1 Three voyeurs, two men, one boy.What grown-ups are holding is a spotting telescope, not binoculars.Distance was the main issue, and the nearby terrain didn't offer much shelter, so they had to peek from nearly a mile outside the target area.The landscape here is just low undulations, the sun has burned everything to khaki, grass, stones, sand, all the same.The closest safe hideout to their target was the swale they were in, a dry ditch carved by the different weathers millions of years ago, when there was rain, ferns, and a rushing river. The two men were sprawled on the ground, the morning sun shone behind them, and the binoculars were in front of them.The little boy knelt on the ground and moved around, fetching water from the ice bucket, observing the waking rattlesnake, and taking notes in his notebook for a while.They drove here before dawn in a dirty pick-up truck, and after a long circle, they crossed the entire open field from the west, and the truck was covered with a dirty canvas that was pressed down with stones.They carefully drove the car to the edge of the depression, set it up, and set up the telescope.At this time, the low morning sun emerged from behind the red house in the east a mile away.Today is Friday, the fifth morning in a row.The three talked to each other in low voices.

time?One of them asked in a nasal voice, because he opened one eye and closed the other. Little boy looks at his watch. six thirty.he answered. Soon.said the man with the telescope. The little boy opened his notebook, ready to record the same content as the previous four times. The kitchen light is on.said the man. The little boy wrote in his notebook: At half past six, the kitchen light is on.The kitchen is on their side, facing west, on the other side of the morning light, so it is still dark after dawn. Is she alone?the little boy asked. Same as before.said the second adult, squinting his eyes.

The servants prepare breakfast.The little boy wrote.The target is still sleeping.The sun climbed inch by inch, rising toward the sky, shortening the shadows.The red house had a long chimney rising from the kitchen roof like the pointer on a sundial.The shadow of the chimney keeps moving and shrinking, and the heat on the back of the peeper is also gradually accumulating.The temperature is very high at seven o'clock in the morning. At eight o'clock, the whole body is almost on fire. If it is nine o'clock, the killing power of the sun will be terrifying.And they were to stay there all day, until dark, because only then could they sneak away without being seen.

The bedroom curtains are drawn.said the second grown-up.She is up. The little boy wrote: At 7:04, the bedroom curtains were drawn. Listen.said the first person. From a mile away came the faint sound of the pump motor starting.There was a soft mechanical sound, followed by a low hum. She is taking a shower.said the man. The little boy wrote: At 7:06, the target began to take a bath. The two adults let their eyes rest for a while.Nothing happens when she's in the bathroom, of course.They lowered their binoculars, blinking at the glare of the sun.The motor stopped after six minutes, but the quiet sound seemed louder than the faint sound just now.The boy wrote: At 7:12, subject left the bathroom.The two adults picked up the binoculars again.

I think she should be getting dressed.said the first person. The little boy giggled: Can you see her naked? The second adult was twenty feet to the south, forming a triangle with the other two.From this position the view to the back of the house, where her bedroom windows were, would be much clearer. do you know?He said.You are really nasty. The little boy wrote: 7:15, probably getting dressed.Then: 7:20, probably downstairs for breakfast. She will come back and brush her teeth.He said. The man on the left moves on his elbows. certainly.He said.This is a big deal. She drew the curtains again.said the man on the right.

It's a standard practice in West Texas summer, especially if your bedroom faces south like this one, unless you want to sleep in the oven tonight. preparation.said the man.Bet 10 she's going to the barn now. No bets were placed because the four times so far, she's done the same thing.Peeping people get paid to do things to find out the rules. The kitchen door opened. The little boy wrote: Seven twenty-seven, the kitchen door opened. She is coming. She came out in a blue cotton dress with a knee-length skirt and bare shoulders.Her hair was tied back, not fully dry from the shower.

What are those clothes called?the boy asked. Backless.said the man on the left. Seven twenty-eight, out, blue halter, to the barn.the boy wrote. She walked across the yard, slow and hesitant, because the hot ground was potted, about seventy yards away.She opened the barn door and walked into the dark barn. The boy wrote: Seven twenty-nine, the target is in the barn. What's the temperature now?The one on the left asked. About one hundred degrees Fahrenheit!said the boy. The storm is coming.The temperature is so high, I can't run. The car is coming.Said the one on the right. A few miles to the south, a cloud of dust rose from the road.A car is driving slowly north.

she came out.Said the one on the right. At 7:32, Target emerged from the barn.the boy wrote. The maid is at the door.said the man. The target stopped at the kitchen door and took the lunch box from the servant. It was a bright blue plastic box with a cartoon pattern on the side.She paused for a moment, her skin flushed and moist from the heat.She bent down to pull on the sock, then walked to the gate and waited on the shoulder.The school bus slowed and stopped, and the sound of the doors opening was clearly heard by the voyeur, along with the faint hum of the engine idling.The yellow handrails flickered in the sun for a moment, and diesel exhaust stagnated in the hot, windless air.The target places the lunchbox on the steps, grabs the shiny railing and climbs up.The door closed again, and peepers saw her corn-colored hair floating along the lower edge of the window.Then the sound of the engine increased, the gear was shifted, and the school bus drove away, and again a cloud of dust rolled up in the rear of the car.

At 7:36, the target got on the school bus and went to school.the boy wrote. The road to the north was very straight, and the boy turned his head and watched the school bus until the heat on the horizon turned it into a shimmering illusion.He closed the notebook and tied it with a rubber band.As for the red room, the servant went back inside and closed the kitchen door.A mile away, the peepers put down their binoculars and turn up their collars against the sun. Seven thirty-seven, Friday morning. Seven thirty-eight. At seven thirty-nine, three hundred miles northeast, Jack.Richie was climbing out of the motel window.A minute ago, he was brushing his teeth in the bathroom.A minute later, he opened the door to check the morning temperature.He left the door open, though, and the wardrobe in the entryway had reflective glass above it, and a shaving mirror hung on a cantilever in the bathroom.Relying on such an accidental optical phenomenon, he saw four people get out of the car and walk towards the hotel counter.This is pure luck, but like Jack.A person as alert as Li Qi would have more chances of being lucky than ordinary people.

It was a police patrol car with shields on the doors.Because of the strong sunlight and the double reflection, Li Qi could see clearly, the city police department was written on the top of the shield, there was a beautiful big badge in the middle, and the words Texas and Lebo City were written on the bottom.The four who disembarked were all wearing uniforms with wide belts around their waists, along with pistols, radios, patrol batons and handcuffs.Three of them were unfamiliar faces, but the fourth one was very familiar to him, a tall, surprisingly heavy guy with a golden brush head on his red and fat face.This morning a shiny aluminum splint was carefully placed over the bridge of his broken nose, covering part of his fat, red face.His right hand was also splinted, and a bandage was wrapped around the severed index finger.

The guy was fine the night before, when Reacher didn't know he was a cop, because he looked like a pig in a bar.Reacher came in because he had heard the music was good, but it wasn't, so he sat on a bar stool and watched the silent ESPN broadcast on the wall-mounted TV.The bar was buzzing, and he was crammed into a small space with a woman on his right and this big guy with a brush head on his left.Li Qi turned his head to look at the whole room after watching enough sports reports, when he saw this guy eating. The man was wearing a sleeveless shirt and was eating chicken wings.The chicken wings are greasy, and the person who eats them behaves indecently. His chin keeps dripping chicken fat, and the oil from his hands is also thrown all over his body. There is even a teardrop-shaped stain in the center of his chest, which gradually spreads and becomes What a big piece.Staring at people like that in a bar would get in trouble, and this guy did catch Li Qi's gaze. What are you looking at?He said. The voice was deep and provocative, but Li Qi ignored it. What are you looking at?The guy said it again. According to Li Qi's experience, if the words are only said once, maybe nothing will happen, but if they are said twice, then trouble will come.The problem is that if you don't respond, they'll think you're worried, that they've got the upper hand, and at that point, they won't give you a chance to answer. Are you staring at me?said the guy. no.Li Qi replied. Don't you look at me like that, boy.The guy said again. He said boy in a way that sounded like a foreman in a lumber or cotton factory.There are all kinds of heavy jobs around Lebo City, and there are also many traditional industries passed down from generation to generation, but they definitely have nothing to do with the term Tiaozi.But then again, he is not familiar with Texas. You are not allowed to look at me like that.The guy said again. Li Qi turned to look at him.He didn't really want to confront him, he just wanted to take a good look at him.Life is always full of surprises, so he knew that one day he would meet a match of equal stature, a threat that would really worry him.But he looked and it was obvious that day hadn't really come yet, so he just smiled and turned his head away. That's when the guy poked him with his finger. I tell you not to look at me.He said, and poked again. The fat index finger was covered with oil, leaving clear marks on Li Qi's shirt. do not do that.Li Qi said. The guy pokes again. What else?He said.Do you want to pick a fight? Li Qi looked down, there were already two marks, and then the guy poked again, a total of three times, leaving three marks.Li Qi gritted his teeth, what did the three greasy marks on his shirt represent?He started counting slowly to ten, and then the guy poked again, before Reacher counted to eight. Are you deaf?Li Qi said.I tell you to stop poking. Otherwise what can you do? No.Li Qi said.I don't mean that, I just want you to stop doing it, that's all. The guy smiled and said: So you are a timid bastard. Say what you want.Li Qi said.Just hold your hands farther away. if not?what do you want? Li Qi continued to count, eighty-nine Do you want to go outside to solve it?the guy asked. ten! Try it again.Li Qi said.I have warned you four times. The guy paused.Of course, next, he stretched out his finger again.Li Qi grabbed his finger that was out in the air, broke it at the first joint, and then pulled it up like a doorknob. Then, because he was really angry, he leaned forward and headed hard at the each other's face.The overall movement is smooth and powerful, but only half of his strength is used, because there is no need to let this guy fall into a coma just because of the four oil stains on his shirt.He took a step back to give him room to fall, but accidentally bumped into the woman on his right. sorry miss.He said. The woman nodded faintly, not quite sure where the sound came from, she just looked at her wine glass intently, completely unaware of what happened.The guy fell to the ground with a muffled groan, and Reacher rolled him over on his side with his heels, then pushed his chin up with his feet, throwing his head back and clearing his airway.This is the resuscitative position, or what the medics call it, to keep you from suffocating while you're unconscious. Li Qi paid and checked out, walked back to his motel, and forgot about it until he saw him in the bathroom mirror and realized that he was able to move normally again, and he was wearing a strip uniform. up.So he began to think desperately at a fast speed. In the first second, he calculated the angle of reflection, thinking that if he could see him, would it mean that he could also see himself?The answer was yes, of course he could see it, if he looked in the right direction, but his head hadn't turned this way yet.In the second second, he was quite annoyed that he should have seen it earlier, this kind of person must have a background, otherwise, who would want to trouble someone of his stature?Such a man must have some sort of umbrella, some shield of self-imagination, and he should have noticed it long ago. So what should we do next?This guy was a policeman, and this was his precinct, so Li Qi was an obvious target.Among other things, those four greasy stains on the shirt and the obvious bruise on the forehead are proof enough.Maybe some forensic people could compare the bruises to the shape of the scar on the bridge of the guy's nose. so what should I do now?An angry cop bent on revenge should be trouble, big trouble.They must be preparing to arrest people with great fanfare, maybe another random shooting, plus four-on-one torture, anyway, no one knows in the cell of the remote police station.If he fights back, the original crime will definitely be aggravated, and there will be a lot of difficult problems to deal with later, because Li Qi is used to not carrying any documents on him, except for the toothbrush and thousands of dollars in cash in his pocket, he basically has everything. No, so they must think he is suspicious.It is almost certain that he will face the charge of assaulting law enforcement officers, which should be equivalent to breaking the law in Texas!Afterwards, various witnesses would probably appear out of nowhere, and they would swear to God that it was Li Qi's malicious attack, and no one would provoke him.In the end, he may be sentenced in three or two strokes, and he will eat in prison directly, and live a life from seven to ten in a high-security prison.Of course, such a result is not what he would like to see. So being cautious should be the best policy.He put the toothbrush in his pocket, walked across the room and opened the window.He let go of the screen, dropped it to the ground, climbed out, closed it, put the screen back on, and walked across a clearing to the nearest street.He turned right and walked until a low building hid his figure.Li Qi wanted to find a bus, but couldn't find it; looking for a taxi, there was none either.So he held out his thumb, thinking he'd only have ten minutes to find a lift that would give him a ride, because by then the cops would have finished looking for motels and started patrolling the streets.So he can only stay outside for ten minutes at most, maybe fifteen minutes! But that doesn't work at all, it can't work.At 7:39 in the morning, the temperature has reached more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and no one will want to drive you. In such a scorching temperature, no half of the driver will be willing to open the door and let him climb into the car, let alone in the car. It will take a lot of time to discuss the destination before this, so it is almost impossible to find a way out within the time, absolutely impossible!He began to think of other options, because he knew too much about this matter.But he didn't expect that things would be beyond his expectation, and he would be surprised continuously throughout the day. There are three killers, two men and one woman.They are a group of interstate professional teams, based in Los Angeles, with a middleman in Dallas, and another contact window in Las Vegas.The three of them have been in this industry for ten years, and their skills are proficient.In other words, any problem can be solved anywhere in the Southwest, and there is still life left to collect money, and the clientele is endless.For ten years, there has been no sign of a small problem. An excellent team, meticulous, smart, and impeccable.They are invincible in this small world, and they are like ducks in water.These three people are ordinary, low-key, unobtrusive, and unknown.Together, the three look like businessmen from a photocopier company getting ready for a meeting. But no one, except the victim, has seen the three of them appear together.The three of them acted independently, one of them was driving, and the other two were flying, and the routes were never the same.In order not to attract attention, it was one of the men who drove the car. After all, a woman driving a long distance alone always attracts more attention than a man.The car is definitely rented and always rented at the arrivals area of ​​LAX because it has the busiest rental car desk in the world.The cars are all ordinary family cars, dusty and unremarkable.The rental car documents and credit cards are always real, and the application process is all legal, except that the applicant is someone who doesn't exist in another state far away.Drivers would wait on the sidewalk until a flight arrived and hundreds of passengers poured into the luggage area before taking advantage of the chaos.He is not tall, with a dark complexion and a public face.He was dragging big luggage, carrying a carry-on bag, and had a bad face, just like everyone else. He filled out the paperwork at the counter, then took a bus to the pick-up area and found his assigned car.Throw luggage in the trunk, drive to the exit and wait, then drive out.He'd hit the freeway for forty minutes, then take a long, aimless circle downtown to make sure he wasn't being followed, then flash into West Hollywood in an alley behind a lingerie salon, The car is parked in a rented garage.He kept the engine running, opened the garage door, opened the trunk, and replaced the large suitcase and body bag with two thick nylon tote bags.One of them is very heavy, and the heavy tote bag is the reason he has to drive instead of flying, and the contents should be kept as far away from the airport security scanners as possible. He closed the garage and drove east on Santa Monica Boulevard, turning south on 101 and east on Route 10.Adjust the sitting posture, start a two-day long-distance driving, go straight to Texas.He didn't smoke, but he lit a lot of cigarettes, held them in his hand, and flicked the ash on the carpet, the dashboard, the steering wheel.He let the cigarette burn, then put the butt in the ashtray and put it out.The rental car company would then have to vacuum the car from top to bottom, spray it with air freshener, and wipe down the resinous surfaces inside the car with stain remover.So all traces of him were wiped away, not even half a fingerprint was left. The second man was also dispatched.He was taller, stronger, and better looking, but just as inconspicuous.He arrived at Los Angeles International Airport during off-hours to buy a ticket to Atlanta amidst the crowds.After arriving at the destination, one of the five spare wallets in the carry-on bag was replaced by the original wallet, and another ticket to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport was purchased with the new identity. It was her prerogative to leave the other woman a day later because she was the leader of the team.This woman was almost middle-aged, with a medium build and light blonde hair. She was not particularly attractive at all. The only characteristic was that she made a living by killing people.She parked the car in the long-term lot at LAX without risk because it was registered to a baby in Pasadena who had died of measles thirty years earlier.After the car was parked, she took a shuttle bus to the terminal, bought a plane ticket with a fake MasterCard, and when she got to the boarding gate, she took out a genuine New York City driver's license for photo verification.The man driving was just about to start the next day's journey when the woman boarded the plane. During his second fill-up on the first day, he turned into the New Mexico hills, found a quiet spot, and parked on a dusty shoulder.He took the license plate out of the heavy suitcase, squatted in the cool thin air, and replaced the California plate with the Arizona plate.Then we meandered back to the main road, drove for another hour or so, and stopped to find a motel.Take out cash, give your address in Tucson, ask the counter to copy down your Arizona license plate, and put it on the form. He slept for six hours, kept the temperature low in the room, and went on the road again early the next morning.Arriving in Dallas-Fort Worth after dark the next day, the car was parked in the airport's long-term parking lot.Take out your suitcase, take the shuttle bus to the departure hall, then take the escalator to the arrival hall, and line up at the Hertz car rental counter.Will choose Hertz because they have a Ford car and he needs a Crown Victoria (Note: Crown Victoria, Ford model.). He took out his Illinois certificate to go through the formalities, and took a car to the Hertz parking lot to pick up the car.An unremarkable crown, steel blue with metallic luster, neither bright nor dark.Satisfied, he dumped his things in the trunk and drove to a motel near the new ballpark, on the road from Fort Worth to Dallas.I also use Illinois documents to go through housing procedures, eat, and sleep for a few hours.He got up early to meet the other two partners outside the hotel in the bright morning sun.At this time, it happened to be the time when Li Qi stretched out his thumb, and the location was in Lebo City, more than 400 miles away. The second surprise after the police showed up was that Li Qi got a lift within three minutes, not even sweating, and his shirt was still dry.The third surprise was that the person who stopped and picked him up was a woman.The fourth, and biggest surprise, was where their conversation went next. Li Qi's personal history of hitchhiking has been nearly twenty-five years, and he can't remember exactly which countries he has hitchhiked.And three minutes is the shortest time ever, which is counted from the time of thumbs up to the time of climbing into the car.Hitchhiking as a mode of transportation is on the wane, Lich concludes, and a rule of thumb, as professional drivers have insurance issues and the general public is increasingly concerned about their personal safety.After all, who knows who you really are?As far as Li Qi is concerned, it is more difficult than ordinary people to hitchhike, especially at this time.He wasn't a small, clean, non-threatening man, but a giant, nearly six-foot-five, stocky, weighing nearly two hundred and fifty pounds.When viewed up close, his face is usually unshaven, with unshaven hair and messy hair, which makes people frightened and want to look away.Now that there is another bruise on his forehead, the situation is even more serious.That's why he was so surprised that someone stopped to pick him up within three minutes. And the driver was actually a woman!According to the subconscious risk assessment, the order is usually as follows: at the top, young women encounter older men driving, which is the easiest to hitch a ride, because there is no threat at all.However, now some young women will take advantage of this to cheat, threatening to file a sexual harassment complaint if the driver does not pay a hundred yuan, so it is becoming more and more difficult for even young women to get a free ride.In short, the last in line must be a burly and unkempt guy, sitting in a high-end sports car driven by a clean, slender woman.But it really happened, and within three minutes. He quickly left the motel area and walked southwest. The glare of the sun blinded him, and the light and shadow intertwined in the early morning made it difficult to see clearly.He held his thumb up eagerly as she pulled up next to him, wide tires hissing wet on the hot pavement.It was a big white car, and the sunlight reflected on the hood was very dazzling. He squinted his eyes and turned his head away, while she pressed down the opposite window.The time is Friday morning, seven forty-two. where to goshe yelled at him, sounding more like a taxi driver than a citizen. all good.He said. Li Qi immediately regretted it, which is stupid to say, because not having a clear goal usually makes the situation worse.They will think you are the kind of person who wanders around without a goal, and they will be suspicious, thinking that they may never get rid of you, thinking that you will want to sit in their house all the time.But the woman just nodded. All right!She said, I'm going to Pecos (Pecos, located in southwestern Texas, USA.) Nearby. He froze for a moment in surprise.She lowered her neck and turned her head to look up, at him through the car window. Very good.He said. He walked off the sidewalk, opened the car door and got in.She turned the air conditioner on to the max, so it was cold in the car, and because of the leather seats, it was like ice cubes.She pressed the button next to the driver's seat to close the window, and Li Qi closed the door. Thanks.He said, you really did me a favor. She didn't say anything, she just put on a noncommittal posture and didn't want to talk more, and turned her head to look at the car coming from behind.People who are willing to give people a free ride have all kinds of reasons, and everyone's situation is different.Some people may often hitch a ride when they were young, but now that their life is settled and comfortable, they want to take it and use it, just like reincarnation.Some people are born with a love of doing good, while others just feel lonely and want someone to talk to. But if the woman wanted someone to talk to, she probably wasn't in a hurry to start.After the two trucks passed, she followed, still without saying a word.Li Qi looked around the inside of the car. It was a two-door Cadillac, but the body was as long as a boat, and it was very beautiful.It may have been two years old, but it looks like new.The leather seats are old bone white, and the windows are the color of a French wine bottle.There is a wallet and a small suitcase in the back seat. The black wallet doesn't look like a famous brand, it may be plastic leather.The suitcase was made of old cowhide, the kind of thing that looks old when you buy it, and the suitcase was zippered open, and there were so many folders stuffed in it that it looked like a lawyer's briefcase. You can move the chair back.Give yourself more space, the woman said. Thanks.He said it again. Li Qi found the switch on the door and began to adjust the seat. The quiet motor moved his seat back, and the seat back fell down.He also lowered the seat so that it would not be too conspicuous from the outside.The motor whirred, like sitting in a dental chair. It looks better.She said it was more suitable for your figure. She is petite, so her seat sits close to the steering wheel.Li Qi adjusted his sitting posture so that he could observe carefully without staring at her.She is not tall, but very slender, with dark skin and beautiful bones, and she looks small.She weighed about a hundred pounds, was in her mid-thirties, and had flowing, wavy black hair, dark eyes, and tiny white teeth that showed in a nervous smile.Li Qi guessed that she should be a Mexican, but not the kind who swam the Rio Grande (Note: Rio Grande, the border river between the United States and Mexico.) in search of a beautiful life.Apparently this woman's ancestors have enjoyed the beauty of life for hundreds of years and it's part of her DNA, because she looks like the Aztec Empire Nomadic tribes, and later developed into a prosperous and prosperous country.) Nobility.She was wearing a simple cotton dress with faint graphics printed on it. It wasn't particularly beautiful, but it looked expensive.She had no sleeves on her shoulders, and her skirt reached above her knees. Her hands and feet were black and smooth, as if they had been deliberately polished. So, where are you going?she asked. Then she paused, her smile widening: No, I've already asked you this, and you don't seem to know where you're going. Her voice is a true American accent, with a more western accent than a southern accent.She was holding the steering wheel with both hands, and she was wearing two rings, a thin wedding band and a white gold ring with a large diamond. Anywhere is fine.Li Qi said, no matter where you go, as soon as you arrive, you will reach your destination. She paused for a moment, then smiled again.Are you avoiding something?Am I carrying a dangerous fugitive? Her smile told Li Qi that she wasn't serious about asking this question, but he felt that the question was indeed serious.This question is not unreasonable. After all, this is a free ride, and she is also taking risks.And that risk is killing the art of free-riding as a form of mobility. I am exploring.He said. Exploring Texas?It has already been explored. in a tourist way.He said. But you don't look like a tourist. All the tourists here wear polyester casual clothes and come by bus. As she spoke, she laughed again.She is beautiful when she smiles, confident and calm, even with a touch of grace.An elegant and luxurious Mexican woman, wearing an expensive dress, speaks calmly, and drives a Cadillac.At this moment, he suddenly realized that his answers were all in a few words, with messy hair, unshaven face, oil-stained shirt, wrinkled khaki pants, and a big bruise on his forehead. do you live near herehe asks.Because she talked about our tourists here, and he thought it was time for him to talk. I live on the south side of the Pecos.She said that it was about 300 miles away from here. As I just said, that was my destination. Never been.He said. So have you explored Lebo City yet?she asked. I saw Buddy.Holly (Note: Buddy Holly, American rock singer in the 1950s. Died in a plane crash.) Statue. Her gaze moved down to the stereo, as if thinking: This man likes music, maybe I should play some music. you like buddyHolly? doesn't count.Li Qi said it was too bland for me. She nodded at the steering wheel.I think so too, I think Ricky.Valens (Note: Ritchie Valens, a Mexican-American rock singer in the 1950s, died in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly.) Well, he's also from Lebo. Li Qi also nodded.I saw him on the Avenue of Stars. How long have you been in Lebo City? one day. Planning to leave now? That was the plan. You can go anywhere.she says. That's right.He said it again. She fell silent, the car was waiting for the traffic lights.Then the light turned green and she started again through a large intersection, following the right lane.He watched her thighs move from the gas pedal, her teeth bit her lower lip, her eyes narrowed.Something was making her nervous, but she managed to get over it. The two crossed the city limits, and a small metal sign was erected on a pole on the sidewalk.He smiled to himself, City Police Department, says so on the shield on the police car.He turned his head and watched the danger disappear behind him. The two men sat in the front seat of the Crown Victoria, the taller and better looking one drove the car, allowing the smaller and darker one to rest, while the woman sat in the back seat.They pulled out of the motel parking lot and drove west on Interstate 20, away from Dallas, heading for Fort Worth.The three of them didn't say a word, feeling the oppression of the vast inland of Texas in their hearts.When the woman was preparing for her mission, she had read this guidebook, which said that Texas accounted for a full seven percent of the continental United States, and was larger than most continental European countries.But it didn't cause any ripples in her heart. Everyone has heard the Texas big bullshit, and it's not surprising at all.But that book also said that the width of Texas from the east to the west is longer than the distance from Chicago to New York, which is a bit shocking, because just going from a hinterland that does not lay eggs to another unknown ghost place is a long way to go. It takes a long, long drive. Fortunately, the car is quiet, cool, and comfortable, and as a place to rest, it is no less than any motel.Besides, there was plenty of time. The woman slowed down, turned right slightly toward New Mexico, turned left a mile later, and headed south toward Old Mexico.The middle part of her dress is wrinkled, and it may have been worn for the second day. The perfume on her body is faint, mixed with the air-conditioning blown out of the air-conditioning outlet on the dashboard. So is Pakkens worth a look?In the silence, Li Qi asked. pecos.she says. Yes, Pecos. She shrugged: I like it.she says.Mostly Mexican, so I felt very comfortable. The right hand on the steering wheel was tense, and Li Qi saw the tendons under the skin moving. Do you like Mexicans?she asked. He shrugged too.Everyone is about the same! You don't like being around people? It depends. Love cantaloupe? Fruits are pretty much the same. Pecos' Roman melons are some of the sweetest in the state.she says.So, in their opinion, it is the sweetest in the world.There is also an equestrian competition in July, but this year's has passed.North of Pecos is Loving County (Loving County, a county in western Texas, USA, adjacent to New Mexico in the north and northwest, and bounded by the Pecos River in the west.), have you heard of this place? Li Qi shook his head.I have never been here. That's the least densely populated place in the United States.she says.Of course, I guess Alaska shouldn't count.But in terms of average personal income, it is the richest. The total population there is 110 people, but there are more than 420 oil wells in operation. He nodded.Drop me off at Pecos then!It sounds like an interesting place. The real Wild West.she says.Of course, that was a long time ago.The Texas Pacific has a station there, so there's a lot of bars and restaurants and all that.The law and order there was not very good in the past. Pecos is the name of the town, and it is also a word, a verb and a place name. If you say Pecos, it means shooting people and throwing them into the Pecos River. Still like this? She smiled again, a different smile, part of the smile turned from elegance to naughtiness, making her less nervous and more charming. No, not so often now.she says. Is your family native to Pecos? No, it's California.she says.I was married from there. keep talking.She saved your life, he thought. How long have you been married?he asks. Almost seven years. So how long has your family been in California? She paused, then smiled again.Longer than any Californian, that's for sure. Now that the car was passing through a vast country, she increased the speed, and the quiet car followed a perfectly straight road.The hot sky looked as green as a wine bottle through the windshield, and the thermometer on the dashboard showed one hundred and ten degrees outside and sixty in the car. Are you a lawyer?he asks. 她一時間會意不過來，然後才想起來，抬起頭從後照鏡裡看著她的公事包。 no.she says.我是律師的客戶。 對話又斷了，她好像很緊張，李奇也十分尷尬。 那妳還有什麼身分？he asks. She paused for a moment.別人的老婆、媽媽。她說，別人的女兒和姐姐，大概就這樣吧！然後我還養了幾匹馬，就這樣。And you? 沒什麼特別的身分。Li Qi said. 一定有吧？she says. 這個嘛，以前是有。He said.我是別人的兒子、別人的弟弟、別人的男朋友。 before? 我父母去世了，我哥哥死了，我女朋友離開我了。 爛話題。he thought.而且她沒接話。 而且我也沒養馬。he added. Unfortunately.she says. 因為我沒養馬嗎？ 不是，是因為你孤伶伶一個人。 陳年往事了。He said.其實也沒有聽起來那麼糟。 你不覺得孤單？ He shrugged.我喜歡一個人。 她停了一下問道：那你女朋友為什麼離開？ 她去歐洲工作了。 你不能跟她去嗎？ 她其實不希望我跟去。 That's it!she says.那你自己想去嗎？ He was silent for a while.大概不想。他說，因為那樣就差不多等於要定下來了。 你不想定下來？ He shook his head.在同一個汽車旅館待上兩晚就能讓我毛骨悚然了。 所以你在樂波市只待一晚。she says. 然後隔天就到佩科斯。He said. And after that? He laughed.之後我也不知道，他說，可是我就喜歡這樣。 她繼續往前開，跟車子一樣安靜。 所以你確實在躲避什麼。she says.或許你以前有很安定的生活，但你就是特別想逃離這種感覺。 他又搖搖頭。不是，其實完全相反。我一輩子都待在部隊裡，四處漂泊，而我慢慢喜歡上了這種感覺。 I understand.she says.或許你已經適應了這種無序的狀態。 I guess so! 她停了一會兒又說：一個人一輩子都待在部隊裡會怎麼樣？ 我爸也是軍人，所以我小時候是在世界各地的基地長大的，之後我也成了軍人。 但現在你退伍了。 He nodded.歷練完整，升不上去了。 李奇發現她在思索他的答案，接著她的緊張又回來了。她開始催緊油門，有可能連自己也沒意識到，也可能是反射作用。李奇覺得她對他的興趣正逐漸升高，就像越來越快的車速一樣。 福特的維多利亞皇冠車型是在加拿大的聖湯瑪斯市生產的，一年幾萬輛，而這款車幾乎無一例外都賣給警察、計程車公司，或租車公司，個人駕駛幾乎沒人在開。大尺寸的公路巡航車型早已引不起市場興趣，至於那些對福特這種車型的死忠車迷，水星尊爵（Mercury Grand Marquis）會是更好的選擇。外型更美，而且價錢一樣，所以橫掃剩下的個人市場，因此私人擁有的皇冠數量比勞斯萊斯的數量還少。要是你在路上看見一輛皇冠，那不是黃色的計程車，車身四個門也沒有黑白警徽的話，那麼下意識就會覺得那是便衣警察用車，或是政府派發給某些單位的車，比方說美國法警、聯邦調查局、情治機構，或是法醫、消防隊長的座車。 這是一般印象，而且還有方法可以進一步加深這種感覺。 前往亞柏林市途中，在一片空曠的鄉間，高䠷好看的駕駛把車駛離公路，穿過大片原野和茂密林地，找到一個方圓十里內不見人煙的泥土避車道。他把車子停下、引擎熄火，然後打開後車廂。矮小黝黑的男人把沉重的手提箱拿出來放在地上，女人則拉開箱子拉鍊，拿出兩塊維吉尼亞州車牌交給高的那個。他從手提箱裡拿出一把螺絲起子，把車子前後的德州車牌拆下，然後把維吉尼亞州的掛上去。矮個子男人將四個輪圈的塑膠蓋拔下，讓便宜的鋼圈裸露在外，並將四個塑膠蓋像盤子一樣疊起來，丟進後車廂。女人從手提箱裡拿出四支天線，包括民用波段無線電天線跟行動電話天線，這些都是在洛杉磯的無線電屋（註：Radio Shack，美國3C產品通路商。）以很便宜的價錢買到的。行動電話天線附有黏貼墊，可以直接黏在後車窗，她等行李廂關上後，再把底部有磁鐵的無線電天線放在行李廂蓋上。這些天線不是拿來用的，只是純粹裝裝樣子。 然後矮個子男人坐回駕駛座，在塵土中迴轉，開回公路上，不疾不徐地前進。一輛皇冠、毫無裝飾的鋼圈、一大堆天線、維吉尼亞州車牌。有可能是聯邦調查局公務車，三個聯邦探員在車上，或許有要事待辦。 你在部隊裡擔任什麼？那女人很隨性地問道。 I am the police.Li Qi said. 陸軍裡有警察？ Of course there is.He said.憲兵就像部隊裡的警察。 I don't know.she says. 她又安靜下來，努力想著事情，似乎很興奮。 你介意我再問些問題嗎？she says. He shrugged.妳載了我一程。 She nodded.希望不會太過冒犯。 在這種情況下，應該不太可能。外面一百一十度、裡面六十度。 這麼高的溫度，很快就會有暴風雨了。 李奇看著前方的天空，因為擋風玻璃的關係看起來綠綠的，像酒瓶一樣，不過倒是晴空萬里。 好像看不出來。He said. 她又輕輕地笑了一下。我可以請教你住哪裡嗎？ 我沒有固定住所。He said.我四處漂泊。 你沒有個家嗎？ He shook his head.妳現在看到的就是我的全部家當。 你沒帶什麼行李。 越少越好。 她停了一會兒，車子飛快地前進了一英里。 你沒工作嗎？she asked. He nodded.Usually this is the case. 你在部隊裡是個好警察嗎？ 應該夠好了吧！他們讓我當到少校，還頒給我幾個勳章。 She paused.那你為什麼要離開？ 這種對話感覺起來像在面談，彷彿要跟銀行貸款或是應徵工作似的。 他們把我精實掉了。He said.冷戰結束後，他們想把部隊規模縮小，精簡人事，所以就不需要這麼多警察來盯他們。 She nodded.就像小鎮一樣，如果人口減少，那警局就會跟著縮編。跟經費、稅金之類的東西有關。 He didn't speak. 我住在一個很小的鎮。she says.回聲鎮，在佩科斯南邊。我剛才說過，那是個很孤獨的地方，所以以前的人才給這小鎮取這名字，不是因為那兒會像空房間一樣產生回音，而是因為有個希臘神話的典故。回聲是個少女，愛上了納西瑟斯，可是納西瑟斯只愛自己，不愛她，所以她就一天天變得虛弱，直到僅剩聲音留在人間，於是人間就有了回聲。那兒居民不多，可是還是算一個郡，是個郡也是個鎮，雖然不像洛文郡那麼稀疏，不過沒有警察局，只有一個警長。 她有話想說。 這樣會有問題嗎？he asks. 那是個白人很多的郡。she says.跟佩科斯完全不同。 so? 所以如果出了什麼狀況的話，就可能會有問題。 那麼，出了什麼狀況嗎？ 她不太自然地笑了。果然是個警察。she says.本來是我要問問題，結果變成都是你在問。 她沉默了一下，繼續開車，纖細黝黑的雙手放在方向盤上。車行速度很快，但還算不上是趕路。李奇再次按下按鈕，把椅背稍微再往後倒，用眼角看著她。她很漂亮，但有心事，或許再過十年，她的臉上就會出現很多很美的皺眉紋。 部隊裡過的是什麼樣的生活？she asked. no the same.He said.跟外面的生活不一樣。 Why is it different? 不同的規矩、不同的情境。那是個很封閉的世界，一切都有規定，可是卻又有點無法無天，有點野蠻不文明。 就像大西部一樣。she says. I think so!he replied.要先讓那一百萬人接受訓練、完成任務，然後再來講規矩。 就像大西部一樣。她又說了一次。我想你應該很喜歡那樣的生活。 He nodded.A little. 她暫停一下。我可以問你個私人問題嗎？ please.He said. May I have your name? Li Qi.He said. 那是你的名字嗎？還是姓？ 大家就叫我李奇。He said. 她又暫停了一會兒。我可以再問你個私人問題嗎？ He nodded. 你殺過人嗎，李奇？在部隊的時候？ He nodded again.一些。 那就是部隊的本質，是吧？she says. probably!He said.本質上是。 她再次安靜下來，像是心裡有些事難以決定。 佩科斯有個博物館，她說，一個真正的大西部博物館。那幢建築物有一部分在老酒館裡，另一部分在隔壁的旅館，而後面屋外是克雷．艾利森的墳墓。你有聽過克雷．艾利森嗎？ Li Qi shook his head. 克雷．艾利森，人稱紳士槍手。she says.後來他退休了，可是有天他被一輛裝載穀物的車子撞傷了，後來因傷而死。他們就把他埋在那裡，有個很漂亮的墓碑，上面寫著：羅伯．克雷．艾利森，一八四〇︱一八八七。我看過，上面還有段墓誌銘，內容說他不曾殺過不該死之人。what do you think? 我覺得寫得很不錯。Li Qi said. 還有份舊報紙，她說，放在玻璃櫃裡，堪薩斯市的報紙。上面有他的訃聞，內容說他以心中之尺衡量善惡，以行大義。 凱迪拉克繼續往南飛馳。 很棒的訃聞。Li Qi said. 你這麼覺得？ He nodded.大概可以算是最好的等級。 你希望有這種訃聞嗎？ this!現在還不希望。Li Qi said. 她又露出微笑，這次面帶歉意。That's right.she says.我想也是，可是你會希望自己有資格擁有這樣的訃聞嗎？我的意思是說，到了一切結束的時候？ 我不敢有這麼高的期望。He said. She didn't speak. 妳打算告訴我終點在哪裡嗎？he asks. 這條路嗎？她緊張地問道。 不是，是這段對話。 她繼續往前開了一陣子，然後放開油門滑行，等車子漸漸慢下來，她把車開到沙土路肩上。路肩往下斜，旁邊是條乾涸的灌溉溝渠，於是車子以很大的角度，往他這邊傾斜。她的手腕輕巧擺動，把檔位打入停車檔，車子引擎沒有熄火，冷氣繼續吹著。 我叫卡門．古瑞爾。she says.我需要你幫忙。