Страница 35 из 46
I dont know.
Say it again.
What?
Say it again. I dont know.
I dont know.
That's good. You need to practice that. It sounds good on you.
Later he went out and drove down to the quickstop. When he pulled back into the motel he sat there studying the cars in the lot. Then he got out.
He walked down to her room and tapped at the door. He waited. He tapped again. He saw the curtain move and then she opened the door. She stood there in the same jeans and T-shirt. She looked like she'd just woken up.
I know you aint old enough to drink but I thought I'd see if you wanted a beer.
Yeah, she said. I'd drink a beer.
He lifted one of the cold bottles out of the brown paper bag and handed it to her. Here you go, he said.
He'd already turned to go. She stepped out and let the door shut behind her. You dont need to rush off thataway, she said.
He stopped on the lower step.
You got another one of these in that sack?
Yeah. I got two more. And I aim to drink both of em.
I just meant maybe you could set here and drink one of em with me.
He squinted at her. You ever notice how women have trouble takin no for a answer? I think it starts about age three.
What about men?
They get used to it. They better.
I wont say a word. I'll just set here.
You wont say a word.
No.
Well that's already a lie.
Well I wont say hardly nothin. I'll be real quiet.
He sat on the step and pulled one of the beers from the bag and twisted off the cap and tilted the bottle and drank. She sat on the next step up and did the same.
You sleep a lot? he said.
I sleep when I get the chance. Yeah. You?
I aint had a night's sleep in about two weeks. I dont know what it would feel like. I think it's begi
You dont look stupid to me.
Well, that's by your lights.
What does that mean?
Nothin. I'm just raggin you. I'll quit.
You aint got drugs in that satchel have you?
No. Why? You use drugs?
I'd smoke some weed if you had some.
Well I aint.
That's all right.
Moss shook his head. He drank.
I just meant it's all right we could just set out here and drink a beer.
Well I'm glad to hear that's all right.
Where are you headin? You aint never said.
Hard to say.
You aint goin to California though, are you?
No. I aint.
I didnt think so.
I'm goin to El Paso.
I thought you didnt know where you was goin.
Maybe I just decided.
I dont think so.
Moss didnt answer.
This is nice settin out here, she said.
I guess it depends on where you been settin.
You aint just got out of the penitentiary or somethin have you?
I just got off of death row. They'd done shaved my head for the electric chair. You can see where it's started to grow back.
You're full of it.
Be fu
Is the law huntin you?
Everbody's huntin me.
What did you do?
I been pickin up young girls hitchhikin and buryin em out in the desert.
That aint fu
You're right. It aint. I was just pullin your leg.
You said you'd quit.
I will.
Do you ever tell the truth?
Yeah. I tell the truth.
You're married, aint you?
Yeah.
What's your wife's name?
Carla Jean.
Is she in El Paso?
Yeah.
Does she know what you do for a livin?
Yeah. She knows. I'm a welder.
She watched him. To see what else he would say. He didnt say anything.
You aint no welder, she said.
Why aint I?
What have you got that machinegun for?
Cause they's some bad people after me.
What did you do to em?
I took somethin that belongs to em and they want it back.
That dont sound like weldin to me.
It dont, does it? I guess I hadnt thought of that.
He sipped the beer. Holding it by the neck between his thumb and forefinger.
And that's what's in that bag. Aint it?
Hard to say.
Are you a safecracker?
A safecracker?
Yeah.
Whatever give you that notion?
I dont know. Are you?
No.
Well you're somethin. Aint you?
Everbody's somethin.
You ever been to California?
Yeah. I been to California. I got a brother lives there.
Does he like it?
I dont know. He lives there.
You wouldnt live there though, would you?
No.
You think that's where I ought to go?
He looked at her and looked away again. He stretched his legs out on the concrete and crossed his boots and looked out across the parking lot toward the highway and the lights on the highway. Darlin, he said, how in the hell would I know where you ought to go?
Yeah. Well, I appreciate you givin me that money.
You're welcome.
You didnt have to do that.
I thought you wasnt goin to talk.
All right. That's a lot of money though.
It aint half what you think it is. You'll see.
I wont blow it in. I need money to get me a place to stay.
You'll be all right.
I hope so.
Best way to live in California is to be from somewheres else. Probably the best way is to be from Mars.
I hope not. Cause I aint.
You'll be all right.
Can I ask you somethin?
Yeah. Go ahead.
How old are you?
Thirty-six.
That's pretty old. I didnt know you was that old.
I know. It kind of took me by surprise my own self.
I got a feelin I ought to be afraid of you but I aint.
Well. I cant advise you on that neither. Most people'll run from their own mother to get to hug death by the neck. They cant wait to see him.
I guess that's what you think I'm doin.
I dont even want to know what you're doin.
I wonder where I'd be right now if I hadnt of met you this mornin.
I dont know.
I was always lucky. About stuff like that. About meetin people.
Well, I wouldnt speak too soon.
Why? You fixin to bury me out in the desert?
No. But there's a lot of bad luck out there. You hang around long enough and you'll come in for your share of it.
I think I done have. I believe I'm due for a change. I might even be overdue.
Yeah? Well you aint.
Why do you say that?
He looked at her. Let me tell you somethin, little sister. If there is one thing on this planet that you dont look like it's a bunch of good luck walkin around.
That's a hateful thing to say.
No it aint. I just want you to be careful. We get to El Paso I'm goin to drop you at the bus station. You got money. You dont need to be out here hitchhikin.
All right.
All right.
Would you of done what you said back yonder? About if I had of took your truck?
What's that?
You know. About beatin the crap out of me.
No.
I didn't think so.
You want to split this last beer?
All right.
Run in there and get a cup. I'll be back in a minute.
All right. You aint changed your mind have you?
About what?
You know about what.
I dont change my mind. I like to get it right the first time.
He rose and started up the walkway. She stood at the door. I'll tell you somethin I heard in a movie one time, she said.
He stopped and turned. What's that?
There's a lot of good salesmen around and you might buy somethin yet.
Well darlin you're just a little late. Cause I done bought. And I think I'll stick with what I got.
He went on up the walkway and climbed the stairs and went in.
The Barracuda pulled into a truckstop outside of Balmorhea and drove into the bay of the adjoining carwash. The driver got out and shut the door and looked at it. There was blood and other matter streaked over the glass and over the sheet-metal and he walked out and got quarters from a change-machine and came back and put them in the slot and took down the wand from the rack and washed the car and rinsed it off and got back in and pulled out onto the highway going west.