ericlustbader.the ninja-第3节

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w　nearer；　its　wailing　rise　and　fall；　rise　and　fall；　blotted　out　all　other　sound。　People　were　running　silently　along　the　expanse　of　the　beach；　looking　birdlike　and　rather　awkward　as　they　tried　to　pensate　for　the　too　soft　footing。
　He　had　e　out　to　West　Bay　Bridge　early　in　the　season。　In　order　to　survive　now；　he　had　to　push　it　all　away　from　him；　into　a　forting　middle　distance；　not　too　close；　not　too　far　away。　The　agency；　Columbia；　everything。　Not　even　a　discovery　of　some　drowned　corpse　was　going　to　interrupt　his　solipsistic　world；　it　was　too　much　like　the　city。
　Oddly　enough；　it　put　him　in　mind　of　the　call。　It　had　e　only　a　few　days　after　he　had　left　the　agency。　He　had　been　in　the　middle　of　the　Times's　Op…Ed　page　and　his　second　Irish　coffee。
　'Mr　Goldman　was　good　enough　to　give　me　your　home　number；　Mr　Linnear；'　Dean　Whoolson　said。　'I　trust　I've　not　intruded。〃
　'I　still　don't　understand　why　you've　e　to　me；'　he　said。
　'It's　quite　simple；　really。　There　has　been；　of　late；　a　renaissance　of　interest　in　the　field　of　Oriental　Studies。　The　students　here　are　no　longer　satisfied　with　the　superficiality；　shall　we　say；　of　many　of　our　oriental　courses。　I'm　afraid　they　view　us　as　sadly　out　of　date　in　that　area。'
　'But　I'm　hardly　qualified　as　a　teacher。'
　'Yes；　we　are　well　aware　of　that。'　The　voice　was　rather　dry；　like　a　pinch　of　senescent　snuff　floating　through　the　air。　But　underneath　there　was　an　unmistakable　note　of　sincerity。　'Naturally　we　are　aware　that　you　do　not　possess　a　teaching　license；　Mr　Linnear；　but；　you　see；　this　course　I　have　in　mind　would　be　perfect　for　you。'　He　chuckled；　an　odd；　startling　sound　as　if　made　by　a　cartoon　character。　For　us；　too；　I　might　add。'
　'But　I　have　absolutely　no　familiarity　with　the　curriculum；'　Nicholas　said。　'I　wouldn't　have　any　idea　where　to　begin。'
　'Oh；　my　dear　fellow；　it's　a　piece　of　cake；'　Dean　Whoolson　said；　his　voice　now　radiating　confidence。　'The　course　is　a　seminar；　you　see。　Taught　by　four　professors。　Well；　three　now　that　Dr　Kinkaid　has　fallen　ill。　It　meets　twice　a　week　during　the　spring　semester　with　the　four　…　I'm　including　yourself；　of　course　…　rotating。　You　see　the　beauty　of　it；　Mr　Linnear？　You　can　leave　the　curriculum　to　the　others　and　stick　to　what　you　know　better　than　anyone　else　in　the　Western　Hemisphere。'　That　strange；　oddly　likeable　chuckle　came　again；　reminding　Nicholas　of　mint　chocolates　and　crime　sweets。　'I　don't　imagine　you　would　have　to　concern　yourself　with　overlapping　the　others'　material；　would　you？　I　mean　to　say；'　he　rushed　on；　as　if　enraptured　by　the　whole…hearted　assurance　of　his　own　voice；　'the　kind　of　things　…　uh；　insights；　as　it　were　…　into　the　Japanese　mind　are　just　the　kind　of　things　we　are　looking　for。　The　students　would　be　delighted；　no　doubt　…　as　would　we。'
　There　was　a　singing　discernible　on　the　line　in　the　ensuing　silence　between　them　and；　faintly；　Nicholas　could　make　out　the　inconstant　sibilances　of　other　voices；　like　ghosts'；　raised　in　argument。
　'Perhaps　you　would　care　to　see　the　campus；'　Dean　Whoolson　said。　'And；　naturally；　it　is　most　beautiful　in　the　spring。'
　Why　not　try　something　different？　Nicholas　had　thought。　'All　right；'　he　had　said。
　People　were　still　running　past　him；　attracted　by　the　anxiety　the　wailing　siren　brought　out。　A　growing　knot　of　curious　onlookers　hovered；　quivering　on　the　borderline　between　revulsion　and　fascination；　moths　circling　a　flame　in　an　ever…tightening　orbit。　He　concentrated　on　the　sound　of　the　surf；　curling　and　rushing　in　towards　him；　calling　like　a　friend；　but　the　human　voices；　raised　in　excitement　and　query；　pierced　the　afternoon　like　needles。　For　them　it　was　but　a　side…show　attraction；　a　chance　to　turn　on　the　six　o'clock　news　and　say　to　their　　　　　friends；　'Hey！　See　that？　I　was　there。　I　saw　it　happen；'　exactly　as　if　it　were　Elizabeth　Taylor　and　her　touring　party　who　had　rolled　through　that　particular　stretch　of　surf；　and　then；　as　placidly　as　if　they　were　contented　bovines；　…return　to　their　　　　　icy　astringent　martinis；　the　sliced　pepperoni　dial　someone　had　thoughtfully　brought　out　from　Balducci's　in　the　city。
　His　house　was　of　weathered　grey　shingle　and　coffee…coloured　brick　with　neither　the　pop…eyed　Plexiglas　bubble　windows　nor　the　bizarre　cantilevered　walls　dial　many　of　the　homes　had　along　this　stretch。　To　the　right　of　the　house；　the　dunes　abruptly　gave　way　to　flat　sand；　somewhat　lower　man　dial　of　the　surrounding　area。　There　had　been；　until　early　December；　a　house　worth　roughly　a　quarter　of　a　million　dollars　on　that　property；　but　the　winter　had　been　fully　as　foul　as　the　one　in　1977…8　and　it　had　been　washed　away　with　much　of　the　land　itself。　The　family　was　still　trying　to　get　the　insurance　money　to　rebuild。　In　the　meantime；　there　was　more　open　space　to　the　side　than　was　usual　along　this　densely　populated　and　highly　fashionable　beachfront。
　The　breakers　seemed　to　be　pounding　harder　as　the　tide　continued　to　sweep　in　and　he　felt　the　cold　salt　water　licking　up　his　ankles　to　his　calves。　The　bottoms　of　his　jeans；　though　turned　up　several　times；　pulled　heavy　with　washed　sand。　He　was　reaching　down　to　brush　them　out　when　a　figure　barrelled　into　him。　He　fell　backwards　with　a　grunt；　someone　sprawled　on　top　of　him。
　'Why　the　hell　don't　you　watch　where　you're　going？〃　he　yelled　crossly　as　he　disentangled　himself。
　'Sorry；　but　you　don't　have　to　scream；　do　you？　It　was　a　simple　mistake。'
　The　first　thing　he　saw　was　her　face；　though　before　that　he　smelled　her　perfume；　faintly　citric　and　as　dry　as　Dean　Whoolson's　voice。　Her　face　was　extremely　close　to　his。　Her　eyes　he　thought　at　first　were　hazel　but　then　　　　he　saw　that　they　certainly　had　more　green　in　them　than　brown。　There　were　one　or　two　red　flecks　floating　in　the　left　iris。　Her　skin　was　creamy　and　lightly　freckled。　Her　nose　was　rather　too　wide；　which　gave　her　character；　and　her　lips　were　plump；　which　gave　her　an　innate　sensuality。
　He　grasped　her　firmly　under　the　arms　and　lifted　her　with　him。
　She　immediately　drew　away；　crossing　her　arms　over　her　breasts。　'Don't　do　that。'　Still　she　eyed　him；　made　no　move　to　pass　him　by。　Her　fingers　curled；　rubbing　the　flesh　of　her　arms　as　if　his　grip　had　bruised　her。
　'Haven't　we　met　before？〃　he　said。
　Her　lips　jerked　in　a　quick　quirky　smile。　'You　can　do　better　than　that；　can't　you？'
　'No。　I　mean　it。　I've　seen　you　somewhere　before。'
　Her　eyes　darted　for　a　moment　over　his　shoulder。　When　they　again　alighted　on　him　she　said；　'I　don't　think　…'
　He　snapped　his　fingers。　'In　Sam　Goldman's　office。　The　fall　or　the　winter。〃　He　cocked　his　head。　I'm　　not　mistaken。〃
　Her　eyes　seemed　to　clear　as　if；　with　Sam's　name；　some　almost　invisible　curtain　had　been　raised　within　them。　'I　know　Sam　Goldman；'　she　said　slowly。　'I've　done　some　freelance　jobs　for　him。'　Now　she　put　one　long　forefinger　up　to　the　centre　of　her　lips；　the　clear…lacquered　nail　burnished　by　the　light。　The　inconstant　sound　of　the　voices　down　the　beach　seemed　to　swell　like　the　roar　of　a　crowd　at　the　advent　of　a　grand…slam　home　run　or　a　bit　of　defensive　heroics　in　the　outfield。
　'You're　Nicholas　Linnear；'　she　said；　and　when　he　nodded　she　pointed　at　him。　'He　talks　about　you　all　the　time。'
　He　smiled。　'But　you　don't　remember　our　meeting。'
　She　shrugged。　'I　don't　know；　really。　When　I'm　involved　in　my　work。。。'　Her　shoulders　lifted；　fell　again。
　Nicholas　laughed。　'I　might　have　been　somebody　important。'
　'Judging　by　your　reputation；　you　are。　But　you　just　walked　away　from　all　of　it。　I　think　that's　odd。'
　Squinting　up　at　him；　sunglasses；　she　looked　no　more　than　a　college　girl；　as　if　the　sunlight　passing　through　her　had　somehow　illuminated　some　previously　hidden　inner　innocence。　At　last　her　eyes　slid　away　from　him。　'What's　going　on　up　there；　anyway？〃
　'They　found　a　body　in　the　ocean。'
　'Oh？　Whose？〃
　He　shrugged。　'I've　no　idea。〃
　'Haven't　you　just　e　from　there？〃　Her　gaze　slid　back　from　the　distance　over　his　left　shoulder；　touching　his　face。　It　was　like　a　cool　summer's　breeze　after　sundown。　'You　must've　seen　them　pull　it　out。〃　Her　eyes　were　better　than　arms；　keeping　him　at　a　carefully　measured　distance。　There　was　something　peculiarly　childlike　in　that；　he　thought。　A　hurt　child　…　or　scared。　It　made　him　want　to　reach　out　and　touch　her　reassuringly。
　'I　left　before　it　happened；'　he　said。
　'Aren't　you　in　the　least　bit　curious？〃　She　seemed　unmindful　of　the　wind　that　flicked　at　the　thick　mane　of　her　dark　hair。　'It　could　be　someone　from　around　here。　You　know　how　incestuous　this　place　is　…　we're　all　from　the　same　business。〃
　'I　have　no　interest　in　it。　No。〃
　She　unfolded　her　arms；　put　her　hands　in　the　front　pockets　of　her　cut…off　jeans。　She　wore　a　plain；　sleeveless　top。　It　was　turquoise　and　set　off　her　eyes。　Her　firm　breasts　swelled　with　her　breathing；　the　nipples　visible　points。　Her　waist　was　narrow；　her　legs　long　and　elegant。　She　moved　like　a　dancer。
　'But　you　do　have　interests；　I　see；〃　she　said　flatly。　'How　would　you　feel　if　I　looked　at　you　that　way？〃
　'Flattered；'　he　said。　Td　certainly　feel　flattered。'
　Justine　was　an　advertising　art　designer；　living　four　houses　down　the　beach；　who　found　it　convenient　to　work　out　of　the　city　during　the　summer。
　'I　loathe　New　York　in　the　summer；'　she　told　him　the　next　afternoon　over　drinks。　'Do　you　know　that　I　once　spent　the　entir