thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第33章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Well 。。 。〃 I said。 〃In that case； maybe we won't have to put her away。。。maybe she can help。〃
〃Yes！〃 she said eagerly。 〃I'll help you all you need！ I hate dope！〃
〃So do we； lady；〃 I said。
〃I think we should put her on the payroll；〃 said my attorney。 〃Have her checked out； then line her up for a Big One each month； depending on what she es up with。〃
The old woman's face had changed markedly。 She no longer seemed disturbed to find herself chatting with two naked men； one of whom had tried to strangle her just a few moments earlier。
〃Do you think you could handle it？〃 I asked her。
〃What？〃
〃One phone call every day；〃 said my attorney。 〃Just tell us what you've seen。〃 He patted her on the shoulder。 〃Don't worry if it doesn't add up。 That's our problem。〃 She grinned。 〃You'd pay me for that？〃
〃You're damn right；〃 I said。 〃But the first time you say anything about this； to anybody…you'll go straight to prison for the rest of your life。〃 She nodded。 〃I'll help any way that I can；〃 she said。 〃But who should I call？〃
〃Don't worry；〃 said my attorney。 〃What's your name？〃
〃Alice。〃 she said。 〃Just ring Linen Service and ask for Alice。〃
〃You'll be contacted；〃 I said。 〃It'll take about a week。 But keep your eyes open and try to act normal。 Can you do that？〃
〃Oh； yes sir！〃 she said。 〃Will I see you gentlemen again？〃 She grinned sheepishly。 〃After this； I mean。。
〃No；〃 said my attorney。 〃They sent us down from Carson City。 You'll be contacted by Inspector Rock。 Arthur Rock。 He'll be posing as a politician； but you won't have any trouble recognizing him。〃 She seemed to be shuffling nervously。
〃What's wrong？〃 I said。 〃Is there something you haven't told us？〃
〃Oh no！〃 she said quickly。 〃I was just wondering…who's going to pay me？〃
〃Inspector Rock will take care of that；〃 I said。 〃It'll all be in cash： a thousand dollars on the ninth of every month。〃
〃Oh Lord！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I'd do just about anything for that！〃
〃You and a lot of other people；〃 said my attorney。 〃You'd be surprised who we have on the payroll…right here in this same hotel。〃 She looked stricken。 〃Would I know them？〃
〃Probably；〃 I said。 〃But they're all undercover。 The only way you'll ever know is if something really serious happens and one of them has to contact you in public； with the pass word。〃
〃What is it？〃 she asked。
〃'One Hand Washes the Other；〃' I said。 〃The minute you hear that； you say： 'I fear nothing。' That way； they'll know you。〃 She nodded。 repeating the code several times； while we listened tomake sure she had it right。 〃OK；〃 said my attorney。 〃That's it for now。 We probably won；t be seeing you again until the hammer es down。 You'll be better off ignoring us until we leave。 Don't bother to make up the room。 Just elave a pile of towels and soap outside the door； exactly at modnight。〃 He smiled。 〃That way； we won；t have to risk another one of these little incidents； will we？〃 She moved towards the door。 〃Whatever you say gentlemen。 I can；t tell you how sorry I am about what happened。。。but it was only because I didn't realize。〃 My attorney ushered her out。 〃We understand；〃 he said 〃But it's all over now。 Thank God for the decent people。〃 She smiled as she closed the door behind her。
She nodded； repeating the code several times； while we lis tened to make sure she had it right。
〃OK；〃 said my attorney。 〃That's it for Dow。 We probably won't be seeing you again until the hammer es down。 You'll be better off ignoring us until we leave。 Don't bother to make up the room。 Just leave a pile of towels and soap outside the door； exactly at midnight。〃 lie smiled。 〃That way； we won't have to risk another one of theep little incidents； will we？〃
12。 Return to the Circus…Circus。。。Looking for the Ape。。。to Hell with the American Dream
Almost seventy…two hours had passed since that strange encounter； and no maid had set foot in the room。 I wondered what Alice had told them。 We had seen her once； trundling a laundry cart across the parking area as we rolled up in the Whale but we offered no sign of recognition and she seemed understand。
But it couldn't last much longer。 The room was full of used towels； they were hanging everywhere。 The bathroom floor was about six inches deep with soap bars； vomit； and grape fruit rinds； mixed with broken glass。 I had to put my boots on every I went in there to piss。 The nap of the mottled grey rug was so thick with marijuana seeds that it appeared to be turning green。
The general back…alley ambience of the suite was so rotten； so incredibly foul； that I figured I could probably get away with claiming it was some kind of 〃Life…slice exhibit〃 that we'd brought down from Haight Street； to show cops from other parts of the country how deep into filth and degeneracy the drug people will sink； if left to their own devices。
But what kind of addict would need all these coconut husks and crushed honeydew rinds？ Would the presence of junkies account for all these uneaten french fries？ These puddles of glazed catsup on the bureau？
Maybe so。 But then why all this booze？ and these crude pornographic photos； ripped out of pulp magazines like Whores of Sweden and Orgies in the Casbah； that were plastered on the broken mirror with smears of mustard that had dried to a hard yellow crust。。。and all these signs of violence； these strange red and blue bulbs and shards of broken glass embedded in the wall plaster 。。。
No； these were not the hoofprints of your normal； godfearing junkie。 It was far too aggressive。 There was evidence； in this room； of excessive consumption of almost every type of drug known to civilized man since 1544 A。D。 It could only be explained as a montage； a sort of exaggerated medical exhibit； put together very carefully to show what might happen if twenty…two serious drug felons…each with a different addiction…were penned up together in the same room for five days and nights； without relief。
Indeed。 But of course that would never happen in Real Life； gentlemen。 We just put this thing together for demonstration purposes。。。
Suddenly the phone was ringing； jerking me out of my fantasy stupor。 I looked at it。 Riiiinnnnnggggggg。。。Jesus； what now？ Is this it？ I could almost hear the shrill voice of the Manager； Mr。 Heem； saying the police were on their way up to my room and would I please not shoot through the door when they began kicking it down。
Riinnnngggg。。。No； they wouldn't call first。 Once they decided to take me； they would probably set an ambush in the elevator： first Mace； then a gang…swarm。 It would e with no warning。
So I picked up the phone。 It was my friend Bruce Innes； calling from the Circus…Circus。 He had located the man who wanted to sell the ape I'd been inquiring about。 The price was 750。
〃What kind of a greedhead are we dealing with here？〃 I said。 〃Last night it was four hundred。〃
〃He claims he just found out it was housebroken；〃 said Bruce。 〃He let it sleep in the trailer last noght； and the thing actually shiot in the shower stall。〃
〃That doesn't mean anything；〃 I said。 〃Apes are attracted to water。 Next time it'll shit in the sink。〃
〃Maybe you should e down and argue with the guy；〃 said Bruce。 〃He's here in the bar with me。 I told him you really wanted the ape and that you could give it a fine home。 I think he'll negotiate。 He's really attached to the stinking thing。 It's here in the bar with us； sitting up on a goddamn stool； slobbering into a beer schooner。〃
〃Okay；〃 I said。 〃I'll be there in ten minutes。 Don't let the bastard get drunk。 I want to meet him under natural conditions。〃
When I got to the Circus…Circus they were loading an old man into an ambulance outside the main door。 〃What happened？〃 I asked the car…keeper。
〃I'm not sure；〃 he said。 〃Somebody said he had a stroke。 But I noticed the back of his head was all cut up。〃 He slid into the Whale and handed me a stub。 〃You want me to save your drink for you？〃 he asked； holding up a big glass of tequila that was on the seat of the car。 〃I can put it in the cooler if want。〃 I nodded。 These people were familiar with my habits。 I had been in and out of the place so often； with
