Patrol Officer J. Hendricks, stocky, clean-cut, black as polished ebony.
Patrol Officer M. Minette, curvy, clean-cut, beige hair ponytailed.
Hendricks eyed the spot where Patrick Hauser had fallen. “So both of you aredoctors?” He stood just out of arm’s reach, notepad in hand. My back was to theglass wall. The diners who’d remained in the restaurant pretended not to stare.
An ambulance had come for Hauser. He’d greeted the EMTs by cursing andspitting and they’d restrained him on the gurney. Change had fallen out of hispocket. Two quarters and a penny remained on the deck.
“We’re both psychologists,” I said, “but as I said, I’ve never seen himbefore.”
“A total stranger assaulted you.”
“He was drunk. A brown Audi Quattro followed me home this afternoon. If youfind one in the parking lot, he stalked me, too.”
“All ’cause of this…” Hendricks consulted his notes, “this report you wrotehim up on.”
I retold the story, kept my sentences short and clear. Dropped Milo’s name. Again.
Hendricks said, “So you’re saying you hit him once under the nose with yourbare fist.”
“Heel of my hand.”
“That’s kind of a martial1 arts move.”
“It seemed the best way to handle it without inflicting2 serious damage.”
“That kind of blow could’ve inflicted3 real serious damage.”
“I was careful.”
“You a martial arts guy?”
“Not hardly.”
“A martial arts guy’s hands are like deadly weapons, Doctor.”
“I’m a psychologist.”
“Sounds like you moved pretty good.”
“It happened fast,” I said.
Scribble4 scribble.
I looked over at Officer Minette, listening to the busboy and writing aswell. She’d interviewed Robin5, first, then the waitress. I was Hendricks’sassignment.
No handcuffs, that was a good sign.
Minette let the busboy go and came over. “Everyone seems to be telling thesame story.” The narrative6 she recited matched what I’d told Hendricks. Herelaxed.
“Okay, Doctor. I’m going to make a call and verify your address with DMV.That checks out, you’re free to go.”
“You might check if Hauser’s got a Quattro.”
Hendricks looked at me. “I might do that, sir.”
I searched for Robin.
Minette said, “Your lady friend went to the little girls’ room. She said thevictim called her a slut.”
“He did.”
“That must’ve been irritating.”
“He was drunk,” I said. “I didn’t take him seriously.”
“Still,” she said. “That’s pretty annoying.”
“It wasn’t until he tried to hit me that I was forced to act.”
“Loser insults your date like that, some guys would have reacted stronger.”
“I’m a man of discretion7.”
She smiled. Her partner didn’t join in.
She said, “I think we’re finished here, John.”
As Robin and I walked through the restaurant, someone whispered, “That’s theguy.”
Once we got outside, I exhaled8. My ribs9 hurt. Hauser hadn’t touched me; I’dbeen holding in air for a long time. “What a disaster.”
Robin slipped her arm around my waist.
“You need to know,” I said, “that this was a civil case, nothing to do withpolice work.” I told her about the harassment10 charges against Hauser, myinterview of his victims, the report I’d written.
“Why do I need to know?” she said.
“The way you feel about the ugly stuff. This was out of the blue, Robin.”
We headed for the Sevilleand I scanned the lot for the brown Audi.
There it was, parked six slots south. The red letters on the bumper11 sticker said,Get Therapy.
I wanted to laugh but couldn’t. Wasn’t surprised when we reached the Seville and both of myrear tires were flat. No slash12 marks; the valves had been opened.
Robin said, “That’s pathetic.”
“I’ve got a pump in the trunk.”
Part of the emergency kit13 Milo and Rick hadgotten me last Christmas. Tire changing kit, flares14, orange Day-Glo roadmarkers, blankets, bottled water.
Rick taking me aside and confiding15, “I’d have picked a nice sweater, but acooler head prevailed.”
Milo’s voice bellowing16 from the corner of their living room: “Haberdasherydon’t cut it when you’re stranded17 out on some isolated18 road with no lights andwolves and God knows what other toothy carnivores are aiming their beady littlepredator eyes at your anatomy19, just waiting to—”
“Then why didn’t we get him a gun, Milo?”
“Next year. Some day you’ll thank me, Alex. You’re welcome in advance.”
I hooked up the pump and got to work.
When I was finished, Robin said, “The way you handled it—just enough todefuse the situation and no one got hurt. Classy.”
She took my face in her hands and kissed me hard.
We found a deli on Washington Boulevard, bought more takeout than we needed,drove back to Beverly Glen.
Robin walked into the house as if she lived there, entered the kitchen andset the table. We made it halfway20 through the food.
When she got out of bed, the movement woke me. Sweaty nap but my eyes weredry.
Through half-closed lids, I watched her slip on my ratty yellow robe and padaround the bedroom. Touching21 the tops of chairs and tables. Pausing by thedresser. Righting a framed print.
At the window, she drew back one side of the silk curtains she’d designed.She put her face against the glass, peered out at the foothills.
I said, “Pretty night.”
“The view,” she said without turning. “Still unobstructed.”
“Looks like it’s going to stay that way. Bob had his lower acre surveyed andit’s definitely unfit for construction.”
“Bob the Neighbor,” she said. “How’s he doing?”
“When he’s in town, he seems well.”
“Second home in Tahiti,” she said.
“Main home in Tahiti. Nothing likeinherited wealth.”
“That’s good news—about the view. I was hoping for that when I oriented theroom that way.” She let the curtain drop. Smoothed the pleats. “I did a decentjob with this place. Like living here?”
“Not as much as I used to.”
She cinched the robe tighter, half faced me. Her hair was wild, her lipsslightly swollen22. Faraway eyes.
“I thought it might be strange,” she said. “Coming back. It’s less strangethan I would’ve predicted.”
“It’s your place, too,” I said.
She didn’t answer.
“I mean it.”
She baby-stepped over to the far end of the bed, played with the edges ofthe comforter. “You haven’t thought that through.”
I hadn’t. “Sure I have. Many a long night.”
She shrugged23.
“The place echoes, Robin.”
“It always did. We were aiming for great acoustics24.”
“It can be musical,” I said. “Or not.”
She pulled at the comforter, squared the seam with the edge of the mattress25.“You do all right by yourself.”
“Says who?”
“You’ve always been self-contained.”
“Like hell.” My voice was harsh.
She looked up at me.
I said, “Come back. Keep the studio if you need privacy, but live here.”
She tugged26 at the comforter some more. Her mouth twisted into a shape Icouldn’t read. Loosening the robe, she let it fall to the floor, reconsidered,picked it up, folded it neatly27 over a chair. The organized mind of someone whoworks with power tools.
Fluffing her hair, she got back in bed.
“No pressure, just think about it,” I said.
“It’s a lot to digest.”
“You’re a tough kid.”
“Like hell.” Pressing her flank to mine, she laced her fingers and placedthem over her belly28.
I drew the covers over us.
“That’s better, thanks,” she said.
Neither of us moved.
收听单词发音 |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scribble
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| v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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exhaled
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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harassment
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| n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱 | |
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bumper
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| n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的 | |
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slash
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| vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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flares
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| n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开 | |
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confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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acoustics
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| n.声学，(复)音响效果，音响装置 | |
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mattress
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| n.床垫，床褥 | |
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tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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