emb.seethemdie-第24部分

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　〃Alfie？〃　Cooch　said；　smiling。
　〃Alfie？〃　She　paused；　puzzled。　〃Alfredo；　do　you　mean？　Alfredo　Gomez？〃
　'Uh…huh；〃　Cooch　said；　nodding。
　〃What　about　him？〃　She　looked　at　her　watch。　She　would　have　to　hurry。　With　all　that　police　trouble　up　the　street；　she　would　have　to　cut　around　the　avenue　and　that　didn't　leave　much　time　to。。。
　〃We're　gonna　get　him；〃　Cooch　said。　〃For　what　he　done　to　you。〃
　〃What？〃　she　asked。
　〃Alfie；〃　he　repeated。
　〃Yes；　but　what　。。。　what　did　you　say？〃　She　studied　his　face。　She　was　certain　she　had　heard　him　correctly；　and　yet　his　words　hadn't　seemed　to　make　any　sense。
　〃For　what　he　done　to　you；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃You　know。〃
　〃No。　I　don't　know。〃
　He　had　taken　a　step　closer　to　her；　and　she　had　backed　away　from　him　slightly。　Blocking　her　path　to　the　steps；　he　moved　closer　now；　so　that　she　was　forced　to　take　another　step　backward；　almost　into　the　darkened　hallway　of　the　building。
　〃You　know　what　he　done；　China；〃　Cooch　said。
　She　looked　at　his　face。　His　face　looked　very　strange。　He　was　a　very　young　boy　with　a　ridiculously　silly　mustache　over　his　upper　lip；　and　she　had　always　thought　。。。　but　now　he　。。。　he　。。。　looked　different　somehow。
　〃I　have　a　gun；〃　he　said　suddenly。
　〃Sj？〃
　〃A　gun；　China。〃
　〃What　。。。　what。。。〃　She　was　forced　to　back　away　from　him　again；　into　the　hallway　this　time。　He　stood　silhouetted　in　the　doorway　of　the　building；　the　bright　sunshine　behind　him。　His　hand　moved。　For　a　moment；　she　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing。　And　then　she　saw　the　dull　glint　of　metal。
　〃It's　a　Luger；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Wh…what　are　you　going　to　do　with　that；　Cooch？〃
　〃Kill　Alfie；〃　he　answered。
　〃Kill。。。？　Why？　What　for？〃
　〃For　what　he　done　to　you？〃
　〃He　didn't　do　anything　to　me！〃　China　said。
　〃You　know　what　he　done；　China。〃　He　held　the　gun　up　close　to　her　face。　〃You　know　what　he　done。〃
　She　was　truly　frightened　now。　She　did　not　want　to　retreat　further　into　the　hallway；　but　he　kept　moving　closer　and　closer　to　her；　and　there　was　no　place　to　go　but　back。　For　a　crazy　moment；　she　wanted　to　turn　and　run　up　the　steps　to　her　apartment。　And　then　it　was　too　late。　He　had　stepped　between　her　and　the　steps　and　was　moving　toward　her　again　so　that；　in　backing　away　from　him；　she　stumbled　toward　the　garbage　cans　stacked　under　the　steps　on　the　ground　floor。
　〃Cooch；　I　。。。　I　have　to　go；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。　Alfie　didn't　do　anything　to　me。　If　you're　angry　at　him　because　you　think。。。〃
　〃This　is　what　he　done；　China；〃　Cooch　said；　and　his　hand　reached　out　for　her。
　She　felt　his　fingers　tighten　on　her　breast；　and　she　screamed；　pulling　away　from　him。　His　fingers　clung。　She　thought　her　blouse　would　tear。　Blindly；　she　brought　up　the　shopping　bag；　swinging　it　at　him；　screaming；　and　then　shoving　her　way　past　him　into　the　bright　sunlight　again；　rushing　down　the　steps；　still　screaming；　into　the　crowd。
　A　man　selling　ices　entered　the　street　at　the　opposite　end。
　〃Pidaguas！〃　he　called。　〃Pidaguas！　e　buy　some　pidaguas。〃
　Zip；　standing　on　the　crate；　turned　to　watch　the　man　who　pushed　through　the　crowd　with　his　cart。　〃Hey；　you　want　some　ices？〃　he　asked　Elena。
　〃You　got　any　loot？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Zip　answered。　〃What　flavor　you　want？〃
　〃Lemon；〃　Elena　said。
　〃I'll　have　a　lemon；　too；〃　Juana　said。
　〃Oh；　now　she　knows　me；〃　Zip　said；　leaping　down　from　the　crate。　〃Now　it's　buying　time；　she　knows　me。　Okay。　I'm　the　last　of　the　red…hot　spenders。　Everybody　gets　ices！〃
　From　the　crate；　Papa　said；　〃Me；　too；　Zeep？〃
　〃You；　too；　Papa！　Everybody！　Everybody　gets　pidaguas　today！　Hey；　Mac；　slow　down！　Don't　you　want　no　business？〃
　He　went　over　to　the　cart　and　placed　his　order。　He　seemed　happy　as　hell。　He　paid　no　attention　at　all　to　the　detectives　who　stood　not　six　feet　from　him。
　〃Where　are　your　men；　Andy？〃　Byrnes　asked。
　〃ing；　sir。〃
　Byrnes　turned　to　Hemandez　who　stood　staring　up　at　the　first　floor　of　the　tenement。　〃You　scared；　Frankie？〃
　〃A　little；〃　Hernandez　answered。
　〃I　don't　blame　you。〃　He　paused。　〃This　is　the　damnedest　thing　ever；　isn't　it？　The　last　one　I　remember　like　this　was　back　in　1931　when　this　guy　Nelson　O'Brien　was　holed　up　in　an　apartment　on　the　North　Side。　I　was　a　patrolman　at　the　time。　He　held　off　a　hundred　and　fifty　cops　for　two　hours　that　day。　We　were　chopping　holes　in　the　roof　and　dropping　tear　gas　down　on　him；　but　the　bastard　wouldn't　give　up。　We　wounded　him　three　times；　but　he　was　still　standing　when　we　went　into　the　apartment　to　collar　him。　Standing　and　cursing　…　but　out　of　amo。　He'd　hidden　both　his　guns　in　his　socks；　hoping　to　use　them　later　for　an　escape。　A　real　prize；　he　was。〃
　Byrnes　paused　and　stared　at　Hernandez。　〃I　didn't　feel　so　hot　that　day；　Frankie。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃They　guy　in　the　apartment　was　Nelson　O'Brien。〃　He　paused　again。　〃I'm　Irish。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃But　I'll　tell　you　something；　Frankie。　The　guys　like　Nelson　O'Brien　don't　stop　me　from　marching　in　the　St。　Paddy's　day　parade　every　year。　You　understand　me？〃
　〃I　understand　you。〃
　〃Good。〃　Byrnes　hesitated。　〃Take　care　of　yourself　on　that　goddamn　fire　escape；〃　he　said。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　lose　a　good　cop。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hernandez　said。
　Byrnes　extended　his　hand。　〃Good　luck；　Frankie。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Byrnes　turned　to　walk　back　to　the　squad　car。　〃Pete？〃　Hernandez　called。　Byrnes　faced　him。　〃Thank　you；〃　Hernandez　said　again。
　Marge　and　Marie；　the　two　prostitutes；　approached　Frederick　Block。　Block　was　pulling　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　back　pocket；　preparatory　to　mopping　his　face　with　it；　when　his　elbow　struck　something　very　soft。　He　turned　casually。　The　something　very　soft　was　covered　with　bright…red　silk。
　〃Hello；〃　Marge　said。
　〃Well；　hello；〃　Block　answered。　〃Quite　a　show；　isn't　it？〃
　〃If　you　like　this　kind　of　jazz；〃　Marie　said。
　〃Well；　it's　pretty　exciting；〃　Block　said。　He　studied　the　low…cut　front　of　Marie's　dress。　Damn；　if　this　girl　didn't　have　the。。。
　〃There　are　plenty　things　more　exciting　than　watching　a　cheap　gunman　get　shot；〃　Marie　said。
　〃Like　what？〃　Block　asked；　beginning　to　get　the　impression　that　this　girl　wasn't　even　wearing　a　brassiere。
　〃Can't　you　think　of　anything？〃　Marie　said。
　〃Well　。。。　I　can　think　of　a　few；〃　Block　said。
　〃Whatever　you　can　think　of；〃　Marie　said；　〃we　can　manage。〃
　Block　studied　the　girls　a　moment　longer。　He　mopped　his　face。　Then；　with　a　practiced　eye；　and　a　whispered　voice；　he　asked；　〃How　much？〃
　〃For　one　of　us　or　both？〃　Marie　asked。
　〃Both？　Well；　I　hadn't。。。〃
　〃Think　about　it。〃
　〃I　am。〃　'
　〃Think　fast；〃　Marge　said。
　〃We　like　to　work　together；〃　Marie　said。
　〃The　Bobbsey　Twins　down　on　the　Farm；〃　Marge　said。
　〃We　know　things　they　don't　even　know　in　Paris　yet；〃　Marie　said。
　〃We　know　things　ain't　even　been　invented　yet；〃　Marge　said。
　〃How　much？〃　Block　asked　again。
　〃Fifty　for　the　afternoon；　including　the　stretcher　bearers。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　stretcher　bearers。　To　carry　you　out　when　it's　over。〃
　Block　chuckled。　〃How　much　without　them？〃
　〃Twenty…five　for　me　alone。　My　name's　Marie。　It's　a　bargain；　believe　me。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　it；〃　Block　said。
　〃e　on；　e　on；〃　Marie　prompted。
　〃Can't　you　just　wait　a　minute？〃
　〃Love　don't　wait　a　minute；　mister；〃　Marie　said。
　〃Not　in　July　it　don't；〃　Marge　added。
　〃Twenty…five's　too　high；〃　Block　said。
　〃Make　it　twenty；　sport。　A　double　sawbuck；　what　do　you　say？〃
　〃You're　on。〃
　〃Or　vice　versa；〃　Marie　said　dryly。　She　turned　to　her　friend。　〃Well；　I'm　set　Now　what　are　you　gonna　do　with　all　that　love　busting　inside　you；　huh；　Marge？〃
　Jeff　Talbot　looked　at　the　wall　clock　and　left　the　luncheonette。
　It　was　fifteen　minutes　past　twelve。
　She　wasn't　ing。　He'd　been　a　jerk　to　think　she'd　keep　the　date。　He　went　out　into　the　street；　thankful　that　he　had　worn　his　whites　today。　God　what　a　hot　day；　why　hadn't　she　kept　the　date；　why　in　hell　hadn't　she　kept　the　date？　He　wanted　to　hit　somebody。　He　just　for　the　hell　of　it　felt　like　hitting　somebody。　You　meet　a　girl　like　that　maybe　once　in…　Oh；　the　hell　with　it。　Angrily；　he　stamped　back　into　the　luncheonette。
　〃I'm　shoving　off；　Louise；〃　he　said。
　〃What？〃　Luis　answered。
　〃She　didn't　show。　I'm　leaving。〃
　〃Good；〃　Luis　said；　nodding。　〃You　will　be　better　off　out　of　this　neighborhood。　There　are　other　girls