dk.coldfire-第42部分

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hich　left　few　possible　hiding　places。　
　He　was　soon　satisfied　that　those　high　reaches　of　his　house　were　untenanted　except　by　spiders　and　by　a　small　colony　of　wasps　that　had　constructed　a　nest　in　a　junction　of　rafters。　
　Nothing　could　have　escaped　those　confines；　either。　Aside　from　the　trap　door　by　which　he　had　entered；　the　only　exits　from　the　attic　were　the　ventilation　cut…outs　in　opposing　eaves。　which　was　about　two　feet　long　and　twelve　inches　high；　covered　with　tightly　fitted　screens　that　could　be　re　moved　only　with　a　screwdriver。　Both　screens　were　secure。　
　Part　of　that　space　had　plank　flooring；　but　in　some　places　nothing　but　insulation　lay　between　the　exposed　floor　studs；　which　were　also　the　ceiling　studs　of　the　rooms　below。　Duck…walking　on　those　parallel　supports；　Jim　cautiously　approached　the　rupture　above　the　master　bathroom。　He　peered　down　at　the　debris…strewn　floor　where　he　and　Holly　had　been　standing。　
　What　in　the　hell　had　happened？　At　last　conceding　that　he　would　find　no　answers　up　there；　he　returned　to　the　open　access　and　climbed　down　into　the　second…floor　linen　closet。　He　folded　up　the　accordion　ladder　into　the　closet　ceiling；　which　neatly　closed　off　the　attic　entrance。　
　Holly　was　waiting　for　him　in　the　hallway。　〃Well？〃　〃Nothing；〃　he　said。　
　〃I　knew　there　wouldn't　be。〃　
　〃What　happened　here？〃　〃It's　like　in　the　dream。〃　
　〃What　dream？〃　he　demanded。　
　〃You　said　you've　had　the　windmill　dreams；　too。〃　
　〃I　do。〃　
　〃Then　you　know　about　the　heartbeat　in　the　walls。〃　
　〃No。〃　
　〃And　the　way　the　walls　change。〃　
　〃No；　none　of　that；　for　Christ's　sake！　In　my　dream；　I'm　in　the　high　room　of　the　windmill；　there's　a　candle；　rain　at　the　windows。〃　
　She　remembered　how　surprised　he　had　been　at　the　sight　of　the　bedroom　ceiling　distended　and　strange　above　them。　
　He　said；　〃In　the　dream；　I　have　a　sense　that　something's　ing；　something　frightening　and　terrible…〃　〃The　Enemy；〃　she　said。　
　〃Yes！　Whatever　that　might　be。　But　it　never　es；　not　in　my　dreams。　I　ways　wake　up　before　it　es。〃　
　He　stalked　down　the　hall　and　into　the　master　bedroom；　and　she　followed　him。　Standing　beside　the　battered　furniture　that　he　had　shoved　away　from　the　door；　he　stared　up　in　consternation　at　the　undamaged　ceiling。　
　〃I　saw　it；〃　he　said；　as　if　she　had　called　him　a　liar。　
　〃I　know　you　did；〃　she　said。　〃I　saw　it；　too。〃　
　He　turned　to　her；　looking　more　desperate　than　she　had　seen　him　even　aboard　the　doomed　DC…10。　〃Tell　me　about　your　dreams；　I　want　to　hear　all　of　them；　every　detail。〃　
　〃Later；　I'll　tell　you　everything。　First　let's　shower　and　get　dressed。　I　want　out　of　this　place。〃　
　〃Yeah；　okay；　me　too。〃　
　〃I　guess　you　realize　where　we've　got　to　go。〃　
　He　hesitated。　
　She　answered　for　him；　〃The　windmill。〃　
　He　nodded。　
　They　showered　together　in　the　guest　bathroom；　only　to　save　time…and　because　both　of　them　were　too　edgy　to　be　alone　at　the　moment。　
　She　supposed　that；　in　a　different　mood；　she　would　have　found　the　experience　pleasantly　erotic。　But　it　was　surprisingly　platonic；　considering　the　fierce　passion　of　the　night　just　passed。　
　He　touched　her　only　when　they　had　stepped　out　of　the　the　shower　and　were　hurriedly　toweling　dry。　He　leaned　close；　kissed　the　corner　of　her　mouth；　and　said；　〃What　have　I　gotten　you　into；　Holly　Thorne？〃　Later；　while　Jim　hurriedly　packed　a　suitcase；　Holly　wandered　only　as　far　as　the　upstairs　study；　which　was　next　to　his　bedroom。　The　place　had　a　disused　look。　A　thin　layer　of　dust　covered　the　top　of　the　desk。　
　Like　the　rest　of　the　house；　his　study　was　humble。　The　cheap　desk　had　probably　been　purchased　at　a　cut…rate　office…supplies　warehouse。　
　The　other　furniture　included　just　two　lamps；　an　armchair　on　a　wheel…and…swivel　base；　two　free…standing　bookcases　overflowing　with　worn　volumes；　and　a　work　table　as　bare　as　the　long…unused　desk。　
　All　of　the　two　hundred　or　more　books　were　about　religion：　fat　histories　of　Islam；　Judaism；　Buddhism；　Zen　Buddhism；　Christianity；　Hinduistn；　Taoism；　Shintoism；　and　others；　the　collected　works　of　St。　
　Thomas　Aquinas；　Martin　Luther；　Scientists　and　Their　Godsù　the　Bible　in　several　versions　…Douay；　King　James；　American　Standard；　the　Koran；　the　Torah；　including　the　Old　Testament　and　the　Talmud；　the　Tripitaka　of　Buddhism；　the　Agama　of　Hinduism；　the　Zend…Avesta　of　Zoroastrianism；　and　the　Veda　of　Brahmanism。　
　In　spite　of　the　curious　pleteness　of　that　part　of　his　personal　library；　the　most　interesting　thing　in　the　room　was　the　gallery　of　photographs　that　occupied　two　walls。　Of　the　thirty…some　8　X　10　prints；　a　few　were　in　color　but　most　were　black　and　white。　The　same　three　people　featured　in　all　of　them：　a　strikingly　lovely　brunette；　a　good…looking　man　with　bold　features　and　thinning　hair；　and　a　child　who　could　be　no　one　but　Jim　Ironheart。　
　Those　eyes。　One　photograph　showed　Jim　with　the　couple…obviously　his　'；　parents…when　he　was　only　an　infant　swaddled　in　a　blanket；　but　in　the　others　he　was　not　much　younger　than　four　and　never　older　than　about　ten。　
　When　he'd　been　ten；　of　course；　his　parents　had　died。　
　Some　photos　showed　young　Jim　with　his　dad；　some　with　his　mom；　and　Holly　assumed　the　missing　parent　had　always　been　the　one　with　the　camera。　
　A　handful　included　all　three　Ironhearts。　Over　the　years；　the　mother　only　grew　more　striking；　the　father's　hair　continued　to　thin；　but　he　appeared　to　be　happier　as　time　passed；　and　Jim；　taking　a　lesson　from　his　mother；　became　steadily　better　looking。　
　Often　the　backdrop　of　the　picture　was　a　famous　landmark　or　the　sign　for　one。　Jim　and　both　parents　in　front　of　Radio　City　Music　Hall　when　he'd　been　about　six。　Jim　and　his　father　on　the　boardwalk　at　Atlantic　City　when　Jim　was　four　or　five。　Jim　and　his　mother　at　a　sign　for　Grand　Canyon　National　Park；　with　a　panoramic　vista　behind　them。　
　All　three　Ironhearts　in　front　of　Sleeping　Beauty　Castle　in　the　heart　of　Disneyland；　when　Jim　was　only　seven　or　eight。　Beale　Street　in　Memphis。　
　The　sun…splashed　Fontainebleau　Hotel　in　Miami　Beach。　An　observation　deck　overlooking　the　faces　of　Mount　Rushmore。　Buckingham　Palace　in　London。　The　Eiffel　Tower。　The　Tropicana　Hotel；　Las　Vegas。　
　Niagara　Falls。　They　seemed　to　have　been　everywhere。　
　In　every　case；　no　matter　who　was　holding　the　camera　or　where　they　were；　those　in　the　shot　looked　genuinely　happy。　Not　one　face　in　one　print　was　frozen　in　an　insincere　smile；　or　caught　with　one　of　those　snap…the…damn…picture　expressions　of　impatience　that　could　be　found　in　abundance　in　most　family　photo　albums。　Often；　they　were　laughing　instead　of　merely　smiling；　and　in　several　instances　they　were　caught　in　the　middle　of　horseplay　of　one　kind　or　another。　All　three　were　touchers；　too；　not　simply　standing　side　by　side　or　in　brittle　poses。　
　They　were　usually　shown　with　their　arms　around　one　another；　sometimes　hugging；　occasionally　kissing　one　another　on　the　cheek　or　casually　expressing　affection　in　some　fashion。　
　The　boy　in　the　photographs　revealed　no　hint　of　the　sometimes　moody　adult　he　would　bee；　and　Holly　could　see　that　the　untimely　death　of　his　parents　had　changed　him　profoundly。　The　carefree；　grinning　boy　in　the　photographs　had　been　lost　forever。　
　One　black…and…white　particularly　arrested　her。　It　showed　Mr。　
　Ironheart　sitting　on　a　straight…backed　chair。　Jim；　maybe　seven　years　old；　was　on　his　father's　lap。　They　were　in　tuxedos。　Mrs。　Ironheart　stood　behind　her　husband；　her　hand　on　his　shoulder；　wearing　a　slinky　sequined　cocktail　dress　that　emphasized　her　wonderful　figure。　They　faced　the　camera　directly。　
　Unlike　the　other　shots；　this　one　was　carefully　posed；　with　nothing　but　a　piece　of　artfully　draped　cloth　as　a　backdrop；　obviously　set　up　by　a　professional　photographer。　
　〃They　were　wonderful；〃　Jim　said　from　the　doorway。　She　had　not　heard　him　approaching。　〃No　kid　ever　had　better　folks　than　them。〃　
　〃You　traveled　a　lot。〃　
　〃Yeah。　They　were　always　going　somewhere。　They　loved　to　show　me　new　places；　teach　me　things　firsthand。　They　would've　made　wonderful　schoolteachers；　let　me　tell　you。〃　
　〃What　work　did　they　do？〃　〃My　dad　was　an　accountant　at　Warner　Brothers。〃　
　〃The　movie　studio？〃　〃Yeah。〃　Jim　smiled。　〃We　lived　in　L。A。　Mom…she　wanted　to　be　an　actress；　but　she　never　got　a　lot　of　jobs。　So　mostly　she　was　a　hostess　at　a　restaurant　on　Melrose　Avenue；　not　far　from　the　Paramount　lot。〃　
　〃You　were　happy；　weren't　you？〃　〃Always。〃　
　She　pointed　to　the　photo　in　which　the　three　of　them　were　dressed　with　glittery　formality。　〃Special　occasion？〃　〃Times　just　the　two　of　them　should　have　celebrated；　like　wedding　anniversaries；　they　insisted　on　including　me。　
　They　always　made　me　feel　special；　wanted；　loved。　I　was　seven　years　old　when　that　photo　was　taken；　and　I　remember　them　making　big　plans　that　night。　They　were　going　to　be　married　a　hundred　years；　they　said；　and　be　happier　each　year　than　the　one　before；　have　lots　more　children；　own　a　big　house；　see　every　corner　of　the　world　before　they　died　together　in　their　sleep。　But　just　three　years　later　they　were。　。　。　gone。〃　
　〃I'm　sorry；　Jim。〃　
　He　shrugged。　〃It's　a　long　time　ago。　Twenty…five　years。〃　He　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　〃e　on；　let's　go。　It'll　take　us　four　hours　to　reach　the　farm；　and　it's　already　nine　o'clock。〃　
　At　the　Laguna　Hills　Motor　Inn；　Holly　quickly　changed　into　jeans　and　a　blue…checkered　blouse；　then　packed　the　rest　of　her　belongings。　
　Jim　put　her　suitcase　in　the　trunk　of　his　car。　
　While　she　returned　her　room　key　and　paid　her　bill　at　the　front　desk　in　the　motel　office；　she　was　aware　of　him　watching　her　from　behind　the　wheel　of　his　Ford。　She　would　have　been　disappointed；　of　course；　if　he　had　not　liked　to　watch　her。　But　every　time　she　looked　through　the　plate…glass　window　at　him；　he　was　so　motionless；　so　cool　and　expressionless　behind　his　heavily　tinted　sunglasses；　that　his　undivided　attention　was　disconcert。　
　She　wondered　if　she　was　doing　the　right　thing　by　going　with　him　to　the　Santa　Ynez　Valley。　When　she　walked　out　of　the　office　and　got　in　the　car　with　him；　he　would　be　the　only　person　in　the　world　who　knew　where　she　was。　All　of　her　notes　about　him　were　in　her　suitcase；　they　could　disappear　with　her。　Then　she　would　be　just　a　woman；　alone；　who　had　vanished　while　on　vacation。　
　As　the　clerk　finished　filling　out　the　credit…card　form；　Holly　considered　phoning　her　parents