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Chapter 19
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In the car a few minutes later, the sirens blaring and lights flashing, Miles fishtailed around a corner, almost losing control of the car, and pressed the accelerator to the floor again.

He’d dragged Sims out of the cell and up the stairs, leading him quickly through the office without stopping to acknowledge the stares. Charlie was in his office on the phone, and the sight of Miles—his face white—made him hang up, but not soon enough to stop Miles from reaching the door with Sims. They went out at the same time, and by the time Charlie reached the sidewalk, Miles and Sims were heading in opposite directions. Charlie made an instant decision to go after Miles, and he called after him to stop. Miles ignored him and reached the squad1 car.

Charlie picked up his pace, reaching Miles’s car just as it was pulling out on the street. He tapped the window even as the car was still moving.  “What’s going on?” Charlie demanded.

Miles waved him out of the way, and Charlie froze with a look of confusion and disbelief. Instead of rolling down the window, Miles flicked2 on the siren, hit the gas, and tore out of the parking lot, his tires squealing3 as he turned onto the street.

A minute later, when Charlie called on the radio, demanding that Miles let him know what had happened, Miles didn’t bother to respond.  From the sheriff’s department, it normally took less than fifteen minutes to reach the Timson compound. With the siren blaring and the squad car speeding, it took less than eight minutes—he was already halfway4 there by the time Charlie had reached him by radio. On the highway, he hit ninety miles an hour, and by the time he reached the turnoff to the mobile home where Otis lived, his adrenaline was pumping. He was holding the wheel hard enough to make parts of his hands go numb5, though in his state he didn’t realize it. Rage was surging through him, blocking out everything else.

Otis Timson had hurt his son with a brick.

Otis Timson had killed his wife.

Otis Timson had nearly gotten away with it.

On the dirt drive, Miles’s car slid from side to side as he accelerated again.  The trees he flew past were a blur6; he saw nothing but the road directly in front of him, and as it veered7 to the right, Miles finally removed his foot from the accelerator and began to slow the car. He was almost there.  For two years, Miles had waited for this moment.

For two years, he’d tortured himself, lived through the failure.

Otis.

A moment later, Miles brought the car to a skidding8 halt in the center of the compound and pushed his way out of the car. Standing9 by the open door, he surveyed the area, watching for movement, watching for anything at all. His jaw10 was clenched11 as he tried to keep control.

He unsnapped his holster and began moving for his gun.

Otis Timson had killed his wife.

He’d run her down in cold blood.

It was ominously12 quiet. Aside from the ticking of the engine as it cooled, there were no other sounds at all. Trees were motionless, their branches absolutely still. No birds sat chirping13 on fenceposts. The only sounds that Miles could hear were his own: the rustle14 of the gun sliding out of his holster, the harsh rhythm of his breathing.

It was cold, the air crisp and cloudless, a spring sky on a winter day.  Miles waited. In time, a screened door cracked open, squeaking15 like a rusty16 squeezebox.

“What do you want?” a voice rang out. The sound was raspy, as if ravaged17 by years of smoking unfiltered cigarettes. Clyde Timson.

Miles lowered himself, using the car door as a shield in case shots broke out.

“I’m here for Otis. Bring him out.”

The hand vanished and the door slapped shut.

Miles slipped the safety off and found his hand on the trigger, his heart thumping18 hard. After the longest minute of his life, he saw the door creak open again, pushed by the same anonymous19 hand.

“What’s the charge?” the voice demanded.

“Get him out here,now !”

“What for?”

“He’s under arrest! Now get him out here! Hands above his head!” The door slammed shut again, and with that, Miles suddenly realized the precarious20 nature of his position. In his haste, he’d put himself in danger.  There were four mobile homes—two in front, one off to each side—and though he’d seen no one in the others, he knew there were people inside. There were also countless21 junked cars, a few on blocks, between the homes, and he couldn’t help but wonder whether the Timsons were stalling for time, closing in around him.  Part of him knew he should have brought help with him; he should call for help now. He didn’t.

No way. Not now.

In time, the door pushed open again and Clyde appeared on the doorstep. His hands were by his side; in one hand he held a cup of coffee, as if things like this happened every day. When he saw Miles’s gun pointed22 at him, however, he took a small step backward.

“What the hell do you want, Ryan? Otis ain’t done nothin’.”

“I’ve got to bring him in, Clyde.”

“You still ain’t said what for yet.”

“He’ll be charged when he gets to the station.”

“Where’s your warrant?”

“I don’t need a warrant for this! He’s under arrest.”

“A man’s got rights! You can’t come barging in here and making demands. I got rights! And if you ain’t got no warrant, you get the hell out of here! We’ve had enough of you and your charges!”

“I’m not kidding around, Clyde. Get him out here or I’ll have every sheriff in the county here in a couple of minutes and you’ll all be under arrest for harboring a criminal.”

It was a bluff23, but somehow it worked. A moment later, Otis appeared from behind the door and nudged his father. Miles shifted the gun, taking aim at Otis. Like his father, he didn’t seem particularly worried.

“Step aside, Daddy,” Otis said calmly. The sight of Otis’s face made Miles want to pull the trigger. Biting back the wave of choking rage, he raised himself, keeping the gun pointed at Otis. He began moving around the car, into open view.  “Out here! I want you on the ground!”

Otis moved in front of his father but stayed on the porch. He crossed his arms.

“What’s the charge, Deputy Ryan?”

“You know damn well what the charge is! Now put your hands in the air.”

“I’m afraid I don’t.”

Despite the possible danger, which suddenly didn’t matter at all, Miles continued to approach the house, his gun still pointing at Otis. His finger was on the trigger and he could feel it tightening24.

Make a move. . . . Just make a move. . . .

“Get down off the porch!”

Otis glanced at his father, who looked ready to erupt, but when he turned back to Miles, he saw an uncontrollable fury in Miles’s eyes that made him step down quickly from the porch.

“All right, all right—I’m coming.”

“Hands up! Let me see your hands in the air.”

By now, a few others had poked25 their heads out of their mobile homes and were watching what was going on. Though rarely on the right side of the law, none of them considered running for his gun. They too saw the look in Miles’s face, the one that made it clear that he was looking for any excuse to shoot.  “Get on your knees!Now! ”

Otis did as he was told, but Miles didn’t holster his gun. Instead he kept it pointed at Otis. He glanced from side to side, making sure that no one would stop him from what he was about to do, and closed the gap between them.  Otis had killed his wife.

As he approached, the rest of the world seemed to vanish. It was just the two of them now. There was fear and something else—weariness?—in Otis’s eyes, but he said nothing. Miles paused as they stared at each other, then he began moving slowly around him, to the back.

He inched the gun closer to Otis’s head.

Like an executioner.

He could feel the trigger under his finger. One tug26, one quick pull, and this would be over.

God, he wanted to shoot him, he wanted to end this now. He owed it to Missy, he owed it to Jonah.

Jonah . . .

The sudden image of his son brought a burst of reality to what was happening.

No. . .

Still, he debated for a couple of breaths before finally exhaling27 hard. He reached for his handcuffs and slipped them from his belt. With a practiced move, he slipped one of the cuffs29 around the nearest of Otis’s upraised wrists, then moved his hand behind Otis’s back. After holstering his gun, he slipped on the other cuff28, locked them both down until Otis winced30, then pulled him up.  “You have the right to remain silent . . . ,” he began, and Clyde, who’d been frozen in place, suddenly exploded into activity, like an anthill that had been stepped on.

“This ain’t right. I’m calling my lawyer! You’ve got no right coming in here like this and pointing your gun that way!”

He continued to scream long after Miles had finished with the Miranda warning, loaded Otis into the back of his car, and started toward the highway.

? ? ?

In the car, neither Miles nor Otis spoke31 until they’d reached the highway.  Miles’s eyes remained locked on the road. Despite the fact that he had Otis in custody32, he didn’t want to so much as glance in the rearview mirror at Otis for fear of what he would do to him.

He’d wanted to shoot him.

With God as his witness, he’d wanted to do it.

And one wrong move, from anyone who’d been out there, and he would have.

But that would have been wrong.

And you were wrong in the way you handled it out there.  How many regulations had he broken? Half a dozen? Letting Sims go, failing to obtain a warrant, ignoring Charlie, not requesting help, pulling his gun straight off, putting it to Otis’s head. . . . He was going to catch hell for this, and not only from Charlie. Harvey Wellman, too. The yellow broken lines came at him, passing rhythmically33 from sight.

I don’t care. Otis is going to jail, no matter what happens to me. Otis will rot away in prison like he made me rot for two years.

“So what are you bringing me in for this time?” Otis asked flatly.

“Shut the hell up,” Miles responded.

“I have a right to know what the charge is.”

Miles turned around, stifling34 the anger that bubbled up in him at the sound of Otis’s voice. When Miles made no response, Otis continued, oddly calm.  “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I knew you weren’t going to shoot. You just couldn’t do it.”

Miles bit his lip, his face turning red. Keep control, he told himself. Keep control. . . .

Otis, however, went on.

“Tell me, are you still seeing that girl you were with at the Tavern35? I was just wondering, because—” Miles slammed on the brakes, the wheels screeching36, black scars left on the highway. Because he was unbuckled, Otis shot forward into the safety cage. Miles pressed the accelerator to the floor again, and like a yo-yo, Otis was flung back into his seat.

For the rest of the ride, Otis didn’t say another word.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 squad 4G1zq     
n.班,小队,小团体;vt.把…编成班或小组
参考例句:
  • The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
  • A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。
2 flicked 7c535fef6da8b8c191b1d1548e9e790a     
(尤指用手指或手快速地)轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 ); (用…)轻挥; (快速地)按开关; 向…笑了一下(或瞥了一眼等)
参考例句:
  • She flicked the dust off her collar. 她轻轻弹掉了衣领上的灰尘。
  • I idly picked up a magazine and flicked through it. 我漫不经心地拿起一本杂志翻看着。
3 squealing b55ccc77031ac474fd1639ff54a5ad9e     
v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。
  • The pigs were squealing. 猪尖叫着。
4 halfway Xrvzdq     
adj.中途的,不彻底的,部分的;adv.半路地,在中途,在半途
参考例句:
  • We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路,天就黑了。
  • In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上,最忌讳的是有始无终。
5 numb 0RIzK     
adj.麻木的,失去感觉的;v.使麻木
参考例句:
  • His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
  • Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵,催着疲惫的马继续往前走。
6 blur JtgzC     
n.模糊不清的事物;vt.使模糊,使看不清楚
参考例句:
  • The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。
  • If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了,图像就会变得模糊不清。
7 veered 941849b60caa30f716cec7da35f9176d     
v.(尤指交通工具)改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 );(指谈话内容、人的行为或观点)突然改变;(指风) (在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向)逐渐转向;风向顺时针转
参考例句:
  • The bus veered onto the wrong side of the road. 公共汽车突然驶入了逆行道。
  • The truck veered off the road and crashed into a tree. 卡车突然驶离公路撞上了一棵树。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 skidding 55f6e4e45ac9f4df8de84c8a09e4fdc3     
n.曳出,集材v.(通常指车辆) 侧滑( skid的现在分词 );打滑;滑行;(住在)贫民区
参考例句:
  • All the wheels of the truck were tied up with iron chains to avoid skidding on the ice road. 大卡车的所有轮子上都捆上了铁链,以防止在结冰的路面上打滑。 来自《用法词典》
  • I saw the motorcycle skidding and its rider spilling in dust. 我看到摩托车打滑,骑车人跌落在地。 来自互联网
9 standing 2hCzgo     
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。
10 jaw 5xgy9     
n.颚,颌,说教,流言蜚语;v.喋喋不休,教训
参考例句:
  • He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
  • A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。
11 clenched clenched     
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
  • She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上,以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 ominously Gm6znd     
adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地
参考例句:
  • The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块,在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘(部分)
13 chirping 9ea89833a9fe2c98371e55f169aa3044     
鸟叫,虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The birds,chirping relentlessly,woke us up at daybreak. 破晓时鸟儿不断吱吱地叫,把我们吵醒了。
  • The birds are chirping merrily. 鸟儿在欢快地鸣叫着。
14 rustle thPyl     
v.沙沙作响;偷盗(牛、马等);n.沙沙声声
参考例句:
  • She heard a rustle in the bushes.她听到灌木丛中一阵沙沙声。
  • He heard a rustle of leaves in the breeze.他听到树叶在微风中发出的沙沙声。
15 squeaking 467e7b45c42df668cdd7afec9e998feb     
v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 );吱吱叫;告密;充当告密者
参考例句:
  • Squeaking floorboards should be screwed down. 踏上去咯咯作响的地板应用螺钉钉住。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Can you hear the mice squeaking? 你听到老鼠吱吱叫吗? 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的
参考例句:
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用,我的法语又荒疏了。
17 ravaged 0e2e6833d453fc0fa95986bdf06ea0e2     
毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 ); 蹂躏; 劫掠; 抢劫
参考例句:
  • a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
  • The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。
18 thumping hgUzBs     
adj.重大的,巨大的;重击的;尺码大的;极好的adv.极端地;非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词);狠打;怦怦地跳;全力支持
参考例句:
  • Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
19 anonymous lM2yp     
adj.无名的;匿名的;无特色的
参考例句:
  • Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
  • The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。
20 precarious Lu5yV     
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的
参考例句:
  • Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
  • He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家,他过得是朝不保夕的生活。
21 countless 7vqz9L     
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的
参考例句:
  • In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
  • I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。
22 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
23 bluff ftZzB     
v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗
参考例句:
  • His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
  • John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。
24 tightening 19aa014b47fbdfbc013e5abf18b64642     
上紧,固定,紧密
参考例句:
  • Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前,检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
  • It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。
25 poked 87f534f05a838d18eb50660766da4122     
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
参考例句:
  • She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
  • His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 tug 5KBzo     
v.用力拖(或拉);苦干;n.拖;苦干;拖船
参考例句:
  • We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
  • The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
27 exhaling 7af647e9d65b476b7a2a4996fd007529     
v.呼出,发散出( exhale的现在分词 );吐出(肺中的空气、烟等),呼气
参考例句:
  • Take a deep breath inhaling slowly and exhaling slowly. 深呼吸,慢慢吸进,慢慢呼出。 来自互联网
  • Unclasp your hands and return to the original position while exhaling. 呼气并松开双手恢复到原位。 来自互联网
28 cuff 4YUzL     
n.袖口;手铐;护腕;vt.用手铐铐;上袖口
参考例句:
  • She hoped they wouldn't cuff her hands behind her back.她希望他们不要把她反铐起来。
  • Would you please draw together the snag in my cuff?请你把我袖口上的裂口缝上好吗?
29 cuffs 4f67c64175ca73d89c78d4bd6a85e3ed     
n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打,拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • a collar and cuffs of white lace 带白色蕾丝花边的衣领和袖口
  • The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. 他衬衣的袖口磨破了。
30 winced 7be9a27cb0995f7f6019956af354c6e4     
赶紧避开,畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子,疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
  • He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。
31 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
32 custody Qntzd     
n.监护,照看,羁押,拘留
参考例句:
  • He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
  • He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后,他立即被押了起来。
33 rhythmically 4f33fe14f09ad5d6e6f5caf7b15440cf     
adv.有节奏地
参考例句:
  • A pigeon strutted along the roof, cooing rhythmically. 一只鸽子沿着屋顶大摇大摆地走,有节奏地咕咕叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Exposures of rhythmically banded protore are common in the workings. 在工作面中常见有韵律条带“原矿石”。 来自辞典例句
34 stifling dhxz7C     
a.令人窒息的
参考例句:
  • The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热,光景是要下雨。
  • We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里,简直透不过气来。
35 tavern wGpyl     
n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店
参考例句:
  • There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。
  • Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。
36 screeching 8bf34b298a2d512e9b6787a29dc6c5f0     
v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 );发出粗而刺耳的声音;高叫
参考例句:
  • Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。
  • the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景


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