mc.prey-第20章

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　〃I　really　couldn't　say。　Do　you　want　voice　mail？〃
　I　left　Ricky　a　voice…mail　message。　Then　I　called　his　home　number。　His　wife　answered。　Mary　was　getting　her　Ph。D。　in　French　history；　I　imagined　her　studying；　bouncing　the　baby；　with　a　book　open　on　her　lap。　I　said；　〃How　are　you；　Mary？〃
　〃I'm　fine；　Jack。〃
　〃How's　the　baby？　Ricky　tells　me　you　never　get　diaper　rash。　I'm　jealous。〃　I　tried　to　sound　casual。　Just　a　social　call。
　Mary　laughed。　〃She's　a　good　baby；　and　we　didn't　have　colic；　thank　God。　But　Ricky　hasn't　been　around　for　the　rashes；〃　she　said。　〃We've　had　some。〃
　I　said；　〃Actually；　I'm　looking　for　Ricky。　Is　he　there？〃
　〃No；　Jack。　He's　been　gone　all　week。　He's　out　at　that　fab　plant　in　Nevada。〃
　〃Oh；　right。〃　I　remembered　now　that　Ricky　had　mentioned　that；　when　we　had　met　in　the　supermarket。
　〃Have　you　been　out　to　that　plant？〃　Mary　said。　I　thought　I　detected　an　uneasy　tone。
　〃No；　I　haven't；　but…〃
　〃Julia　is　there　a　lot；　isn't　she？　What　does　she　say　about　it？〃　Definitely　worried。
　〃Well；　not　much。　I　gather　they　have　new　technology　that's　very　hush…hush。　Why？〃
　She　hesitated。　〃Maybe　it's　my　imagination　。。。〃
　〃What　is？〃
　〃Well；　sometimes　when　Ricky　calls；　he　sounds　kind　of　weird　to　me。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃I'm　sure　he's　distracted　and　working　hard；　but　he　says　some　strange　things。　He　doesn't　always　make　a　lot　of　sense。　And　he　seems　evasive。　Like　he's；　I　don't　know；　hiding　something。〃
　〃Hiding　something　。。。〃
　She　gave　a　self…deprecating　laugh。　〃I　even　thought　maybe　he's　having　an　affair。　You　know；　that　woman　Mae　Chang　is　out　there；　and　he　always　liked　her。　She's　so　pretty。〃　Mae　Chang　used　to　work　in　my　division　at　MediaTronics。　〃I　hadn't　heard　she　was　at　the　fab　plant。〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　a　lot　of　the　people　who　used　to　work　for　you　are　there；　now。〃
　〃Well；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　think　Ricky　is　having　an　affair；　Mary。　It's　just　not　like　him。　And　it's　not　like　Mae。〃
　〃It's　the　quiet　ones　you　have　to　watch　out　for；〃　she　said；　apparently　referring　to　Mae。　〃And　I'm　still　nursing；　so　I　haven't　lost　my　weight　yet；　I　mean；　my　thighs　are　as　big　as　sides　of　beef。〃
　〃I　don't　think　that…〃
　〃They　rub　together　when　I　walk。　Squishy。〃
　〃Mary；　I'm　sure…〃
　〃Is　Julia　okay；　Jack？　She's　not　acting　weird？〃
　〃No　more　than　usual；〃　I　said；　trying　to　make　a　joke。　I　was　feeling　bad　as　I　said　it。　For　days　I　had　wished　that　people　would　level　with　me　about　Julia；　but　now　that　I　had　something　to　share　with　Mary；　I　wasn't　going　to　level　with　her。　I　was　going　to　keep　my　mouth　shut。　I　said；　〃Julia's　working　hard；　and　she　sometimes　is　a　little　odd。〃
　〃Does　she　say　anything　about　a　black　cloud？〃
　〃Uh　。。。　no。〃
　〃The　new　world？　Being　present　for　the　birth　of　the　new　world　order？〃　That　sounded　like　conspiracy　talk　to　me。　Like　those　people　who　worried　about　the　Trilateral　mission　and　thought　that　the　Rockefellers　ran　the　world。　〃No；　nothing　like　that。〃
　〃She　mention　a　black　cloak？〃
　I　felt　suddenly　slowed　down。　Moving　very　slowly。　〃What？〃
　〃The　other　night　Ricky　was　talking　about　a　black　cloak；　being　covered　in　a　black　cloak。　It　was　late；　he　was　tired；　he　was　sort　of　babbling。〃
　〃What　did　he　say　about　the　black　cloak？〃
　〃Nothing。　Just　that。〃　She　paused。　〃You　think　they're　taking　drugs　out　there？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。
　〃You　know；　there's　pressure；　working　around　the　clock；　and　nobody's　sleeping　much。　I　wonder　about　drugs。〃
　〃Let　me　call　Ricky；〃　I　said。
　Mary　gave　me　his　cell　phone　number；　and　I　wrote　it　down。　I　was　about　to　dial　it　when　the　door　slammed；　and　I　heard　Eric　say；　〃Hey；　Mom！　Who's　that　guy　in　the　car　with　you？〃　I　got　up；　and　looked　out　the　window　at　the　driveway。　Julia's　BMW　convertible　was　there；　top　down。　I　checked　my　watch。　It　was　only　4：30。
　I　went　out　into　the　hall　and　saw　Julia　hugging　Eric。　She　was　saying；　〃It　must　have　been　sunlight　on　the　windshield。　There's　nobody　else　in　the　car。〃
　〃Yes　there　was。　I　saw　him。〃
　〃Oh　yes？〃　She　opened　the　front　door。　〃Go　look　for　yourself。〃　Eric　went　out　onto　the　lawn。　Julia　smiled　at　me。　〃He　thinks　someone　was　in　the　car。〃
　Eric　came　back　in；　shrugging。　〃Oh　well。　Guess　not。〃
　〃That's　right；　honey。〃　Julia　walked　down　the　hall　toward　me。　〃Is　Ellen　here？〃
　〃Just　got　here。〃
　〃Great。　I'm　going　to　take　a　shower；　and　we'll　talk。　Let's　open　some　wine。　What　do　you　want　to　do　about　dinner？〃
　〃I've　got　steaks　ready。〃
　〃Great。　Sounds　great。〃
　And　with　a　cheerful　wave；　she　went　down　the　hallway。
　It　was　a　warm　evening　and　we　had　dinner　in　the　backyard。　I　put　out　the　red…checkered　tablecloth　and　grilled　the　steaks　on　the　barbecue；　wearing　my　chef's　apron　that　said　the　chef's　word　is　law；　and　we　had　a　sort　of　classic　American　family　dinner。
　Julia　was　charming　and　chatty；　focusing　her　attention　on　my　sister；　talking　about　the　kids；　about　school；　about　changes　she　wanted　to　make　on　the　house。　〃That　window　has　to　e　out；〃　she　said；　pointing　back　at　the　kitchen；　〃and　we'll　put　French　doors　in　so　it'll　open　to　the　outside。　It'll　be　great。〃　I　was　astonished　by　Julia's　performance。　Even　the　kids　were　staring　at　her。　Julia　mentioned　how　proud　she　was　of　Nicole's　big　part　in　the　forthing　school　play。　Nicole　said；　〃Mom；　I　have　a　bad　part。〃
　〃Oh；　not　really；　honey；〃　Julia　said。
　〃Yes；　I　do。　I　just　have　two　lines。〃
　〃Now　honey；　I'm　sure　you're…〃
　Eric　piped　up。　〃　'Look；　here　es　John　now。'　'That　sounds　pretty　serious。'　〃
　〃Shut　up；　weasel　turd。〃
　〃She　says　'em　in　the　bathroom；　over　and　over；〃　Eric　announced。　〃About　a　billion　gazillion　times。〃
　Julia　said；　〃Who's　John？〃
　〃Those　are　the　lines　in　the　play。〃
　〃Oh。　Well；　anyway；　I'm　sure　you'll　be　wonderful。　And　our　little　Eric　is　making　such　progress　in　soccer；　aren't　you；　hon？〃
　〃It's　over　next　week；〃　Eric　said；　turning　sulky。　Julia　hadn't　made　it　to　any　of　his　games　this　fall。　〃It's　been　so　good　for　him；〃　Julia　said　to　Ellen。　〃Team　sports　build　cooperation。　Especially　with　boys；　it　helps　with　that　petitiveness。〃
　Ellen　wasn't　saying　anything；　just　nodding　and　listening。
　For　this　particular　evening；　Julia　had　insisted　on　feeding　the　baby；　and　had　positioned　the　high　chair　beside　her。　But　Amanda　was　accustomed　to　playing　airplane　at　every　mealtime。　She　was　waiting　for　someone　to　move　the　spoon　toward　her；　saying；　〃Rrrrrrr…owwwww　。。。　here　es　the　airplane　。。。　open　the　doors！〃　Since　Julia　wasn't　doing　that；　Amanda　kept　her　mouth　tightly　shut。　Which　was　part　of　the　game；　too。
　〃Oh　well。　I　guess　she's　not　hungry；〃　Julia　said；　with　a　shrug。　〃Did　she　just　have　a　bottle；　Jack？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃She　doesn't　get　one　until　after　dinner。〃
　〃Well；　I　know　that。　I　meant；　before。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Not　before。〃　I　gestured　toward　Amanda。　〃Shall　I　try？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Julia　handed　me　the　spoon；　and　I　sat　beside　Amanda　and　began　to　play　airplane。　〃Rrrrr…owwww　。。。〃　Amanda　immediately　grinned　and　opened　her　mouth。
　〃Jack's　been　wonderful　with　the　kids；　just　wonderful；〃　Julia　said　to　Ellen。
　〃I　think　it's　good　for　a　man　to　experience　home　life；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃Oh；　it　is。　It　is。　He's　helped　me　a　lot。〃　She　patted　my　knee。　〃You　really　have；　Jack。〃　It　was　clear　to　me　that　Julia　was　too　bright；　too　cheerful。　She　was　keyed　up；　talking　fast；　and　obviously　trying　to　impress　Ellen　that　she　was　in　charge　of　her　family。　I　could　see　that　Ellen　wasn't　buying　it。　But　Julia　was　so　speedy；　she　didn't　notice。　I　began　to　wonder　if　she　were　on　drugs。　Was　that　the　reason　for　her　strange　behavior？　Was　she　on　amphetamines？　〃And　work；〃　Julia　continued；　〃is　so　incredible　these　days。　Xymos　is　really　making　breakthroughs…the　kind　of　breakthroughs　people　have　been　waiting　for　more　than　ten　years　to　happen。　But　at　last；　it's　happening。〃
　〃Like　the　black　cloak？〃　I　said；　fishing。
　Julia　blinked。　〃The　what？〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃What're　you　talking　about；　hon？〃
　〃A　black　cloak。　Didn't　you　say　something　about　a　black　cloak　the　other　day？〃
　〃No　。。。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃　She　turned　back　to　Ellen。　〃Anyway；　all　this　molecular　technology　has　been　much　slower　to　e　to　market　than　we　expected。　But　at　last；　it　really　is　here。〃
　〃You　seem　very　excited；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃I　have　to　tell　you；　it's　thrilling；　Ellen。〃　She　lowered　her　voice。　〃And　on　top　of　it；　we'll　probably　make　a　bundle。〃
　〃That'd　be　good；〃　Ellen　said。　〃B