scoonts.theminotaur-第55部分

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iator。
　
　They　had　her　in　a　semi…private　room　with　a　beautiful　white…haired　lady　who　was　fast　asleep。　Toad　spent　ten　minutes　talking　to　the　floor　nurse　and　the　internist　before　be　went　in。　〃They　say　you're　gonna　be　okay；〃　he　told　Rita　with　a　grin。　She　had　a　patch　over　her　left　eye。　Scratches　and　small　cuts　were　visible　on　her　cheek。
　She　raised　a　finger　to　her　lips。　〃Mrs。　Douglas　went　to　sleep　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　she　whispered。　Toad　stood　at　the　end　of　the　bed　glancing　uneasily　at　the　shiny；　stark　hospital　equipment。　Just　being　in　a　hospital　made　his　leg　ache。
　〃Here；〃　she　said；　still　whispering；　〃pull　this　chair　over　and　sit　down。　Have　you　had　any　dinner？〃　It　was　almost　10　P。M。
　〃Uh…uh。　How　you　doin'？〃　He　sat　gingerly　on　the　forward　portion　of　the　seat。
　She　shrugged。　〃Thanks　for　saving　my　bacon。〃
　He　waved　it　away。　〃What's　wrong　with　her？〃　he　asked；　glancing　at　the　sleeping　Mrs。　Douglas。
　〃Broken　hip。　She　fell　in　her　kitchen　this　morning。　They're　going　to　pin　it　tomorrow　evening。　She's　been　in　a　lot　of　pain　today。〃
　Toad　nodded　vaguely　and　examined　the　sheets　that　covered　Rita。　Hospital　sheets　always　looked　so　perfect；　even　with　a　body　between　them。　Her　hair　was　a　mess。　They　had　cleaned　it　and　made　no　attempt　to　pretty　it　up。　That's　what's　wrong　with　hospitals…　your　dignity　is　left　at　the　front　door　on　the　way　in。
　〃That　shirt　you're　wearing　is　the　most　horrid　garment　I　have…　What　are　those　colors？　Chartreuse　and　mauve？〃
　〃Beats　me；〃　Toad　muttered；　glancing　at　his　torso　with　distaste。　〃One　of　the　corpsmen　picked　it　out　at　the　exchange。　He　thought　I　would　cut　a　dashing　figure　in　it；　I　guess。〃
　〃Dashing　is　not　the　word　I　would　use。〃
　They　sat　for　a　while；　each　trying　to　think　of　something　to　say。　〃Guess　your　helmet　visor　saved　your　eyes；〃　he　said　at　last　〃Cushioned　the　impact。〃
　〃It's　amazing；　when　you　stop　to　think　about　it。　I　thought　about　it　all　the　way　over　here　in　the　ambulance。　The　ambulance　only　goes　ten　miles　over　the　speed　limit；　so　everything　on　the　road　passes　it。　Lights　flashing；　and　everyone　whizzing　by。　So　I　had　plenty　of　time　to　think　about　the　odds。　It's　amazing。〃
　〃What　is？〃
　〃How　with　the　whole　wide　sky　to　fly　in；　all　those　thousands　of　cubic　miles；　that　bird　and　I　tried　to　fly　in　exactly　the　same　little　piece　of　it。　A　foot　further　left；　that　bird　would　have　missed　the　cockpit；　a　foot　to　the　right　and　it　would　have　hit　the　nose；　a　foot　higher…〃
　〃Life's　like　that。　No　guarantees。　You　never　know。〃
　〃Is　that　what　bat　is　like？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　know。〃
　〃Weren't　you　and　Captain　Grafton…over　the　Med？〃
　Toad　shrugged　and　slid　further　back　into　the　chair。　He　crossed　his　leg　with　the　pin　in　it　over　the　good　one　and　massaged　it　gently。　〃One　flight。　A　couple　minutes　of　being　scared　stiff　and　too　busy　to　even　sweat　it。　That　wasn't　bat。　bat　is　day　in　and　day　out　knowing　they're　going　to　be　shooting　and　being　scared　before　you　go　and　going　anyway。　I've　never　done　that。　Hope　I　never　have　to。〃　He　grinned　wryly　and　cocked　his　head　to　better　match　the　angle　of　hers　against　the　pillow。　〃I'm　a　peacetime　drugstore　cowboy。　Didn't　you　know？　Make　love　not　war。〃
　〃The　Silver　Star　fooled　me。〃
　〃Medals　don't　mean　shit。　Over　the　Med　CAG　had　the　guts　and　determination；　enough　for　him　and　me　both　with　a　lot　left　over。　He's　a　balls…out　fighter。　Those　Arab　fighter　jocks　were　hopelessly　outclassed…at　least　that's　what　I　kept　telling　myself　then。　Still　tell　myself　that　on　nights　when　I　wake　up　thinking　about　it　I'm　even　beginning　to　believe　it。〃
　She　smoothed　the　sheets　with　her　right　hand。
　〃How's　your　left　shoulder？〃
　〃Just　bruised。　Hurts　now。　If　this　eye…clears　up。。。〃
　〃It　will。〃
　〃Got　some　cuts　on　the　eyeball。　Lots　of　bird　flesh　and　even　the　stem　of　a　little　feather。〃
　〃It'll　be　okay。〃
　〃I　suppose。〃
　〃You'll　fly　again。　Just　wait　and　see。　You're　too　good　to　stay　on　the　ground。　A　person　with　your　talent　belongs　in　a　cockpit。〃
　〃Ummm。〃
　He　put　his　feet　on　the　floor；　leaned　forward　and　captured　a　hand。　〃Listen；　Rita…Ginger…I　know　how　you　feel。　The　fickle　finger　of　fate　just　reached　out　and　zinged　you　a　little　one　and　reminded　you　that　you're　mortal　clay。　We　all　are。　But…you　know　all　this…you've　got　to　live　every　day　the　best　you　can；　put　the　throttles　against　the　stops　and　fly。　Flying　is　what　it's　all　about。　And　when　that　final　flight　es；　that　last　day；　as　e　it　will；　then　look　the　Man　straight　in　the　eye　and　tell　Him　it's　been　a　hell　of　a　great　ride。　And　thank　Him。　That's　the　way　you　have　to　live　it。　That's　the　only　way　it　can　be　done。〃
　She　took　her　hand　from　his　and　touched　his　cheek。
　〃Get　a　good　night's　sleep。　Get　well。　You　got　a　lot　of　flying　left　to　do。〃　He　stood。　〃I'll　look　in　on　you　tomorrow　afternoon。　Hang　tough。〃
　〃Thanks　for　ing　by。〃
　He　paused　at　the　door　and　winked。　〃We　fly　together。　Remember？〃
　〃Kiss　me；　lover。〃
　He　glanced　at　Mrs。　Douglas。　Her　eyes　were　closed　and　she　seemed　to　be　asleep。　He　bent　over　Rita　and　gave　her　his　best　effort。
　
　It　was　1　P。M。　the　next　day　when　Luis　Camacho　pulled　into　his　driveway　in　Silver　Spring　and　let　himself　into　his　house。　His　wife　was　at　work　and　his　son　was　in　school。　The　house　felt　strange　on　a　weekday　with　both　of　them　gone。　He　walked　slowly　through　the　downstairs；　looking　it　over；　listening　to　the　refrigerator　hum；　looking　out　the　windows。
　He　found　his　leather　driving　gloves　in　the　hall　closet；　the　pigskin　ones　his　parents　had　given　him　two　Christmases　ago　that　he　never　wore　because　they　were　too　nice。　The　batteries　in　the　flashlight　stowed　in　the　catchall　drawer　in　the　kitchen　still　had　some　juice；　amazingly　enough。　He　tucked　the　light　into　his　hip　pocket　and　let　himself　out　the　kitchen　door　into　the　backyard。　The　wooden　fence　between　his　house　and　Albright's　had　a　gate　with　a　rusty　latch；　no　lock。　The　Labrador　wanted　to　e　with　him；　but　he　shooed　it　back　and　latched　the　gate　behind　him。
　He　opened　his　packet　of　lock　picks　on　Harlan　Albright's　picnic　table。　He　stared　at　them　a　moment；　trying　to　decide。　It　had　been　a　while。　Let's　see；　the　lock　is　a　Yale。
　Opening　it　took　ten　minutes。　The　Lab　finally　quit　whining　next　door。　Probably　he　went　back　to　his　favorite　spot　in　the　sun　and　lay　down。　Camacho　was　beginning　to　think　he　wasn't　going　to　get　this　lock　when　it　clicked。
　Albright　had　no　fancy　alarms；　or　none　that　Camacho　had　ever　seen。　Service　manager　at　a　local　garage；　he　couldn't　afford　the　visibility　that　a　Fort　Knox　security　system　would　give　him。　But　no　doubt　he　had　some　little　doodads　here　and　there　to　let　him　know　if　be　had　any　unwanted　visitors。
　Luis　Camacho　stood　in　the　door　and　carefully　examined　the　interior。　It　looked　precisely　as　he　remembered　it；　exactly　the　way　he　had　seen　it　for　years。　He　stepped　inside；　eased　the　door　shut　and　listened。
　Albright's　house　was　similar　to　his；　one　of　four　variations　on　the　same　basic　floor　plan　the　tract　builder　had　used　in　half　the　houses　in　this　subdivision。　Other　than　minor　interior　adjustments；　most　of　the　differences　were　in　the　front　facades。
　As　he　stood　there　the　faint　hum　of　the　refrigerator　shut　off。　Albright's　fridge　was　quieter　than　his。　Probably　newer　too。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　concentrated；　trying　to　shut　out　the　faint　sound　of　a　car　passing　on　the　side　street。　Only　a　few　creaks　and　groans　as　the　house　continued　to　warm　in　the　early　afternoon　sun。
　He　moved　slowly　through　the　kitchen　and　into　the　family　room。　A　bachelor；　Albright　spent　his　evenings　here；　watching　TV　or　reading。　Camacho　moved　slowly；　checking　the　walls　and　looking　behind　pictures…O'Keeffe　prints…and　tugging　at　the　carpet　edges。　He　inspected　the　books　in　the　built…in　bookcase；　then　randomly　removed　a　few　and　checked　the　integrity　of　the　wall　behind　by　rapping　with　a　knuckle。　He　didn't　know　what　he　hoped　to　find；　but　he　would　recognize　it　when　he　saw　it。　If　there　was　anything　to　find；　which　was　doubtful。
　The　garage　was　next；　then　the　basement。　It　was　still　unfinished；　no　ceiling　or　drywall　to　cover　the　unpainted　cinder　blocks。　Damp。　Only　two　naked　bulbs　overhead；　plus　the　one　on　the　stairs。　He　glanced　at　the　accumulated　junk　and　the　layers　of　dust　and　grime；　and　decided　Albright　cleaned　his　basement　on　the　same　schedule　used　by　every　other　bachelor　who　owned　one…never。　There　we