dw.jimmythekid-第24节

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　Murch's　Mom　gritted　her　teeth。　〃So　that's　the　one　you'll　use；〃　she　said；　and　this　time　she　was　thinking；　If　I　could　get　my　hands　on　him；　I'd　strangle　him。
　〃Very　well；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Am　I　to　meet　you　somewhere？〃
　〃Let's　not　rush　me；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃So　you'll　use　the　Cadillac。　You　can　bring　your　chauffeur　along；　but…〃
　〃Well；　I　should　think　so；〃　Harrington　said。　〃I　don't　drive。〃
　Murch's　Mom　was　pletely　speechless。　She　had　never　in　her　life　met　anybody　who　didn't　drive。　She　had　been　a　cabdriver　herself　for　a　hundred　years。　Her　boy　Stan　was　always　either　in　a　car；　driving　it；　or　under　a　car；　fixing　it。　Not　drive？　It　was　like　not　walking。
　Harrington　said；　〃Hello？　Are　you　there？〃
　〃I'm　here。　Why　don't　you　drive？　Is　it　some　religious　thing　or　something？〃
　〃Why；　no。　I've　simply　never　felt　the　need。　I've　always　had　a　chauffeur。　And　in　the　city；　of　course；　one　takes　cabs。〃
　〃Cabs；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　〃They're　perfectly　satisfactory；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Except　that　recently；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　think　the　quality　of　the　drivers　has　gone　down。〃
　〃You're　absolutely　right！〃　Murch's　Mom　stood　up　straighter　in　the　phone　booth；　and　even　jabbed　the　air　with　her　finger　two　or　three　times；　to　emphasize　a　point。　〃It　was　the　Seventy…one　contract；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　a　sellout　to　the　owners；　it　screwed　the　cabby　and　the　riding　public　both。〃
　〃Oh；　is　that　the　time　the　fare　went　up　so　drastically？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃But　I'm　not　talking　about　the　fare；　that　was　realistic；　your　New　York　City　cabdriver　had　not　been　keeping　up　with　inflation。　It　was　a　big　jump；　but　it　was　just　to　get　the　cabby　up　where　he　used　to　be。〃
　〃It　seemed　a　large　leap　somehow；　almost　double　or　something。　I　did　notice　it　at　the　time。〃
　〃But　where　the　cabby　was　screwed；〃　March's　Mom　said；　〃and　where　the　riding　public　was　screwed；　was　in　the　split。　They　changed　the　formula　on　the　split。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand。〃
　Murch's　Mom　was　only　too　happy　to　explain；　this　whole　union　problem　was　a　big　hobbyhorse　with　her。　〃You　work　for　a　fleet　owner；〃　she　said；　〃you　split　the　meter　take　with　him。　You　get　maybe　fifty…two　percent；　fifty…five；　whatever。〃
　〃Yes；　I　see。　And　they　changed　the　split？〃
　〃They　changed　the　formula；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃They　fixed　it　so　the　owner　has　to　give　a　bigger　percent　to　a　driver　with　more　seniority。〃
　〃But　surely　that's　only　right。　After　all；　if　a　man　drives　a　cab　for　years　and　years；　he…〃
　〃But　that's　not　what　happens；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃What　happens　is；　if　the　owner　pulls　in　some　bum　off　the　Street；　can't　find　his　way　to　the　Empire　State　Building；　gives　him　a　job；　puts　him　in　a　cab；　the　owner　gets　to　keep　a　higher　percentage　of　the　meter！〃
　〃Oh！〃　Harrington　said。　〃I　see　what　you　mean；　the　contract　makes　it　more　advantageous　to　the　owner　to　hire　inexperienced　drivers。〃
　〃Absolutely；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃So　that's　why　you　had　all　them　potheads；　them　beatniks；　driving　around；　playing　cabdriver。〃
　〃I　did　have　one　last　summer；〃　Harrington　said；　〃who　didn't　know　his　left　from　his　right。　At　first　I　thought　it　was　only　because　he　didn't　speak　English；　but　in　fact　he　didn't　know　left　from　right　in　any　language。　It's　very　hard　to　give　travel　directions　to　someone　who　doesn't　know　his　left　from　his　right。〃
　Northward；　a　block　from　the　Harrington　estate；　Dortmunder　and　Murch　sat　in　a　freshly　stolen　Mustang　and　waited。　And　waited。　Murch　said；　〃Shouldn't　he　e　out　pretty　soon？〃
　〃Yeah；　he　should；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃I　wonder　what　he's　doing；〃　Murch　said。
　He　was　talking　taxis　with　Murch's　Mom。　They　were　trading　horror　stories…the　hippie　driver　fresh　from　Boston　who　didn't　know　there　was　a　section　of　the　city　called　Queens；　the　Oriental　who　didn't　speak　English　and　who　drove　at　twelve　miles　an　hour　to　the　wrong　airport…　until　finally　it　was　Harrington　who　said；　〃But　I'm　sorry；　I've　changed　the　subject。　I　do　apologize。　We　were　talking　about　the　ransom。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　looked　at　her　watch；　and　it　was　almost　quarter　after　four。　〃Right。　Okay；　let　me　start　again。　You'll　get　in　the　Cadillac　with　your　chauffeur；　but　no　other　passengers。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You'll　drive　to　Interstate　80；　and　get　up　on　it　westbound。　Drive　at　a　steady　fifty。　We'll　meet　you　along　the　way。〃
　〃Where？〃
　Murch's　Mom　frowned　again。　〃What？〃
　〃You'll　meet　me　where　along　the　way？〃
　〃I　don't　tell　you　that　now。　You　just　get　up　there；　and　we'll　contact　you。〃
　〃But　I　don't　understand。　Where　is　it　I'm　going？　What's　my　destination？〃
　〃You　just　get　on　80；〃　Murch's　Mom　told　him；　〃and　travel　west　at　fifty　miles　an　hour。　That's　all　you　do；　and　we'll　take　over　from　there。〃　The　sense　of　camaraderie　she'd　felt　with　him　over　the　issue　of　New　York　taxicabs　had　vanished；　once　again；　what　she　really　wanted　to　do　was　wring　his　neck。
　〃I've　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；〃　Harrington　said。　〃No　destination。　I　don't　know　anyone　who　travels　that　way。〃
　〃Just　do　it；〃　Murch's　Mom　said；　and　hung　up　in　exasperation。　Going　outside；　she　got　into　the　Roadrunner　her　son　had　stolen　for　her　this　morning；　and　headed　for　the　other　phone　booth。　She　had　originally　objected　to　this　move；　saying　she　didn't　see　why　she　couldn't　make　both　calls　from　the　same　booth；　but　Kelp　had　showed　her　where　in　Child　Heist　it　was　explained　the　cops　might　be　tracing　the　first　call；　and　might　show　up　pretty　soon　at　the　phone　booth　where　the　call　was　made。　So　okay；　she'd　go　to　the　other　phone　booth。
　Northward；　Dortmunder　and　March　continued　to　sit　in　the　Mustang　and　wait。　March　said；　〃Do　we　have　the　number　of　the　phone　booth　where　Mom　makes　her　first　call？〃
　〃No。　Why　should　we？〃
　〃I　thought　we　could　call　her；　see　if　anything　went　wrong。〃
　〃The　smart　guy　that　wrote　the　book；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃didn't　say　anything　about　that。〃
　On　the　Harrington　estate；　Herbert　Harrington　stood　beside　his　Cadillac　and　argued　with　the　head　FBI　man。　〃I　don't　see；〃　he　said；　〃why　I　can't　have　my　own　chauffeur。　I　like　the　way　he　drives。〃
　〃Kirby's　a　good　driver；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said。　He　was　being　patient　in　a　way　to　show　how　impatient　he　really　was。　〃And　he's　along　just　in　case　anything　happens。　Like　they　decide　to　kidnap　you；　too。〃
　〃Now；　why　on　earth　would　they　kidnap　me？　Who'd　pay　the　ransom？〃
　〃Your　wife；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said。
　〃My　what？　Oh；　Claire！　Hah；　what　a　thought！　She　doesn't　even　know　Jimmy's　been　stolen。　She　won't　answer　my　calls。〃
　〃For　your　own　protection；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said；　〃we're　going　to　insist　that　Kirby　drive　you。　Believe　me；　he's　a　petent　driver；　he'll　bring　you　back　safe　and　sound。〃
　Harrington　frowned　at　the　man　in　the　front　seat　of　the　Cadillac；　sitting　there　with　Maurice's　hat　on　his　head。　The　hat　was　too　large。　〃His　hat　is　too　large；〃　Harrington　said。
　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃　The　head　FBI　man　held　the　door　open。　〃You　ought　to　get　moving　now；　Mr。　Harrington。〃
　〃I　just　don't　like　anything　about　this；〃　Harrington　said；　and　reluctantly　slid　into　the　back　of　the　car。　The　suitcase　full　of　money　and　his　attaché　case　with　some　business　papers　were　already　in　there；　on　the　floor。
　The　head　FBI　man　shut　the　door；　perhaps　a　trifle　more　emphatically　than　necessary。　〃Okay；　Kirby；〃　he　said；　and　the　Cadillac　slid　forward　over　the　white　gravel　of　the　driveway。
　〃Son　of　a　gun；〃　March　said。　〃Here　it　es。〃
　〃Damned　if　it　doesn't；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　The　silver…gray　Cadillac　came　purring　around　the　curving　blacktop　road；　scattering　dead　leaves　in　its　wake。　The　right　car：　WAX　361；　whip　antenna。　The　chauffeur　was　at　the　wheel；　and　the　father　was　in　the　back　seat。　As　it　was　disappearing　around　the　far　curve…there　were　no　straight　streets　in　this　wealthy　section　of　New　Jersey…Murch　started　the　Mustang；　and　they　moved　off　in　its　wake。
　It　was　two　miles　to　Interstate　80。　While　March　and　Dortmunder　hung　well　back；　Kirby　steered　the　big　car　around　the　bends　and　through　the　dales。　It　was　fun　driving　a　Caddy；　maybe　on　the　way　back　he　could　really　open　it　up。
　In　the　back　seat；　Harrington　picked　up　his　attaché　case；　opened　it　on　the　seat　beside　him；　and　riffled　through　the　sheaves　of　documents。　He　hadn't　been　able　to　get　to　the　office　at　all　today；　naturally；　with　all　this　mess　going　on；　and　the　work　was　piling　up。　He　picked　up　the　phone　and　called　his　office　in　the　city；　his　secretary　had　already　been　alerted　to　expect　a　late…afternoon　call。　At　least　he'd　be　able　to　get　some　of　this　accumulation　cleared　away　during　the　drive。
　Murch's　Mom　reached　the　other　phone　booth。　It　was　next　to　a　Burger　King　on　route　46。　She　parked　the　Roadrunner　and　went　over　to　stand　in　the　booth　and　wait。　Outside；　a　group　of　juvenile　delinquents　showed　up　on　motorcycles。
　The　Cadillac　reached　Interstate　80。　Murch　stopped　at　a　Chevron　station　by　the　on　ramp　and　Dortmunder　phoned　Murch's　Mom　at　the　other　phone　booth。　When　she　answered；　there　was　such　a　loud　buzzing　noise；　hoarse　and　raspy；　that　he　could　barely　hear　her。　〃You　got　trouble　on　your　line；〃　he　said。
　She　said；　〃What？〃
　〃You　got　trouble　on　your　line！〃
　〃I　can't　hear　you　with　all　these　stinking　motorcycles！〃
　〃Oh。　He's　up　on　80！〃
　〃Right！〃
　Dortmunder　got　back　into　the　Mustang；　and　Murch　took　of！　again　in　the　wake　of　the　Cadillac。　They　went　up　on　the　Interstate；　Murch　put　the　Mustang　up　to　sixty…eigh