tc.patriotgames-第77节

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！


　　　　〃Calm　down；　Jack。〃　His　wife　didn't　know　that　she　was　making　things　worse；　but　Jack　took　the　cue　after　a　moment。　Muller　didn't。
　　　　〃You're　a　real　big　guy　now；　aren't　you？〃
　　　　Keep　going；　Joe；　and　you　might　find　out。　Jack　looked　over　to　his　wife　and　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Look；　if　you　came　down　here　to　yell　at　me；　that's　fine；　we　can　do　that　by　ourselves；　okay？　　but　that's　your　daughter　over　there；　and　maybe　she　needs　you；　too。〃　He　turned　to　Cathy。　〃I'll　be　outside　if　you　need　me。〃　
　　　　Ryan　left　the　room。　There　were　still　two　very　serious　state　troopers　at　the　door；　and　another　at　the　nurses'　station　down　the　hall。　Jack　reminded　himself　that　a　trooper　had　been　killed；　and　that　Cathy　was　the　only　thing　they　had　that　was　close　to　being　a　witness。　She　was　safe；　finally。　Robby　waved　to　his　friend　from　down　the　hall。
　　　　〃Settle　down；　boy；〃　the　pilot　suggested。
　　　　〃He　has　a　real　talent　for　pissing　me　off；〃　Jack　said　after　another　deep　breath。
　　　　〃I　know　he's　an　asshole；　but　he　almost　lost　his　kid。　Try　to　remember　that。　Taking　it　out　on　him　doesn't　help　things。〃
　　　　〃It　might；〃　Jack　said　with　a　smile；　thinking　about　it。　〃What　are　you；　a　philosopher？〃
　　　　〃I'm　a　PK；　Jack。　Preacher's　Kid。　You　can't　imagine　the　stuff　I　used　to　hear　from　the　parlor　when　people　came　over　to　talk　with　the　old　man。　He　isn't　so　much　mad　at　you　as　scared　by　what　almost　happened；〃　Robby　said。
　　　　〃So　am　I；　pal。〃　Ryan　looked　down　the　hall。　
　　　　〃But　you've　had　more　time　to　deal　with　it。〃
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　Jack　was　quiet　for　a　moment。　〃I　still　don't　like　the　son　of　a　bitch。〃　
　　　　〃He　gave　you　Cathy；　man。　That's　something。〃　
　　　　〃Are　you　sure　you're　in　the　right　line　of　work？　How　e　you're　not　a　chaplain？〃
　　　　〃I　am　the　voice　of　reason　in　a　chaotic　world。　You　don't　acplish　as　much　when　you're　pissed　off。　That's　why　we　train　people　to　be　professionals。　If　you　want　to　get　the　job　done；　emotions　don't　help。　You've　already　gotten　even　with　the　man；　right？〃　
　　　　〃Yeah。　If　he'd　had　his　way；　I'd　be　living　up　in　Westchester　County；　taking　the　train　in　every　day；　and　　crap！〃　Jack　shook　his　head。　〃He　still　makes　me　mad。〃
　　　　Muller　came　out　of　the　room　just　then。　He　looked　around　for　a　moment；　spotted　Jack；　and　walked　down。　〃Stay　close；〃　Ryan　told　his　friend。
　　　　〃You　almost　killed　my　little　girl。〃　Joe's　mood　hadn't　improved。
　　　　Jack　didn't　reply。　He'd　told　himself　that　about　a　hundred　times；　and　was　just　starting　to　consider　the　possibility　that　he　was　a　victim；　too。
　　　　〃You　ain't　thinking　right；　Mr。　Muller；〃　Robby　said。　
　　　　〃Who　the　hell　are　you！〃
　　　　〃A　friend；〃　Robby　replied。　He　and　Joe　were　about　the　same　height；　but　the　pilot　was　twenty　years　younger。　The　look　he　gave　the　broker　municated　this　rather　clearly。　The　voice　of　reason　didn't　like　being　yelled　at。　Joe　Muller　had　a　talent　for　irritating　people。　On　Wall　Street　he　could　get　away　with　it；　and　he　assumed　that　meant　that　be　could　do　it　anywhere　he　liked。　He　was　a　man　who　had　not　learned　the　limitations　of　his　power。
　　　　〃We　can't　change　what　has　happened；〃　Jack　offered。　〃We　can　work　to　see　that　it　doesn't　happen　again。〃
　　　　〃If　you'd　done　what　I　wanted；　this　never　would　have　happened！〃
　　　　〃If　I'd　done　what　you　wanted。　I'd　be　working　with　you　every　day；　moving　money　from　Column　A　to　Column　B　and　pretending　it　was　important；　like　all　the　other　Wall　Street　wimps　　and　hating　it；　and　turning　into　another　miserable　bastard　in　the　financial　world。　I　proved　that　I　could　do　that　as　well　as　you；　but　I　made　my　pile；　and　so　now　I　do　something　I　like。　At　least　we're　trying　to　make　the　world　a　better　place　instead　of　trying　to　take　it　over　with　leveraged　buyouts。　It's　not　my　fault　that　you　don't　understand　that。　Cathy　and　I　are　doing　what　we　like　to　do。〃　
　　　　〃Something　you　like；〃　Muller　snapped；　rejecting　the　concept　that　making　money　wasn't　something　to　be　enjoyed　in　and　of　itself。　〃Make　the　world　a　better　place；　eh？〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　because　I'm　going　to　help　catch　the　bastards　who　did　this。〃　
　　　　〃And　how　is　a　punk　history　teacher　going　to　do　that！〃　
　　　　Ryan　gave　his　father…in…law　his　best　smile。　〃That's　something　I　can't　tell　you；　Joe。〃
　　　　The　stockbroker　swore　and　stalked　away。　So　much　for　reconciliation；　Jack　told　himself。　He　wished　it　had　gone　otherwise。　His　estrangement　with　Joe　Muller　was　occasionally　hard　on　Cathy。　
　　　　〃Back　to　the　Agency；　Jack？〃　Robby　asked。　
　　　　〃Yeah。〃
　　　　Ryan　spent　twenty　minutes　with　his　wife；　long　enough　to　learn　what　she'd　told　the　police　and　to　make　sure　that　she　really　was　feeling　better。　She　was　dozing　off　when　he　left。　Next　he　went　across　the　street　to　the　Shock…Trauma　Center。
　　　　Getting　into　scrubs　reminded　him　of　the　only　other　time　he'd　done　so；　the　night　Sally　was　born。　A　nurse　took　him　into　the　Critical　Care　Recovery　Unit；　and　he　saw　his　little　girl　for　the　first　time　in　thirty…six　hours；　a　day　and　a　half　that　had　stretched　into　an　eternity。　It　was　a　thoroughly　ghastly　experience。　Had　he　not　been　told　positively　that　her　survival　chances　were　good；　he　might　have　broken　down　on　the　spot。　The　bruised　little　shape　was　unconscious　from　the　bination　of　drugs　and　injuries。　He　watched　and　listened　as　the　respirator　breathed　for　her。　She　was　being　fed　from　bottles　and　tubes　that　ran　into　her　veins。　A　doctor　explained　that　her　condition　looked　far　worse　than　it　was。　Sally's　liver　was　functioning　well；　under　the　circumstances。　In　two　or　three　more　days　the　broken　legs　would　be　set。
　　　　〃Is　she　going　to　be　crippled？〃　Jack　asked　quietly。
　　　　〃No；　there　isn't　any　reason　to　worry　about　that。　Kids'　bones　　what　we　say　is；　if　the　broken　pieces　are　in　the　same　room；　they'll　heal。　It　looks　far　worse　than　it　is。　The　trick　with　cases　like　this　is　getting　them　through　the　first　hour　　in　her　case；　the　first　twelve　or　so。　Once　we　get　kids　through　the　initial　crisis；　once　we　get　the　system　working　again；　they　heal　fast。　You'll　have　her　home　in　a　month。　In　two　months；　she'll　be　running　around　like　it　never　happened。　As　crazy　as　that　sounds；　it's　true。　Nothing　heals　like　a　kid。　She's　a　very　sick　little　girl　right　now；　but　she's　going　to　get　well。　Hey；　I　was　here　when　she　arrived。〃　
　　　　〃What's　your　name？〃
　　　　〃Rich　Kinter。　Barry　Shapiro　and　I　did　most　of　the　surgery。　It　was　close　　God；　it　was　so　close！　But　we　won。　Okay？　We　won。　You　will　be　taking　her　home。〃
　　　　〃Thanks　　that　doesn't　cover　it；　Doc。〃　Jack　stumbled　over　a　few　more　words；　not　knowing　what　to　say　to　the　people　who　had　saved　his　daughter's　life。
　　　　Kinter　shook　his　head。　〃Bring　her　back　sometime　and　we're　even。　We　have　a　party　for　ex…patients　every　few　months。　Mr。　Ryan；　there　is　nothing　you　can　do　that　es　close　to　what　we　all　feel　when　we　see　our　little　patients　e　back　　walk　back。　That's　why　we're　here；　man；　to　make　sure　they　e　back　for　cake　and　juice。　Just　let　us　bounce　her　on　our　knees　after　she's　better。〃　
　　　　〃Deal。〃　Ryan　wondered　how　many　people　were　alive　because　of　the　people　in　this　room。　He　was　certain　that　this　surgeon　could　be　a　rich　man　in　private　practice。　Jack　understood　him；　understood　why　he　was　here；　and　knew　that　his　father…in…law　wouldn't。　He　sat　for　a　few　minutes　at　Sally's　side；　listening　to　the　machine　breathe　for　her　through　the　plastic　tube。　The　nurse…practitioner　overseeing　the　case　smiled　at　him　around　her　mask。　He　kissed　Sally's　bruised　forehead　before　leaving。　Jack　felt　better　now；　better　about　almost　everything。　But　one　item　remained。　The　people　who　had　done　this　to　his　little　girl。

　　　　〃It　had　wheelchair　tags；〃　the　clerk　in　the　7…Eleven　was　saying；　〃but　the　dude　who　drove　it　didn't　look　crippled　or　anything。〃　
　　　　〃You　remember　what　he　looked　like？〃　Special　Agent　Nick　Capitano　and　a　major　from　the　Maryland　State　Police　were　interviewing　the　witness。
　　　　〃Yeah；　he　was　'bout　as　black　as　me。　Tall　dude。　He　wore　sunglasses；　the　mirror　kind。　Had　a　beard；　too。　There　was　always　at　least　one　other　dude　in　the　truck；　but　I　never　got　a　look　at　him　　black　man；　that's　all　I　can　say。〃　
　　　　〃What　did　he　wear？〃
　　　　〃Jeans　and　a　brown　leather　jacket；　I　think。　You　know；　like　a　construction　worker。〃　
　　　　〃Shoes　or　boots？〃　the　Major　asked。
　　　　〃Never　did　see　that；〃　the　clerk　said　after　a　moment。
　　　　〃How　about　jewelry；　T…shirt　with　a　pattern；　anything　special　or　different　about　him？〃　
　　　　〃No；　nothin'　I　remember。〃　
　　　　〃What　did　he　do　here？〃
　　　　〃He　always　bought　a　six…pack　of　Coke　Classic。　Once　or　twice　he　got　some　Twinkies；　but　he　always　got　hisself　the　Cokes。〃　
　　　　〃What　did　he　sound　like？　Anything　special？〃　
　　　　The　clerk　shook　her　head。　〃Nah；　just　a　dude；　y'know？〃　
　　　　〃Do　you　think　you　could　recognize　him　again？〃　Capitano　asked。
　　　　〃Maybe　　we　get　a　lot　of　folks　through　here；　lotta　regulars；　lotta　strangers；　y'know？〃
　　　　〃Would　you　mind　looking　through　some　pictures？〃　the　agent　went　on。
　　　　〃Gotta　clear　it　with　the　boss。　I　mean；　I　need　the　job；　but　you　say　this　chump　tried　to　kill　a　little　girl　　yeah；　sure；　I'll　help　ya。〃　
　　　　〃We'll　clear　it　with　the　boss；〃　the　Major　assured　her。　〃You　won't　lose　pay　over　it。〃
　　　　〃Gloves；〃　she　said；　looking　up。　〃Forgot　to　say　that。　He　wore　work　gloves。　Leather　ones；　I　think。〃　Gloves；　both　men　wrote　in　their　notebooks。
　　　　〃Thank　you；　ma'am。　We'll　call　you　tonight。　A　car　will　pick　you　up　tomorrow　morning　so　you　can　look　at　some　pictures　for　us；〃　th