mc.prey-第50章

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Grunting；　I　pulled　him　over　to　the　edge　of　the　seat；　by　the　door；　and　swung　his　legs　around　so　he　was　facing　out。　Charley　was　a　big　guy；　six　feet　tall　and　at　least　twenty　pounds　heavier　than　I　was。　I　knew　I　couldn't　carry　him　back。　But　behind　the　backseat　of　the　Toyota　I　saw　the　fat　tires　of　a　dirt　bike。　That　might　work。　〃Charley；　can　you　hear　me？〃
　An　almost　imperceptible　nod。
　〃Can　you　stand　up？〃
　Nothing。　No　reaction。　He　wasn't　looking　at　me；　he　was　staring　into　space。
　〃Charley；〃　I　said；　〃do　you　think　you　can　stand？〃
　He　nodded　again；　then　straightened　his　body　so　he　slid　off　the　seat；　and　landed　on　the　ground。　He　stood　shakily　for　a　moment；　his　legs　trembling；　and　then　he　collapsed　against　me；　clutching　me　to　hold　himself　up。　I　sagged　under　his　weight。
　〃Okay；　Charley　。。。〃　I　eased　him　back　to　the　car；　and　sat　him　down　on　the　running　board。　〃Just　stay　there；　okay？〃
　I　let　go　of　him；　and　he　remained　sitting。　He　still　stared　into　space；　unfocused。
　〃I'll　be　right　back。〃
　I　went　around　to　the　back　of　the　Land　Cruiser；　and　popped　the　trunk。　There　was　a　dirt　bike；　all　right…the　cleanest　dirt　bike　I　had　ever　seen。　It　was　encased　in　a　heavy　Mylar　bag。　And　it　had　been　wiped　down　after　it　was　used。　That　would　be　David's　way；　I　thought。　He　was　always　so　clean；　so　organized。
　I　pulled　the　bike　out　of　the　car　and　set　it　on　the　ground。　There　was　no　key　in　the　ignition。　I　went　to　the　front　of　the　Toyota；　and　opened　the　passenger　door。　The　front　seats　were　spotless　and　carefully　ordered。　David　had　one　of　those　suction　cup　notepads　on　the　dashboard；　a　cradle　for　his　cell　phone；　and　a　telephone　headset　mounted　on　a　little　hook。　I　opened　his　glove　box　and　saw　that　the　interior　was　neatly　arranged；　too。　Registration　papers　in　an　envelope；　beneath　a　small　plastic　tray　divided　into　partments　containing　lip　balm；　Kleenex；　Band…Aids。　No　keys。　Then　I　noticed　that　between　the　seats　there　was　a　storage　box　for　the　CD　player；　and　beneath　it　was　a　locked　tray。　It　had　the　same　kind　of　lock　as　the　ignition。　It　probably　opened　with　the　ignition　key。
　I　banged　the　tray　with　the　heel　of　my　hand；　and　heard　something　metallic　rattle　inside。　It　might　have　been　a　small　key。　Like　a　dirt　bike　key。　Anyway；　something　metal。　Where　were　David's　keys？　I　wondered　if　Vince　had　taken　David's　keys　away　on　arrival；　as　he　had　taken　mine。　If　so；　then　the　keys　were　in　the　lab。　That　wouldn't　do　me　any　good。　I　looked　toward　the　lab　building；　wondering　if　I　should　go　back　to　get　them。　That　was　when　I　noticed　that　the　wind　was　blowing　less　strongly。　There　was　still　a　layer　of　sand　blowing　along　the　ground；　but　it　was　less　vigorous。
　Great；　I　thought。　That's　all　I　need　now。
　Feeling　new　urgency；　I　decided　to　give　up　on　the　dirt　bike　and　its　missing　key。　Perhaps　there　was　something　in　the　storage　shed　that　I　could　use　to　move　Charley　back　to　the　lab。　I　didn't　remember　anything；　but　I　went　into　the　shed　to　check；　anyway。　I　entered　cautiously；　hearing　a　banging　sound。　It　turned　out　to　be　the　far　door；　banging　open　and　shut　in　the　wind。　Rosie's　body　lay　just　inside　the　door；　alternately　light　and　dark　as　the　door　banged。　She　had　the　same　milky　coating　on　her　skin　that　the　rabbit　had　had。　But　I　didn't　go　over　to　look　closely。　I　hastily　searched　the　shelves；　opened　the　utility　closet；　looked　behind　stacked　boxes。　I　found　a　furniture　dolly　made　of　wooden　slats　with　small　rollers。　But　it　would　be　useless　in　sand。　I　went　back　outside　under　the　corrugated　shed；　and　hurried　to　the　Toyota。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　try　to　carry　Charley　across　to　the　lab　building。　I　might　be　able　to　manage　it　if　he　could　support　part　of　his　own　weight。　Maybe　by　now　he　was　feeling　better；　I　thought。　Maybe　he　was　stronger。
　But　one　look　at　his　face　told　me　he　wasn't。　If　anything；　he　appeared　weaker。
　〃Shit；　Charley；　what　am　I　going　to　do　with　you？〃
　He　didn't　answer。
　〃I　can't　carry　you。　And　David　didn't　leave　any　keys　in　his　car；　so　we're　out　of　luck…〃　I　stopped。
　What　if　David　were　locked　out　of　his　car？　He　was　an　engineer；　he　thought　of　contingencies　like　that。　Even　if　it　was　unlikely　to　happen；　David　would　never　be　caught　unprepared。　He'd　never　be　flagging　down　cars　asking　if　they　had　a　wire　hanger　he　could　borrow。　No；　no。　David　would　have　hidden　a　key。　Probably　in　one　of　those　magnetic　key　boxes。　I　started　to　lie　down　on　my　back　to　look　underneath　the　car　when　it　occurred　to　me　that　David　would　never　get　his　clothes　dirty　just　to　retrieve　a　key。　He'd　hide　it　cleverly；　but　within　easy　reach。　With　that　in　mind；　I　ran　my　fingers　along　the　inside　of　the　front　bumpers。　Nothing。　I　went　to　the　back　bumper；　did　the　same。　Nothing。　I　felt　under　the　running　boards　on　both　sides　of　the　car。　Nothing。　No　magnetic　box；　no　key。　I　couldn't　believe　it；　so　I　got　down　and　looked　under　the　car；　to　see　if　there　was　a　brace　or　a　strut　I　had　somehow　missed　with　my　fingers。　No；　there　wasn't。　I　felt　no　key。
　I　shook　my　head；　puzzled。　The　hiding　place　needed　to　be　steel　for　the　magnetic　box。　And　it　needed　to　be　protected　from　the　elements。　That　was　why　almost　everybody　hid　their　keys　inside　the　car　bumpers。
　David　hadn't　done　that。
　Where　else　could　you　hide　a　key？
　I　walked　around　the　car　again；　looking　at　the　smooth　lines　of　the　metal。　I　ran　my　fingers　around　the　front　grill　opening；　and　under　the　back　license　plate　indentation。　No　key。
　I　started　to　sweat。　It　wasn't　only　the　tension：　by　now　I　could　definitely　feel　the　drop　in　the　wind。　I　went　back　to　Charley；　who　was　still　sitting　on　the　sideboard。
　〃How　you　doing；　Charley？〃
　He　didn't　answer；　just　gave　a　little　shrug。　I　took　his　headset　off；　and　put　it　on。　I　heard　static；　and　voices　talking　softly。　It　sounded　like　Ricky　and　Bobby；　and　it　sounded　like　an　argument。　I　pulled　the　mouthpiece　near　my　lips　and　said；　〃Guys？　Speak　to　me。〃
　A　pause。　Bobby；　surprised：　〃Jack？〃
　〃That's　right　。。。〃
　〃Jack；　you　can't　stay　there。　The　wind's　been　falling　steadily　for　the　last　few　minutes。　It's　only　ten　knots　now。〃
　〃Okay　。。。〃
　〃Jack；　you've　got　to　e　back　in。〃
　〃I　can't　just　yet。〃
　〃Below　seven　knots；　the　swarms　can　move。〃
　〃Okay　。。。〃
　Ricky：　〃What　do　you　mean；　okay？　Jesus；　Jack；　are　you　ing　in　or　not？〃
　〃I　can't　carry　Charley。〃
　〃You　knew　that　when　you　went　out。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃
　〃Jack。　What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃
　I　heard　the　whirr　of　the　video　monitor　in　the　corner　of　the　shed。　I　looked　over　the　roof　of　the　car　and　saw　the　lens　rotate　as　they　zoomed　in　on　me。　The　Toyota　was　such　a　big　car；　it　almost　blocked　my　view　of　the　camera。　And　the　ski　rack　on　top　made　it　even　higher。　I　vaguely　wondered　why　David　had　a　ski　rack；　because　he　didn't　ski；　he　always　hated　cold。　The　rack　must　have　e　with　the　car　as　standard　equipment　and…
　I　swore。　It　was　so　obvious。
　There　was　only　one　place　I　hadn't　checked。　I　jumped　up　on　the　running　board　and　looked　at　the　roof　of　the　car。　I　ran　my　fingers　over　the　ski　rack；　and　along　the　parallel　tracks　bolted　to　the　roof。　My　fingers　touched　black　tape　against　the　black　rack。　I　pulled　the　tape　away；　and　saw　a　silver　key。
　〃Jack？　Nine　knots。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　dropped　back　down　to　the　ground；　and　climbed　in　the　driver's　seat。　I　put　the　key　in　the　lock　box　and　twisted　it。　The　box　opened。　Inside　I　found　a　small　yellow　key。　〃Jack？　What're　you　doing？〃
　I　hurried　around　to　the　back　of　the　car。　I　fitted　the　yellow　key　in　the　ignition。　I　straddled　the　bike　and　started　it　up。　The　motor　rumbled　loudly　under　the　corrugated　shed。
　〃Jack？〃
　I　walked　the　bike　around　the　side　of　the　car　to　where　Charley　was　sitting。　That　was　going　to　be　the　tricky　part。　The　bike　didn't　have　a　kickstand；　I　moved　as　close　to　Charley　as　I　could　and　then　tried　to　support　him　enough　that　he　could　climb　onto　the　backseat　while　I　still　sat　on　the　bike　and　kept　it　upright。　Fortunately；　he　seemed　to　understand　what　I　was　doing；　I　got　him　in　place　and　told　him　to　hold　on　to　me。
　Bobby　Lembeck：　〃Jack？　They're　here。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃South　side。　ing　toward　you。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　gunned　the　motor；　and　pulled　the　passenger　door　shut。　And　I　stayed　exactly　where　I　was。
　〃Jack？〃
　Ricky：　〃What's　the　matter　with　him？　He　knows　what　the　danger　is。〃
　Bobby：　〃I　know。〃
　〃He's　just　sitting　there。〃
　Charley　had　his　hands　around　my　waist。　Hi