dk.coldfire-第25部分

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　〃Doesn't　it　get　to　you？〃　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　the　brunette　said　with　a　lascivious　wink；　〃I　know　what　ya　mean。　They're　like　a　bunch　of　bulls　ramming　at　each　other。　I'm　not　had　an　hour　every　day　till　I'm　so　horny　I　can't　stand　it。〃　
　That　was　not　what　Holly　had　meant。　She　was　suggesting　that　the　noise　was　headache…inducing；　not　arousing。　But　she　winked　back；　girl…to…girl　and　said；　〃The　boss　in？〃　〃Eddie？　He's　doing　a　couple　hundred　flights　of　stairs；〃　the　woman　said　cryptically。　〃What'd　you　want？〃　Holly　explained　that　she　was　a　reporter；　working　on　a　story　that　had　connection　with　Dojo。　
　The　receptionist；　if　that's　what　she　was；　brightened　at　this　news　instead　of　glowering；　as　was　often　the　case。　Eddie；　she　said；　was　always　looking　to　get　publicity　for　the　business。　She　rose　from　her　stool　and　stepped　to　a　door　behind　the　counter；　revealing　that　she　was　wearing　high…heeled　sandals　and　tight　white　shorts。　that　clung　to　her　butt　as　snugly　as　a　coat　of　paint。　
　Holly　was　beginning　to　feel　like　a　boy。　
　As　the　brunette　had　indicated；　Eddie　was　delighted　to　hear　that　Dojo　would　be　mentioned　in　a　newspaper　piece；　even　if　tangentially；　but　wanted　her　to　interview　him　while　he　continued　to　do　stairs。　He　was　not　Asian；　which　perhaps　explained　the　unimaginative　generic　name　of　the　business。　Tall；　blond；　shaggy…haired；　blue…eyed；　he　was　dressed　only　in　muscles　and　a　pair　of　black　spandex　cyclist's　shorts。　He　was　on　a　StairMaster　exercise　machine；　climbing　briskly　to　nowhere。　
　〃It's　great；〃　he　said；　pumping　his　exquisitely　developed　legs。　
　〃Six　more　flights；　and　I'll　be　at　the　top　of　the　Washington　monument。〃　
　He　was　breathing　hard　but　not　as　hard　as　Holly　would　have　been　breathing　after　running　up　six　flights　to　her　third…floor　apartment　in　Portland。　
　She　sat　in　a　chair　he　had　indicated；　which　put　the　StairMaster　directly　in　front　of　her；　giving　her　a　full　side　view　of　him。　His　sun…bronzed　glistened　with　sweat；　which　also　darkened　the　hair　at　the　nape　of　his　neck。　The　spandex　embraced　him　as　intimately　as　the　white　shorts　clung　to　the　receptionist。　It　almost　seemed　as　if　he　had　known　Holly　was　ing　and　had　carefully　arranged　the　StairMaster　and　her　chair　to　play　himself　to　his　best　advantage。　
　Although　she　was　plunging　into　deception　again；　Holly　did　not　feel　as　bad　about　lying　to　Eddie　as　she　had　felt　when　lying　to　Viola　Moreno。　
　For　one　thing；　her　cover　story　this　time　was　somewhat　less　fanciful：　that　she　was　doing　a　multipart；　in…depth　piece　about　James　Ironheart　（the　truth）；　focusing　on　the　effect　that　winning　a　lottery　had　upon　his　life　（a　lie）；　all　with　his　approval　（a　lie）。　A　veracity　percentage　as　high　as　thirty…three　percent　was　enough　to　salve　her　guilt；　which　she　supposed　didn't　say　much　for　the　quality　of　her　conscience。　
　〃Just　so　you　spell　Dojo　right；〃　Eddie　said。　Looking　back　and　down　at　his　right　leg；　he　added　happily；　〃Look　at　that　calf；　hard　as　rock。〃　
　As　if　she　hadn't　been　looking　at　it　all　along。　
　〃The　fat　layer　between　my　skin　and　the　muscle　underneath；　it's　hardly　there；　burned　it　all　away。〃　
　Another　reason　she　didn't　mind　lying　to　Eddie　was　because　he　was　a　vain；　self　involved　jerk。　
　〃Three　more　flights　to　the　top　of　the　monument；〃　he　said。　The　rhythm　of　his　speech　was　tied　to　the　pattern　of　his　breathing；　the　words　rising　and　falling　with　each　inhalation　and　exhalation。　
　〃Just　three？　Then　I'll　wait。〃　
　〃No；　no。　Ask　your　questions。　I　won't　stop　at　the　top。　I'm　gonna　see　how　much　of　the　Empire　State　Building　I　can　climb　next。〃　
　〃Ironheart　was　a　student　of　yours。〃　
　〃Yeah。　Taught　him　myself〃　〃He　came　to　you　long　before　he　won　the　lottery。〃　
　〃Yeah。　More　than　a　year　ago。〃　
　〃May　of　last　year；　I　think。〃　
　〃Mighta　been。〃　
　〃Did　he　tell　you　why　he　wanted　to　learn　Tae　Kwon　Do？〃　〃Nope。　But　he　had　a　passion。〃　He　almost　shouted　his　next　words；　as　if　he'd　triumphantly　pleted　a　real　climb：　〃Top　of　the　monument！〃　He　increased　his　pace　instead　of　slacking　off　〃Did　you　think　it　was　odd？〃　〃Why？〃　〃Him　being　a　schoolteacher；　I　mean。〃　
　〃We　get　schoolteachers。　We　get　all　kinds。　Everyone　wants　to　kick　ass。〃　
　He　sucked　in　a　very　deep　breath；　blew　it　out；　and　said；　〃In　the　Empire　State　now；　going　up。〃　
　〃Was　Ironheart　good？〃　〃Excellent！　Coulda　been　a　petitor。〃　
　〃Could've　been？　You　mean　he　dropped　out？〃　Breathing　a　little　harder　than　before；　the　words　ing　in　a　quicker　though　similar　rhythm；　he　said：　〃Hung　in　there　seven　or　eight　months。　
　Every　day。　He　was　a　real　glutton　for　punishment。　Pumping　iron　and　doing　aerobics　plus　martial　arts。　Ate　his　way　through　the　pain。　Man　was　getting　tough　enough　to　fuck　a　rock。　Sorry。　
　But　he　was。　Then　he　quit。　Two　weeks　after　he　won　the　bucks。〃　
　〃Ah；　I　see。〃　
　〃Don't　get　me　wrong。　Wasn't　the　money　that　made　him　quit。〃　
　〃Then　what？〃　〃He　said　I'd　given　him　what　he　needed；　he　didn't　want　any　more。〃　
　〃What　he　needed？〃　she　asked。　
　〃Enough　Tae　Kwon　Do　for　what　he　wanted　to　do。〃　
　〃Did　he　say　what　he　wanted　to　do？〃　〃Nope。　Kick　someone's　ass；　I　guess。〃　
　Eddie　was　really　pushing　himself　now；　ramming　his　feet　down　on　the　StairMaster；　pumping　and　pumping；　so　much　sweat　on　his　body　that　it　appeared　to　be　coated　in　oil；　droplets　spraying　off　his　hair　when　he　shoot　his　head；　the　muscles　in　his　arms　and　across　his　broad　back　bulging　almost　as　fiercely　as　those　in　his　thighs　and　calves。　
　Sitting　in　the　chair　about　eight　feet　from　the　man；　Holly　felt　as　if　she　were　ringside　at　some　sleazy　strip　club　where　the　gender　roles　had　reversed。　She　got　up。　
　Eddie　was　staring　straight　ahead　at　the　wall。　His　face　was　creased　lines　of　strain；　but　he　had　a　dreamy；　faraway　look　in　his　eyes。　Maybe　instead　of　the　wall；　he　saw　the　endless　stairwell　in　the　Empire　State　building。　
　〃Anything　else　he　ever　told　you　that　seemed。　。　。　interesting；　unusual？〃〃　she　asked。　
　Eddie　didn't　answer。　He　was　concentrating　on　the　climb。　The　arteries　in　his　neck　had　swelled　and　were　throbbing　as　if　evenly　spaced；　small；　fish　were　schooling　through　his　bloodstream。　
　As　Holly　reached　the　door；　Eddie　said；　〃Three　things。〃　；　She　turned　to　him　again。　〃Yeah？〃　Without　looking　at　her；　his　eyes　still　out　of　focus；　not　for　an　instant　slackening　his　pace；　speaking　to　her　from　the　stairwell　of　that　skyscraper　in　distant　Manhattan；　he　said；　〃Ironheart's　the　only　guy　I　ever　met　who　can　obsess　better　than　I　can。〃　
　Frowning；　Holly　thought　about　that。　〃What　else？〃　〃The　only　lessons　he　missed　were　two　weeks　in　September。　Went　north；　Marin　County　somewhere；　to　take　a　course　in　aggressive　driving　〃What's　that？〃　〃Mostly　they　teach　chauffeurs　for　politicians；　diplomats；　rich　businessmen　how　to　handle　a　car　like　James　Bond；　escape　terrorist　traps；　kidnappers；　shit　like　that。〃　
　〃He　talk　about　why　he　needed　that　kind　of　training？〃　〃Just　said　it　sounded　like　fun。　〃　〃That's　two　things。〃　
　He　shook　his　head。　Sweat　flew；　spattered　the　surrounding　carpet　and　furniture。　Holly　was　just　out　of　range。　He　still　didn't　look　at　her。　
　〃Number　three…after　he　figured　he　had　enough　Tae　Kwon　Do；　the　next　thing　he　wanted　was　to　learn　guns。〃　
　〃Learn　guns？〃　〃Asked　me　if　I　knew　anyone　could　teach　him　marksmanship；　all　about　weapons。　Revolver；　pistols；　rifles；　shotguns。　〃　〃Who'd　you　send　him　to？〃　g　He　was　panting　now　but　still　able　to　speak　clearly　between　each　gasping　breath。　Nobody。　Guns　aren't　my　thing。　But　you　know　what　I　think？　I　think　he　was　one　of　these　guys　reads　Soldier　of　Fortune　Gets　caught　up　in　the　fantasy。　Wants　to　be　a　mercenary。　He　sure　was　preparing　for　a　war。〃　
　〃Didn't　it　worry　you　to　be　helping　someone　like　that？　〃　〃Not　as　long　as　he　paid　for　his　lessons。〃　She　opened　the　door；　hesitated；　watching　him。　〃You　have　a　counter　on　that　contraption？〃　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃What　floor　are　you　on？〃　A　〃Tenth；〃　Eddie　said；　the　word　distorted　as　he　spoke　it　on　a　deep　exhalation。　The　next　time　he　breathed　out；　he　also　issued　a　whoop　of　pleasure　along　with　his　wind。　Jesus；　I　have　legs　of　stone；　fuckin'　granite；　I　think　I　could　get　a　man　in　a　scissor　hold；　crack　him　in　half　with　my　legs。　You　put　that　in　your　article；　okay？　I　could　crack　a　guy　clean　in　half？〃　Holly　left；　closing　the　door　softly　behind　her。　
　In　the　main　room；　the　martial…arts　class　was　even　more　active　than　when　she　had　entered。　The　curren