He found his housekey, started to put it in the lock, and then pulled it out again. His hand went to the doorknob instead, and as his fingers closed over it, he felt a clear certainty that it would rotate easily. Shooter had been here ... had been, or was still. And he wouldn't have needed to force entry, either. Nope. Not this sucker. Mort kept a spare key to the Tashmore Lake house in an old soap-dish on a high shelf in the toolshed, which was where Shooter had gone to get a screwdriver¹ in a hurry when the time had come to nail poor old Bump to the garbage cabinet. He was in the house now, looking around ... or maybe hiding. He was

The knob refused to move; Mort's fingers simply slid around it. The door was still locked.

'Okay,' Mort said. 'Okay, no big deal.' He even laughed a little as he socked the key home and turned it. Just because the door was locked didn't mean Shooter wasn't in the house. In fact, it made it more likely that he was in the house, when you really stopped to think about it. He could have used the spare key, put it back, then locked the door from the inside to lull² his enemy's suspicions. All you had to do to lock it, after all, was to press the button set into the knob. He's trying to psych me out, Mort thought as he stepped in.

The house was full of dusty late-afternoon sunlight and silence. But it did not feel like unoccupied silence.

'You're trying to psych me out, aren't you?' he called. He expected to sound crazy to himself. a lonely, paranoid man addressing the intruder who only exists, after all, in his own imagination. But he didn't sound crazy to himself. He sounded, instead, like a man who has tumbled to at least half the trick. Only getting half a scam wasn't so great, maybe, but half was better than nothing.

He walked into the living room with its cathedral ceiling, its window-wall facing the lake, and, of course, The World-Famous Mort Rainey Sofa, also known as The Couch of the Comatose³ Writer. An economical little smile tugged⁴ at his cheeks. His balls felt high and tight against the fork of his groin.

'Half a scam's better than none, right, Mr Shooter?' he called.

The words died into dusty silence. He could smell old tobacco smoke in that dust. His eye happened on the battered⁵

点击收听单词发音  

1 screwdriver
n.螺丝起子；伏特加橙汁鸡尾酒
参考例句：
He took a screwdriver and teased out the remaining screws.他拿出螺丝刀把其余的螺丝卸了下来。 The electric drill can also be used as a screwdriver.这把电钻也可用作螺丝刀。

2 lull
v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇
参考例句：
The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。 Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

3 comatose
adj.昏睡的，昏迷不醒的
参考例句：
Those in extreme fear can be put into a comatose type state.那些极端恐惧的人可能会被安放进一种昏迷状态。 The doctors revived the comatose man.这个医生使这个昏睡的苏醒了。

4 tugged
v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。 A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 battered
adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损
参考例句：
He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。 The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

6 excavated
v.挖掘( excavate的过去式和过去分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘
参考例句：
The site has been excavated by archaeologists. 这个遗址已被考古学家发掘出来。 The archaeologists excavated an ancient fortress. 考古学家们发掘出一个古堡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 stink
vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭
参考例句：
The stink of the rotten fish turned my stomach.腐烂的鱼臭味使我恶心。 The room has awful stink.那个房间散发着难闻的臭气。

8 halfway
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。

9 decorative
adj.装饰的，可作装饰的
参考例句：
This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。 The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽，而且装饰效果很好。

10 jersey
n.运动衫
参考例句：
He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。 They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

11 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

12 knight
n.骑士，武士；爵士
参考例句：
He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。 A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

13 saluting
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
'Thank you kindly, sir,' replied Long John, again saluting. “万分感谢，先生。”高个子约翰说着又行了个礼。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛 He approached the young woman and, without saluting, began at once to converse with her. 他走近那年青女郎，马上就和她攀谈起来了，连招呼都不打。 来自辞典例句

14 ploy
n.花招，手段
参考例句：
I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。 Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。

15 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。

16 sockets
n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴
参考例句：
All new PCs now have USB sockets. 新的个人计算机现在都有通用串行总线插孔。 Make sure the sockets in your house are fingerproof. 确保你房中的插座是防触电的。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

17 grimace
v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭
参考例句：
The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。 Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。

18 trickling
n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动
参考例句：
Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。 The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 grooved
v.沟( groove的过去式和过去分词 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏
参考例句：
He was grooved in running errands for his neighbors. 他已习惯于为邻居跑腿。 来自辞典例句 The carpenter grooved the board. 木匠在木板上开槽。 来自辞典例句

20 gutters
（路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地
参考例句：
Gutters lead the water into the ditch. 排水沟把水排到这条水沟里。 They were born, they grew up in the gutters. 他们生了下来，以后就在街头长大。

21 buddy
n.（美口）密友，伙伴
参考例句：
Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？ Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

22 tightened
收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧
参考例句：
The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。 His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

23 muster
v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册
参考例句：
Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。 I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

24 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》

25 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

26 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

27 gaping
adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大
参考例句：
Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。 The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 syrup
n.糖浆，糖水
参考例句：
I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。 Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

29 iodine
n.碘，碘酒
参考例句：
The doctor painted iodine on the cut.医生在伤口上涂点碘酒。 Iodine tends to localize in the thyroid.碘容易集于甲状腺。

30 shrieked
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。 Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

31 sling
vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓
参考例句：
The boy discharged a stone from a sling.这个男孩用弹弓射石头。 By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。

32 corrugated
adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
a corrugated iron roof 波纹铁屋顶 His brow corrugated with the effort of thinking. 他皱着眉头用心地思考。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 squeal
v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音
参考例句：
The children gave a squeal of fright.孩子们发出惊吓的尖叫声。 There was a squeal of brakes as the car suddenly stopped.小汽车突然停下来时，车闸发出尖叫声。

34 slashed
v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减
参考例句：
Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。 He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 gash
v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝
参考例句：
The deep gash in his arm would take weeks to heal over.他胳膊上的割伤很深，需要几个星期的时间才能痊愈。 After the collision,the body of the ship had a big gash.船被撞后，船身裂开了一个大口子。

36 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

37 pry
vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起)
参考例句：
He's always ready to pry into other people's business.他总爱探听别人的事。 We use an iron bar to pry open the box.我们用铁棍撬开箱子。

38 scurrying
v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 )
参考例句：
We could hear the mice scurrying about in the walls. 我们能听见老鼠在墙里乱跑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We were scurrying about until the last minute before the party. 聚会开始前我们一直不停地忙忙碌碌。 来自辞典例句

39 hoarse
adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的
参考例句：
He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。 He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

40 gritting
v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的现在分词 )；咬紧牙关
参考例句：
Gritting my teeth, I did my best to stifle one or two remarks. 我咬紧牙关，硬是吞回了几句话。 来自辞典例句 It takes gritting your teeth. It takes discipline. 你得咬紧牙关，你得有严格的纪律。 来自辞典例句