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！
o I'm still the bad guy。 They expect me to be the bad guy。 The people； I mean。 It's like 。。。 I don't know if I can explain this。 It's like sometimes I don't know who is the real Pepe Miranda； and who is the guy I 。。。 the pictures of the guy； you follow？ The various pictures of the guy。〃
〃I don't know what you mean；〃 Carella said。
〃The pictures；〃 Miranda repeated。 〃Like the cops have a picture of me。〃 He chuckled。 〃It's got a number right across the face of it。〃 He chuckled again。 〃And the people in the street got another picture of me。 And the kids got a picture。 And you got a picture。 But they're all different pictures； and none of them are really me； Pepe Miranda。〃
〃Then who is？〃 Carella asked。
〃I don't know。〃
〃You've killed people； Pepe。〃
〃Yeah。〃 He paused。 〃I know。〃 He shrugged； but it was not a shrug of indifference； not a shrug which said； 〃So I killed r people； so what？〃 If it had been that； Carella would have instantly felt like a cop again。 But it was not that。 It was simply a shrug which said； 〃I know I've killed people； but I don't know why；〃 and so Carella still felt like a man who had e up here to talk to Miranda； not to harm him。
〃Well； anyway；〃 Miranda said； 〃I've got to get out of here。〃
〃Because the people in the street expect it？〃 Carella asked。
〃No。 No； I don't think that's。。。〃
〃Then why？〃
〃Well。。。〃 Miranda sighed heavily。 〃I ain't got a chance； Father；〃 he said simply。
〃Then give up。〃
〃Why？ Go to jail？ Maybe the electric chair if that woman dies？ Don't you see？ I got nothing to lose。〃
He recognized in an instant that Miranda was absolutely right。 Moreover； if Carella were in his position； in this apartment； surrounded by policemen； facing either a lifelong jail sentence or death in the electric chair； he would undoubtedly react in exactly the way that Miranda was reacting。 He would try to get out of that apartment by fair means or foul。 He would try to escape。
〃Well。。。〃 he said； and he fell silent。
The two men faced each other。
〃You see what I mean； Father？〃
〃Well。。。〃
Miranda shrugged。 The apartment was silent。
〃So 。。。 so I got to use you as a shield； Father。 They won't shoot if I e out with you in front of me。〃
〃Suppose they refuse to recognize 。。。〃
〃Oh； they won't。 They won't try nothing。 I'll tell them I'll shoot you if they try anything。〃
〃And if they should try something？ Will you shoot me； Pepe？〃
Pepe Miranda frowned。
〃Will you； Pepe？〃
After a long while he said； 〃I got to get out of this apartment； Father。 I got to get out of here！〃
There were two patrolmen on either side of the stoop。 Captain Frick had chosen them from his ranks； had chosen four of his best shots； and then they had gone to Lieutenant Byrnes for their instructions。 Their instructions were simple。 Shoot to kill。
And so they waited on either side of the doorway now； four marksmen with their pistols drawn； waiting for something to happen。
From the first…floor windows of the tenement； Miranda's voice came。
〃Lieutenant！〃
〃Yes？〃
〃This is Miranda！ I've got the priest。 I'm ing out。〃
〃What do you mean； Miranda？ You're giving up？〃
〃Giving up； my ass！ The priest is ing out with me。 If you've got any cops in the hallway； you'd better get them out now。 You hear me？〃
〃It's gonna work；〃 Parker whispered to Byrnes。
〃There are no policemen in the hallway； Miranda。〃
〃There better not be。 I want a clear path when I e out。 This priest is staying with me all the way。 Anybody so much as looks cockeyed at me； the priest gets it。〃
〃I thought you made a promise； Miranda。〃
〃Don't make me laugh！ I'm ing out。〃
Byrnes put down the megaphone and quickly drew his revolver。 He turned slightly； so that his body hid the revolver which hung in his hand alongside his right thigh。 Parker drew his gun； too； and then looked around for a good spot from which to fire。 Behind the squad car？ No； no。 There！ There was a place！ The packing crate over there。 He pushed his way through the crowd and climbed onto the crate。 He checked the chambers of his 。38； wiped his upper lip； and then faced the doorway。 The street was very silent now。 Upstairs； inside the building； they could hear a door slamming。
〃Any cops in the hallway？〃 Miranda shouted。 〃Any cops here？〃
There was no answer。 Standing； watching the doorway； watching the patrolmen flanking the stoop； Byrnes thought； All he has to do is turn his head。 He'll see the patrolmen； and he'll put a bullet in Steve's back。 That's all he has to do。 Patiently； Byrnes held his breath。
〃I got the priest；〃 Miranda shouted from the hallway。 〃Don't try nothing； you hear？〃
The crowd had turned toward the doorway to the building。 They could see nothing beyond the door。 The hallway was dark； and the bright sunshine did not reach beyond the flat top step of the stoop。
〃Clear a path！〃 Miranda shouted。 〃Clear a path； or I'll shoot into the crowd！ I don't care who gets hurt！〃
The crowd could see a pair of figures in the hallway now； dimly。 The priest was almost invisible because of his black cassock； but Miranda could be seen fairly clearly； a short thin man in a white undershirt。 They hesitated in the vestibule； and Miranda peered past Carella's shoulder and into the street。
Zip pushed his way through the crowd with Cooch。 The street was terribly silent； and he wanted to know why。 What the hell was happening？ He was angry because they'd been unable to locate China； angry because he wanted this Alfredo Gomez thing to end now； angry because things seemed to be going wrong； and he wanted them to go right。 But； in spite of his anger； he was curious。 The silence intrigued him。 He pushed up to the barricade just as Carella and Miranda came onto the front stoop。
Miranda's eyes flicked the street。 He was partially covered by the priest； so that a shot from across the street could not be risked。 That left only。。。
And Miranda turned to look to the left of the stoop。
Carella was ready。 He'd been waiting for the movement ever since they'd left the apartment。 He'd been wondering where he would look if he were Miranda； and he'd realized that nobody could shoot from the other side of the street； and so any trap would have to be set on this side of the street； any shots would have to e from behind。
So Carella knew that Miranda knew； and he'd been waiting for the sideward movement of Miranda's head because he had further reasoned that Miranda would begin shooting the second he saw the cops on either side of the stoop。
Zip saw the cops the same moment Miranda did。 It was too late to shout a warning。
Carella felt Miranda's head and eyes flickering to the left。
Go！ he told himself。
He went。
No one said a word。 Miranda turned toward Carella in the same instant that Carella threw himself headlong down the flight of steps。
And then the shooting started。
17
〃Pepe！〃 Zip yelled。 〃Pepe！〃 But he was too late。
The crossfire was true crossfire。 Miranda whirled to the left； and the bullets suddenly smashed into him from the right side of the stoop； spinning him around。 He slammed into the railing and fired a shot at the patrolman who seemed closest to him； and then suddenly there were shots on h