dw.jimmythekid-第27节

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　Up　above；　Kirby　had　managed　finally　to　get　the　word　kidnap　spoken　and　heard。　The　second　trooper　had　gone　off　to　radio　the　barracks　for　confirmation。　Trooper　Duckbundy　stood　frowning　at　Kirby　in　a　welter　of　uncertainty。　Kirby　was　angry　for　more　reasons　than　he　could　name。　And　Harrington　was　hopping　up　and　down　on　the　back　seat；　saying；　〃Get　them　away　from　here！　Get　them　away！〃
　〃As　soon　as　I　can；〃　Kirby　said；　through　gritted　teeth。　〃As　soon　as　I　can。〃
　The　second　trooper　came　back。　〃It's　okay；〃　he　said。　He　nodded　and　gave　Kirby　a　Clint　Eastwood　smile；　tough；　manly；　distanced。　〃Sorry　to　horn　in；〃　he　said。
　〃Just　get　the　hell　away　from　here；〃　Kirby　said。
　Both　troopers　were　offended。　They　went　off　to　their　respective　cars；　both　checking　their　hats；　belts；　trousers；　and　ties。　They　got　into　their　respective　cars；　switched　off　their　respective　flashing　lights；　and　finaly　drove　the　hell　away　from　there。
　〃At　last；〃　Kirby　said。　〃Okay；　Mr。　Harrington。〃
　〃I　haven't　tried　to　throw　my　weight　around；〃　Harrington　said。　〃I've　done　what　you　people　asked；　because　you're　the　professionals。　But　I'm　telling　you　right　now　that　I　do　have　influential　friends　in　Washington；　and　I　expect　to　be　chatting　with　them　very　soon。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Kirby。
　Down　below；　Dortmunder　opened　the　door　of　the　Mustang　and　said；　〃I'll　go　check　it　out　again。　See　are　they　still　there。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Murch　said。
　Harrington　got　out　of　the　Cadillac；　carrying　the　money；　and　approached　the　railing。　Behind　him；　Kirby　called　from　the　car；　〃Mr。　Harrington！〃
　He　turned　around；　exasperated　beyond　endurance。　〃What　now？〃
　〃That's　the　wrong　case；〃　Kirby　said。
　Harrington　looked　at　the　case　in　his　hand；　and　it　was　the　wrong　case。　It　was　his　attaché　case。　〃My　God；〃　he　said。　〃Good　thing　I　didn't　throw　that　over；　it　has　some　rather　important　documents　in　it。〃　He　hurriedly　made　the　switch　in　the　back　seat　of　the　car；　getting　the　suitcase　and　leaving　the　attaché　case。　Then　he　went　back　to　the　railing。
　The　woman　on　the　phone　had　emphasized　that　they　shouldn't　hang；　around；　they　shouldn't　be　nosy；　they　should　just　toss　the　suitcase　over　the　side　and　be　off。　So　Harrington　just　tossed　the　suitcase　over　the　side　and　was　off。　He　turned　at　once；　not　even　looking　to　see　where　it　landed；　and　got　back　into　the　Cadillac。
　As　Dortmunder　came　out　from　under　the　overpass；　the　suitcase　hit　him　on　the　head　and　knocked　him　cold。
　〃Ouch；〃　said　Murch；　when　he　saw　that　through　the　windshield。　Dortmunder　and　the　suitcase　lay　side　by　side　next　to　the　blacktop　road。　Neither　of　them　moved。
　Murch　shifted　into　drive；　steered　the　car　over　there；　and　shifted　back　into　park。　He　loaded　Dortmunder　into　the　car；　tossed　the　ransom　on　the　back　seat；　and　drove　away　to　the　hideout。
　23
　
　〃I　REALLY　am　sorry；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I'm　sure　my　father　didn't　do　it　on　purpose。〃
　〃Yeah；　okay；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Just　forget　it；　okay？　Ouch！〃
　〃Well；　hold　still；〃　May　told　him。　〃Let　me　wash　the　blood　off。〃
　They　were　back　at　the　farmhouse。　There　was　a　fire　again　in　the　fireplace；　that；　and　the　three　kerosene　lamps；　gave　the　room　its　illumination。　Dortmunder　sat　in　a　folding　chair　while　May　patted　his　cut　head　with　a　damp　cloth；　preparatory　to　putting　on　it　the　bandage　Murch　would　soon　be　bringing　back　from　the　drugstore。　At　the　card　table；　Kelp　and　Murch's　Mom　were　counting　the　stacks　of　bills　in　the　suitcase；　Kelp　was　chortling。
　Jimmy　said；　〃My　father　is　really　very　nonphysical。　Really。〃
　〃I　said　forget　it。〃
　〃It's　all　right；　Jimmy；〃　May　said。　〃Nobody　blames　your　father。　It　was　an　accident。〃
　〃By　golly；〃　Kelp　said；　〃it's　all　here！〃
　〃It　ought　to　be；〃　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃after　all　we　went　through。〃
　Murch　came　in　then；　revealing　a　quick　view　of　late　afternoon　daylight　on　a　rural　autumn　scene。　He　closed　the　door　on　all　that；　returning　the　room　to　fire　lit　night；　and　brought　a　package　to　May；　saying；　〃No　trouble。　They're　getting　to　know　me　in　town。〃　He　seemed　pleased　by　that。
　Kelp　said；　〃Stan；　it's　all　here；　every　penny。〃
　Murch　nodded。　〃Good；〃　he　said；　but　he　didn't　sound　particularly　enthusiastic。　Neither　success　nor　failure　surprised　him；　he　had　the　born　driver's　belief　in　the　task　being　its　own　reward。　Getting　there　is　half　the　fun。　It　isn't　whether　you　win　or　lose；　it's　how　you　play　the　game。
　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃You　know　what　I'm　getting　sick　of？　I'm　getting　sick　of　living　in　this　lousy　farmhouse。　This　place　is　a　landlord's　dream　e　true：　no　heat；　no　hot　water；　no　electricity；　no　phone；　and　the　john　doesn't　work。　I　can　get　the　same　thing　in　New　York；　and　be　close　to　the　cultural'　conveniences。〃
　〃We'll　be　leaving　tonight；〃　Kelp　said。　〃We　unload　the…〃
　〃No；　we　won't；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　winced　while　May　put　the　neat　white　gauze　bandage　on　his　forehead。
　Kelp　was　astonished。　〃We　won't？　Why　not？〃
　〃We'll　leave　tomorrow　morning；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃and　drop　the　kid　in　the　city。〃
　〃Hold　still；〃　May　told　him。
　〃Well；　take　it　easy；〃　he　said。
　Kelp　said；　〃Wait　a　minute。　That's　not　what　we　do　with　the　kid。　In　chapter　nineteen　it　says　we…〃
　〃I'd　hate　to　tell　you；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃what　you　can　do　with　chapter　nineteen。　In　fact；　with　the　whole　book。〃
　Kelp　was　astounded　and　hurt。　〃How　can　you　argue　with　it？〃　he　demanded。　He　gestured　toward　Jimmy；　temporarily　out　of　earshot　over　by　the　fireplace；　adding　a　piece　of　shelf　to　the　fire。　〃We　got　the　kid；　didn't　we？〃　He　gestured　toward　the　money　on　the　card　table。　〃We　got　the　cash；　didn't　we？〃
　Dortmunder　gestured　at　his　new　bandage。　〃I　got　this；　didn't　I？〃
　〃That's　not　the　book's　fault；　you　can't　blame　the…〃
　〃I　can　blame　anybody　I　damn　well　want　to　blame；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃That　book　goes　in　for　too　much　detail；　it　makes　everything　too　plicated。　You　want　to　know　how　we're　going　to　give　the　kid　back？　I'll　tell　you　how　we're　going　to　give　the　kid　back。〃
　Kelp　waved　his　hand　in　front　of　himself；　then　pointed　toward　Jimmy；　who　had　e　back　over　from　the　fireplace。　〃Not　in　front　of　the　boy。〃
　〃It　don't　matter　what　he　hears；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃What　I　got　in　mind　is　neat　and　simple。　No　school　busses；　no　phone　calls；　none　of　that　razzmatazz。〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Kelp　said。　His　brow　was　grooved　with　worry。　〃I　don't　think　we　oughta　deviate　from　the　plan；〃　he　said。　〃It's　been　working　out；　it　really　has。〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃This　part　we　do　my　way。〃
　Behind　Dortmunder's　bandaged　head；　May　waggled　a　hand　at　Kelp　not　to　argue。　Shrugging；　Kelp　said；　〃You're　the　boss；　John；　I　always　said　that。〃
　〃All　right。〃　Dortmunder　seemed　to　shrug　his　shoulders；　to　sit　a　little　straighter　in　the　chair。　〃Now；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　let　the　kid　go　around　here；　because　that　leaves　us　the　whole　long　run　to　the　city　with　every　cop　in　New　Jersey　looking　for　us。　So　we　take　him　to　New　York；　and　we　give　him　a　subway　token；　and　we　let　him　out　of　the　car　in　midtown。　With　a　token　he　can't　make　a　phone　call　to　turn　the　law　loose　on　us　right　away。　All　he　can　do　is　take　a　subway　or　a　bus。　That　gives　us　time　to　fade　out。〃
　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃Why　can't　we　do　that　tonight？　Take　him　to　the　city；　drop　him　off；　I　get　to　sleep　in　my　own　bed；　cook　a　meal；　flush　a　toilet。〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃Where's　the　kid　go　at　night？　You're　gonna　leave　a　kid　in　midtown　at　night？　Some　sex　maniac　es　along　and　kills　him　and　we　get　blamed。　Tomorrow　he　can　go　to　his　father's　office；　or　he　can　go　up　to　that　place　on　Central　Park　West；　he　can　go　wherever　he　wants。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃That　sounds　fine　to　me。〃
　Dortmunder　pointed　at　him。　〃I　don't　need　any　help　from　you；〃　he　said。
　May　said；　〃John；　the　boy　was　just　agreeing　with　you。〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　need　it。〃　Dortmunder　knew　he　was　being　grumpily　unfair；　and　that　just　made　him　grumpier。　〃Where　was　I？〃　he　said。　〃Right。　We　drive　him　in　tomorrow；　let　him　off；　get　rid　of　the　car；　and　we　all　go　home。　Finished。　Done　with。〃
　Kelp　shook　his　head。　〃It　just　doesn't　have　the　scope　of　Richard　Stark；〃　he　said。
　〃I've　had　all　the　scope　I　need；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃I've　been　scoped　enough。〃
　〃Wonderful；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃Another　night　in　the　Antarctica　Hilton。〃
　Murch　said　to　Dortmunder；　〃What　if　we　just　let　him　off　near　his　house？　Tonight；　I　mean。〃
　〃No；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃He　immediately　gets　the　law　on　us。　We　have　sixty　miles　to　get　to　New　York；　and　they　know　that's　where　we're　headed；　and　we　never　make　it。〃
　〃We　can　give　ourselves　an　edge；〃　Murch　said。　〃I　happened　to　notice　that　for　the　last　half　mile　on　the　county　road　to　the　kid's　place　there　isn't　any　phone　booth　at　all。　No　gas　stations；　no　stores；　no　bars；　nothing；　just　a　couple　farms；　a　couple　private　estates。　And　you　know　the　way　those　places　are　set　up　for　protection　from　strangers。　The　kid　wouldn't　dare　just　walk　in　some　driveway　after　dark。　He'd　get　eaten　up　by　a　dog　first　thing；　and　he　knows　it。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃On　Halloween；　when　I　used　to　go　trick　or　treating；　Maurice　had　to　drive　me。〃
　〃You　keep　out　of　this；〃　Dortmunder　told　him。　To　Murch　he　said；　〃That　still　only　gives　us　maybe　fifteen　minutes　head　start。　In　Jersey　I　can't　disappear。　In　New　York　I　can　fade　away　like　that。〃　And　he　snapped　his　fingers。
　Murch's　Mom　said　to　her　son；　〃It's　okay；　Stan。　He's　really　right；　and　I　can　put　up　with　this　place　one　more　night。　I'm　almost　getting