scoonts.theminotaur-第25章

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t　three　days　initiating　her　into　the　mysteries　of　the　A…6。　Beside　Toad　sat　the　bombardier　who　had　been　coaching　him；　ol'　Henry　Jenks。　Both　these　mental　giants　were　hanging　on　every　word　from　Moravia's　gorgeous　lips。　There　she　sat；　smiling　and　joking　and　behaving　like　a　real　live　normal　woman…type　female；　as　she　never　did　around　him；　damn　her！　And　these　two　attack　weenies　were　eating　it　with　a　spoon！
　The　pilot；　Toad　decided；　had　a　rather　high　opinion　of　himself。　He　looked　and　acted　like　a　lifelong　miser　who　has　just　decided　to　spend　a　quarter　on　a　piece　of　pussy　that　he　knows　will　be　worth　two　dollars。　His　smile　widened　every　time　Moravia　glanced　into　his　little　pig　eyes。　If　he　wasn't　careful　his　face　would　crack。
　This　BN；　Jenks；　wasn't　any　better。　He　obviously　hadn't　had　a　good　piece　of　ass　since　his　junior　year　of　high　school。　Jenks　was　telling　a　funny　to　the　pilot　as　he　watched　Rita's　reaction　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes。　〃Do　you　know　a　fighter　puke's　definition　of　foreplay？〃　After　the　obligatory　negative　from　his　listeners；　Jenks　continued。　〃Six　hours　of　begging。〃　Rita　joined　in　the　ha…ha…has。
　Watching　these　two　cheap　masturbators　in　action　was　a　thirsty　business。　The　waitress　caught　Toad's　hi　sign　and　came　over。　〃Four　double　tequilas；　neat。〃　Toad　said；　and　looked　around　to　see　if　there　were　any　other　orders。　The　attack　weenies　were　still　drooling　down　Moravia's　cleavage　as　she　told　an　anecdote　about　something　or　other。　〃That's　it；〃　he　told　the　waitress；　who　regarded　him　incredulously。
　〃Four？〃　she　asked。
　〃Yeah。〃
　She　shrugged　and　turned　away。
　The　club　was　still　crowded　with　the　remnants　of　the　Friday…night　Happy　Hour　gang。　The　married　guys　had　left　some　time　back　and　a　bunch　of　reservists　were　drifting　in。　Altogether　forty　or　fifty　people；　ten　or　twelve　of　them　women；　three　of　whom　were　still　in　uniform。　Canned　rock　music　blared　from　loudspeakers　that　Toad　didn't　see。　Only　one　couple　was　dancing。
　When　the　waitress　brought　the　drinks　she　sat　them　in　the　center　of　the　table。　Jenks　looked　at　the　drinks　with　raised　eyebrows。　〃I'll　have　another　beer；〃　he　said。　〃Terrier　with　a　twist；〃　Moravia　chirped。　〃Diet　Coke；〃　intoned　the　lecher　beside　her。
　Toad　drank　one　of　the　tequilas　in　two　gulps。　The　liquor　burned　all　the　way　down。　Ah　baby！
　Another　song　started　on　the　loudspeakers；　a　fast　number。　Toad　tossed　off　a　second　drink；　then　climbed　up　on　he　chair。　He　straightened　and　filled　his　lungs　with　air。　〃Hey；　fat　girl；〃　he　roared。
　Every　eye　in　the　place　turned　his　way。　Toad　picked　the　nearest　female　and　leaped　toward　her　with　a　shout；　〃Let's　dance！〃　Behind　him　his　chair　flew　over　with　a　crash。
　And　oh；　that　woman　could　dance。
　
　7
　
　The　bedroom　lights　were　on　in　the　second　story　of　the　town　house　when　Terry　Franklin　parked　the　car。　He　turned　off　the　ignition　and　headlights　and　sat　behind　the　wheel；　trying　to　think。
　He　had　driven　around　for　an　hour　and　a　half　after　his　panicked　departure　from　the　drop；　craning　to　spot　the　agents　he　felt　sure　were　tailing　him。　At　one　point　he　had　pulled　over　and　looked　at　the　damage　to　the　front　of　his　car。　The　left　front　headlight　was　smashed　and　the　bumper　bent　from　smacking　into　that　car　when　he　tried　to　get　out　of　that　parking　space　too　quickly。
　A　dozen　times　he　thought　he　spotted　a　tail；　but　the　trailing　vehicle　usually　went　its　own　way　at　the　next　corner　or　the　one　after。　A　blue　Ford　with　Pennsylvania　plates　followed　along　for　half　a　mile　until　he　could　stand　it　no　longer　and　ran　a　red　light。　His　panicky　wanderings　back　and　forth　through　the　avenues　and　traffic　circles　of　downtown　Washington　seemed　like　something　from　a　drug…induced　nightmare；　a　horrible　descent　into　a　paranoid　hell　of　traffic　and　stoplights　and　police　cars　that　refused　to　chase　him。
　Franklin　sat　now　behind　the　wheel　smelling　his　own　foul　body　odor。　His　clothes　were　sodden　with　sweat。
　Lucy　and　the　kids　were　home。　He　tried　to　e　up　with　a　lie　for　Lucy　as　he　scanned　the　street　for　mysterious　watchers　and　people　sitting　in　cars。
　How　long　could　he　live　like　this？　Should　he　take　the　money　he　had　and　run？　Where　could　he　run　with　the　FBI　and　CIA　looking　for　him？　He　didn't　have　enough　money　to　evade　them　forever。　Should　he　go　to　Russia？　The　very　thought　nauseated　him。　Freezing　in　some　gray　workers'　paradise　for　the　rest　of　his　days　was　about　as　far　from　the　good　life　as　a　man　could　get　this　side　of　the　grave。
　He　wasn't　feeling　well　and　went　to　the　dispensary；　that　was　what　he　would　tell　Lucy。　God　knows　he　must　look　like　he　was　in　the　terminal　stages　of　AIDS。　No　good。　No　prescription。　A　beer。　Yeah；　he　went　out　for　a　beer。　He　got　out　of　the　car　wishing　he　had　really　stopped　for　one。　After　another　look　at　the　broken　headlight　and　grille；　he　plodded　toward　the　front　door。
　She　came　out　of　the　kitchen　when　she　heard　the　door　open。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　She　stood　rigid；　her　face　pale。
　Uh…oh。　He　kept　his　voice　calm。　〃Hey；　babe。　I　went　out　for　a　beer。　Did　you　all　get　anything　at　the　mall？〃
　〃I　know　where　you've　been。　Cindy　across　the　street　has　told　me　all　about　your　little　expeditions　when　I'm　out　for　the　evening。　I　know　all　about　you；　you　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　He　stared；　thunderstruck。　This　isn't　happening。　No；　not　to　me。　For　the　love　of…　〃How？〃
　〃Who　is　she？　I　want　to　know。　Who　is　she？〃
　〃Who　is　who？〃
　〃Who　is　the　goddamn　bitch　you're　tomcatting　around　with；　you　son　of　a　fucking　bitch。　Who　is　she？〃
　At　last　he　understood。　As　the　relief　washed　over　him　he　was　suddenly　too　weak　to　stand。　He　sank　into　a　chair。　〃Lucy；　there's　no　other　wo…〃
　〃Don't　give　me　that　shit！　I　know！　Cindy　told　me！〃　She　was　a　quivering；　shouting　pillar　of　hysterical　righteousness。　〃You're　cheating　on　me。〃　Tears　were　flowing　now。　〃Oh　God。　I　tried　so　hard。。。〃
　〃Lucy；　calm　down。　Please；　for　the　love　of…　The　kids　will　hear。　Honest　to　God；　there's　no　other　woman。〃　He　got　to　his　feet　and　approached　her。　〃Babe；　I　love　you。　There's　nobody…〃
　〃Don't　you　touch　me；　liar。　I'm　getting　a　divorce。〃　She　spun　and　made　for　the　stairs。　〃I'm　locking　the　bedroom　door。　If　you　try　to　get　in；　I'll　call　the　police。　Liar。　Cheat　bastard。〃
　He　lost　it。　It　had　been　that　kind　of　evening；　〃You　crazy　cunt；〃　he　roared。　〃You　don't　know　shit。　I　went　down　to　the　corner　for　a　goddamn　beer　and　when　I　get　home　you're　fucking　loony　crazy。　I　haven't　cheated　on　you！　I　haven't　fucked　another　woman　since　that　night　I　knocked　you　up　at　the　drive…in。　You　don't　have　any　goddamn　evidence　at　all；　you　crazy　lunatic。〃
　He　heard　the　bedroom　door　slam　and　the　kids　sobbing。　He　threw　himself　onto　the　living…room　couch。　Some　days…it's　absolutely　crazy　how　some　days　just　go　bug…fuck　nuts。　You　almost　get　arrested；　smash　up　the　front　of　the　car；　your　wife　demands　a　divorce　because　you're　cheating　on　her　when　you're　not。　What　else？　What　else　can　fucking　happen　before　midnight？
　The　drop　was　empty。　He　stretched　out　on　the　couch　and　contemplated　that　fact。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　tried　to　relax。　He　could　hear　Lucy　putting　the　kids　to　bed　upstairs。　Finally　the　noises　stopped。
　He　would　have　to　call　them。　In　Miami　they　had　given　him　an　emergency　telephone　number　that　he　had　memorized　and　a　verification　code。　He　would　call。　He　looked　around　for　the　evening　paper。　On　top　of　the　TV。　He　flipped　to　the　sports　section。　The　code　was　simple；　the　location　and　opponent　in　the　next　scheduled　game　of　the　Bullets；　Orioles　or　Redskins；　whichever　was　in　season。　They　had　been　insistent；　he　was　never　to　call　except　in　an　emergency　and　then　only　from　a　pay　phone。　Well；　this　was　sure　as　hell　an　emergency。　But　he　wasn't　going　back　out　onto　those　streets　tonight；　no　way。　Even　if　he　could　work　up　the　courage；　Lucy　would　use　a　butcher　knife　on　his　crotch　when　he　got　back。
　He　went　into　the　kitchen　and　dialed　the　phone。　On　the　third　ring　a　man's　voice　answered　with　a　recitation　of　the　telephone　number。　The　voice　was　tired；　the　English　perfect。　〃Six…six…five；　oh…one…oh…five。〃
　〃This　is　Poor　Richard。〃　He　had　picked　his　code　name　himself。　Easier　for　him　to　remember；　they　said。　〃It　wasn't　there。　It　wasn't　at　the　dr…〃
　〃Verify　please。〃　The　voice　was　hard；　exasperated。
　〃The　Bullets　play　the　Celtics　tomorrow　night　at　Capital　Centre。〃
　〃I'll　call　you　back。　Where　are　you？〃
　〃Seven