dk.intensity-第79部分

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　She　pointed　the　remote　control　at　the　windshield；　pressed　the　button；　and　jubilantly　said；　〃Yes；〃　when　the　gate　began　to　swing　inward。
　She　let　up　on　the　accelerator　and　tapped　the　brake　pedal；　giving　the　heavy　barrier　time　to　e　all　the　way　open　before　she　got　close　enough　to　obstruct　it。　The　gate　moved　ponderously。
　Fear　beat　through　her；　like　the　frantic　wings　of　a　dark　bird；　and　she　was　suddenly　sure　that　Vess　was　going　to　pull　his　car　into　the　end　of　the　driveway；　blocking　them；　just　as　the　gate　finished　opening。
　But　she　drove　between　the　posts　to　a　two…lane　blacktop　highway　that　led　left　and　right。　No　car　was　visible　in　either　direction。
　To　the　north；　left；　the　highway　climbed　into　a　forested　night；　toward　ragged　moon…frosted　clouds　and　stars；　as　if　it　were　a　ramp　that　would　carry　them　right　off　the　planet　and　up　into　deepest　space。
　To　the　south；　the　lanes　descended；　curving　out　of　sight　through　fields　and　woods。　In　the　distance；　perhaps　five　or　six　miles　away；　a　faint　golden　radiance　lay　against　the　night；　like　a　Japanese　fan　on　black　velvet；　as　if　a　small　town　waited　in　that　direction。
　Chyna　turned　south；　leaving　Edgler　Vess's　gate　wide　open。　She　accelerated。　Twenty　miles　an　hour。　Thirty。　She　held　the　motor　home　at　forty　miles　an　hour；　but　she　found　it　easy　to　imagine　that　she　was　going　faster　than　any　jet　plane。　Flying；　free。
　Although　she　was　suffering　uncounted　pains　and　was　plagued　by　a　degree　of　bone…deep　exhaustion　that　she'd　never　before　experienced；　her　spirit　soared。　〃Chyna　Shepherd；　untouched　and　alive；〃　she　said；　not　as　a　prayer　but　as　a　report　to　God。
　They　were　in　a　rural　stretch　of　countryside；　with　no　houses　or　businesses　to　either　the　east　or　the　west　of　the　road；　no　lights　except　the　glow　in　the　distance；　but　Chyna　felt　batbed　in　light。
　Ariel　continued　to　clutch　her　head；　and　her　sweet　face　remained　tormented。
　〃Ariel；　untouched　and　alive；〃　Chyna　told　her。　〃Untouched　and　alive。　Alive。　It's　okay；　honey。　Everything's　going　to　be　okay。〃　
　She　checked　the　odometer。　〃It's　three　miles　behind　us　and　getting　farther　behind　every　minute；　every　second。〃
　They　crested　a　low　hill；　and　Chyna　squinted　in　the　sudden　flare　of　oning　headlights。　A　single　car　was　approaching　uphill　in　the　northbound　lane。
　She　tensed；　because　it　might　be　Vess。　The　clock　showed　three　minutes　to　midnight。　Even　if　it　was　Vess；　and　though　he　would　be　certain　to　recognize　his　own　vehicle；　Chyna　felt　secure。　The　motor　home　was　a　lot　bigger　than　his　car；　so　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　run　her　off　the　highway。　In　fact；　she'd　be　able　to　smash　the　hell　out　of　him；　if　it　came　to　that；　and　she　wouldn't　hesitate　to　use　the　motor　home　as　a　battering　ram　if　she　couldn't　outrun　him。
　But　it　wasn't　Vess。　As　the　car　drew　nearer；　she　saw　something　on　the　roof；　first　thought　that　it　was　a　ski　rack；　but　then　realized　that　it　was　an　array　of　unlit　emergency　beacons　and　a　siren…bullhom。　Last　night；　as　she　had　followed　Vess　north　on　Highway　ioi　toward　redwood　country；　she　had　hoped　to　encounter　a　police　car…and　now　she　had　found　one。
　She　pounded　the　hom；　flashed　the　headlights；　and　braked　the　motor　home。　〃Cops！〃　she　told　Ariel。　〃Honey；　see；　everything's　going　to　be　all　right。　We　found　ourselves　some　cops！〃
　The　girl　huddled　forward；　snared　in　her　harness。
　AL　in　response　to　her　horn　and　the　flashing　lights；　the　police　officer　switched　on　his　emergency　beacons；　although　he　didn't　use　his　siren。
　Chyna　pulled　to　the　side　of　the　road　and　stopped。　〃They　can　get　Vess　before　he　discovers　we're　gone　and　tries　to　run。〃
　The　cruiser　had　already　passed　her。　She　had　glimpsed　the　words　SHERIFF'S　DEPARTMENT　in　the　crest　on　the　driver's　door；　and　they　were　the　two　most　glorious　words　in　the　English　language。
　In　the　sideview　mirror；　she　watched　the　car　as　it　hung　a　wide　U…turn　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　It　came　past　her　in　the　southbound　lane　now；　and　it　coasted　to　a　stop　thirty　feet　ahead；　on　the　graveled　shoulder。
　Relieved　and　exhilarated；　Chyna　opened　her　door　and　jumped　down　from　the　driver's　seat。　She　headed　toward　the　cruiser。
　She　could　see　that　only　one　officer　was　in　the　car。　He　was　wearing　a　trooper's　hat　with　a　wide　brim。　He　didn't　seem　to　be　in　any　hurry　to　get　out。
　The　revolving　emergency　beacons　cast　off　gouts　of　red　light　that　streamed　across　the　moonlit　pavement；　and　splashes　of　blue　light　as　in　a　turbulent　dream；　while　the　tall　trees　by　the　side　of　the　road　appeared　to　leap　close　and　then　away；　close　and　then　away。　A　wind　came　out　of　nowhere　to　harry　dead　leaves　and　clouds　of　grit　across　the　blacktop　as　though　the　strobing　beacons　themselves　had　disturbed　the　stillness。
　Almost　halfway　to　the　car；　where　the　policeman　still　sat　behind　the　steering　wheel；　Chyna　remembered　the　files　in　Vess's　study；　and　suddenly　they　meant　something　far　different　from　what　they　had　meant　before；　as　did　the　handcuffs。
　She　stopped。　〃Oh；　Jesus。〃　She　knew。　Chyna　spun　away　from　the　black…and…white　and　sprinted　back　to　the　motor　home。　In　the　flashing　blue　and　red　light；　weighed　down　by　the　fat　moon；　she　felt　as　if　she　were　running　slow　motion　in　a　dream；　through　air　as　thick　as　custard。
　When　she　reached　the　open　door　she　glanced　toward　the　patrol　car。　The　cop　was　getting　out。
　Gasping；　Chyna　climbed　up　into　the　driver's　seat；　pulling　the　door　shut　behind　her。
　The　officer　had　gotten　out　of　the　cruiser。　Edgler　Vess。　Chyna　released　the　emergency　brake。　Vess　opened　fire。
　Sheriff　Edgler　Foreman　Vess；　youngest　sheriff　in　the　county's　history；　watches　the　side　mirror　as　Chyna　Shepherd　hurries　along　the　shoulder　of　the　highway　toward　his　patrol　car；　and　he　wonders　if　this　woman　is；　after　all；　his　blown　tire；　the　destroyer　of　his　bright　future。　When　she　abruptly　stops；　whips　around；　and　races　back　through　the　flashing　lights　toward　the　motor　home；　Mr。　Vess's　alarm　increases。
　At　the　same　time；　he　is　enormously　taken　with　her　and　is　not　entirely　sorry　that　they　met。　
　He　says　aloud；　〃What　a　clever　bitch　you　are。
　Getting　out　of　the　black…and…white；　he　draws　his　revolver；　intending　to　put　a　round　in　one　of　her　legs。　He　still　has　some　hope　of　salvaLyinLy　the　situation。　If　he　can　disable　her　and　get　her　into　the　motor　home　before　another　motorist　es　along；　all　will　be　well。　What　fim　he　will　have　when　he　wraps　her　in　chains　again。　Ariel　won't　lift　a　hand　to　help　this　woman；　and　if　she　tries；　he'll　pistol…whip　the　little　bitch　into　submission；　that　will　spoil　the　plans　he　has　for　her；　but　he's　been　looking　at　her　beautiful　face　for　a　year；　wanting　to　smash　it；　and　the　smashing　will　b；*　enormously　satisfying　even　in　these　circumstances。
　Although　Vess　is　quick　getting　out　of　the　car；　Chyna　is　faster。　By　the　time　he　raises　the　revolver；　she　is　behind　the　wheel　of　the　motor　home；　drawing　the　door　shut。
　He　can't　take　any　chances　now；　can't　risk　merely　wounding　her　to　have　fan　with　her　later。　She　has　to　be　wasted。　He　pumps　six　rounds　through　the　windshield。
　When　Chyna　saw　the　gun　ing　up；　she　shouted；　〃Get　down！〃
　She　pushed　Ariel's　head　below　the　windshield；　throwing　herself　sideways；　half　out　of　her　seat；　across　the　open　console。　She　covered　the　girl　as　best　she　could；　squeezing　her　eyes　tightly　shut　and　shouting　at　the　girl　to　close　hers　too。
　Gunshots　cracked；　one　right　after　the　other；　as　fast　as　Vess　could　squeeze　them　off；　and　the　windshield　imploded。　Sheets　of　gummy　safety　glass　crashed　into　the　front　seats；　spilling　over　Chyna　and　the　girl；　and　things　split　and　shattered　farther　back　in　the　motor　home　as　the　slugs　found　stopping　points。
　She　tried　to　count　the　shots。　She　thought　she　heard　six。　Maybe　only　five。　She　wasn't　sure。　Damn。　Then　she　realized　that　it　didn't　matter　how　many　rounds　he'd　fired；　because　she　hadn't　gotten　a　good　look　at　the　weapon。　She　didn't　know　for　sure　that　it　was　a　revolver。　A　pistol　wouldn't　have　just　six　rounds；　it　could　have　ten　or　more；　a　lot　more　if　it　had　an　expanded　magazine。
　Risking　a　bullet　in　the　face；　Chyna　sat　up；　shaking　off　cascades　of　gummy…prickly　glass；　and　looked　out　through　the　empty　windshield〃　frame。　She　saw　Edgler　Vess　by　the　patrol　car；　thirty　feet　away。　He　was　tipping　the　expended　cartridges　out　of　his　piece；　so　it　had　to　be　a　revolver。
　Already　she　had　released　the