emb.seethemdie-第31节

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　〃Lieutenant？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Frankie。〃　The　patrolman　paused。　〃He's　dead；　sir。〃
　Byrnes　nodded。　He　nodded　again。　And　then　he　realized　the　patrolman　was　waiting　for　instructions　and；　still　nodding；　he　said；　〃Bring　him　down。　Off　there。　Off　the　fire　escape。　Would　you　。。。　would　you　bring　him　down；　please？〃
　The　reporters　had　pushed　past　the　barricade　now；　and　they　surrounded　the　body　of　the　dead　Miranda。　Flash　bulbs　popped　on　the　street；　challenging　the　sunshine。
　〃Where's　Sixto　and　Papa？〃　Zip　asked。　〃Didn't　I　say　to　meet　me　here？〃
　〃Look；　Zip；　calm　down。　Try　to。。。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　what　to　do！〃　Zip　shouted；　shaking　Cooch's　hand　loose。　〃I　know　what　I'm。。。〃　and　he　stopped　talking。
　Sixto　and　Papa　had　turned　the　corner；　but　it　was　not　their　appearance　which　had　caused　the　sudden　widening　of　Zip's　eyes。　He　stared　at　the　two　boys　and　then　he　stared　at　their　panion；　and　he　balled　his　fists；　because　the　person　with　them　was　Alfredo　Gomez。
　〃Wha…？〃　he　started；　and　in　that　instant　two　patrolmen　came　from　the　doorway　of　the　tenement；　carrying　the　body　of　Frankie　Hernandez　on　a　stretcher。　The　people　in　the　crowd　began　murmuring　his　name　as　the　body　went　past。　Handkerchiefs　appeared；　and　women　sniffled　into　them。　The　men　in　the　crowd　were　taking　off　their　hats　and　holding　them　to　their　chests。
　〃It's　Frankie；〃　Luis　said。　〃Close　the　doors！　For　respect！　For　respect！〃　He　reached　up　for　the　overhead　door　of　the　luncheonette　and　pulled　it　down。　On　the　avenue　side　of　the　shop　another　man　pulled　down　the　door　there；　so　that　the　shop　faced　the　street　blindly　…　We　will　not　conduct　business　while　you　pass　by；　my　friend　…　as　the　patrolmen　carried　the　body　of　Hernandez　toward　the　ambulance。
　〃Can　we　get　a　few　more　pictures　of　Miranda；　Lieutenant？〃　one　of　the　reporters　asked。
　〃Take　all　the　pictures　you　want；〃　Byrnes　said。　〃He's　in　no　hurry。　Not　any　more。〃
　Luis　rolled　back　the　doors。　The　shop　was　open　again。
　〃What　happens　now；　Lieutenant？〃　the　reporter　asked。
　Byrnes　sighed　heavily。　〃We　pile　him　in　the　meat　wagon；　and　we　cart　him　off。　I　get　my　men　off　the　streets。　Try　to　unsnarl　the　traffic。　And　then　take　up　a　collection　for　a　good　cop。　I　don't　know。　What　happens　next？〃　He　turned　to　Carella。　〃Steve？〃
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃Who's　gonna　tell　Frankie's　father？　Who's　gonna　go　into　that　candy　store　around　the　corner；　where　he's　got　Frankie's　picture　pasted　to　the　mirror；　who's　gonna　go　in　there　and　tell　him　Frankie　is　dead？〃
　〃I'll　do　it　if　you　like；　Pete。〃
　〃No；〃　Byrnes　said；　sighing　and　shaking　his　head。　〃It's　my　job。〃
　〃We　really　nailed　him；　didn't　we？〃　Parker　said；　striding　over。　〃We　really　nailed　the　son　of　a…〃
　〃Shut　up；　Parker！〃　Byrnes　snapped。
　〃Wh…？〃
　〃Shut　your　goddamn　mouth！〃
　〃Wh…what　the　hell　is　wrong　now？'　Parker　asked；　his　face　taking　on　a　hurt　and　astonished　look。
　Sixto；　Papa；　and　Alfredo　stood　near　the　luncheonette。　Zip　walked　to　them　quickly。
　〃What　is　this；　Sixto？〃　he　asked。
　〃What　do　you　think　it　is；　Zip？〃
　〃I　don't　like　guessing　games。　What　are　you　up　to？〃
　〃I　tell　you；　Zip；〃　Sixto　said　simply。　〃If　you　wann　to　kill　Alfredo；　you　got　to　kill　us　all。〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about；　you　meatball？〃
　〃I　say　it　pretty　plain；　Zip。〃
　〃You　know　me　an'　Cooch　are　heeled？　You　know　we　can　blast　you　all　over　the　sidewalk？〃
　〃Si；　we　know；〃　Sixto　said。　〃Go　ahead。　Blast　us　all　ov'　the　sidewalk。〃
　〃What　do　you。。。？〃　Zip　stopped　and　looked　into　Sixto's　eyes。　Slightly　unnerved；　he　said；　〃What　do　you　…　mean？〃
　〃Be　careful；　Zip；〃　Cooch　said　quickly。　〃They　got　something　up　their　sleeves。　I　can　see　it。　They're　too　。。。　they're　too　sure　of　themselves。〃
　〃Sixto's　got　them　buffaloed；〃　Zip　said　quickly。　He　turned　his　attention　to　Papa。　〃You're　on　the　wrong　side；　Papa。　You　stick　with　Sixto；　and　it's　like　siding　with　the　ones　who　killed　Pepe。　You'd　be。。。〃
　〃Pepe　brings　disgrace　to　the　barrio〃　Papa　said。
　〃All　right；　that's　enough　pictures；〃　Byrnes　shouted。　〃Let's　get　him　out　of　here；　huh？〃
　Two　patrolmen　reached　down　and　rolled　Miranda　onto　a　stretcher。　Another　patrolman　threw　a　blanket　over　him。　Gingerly；　they　stepped　around　the　pool　of　blood　in　the　gutter　and　began　moving　toward　the　luncheonette。
　〃The　doors！〃　Zip　shouted。　〃Close　the　doors　for　him！〃
　But　no　one　moved　toward　the　doors。　Instead；　the　people　in　the　street　watched　the　body　as　it　passed　by；　and　slowly；　one　by　one；　they　turned　their　backs　to　it；　so　that　the　body；　as　the　cops　carried　it　toward　the　luncheonette；　was　presented　with　a　solid　wall　of　denial。
　〃The　doors！〃　Zip　shouted　again。　〃We　should　close　the　doors！〃
　But　no　one　moved。　One　by　one；　they　denied　the　body　of　Miranda；　and　then　…　silently；　so　silently　…　they　began　moving　off　the　street。　What　had　been　a　milling；　shouting　mob　not　ten　minutes　ago　was　suddenly　a　dispersing　group　of　whispering　people；　and　then　not　even　a　group　any　more；　simply　a　few　stragglers；　people　in　twos　and　threes；　and　then　the　street　barricades　were　carted　away；　and　the　squad　cars　revved　their　engines；　and　the　street　seemed　to　settle　down　into　its　Sunday　niche　again；　quiet；　peaceful。　It　almost　seemed　as　if　nothing　had　happened　on　that　street　that　day。
　Zip　stood　before　the　opened　doors　and　watched　the　body　of　Miranda　shoved　into　the　ambulance；　and　then　he　whirled　toward　Sixto　and　shouted；　〃You　think　you're　gonna　get　away　with　this？〃
　〃Move　aside；　Zip；〃　Sixto　said　calmly。　〃We　wann　to　get　through　now。〃
　〃You　won't　be　able　to　walk　the　street　no　more！〃　Zip　shouted。　〃You　think　you。。。〃
　〃We'll　see；〃　Sixto　said；　and　the　three　boys　stepped　away　from　the　luncheonette；　and　walked　past　Zip　and　Cooch　who　did　not　move　to　stop　them。
　〃You're　making　a　mistake！〃　Zip　yelled　after　them。　〃You're　making　a　big　mistake！〃　But　he　did　not　run　after　them；　and　he　did　not　try　to　stop　them。　〃Why　didn't　you　help　me；　Cooch？〃　he　said　suddenly；　angrily。　〃For　Christ's　sake；　we　just　let　them　walk　away；　for　Christ's　sake！〃
　〃They're　。。。　they're　too　strong；　Zip；〃　Cooch　said　in　a　whisper。
　〃We're　the　ones　with　the　guns！〃　Zip　protested。
　〃Yeah；　but　。。。　they　。。。　they　were　strong；〃　Cooch　said；　and　his　voice　fell。
　〃Aw…〃　Zip　made　a　meaningless　little　gesture　with　his　right　hand。　〃Aw…〃　He　stared　off　down　the　street。　The　squad　cars　had　pulled　away　now。　Patrolmen　were　still　lingering　on　the　block；　but　most　of　the　police　were　gone。　The　street　stretched　ahead　in　sticky　blackness　washed　with　hot　sunshine。　On　the　avenue；　the　traffic　had　started　up　again。　〃Jesus；　what　a　。。。　what　a　miserable　day　this　turned　out　to　be；〃　Zip　said；　and　he　looked　at　Cooch　with　troubled　eyes。
　〃Yeah；〃　Cooch　said　softly。
　Zip　looked　back　at　the　street；　and　then　he　sighed　heavily。　〃Well　。。。　what　do　you　want　to　do　the　。。。　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；　Cooch？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Ain't　you　。。。　ain't　you　got　no　ideas？〃
　〃We　could　go　to　the　flicks；　I　guess。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Zip　said　emptily。
　〃Or　play　some　stickball；　maybe。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Maybe　go　for　a　swim　at　the　pool。〃
　〃Yeah。　Yeah；　maybe　we　could　do　that。〃　He　turned　his　head　suddenly　and　jerkily　because　he　did　not　want　Cooch　to　see　the　tears　that　had　sprung　into　his　eyes。　Nor　did　he　know　why　he　was　crying。　It　was　just　that；　all　at　once；　in　the　heart　of　one　of　the　biggest　cities　in　the　world；　Zip　had　felt　all　alone；　utterly　alone；　and　the　enormity　of　the　city　and　the　inconsequence　of　himself　had　…　had　suddenly　frightened　him。
　〃I　guess　…　I　guess　we'll　find　something；〃　he　said；　and　he　thrust　his　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　the　two　boys　walked　up　the　sun…drenched　street；　their　heads　bent。
　Andy　Parker　passed　them　on　his　way　to　the　luncheonette。　He　glanced　at　them；　shrugged；　and　went　in　to　say　hello　to　his　friend　Luis。
　〃You　still　sore　at　me；　Luis？〃　he　asked；　as　if　this　had　been　troubling　him　all　along；　as　if　it　were　important　for　him　to　know　that　Luis　was　not　angry。
　〃No；　Andy；〃　Luis　said。
　〃Everybody's　sore　at　me；〃　Parker　said　blankly。　He　paused。　〃Why's　everybody　sore　at　me？〃　He　paused　again。　〃I　do　my　job。〃　He　looked　up　at　Luis。　〃I'm　sorry　I　yelled　at　you；　Luis。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry。〃
　He　stared　at　Luis。　And　because　Luis　was　a　human　being；　and　because　apologies　are　never　sincere　unless　they　are　tested；　unless　someone　hurls　into　the　face　of　〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　unforgiving　reply；　〃who　cares　whether　you're　sorry　or　not？　Go　drop　dead　in　a　corner！〃　and　gets　one　or　two　further　responses。　Gets；　〃In　any　case；　I　really　am　sorry；〃　or　gets；　〃Well　if　that's　the　way　you　feel；　go　to　hell！〃　and　knows　by　these　further　responses　whether　the　apology　was　real　to　begin　with；　being　human；　Luis　tested　the　apology。
　〃You　should　have　thought　of　that　before　you　spoke；〃　he　said；　and　his　eyes　narrowed；　and　he　waited　for　Parker's　answer。
　Parker　nodded。　〃I　should　have；〃　Parker　agreed。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　The　men　stared　at　each　other。　There　was　nothing　further　to　say　for　now。　Perhaps　there　was　nothing　further　to　say　ever。
　〃Well；　I　。。。　I　better　get　back　to　the　squad；〃　Parker　said。
　〃Si。〃
　Parker　waved；　seemed　to　bee　embarrassed　in　the　middle　of　the　gesture；　and　let　his　hand　drop。　Slowly；　he　shuffled　off　up　the　street。
　A　reporter　walked　into　the　luncheonette　and　took　a　stool。　〃Well；　everything　quiet　again；　huh？〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　have　a　cup　of　coffee；　huh？〃
　〃St'；　everything　quiet；〃　Luis　answer