sk.cujo-第68章

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from　the　kitchen。'
Masen　walked　out　with　him；　took　an　ashtray；　and　said；　'Let's　go　out　on　the　steps；　do　you　mind？　It's　going　to　be　a　bitch　of　a　hot　day。　I　like　to　enjoy　them　while　they're　still　civilized　during　July。'
'Okay；'　Vic　said　listlessly。
He　glanced　at　the　thermometer…barometer　screwed　to　the　side　of　the　house　as　they　went　out　。。。　a　gift　from　Donna　last　Christmas。　The　temperature　already　stood　at　73。　The　needle　of　the　barometer　was　planted　squarely　in　the　quadrant　marked　FAIR。
'Let's　pursue　this　a　little　further；'　Masen　said。　'It　fascinates　me。　Here's　a　woman　with　a　son；　a　woman；　whose　husband　is　away　on　a　business　trip。　She　needs　her　car　if　she's　going　to　get　around　very　well。　Even　downtown's　half　a　mile　away　and　the　walk　back　is　all　uphill。　So　if　we　assume　that　Kemp　grabbed　her　here；　the　car　would　still　be　here。　Try　this；　instead。　Kemp　es　up　and　trashes　the　house；　but　he's　still　furious。　He　sees　them　someplace　else　in　town　and　grabs　them。　In　that　case；　the　car　would　still　be　in　that　other　place。　Downtown；　maybe。　Or　in　the　parking　lot　at　the　shopping　center。'
'Wouldn't　someone　have　tagged　it　in　the　middle　of　the　night？'　Vic　asked。
'Probably；'　Masen　said。　'Do　you　think　she　herself　might　have　left　it　somewhere；　Mr。　Trenton？'
Then　Vic　remembered。　The　needle　valve。
'You　look　like　something　just　clicked；'　Masen　said。
'It　didn't　click；　it　clunked。　The　car　isn't　here　because　it's　at　the　Ford　dealership　in　South　Paris。　She　was　having　carburetor　trouble。　The　needle　valve　in　there　kept　wanting　to　jam。　We　talked　about　it　on　the　phone　Monday　afternoon。　She　was　really　pissed　off　and　upset　about　it。　I　meant　to　make　an　appointment　for　her　to　get　it　done　by　a　local　guy　here　in　town；　but　I　forgot　because　。　。　。'
He　trailed　off；　thinking　about　the　reasons　why　he　had　forgotten。
'You　forgot　to　the　make　the　appointment　here　in　town；　so　she　would　have　taken　it　to　South　Paris？'
'Yeah；　I　guess　so。'　He　couldn't　remember　exactly　what　the　run　of　the　conversation　had　been　now；　except　that　she　had　been　afraid　the　car　would　seize　up　while　she　was　taking　it　to　be　fixed。
Masen　glanced　at　his　watch　and　got　up。　Vic　started　to　rise　with　him。
'No；　stay　put。　I　just　want　to　make　a　quick　phone　call。　I'll　be　back。'
Vic　sat　where　he　was。　The　screen　door　banged　closed　behind　Masen；　a　sound　that　reminded　him　so　much　of　Tad　that　he　winced　and　had　to　grit　his　teeth　against　fresh　tears。　Where　were　they？　The　thing　about　the　Pinto　not　being　here　had　only　been　momentarily　promising　after　all。
'The　sun　was　fully　up　now；　throwing　a　bright　rose　light　over　the　houses　and　the　streets　below；　and　across　Castle　Hill。　It　touched　the　swing　set　where　he　had　pushed　Tad　times　without　number　。。。　all　he　wanted　was　to　push　his　son　on　the　swing　again　with　his　wife　standing　beside　him。　He　would　push　until　his　hands　fell　off；　if　that　was　what　Tad　wanted。
Daddy；　I　wanna　loop　the　loop！　I　wanna！
The　voice　in　his　mind　chilled　his　heart。　It　was　like　a　ghost　voice。
The　screen　door　opened　again　a　moment　later。　Masen　sat　down　beside　him　and　lit　a　fresh　cigarette。　'Twin　City　Ford　in　South　Paris；'　he　said。　'That　was　the　one；　wasn't　it？'
'Yeah。　We　bought　the　Pinto　there。'
'I　took　a　shot　and　called　them。　Got　lucky；　the　service　manager　was　already　in。　Your　Pinto's　not　there；　and　it　hasn't　been　there。　Who's　the　local　guy？'
'Joe　Camber；'　Vic　said。　'She　must　have　taken　the　car　out　there　after　all。　She　didn't　want　to　because　he's　way　out　in　the　back　of　beyond　and　she　couldn't　get　any　answer　on　the　phone　when　she　called。　I　told　her　he　was　probably　there　anyway；　just　working　in　the　garage。　It's　this　converted　barn；　and　I　don't　think　he's　got　a　phone　in　there。　At　least　he　didn't　the　last　time　I　was　out　there。'
'We'll　check　it　out；'　Masen　said；　'but　her　car's　not　there　either；　Mr。　Trenton。　Depend　on　it。'
'Why　not？'
'Doesn't　make　a　bit　of　logical　sense；'　Masen　said。　'I　was　ninety…five　percent　sure　it　wasn't　in　South　Paris；　either。　Look；　everything　we　said　before　still　holds　true。　A　young　woman　with　a　child　needs　a　car。　Suppose　she　took　the　car　over　to　Twin　City　Ford　and　they　told　her　it　was　going　to　be　a　couple　of　days。　How　does　she　get　back？'
'Well　。。。　a　loaner　。。。　or　if　they　wouldn't　give　her　a　loaner；　I　guess　they'd　rent　her　one　of　their　lease　cars。　From　the　cheap　fleet。'
'Right！　Beautiful！　So　where　is　it？'
Vic　looked　at　the　driveway；　almost　as　if　expecting　it　to　appear。
'There'd　be　no　more　reason　for　Kemp　to　abscond　with　your　wife's　loaner　than　there　would　be　for　him　to　abscond　with　her　Pinto；'　Masen　said。　'That　pretty　well　ruled　out　the　Ford　dealership　in　advance。　Now　let's　say　she　takes　it　out　to　this　guy　Camber's　garage。　If　he　gives　her　an　old　junker　to　run　around　in　while　he　fixes　her　Pinto；　we're　back　at　square　one　right　away：　Where's　the　junker？　So　let's　say　that　she　takes　it　up　there　and　Camber　says　he'll　have　to　keep　it　awhile　but　she　calls　a　friend；　and　the　friend　es　out　to　pick　her　up。　With　me　so　far？'
'Yes；　sure。'
'So　who　was　the　friend？　You　gave　us　a　list；　and　we　got　them　all　out　of　bed。　Lucky　they　were　all　home；　it　being　summer　and　all。　None　of　them　mentioned　bringing　your　people　home　from　anywhere。　No　one　has　seen　them　any　later　than　Monday　morning。'
'Well；　why　don't　we　stop　crapping　around？'　Vic　asked。　'Let's　give　Camber　a　call　and　find　out　for　sure。'
'Let's　wait　until　seven；'　Masen　said。　'That's　only　fifteen　minutes。　Give　him　a　chance　to　get　his　face　washed　and　wake　up　a　little。　Service　managers　usually　clock　in　early。　This　guy's　an　independent。'
Vic　shrugged。　This　whole　thing　was　a　crazy　blind　alley。　Kemp　had　Donna　and　Tad。　He　knew　it　in　his　guts；　just　as　he　knew　it　was　Kemp　who　had　trashed　the　house　and　shot　his　e　on　the　bed　he　and　Donna　shared。
'Of　course；　it　didn't　have　to　he　a　friend；'　Masen　said；　dreamily　watching　his　cigarette　smoke　drift　off　into　the　morning。　'There　are　all　sorts　of　possibilities。　She　gets　the　car　up　there；　and　someone　she　knows　slightly　happens　to　be　there；　and　the　guy　or　gal　offers　Mrs。　Trenton　and　your　son　a　ride　back　into　town。　Or　maybe　Camber　runs　them　home　himself。　Or　his　wife。　Is　be。　married？'
'Yes。　Nice　woman。'
'Could　have　been　him；　her；　anyone。　People　are　always　willing　to　help　a　lady　in　distress。'
'Yeah；'　Vic　said；　and　lit　a　cigarette　of　his　own。
'But　none　of　that　matters　either；　because　the　question　always　remains　the　same：　Where's　the　fucking　car？　Because　the　situation's　the　same。　Woman　and　kid　on　their　own。　She　has　to　get　groceries；　go　to　the　dry　cleaner's；　go　to　the　post　office；　dozens　of　little　errands。　If　the　husband　was　only　going　to　be　gone　a　few　days；　a　week；　even；　she　might　try　to　get　along　without　a　car。　But　ten　days　or　two　weeks？　Jesus；　that's　a　long　haul　in　a　town　that's　only　got　one　goddam　cab。　Rental　car　people　are　happy　to　deliver　in　a　situation　like　that。　She　could　have　gotten　Hertz　or　Avis　or　National　to　deliver　the　car　here　or　out　to　Camber's。　So　where's　the　rental　car？　I　keep　ing　back　to　that。　There　should　have　been　a　vehicle　in　this　yard。　Dig？'
'I　don't　think　it's　important；'　Vic　said。
'And　probably　it's　not。　We'll　find　some　simple　explanation　and　say　Oy　vay；　how　could　we　be　so　stupid？　But　it　fascinates　me　strangely　。。。　it　was　the　needle　valve？　You're　sure　of　that？'
'Postitive。'
Masen　shook　his　head。　'Why　would　she　need　all　that　rigamarole　about　loaners　or　rental　cars　anyway？　That's　a　fifteen…minute　fix　for　somebody　with　the　tools　and　the　know…how。　Drive　in；　drive　out。　So　where's　…'
'…　her　goddam　car？'　Vic　finished　wearily。　'Me　world　was　ing　and　going　in　waves　now。
'Why　don't　you　go　upstairs　and　lie　down？'　Masen　said。　'You　looked　wiped　out。'
'No；　I　want　to　be　awake　if　something　happens。'
'And　if　something　does；　somebody　will　he　here　to　wake　you　up。　The　FBI's　ing　with　a　trace…back　system　to　hook　up　on　your　phone。　Those　people　are　noisy　enough　to　wake　the　dead　…so　don't　worry。'
Vic　was　too　tired　to　feel　much　more　than　a　dull　dread。　'Do　you　think　that　trace…back　shit　is　really　necessary？'
'Better　to　have　it　and　not　need　it　than　need　it　and　not　have　it；'　Masen　said；　and　pitched　his　cigarette。　'Get　a　little　rest　and　you'll　be　able　to　cope　better；　Vic。　Go　on。'
'All　right。'
He　went　slowly　upstairs。　The　bed　had　been　stripped　to　the　mattress。　He　had　done　it　himself。　He　put　two　pillows　on　his　side；　t