dk.nightchills-第29章

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alf　hour；　he　had　proved　himself；　had　freed　himself　from　the　dozens　of　bitches　who　had　messed　in　his　life　all　the　way　back　to　and　including　his　mother；　especially　his　mother；　that　goddess　of　bitches；　that　empress　of　ball…breakers。　After　her　came　the　girls　who　were　frigid　and　the　girls　who　laughed　at　him　and　the　girls　who　whined　about　his　poor　technique　and　the　girls　who　rejected　him　with　unconcealed　distaste　and　Miriam　and　the　contemptible　whores　to　whom　he　had　been　forced　to　resort　in　later　years。　Brenda　Macklin　was　only　a　metaphor；　written　into　his　life　by　chance。　If　it　hadn't　been　her；　it　would　have　been　someone　else　this　afternoon　or　tomorrow　or　the　day　after　tomorrow。　She　was　the　voodoo　doll；　the　totem　with　which　he　would　exorcise　some　of　those　bitches　from　his　past。　Each　inch　of　prick　he　jammed　into　her　was　a　blow　to　the　Brendas　of　years　gone　by。　Each　stroke…the　more　brutal　it　was　the　better…was　an　announcement　of　his　triumph。　He　would　pound　her。　Bruise　her。　Use　her　until　she　was　raw。　Hurt　her。
　With　every　blade　of　pain　he　sent　through　her；　he　would　be　cutting　each　of　those　hated　women。　By　mounting　this　lean　blond　animal；　by　battering　relentlessly　into　her；　tearing　her　apart；　he　would　be　proving　his　superiority　to　all　of　them。
　He　seized　her　hips　and　leaned　close。　But　as　the　tip　of　his　shaft　touched　her　vagina；　even　before　the　head　of　it　slipped　into　her；　he　ejaculated　uncontrollably。　His　legs　gave　way。　Crying　out；　he　fell　on　her。
　She　collapsed　against　the　pillows。
　Panic　took　him。　Memories　of　past　failures。　The　sour　looks　they　gave　him　afterwards。　The　contempt　with　which　they　treated　him。　The　shame　of　it。　He　held　Brenda　down；　weighed　her　down。　Desperately；　he　said；　〃You're　ing；　girl。　You're　climaxing。　Do　you　hear　me？　Do　you　understand？　I'm　telling　you。　You're　ing。〃
　She　made　a　noise；　muffled　by　pillows。　〃Feel　it？〃
　〃Mmmmm。〃
　〃Do　you　feel　it？〃
　Raising　her　head　she　said；　〃God；　yes！〃　〃You've　never　had　it　better。〃
　〃Not　ever。　Never。〃　She　was　gasping。
　〃Feel　it？〃
　〃Feel　it。〃
　〃Is　it　hot？〃
　〃So　hot。　Oh！〃
　〃Coasting　now。　You're　ing　down。〃　She　stopped　squirming　under　him。
　〃Drifting　down。　It's　almost　over。〃
　〃So　good　。　。　。〃　Softly。
　〃You　little　animal。〃
　With　that　the　tension　drained　out　of　her。
　The　doorbell　rang。
　〃What　the　hell？〃
　She　didn't　react。
　Pushing　away　from　her；　he　swayed　to　his　feet；　tried　to　take　a　step　with　his　trousers　around　his　ankles　and　almost　fell。
　He　grabbed　his　shorts；　jerked　them　up；　then　his　trousers。　〃You　said　you　weren't　expecting　anyone。〃
　〃Wasn't。〃
　〃Then　who's　that？〃
　She　rolled　onto　her　back。　She　looked　sated。
　〃Who's　that？〃　he　asked　again。
　〃Don't　know。〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　get　dressed。〃
　She　rose　dreamily　from　the　couch。　〃Quickly；　damn　you！〃
　Obediently；　she　scuttled　after　her　clothes。
　At　one　of　the　front　windows；　he　parted　the　drapes　a　fraction　of　an　inch；　just　enough　to　see　the　porch。　A　woman　was　standing　at　the　door；　unaware　that　she　was　under　observation。　In　sandals；　white　shorts；　and　a　scoop…necked　orange　sweater；　she　was　even　better…looking　than　Brenda　Macklin。
　Brenda　said；　〃I'm　dressed。〃
　The　doorbell　rang　again。
　Letting　go　of　the　drapery；　Salsbury　said；　〃It's　a　woman。　You　better　answer　it。　But　get　rid　of　her。　Whatever　you　do；　don't　let　her　inside。〃
　〃What　should　I　say？〃
　〃If　it's　someone　you've　never　seen　before；　you　don't　have　to　say　anything。〃
　〃Otherwise？〃
　〃Tell　her　you've　got　a　headache。　A　terrible　migraine　headache。　Now　go。〃
　She　went　out　of　the　room。
　'When　he　heard　her　open　the　door　in　the　foyer；　he　parted　the　velvet　again　in　time　to　see　a　smile　touch　the　face　of　the　woman　in　the　orange　sweater。　She　said　something；　and　Brenda　replied；　and　the　smile　was　replaced　by　a　look　of　concern。　Filtered　through　the　walls　and　windows；　their　voices　were　hardly　more　than　whispers。　He　couldn't　follow　the　conversation；　but　it　Seemed　to　go　on　forever。
　Maybe　you　should　have　let　her　e　inside；　he　thought。　Use　the　code　phrase　on　her。　Then　screw　them　both。
　But　what　if　you　let　her　e　in　and　then　discover　she's　got　a　weak　spot　in　her　program？
　Not　much　chance　of　that。
　Or　what　if　she's　from　out　of　town？　A　relative　from　Bexford；　perhaps。　Then　what？
　Then　she'd　have　to　be　killed。
　And　how　would　you　dispose　of　the　body？
　Under　his　breath　he　said；　〃e　on；　Brenda；　you　bitch。　Get　rid　of　her。〃
　Finally；　the　stranger　turned　away　from　the　door。　Salsbury　had　a　brief　glimpse　of　green　eyes；　ripe　lips；　a　superb　profile；　extremely　deep　cleavage　in　the　scoop…necked　sweater。　When　she　had　her　back　to　him　and　was　going　down　the　steps；　he　saw　that　her　legs　weren't　just　sexy；　as　Brenda's　were；　but　sexy　and　elegant；　even　without　nylons。　Long；　taut；　smooth；　scissoring　legs；　feminine　muscles　bunching　and　twisting　and　stretching　and　pacting　and　rippling　sinuously　with　each　step。　An　animal。　A　healthy　animal。　His　animal。　Like　all　of　them　now：　his。　At　the　end　of　the　Macklin　property；　she　turned　left　into　the　searing　afternoon　sun；　distorted　by　waves　of　heat　rising　from　the　concrete　sidewalk；　soon　out　of　sight。
　Brenda　came　back　into　the　living　room。
　When　she　started　to　sit　down；　he　said；　〃Stand。　The　middle　of　the　room。〃
　She　did　that；　her　hands　at　her　sides。
　Returning　to　the　sofa；　he　said；　〃What　did　you　tell　her？〃
　〃That　I　had　a　migraine　headache。〃
　〃She　believed　you？〃
　〃I　guess　so。〃
　〃Did　you　know　her？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Who　was　she？〃
　〃My　sister…in…law。〃
　〃She　lives　in　Black　River？〃
　〃Has　most　all　her　life。〃
　〃Quite　a　looker。〃
　〃She　was　in　the　Miss　USA　contest。〃
　〃Oh？　When　was　that？〃
　〃Twelve；　thirteen　years　ago。〃
　〃Still　looks　twenty…two。〃
　〃She's　thirty…five。〃
　〃She　win？〃
　〃Came　in　third。〃
　〃Big　disappointment；　I'll　bet。〃
　〃For　Black　River。　She　didn't　mind。〃
　〃She　didn't？　Why　not？〃
　〃Nothing　bothers　her。〃
　〃Is　that　so？〃
　〃She's　that　way。　Always　happy。〃　〃What's　her　name？〃　〃Emma。〃
　〃Last　name？〃
　〃Thorp。〃
　〃Thorp？　She　married？〃　〃Yes。〃
　He　frowned。　〃To　that　cop？〃　〃He's　the　chief　of　police。〃　〃Bob　Thorp。〃
　〃That's　right。〃　〃What's　she　doing　with　him？〃　She　was　baffled。　She　blinked　at　him。　Cute　little　animal。　He　swore　he　could　still　smell　her。　She　said；　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　What　I　said。　What　s　she　doing　with　him？
　〃Well。　。。　they're　married。〃
　〃A　woman　like　her　with　a　big；　dumb　cop。〃
　〃He's　not　dumb；〃　she　said。
　〃Looks　dumb　to　me。〃　He　thought　about　it　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　smiled。　〃Your　maiden　name's　Brenda　Thorp。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Bob　Thorp's　your　brother。〃
　〃My　oldest　brother。〃
　〃Poor　Bob。〃　He　leaned　back　in　the　sofa　and　folded　his　arms　on　his　chest　and　laughed。　〃First　I　get　to　his　kid　sister…then　I　get　to　his　wife。〃
　She　smiled　uncertainly。　Nervously。
　〃I'll　have　to　be　careful；　won't　I？〃
　〃Careful？〃　she　said。
　〃Bob　maybe　dumb；　but　he's　big　as　a　bull。〃
　〃He　isn't　dumb；〃　she　insisted。
　〃In　high　school　I　dated　a　girl　named　Sophia。〃
　She　was　silent。　Confused。
　〃Sophia　Brookman。　God；　I　wanted　her。〃
　〃Loved　her？〃
　〃Love's　a　lie。　A　myth。　It's　bullshit。　I　just　wanted　to　screw　her。　But　she　dropped　me　after　a　few　dates　and　started　going　with　this　other　guy；　Joey　Duncan。　You　know　what　Joey　Duncan　did　after　high　school？〃
　〃How　would　I　know？〃　〃He　went　to　junior　college。〃　〃So　did　I。〃
　〃Took　criminology　for　a　year。〃　〃I　majored　in　history。〃
　〃He　flunked　out。〃　〃Not　me。〃
　〃Ended　up　with　the　home　town　police。〃
　〃Just　like　my　brother。〃
　〃I　went　to　Harvard。〃
　〃Did　you　really？〃
　〃I　was　always　a　better　dresser　than　Joey　was。　Besides　that；　he　was　as　dull　as　a　post。　I　was　much　wittier　than　he　was。　Joey　didn't　read　anything　but　the　jokes　in　Reader's　Digest。　I　read　The　New　Yorker　every　week。〃
　〃I　don't　like　either　one。〃
　〃In　spite　of　all　that；　Sophia　preferred　him。　But　you　know　what？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃It　was　in　The　New　Yorker　that　I　first　saw　something　about　subliminal　perception。　Back　in　the　fifties。　An　article；　editorial；
　maybe　a　little　snippet　at　the　bottom　of　a　column。　I　forget　exactly　what　it　was。　But　that's　what　got　me　started。　Something　in　The　New　Yorker。〃
　Brenda　sighed。　Fidgeted。
　〃Tired　of　standing？〃　〃A　little。〃
　〃Are　you　bored？〃
　〃Kind　of。〃
　〃Bitch。〃
　She　looked　at　the　floor。
　〃Get　your　clothes　off。〃
　The　lovely　power。　He　was　fil