dk.nightchills-第4章

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　〃None　of　that。　Just　night　chills。〃
　Paul　tilted　his　head　quizzically。
　〃Damned　scary；　as　I　understand　it。〃　Sam's　eyebrows　drew　together　in　one　bushy　white　bar。　〃You　wake　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　as　if　you've　just　had　a　terrible　dream。　You　shake　so　hard　you　can't　hold　on　to　anything。　You　can　barely　walk。　Your　heart　is　racing。　You're　pouring　sweat…and　I　mean　sweating　pints…like　you've　got　awfully　high　blood　pressure。　It　lasts　as　much　as　an　hour；　then　it　goes　away　as　if　it　never　was。　Leaves　you　weak　most　of　the　next　day。〃
　Frowning；　Paul　said；　〃Doesn't　sound　like　flu。〃
　〃Doesn't　sound　like　much　of　anything。　But　it　scares　hell　out　of　people。　Some　of　them　got　sick　Tuesday　night；　and　most　of　the　others　joined　in　on　Wednesday。　Every　night　they　wake　up　shaking；　and　every　day　they're　weak；　a　bit　tired。　Damned　few　people　around　here　have　had　a　good　night's　sleep　this　week。〃
　〃Has　Doe　Troutman　gotten　a　second　opinion　on　any　of　these　cases？〃
　〃Nearest　other　doctor　is　sixty　miles　away；〃　Sam　said。　〃He　did　call　the　State　Health　Authority　yesterday　afternoon；　asked　for　one　of　their　field　men　to　e　up　and　have　a　look。　But　they　can't　send　anyone　until　Monday。　I　guess　they　can't　get　very　excited　about　an　epidemic　of　night　chills。〃
　〃The　chills　could　be　the　tip　of　an　iceberg。〃
　〃Could　be。　But　you　know　bureaucrats。〃　When　he　saw　Paul　glance　at　Rya　and　Mark　again；　Sam　said；　〃Look；　don't　worry　about　it。　We'll　keep　the　kids　away　from　everyone　who's　sick。〃
　〃I　was　supposed　to　take　Jenny　up　the　street　to　Ultman's　Cafe。　We　were　going　to　have　a　nice　quiet　dinner　together。〃
　〃If　you　catch　the　flu　from　a　waitress　or　another　customer；　you'll　pass　it　on　to　the　kids。　Skip　the　cafe。　Have　dinner　here。　You　know　I'm　the　best　cook　in　Black　River。〃
　Paul　hesitated。
　Laughing　softly；　stroking　his　beard　with　one　hand；　Sam　said；　〃We'll　have　an　early　dinner。　Six　o'clock。　That'll　give　you　and　Jenny　plenty　of　time　together。　You　can　go　for　a　ride　later。　Or
　I'll　keep　myself　and　the　kids　out　of　the　den　if　you'd　rather　just　stay　home。〃
　Paul　smiled。　〃What's　on　the　menu？〃
　〃Manicotti。〃
　〃Who　needs　Ultman's　Cafe？〃
　Sam　nodded　agreement。　〃Only　the　Ultmans。〃
　Rya　and　Mark　hurried　over　to　get　Sam's　approval　of　the　gifts　they　had　chosen　for　themselves。　Mark　had　two　dollars'　worth　of　ic　books；　and　Rya　had　two　paperbacks。　Each　of　them　had　small　bags　of　candy。
　Rya's　blue　eyes　seemed　especially　bright　to　Paul；　as　if　there　were　lights　behind　them。　She　grinned　and　said；　〃Daddy；　this　is　going　to　be　the　best　vacation　we've　ever　had！〃
　2
　Thirty…one　Months　Earlier：
　Friday；　January　10；　1975
　OGDEN　SALSBURY　ARRIVED　ten　minutes　early　for　his　three　o'clock　appointment。　That　was　characteristic　of　him。
　H。　Leonard　Dawson；　president　and　principal　stockholder　of　Futurex　International；　did　not　at　once　wele　Salsbury　into　his　office。　In　fact　Dawson　kept　him　waiting　until　three　fifteen。　That　was　characteristic　of　him。　He　never　allowed　his　associates　to　forget　that　his　time　was　inestimably　more　valuable　than　theirs。
　When　Dawson's　secretary　finally　ushered　Salsbury　into　the　great　man's　chambers；　it　was　as　if　she　were　showing　him　to　the　altar　in　a　hushed　cathedral。　Her　attitude　was　reverent。　The　outer　office　had　Muzak；　but　the　inner　office　had　pure　silence。　The　room　was　sparsely　furnished：　a　deep　blue　carpet；　two　somber　oil　paintings　on　the　white　walls；　two　chairs　on　this　side　of　the　desk；　one　chair　on　the　other　side　of　it；　a　coffee　table；　rich　blue　velvet　drapes　drawn　back　from　seven　hundred　square　feet　of　lightly　tinted　glass　that　overlooked　midtown　Manhattan。　The　secretary　bowed　out　almost　like　an　altar　boy　retreating　from　the　sanctuary。
　〃How　are　you；　Ogden？〃　He　reached　out　to　shake　hands。
　〃Fine。　Just　fine…Leonard。〃
　Dawson's　hand　was　hard　and　dry；　Salsbury's　was　damp。
　〃How's　Miriam？〃　He　noticed　Salsbury's　hesitation。　〃Not　ill？〃
　〃We　were　divorced；〃　Salsbury　said。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。〃
　Was　there　a　trace　of　disapproval　in　Dawson's　voice？　Salsbury　wondered。　And　why　the　hell　should　I　care　if　there　is？
　〃When　did　you　split　up？〃　Dawson　asked。
　〃Twenty…five　years　ago…Leonard。〃　Salsbury　felt　as　if　he　ought　to　use　the　other　man's　last　name　rather　than　his　first；　but　he　was　determined　not　to　be　intimidated　by　Dawson　as　he　had　been　when　they　were　both　young　men。
　〃It　has　been　a　long　time　since　we've　talked；〃　Dawson　said。　〃That's　a　shame。　We　had　so　many　great　times　together。〃
　They　had　been　fraternity　brothers　at　Harvard　and　casual　friends　for　a　few　years　after　they　left　the　university。　Salsbury　could　not　remember　a　single　〃great〃　time　they　might　have　shared。　Indeed；　he　had　always　thought　of　the　name　H。　Leonard　Dawson　as　a　synonym　for　both　prudery　and　boredom。
　〃Have　you　remarried？〃　Dawson　asked。
　Dawson　frowned。　〃Marriage　is　essential　to　an　ordered　life。　It　gives　a　man　stability。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Salsbury　said；　although　he　didn't　believe　it。　〃I've　been　the　worse　for　bachelorhood。〃
　Dawson　had　always　made　him　uneasy。　Today　was　no　exception。
　He　felt　ill　at　ease　partly　because　they　were　so　different　from　each　other。　Dawson　was　six　feet　two；　broad　in　the　shoulders；　narrow　at　the　hips；　athletic。　Salsbury　was　five　feet　nine；　slope…shouldered；　and　twenty　pounds　overweight。　Dawson　had　thick　graying　hair；　a　deep　tan；　clear　black　eyes；　and　matinee…idol　features；　whereas　Salsbury　was　pale　with　receding　hair　and　myopic　brown　eyes　that　required　thick　glasses。　They　were　both　fifty…four。　Of　the　two；　Dawson　had　weathered　the　years　far　better。
　Then　again；　Salsbury　thought；　he　began　with　better　looks　than　I　did。　With　better　looks；　more　advantages；　more　money。。。
　If　Dawson　radiated　authority；　Salsbury　radiated　servility。　In
　the　laboratory　on　his　own　familiar　turf；　Ogden　was　as　impressive　as　Dawson。　They　were　not　in　the　laboratory　now；　however；　and　he　felt　out　of　place；　out　of　his　class；　inferior。
　〃How　is　Mrs。　Dawson？〃
　The　other　man　smiled　broadly。　〃Wonderful！　Just　wonderful。　I've　made　thousands　of　good　decisions　in　my　life；　Ogden。　But　she　was　the　best　of　them。〃　His　voice　grew　deeper　and　more　solemn；　it　was　almost　theatrical　in　effect。　〃She's　a　good；　God…fearing；　church…loving　woman。〃
　You're　still　a　Bible　thumper；　Salsbury　thought。　He　suspected　that　this　might　help　him　achieve　what　he　had　e　here　to　do。
　They　stared　at　each　other；　unable　to　think　of　any　more　small　talk。
　〃Sit　down；〃　Dawson　said。　He　went　behind　the　desk　while　Salsbury　settled　in　front　of　it。　The　four　feet　of　polished　oak　between　them　further　established　Dawson's　dominance。
　Sitting　stiffly；　briefcase　on　his　knees；　Salsbury　looked　like　the　corporate　equivalent　of　a　lap　dog。　He　knew　he　should　relax；　that　it　was　dangerous　to　let　Dawson　see　how　easily　he　could　be　intimidated。　Nevertheless；　knowing　this；　he　could　only　pretend　relaxation　by　folding　his　hands　atop　his　briefcase。
　〃This　letter。　…　。〃　Dawson　looked　at　the　paper　on　his　blotter。
　Salsbury　had　written　the　letter；　and　he　knew　it　by　heart。
　Dear　Leonard：
　Since　we　left　Harvard；　you've　made　more　money　than　I　have。　However；　I　haven't　wasted　my　life。　After　decades　of　study　and　experimentation；　I　have　nearly　perfected　a　process　that　is　priceless。　The　proceeds　in　a　single　year　could　exceed　your　accumulated　wealth。　I　am　entirely　serious。
　Could　I　have　an　appointment　at　your　convenience？　You　won't　regret　having　given　it　to　me。
　Make　the　appointment　for　〃Robert　Stanley；〃　a　subterfuge　to　keep　my　name　out　of　your　date　book。　As　you　can　see　from　the　letterhead　on　this　stationery；　I　direct　operations　at　the　main　biochem　research　laboratory　for　Creative　Development　Associates；　a　subsidiary　of　Futurex　International。　If　you　know　the　nature　of　CDA's　business；　you　will　understand　the　need　for　circumspection。
　As　ever；　Ogden　Salsbury
　He　had　expected　to　get　a　quick　response　with　that　letter；　and　his　expectations　had　been　met。　At　Harvard；　Leonard　had　been　guided　by　two　shining　principles：　money　and　God。　Salsbury　had　supposed；　and　rightly；　that　Dawson　hadn't　changed。　The　letter　was　mailed　on　Tuesday。　Late　Wednesday　Dawson's　secretary　called　to　make　the　appointment。
　〃I　don't　ordinarily　sign　for　registered　letters；〃　Dawson　said　sternly。　〃I　accepted　it　only　because　your　name　was　on　it。　After　I　read　it　I