emb.seethemdie-第6节
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ow。
〃He will know what to do；〃 Mrs。 Gomez said confidently。
4
The sailor's name was Jeff Talbot； and the rosy glow of the alcohol was beginning to wear off； and as he surveyed the street outside the luncheonette； he wondered how he could ever have said it looked like a nice neighborhood。 Somehow； even the sunlight did not help the look of the street outside。 It helped only in the way a powerful spotlight helps to illuminate a garbage dump。 He blinked at the sunshine； and he blinked at the street outside； and he suddenly said； 〃I'm sober；〃 and just as suddenly realized that he was。 〃Good；〃 Luis said。 〃How does the world look？〃 〃Miserable。〃 He swung his stool back toward the counter。 〃I'm getting a headache。 This is a pretty rotten neighborhood； ain't it？〃
〃It depends how you look at it；〃 Zip said。 〃I happen to like it。〃
〃You do？〃
〃It's where I live。 When I'm here； that sidewalk sings。〃 〃What does it sing？〃 Jeff asked。 His head was beginning to pound。 He wondered why he was talking with a stranger； wondered why he'd drunk so much the night before。
〃With him；〃 Luis said； 〃it sings Rock and Roll。〃
〃The old man is very hip； sailor。 He knows all the proper。。。〃
Zip stopped talking。 He tensed suddenly on the stool； his eyes fastened to the street outside。
〃What's the matter？〃 Jeff asked。
〃The Law；〃 Zip said quietly。
The Law to which he had referred was the law as personified by Detective Andy Parker who walked up the street with a sort of slumped； indifferent swagger； a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth； looking for all the world like a penniless bum who had just e from sleeping one off in a doorway。 His bright Hawaiian shirt was rumpled and soiled with coffee stains。 He scratched his chest indolently； his eyes flicking the street as he walked。
〃The only law I got to worry about is the Shore Patrol；〃 Jeff said； dismissing him。 He shoved his empty cup across the counter。 〃Can I get another cup of joe？〃 He grinned and then winced in pain。 〃Oh； man； but that head hurts when I smile。〃
Outside the luncheonette； Andy Parker waved at Luis and said； 〃Que pasa； maricon？〃
〃Hello； Andy；〃 Luis said； smiling。 〃Some coffee？〃
〃I can use a cup；〃 Parker answered。 〃Hot。〃 He walked into the luncheonette and took the stool next to Jeffs。 He studied Zip for a moment and then asked； 〃When did you start catering to the punk trade； Luis？〃
〃I'm having a cup of coffee；〃 Zip answered。 〃Anything wrong with that； Lieutenant？〃
〃I ain't a lieutenant； and don't get smart。〃
〃I thought you'd at least be a captain by now。 After all the drunks you pulled in from Grover Park。〃
〃Look； kid。。。〃
〃This is Detective Andy Parker； sailor；〃 Zip said。 〃He's what is known as a tough cop。 Fearless。 For two cents； he'd arrest his own grandmother。〃 He grinned almost immediately； and Jeff recognized the pattern suddenly。 It was as if someone had advised the boy that a grin would take him a long way； especially a grin posed of such sparkling white teeth； a grin that never failed to generate a warm response in its recipient。 Even Parker； faced with the sudden dazzling brilliance of the grin； smiled。
〃For two cents；〃 he answered； 〃I'd kick your ass all over the sidewalk。〃 But there was no menace in his words。 The threat； disarmed by the grin； was a hollow one。
〃See？〃 Zip said； still grinning。 〃I'll bet he can lick any sixteen…year…old kid on the block。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 Parker said； 〃push me another inch； kid。〃 But again the threat was not real； the smile had stolen all its power。 He turned his attention to the sailor； studied him for a moment and then said； 〃What are you doing around here； sailor？〃
〃Same thing as the kid here；〃 Jeff answered。 〃Having a cup of coffee。〃
〃Let's try it again；〃 Parker said tiredly。 〃What are you doing around here？〃
〃I heard you the first time；〃 Jeff said。
〃Then give me a straight answer。〃
〃Is this neighborhood off limits？〃
〃No； it ain't off limits； but it sure as hell。。。〃
〃Then leave me alone。〃
Parker studied him silently for a moment。 Then he said； 〃Pretty salty； huh？〃
〃Yeah； pretty salty；〃 Jeff said。
〃Andy； he's a little drunk；〃 Luis put in； spreading his hands。 〃You know； go easy on。。。〃
〃Keep out of this； Luis；〃 Parker snapped。
〃I'm sober now； Louise。 Thanks。〃
〃I asked a question。〃
〃Oh； for God's sake；〃 Jeff said； 〃I came to sit up with a sick grandmother。〃
Zip burst out laughing and then immediately squelched the laughter when Parker turned a frigid glare on him。 Zip shrugged。 Parker turned back to the sailor。
〃What's your grandmother's name？〃 he asked icily。
〃Now you got me； officer。 I always just called her plain Grandma。〃
〃What ship you off？〃
〃Why？〃
〃I'm asking！〃
〃How do I know you ain't a Russian spy？〃
〃You guys think you're pretty wise； don't you？ ing up here and fouling up my precinct？〃
〃Who's fouling up your lousy precinct？ I'm drinking a cup of coffee； that's all。〃
〃Here； Andy； here；〃 Luis said； anxious to make peace。 〃Here's your coffee。 Drink it while it's still hot。〃
Parker took the cup。 〃You know how many sailors get rolled up here？〃 he persisted。
〃How many？〃 Jeff asked。
〃This sailor don't get rolled； Lieutenant；〃 Zip said。 〃He's under my protection。〃
〃You couldn't protect a wooden nickel from a blind man。 What'd you e looking for； sailor？〃
〃I told you；〃 Jeff said； annoyed now。 〃Grandma。〃
〃Tail？〃
〃Why？ You peddling it on the side？〃
〃Sailor； don't get。。。〃
〃You mean to tell me I could actually find some in this nice； sweet； clean precinct you're so afraid I'm going to foul up？〃
〃Sailor； I'm talking to you like a friend。 Get the hell out of here。 Luis； am I giving him bum advice？〃
Luis shrugged。 〃I told him the same thing； Andy！〃
〃Sure；〃 Parker said； nodding。 〃Look； Luis lives here。 He knows this place like the back of his hand。 Did you tell him about this neighborhood； Luis？〃
〃I told him； I told him。〃
〃About what you run into around here？ The guys like Pepe Miranda？〃
〃Si； ah； there's a one；〃 Luis said。
〃What's the matter with Pepe？〃 Zip asked。 〃He made you guys look like a bunch of monkeys yesterday。〃 He grinned suddenly。 〃How many cops did he ambush？ Four？ Five？ Man； he made you look sick。〃 He turned to Jeff。 〃They walked into the apartment； and in ten seconds he had their guns and was on his his merry way。 They're lucky he didn't shoot them； just for kicks。〃
〃Big hero； huh？〃 Parker said。 〃He eludes the law； so you make him。。。〃
〃I ain't making him nothing。 It only seems to me that you big detective masterminds should have got him by now； that's all。 Don't you think so？〃
〃We'll get him；〃 Parker said。 〃Especially if he came back to this neighborhood。〃
〃Did he e back？〃 Zip asked； leaning forward。
〃Maybe；〃 Parker said。
〃No kidding？〃
Parker shrugged。
〃Here？ No kidding？〃
〃You wouldn't happen to know where； would you？〃
〃Me？ Why； Lieutenant； I would tell you instantly if I knew。 But； unfortunately； I do not follow the movements of the underworld。〃
〃Luis？〃 Parker asked； turning to the counter suddenly； as if hoping to catch Luis off guard。
〃This is the first I'm hearing； Andy。 Why did he e back here？ He didn't cause enough trouble here？〃
〃Who's Pepe Miranda？〃 Jeff asked。
〃Pepe Miranda is a thirty…five…year…old punk。 Am I right； Luis？〃
〃He's only a punk 'cause you can't nab him；〃 Zip said。
〃No； no； Andy is right；〃 Luis said。 〃Miranda's no good。 Pghhh； he's rotten。〃
〃Luis and I get along fine；〃 Parker said。 〃We understand each other。 He's been around here as long as I have； and he never so much as spit on the sidewalk。〃 Parker grinned。 〃He knows I'd drag him down the station house if he did； huh； Luis？〃
〃Oh； sure； sure；〃 Luis said； riding with the gag。
〃Why don't you drag Miranda down the station house； Lieutenant？〃 Zip asked sweetly。
〃Don't think we won't！ And cut the lieutenant crap！ He's been riding for a fall for a long time now。 When a kid has a j。d。 card before he's fourteen 。。。〃
〃A what？〃 Jeff asked。
〃A juvenile delinquency record。 At fourteen。 So what can you expect？ He's no different now than when he started that street gang years ago。 The Golden Spaniards。 Remember them； Luis？ This was even before street gangs were normal around here。〃
〃He was ahead of his time；〃 Zip said； grinning。
〃Ahead of his time； my ass。〃
〃No good；〃 Luis said； pulling a face。 〃I remember。 Snotnoses。 Like today。 No different。〃
〃Except today is the atomic age；〃 Parker said； 〃so they carry guns instead of knives。 Miranda killed a kid in 1942； sailor； when he was seventeen。 Slit the kid from ear to ear。〃
〃The kid probably deserved it；〃 Zip said。
〃His lawyer got him off with manslaughter；〃 Parker said。
〃He should have got the chair；〃 Luis put in。 〃They should have burned him。〃
〃They sent him upstate； to Castleview； and he spent just enough time there to get out of fighting in World War II。 When he was paroled； he came back here。 Heroin was the big thing then。 Miranda started pushing it。〃
〃Poisoning children！ Argh； what makes men do this！〃
〃Nobody starts on horse unless he wants to； dad；〃 Zip said。 〃Don't go blaming Miranda。〃
〃Okay by you if we blame him for all the people he's killed
