thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第21部分

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　　I　thought　about　this。。。but　the　only　alternative　was　to　take　her　out　to　the　desert　and　feed　her　remains　to　the　lizards。　I　wasn't　ready　for　this；　it　seemed　a　bit　heavy　for　the　thing　we　were　trying　to　protect：　My　attorney。　It　came　down　to　that。　So　the　problem　was　to　work　out　a　balance；　to　aim　Lucy　in　a　direction　that　wouldn't　snap　her　mind　and　provoke　a　disastrous　backlash。
　　She　had　money。　My　attorney　had　ascertained　that。　〃At　least　200；〃　he'd　said。　〃And　we　can　always　call　the　cops　up　there　in　Montana；　where　she　lives；　and　turn　her　in。〃　I　was　reluctant　to　do　this。　The　only　thing　worse　than　turning　her　loose　in　Vegas；　I　felt；　was　turning　her　over　to　〃the　authorities〃。。。and　that　was　clearly　out　of　the　question；　anyway。　Not　now。　〃What　kind　of　goddamn　monster　are　you？〃　I　said。　〃First　you　kidnap　the　girl；　then　you　rape　her；　and　now　you　want　to　have　her　locked　up！〃　He　shrugged。　〃It　just　occurred　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　she　has　no　witnesses。　Anything　she　says　about　us　is　pletely　worthless。〃
　　〃Us？〃　I　said。
　　He　stared　at　me。　I　could　see　that　his　head　was　clearing。　The　acid　was　almost　gone。　This　meant　that　Lucy　was　probably　ing　down；　too。　It　was　time　to　cut　the　cord。
　　Lucy　was　waiting　for　us　in　the　car；　listening　to　the　radio　with　a　twisted　smile　on　her　face。　We　were　standing　about　ten　yards　off。　Anybody　watching　us　from　a　distance　might　have　thought　we　were　having　some　kind　of　vicious；　showdown　argurnent　about　who　had　〃rights　to　the　girl。〃　It　was　a　standard　scene　for　a　Vegas　parking　lot。
　　We　finally　decided　to　make　her　a　reservation　at　the　Americana。　My　attorney　ambled　over　to　the　car　and　got　her　last　name　under　some　pretense；　then　I　hurried　inside　and　called　the　hotel…saying　that　I　was　her　uncle　and　that　I　wanted　her　to　be　〃treated　very　gently；〃　because　she　was　an　artist　and　might　seem　a　trifle　high…strung。　The　room　clerk　assured　me　they'd　give　her　every　courtesy。
　　Then　we　drove　her　out　to　the　airport；　saying　we　were　going　to　trade　the　White　Whale　in　for　a　Mercedes　600；　and　my　attorney　took　her　into　the　lobby　with　all　her　gear。　She　was　still　unhinged　and　babbling　when　he　led　her　away。　I　drove　around　a　corner　and　waited　for　him。
　　Ten　minutes　later　he　shuffled　up　to　the　car　and　got　in。　〃Take　off　slowly；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　attract　any　attention。〃　When　we　got　out　on　Las　Vegas　Boulevard　he　explained　that　he'd　given　one　of　the　airport　cab…hasslers　a　10　bill　to　see　that　his　〃drunk　girlfriend〃　got　to　the　Americana；　where　she　had　a　reservation。　〃I　told　him　to　make　sure　she　got　there；〃　he　said。
　　〃You　think　she　will？〃　He　nodded。　〃The　guy　said　he'd　pay　the　fare　with　the　extra　five　bucks　I　gave　him；　and　tell　the　cabbie　to　humor　her。　I　told　him　I　had　some　business　to　take　care　of；　but　I'd　be　there　myself　in　an　hour…and　if　the　girl　wasn't　already　checked　in；　I'd　e　back　out　here　and　rip　his　lungs　out。〃
　　〃That's　good；〃　I　said。　〃You　can't　be　subtle　in　this　town。〃　He　grinned。　〃As　your　attorney；　I　advise　you　to　tell　me　where　you　put　the　goddamn　mescaline。〃　I　pulled　over。　The　kit…bag　was　in　the　trunk。　He　fetched　out　two　pellets　and　we　each　ate　one。　The　sun　was　going　down　behind　the　scrub　hills　northwest　of　the　city。　A　good　Kristofferson　tune　was　croaking　out　of　the　radio。　We　cruised　back　to　town　through　the　warm　dusk；　relaxed　on　the　red　leather　seats　of　our　electric　white　Coupe　de　Ville。
　　〃Maybe　we　should　take　it　easy　tonight；〃　I　said　as　we　flashed　past　the　Tropicana。
　　〃Right；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　find　a　good　seafood　restaurant　and　some　red　salmon。　I　feel　a　powerful　lust　for　red　salmon。〃　I　agreed。　〃But　first　we　should　go　back　to　the　hotel　and　set…in。　Maybe　have　a　quick　swim　and　some　rum。〃　He　nodded；　leaning　back　on　the　seat　and　staring　up　at　the　sky。　Night　was　ing　down　slowly。
　　
　　　4。　No　Refuge　for　Degenerates。。。Reflections　on　a　Muderous　Junkie
　　
　　We　drove　through　the　parking　lot　of　the　Flamingo　and　around　the　back；　through　the　labyrinth；　to　our　wing。　No　problem　with　parking；　no　problem　with　theelevator；　and　the　suite　was　dead　quiet　when　we　entered：　half…dark　and　peacefully　elegant；　with　big　sliding　walls　opening　out　on　the　lawn　and　the　pool。
　　The　only　thing　moving　in　the　room　was　the　red…blinking　message　light　on　the　telephone。　〃Probably　room　service；〃　I　said。　〃I　ordered　some　ice　and　booze。　I　guess　it　came　while　we　were　gone。
　　My　attorney　shrugged。　〃We　have　plenty；〃　he　said。　〃But　we　might　as　well　get　more。　Hell　yes；　tell　them　to　send　it　up。〃　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　the　desk。　〃What's　the　mes　sage？〃　I　asked。　〃My　light　is　blinking。〃　The　clerk　seemed　to　hesitate。　I　could　hear　papers　shuffling。　〃Ah　yes；〃　he　saidfinally。　〃Mister　Duke？　Yes；　you　have　two　messages。　One　says；　'Wele　to　Las　Vegas；　from　the　Na　tional　District　Attorneys'　Association。〃'　〃Wonderful；〃　I　said。
　　〃。。。。　and　the　other；〃　he　continued；　〃says；　'Call　Lucy　at　the　Americana；　room　1000。〃'　'What？〃　He　repeated　the　message。　There　was　no　mistake。
　　〃Holy　shit！〃　I　muttered。
　　〃Excuse　me？〃　said　the　clerk。
　　I　hung　up。
　　
　　？　　？　　？
　　
　　My　attorney　was　doing　the　Big　Spit　again；　in　the　bathroom。　I　walked　out　on　the　balcony　and　stared　at　the　pool；　this　kidney…shaped　bag　of　bright　water　that　shimmered　outside　our　suite。　I　felt　like　Othello。　Here　I'd　only　been　in　town　a　few　hours；　and　we'd　already　laid　the　groundwork　for　a　classic　tragedy。　The　hero　was　doomed；　he　had　already　sown　the　seed　of　his　own　downfall。
　　But　who　was　the　Hero　of　this　filthy　drama？　I　turned　away　from　the　pool　and　confronted　my　attorney；　now　emerging　from　the　bathroom　and　wiping　his　mouth　with　a　towel。　His　eyes　were　glazed　and　limpid。　〃This　goddamn　mescaline；〃　he　muttered。　〃Why　the　fuck　can't　they　make　it　a　little　less　pure？　Maybe　mix　it　up　with　Rolaids；　or　something？〃
　　〃Othello　used　Dramamine；〃　I　said。
　　He　nodded；　hanging　the　towel　around　his　neck　as　he　reached　out　to　flip　on　the　TV　set。　〃Yeah；　I　heard　about　those　remedies。　Your　man　Fatty　Arbuckle　used　olive　oil。〃
　　〃Lucy　called；〃　I　said。
　　〃What？〃　He　sagged　visibly…like　an　animal　taking　a　bullet。　〃I　just　got　the　message　from　the　desk。　She's　at　the　Americana；　room　1600。。。and　she　wants　us　to　call。〃　He　stared　at　me。。。and　just　then　the　phone　rang。
　　I　shrugged　and　picked　it　up。　There　was　no　point　trying　to　hide。　She　had　found　us；　and　that　was　enough。
　　〃Hello；〃　I　said。
　　It　was　the　room　clerk　again。
　　〃Mister　Duke？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Hello；　Mister　Duke。　I'm　sorry　we　were　cut　off　a　moment　ago。。；　but　I　thought　I　should　call　again；　because　I　was　won　dering　。　。
　　〃What？〃　I　sensed　things　closing　down　on　us。　This　fucker　was　about　to　spring　something　on　me。　What　had　that　crazy　bitch　aid　to　him？　I　tried　to　stay　calm。
　　〃We're　watching　the　goddamn　news！〃　I　screamed。　〃What　the　fuck　are　you　interrupting　me　for？〃　Silence。
　　〃What　do　you　want？　Where's　the　goddamn　ice　I　ordered？　Where's　the　booze？　There's　a　war　on；　man！　People　are　being　killed！〃
　　〃Killed？〃　He　almost　whispered　the　word。
　　〃In　Vietnam！〃　I　yelled。　〃On　the　goddamn　television！〃
　　〃Oh。。。yes。。。yes；〃　he　said。　〃This　terrible　war。　When　will　it　end？〃
　　〃Tell　me；〃　I　said　quietly。　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　snapping　back　to　his　desk…clerk　tone。　〃I　thought　I　should　tell　you。。。because　I　know　you're　here　with　the　Police　Convention。。。that　the　woman　who　left　that　message　for　you　sounded　very　disturbed。〃　He　hesitated；　but　I　said　nothing。
　　〃I　thought　you　should　know　this；〃　he　said　finally。
　　〃What　did　you　say　to　her？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Nothing。　Nothing　at　all；　Mister　Duke。　I　merely　took　the　message。〃　He　paused。
　　〃But　it　wasn't　that　easy；　talking　to　that　woman。　She　was。。。well。。。extremelynervous。　I　think　she　was　crying。〃
　　〃Crying？〃　My　brain　had　locked　up。　I　couldn't　think。　The　drug　was　taking　over。　〃Why　was　she　crying？〃
　　〃Well。。。ah。。。she　didn't　say；　Mister　Duke。　But　since　I　knew　the　nature　of　your　work　I　thought。。。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Look；　you　want　to　be　gentle　with　that　woman　if　sheever　calls　again。　She's　our　case　study。　We're　watching　her　very　carefully。〃　I　felt　my　head　unwind　ing　now；　the　words　came　easily：　〃She's　perfectly　harmless；　of　course。。。there'll　be　no　trouble。。。this　woman　has　been　into　laudanum；　it's　a　controlled　experiment；　but　I　suspect　we'll　need　your　coopera