thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第9章

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　　〃I　want　to　leave　fast；〃　he　said。
　　〃OK。　Let's　pay　this　bill　and　get　up　very　slowly。　We're　both　out　of　our　heads。　This　is　going　to　be　a　long　walk。〃　I　shouted　at　the　waitress　for　a　bill。　She　came　over；　looking　bored；　and　my　attorney　stood　up。
　　〃Do　they　pay　you　to　screw　that　bear？〃　he　asked　her。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃He's　just　kidding；〃　I　said；　stepping　between　them。　〃e　on；　Doc…let's　go　downstairs　and　gamble。〃　I　got　him　as　far　as　the　edge　of　the　bar；　the　rim　of　the　merry…go…round；　but　he　refused　to　get　off　until　it　stopped　turning。
　　〃It　won't　stop；〃　I　said。　〃It's　not　never　going　to　stop。〃　I　stepped　off　and　turned　around　to　wait　for　him；　but　he　wouldn't　move。。。and　before　I　could　reach　out　and　pull　him　off；　he　was　carried　away。　〃Don't　move；〃　I　shouted。　〃You'll　e　around！〃　His　eyes　were　staring　blindly　ahead；　squinting　with　fear　and　confusion。　But　he　didn't　move　a　muscle　until　he'd　made　the　whole　circle。
　　I　waited　until　he　was　almost　in　front　of　me；　then　I　reached　out　to　grab　him…but　he　jumped　back　and　went　around　the　circle　again。　This　made　me　very　nervous。　I　felt　on　the　verge　of　a　freakout。　The　bartender　seemed　to　be　watching　us。Carson　City；　I　thought。　Twenty　years。
　　
　　I　stepped　on　the　merry…go…round　and　hurried　around　the　bar；　approaching　my　attorney　on　his　blind　side…and　when　we　came　to　the　right　spot　I　pushed　him　off。　He　staggered　into　the　aisle　and　uttered　a　hellish　scream　as　he　lost　his　balance　and　went　down；　thrashing　into　the　crowd。。。rolling　like　a　log；　then　up　again　in　a　flash；　fists　clenched；　looking　for　somebody　to　hit。
　　I　approached　him　with　my　hands　in　the　air；　trying　to　smile。　〃You　fell；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　go。〃　By　this　time　people　were　watching　us。　But　the　fool　wouldn't　move；　and　I　knew　what　would　happen　if　I　grabbed　him。　〃OK；〃　I　said。　〃You　stay　here　and　go　to　jail。　I'm　leaving。〃　I　started　walking　fast　towards　the　stairs；　ignoring　him。
　　This　moved　him。
　　〃Did　you　see　that？〃　he　said　as　he　caught　up　with　me。　〃Some　sonofabitch　kicked　me　in　the　back！〃
　　〃Probably　the　bartender；〃　I　said。　〃He　wanted　to　stomp　you　for　what　you　said　to　the　waitress。〃
　　〃Good　god！　Let's　get　out　of　here。　Where's　the　elevator？〃
　　〃Don't　go　near　that　elevator；〃　I　said。　〃That's　just　what　they　want　us　to　do　。　。　。　trap　us　in　a　steel　box　and　take　us　down　to　the　basement。〃　I　looked　over　my　shoulder；　but　nobody　was　following。
　　〃Don't　run；〃　I　said。　〃They'd　like　an　excuse　to　shoot　us。〃　He　nodded；　seeming　to　understand。　We　walked　fast　along　the　big　indoor　midway…shooting　galleries；　tattoo　parlors；　money…changers　and　cotton…candy　booths…then　out　through　a　bank　of　glass　doors　and　across　the　grass　downhill　to　a　parking　lot　where　the　Red　Shark　waited。
　　'You　drive；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　there's　something　wrong　with　me。〃
　　
　　　7。　Paranoid　Terror。。。and　the　Aweful　Specter　of　Sodomy。。。A　Flashing　of　Knives　and　Green　Water
　　
　　When　we　got　to　the　Mint　I　parked　on　the　street　in　front　of　the　casino；　around　a　corner　from　the　parking　lot。　No　point　risking　a　scene　in　the　lobby；　I　thought。　Neither　one　of　us　could　pass　for　drunk。　We　were　both　hyper…tense。　Extremely　menacing　vibrations　all　around　us。　We　hurried　through　the　casino　and　up　the　rear　escalator。
　　We　made　it　to　the　room　without　meeting　anybody…but　the　key　wouldn't　open　the　door。　My　attorney　was　struggling　desperately　with　it。　〃Those　bastards　have　changed　the　lock　on　us；〃　he　groaned。　〃They　probably　searched　the　room。　Jesus；　we're　finished。〃　Suddenly　the　door　swung　open。　We　hesitated；　then　hurried　inside。　No　sign　of　trouble。　〃Bolt　everything；〃　said　my　attorney。　〃Use　all　chains。〃　He　was　staring　at　two　Mint　Hotel　Room　keys　in　his　hand。　〃Where　did　this　one　e　from？〃　he　said；　holding　up　a　key　with　number　1221　on　it。
　　〃That's　Lacerda's　room；〃　I　said。
　　He　smiled。　〃Yeah；　that's　right。　I　thought　we　might　need　it。〃
　　〃What　for？〃
　　〃Let's　go　up　there　and　blast　him　out　of　bed　with　the　fire　he　said。
　　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃We　should　leave　the　poor　bastard　alone；　I　get　the　feeling　he's　avoiding　us　for　some　reason。〃
　　〃Don't　kid　yourself；〃　he　said。　〃That　Portuguese　son　of　bitch　is　dangerous。　He's　watching　us　like　a　hawk。〃　He　squinted　at　me。　〃Have　you　made　a　deal　with　him？〃
　　〃I　talked　with　him　on　the　phone；〃　I　said；　〃while　you　were　out　getting　the　car　washed。　He　said　he　was　turning　in　early；　so　he　can　get　out　there　to　the　starting　line　at　dawn。〃　My　attorney　was　not　listening。　He　utt。ered　an　anguished　cry　and　smacked　the　wall　with　both　hands。　〃That　dirty　bastard！〃　he　shouted。　〃I　knew　it！　He　got　hold　of　my　woman！〃　I　laughed。　〃That　little　blonde　groupie　with　the　film　crew？　You　think　he　sodomized　her？〃
　　〃That's　right…laugh　about　it！〃　he　yelled。　〃You　goddamn　honkies　are　all　the　same。〃　By　this　time　he'd　opened　a　new　bottle　of　tequila　and　was　quaffing　it　down。　Then　he　grabbed　a　grapefruit　and　sliced　it　in　half　with　a　Gerber　Mini…Magnum…a　stainless…steel　hunting　knife　with　a　blade　like　a　fresh…honed　straight　razor。
　　〃Where'd　you　get　that　knife？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Room　service　sent　it　up；〃　he　said。　〃I　wanted　something　to　cut　the　limes。
　　〃What　limes？〃
　　〃They　didn't　have　any；〃　he　said。　〃They　don't　grow　out　here　in　the　desert。〃　He　sliced　the　grapefruit　into　quarters　then　into　eighths。。。then　sixteenths　。　。　。　then　he　began　aimlessly　at　the　residue。　〃That　dirty　toad　bastard；〃　he　moaned。　〃I　knew　I　should　have　taken　him　out　when　I　had　the　chance。　Now　he　has　her。〃　I　remembered　the　girl。　We'd　had　a　problem　with　her　on　the　elevator　a　few　hours　earlier：　my　attorney　had　made　a　fool　of　himself。
　　〃You　must　be　a　rider；〃　she'd　said。　〃What　class　are　you　in？〃
　　〃Class？〃　he　snapped。　〃What　the　fuck　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃What　do　you　ride？〃　she　asked　with　a　quick　smile。　〃We're　filming　the　race　for　a　TV　series…maybe　we　can　use　you。〃
　　〃Use　me？〃　Mother　of　God；　I　thought。　Here　it　es。　The　elevator　was　crowded　with　race　people：　it　was　taking　a　long　time　to　get　from　floor　to　floor。　By　the　time　we'd　stopped　at　Three；　he　was　trembling　badly。　Five　more　to　go。　。
　　〃I　ride　the　big　ones！〃　he　shouted　suddenly。　〃The　really　big　fuckers！〃　I　laughed；　trying　to　de…fuse　the　scene。　〃The　Vincent　Black　Shadow；〃　I　said。　〃We're　with　the　factory　team。〃　This　brought　a　murmur　of　rude　dissent　from　the　crowd。　〃Bullshit；〃　somebody　behind　me　muttered。
　　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　my　attorney　shouted。。。and　then　to　the　girl：　〃Pardon　me；　lady；　but　I　think　there's　some　kind　of　ignorant　chicken…sucker　in　this　car　who　needs　his　face　cut　open。〃　He　plunged　his　hand　into　the　pocket　of　his　black　plastic　jacket　and　turned　to　face　the　people　crowded　into　the　rear　of　the　elevator。　〃You　cheap　honky　faggots；〃　he　snarled。　〃Which　one　of　you　wants　to　get　cut？〃　I　was　watching　the　overhead　floor…indicator。　The　door　opened　at　Seven；　but　nobody　moved。　Dead　silence。　The　door　closed。　Up　to　Eight。。。then　open　again。　Still　no　sound　ormovement　in　the　crowded　car。　Just　as　the　door　began　to　close　I　stepped　off　and　grabbed　his　arm；　jerking　him　out　just　in　time。　The　doors　slid　shut　and　the　elevator　light　dinged　Nine。　〃Quick！　Into　the　room；〃　I　said。　〃Those　bastards　will　have　on　us！〃　We　ran　around　the　corner　to　the　room。　My　attorney　was　laughing　wildly。　〃Spooked！〃　he　shouted。　〃Did　you　see　that？　They　were　spooked。　Like　rats　in　a　death…cage！〃　Then；　as　we　bolted　the　door　behind　us；　he　stopped　laughing。　〃God　damn；〃　he　said。　〃It's　serious　now。　That　girl　understood。　She　fell　in　love　with　me。〃
　　
　　Now；　many　hours　later；　he　was　convinced　that　Lacerda…the　so…called　photographer…had　somehow　got　his　hands　on　the　girl。　〃Let's　go　up　there　and　castrate　that　fucker；〃　he　said；　waving　his　new　knife　around　in　quick　circles　in　front　of　his　teeth。　〃Did　you　put　him　onto　her？〃
　　〃Look；〃　I　said；　〃you'd　better　put　that　goddamn　blade　away　and　get　your　head　straight。　I　have　to　put　the　car　in　the　lot。〃　I　was　backing　slowly　towards　the　door。　One　of　the　things　you　learn；　after　years　of　dealing　with　drug　people；　is　that　everything　is　serious。　You　can　turn　your　back　on　a　person；　but　never　turn　your　back　on　a　drug…especially　when　it's　waving　a　razor…sharp　hunting　knife　in　your　eyes。
　　〃Take　a　shower；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　be　back　in　twenty　minutes。〃　I　left　quickly；　locking　the　door　behind　me　and　taking　the　key　to　Lacerda's　room…the　one　my　attorney　had　stolen　earlier。　Th