pbien.jaws-第14章

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　　　　　　　That's　a　pretty　shitty　trick。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　wasn't　a　trick。　I　had　to　have　someone　give　the　official　line；　and　with　Vaughan　away；　you　were　the　logical　one。　You　admit　that　you　agreed　to　go　along　with　the　decision；　so　…　reluctantly　or　not　…　you　supported　it。　I　didn't　see　any　point　in　airing　all　the　dirty　laundry　of　private　disputes。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose。　Anyway；　it's　done。　Is　there　anything　else　I　should　read　in　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　I　just　quote　Matt　Hooper；　that　fellow　from　Woods　Hole。　He　says　it　would　be　remarkable　if　we　ever　have　another　attack。　But　he's　a　little　less　sure　than　he　was　last　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃Does　he　think　one　fish　is　doing　all　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　doesn't　know；　of　course；　but　offhand；　yes。　He　thinks　it's　a　big　white。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do；　too。　I　mean；　I　don't　know　from　whites　or　greens　or　blues；　but　I　think　it's　one　shark。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　sure；　exactly。　Yesterday　afternoon　I　called　the　Coast　Guard　out　on　Montauk。　I　asked　them　if　they'd　noticed　a　lot　of　sharks　around　here　recently；　and　they　said　they　hadn't　seen　a　one。　Not　one　so　far　this　spring。　It's　still　early；　so　that　isn't　too　strange。　They　said　they'd　send　a　boat　down　this　way　later　on　and　give　me　a　call　if　they　saw　anything。　I　finally　called　them　back。　They　said　they　had　cruised　up　and　down　this　area　for　two　hours　and　hadn't　seen　a　thing。　So　there　sure　aren't　many　sharks　around。　They　also　said　that　when　there　are　sharks　around；　they're　mostly　medium…sized　blue　sharks　…　about　five　to　ten　feet　…　and　sand　sharks　that　don't　generally　bother　people。　From　what　Leonard　said　he　saw　yesterday；　this　is　no　medium…sized　blue。〃
　　　　　　　〃Hooper　said　there　was　one　thing　we　could　do；〃　Meadows　said。　〃Now　that　you've　got　the　beaches　closed　down；　we　could　chum。　You　know；　spread　fish　guts　and　goodies　like　that　around　in　the　water。　If　there's　a　shark　around；　he　said；　that　will　bring　him　running。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　great。　That's　what　we　need；　to　attract　sharks。　And　what　if　he　shows　up？　What　do　we　do　then？〃
　　　　　　　〃Catch　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃With　what？　My　trusty　spinning　rod？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　a　harpoon。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　harpoon。　Harry；　I　don't　even　have　a　police　boat；　let　alone　a　boat　with　harpoons　on　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　are　fishermen　around。　They　have　boats。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yeah；　for　a　hundred　and　a　half　a　day；　or　whatever　it　is。〃
　　　　　　　〃True。　But　still　it　seems　to　me。。。〃　A　motion　out　in　the　hall　stopped　Meadows　in　mid…sentence。
　　　　　　　He　and　Brody　heard　Bixby　say；　〃I　told　you；　ma'am；　he's　in　conference。〃　Then　a　woman's　voice　said；　〃Bullshit！　I　don't　care　what　he's　doing。　I'm　going　in　there。〃
　　　　　　　The　sound　of　running　feet；　first　one　pair；　then　two。　The　door　to　Brody's　office　flew　open；　and　standing　in　the　doorway；　clutching　a　newspaper；　tears　streaming　down　her　face；　was　Alexander　Kintner's　mother。　Bixby　came　up　behind　her　and　said；　〃I'm　sorry；　Chief。　I　tried　to　stop　her。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　okay；　Bixby；〃　said　Brody。　〃e　in；　Mrs。　Kintner。〃　Meadows　stood　and　offered　her　his　chair；　which　was　the　closest　one　to　Brody's　desk。　She　ignored　him　and　walked　up　to　Brody；　who　was　standing　behind　his　desk。
　　　　　　　〃What　can　I　do。。。〃　The　woman　slapped　the　newspaper　across　his　face。　It　didn't　hurt　Brody　so　much　as　startle　him　…　especially　the　noise；　a　sharp　report　that　rang　deep　into　his　left　ear。　The　paper　fell　to　the　floor。
　　　　　　　〃What　about　this？〃　Mrs。　Kintner　screamed。　〃What　about　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　about　what？〃　said　Brody。
　　　　　　　〃What　they　say　here。　That　you　knew　it　was　dangerous　to　swim。　That　somebody　had　already　been　killed　by　that　shark。　That　you　kept　it　a　secret。〃
　　　　　　　Brody　didn't　know　what　to　say。　Of　course　it　was　true；　all　of　it；　at　least　technically。
　　　　　　　He　couldn't　deny　it。　And　yet　he　couldn't　admit　it；　either；　because　it　wasn't　the　whole　truth。
　　　　　　　〃Sort　of；〃　he　said。　〃I　mean　yes；　it's　true；　but　it's　…　look；　Mrs。　Kintner。。。〃　He　was　pleading　with　her　to　control　herself　until　he　could　explain。
　　　　　　　〃You　killed　Alex！〃　She　shrieked　the　words；　and　Brody　was　sure　they　were　heard　in　the　parking　lot；　on　the　street；　in　the　center　of　town；　on　the　beaches；　all　over　Amity。
　　　　　　　He　was　sure　his　wife　heard　them；　and　his　children。　He　thought　to　himself：　Stop　her　before　she　says　anything　else。　But　all　he　could　say　was；　〃Ssshhht〃
　　　　　　　〃You　did！　You　killed　him！〃　Her　fists　were　clenched　at　her　sides；　and　her　head　snapped　forward　as　she　screamed；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　inject　the　words　into　Brody。
　　　　　　　〃You　won't　get　away　with　it！〃
　　　　　　　〃Please；　Mrs。　Kintner；〃　said　Brody。　〃Calm　down。　Just　for　a　minute。　Let　me　explain。〃　He　reached　to　touch　her　shoulder　and　help　her　to　a　chair；　but　she　jerked　away。
　　　　　　　〃Keep　your　fucking　hands　off　me！〃　she　cried。　〃You　knew。　You　knew　all　along；　but　you　wouldn't　say。　And　now　a　six…year…old　boy；　a　beautiful　six…year…old　boy；　my　boy。。。〃　Tears　seemed　to　pulse　from　her　eyes；　and　as　she　quivered　in　her　rage；　droplets　were　cast　from　her　face。　〃You　knew！　Why　didn't　you　tell？　Why？〃　She　clutched　herself；　wrapping　her　arms　around　her　body　as　they　would　be　wrapped　in　a　straitjacket；　and　she　looked　into　Brody's　eyes。　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　。　。　。〃　Brody　fumbled　for　words。　〃It's　a　long　story。〃　He　felt　wounded；　incapacitated　as　surely　as　if　he　had　been　shot。　He　didn't　know　if　he　could　explain　now。
　　　　　　　He　wasn't　even　sure　he　could　speak。
　　　　　　　〃I　bet　it　is；〃　said　the　woman。　〃Oh；　you　evil　man。　You　evil；　evil　man。　You。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Stop　it！〃　Brody's　shout　was　both　plea　and　mand。　It　stopped　her。　〃Now　look；　Mrs。　Kintner；　you've　got　it　wrong；　all　wrong。　Ask　Mr。　Meadows。〃
　　　　　　　Meadows；　transfixed　by　the　scene；　nodded　dumbly。
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　he'd　say　that。　Why　shouldn't　he？　He's　your　pal；　isn't　he？　He　probably　told　you　you　were　doing　the　right　thing。〃　Her　rage　was　mounting　again；　flooding；　resuscitated　by　a　new　burst　of　emotional　amperage。　〃You　probably　decided　together。　That　makes　it　easier；　doesn't　it？　Did　you　make　money？〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　　　　〃Did　you　make　money　from　my　son's　blood？　Did　someone　pay　you　not　to　tell　what　you　knew？〃
　　　　　　　Brody　was　horrified。　〃No！　Christ；　of　course　not。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　why？　Tell　me。　Tell　me　why。　I'll　pay　you。　Just　tell　me　why！〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　we　didn't　think　it　could　happen　again。〃　Brody　was　surprised　by　his　brevity。　That　was　it；　really；　wasn't　it？　The　woman　was　silent　for　a　moment；　letting　the　words　register　in　her　muddled　mind。　She　seemed　to　repeat　them　to　herself。　She　said；　〃Oh；〃　then；　a　second　later；　〃Jesus。〃
　　　　　　　All　of　a　sudden；　as　if　a　switch　had　been　turned　somewhere　inside　her；　shutting　off　power；　she　had　no　more　self…control。　She　slumped　into　the　chair　next　to　Meadows　and　began　to　weep　in　gasping；　choking　sobs。
　　　　　　　Meadows　tried　to　calm　her；　but　she　didn't　hear　him。　She　didn't　hear　Brody　when　he　told　Bixby　to　call　a　doctor。　And　she　saw；　heard；　and　felt　nothing　when　the　doctor　came　into　the　office；　listened　to　Brody's　description　of　what　had　happened；　tried　to　talk　to　her；　gave　her　a　shot　of　Librium；　led　her　…　with　the　help　of　one　of　Brody's　men　…　to　his　car；　and　drove　her　to　the　hospital。　When　she　had　left；　Brody　looked　at　his　watch　and　said；　〃It's　not　even　nine　o'clock　yet。　If　ever　I　felt　like　I　could　use　a　drink。。。　wow。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you're　serious；〃　said　Meadows；　〃I　have　some　Bourbon　back　in　my　office。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　If　this　was　any　indication　of　how　the　rest　of　the　day's　going　to　go；　I　better　not　fuck　up　my　head。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　hard；　but　you've　got　to　try　not　to　take　what　she　said　too　seriously。　I　mean；　the　woman　was　in　shock；　for　one　thing。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know；　Harry。　Any　doctor　would　say　she　didn't　know　what　she　was　saying。　The　trouble　is；　I'd　already　thought　a　lot　of　the　things　she　was　saying。　Not　in　those　words；　maybe；　but　the　thoughts　were　the　same。〃
　　　　　　　〃e　on；　Martin；　you　know　you　can't　blame　yourself。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。　I　could　blame　Larry　Vaughan。　Or　maybe　even　you。　But　the　point　is；　the　two　deaths　yesterday　could　have　been　prevented。　I　could　have　prevented　them；　and　I　didn't。　Period。〃　The　phone　rang。　It　was　answered　in　the　other　room；　and　a　voice　on　the　inter　said；　〃It's　Mr。　Vaughan。〃
　　　　　　　Brody　pushed　the　lighted　button；　picked　up　the　receiver；　and　said；　〃Hi；　Larry。　Did　you　have　a　nice　weekend？〃
　　　　　　　〃Until　about　eleven　o'clock　last　night；〃　said　Vaughan；　〃when　I　turned　on　my　car　radio　dri