rm.thenightboat-第17部分

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p　hold　of　his　sanity。　He　backed　away　from　the　hatch；　keeping　his　light　on　it；　until　he'd　reached　the　gangplank。
　　The　flashlight　beam　played　across　the　murky　green　water：　A　Coke　can　floated　against　the　hull；　and　beside　it　a　beer　can。　The　water；　pulled　in　through　the　sea　bulkhead；　was　dotted　with　cigarette　butts；　and　his　light　touched　the　staring　eye　of　a　white；　bloated　fish。　Something　else　was　there　as　well；　floating　just　under　the　gangplank　at　Kip's　feet。
　　A　welder's　mask。
　　Kip　got　to　his　knees；　reaching　down　with　one　hand　to　pull　it　from　the　water。　And　as　he　did　and　the　mask　came　free；　the　body　underneath　it　rose　to　the　surface。　The　eyes　were　wide　and　terror…stricken；　the　open　mouth　was　filled　with　water。　Beneath　the　battered　face　the　throat　had　been　torn　open。　Bare　bone　glittered　in　a　red；　pulpy　mass　that　had　been　a　larynx　and　jugular　vein。　Half　the　face　was　peeled　back；　the　teeth　broken　off　or　ripped　from　the　mouth。　The　arms　floated　stiffly　at　the　corpse's　sides；　and　already　tiny　fish　were　darting　in　to　taste　the　blood　at　the　mangled　throat。
　　Kip　cried　out　involuntarily　and　pulled　his　hand　back；　the　welder's　mask　dangling　from　his　fingers。　The　body　began　to　turn　in　a　circle；　bumping　against　the　side　of　the　basin。　Kip　felt　the　place　closing　about　him；　felt　the　darkness　reaching；　and　beyond　the　darkness　things　that　grinned　and　clawed　at　him　with　filthy　bloodstained　fingers。　He　backed　away　from　the　U…boat；　his　legs　like　lead；　and　then　half…walked；　half…ran　into　the　fresh　air　outside；　drawing　breath　after　breath　to　try　to　clear　away　the　sight　of　that　dead；　gray…fleshed　face。
　　〃My　God；〃　he　muttered　brokenly；　supporting　himself　against　the　shelter　wall。　〃My　God　my　God　my　God。。。〃
　　For　he　had　recognized　the　expression　on　Turk's　dead；　puffed　face。　It　was　a　glimpse　into　an　unnamable　horror。
　　　
　　　Eight
　　
　　DR。　THEODORE　MAXWELL；　a　heavyset　black　in　his　mid…fifties；　let　the　blood…spattered　sheet　drop　down　over　the　ruin　of　a　face。　He　wore　a　smock　smeared　with　human　fluids　over　his　clothes。　Rays　of　morning　sunlight　streamed　in　dusky　patterns　through　the　drawn　blinds　of　the　Coquina　clinic　examination　room。　He　shook　his　head；　pushed　his　eyeglasses　off　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　and　let　them　rest　on　top　of　his　balding　head。　He　had　seen　bad　things　before：　men　whose　noses　had　been　cut　off　by　rusted　razors　in　barroom　brawls；　automobile　accident　victims；　the　mangled　remains　of　a　young　child　caught　in　the　screw　of　a　trawler。　He　was　familiar　with　the　ugly　wounds　of　life；　and　familiar　as　well　with　the　sight　of　death。　But　in　his　experience　most　people　died　in　their　sleep；　with　an　expression　of　peace　and　almost　of　relief。　This　one　was　different。　This　young　man　who　lay　before　him　had　seen　Hell　before　he　died。
　　Maxwell　reached　for　a　clipboard　and　began　to　jot　notes　for　later　reference。
　　〃What's　your　opinion？〃　Kip　asked　wearily；　his　eyes　hollow　from　lack　of　sleep。
　　Dr。　Maxwell　looked　up　quickly；　then　went　back　to　his　clipboard。　He　finished　writing；　then　said　in　a　soft；　quiet　tone　of　voice　that　belied　the　tension　he　felt；　〃Perhaps　the　most　brutal　beating　I've　ever　seen。　All　manner　of　things　were　used：　fists；　fingers；　some　kind　of　blunt　instruments。　Maybe　a　wrench；　and　there's　indication　a　hammer　was　used　on　his　skull。〃
　　Kip　frowned；　staring　at　the　outline　of　the　corpse。
　　〃Any　next　of　kin？〃　Dr。　Maxwell　asked。
　　〃No。　I　don't　even　know　where　he　was　from。　He　was　an　island　drifter。〃
　　The　doctor　put　his　clipboard　aside；　steeled　himself；　and　lifted　the　sheet　again。　The　muscles　of　the　face　had　frozen　in　that　hideous　grimace；　and　Maxwell　shuddered　as　he　gazed　into　those　staring　eyes　again。　He　took　a　small　penlight　from　his　breast　pocket　and　leaned　over　the　throat。　Yes。　Those　marks　were　unmistakable。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Kip　asked。
　　Maxwell　snapped　off　the　light；　returned　it　to　his　pocket；　he　placed　the　sheet　back　down。　〃This　man　is　missing　a　great　quantity　of　blood；〃　he　said；　turning　toward　the　constable。　〃But　I　believe　he　was　dead　before　he　received　that　throat　wound。〃
　　〃Then　one　of　the　blows　to　the　head　killed　him？〃
　　〃I'm　not　sure。　I　want　to　go　into　the　chest　cavity　and　look　at　the　heart。　The　frozen　facial　muscles；　the　coloration；　the　teeth　locked　through　the　tongue…all　those　may　indicate　instantaneous　heart　arrest。　Perhaps　brought　on　by　a　sudden　and　severe　shock。〃
　　Kip　blinked；　letting　the　words　sink　in。　〃A　shock？　Fright；　is　that　what　you're　saying？〃
　　〃That　I　don't　know。　I've　heard　of　it　happening　before；　but　I've　never　seen　it。〃
　　Kip　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃Christ　Almighty！〃　he　said　softly。　〃What　could　scare　a　man　enough　to　kill　him？〃　He　looked　into　the　doctor's　eyes　for　an　answer；　but　the　other　man　had　turned　away。　Kip　crossed　the　room　to　a　desk　with　a　metal　tray　which　contained　items　the　young　man　had　had　in　his　pockets。　A　few　coins；　a　small　penknife；　a　rusted　key；　cigarette　papers；　and　a　bit　of　ganja。　And　also　something　the　doctor　had　pried　from　the　corpse's　rigid　fingers。　It　was　a　few　inches　of　filthy　cloth；　matted　with　yellow　streaks　of　fungus。　Kip　picked　it　up　and　held　it　under　the　desk　lamp　to　examine　it　for　the　third　time。　At　one　time　the　cloth　had　either　been　brown　or　green；　but　now　it　was　a　sickly；　faded　color　somewhere　in　between。　What　was　it？　he　wondered。　Something　Turk　had　grabbed　at　during　his　horrifying　ordeal？
　　The　constable　gathered　up　the　items　and　buttoned　them　in　the　back　pocket　of　his　trousers。　Coins；　a　key；　enough　ganja　for　a　few　wild　highs；　it　was　one　hell　of　a　legacy　to　leave　behind。　What　a　terrible　way　for　any　man　to　die。
　　〃Kip；〃　the　doctor　said　quietly；　looking　from　the　covered　corpse　back　to　the　other　man。　〃What　types　of　wild　animals　would　you　say　were　out　in　the　jungle？〃
　　At　first　he　thought　he'd　misunderstood　Maxwell。　Then　Kip　answered。　〃Not　many。　Maybe　a　few　small　boar；　and　if　you're　not　counting　snakes；　that's　it。〃　He　narrowed　his　eyes；　seeing　the　puzzled　expression　on　the　doctor's　face。　〃Why？〃
　　Maxwell　folded　his　arms　before　him　and　leaned　back　against　the　examination　table；　keeping　his　gaze　steady。　〃There　are　teeth　marks　on　this　man's　throat　and　on　the　right　cheekbone。　Some　of　them　have　broken　bone；　as　if。。。　something　was　trying　to　get　at　the　bone　marrow。　All　I　can　think　of　at　this　point　is　some　kind　of　animal。〃
　　What　kind　of　animal　would　do　that？　Kip　shook　his　head；　ran　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　face。　No；　he　knew　of　no　vicious　animals　in　that　jungle；　though　there　were　probably　several　places　so　choked　with　growth　that　anything　might　be　hiding　in　there。　He　had　seen　a　couple　of　the　boar　on　occasion；　but　they　were　too　small　to　be　of　any　consequence。
　　〃An　animal　big　enough　to　take　on　a　man？〃　Kip　asked。　〃Impossible；　not　on　Coquina。　But。。。　teeth　marks？　You're　sure　it's　not　the　mark　of　some　kind　of　tool　or　something？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　Kip　took　a　step　toward　the　corpse　and　then　checked　himself；　realizing　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　look　at　it　again。　Teeth　marks？　No；　it　didn't　make　sense！　〃Do　this　for　me；　please；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　you　to　keep　that　opinion　to　yourself。　Do　whatever　you　have　to；　an　autopsy　or　whatever；　but　I　don't　want　anyone　to　know　about　the　marks。　At　least　not　until　I　can　figure　out　what　the　hell's　going　on。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Maxwell　said；　〃I　understand。〃　He　made　a　move　to　wheel　the　table　out　of　the　examination　room；　and　as　the　doctor　turned　the　table　around；　Kip　felt　that　scrape　of　nails　inside　again；　and　this　time　a　chunk　of　mortar　fell　away。　He　watched　the　doctor　push　the　table　through　a　pair　of　doors　into　a　hallway　and　then　into　another　room。　Kip　had　to　get　out；　his　mind　was　numbed　and　his　senses　on　edge。
　　Leaving　the　clinic；　he　walked　in　the　hot　sunlight　toward　the　Square；　his　brain　filled　with　questions　he　couldn't　begin　to　answer。　What　if　there　were　something　out　in　the　jungle　that　could　attack　and　kill　a　man　by　ripping　his　throat　into　bloody　rags　and　gnawing　on　the　bone？　But　then　why　hadn't　some　of　the　inland　farmers　seen　it？　They'd　been　out　there　for　years；　and　if　an　animal　like　that　prowled　the　jungle　at　least　one　person　should　have　seen　it。　But　no；　no；　Turk　had　been　struck　by　blunt　instruments　as　well　as　fists；　Maxwell　had　said　so　himself。　What　had　probably　happened　was　that　someone。。。　or　more　than　one？。。。　had　killed　the　man；　leaving　the　body　for　the　big　wharf　rats　that　had　eaten　through　the　dead　flesh。　That　made　sense；　but　then　how　did　Turk's　body　wind　up　in　the　water？
　　Kip　was　stunned　by　the　brutality　of　the　crime。　A　murder　on　Coquina　was　practically　unthinkable。　There　were　always　barroom　fights；　of　course；　and　often　those　got　pretty　damned　ugly；　but　murder？　Who　among　the　islanders　would　be　capable　of　such　a　thing？　At　once　he　thought　of　the　Carib　Indian　men。　They　were　a　rough；　fierce　breed；　and　whenever　they　came　down　to　the　village；　which　was　fortunately　rare；　Kip　had　to　wield　a　billyclub　to　break　up　the　trouble。　The　Caribs　were　hot…blooded　people　who…island　rumor　said…had　practiced　cannibalism　on　their　enemies　less　than　a　hundred　years　before。　Was　it　possible　Turk　had　run　into　one；　or　a　group　of　them；　who　had　e　down　from　their　settlement　to　see　the　submarine？　It　was　all　speculation；　of　course；　but　maybe　worth　a　drive　over　to　Caribville　to　ask　some　questions。
　　No；　he　decided。　It　was　rats。　The　rats　had　crept　out　and　torn　into　the　corpse's　flesh；　and　that　accounted　for　the　teeth　marks。
　　Kip　saw　David　Moore's　truck　parked　over　by　the　hardware　supply　in　the　Square。　There　was　a　stack　of　timber　in　the　truck　bed；　and　as　Kip　approached；　Moore　came　out　through　the　doorway；　carrying　another　load　of　wood　in　his　arms。　He　laid　the　timber　down；　wiped　sweat　off　his　face；　and　started　to　go　back　inside　when　he　saw　the　constable　and　raised　a　hand　in　greeting。
　　〃Business　so　good　you're　building　an　addition？〃　Kip　asked　him。
　　〃Not　hardly。　I'm　setting　this　aside　in　case　we　have　another　blow　during　the　season。　The　old　roof　might　not　take　much　more　this　year。〃
　　Kip　nodded。　There　were　three　elderly　men　on　a　porch　in　front　of　the　hardware　store；　two　smoking　pipes　and　the　third　just　sitting　with　a　straw　hat　pulled　low　over　his　face。　They　had　been　talking　quietly　until　the　constable　had　walked　over；　now　they　listened；　eyes　moving　from　Kip　to　Moore。　Kip　greeted　them　politely　and　then　said　to　Moore；　〃Anyt