cb.coldheart canyon-第75部分

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　 Zeffer　threw　back　his　head；　and　caught　hold　of　the　edge　of　the　door　with　his　unmaimed　hand。　He　had　his　eyes　fixed　on　Tammy　as　he　did　so；　as　though　he　was　drawing　the　power　to　do　whatever　he　was　planning　to　do　from　her。　There　was　a　long　moment　when　in　fact　he　did　nothing；　only　teetered　on　the　threshold；　his　eyelids　growing　lazy。　Then…summoning　one　last　Herculean　effort　of　will…he　gave　Tammy　a　tiny　smile　and　closed　the　door　in　her　face。
　 It　was　like　being　woken　from　a　dream。　One　moment　Tammy　had　been　staring　into　Zeffer's　stricken　face；　while　the　men　closed　in　on　him　from　behind；　and　the　sky　seethed　overhead。　The　next　the　door　had　shut　this　terrible　vision　out；　and　she　was　back　in　the　little　hallway　with　Todd　at　her　side。
　 The　sight　of　Zeffer's　execution　had　momentarily　distracted　Katya　from　any　further　mischief。　She　was　simply　staring　at　the　door　as　though　she　could　see　through　it　to　the　horror　on　the　other　side。
　 Tammy　didn't　give　her　a　chance　to　snap　out　of　the　trance。　She　started　up　the　stairs；　pulling　Todd　after　her。
　 〃Christ。。。〃　Todd　muttered　to　himself。　〃Christ　oh　Christ　oh　Christ。。。〃
　 Five　stairs　up；　Tammy　chanced　a　backward　glance；　but　Katya　was　still　standing　in　front　of　the　door。
　 What　was　she　thinking；　Tammy　wondered。　What　have　I　done？　Did　a　woman　like　that　ever　think…'what　have　I　done'？　With　Zeffer　gone；　she　would　be　alone　in　Coldheart　Canyon。　Alone　with　the　dead。　Not　a　pretty　prospect。
　 Perhaps　she　was　regretting。　Just　a　little。
　 And　while　she　regretted；　（if　regretting　was　what　she　was　doing）　Tammy　continued　to　haul　Todd　after　her　up　the　stairs。

　 Six　steps　now；　seven；　eight；　nine。
　 Now　the　escapees　were　on　the　half…landing。　Through　the　window　off　to　their　left　Tammy　could　see　the　sight　that　had　held　Zeffer's　attention　just　minutes　before：　the　occupants　of　Coldheart　Canyon　pressing　against　the　glass。
　 Why　didn't　they　simply　break　in；　she　wondered？　They　weren't；　after　all；　insubstantial。　They　had　weight；　they　had　force。　If　they　wanted　to　get　in　so　badly；　why　didn't　they　simply　break　the　glass　or　splinter　the　doors？
　 The　question　went　from　her　head　the　next　instant；　driven　out　by　a　wail　of　demand　from　below。
　 〃Todd？〃
　 It　was　Katya；　of　course。　She　had　finally　stirred　from　her　fugue　state　and　was　ing　up　the　stairs　after　them。　Speaking　in　her　sweetest　voice。　Her　e…hither　voice。
　 〃Todd；　where　are　you　going？〃
　 Tammy　felt　nauseous。　Katya　could　still　do　them　harm。　She　still　had　power　over　Todd　and　she　knew　it。　That　was　why　she　put　on　that　little　girl　questioning　voice。
　 〃Todd？〃　Katya　said　again。　〃Wait；　darling。〃
　 If　she　let　go　of　him；　Tammy　guessed；　he　would　obey　Katya's　request。　And　then　they'd　be　lost。　Katya　would　never　let　him　go。　She'd　kill　him　rather　than　let　him　escape　her　a　second　time。
　 There　wasn't　much　advice　Tammy　could　give　to　Todd　except：　〃Don't　look　back。〃
　 He　glanced　at　her；　his　expression　plaintive。　It　made　her　feel　as　though　she　were　leading　a　child　rather　than　a　grown　man。
　 〃We　can't　just　leave　her　here；〃　he　said。
　 〃After　what　she　just　did！〃
　 〃Don't　listen　to　her；〃　Katya　said；　her　voice　suddenly　a　siren…song；　the　little…girl　lightness　erased　in　favor　of　something　more　velvety。　〃She　just　wants　you　for　herself。〃
　 Todd　frowned。
　 〃You　can't　leave　me；　Todd。〃
　 And　then　more　softly　still：　〃I　won't　let　you　leave　me。〃
　 〃Just　remember　what　she　did　down　there；〃　Tammy　said　to　Todd。

　 〃Zeffer　was　a　nuisance；〃　Katya　said。　She　was　getting　closer；　Tammy　knew；　her　voice　had　dropped　to　a　sultry　murmur。　〃I　never　loved　him；　Todd。　You　know　that。　He　hung　around　causing　trouble。　Listen　to　me。　You　don't　want　to　go　with　this　woman。　Look　at　her；　then　look　at　me。　See　what　a　choice　you're　making。〃
　 Tammy　half…expected　Todd　to　obey　Katya's　instruction。　But　Todd　simply　studied　the　stairs　as　they　climbed；　which　under　the　circumstances　was　a　minor　triumph。　Perhaps　he　still　had　the　will…power　in　him　to　resist　Katya；　Tammy　thought。　He　wasn't　her　object　yet。
　 Even　so　the　murdering　bitch　wasn't　ready　to　give　up。
　 〃Todd？〃　Katya　said；　now　casual；　as　though　none　of　this　was　of　any　great　significance。　〃Will　you　turn　round　for　a　moment？　Just　for　a　moment？　Please。　I　want　to　see　your　face　before　you　go。　That's　not　asking　much；　now　is　it？　Just　one　more　time。　I　can't　bear　it。　Please。　Todd。。。I。。。can't。。。bear　it。〃
　 Oh　Lord；　Tammy　thought；　she's　turning　on　the　tears。　She　knew　how　potent　a　well…timed　flood　of　tears　could　be。　Her　sister　had　always　been　very　quick　to　turn　on　the　waterworks　when　she　wanted　something；　and　it　had　usually　done　the　trick。
　 〃Please；　my　love。。。〃
　 It　was　almost　believable；　the　words　catching　in　her　throat；　the　soft　sob。
　 〃。。。don't　go。　I　won't　be　able　to　live　without　you。〃
　 They　were　still　a　few　strides　from　the　front　door。　Then；　once　they　were　out；　they　had　to　get　along　the　pathway　and　onto　the　street。　Somehow　she　doubted　Katya's　power　extended　far　beyond　the　limits　of　the　house。　The　Canyon　might　have　been　hers　once　upon　a　time；　but　she'd　lost　control　of　it　in　the　decades　since　her　heyday。　Now　it　belonged　to　the　ghosts　and　the　animals；　and　the　bestial　offspring　of　both。
　 Still　coaxing　Todd　after　her；　Tammy　made　her　way　across　the　hallway　to　the　front　door。
　 Behind　them；　Katya　kept　up　her　tearful　appeals：　declarations　of　love；　interspersed　with　sobs。　Then　more　appeals　for　him　to　turn　around　and　look　at　her。
　 〃You　don't　want　to　go；〃　she　called　to　Todd；　〃you　know　you　don't。　Especially　with　her。　Lord；　Todd；　look　at　her。　You　really　want　that？〃
　 Finally；　Tammy　snapped。　〃How　the　hell　do　you　know　what　he　wants；　bitch？〃　she　said；　turning　to　look　round　at　the　woman　on　their　heels。
　 〃Because　we're　soul…mates；〃　Katya　said。
　 Her　eyes　were　swollen　and　red；　Tammy　noted　with　some　satisfaction；　and　there　were　tears　pouring　down　her　face。　Her　mascara　was　running　down　her　pale　cheeks　in　two　black　rivulets。　〃He　knows　it's　true；〃　Katya　went　on。　〃We've　suffered　the　same　way。　Haven't　we；　Todd？　Remember　how　you　said　it　was　like　I　was　reading　your　mind？　And　I　said　it　was　because　we　were　the　same；　deep　down？　Remember　that？〃
　 〃Ignore　her；〃　Tammy　said。　They　were　no　more　than　three　strides　from　the　front　door。
　 But　Katya…realizing　she　was　close　to　losing…had　one　last　trick　up　her　sleeve。　One　final　power…play。　〃If　you　step　out　of　this　house；〃　she　said　to　Todd；　〃then　it's　over　between　us。　Do　you　understand　me？　If　you　stay…oh；　if　you　stay；　my　darling…then　I'm　yours。　I'm　yours　body　and　soul…I　mean　it：　body　and　soul。　But　if　you　go　it'll　be　as　though　you　never　existed。〃
　 Finally；　something　she　said　carried　enough　weight　to　stop　Todd　in　his　tracks。
　 〃Ignore　her；〃　Tammy　said。　〃Please。〃
　 〃You　know　I　can　do　that；〃　Katya　went　on。
　 Todd　turned；　and　looked　back　at　her；　which　was　exactly　what　Tammy　was　praying　he　wouldn't　do。　Katya　was　standing　in　the　darkness　close　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　but　the　shadows　did　not　conceal　the　fierce　brilliance　of　her　stare。　Her　eyes　seemed　to　flicker　in　the　murk；　as　though　there　were　flames　behind　them。
　 Now　she　had　succeeded　in　making　him　look　at　her　again；　she　softened　her　tone。　She　certainly　had　quite　a　repertoire；　Tammy　thought。　First　demands；　then　pleas　and　siren…songs；　then　tears　and　threats。　Now　what？
　 〃I　know　what　you're　thinking。。。〃　she　said。
　 Ah；　mind　reading。
　 〃。。。you're　thinking　that　you've　got　a　life　out　there。　And　it's　calling　you　back〃
　 Tammy　was　puzzled。　This　sounded　like　a　self…defeating　argument。　〃You're　thinking　you　want　to　be　back　in　the　spotlight；　where　you　belong。。。〃
　 While　Katya　talked；　Tammy　made　a　momentous　decision。　She　let　go　of　Todd's　hand。　She'd　done　all　that　she　could。　If　after　all　this　Todd　decided　that　he　wanted　to　turn　back　and　give　himself　to　the　wretched　woman；　then　there　was　nothing　more　Tammy　could　do　about　it。　He　was　a　lost　cause。
　 She　crossed　swiftly　to　the　front　door；　and　opened　it。　The　first　tug　was　a　little　difficult。　Then　the　door　swung　open　easily；　majestically。　There　were　no　ghosts　on　the　threshold；　only　the　refreshing　night　air；　sweetened　by　the　scent　of　night…blooming　jasmine。
　 Behind　her；　in　the　house；　Katya　was　finishing　her　argument。　〃The　fact　is；〃　she　said；　〃there's　nothing　out　there　for　you　now。　Do　you　understand　me；　Todd？　The