jherbert.sepulchre-第16节

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e　giggling。　Jiggle　and　giggle。　The　junkie　had　paid　for　the　enjoyment　with　a　windpipe　so　badly　flattened　that　he　talked　like　Popeye　for　the　rest　of　his　short　years。
　　Once　again；　Monk　was　on　the　hoof；　and　this　time　both　Pigs　and　Mob　were　after　him。　He　robbed　a　drugstore　for　some　travelling　money　（no　gun　necessary　for　a　crude　dude　like　Monk）；　leaving　the　druggist　seriously　splattered　among　his　pills　and　potions。
　　The　old　flaky　Dodge　he　stole　only　took　him　as　far　as　the　outskirts　of　town　before　coughing　oil　and　chunking　to　a　permanent　demise。
　　Shoulder　all　fiery　and　already　beginning　to　fester　in　the　heat；　ragged　oozy　cheeks　like　fast…food　counters　for　flies；　Monk　legged　his　way　down　US95　（maybe　he　had　Boulder　City　in　mind　he　wasn't　thinking　straight　by　then）；　a　fat　thumb　hoisted　（all　fingers　fisted；　no　POT　sign　this）　every　time　he　heard　an　engine　motoring　up　from　behind。　But　who　would　stop　for　a　hiker　with　a　dark　bubbly　stain　on　his　back　and　tomato…ketchup　spread　across　his　face？　Right。　No　fucker。　Nobody　normal。
　　Except　one　car　did　stop。
　　The　black　car；　its　windows　all　tinted　dark　and　mysterious；　glided　to　a　soundless　halt　beside　him；　the　movement　as　easy　as　a　vulture　landing　on　a　carcass。
　　Monk　shifted　his　bulk　so　that　he　was　facing　the　silent　car　（no　grace　in　his　movement；　none　at　all）；　pain　and　fatigue　stooping　him　by　now　（he'd　left　the　dead　Dodge　at　least　five　miles　behind）；　his　clothes　and　pony…tailed　hair　powdered　with　dust；　his　face；　with　its　scarlet…rose　cheeks；　puckered　up　into　a　shit…eating　grimace。　For　a　few　moments；　he　wondered　if　the　occupants　were　Big　Guys　who　kept　Small　Guys　down　（to　keep　the　law　in　your　pocket　you　had　to　maintain　a　certain　law　yourself）　and　he　waited　for　a　snub…nose　to　poke　through　a　lowered　window　like　some　black　viper　sliding　from　its　hole。
　　But　a　window　didn't　sink　down。　And　no　gun　was　pointed　towards　him　when　the　rear　passenger　door　was　opened　wide。
　　He　squinted　to　see　into　the　big　gloomy　interior　and　could　only　just　make　out　the　dark　shape　sitting　in　there　among　the　shadows。
　　Then　a　voice　said　in　a　persuasive　way：　'Need　a　lift；　Theo？'　（That　was　the　first　and　only　time　Kline　had　called　him　by　his　first　name。）
　　　
　　　
　　　12　NEATH
　　
　　'Not　far；　Liam；'　said　Cora；　leaning　forward　slightly　in　her　seat。　'Look　for　the　gates；　just　ahead　on　your　left。'　Kline；　beside　her；　opened　his　eyes　and　for　a　moment　that　seemed　no　less　than　infinite；　he　and　Halloran　stared　at　each　other　in　the　rearview　mirror。　It　was　Halloran　who　averted　his　gaze　and　he　was　surprised　at　the　effort　it　took　to　do　so。
　　Thick　undergrowth　and　trees　crowded　either　side　of　the　road；　the　greenery　even　more　dense　beyond；　the　few　gaps　here　and　there　almost　subterranean　in　their　gloom；　these　were　woodlands　of　perpetual　dusk。　The　high；　old…stone　wall　that　appeared　on　the　left　came　as　a　surprise：　it　looked　firmly　rooted　as　though　having　grown　with　the　trees；　a　natural　part　of　the　forest　itself；　organic　life　smothering　much　of　the　rough　stone　and　filling　cracks。　Twisted　branches　from　trees　on　the　other　side　loomed　over；　some　reaching　down　like　gnarled　tentacles　ready　to　snatch　unwary　ramblers。
　　He　noticed　the　opening　in　the　near…distance；　the　forest　withdrawing　there；　allowing　the　smallest　of　incursions　into　its　territory。　Halloran　slowed　the　Mercedes；　turning　into　the　drive；　the　roadway　here　cracked　and　uneven。　The　rusted　iron　gates　before　them　looked　impregnable；　like　the　forest　itself。　Letters　worked　into　the　wrought　iron　declared：　NEATH。
　　'Wait　for　a　moment；'　Kline　instructed　him。
　　Halloran　waited；　and　studied。
　　Tall　weathered　columns　hinged　the　gates；　stone　animals　mounted　on　each　（griffins？　he　wondered。　Too　decayed　to　tell）；　their　blank　eyes　glaring　down　at　the　car；　their　lichen…filled　mouths　wide　with　soundless　snarls。　The　gates　would　be　easy　to　scale；　he　noted；　as　would　be　the　walls　on　either　side。　No　barbed　wire　and；　as　far　as　he　could　tell；　no　electronic　warning　system。　And　all　the　cover　between　wall　and　road　that　any　would…be　intruder　could　desire。　Security　was　going　to　be　difficult。
　　Then　he　noticed；　beyond　the　gates；　the　lodge…house。
　　A　two…storey　building；　its　stone　as　seasoned　as　the　walls。　Its　windows　were　as　black　as　the　Devil's　soul。
　　Halloran　frowned　when　the　thought　sprang　into　his　mind　。
　　。　。　。　as　black　as　the　Devil's　soul。
　　A　phrase　remembered　from　early　years　in　Ireland；　only　then　it　had　been：　The　Divil's　owhn　soul。　Father　O'Connell；　thrashing　the　living　daylights　out　of　him；　had　said　it。　Thrashing　Liam　because　of　the　heinous　wickedness　he　had　led　the　two　Scalley　boys　into　（the　younger　one　had　confessed；　fearful　of　the　mortal　jeopardy　in　which　his　soul　had　been　placed　because　of　Halloran's　leadership）。　Thrashing　him　because　of　the　sacrilege　against　St　Joseph's；　breaking　into　the　church　in　the　hush　of　night；　leaving　the　dead　cat　the　boys　had　found　it　crushed　at　the　roadside…inside　the　holy　tabernacle；　the　animal's　innards　dripping　out　onto　the　soft　white　silk　lining　the　vessel's　walls；　its　eyes　still　gleaming　dully　when　Father　O'Connell　had　reached　in　for　the　chalice　the　next　morning。　Beyond　redemption　was　Liam's　soul；　the　priest　had　told　the　boy　with　every　sweep　of　his　huge　unpriestlike　hand；　beyond　saving；　his　spirit　as　graceless　and　as　black　as　the　Divil's　owhn　soul。　A　creature　spawned　for　Hell　itself；　and　a　rogue　who　would　surely　find　his　way　there　with　no　problem　at　all。　His　troublesome　ways　would　。　。　。
　　Halloran　blinked　and　the　memory　was　gone；　'。but　the　disquiet　lingered。　Why　think　of　boyhood　iniquity　at　that　moment？　There　were　worse　sins　to　remember。
　　'The　gates　are　locked？'　The　trace　of　Irish　in　his　voice　once　more；　the　unexpected　reverie　tinting　his　speech。
　　'In　a　way；'　replied　Kline。
　　Halloran　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　the　psychic　smiled。
　　'Wait；'　Kline　repeated。
　　Halloran　turned　back　and　looked　through　the　bars　of　the　gate。　There　was　no　movement　from　the　lodge；　no　one　leaving　there　to　e　to　the　entrance。　But　then　his　eyes　narrowed　when　he　saw…when　he　thought　he　saw…a　shadow　shift　within　a　shadow　inside　one　of　the　lodge's　upper　windows。　His　sharpened　focus　detected　no　further　movement。
　　'Open　up；　Monk；'　Kline　ordered　his　bodyguard。
　　With　a　low　grunt；　the　heavy…set　American　pushed　open　the　passenger　door　and　hefted　himself　out。　He　ambled　towards　the　gate　and　indolently　raised　a　hand　to　push　one　side　open；　taking　it　all　the　way　back；　its　base　grating　over　the　road's　uneven　surface；　until　foliage　poked　through　the　struts。　He　did　the　same　with　the　other　half；　then　stood　to　one　side　like　an　unkempt　guardsman　while　Halloran　drove　on　through。　He　closed　the　gates　once　more　when　the　Mercedes　drew　to　a　halt　inside　the　grounds。
　　Halloran　had　been　irritated　by　a　simple　procedure　which　had　been　dramatised　into　a　ritual。　He　could　only　assume　that　an　electronic　device　in　the　gate's　lock　had　been　triggered　by　whoever　was　inside　the　lodge；　yet　when　driving　through；　he　hadn't　noticed　any　such　mechanism。
　　'I　take　it　there's　someone　inside　。　。　。'　he　nodded　towards　the　lodge…house　'。　。　。　capable　of　stopping　any　uninvited　visitors　from　ing　through？'　Kline　merely　grinned。
　　Halloran　was　about　to　put　the　question　again；　more　pointedly　this　time；　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　vehicle　braking　sharply　on　the　road　outside　the　grounds。　He　turned　swiftly　to　see　the　other　Shield　car　reverse　back　to　the　opening　then　turn　in。
　　'Tell　Monk　to　open　the　gate　again；'　he　said。
　　'I'm　afraid　not。'　Kline　was　shaking　his　head。　'You　know　the　rules；　Halloran。'　There　was　a　hint　of　glee　in　his　voice；　as　though　the　psychic　were　enjoying　the　game　now　that　he　was　safely　home。
　　'Have　it　your　way。'　Halloran　left　the　Mercedes　and　walked　back　to　the　gate；　Monk　grudgingly　opening　it　a　fraction　to　allow　him　out。　The　two　Shield　operatives　waited　for　him　beside　the　Granada。
　　'Nearly　missed　this　place；'　one　of　them　said　as　he　drew　near。
　　Halloran　nodded。　'No　bad　thing。　How　about　the　Peugeot；　Eddy？'　Clean　away。　No　sign　at　all。
　　Halloran　wasn't　surprised。　'Response　from　Base？T　'As　we　figured。　The　car　was　stolen　from　Heathrow's　shortterm　carpark　some　time　last　night。　As　usual　the　owner　had　left　his　exit　ticket　inside。'
　　'Should　we　inform　the　Blues？'　asked　the　other　man；　who　had　been　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　the　road。
　　'That's　for　Snaith　to　decide；　but　I　don't　think　our　client　would　want　the　police　involved　at　this　stage。　If　things　get　serious；　we　might　have　to　insist。'　Both　operatives　grinned；　aware　of　how　much　it　would　take　to　render　a　situation　'serious'　as　far　as　Halloran　was　concerned。
　　'D'you　want　us　to　check　the　grounds？'　enquired　Eddy；　gesturing　towards　the　gate。
　　Halloran　shook　his　head。　'Off…limits　for　you　two。　Patrol　the　roads　around　here　and　keep　an　eye　out　for　that　Peugeot。　You　never　know；　they　might　chance　their　luck　again　later。　I'll　keep　my　RT　with　me　at　all　times　so　you　can　warn　me　if　you　spot　anything　suspicious。　From　what　I've　seen　so　far　this　place　is　high…risk；　so　stay　sharp。　Be　back　here　by　the　main　gate　in　three　hours　so　the　next　team　can　take　over。'
　　'Body　cover's　a　bit　thin；　isn't　it？'　the　second　operative　remarked；　never　once　allowing　his　observation　of　the　main　road　to　stray；　'particularly　n