dk.coldfire-第31章

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　he　was　expected　to　save：　Christine　and　Casey　Dubrovek。　
　To　his　surprise；　he　realized　they　were　on　this　plane　with　him…which　led　him　to　suspect　that　the　trouble　might　e　in　the　terminal　at　O'Hare；　or　at　least　soon　after　touchdown。　Otherwise　he　would　not　have　crossed　their　path　so　early。　Usually；　he　encountered　the　people　he　saved　only　minutes　before　their　lives　were　thrown　into　jeopardy。　
　pelled　by　those　forces　that　had　been　guiding　him　periodically　since　last　May；　he　got　up；　headed　to　the　front　of　the　plane；　crossed　over　to　the　starboard　side；　and　started　back　that　aisle。　He　had　no　idea　what　he　was　doing　until　he　stopped　at　row　twenty…two　and　looked　down　at　the　mother　and　child　in　seats　H　and　I。　The　woman　was　in　her　late　twenties；　she　had　a　sweet　face；　not　beautiful　but　gentle　and　pretty。　The　child　was　five　or　six　years　old。　
　The　woman　looked　up　at　him　curiously；　and　Jim　heard　himself　say　〃Mrs。　
　Dubrovek？〃　She　blinked　in　surprise。　〃I'm　sorry。　。　。　do　I　know　you？〃　〃No；　but　Ed　told　me　you　were　taking　this　flight　and　asked　me　to　look　you　up。〃　When　he　spoke　that　name；　he　knew　Ed　was　her　husband；　though　he　had　no　idea　where　that　knowledge　had　e　from。　He　squatted　down　beside　her　seat　and　gave　her　his　best　smile。　〃I'm　Steve　Harkman。　
　Ed's　in　sales；　I'm　in　advertising；　so　we　drive　each　other　nuts　in　about　a　dozen　meetings　a　week。〃　
　Christine　Dubrovek's　madonna　face　brightened。　〃Oh；　yes；　he's　spoken　about　you。　You　only　joined　the　pany；　what；　a　month　ago？〃　〃Six　weeks　now；〃　Jim　said；　flowing　with　it；　confident　the　right　answers　would　pour　out　of　him　even　if　he　didn't　know　what　in　the　hell　they　were。　
　〃And　this　must　be　Casey。〃　
　The　little　girl　was　in　the　seat　by　the　window。　She　raised　her　head　shifting　her　attention　from　a　pop…up　storybook。　〃I'm　gonna　be　six　tomorrow；　it's　my　birthday；　and　we're　gonna　visit　grandpop　and　grandma　They're　real　old；　but　they're　nice。〃　
　He　laughed　and　said；　〃I'll　bet　they're　sure　proud　to　have　a　granddaughter　cute　as　you。〃　
　When　Holly　saw　him　ing　along　the　starboard　aisle；　she　was　so　startled　that　she　almost　popped　out　of　her　seat。　At　first　she　thought　he　was　looking　straight　at　her。　She　had　the　urge　to　start　blurting　out　a　confession　〃Yes；　all　right；　I've　been　following　you；　checking　up　on　you；　invading　your　privacy　with　a　vengeance〃…even　before　he　reached　her。　She　knew　precious　few　other　reporters　who　would　have　felt　guilty　about　probing　into　his　life；　but　she　couldn't　seem　to　eliminate　that　streak　of　decency　that　had　interfered　with　her　career　advancement　ever　since　she'd　gotten　her　journal　ism　degree。　It　almost　wrecked　everything　for　her　again…until　she　realized　he　was　looking　not　at　her　but　at　the　brunette　immediately　in　front　of　her　Holly　swallowed　hard；　and　slid　down　a　few　inches　in　her　seat　instead　of　leaping　up　in　a　frenzy　of　confession。　She　picked　up　the　airline's　magazine　which　she'd　previously　discarded；　slowly；　deliberately　she　opened　it　to　cover　her　face；　afraid　that　too　quick　a　move　would　draw　his　attention　before　she　had　concealed　herself　behind　those　glossy　pages。　
　The　magazine　blocked　her　view　of　him；　but　she　could　hear　everything　he　was　saying　and　most　of　the　woman's　responses。　She　listened　to　him　identify　himself　as　Steve　Harkman；　a　pany　ad　executive；　and　wondered　what　his　charade　was　all　about。　
　She　dared　to　tilt　her　head　far　enough　to　peek　around　the　magazine　with　one　eye。　Ironheart　was　hunkered　down　in　the　aisle　beside　the　woman's　seat；　so　close　that　Holly　could　have　spit　on　him；　although　she　was　no　more　practiced　at　target…spitting　than　she　was　at　clandestine　surveillance。　
　She　realized　her　hands　were　trembling；　making　the　magazine　rattle　softly。　She　untilted　her　head；　stared　at　the　pages　in　front　of　her；　and　concentrated　on　being　calm。　
　〃How　on　earth　did　you　recognize　me？〃　Christine　Dubrovek　asked。　
　〃Well；　Ed　doesn't　quite　paper　his　office　with　pictures　of　you　two；〃　Jim　said。　
　〃Oh；　that's　right；〃　she　said。　
　〃Listen；　Mrs。　Dubrovek…〃　〃Call　me　Christine。〃　
　〃Thank　you。　Christine。　。　。　I've　got　an　ulterior　motive　for　ing　over　here　and　pestering　you　like　this。　According　to　Ed；　you've　got　a　knack　for　matchmaking。〃　
　That　must　have　been　the　right　thing　to　say。　Already　aglow；　her　sweet　face　brightened　further。　〃Well；　I　do　like　getting　people　together　if　I　think　they're　right　for　each　other；　and　I've　got　to　admit　I've　had　more　than　a　little　success　at　it。〃　
　〃You　make　matches；　Mommy？〃　Casey　Dubrovek　asked。　
　Uncannily　in　synch　with　the　workings　of　her　six…year…old's　mind；　Christine　said；　〃Not　the　cigarette　kind；　honey。〃　
　〃Oh。　Good；〃　Casey　said；　then　returned　to　her　pop…up　storybook。　
　〃The　thing　is；〃　Jim　said；　〃I'm　new　in　Los　Angeles；　been　there　only　eight　weeks；　and　I'm　your　classic；　original　lonely　guy。　I　don't　like　singles'　bars；　don't　want　to　buy　a　gym　membership　just　to　meet　women；　and　figure　anybody　I'd　connect　with　through　a　puter　service　has　to　be　as　desperate　and　messed　up　as　I　am。〃　
　She　laughed。　〃You　don't　look　desperate　or　messed　up　to　me。〃　
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　a　stewardess　said　with　friendly　firmness；　touching　Jim's　shoulder；　〃but　I　can't　allow　you　to　block　the　aisle。〃　
　〃Oh；　sure；　yeah；〃　he　said；　standing　up。　〃Just　give　me　a　minute。〃　
　Then　to　Christine：　〃Listen；　this　is　embarrassing；　but　I'd　really　like　to　talk　to　you；　tell　you　about　myself；　what　I'm　looking　for　in　a　woman；　and　see　if　maybe　you　know　someone。　？〃　〃Sure；　I'd　love　that；〃　Christine　said　with　such　enthusiasm　that　she　was　surely　the　reincarnation　of　either　some　hillbilly　woman　who　had　been　a　much　sought…after　troth…finder　or　a　successful　schatchen　from　Brooklyn。　
　〃Hey；　you　know；　the　two　seats　next　to　mine　are　empty；〃　he　said　〃Maybe　you　could　sit　with　me　the　rest　of　the　way。　。　。　。〃　
　He　expected　her　to　be　reluctant　to　give　up　window　seats；　and　an　unexpressable　twist　of　anxiety　knotted　his　stomach　while　he　waited　for　her　response。　
　But　she　hesitated　for　only　a　second　or　two。　〃Yes；　why　not。〃　
　The　stewardess；　still　hovering　near　them；　nodded　her　approval。　
　To　Jim；　Christine　said；　〃I　thought　Casey　would　like　the　scenery　from　way　up　here；　but　she　doesn't　seem　to　care　much。　Besides；　we're　almost　in　the　back　of　the　wing；　and　it　blocks　a　lot　of　our　view。〃　
　Jim　did　not　understand　the　reason　for　the　wave　of　relief　that　swept　through　him　when　he　secured　her　agreement　to　move；　but　a　lot　of　things　mystified　him　these　days。　〃Good；　great。　Thank　you；　Christine。〃　
　As　he　stepped　back　to　let　Christine　Dubrovek　get　up；　he　noticed　the　passenger　in　the　seat　behind　her。　The　poor　woman　was　evidently　terrified　of　flying。　She　was　holding　a　copy　of　Vis　Pis　in　front　of　her　face；　trying　to　take　her　mind　off　her　fears　with　a　little　reading；　but　her　hands　were　shaking　so　badly　that　the　magazine　rattled　continuously。　
　〃Where　are　you　sitting？〃　Christine　asked。　
　〃The　other　aisle；　row　sixteen。　e　on；　I'll　show　you。〃　
　He　lifted　her　single　piece　of　carry…on　luggage　while　she　and　Casey　gathered　up　a　few　other　small　items；　then　he　led　them　to　the　front　of　the　plane　and　around　to　the　port　aisle。　Casey　entered　row　sixteen；　and　her　mother　followed。　
　Before　Jim　settled　down　himself；　something　impelled　him　to　look　across　the　wide…bodied　plane　to　the　aerophobic　woman　whom　they　had　left　behind　in　row　twenty…three。　She　had　lowered　the　magazine。　She　was　watching　him。　He　knew　her。　
　Holly　Thorne。　
　He　was　stunned。　
　Christine　Dubrovek　said；　〃Steve？〃　Across　the　plane；　the　reporter　realized　that　Jim　had　seen　her。　She　wide…eyed；　frozen。　Like　a　deer　caught　in　car　headlights。　
　〃Steve？〃　He　looked　down　at　Christine　and　said；　Uh；　excuse　me　a　minute；　Christine　。　Just　a　minute。　I'll　be　right　back。　Wait　here。　Okay？　Wait　right　here。　
　He　went　forward　and　across　to　the　starboard　aisle　again。　
　His　heart　was　hammering。　His　throat　was　tight　with　fear。　But　he　didn't　know　why。　He　was　not　afraid　of　Holly　Thorne。　He　knew　at　once　that　her　presence　was　no　coincidence；　that　she　had　stumbled　on　to　his　secret　and　had　been　following　him。　But　right　now　he　didn't　care。　
　Discovery；　being　unmasked…that　was　not　what　frightened　him。　He　had　no　idea　what　was　cranking　up　his　anxiety；　but　it　was　escalating　to　a　level　at　which　adrenaline　would　soon　start　to　squirt　out　his　ears。　
　As　he　made　his　w