Chapter 24 Clayton

Clayton didn't want to believe it, but there was Gramps actually complimenting Thigh-bolt after church. Shaking his hand, acting¹ like he was some sort of hero while Ben stared up at Thigh-bolt with big puppy-dog eyes. It was all he could do to make it through brunch² without cracking open a beer, and since dropping Ben at his mother's, he'd already gone through four. He was pretty sure he'd finish off the twelve-pack before turning in. In the past two weeks, he'd had a lot of beer. He knew he was overdoing³ it, but it was the only thing that kept him from dwelling⁴ on the latest run-in with Thigh-bolt. Behind him, the phone rang. Again. Fourth time in the last couple of hours, but he wasn't in the mood to answer it. Okay, he admitted it. He had underestimated the guy. Thigh-bolt had been one step ahead of him from the very beginning. He used to think Ben knew how to press his buttons; this guy dropped bombs. No, Clayton thought suddenly, he didn't drop bombs. He directed cruise missiles with pinpoint⁵ accuracy, all geared toward the destruction of Clayton's life. Even worse, Clayton hadn't seen it corning. Not once. It was beyond frustrating⁶, especially since the situation seemed to be getting worse. Now, Thigh-bolt was telling him what to do. Ordering him around, like he was some flunkie on payroll⁷, and for the life of him, Clayton couldn't figure a way out. He wanted to believe that Thigh-bolt had been bluffing⁸ about videotaping the break-in. He had to be bluffing—no one was that smart. He had to be. But what if he wasn't? Clayton went to the refrigerator and opened another beer, knowing he couldn't risk it. Who knew what the guy was planning next? He took a long pull, praying for the numbing⁹ effect to kick in soon. This should have been easier to handle. He was a deputy sheriff, and the guy was new in town. Clayton should have had the power all along, but instead he found himself sitting in a messy kitchen because he hadn't wanted to ask Ben to clean it for fear the kid would tell Thigh-bolt, which just might spell the end of Clayton's life as he knew it. What did the guy have against him? That's what Clayton wanted to know. Clayton wasn't the one causing problems, Thigh-bolt was the one making things difficult—and to rub salt in the wound, the guy was sleeping with Beth as well. He took another drink, wondering how his life could have turned to crap so quickly. Sunk in misery¹⁰, he barely registered the sound of someone knocking at the front door. He pushed back from the table and stumbled through the living room. When he opened the door, he saw Tony standing¹¹ on the porch, looking like a drowned rat. As if everything else weren't bad enough, the worm was here. Tony took a slight step back. "Whoa, dude. You okay ? You smell like you've been drinking." "What do you want, Tony?" He wasn't in the mood for this. "I've been trying to call you, but you didn't pick up." "Get to the point." "I haven't seen you around much lately." "I've been busy. And I'm busy now, so go away." He started to close the door, and Tony raised his hand. "Wait! I have something to tell you," he whined¹². "It's important." "What is it?" "Do you remember when I called you? I don't know, it must have been a couple of months ago?" "No." "You remember. I called you from Decker's about this guy showing Beth's picture around?" "And?" "That's what I wanted to tell you." He pushed a clump¹³ of greasy¹⁴ hair out of his eyes. "I saw him again today. And I saw him talking to Beth." "What are you talking about?" "After church. He was talking to Beth and your grandfather. He was the dude on the piano today." Despite the buzz, Clayton felt his head begin to clear. It came back to him vaguely¹⁵ at first, then sharper. That was the weekend Thigh-bolt had taken the camera and disk. "You sure?" "Yeah, I'm sure. I'd remember that dude anywhere." "He had Beth's picture?" "I already told you that. I saw it. I just thought it was weird¹⁶, you know? And then I see them together today? I thought you'd want to know." Clayton processed Tony's news. "I want you to tell me everything you can remember about the picture." Tony the worm had a surprisingly good memory, and it didn't take long for Clayton to get the full story. That the picture was a few years old and had been taken at the fair. That Thigh-bolt didn't know her name. That Thigh-bolt was looking for her. After Tony left, Clayton continued to ponder what he'd learned. No way had Thigh-bolt been here five years ago and forgotten her name- So where did he get the picture? Had he walked across ￡e country to find her? And if so, what did that mean' That he'd stalked her? He wasn't sure yet, but something wasn't right. And Beth, naive¹⁷ as usual, had allowed him not only into her bed, but into Ben's life as well. He frowned. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all and he was pretty sure Beth wouldn't like it, either.

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 brunch   

n.早午餐

参考例句：

• They eat much the same thing for brunch every day.每天早午餐他们总是吃同样的东西。
• What did you have for your brunch?你早午饭都吃些什么？

3 overdoing   

v.做得过分( overdo的现在分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度

参考例句：

• He's been overdoing things recently. 近来他做事过分努力。 来自辞典例句
• You think I've been overdoing it with the work thing? 你认为我对工作的关注太过分了吗？ 来自电影对白

4 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

5 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

6 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

8 bluffing   

n. 威吓，唬人 动词bluff的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• I don't think he'll shoot—I think he's just bluffing. 我认为他不会开枪—我想他不过是在吓唬人。
• He says he'll win the race, but he's only bluffing. 他说他会赢得这场比赛，事实上只是在吹牛。

9 numbing   

adj.使麻木的，使失去感觉的v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Watching television had a numbing effect on his mind. 看电视使他头脑麻木。
• It was numbing work, requiring patience and dedication. 这是一种令人麻木的工作，需要有耐心和忘我精神。 来自辞典例句

10 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

11 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

13 clump   

n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走

参考例句：

• A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
• It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。

14 greasy   

adj. 多脂的，油脂的

参考例句：

• He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

15 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

16 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

17 naive   

adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的

参考例句：

• It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。
• Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。