scoonts.theminotaur-第91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！


　There！
　He　saw　the　Dr　Pepper　can　when　he　was　fifty　yards　away。　He　glanced　around　as　he　braked　to　a　stop。　The　glen　was　empty。　Nadya　stepped　out；　a　green　garbage　bag　in　hand；　and　placed　it　fifteen　feet　west　of　the　tree。　While　she　was　doing　that；　Pochinkov　walked　over　to　the　Dr　Pepper　can；　glanced　around　once　and　placed　a　second　one　beside　it。
　They　got　back　in　the　car；　closed　the　door　and　rolled。
　
　The　Buick　was　climbing　the　hill　on　the　south　side　of　the　river　when　the　van　shot　out　of　Lime　Kite　Road　and　roared　the　thousand　feet　to　the　entrance　to　Schooley　Mill。　The　driver　braked　to　a　halt　and　two　men　wearing　gloves　jumped　out。　One　opened　the　green　trash　bag　while　the　other　took　flash　photos。
　Inside　the　van　Lloyd　Dreyfus　was　listening　to　Agent　Brown　in　the　Cessna。　〃Subject　is　about　a　half　mile　south　of　Ednor　Road；　northbound　on　New　Hampshire。　I'd　say　you　have　no　more　than　six　or　seven　minutes。。。　He　just　passed　the　drop　car；　which　was　southbound。〃
　The　two　men　piled　back　into　the　van　within　a　minute。　The　agent　at　the　wheel　fed　gas　when　he　heard　the　rear　door　slam。　When　he　reached　the　asphalt　of　Brown　Bridge；　he　made　a　hard　left　and　beaded　east；　back　up　the　road；　toward　Lime　Kirn。
　
　The　lane　was　empty　when　Harlan　Albright　entered　four　minutes　later。　He　didn't　even　get　out　of　the　car。　After　a　glance　at　the　soda　cans；　he　merely　braked　to　a　stop　beside　the　trash　bag　and　picked　it　up。　He　set　it　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　empty　passenger　seat　as　he　pulled　the　door　shut　with　his　left　hand　and　took　his　foot　off　the　brake。
　Glancing　in　he　could　see　trash：　a　wadded…up　bread　wrapper；　a　couple　empty　vegetable　cans；　three　squashed　soda…pop　cans　and　an　old　meat　wrapper。　They　had；　he　knew；　been　carefully　washed　so　they　would　not　attract　dogs。　Under　the　trash　was　the　money；　200；000　in　used　twenties；　one　hundred　bundles　of　a　hundred　twenties　each。
　It　was　5　P。M。　when　he　pulled　into　his　driveway　in　Silver　Spring。　The　Sunday　Post　was　still　lying　by　the　mailbox。　He　took　it　into　the　house　with　him；　turned　on　the　television；　and　settled　back　with　the　newspaper；
　
　26
　
　Toad　Tarkington　awoke　at　four…thirty　Monday　and　went　to　the　bathroom。　He　got　back　into　bed；　but　he　wasn't　sleepy。　Still　dark　outside。　Wide　awake　and　irritated　because　he　couldn't　sleep；　he　went　to　the　window　and　peered　out　Some　clouds　with　stars　visible　between　them。　Not　too　many　stars。　though。　Funny；　but　early　in　the　morning；　just　before　dawn；　the　stars　seem　to　fade；　almost　as　if　the　weaker　ones　grow　tired　of　shining　and　are　sent　home　early。
　He　prowled　the　little　room；　restless。　He　pulled　on　jeans　and　a　sweatshirt　and　was　sitting　in　the　easy　chair　when　the　light　began　to　spread　on　the　eastern　horizon。
　The　telephone　rang。
　〃Tarkington。〃
　〃Lieutenant；　this　is　the　shift　supervisor　at　the　hospital。　Your　wife　is　awake　and　she　asked　for　you。〃
　〃I'll　be　right　over。　You　tell　her！〃　He　dropped　the　instrument　onto　the　book　and　grabbed　for　his　shoes。
　The　sedan　refused　to　start。　He　jabbed　at　the　accelerator　and　held　the　key　over。　The　engine　ground　and　ground　and　didn't　fire。　Too　late　he　realized　he　had　probably　flooded　it。
　Heck。　It　was　only　three…quarters　of　a　mile　or　so　over　there。　He　slammed　the　door　behind　him　and　began　to　trot。　Awake！　Asking　for　him！　He　picked　up　the　pace。
　The　sun　was　about　ready　to　e　over　the　earth's　rim。　The　clouds　above　were　blue；　turning　pink。　Above　them　was　blue　sky。
　The　last　three　blocks　he　sprinted；　down　the　street　and　across　the　windswept　dirt　that　would　someday　be　a　lawn　and　across　the　empty　parking　lot　with　its　tumbleweeds　and　right　through　the　front　door。
　The　nurse　at　the　desk　was　grinning　as　he　charged　by。　He　studded　around　the　corner　and　lunged　down　the　hall　for　the　ICU。
　A　doctor　was　there　beside　her　bed；　talking　to　her　as　a　nurse　took　her　pulse。　The　doctor　stepped　back　as　Toad　skidded　to　a　halt　inside　the　door　and　walked　forward；　into　Rita's　line　of　sight。
　She　tried　to　grin。
　〃Hey；　babe。〃　He　bent　over　and　kissed　her。
　〃Yeah；　Mrs。　Moravia；　she's　out　of　the　a。　And　she　recognizes　me！　She's　asleep　right　now；　real　tired；　but　she's　out　of　the　a！〃
　〃Oh；　thank　God！〃
　〃I　really　think　she's　gonna　be　okay；　Mrs。　Moravia。　It's　like　a　miracle。　She　doesn't　remember　anything　about　the　flight　or　the　ejection；　but　she　remembers　me　and　being　in　Nevada　and　the　other　flights；　and　she　kept　asking　how　long　she's　been　in　the　hospital。　The　doctor　and　the　nurses　are　excited！　I'm　excited！〃　That　was　an　understatement　of　major　proportions。　He　was　so　worked　up　he　felt　like　he　could　fly　by　merely　flapping　his　arms。
　After　promising　to　call　again　after　his　next　visit　with　Rita；　Toad　called　his　parents。　He　called　his　sister　to　give　her　the　news。　He　called　Harriet；　Rita's　best　friend。　Due　to　the　time　difference　on　the　East　Coast；　Harriet　was　at　work。　And　he　called　Jake　Grafton。
　Captain　Grafton　was　also　at　the　office　and　he　could　hear　the　activity　in　the　background；　but　Toad　could　almost　see　Grafton　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　propping　his　feet　on　his　middle　desk　drawer　as　if　he　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。　The　captain　kept　him　on　the　phone　almost　twenty　minutes；　making　him　tell　of　Rita's　every　word　and　gesture；　listening　as　long　as　Toad　wanted　to　talk。　Finally　Toad　realized　the　captain　must　have　something　else　to　do；　and　said　a　reluctant　goodbye。
　〃You　tell　her　I　said　to　get　well　quick。〃
　〃I　will；　sir。〃
　〃And　tell　her　Amy　asks　about　her　every　day。　Amy　and　Callie　have　been　pulling　real　hard　for　her。〃
　〃I'll　tell　her。〃
　〃Keep　the　faith；　shipmate；〃　Jake　Grafton　said；　and　was　gone。
　〃Yeah；〃　said　Toad　Tarkington；　hanging　up　the　receiver　and　wiping　his　eyes。　The　tears　wouldn't　stop。　So　he　laughed　and　cried　at　the　very　same　time。
　
　Monday　evening　after　work　mander　Smoke　Judy　went　home；　changed　clothes；　then　drove　to　a　bar　in　Georgetown。　He　had　trouble　finding　the　place；　then　he　had　to　park　six　blocks　away　and　hike　back。　The　streets　were　packed　with　the　trendy　and　the　chic。　Poodles　anointed　lampposts　and　fire　hydrants　as　their　ladies　gazed　away　with　a　studied　casualness。
　Judy　had　to　stand　by　the　door　until　a　stool　opened　at　the　bar。　He　perched　there　and　studied　the　beer　list　The　bartender　paused　across　the　polished　mahogany　bar　and　said；　〃On　draft　we　have　Guinness；　Watney's；　Steinlager…〃
　〃Gimme　a　Bud。　In　a　bottle。〃
　He　saw　Harlan　Albright　e　in　about　fifteen　minutes　later　and　grab　an　empty　stool　on　the　far　end。　Albright　was　carrying　a　gym　bag。
　Nice　touch　that；　Judy　decided。　Half　the　people　in　the　place；　men　and　women；　had　a　gyro　bag　with　them　or　were　wearing　exercise　clothes。　Not　sweaty　tank　tops　and　grungy　shorts；　mind　you；　but　stuff　that　looked　like　it　came　from　Saks　and　routinely　visited　a　dry…cleaning　plant。
　When　the　man　beside　Judy　left　to　visit　a　woman　who　had　just　slipped　into　a　booth；　Albright　came　over　and　sat　on　the　vacant　stool。
　〃Ever　been　here　before？〃
　〃Nope。　Gonna　e　back；　though。　This　is　a　real　meat　market。　And　on　a　Monday　evening　too！〃
　〃Next　Monday。　A　week　from　today；　same　time；　right　here。〃　Albright　signaled　the　bartender；　laid　a　five　on　the　wood　and　left。　Smoke　nursed　his　second　beer。　The　mirror　behind　the　bar　gave　him　an　excellent　view　of　the　Lycra　thighs　and　hungry　eyes　of　the　female　patrons；　most　of　whom　seemed　to　be　drinking　white　wine　or　Perrier　with　a　twist。
　Smoke　Judy；　fighter　pilot；　took　a　last　swallow　and　counted　his　change。　He　left　a　dollar　tip。　With　a　final　glance　around；　he　hoisted　the　gym　bag　and　walked　out；　right　past　some　sweet　little　piece　in　spandex　on　her　way　in。
　
　Tuesday　evening　Rita　grinned　as　Toad　entered　her　room。　She　had　been　moved　from　the　ICU　and　was　in　a　semiprivate　room；　but　the　other　bed　was　empty。　The　respirator　and　heart　monitor　had　not　acpanied　her。
　Toad　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　kissed　her。　〃How　you　feeling？〃
　〃Like　I　got　hit　by　a　truck。〃　Her　voice　was　soft；　almost　a　whisper。
　〃I've　been　talking　to　the　doctor。　They're　going　to　medevac　you　to　Bethesda　on　Thursday　if　you　keep　improving。　Being　as　how　I'm　next　of　kin；　I　get　to　ride　along。〃
　〃Good；〃　she　said；　and　continued　to　grin　with　her　eyes　on　him。
　〃So；〃　he　said；　returning　her　smile。　〃So。〃
　〃I've　read　a　little　bit。〃　Her　grin　broadened。
　〃I　thought　you　couldn't　focu