emb.seethemdie-第22部分

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　〃Zip；　cut　it　out；〃　she　said。　〃There's　people　watching。〃
　〃So　let　them；　who　cares？〃　He　took　one　arm　from　Elena　and　pointed　into　the　crowd。　〃Hey！　Hey　you！　Fat　boy！〃
　Frederick　Block；　who　had　shoved　his　way　up　to　the　barricade；　looked　up　at　Zip。
　〃You　watching　us；　Fat　Boy？〃
　Block　turned　away　with　a　look　of　extreme　disgust　on　his　face。　Zip　burst　out　laughing。
　〃See；　honey？〃　he　said。　〃Nobody　watching　us。〃　He　pulled　her　closer　to　him。　〃Mmmm；　you　are　the　softest　girl。〃
　〃I　shouldn't　let　you；〃　Elena　said。　〃Not　after　this　China　thing。〃
　〃Somebody's　got　to　protect　little　China；　no？〃　His　hands　roamed　her　body。　He　touched　her　breast；　and　she　pulled　away　from　him　quickly；　embarrassed；　but　he　drew　her　close　again；　and　she　stood　unprotesting　in　the　circle　of　his　arms。　Zip　stroked　her　back　gently。
　〃You　going　to　hurt　Alfie　Gomez？〃　Juana　asked。
　〃Drop　dead；〃　Zip　told　her。
　〃Big　man；〃　Juana　said。　〃Everybody　in　this　neighborhood's　a　big　man。　It's　just　you're　insecure；　that's　all。〃
　〃Man；　she　sprouts　that　crap　like　as　if　she　grows　it　in　her　mouth；〃　Zip　said。　〃I　got　news　for　you；　zombie。　I　am　a　big　man；　now　how　about　that？　The　Latin　Purples　ain't　afraid　of　nothing　or　nobody！〃
　〃Whoever　heard　of　the　Latin　Purples　outside　of　you　and　your　mother？〃　Juana　asked。　〃If　one　of　those　Royal　Guardians　came　down　the　street　right　now；　you'd　pass　out　cold。〃
　〃I　ain't　afraid　of　no　Royal　Guardians；〃　Zip　said　angrily。　〃I　ain't　afraid　of　nobody！〃　He　searched　in　his　mind　for　a　clincher　to　his　argument；　and　then　blurted；　〃Why；　one　of　my　boys　is　out　right　now；　rounding　up　a　couple　of　pieces！〃
　〃If　one　of　them　goes　off　accidentally；　you'll　run　a　mile。〃
　〃You　better　tell　your　pal　to　shut　up；　Elena；〃　Zip　warned。
　〃Juana；　stop　picking　on。。。〃
　〃A　gun　is　a　psychological　symbol；〃　Juana　said。　〃You　only　want　one　because　you're　afraid。〃
　〃I　ain't　afraid　to　rap　you　right　in　the　mouth；〃　Zip　said。
　〃Big　man；〃　Juana　repeated；　but　she　shut　up。
　Zip　looked　out　over　the　crowd。　〃They're　ing　back；〃　he　said。　〃The　bulls　are　ing　back。〃
　
　
　11
　
　The　plan　was　a　simple　one；　but　Lieutenant　Byrnes　had　discovered　in　his　years　of　police　work　that　most　feasible　and　practical　plans　were　simple。
　The　plan　was　one　of　deception；　a　plan　which　would　utilize　every　man's　innate　susceptibility　to　the　expected；　and　then　knock　him　flat　by　suddenly　producing　the　unexpected。　The　plan；　of　course；　undertook　to　presume　what　Miranda　would　consider　〃expected〃。　But　it　seemed　a　reasonable　guess　to　suppose　that　Miranda　expected　the　cops　to　get　him　out　of　that　apartment；　and　that　one　certain　way　to　acplish　this　was　to　bust　into　the　joint。　If　a　rush　were　made　across　the　street；　a　rush　which　carried　all　the　earmarks　of　a　frontal　attack；　Miranda　would　brace　himself　for　an　assault　on　his　front　door。　Actually；　the　assault　would　e　from　elsewhere。　Such　was　the　unoriginal　and　simple　nature　of　the　deception。　Broken　down　into　simple　terms；　the　police　plan　could　have　been　stated　thusly：　Hit　him　where　he　ain't。
　〃Have　you　got　it　straight？〃　Byrnes　asked　his　men。
　〃I　want　the　fire　escape；〃　Parker　said。
　〃We'll　see　about　that。〃
　〃I　want　to　be　the　one　who　gets　him；〃　Parker　said。　〃I　want　to　blow　his　head　off。〃
　〃Sometimes；　Parker；　you　turn　my　goddamn　stomach；〃　Byrnes　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Well；　what　do　you　want　to　say　something　like　that　for？〃
　〃Skip　it；〃　Byrnes　said。　〃Do　you　understand　the　plan？〃
　〃I　understand　it；〃　Parker　said　sullenly。
　〃Frankie？〃
　〃I've　got　it。〃
　〃Steve？〃
　〃Run　through　it　once　more；　would　you；　Pete？〃
　〃Okay；　this　is　it　in　a　nutshell。　I'm　going　to　tell　Miranda　we're　ing　in　after　him。　A　pile　of　us'll　rush　the　stoop　when　the　shooting　starts。　Miranda　…　I　hope　…　will　think　we're　going　to　force　the　apartment　door　from　the　hallway。　But　one　of　us　will　break　away　from　the　rest　and　flatten　himself　against　the　side　of　the　building。〃
　〃Me；〃　Parker　said。
　〃Whoever　it　is；　he'll　pull　down　the　ladder　of　the　fire　escape　and　climb　up　to　the　first　floor。　He　may　be　able　to　get　Miranda　from　the　window。　Otherwise；　he'll　have　to　enter　the　apartment　and　have　it　out　there。　It's　tricky；　but　I'd　rather　risk　one　man　than　a　dozen。〃
　〃Let's　get　started；〃　Parker　said。
　〃In　a　minute。　I　need　a　volunteer　for　that　fire　escape　job。〃
　〃You've　already　got　your　volunteer；　Lieutenant；〃　Parker　said。
　〃You've　got　two〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃Keep　out　of　this；　Frankie。　This　is　my　baby。〃
　〃Why　should　it　be？〃
　〃Because　I　want　it。〃
　〃I'll　decide　who。。。〃　Byrnes　started。
　〃Lieutenant；　you'd　be　crazy　to　send　up　a　guy　who's。。。〃　Parker　cut　himself　short。
　〃Who's　what？〃　Hemandez　asked。
　〃Okay！　Who's　got　a　personal　stake　in　this；　okay？〃
　〃Personal？　What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃You　grew　up　with　Miranda！〃
　〃What　difference　does　that　make？　We　want　him　out　of　that　apartment；　don't　we？〃
　〃We　want　him　dead；〃　Parker　said。　〃He's　a　punk。　He　should　have　been　killed　a　long　time　ago。　He's　the　biggest　stink　in　these　streets。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　know　about　the　stink　here；　Parker？　Did　you。。。〃
　〃I　seen　plenty　of　it。　I　been　in　this　precinct　for。。。〃
　〃Did　you　grow　up　with　the　stink　in　your　nostrils；　day　and　night？　Did　you　live　with　it　every　day　of　your　life？〃
　〃You're　telling　me　about　this　precinct？　I　know　it　like　my　own　mother。　There's　nothing　you　can　tell　me　about。。。〃
　〃No；　nothing！　To　you；　this　precinct　is　one　big　violation；　one　big　crime　being　mitted　every　hour　on　the　hour。　And　you're　scared　of　the　place！　You're　scared　out　of　your　wits！〃
　〃Scared？　Who　the　hell。。。〃
　〃Well　to　me　it's　people！　And　they　deserve　a　goddamn　break！　They　want　to　get　that　son　of　a　bitch　as　much　as　you　do！〃
　〃They　want　him　to　hold　off　the　whole　damn　city！〃　Parker　shouted。　〃You　know　that！　You　know　it's　true！〃
　〃They　only　want　a　Puerto　Rican　to　win　for　a　change。　Okay；　if　I　go　up　there；　a　Puerto　Rican　wins。〃
　〃If　I　go　up。。。〃
　〃If　you　go　up；　you　purge　yourself。　You　think　killing　him　is　gonna　help　you；　Parker？　You　think　that's　the　answer？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　the　hell　you're　talking　about。〃
　〃If　you　go　up　there；　you　acplish　nothing。　Not　for　yourself；　and　not　for　the　city。　You'll　be　making　Miranda　a　hero。　I'm　telling　you　that　right　now。　You　kill　him；　and　this　neighborhood　has　a　martyr。　The　kids'll　be　playing　Pepe　Miranda　and　the　Cops　for　the　next　six　weeks。〃
　〃The　hell　with　the　kids。　You　think　I'm　interested　in。。。　？〃
　〃Who's　gonna　show　them；　Parker？　You　want　a　hundred　more　Mirandas　ten　years　from　now？〃
　〃You　gonna　show　them？〃　Parker　asked　sarcastically。
　〃If　I　kill　him；〃　Hernandez　said　flatly；　〃the　neighborhood　gets　nothing　but　a　dead　punk。〃
　〃You've　got　him；　Frankie；〃　Byrnes　said。
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Get　to　the　car；　Parker。　Radio　the　men　on　the　next　block　to　open　up。　I　want　to　draw　his　fire　away　from　these　windows。〃
　〃You're　sending　Hernandez　up　there？〃
　〃Yes。　Any　plaints？〃
　〃Damn　right　I've　got　a…〃
　〃Take　it　to　the　mayor！〃　Byrnes　snapped；　and　he　turned　his　back　and　walked　toward　the　patrolman　who　was　holding　the　megaphone。　Parker　stared　after　him；　spat　viciously　into　the　gutter；　and　then　walked　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　squad　car。
　A　reporter　behind　the　barricade　caught　at　Hernandez's　sleeve。　〃Hey；　are　you　in　charge　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃No。〃
　〃Well；　who　is？　Can't　we　get　some　men　in　there　for　pictures？〃
　〃The　police　department'll　send　out　pictures；〃　Hernandez　said。　He　pushed　past　the　reporter　and　walked　to　the　luncheonette。　〃Look　at　these　kids；〃　he　said　to　Luis。　〃Sucking　violence　from　the　same　tits　Miranda　used。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃He's　waiting　up　there　to　die；　Luis；　you　know　that？　He's　waiting　up　there　for　us　to　kill　him。〃
　Luis　nodded。
　〃And　you　know　something？　I　think　he　wants　to　die。　I　think　he　wants　to　end　it；　once　and　for　all。〃
　The　two　girls　who　came　around　the　avenue　and　stopped　at　the　mouth　of　the　street　were　apparently　more　interested　in　beginning　something　than　in　ending　it。　They　were　both　tall　brunettes。　One　was　wearing　a　tight；　bright…red　silk　dress。　The　other　wore　the　identical　dress　in　yellow。　The　dresses　were　designed　to　exhibit　and　reveal；　they　were　incapable　of　keeping　a　secret。　Every　nuance　of　flesh　beneath　the　skintight　silk；　every　subtle　hint　of　muscle　or　bone；　every　flowing　curve；　every　dimple；　every　puck