p&c.brimstone-第105节

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　〃That　was　quite　a　piece　you　wrote　on　Hayward　and　that　man；　Buck。　I'm　almost　sorry　that　cracker　preacher　got　his　ass　sent　back　to　Oklahoma。　I　hope　he　decides　to　move　back　to　the　Big　Apple　once　his　parole　is　up。〃　He　laughed　and　picked　a　piece　of　paper　from　his　desk。　〃Here's　something　I　bet　you'll　be　interested　to　hear：　newsstand　circ　for　the　week　ending　today。〃　He　waved　the　paper　in　Harriman's　face。　〃Nineteen　percent　above　this　same　time　last　year；　six　percent　above　last　week；　sixty　percent　sell…through。〃　
　Ritts　grinned；　as　if　the　newsstand　circulation　and　sell…through　figures　of　theNew　York　Post　were　the　be…all　and　end…all　of　Harriman's　existence。　Harriman　kicked　back　in　the　chair；　listening；　a　practiced　smile　on　his　face。　
　〃And　look　at　this。　Advertising　revenues　up　three　and　a　half。〃　
　Another　pause　so　that　Harriman　might　absorb　and　glorify　in　the　stupendous　news。　
　Ritts　lit　a　cigarette。　He　snapped　the　lighter　shut；　exhaled。　〃Harriman；　don't　ever　say　I　don't　give　credit　where　credit　is　due。　This　was　your　story　from　beginning　to　end。　You　did　it。　Sure；　I　helped　with　some　ideas　here　and　there；　gave　you　the　benefit　of　my　experience；　nudged　you　in　the　right　direction　once　or　twice…but　this　was　your　story。〃　
　Ritts　paused；　as　if　waiting。　For　what？　Effusive；　genuflecting　thanks？　Harriman　leaned　back　and　listened；　still　smiling。　
　〃Anyway；　as　I　was　saying；you　did　this。　You've　been　noticed；　and　I　meannoticed　；　by　the　powers　on　high。〃　
　Who　was　that？　Harriman　wondered。　The　big　cheese　himself？　That　would　be　a　joke。　The　guy　probably　couldn't　even　get　into　his　father's　club。　
　Now　Ritts　dropped　his　bomb。　〃Next　week；　I　want　you　to　be　my　guest　at　the　annual　News　Corporation　dinner　at　Tavern　on　the　Green。　This　wasn't　just　my　idea…although　I　heartily　approved。　It　was〃…and　now　his　eyes　flashed　upward　as　if　a　heavenly　host　had　issued　the　invitation…〃hisidea。　He　wants　to　meet　you；　shake　your　hand。〃　
　Meet　me；　shake　my　hand。This　was　beautiful。　God；　this　was　beautiful。　He　couldn't　wait　to　tell　his　friends　about　this。　
　〃It's　black　tie…you　got　one　of　those？　If　not；　I　rent　mine　at　a　place　opposite　Bloomingdale's。　Discount　Tux；　best　deal　in　the　city。〃　
　Harriman　could　hardly　believe　his　ears。　What　a　bozo。　Not　evenashamed　to　admit　he　rented　his　tuxes。　〃I　have　one　or　two；　thanks；〃　he　said　coolly。　
　Ritts　looked　at　him　a　little　strangely。　〃You　all　right？　You　do　know　about　the　annual　dinner；　right？　I　mean；　I've　been　in　this　business　thirty　years　and　let　me　tell　you；　this　issomething　special　。　It's　Thursday　evening；　drinks　at　six　in　the　Crystal　Room；　dinner　at　seven。　You　and　a　guest。　Bring　your　squeeze；　if　you　have　one。〃　
　Harriman　sat　forward。　〃I'm　afraid　that　won't　be　possible。〃　
　〃e　alone；　then。　No　problem。〃　
　〃You　don't　understand。　I　can't　e　at　all。　I'm　otherwise　engaged。〃　
　〃What？〃　
　〃I'mbusy　。〃　
　There　was　a　shocked　silence。　And　then　Ritts　was　off　his　perch。　〃You'rebusy　？　Aren't　you　listening？　I'm　talking　about　dinner　withthe　man　himself　！　I'm　talking　about　theNews　Corp。　annual　fucking　dinner　！〃　
　Harriman　rose　and　dusted　his　sleeve；　on　which　Ritts's　ashes　had　fallen　as　he'd　waved　his　cigarette　around　in　excitement。　
　〃I've　accepted　an　appointment　as　a　reporter　at　a　newspaper　called　theNew　York　Times。　Perhaps　you　know　of　it。〃　Harriman　slipped　an　envelope　out　of　his　pocket。　〃My　letter　of　resignation。〃　He　laid　it　on　the　desk；　right　on　the　shiny　place　where　Ritts　usually　perched　his　ass。　
　There　it　was。　Said　and　done。　He'd　drawn　it　out　about　as　long　as　he　could。　There　was　no　point　in　wasting　any　more　time：　he　had　a　new　office　to　fix　up；　a　lot　to　do。　After　all；　Bill　Smithback　would　be　returning　from　his　extended　honeymoon　on　Monday　to　find　the　surprise　of　his　life：　Bryce　Harriman；　associate　reporter；　fellow　colleague；　occupying　the　office　next　door。　
　Now；that　would　be　something。　
　God；　life　was　good。　
　He　turned　and　walked　to　the　door；　turning　just　once　to　get　a　final　look　at　Ritts；　standing　there；　mouth　open；　for　once　with　nothing　to　say。　
　〃See　you　around；　old　chap；〃　Harriman　said。　
　　　
　88　
　
　The　big　jet　hit　the　tarmac　with　a　jolt；　tipped　back　into　the　air　atan　angle；　then　settled　once　more　onto　the　ground；　thrust　reversers　screaming。　
　As　the　plane　decelerated；　a　lazy　voice　came　over　the　P。A。　system。　〃This　is　your　captain　speaking。　We've　landed　at　Kennedy　Airport；　and　as　soon　as　we　get　clearance；　we'll　taxi　to　the　gate。　Meanwhile；　y'all　please　keep　your　seats。　Sorry　about　that　bit　of　turbulence　back　there。　Wele　to　New　York　City。〃　
　Faint　applause　arose　here　and　there　from　a　sea　of　ashen　faces；　then　died　quickly　away。　
　〃Bit　of　turbulence；〃　muttered　the　man　in　the　aisle　seat。　〃Is　that　what　he　calls　it？　Shit　on　astick　。　You　couldn't　pay　me　enough　to　get　back　in　a　plane　after　this。〃　
　He　turned　to　his　seatmate；　nudged　him　with　his　elbow。　〃Glad　to　be　back　on　the　ground；　pal？〃　
　The　nudge　brought　D'Agosta　back　to　the　present。　He　turned　slowly　away　from　the　window；　through　which　he'd　been　staring　without　really　seeing；　and　glanced　at　the　man。　〃What's　that？〃　
　The　man　snorted　in　disbelief。　〃e　on；　stop　playing　it　cool。　Me；　my　own　life　passed　before　my　eyes　at　least　twice　the　last　half　hour。〃　
　〃Sorry。〃　And　D'Agosta　turned　back　to　the　window。　〃Wasn't　really　paying　attention。〃　
　D'Agosta　walked　woodenly　through　Terminal　8　on　his　way　out　of　customs；　suitcase　in　one　hand。　All　around　him；　people　were　talking　excitedly；　hugging；　laughing。　He　passed　by　them　all；　barely　noticing；　eyes　straight　ahead。　
　〃Vinnie！〃　came　a　voice。　〃Hey；　Vinnie。　Over　here！〃　
　D'Agosta　turned　to　see　Hayward；　waving；　walking　toward　him　through　the　crowds。　Laura　Hayward；　beautiful　in　a　dark　suit；　her　black　hair　shining；　her　eyes　as　deep　and　blue　as　the　water　off　Capraia。　She　was　smiling；　but　the　smile　did　not　reach　quite　as　far　as　those　perfect　eyes。　
　〃Vinnie；〃　she　said；　embracing　him。　〃Oh；　Vinnie。〃　
　Automatically；　his　arms　went　around　her。　He　could　feel　the　weling　tightness　of　her　clasp；　the　warmth　of　her　breath　on　his　neck；　the　crush　of　her　breasts　against　him。　It　was　like　a　galvanic　shock。　Had　it　really　been　only　ten　days　since　they　last　embraced？　A　shudder　passed　through　him：　he　felt　strange；　like　a　swimmer　struggling　upward　from　a　very　great　depth。　
　〃Vinnie；〃　she　murmured。　〃What　can　I　say？〃　
　〃Don't　say　anything。　Not　now。　Later；　maybe。〃　
　Slowly；　she　released　him。　
　〃My　God。　What　happened　to　your　finger？〃　
　〃Locke　Bullard　happened。〃　
　They　began　to　move　through　the　baggage　area。　A　silence　grew　between　them；　just　long　enough　to　bee　awkward。　
　〃How's　it　been　here？〃　he　asked　at　last；　lamely。　
　〃Not　much　has　happened　since　you　called　last　night。　We've　still　got　ten　detectives　working　the　Cutforth　murder。　Technically。　And　from　what　I　hear；　that　Southampton　chief　of　police　is　catching　holy　hell　for　lack　of　progress　on　Grove。〃　
　D'Agosta　gritted　his　teeth；　started　to　speak；　but　Hayward　put　a　finger　to　his　lips。　
　〃I　know。　I　know。　But　that's　the　nature　of　the　job　sometimes。　Now　that　Buck's　out　of　the　picture　and　thePost　has　moved　on　to　other　things；　Cutforth's　finally　off　the　front　page。　Eventually　it'll　bee　just　another　unsolved　murder。　Along　with　Grove's；　of　course。〃　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　
　〃Amazing　that　it　was　Fosco。　I'm　floored。〃　
　D'Agosta　shook　his　head。　
　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　thing；　knowing　who　the　perp　is　but　being　able　to　do　nothing。〃　
　There　was　the　ring　of　a　claxon；　an　amber　alarm　flashed　overhead；　and　a　carousel　nearby　began　to　move。　
　〃Iwas　able　to　do　something；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　
　Hayward　looked　at　him　sharply。　
　〃I'll　explain　in　the　car。〃　
　Ten　minutes　later　they　were　on　the　Van　Wyck　Expressway；　halfway　back　to　Manhattan；　Hayward　at　the　wheel。　D'Agosta　sat　beside　her；　idly　looking　out　the　window。　
　〃So　it　was　all　about　a　violin；〃　Hayward　said。　〃The　whole　damn　thing。　A　lousy　violin。〃　
　〃Not　just　any　violin。〃　
　〃I　don't　care。　It　wasn't　worth　all　those　deaths。　And　itespecially　wasn't　worth…〃　But　here　she　stopped；　as　if　hesitant　to　break　some　unspoken　code　between　them。　〃Where　is　it　now？〃　
　〃I　sent　it　by　special　courier　to　a　woman　on　the　island　of　Capraia。　es　from　a　line　of　violinists。　She'll　restore　it　to　the　Fosco　family　at　a　time　of　her　choosing；　when　the　new　heir　is　settled　in。　Somehow；　I　think　that's　what　Pendergast　would　have　wanted。〃　
　It　was　the　first　time　Pendergast's　name　had　passed　between　them。　
　〃I　know　you　couldn't　explain　on　the　phone；〃　she　went　on。　〃But　what　happened；　exactly？　After　you　took　the　Italian　police　to　Fosco's　castle　yesterday　morning；　I　mean。〃　
　D'Agosta　did　not　reply。　
　〃e　on；　Vinnie。　It'll　be　better　if　you　talk　about　it。〃　
　D'Agosta　sighed。　〃I　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　bing　the　Chianti　countryside。　Talking　to　farmers。　Talking　to　villagers。　Anyone　who　might　have　seen　anything；　heard　anything。　Checking　my　hotel　for　messages。　Of　course；　there　was　nothing。　But　I　had　to　be　sure；　you　see…absolutely　sure　。　。　。〃　
　Hayward　waited。　After　a　moment；　he　went　on。　
　〃The　thing　is；　deep　down；　I　was　already　sure。　We'd　searched　the　castle。　And　then　there　was　that　look　Fosco　gave　me；　that　awful　look。　If　you'd　seen　it　。　。　。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Close　to　midnight；　I　drifted　back　to　the　castle。　Went　in　the　same　way　we'd　e　out。　I　took　the