cb.coldheart canyon-第31节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


uggested　this　was　not　particularly　well…fancied　real　estate；　which　was　surprising　given　its　location。　The　trees　had　been　allowed　to　grow　over　the　road；　in　some　places　intertwining　their　branches　to　form　a　leafy　vault　overhead。　In　one　spot；　where　a　number　of　tall　palm　trees　grew　close　to　the　road；　fallen　fronds　lay　in　a　brittle　carpet　on　the　pot…holed　tarmac。
　 She　began　to　get　just　a　little　anxious。　Although　she　reassured　herself　that　she　was　just　a　couple　of　minutes'　drive　away　from　Sunset；　this　felt　like　a　very　different　world；　a　backwater；　where　who　knew　what　went　on？　That　very　fact；　of　course；　supported　her　shadier　suspicions。　This　was　a　perfect　place　for　an　illegal　transaction：　there　didn't　appear　to　be　anybody　here　to　witness　Caputo's　dealing。　Except；　of　course；　herself。
　 The　black　Lexus　had　been　out　of　sight　for　quite　a　while　when；　as　she　turned　a　corner；　she　came　upon　it　parked　so　badly　that　she　might　have　ploughed　into　the　back　of　it　had　she　not　acted　quickly　to　avert　the　collision。　She　swung　wide　of　it；　glancing　back　to　see　Caputo　manually　opening　a　pair　of　immense　gates。　The　thief　started　to　look　round　at　her；　but　she　put　her　foot　on　the　accelerator　and　was　out　of　sight　before　he　could　fix　his　gaze。　She　drove　on　a　considerable　distance；　but　the　road　came　to　a　dead…end；　which　left　her　with　two　options。　One；　to　turn　round　and　make　a　conspicuous　retreat　past　the　gates；　so　that　he　was　certain　she'd　gone；　or　to　hope　that　the　urgency　of　his　mission　would　make　him　careless　about　her　presence；　and　by　the　time　she'd　trekked　back　to　his　thieves'　lair　she　would　have　been　forgotten。　She　decided　on　the　latter。　She'd　e　too　far　to　turn　and　run　off　now　with　her　tail　between　her　legs。
　
　 The　first　thing　she　noticed　when　she　got　out　of　her　car　was　the　deep　hush　of　the　canyon。　Though　the　Bel　Air　house　was　nicely　situated；　away　from　the　din　of　any　major　thoroughfare；　she'd　still　been　aware　that　she　was　in　the　middle　of　a　city。　But　here　the　only　sound　was　the　music　of　birds；　and　insects　in　the　grass。　She　was　careful　not　to　slam　the　door。　Leaving　the　key　in　the　car；　and　the　door　just　slightly　ajar　in　case　she　needed　to　make　a　fast　getaway；　she　headed　back　down　the　street　to　the　gate。
　 There　were　no　cameras　mounted　along　the　perimeter　this　time；　which　surprised　her；　but　then　perhaps　she　was　walking　into　a　nest　of　infamous　felons；　and　everyone　in　the　vicinity　knew　to　keep　their　distance。　If　so…if　the　people　Marco　was　doing　business　with　were　real　villains…then　she　was　in　trouble。　She　was　alone　up　here；　and　nobody　knew　where　she'd　gone。
　 This　is　insanity；　she　thought　to　herself　as　she　walked。　But　she　kept　on　walking。　The　prospect　of　ing　out　of　this　the　unlikely　heroine　was　simply　too　attractive　to　be　turned　down。　Yes；　there　was　a　risk。　But　then　perhaps　it　was　time　she　took　a　few；　instead　of　hiding　away　in　her　house　and　doting　on　her　picture　collection。　She　was　in　the　thick　of　things　now；　and　she　wasn't　going　to　allow　herself　to　turn　her　back　on　this　adventure。　If　she　did…if　she　got　in　her　car　and　drove　away…wouldn't　she　always　wonder　how　different　things　might　have　been　if　for　once　in　her　life　she'd　had　the　courage　of　her　instincts？
　 Arnie　had　always　called　her　a　dreamer；　and　maybe　he　was　right　about　that。　Maybe　she'd　been　living　in　a　dream　world　for　too　long；　with　her　little　museum　of　photographs　to　dote　on；　hoping…though　it　could　never　happen；　of　course…that　one　day；　when　she　flicked　through　the　pictures；　Todd　would　look　at　her　and　smile　at　her　and　invite　her　into　his　world；　to　stay。　It　was　a　silly　dream；　and　she　knew　it。　Whereas　being　here　now；　walking　on　the　hard　street　in　the　hot　sun；　with　an　old　cracked　wall　to　the　left　of　her…all　that　was　real；　perfectly　real。　So　perhaps　today　was　the　day　when　the　photographs　became　real　too；　the　day　when　she　finally　found　her　way　to　a　man　of　flesh　and　blood；　to　a　Todd　who　would　return　her　look；　finally；　see　her　and　smile　at　her。
　 The　thought　made　her　quicken　her　step；　and　she　arrived　at　the　gates　breathing　a　little　faster；　exhilarated　by　the　prospect　that　with　the　hazards　she　imagined　the　house　contained　there　was　one　possibility　she　could　not　properly　imagine　（though　Lord　knows　she'd　tried　to　conjure　it　over　and　over）：　the　image　of　her　idol；　appearing　before　her；　and　her　with　so　much　to　say　she　wouldn't　know　where　to　begin。
　
　
　TEN
　 She　scanned　the　area　around　the　gates　（the　bars　of　which　were　exquisitely　interwoven　with　both　wrought　iron　vines　and　the　living　variety）；　in　search　of　the　inevitable　security　cameras；　but　to　her　surprise　found　none。　They　were　either　extremely　well　concealed；　or　else　the　owners　of　this　house　were　so　certain　that　their　Canyon　was　safe　from　visitors　that　they　didn't　feel　the　need　of　them。　More　surprisingly　still；　the　gates　had　no　locks；　she　was　able　to　push　one　of　them　open　wide　enough　for　her　to　slip　through。
　 She　could　see　some　of　the　house　from　where　she　stood；　though　it　was　mostly　hidden　by　the　great　riot　of　shrubs　and　trees　that　lined　the　curving　driveway。　Caputo's　car　was　parked　close　to　the　front　door。　The　trunk　was　open；　and　he　was　now　unloading　his　loot。　She　wished　she'd　brought　a　camera；　then　she　could　have　simply　photographed　him　in　the　middle　of　his　illicit　transaction；　and　left　with　her　evidence。　But　as　it　was；　she　felt　obliged　to　get　a　little　closer；　and　find　out　who　he　was　dealing　with。　If　she　didn't　have　some　further　evidence；　it　was　going　to　end　up　being　his　word　against　hers；　and　she；　after　all；　was　the　trespasser　here。　Her　accusations　weren't　going　to　carry　much　weight　unless　she　could　be　very　specific　about　what　she　had　witnessed。
　 She　waited　until　Caputo　had　gone　into　the　house；　and　then　crept　towards　the　front　door；　covering　perhaps　half　the　distance　between　door　and　gate　before　the　thief　strode　out　of　the　house　again；　and　returned　to　the　car。　She　ducked　for　cover　behind　a　Bird　of　Paradise；　its　sickly　sap　gummy　beneath　her　heels。　From　there　she　watched　while　Caputo　hauled　another　load　of　booty　up　out　of　the　trunk。　As　he　did　so　there　was　a　shout　from　inside　the　house；　the　voice　curiously　muted。
　 〃Marco！　This　picture's　cracked。〃
　 〃Shit。〃
　 Marco　set　down　the　box　he　was　lifting　from　the　trunk；　and　went　back　to　the　doorstep。　As　he　did　so；　the　owner　of　the　picture；　and　of　that　curiously　muffled　voice；　came　out　of　the　house。　The　sight　of　him　made　Tammy's　heart　quicken。　First；　he　was　shirtless；　his　slacks　hanging　low　on　his　hips。　His　torso　was　tanned；　but　far　from　trim。　He　looked　to　have　a　body　that　had　once　been　well　cared　for　but　was　now　quickly　going　to　seed。　The　muscles　of　his　upper　arms　were　soft；　and　he　had　the　beginnings　of　love…handles　spilling　over　his　belt。　His　face　was　swathed　in　bandages。　They　weren't　tight　to　his　skull；　like　the　bandaging　on　a　mummy。　They　were　more　irregular；　patches　of　gauze　held　against　his　cheeks　and　brow　and　jaw　and　neck；　with　lengths　of　bandaging　running　all　the　way　around　his　head　to　secure　them　and　locks　of　his　lush　dark　hair　stuck　up　out　of　the　bandages　like　tufts　from　the　pate　of　a　clown。　All　in　all；　that　was　what　he　resembled；　with　his　ill…fitting　pants；　and　his　little　paunch：　something　from　a　circus。　Part　clown；　part　freak。
　 He　lifted　up　the　picture　for　Marco　to　see。　〃Look。〃
　 〃It's　just　the　glass　that's　cracked。　Easy　fix。〃
　 〃You're　careless。〃
　 〃I　said　I'd　get　it　fixed；　boss。〃
　 〃That's　not　the　point。　You're　fucking　careless。〃
　 Only　as　the　clown　returned　into　the　house；　dropping　the　offending　picture　against　the　door…jamb　for　Marco　to　pick　up；　did　Tammy　realize　who　she'd　just　seen。
　 It　was　Todd。　Oh　my　Lord。。。
　 It　was　Todd　standing　there　on　the　doorstep；　with　his　face　all　bandaged　up　and　his　stomach　hanging　over　his　trousers。
　 Tammy　heard　herself　gasping。　She　put　her　hand　over　her　mouth　to　silence　the　sound；　but　she　needn't　have　bothered。　The　men's　fractious　exchange　had　escalated　into　an　argument　loud　enough　to　drown　out　any　noise　she　might　make。
　 〃You're　so　fucking　clumsy。〃
　 〃Some　of　the　stuff　slipped　off　the　back　seat；　that's　all。　No　big　deal。　It　was　an　accident。〃
　 〃Well；　there's　too　many　fucking　accidents　around　here　for　my　liking。〃
　 〃Hey。。。I　said　I'm　sorry。〃
　 〃It's　a　picture　of　the　house　where　I　was　born。〃
　 〃Yeah？　Well　I'll　get　a　new　frame　for　it　on　Monday。〃　The　exchange　about　the　broken　glass　apparently　came　to　a　halt　there。　Tammy　watched　while　Caputo　stood　on　the　step；　staring　into　the　house；　muttering　something　under　his　breath。　Whatever　it　was；　it　wasn't　for　Todd's　ears；　he　was　just　quietly　letting　off　steam。　He　leaned　on　the　car；　lit　a　cigarette　and　soothed　himself　with　a　smoke。
　 Tammy　didn't　dare　move。　Even　though　Caputo　wasn't　looking　directly　at　her；　there　was　a　better　than　even　chance　that　he'd　catch　sight　of　her　if　she　broke　cover。　All　she　could　do　was　stay　where　she　was；　her　mind　filled　with　feverish　explanations　for　what　she'd　just　seen。
　 Obviously　something　horrible　had　happened　to　Todd；　but　what？　Her　first　thought　was　that　one　of　his　ex…girlfriends　had　tried　to　harm　him　（he'd　always　had　poor　judgment　when　it　came　to　women）。　Either　that　or　there'd　been　some　kind　of　accident　（was　that　what　his　remark　about　〃too　many　accidents〃　had　meant？）。　Whatever　it　was；　he　was　in　terrible　pain；　or　else　why　would　he　be　acting　the　way