ericlustbader.the ninja-第41部分

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n　and　Penn　Station　plex。　He　glanced　up　at　it；　thinking　how　quickly　it　had　gone　out　of　style。　Across　from　him　was　the　Scatter　Hilton　Hotel　and；　a　block　up；　the　hideous　plastic　and　glass　frontage　of　a　McDonald's。
　Distractedly；　he　watched　the　traffic　shooting　the　lights；　weaving　lanes；　waves　of　steel。　He　was　thinking　of　the　call　that　had　e　in　late　last　night。　Vincent's　voice　had　been　a　terrific　blow。　Terry　and　Eileen；　murdered。　It　seemed　impossible　to　imagine。　No　prowler　could　possibly　have　gained　entrance　to　Terry's　apartment　without　his　knowing　it；　he　could　not　have　been　surprised　in　that　way。　How　then？　Vincent　had　been　peculiarly　unforthing；　his　voice　had　sounded　lifeless　and；　when　Nicholas　began　to　press　him；　he　had　merely　repeated　the　instructions　to　be　at　the　Seventh　Avenue　entrance　to　Penn　Station　after　taking　the　first　morning　train　into　the　city。
　The　sun　burned　the　streets　out　of　a　cloudless　sky。　Nicholas's　shirt　stuck　to　his　skin。　He　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair；　wishing　now　that　he　had　had　it　cut　shorter　in　deference　to　…the　heat。　The　lights　were　red　along　the　avenue　and　the　heavy　air　hung　like　brocaded　curtains；　stagnant；　feeling　almost　solid　with　the　heat。
　It　was　not　Vincent　who　would　be　meeting　him　but；　he　had　been　told；　a　Detective　Lieutenant　Croaker。　Lew　Croaker。　Nicholas　thought　he　remembered　the　name。　Free　time　had　made　The　New　York　Times　that　much　more　important。　A　case　earlier　in　the　year。　Didion。　The　papers；　even　the　normally　staid　Times；　had　turned　it　into　a　spectacular　event；　perhaps　because　it　had　occurred　in　the　Actium　House；　the　most　exclusive　new　residence　building　on　Fifth　Avenue。　Croaker　had　been　brought　in。　He　was　someone's　blue…eyed　boy；　he　got　a　ton　of　press；　especially　on　the　six　o'clock　news　on　TV。
　The　lights　on　Seventh　changed　to　green　and　the　traffic　resumed　its　herky…jerky　flow；　dominated　by　yellow　taxis。　Out　of　this　mass　of　dodging　confusion　a　sleek　black　limo　abruptly　appeared。　Its　tinted　glass　made　it　difficult　to　see　inside。　It　slid　to　a　quiet　stop　in　front　of　him。　The　back　door　on　the　kerb　side　opened　and　Nicholas　saw　movement　on　the　far　side　of　the　seat。　A　figure　leaned　forward；　beckoned　。to　him。　'Please　get　in；　Mr　Linnear；'　a　vibrant　voice　said　from　out　of　the　depths。
　As　he　hesitated；　the　front　door　swung　silently　open　and　a　brawny　man　in　a　dark　blue　business　suit　with　short…cropped　brown　hair　moved　forward　and　guided　him　into　the　limo。　Both　doors　swung　to　with　a　fortable　thunk　that　bespoke　monied　engineering　and　the　limo　accelerated　into　the　traffic　flow。
　There　was　a　spaciousness　inside　not　usually　an　attribute　of　automobiles　and　a　silence　that　was　truly　remarkable。　Outside；　the　city　glided　by　as　if　pulled　on　velvet　runners。　They　might　have　been　stationary；　a　backdrop　being　rolled　by　them；　save　for　the　slight　disfitures　of　acceleration　and　deceleration。
　The　interior　was　done　all　in　dove…grey　velvet　and　it　was；　quite　obviously；　a　custom　job；　nothing　was　as　one　might　see　it　on　the　showroom　floor。　It　was　cool　and　dim；　like　the　ulterior　of　an　expensive　bar。　Even　the　vibration　from　the　massive　V…8　engine　was　kept　to　a　minimum。
　There　were　three　men　in　the　car：　a　driver；　the　man　in　the　dark　blue　business　suit　who　sat　on　the　passenger's　side　in　front　and　the　figure　in　the　back；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　velvet　bench　seat。　This　last　regarded　him　now。　He　was　tall　and　somewhat　stocky。　He　wore　a　conservative　yet　impeccable　lightweight　linen　suit。　Beneath　this；　Nicholas　could　see　that　there　was　no　fat　on　him；　his　bulk　was　muscle　and　bone。　He　had　a　large　head　with　a　somewhat　thrusting　jaw　which；　overall；　gave　him　a　rather　aggressive　appearance。　This　was　enhanced　by　his　slanting　forehead　and　short　gunmetal…grey　hair。　His　lean　cheeks　were　pockmarked　and　his　deep…set　blue　eyes；　like　marble　chips；
　were　guarded　by　black　bushy　eyebrows。　Altogether；　Nicholas　decided；　it　was　a　face　that　had　borne　the　brunt　of　many　a　tough　decision　and　won　them　all。　Nicholas　would　have　cast　him　as　a　general　and　no　lower　than　a　five…star。
　'Would　you　care　for　a　drink？'　The　man　beside　him　had　spoken　in　his　manding　voice　but　it　was　blue…business…suit　who　moved；　turning　his　body　part…way　around　on　the　front　seat　so　that　his　left　arm　lay　along　the　velvet　top　like　an　implied　threat。　Nicholas　found　himself　wondering　what　had　happened　to　delay　Lieutenant　Croaker。
　'Bacardi　and　bitter　lemon；　if　you　have　it。'　Immediately　the　blue　business　suit　opened　a　small　door　in　the　centre　of　the　front　seat。　Nicholas　heard　the　clink　of　ice　against　glass。　He　remained　calm；　though　he　still　had　no　idea　who　these　people　were。　He　wanted　to　keep　the　man　talking。　The　longer　he　did　that；　the　sooner　he　would　know　who　he　was。
　'You　don't　look　much　like　your　photographs；'　the　man　said　almost　disgustedly。
　As　blue…suit　stretched　to　pour　the　rum；　Nicholas　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　butt　of　a　revolver　slung　with　a　chamois　holster　under　the　man's　right　armpit。　He　turned　his　gaze　away；　to　the　city　outside。　It　seemed　a　thousand　miles　away。　'That's　perfectly　understandable；'　he　said。　'I've　never　taken　a　good　picture；　not　to　my　knowledge；　anyway。'
　'Your　drink；'　the　man　in　the　dark　blue　suit　said。
　Nicholas　reached　forward　through　the　open　partition　and；　as　he　did　so；　he　saw　from　certain　minute　changes　in　the　other　precisely　what　was　ing。　Curious；　he　allowed　it　to　happen。　As　soon　as　his　hand　was　through　the　partition；　the　man　lifted　the　drink　away　and　grabbed　at　Nicholas's　wrist　with　his　other　hand。　It　was　a　very　swift　motion　yet；　from　Nicholas's　point　of　view；　slow　and　clumsy。　He　could　have　counteracted　it　in　any　number　of　different　ways。　Instead；　he　watched　passively　as　the　other　gripped　his　wrist；　exerting　pressure　to　turn　the　hand　over。　The　man　peered　closely　at　the　edge　of　Nicholas's　hand；　which　was　as　hard　and　calloused　as　horn。　The　man　lifted　his　gaze；　nodded　to　the　man　beside　Nicholas；　then　handed　Nicholas　his　drink。
　Nicholas　sipped　at　the　Bacardi　and　bitter　lemon；　found　it　quite　good。　Swallowing；　he　said；　'Are　you　satisfied？'
　'As　to　your　identity；〃　said　the　man　beside　him；　'yes。'
　'You　know　more　about　me　than　I　do　about　you；'　Nicholas　observed。
　The　man　shrugged。　〃That　is　as　it　should　be。'
　'By　your　standards　perhaps。'　No　one　wore　sunglasses　or　any　kind　of　glasses；　for　that　matter；　no　one　smoked。
　'Those　are　the　only　standards　that　count；　Mr　Linnear。〃
　'Mind　if　I　light　up？'　Nicholas's　right　hand　moved　towards　his　trouser　pocket　and；　at　the　same　time；　blue…suit's　left　arm　stiffened；　moving。　He　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side。
　'You　don't　want　to　do　that；　Mr　Linnear；'　said　the　man　beside　him。　'You　gave　up　smoking　more　than　six　months　ago。'　He　grunted。　'Just　as　well。　Those　black…tobaccoed　cigarettes　are　certain　killers。'
　Nicholas　was　impressed　by　the　depth　of　their　information　on　him。　Whoever　this　man　was；　he　was　not　an　amateur。
　'Did　you　know；　Mr　Linnear；　that　an　accumulation　of　high…nicotine　smoke　can　destroy　the　taste　buds？'　He　nodded　as　if　this　statement　needed　physical　confirmation。　'It's　quite　true。　A　group　at　the　University　of　North　Carolina　pleted　the　study。'　He　smiled。　'Ironic；　isn't　it？　The　campus　is　virtually　surrounded　by　tobacco　fields。'
　'I've　never　heard　of　that　study；'　Nicholas　said。
　'Well；　of　course　you　haven't。　The　results　are　quite　secret　at　the　moment。　They're　being　timed　for　release　during　the　annual　tobacco　growers'　convention　in　Dallas　next　October。〃
　'You　seem　to　know　a　great　deal　about　this　study。'
　'I　should；〃　the　man　said；　laughing。　'It　was　funded　with　my　money。〃　He　turned　his　head　away；　letting　that　sink　in　for　several　moments。
　'How　much　do　you　really　know　about　me？'　Nicholas　prompted。　He　was　almost　certain　now；　the　face　remained　vaguely　familiar；　at　least　parts　of　it。
　The　man　swung　around；　impaling　him　on　an　icy　stare。　'Enough　to　want　to　talk　to　you　face　to　face。'
　It　was　the　piece　he　needed。　'I　didn't　recognize　you　at　first；'　Nicholas　said。　Td　never　seen　you　without　the　beard。〃
　The　man　smiled；　rubbed　at　his　clean…shaven　chin。　'It　does　make　quite　a　difference；　I'll　admit。'　Then　his　face　lost　all　its　warmth　and　it　seemed　as　if　the　flesh　were　carved　out　of　granite；　the　difference　was　appalling。　'What　do　you　want　with　my　daughter；　Mr　Linnear？'　His　voice　was