dw.jimmythekid-第2节

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ethod　more　circuitous　and　subtle。　But　it　wasn't　to　be；　and　Dortmunder　watched　Kelp　gradually　accept　the　fact。　Kelp　sighed。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　〃The　answer　is　no；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　turned　and　headed　again　for　the　parking　garage。
　Hurrying　after　him；　Kelp　protested；　〃Why？　You　can't　even　listen？〃
　Dortmunder　stopped　again；　and　Kelp　ran　into　him。　Kelp　was　shorter　than　Dortmunder；　and　his　nose　ran　into　Dortmunder's　shoulder。　〃Ow！〃　he　said。
　〃I'll　tell　you　why；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　Kelp　pressed　a　hand　to　his　nose。　〃That　hurt；〃　he　said。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃The　last　time　I　listened　to　you；　I　wound　up　running　all　over　Long　Island　with　a　stolen　bank；　and　what　did　I　get　out　of　it？　A　head　cold。〃
　〃I　think　I've　got　a　nosebleed；〃　Kelp　said。　He　was　tenderly　touching　his　nose　with　his　fingertips。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃And　the　time　before　that；　you　remember　what　that　was？　That　other　time　I　listened　to　you？　That　goddam　Balabomo　Emerald；　remember　that　one？〃
　〃If　you're　blaming　me　for　any　of　that；〃　Kelp　said；　talking　nasally　because　he　was　holding　his　nose；　〃I　think　it's　very　unfair。〃
　〃If　I'm　unfair；〃　Dortmunder　pointed　out；　〃you　don't　want　to　be　around　me。〃　And　he　turned　away　again　and　walked　on。
　Kelp　trailed　along；　touching　his　nose　and　loudly　sniffing。　The　two　of　them　crossed　to　the　last　roof；　and　Dortmunder　opened　the　door　leading　to　the　stairs。　He　went　down；　followed　by　Kelp；　to　an　open；　concrete…floored　area　with　half　a　dozen　dusty　cars　parked　in　it。　Walking　across　the　floor；　with　Kelp　still　behind　him；　he　went　down　a　concrete　ramp　past　another　parking　level　with　more　dusty　cars；　and　at　the　third　level　down　walked　out　past　a　lot　of　less　dusty　cars　to　a　brown　Volkswagen　Microbus　with　red　side　curtains。　Kelp；　still　talking　nasally；　said；　〃Where'd　you　get　that？〃
　〃I　stole　it；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Because　you　weren't　around；　nothing　went　wrong。　I　figured　to　be　filling　it　with　furs　right　now。〃
　〃That's　not　my　fault；〃　Kelp　said。　〃You　were　on　the　wrong　floor。〃
　〃It　was　because　you　were　around；〃　Dortmunder　told　him。　〃You're　my　jinx；　I　don't　even　have　to　know　you're　there　and　you　screw　me　up。〃
　〃That　isn't　fair；　Dortmunder；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Now；　you　know　that。〃　He　gestured　with　both　hands。
　〃You're　bleeding　on　your　shirt；〃　Dortmunder　told　him。
　〃Oh；　damn。〃　Kelp　closed　his　fingers　over　his　nose　again。　〃Listen；〃　he　twanged；　〃lemme　just　tell　you　about　this　thing。〃
　〃If　I　listen　to　you…〃　Dortmunder　started；　and　then　stopped　and　shook　his　head。　Sometimes　there　just　wasn't　anything　to　be　done　with　a　bad　hand　but　play　it。　He　knew　that；　if　anybody　did。　〃Screw　it；〃　he　said。　〃Get　in　the　car。〃
　Behind　the　hand　holding　his　nose；　Kelp　beamed。　〃You　won't　regret　this；　Dortmunder；〃　he　said；　and　ran　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　Microbus。
　〃I　regret　it　already；〃　Dortmunder　said。　But　he　got　into　the　Microbus　and　started　the　engine　and　drove　it　down　and　out　of　the　garage。　A　man　in　a　green　work　shirt　and　green　work　pants　sitting　on　a　kitchen　chair　out　on　the　sidewalk　did　not　look　up　as　they　went　by。　Kelp；　looking　out　at　that　man；　said；　〃Isn't　he　the　garage　man？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　e　you　can　just　drive　in　and　out？〃
　〃Twenty　dollars；〃　Dortmunder　said。　His　expression　was　grim。　〃That's　something　else　you　cost　me；〃　he　said。
　〃Aw；　now；　Dortmunder；　you're　just　in　a　bad　mood。〃
　〃No　kidding。〃
　〃Tomorrow　you'll　think　it　over；〃　Kelp　said；　〃you'll　realize　it　isn't　right　to　blame　me　for　everything。〃
　〃I　don't　blame　you　for　everything；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃I　don't　blame　you　for　the　Second　World　War　and　I　don't
　blame　you　for　the　Johnstown　flood。　But　everything　else　I
　do　blame　you　for。〃 …
　〃Tomorrow　you'll　feel　different；〃　Kelp　said。
　Dortmunder　glanced　at　him；　to　give　him　an　unbelieving　look；　and　said；　〃You're　bleeding　on　yourself　again。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Kelp　put　his　head　back；　and　stared　at　the　Volkswagen's　roof。
　〃You　might　as　well　tell　me　the　caper；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃so　I　can　say　no　and　get　it　over　with。〃
　〃It's　not　like　that；〃　Kelp　said；　holding　his　nose　and　talking　to　the　roof。　〃I　got　nothing　to　tell　you　exactly。　It's　more　to　show　you。〃
　Like　the　emerald。　〃Where　is　it？〃
　With　the　hand　that　wasn't　holding　his　nose；　Kelp　reached　into　his　jacket　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　paperback　book。　〃It's　this；〃　he　said。
　Dortmunder　was　approaching　an　intersection　with　a　green　light。　He　made　his　turn；　drove　a　block；　and　stopped　at　a　red　light。　Then　he　looked　at　the　book　Kelp　was　waving。　He　said；　〃What's　that？〃
　〃It's　a　book。〃
　〃I　know　it's　a　book。　What　is　it？〃
　〃It's　for　you　to　read；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Here；　take　it。〃　He　was　still　staring　at　the　roof　and　holding　his　nose；　and　he　was　merely　waving　the　book　in　Dortmunder's　direction。
　So　Dortmunder　took　the　book。　The　title　was　Child　Heist；　and　the　author　was　somebody　named　Richard　Stark。　〃Sounds　like　crap；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃Just　read　it；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃Why？〃
　〃Read　it。　Then　we'll　talk。〃
　Dortmunder　hefted　the　book　in　his　hand。　A　skinny　paperback。　〃I　don't　get　the　point；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't　want　to　say　anything　till　after　you　read　it；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Okay？　I　mean；　after　all；　you　gave　me　a　nosebleed；　you　can　anyway　read　a　book。〃
　Dortmunder　thought　of　saying　several　things　about　furs；　but　he　didn't。　The　traffic　light　was　green。　〃Maybe；〃　he　said；　and　tossed　the　paperback　behind　him；　and　drove　on。
　
　2
　
　S　TAN　M　U　R　C　H　made　his　call　from　a　diner　pay　phone。　〃Maximilian's　Used　Cars；　Miss　Caroline　speaking。〃
　〃Hi；　Harriet。　Max　there？〃
　〃To　whom　am　I　speaking；　please？〃
　〃This　is　Stan。〃
　〃Oh；　hi；　Stan。　One　moment；　please；　Max　is　explaining　the　guarantee　to　a　dissatisfied　customer。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Murch　said。　The　phone　booth　was　inside　the　diner；　but　it　had　a　window　that　overlooked　the　blacktop　parking　lot；　and　Jericho　Turnpike　beyond。　A　dozen　cars　winkled　in　the　thin　October　sunlight。　The　car　Stan　had　in　mind；　an　almost…new　white　Continental；　a　definite　cream…puff；　was　parked　almost　in　front　of　him。　The　driver　had　staggered　in　just　a　few　minutes　ago；　drunk　out　of　his　mind　even　though　it　was　barely　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　was　now　sprawled　in　a　booth　in　the　rear　of　the　diner；　occasionally　spilling　black　coffee　on　himself。　All　things　considered；　Murch　told　himself；　I'm　doing　that　bird　a　favor。　He　shouldn't　be　driving　in　his　condition。
　〃Yah？〃
　Munch；　who　had　been　leaning　against　the　side　of　the　booth　and　brooding　at　the　Continental；　now　stood　upright　and　said；　〃Max？〃
　〃Yah。　Stan？〃
　〃Sure。　Listen；　Max；　you　still　interested　in　good　recent　acquisitions？〃
　〃You　mean　where　I　got　to　do　my　own　paper？〃
　〃That's　the　kind。〃
　〃That's　a　little　tricky；　Stan。　Depends　on　the　vehicle。〃
　〃A　creampuff　white　Continental。　Like　new。〃
　〃You're　reading　me　my　ad　out　of　Newsday。〃
　〃What　do　you　think；　Max？〃
　〃Bring　it　over；　we'll　have　a　look。〃
　〃Right；〃　Murch　said；　and　was　about　to　hang　up　when　another　vehicle　made　the　turn　from　Jericho　Turnpike　into　the　diner's　parking　lot。　It　was　a　car　carrier；　with　four　Buick　Riviera's　on　it：　a　powder　blue；　a　maroon；　and　two　bronzes。　〃Wait　a　second；〃　Murch　said。
　〃Hah？〃
　〃Just　hold　on。〃
　The　car　carrier　growled　up　to　the　diner；　puffing　diesel　exhaust　out　a　pipe　at　the　top　of　the　cab；　and　came　at　last　to　a　shuddering　stop。　The　driver；　a　stout　fellow　in　a　brown　leather　jacket；　climbed　down　to　the　blacktop　as　though　both　his　legs　had　fallen　asleep；　and　then　stood　there　yawning　and　scratching　his　crotch。
　〃Stan？　You　there？〃
　〃Wait　a　second；〃　Munch　said。　〃Just　a　second。〃
　The　driver；　done　with　his　yawning　and　scratching；　walked　over　to　the　diner　entrance；　leaving　Murch's　sight　for　a　few　seconds。　Murch　turned　around　and　looked　through　the　phone　booth's　interior　window。　He　watched　the　car　carrier　driver　amble　across　to　the　rear　part　of　the　diner　and　sit　in　the　next　booth　to　the　sprawled　driver　of　the　Continental。　Neither　of　them　could　see　the　parking　lot　from　where　they　were。
　〃Stan？〃
　〃Listen；　Max；〃　Murch　said。　〃You　interested　in　more；　maybe？　Other　cars；　maybe？〃
　〃I'm　always　interested　in　top　quality；　Stan；　you　know　that。〃
　〃See　you　soon；〃　Murch　said。　Hanging　up；　he　left　the　booth　and　the　diner　and　strolled　over　to　the　car　carrier。　About　to　climb　up　into　the　cab；　he　glanced　over　at　the　Continental；　sorry　to　have　to　leave　it　behind。　Oh；　well；　four　was　better　than　one
　Or。。　…
　Hmmmm。　Murch　moved　away　from　the　cab　and　considered　the　entire　length　of　the　car　carrier。　It　was　made　to　carry　six　automobiles；　three　on　top　and　three　on　the　bottom；　but　it　only　had　two　in　each　part。　The　rear　spaces　were　unoccupied；　top　and　bottom。
　Hmmmmm。　Murch　walked　around　to　the　rear　of　the　vehicle　and　considered　it　carefully。　A　kind　of　heavy　metal　tailgate　was　up　across　the　back；　with　looped　chains　at　both　ends。　Wouldn't　that　tailgate　double　as　a　ramp　if　it　were　lowered？
　Murch　moved　closer；　studying　the　tailgate's　operation。　Opening　those　two　hooks　should　release　the　thing；　then　one　should　pay　out　his　chain　through　that　ratchet；　and。　。
　Might　as　well　try　it。　He　released　the　hooks；　he　grasped　the　chain；　he　began　to　feed　it　slowly　through　the　ratchet。　The　tailgate　lowered　itself。　Murch　fed　the　chain　faster；　and　the　tailgate　lowered　faster。　Tonk；　the　tailgate　went　against　the　blacktop。　It　was　now　a　ramp。
　Fine。　Leaving　th