dk.coldfire-第58部分

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　〃I　feel　sort　of　foolish；〃　she　said　eventually。　
　〃Me；　too；〃　he　admitted。　〃Just　a　little。〃　
　At　seven　o'clock；　when　she　was　opening　the　box　of　chocolate…covered　doughnuts；　she　suddenly　realized　the　mill　had　no　lavatory。　〃What　about　a　bathroom？〃　He　picked　up　his　ring　of　keys　from　the　floor　and　handed　them　to　her。　
　〃Go　on　over　to　the　house。　The　plumbing　works。　There's　a　half　bath　right　off　the　kitchen。〃　
　She　realized　the　room　was　filling　with　shadows；　and　when　she　glanced　at　the　window；　she　saw　that　twilight　had　arrived。　Putting　the　doughnuts　aside；　she　said；　〃I　want　to　zip　over　there　and　get　back　before　dark。〃　
　〃Go　ahead。〃　Jim　raised　one　hand　as　if　pledging　allegiance　to　the　flag。　
　〃I　swear　on　all　that　I　hold　sacred；　I'll　leave　you　at　least　one　doughnut。〃　
　〃Half　the　box　better　be　there　when　I　get　back；〃　she　said；　〃or　I'll　kick　your　butt　all　the　way　into　Svenborg　to　buy　more。〃　
　〃You　take　your　doughnuts　seriously。〃　
　〃Damn　right。〃　
　He　smiled。　〃I　like　that　in　a　woman。〃　
　Taking　a　flashlight　to　negotiate　the　mill　below；　she　rose　and　went　to　the　door。　〃Better　start　up　the　Coleman。〃　
　〃Sure　thing。　When　you　get　back；　it'll　be　a　right　cozy　little　campsite。〃　
　Descending　the　narrow　stairs；　Holly　began　to　worry　about　being　separated　from　Jim；　and　step　by　step　her　anxiety　increased。　She　was　not　afraid　of　being　alone。　What　bothered　her　was　leaving　him　by　himself　Which　was　ridiculous。　He　was　a　grown　man　and　far　more　capable　of　effective　self　defense　than　was　the　average　person。　
　The　lower　floor　of　the　mill　was　much　darker　than　when　she　had　first　seen　it。　Curtained　with　cobwebs；　the　dirty　windows　admitted　almost　none　of　the　weak　light　of　dusk。　
　As　she　crossed　toward　the　arched　opening　to　the　antechamber；　she　was　overe　by　a　creepy　sense　of　being　watched。　She　knew　they　were　alone　in　the　mill；　and　she　chided　herself　for　being　such　a　ninny。　But　by　the　time　she　reached　the　archway；　her　apprehension　had　swelled　until　she　could　not　resist　the　urge　to　turn　and　shine　the　flashlight　into　the　chamber　behind　her。　
　Shadows　were　draped　across　the　old　machinery　as　copiously　as　black　crepe　in　an　amusement…park　haunted　house；　they　slid　aside　when　the　flashlight　beam　touched　them；　fell　softly　back　into　place　as　the　beam　moved　on。　
　Each　corner；　undraped；　revealed　no　spy。　Someone　could　be　sheltering　behind　one　part　of　the　millworks　or　another；　and　she　considered　prowling　through　the　ruins　in　search　of　an　intruder。　
　But　abruptly　she　felt　foolish；　too　easily　spooked。　Wondering　what　had　happened　to　the　intrepid　reporter　she　had　once　been；　Holly　left　the　mill。　
　The　sun　was　beyond　the　mountains。　The　sky　was　purple　and　that　deep　iridescent　blue　seen　in　old　Maxfield　Parrish　paintings。　A　few　toads　were　croaking　from　their　shadowy　niches　along　the　banks　of　the　pond。　
　All　the　way　around　the　water；　past　the　barn；　to　the　back　door　of　the　house；　Holly　continued　to　feel　watched。　However；　though　it　was　possible　that　someone　might　be　lurking　in　the　mill；　it　was　not　too　likely　that　a　virtual　platoon　of　spies　had　taken　up　positions　in　the　barn；　the　surrounding　fields；　and　the　distant　hills；　intent　on　observing　her　every　move。　
　〃Idiot；〃　she　said　self　mockingly　as　she　used　one　of　Jim's　keys　to　open　the　back　door。　
　Though　she　had　the　flashlight；　she　tried　the　wall　switch　unthinkingly。　
　She　was　surprised　to　discover　that　the　electrical　service　was　still　connected。　
　She　was　more　surprised；　however；　by　what　the　light　revealed：　a　fully　furnished　kitchen。　A　breakfast　table　and　four　chairs　stood　by　the　window。　
　Copper　pots　and　pans　dangled　from　a　ceiling　fixture；　and　twin　racks　of　knives　and　other　utensils　hung　on　the　wall　near　the　cooktop。　A　toaster；　toaster　oven；　and　blender　stood　on　the　counters。　A　shopping　list　of　about　fifteen　items　was　affixed　to　the　refrigerator　with　a　magnet　in　the　shape　of　a　can　of　Budweiser。　
　Hadn't　Jim　gotten　rid　of　his　grandparents'　belongings　when　they　had　died　five　years　ago？　Holly　ran　a　finger　along　one　of　the　counters；　drawing　a　line　through　the　thin　coat　of　dust。　But　it　was；　at　most；　a　three…month　accumulation；　not　five　years'　worth　of　dirt。　
　After　she　used　the　bathroom　adjacent　to　the　kitchen；　she　wandered　along　the　hallway；　through　the　dining　room　and　living　room；　where　a　full　plement　of　furniture　also　stood　under　a　light　shroud　of　dust。　
　Some　of　the　paintings　hung　aslant。　Crocheted　antimacassars　protected　the　backs　and　arms　of　the　chairs　and　sofas。　Long　unwound；　the　tall　grandfather　clock　was　not　ticking。　In　the　living　room；　the　magazine　rack　beside　the　LaZ…Boy　recliner　was　crammed　full　of　publications；　and　inside　a　mahogany　display　case；　bibelots　gleamed　dully　beneath　their　own　skin　of　dust。　
　Her　first　thought　was　that　Jim　had　left　the　house　furnished　in　order　to　be　able　to　rent　it　out　while　searching　for　a　buyer。　But　on　one　wall　of　the　living　room　were　framed　8　X　10　photographs　that　would　not　have　been　left　to　the　mercy　of　a　tenant：　Jim's　father　as　a　young　man　of　about　twenty…one；　Jim's　father　and　mother　in　their　wedding　finery；　Jim　at　the　age　of　five　or　six；　with　both　parents。　
　The　fourth　and　final　picture　was　a　two…shot；　head　and　shoulders；　of　a　pleasant…looking　couple　in　their　early　fifties。　The　man　was　on　the　burly　side；　with　bold　square　features；　yet　recognizably　an　Ironheart；　the　woman　was　more　handsome；　in　a　female　way；　than　pretty；　and　elements　of　her　face　could　also　be　seen　in　Jim　and　his　father。　
　Holly　had　no　doubt　that　they　were　Jim's　paternal　grandparents；　Lena　and　Henry　Ironheart。　
　Lena　Ironheart　was　the　woman　in　whose　body　Holly　had　ridden　like　a　spirit　during　last　night's　dream。　Broad；　clear　face。　Wide…set　eyes。　
　Full　mouth。　Curly　hair。　A　natural　beauty　spot；　just　a　little　round　dot　of　skin　discoloration；　marked　the　high　curve　of　her　right　cheek。　
　Though　Holly　had　described　this　woman　accurately　to　Jim；　he　had　not　recognized　her。　Maybe　he　didn't　think　of　her　eyes　as　being　wide…set　or　her　mouth　as　being　full。　Maybe　her　hair　had　been　curly　only　during　part　of　her　life；　due　to　the　attentions　of　a　beautician。　But　the　beauty　spot　had　to　have　clicked　a　switch　in　his　memory；　even　five　years　after　his　grandmother's　death。　
　The　sense　of　being　watched　had　not　entirely　left　Holly　even　after　she　had　entered　the　house。　Now；　as　she　stared　at　Lena　Ironheart's　face　in　the　photograph；　the　feeling　of　being　under　observation　grew　so　acute　that　she　abruptly　wheeled　around　and　looked　back　across　the　living　room。　
　She　was　alone。　
　She　stepped　quickly　to　the　archway　and　through　it　into　the　front　hall。　
　Deserted。　
　A　dark　mahogany　staircase　led　up　to　the　second　floor。　The　dust　on　the　newel　post　and　bannister　was　undisturbed：　no　palm　marks；　no　fingerprints。　
　Looking　up　the　first　flight；　she　said；　〃Hello？〃　Her　voice　sounded　queerly　flat　in　the　empty　house。　
　No　one　responded　to　her。　
　Hesitantly；　she　started　to　climb　the　stairs。　
　〃Who's　there？〃　she　called。　
　Only　silence　answered　her。　
　Frowning；　she　stopped　on　the　third　step。　She　glanced　down　into　the　front　hall；　then　up　toward　the　landing　again。　
　The　silence　was　too　deep；　unnatural。　Even　a　deserted　house　had　some　noise　in　it；　occasional　creaks　and　ticks　and　pops　from　old　wood　swelling　or　contracting；　a　rattle　from　a　loose　windowpane　tapped　by　a　finger　of　wind。　
　But　the　Ironheart　house　was　so　hushed；　Holly　might　have　thought　that　she'd　gone　deaf；　except　that　she　could　hear　the　sounds　she　made　herself　She　climbed　two　more　steps。　Stopped　again。　
　She　still　felt　she　was　under　observation。　It　was　as　if　the　old　house　itself　watched　her　with　malevolent　interest；　alive　and　sentient；　possessed　of　a　thousand　eyes　hidden　in　the　wood　moldings　and　in　the　pattern　of　the　wallpaper。　
　Dust　motes　drifted　in　the　rays　of　the　landing　light　above。　
　Twilight　pressed　its　purple　face　to　the　windows。　
　Standing　just　four　steps　below　the　landing；　partly　under　the　second　flight　that　led　into　the　unseen　upstairs　hallway；　she　became　convinced　that　something　was　waiting　for　her　on　the　second　floor。　It　was　not　necessarily　The　Enemy　up　there；　not　even　anything　alive　and　hostile…but　something　horrible；　the　discovery　of　which　would　shatter　her。　
　Her　heart　was　hammering。　When　she　swallowed；　she　found　a　lump　in