按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
orce one on and on； until the attic door was flung open in the face of some grinning horror or one looked into a half…bricked alcove in the cellar and saw …
STOP！
She threw the thoughts off and found that she was sweating。 All at the sight of an ordinary house with its shutters closed。 You've got to stop being stupid； she told herself。 You're going to go up there and spy the place out； that's all。 From the front yard you can see our own house。 Now； what in God's name could happen to you in sight of your own house？
Nonetheless； she bent over slightly and took a tighter grip on the stake； and when the screening trees became too thin to offer much protection； she dropped to her hands and knees and crawled。 Three or four minutes later； she had e as far as it was possible without breaking cover。 From her spot behind a final stand of pines and a spray of junipers； she could see the west side of the house and the creepered tangle of honeysuckle； now autumn…barren。 The grass of summer was yellow but still knee…high。 No effort had been made to cut it。
A motor roared suddenly in the stillness； making her heart rise into her throat。 She controlled herself by hooking her fingers into the ground and biting hard on her lower lip。 A moment later an old black car backed into sight； paused at the head of the driveway； and then turned out onto the road and started away toward town。 Before it drew out of sight； she saw the man quite clearly： large bald head； eyes sunken so deeply you could really see nothing of them but the sockets； and the lapels and collar of a dark suit。 Straker。 On his way in to Crossen's store； perhaps。
She could see that most of the shutters had broken slats。 All right； then。 She would creep up and peek through and see what there was to see。 Probably nothing but a house in the first stages of a long renovation process； new plastering under way； new papering perhaps； tools and ladders and buckets。 All about as romantic and supernatural as a TV football game。
But still： the fear。
It rose suddenly； emotion overspilling logic and the bright Formica reason of the cerebrum； filling her mouth with a taste like black copper。
And she knew someone was behind her even before the hand fell on her shoulder。
9
It was almost dark。
Ben got up from the wooden folding chair； walked over to the window that looked out on the funeral parlor's back lawn； and saw nothing in particular。 It was quarter to seven； and evening's shadows were very long。 The grass was still green despite the lateness of the year； and he supposed that the thoughtful mortician would endeavor to keep it so until snow covered it。 A symbol of continuing life in the midst of the death of the year。 He found the thought inordinately depressing and turned from the view。
'I wish I had a cigarette；' he said。
'They're killers；' Jimmy told him without turning around。 He was watching a Sunday night wildlife program on Maury Green's small Sony。 'Actually； so do I。 I quit when the surgeon general did his number on cigarettes ten years ago。 Bad PR not to。 But I always wake up grabbing for the pack on the night stand。'
'I thought you quit。'
'I keep it there for the same reason some alcoholics keep a bottle of scotch on the kitchen shelf。 Will power； son。'
Ben looked at the clock： 6：47。 Maury Green's Sunday paper said sundown would officially arrive at 7：02 EST。
Jimmy had handled everything quite neatly。 Maury Green was a small man who had answered the door in an unbuttoned black vest and an open…collar white shirt。 His sober； inquiring expression had changed to a broad smile of wele。
'Shalom； Jimmy！' He cried。 'It's good to see you！ Where you been keeping yourself？'
'Saving the world from the mon cold；' Jimmy said； smiling； as Green wrung his hand。 'I want you to meet a very good friend of mine。 Maury Green； Ben Mears。'
Ben's hand was enveloped in both of Maury's。 His eyes glistened behind the black…rimmed glasses he wore。 'Shalom； also。 Any friend of Jimmy's； and so on。 e on in； both of you。 I could call Rachel…'
'Please don't；' Jimmy said。 'We've e to ask a favor。 A rather large one。'
Green glanced more closely at Jimmy's face。 〃'A rather large one；〃' he jeered softly。 'And why？ What have you ever done for me； that my son should graduate third in his class from North…western？ Anything； Jimmy。'
Jimmy blushed。 'I did what anyone would have done； Maury。'
'I'm not going to argue with you；' Green said。 'Ask。 What is it that has you and Mr Mears so worried？ Have you been in an accident？'
'No。 Nothing like that。'
He had taken them into a small kitchenette behind the chapel； and as they talked； he brewed coffee in a battered old pot that sat on a hot plate。
'Has Norbert e after Mrs Glick yet？' Jimmy asked。
'No； and not a sign of him；' Maury said； putting sugar and cream on the table。 'That one will e by at eleven tonight and wonder why I'm not here to let him in。' He sighed。 'Poor lady。 Such tragedy in one family。 And she looks so sweet； Jimmy。 That old poop Reardon brought her in。 She was your patient？'
'No；' Jimmy said。 'But Ben and I 。 。 。 we'd like to sit up with her this evening； Maury。 Right downstairs。'
Green paused in the act of reaching for the coffeepot。 'Sit up with her？ Examine her； you mean？'
'No' Jimmy said steadily。 'Just sit up with her。'
He looked at them closely。 'No； I see you're not。 Why would you want to do that？'
'I can't tell you that； Maury。'
'Oh。' He poured the coffee； sat down with them； and sipped。 'Not too strong。 Very nice。 Has she got something？ Something infectious？'
Jimmy and Ben exchanged a glance。
'Not in the accepted sense of the word；' Jimmy said finally。
'You'd like me to keep my mouth shut about this； eh？'
'Yes。'
'And if Norbert es？'
'I can handle Norbert；' Jimmy said。 'I'll tell him Reardon asked me to check her for infectious encephalitis。 He'll never check。'
Green nodded。 'Norbert doesn't know enough to check his watch； unless someone asks him。'
'Is it okay； Maury？'
'Sure； sure。 I thought you said a big favor。'
'It's bigger than you think； maybe。'
'When I finish my coffee； I'll go home and see what horror Rachel has produced for my Sunday dinner。 Here is the key。 Lock up when you go； Jimmy。'
Jimmy tucked it away in his pocket。 'I will。 Thanks again； Maury。'
'Anything。 Just do me one favor in return。'
'Sure。 What？'
'If she says anything； write it down for posterity。' He began to chuckle； saw the identical look on their faces； and stopped。
10
It was five to seven。 Ben felt tension begin to seep into his body。
'Might as well stop staring at the clock；' Jimmy said。
'You can't make it go any faster by looking at it。'
Ben started guiltily。
'I doubt very much that vampires…if they exist at all…rise at almanac sunset；' Jimmy said。 'It's never full dark。' Nonetheless he got up and shut off the TV； catching a wood duck in mid…squawk。
Silence descended on the room like a blanket。 They were in Green's workroom； and the body of Marjorie Glick was on a stainless…stee