dk.nightchills-第53章
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For two or three minutes they stood in the narrow； musty； windowless foyer； and waited to see if Harry Thurston or anyone else would follow them。
No one did。
〃Small blessings；〃 Jenny said。
Sam led them into the chamber behind the altar。 That room was even darker than the foyer。 They accidentally knocked over a rack full of choir gowns…and stood very still until the echo
of the crash had faded away； until they were certain that they hadn't revealed themselves。
Holding hands； forming a human chain； they stumbled out of that room and onto the altar platform。 Because the storm clouds filtered the day into twilight before it was filtered again by the leaded stained…glass windows； the church proper was only marginally brighter than the room behind it； Nevertheless； there was sufficient light to allow them to break the chain； and they followed Sam along the center aisle； between the two ranks of pews； without having to feel their way as if they were blind people in a strange house。
At the rear of the nave； on the left…hand side； Sam pulled open a door。 Beyond lay an enclosed spiral staircase。 Sam went first； Jenny went next； then Rya。
Paul stood on the bottom step； staring out at the shadowy church for a minute or two。 His revolver was ready in his right hand。 When the big room remained silent and deserted； he closed the stairwell door and went up to join the others。
The top of the bell tower was a nine…foot…square platform。 The bell…one yard wide at the mouth…was at the center of the platform； of course； suspended from the highest point of the arched ceiling。 A chain was welded to the rim of the bell and trailed through a small hole in the floor； down to the base of the tower where the toiler could tug on it。 The walls were only four feet high； open from there to the ceiling。 A white pillar rose at each corner； supporting the peaked； slate…shingled roof。 Because the roof overhung the wails by four feet on all sides； the rain hadn't e in through the open spaces； and the belfry platform was dry。
'When he reached the head of the stairs； Paul got on his hands and knees。 People seldom looked up as they hurried about their business； especially when they were in a familiar place； however； there was no reason to risk being seen。 He crawled around the bell to the opposite side of the platform。
Jenny and Rya were sitting on the floor； their back to the half…wall。 The 。22 rifle lay at Jenny's side。 She was talking to the girl in a low voice； telling her a joke or a story； trying to help
her ease her tensions and overe some of her grief。 Jenny glanced at Paul； smiled； but kept her attention focused on Rya。
That should be my job； Paul thought。 Helping Rya。 Reassuring her and forting her； being with her。
And then he thought； No。 For the time being； your job is to prepare yourself to kill at least one man。 Maybe two or three。 Maybe as many as half a dozen。
Suddenly he wondered how the violence past and the violence yet to e would affect his relationship with his daughter。 Knowing he had killed several men； would Rya fear him as she now feared Bob Thorp？ Knowing he was capable of the ultimate brutal act； would she ever be at ease with him again？ Death had taken his wife and his son。 Would alienation take his daughter from him？
Sam was on his knees； peering over the belfry wall。
Deeply disturbed but aware that this wasn't the time to worry about more than a few hours of the future； easing in beside Sam； Paul looked eastward； to his left。 He could see Edison's General Store half a block away。 Karkov's service station and garage。 The houses in the last section of town。 The baseball diamond on the meadow near the river。 At the end of the valley； near the bend in the highway； a police car was angled across both lanes。
〃Roadblock。〃
Sam said； 〃I've seen it。〃
〃Salsbury does have us penned up。〃
〃And right now he's probably wondering why the hell we haven't tried to call the cops or leave Black River。〃
To Paul's right was the main part of town。 The square。 Ultman's Cafe with its pair of enormous black oak trees。 The municipal building。 Beyond the square； more lovely houses：
brick houses and stone houses and white gingerbread Gothic houses and trim little bungalows。 A couple of shops with striped awnings out in front。 The telephone pany office。 St。 Margaret Mary's。 The cemetery。 The Union Theater with its old fashioned marquee。 And then the road to the mill。 The entire panorama； so recently scrubbed by the storm； looked crisp and
bright and quaint…and too innocent to contain the evil that he knew it harbored。
〃You still think Salsbury's holed up in the municipal building？〃 Paul asked。
〃Where else？〃
〃I guess so。〃
〃The chief's office is the logical mand center。〃
Paul looked at his watch。 〃A quarter past five。〃
〃We'll wait here until dark；〃 Sam said。 〃Nine o'clock or thereabouts。 Then we'll sneak across the street； get past his guards with the code phrase； and reach him before he's seen us ing。〃
〃It sounds so easy。〃
〃It will be；〃 Sam said。
Lightning flashed like a fuse and thunder exploded and rain like shrapnel clattered on the tower roof and on the streets below。
5：20 P。M。
Smiling as he had been told to smile； his arms folded across his broad chest； Bob Thorp leaned casually against the window sill and watched Salsbury； who was working at Bob's desk
The infinity transmitter was connected to the office telephone。 The line was open to Sam Edison's place…or at least the number had been dialed； and the line should have been open。
Salsbury hunched over the chief's desk； the receiver gripped so tightly in his right hand that his knuckles appeared to be about to slice through the pale skin that sheathed them。 He listened closely for some sound； some insignificant tiny little sound of human origin； from the general store or from the living quarters on the two floors above the store。
Nothing。
〃e on；〃 he said impatiently。
Silence。
Cursing the infinity transmitter； telling himself that the damned thing hadn't worked； that it was a piece of crappy Belgian…made hardware and so what could you expect； he hung up。 He checked to see if the wires were attached to the proper terminals； then dialed the Edisons' number again。
The line opened： hissing； a soft roar not unlike the echo of your own circulation when you held a seashell to your ear。
In the background at the Edison's place； a clock ticked rather noisily； hollowly。
He looked at his watch。 5：24
Nothing。 Silence。
5：26
He hung up； dialed again。
He heard the ticking clock。
5：28
5：29
5：30
No one spoke over there。 No one cried or laughed or sighed or coughed or yawned or moved。
5：32
5：33
Salsbury pressed the receiver to his ear as hard as he could； concentrated； strained with his whole body and attention to hear Edison or Annendale or one of the others。
5：34
5：35
They were over there。 Dammit； they were！
5：36
He slammed the receiver into its cradle。
The bastards know I'm listening to them； he thought。 They're trying to be quiet； trying to worry me。 That's it。 That has to be
it。
He picked up the telephone and dialed the Edisons' number。
A ticking clock。 Nothing else。
5：39
5：40
〃Bastards！〃
He hung up the phone with a bang！
Suddenly he was drenched with perspiration。
Clammy and unfortable； he got to his feet。 But he was frozen by rage； he couldn't move。
He said to Thorp； 〃Even if they did get out of the store some way； somehow； they can't have left town。 That's absolutely impossible。 None of them's a magician。 They can't have done it。 I've got it all sewed up。 Haven't I？〃
Thorp smiled at him。 He was still operating under the previous orders Salsbury had given him。
〃Answer me； damn you！〃
Thorp's smile vanished。
Salsbury was livid and greasy with sweat。 〃Haven't I got this fucking town sewed up tight？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 Thorp said obediently。
〃No one can get out of this crummy burg unless I let them out of it。 Isn't that right？〃
〃Yes。 You've got it sewn up。〃
Salsbury was shaking。 Dizzy。 〃Even if they slipped out of the store； I can find them。 I can find them any damned time I want to。 Can't I？〃
〃Yes。〃
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