lrh.fortuneoffear-第69部分

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Street。　I　found　a　place　where　I　could　keep　the　apartment　under　surveillance　without　being　noticed　and　I　waited。　On　the　one　hand；　I　thought　maybe　if　she　came　back　with　the　police；　I　could　give　them　your　address；　but　on　the　other　hand；　if　this　got　rough；　it　could　promise　Voltarian　presence　on　the　planet。　I　decided　I　should　find　out　more。　If　she　came　back　with　police；　I　could　disappear。　But　if　there　were　no　police　with　her；　maybe　I　could　find　out　more　information…which　is；　after　all；　my　proper　job；　no　matter　how　many　times　certain　people　seek　to　drive　me　off　it；　doing　incorrect　functions。〃
　　　〃Get　on　with　it；〃　I　ordered　him。
　　　〃She　was　gone　for　hours　and　when　she　came　back　she　was　alone　so　I　walked　with　her。　She　was　smug　beyond　belief。　She　seemed　all　happy　and　cheerful；　but　smug。　These　Earth　women　are　that　way。　They're　happiest　when　they've　got　something　on　somebody；　and　that's　the　way　she　looked。〃
　　　〃Beautiful；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Yes；　I　would　say　she　did　look　more　beautiful。　But　smug。　We　got　clear　up　to　her　apartment　and　went　in　and　then　she　did　the　weirdest　thing。　She　kissed　me　on　the　cheek　and　she　said；　'Tell　your　friend；　thank　you；　thank　you；　thank　you！　It　is　totally　true。　His　or　her　letter　has　practically　saved　my　life。'　So　I　got　out　of　there　real　fast。　Women　don't　kiss　you　without　some　covert　reason　and　I　think　she　was　just　trying　to　keep　you　from　taking　flight　until　the　police　could　e。　So　I　remend；　knowing　you；　that　you　sort　of　lie　low。〃
　　　〃No；　no；　you　idiot。　She　wasn't　covering　anything　up。　She　was　being　absolutely　honest。　I　did　save　her　life。〃
　　　I　was　so　enthralled；　I　didn't　even　notice　when　he　left。
　　　I　could　hardly　wait　for　Sunday。　Wow；　was　this　going　to　go　in　the　most　unexpected　direction　Krak　could　ever　imagine！　（Bleep）　her！　Her　and　all　her　fancy；　stupid　tricks！

Chapter　9

　　　It　was　late　morning　of　the　day　that　would　long　live　in　my　memory　as　Simmons'　Sunday。
　　　Crouched　in　the　closet　again；　this　time　with　the　door　plainly　marked　〃Occupied；〃　I　eagerly　watched　events　begin　to　unfold。
　　　Heller；　at　his　office　desk；　had　been　working　on　some　calculations　for　quantities　and　volumes　of　spores。　He　now　stood　up　and　went　to　the　window。　Lower　Manhattan　spread　out　before　his　gaze　under　the　mantle　of　sun…illuminated　smog。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　was　lying　in　the　middle　of　the　room　on　the　rug　going　over　museum　programs；　the　cat　dragging　them　off　a　pile　for　her。
　　　〃What's　the　matter；　dear？〃　she　said　to　Heller。　〃You　seem　rather　agitated。〃
　　　〃Me？　Agitated？　Well；　yes；　but　that's　a　pretty　strong　word。　Bang…Bang　phoned　about　an　hour　ago　and　said　the　Nature　Appreciation　class　location　had　been　changed　to
　　　Van　Cortlandt　Park　today。　It　was　to　have　been　the　Bronx　Zoo。　I　was　wondering　why。〃
　　　〃That's　that　Miss　Simmons；　isn't　it；　dear？〃
　　　〃I　wish　you'd　forget　about　this　Miss　Simmons　thing。　She　hates　me　like　poison。　My　only　interest　in　her　is　that　she　could　cost　me　my　diploma　and　nobody　will　listen　to　me　when　I　make　my　proposals。〃
　　　〃I　shouldn't　be　counting　on　proposing　to　Miss　Simmons；　dear。〃
　　　〃Please；　can't　we　call　a　truce　on。。。〃
　　　〃Dear；　what　is　the　weather　like？〃
　　　〃A　warm；　spring　day；〃　said　Heller。　〃If　it　weren't　for　the　smog；　it　would　be　beautiful。　In　a　lot　of　ways；　you　know；　this　is　a　very　nice　planet。〃
　　　〃Well；　that's　probably　why　they　changed　the　class　location；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃Who'd　want　to　be　penned　up　in　some　stuffy　zoo？　Are　you　driving；　dear？〃
　　　〃Well；　yes。　That's　a　good　idea；〃　said　Heller。　〃I　put　the　new　carburetor　on　the　Porsche　and　I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　give　it　a　good　spin。〃
　　　〃You　do　that；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃I　have　some　exhibits　I　want　to　see；　so　if　you　don't　mind；　dear；　I'll　just　run　along。〃
　　　She　was　up　like　a　shot。　She　had　her　blue　suede　topcoat；　purse；　shopping　bag　and　hat　right　by　the　door。　She　gathered　them　up　in　one　scoop　and　was　gone。
　　　Heller　glanced　out　of　the　window　again。　Then　he　got　into　a　white　silk　trench　coat；　found　some　papers　and　a　notebook　and　put　them　in　his　pocket。　He　glanced　down　at　his　feet。　He　was　wearing　ankle…high　walking　boots　and　not　his　spikes。　It　gave　me　a　nice　feeling：　if　the　police　were　waiting　for　him　up　there；　he　had　no　cleats　to　battle　with。　He　was　getting　satisfactorily　careless。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　had　plummeted　down　in　an　elevator。　She　came　out　of　the　building　on　34th　Street；　walked　swiftly　up　the　block　and　sped　into　a　new；　multistory；　spiral…roadway　garage。　The　attendant　waved　at　her；　she　got　into　an　elevator　and　shot　upwards。
　　　She　was　fishing　in　her　purse。　She　stepped　out　into　the　ranks　of　cars。　She　spotted　the　blue　Porsche。　She　opened　the　door；　entered；　closed　and　relocked　it　from　within；　and　then；　as　only　a　trained　magician's　assistant　can　do；　curled　herself　up　in　the　big　luggage　partment　behind　the　front　seat　and　dropped　the　luggage　canvas　over　her。
　　　It　made　me　nervous。　I　had　forgotten　to　fill　the　strip　well　in　her　viewer　and　had　no　way　to　check　back　on　what　she　had　packed　in　that　shopping　bag。　I　had　not　counted　on　her　presence　at　the　next　class。　Maybe　Bang…Bang；　（bleep）　him；　had　gotten　her　a　demountable　sniper　rifle。　These　stupid　men　around　her　didn't　seem　to　realize　what　they　were　dealing　with…a　killer！　The　Countess　Krak　would　have　made　top　Mafia　hit　men　look　like　kids　shooting　marbles。　I　knew　her　for　what　she　was…a　dangerous　fiend　with　a　thirst　for　blood　unequalled　by　even　Dracula　of　Earth　fame。
　　　Heller　came　trotting　along　shortly。　He　must　have　noted　that　the　springs　seemed　a　bit　lower；　for　he　gave　the　car　a　cursory　exterior　and　motor　check；　probably　for　bombs。　Then　he　gave　an　〃Oh　well；〃　and　started　the　car　up；　possibly　believing　all　the　monkeying　he　was　doing　with　it　had　changed　its　balance　or　weight。
　　　He　sent　it　spinning　down　the　ramp　and　shot　it　out　onto　the　street。　It　was　Sunday　and　New　York；　doubtlessly　recovering　from　a　Saturday　night　hangover；　had　about　as　much　traffic　on　the　streets　as　a　cemetery。
　　　He　was　shifting　up　and　down　through　the　gears　like　a　rally　driver。　The　purring　Porsche　was　shortly　onto　the　West　Side　Elevated　Highway　and　in　no　time　at　all　was　on　the　Henry　Hudson　Parkway。　The　river　was　blue　and　sparkling　in　the　spring　sun。　The　George　Washington　Bridge　flicked　by。
　　　It　worried　me。　He　was　driving　by　the　tachometer；　not　the　speedometer；　and　while　he　could　have　outdistanced　a　cop　with　that　Porsche　like　the　squad　car　was　standing　still；　I　yet　was　afraid　he　would　get　arrested　for　speeding　and　his　appointment　with　destiny　would　be　interrupted。　But　there　just　plain　wasn't　any　traffic。　Those　leaving　for　the　country　were　gone　and　they　had　not　yet　begun　to　create　the　traffic　jams　of　return。　For　once　I　was　glad　the　police　were　asleep　where　Heller　was　concerned。　Nothing　must　interfere　with　the　ing　catastrophe。
　　　He　had　the　stereo　going　and　a　song　came　over：

Fatal　Woman；
Cherchez　la　femme。
Fatal　Woman；
So　drenched　in　sin。
Fatal　Woman；
The　Devil's　twin。
Fatal　Woman；
You　done　me　in。
And　that's　why　I　shall　die。

　　　I　smiled　so　broadly；　I　almost　tore　my　lip。　It　went　double　for　Heller：　the　one　riding　just　behind　him　and　the　one　waiting　in　that　park　ahead　with　scissors　across　his　fate　line；　all　ready　to　snip。
　　　I　almost　felt　sorry　for　the　poor　（bleepard）。　There　he　was；　driving　along　so　gay　in　his　hopped…up　Porsche；　enjoying　the　early　spring　day；　little　suspecting　the　bomb　that　had　been　planted　by　the　woman　hidden　behind　him…and　neither　of　them　aware　at　all　of　the　fuse　sizzling　up　ahead；　lit　by　me。
　　　It's　bad　enough　to　face　one　woman。　But　he　was　absolutely　surrounded　with　the　treacherous　species。
　　　He　continued　on　the　highway　into　Van　Cortlandt　Park　and　shortly　took　a　branch　to　the　right。　He　was　now　driving　through　a　vast　expanse　of　golf　course。　He　found　a　turnoff　and　a　parking　lot。　He　stopped；　got　out　and　locked　his　car。　He　went　swinging　off　past　some　golfers　and　onto　a　woods　trail。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　waited。　Then　she　rose　up　and　looked　around。　All　was　clear。　She　got　out　and　locked　the　car。　Then；　with　the　aid　of　a　side　mirror；　she　adjusted　her　black　beret　and　put　on　a　set　of　very　dark　glasses；　for　all　the　world　as　though　they　would　disguise　her；　and　set　off　after　Heller；　s