dk.coldfire-第6节

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　With　a　look　of　relief；　he　said；　〃Thank　you。〃　
　〃But　I　gotta　say…your　modesty's　refreshing。〃　
　He　looked　at　her　for　a　long　beat；　fixed　her　with　his　exceptional　blue　eyes。　
　〃So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne。〃　
　Then　he　closed　the　door；　turned　away；　and　entered　the　terminal。　
　Their　last　exchange　played　again　in　her　mind：　Your　modesty's　refreshing。　
　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne　She　stared　at　the　terminal　door　through　which　he　had　disappeared；　and　he　seemed　too　good　to　have　been　real；　as　if　she　had　given　a　ride　to　a　hitchhiking　spirit。　A　thin　haze　filtered　flecks　of　color　from　the　late…afternoon　sunlight；　so　the　air　had　a　vague　golden　cast　of　the　kind　that　sometimes　hung　for　an　instant　in　the　wake　of　a　vanishing　remnant　in　an　old　movie　about　ghosts。　
　A　hard；　hollow　rapping　noise　startled　her。　
　She　snapped　her　head　around　and　saw　an　airport　security　guard　tapping　with　his　knuckles　on　the　hood　of　her　car。　When　he　had　her　attention；　he　pointed　to　a　sign：　LOADING　ZONE。　
　Wondering　how　long　she　had　sat　there；　mesmerized　by　thoughts　of　Jim　Ironheart；　Holly　released　the　emergency　brake　and　slipped　the　car　in　gear。　
　She　drove　away　from　the　terminal。　
　Your　modesty's　refreshing。　
　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne　All　the　way　back　into　Portland；　a　sense　of　the　uncanny　lay　upon　her；　a　perception　that　someone　preternaturally　special　had　passed　through　her　life。　She　was　unsettled　by　the　discovery　that　a　man　could　so　affect　her；　and　she　felt　unfortably　girlish；　even　foolish。　At　the　same　time；　she　enjoyed　that　pleasantly　eerie　mood　and　did　not　want　it　to　fade。　
　So　are　you；　Miss　Thorne　That　evening；　in　her　third…floor　apartment　overlooking　Council　city　park；　as　she　was　cooking　a　dinner　of　angel…hair　pasta　with　pesto　sauce　pine　nuts；　fresh　garlic；　and　chopped　tomatoes；　Holly　suddenly　wondered　how　Jim　Ironheart　could　have　known　that　young　Billy　Jenkins　was　in　danger　even　before　the　drunken　driver　in　the　pickup　truck　had　appeared　over　the　crest　of　the　hill。　
　She　stopped　chopping　in　the　middle　of　a　tomato　and　looked　out　the　kitchen　window。　Purple…red　twilight　was　settling　over　the　greensward　low。　Among　the　trees；　the　park　lamps　cast　pools　of　warm　amber　light　on　the　grass…flanked　walkways。　
　When　Ironheart　had　charged　up　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　McAlbery　School；　colliding　with　her　and　nearly　knocking　her　down；　Holly　started　after　him；　intending　to　tell　him　off　By　the　time　she　reached　the　intersection　；　he　was　already　in　the　street；　turning　right　then　left；　looking　a　little　agitated。　。　。　wild。　In　fact　he　seemed　so　strange；　the　kids　moved　around　him　in　a　wide　arc。　She　had　registered　his　panicked　expression　and　the　kids'　reaction　to　him　a　second　or　two　before　the　truck　had　erupted　over　the　hill　like　a　daredevil's　car　flying　off　the　top　of　a　stunt　ramp。　
　Only　then　had　Ironheart　focused　on　Billy　Jenkins；　scooping　the　boy　out　of　the　path　of　the　truck。　
　Perhaps　he　had　heard　the　roar　of　the　engine；　realized　something　was　approaching　the　intersection　at　reckless　speed；　and　acted　out　of　an　instinctive　perception　of　danger。　Holly　tried　to　remember　if　she　had　been　aware　of　the　racing　engine　as　early　as　when　Ironheart　had　collided　with　her；　but　she　could　not　recall。　Maybe　she　had　heard　it　but　had　not　been　as　alert　to　meaning　as　he　had。　Or　perhaps　she　hadn't　heard　it　at　all　because　she'd　been　trying　to　shake　off　the　indefatigable　Louise　Tarvohl；　who　had　insisted　on　walking　with　her　to　her　car；　she　had　felt　that　she'd　go　stark　raving　crazy　if　she　were　forced　to　listen　to　even　another　minute　of　the　poet's　chatter；　she　knew　she　had　been　distracted　by　the　desperate　need　to　escape。　
　Now；　in　her　kitchen；　she　was　conscious　of　only　one　sound：　the　vigorously　boiling　water　in　the　big　pot　on　the　stove。　She　should　turn　the　gas　down；　put　in　the　pasta；　set　the　timer。　。　。　。　Instead　she　stood　at　the　cutting　board；　tomato　in　one　hand　and　knife　in　the　other；　staring　out　at　the　park　but　seeing　the　fateful　intersection　near　the　McAlbery　School。　
　Even　if　Ironheart　had　heard　the　approaching　engine　from　halfway　down　the　block；　how　could　he　so　quickly　determine　the　direction　from　which　the　truck　was　approaching；　that　its　driver　was　out　of　control；　and　that　the　children　were　consequently　in　danger？　The　crossing　guard；　initially　much　closer　to　the　sound　than　Ironheart；　had　been　taken　by　surprise；　as　had　the　kids　themselves。　
　Okay；　well；　some　people　had　sharper　senses　than　others…which　was　why　posers　of　symphonies　could　hear　more　plex　harmonies　and　rhythms　in　music　than　could　the　average　concert　goer；　why　some　baseball　players　could　see　a　pop　fly　against　a　glary　sky　sooner　than　others；　and　why　a　master　viniculturist　could　appreciate　subtler　qualities　of　a　rare　vintage　than　could　a　stoned…blind　wino　who　was　only　concerned　with　the　effect。　
　Likewise；　some　people　had　far　quicker　reflexes　than　others；　which　was　part　of　what　made　Wayne　Gretzky　worth　millions　a　year　to　a　professional　ice　hockey　team。　She　had　seen　that　Ironheart　had　the　lightning　reflexes　of　an　athlete。　No　doubt　he　was　also　blessed　with　especially　keen　hearing。　Most　people　with　a　notable　physical　advantage　also　had　other　gifts：　it　was　all　a　matter　of　good　genes。　That　was　the　explanation。　
　Simple　enough。　Nothing　unusual。　Nothing　mysterious。　
　Certainly　nothing　supernatural。　Just　good　genes。　
　Outside　in　the　park；　the　shadows　grew　deeper。　Except　at　those　places　where　lamplight　was　shed　upon　it；　the　pathway　disappeared　into　gathering　darkness。　The　trees　seemed　to　crowd　together。　
　Holly　put　down　the　knife　and　went　to　the　stove。　She　lowered　the　gas　flame　under　the　big　pot；　and　the　vigorously　bubbling　water　fell　to　a　slow　boil。　She　put　the　pasta　in　to　cook。　
　Back　at　the　cutting　board；　as　she　picked　up　the　knife；　she　looked　out　the　window　again。　Stars　began　to　appear　in　the　sky　as　the　purple　light　of　dusk　faded　to　black　and　as　the　crimson　smear　on　the　horizon　darkened　to　burgundy。　Below；　more　of　the　park　walkway　lay　in　shadow　than　in　lamplight。　
　Suddenly　she　was　gripped　by　the　peculiar　conviction　that　Jim　Ironheart　was　going　to　walk　out　of　darkness　into　a　pool　of　amber　light　on　the　pathway；　that　he　was　going　to　raise　his　head　and　look　directly　up　at　her　window；　that　somehow　he　knew　where　she　lived　and　had　e　back　for　her。　
　It　was　a　ridiculous　notion。　But　a　chill　quivered　along　her　spine；　tightening　each　knotted　vertebra。　
　Later；　near　midnight；　when　Holly　sat　on　the　edge　of　her　bed　switched　off　the　nightstand　lamp；　she　glanced　at　her　bedroom　window　through　which　she　also　had　a　view　of　the　park；　and　again　a　chill　ran　up　her　back。　She　started　to　lie　down；　hesitated；　and　got　up　instead。　In　panties　and　T…shirt；　her　usual　sleeping　attire；　she　moved　through　the　dark　room　to　the　window；　where　she　parted　the　sheers　between　the　drapes。　
　He　was　not　down　there。　She　waited　a　minute；　then　another。　He　did　appear。　Feeling　foolish　and　confused；　she　returned　to　bed。　
　She　woke　in　the　dead　hours　of　the　night；　shuddering。　All　she　could　remember　of　the　dream　were　blue　eyes；　intensely　blue；　with　a　gaze　that　penetrated　her　as　pletely　as　a　sharp　knife　slicing　through　soft　butter　She　got　up　and　went　into　the　bathroom；　guided　only　by　the　thin　moon　glow　that　filtered　through　the　sheers　over　the　window。　In　the　bath　room　she　did　not　turn　on　the　light。　After　she　peed；　she　washed　her　hands　and　stood　for　a　while　just　looking　at　her　dim；　amorphous　reflection　in　the　silvery…black　mirror。　She　washed　her　hands。　She　got　a　drink　of　cold　water　She　realized　that　she　was　delaying　her　return　to　the　bedroom　because　she　was　afraid　she　would　be　drawn　to　the　window　again。　
　This　is　ridiculous；　she　told　herself　What's　gotten　into　you？　She　reentered　the　bedroom　and　found　herself　approaching　the　window　instead　of　the　bed。　She　parted　the　sheers。　
　He　was　not　out　there。　
　Holly　felt　as　much　disappointment　as　relief　As　she　stared　into　the　night…swaddled　reaches　of　Council　Crest　Park；　an　extended　chill　quivered　through　her　again；　and　she　realized　that　only　half　of　it　was　generated　by　nameless　fear。　A　strange　excitement　coursed　through　her；　as　well；　a　first　ant　anticipation　of。　。　。　
　Of　what？　She　didn't　know。　
　Jim　Ironheart's　effect　on　her　was　profound　and　lingering。　She　had　not　experienced　anything　like　it。　Although　she　struggled　to　understand　what　she　was　feeling；　enlightenment　eluded　her。　Mere　sexual　attraction　was　the　explanation。　She　was　long　past　puberty；　and　neither　the　tidal　pull　hormones　nor　the　girlish　desire　for　romance　could　affect　her　like　this　At　last　she　returned　to　bed。　She　was　certain　that　she　would　lie　awake　for　the　rest　of　the　night；　but　to　her　surprise　she　soon　drifted　off　again。　As　she　tumbled　on　the　wire　of　consciousness；　she　heard　herself　mumble；　〃those〃　then　fell　into　the　yawning　void。　
　In　his　own　bed　in　Laguna　Niguel；　Jim　woke　just　before　dawn。　His　heart　was　pounding。　Though　the　room　was　cool；　he　was　bathed　in　sweat。　
　He'd　'been　having　one　of　his　frequent　nightmares；　but　all　he　could　recall　of　it　was　that　something　relentless；　powerful；　and　vicious　had　been　pursuing　him。　His　sense　of　onrushing　death　was　so　powerful　that　he　had　to　turn　on　the　lights　to　be　certain　that　something　inhuman　and　murderous　was　not　actually　in　the　room　with　him。　He　was　alone。　
　〃But　not　for　long；〃　he　said　aloud。　
　He　wondere