dk.nightchills-第39节

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n？〃
　〃Yes。　Terribly。〃
　〃Don't　be　nervous。　Relax。　Be　calm。〃
　Some　of　the　stiffness　went　out　of　her　slender　neck　and　Shoulders。　She　smiled。
　〃Tomorrow　is　Saturday；〃　he　said。　〃Will　there　be　three　operators　on　duty　during　the　daylight　shift？〃
　〃No。　On　weekends　there're　never　more　than　two。〃
　〃Joan；　I　see　you've　got　a　notebook　and　pen　next　to　your　typewriter。　I　want　you　to　prepare　for　me　a　list　of　all　the　operators
　who　are　scheduled　to　work　tonight　and　during　the　first　two　shifts　tomorrow。　I　want　their　names　and　their　home　telephone　numbers。　Understood？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃
　She　went　to　her　desk。
　Salsbury　crossed　to　the　front　door。　He　studied　West　Main　Street　through　the　six…inch…square　panes　of　glass。
　Presaging　a　summer　storm；　the　wind　whipped　the　trees　mercilessly；　as　if　trying　to　drive　them　to　shelter。
　There　was　no　one　in　sight　on　either　side　of　the　street。　Salsbury　looked　at　his　watch。　1：15
　〃Hurry　up；　you　stupid　bitch。〃　She　looked　up。　〃What？〃
　〃I　called　you　a　stupid　bitch。　Forget　that。　Just　finish　the　list。　Quickly　now。〃
　She　busied　herself　with　pen　and　notebook。
　Bitches；　he　thought。　Rotten　bitches。　All　of　them。　Every　last　one　of　them。　Always　fouling　him　up。　Nothing　but　bitches。
　An　empty　lumber　truck　went　past　on　Main　Street；　heading　toward　the　mill。
　〃Here　it　is；〃　she　said。
　He　returned　to　the　customer　service　counter；　took　the　notebook　page　from　her　hand；　and　glanced　at　it。　Seven　names。　Seven　telephone　numbers。　He　folded　the　paper　and　put　it　in　his　shirt　pocket。　〃Now；　what　about　repairmen？　Don't　you　have　linemen　or　repairmen　on　duty　all　the　time？〃
　〃We　have　a　crew　of　four　men；〃　she　said。　〃There　are　two　on　the　day　shift　and　two　on　the　evening　shift。　There's　no　one　regularly　scheduled　for　night　shift　or　for　the　weekends；　but　every　one　of　the　crew's　on　call　in　case　of　emergencies。〃
　〃And　there　are　two　men　on　duty　now？〃　〃Yes。〃
　〃Where　are　they？〃
　〃Working　on　a　problem　at　the　mill。〃　〃When　will　they　be　back？〃
　〃By　three。　Maybe　three　thirty。〃
　〃When　they　e　in；　you　send　them　over　to　Bob　Thorp's
　office。〃　He　had　already　decided　to　make　the　police　chief's　office　his　headquarters　for　the　duration　of　the　crisis。　〃Understood；　Joan？〃
　Yes。
　〃Write　down　for　me　the　names　and　home　telephone　numbers　of　the　other　two　repairmen？'
　She　needed　half　a　minute　for　that　assignment。
　〃Now　listen　closely；　Joan。〃
　Resting　her　arms　on　the　counter；　she　leaned　toward　him。　She　seemed　almost　eager　to　hear　what　he　had　to　tell　her。
　〃Within　the　next　few　minutes；　the　wind　will　blow　down　the　lines　between　here　and　Bexford。　It　won't　be　possible　for　anyone　in　Black　River　or　up　at　the　mill　to　make　or　receive　a　long…distance　call。〃
　〃Oh；〃　she　said　wearily。　〃Well；　that　sure　is　going　to　ruin　my　day。　It　sure　is？'
　〃plaints；　you　mean？〃
　〃Each　one　nastier　than　the　one　before　it。〃
　〃If　people　plain；　tell　them　that　linemen　from　Bexford　are　working　on　the　break。　But　there　was　a　great　deal　of　damage。　The　repairs　will　take　hours。　The　job　might　not　be　done　until　tomorrow　afternoon。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃They　won't　like　it。〃
　〃But　is　that　clear？〃
　〃It's　clear。〃
　〃All　right。〃　He　sighed。　〃In　a　moment　I'm　going　to　go　back　to　talk　with　the　girls　at　the　switchboard。　Then　upstairs　to　see　your　boss　and　his　secretary。　When　I　leave　this　room；　you'll　forget　everything　we've　said。　You'll　remember　me　as　a　lineman　from　Bexford。　I　was　just　a　lineman　from　Bexford　who　stopped　in　to　tell　you　that　my　crew　was　already　on　the　job。　Understood？〃
　〃Go　back　to　work。〃
　She　returned　to　her　desk。
　He　walked　behind　the　counter。　He　left　the　room　by　the　hall　door　and　went　to　talk　to　the　switchboard　operators。
　*　*　*
　Paul　felt　like　a　burglar。
　You're　not　here　to　steal　anything；　he　told　himself。　Just　your　son's　body。　If　there　is　a　body。　And　that　belongs　to　you。
　Nevertheless；　as　he　poked　through　the　house；　undeterred　by　the　Thorps'　right　to　privacy；　he　felt　like　a　thief。
　By　1：45　he　and　Sam　had　searched　upstairs　and　down；　through　the　bedrooms　and　baths　and　closets；　through　the　living　room　and　den　and　dining　room　and　kitchen。　There　was　no　corpse。
　In　the　kitchen　Paul　opened　the　cellar　door　and　switched　on　the　light。　〃Down　there。　We　should　have　looked　down　there　first。　It's　the　most　likely　place。〃
　〃Even　if　Rya's　story　is　true；〃　Sam　said；　〃this　isn't　easy　for　me。　This　prying　around。　These　people　are　old　friends。〃
　〃It　isn't　my　style　either。〃
　〃I　feel　like　such　a　shit。〃
　〃it's　almost　finished。〃
　They　descended　the　stairs。
　The　first　basement　room　was　a　well…used　work　center。　The　nearer　end　contained　two　stainless…steel　sinks；　an　electric　washer…dryer；　a　pair　of　wicker　clothes　baskets；　a　table　large　enough　for　folding　freshly　laundered　towels；　and　shelves　on　which　stood　bottles　of　bleach；　bottles　of　spot　removers；　and　boxes　of　detergents。　At　the　other　end　of　the　room　there　was　a　workbench　equipped　with　vises　and　all　of　the　other　tools　that　Bob　Thorp　needed　to　tie　flies。　He　was　an　enthusiastic　and　dedicated　fly　fisherman　who　enjoyed　creating　his　own　〃bait〃；　but　he　also　sold　between　two　and　three　hundred　pieces　of　his　handiwork　every　year；　more　than　enough　to　make　his　hobby　a　very　profitable　one。
　Sam　peered　into　the　shadow　cavity　beneath　the　stairs　and　then　searched　the　cupboards　beside　the　washer…dryer。
　No　corpse。　No　blood。　Nothing。
　Paul's　stomach　burned　and　gurgled　as　if　he　had　swallowed　a　glassful　of　acid。
　He　looked　in　the　cabinets　above　and　below　the　workbench；　flinching　each　time　he　opened　a　door。
　Nothing。
　The　second　basement　room；　less　than　half　the　size　of　the　first；
　was　used　entirely　for　food　storage。　Two　walls　were　covered　with　floor…to…ceiling　shelves；　and　these　were　lined　with　store…bought　as　well　as　home…canned　fruits　and　vegetables。　A　large；　chest…style　freezer　stood　against　the　far　wall。
　〃In　there　or　nowhere；〃　Sam　said。
　Paul　went　to　the　freezer。
　He　lifted　the　lid。
　Sam　stepped　in　beside　him。
　Frigid　air　rushed　over　them。　Streams　of　ghostly　vapor　snaked　into　the　room　and　were　dissipated　by　the　warmer　air。
　The　freezer　contained　two　or　three　dozen　plastic…wrapped　and　labeled　packages　of　meat。　These　bundles　weren't　stacked　for　optimum　use　of　the　space…and　to　Paul　at　least；　that　looked　rather　odd。　Furthermore；　they　hadn't　been　arranged　according　to　size　or　weight　or　similarity　of　contents。　They　were　merely　dumped　together　every　which　way。　They　appeared　to　have　been　thrown　into　the　freezer　in　great　haste。
　Paul　took　a　five…pound　beef　roast　from　the　chest　and　dropped　it　on　the　floor。　Then　a　ten…pound　package　of　bacon。　Another　five…pound　beef　roast。　Another　roast。　More　bacon。　A　twenty…pound　box　of　pork　chops
　The　dead　boy　had　been　placed　in　the　bottom　of　the　freezer；　his　arms　on　his　chest　and　his　knees　drawn　up；　and　the　packages　of　meat　had　been　used　to　conceal　him。　His　nostrils　were　caked　with　blood。　An　icy；　ruby　crust　of　blood　sealed　his　lips　and　masked　his　chin。　He　stared　up　at　them　with　milky；　frozen　eyes　that　were　as　opaque　as　heavy　cataracts。
　〃Oh　。　。　。　no。　No。　Oh；　Jesus；〃　Sam　murmured。　He　swung　away　from　the　freezer　and　ran。　In　the　other　room　he　turned　on　a　faucet；　the　water　splashed　loudly。
　Paul　heard　him　gagging　and　puking　violently　into　one　of　the　stainless…steel　sinks。
　Strangely；　he　was　now　in　full　control　of　his　emotions。　When　he　saw　his　dead　son；　his　intense　anger　and　despair　and　grief　were　at　once　transformed　into　a　deep　passion；　into　a　tenderness　that　was　beyond　description。
　〃Mark；〃　he　said　softly。　〃It's　okay。　Okay　now。　i'm　here。　I'm　here　with　you　now。　You　aren't　alone　anymore。〃
　He　took　the　remaining　packages　of　meat　from　the　freezer；　one　at　a　time；　slowly　excavating　the　grave。
　As　Paul　removed　the　last　bundle　from　atop　the　body；　Sam　came　to　the　doorway。　〃Paul？　I'll　。　…　。　go　upstairs。　Use　the　phone。　Call　。　。　the　state　police。〃
　Paul　stared　into　the　freezer。
　〃Did　you　hear　me？〃
　〃Yes。　I　heard　you。〃
　〃Should　I　call　the　state　police　now？〃
　〃Yes。　It's　time。〃
　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃
　〃I'm　all　right；　Sam。〃
　〃Will　you　be　okay　here…alone？〃
　〃Sure。　Fine。〃
　〃Are　you　certain？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Sam　hesitated；　finally　turned　away。　He　took　the　steps　two　at　a　time；　thunderously。
　Paul　touched　the　boy's　cheek。
　It　was　cold　and　hard。
　Somehow　he　found　the　strength　to　pull　the　body；　stiff　as　it　was；　out　of　the　freezer。　He　balanced　his　son　on　the　edge　of　the　chest；　got　both　arms　under　him　and　lifted　him。　He　swung　around　and　put　the　boy　on　the　floor；　in　the　center　of　the　room。
　He　blew　on　his　hands　to　warm　them。
　Sam　came　back；　still　as　pale　as　the　belly　of　a　fish。　He　looked　at　Mark。　His　face　twisted　with　pain；　but　he　didn't　cry。　He　kept　control　of　himself。　〃There　seems　to　be　some　trouble　with　the　telephones。〃
　〃What　sort　of　trouble？〃
　〃Well；　the　lines　have　been　blown　down　between　here　and　Bexford。〃
　Frowning；　Paul　said；　〃Blown　down？　It　doesn't　seem　windy　enough　for　that。〃
　〃Not　here　it　isn't。　But　it　probably　is　much　windier　farther　on
　toward　Bexford。　In　these　mountains　you　can　have　a　pocket　of　relative　calm　right　next　to　a　fierce　storm。〃
　〃The　lines　to　Bexford　。　。　。〃　Paul　brushed　strands　of　stiff；　frozen；　blood…crusted　hair　from　his　son's　white　forehead。　〃What　does　that　mean　to　us？〃
　〃You　can　ring　up　anyone　you　want　in　town