ch.nativetongue-第5章

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　Bud　Schwartz　parked　the　pickup　truck　under　an　immense　ficus　tree。　He　told　Danny　Pogue　not　to　open　the　doors　right　away；　because　of　all　the　mosquitoes。　The　insects　had　descended　in　a　sibilant　cloud；　bouncing　off　the　windows　and　the　hood　and　the　headlights。
　〃I　bet　we　don't　have　no　bug　spray；〃　said　Danny　Pogue。
　Bud　Schwartz　pointed　at　the　house。　〃On　the　count　of　three；　make　a　run　for　it。〃
　Danny　Pogue　remarked　that　the　old　place　was　dark。　〃She　saving　on　the　electricity；　or　what？　I　bet　she's　not　even　home。　I　bet　she　was　hoping　we　got　caught；　so　she　wouldn't　have　to　pay　us。〃
　〃You　got　no　faith；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　〃You're　the　most　negative　fucking　person　I　ever　met。　That's　why　your　skin's　broke　out　all　the　time…all　those　negative　thoughts　is　like　a　poison　in　your　bloodstream。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；　now。　Everybody　gets　pimples。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　said；　〃You're　thirty…one　years　old。　Tell　me　that's　normal。〃
　〃Do　we　got　bug　spray　or　not？〃
　〃No。〃　Bud　Schwartz　unlocked　his　door。　〃Now　let's　go…one；　two；　three！〃
　They　burst　out　of　the　pickup　and　bolted　for　the　house；　flailing　at　mosquitoes　as　they　ran。　When　they　got　inside　the　screened　porch；　the　two　men　took　turns　swatting　the　insects　off　each　other。　A　light　came　on；　and　Molly　McNamara　poked　out　of　the　door。　Her　white　hair　was　up　in　curlers；　her　cheeks　were　slathered　in　oily　yellow　cream　and　her　broad；　pointy…shouldered　frame　was　draped　in　a　blue　terry…cloth　bathrobe。
　〃Get　inside；〃　she　said　to　the　two　men。
　Immediately　Bud　Schwartz　noticed　how　grim　the　woman　looked。　The　curlers；　cream　and　bathrobe　didn't　help。
　The　house　was　all　mustiness　and　shadows；　made　darker　and　damper　by　the　ubiquitous　wood　paneling。　The　living　room　smelled　of　jasmine；　or　some　other　old…woman　scent。　It　reminded　Bud　Schwartz　of　his　grandmother's　sewing　room。
　Molly　McNamara　sat　down　in　a　rocker。　Bud　Schwartz　and　Danny　Pogue　just　stood　there　like　the　hired　help　they　were。
　〃Where　are　they？〃　Molly　demanded。　〃Where's　the　box？〃
　Danny　Pogue　looked　at　Bud　Schwartz；　who　said；　〃They　got　away。〃
　Molly　folded　her　hands　across　her　lap。　She　said；　〃You're　lying　to　me。〃
　〃No；　ma'am。〃
　〃Then　tell　me　what　happened。〃
　Before　Bud　Schwartz　could　stop　him；　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃There　was　holes　in　the　box。　That's　how　they　got　out。〃
　Molly　McNamara's　right　hand　slipped　beneath　her　bathrobe　and　came　out　holding　a　small　black　pistol。　Without　saying　a　word　she　shot　Danny　Pogue　twice　in　the　left　foot。　He　fell　down；　screaming；　on　the　smooth　pine　floor。　Bud　Schwartz　couldn't　believe　it；　he　tried　to　speak；　but　there　was　no　air　in　his　lungs。
　〃You　boys　are　lying；〃　Molly　said。　She　got　up　from　the　rocker　and　left　the　room。　She　came　back　with　a　towel；　chipped　ice；　bandages　and　a　roll　of　medical　adhesive　tape。　She　told　Bud　Schwartz　to　patch　up　his　partner　before　the　blood　got　all　over　everything。　Bud　Schwartz　knelt　on　the　floor　next　to　Danny　Pogue　and　tried　to　calm　him。　Molly　sat　down　and　started　rocking。
　〃The　towel　is　for　his　mouth；〃　she　said；　〃so　I　don't　have　to　listen　to　all　that　yammering。〃
　And　it　was　true；　Danny　Pogue's　wailing　was　unbearable；　even　allowing　for　the　pain。　It　reminded　Bud　Schwartz　of　the　way　his　first　wife　had　sounded　during　the　thrashings　of　childbirth。
　Molly　said；　〃It's　been　all　over　the　news；　so　at　least　I　know　that　you　went　ahead　and　did　it。　I　suppose　I'm　obliged　to　pay　up。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　was　greatly　relieved；　she　wouldn't　pay　somebody　she　was　about　to　kill。　The　thought　of　being　murdered　by　a　seventy…year…old　woman　in　pink　curlers　was　harrowing　on　many　levels。
　〃Tell　me　if　I'm　wrong；〃　Molly　said。　〃Curiosity　got　the　best　of　you；　right？　You　opened　the　box；　the　animals　escaped。〃
　〃That's　about　the　size　of　it；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz；　wrapping　a　bandage　around　Danny　Pogue's　foot。　He　had　removed　the　sneaker　and　the　sock；　and　examined　the　wounds。　Miraculously　（or　maybe　by　design）　both　bullets　had　missed　the　bones；　so　Danny　Pogue　was　able　to　wiggle　all　his　toes。　When　he　stopped　whimpering；　Bud　Schwartz　removed　the　towel　from　his　mouth。
　〃So　you　think　they're　still　alive；〃　Molly　said。
　〃Why　not？　Who'd　be　mean　enough　to　hurt　'em？〃
　〃This　is　important；〃　said　Molly。　The　pistol　lay　loose　on　her　lap；　looking　as　harmless　as　a　macrame。
　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃We　didn't　kill　them　things；　I　swear　to　God。　They　just　scooted　out　of　the　damn　truck。〃
　〃They're　awful　fast；〃　added　Bud　Schwartz。
　〃Oh；　please；〃　said　Molly　McNamara；　shaking　her　head。　Even　Danny　Pogue　picked　up　on　the　sarcasm。
　〃We　didn't　know　there　was　only　two；〃　he　said。　〃We　thought　there　must　be　a　whole　bunch　in　a　box　that　size。　That's　how　e　we　wasn't　so　worried　when　they　got　away…see；　we　thought　there　was　more。〃
　Molly　started　rocking　a　little　faster。　The　rocking　chair　didn't　squeak　a　bit　on　the　varnished　pine。　She　said；　〃I'm　very　disappointed　in　the　both　of　you。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　helped　his　partner　limp　to　an　ottoman。
　All　he　wanted　was　to　get　the　money　and　get　the　hell　out　of　this　spooky　old　house；　away　from　this　crazy　witch。
　〃Here's　the　really　bad　news；〃　said　Molly　McNamara。　〃It's　your　truck…only　about　a　thousand　people　saw　you　drive　away。　Now；　I　don't　know　if　they　got　the　license　tag；　but　they　sure　as　hell　got　a　good　description。　It's　all　over　the　TV。〃
　〃Shit；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。
　〃So　you're　going　to　have　to　keep　a　low　profile　for　a　while。〃
　Still　breathing　heavily；　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃What's　that　mean？〃
　Molly　stopped　rocking　and　sat　forward。　〃For　starters；　say　goodbye　to　the　pickup　truck。　Also；　you　can　forget　about　going　home。　If　the　police　got　your　tag；　they'll　be　waiting。〃
　〃I'll　take　my　chances；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。
　〃No；　you　won't；〃　said　Molly。　〃I'll　give　you　a　thousand　dollars　each。　You'll　get　the　rest　in　two　weeks；　if　things　die　down。　Meanwhile；　I've　arranged　a　place　for　you　boys　to　stay。〃
　〃Here？〃　asked　Danny　Pogue　in　a　fretful；　pain…racked　voice。
　〃No；　not　here；〃　Molly　said。　〃Not　on　your　life。〃
　She　stood　up　from　the　rocker。　The　pistol　disappeared　again　into　a　fuzzy　pocket　of　the　blue　robe。　〃Your　foot's　going　to　be　fine；〃　she　announced　to　Danny　Pogue。　〃I　hope　I　made　my　point。〃
　The　bafflement　on　the　two　men's　faces　suggested　otherwise。
　Molly　McNamara　said；　〃I　chose　you　for　a　reason。〃
　〃e　on；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz；　〃we're　just　burglars。〃
　〃And　don't　you　ever　forget　it；〃　Molly　said。
　Danny　Pogue　couldn't　believe　she　was　talking　to　them　this　way。　He　couldn't　believe　he　was　being　terrorized　by　an　old　lady　in　a　rocking　chair。
　〃There's　something　else　you　should　know；〃　said　Molly　McNamara。　〃There　are　others。〃
　Momentarily　Bud　Schwartz's　mind　had　stuck　on　that　thousand　dollars　she'd　mentioned。　He　had　been　thinking：　Screw　the　other　nine；　just　grab　the　grand　and　get　lost。　Now　she　was　saying　something　about　others…what　others？
　〃Anything　happens　to　me；〃　Molly　said；　〃there's　others　that　know　who　you　are。　Where　you　live。　Where　you　hang　out。　Everything。〃
　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　muttered　Danny　Pogue。
　〃Burglars　get　shot　sometimes；〃　Molly　McNamara　said。　〃Nobody　says　boo　about　it；　either。　Nobody　gets　arrested　or　investigated　or　anything　else。　In　this　country；　you　kill　a　burglar　and　the　Kiwanis　gives　you　a　plaque。　That's　the　point　I　was　trying　to　make。〃
　Danny　Pogue　turned　to　Bud　Schwartz；　who　was　staring　down　at　his　partner's　swollen　foot　and　wondering　if　it　was　too　late　to　make　a　run　for　it。　Finally　he　said；　〃Lady；　we're　very　sorry　about　your　animals。〃
　〃They're　not　my　animals；〃　said　Molly；　〃any　more　than　you　are。〃
　
　THREE
　At　half　past　ten　Joe　Winder　went　down　to　The　Catabs；　the　underground　network　of　service　roads　that　ran　beneath　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　It　was　along　these　winding　cart　paths；　discreetly　out　of　view　from　visitors；　that　the　food；　merchandise；　money　and　garbage　were　moved　throughout　the　sprawling　amusement　park。　It　was　also　along　these　secret　subterranean　passageways　that　the　kiddie　characters　traveled；　popping　up　suddenly　at　strategic　locations　throughout　the　Amazing　Kingdom　and　imploring　tourists　to　snap　their　picture。　No　customers　（〃guests〃　was　the　designated　term）　ever　were　allowed　to　venture　into　The　Catabs；　lest　they　catch　a　glimpse　of　something　that　might　tarnish　their　image　of　the　Amazing　Kingdom…a　dog　rooting　through　a　dumpster；　for　example。　Or　one　of　Uncl