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！
〃Luis！〃 he shouted。 〃Luis！〃
He groped his way to the counter； the handkerchief to his face。
〃Luis； where are you？〃
There was no answer。 Parker took the handkerchief away from his face。 He tried to see past the tears in his eyes； but he saw only blurred shapes； dazzling； shimmering tears of streaked light。
〃Luis！〃 he shouted。 〃Get me some water！ I can't see。〃 He was beginning to panic。 Why didn't Luis answer him？ Why wouldn't Luis help him？ 〃Luis！ Where are you？ Help me！ Get me some water！ Luis！ Luis！〃
Luis came running from the back of the shop； his eyes wide with concern。 〃Que pasa？〃 he said。 〃Que pasa？〃
And Parker shouted。 〃Where are you； you stupid spic！〃
The words stopped Luis as effectively as bullets。 They slammed into his ears and ricocheted in his mind and then paralyzed him。 He stood with his arms at his sides； staring at Parker。
〃Luis？〃
〃Si。〃
〃For Christ's sake； get me some water。 Please get me some water。〃
〃Si；〃 Luis said。 〃Si。〃 Dazed； he moved away from the counter。
〃Hurry！〃
In the street outside； the firing had stopped。 Great billows of gas poured from the shattered windows of the apartment； hovered on the windless air。 People were covering their faces with handkerchiefs and cursing at the police for unleashing this blight。 Luis brought a bowl of water to the counter。 Parker groped for it blindly； touched the rim with his hand； and then dipped into it。 Luis watched him silently。 Parker washed his eyes and his skin； sighing； repeating the motion over and over again。 And finally he dried himself with the handkerchief and lifted his face。 Luis was still staring at him。
〃Que pasa； maricon？〃 Parker asked； grinning； using a Spanish obscenity。
〃Nothing；〃 Luis said。 He shook his head wearily。 〃Nothing。〃
〃What's the matter； huh？〃 Parker asked； still grinning。 〃What's the matter； eh； cabron？〃 Another obscenity； but there was no answering smile from Luis。
〃De nada；〃 Luis said。 〃Nothing。〃
〃You sore at me？ 'Cause I was yelling at you？ Is that it？ Man； I felt like my eyes were on fire。 You sure were a lifesaver。〃
〃St； I was a lifesaver；〃 Luis said blankly。
Parker felt suddenly uneasy。 〃Hey； e on；〃 he said。 〃You going to let a little yelling e between friends？〃
After a long while； Luis said； 〃No； Andy； I would not let a little yelling e between friends。〃
Outside； Lieutenant Byrnes lifted the megaphone to his lips。 〃Miranda？ Can you hear me？〃
〃What do you want； you son of a bitch？〃 Miranda shouted； coughing。
〃This is it； Miranda。 Are you ready to e out？ Or do we shoot our way in？〃
There was a long silence。 Parker moved quickly out of the luncheonette。 Luis was still staring at him as he left。
〃What the hell is he doing？〃 Parker asked Carella。 〃Why don't we move in right now？ I'll bet he can hardly see in there。〃
〃Pete doesn't want any more shooting unless it's absolutely necessary；〃 Carella answered。
〃Why give that punk a break？ We can go in there and mop him up in two seconds。〃
〃Suppose he starts shooting into the street again？〃
〃So what？〃
〃You want these people to get hurt？〃
〃All I want is Miranda。〃
〃And after Miranda； then what？〃 Carella asked。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃When does your private crusade stop？〃
〃What the hell are you。。。？〃
〃When are you going to forget that beating you took； Parker？〃
〃What beating？ What。。。？〃
〃You know what I'm talking about！〃
〃All right。 I'm never going to forget it；〃 Parker shouted。 〃Okay？ Never。 It taught me a lesson； buddy； and only a sap would。。。〃
〃What lesson； Parker？〃
〃It taught me you can't trust anybody in this lousy precinct； that's what it。。。〃
〃And it also taught you to be afraid；〃 Carella said。
〃What？〃
〃You heard me。 Afraid。〃
〃Look； mister； you'd just better stop right now； while you're winning。 I still ain't forgotten the time you。。。〃
〃When are you going to make a real arrest； Parker？ When are you going to stop pulling in junkies and drunks？ When are you going to tackle the real troublemakers？〃
〃I do my job！〃 Parker shouted。 〃I keep the streets clean！〃
〃By picking up the wrong garbage！〃
〃It's all garbage here！〃
〃And you're afraid of it！ You're afraid to take another beating！〃
〃You son of a bitch； I warned you to。。。〃
〃I'm waiting； Miranda！〃 Byrnes shouted； and both men turned their attention to the lieutenant。 Carella's fists were bunched。 Parker glowered at him； and then walked to where Byrnes was standing。
〃How about it； Miranda？ Give it up！ You haven't got a chance。〃
〃What chance do I have if I e out？ That old lady died； didn't she？〃
〃What old lady？〃
〃The one I mugged；〃 Miranda said。 He went into a fit of coughing which lasted for several moments。 Then his voice came from the apartment again。 〃Tell the truth； cop。〃
〃That woman's still alive； Miranda。〃
〃I shouldn't have hit her；〃 Miranda said。 His voice faded。 〃I needed money。 I had to。。。〃 He paused for a long time。 〃She's dead； ain't she？〃
〃She's alive； I told you。〃
〃You're lying to me。 You'll never get me out of here； cop。 You think I'm ing out to face a murder rap？〃
〃The woman's alive。 If you force us to e in after you； you haven't got a chance。〃
〃I got news for you； cop。 I never did have one。〃
〃Okay； so make it easy on yourself now。〃
〃For what？ In payment for all the crap I've taken from cops since I was old enough to walk？〃
〃You dished out a bit yourself； Miranda。 Let's cut the talking。 Yes or no？ Do you e out with your hands up； or do we blast you out？〃
〃You want me； e and earn your salary。〃
〃Okay； you're calling it。 There's just no talking to you； is there？ Okay； we're ing in。〃
〃Hey 。。。 hey； cop！〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Listen； I 。。。 I want a priest。〃
〃A what？〃
〃A priest。 I 。。。 I wanna talk to a priest。〃
〃Will you e out if we get you one？〃
〃Send him up here。 I gotta talk to him。〃
〃Why？ Are you hit？〃
〃No； I ain't hit。 Goddamnit； do I need a federal warrant to get a priest？ Can't I get anything in this friggin' city without having to beg for it？〃
〃Just a minute； Miranda。〃 Byrnes put down the megaphone。 〃What do you think； Steve？〃
〃It's a trick；〃 Carella said。
〃Sure；〃 Parker said。 〃He don't want no priest。 All he wants is a shield。〃
〃I know；〃 Byrnes said。
Carella stared at him。 〃Are you thinking what I'm thinking； Pete？〃
〃Yes；〃 Byrnes said。 He put the speaker to his mouth。 〃Miranda？〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃I'm getting a priest for you。〃
There was something in Zip's eyes which had not been there before。 Sixto studied his face and tried to figure out what it was。 Zip looked as if he might begin crying at any moment。 His。 face was red； and his lips were tight； and his eyes seemed to blink too often； as if he were struggling to hold back tears。 But at the same time； there was a strength to the rigid thrust of his back； an impatience to the way he clenched and unclenched his fists。
The boys were standing on the avenue opposite Alfredo's building。 None of them wore the purple jackets now。 Without the jackets； they seemed like four high…school kids discussing girls or baseball or swimming。 But； of course； they were discussing murder。
〃What do you think； Cooch？ Is he up there or not？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Cooch