ch.doublewhammy-第40章

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　〃I　almost　broke　his　neck；〃　Skink　said；　〃accidentally。〃
　〃It's　just　a　sprain；〃　Decker　said。
　Then　James　the　doctor…Catherine's　husband…walked　into　the　kitchen。　He　wore　a　navy　Ralph　Lauren　bathrobe　that　stopped　at　his　pale　hairless　knees；　he　also　wore　matching　blue　slippers。　Decker　was　seized　by　an　urge　to　repeatedly　slap　the　man　in　the　face；　instead　he　just　froze。
　James　studied　the　two　visitors　and　said；　〃Catherine？〃　He　wanted　an　explanation。
　Both　Catherine　and　Decker　looked　fairly　helpless；　so　Skink　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃This　is　your　wife's　ex…husband；　and　I'm　his　friend。〃
　〃Oh？〃　In　his　lifetime　James　had　never　seen　anything　like　Skink　up　close；　but　he　was　doing　his　best　to　maintain　a　man…of…the…house　authority。　To　Decker　he　extended　his　hand　and　said；　〃R。J。；　isn't　it？　Funny　we　haven't　met　before。〃
　〃Uproarious；〃　Decker　said；　giving　the　doctor's　hand　an　exceedingly　firm　shake。
　〃They're　spending　the　night；〃　Catherine　told　her　husband。　〃R。J。's　trailer　flooded。〃
　〃There's　been　no　rain；〃　James　remarked。
　〃A　pipe　broke；〃　Catherine　said　impatiently。
　Good　girl；　Decker　thought；　still　quick　on　her　feet。
　〃I'm　going　to　fix　these　fellows　some　tea；〃　she　said。　〃Everybody　into　the　living　room；　now；　scat。〃
　The　living　room　had　been　designed　around　one　of　those　giant　seven…foot　televisions　of　the　type　Decker　had　seen　at　Dennis　Gault's　condominium。　Every　chair；　every　sofa；　every　bar　stool　had　a　view　of　the　screen。　James　the　chiropractor　had　been　watching　a　videocassette　of　one　of　the　〃Star　Wars〃　movies。　〃I've　got　all　three　on　tape；〃　he　volunteered。
　Decker　was　calming　down。　He　had　no　reason　to　hate　the　guy；　except　maybe　for　the　robe；　anyway；　it　was　Catherine　who　had　made　the　choice。
　James　was　slender　and　somewhat　tall…taller　than　Decker　had　expected。　He　had　a　fine　chin；　high　cheekbones；　and　quick　aggressive…looking　eyes。　His　hair　was　reddish…brown；　his　skin　fair。　His　long　delicate　hands　were　probably　a　petitive　advantage　in　the　world　of　chiropractic。　On　the　whole　he　was　slightly　better…looking　than　Decker　had　hoped　he　would　be。
　〃I've　seen　some　of　your　photographs；　and　they're　quite　good；〃　James　said；　adding：　〃Catherine　has　an　old　album。〃
　A　double　beat　on　the　word　old。　In　a　way　Decker　felt　a　little　sorry　for　him；　having　two　surly　strangers　in　the　house；　and　a　wife　expecting　him　to　be　civil。　The　man　was　nervous；　and　who　wouldn't　be？
　Bravely　James　smiled　over　at　Skink；　a　dominating　presence　in　his　fluorescent　rainsuit。　James　said；　〃And　you　must　be　a　crossing　guard！〃
　Catherine　brought　cinnamon　tea　on　a　plain　tray。　Skink　took　a　cup　and　drank　it　down　hot。　Afterward　his　dark　green　eyes　seemed　to　glow。
　As　Catherine　poured　him　another　cup；　Skink　said：　〃You're　quite　a　beautiful　girl。〃
　Decker　was　dumbstruck。　James　the　doctor　was　plainly　mortified。　Skink　smiled　luminously　and　said；　〃My　friend　was　an　idiot　to　let　you　go。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Catherine　said。　She　didn't　act　put　out　at　all；　and　she　certainly　didn't　act　threatened。　The　look　on　her　face　was　charmed　and　knowing。　It　was；　Decker　thought　irritably；　as　if　she　and　Skink　were　sharing　a　secret；　and　the　secret　was　about　him。
　〃Catherine；〃　James　said　sternly；　changing　the　subject；　〃have　you　seen　Bambi？〃
　〃He　was　playing　in　the　hall　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃He　looked　a　little　tired；〃　Decker　offered。
　〃Bambi？〃　Skink　made　a　face。　〃You　mean　that　goddamn　yappy　dog？〃
　James　stiffened。　〃He's　a　pedigreed。〃
　〃He's　a　fucking　rodent；〃　Skink　said；　〃with　a　perm。〃
　Catherine　started　to　laugh；　caught　herself。　Even　in　his　jealous　snit；　Decker　had　to　admit　they　made　a　ical　foursome。　He　was　glad　to　see　that　Skink's　momentary　charm　had　evaporated；　he　was　much　more　likable　as　a　heathen。
　James　glared　at　him　and　said；　〃I　didn't　get　your　name。〃
　〃Ichabod；〃　Skink　said。　〃Icky　for　short。〃
　Decker　suspected；　and　fervently　hoped；　that　Ichabod　was　not　Skink's　real　name。　He　hoped　that　Skink　had　not　chosen　this　particular　moment；　in　front　of　these　particular　people；　to　bare　the　murky　secrets　of　his　soul。　Catherine　was　known　to　have　that　effect　on　a　man。
　Inanely　Decker　said　to　James；　〃This　is　quite　a　place。　Your　practice　must　be　going　great　guns。〃
　〃Actually；〃　James　said；　〃I　picked　up　this　house　before　I　became　a　doctor。〃　He　seemed　relieved　not　to　be　talking　about　the　poodle　or　his　wife's　good　looks。　〃Back　when　I　was　in　real　estate；〃　he　said；　〃that's　when　I　lucked　into　the　place。〃
　〃What　kinda　real　estate？〃　Skink　asked。
　〃Interval…ownership　units；〃　James　replied；　without　looking　at　him。
　〃Timeshares；〃　Catherine　added　helpfully。
　On　the　sofa　Skink　shifted　with　an　audible　crinkle。　'Timeshares；〃　he　said。　〃Wherebouts？〃
　Catherine　pointed　to　several　small　plaques　hanging　on　one　of　the　walls。　〃James　was　the　top　salesman　three　years　in　a　row；〃　she　said。　It　didn't　sound　like　she　was　bragging；　it　sounded　like　she　said　it　to　get　it　out　of　the　way；　knowing　James　would　have　mentioned　it　anyway。
　〃And　where　was　this？〃　Skink　pressed。
　〃Up　the　coast　north　of　Smyrna；〃　James　said。　〃We　did　very　well　for　a　stretch　in　the　late　seventies。　Then　Tallahassee　cracked　down；　the　media　went　sour　on　us；　and　the　interval　market　dried　up。　Same　old　tune。　I　figured　it　was　time　to　move　along　to　something　else。〃
　〃Boom　and　bust；〃　Decker　played　along。　〃That's　the　story　of　Florida。〃　Was　it　purely　the　money；　he　wondered；　that　had　attracted　Catherine　to　this　lanky　twit？　In　a　way　he　hoped　it　was　that　simple；　that　it　was　nothing　more。
　Skink　got　up　and　crunched　over　to　examine　the　plaques。　Catherine　and　James　couldn't　take　their　eyes　off　him；　they　had　never　had　such　a　wild…looking　person　roaming　their　house。
　〃What　was　the　name　of　your　project？〃　Skink　asked；　toying　with　his　silvery　braid。
　〃Sparrow　Beach；〃　James　said。　〃The　Sparrow　Beach　Club。　Seems　like　ancient　history　now。〃
　Skink　gave　no　reply；　but　let　out　a　soft　and　surprising　noise。　It　sounded　to　R。　J。　Decker　like　a　sigh。
　〃Is　your　friend　all　right？〃　Catherine　asked　later。
　〃Sure；〃　Decker　said。　〃He　prefers　to　sleep　outdoors；　really。〃
　
　In　the　middle　of　James's　monologue　about　his　sales　triumphs　at　Sparrow　Beach；　Skink　had　turned　to　Catherine　and　asked　if　he　could　spend　the　night　in　the　backyard。　Decker　could　tell　he　was　brooding；　but　had　no　private　moment　to　ask　what　was　wrong。　Catherine　had　loaned　Skink　an　old　blanket　and　in　a　flat　voice　Skink　had　thanked　her　for　the　hospitality　and　lumbered　out　the　back　door。　He　had　ignored　James　pletely。
　Skink　settled　in　under　a　tall　avocado　tree；　and　from　the　window　Decker　could　see　him　sitting　upright　against　the　trunk；　facing　the　narrow　waterway　that　ran　behind　Catherine's　house。　Decker　had　an　urge　to　join　him　there；　under　the　stars。
　〃Let　James　have　a　look　at　your　neck；〃　Catherine　said。
　〃No；　I'll　be　fine。〃
　〃Lie　down　here；〃　James　instructed；　making　room　on　the　sofa。　〃Lie　down　on　your　stomach。〃
　The　next　thing　Decker　knew；　James　was　hunched　over　him　with　one　knee　propped　on　the　sofa　for　leverage。　Intently　he　kneaded　and　probed　the　back　of　Decker's　neck；　while　Catherine　watched　cross…legged　on　an　ottoman。
　〃That　hurt？〃　James　asked。
　Decker　grunted。　It　did　hurt；　but　the　rubbing　helped；　James　seemed　to　know　what　he　was　doing。
　〃Brother；　you're　really　out　of　alignment；〃　he　said。
　〃That's　a　medical　term？〃
　〃Full　traction　is　what　you　need。　Slings　and　weights。　Thermal　therapy。　Ultrasound。　You're　too　young　for　Medicare；　otherwise　I'd　fix　you　right　up　with　a　twelve…week　program。〃　James　worked　his　fingers　along　Decker's　spine。　He　seemed　at　ease　now；　enjoying　the　role　of　expert。　〃Have　you　got　any　insurance？〃　he　asked。
　〃Nope；〃　Decker　said。
　〃Workmen's　p？　Maybe　you're　in　an　HMO。〃
　〃Nope。〃　The　guy　was　unbelievable；　the　pitchman's　spark　was　probably　left　over　from　his　days　of　peddling　condos。
　〃I　must　caution　you；〃　James　went　on；　〃that　injuries　such　as　this　should　never　go　untreated。　Your　neck　has　been　wrenched　badly。〃
　〃I'm　aware　of　that；〃　Decker　said；　wincing　under　the　chiropractor's　explorations。　〃Tell　me；　what's　the　difference　between　this　and　a　massage？〃
　〃I'm　a　doctor；　that's　the　difference。　Don't　move　now；　I　think　I've　got　an　extra　brace　in　the　trunk　of　the　car。〃
　After　James　had　left　the　room；　Catherine　came　over　and　knelt　down　on　the　floor　next　to　Deck