pzb.drawingblood-第15部分

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　　〃Honey；　they're　never　great。〃　Miss　Lee　laughed。　Baby　Doll　dabbed　at　her　liberally　applied　pinky…orange　lipstick；　hoisted　her　heavy　breasts　so　that　they　rode　high　and　round　in　the　D…cups　of　her　red　sequined　halter　top；　and　ducked　onstage　as　Tommy　botched　the　lead…in　to　her　first　song。
　　Miss　Lee　walked　down　a　short　shabby　corridor　to　the　dressing　room。　The　heels　of　her　boots　dug　into　the　bare　concrete　floor　and　sent　bolts　of　agony　up　her　calves。　Boots　were　more　fortable　than　the　pumps　most　girls　wore；　since　they　gave　her　ankles　some　support；　but　at　the　end　of　a　shift　she　could　still　feel　every　step　she　had　taken　on　those　four…inch　spikes。
　　She　tugged　them　off　as　soon　as　she　hit　the　dressing　room；　collected　the　sweaty　dollars　stuffed　into　her　garter　and　her　G…string；　peeled　off　both；　and　dove　into　her　bag　for　street　clothes。　An　oversize　black　Ministry　shirt；　a　pair　of　cutoffs；　and　her　Converse　All…Stars；　one　black；　one　purple；　safety…pinned　and　scribbled　upon；　she　had　another　pair　just　like　it　at　home。　After　six　hours　on　high　heels；　there　was　nothing　more　forting　than　shoving　your　sore　toes　into　a　pair　of　soft；　sloppy　sneakers。
　　She　stopped　by　the　DJ　booth　to　tip　out…don't　spend　it　all　in　one　place；　Tommy；　sniffle　snort…and　cut　through　the　club。　A　blubbery　redneck　she'd　table…danced　for　earlier　tried　to　wave　her　over；　but　she　stared　right　through　him　and　kept　heading　for　the　door。　Once　she　was　done；　she　was　done。
　　Just　outside　the　door　she　stopped；　whipped　off　the　platinum　wig；　and　stuffed　it　into　her　bag。　Her　hair　underneath　was　black；　buzzed　nearly　to　the　scalp　except　for　wispy　bangs　that　fell　over　her　face　and　a　few　long　skinny　braids　sprouting　here　and　there。　One　of　her　small　ears　was　pierced　with　thirteen　silver　hoops　beginning　at　the　lobe　and　curling　gracefully　up　around　the　delicate　rim。　From　the　other　dangled　a　single　cross　with　a　tiny　ruby…eyed　skull　at　its　juncture。
　　She　ran　her　hand　through　her　buzz　cut　and　breathed　in　the　twilight　air　of　the　French　Quarter　and　let　Miss　Lee　go　for　another　night。　She　was　Eddy　Sung　now；　and　her　evenings　were　her　own。
　　The　gas　lamps　were　just　beginning　to　e　on；　their　soft　yellow　glow　flickering　on　every　corner。　She　thought　of　stopping　off　for　a　beer　and　a　dozen　oysters　on　the　half…shell　somewhere。　The　salty；　briny　flavor　of　them　always　drove　the　taste　of　a　day's　false　smiles　out　of　her　mouth。　But　no；　she　decided；　she　would　go　home　and　check　her　mail　and　her　messages；　and　then　maybe　she　would　call　Zachary　and　see　if　he　wanted　to　go　eat　oysters。　They　were　supposed　to　be　an　aphrodisiac；　maybe　they'd　work　on　him。
　　Ha。　She　should　be　so　lucky。
　　Eddy　allowed　herself　a　rueful　little　laugh　and　set　off　through　the　Quarter　for　home。
　　　
　　　
　　　Chapter　Five
　　
　　Zach　was　already　throwing　the　last　of　his　movable　belongings　into　his　car　when　Eddy　arrived。　She　had　run　all　the　way　from　her　apartment　on　St。　Philip　after　hearing　his　message　on　her　answering　machine；　and　her　face　was　flushed　and　sweaty；　her　breath　ing　in　harsh　shallow　gasps。
　　But　Zach　looked　worse。　His　green　eyes　had　a　feverish　sheen。　Beneath　a　ridiculous　black　bad…cowboy　hat　she　hadn't　seen　before；　his　peaked　pale　face　was　nearly　luminescent　in　the　gaslit　gloom　of　little　Rue　Madison。　He　crammed　a　box　of　papers　into　the　back　seat　of　his　Mustang；　turned　to　grab　another　box；　and　saw　Eddy。　His　face　froze。　For　an　instant　he　looked　terrified。　Then　he　stumbled　toward　her　and　threw　his　arms　around　her。　Her　heart　broke　a　little；　but　Eddy　was　used　to　this；　it　happened　every　time　she　saw　Zach。
　　〃They　got　you？〃
　　He　nodded。　The　words　I　told　you　so　hung　in　the　air；　but　she　would　not　dream　of　speaking　them。
　　〃How　bad？〃
　　〃The　warning　said　They　know　who　you　are；　They　know　where　you　are。　I　don't　think　They　really　know　where　I　am　yet　or　They'd　be　here。　But　They　could　be　finding　out　right　now。　They　could　show　up　anytime。〃
　　Eddy　glanced　nervously　back　toward　Chartres　Street。　Except　for　an　occasional　ripple　of　street　jazz　or　burst　of　drunken　laughter；　all　was　quiet。
　　〃I'm　taking　the　incriminating　stuff　with　me。　The　puters；　my　disks；　my　notebooks。　The　place　will　be　clean　if　you　want　to　move　in。　If　They　show　up　and　want　to　search；　let　'em　search。　They　won't　find　a　damn　thing。〃　He　looked　proud；　defiant；　exhausted。　Eddy　reached　up　to　touch　her　fingertips　to　his　perspiring　face。　Her　heart　was　not　just　breaking　but　imploding。　He　was　all　but　gone。
　　〃e　sleep　at　my　place　tonight；〃　she　said。　〃No　one　can　find　you　there。　Leave　in　the　morning；　with　some　rest。〃
　　He　didn't　even　hesitate。　〃I　want　to　get　as　good　a　start　as　possible。　If　I　go　now　I'll　have　the　cover　of　the　night。〃
　　The　cover　of　the　night。　To　Zach　this　was　some　big　adventure。　He　was　scared；　yes…but　more　than　that；　he　was　excited。　She　could　hear　it　in　the　tremor　of　his　voice；　see　it　in　the　blaze　of　his　eyes。　He　was　like　a　racehorse　getting　ready　to　run；　elegant　nostrils　flaring；　velvet　flanks　bunching　and　tensing。
　　She　had　thought　perhaps　one　last　night　together　。　。　。　But　she　knew　what　it　would　have　been　like。　They　would　have　stayed　up　drinking　and　smoking　pot　and　talking　until　dawn；　maybe　whipped　up　a　batch　of　cayenne　popcorn　and　watched　a　weird　movie　or　two。　And　that　would　have　been　it。　Zach　didn't　mind　if　she　leaned　against　his　shoulder；　didn't　mind　a　casual　touch　of　the　hand　or　ruffling　of　his　unruly　hair。　But　anything　more　obvious　on　her　part…　like　the　couple　of　times　she'd　leaned　over　and　kissed　him　full　on　the　lips…would　be　met　with　〃I　can't；　Ed；　I　just　can't。〃　And　if　she　asked　why；　she　would　get　the　infuriating　answer；　〃Because　I　like　you。〃
　　It　wasn't　as　if　Zach　were　celibate　or　gay；　either。　She　had　seen　him　pick　up　scores　of　people　at　the　clubs　and　bars　they　both　frequented；　and　the　ratio　was　only　slightly　in　favor　of　cute　young　males。　He　always　seemed　to　go　for　the　good…looking　and　the　empty…headed；　preferably　drunk；　ideally　with　some　absent　girlfriend　or　boyfriend　to　absorb　the　aftershock。　He　had　only　one　inflexible　rule：　they　had　to　have　a　place　to　fuck。　He　would　not　take　them　back　to　his　sanctuary　of　an　apartment；　would　not　share　his　nest　with　his　bimbos。　Maybe　he　was　embarrassed　for　his　puter　to　see　them。
　　The　next　day…or　night…he　would　brush　them　off；　not　in　an　especially　cruel　way；　but　in　a　manner　that　left　no　doubt　that　they　had　been　nothing　but　caprices。　It　was；　Eddy　thought；　as　if　Zach　considered　sex　a　biological　need　on　the　order　of　going　to　the　bathroom：　you　didn't　form　an　emotional　bond　with　every　toilet　you　took　a　crap　in；　and　when　you　were　done；　you　flushed　and　walked　away…　feeling　better；　to　be　sure；　but　not　really　thinking　about　what　you'd　just　done。
　　It　raised　Eddy's　blood　pressure；　and　frustrated　her；　and　made　her　crazy。　Any　other　friend　or　potential　lover　with　such　an　attitude　would　have　been　long　since　trashed。　But　Zachary　was　so　sweet；　so　smart；　so　cool　otherwise　that　this　seemed　an　aberration；　a　flaw　or　handicap　he　could　not　be　blamed　for；　like　a　strawberry　birthmark　or　a　missing　finger。　She　supposed　part　of　it　was　the　hell　he　had　watched　his　parents　put　each　other　through；　and　the　hell　he　had　endured　at　their　hands。　And　she　kept　hoping　part　of　it　could　be　blamed　on　his　age；　almost　any　character　defect　was　forgivable　at　nineteen。　（Eddy　was　twenty…two；　and　far　more　worldwise。）
　　〃Won't　they　know　your　car？〃　she　asked。
　　〃I've　already　switched　the　plates。〃
　　She　glanced　at　the　back　end　of　the　Mustang。　Zach's　license　plate　read　FET…213；　which　looked　awfully　familiar。　〃Isn't　that　the　same　one　you　always　had？〃
　　〃I　didn't　switch　plates　on　the　car；〃　he　explained　patiently。　〃I　switched　them　in　the　DMV　puter。　My　plate　is　pletely　wiped　out　of　existence；　and　I　gave　myself　the　plate　of　some　Cajun's　1965　Ford　pickup　down　in　Houma。〃
　　〃Oh。〃
　　〃It　can't　be　traced　to　me。〃
　　〃Uh…huh。〃
　　〃Trust　me；　Ed！　I'm　making　a　clean　getaway。　I　just　need　to　get　going。〃
　　They　stood　awkwardly　in　the　deepening　gloom　staring　at　each　other。　〃You　already　have　a　key；〃　Zach　said。　〃You　want　the　extra？〃
　　〃No。　You'll　need　it　if　you　e　back　and　I'm　not　home。〃
　　〃I'm　not　ing　back；　Eddy；〃　he　said　gently。　〃Not　for　a　long　time；　anyway。　I'll　kill　myself　before　I'll　let　them　lock　me　up。〃
　　〃I　know。〃　She　would　not　lose　her　posure；　would　not　slobber　and　bawl；　would　not　beg　him　to　take　her　along。　If　he　wanted　her　along；　he　would　have　said　so。
　　〃So…well…I　can't　call　here；　but　I'll　try　to　get　in　touch　somehow。〃
　　〃You　do　that。〃　She　crossed　her　arms　over　her　chest；　shook　a　few　tiny　braids　out　of　her　face；　fixed　him　with　a　steely　eye。
　　〃Eddy　。　。　。〃
　　〃Don't　you　fucking　Eddy　me！　You　could　have　been　more　careful！　You　didn't　have　to　show　off　and　take　so　many　dumb　chances…it　wasn't　like　you　needed　the　money。　You　could　have　。　。　。　stayed！〃　Now　she　was　crying。　She　bared　her　teeth　at　him；　narrowed　her　eyes　nearly　to　slits　to　hide　the　tears。
　　〃I　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　know。〃　He　took　two　steps　forward　and　enfolded　her　in　his　arms　again。　She　laid　her　wet　cheek　against　the　soft　cotton　of　his　T…shirt；　breathed　his　smoky；　slightly　sweaty　boy…smell；　held　his　skinny　body　tight　against　her。　This　was　how　it　should　have　been　all　along。
　　Too　bad　he　hadn't　agreed。
　　〃Be　safe；〃　she　told　him　at　last。
　　〃I'll　be　careful。〃
　　〃Where　will　you　go？〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃North。〃
　　They　stared　at　each　other　again；　at　a　loss　for　words　but　not　yet　ready　to　say　good…bye。　Then　Zach　leaned　down　and…ever　so　carefully；　as　if　touching　together　two　live　wires…placed　his　lips　against　Eddy's。　She　felt　the　electric　thrill　of　contact；　the　very　tip　of　his　tongue　touching　hers；　and　an　exquisite　heat　exploded　from　the　center　of　her　womb。　For　an　instant　she　thought　her　innards　would　simply　melt　out　of　her　pussy　and　run　down　her　thighs；　so　intense　was　the　rush。　But　then　Zach　pulled　back　and　stepped　away。
　　〃Gotta　go。〃
　　Eddy　nodded；　did　not　trust　herself　to　speak。　She　watched　him　walk　around　the　front　of　the　car；　slide　into　the　driver's　seat；　turn　the　key　in　the　ignition。　The　powerful　engine　leapt　to　life；　ready　to　carry　Zachary　Bosch　far　away　from　New　Orleans；　far　away　from　Eddy　Sung。　The　horn　beeped　twice　and　then　he　was　pulling　away　from　the　curb；　red　taillights　pausing　at　the　corner；　then　merging　into　the　nighttime　traffic　of　Dec