按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
sted it and pulled the back deck up without allowing himself to think。
They looked in together。 The trunk held a spare tire； a jack； and nothing else。 Ben felt his breath e out in a rush。
'Now？' Mark asked。
Ben didn't answer for a moment。 When he felt that his voice would be under control； he said； 'We're going to see a friend of mine named Matt Burke； who is in the hospital。 He's been researching vampires。'
The urgency in the boy's gaze remained。 'Do you believe me？'
'Yes；' Ben said； and hearing the word on the air seemed to confirm it and give it weight。 It was beyond recall。 'Yes； I believe you。'
'Mr Burke is from the high school； isn't he？ Does he know about this？'
'Yes。 So does his doctor。'
'Dr Cody？'
'Yes。'
They were both looking at the car as they spoke； as if it were a relic of some dark； lost race which they had discovered in these sunny woods to the west of town。 The trunk gaped open like a mouth； and as Ben slammed it shut； the dull thud of its latching echoed in his heart。
'And after we talk；' he said； 'we're going up to the Marsten House and get the son of a bitch who did this。' Mark looked at him without moving。 'It may not be as easy as you think。 She will be there； too。 She's his now。'
'He is going to wish he never saw 'salem's Lot；' he said softly。 'e on。'
6
They arrived at the hospital at nine…thirty； and Jimmy Cody was in Matt's room。 He looked at Ben； unsmiling； and then his eyes flicked to Mark Petrie with curiosity。
'I've got some bad news for you； Ben。 Sue Norton has disappeared。'
'She's a vampire；' Ben said flatly； and Matt grunted from his bed。
'Are you sure of that？' Jimmy asked sharply。
Ben cocked his thumb at Mark Petrie and introduced him。 'Mark here had a little visit from Danny Glick on Saturday night。 He can tell you the rest。'
Mark told it from beginning to end； just as he had told Ben earlier。
Matt spoke first when he had finished。 'Ben； there are no words to say how sorry I am。'
'I can give you something if you need it；' Jimmy said。
'I know what medicine I need； Jimmy。 I want to move against this Barlow today。 Now。 Before dark。'
'All right；' Jimmy said。 'I've canceled all my calls。 And I phoned the county sheriff s office。 McCaslin is gone； too。'
'Maybe that explains this；' Ben said； and took the pistol out of his pocket and dropped it onto Matt's bedside table。 It looked strange and out of place in the hospital room。
'Where did you get this？' Jimmy asked； picking it up。
'Out by Susan's car。'
'Then I can guess。 McCaslin went to the Norton house sometime after he left us。 He got the story on Susan； including the make； model； and license number of her car。 Went out cruising some of the back roads； just on the off…chance。 And…'
Broken silence in the room。 None of them needed it filled。
'Foreman's is still closed；' Jimmy said。 'And a lot of the old men who hang around Crossen's have been plaining about the dump。 No one has seen Dud Rogers for a week。'
They looked at each other bleakly。
'I spoke with Father Callahan last night；' Matt said。 'He has agreed to go along； providing you two…plus Mark； of course…will stop at this new shop and talk to Straker first。'
'I don't think he'll be talking to anyone today；' Mark said quietly。
'What did you find out about them？' Jimmy asked Matt。
'Anything useful？'
'Well； I think I've put some of the pieces together。 Straker must be this thing's human watchdog and bodyguard 。 。 。 a kind of human familiar。 He must have been in town long before Barlow appeared。 There were certain rites to be performed； in propitiation of the Dark Father。 Even Barlow has his Master； you see。' He looked at them somberly。 'I rather suspect no one will ever find a trace of Ralphie Glick。 I think he was Barlow's ticket of admission。 Straker took him and sacrificed him。'
'Bastard；' Jimmy said distantly。
'And Danny Glick？' Ben asked。
'Straker bled him first；' Matt said。 'His Master's gift。 First blood for the faithful servant。 Later； Barlow would have taken over that job himself。 But Straker performed another service for his Master before Barlow ever arrived。 Do any of you know what？'
For a moment there was silence； and then Mark said quite distinctly； 'The dog that man found on the cemetery gate。'
'What？' Jimmy said。 'Why？ Why would he do that？'
'The white eyes；' Mark said； and then looked questioningly at Matt； who was nodding with some surprise。
'All last night I nodded over these books； not knowing we had a scholar in our midst。' The boy blushed a little。 'What Mark says is exactly right。 According to several of the standard references on folklore and the supernatural； one way to frighten a vampire away is to paint white 'angel eyes' over the real eyes of a black dog。 Win's Doc was all black except for two white patches。 Win used to call them his headlights…they were directly over his eyes。 He let the dog run at night。 Straker must have spotted it； killed it； and then hung it on the cemetery gate。'
'And how about this Barlow？' Jimmy asked。 'How did he get to town？'
Matt shrugged。 'I have no way of telling。 I think that we must assume； in line with the legends； that he is old 。 。 。 very old。 He may have changed his name a dozen times； or a thousand。 He may have been a native of almost every country in the world at one time or another； although I suspect his origins may have been Romanian or Magyar or Hungarian。 It doesn't really matter how he got to town anyway 。 。 。 although I wouldn't be surprised to find out Larry Crockett had a hand in it。 He's here。 That's the important thing。
'Now； here is what you must do： Take a stake when you go。 And a gun； in case Straker is still alive。 Sheriff McCaslin's revolver will serve the purpose。 The stake must pierce the heart or the vampire may rise again。 Jimmy； you can check that。 When you have staked him you must cut off his head； stuff the mouth with garlic； and turn it face down in the coffin。 In most vampire fiction； Hollywood and otherwise； the staked vampire mortifies almost instantly into dust。 This may not happen in real life。 If it doesn't； you must weight the coffin and throw it into running water。 I would suggest the Royal River。 Do you have questions？'
There were none。
'Good。 You must each carry a vial of holy water and a bit of the Host。 And you must each have Father Callahan hear your confession before you go。'
'I don't think any of us are Catholic；' Ben said。
'I am；' Jimmy said。 'Nonpracticing。'
'Nonetheless； you will make a confession and an act of contrition。 Then you go pure； washed in Christ's blood 。 。 。 clean blood； not tainted。'
'All right；' Ben said。
'Ben； had you slept with Susan？ Forgive me； but…'
'Yes；' he said。
'Then you must pound the stake…first into Barlow； then into her。 You are the only person in this little party who has been hurt personally。 You will act as her husband。 And you mustn't falter。 You'll be releasing her。'
'All right；' he said again。
'Above all'…his glance swept all of them…'you must not look in his eyes！ If you do； he'