cpike.thelastvampire-第12部分

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arket。　He　does　not　talk　about　Pat；　and　I　don't　bring　her　up。　But　I　do　steer　the　conversation　back　to　his　father。
　〃It　is　getting　late；〃　I　say。　〃Are　you　sure　you　don't　want　to　call　your　father　and　tell　him　that　you've　been　sitting　naked　in　a　Jacuzzi　with　a　beautiful　blond？〃
　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　think　my　dad's　home。〃
　〃He　has　a　girlfriend　of　his　own？〃
　〃No；　he's　been　out　of　town　the　last　few　days；　working　on　a　case。〃
　〃What　kind　of　case？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　it　is；　he　hasn't　told　me。　Except　that　it's　big　and　he　hopes　to　make　a　lot　of　money　on　it。　He's　been　working　on　it　for　a　while　now。〃　Ray　adds；　〃But　I'm　getting　worried　about　him。　He　often　leaves　for　days　at　a　time；　but　he's　never　gone　so　long　without　calling。〃
　〃Do　you　have　an　answering　machine　at　home？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　he　hasn't　even　left　you　a　message？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃How　long　has　he　been　out　of　touch？〃
　〃Three　days。　I　know　that　doesn't　sound　long；　but　I　swear；　he　calls　me　every　day。〃
　I　nod　sympathetically；　〃I　would　be　worried　if　I　were　you。　Does　he　have　an　office　in　town？〃
　〃Yes。　On　Tudor；　not　far　from　the　ocean。〃
　〃Have　you　been　by　his　office？〃
　〃I've　called　his　secretary；　but　she　hasn't　heard　from　him；　either。〃
　〃That　is　ridiculous；　Ray。　You　should　call　the　police　and　report　him　missing。〃
　Ray　waves　his　hand。　〃You　don't　know　my　dad。　I　could　never　do　that。　He　would　be　furious。　No；　I'm　sure　he　just　got　wrapped　up　in　his　work；　and　he'll　call　me　when　he　gets　a　chance。〃　He　pauses。　〃I　hope。〃
　〃I　have　an　idea；〃　I　say　as　if　it　just　occurred　to　me。　〃Why　don't　you　go　down　to　his　office　and　check　his　files　to　see　what　this　big　case　is。　You'd　probably　be　able　to　find　out　where　he　is。〃
　〃He　wouldn't　like　me　looking　through　his　files。〃
　I　shrug。　〃It's　up　to　you。　But　if　it　were　my　father；　I　would　want　to　know　where　he　was。〃
　〃His　files　are　all　on　puter。　I'd　have　to　go　into　his　whole　system；　and　there　would　be　a　notation　left　that　I　had　done　so。　He　has　it　set　up　that　way。〃
　〃Can　you　get　into　his　files？　I　mean；　do　you　know　the　password？〃
　He　hesitates。　〃How　did　you　know　he　has　it　set　up　that　a　password　is　required？〃
　There　is　a　note　of　suspicion　in　his　question；　and　once　more　I　marvel　at　Ray's　perceptive　abilities。　But　I　do　not　marvel　long　because　I　have　waited　for　this　very　moment　since　I　killed　his　father　two　days　ago；　and　I　have　no　intention　of　upsetting　my　plan。
　〃I　didn't；〃　I　say。　〃But　it　is　a　mon　way　to　protect　files。〃
　He　appears　satisfied。　〃Yeah；　I　can　get　into　his　files。　The　password　is　a　nickname　he　had　for　me　when　I　was　a　kid。〃
　I　do　not　need　to　ask　him　what　it　is；　which　may　only　increase　his　suspicion。　Instead　I　jump　to　my　feet。　〃e　on；　let's　go　to　his　office　right　now。　You'll　sleep　better　knowing　what　he's　up　to。〃
　He　is　startled。　〃Right　now？〃
　〃Well；　you　don't　want　to　go　looking　at　his　files　when　his　secretary's　there。　Now　is　the　perfect　time。　I'll　e　with　you。〃
　〃But　it's　late。〃　He　yawns。　〃I'm　tired。　I　was　thinking　I　should　go　home。　Maybe　he'll　be　there。〃
　〃That's　an　idea。　Check　to　see　if　he's　at　home　first。　But　if　he's　not；　and　he　hasn't　left　you　a　message；　then　you　should　go　to　the　office。〃
　〃Why　are　you　so　worried　about　my　father？〃
　I　stop　suddenly；　as　if　his　question　wounds　me。　〃Do　you　have　to　ask？〃　I　am　referring　to　the　ment　I　made　about　my　own　poor　dead　father　and　feel　no　shame　using　him　that　way。　Ray　looks　suitably　embarrassed。　He　sets　down　his　glass　of　wine　and　gets　up　from　the　floor。
　〃Sorry。　You　may　be　right；〃　he　says。　〃I'll　sleep　better　knowing　what's　going　on。　But　if　you　e　with　me；　then　I'll　have　to　bring　you　back　here。〃
　〃Maybe。〃　I　give　him　a　quick　kiss。　〃Or　maybe　I'll　just　fly　home。〃
　
　
　5
　
　
　At　Ray's　house　I　wait　in　the　car　while　he　goes　in　to　see　if　his　father　has　returned；　or　if　there　is　a　message　from　him。　Naturally；　I　am　not　surprised　when　Ray　returns　a　couple　of　minutes　later　downcast。　The　cold　has　sobered　him　up；　and　he　is　worried。　He　climbs　into　the　car　beside　me　and　turns　the　key　in　the　ignition。
　〃No　luck？〃　I　ask。
　〃No。　But　I　got　the　key　to　his　building。　We　won't　have　to　break　in。〃
　〃That's　a　relief。〃　While　I　had　Ray　look　away；　I　intended　just　to　break　the　lock。
　We　drive　to　the　building　I　visited　only　forty…eight　hours　earlier。　It　is　another　cold　night。　Throughout　the　years　I　have　gravitated　toward　the　wanner　climates；　such　as　my　native　India。　Why　I　have　chosen　to　e　to　Oregon；　I　am　not　sure。　I　glance　over　at　Ray　and　wonder　if　it　has　something　to　do　with　him。　But　of　course　I　don't　believe　that　because　I　don't　believe　in　destiny；　much　less　in　miracles。　I　do　not　believe　Krishna　was　God；　or　if　he　was　God…maybe　he　was　God；　I　simply　do　not　know　for　sure…then　I　do　not　believe　he　knew　what　he　was　doing　when　he　created　the　universe。　I　have　such　contempt　for　the　lotus…eyed　one。
　Yet；　after　all　these　years；　I　have　never　been　able　to　stop　thinking　about　him。
　Krishna。　Krishna。　Krishna。
　Even　his　name　haunts　me。
　Ray　lets　us　into　the　building。　Soon　we　are　standing　outside　Mr。　Michael　Riley's　office　door。　Ray　searches　for　another　key；　finds　it。　We　step　inside。　The　lights　are　off；　he　could　leave　them　off　and　I　would　still　be　able　to　find　my　way　around。　But　he　turns　them　on　and　heads　straight　into　his　father's　office。　He　sits　at　the　puter　while　I　stand　off　to　one　side。　I　survey　the　floor。　Minute　drops　of　blood　have　seeped　into　and　dried　in　the　cracks　between　the　tiles。　They　are　not　noticeable　to　mortal　eyes；　but　the　police　will　find　them　if　they　search。　I　decide；　no　matter　what　happens；　that　I　must　return　and　do　a　more　thorough　cleaning。　Ray　boots　the　puter　and　hastily　enters　the　secret　password；　thinking　that　I　do　not　catch　it。　But　I　do…RAYGUN。
　〃Can　you　check　what　his　latest　entries　were？〃　I　ask。
　〃That's　exactly　what　I'm　doing。〃　He　looks　over　at　me。　〃You　know　about　puters；　don't　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　move　closer　so　I　can　see　the　monitor。　A　menu　flashes　on　the　screen。　The　puter　is　equipped　with　a　mouse。　Ray　chooses　something　called　Pathlist。　A　list　of　files　appears　on　the　screen。　They　are　dated。　The　number　of　bytes　they　occupy　on　the　hard　disk　is　also　listed。　A　rectangular　outline　flashes　around　the　file　at　the　top。
　ALISA　PERNE。
　Ray　points　to　the　screen。　〃He　must　be　working　with　this　person。　Or　else　investigating　her。〃　He　reaches　for　the　Enter　button。　〃Let's　see　who　this　woman　is。〃
　〃Wait。〃　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder。　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃
　〃Hear　what？〃
　〃That　sound。〃
　〃I　don't　hear　anything。〃
　〃I　have　sensitive　hearing。　I　heard　someone　outside　the　building。〃
　Ray　pauses　and　listens。　〃It　could　have　been　an　animal。〃
　〃There　it　is　again。　Didn't　you　hear　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　I　appear　mildly　anxious。　〃Ray。　Could　you　please　see　if　anyone's　there？〃
　He　thinks　a　moment。　〃Sure。　No　problem。　Stay　here。　Lock　the　door。　I'll　call　to　you　when　I　return。〃　He　goes　to　get　up。
　But　he　exits　the　files　before　he　leaves；　although　he　leaves　the　puter　running。
　Interesting；　I　think。　He　was　willing　to　sleep　with　me；　but　he　doesn't　trust　me　alone　with　his　father's　files。　Smart　boy。
　The　moment　he's　out　the　door；　I　lock　it　and　hurry　to　the　puter。　I　enter　the　password　and　call　up　the　files。　I　can　speed　read　like　no　mortal　and　have　a　photographic　memory；　yet　I　cannot　read　nearly　as　fast　as　a　modern　puter　can　copy。　From　the　other　night　I　know　Mr。　Riley　has　a　box　of　formatted　three…and…a…half…inch　high…density　diskettes　in　his　desk。　I　remove　two　from　the　drawer　and　slip　one　into　the　puter。　I　am　familiar　with　the　word　processor。　I　set　it　to　copying　the　file。　Mr。　Riley　had　accumulated　a　lot　of　information　on　me。　The　Alisa　Perne　file　is　large。　I　estimate；　given　the　equipment　I　am　using；　that　it　will　take　me　five　minutes　to　copy　the　file　onto　both　diskettes。　Ray　will　return　before　then。　While　the　file　copies；　I　return　to　the　office　entrance　and　study　the　lock。　I　can　hear　Ray　walking　down　the　stairs。　He　hums　as　he　walks。　He　doesn't　think　there　is　anyone　outside。
　I　decide　to　jam　the　lock。　Taking　two　paper　clips　from　Riley's　desk；　and　bending　them　into　usable　shapes；　I　slip　them　into　the　tumblers。　The　first　diskette　finally　fills　as　Ray　returns　from　his　quick　outside　inspection。　I　slip　in　the　second　diskette。
　〃Sita；〃　Ray　calls。　〃It's　me。　There　was　no　one　there。〃
　I　spea