jherbert.sepulchre-第16部分
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The back…up Granada was hurtling towards them and Halloran swerved over to the left…hand side of the road； both cars screeching to a halt beside one another。 He was already snapping orders before the electric window was fully down。
'Hostiles just around the bend。 Stop them following。'
'You want us to engage？' the other driver shouted back。
'Not if you can help it…I saw guns in their hands。 I'll use another route to Home。' The cars took off at the same time； the exchange taking no more than seconds。
'Am I safe？' came Kline's querulous voice from the back。
'Not yet；' Halloran replied； looking into the rearview mirror in time to see the Granada disappear around the curve。 He returned his attention to the way ahead； on the alert for possible support for the 'hostiles'。 A van was approaching； two more cars behind that。 He pressed the button to raise his window and made ready to accelerate or slam on the brakes yet again； whichever course of action might prove necessary。 The line of vehicles passed without incident and he checked the mirror once more。 Still nothing ing up from behind； the van and cars continuing to travel away from the Mercedes。 He felt some of the tension ease from him。
Kline was back by his shoulder。 'Why didn't you tell your guys to shoot the bastards'？' he demanded angrily。
'This is Surrey；' Halloran told him； 'not the Middle…East。 Gun wars are frowned upon here。 Besides； they're not armed at present； a condition that'll have to be changed； I think。'
'Listen to me； Halloran 。 。 。' Kline began to say when the radio transmitter interrupted。
'Hector…Two。' Halloran reached for the hand…set。 'Hector…One。 Give me the news。'
'They were gone before we rounded the bend。 We drove on； but there was a junction not far ahead…they could've gone off in any direction。 Our guess is that they'd spotted us earlier； so didn't hang around or try to follow when you got away。'
'You made out the number？'
'Sure； when they passed the garage。' So had Halloran； but there was no need to repeat it to his operatives： they were too well trained to have made any mistakes。 'Call Base； get them to use their influence to run a check。'
'Will do。 As it was a Peugeot； it°s probably been stolen； not hired。'
'I agree。 Check it out though。 Scout the area for a while； then make your way to Home。 Out。'
'Catch you later。 Out。' Halloran drove on； moving briskly without breaking any speed limits； using the roadway to the full when he could； everwatchful at sideroads and bends； even though instinct told him they were now safe。
'Who were they； Felix？' he heard Cora ask from the back； nervousness still in her voice。
'How should I know？' was the reply。 'Thugs； lunatics！'
'Take it easy；' Halloran soothed。 'It won't be long before we reach your place。' Kline peered out the windows。 'Oh yeah？ Well this isn't the tuck the way。'
'No； but it'll get us there eventually。 I worked out various routes this morning before I collected you。 My team will use another way and meet us there。 Monk； you can put the gun away； you won't be needing it。' The pony…tailed bodyguard reluctantly obeyed。
'I told you； Cora；' Kline said； his words rushed； his breathing excited。 'I said I was in danger； I told you all。' He was once again the Felix Kline Halloran had first met； nervous； arrogant； too many words spilling from his lips。 'I sensed the danger； I just damn knew didn't I？ Bastards！ Halloran； I need more of your men to protect me。 I could've been hurt back there。'
'Wasn't it your idea that we limit our forces？'
'Yeah； yeah； you're right。 You'll do。 You got us out of a tight spot。 No more manpower required。 Right： I don't feel too good。' Cora immediately reached for him。
'Leave me alone！' Kline snapped； sinking back into his seat。 'I'm tired； I need to rest。 You all want too much from me； you all expect too much。 Let me rest； will you？' Halloran heard a clasp being opened； a rattling of pills in a container。
'Felix；' said Cora； 'take them； they'll calm you。'
'You think I want drugs at a time like this？ You trying to make me weak'？' There was a slapping sound and the pills sprinkled onto the seat and floor。
'I've got to stay alert； you stupid bitch！ Those bastards want to hurt me and you're trying to dope me up。'
'They're only Valium； Felix； that's all。 You need to calm down。' Monk's seat jerked as Kline kicked its back。 The bodyguard continued to watch the passing countryside as if he hadn't noticed。
Kline's voice had risen to a high pitch。 'You know what I oughta do with you； Cora？ You know what？ I oughta dump you right now； out of the car into the road。 Leave you here。 How would you like that； Cora； huh？ How would you get by then？ What fucking use are you to me？'
'Don't； Felix。' There was a mixture of misery and low panic in her voice。 'You've had a bad scare； you don't mean what you're saying。'
'Don't I？ Oh don't I？ You think I give a shit about you？' Halloran heard the smack of flesh on flesh； heard the girl's small； startled cry。 He brought the Mercedes to a smooth halt by the side of the road and turned round to face Kline； one arm resting casually on the back of the driver's seat。 Cora was leaning her forehead against the window； eyes closed； a watery line slowly seeping onto her eyelashes； there were red marks on her cheek。
'Kline；' he said evenly； 'you're beginning to irritate。 I can do my job better if you don't。 I want you to sit quietly so I can think； observe； and get you to our destination unharmed。 If by the time we arrive you're sick of me too； you can make a phone call and have me replaced。 It's no skin off my nose； know what I mean？ Do we have an arrangement？' Kline stared open…mouthed at him and for the merest instant； Halloran saw something in those liquid eyes that he couldn't recognise。 He'd faced killers and fanatics before and each had a distinctly similar and identifiable glint adrift in their gaze； he'd looked upon gunmen； abductors； and extortionists…childmurderers even…and a certain mien linked them all； setting them apart from others of the human race。 But there was a glimmer shining from deep inside this man that was like nothing else he'd witnessed before。 Kline's stare was almost mesmeric。
Until whatever held him became dulled； or at least； was veiled by a creeping normality。 Kline laughed； and it was a full； rich sound； unexpected and unlike his usual cackling。
'Whatever you say； Halloran；' he said good…humouredly。 'Yeah； whatever you say。' Halloran turned and shifted into D。 The Mercedes pulled away； heading into the winding country roads。 And during the last part of that journey； Halloran frequently checked the rearview mirror。 But this time he was mostly studying the man who was resting； with eyes now closed； in the backseat。
While Monk； from the corner of his eyes； watched Halloran。
MONK A PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
It was a lousy name anyway。 But none of the other kids ever added the 'ey'。 MONKEY。 Nah； too easy。 They called him Ape。 Up until he hit fourteen； that is。 That was when the ape pissed right back out of the cage。
Theo was never gutsy （or Theodore Albert； as his mama always called him … 'Theodore Albert you wuz baptised； and Theodore Albert you be called； honey mine'…as she parted his hair right down the middle； slicking either side with a licked palm； every fuckin' morning afore she pushed him out the door and along the path to where good of Uncle Mort waited in the pick…up…'You'd look real purty； boy；' Uncle Mort often observed； 'if you wunt so porky'… to take him down to Coatesville Junior High where the boys bent their knees and dragged their knuckles along the ground behind him； lumbering from side to side in an ape waddle； imitating his high wheezy voice （another affliction which didn't help none） until he finally flipped his aid and whirled around and knocked them squat…no； a lie： he cried； he always fuckin' cried。 'cos he was a mama's boy； he knew it and they knew it and they all knew he'd never raise a pudgy fist； he was too chickenshit to hit back； but 。 。 。） but he hadn't been chickenshit those few years later at West Chester High when he s
