dw.jimmythekid-第26节

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　He　stood　there　looking　at　cars　go　by　in　both　directions。　He　stood　there；　trucks　and　cars　going　by。　The　Cadillac　went　by；　in　the　wrong　direction。　It　was　too　far　away　to　see　the　license　plate；　but　it　was　the　right　color　and　it　had　the　whip　antenna　and　that　was　definitely　somebody　in　a　chauffeur's　cap　at　the　wheel。　And　somebody　else　in　the　back　seat。
　Harrington　leaned　over　the　New　Jersey　map。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Hackettstown。　I　see　it。〃
　Dortmunder　walked　back　and　got　into　the　Mustang。　〃It　just　went　by　the　wrong　way；〃　he　said。
　Murch　stared　at　him。　〃The　Cadillac？〃
　〃I　think　something's　wrong；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃That's　my　personal　opinion。〃
　〃We　better　go　talk　to　Mom；〃　Murch　said。　He　started　the　Mustang　and　headed　south　on　the　county　road。
　It　was　ten　miles　south　on　the　county　road　to　route　46。　Then　they　had　to　turn　left　and　travel　five　more　miles　to　get　to　the　Burger　King；　where　they　found　Murch's　Mom　sitting　morosely　in　the　Roadrunner；　eating　a　whopper。　They　stopped　beside　her；　and　Murch　got　out　and　said；　〃Mom；　what…〃
　Murch's　Mom　sprayed　whopper　in　all　directions。　Leaping　out　of　the　Roadrunner　she　cried；　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃They　went　by　the　wrong　way。　What's　going　on？〃
　〃They're　on　the　way　back！　I　just　went　through　the　whole　thing　with　them；　they're　turning　around　at　the　Hackettstown　exit。　They're　on　the　way！〃
　〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake；〃　said　Dortmunder。　〃What　happened　the　first　time？〃
　〃He　was　on　the　phone；　I　couldn't　get　through。　Will　you　hurry？　He'll　get　there；　somebody　else'll　pick　up　the　suitcase。〃
　Murch　and　Dortmunder　jumped　back　into　the　Mustang　and　took　off。　Murch's　Mom　watched　them　go；　and　shook　her　head。　〃I　swear　to　God；〃　she　said　aloud。　〃I　just　swear　to　God。〃
　At　the　Hackettstown　exit；　the　Cadillac　took　the　off　ramp　onto　county　road　517；　turned　left；　took　517　north　for　about　a　hundred　feet；　took　the　westbound　on　ramp；　and　got　back　up　on　Interstate　80。　Kirby　said；　〃I　suppose　I　can　step　it　up　a　little　bit　now。〃
　〃I　should　think　so；〃　Harrington　said。　〃We're　terribly　late；　apparently。〃
　Kirby；　grinning　a　little；　tipped　the　chauffeur's　cap　back　on　his　forehead　and　hunched　a　bit　over　the　wheel。　His　foot　became　heavy　on　the　accelerator。　The　Cadillac　tires　began　to　dig　in。　Harrington；　feeling　the　pressure　of　the　seat　back　against　his　spine；　began　to　regret　his　acquiescence。
　State　Trooper　Hubert　L。　Duckbundy；　driving　in　an　unmarked　patrol　car　which　made　it　possible　for　him　to　catch　speeders　but　impossible　for　rape　or　robbery　victims　to　contact　him　in　their　moment　of　travail；　cruised　along　at　sixty…one；　eleven　miles　an　hour　above　the　speed　limit；　enjoying　the　fall　scenery　and　waiting　for　somebody　else　to　do　sixty…two；　when　he　suddenly　was　passed。　A　silver　gray　Cadillac；　New　Jersey　plate　number　WAX　361；　chauffeur　driven；　was　abruptly　out　front；　and　going　like　hell。
　Well；　well。　Trooper　Duckbundy　accelerated　and　started　the　clock。　There　was　nothing　more　pleasing　in　the　life　of　a　man　who　brought　fifteen　thousand；　two　hundred　eighty…seven　dollars　and　ninety　cents　a　year　home　to　his　wife　and　three　children　than　slapping　a　speeding　violation　on　the　operator　of　a　luxury　car。　There；　you　bastard；　was　the　general　theme　of　the　encounter；　and　for　Trooper　Duckbundy　its　satisfactions　never　palled。
　Let's　give　this　one　a　full　mile　on　the　clock；　Trooper　Duckbundy　thought；　just　to　be　sure　he　doesn't　wiggle　out。　Ninety…two　miles　an　hour。　Oh；　my；　yes。
　But　within　half　a　mile　the　Cadillac's　brake　lights　suddenly　went　on。　Had　the　driver　noticed　he　was　being　paced？　The　Hope　exit　was　near　here；　maybe　the　Cadillac　meant　to　leave　the　Interstate　there。　If　so；　Trooper　Duckbundy　would　have　to　pull　him　over　now；　with　less　than　a　mile　on　the　clock。
　But　the　Cadillac　was　more　than　merely　slowing　down。　Its　right　directional　was　on；　it　was　angling　over　onto　the　shoulder　of　the　road。　Trooper　Duckbundy　slowed　to　a　crawl；　watching　the　events　occurring　ahead　of　him。　There's　something　funny　about　that；　he　thought。
　The　Cadillac　stopped。　A　well…dressed　man　hopped　out　of　the　back　seat；　picked　up　a　piece　of　trash　from　the　highway　verge；　and　hopped　back　into　the　car　again。　Trooper　Duckbundy's　gray　Fury　II　was　almost　even　with　the　Cadillac　when　the　Cadillac　suddenly　surged　forward　again；　spraying　gravel　out　behind　itself　and　shouldering　itself　out　onto　the　highway　directly　in　Trooper　Duckbundy's　path。
　Well；　enough　is　enough。　As　the　Cadillac　tore　away　along　the　highway；　tires　screaming；　Trooper　Duckbundy　switched　on　the　red　flasher　light　mounted　on　his　dashboard；　hit　the　siren；　and　gave　chase。
　〃Damn；〃　Kirby　said；　looking　in　the　rearview　mirror。　They　were　just　passing　the　off　ramp　for　the　Hope　exit。
　Harrington；　struggling　against　the　acceleration　to　get　the　message　out　of　the　tomato　juice　bottle；　said；　〃What's　wrong？〃
　〃State　trooper；〃　Kirby　said。　〃One　of　those　goddam　unmarked　cars。〃　He　braked　reluctantly；　angling　over　toward　the　shoulder　again。
　Harrington　at　last　got　the　paper　out　of　the　bottle。　Then　he　looked　around；　saw　the　flashing　red　light　and　saw　the　siren；　and　said；　〃State　trooper？　But　there　aren't　supposed　to　be　any　police　around！〃
　〃I'll　get　rid　of　him；〃　Kirby　said。　〃No　problem。'
　The　Cadillac　came　to　a　stop　next　to　the　railing　of　the　overpass。　The　patrol　car　stopped　in　front　of　it；　angled　across　to　block　it　from　getting　away。　The　siren　was　turned　off；　but　the　flashing　light　remained　on。　Trooper　Duckbundy；　adjusting　his　hat　and　his　belt　and　his　trousers　and　his　tie；　came　walking　slowly　back　to　the　Cadillac；　where　Kirby　pressed　the　button　that　slid　the　window　down。　〃Going　a　little　fast　there；　fella；〃　Trooper　Duckbundy　said。
　Kirby　flashed　his　FBI　ID　card。　〃It's　okay；〃　he　said。　〃A　special　situation。〃
　Trooper　Duckbundy　saw　that　it　was　an　ID　card；　but　that　was　all。　〃License　and　registration　is　all　I　need；〃　he　said。　He　saw　the　prosperous…looking　fella　in　the　back　seat。　Mm…hm。
　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Kirby　said。　〃I'm　FBI。　This　is　a　special　situation　here。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah？〃　Trooper　Duckbundy　knew　about　this　stuff；　too。　〃And　I　guess　that's　a　Senator　or　something　in　the　backseat；　is　it？　Well；　let　me　tell　you；　we　don't　like　you　people　thumbing　your　noses　at　New　Jersey。〃
　〃No；　you've　got　it　wrong。　This…〃
　〃No；　I　don't　have　it　wrong；〃　Trooper　Duckbundy　said。　〃We　get　a　lot　of　this　over　on　the　Turnpike…diplomats；　political　big　shots；　going　from　the　UN　down　to　Washing。　ton；　do　eighty；　ninety；　a　hundred　miles　an　hour　down　through　the　chemical　plants。〃
　〃It　isn't…〃
　〃You　think　you　got　immunity；〃　Trooper　Duckbundy　said。　〃Just　say　a　tire　blows　at　ninety　miles　an　hour；　what　kind　of　immunity　you　got　then？　And　how　many　innocent　people　are　you　endangering；　you　ever　think　of　that？〃
　Another　police　car；　this　one　very　well　marked　indeed；　pulled　to　a　stop　behind　the　Cadillac；　and　the　trooper　got　out　to　join　the　action。　Harrington　said　to　Kirby；　urgently；　〃They're　not　supposed　to　be　here！〃　He'd　read　the　note　from　the　tomato　juice　bottle　by　now。　〃This　is　where　we　leave　the　money！〃
　〃Oh；　hell；〃　Kirby　said。
　The　second　trooper　arrived。　〃We　got　a　problem　here？〃
　〃What　we　have　here；〃　Trooper　Duckbundy　said；　〃is　some　sort　of　politico；　a　big　shot。　Thinks　he's　immune　to　blowouts。〃
　〃Is　that　right？〃
　〃Now　look；〃　Kirby　said。
　The　second　trooper　said　to　Kirby；　〃Just　a　minute　there。　I'm　speaking　with　the　other　officer。〃
　ing　like　hell；　Murch　roared　toward　the　intersection　of　the　county　road　and　Interstate　80。　As　they　neared　the　overpass　Dortmunder　said；　〃Isn't　that　police　cars？〃
　But　he'd　only　had　a　quick　glimpse　before　the　angle　was　wrong。　Murch　said；　as　he　braked　to　a　stop　under　the　over。　pass；　〃I　don't　think　so。　What　would　they　have　police　cars　for？〃
　〃Some　sort　of　trap。〃
　〃Be　a　dumb　kind　of　trap；〃　Murch　said；　〃with　police　cars。〃　Stopped；　he　shifted　into　park　but　left　the　engine　running。　〃Better　go　see　if　it's　there　already。〃
　〃Right。〃
　Dortmunder　got　out　of　the　car　and　went　walking　over　to　the　other　verge　of　the　county　road；　where　the　suitcase　would　land。　There　wasn't　anything　there。　He　walked　farther　from　the　overpass；　looked　up；　and　saw　the　Cadillac　sandwiched　between　police　cars。　The　one　in　back　looked　like　a　police　car。　The　one　in　front　was　unmarked；　but　it　had　a　flashing　red　light　revolving　behind　the　windshield。
　〃Uh　huh；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　walked　back　to　the　Mustang　and　got　in　next　to　Murch。　〃Two　police　cars；〃　he　said。　〃Also　the　Cadillac。〃
　Murch　shifted　into　drive。
　〃No；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃We　can't　leave。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃If　it's　a　trap；　they'll　spring　it　when　we　try　to　get　away。　If　we　stay　here　after　we've　seen　them；　it　could　be　a　coincidence；　we　could　be　just　two　guys　that　stopped　to　look　at　a　road　map。　We　got　a　road　map？〃
　Murch　shifted　into　park。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。
　Dortmunder　looked　in　the　glove　partment　and　found　a　road　map。　He　looked　at　it。　〃Illinois？〃
　〃Don't　ask　me；〃　Murch　said。　〃I　just　took　this　car　out　of　a　parking　lot。　The　plates　I　took　off　it　were　Jersey；　same　as　the　plates　I　put　on。〃
　〃A　road　map　is　a　road　map；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　opened　it　up；　and　he　and　Murch　spent　some　time　studying　the　highways　of　Illinois。
　Up　above；　Kirby　had　managed　finally　to　get　the　word　kidnap　spoken　and　heard。　The　second　trooper　had　gone　off　to　radio　the　barr