璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第154章

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not　friendship　but　mere　association。　The　philosophical　observations　he　put　aside。　If　Lamarck　never　took　off　his　coat；　he　had　to　be　carrying　a　weapon。
Just　after　midnight；　Kelly　put　his　coat　back　on　and　made　yet　another　trip　to　the　men‘s　room。　In　the　toilet　stall　he　took　the　automatic　he‘d　hidden　inside　his　slacks　and　moved　it　to　the　waistband。　Two　beers　in　four　hours；　he　thought。　His　liver　ought　to　have　eliminated　the　alcohol　from　his　system；　and　even　if　it　hadn‘t；　two　beers　should　not　have　had　much　effect　on　one　as　bulky　as　he。　It　was　an　important　statement　which；　he　hoped；　wasn‘t　a　lie。
His　timing　was　good。　Washing　his　hands　for　the　fifth　time；　Kelly　saw　the　door　open　in　the　mirror。　Only　the　back　of　the　man‘s　head；　but　under　the　dark　hair　was　a　white　suit；　and　so　Kelly　waited；　taking　his　time　until　he　heard　the　urinal　flush。　A　sanitary　sort　of　fellow；　the　man　turned；　and　their　eyes　met　in　the　mirror。
‘Excuse　me；‘　Pierre　Lamarck　said。　Kelly　stepped　away　from　the　sink；　still　drying　his　hands　with　a　paper　towel。
‘I　like　the　ladies；‘　he　said　quietly。
‘Hmph？‘　Lamarck　had　no　less　than　six　drinks　in　him；　and　his　liver　had　not　been　up　to　the　task；　which　didn‘t　prevent　his　self…admiration　in　the　dirty　mirror。
‘The　ones　that　e　up　to　you。‘　Kelly　lowered　his　voice。　‘They；　uh；　work　for　you；　like？‘
‘You　might　say　that；　my　man。‘　Lamarck　took　out　a　black　plastic　b　to　readjust　his　coiffeur。　‘Why　do　you　ask？‘
‘I　might　need　a　few；‘　Kelly　said　with　embarrassment。
‘A　few？　You　sure　you　can　handle　that；　my　man？‘　Lamarck　asked　with　a　sly　grin。
‘Some　friends　in　town　with　me。　One‘s　having　a　birthday；　and　…‘
‘A　party；‘　the　pimp　observed　pleasantly。
‘That‘s　right。‘　Kelly　tried　to　be　shy；　but　mainly　came　off　as　being　awkward。　The　error　worked　in　his　favor。
‘Well；　why　didn‘t　you　say　so？　How　many　ladies　do　you　require；　sir？‘
"；Three；　maybe　four。　Talk　about　it　outside？　I　could　use　some　air。‘
‘Sure　thing。　Just　let　me　wash　my　hands；　okay？‘
‘I‘ll　be　outside　the　front　door。‘
The　street　was　quiet。　Busy　city　though　New　Orleans　might　be；　it　was　still　the　middle　of　the　week；　and　the　sidewalks；　while　not　empty；　weren‘t　crowded　either。　Kelly　waited；　looking　away　from　the　bar‘s　entrance　until　he　felt　a　friendly　hand　on　his　back。
‘It‘s　nothing　to　be　embarrassed　about。　We　all　like　to　have　a　little　fun；　especially　when　we‘re　away　from　home；　right？‘
‘I‘ll　pay　top　dollar；‘　Kelly　promised　with　an　uneasy　smile。
Lamarck　grinned；　like　the　man　of　the　world　he　was；　to　put　this　chicken　farmer　at　ease。　‘With　my　ladies；　you　have　to。　Anything　else　you　might　need？‘
Kelly　coughed　and　took　a　few　steps；　willing　Lamarck　to　follow；　which　he　did。　‘Maybe　some；　well；　something　to　help　us　party；　like？‘
‘I　can　handle　that；　too；‘　Lamarck　said　as　they　approached　an　alley。
‘I　think　I　met　you　before；　couple　years　back。　I　remember　the　girl；　really；　her　name　was　。。。　Pam？　Yeah；　Pam。　Thin；　tawny　hair。‘
‘Oh；　yeah；　she　was　fun。　She‘s　not　with　me　anymore；‘　Lamarck　said　lightly。　‘But　I　have　lots　more。　I　cater　to　the　men　who　like　‘em　young　and　fresh。‘
‘I‘m　sure　you　do；‘　Kelly　said；　reaching　behind　his　back。　‘They‘re　all　on　…　I　mean　they　all　use　things　that　make　it　…　‘
‘Happy　stuff；　man。　So　they‘re　always　in　the　mood　to　party。　A　lady　has　to　have　the　proper　attitude。‘　Lamarck　stopped　at　the　entrance　to　the　alley；　looking　outward；　maybe　worried　about　cops；　which　suited　Kelly　just　fine。　Behind　him；　he　had　not　troubled　to　see；　was　a　dark；　scarcely　lit　corridor　of　blank　brick　walls；　inhabited　by　nothing　more　than　trash　cans　and　stray　cats；　and　open　at　the　far　end。　‘Let‘s　see。　Four　girls；　rest　of　the　evening；　shall　we　say；　and　something　to　help　get　the　party　started　。。。　five　hundred　should　do　it。　My　girls　aren‘t　cheap；　but　you　will　get　your　money‘s　…‘
‘Both　hands　in　the　open；‘　Kelly　said；　the　Colt　automatic　leveled　twelve　inches　from　the　man‘s　chest。
Lamarck‘s　first　response　was　a　disbelieving　bluster：
‘My　man；　that　is　a　very　foolish　…‘
Kelly‘s　voice　was　all　business。　‘Arguing　with　a　gun　is　even　more　foolish；　my　man。　Turn；　walk　down　the　alley；　and　you　might　even　make　it　back　to　the　bar　for　a　nightcap。‘
‘You　must　need　money　real　bad　to　try　something　this　dumb；‘　the　pimp　said；　trying　an　implied　threat。
‘Your　roll　worth　dying　for？‘　Kelly　asked　reasonably。　Lamarck　measured　the　odds　and　turned；　moving　into　the　shadows。
‘Stop；‘　Kelly　told　him　after　fifty　yards；　still　behind　the　blank　wall　of　the　bar；　or　perhaps　another　just　like　it。　His　left　arm　grabbed　the　man‘s　neck　and　pushed　him　against　the　bricks。　His　eyes　looked　up　and　down　the　alley　three　times。　His　ears　searched　for　sounds　separate　from　traffic　noise　and　distorted　music。　For　the　moment　it　was　a　safe　and　quiet　place。　‘Hand　me　your　gun　…　real　careful。‘
‘I　don‘t　…‘　The　sound　of　a　hammer　being　cocked　sounded　awfully　loud；　that　close　to　his　ear。
‘Do　I　look　stupid？‘
‘Okay；　okay；‘　Lamarck　said；　his　voice　losing　its　smooth　edge　now。　‘Let‘s　be　real　cool。　It‘s　only　money。‘
‘That‘s　smart；‘　Kelly　said　approvingly。　A　small　automatic　appeared。　Kelly　put　his　right　index　finger　into　the　trigger　guard。　There　was　no　sense　in　putting　fingerprints　on　the　weapon。　He　was　taking　enough　chances；　and　as　careful　as　he‘d　been　to　this　point；　the　dangers　of　his　action　were　suddenly　very　real　and　very　large。　The　pistol　fit　nicely　into　his　coat　pocket。
‘Let‘s　see　the　roll　next。‘
‘Right　here；　man。‘　Lamarck　was　starting　to　lose　it。　That　was　both　good　and　bad；　Kelly　thought。　Good　because　it　was　pleasing　to　see。　Bad　because　a　panicked　man　might　do　something　foolish。　Instead　of　relaxing；　Kelly　actually　became　more　tense。
‘Thank　you；　Mr　Lamarck；‘　Kelly　said　politely；　to　calm　the　man。
Just　then　he　wavered；　and　his　head　turned　a　few　inches　or　so；　as　his　consciousness　asserted　itself　through　the　six　drinks　he‘d　had　this　evening。　‘Wait　a　minute　…　you　said　you　knew　Pam。‘
‘I　did；‘　Kelly　said。
‘But　why…‘　He　turned　farther　to　see　a　face　that　was　bathed　in　darkness；　only　eyes　showing　with　light　glistening　off　their　moisture；　and　the　rest　of　the　face　a　shadow　white。
‘You‘re　one　of　the　guys　who　ruined　her　life。‘
Outrage：　‘Hey；　man　she　came　to　me！‘
‘And　you　got　her　on　pills　so　she　could　party　real　good；　right？‘　the　disembodied　voice　asked。　Lamarck　could　hardly　remember　what　the　man　looked　like　now。
‘That　was　business；　so　you　met　her；　so　she　was　a　good　fuck；　right？‘
‘She　certainly　was。‘
‘I　shoulda　trained　her　better　an‘　you　coulda　had　her　again　insteada　…　was；　you　say？‘
‘She‘s　dead；‘　Kelly　told　him；　reaching　in　his　pocket。　‘Somebody　killed　her。‘
‘So？　I　didn‘t　do　it！‘　It　seemed　to　Lamarck　that　he　was　facing　a　final　exam；　a　test　he　didn‘t　understand；　based　on　rules　he　didn‘t　know。
‘Yes；　I　know　that；‘　Kelly　said；　screwing　the　silencer　onto　the　pistol。　Lamarck　saw　that　somehow；　his　eyes　making　the　adjustment　to　the　darkness。　His　voice　became　a　shrill　rasp。
‘Then　what　are　you　doing　this　for？‘　the　man　said；　too　puzzled　even　to　scream；　too　paralyzed　by　the　incongruity　of　the　past　few　minutes；　by　the　passage　of　his　life　from　the　normality　of　his　hangout　bar　to　its　end　only　forty　feet　away　in　front　of　a　windowless　brick　wall；　and　he　had　to　have　an　answer。　Somehow　it　was　more　important　than　the　escape；　whose　attempt　he　knew　to　be　futile。
Kelly　thought　about　that　for　a　second　or　two。　He　could　have　said　many　things；　but　it　was　only　fair；　he　decided；　to　tell　the　man　the　truth　as　the　gun　came　up　quickly　and　finally。
‘Practice。‘
C14
　　　　CHAPTER　14
Lessons　Learned
The　early　flight　back　from　New　Orleans　to　Washington　National　was　too　short　for　a　movie；　and　Kelly　had　already　eaten　breakfast。　He　settled　on　a　glass　of　juice　at　his　window　seat　and　was　thankful　that　the　flight　was　only　about　a　third　full　as；　after　every　bat　action　of　his　life；　he　went　over　every　detail。　It　was　a　habit　that　had　begun　in　the　SEALs。　Following　every　training　exercise　there　had　been　an　event　called　various　things　by　his　various　manders。　‘Performance　Critique‘　seemed　most　appropriate　at　the　moment。
His　first　mistake　had　been　the　product　of　something　desired　and　something　forgotten。　In　wanting　to　see　Lamarck　die　in　the　darkness；　he‘d　stood　too　close；　simultaneously　forgetting　that　head　wounds　often　bleed　explosively。　He‘d　jumped　out　of　the　way　of　the　spouting　blood　like　a　child　avoiding　a　wasp　in　his　backyard；　but　had　still　not　escaped　it　entirely。　The　good　news　was　that　he‘d　made　only　that　one　mistake；　and　his　selection　of　dark　clothing　had　mitigated　the　danger　there。　Lamarck‘s　wounds　had　been　immediately　and　definitively　fatal。　The　pimp　had　fallen　to　the　ground　as　limp　as　a　rag　doll。　The　two　screws　that　Kelly　had　drilled　in　the　top　of　his　pistol　held　a　small　cloth　bag　he‘d　sewn　himself；　and　the　bag　had　caught　the　two　ejected　cartridge　cases；　leaving　the　police　who‘d　investigate　the　scene　without　that　valuable　bit　of　evidence。　His　stalk　had　been　effectively　carried　out；　just　one　more　anonymous　face　in　a　large　and　anonymous　bar。
His　hastily　selected　site　for　the　elimination　had　also　worked　well　enough。　He　remembered　walking　down　the　alley　and　blending　back　into　the　sidewalk　traffic；　walking　the　distance　to　his　car　and　driving　back　to　the　mote