No Country for Old Men-第37章

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tion　of　god　you　　could　have。　so　what　you　end　up　with　is　that　those　he　has　spoke　to　are　the　ones　that　must　　of　needed　it　the　worst。　thats　not　a　easy　thing　to　accept。　particularly　as　it　might　apply　to　　someone　like　loretta。　but　then　maybe　we　are　all　of　us　lookin　through　the　wrong　end　of　　the　glass。　always　have　been。

aunt　carolyns　letters　to　harold。　the　reason　she　had　them　letters　was　that　he　had　saved　　em。　she　was　the　one　raised　him　and　she　was　the　same　as　his　mother。　them　letters　was　　dogeared　and　tore　and　covered　with　mud　and　i　dont　know　what　all。　the　thing　about　　them　letters。　well　for　one　thing　you　could　tell　they　were　just　country　people。　i　dont　think　　hed　ever　been　out　of　irion　county；　let　alone　the　state　of　texas。　but　the　thing　about　them　　letters　was　you　could　tell　that　the　world　she　was　plannin　on　him　in　back　to　was　not　　ever　goin　to　be　here。　easy　to　see　now。　sixty　some　years　on。　but　they　just　had　no　notion　　at　all。　you　can　say　you　like　it　or　you　dont　like　it　but　it　dont　change　nothin。　ive　told　my　　deputies　more　than　once　that　you　fix　what　you　can　fix　and　you　let　the　rest　go。　if　there　　aint　nothin　to　be　done　about　it　it　aint　even　a　problem。　its　just　a　aggravation。　and　the　　truth　is　i　dont　have　no　more　idea　of　the　world　that　is　brewin　out　there　than　what　harold　　did。

of　course　as　it　turned　out　he　never　e　home　at　all。　there　was　not　nothin　in　them　　letters　to　suggest　that　she　had　reckoned　on　that　possibility。

well；　you　know　she　did。　she　just　wouldnt　of　said　nothin　about　it　to　him。

ive　still　got　that　medal　of　course。　it　e　in　a　fancy　purple　box　with　a　ribbon　and　all。　it　　was　in　my　bureau　for　years　and　then　one　day　i　took　it　out　and　put　it　in　the　drawer　in　the　　livin　room　table　where　i　wouldnt　have　to　look　at　it。　not　that　i　ever　looked　at　it；　but　it　　was　there。　harold　didnt　get　no　medal。　he　just　e　home　in　a　wooden　box。　and　i　dont　　believe　they　had　gold　star　mothers　in　the　first　world　war　but　if　they　had　of　aunt　　carolyn　would　not　of　got　one　of　them　either　since　he　was　not　her　natural　son。　but　she　　should　of。　she　never　got　his　war　pension　neither。

so。　i　went　back　out　there　one　more　time。　i　walked　over　that　ground　and　there　was　very　　little　sign　that　anything　had　ever　took　place　there。　i　picked　up　a　shellcasin　or　two。　that　　was　about　it。　i　stood　out　there　a　long　time　and　i　thought　about　things。　it　was　one　of　them　　warm　days　you　get　in　the　winter　sometimes。　a　little　wind。　i　still　keep　thinkin　maybe　it　is　　somethin　about　the　country。　sort　of　the　way　ellis　said。　i　thought　about　my　family　and　　about　him　out　there　in　his　wheelchair　in　the　old　house　and　it　just　seemed　to　me　that　this　　country　has　got　a　strange　kind　of　history　and　a　damned　bloody　one　too。　about　anywhere　　you　care　to　look。　i　could　stand　back　off　and　smile　about　such　thoughts　as　them　but　i　still　　have　em。　i　dont　make　excuses　for　the　way　i　think。　not　no　more。　i　talk　to　my　daughter。

she　would　be　thirty　now。　thats　all　right。　i　dont　care　how　that　sounds。　i　like　talkin　to　her。

call　it　superstition　or　whatever　you　want。　i　know　that　over　the　years　i　have　give　her　the　　heart　i　always　wanted　for　myself　and　thats　all　right。　thats　why　i　listen　to　her。　i　know　　ill　always　get　the　best　from　her。　it　dont　get　mixed　up　with　my　own　ignorance　or　my　own　　meanness。　i　know　how　that　sounds　and　i　guess　id　have　to　say　that　i　dont　care。　i　never　　even　told　my　wife　and　we　dont　have　a　whole　lot　of　secrets　from　one　another。　i　dont　think　　shed　say　im　crazy；　but　some　might。　ed　tom？　yeah；　they　had　to　swear　out　a　lunacy　　warrant。　i　hear　theyre　feedin　him　under　the　door。　thats　all　right。　i　listen　to　what　she　　says　and　what　she　says　makes　good　sense。　i　wish　shed　say　more　of　it。　i　can　use　all　the　　help　i　can　get。　well；　thats　enough　of　that。

when　he　walked　in　the　house　the　phone　was　ringing。　sheriff　bell；　he　said。　he　　made　his　way　to　the　sideboard　and　picked　up　the　phone。　sheriff　bell；　he　said。

sheriff　this　is　detective　cook　with　the　odessa　police。

yessir。

theres　a　report　we　have　here　that　is　flagged　with　your　name。　it　has　to　do　with　a　woman　　named　carla　jean　moss　that　was　murdered　here　back　in　march。

yessir。　i　appreciate　you　callin。

they　picked　up　the　murder　weapon　off　of　the　fbi　ballistics　database　and　they　traced　it　　down　to　a　boy　here　in　midland。　the　boy　says　he　got　the　gun　out　of　a　truck　at　a　accident　　scene。　just　seen　it　and　took　it。　and　i　expect　thats　right。　i　talked　to　him。　he　sold　it　and　it　　turned　up　in　a　convenience　store　robbery　in　shreveport　louisiana。　now　the　accident　　where　he　got　the　gun；　it　took　place　on　the　same　day　as　the　murder　did。　the　man　that　　owned　the　gun　left　it　in　the　truck　and　disappeared　and　he　aint　been　heard　from　since。　so　　you　can　see　where　this　is　goin。　we　dont　get　a　lot　of　unsolved　homicides　up　here　and　we　　damn　sure　dont　like　em。　can　i　ask　you　what　was　your　interest　in　the　case；　sheriff？

bell　told　him。　cook　listened。　then　he　gave　him　a　number。　it　was　the　investigator　of　the　　accident。　roger　catron。　let　me　call　him　first。　hell　talk　to　you。

thats　all　right；　bell　said。　hell　talk　to　me。　ive　known　him　for　years。

he　called　the　number　and　catron　answered。

howre　you　doin　ed　tom。

i　aint　braggin。

what　can　i　do　you　for。

bell　told　him　about　the　wreck。　yessir；　catron　said。　sure　i　remember　it。　there　was　two　　boys　killed　in　that　wreck。　we　still　aint　found　the　driver　of　the　other　vehicle。

what　happened？

boysd　been　smokin　dope。　they　run　a　stopsign　and　hit　a　brand　new　dodge　pickup　　broadside。　totaled　it　out。　the　old　boy　in　the　pickup　he　climbed　out　and　just　took　off　up　　the　street。　fore　we　got　there。　truck　had　been　bought　in　mexico。　illegal。　no　epa　or　　nothin。　no　registration。

what　about　the　other　vehicle。

there　was　three　boys　in　it。　nineteen；　twenty　years　old。　all　of　em　mexican。　the　only　　one　lived　was　the　one　in　the　back　seat。　apparently　they　was　passin　around　a　doober　and　　they　went　through　this　intersection　probably　about　sixty　mile　a　hour　and　just　t…boned　　the　old　boy　in　the　truck。　the　one　in　the　passenger　side　of　the　car；　he　e　through　the　　windscreen　head　first　and　crossed　the　street　and　landed　on　a　womans　porch。　she　was　　out　puttin　some　mail　in　her　box　and　he　didnt　miss　her　by　much。　she　set　off　down　the　　street　in　her　housewrapper　and　haircurlers　just　a　hollerin。　i　dont　think　shes　right　yet。

what　did　you　all　do　with　the　boy　that　took　the　gun？

we　cut　him　loose。

if　i　e　up　there　you　reckon　i　could　talk　to　him？

id　say　you　could。　im　lookin　at　him　on　the　screen　right　now。

whats　his　name？

david　demarco。

is　he　mexican？

no。　the　boys　in　the　car　was。　not　him。

will　he　talk　to　me？

one　way　to　find　out。

ill　be　there　in　the　mornin。

i　look　forward　to　seein　you。

catron　had　called　the　boy　and　talked　to　him　and　when　the　boy　walked　into　the　cafe　he　　didnt　seem　particularly　worried　about　anything。　he　slid　into　the　booth　and　propped　up　　one　foot　and　sucked　at　his　teeth　and　looked　at　bell。

you　want　some　coffee？

yeah。　ill　take　some　coffee。

bell　raised　a　finger　and　the　waitress　came　over　and　took　his　order。　he　looked　at　the　boy。

what　i　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about　was　the　man　that　walked　away　from　that　wreck。　i　　wonder　if　theres　anything　that　es　to　mind　about　him。　anything　you　might　　remember。

the　boy　shook　his　head。　naw；　he　said。　he　looked　around　the　room。

how　bad　was　he　hurt？

i　dont　know。　it　looked　like　his　arm　was　broke。

what　else。

had　a　cut　on　his　head。　i　couldnt　say　how　bad　he　was　hurt。　he　could　walk。

bell　watched　him。　how　old　a　man　would　you　say　he　was？

hell；　sheriff。　i　dont　know。　he　was　pretty　bloody　and　all。

on　the　report　you　said　he　was　maybe　in　his　late　thirties。

yeah。　somethin　like　that。

who　were　you　with。

what？

who　were　you　with。

wasnt　with　nobody。

the　neighbor　there　who　called　in　the　report；　he　said　there　was　two　of　you。

well；　hes　full　of　it。

yeah？　i　talked　to　him　this　mornin　and　he　seemed　to　me　to　be　about　as　unfull　of　it　as　　they　e。

the　waitress　brought　the　coffee。　demarco　poured　about　a　quarter　cup　of　sugar　into　his　　and　sat　stirring　it。

you　know　this　man　had　just　got　done　killin　a　woman　two　blocks　away　when　he　got　in　　that　wreck。

yeah。　i　didnt　know　it　at　the　time。

you　know　how　many　people　hes　killed？

i　dont　know　nothin　about　him。

how　tall　was　he　would　you　say？

not　real　tall。　sort　of　medium。

was　he　wearin　boots。

yeah。　i　think　he　was　wearin　boots。

what　kind　of　boots。

i　think　they　might　of　been　ostrich。

expensive　boots。

yeah。

how　badly　was　he　bleedin？

i　dont　know。　he　was　bleedin。　he　had　a　cut　on　his　head。

what　did　he　say？

he　didnt　say　nothin。

what　did　you　say　to　him？

nothin。　i　asked　him　was　he　all　right。

you　think　he　might　of　died？

i　got　no　idea。

bell　leaned　back。　he　turned　the　saltcellar　a　half　turn　on　the　tabletop。　then　he　turned　it　　back　again。

tell　me　who　you　were　with。

wasnt　with　nobody。

bell　studied　him。　the　boy　sucked　his　teeth。　he　picked　up　the　coffee　mug　and　sipped　the　　coffee　and　set　it　down　again。

you　aint　goin　to　help　me；　are　you？

i　done　told　you　all　i　know　to　tell。　you　seen　the　report。　thats　all　i　know　to　tell　you。

bell　sat　watching　him。　then　he　got　up　and　put　on　his　hat　and　left。

in　the　morning　he　went　to　the　high　school　and　got　some　names　f