p&c.brimstone-第32节
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They made a left at Park Row； then a right at Vesey。 Ahead； D'Agosta saw the little place still there； apparently unchanged。 A couple of dying ferns hung from macramé in the basement window； just the right touch to keep out other cops。 He liked it for that…and for the Guinness on tap。
〃I never knew this place existed；〃 said Hayward as they descended the steps and D'Agosta held open the door。 He followed her into the cool； brew…fragrant interior。 She took a table in the back and a man came up immediately。
〃Guinness；〃 she said。
〃Two。〃
D'Agosta couldn't shake the image of Dominic with his wife。 It was going to drive him crazy； he realized； until he did something about it。 He got up。 〃Back in a moment。〃
He found the phone tucked into a nook in the back of the bar。 It had been a long time since he used a pay phone； but this was one call he didn't want to make with his cell。 He called information； got the Canadian operator； got the number； made the call。 It took two trips to the bar and twenty quarters。 Jesus。
〃Kootenay RV；〃 came a nasal voice。
〃Chet Dominic there？〃
〃He's gone。〃
〃Damn； I was supposed to meet him for an appointment； and I'm late。 You got his cell？〃
〃Who's this？〃
〃Jack Torrance。 I'm the one interested in the Itasca Sunflyer； you know； the one with the slide…out bedroom and Corian countertops？ Chet's a friend from the club。〃
〃Oh； yes； Mr。 Torrance； of course；〃 came the suddenly fake…friendly voice。 〃Just a moment。〃 She gave him the number。
D'Agosta glanced at his watch； collected more quarters from the bar； dialed。
〃Hello？〃
It was Chester。
〃This is Dr。 Morgan at the hospital。 There's been a terrible accident。〃
〃What？ Who？〃 The voice was instantly full of panic。 D'Agosta wondered if Dominic had a wife and kids。 Probably did； the scumbag。
〃I must speak to a Mrs。 Lydia D'Agosta immediately。〃
〃Well； ah； wait…yes； yes； of course。〃 There was a fumbling sound； a muffled voice； and then his wife's voice came on。 〃Yes？ What is it？ What's happened？〃
D'Agosta carefully depressed the hang…up bar； took a couple of deep breaths； and made his way back toward the table。 Even before he got there； his cell phone was ringing。 He answered。
〃Vinnie？ It's Lydia。 Are you all right？〃
〃Sure。 Why do you ask？ You sound upset。〃
〃No； no； I'm fine。 I just heard 。 。 。 I don't know； something about the hospital。 I was worried。〃 She was all flustered and confused。
〃Wasn't me。〃
〃You know how it is； being out here like this； hearing everything secondhand 。 。 。〃
〃You still at work？〃
〃I'm in the parking lot。 Just pulling out now。〃
〃Right。 See you。〃 D'Agosta snapped the phone shut and reseated himself。You mean Chester Dominic was just pulling out； don't you？ He felt a horrible prickly heat crawling over his skin。 The Guinness had arrived； in a real imperial pint； with two inches of cream on the top。 He raised it and took a long pull； then another； feeling the cool liquid loosening the tightness in his throat。 He put the pint down to find Laura Hayward looking at him intently。
〃You were thirsty；〃 she said。
〃Yeah。〃 To hide his face； he took another pull。 Who was he kidding？ They'd been separated half a year now。 He couldn't really blame her for that…not too much； anyway。 And Vinnie Junior； his son； didn't want to move； either。 Lydia wasn't a bad person at heart； but this was a low blow。 A really low blow。 He wondered if little Vinnie knew about it。
〃Bad news？〃
D'Agosta glanced at Hayward。 〃Sort of。〃
〃Anything I can do？〃
〃No； thanks。〃 He sat up。 〃I'm sorry。 I'm lousy pany tonight。〃
〃Don't worry。 It's not a date。〃
There was a silence； then Hayward said； 〃I read your two novels。〃
D'Agosta felt himself reddening。 This was the last conversation he wanted to have。
〃They were great。 I just wanted to tell you that。〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃I loved the deadpan style。 Gritty。 Those books really captured what it's like to be on the job。 Not like most of the phony police fiction around。〃
D'Agosta nodded。 〃So where'd you find them？ On a remainder table？〃
〃I bought them when they were first published。 As it happens； I've been sort of following your career。〃
〃Really？〃 D'Agosta was surprised。 When they'd worked together on the subway murders years ago； he hadn't thought he'd made much of an impression on her。 Not a good impression； anyway。 Then again； she'd always played her cards close。
〃Really。 I…〃 She hesitated。 〃I was still finishing up my master's at NYU when we worked together。 That was my first big case。 I was ambitious as hell； and to me； just starting； you looked like just the kind of cop I wanted to be。 So I was really curious when you went off to Canada to write novels。 I wondered why a cop as good as you would give it up。〃
〃I had a lot I wanted to say…about crime； criminals； the justice system。 And about people in general。〃
〃You said it well。〃
〃Not well enough。〃
Her pint was empty and so was his。
〃Another round？〃 he asked。
〃Sure。 Vinnie； I've got to tell you； I couldn't believe it when I saw you in sergeant's stripes with a Southampton P。D。 badge。 I thought maybe I was dealing with a twin brother。〃
D'Agosta tried to muster a laugh。 〃Life。〃
〃That was some case we worked on； those subway murders。〃
〃Sure was。 You remember the riot？〃
She shook her head。 〃What a sight。 Like something in a movie。 I still have nightmares about it sometimes。〃
〃I missed it。 I was about half a mile underground； finishing what Captain Waxie started。〃
〃Old Waxie。 You know； he was sucked down so deep into those tunnels they never did find his body。 Probably got eaten by an alligator。〃
〃Or worse。〃
She paused。 〃The force is different now； really different。 Thank God…what a cast of characters we had to deal with back then； when I was just a new jack。〃
〃You remember McCarroll at the T。A。？ They called him McCarrion because of his breath？〃 He chuckled。
〃Do I。 I had to work for that bastard for six months。 It was tough to be a woman on the T。A。 force back then。 I had two strikes against me： not only was I female； but I was in graduate school。 Make that three strikes： I wouldn't sleep with McCarrion。〃
〃He made a pass at you？〃
〃His idea of a pass was to get real close； breathe all over me； tell me I had a nice body； and pucker his lips。〃
D'Agosta made a face。 〃Oh； my God。 You report him？〃
〃And kiss my career good…bye？ He was just a harmless cretin； anyway； not worth reporting。 Now the NYPD is like a different planet…totally professional。 And anyway； nobody would dare pull a stunt like that on a captain。〃
The second round came； and D'Agosta buried his mug in it and listened to her reminisce； telling funny stories about McCarroll and another long…gone captain； Al 〃Crisco〃 DuPrisco。 It brought back a lot of memories。
He shook his head。 〃Jesus； there's no better place to be a cop than in the Big Apple。〃
〃You said it。〃
〃I gotta get back on the job； Laura。 I'm rotting out there in Southampton。〃
She said nothing。 D'Agosta looked up； his eyes meeting hers and seeing what…pity？ 〃Sorry。〃 He looked away。 Funny how life had reversed everything。 Now here she was； probably the youngest captain on the force。 And he 。 。 。 Well； if anyone deserved success； she did 。 。 。
〃Look；〃 he said； suddenly professional again。 〃I really asked you for a drink because I wanted to make sure you were okay with Pendergast。 I've worked with him on not just one big case； but two。 Believe me； his methods may be unorthodox； but they work。 You couldn't ask for a better fed on your side。〃
〃I appreciate your loyalty。 But the fact is； he's got a cooperation problem。 I went out on a limb to have that subpoena and warrant ready to go； and he embarrassed me。 I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt this time； but please； Vinnie； keep the guy in line。 He obviously respects you。〃
〃He respects you； too。〃
There was a silence。
〃So how e you gave up writing？〃 Hayward asked； shifting the subject back to him。 〃I thought you had a pretty good career going。〃
〃Yeah； a career in bankruptcy court。 I just couldn't make it。 After two novels； I didn't have two nickels to rub together。 Lydia…that's my wife…she couldn't take it anymore。〃
〃You're married？〃 Her eyes rapidly glanced at his hand； but his wedding ring hadn't fit for years。
〃Yeah。〃
〃Why am I surprised？ All the good guys are taken。 Here's to Lydia。〃
She raised her pint。 D'Agosta didn't raise his glass； instead； he said； 〃We're separated。 She's still living in Canada。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃 She lowered her pint； but she did not look very sorry。 Or was it just his imagination？
〃You know that threat Bullard made against me？〃 D'Agosta swallowed。 He wasn't sure why he was telling her this； but he suddenly felt he couldn't go another minute without getting it off his chest。 〃He somehow found out my wife was having an affair and told me about it。 Along with a lot of other promising personal information he dug up and threatened to make public。〃
〃Bastard。 In that case； I'm glad Pendergast stuck it to him。〃 She hesitated。 〃You want to talk about it？〃
〃We are talking about it。〃
〃I'm sorry； Vincent。 That's to
