No Country for Old Men-第31章

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whats　happened；　marvin？

had　a　little　shoot…out。　you　know　anything　about　this？

i　dont　know。　you　got　any　victims？

they　left　out　of　here　about　a　half　hour　ago　in　the　ambulance。　two　men　and　a　woman。

the　woman　was　dead　and　the　one　boy　i　dont　think　is　goin　to　make　it　either。　the　other　　one　might。

do　you　know　who　they　were？

no。　one　of　the　men　was　mexican　and　were　waitin　for　a　registration　on　his　car　settin　　over　yonder。　wasnt　a　one　of　em　had　any　identification。　on　em　or　in　the　room　either　one。

what　does　this　man　say？

he　says　the　mexican　started　it。　says　he　drug　the　woman　out　of　her　room　and　the　other　　man　e　out　with　a　gun　but　when　he　seen　the　mexican　had　a　gun　pointed　at　the　　womans　head　he　laid　his　own　piece　down。　and　whenever　he　done　that　the　mexican　　shoved　the　woman　away　and　shot　her　and　then　turned　and　shot　him。　he　was　standin　in　　front　of　117；　right　yonder。　shot　em　with　a　goddamned　machinegun。　accordin　to　this　　witness　the　old　boy　fell　down　the　steps　and　then　he　picked　up　his　gun　again　and　shot　the　　mexican。　which　i　dont　see　how　he　done　it。　he　was　shot　all　to　pieces。　you　can　see　the　　blood　on　the　walkway　yonder。　we　had　a　real　good　response　time。　about　seven　minutes；　　i　think。　the　girl　was　just　shot　dead。

no　id。

no　id。　the　other　old　boys　truck　is　got　dealer　tags　on　it。

bell　nodded。　he　looked　at　the　witness。　the　witness　had　asked　for　a　cigarette　and　he　lit　it　　and　sat　smoking。　he　looked　pretty　fortable。　he　looked　as　if　hed　sat　in　the　back　of　　police　cruisers　before。

that　woman；　bell　said。　was　she　anglo？

yeah。　she　was　anglo。　had　blonde　hair。　sort　of　reddish；　maybe。

did　you　all　find　any　dope？

not　yet。　were　still　lookin。

any　money？

we　aint　found　nothin　yet。　the　girl　was　checked　into　121。　had　a　knapsack　with　some　　clothes　in　it　and　stuff　was　all。

bell　looked　down　the　row　of　motel　doors。　people　standing　around　in　small　groups　　talking。　he　looked　at　the　black　barracuda。

has　that　thing　got　anything　to　turn　them　tires　with？

id　say　it　would　turn　em　pretty　good。　its　got　a　four…forty　under　the　hood　with　a　blower　　on　it。

a　blower？

yep。

i　dont　see　one。

its　one　of　them　sidewinders。　its　all　under　the　hood。

bell　stood　looking　at　the　car。　then　he　turned　and　looked　at　the　sheriff。　can　you　get　　away　from　here　for　a　minute？

i　can。　what　did　you　have　in　mind？

i　just　thought　i　might　get　you　to　ride　over　to　the　clinic　with　me。

all　right。　just　ride　with　me。

thatll　be　fine。　let　me　just　park　my　cruiser　a　little　better。

hell；　its　all　right；　ed　tom。

let　me　just　pull　it　up　here　out　of　the　way。　you　dont　always　know　how　quick　youll　be　　back　when　you　set　off　someplace。

at　the　desk　the　sheriff　spoke　to　the　night　nurse　by　name。　she　looked　at　bell。

hes　up　here　to　make　a　identification；　the　sheriff　said。

she　nodded　and　rose　and　put　her　pencil　in　the　pages　of　the　book　she　was　reading。　two　　of　em　were　doa；　she　said。　they　flew　that　mexican　out　of　here　in　a　helicopter　about　　twenty　minutes　ago。　or　maybe　you　already　knew　that。

nobody　tells　me　nothin；　darlin；　the　sheriff　said。

they　followed　her　down　the　hallway。　there　was　a　thin　trail　of　blood　along　the　concrete　　floor。　they　wouldnt　of　been　hard　to　find；　would　they？　bell　said。

there　was　a　red　sign　at　the　end　of　the　hall　that　read　exit。　before　they　got　there　she　　turned　and　fitted　a　key　to　a　steel　door　on　the　left　and　opened　it　and　switched　on　the　light。

the　room　was　raw　concrete　block；　windowless　and　empty　save　for　three　steel　　machinists　tables　on　wheels。　on　two　of　them　lay　bodies　covered　with　plastic　sheets。

she　stood　with　her　back　to　the　open　door　while　they　filed　past。

he　aint　a　friend　of　yours　is　he　ed　tom？

no。

he　took　a　couple　of　rounds　in　the　face　so　i　dont　think　hes　goin　to　look　too　good。　not　　that　i　aint　seen　worse。　that　highway　out　there　is　a　goddamn　warzone；　you　tell　the　truth　　about　it。

he　pulled　back　the　sheet。　bell　walked　around　the　end　of　the　table。　there　was　no　chock　　under　mosss　neck　and　his　head　was　turned　to　the　side。　one　eye　partly　opened。　he　　looked　like　a　badman　on　a　slab。　theyd　sponged　the　blood　off　of　him　but　there　were　　holes　in　his　face　and　his　teeth　were　shot　out。

is　that　him？

yeah；　thats　him。

you　look　like　you　wished　it　wasnt。

i　get　to　tell　his　wife。

im　sorry　about　that。

bell　nodded。

well；　the　sheriff　said。　there　aint　nothin　you　could　of　done　about　it。

no；　bell　said。　but　you　always　like　to　think　there　is。

the　sheriff　covered　mosss　face　and　reached　and　lifted　back　the　plastic　at　the　other　table　　and　looked　at　bell。　bell　shook　his　head。

theyd　rented　two　rooms。　or　he　did。　paid　cash。　you　couldnt　read　the　name　on　the　　register。　just　a　scrawl。

his　name　was　moss。

all　right。　well　get　your　information　down　at　the　office。　kind　of　a　skankylookin　little　　old　girl。

yeah。

he　covered　her　face　again。　i　dont　reckon　his　wife　is　goin　to　like　that　part　of　it　neither；　he　　said。

no；　i　dont　expect　she　will。

the　sheriff　looked　at　the　nurse。　she　was　still　standing　leaning　against　the　door。　how　　many　times　was　she　hit？　he　said。　do　you　know？

no　i　dont；　sheriff。　you　can　look　at　her　if　you　want。　i　dont　mind　and　i　know　she　wont。

thats　all　right。　itll　be　on　the　autopsy。　are　you　ready；　ed　tom？

yeah。　i　was　ready　fore　i　e　in　here。

he　sat　in　the　sheriffs　office　alone　with　the　door　shut　and　stared　at　the　phone　on　the　desk。

finally　he　got　up　and　went　out。　the　deputy　looked　up。

hes　gone　home；　i　reckon。

yessir；　the　deputy　said。　can　i　help　you　with　somethin；　sheriff？

how　far　is　it　to　el　paso？

its　about　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles。

you　tell　him　i　said　thank　you　and　ill　give　him　a　call　tomorrow。

yessir。

he　stopped　and　ate　on　the　far　side　of　town　and　sat　in　the　booth　and　sipped　his　coffee　and　　watched　the　lights　out　on　the　highway。　something　wrong。　he　couldnt　make　sense　out　of　　it。　he　looked　at　his　watch。　1：20。　he　paid　and　walked　out　and　got　in　the　cruiser　and　sat　　there。　then　he　drove　to　the　intersection　and　turned　east　and　drove　back　to　the　motel　　again。

chigurh　checked　into　a　motel　on　the　eastbound　interstate　and　walked　out　across　a　windy　　field　in　the　dark　and　watched　across　the　highway　through　a　pair　of　binoculars。　the　big　　overland　trucks　loomed　up　in　the　glasses　and　drew　away。　he　squatted　on　his　heels　with　　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　watching。　then　he　went　back　to　the　motel。

he　set　his　alarm　for　one　oclock　and　when　it　went　off　he　got　up　and　showered　and　　dressed　and　walked　out　to　his　truck　with　his　small　leather　bag　and　put　it　behind　the　seat。

he　parked　in　the　motel　parking　lot　and　he　sat　there　for　some　time。　leaning　back　in　the　　seat　and　watching　in　the　rearview　mirror。　nothing。　the　police　cars　were　long　gone。　the　　yellow　police　tape　across　the　door　lifted　in　the　wind　and　the　trucks　droned　past　headed　　for　arizona　and　california。　he　got　out　and　walked　up　to　the　door　and　blew　out　the　lock　　with　his　stungun　and　walked　in　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。　he　could　see　the　room　　pretty　well　by　the　light　through　the　windows。　small　spills　of　light　from　the　bulletholes　　in　the　plywood　door。　he　pulled　the　little　bedside　table　over　to　the　wall　and　stood　and　　took　a　screwdriver　from　his　rear　pocket　and　began　to　back　the　screws　out　of　the　　louvered　steel　cover　of　the　airduct。　he　set　it　on　the　table　and　reached　in　and　pulled　out　　the　bag　and　stepped　down　and　walked　over　to　the　window　and　looked　out　at　the　parking　　lot。　he　took　the　pistol　from　behind　his　belt　and　opened　the　door　and　stepped　out　and　　closed　it　behind　him　and　stooped　under　the　tape　and　walked　down　to　his　truck　and　got　in。

he　set　the　bag　in　the　floor　and　hed　reached　for　the　key　to　turn　on　the　ignition　when　he　　saw　the　terrell　county　cruiser　pull　into　the　lot　in　front　of　the　motel　office　a　hundred　feet　　away。　he　let　go　of　the　key　and　sat　back。　the　cruiser　pulled　into　a　parking　space　and　the　　lights　went　out。　then　the　motor。　chigurh　waited；　the　pistol　in　his　lap。

when　bell　got　out　he　took　a　look　around　the　lot　and　then　walked　up　to　the　door　at　117　　and　tried　the　knob。　the　door　was　unlocked。　he　ducked　under　the　tape　and　pushed　the　　door　open　and　reached　and　found　the　wallswitch　and　turned　on　the　light。

the　first　thing　he　saw　was　the　grille　and　the　screws　lying　on　the　table。　he　shut　the　door　　behind　him　and　stood　there。　he　stepped　to　the　window　and　looked　past　the　edge　of　the　　curtain　out　at　the　parking　lot。　he　stood　there　for　some　time。　nothing　moved。　he　saw　　something　lying　in　the　floor　and　stepped　over　and　picked　it　up　but　he　already　knew　what　　it　was。　he　turned　it　in　his　hand。　he　walked　over　and　sat　on　the　bed　and　weighed　the　　little　piece　of　brass　in　his　palm。　then　he　tilted　it　into　the　ashtray　on　the　bedside　table。

he　picked　up　the　telephone　but　the　line　was　dead。　he　put　the　receiver　back　in　the　cradle。

he　took　his　pistol　from　the　holster　and　flipped　open　the　gate　and　checked　the　shells　in　　the　cylinder　and　closed　the　gate　with　his　thumb　and　sat　with　the　pistol　resting　on　his　　knee。

you　dont　know　for　sure　that　hes　out　there；　he　said。

yes　you　do。　you　knew　it　at　the　restaurant。　thats　why　you　e　back　here。

well　what　do　you　aim　to　do？

he　got　up　and　walked　over　and　switched　off　the　light。　five　bulletholes　in　the　door。　he　　stood　with　the　revolver　in　his　h