sk.thetalisman-第138节
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n you； I see。 You the one。 You gonna do it。'
'How's my mom； Speedy？' Jack asked。 'Please tell me。 She's still alive； isn't she？'
'You can call her soon's you can； find out she's okay；' Speedy answered。 'But first you got to get it； Jack。 Because if you don't get it； she be dead。 And so be Laura； the Queen。 She be dead； too。' Speedy hitched himself up； wincing； to straighten his back。 'Let me tell you。 Most everybody at the court gave up on her…gave her up for dead already。' His face expressed his disgust。 'They all afraid of Morgan。 Because they know Morgan'll take they skin off they backs if they don't swear allegiance to him now。 While Laura still got a few breaths in her。 But out in the far Territories； two…legged snakes like Osmond and his gang been goin around； tellin folks she already dead。 And if she dies； Travellin Jack； if she dies 。 。 。' He levelled his ruined face at the boy。 'Then we got black horror in both worlds。 Black horror。 And you can call your momma。 But first you has to get it。 You has to。 It's all that's left； now。'
Jack did not have to ask him what he meant。
'I'm glad you understand； son。' Speedy closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the stone。
A second later his eyes slowly opened again。 'Destinies。 That's what all this is about。 More destinies； more lives； than you know。 You ever hear the name Rushton？ I suspect you might have； all this time gone by。'
Jack nodded。
'All those destinies be the reason your momma brought you all the way to the Alhambra Hotel； Travellin Jack。 I was just sittin and waitin； knowin you'd show up。 The Talisman pulled you here； boy。 Jason。 That's a name you heard； too； I spect。'
'It's me；' Jack said。
'Then get the Talisman。 I brought this l'il thing along； he'p you out some。' He wearily picked up the blanket； which； Jack saw； was of rubber and therefore not a blanket after all。
Jack took the bundle of rubber from Speedy's charred…looking hand。 'How can I get into the hotel； though？' he asked。 'I can't get over the fence； and I can't swim in with Richard。'
'Blow it up。' Speedy's eyes had closed again。
Jack unfolded the object。 It was an inflatable raft in the shape of a legless horse。
'Recognize her？' Speedy's voice； ruined as it was； bore a nostalgic lightness。 'You and me picked her up； sometime back。 I explained about the names。'
Jack suddenly remembered ing to Speedy； that day that seemed filled with slashes of black and white； and finding him sitting inside a round shed； repairing the merry…go…round horses。 You be takin liberties with the Lady； but I guess she ain't gonna mind if you're helpin me get her back where she belongs。 Now that； too； had a larger meaning。 Another piece of the world locked into place for Jack。 'Silver Lady；' he said。
Speedy winked at him； and again Jack had the eerie sense that everything in his life had conspired to get him to precisely this point。 'Your friend here all right？' It was…almost…a deflection。
'I think so。' Jack looked uneasily at Richard who had rolled on his side and was breathing shallowly； his eyes shut。
'Then long's you think so； blow up ole Silver Lady here。 You gotta bring that boy in with you no matter what。 He's a part of it； too。'
Speedy's skin seemed to be getting worse as they sat on the beach…it had a sickly ash…gray tinge。 Before Jack put the air nozzle to his mouth he asked； 'Can't I do anything for you； Speedy？'
'Sure。 Go to the Point Venuti drugstore and fetch me a bottle of Lydia Pinkham's ointment。' Speedy shook his head。
'You know how to he'p Speedy Parker； boy。 Get the Talisman。 That's all the he'p I need。'
Jack blew into the nozzle。
3
A very short time later he was pushing in the stopper located beside the tail of a raft shaped like a four…foot…long rubber horse with an abnormally broad back。
'I don't know if I'll be able to get Richard on this thing；' he said； not plaining but merely thinking out loud。
'He be able to follow orders； ole Travellin Jack。 Just sit behind him； kind of he'p hold him on。 That's all he needs。'
And in fact Richard had pulled himself into the lee of the standing rocks and was breathing smoothly and regularly through his open mouth。 He might have been either asleep or awake； Jack could not tell which。
'All right；' Jack said。 'Is there a pier or something out behind that place？'
'Better than a pier； Jacky。 Once you gets out beyond the break…water； you'll see big pilins…they built part of the hotel right out over the water。 You'll see a ladder down in them pilins。 Get Richard there up the ladder and you be on the big deck out back。 Big windows right there…the kind of windows that be doors； you know？ Open up one of them window…doors and you be in the dinin room。' He managed to smile。 'Once you in the dinin room； I reckon you'll be able to sniff out the Talisman。 And don't be afraid of her； sonny。 She's been waitin for you…she'll e to your hand like a good hound。'
'What's to stop all these guys from ing in after me？'
'Shoo； they can't go in the black hotel。' Disgust with Jack's stupidity was printed in every line on Speedy's face。
'I know； I mean in the water。 Why wouldn't they e after me with a boat or something？'
Now Speedy managed a painful but genuine smile。 'I think you gonna see why； Travellin Jack。 Ole Bloat and his boys gotta steer clear of the water； hee hee。 Don't worry bout that now…just remember what I told you and get to gettin； hear？'
'I'm already there；' Jack said； and edged toward the rocks to peer around at the beach road and the hotel。 He had managed to get across the road and to Speedy's cover without being seen： surely he could drag Richard the few feet down to the water and get him on the raft。 With any luck at all； he should be able to make it unseen all the way to the pilings…Gardener and the men with binoculars were concentrating on the town and the hillside。
Jack peeked around the side of one of the tall columns。 The limousines still stood before the hotel。 Jack put his head out an inch or two farther to look across the street。 A man in a black suit was just stepping through the door of the wreck of the Kingsland Motel…he was trying； Jack saw； to keep from looking at the black hotel。
A whistle began to shrill； as high and insistent as a woman's scream。
'Move！' Speedy whispered hoarsely。
Jack jerked his head up and saw at the top of the grassy rise behind the crumbling houses a black…suited man blasting away at the whistle and pointing straight downhill at him。 The man's dark hair swayed around his shoulders…hair； black suit； and sunglasses； he looked like the Angel of Death。
'FOUND HIM！ FOUND HIM！' Gardener bawled。 'SHOOT HIM！ A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE BROTHER WHO BRINGS ME HIS BALLS！'
Jack recoiled back into the safety of the rocks。 A half…second later a bullet spanged off the front of the middle pillar just before the sound of the shot reached them。 So now I know； Jack thought as he grabbed Richard's arm and pulled him toward the raft。 First you get knocked down； then you hear the gun go off。
'You gotta go now；' Speedy said in a breathless rush of words。 'In thirty seconds； there's gonna be a lot more shootin。 Stay behind the breakwater as long's you can and then cut over。 Get her； Jack。'
Jack gave Speedy a frantic； driven look as a second bullet smacked into the sand before their little redoubt。 Then he pushed Richard down in the front of the raft and saw with some satisfaction that Richard had enough presence of mind to grasp and hang on to the separate rubbery tufts of the mane。 Speedy lifted his right hand in a gesture both wave and blessing。 On his knees Jack gave the raft a shove which sent it almost to the edge of the water。 He heard another trilling blast of the whistle。 Then he scrambled to his feet。 He was still running when the raft hit the water； and was wet to the waist when he pulled himself into it。
Jack paddled steadily out to the break…water。 When he reached the end； he turned into unprotected open water and began paddling。
4
After that； Jack concentrated on his paddling； firmly putting out of his mind any considerations of what he would do if Morgan's men had killed Speedy。 He had to get under the pilings； and that was that。 A bullet hit the water； causing a tiny eruption of droplets about six feet to his left。 He heard another ricochet off the breakwater with a ping。 Jack paddled forward with his whole strength。
Some time； he knew not how long； went by。 At last he rolled off the side of the raft and swam to the back； so that he could push it even faster by scissoring his legs。 An almost imperceptible current swept him nearer his goal。 At last the pilings began； high crusty columns of wood as thick around as telephone poles。 Jack raised his chin out of the water and saw the immensity of the hotel lifting itself above the wide black deck； leaning out over him。 He glanced back and to his right； but Speedy had not moved。 Or had he？ Speedy's arms looked different。 Maybe…
There was a flurry of movement on the long grassy descent behind the row of falling…down houses。 Jack looked up and saw four of the me
