cpike.thelastvampire-第12章
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arket。 He does not talk about Pat； and I don't bring her up。 But I do steer the conversation back to his father。
〃It is getting late；〃 I say。 〃Are you sure you don't want to call your father and tell him that you've been sitting naked in a Jacuzzi with a beautiful blond？〃
〃To tell you the truth； I don't think my dad's home。〃
〃He has a girlfriend of his own？〃
〃No； he's been out of town the last few days； working on a case。〃
〃What kind of case？〃
〃I don't know what it is； he hasn't told me。 Except that it's big and he hopes to make a lot of money on it。 He's been working on it for a while now。〃 Ray adds； 〃But I'm getting worried about him。 He often leaves for days at a time； but he's never gone so long without calling。〃
〃Do you have an answering machine at home？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And he hasn't even left you a message？〃
〃No。〃
〃How long has he been out of touch？〃
〃Three days。 I know that doesn't sound long； but I swear； he calls me every day。〃
I nod sympathetically； 〃I would be worried if I were you。 Does he have an office in town？〃
〃Yes。 On Tudor； not far from the ocean。〃
〃Have you been by his office？〃
〃I've called his secretary； but she hasn't heard from him； either。〃
〃That is ridiculous； Ray。 You should call the police and report him missing。〃
Ray waves his hand。 〃You don't know my dad。 I could never do that。 He would be furious。 No； I'm sure he just got wrapped up in his work； and he'll call me when he gets a chance。〃 He pauses。 〃I hope。〃
〃I have an idea；〃 I say as if it just occurred to me。 〃Why don't you go down to his office and check his files to see what this big case is。 You'd probably be able to find out where he is。〃
〃He wouldn't like me looking through his files。〃
I shrug。 〃It's up to you。 But if it were my father； I would want to know where he was。〃
〃His files are all on puter。 I'd have to go into his whole system； and there would be a notation left that I had done so。 He has it set up that way。〃
〃Can you get into his files？ I mean； do you know the password？〃
He hesitates。 〃How did you know he has it set up that a password is required？〃
There is a note of suspicion in his question； and once more I marvel at Ray's perceptive abilities。 But I do not marvel long because I have waited for this very moment since I killed his father two days ago； and I have no intention of upsetting my plan。
〃I didn't；〃 I say。 〃But it is a mon way to protect files。〃
He appears satisfied。 〃Yeah； I can get into his files。 The password is a nickname he had for me when I was a kid。〃
I do not need to ask him what it is； which may only increase his suspicion。 Instead I jump to my feet。 〃e on； let's go to his office right now。 You'll sleep better knowing what he's up to。〃
He is startled。 〃Right now？〃
〃Well； you don't want to go looking at his files when his secretary's there。 Now is the perfect time。 I'll e with you。〃
〃But it's late。〃 He yawns。 〃I'm tired。 I was thinking I should go home。 Maybe he'll be there。〃
〃That's an idea。 Check to see if he's at home first。 But if he's not； and he hasn't left you a message； then you should go to the office。〃
〃Why are you so worried about my father？〃
I stop suddenly； as if his question wounds me。 〃Do you have to ask？〃 I am referring to the ment I made about my own poor dead father and feel no shame using him that way。 Ray looks suitably embarrassed。 He sets down his glass of wine and gets up from the floor。
〃Sorry。 You may be right；〃 he says。 〃I'll sleep better knowing what's going on。 But if you e with me； then I'll have to bring you back here。〃
〃Maybe。〃 I give him a quick kiss。 〃Or maybe I'll just fly home。〃
5
At Ray's house I wait in the car while he goes in to see if his father has returned； or if there is a message from him。 Naturally； I am not surprised when Ray returns a couple of minutes later downcast。 The cold has sobered him up； and he is worried。 He climbs into the car beside me and turns the key in the ignition。
〃No luck？〃 I ask。
〃No。 But I got the key to his building。 We won't have to break in。〃
〃That's a relief。〃 While I had Ray look away； I intended just to break the lock。
We drive to the building I visited only forty…eight hours earlier。 It is another cold night。 Throughout the years I have gravitated toward the wanner climates； such as my native India。 Why I have chosen to e to Oregon； I am not sure。 I glance over at Ray and wonder if it has something to do with him。 But of course I don't believe that because I don't believe in destiny； much less in miracles。 I do not believe Krishna was God； or if he was God…maybe he was God； I simply do not know for sure…then I do not believe he knew what he was doing when he created the universe。 I have such contempt for the lotus…eyed one。
Yet； after all these years； I have never been able to stop thinking about him。
Krishna。 Krishna。 Krishna。
Even his name haunts me。
Ray lets us into the building。 Soon we are standing outside Mr。 Michael Riley's office door。 Ray searches for another key； finds it。 We step inside。 The lights are off； he could leave them off and I would still be able to find my way around。 But he turns them on and heads straight into his father's office。 He sits at the puter while I stand off to one side。 I survey the floor。 Minute drops of blood have seeped into and dried in the cracks between the tiles。 They are not noticeable to mortal eyes； but the police will find them if they search。 I decide； no matter what happens； that I must return and do a more thorough cleaning。 Ray boots the puter and hastily enters the secret password； thinking that I do not catch it。 But I do…RAYGUN。
〃Can you check what his latest entries were？〃 I ask。
〃That's exactly what I'm doing。〃 He looks over at me。 〃You know about puters； don't you？〃
〃Yes。〃 I move closer so I can see the monitor。 A menu flashes on the screen。 The puter is equipped with a mouse。 Ray chooses something called Pathlist。 A list of files appears on the screen。 They are dated。 The number of bytes they occupy on the hard disk is also listed。 A rectangular outline flashes around the file at the top。
ALISA PERNE。
Ray points to the screen。 〃He must be working with this person。 Or else investigating her。〃 He reaches for the Enter button。 〃Let's see who this woman is。〃
〃Wait。〃 I put my hand on his shoulder。 〃Did you hear that？〃
〃Hear what？〃
〃That sound。〃
〃I don't hear anything。〃
〃I have sensitive hearing。 I heard someone outside the building。〃
Ray pauses and listens。 〃It could have been an animal。〃
〃There it is again。 Didn't you hear it？〃
〃No。〃
I appear mildly anxious。 〃Ray。 Could you please see if anyone's there？〃
He thinks a moment。 〃Sure。 No problem。 Stay here。 Lock the door。 I'll call to you when I return。〃 He goes to get up。
But he exits the files before he leaves； although he leaves the puter running。
Interesting； I think。 He was willing to sleep with me； but he doesn't trust me alone with his father's files。 Smart boy。
The moment he's out the door； I lock it and hurry to the puter。 I enter the password and call up the files。 I can speed read like no mortal and have a photographic memory； yet I cannot read nearly as fast as a modern puter can copy。 From the other night I know Mr。 Riley has a box of formatted three…and…a…half…inch high…density diskettes in his desk。 I remove two from the drawer and slip one into the puter。 I am familiar with the word processor。 I set it to copying the file。 Mr。 Riley had accumulated a lot of information on me。 The Alisa Perne file is large。 I estimate； given the equipment I am using； that it will take me five minutes to copy the file onto both diskettes。 Ray will return before then。 While the file copies； I return to the office entrance and study the lock。 I can hear Ray walking down the stairs。 He hums as he walks。 He doesn't think there is anyone outside。
I decide to jam the lock。 Taking two paper clips from Riley's desk； and bending them into usable shapes； I slip them into the tumblers。 The first diskette finally fills as Ray returns from his quick outside inspection。 I slip in the second diskette。
〃Sita；〃 Ray calls。 〃It's me。 There was no one there。〃
I spea
