5 midnigh+sun-第37节

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also　want　to　talk　to　Bella。　　I　wasn't　sure　if　I　was　ready　to　have　Bella　more　involved　with　
my　world。　　Wasn't　one　vampire　trouble　enough？　
I　checked　in　routinely　with　Jessica　again。　　She　was　thinking　about　her　jewelry；　
asking　Angela's　opinion。　
〃Maybe　I　should　take　the　necklace　back。　　I've　got　one　at　home　that　would　
probably　work；　and　I　spent　more　than　I　was　supposed　to？〃　My　mom　is　going　to　freak　
out。　　What　was　I　thinking？　
〃I　don't　mind　going　back　to　the　store。　　Do　you　think　Bella　will　be　looking　for　us；　
though？〃　
What　was　this？　　Bella　wasn't　with　them？　　I　stared　through　Jessica's　eyes　first；　
then　switched　to　Angela's。　　They　were　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　a　line　of　shops；　just　
turning　back　the　other　way。　　Bella　was　no　where　in　sight。　
Oh；　who　cares　about　Bella？　　Jess　thought　impatiently；　before　answering　Angela's　
question。　〃She's　fine。　　We'll　get　to　the　restaurant　in　plenty　of　time；　even　if　we　go　back。　
Anyway；　I　think　she　wanted　to　be　alone。〃　　I　got　a　brief　glimpse　of　the　bookshop　Jessica　
thought　Bella　had　gone　to。　
〃Let's　hurry；　then；〃　Angela　said。　　I　hope　Bella　doesn't　think　we　ditched　her。　　She　
was　so　nice　to　me　in　the　car　before？　　She's　really　a　sweet　person。　　But　she's　seemed　kind　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
169　

of　blue　all　day。　　I　wonder　if　it's　because　of　Edward　Cullen？　　I'll　bet　that　was　why　she　was　
asking　about　his　family？　
I　should　have　been　paying　better　attention。　　What　all　had　I　missed　here？　　Bella　
was　off　wandering　by　herself；　and　she'd　been　asking　about　me　before？　　Angela　was　
paying　attention　to　Jessica　now—Jessica　was　babbling　about　that　idiot　Mike—and　I　could　
get　nothing　more　from　her。　
I　judged　the　shadows。　　The　sun　would　be　behind　the　clouds　soon　enough。　　If　I　
stayed　on　the　west　side　of　the　road；　where　the　buildings　would　shade　the　street　from　the　
fading　light？　
I　started　to　feel　anxious　as　I　drove　through　the　sparse　traffic　into　the　center　of　the　
town。　　This　wasn't　something　I　had　considered—Bella　taking　off　on　her　own—and　I　had　
no　idea　how　to　find　her。　　I　should　have　considered　it。　
I　knew　Port　Angeles　well；　I　drove　straight　to　the　bookstore　in　Jessica's　head；　
hoping　my　search　would　be　short；　but　doubting　it　would　be　so　easy。　　When　did　Bella　ever　
make　it　easy？　
Sure　enough；　the　little　shop　was　empty　except　for　the　anachronistically　dressed　
woman　behind　the　counter。　　This　didn't　look　like　the　kind　of　place　Bella　would　be　
interested　in—too　new　age　for　a　practical　person。　　I　wondered　if　she'd　even　bothered　to　
go　in？　
There　was　a　patch　of　shade　I　could　park　in？　　It　made　a　dark　pathway　right　up　to　
the　overhang　of　the　shop。　　I　really　shouldn't。　　Wandering　around　in　the　sunlight　hours　was　
not　safe。　　What　if　a　passing　car　threw　the　sun's　reflection　into　the　shade　at　just　the　wrong　
moment？　
But　I　didn't　know　how　else　to　look　for　Bella！　
I　parked　and　got　out；　keeping　to　the　deepest　side　of　the　shadow。　　I　strode　quickly　
into　the　store；　noting　the　faint　trace　of　Bella's　scent　in　the　air。　　She　had　been　here；　on　the　
sidewalk；　but　there　was　no　hint　of　her　fragrance　inside　the　shop。　
〃Welcome！　　Can　I　help—〃　the　saleswoman　began　to　say；　but　I　was　already　out　the　
door。　
I　followed　Bella's　scent　as　far　as　the　shade　would　allow；　stopping　when　I　got　to　
the　edge　of　the　sunlight。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
170　

How　powerless　it　made　me　feel—fenced　in　by　the　line　between　dark　and　light　that　
stretched　across　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　me。　　So　limited。　
I　could　only　guess　that　she'd　continued　across　the　street；　heading　south。　　There　
wasn't　really　much　in　that　direction。　　Was　she　lost？　　Well；　that　possibility　didn't　sound　
entirely　out　of　character。　
I　got　back　in　the　car　and　drove　slowly　through　the　streets；　looking　for　her。　　I　
stepped　out　into　a　few　other　patches　of　shadow；　but　I　only　caught　her　scent　once　more；　
and　the　direction　of　it　confused　me。　　Where　was　she　trying　to　go？　
I　drove　back　and　forth　between　the　bookstore　and　the　restaurant　a　few　times；　
hoping　to　see　her　on　her　way。　　Jessica　and　Angela　were　already　there；　trying　to　decide　
whether　to　order；　or　to　wait　for　Bella。　　Jessica　was　pushing　for　ordering　immediately。　
I　began　flitting　through　the　minds　of　strangers；　looking　through　their　eyes。　
Surely；　someone　must　have　seen　her　somewhere。　
I　got　more　and　more　anxious　the　longer　she　remained　missing。　　I　hadn't　
considered　before　how　difficult　she　might　prove　to　find　once；　like　now；　she　was　out　of　
my　sight　and　off　her　normal　paths。　　I　didn't　like　it。　
The　clouds　were　massing　on　the　horizon；　and；　in　a　few　more　minutes；　I　would　be　
free　to　track　her　on　foot。　　It　wouldn't　take　me　long　then。　　It　was　only　the　sun　that　made　
me　so　helpless　now。　　Just　few　more　minutes；　and　then　the　advantage　would　be　mine　again　
and　it　would　be　the　human　world　that　was　powerless。　
Another　mind；　and　another。　　So　many　trivial　thoughts。　
？think　the　baby　has　another　ear　infection？　
Was　it　six…four…oh　or　six…oh…four？？　
Late　again。　　I　ought　to　tell　him？　
Here　she　comes！　　Aha！　
There；　at　last；　was　her　face。　　Finally；　someone　had　noticed　her！　
The　relief　lasted　for　only　a　fraction　of　a　second；　and　then　I　read　more　fully　the　
thoughts　of　the　man　who　was　gloating　over　her　face　in　the　shadows。　
His　mind　was　a　stranger　to　me；　and　yet；　not　totally　unfamiliar。　　I　had　once　hunted　
exactly　such　minds。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
171　

〃NO！〃　I　roared；　and　a　volley　of　snarls　erupted　from　my　throat。　　My　foot　shoved　
the　gas　pedal　to　the　floor；　but　where　was　I　going？　
I　knew　the　general　location　of　his　thoughts；　but　the　knowledge　was　not　specific　
enough。　　Something；　there　had　to　be　something—a　street　sign；　a　store　front；　something　in　
his　sight　that　would　give　away　his　location。　　But　Bella　was　deep　in　shadow；　and　his　eyes　
were　focused　only　on　her　frightened　expression—enjoying　the　fear　there。　
Her　face　was　blurred　in　his　mind　by　the　memory　of　other　faces。　　Bella　was　not　his　
first　victim。　
The　sound　of　my　growls　shook　the　frame　of　the　car；　but　did　not　distract　me。　
There　were　no　windows　in　the　wall　behind　her。　　Somewhere　industrial；　away　from　
the　more　populated　shopping　district。　　My　car　squealed　around　a　corner；　swerving　past　
another　vehicle；　heading　in　what　I　hoped　was　the　right　direction。　　By　the　time　the　other　
driver　honked；　the　sound　was　far　behind　me。　
Look　at　her　shaking！　　The　man　chuckled　in　anticipation。　　The　fear　was　the　draw　
for　him—the　part　he　enjoyed。　
〃Stay　away　from　me。〃　　Her　voice　was　low　and　steady；　not　a　scream。　
〃Don't　be　like　that；　sugar。〃　
He　watched　her　flinch　to　a　rowdy　laugh　that　came　from　another　direction。　　He　was　
irritated　with　the　noise—Shut　up；　Jeff！　he　thought—but　he　enjoyed　the　way　she　cringed。　
It　excited　him。　　He　began　to　imagine　her　pleas；　the　way　she　would　beg？　
I　hadn't　realized　that　there　were　others　with　him　until　I'd　heard　the　loud　laughter。　
I　scanned　out　from　him；　desperate　for　something　that　I　could　use。　　He　was　taking　the　first　
step　in　her　direction；　flexing　his　hands。　
The　minds　around　him　were　not　the　cesspool　that　his　was。　　They　were　all　slightly　
intoxicated；　not　one　of　them　realizing　how　far　the　man　they　called　Lonnie　planned　to　go　
with　this。　　They　were　following　Lonnie's　lead　blindly。　　He'd　promised　them　a　little　fun？　
One　of　them　glanced　down　the　street；　nervous—he　didn't　want　to　get　caught　
harassing　the　girl—and　gave　me　what　I　needed。　　I　recognized　the　cross　street　he　stared　
toward。　
I　flew　under　a　red　light；　sliding　through　a　space　just　wide　enough　between　two　
cars　in　the　moving　traffic。　　Horns　blared　behind　me。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
172　

My　phone　vibrated　in　my　pocket。　　I　ignored　it。　
Lonnie　moved　slowly　toward　the　girl；　drawing　out　the　suspense—the　moment　of　
terror　that　aroused　him。　　He　waited　for　her　scream；　preparing　to　savor　it。　
But　Bella　locked　her　jaw　and　braced　herself。　　He　was　surprised—he'd　expected　
her　to　try　to　run。　　Surprised　and　slightly　disappointed。　　He　liked　to　chase　his　prey　down；　
the　adrenaline　of　the　hunt。　
Brave；　this　one。　　Maybe　better；　I　guess？more　fight　in　her。　
I　was　a　block　away。　　The　monster　could　hear　the　roar　of　my　engine　now；　but　he　
paid　it　no　attention；　too　intent　on　his　victim。　
I　would　see　how　he　enjoyed　the　hunt　when　he　was　the　prey。　　I　would　see　what　he　
thought　of　my　style　of　hunting。　
In　another　compartment　of　my　head；　I　was　already　sorting　through　the　range　of　
tortures　I'd　born　witness　to　in　my　vigilante　days；　searching　for　the　most　painful　of　them。　
He　would　suffer　for　this。　　He　would　writhe　in　agony。　　The　others　would　merely　die　for　
their　part；　but　the　monster　named　Lonnie　would　beg　for　death　long　before　I　would　give　
him　that　gift。　
He　was　in　the　road；　crossing　toward　her。　
I　spun　sharply　around　the　corner；　my　headlights　washing　across　the　scene　and　
freezing　the　rest　of　them　in　place。　　I　could　have　run　down　the　leader；　who　leapt　out　of　the　
way；　but　that　was　too　easy　a　death　for　him。　
I　let　the　car　spin　out；　swinging　all　the　way　around　so　that　I　was　facing　back　the　
way　I'd　come　and　the　passenger　door　was　closest　to　Bella。　　I　threw　that　open；　and　she　was　
already　running　toward　the　car。　
〃Get　in；〃　I　snarled。　
What　the　hell？　
Knew　this　was　a　bad　idea！　　She's　not