ericlustbader.the ninja-第6章

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couldn't　know　how　right　she　was。
　'Yes；'　Nicholas　said　slowly。　'I　knew　him。　When　I　was　in　advertising；　we　worked　together　at　the　same　agency。'　'Say；　I'm　sorry；　Nick。　Did　you　know　him　well？'
　Nicholas　thought　about　that　for　a　time。　Braughm　had　had　a　brilliantly　analytical　mind。　He　knew　the　public　perhaps　better　than　anyone　at　the　agency。　What　a　shock　to　find　him　suddenly　gone。　'Well　enough；〃　he　said；　thoughtfully。
　Swinging　her　around。　Slow…dancing　into　the　night；　the　screen　door　bang　open；　the　record　player　sending　the　music　rolling　in　languorous　ribbons；　drowning　the　tide。　Moving　in　stereo。　Her　arms　had　trembled　when　he　had　first　taken　them；　guiding　her　out　onto　the　porch。　But　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do。　The　perfect　thing。　She　loves　to　dance；　first　off。　And　it　was　perfectly　acceptable　for　him　to　hold　her　this　way；　even　though；　quite　clearly；　rock　was　sex　and　dancing　was；　subliminally；　the　same　thing。　What　matter？　She　would　dance。
　She　shadows　me　in　the　mirror　And　never　leaves　on　the　light。。。
　In　giving　herself　up　to　the　rhythms　she　was　sensual；　a　kind　of　glossy　exoskeleton　dissolving　at　her　feet；　unearthing　an　ardour　rich　with　substantive　and　elemental　fury。
　Some　things　that　I　say　to　her　They　just　don't　seem　to　bite。。。
　It　was　as　if　the　music　had　freed　her　somehow　of　her　chains；　of　her　wounds　…　inhibitions　was　a　word　with　far　too　few　ramifications　to　serve　the　situation　…　of　her　fear；　not　of　him；　not　of　any　man；　but　of　herself。
　She　says　leave　it　to　me
　And　everything　will　be　all　right。
　With　her　shoulder　touching　his　and　the　music　filling　another　room；　she　said；　'I　grew　up　reading。　At　first　it　was　anything　I　could　get　my　hands　on。　While　my　sister；　always　so　good　with　people；　was　out　on　dates；　I　would　be　gulping　down　one　book　or　another。　Curiously；　that　didn't　last　long。　I　mean；　I　kept　on　reading　but　I　quickly　became　quite　discriminating　in　what　I　read。'　She　laughed；　a　rich　happy　sound　that　surprised　him　in　its　wholeheartedness。　'Oh；　I　had　my　phases；　yes　indeed！　The　Tremayne　dog　books　and　then　Howard　Pile　…　I　adored　his
　Robin　Hood。　One　day；　when　I　was　about　sixteen；　I　discovered　de　Sade。　It　was　rather　forbidden　reading　then　and　therefore　　　exciting。　But　beyond　that；　I　was　struck　by　much　of　his　writing。　And　then　I　had　this　fantasy　that　that　was　the　reason　my　parents　had　named　me　Justine。　However；　when　I　was　older　and　asked　my　mother　about　it；　she　said；　〃Well；　you　know；　it　was　just　a　name　that　your　father　and　I　liked。〃　It　must　have　appealed　to　her　Continental　leanings；　I　imagine；　she　was　French；　you　see。　But　then；　oh　how　I　washed　that　I　had　never　asked　her！　My　fantasy　was　so　much　better　than　the　reality　of　it。　Well；　what　can　you　expect？　They　were　both　banal。'
　'Was　your　father　American？'
　She　turned　her　face　towards　him　and　the　warm　glow　from　the　living…room　lamps　burnished　one　cheek　as　if　by　an　artist's　brush。　'Very　American。'
　'What　did　he　do？'
　'Let's　go　inside；'　she　said；　turning　from　him。　'I'm　cold。'
　First　there　was　the　large　black　and　white　photograph　of　a　rather　heavy…set　man　with　a　firm　jaw　and　undaunted　eyes。　Printed　underneath　was　the　legend：　Stanley。　Teller；　Chief　of　Police　1932…1964。　Next　to　that　was　a　framed　copy　of　Norman　Rockwell's　The　Runway。
　The　office　was　a　spare　cubicle　with　double　windows　overlooking　the　courtyard　parking　lot。　There　was　not　much　to　see　out　there；　this　time　of　the　evening。
　'Why　don't　you　cut　the　doubletalk；　Doc；　and　run　it　by　me　in　plain　English；'　Lieutenant　Ray　Florum　said。　'Just　what's　so　special　about　this　drowning？〃
　The　subdued　crackle　of　the　two…way　radio　down　the　hall　was　a　constant　background　chatter；　like　being　on　the　telephone　with　a　crossed　line。
　'That's　just　what　I've　been　trying　to　explain　to　you；〃　Doc　Deerforth　said　slowly　and　patiently。　'This　man　did　not　die　of　drowning。〃
　Ray　Florum　sat　down　in　his　wooden　swivel　chair。　It　creaked　beneath　his　weight。　Florum　was　a　big　man；　both　in　height　and　girth；　which　made　him　the　butt　of　a　series　of　ongoing　jokes　batted　about　good…naturedly　among　his　staff。　He　was　manding　officer　of　the　Village　Police　of　West　Bay　Bridge。　He　had　a　beery…cheeked　face　on　which　was　positioned　dead　centre；　as　if　it　were　the　bull's…eye　of　some　target；　a　bulbous　red…veined　nose。　His　skin　was　tanned　to　the　colour　of　cured　leather；　his　salt…and…pepper　hair　was　cut　en　brosse。　He　wore　a　brown　Dacron　suit　not　because　he　liked　it　but　because　he　had　to。　He　would　just　as　soon　have　e　to　work　in　a　flannel　shirt　and　a　pair　of　old　slacks。　'What；　then；'　Florum　said　equally　slowly；　'did　he　die　from？'
　'He　was　poisoned；'　Doc　Deerforth　said。　'Doc；'　Florum　said　as　he　wearily　rubbed　his　hand　over　his　face。　'I　want　this　to　be　real　clear；　understand？　Crystal　clear。　So　perfectly　clear　that　there　won't　be　any　possibility　of　a　misunderstanding　when　I　make　out　my　report。　Because；　beside　the　State　Detectives　who；　I'm　sure　you're　aware；　I'm　gonna　have　to　copy　on　this　…　and　when　I　do；　they're　gonna　be　down　here　like　locusts　on　a　wheat…field　asking　us　to　do　all　their　goddamned　field　work　and　then　sucking　us　dry　…　beside　those　sonsabitches；　I've　gotta　contend　with　the　county　bastards　who're　most　probably　gonna　claim　that　this　thing's　in　their　jurisdiction。　And；　to　top　it　all　off；　now　that　you　tell　me　it's　a　murder；　I'm　gonna　have　Flower　rumbling　in　from　Hauppauge　on　his　white　horse　wondering　why　our　investigation　is　taking　so　long　and　when's　he　gonna　be　relieved　of　the　stiff；　his　staff's　so　overworked。'　Florum　slammed　the　flat　of　his　hand　down　on　the　cover　of　a　copy　of　Crime　in　the　United　States；　1979。　'Well；　this　time　they're　just　gonna　have　to　wait　long　enough　so　that　they're　one　great　step　behind　me。'
　A　sergeant　came　in；　handed　Florum　several　typewritten　sheets　and　went　out　without　a　word。
　'Christ；　it　makes　my　blood　boil　sometimes。　I'm　no　goddamned　politician。　That's　what　this　job　calls　for。　Who　the　hell　cares　whether　I　know　police　procedure　or　not。　God！'　But　he　got　up；　still；　and　came　back　with　a　file　which　he　opened　on　his　desk。　He　ran　a　hand　through　his　hair；　scratched　at　his　scalp。　He　began　to　shift　through　a　number　of　eight…by…ten　black　and　white　prints　which；　even　upside　down；　Doc　Deerforth　recognized　as　shots　of　the　drowned　man。
　'First　of　all；'　Doc　Deerforth　said　calmly。　'I've　taken　care　of
　Flower。　He　won't　bother　you；　at　least　for　the　time　being。'
　Florum　looked　up　briefly；　inquisitively；　then　his　gaze　returned　to　the　photos。　'Yeah；　how'd　you　work　that　little　miracle？'
　'I　haven't　told　him　yet。'
　'You　mean　to　say；'　Florum　said；　as　he　reached　out　an　oblong　magnifying…glass　from　a　desk　drawer；　'that　nobody　knows　about　this　。。。　murder　but　us　chickens　right　here　in　this　room？〃
　'That's　precisely　what　I　mean；〃　Doc　Deerforth　said　quietly。
　After　a　time；　Florum　said；　'You　know；　there's　nothing　shows　up　on　these　photos。'　He　shuffled　the　photos　like　a　deck　of　cards　until　a　close…up　of　the　head　and　chest　of　the　drowned　man　was　on　top。　'Nothing　but　a　routine　drowning。'
　'You　won't　find　anything　there。'
　'That's　what　I　said。'
　'Doesn't　mean；　though；　that　there　isn't　anything　to　see。'
　Florum　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　crossed　his　hands　over　his　ample　belly。　'Okay；　Doc。　I'm　all　ears。　You　tell　me　about　it。'
　'What　it　boils　down　to　is　this。　The　man　was　dead　before　he　even　hit　the　water。'　Doc　Deerforth　sighed。　'It　was　something　that　might　have　been　overlooked　by　even　as　good　an　M。E。　as　Flower。'　Florum　grunted　but　said　nothing。　'Look；　there　is　a　small　traumatic　puncture　wound　in　the　man's　chest；　middle…left；　and　it　could　easily　have　been　mistaken　for　a　rock　scrape　…which　it　is　not。　The　puncture　led　me　to　take　blood　samples；　one　of　which　was　from　the　aorta；　where　this　type　of　poison　concentrates；　it's　flushed　from　the　rest　of　the　bloodstream　within　perhaps　twenty　minutes　of　death；　by　what　means　I　have　no　idea。　It's　a　highly　unusual　cardio…vascular　poison。'
　Florum　snapped　his　fingers。　'Proof！　Heart　attack。'
　'Yes。'
　'You　sure　about　this？'
　'About　the　poison；　yes。　Otherwise　you　know　I　wouldn't　have　e　to　you。　But　I've　still　got　some　more　tests　to　run。　It　appears　likely　that　a　sliver　of　whatever　punctured　the　man's　flesh　is　still　lodged　in　his　sternum。〃　'There's　no　exit　wound？'
　'No。'
　'The　fall　could　have　dislodged　i