornin'；〃　said　Terry　without　a　trace　of　irony；　though　it　was　just　past　three　P。M。　〃Kinsey；　it　seems　we　got　some　trouble。　These　are　Zach's　friends　from　New　Orleans；　and　his　enemies　aren't　far　behind。〃
　　〃Well；　e　on　in；　sit　down。　Zach's　asleep。　Trevor　too。〃　Kinsey　ushered　them　through　the　door。
　　Terry　made　introductions；　then　told　Kinsey　about　his　run…in　with　the　agents。　Eddy　stared　around　the　cozy　living　room。　Her　thoughts　were　speeding　out　of　control：　Zach's　in　this　house；　I'm　going　to　see　him；　I'm　going　to　save　him　。　。　。
　　〃What　did　you　do　after　the　show　last　night；　anyway？〃　Kinsey　asked。
　　〃We　ate　mushrooms　and　watched　a　movie。　Trevor　and　Zach　went　home；　but　Calvin　gave　them　some　'shrooms　too。〃　Terry　frowned。　〃Why？〃
　　〃Well；　they　met　up　with　some　kind　of　accident。〃
　　〃The　car　looks　okay。〃
　　〃Something　happened　in　the　house。〃
　　〃I　knew　it！〃　Terry　slapped　his　forehead。　〃That　damn　place　is　haunted！　I　went　in　there　once；　me　and　Steve　and　R。J。；　and　you　wouldn't　even　believe　what　we　saw…〃
　　〃What？〃　said　a　quiet　new　voice。　〃W