cw.imarriedadeadman-第35章
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She didn't know where he wanted to…wanted to put what he was bringing out。 Front or back。 She reached out and opened the rear door on his side; left it that way; ready and waiting for him。
Then she stared straight ahead through the windshield; with a curious sort of rigidity; as though she were unable to move her neck。
She heard the building…door open; and still couldn't turn her neck。 She strained; tugged at it; but it was locked in some sort of rigor of mortal terror; wouldn't carry her head around that way。
She heard a slow; weighted tread on the gritty sidewalk…his… and acpanying it a softer sound; a sort of scrape; as when two shoes are turned over on their softer topsides; or simply on their sides; and trail along that way; without full weight to press them down。
Suddenly his voice breathed urgently (almost in her ear; it seemed); 〃The front door。 The front〃
She couldn't turn her head。 But she could move her arms at least。 She extended them without looking; broke the latch open for him。 She could hear her own breath singing in her throat; like the sound a teakettle…spout makes when it is simmering toward a catastrophic overflow。
Someone settled on the seat beside her。 Just the way anyone does; with the same crunchy strain on the leather。 He touched her side; he nudged her here and there。
The muscular block shattered; and her head swung around。
She was looking into his face。 Not Bill's; not Bill's。 The mocking eyes wide open in the dark。 His head had had to swing toward her; just as hers had toward him…it couldn't have remained inert!…to make the grisly face…to…face confrontation plete。 Even in death he wouldn't let her alone。
A strangled scream wrenched at her windpipe。
〃Now; none of that;〃 the voice of Bill said; from just on the other side of him。 〃Get in back。 I want the wheel。 I want him next to me。〃
The sound of his voice had a steadying effect on her。 〃I didn't mean it;〃 she murmured blurredly。 She got out; got in again; holding onto the car for support in the brief transit between the two places。 She didn't know how she did it; but she did。
He must have known what she was going through; though he didn't look at her。
〃I told you to go home;〃 he reminded her quietly。
〃I'm all right;〃 she said。 〃I'm all right Go ahead。〃 It came out tinny; like something on a worn…out disk played by a feathered needle。
The door cracked shut; and they were in motion。
Bill kept the car down to a laggard crawl the first few moments; using only one hand to the wheel。 She saw him reach over with the other and tilt down the hat…brim low over the face beside him。
He found time for a word of encouragement to her; conscious of her there behind him; though still he didn't turn to glance at her。
〃Can you hear me?〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Try not to be frightened。 Try not to think of it。 We've been lucky so far。 The check and the notebook were on him。 Either we make it or we don't Look at it that way。 It's the only way。 You're helping me; too; that way。 See; if you're too tense; then I'm too tense too。 You react on me。〃
〃I'm all right;〃 she said with that same mechanical bleat as before。 〃I'll be quiet。 I'll be controlled。 Go ahead。〃
After that; they didn't talk。 How could you; on such a ride?
She kept her eyes away。 She'd look out the side as long as she could; then when that became a strain; she'd look up at the car ceiling for a moment to rest。 Or down at the floor directly before her。 Anywhere but straight ahead; to where those two heads (she knew) must be lightly quivering in synchronization to the same vibration。
She tried to do what he'd told her。 She tried not to think of it 〃We're ing home from a dance;〃 she said to herself。 〃He's bringing me home from the Country Club; that's all。 I'm wearing that black net with the gold disks。 Look; see? I'm wearing that black dress with the gold disks。 We had words; so I'm…I'm sitting in the back; and he's sitting alone up front。〃
Her forehead was a little cold and damp。 She wiped it off。
〃He's bringing me home from the movies;〃 she said to herself。 〃We saw…we saw…we saw…〃 Another of those blocks; this time of the imagination; occurred; it wouldn't e。 〃We saw…we saw… we saw…〃
Suddenly she'd said to him; aloud; 〃What was the name of that picture we just now came away from?〃
〃Good;〃 he answered instantly。 〃That's it。 That's a good idea。 I'll give you one。 Keep going over it。〃 It took him a moment to get one himself。 〃Mark Stevens in I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now;〃 he said suddenly。 They'd seen that together back in the sunlight; a thousand years ago (last Thursday)。 〃Start in at the beginning; and run through it。 If you get stuck; I'll help you out。〃
She was breathing laboredly; and her forehead kept getting damp again all the time。 〃He wrote songs;〃 she said to herself; 〃and he took his foster…sister to a…to a variety…show; and he heard one of them sung from the stage…〃
The car made a turn; and the two heads up front swung together; one almost landed on the other's shoulder。 Somebody pried them apart。
She hurriedly squeezed her eyes shut 〃When…when did the titlesong e into it?〃 she faltered。 〃Was that the opening number; they heard from the gallery?〃
He'd halted for a light; and a taxicab had halted beside him; wheel…cap to wheel…cap。 〃No; that was…〃 He looked at the taxicab。 〃That was…〃 He looked at the taxicab again; the way you look vaguely at some external object when you're trying to remember something that has nothing to do with it。 〃That was 'Hello; Ma Baby。' Cakewalk number; don't you remember? The title…song didn't e until the end。 He couldn't get words for it; don't you remember?〃
The light had changed。 The taxicab had slipped on ahead; quicker to resume motion。 She crushed the back of her hand against her mouth; sank her teeth into it 〃I can't;〃 she sighed to herself。 〃I can't。〃 She wanted to scream to him; 〃Oh; open the door! Let me out! I'm not brave! I thought I could; but I can't…I don't care; only let me get out of here; now; right where we are!〃
Panic; they called this panic。
She bit deeper into her own skin; and the hot frenzied gush subsided。
He was going a little faster now。 But not too fast; not fast enough to attract suspicion or catch any roving eye。 They were in the outskirts now; running along the turnpike that breasted the sunken railroad right…of…way。 You were supposed to 'go a little faster along there。
It took her several moments to realize that the chief hazard was over。 That they were already out of Caulfield; clear of it; or at least clear of its built…up heart Nothing had happened。 No untoward event They hadn't grazed any other car。 No policeman had e near them; to question them over some infraction; to look into the car。 All those things that she had dreaded so; had failed to materialize。 It had been a ride pletely without incident The two of them might have been alone in the car; for all the risk they'd run… outwardly。 But inwardly…
She felt all shrivelled…up inside; and old; as though there were permanent wrinkles on her heart。
〃He wasn't the only one that died tonight;〃 she thought。 〃I died too; somewhere along the way; in this car。 So it didn't work; it was all for nothing。 Better to have stayed back there; still alive; and taken the blame and the punishment〃
They were out in open country now。 The last cardboard…box factory; kept at a civic…minded distance away from the city limits; the last disused…brewery stack; even those had long slipped by。 The embankment that carried the turnpike had started a very gradual rise; the broad swath of railroad…tracks; by illusory contrast; seemed to depress still further。 The neat; clean…cut concrete…facing that had been given the embankment further in toward town didn't extend this far out; here there was just a natural slope; extremely steep; but with weeds and bushes clinging to it。
He'd stopped all of a sudden; for no apparent reason。 Run the two outside wheels off the road on the railroad's side; and stopped there。 That was all the space that was allowed; just two wheels of the car; even that was an extremely precarious position to take。 The downslope began almost outside the car door。
〃Why here?〃 she whispered。
He poi