dk.nightchills-第35节

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　〃Yeah。　Twenty　minutes。〃
　〃Get　moving。〃
　The　boy　started　toward　the　door。
　〃Don't　leave　that　way。　They'll　see　you。　Go　out　the　front。〃　Jeremy　went　down　the　narrow　hail　to　the　door。
　Salsbury　followed；　watched　until　the　boy　was　out　of　sight　behind　the　neighboring　house；　closed　the　door；　locked　it；　and　went　back　to　the　kitchen。
　Not　bad；　he　thought。　You're　holding　up　well；　Ogden。　H。　Leonard　himself　couldn't　have　coped　any　faster　than　you've　done。　Clever　as　hell。　You　are　certainly　clever。　With　your　mind　and　the　advantage　of　the　power；　the　key…lock　code　phrases；　you'll　weather　this　crisis。　If　Miriam　could　see　you　now　。　。　…'What　would　old　Miriam　say　now？　You　aren't　anything　like　Miriam　said　you　were。　You're　a　tough　customer。　Jesus；　what　a　tough　customer。　You　make　sound　decisions　under　pressure；　and　you　stick　with　them。　Smart。　Damned　smart。　But　oh；　my　God；　what　a　razor　edge　you're　walking！
　Standing　next　to　the　rear　window；　he　pushed　the　curtain　aside　a　fraction　of　an　inch；　until　he　could　see　the　garage。　Annendale　slid　the　squirrel's　cage　into　the　cargo　bed　of　the　station　wagon；　closed　the　tailgate；　and　put　up　the　electric　window。　Jenny　Edison　got　in　the　car。　Annendale　and　Emma　talked　for　perhaps　a　minute。　Then　he　got　behind　the　wheel　and　reversed　out　of　the　driveway。　When　Emma　waved　good…by　to　them　and　started　back　toward　the　house；　Salsbury　let　the　curtain　fall　into　place。
　She　came　into　the　kitchen；　saw　him；　and　was　startled。　She　looked　as　if　she　was　ready　to　scream。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　Who　are　you？〃
　〃I　am　the　key。〃　〃I　am　the　lock。〃　〃Relax。〃
　She　did。
　〃Sit　down。〃　She　sat。
　He　stood　in　front　of　her；　loomed　over　her。　〃What　were　you　and　Annendale　talking　about　out　there？〃
　〃He　kept　apologizing　for　his　daughter's　behavior。〃　Salsbury　laughed。
　Because　her　memories　of　this　morning's　events　had　been　selectively　edited；　she　didn't　see　the　humor　in　the　situation。　〃Why
　would　Rya　accuse　Bob　of　murder？　What　a　terrible　thing。　Does　she　think　she's　being　funny？　What　a　gruesome　joke！〃
　The　entrance　foyer　of　St。　Margaret　Mary's　Roman　Catholic　Church　was　quiet　and　nearly　lightless。　The　entire　interior　was　done　in　dark　pine…pegged　pine　floors；　dark　pine　walls；　open…beam　ceilings；　an　intricately　carved　twelve…foot…high　crucifix…as　befitted　the　major　house　of　worship　in　a　lumber　mill　town。　A　five…watt　bulb　burned　above　the　holy　water　font　twelve　feet　away。　At　the　far　end　of　the　auditorium；　votive　candles　flickered　in　ruby…colored　glass　cups；　and　soft　lights　shone　at　the　base　of　the　altar。　However；　little　of　this　ghostly　illumination　filtered　through　the　open　archway　into　the　foyer。
　Cloaked　in　these　shadows　and　in　the　holy　silence；　Jeremy　Thorp　leaned　against　one　of　the　two　heavy；　brass…fitted　front　doors　of　the　church。　He　opened　it　only　two　or　three　inches　and　held　it　in　place　with　his　hip。　Beyond　lay　a　set　of　brick　steps；　the　sidewalk；　a　pair　of　birch　trees；　and　then　the　western　end　of　Main　Street。　The　Union　Theater　was　directly　across　the　street；　he　had　an　adequate　view　of　it　in　spite　of　the　birches。
　Jeremy　looked　at　his　watch　in　the　blade　of　light　that　sliced　through　the　narrow　crack　between　the　doors。　10：20。
　As　they　approached　the　traffic　light　at　the　town　square；　Paul　switched　on　the　right…hand　turn　signal。
　Jenny　said；　〃The　store's　to　the　left。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃To　the　basketball　court　behind　the　theater。〃
　〃To　check　up　on　Emma？〃
　〃No。　I'm　sure　she's　telling　the　truth。〃
　〃Why；　then？〃
　〃I　want　to　ask　Mark　exactly　what　did　happen　this　morning；〃　he　said；　tapping　his　fingers　on　the　steering　wheel　as　he　waited　impatiently　for　the　light　to　change。
　〃Emma　told　us　what　happened。　Nothing。〃
　He　said；　〃Emma's　eyes　were　red　and　puffy；　as　if　she'd　been
　crying。　Maybe　she　and　Bob　had　an　argument　while　Mark　was　there。　Rya　might　have　e　to　the　door　at　the　height　of　the　shouting。　She　might　have　misunderstood　what　was　happening；　she　panicked　and　ran。〃
　〃Emma　would　have　told　us。〃
　〃She　might　have　been　too　embarrassed。〃
　As　the　traffic　light　turned　green；　Jenny　said；　〃Panic？　That　sure　doesn't　sound　like　Rya。〃
　〃I　know。　But　is　it　more　in　character　for　her　to　fabricate　extravagant　lies？〃
　She　nodded。　〃You're　right。　As　unlikely　as　it　is；　it's　more　likely　that　she　was　confused　and　that　she　panicked。〃
　〃We'll　ask　Mark。〃
　According　to　Jeremy　Thorp's　wrist　watch　it　was　10：22　when　Paul　Annendale　drove　his　station　wagon　up　Main　Street　and　into　the　alleyway　beside　the　theater。　As　soon　as　the　car　was　out　of　sight；　the　boy　left　the　church。　He　went　down　the　front　steps；　stood　at　the　curb；　and　waited　for　the　station　wagon　to　reappear。
　During　the　last　hour　the　sky　had　e　closer　to　the　earth。　From　horizon　to　horizon；　a　solid　mass　of　lowering　gray…black　clouds　rolled　eastward；　driven　by　a　strong　high…altitude　wind。　Some　of　that　wind　had　begun　to　sweep　the　streets　of　Black　River；　just　enough　of　it　to　turn　the　leaves　on　the　trees…a　sign；　according　to　folklore；　of　oning　rain。
　No　rain；　please；　Jeremy　thought。　We　don't　want　any　damn　rain。　At　least　not　before　tonight。　This　summer　a　dozen　kids　had　organized　a　series　of　bicycle　races　to　be　held　every　Friday。　Last　week　he　had　placed　second　in　the　main　event；　the　cross…town　dash。　But　I'll　be　first　this　week；　he　thought。　I've　been　in　training。　Heavy　training。　Not　wasting　my　time　like　those　other　kids。　I'm　sure　to　be　the　first　this　week…if　it　doesn't　rain。
　He　glanced　at　his　watch　again。　10：26。
　A　few　seconds　later；　when　he　saw　the　station　wagon　ing　back　down　the　alley；　Jeremy　started　walking　east　along　Main　Street　at　a　brisk　pace。
　*　*　*
　As　the　car　nosed　out　of　the　alley；　just　as　Paul　was　about　to　turn　right　onto　Main　Street；　Jenny　said；　〃There's　Jeremy。〃
　Paul　tapped　the　brakes。　〃Where？〃
　〃Across　the　street。〃
　〃Mark's　not　with　him。〃　He　blew　the　horn；　put　down　his　window；　and　motioned　for　the　boy　to　e　to　him。
　After　he　had　looked　both　ways；　Jeremy　crossed　the　street。　〃Hi；　Mr。　Annendale。　Hi；　Jenny。〃
　Paul　said；　〃Your　mother　told　me　you　and　Mark　were　playing　basketball　behind　the　theater。〃
　〃We　started　to。　But　it　wasn't　much　fun；　so　we　went　up　to　Gordon's　Woods。〃
　〃Where's　that？〃
　They　were　in　the　final　block　of　Main　Street；　but　the　road　continued　to　the　west。　It　rose　with　the　land；　rounded　a　bluff；　and　went　on　until　it　reached　the　mill　and　after　that　the　logging　camp。
　Jeremy　pointed　to　the　forest　atop　the　bluff。　〃That's　Gordon's　Woods。〃
　〃Why　would　you　want　to　go　up　there？〃　Paul　asked。　〃We've　got　a　tree　house　in　Gordon's　Woods。〃　The　boy　read　Paul's　expression　accurately；　and　he　quickly　said；　〃Oh；　don't　worry；　Mr。　Annendale。　It's　not　a　rickety　old　place。　It's　pletely　safe。　Some　of　our　fathers　built　it　for　all　the　kids　in　town。〃
　〃He's　right；〃　Jenny　said。　〃It's　safe。　Sam　was　one　of　the　fathers　who　built　it。〃　She　smiled。　〃Even　though　his　daughter　is　a　bit　too　old　for　treehouses。〃
　Jeremy　grinned。　He　wore　braces。　Those　and　the　freckles　that　peppered　his　face　disarmed　Paul。　The　boy　clearly　didn't　have　the　guile；　the　dark　personality；　or　the　experience　to　take　part　in　a　murder　conspiracy。
　Paul　felt　somewhat　relieved。　When　he　hadn't　found　Jeremy　and　Mark　at　the　basketball　court；　that　icy　hand　had　settled　once　more；　if　briefly；　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　He　said；　〃Is　Mark　up　at　the　treehouse　now？〃
　Yeah。
　〃Why　aren't　you　there？〃
　〃Me　and　Mark　and　a　couple　of　other　kids　want　to　play　Monopoly。　So　I'm　going　home　to　get　my　set。〃
　〃Jeremy。　。　。〃　How　could　he　possibly　find　out　what　he　wanted　to　know？　〃Did　anything…happen　in　your　kitchen　this　morning？〃
　The　boy　blinked；　a　bit　perplexed　by　the　question。　〃We　had　breakfast。〃
　Feeling　more　foolish　than　ever；　Paul　said；　〃Well　。　。　。　You　better　get　your　Monopoly　set。　The　other　kids　are　waiting。〃
　Jeremy　said　good…by　to　Jenny　and　Paul　and　to　Buster；　turned；　looked　both　ways；　and　crossed　the　street。
　Paul　watched　him　until　he　turned　the　corner　at　the　square。
　〃Now　what？〃　Jenny　asked。
　〃Rya　probably　ran　to　Sam　for　sympathy　and　protection。〃　He　sighed。　〃She's　had　time　to　calm　down。　Maybe　she　realizes　that　she　panicked。　We'll　see　what　her　story　is　now。〃
　〃If　she　didn't　run　to　Sam？〃
　〃Then　there's　no　use　looking　for　her　all　over　town。　If　she　wants　to　hide　from　us；　she　can　with　little　trouble。　Sooner　or　later　she'll　e　to　the　store。〃
　Sitting　at　the　kitchen　table；　across　from　his　mother；　Jeremy　recounted　the　conversation　he'd　had　with　Paul　Annendale　a　few　minutes　ago。
　When　the　boy　finished；　Salsbury　said；　〃And　he　believed　it？〃
　Jeremy　frowned。　〃Believed　what？〃
　〃He　believed　that　Mark　was　at　the　treehouse？〃
　〃Well；　sure。　Isn't　he？〃
　Okay。　Okay；　okay；　Salsbury　thought。　This　isn't　the　end　of　the　crisis。　You've　bought　some　time　to　think。　An　hour　or　two。　Maybe　three　hours。　Eventually　Annendale　will　go　looking　for　his　son。　Two　or　three　hours。　You've　no　time　to　waste。　Be　decisive。　You've　been　wonderfully　decisive　so　far。　What　you've　got　to　do　is　be　decisive　and　get　this　straightened　out　before　you　have　to　tell　Dawson　about　it。
　Earlier；　within　twenty　minutes　of　the　boy's　death；　he　had
　edited　the　Thorp　family's　memories；　had　erased　all　remembrance　of　the　killing　from　their　minds。　That　editing　took　no　longer　than　two　or　three　minutes…but　it　was　only　the　first　stag