6:45 AM
THE snowplow moved slowly along the two-lane road in the dark. Carl Osborne's Jaguar2 followed it. Toni was at the wheel of the Jag, peering ahead as the wipers struggled to clear away the thickly falling snow. The view through the windshield did not change. Straight ahead were the flashing lights of the snowplow; on her near side was the bank of snow freshly shoveled3 up by the blade; on the off side, virgin4 snow across the road and over the moors5 as far as the car's headlights reached.
Mother was asleep in the back with the puppy on her lap. Beside Toni, Carl was quiet, dozing6 or sulking. He had told Toni that he hated other people driving his car, but she had insisted, and he had been forced to yield, as she had the keys.
"You just never give an inch, do you?" he had muttered before sinking into silence.
"That's why I was such a good cop," she replied.
From the back, Mother said, "It's why you haven't got a husband."
That was more than an hour ago. Now Toni was struggling to stay awake, fighting the hypnotic sway of the wipers, the warmth from the heater, and the monotony of the view. She almost wished she had let Carl drive. But she needed to stay in control.
They had found the getaway vehicle at the Dew Drop Inn. It contained wigs7, false mustaches, and plain-lensed spectacles, obviously disguise materials; but no clues as to where the gang might be headed. The police car had stayed there while the officers questioned Vincent, the young hotel employee Toni had spoken to on the phone. The snowplow continued north, on Frank's instructions.
For once, Toni agreed with Frank. It made sense for the gang to switch cars at a location that was on their route, rather than delay their getaway with a diversion. Of course, there was always the possibility that they had foreseen how the police would think and deliberately8 chosen a location that would mislead pursuers. But in Toni's experience villains9 were not that subtle. Once they had the swag in their hands, they wanted to get away as fast as they could.
The snowplow did not stop when it passed stationary10 vehicles. There were two police officers in the cab with the driver, but they were under strict instructions to observe only, for they were not armed, and the gang were. Some of the cars were abandoned, others had one or two people inside, but so far none contained three men and a woman. Most of the occupied cars started up and fell in behind the snowplow, following the track it cleared. There was now a small convoy11 behind the Jaguar.
Toni was beginning to feel pessimistic. She had hoped by now to have spotted12 the gang. After all, by the time the thieves had left the Dew Drop Inn, the roads had been all but impassable. How far could they have got?
Could they have some kind of hideout nearby? It seemed improbable. Thieves did not like to go to earth close to the scene of the crime—quite the opposite. As the convoy moved north, Toni worried more and more that her guess was wrong, and the thieves might have driven south.
She spotted a familiar direction sign saying "Beach," and realized they must be near Steepfall. Now she had to put the second part of her plan into operation. She had to go to the house and brief Stanley.
She was dreading13 it. Her job was to prevent this kind of thing happening. She had done several things right: her vigilance had ensured that the theft was discovered sooner rather than later; she had forced the police to take the biohazard seriously and give chase; and Stanley had to be impressed by the way she had reached him in a blizzard14. But she wanted to be able to tell him that the perpetrators had been caught and the emergency was over. Instead, she was going to report her own failure. It would not be the joyous15 reunion she had anticipated.
Frank was at the Kremlin. Using Osborne's car phone, Toni dialed his mobile.
Frank's voice came out of the Jaguar's speakers. "Detective-Superintendent Hackett."
"Toni here. The snowplow is approaching the turnoff for Stanley Oxenford's house. I'd like to brief him on what's happened."
"You don't need my permission."
"I can't get him on the phone, but the house is only a mile down a side road—"
"Forget it. I've got an armed response team here now, bristling16 with firepower and itching17 to go. I'm not going to delay finding the gang."
"It will take the snowplow five or six minutes to clear the lane—and you'll get me out of your hair. And my mother."
"Tempting18 though that is, I'm not willing to hold up the search for five minutes."
"Stanley may be able to assist the investigation19 in some way. After all, he is the victim."
"The answer's no," Frank said, and he hung up.
Osborne had heard both sides of the conversation. "This is my car," he said. "I'm not going to Steepfall—I want to stay with the snowplow. I might miss something."
"You can stay with it. You'll leave me and my mother at the house and follow the plow1 back to the main road. When I've briefed Stanley, I'll borrow a car and catch you up."
"Well, Frank has nixed that scheme."
"I haven't played my ace20 yet." She dialed Frank again.
This time, his answer was abrupt21. "What?"
"Remember Farmer Johnny."
"Go to hell."
"I'm using a hands-free phone, and Carl Osborne is beside me, listening to us both. Where did you tell me to go, again?"
"Pick up the fucking phone."
Toni detached the handset from its cradle and put it to her ear, so that Carl could not hear Frank. "Call the snowplow driver, Frank, please."
"You bitch, you've always held the Farmer Johnny case over my head. You know he was guilty."
"Everyone knows that. But only you and I know what you did to get a conviction."
"You wouldn't tell Carl."
"He's listening to everything I say."
Frank's voice took on a sanctimonious22 note. "I suppose there's no point in talking to you about loyalty23."
"Not since the moment you told Carl about Fluffy24 the hamster."
That shot went home. Frank began to sound defensive25. "Carl wouldn't do the Farmer Johnny story. He's a mate."
"Your trust is deeply touching—him being a journalist, and all."
There was a long silence.
Toni said, "Make up your mind, Frank—the turning is just ahead. Either the snowplow diverts, or I spend the next hour briefing Carl on Farmer Johnny."
There was a click and a hum as Frank hung up.
Toni cradled the phone.
Carl said, "What was that all about?"
"If we drive past the next left turn, I'll tell you."
A few moments later, the snowplow turned onto the side road leading to Steepfall.
收听单词发音 |
1
plow
|
|
| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
jaguar
|
|
| n.美洲虎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
shoveled
|
|
| vt.铲，铲出（shovel的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
virgin
|
|
| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
moors
|
|
| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
dozing
|
|
| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
wigs
|
|
| n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
villains
|
|
| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
stationary
|
|
| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
convoy
|
|
| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
spotted
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
dreading
|
|
| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
blizzard
|
|
| n.暴风雪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
joyous
|
|
| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
bristling
|
|
| a.竖立的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
itching
|
|
| adj.贪得的，痒的，渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
tempting
|
|
| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
investigation
|
|
| n.调查，调查研究 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
ace
|
|
| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
abrupt
|
|
| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
sanctimonious
|
|
| adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
loyalty
|
|
| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
fluffy
|
|
| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
defensive
|
|
| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |