R1106. 酒店關門之後. When the Sacred Ginmill Closes。Lawrence Block/王凌宵。臉譜。1997。329頁。12/09/22-12/09/22。
三個案子。
第一，摩里西酒吧。史卡德和朋友凌晨在一間非法營業的酒吧裡喝酒，兩個搶匪持槍闖入，搶走了好幾萬塊。事後這對跟愛爾蘭共和軍有交情的老闆兄弟，懸賞了一萬元尋兇。
第二，小貓小姐酒吧。兩個朋友合夥的合法酒吧。某日發現放在保險箱裡的那本「私帳」帳冊不見了，不多久就接到勒索五萬美金的電話。史卡德受酒吧老闆朋友所託，負責了結此事。
第三，不是發生在酒吧裡，是史卡德常去酒吧裡的常客，湯米。他家被強盜入侵，不但財物被洗劫一空，妻子也被殺死。警方雖然高度懷疑湯米，但因為他跟情婦在一起，不在場證明始終無法定他的罪。為了洗刷自己的嫌疑，聘請史卡德幫他找出真兇。
三件案子最有關連的地方，就是還在拼命喝酒的史卡達時常流連的各個酒吧。跟著無法控制酒癮的史卡德日夜地晃在紐約的這裡那裡，最後案子全破了─帳本是老闆從小一起長大的死黨偷的，然後勾結外人回頭勒索；這「外人」之前也做了另一票，對，沒錯，就是搶了愛爾蘭兄弟的酒吧。懸賞金還是付出去了，小貓小姐酒吧的老闆想想去告了狀，只是把搶匪人數從兩人多添了個名字，間接註定死黨橫死街頭。
至於湯米的嫌疑呢？史卡德的追查反而落實湯米果然是兇手，但在法律上，卻沒辦法證明他的犯罪。然而，史卡德還是用自己的方法讓湯米得到制裁，就在湯米情婦絕望的自殺後，第一個趕到的史卡德將自殺布置成兇殺模式，留下來的證據更是讓「無辜」的湯米白口莫辯。
正義獲得伸張，即使不是對號入座，總是負債終還，邪惡無法堂而皇之推門而去。
只是，為何還是有些沉重的情緒，總想要走進安靜的、吵鬧的、有熱情的酒保、沒表情的酒保……的酒店，然後灌進一杯杯讓自己四肢鬆軟，話匣子一開就不可收拾的酒精呢？
找到書名來源。Youtube真是好東西，連這歌我都跟史卡德一樣，聽了好幾遍……
Last Call lyrics Dave Van
Ronk
And so weve had another night
of poetry and poses,
and each man knows hell be alone
when the sacred ginmill closes.
And so well drink the final glass
each to his joy and sorrow
and hope the numbing drink will last
til opening tomorrow.
And when we stumble back again
like paralytic dancers
each knows the question he must ask
and each man knows the answer.
And so well drink the final drink
(From:
http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/dave-van-ronk-lyrics/last-call-lyrics.html)
that cuts the brain in sections
where answers do not signify
and there arent any questions.
I broke my heart the other day.
It will mend again tomorrow.
If Id been drunk when I was born
Id be ignorant of sorrow.
And so well drink the final toast
that never can be spoken:
Heres to the heart that is wise enough
to know when its better off broken.
Ronk
And so weve had another night
of poetry and poses,
and each man knows hell be alone
when the sacred ginmill closes.
And so well drink the final glass
each to his joy and sorrow
and hope the numbing drink will last
til opening tomorrow.
And when we stumble back again
like paralytic dancers
each knows the question he must ask
and each man knows the answer.
And so well drink the final drink
(From:
http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/dave-van-ronk-lyrics/last-call-lyrics.html)
that cuts the brain in sections
where answers do not signify
and there arent any questions.
I broke my heart the other day.
It will mend again tomorrow.
If Id been drunk when I was born
Id be ignorant of sorrow.
And so well drink the final toast
that never can be spoken:
Heres to the heart that is wise enough
to know when its better off broken.
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