thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第20节

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　　〃You're　stupid；〃　I　said。　〃I　warned　you　about　dealing　with　junkies　on　credit…especially　when　they're　guilty。　You're　lucky　the　bastard　didn't　pay　you　off　with　a　bullet　in　the　stomach。〃　My　attorney　sagged。　〃He　was　my　cousin。　The　jury　found　him　innocent。〃
　　〃Shit！〃　I　snapped。　〃How　many　people　has　that　junkie　bastard　shot　since　we've　known　him？　Six？　Eight？　That　evil　little　tuck　is　so　guilty　that　I　should　probably　kill　him　myself；　on　general　principles。　He　shot　that　narc　just　as　sure　as　he　killed　that　girl　at　the　Holiday　Inn。。。and　that　guy　in　Ventura！〃　He　eyed　me　coldly。　〃You　better　be　careful；　man。　You're　into　some　heavy　slander。〃　I　laughed；　tossing　my　luggage　together　in　a　lump　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　while　I　sat　down　to　finish　my　drink。　I　actually　intended　to　leave。　I　didn't　really　want　to；　but　I　figured　that　nothing　I　could　possibly　do　with　this　gig　was　worth　the　risk　of　tangled　up　with　Lucy。。。No　doubt　she　was　a　beautiful　person；　if　she　ever　got　straight。。。very　sensative；　with　a　secret　reserve　karma　undernenth　her　Pit　Bull　act；　a　great　talent　with　fine　instincts。。。Just　a　heavy　little　gal　who　unfortunately　went　stone　crazy　somewhere　prior　to　her　eighteenth　birthday。
　　I　had　nothing　personal　against　her。　But　I　knew　she　was　perfectly　capable…under　these　circumstances…of　sending　us　both　to　prison　for　at　least　twenty　years；　on　the　strength　of　some　heinous　story　we　would　probably　never　even　hear　until　she　took　the　stand：　〃Yessir；　those　two　men　over　there　in　the　dock　are　the　ones　who　gave　me　the　LSD　and　took　me　to　the　hotel　。　。
　　〃And　what　did　they　do　then；　Lucy？〃
　　〃Well；　sir；　I　can't　rightly　remember　。　。
　　〃Indeed？　Well；　perhaps　this　document　from　the　District　At　torney's　files　will　refresh　your　memory；　Lucy。。。This　is　the　statement　you　made　to　Officer　Squane　shortly　after　you　were　found　wandering　naked　in　the　desert　near　Lake　Mead。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　for　sure　what　they　done　to　me；　but　I　remem　ber　it　was　horrible。　One　guy　picked　me　up　in　the　Los　Angeles　airport；　he's　the　one　who　gave　me　the　pill。。。and　the　other　one　met　us　at　the　hotel；　he　was　sweating　real　bad　and　he　talked　so　fast　that　I　couldn't　understand　what　he　wanted。。。No　sir；　I　don't　recall　exactly　what　they　did　to　me　at　that　point；　because　I　was　still　under　the　influence　of　that　drug。。。yessir；　the　LSD　they　gave　me。。。and　I　think　I　was　naked　for　a　long　time；　maybe　the　whole　time　they　had　me　there。　I　think　it　was　evening；　because　I　remember　they　had　the　news　on。　Yessir；　Walter　Cronkite；　I　remember　his　face　all　through　it。。。〃　No；　I　was　not　ready　for　this。　No　jury　would　doubt　her　testi　mony；　especially　when　it　came　stuttering　out　through　a　fog　of　tears　and　obscene　acid　flashbacks。　And　the　fact　that　she　couldn't　recall　precisely　what　we　had　done　to　her　would　make　it　impossible　to　deny。　The　jury　would　know　what　we'd　done。　They　would　have　read　about　people　like　us　in　the　2。95　paper　backs：　Up　To　The　Hilt　and　Only　Skin　Deep；　。　and　seen　your　type　in　the　5　fuck…flicks。
　　And　of　course　we　could'nt　possibly　taking　the　stand　in　our　own　defense…not　after　they'd　cleaned　out　the　trunk　of　the　Whale：　〃And　I'd　like　to　point　out；　Your　Honor；　that；　our　Prosecution　Exhibits　A　through　Y　are　available　to　the　jury　…　yes；　this　incredible　collection　of　illegal　drugs　and　narcotics　which　the　defendants　had　in　their　possession　at　the　time　of　their　arrests　and　forcible　seizure　by　no　less　than　nine　officers；　six　of　whom　are　still　hospitalized。。。and　also　Exhibit　Z；　sworn　testimony　by　three　professional　narcotics　experts　selected　by　the　president　of　the　National　District　Attorneys'　Conference…which　was　seriously　embarrassed　by　the　defendants'　attempts　to　infiltrate；　disrupt　and　pervert　their　annual　convention。。。these　experts　have　testified　that　the　drug　cache　in　the　possession　of　these　defendants　at　the　time　of　the　arrests　was　enough　to　kill　an　entire　platoon　of　United　States　Marines。。。and　gentlemen；　I　use　the　word　kill　with　all　due　respect　for　the　fear　and　loathing　I'm　sure　it　provokes　in　every　one　of　you　when　you　reflect　that　these　degenerate　rapists　used　this　galaxy　of　narcotics　to　pletely　destroy　the　mind　and　morals　of　this　once…innocent　teenager；　this　ruined　and　de　graded　young　girl　who　now　sits　before　you　in　shame。。。yes；　they　fed　this　girl　enough　drugs　to　scramble　her　brains　so　hor　ribly　that　she　can　no　longer　even　recall　the　filthy　details　of　that　orgy　she　was　forced　to　endure。。。and　then　they　used　her；　ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　jury；　for　their　own　unspeakable　ends！〃
　　
　　　5。　A　Terrible　Experience　with　Extremely　Dangerous　Drugs。
　　
　　There　was　no　way　to　cope　with　it。　I　stood　up　and　gathered　my　luggage。　It　was　important；　I　felt；　to　get　out　of　town　immediately。
　　My　attorney　seemed　to　finally　grasp　this。　〃Wait！〃　he　shouted。　〃You　can't　leave　me　alone　in　this　snake　pit！　This　room　is　in　my　name。〃　I　shrugged。
　　〃OK；　goddamnit；〃　he　said；　moving　toward　the　phone。
　　〃Look；　I'll　call　her。　I'll　get　her　off　our　backs。〃　He　nodded。
　　〃You're　right。　She's　my　problem。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃No；　it's　gone　too　far。〃
　　〃You'd　make　a　pisspoor　lawyer；〃　he　replied。　〃Relax。　I'll　handle　this。〃　He　dialed　the　Americana　and　asked　for　1600。　〃Hi；　Lucy；〃　he　said。　〃Yeah；　it's　me。　I　got　your　message。。。what？　Hell　no；　I　taught　the　bastard　a　lesson　he'll　never　forget。。；　what？。。。o；　not　dead；　but　he　won't　be　bothering　anybody　for　a　while…yeah；　I　left　him　out　there；　I　stomped　him；　then　pulled　all　teeth　out。。
　　Jesus；　I　thought。　What　a　terrible　thing　to　lay　on　somebody　a　head　full　of　acid。
　　〃But　here's　the　problem；〃　he　was　saying。　〃I　have　to　leave　here　right　away。　That　bastard　cashed　a　bad　check　downstairs　and　gave　you　as　a　reference；　so　they'll　be　looking　for　both　of　you。。。yeah；　I　know；　but　you　can't　judge　a　book　by　it's　cover；　Lucy；　some　people　are　just　basically　rotten。。。anyway；　the　pie　as　a　reference；　so　they'll　be　looking　for　both　of　us。　The　last　thing　in　the　world　you　want　to　do　is　call　this　hotel　again；　they'll　trace　the　call　and　put　you　straight　behind　bars。。。no；　I'm　moving　to　the　Tropicana　right　away；　I'll　call　you　from　there　when　I　know　my　room　number。。。yeah；　probably　two　hours；　I　have　to　act　casual；　or　they'll　capture　me　too。。。I　think　I'll　probably　use　a　different　name；　but　I'll　let　you　know　what　it　is。。。sure；　just　as　soon　as　I　check　in　。　。　。　what？　of　course；　we'll　go　to　the　Circus…Circus　and　catch　the　polar　bear　act；　it'll　freak　you　right　out　。　。
　　He　was　nervously　shifting　the　phone　from　ear　to　ear　while　he　talked：　〃No　。　。　。listen；　I　have　to　get　off；　they　probably　have　the　phone　tapped。。。yeah；　I　know；　it　was　horrible；　but　it's　all　over　now。。。　0　MY　GOD！　THEY'RE　KICKING　THEDOOR　DOWN！〃　He　hurled　the　phone　down　and　began　shout　ing：　〃No！　Get　away　from　me！　I'm　innocent！　It　was　Duke！　I　swear　to　God！〃　He　kicked　the　phon　against　the　wall；　then　leaned　down　to　it　and　began　yelling　again：　〃No；　I　don't　know　where　she　is！　I　think　she　went　back　to　Montana。　You'll　never　catch　Lucy！　She's　gone！〃　He　kicked　the　receiver　again；　then　picked　it　up　and　held　it　about　a　foot　away　from　his　mouth　as　he　uttered　a　long；　quavering　groan。　〃No！　No！　Don't　put　that　thing　on　me！〃　he　screamed。　Then　he　slammed　the　phone　down。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃That's　that。　She's　probably　stuffing　herself　down　the　incinerator　about　now。〃　He　smiled。　〃Yeah；　I　think　that's　the　last　we'll　be　hearing　from　Lucy。〃　I　slumped　on　the　bed。　His　performance　had　given　me　a　bad　jolt。　For　a　moment　I　thought　his　mind　had　snapped…that　he　actually　believed　he　was　being　attacked　by　invisible　enemies。
　　But　the　room　was　quiet　again。　He　was　back　in　his　chair；　watching　Mission　Impossible　and　fumbling　Idly　with　the　hash　pipe。　It　was　empty。　〃Where's　that　opium？〃　he　asked。
　　I　tossed　him　the　kit…bag。　〃Be　careful；〃　I　mattered。　〃There's　not　'such　left。〃　He　chuckled；。　〃As　your　attorney；〃　he　said；　〃I　advise　you　not　worry。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　bathroom。　〃Take　a　hit　out　of　that　little　brown　bottle　in　my　shaving　kit。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃Adrenochrome；〃　he　said。　〃You　won't　need　much。　Just　a　little　tiny　taste。〃　I　got　the　bottle　and　dipped　the　head　of　a　paper　match　intoit。
　　〃That's　about　right；〃　he　said。　〃That　stuff　makes　pure　mescaline　seem　like　gingerbeer。　You'll　go　pletely　crazy　if　you　take　too　much。〃　I　licked　the　end　of　the　match。　〃Where'd　you　get　this？〃　I　asked。　〃You　can't　buy　it。〃
　　〃Never　mind；〃　he　said。　〃It's　absolutely　pure。〃　I　shook　my　head　sadly。　〃Jesus！　What　kind　of　monster　client　have　you　picked　up　this　time？　There's　only　one　source　for　this　stuff　。　。
　　He　nodded。
　　〃The　adrenaline　glands　from　a　living　human　body；〃　I　said。　〃It's　no　good　if　youget　it　out　of　a　corpse。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　he　replied。　〃But　the　guy　didn't　have　any　cash。　He's　one　of　these　Satanism　freaks。　He　offered　me　human　blood…said　it　would　make　me　higher　than　I'd　ever　been　in　my　life；〃　he　laughed。　〃I　thought　he　was　kidding；　so　I　told　him　I'd　just　as　soon　have　an　ounce　or　so　of　pure　adrenochrome…or　maybe　just　a　fresh　adrenalin　gland　to　chew　on。〃　I　could　already　feel　the　stuff　working　on　me。　The　first　wave　felt　like　a　bination　of　mescaline　and　methedrmne。　Maybe　I　should　take　a　swim；　I　thought。
　　〃Yeah；〃　my　attorney　was　saying。　〃They　nailed　this　guy　for　child　molesting；　but　he　swears　he　didn't　do　it。　'Why　should　I　fuck　with　chi　Wren？'　he　says；　'They're　too　small！〃'