璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第122章

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ough　it　all；　Kelly　was　there；　encouraging　her；　trying　hard　not　to　be　overpowering　and　mainly　succeeding。　A　quiet　word；　a　gentle　touch；　and　a　smile　were　his　tools。　She　was　soon　aping　his　habit　of　rising　before　dawn。　He　started　getting　her　to　exercise。　This　came　very　hard　indeed。　Though　basically　healthy；　she　hadn‘t　run　more　than　half　a　block　in　years；　and　so　he　made　her　walk　around　the　island；　starting　with　two　laps；　by　the　end　of　the　week　up　to　five。　She　spent　her　afternoons　in　the　sun；　and　without　much　to　wear　she　most　often　did　so　in　her　panties　and　bra。　She　acquired　the　beginnings　of　a　tan；　and　never　seemed　to　notice　the　thin；　pale　marks　on　her　back　that　made　Kelly‘s　blood　chill　with　anger。　She　began　to　pay　more　serious　attention　to　her　appearance；　showering　and　washing　her　hair　at　least　once　per　day；　brushing　it　out　to　a　silky　gloss；　and　Kelly　was　always　there　to　ment　on　it。　Not　once　did　she　appear　to　need　the　phenobarbital　Sarah　had　left　behind。　Perhaps　she　struggled　once　or　twice；　but　by　using　exercise　instead　of　chemicals；　she　worked　herself　onto　a　normal　wake…sleep　routine。　Her　smiles　acquired　more　confidence；　and　twice　he　caught　her　looking　into　the　mirror　with　something　other　than　pain　in　her　eyes。
‘Pretty　nice；　isn‘t　it？‘　he　asked　Saturday　evening；　just　after　her　shower。
‘Maybe；‘　she　allowed。
Kelly　lifted　a　b　from　the　sink　and　started　going　through　her　wet　hair。　‘The　sun　has　really　lightened　it　up　for　you。‘
‘It　took　a　while　to　get　all　the　dirt　out；‘　she　said；　relaxing　to　his　touch。
Kelly　struggled　with　a　tangle；　careful　not　to　pull　too　hard。　‘But　it　did　e　out；　Pammy；　didn‘t　it？‘
‘Yeah；　I　guess　so；　maybe；‘　she　told　the　face　in　the　mirror。
‘How　hard　was　that　to　say；　honey？‘
‘Pretty　hard。‘　A　smile；　a　real　one　with　warmth　and　conviction。
Kelly　set　the　b　down　and　kissed　the　base　of　her　neck；　letting　her　watch　in　the　mirror。　Kelly　got　the　b　back　and　continued　his　work。　It　struck　him　as　very　unmanly；　but　he　loved　doing　this。　‘There；　all　straight；　no　tangles。‘
‘You　really　ought　to　buy　a　hair…dryer。‘
Kelly　shrugged。　‘I‘ve　never　needed　one。‘
Pam　turned　around　and　took　his　hands。　‘You　will；　if　you　still　want　to。‘
He　was　quiet　for　perhaps　ten　seconds；　and　when　he　spoke；　the　words　didn‘t　quite　e　out　at　they　should；　for　now　the　fear　was　his。　‘You　sure？‘
‘Do　you　still　…‘
‘Yes！‘　It　was　hard　lifting　her　with　wet　hair；　still　nude　and　damp　from　the　shower；　but　a　man　had　to　hold　his　woman　at　a　time　like　this。　She　was　changing。　Her　ribs　were　less　pronounced。　She‘d　gained　weight　on　a　regular；　healthy　diet。　But　it　was　the　person　inside　who　had　changed　the　most。　Kelly　wondered　what　miracle　had　taken　place；　afraid　to　believe　that　he　was　part　of　it；　but　knowing　that　it　was　so。　He　set　her　down　after　a　moment；　looking　at　the　mirth　in　her　eyes；　proud　that　he‘d　helped　to　put　it　there。
‘I　have　my　rough　edges；　too；‘　Kelly　warned　her；　unaware　of　the　look　in　his　eyes。
‘I‘ve　seen　most　of　them；‘　she　assured　him。　Her　hands　started　rubbing　over　his　chest；　tanned　and　matted　with　dark　hair；　marked　with　scars　from　bat　operations　in　a　faraway　place。　Her　scars　were　inside；　but　so　were　some　of　his；　and　together　each　would　heal　the　other。　Pam　was　sure　of　that　now。　She‘d　begun　to　look　at　the　future　as　more　than　a　dark　place　where　she　could　hide　and　forget。　It　was　now　a　place　of　hope。
C6
　　　　CHAPTER　6
Ambush
The　rest　was　easy。　They　made　a　quick　boat　trip　to　Solomons；　where　Pam　was　able　to　buy　a　few　simple　things。　A　beauty　shop　trimmed　her　hair。　By　the　end　of　her　second　week　with　Kelly；　she‘d　started　to　run　and　had　gained　weight。　Already　she　could　wear　a　two…piece　swimsuit　without　an　overt　display　of　her　rib　cage。　Her　leg　muscles　were　toning　up；　what　had　been　slack　was　now　taut；　as　it　ought　to　be　on　a　girl　her　age。　She　still　had　her　demons。　Twice　Kelly　woke　to　find　her　trembling；　sweating；　and　murmuring　sounds　that　never　quite　turned　into　words　but　were　easily　understood。　Both　times　his　touch　calmed　her；　but　not　him。　Soon　he　was　teaching　her　to　run　Springer；　and　whatever　the　defects　in　her　schooling；　she　was　smart　enough。　She　quickly　grasped　how　to　do　the　things　that　most　boaters　never　learned。　He　even　took　her　swimming；　surprised　somehow　that　she‘d　learned　the　skill　in　the　middle　of　Texas。
Mainly　he　loved　her；　the　sight；　the　sound；　the　smell；　and　most　of　all　the　feel　of　Pam　Madden。　Kelly　found　himself　slightly　anxious　if　he　failed　to　see　her　every　few　minutes；　as　though　she　might　somehow　disappear。　But　she　was　always　there；　catching　his　eye；　smiling　back　playfully。　Most　of　the　time。　Sometimes　he‘d　catch　her　with　a　different　expression；　allowing　herself　to　look　back　into　the　darkness　of　her　past　or　forward　into　an　alternate　future　different　from　that　which　he　had　already　planned。　He　found　himself　wishing　that　he　could　reach　into　her　mind　and　remove　the　bad　parts；　knowing　that　he　would　have　to　trust　others　to　do　that。　At　those　times；　and　the　others；　for　the　most　part；　he‘d　find　an　excuse　to　head　her　way；　and　let　his　fingertips　glide　over　her　shoulder；　just　to　be　sure　she　knew　that　he　was　there。
Ten　days　after　Sam　and　Sarah　had　left；　they　had　a　little　ceremony。　He　let　her　take　the　boat　out；　tie　the　bottle　of　phenobarbital　to　a　large　rock；　and　dump　it　over　the　side。　The　splash　it　made　seemed　a　fitting　and　final　end　to　one　of　her　problems。　Kelly　stood　behind　her；　his　strong　arms　about　her　waist；　watching　the　other　boats　traveling　the　Bay；　and　he　looked　into　a　future　bright　with　promise。　
‘You　were　right；‘　she　said；　stroking　his　forearms。　
‘That　happens　sometimes；‘　Kelly　replied　with　a　distant　smile；　only　to　be　stunned　by　her　next　statement。
‘There　are　others；　John；　other　women　Henry　has　。。。　like　Helen；　the　one　he　killed。‘　
‘What　do　you　mean？‘
‘I　have　to　go　back。　I　have　to　help　them。。。　before　Henry　…　before　he　kills　more　of　them。‘　
‘There‘s　danger　involved；　Pammy；‘　Kelly　said　slowly。　
‘I　know。。。　but　what　about　them？‘　
It　was　a　symptom　of　her　recovery；　Kelly　knew。　She　had　bee　a　normal　person　again；　and　normal　people　worried　about　others。
‘I　can‘t　hide　forever；　can　I？‘　Kelly　could　feel　her　fear；　but　her　words　defied　it　and　he　held　her　a　little　tighter。
‘No；　you　can‘t；　not　really。　That‘s　the　problem。　It‘s　too　hard　to　hide。‘
‘Are　you　sure　you　can　trust　your　friend　on　the　police？‘　she　asked。
‘Yes：　he　knows　me。　He‘s　a　lieutenant　I　did　a　job　for　a　year　ago。　A　gun　got　tossed；　and　I　helped　find　it。　So　he　owes　me　one。　Besides；　I　ended　up　helping　to　train　their　divers；　and　I　made　some　friends。‘　Kelly　paused。　‘You　don‘t　have　to　do　it；　Pam。　If　you　just　want　to　walk　away　from　it；　that‘s　okay　with　me。　I　don‘t　have　to　go　back　to　Baltimore　ever；　except　for　the　doctor　stuff。‘
‘All　the　things　they　did　to　me；　they‘re　doing　to　the　others。　If　I　don‘t　do　something；　then　it‘ll　never　really　be　gone；　will　it？‘
Kelly　thought　about　that；　and　his　own　demons。　You　simply　could　not　run　away　from　some　things。　He　knew。　He‘d　tried。　Pam‘s　collection　was　in　its　way　more　horrible　than　his　own；　and　if　their　relationship　were　to　go　further；　those　demons　had　to　find　their　resting　place。　‘Let　me　make　a　phone　call。‘
‘Lieutenant　Allen；‘　the　man　said　into　his　phone　in　Western　District。　The　air　conditioning　wasn‘t　working　well　today；　and　his　desk　was　piled　with　work　as　yet　undone。
‘Frank？　John　Kelly；‘　the　detective　heard；　bringing　a　smile。
‘How‘s　life　in　the　middle　of　the　Bay；　fella？‘　Wouldn‘t　I　like　to　be　there。
‘Quiet　and　lazy。　How　about　you？‘　the　voice　asked。
‘I　wish；‘　Allen　answered；　leaning　back　in　his　swivel　chair。　A　large　man；　and　like　most　cops　of　his　generation；　a　World　War　II　Veteran　…　in　his　case　a　Marine　artilleryman　…　Allen　had　risen　from　foot　patrol　on　East　Monument　Street　to　homicide。　For　all　that；　the　work　was　not　as　demanding　as　most　thought；　though　it　did　carry　the　burden　associated　with　the　untimely　end　of　human　life。　Allen　immediately　noted　the　change　in　Kelly‘s　voice。　‘What　can　I　do　for　you？‘
‘I；　uh；　met　somebody　who　might　need　to　talk　with　you。‘
‘How　so？‘　the　cop　asked；　fishing　around　in　his　shirt　pocket　for　a　cigarette　and　matches。
‘It‘s　business；　Frank。　Information　regarding　a　killing。‘
The　cop‘s　eyes　narrowed　a　bit；　while　his　brain　changed　gears。　‘When　and　where？‘
‘I　don‘t　know　yet；　and　I　don‘t　like　doing　this　over　a　phone　line。‘
‘How　serious？‘
‘Just　between　us　for　now？‘
Allen　nodded；　staring　out　the　window。　‘That‘s　fine；　okay。‘
‘Drug　people。‘
Allen‘s　mind　went　click。　Kelly　had　said　his　informant　was　‘so
‘My　friend　doesn‘t　want　much　involvement。　Just　some　information　for　you；　that‘s　it；　Frank。　If　it　goes　further；　we　can　reevaluate　then。　We‘re　talking　some　scary　people　if　this　story　is　true。‘
Allen　considered　that。　He‘d　never　dwelt　upon　Kelly‘s　background；　but　he　knew　enough。　Kelly　was　a　trained　diver；　he　knew；　a　bosun‘s　mate　who‘d　fought　in　the　brown…water　Navy　in　the　Mekong　Delta；　supporting　the　9th　Infantry；　a　squid；　but　a　very　petent；　careful　squid　whose　services　had　e　highly　remended　to　the　force　from　somebody　in　the　Pentagon　and　who‘d　done　a　nice　job　retraining　the　force‘s　divers；　and；　by　the　way；　earning　a　nice　check　for　it；　Allen　reminded　himself。　The　‘person‘　had　to　be　female。　Kelly　would　never　wor