jg.atimetokill-第61部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　up　and　watched　it　disappear　down　the　street。
　Moments　later　he　noticed　two　figures　jogging　from　the　direction　of　the　square。　He　unbuttoned　his　holster　and　removed　his　service　revolver。　The　first　figure　was　much　larger　than　the　second；　and　seemed　to　run　with　more　ease　and　grace。　It　was　Ozzie。　The　other　was　Nesbit。　Pirtle　met　the　two　in　the　driveway　and　they　retreated　into　the　darkness　of　the　front　porch。　They　whispered　and　watched　the　street。
　〃What　exactly　did　he　say？〃　asked　Ozzie。
　〃Said　someone's　gonna　blow　up　Jake's　house　between　now　and　three　A。M。　Said　it　was　no　joke。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃Yep。　He　wasn't　real　friendly。〃
　〃How　long　you　been　here？〃
　〃Twenty　minutes。〃
　Ozzie　turned　to　Nesbit。　〃Give　me　your　radio　and　go　hide　in　the　backyard。　Stay　quiet　and　keep　your　eyes　open。〃
　Nesbit　scurried　to　the　rear　of　the　house　and　found　a　small　opening　between　the　shrubs　along　the　back　fence。　Crawling　on　all　fours；　he　disappeared　into　the　shrubs。　From　his　nest　he　could　see　the　entire　rear　of　the　house。
　〃You　gonna　tell　Jake？〃　asked　Pirtle。
　〃Not　yet。　We　might　in　a　minute。　If　we　knock　on　the　door；　they'll　be　turnin'　on　lights　and　we　don't　need　that　right　now。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　what　if　Jake　hears　us　and　es　through　the　door　firin'　away。　He　might　think　we're　just　a　couple　of　niggers　tryin'　to　break　in。〃
　Ozzie　watched　the　street　and　said　nothing。
　〃Look；　Ozzie；　put　yourself　in　his　place。　The　cops　have
　your　house　surrounded　at　one　o'clock　in　the　mornin'　waitin'　for　somebody　to　throw　a　bomb。　Now；　would　you　wanna　stay　in　bed　asleep　or　would　you　wanna　know　about　it？〃
　Ozzie　studied　the　houses　in　the　distance。
　〃Listen；　Sheriff；　we　better　wake　them　up。　What　if　we　don't　stop　whoever's　plannin'　this；　and　somebody　inside　the　house　gets　hurt？　We　get　blamed；　right？〃
　Ozzie　stood　and　punched　the　doorbell。　〃Unscrew　that　light　bulb；〃　he　ordered；　pointing　at　the　porch　ceiling。
　〃I　already　did。〃
　Ozzie　punched　the　doorbell　again。　The　wooden　door　swung　open；　and　Jake　walked　to　the　storm　door　and　stared　at　the　sheriff。　He　was　wearing　a　wrinkled　nightshirt　that　fell　just　below　his　knees；　and　he　held　a　loaded　。38　in　his　right　hand。　He　slowly　opened　the　storm　door。
　〃What　is　it；　Ozzie？〃　he　asked。
　〃Can　I　e　in？〃
　〃Yeah。　What's　going　on？〃
　〃Stay　here　on　the　porch；〃　Ozzie　told　Pirtle。　〃I'll　be　just　a　minute。〃
　Ozzie　closed　the　front　door　behind　them　and　turned　off　the　light　in　the　foyer。　They　sat　in　the　dark　living　room　overlooking　the　porch　and　the　front　yard。
　〃Start　talking；〃　Jake　said。
　〃　'Bout　a　half　hour　ago　we　took　an　anonymous　call　from　someone　who　said　that　someone　planned　to　blow　up　your　house　between　now　and　three　A。M。　We're　takin'　it　serious。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃I've　got　Pirtle　on　the　front　porch　and　Nesbit　in　the　backyard。　'Bout　ten　minutes　ago　Pirtle　saw　a　pickup　drive　by　real　interested　like；　but　that's　all　we've　seen。〃
　〃Have　you　searched　around　the　house？〃
　〃Yeah；　nothin'。　They　ain't　been　here　yet。　But　somethin'　tells　me　this　is　the　real　thing。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Just　a　hunch。〃
　Jake　laid　the　。38　beside　him　on　the　couch　and　rubbed　his　temples。　〃What's　your　suggestion？〃
　〃Sit　and　wait。　That's　all　we　can　do。　You　got　a　rifle？〃
　〃I've　got　enough　guns　to　invade　Cuba。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　get　it　and　get　dressed。　Take　a　position
　in　one　of　those　cute　little　windows　upstairs。　We'll　niae　oui…side　and　wait；〃
　〃Have　you　got　enough　men？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　figure　there'll　only　be　one　or　two　of　them。〃
　〃Who's　them？〃
　〃Don't　know。　Could　be　the　Klan；　could　be　some　freelancers。　Who　knows？〃
　Both　men　sat　in　deep　thought　and　stared　at　the　dark　street。　They　could　see　the　top　of　Pirtle's　head　as　he　slumped　in　the　wicker　chair　just　outside　the　window。
　〃Jake；　you　remember　those　three　civil　rights　workers　killed　by　the　Klan　back　in　'64？　Found　them　buried　in　a　levee　down　around　Philadelphia。〃
　〃Sure。　I　was　a　kid；　but　I　remember。〃
　〃Those　boys　woulcPve　never　been　found　if　someone　hadn't　told　where　they　was。　That　someone　was　in　the　Klan。　An　informant。　Seems　like　that　always　happened　to　the　Klan。　Somebody　on　the　inside　was　always　squealin'。〃
　〃You　think　it's　the　Klan？〃
　〃Sure　looks　like　it。　If　it　was　just　one　or　two　freelancers；　then　who　else　would　know　about　it？　The　bigger　the　group；　the　better　the　chance　of　someone　tippin'　us　off。〃
　〃That　makes　sense；　but　for　some　reason　I'm　not　forted　by　it。〃
　〃Of　course；　it　could　be　a　joke。〃
　〃Nobody's　laughing。〃
　〃You　gonna　tell　your　wife？〃
　〃Yeah。　I'd　better　go　do　that。〃
　〃I　would　too。　But　don't　be　turnin'　on　lights。　You　might　scare　them　off。〃
　〃But　I　would　like　to　scare　them　off。〃
　〃And　I'd　like　to　catch　them。　If　we　don't　catch　them　now；　they'll　try　again；　and　next　time　they　might　forget　to　call　us　ahead　of　time。〃
　Carla　dressed　hurriedly　in　the　dark。　She　was　terrified。　Jake　laid　Hanna　on　the　couch　in　the　den；　where　she　mumbled　something　and　went　back　to　sleep。　Carla　held　her　head　and　watched　Jake　load　a　rifle。
　〃I'll　be　upstairs　in　the　guest　room。　Don't　turn　on　any　lights。　The　cops　have　the　place　surrounded；　so　don't　worry。〃
　〃Don't　worry！　Are　you　crazy？〃
　〃Try　to　go　back　to　sleep。〃
　〃Sleep！　Jake；　you've　lost　your　mind。〃
　They　didn't　wait　long。　From　his　vantage　point　somewhere　deep　in　the　shrubs　in　front　of　the　house；　Ozzie　saw　him　first：　a　lone　figure　walking　casually　down　the　street　from　the　direction　opposite　the　square。　He　had　in　his　hand　a　small　box　or　case　of　some　sort。　When　he　was　two　houses　away；　he　left　the　street　and　cut　through　the　front　lawns　of　the　neighbors。　Ozzie　pulled　his　revolver　and　nightstick　and　watched　the　man　walk　directly　toward　him。　Jake　had　him　in　the　scope　of　his　deer　rifle。　Pirtle　crawled　like　a　snake　across　the　porch　and　into　the　shrubs；　ready　to　strike。
　Suddenly；　the　figure　darted　across　the　front　lawn　next　door　and　to　the　side　of　Jake's　house。　He　carefully　laid　the　small　suitcase　under　Jake's　bedroom　window。　As　he　turned　to　run；　a　huge　black　nightstick　crashed　across　the　side　of　his　head；　ripping　his　right　ear　in　two　places；　each　barely　hanging　to　his　head。　He　screamed　and　fell　to　the　ground。
　〃I　got　him！〃　Ozzie　yelled。　Pirtle　and　Nesbit　sprinted　to　the　side　of　the　house。　Jake　calmly　walked　down　the　stairs。
　〃I'll　be　back　in　a　minute；〃　he　told　Carla。
　Ozzie　grabbed　the　suspect　by　the　neck　and　sat　him　next　to　the　house。　He　was　conscious　but　dazed。　The　suitcase　was　inches　away。
　〃What's　your　name？〃　Ozzie　demanded。
　He　moaned　and　clutched　his　head　and　said　nothing。
　〃I　asked　you　a　question；〃　Ozzie　said　as　he　hovered　over　his　suspect。　Pirtle　and　Nesbit　stood　nearby；　guns　drawn；　too　frightened　to　speak　or　move。　Jake　stared　at　the　suitcase。
　〃I　ain't　sayin'；〃　came　the　reply。
　Ozzie　raised　the　nightstick　high　over　his　head　and　drove　it　solidly　against　the　man's　right　ankle。　The　crack　of　the　bone　was　sickening。
　He　howled　and　grabbed　his　leg。　Ozzie　kicked　him　in　the　face。　He　fell　backward　and　his　head　smashed　into　the　side　of　the　house。　He　rolled　to　his　side　and　groaned　in　pain。
　Jake　knelt　above　the　suitcase　and　put　his　ear　next　to　it。　He　jumped　and　retreated。　〃It's　ticking；〃　he　said　weakly。
　Ozzie　bent　over　the　suspect　and　laid　the　nightstick　softly　against　his　nose。　〃I've　got　one　more　question　before　I　break　ever　bone　in　your　body。　What's　in　the　box？〃
　No　answer。
　Ozzie　recoiled　the　nightstick　and　broke　the　other　ankle。　〃What's　in　the　box！〃　he　shouted。
　〃Dynamite！〃　came　the　anguished　reply。
　Pirtle　dropped　his　gun。　Nesbit's　blood　pressure　shot　through　his　cap　and　he　leaned　on　the　house。　Jake　turned　white　and　his　knees　vibrated。　He　ran　through　the　front　door　yelling　at　Carla。　〃Get　the　car　keys！　Get　the　car　keys！〃
　〃What　for？〃　she　asked　nervously。
　〃Just　do　as　I　say。　Get　the　car　keys　and　get　in　the　car。〃
　He　lifted　Hanna　and　carried　her　through　the　kitchen；　into　the　carport；　and　laid　her　in　the　back　seat　of　Carla's　Cutlass。　He　took　Carla　by　the　arm　and　helped　her　into　the　car。　〃Leave；　and　don't　e　back　for　thirty　minutes。〃
　〃Jake；　what's　going　on？〃　she　demanded。
　〃I'll　tell　you　later。　There's　no　time　now。　Just　leave。　Go　drive　around　for　thirty　minutes。　Stay　away　from　this　street。〃
　〃But　why；　Jake？　What　have　you　found？〃
　〃Dynamite。〃
　She　backed　out　of　the　driveway　and　disappear