璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第140章

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　what　he　saw　now　in　this　place。　It　had　taken　an　hour　or　so　for　him　to　grasp　the　fact　that　there　were　people　here；　not　just　trash…laden　sidewalks　and　criminals。　He　saw　a　woman　leading　a　child　by　the　hand　away　from　a　bus　stop。　He　wondered　where　they　were　returning　from。　A　visit　with　an　aunt？　The　public　library？　Some　place　whose　attractions　were　worth　the　unfortable　passage　between　the　bus　stop　and　home；　past　sights　and　sounds　and　people　whose　very　existence　could　damage　that　little　child。
Kelly‘s　back　got　straighter　and　his　eyes　narrower。　He‘d　seen　that　before。　Even　in　Vietnam；　a　country　at　war　since　before　his　birth；　there　were　still　parents；　and　children；　and；　even　in　war；　a　desperate　quest　for　something　like　normality。　Children　needed　to　play　some　of　the　time；　to　be　held　and　loved；　protected　from　the　harsher　aspects　of　reality　for　as　long　as　the　courage　and　talents　of　their　parents　could　make　that　possible。　And　it　was　true　here；　too。　Everywhere　there　were　victims；　all　innocent　to　some　greater　or　lesser　degree；　and　the　children　the　most　innocent　of　all。　He　could　see　it　there；　fifty　yards　away；　as　the　young　mother　led　her　child　across　the　street；　short　of　the　corner　where　a　dealer　stood；　making　a　transaction。　Kelly　slowed　his　car　to　allow　her　safe　passage；　hoping　that　the　care　and　love　she　showed　that　night　would　make　a　difference　to　her　child。　Did　the　dealers　notice　her？　Were　the　ordinary　citizens　worthy　of　note　at　all？　Were　they　cover？　Potential　customers？　Nuisances？　Prey？　And　what　of　the　child？　Did　they　care　at　all？　Probably　not。
‘Shit；‘　he　whispered　quietly　to　himself；　too　detached　to　show　his　anger　openly。
‘What？‘　Pam　asked。　She　was　sitting　quietly；　leaning　away　from　the　window。
‘Nothing。　Sorry。‘　Kelly　shook　his　head　and　continued　his　observation。　He　was　actually　beginning　to　enjoy　himself。　It　was　like　a　reconnaissance　mission。　Reconnaissance　was　learning；　and　learning　had　always　been　a　passion　for　Kelly。　Here　was　something　pletely　new。　Sure；　it　was　evil；　destructive；　ugly；　but　it　was　also　different；　which　made　it　exciting。　His　hands　tingled　on　the　wheel。
The　customers　were　diverse；　too。　Some　were　obviously　local；　you　could　tell　from　their　color　and　shabby　clothing。　Some　were　more　addicted　than　others；　and　Kelly　wondered　what　that　meant。　Were　the　apparently　functional　ones　the　newly　enslaved？　Were　the　shambling　ones　the　veterans　of　self…destruction；　heading　irrevocably　towards　their　own　deaths？　How　could　a　normal　person　look　at　them　and　not　be　frightened　that　it　was　possible　to　destroy　yourself　one　dose　at　a　time？　What　drove　people　to　do　this？　Kelly　nearly　stopped　the　car　with　that　thought。　That　was　something　beyond　his　experience。
Then　there　were　the　others；　the　ones　with　medium…expensive　cars　so　clean　that　they　had　to　e　from　the　suburbs；　where　standards　had　to　be　observed。　He　pulled　past　one　and　gave　the　driver　a　quick　look。　Even　wears　a　tie！　Loose　in　the　collar　to　allow　for　his　nervousness　in　a　neighborhood　such　as　this　one；　using　one　hand　to　roll　down　the　window　while　the　other　perched　at　the　top　of　the　wheel；　his　right　foot　doubtless　resting　lightly　on　the　gas　pedal；　ready　to　jolt　the　car　forward　if　danger　should　threaten。　The　driver‘s　nerves　must　be　on　edge；　Kelly　thought；　watching　him　in　the　mirror。　He　could　not　be　fortable　here；　but　he　had　e　anyway。　Yes；　there　it　was。　Money　was　passed　out　the　window；　and　something　received　for　it；　and　the　car　moved　off　as　quickly　as　the　traffic…laden　street　would　allow。　On　a　whim；　Kelly　followed　the　Buick　for　a　few　blocks；　turning　right；　then　left　onto　a　main　artery；　where　the　car　got　into　the　left　lane　and　stayed　there；　driving　as　rapidly　as　was　prudent　to　get　the　hell　out　of　this　dreary　part　of　the　city；　but　without　drawing　the　unwanted　attention　of　a　police　officer　with　a　citation　book。
Yeah；　the　police；　Kelly　thought　as　he　gave　up　the　pursuit。　Where　the　hell　are　they？　The　law　was　being　violated　with　all　the　apparent　drama　of　a　block　party；　but　they　were　nowhere　to　be　seen。　He　shook　his　head　as　he　turned　back　into　the　trading　area。　The　disconnect　from　his　own　neighborhood　in　Indianapolis；　merely　ten　years　before；　was　vast。　How　had　things　changed　so　rapidly？　How　had　he　missed　it？　His　time　in　the　Navy；　his　life　on　the　island；　had　insulated　him　from　everything。　He　was　a　rube；　an　innocent；　a　tourist　in　his　own　country。
He　looked　over　at　Pam。　She　seemed　all　right；　though　a　little　tense。　Those　people　were　dangerous；　but　not　to　the　two　of　them。　He‘d　been　careful　to　remain　invisible；　to　drive　like　everyone　else；　meandering　around　the　few　blocks　of　the　‘business‘　area　in　an　irregular　pattern。　He　was　not　blind　to　the　dangers；　Kelly　told　himself。　In　searching　for　patterns　of　activity；　he　hadn‘t　made　any　of　his　own。　If　anyone　had　eyeballed　him　and　his　vehicle　especially　hard；　he　would　have　noticed。　And　besides；　he　still　had　his　Colt　。45　between　his　legs。　However　formidable　these　thugs　might　appear；　they　were　nothing　pared　to　the　North　Veitnamese　and　Vietcong　he‘d　faced。　They‘d　been　good。　He‘d　been　better。　There　was　danger　on　these　streets；　but　far　less　than　he　had　survived　already。
Fifty　yards　away　was　a　dealer　dressed　in　a　silk　shirt　that　might　have　been　brown　or　maroon。　It　was　hard　to　tell　the　color　in　the　poor　illumination；　but　it　had　to　be　silk　from　the　way　it　reflected　light。　Probably　real　silk；　Kelly　was　willing　to　bet。　There　was　a　flashiness　to　these　vermin。　It　wasn‘t　enough　for　them　merely　to　violate　the　law；　was　it？　Oh；　no；　they　had　to　let　people　know　how　bold　and　daring　they　were。
Dumb；　Kelly　thought。　Very　dumb　to　draw　attention　to　yourself　that　way。　When　you　do　dangerous　things；　you　conceal　your　identity；　conceal　your　very　presence；　and　always　leave　yourself　with　at　least　one　route　of　escape。
‘It‘s　amazing　they　can　get　away　with　this；‘　Kelly　whispered　to　himself。
‘Huh？‘　Pam‘s　head　turned。
‘They‘re　so　stupid。‘　Kelly　waved　at　the　dealer　near　the　corner。　‘Even　if　the　cops　don‘t　do　anything；　what　if　somebody　decides　to　…　I　mean；　he‘s　holding　a　lot　of　money；　right？‘
‘Probably　a　thousand；　maybe　two　thousand；‘　Pam　replied。
‘So　what　if　somebody　tries　to　rob　him？‘
‘It　happens；　but　he‘s　carrying　a　gun；　too；　and　if　anyone　tries　…　‘
‘Oh　…　the　guy　in　the　doorway？‘
‘He‘s　the　real　dealer；　Kelly。　Didn‘t　you　know　that？　They　guy　in　the　shirt　is　his　lieutenant。　He‘s　the　guy　who　does　the　actual　…　what　do　you　call　it？‘
‘Transaction；‘　Kelly　replied　dryly；　reminding　himself　that　he‘d　failed　to　spot　something；　knowing　that　he‘d　allowed　his　pride　to　overe　his　caution。　Not　a　good　habit；　he　told　himself。
Pam　nodded。　‘That‘s　right。　Watch　…　watch　him　now。‘
Sure　enough；　Kelly　saw　what　he　now　realized　was　the　full　transaction。　Someone　in　a　car　…　another　visitor　from　the　suburbs；　Kelly　thought　…　handed　over　his　money　（an　assumption；　since　Kelly　couldn‘t　really　see；　but　surely　it　wasn‘t　a　Bank　Americard）。　The　lieutenant　reached　inside　the　shirt　and　handed　something　back。　As　the　car　pulled　off；　the　one　in　the　flamboyant　shirt　moved　across　the　sidewalk；　and　in　shadows　that　Kelly‘s　eyes　could　not　quite　perate　there　was　another　exchange。
‘Oh；　I　get　it。　The　lieutenant　holds　the　drugs　and　makes　the　exchange；　but　he　gives　the　money　to　his　boss。　The　boss　holds　the　earnings；　but　he　also　has　a　gun　to　make　sure　nothing　goes　wrong。　They‘re　not　as　dumb　as　I　thought　they　were。‘　
‘They‘re　smart　enough。‘
Kelly　nodded　and　made　a　mental　note；　chastising　himself　for　having　made　at　least　two　wrong　assumptions。　But　that‘s　why　you　did　reconnaissance；　after　all。
Let‘s　not　get　too　fortable；　Kelly；　he　told　himself。　Now　you　know　that　there‘s　two　bad　guys　up　there；　one　armed　and　well　concealed　in　that　doorway。　He　settled　in　his　seat　and　locked　his　eyes　on　the　potential　threat；　watching　for　patterns　of　activity。　The　one　in　the　doorway　would　be　the　real　target。　The　misnamed　‘lieutenant‘　was　just　a　hireling；　maybe　an　apprentice；　undoubtedly　expendable；　living　on　crumbs　or　mission。　The　one　he　could　just　barely　see　was　the　real　enemy。　And　that　fit　the　time…honored　pattern；　didn‘t　it？　He　smiled；　remembering　a　regional　political　officer　for　the　NVA。　That　job　had　even　carried　a　code　name。　ERMINE　COAT。　Four　days　they‘d　stalked　that　bastard；　after　they‘d　positively