dw.jimmythekid-第28节

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　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　used　to　it。〃
　May　said；　〃What　about　the　boy's　father？〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃What　about　him？〃　〃He'll　be　expecting　Jimmy　back。　I　think　we　should　call　him；　so　he　won't　worry　all　night。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Stan；　you　and　your　mom　and　Andy　take　the　kid　to　a　phone。　Let　him　talk　to　his　father；　but　make　sure　he　doesn't　say　too　much。〃
　〃Oh；　good；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I'll　go　get　my　jacket。〃　They　watched　the　boy　trot　upstairs。　May　said；　〃You　know；　I'm　going　to　miss　that　kid。〃
　〃Me；　too；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　〃He's　an　okay　kid；〃　Kelp　said。
　Dortmunder　said；　〃I　don't　intend　to　make　any　big　issue　of　this；　but　I　just　want　to　say　one　thing。　This　is　not　what　I　had　in　mind　when　I　decided　to　go　in　for　a　life　of　crime。〃
　
　24
　
　E　V　E　R　Y　T　I　M　E　the　phone　rang　it　was　for　the　head　FBI　man。　Harrington　kept　picking　up　the　receiver　and　saying　hello　and　some　very　male　voice　would　invariably　say；　〃Let　me　talk　to　Bradford。〃　Bradford　was　the　head　FBI　man's　name。
　When　the　phone　rang　again　at　six…fifteen；　Harrington　said；　〃Why　don't　you　answer　it？　It　won't　be　for　me。〃
　〃Right〃　The　head　FBI　man　was　very　brisk。　He　spoke　into　the　phone；　nodded　（which　the　other　party　surely　couldn't　see；　even　if　he　was　a　detective）；　and　smiled　in　grim　satisfaction　when　he　cradled　the　receiver。　〃Got　them；〃　he　said。
　Harrington　sat　up。　〃You　captured　them？〃
　〃No；　we　won't　move　in　till　tonight；　not　till　we're　sure　they're　all　asleep。　We　don't　want　to　endanger　the　boy。〃
　〃But　you　know　where　they　are？〃
　〃Yes。〃　The　head　FBI　man　was　very　pleased　with　himself　and　displayed　that　by　flexing　his　muscles　and　by　making　a　kind　of　closed…lip　smile　in　which　his　mouth　became　a　straight　horizontal　line　with　parentheses　around　it。　〃They're　professional；　all　right；　our　kidnappers；〃　he　said；　〃but　sooner　or　later　they　had　to　make　one　mistake；　and　now　they've　made　it。　I　was　hoping　they　wouldn't　think　to　get　rid　of　that　suitcase。〃　His　mouth　corners　drooped　slightly；　thoughtfully。　〃I'm　surprised　at　that　oversight；〃　he　said；　and　he　sounded　almost　disappointed　that　he　hadn't　been　outwitted。　〃And　I'm　glad　the　mechanism　didn't　get　broken　when　you　threw　the　suitcase　over　the　bridge；〃　he　added。　〃It　must　have　landed　on　something　relatively　soft　to　break　its　fall。〃
　〃And　I'm　glad　I　didn't　know　about　it　beforehand；〃　Harrington　said。　〃It　would　have　made　me　a　nervous　wreck。〃
　They'd　told　him　the　story　after　Kirby　had　brought　him　back　to　the　house。　It　seemed　they'd　〃bugged〃　the　suitcase；　it　now　contained　a　miniaturized　radio　transmitter；　beaming　a　continuous　signal；　which　could　be　picked　up　from　as　far　as　a　mile　and　a　half　away。　Three　small　trucks　equipped　with　radio　receivers；　always　being　careful　to　stay　out　of　sight；　had　followed　that　signal　from　the　moment　Harrington　had　entered　his　Cadillac；　they　had　trailed　the　suitcase　from　Harrington　to　the　kidnappers；　and　then　from　the　kidnappers　to　their　lair。　Triangulating　on　the　signal；　the　three　trucks　had　pinpointed　that　lair's　location；　and　the　kidnappers　were　now　under　intense　observation。
　Harrington　said；　〃Where　are　they；　exactly？〃
　〃Not　twenty…five　miles　from　here；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said。　He　was　washing　his　hands　together　with　satisfaction。　〃They've　holed　up　in　an　abandoned　farmhouse　off　a　county　road　down　toward　Hackettstown。〃
　〃An　abandoned　farmhouse？　I　thought　they'd　all　been　snapped　up　by　muters。〃
　〃There's　still　a　few；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said。　〃My　cousin　found　a　deal　in　Rockland　County　that…〃
　The　phone　rang。　Harrington　said；　〃You　get　that。〃
　〃Right。〃　The　head　FBI　man　picked　up　the　receiver。　〃Bradford。〃　He　listened；　looking　very　stern。　〃Right。〃　He　listened　again。　〃Keep　them　under　surveillance；〃　he　said。　〃If　they　leave　him；　move　in。　Otherwise；　we　stick　to　Plan　A。〃　With　which；　he　hung　up　and　turned　back　to　Harrington。　〃They've　left　the　farmhouse；〃　he　said。　〃With　the　boy。　Apparently　they're　planning　to　release　him　now。　If　they　do；　naturally　we'll　move　in。　If　they're　simply　transferring　to　another　location…〃
　〃You'll　stay　with　Plan　A。〃
　The　head　FBI　man　frowned。　〃Exactly；〃　he　said；　and　the　phone　rang　again。　〃I'll　take　it；〃　he　said；　picked　up　the　receiver；　and　said；　〃Bradford。〃　Then　he　looked　startled；　and　said；　〃Hold　on　a　minute。〃　Cupping　his　hand　over　the　mouthpiece；　he　called　to　the　technician　dozing　over　his　machinery；　〃Switch　on！　Switch　on！〃　To　Harrington　he　stage…whispered；　〃It's　them！　Her！　She　wants　to　talk　to　you！〃
　〃Oh；〃　Harrington　said。　He　suddenly　felt　nervous　and　faint。　He　was　intensely　aware　of　the　technician　busily　switching　on　and　blinking　his　eyes　to　wake　up。
　〃Be　very　careful；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said；　and　handed　Harrington　the　phone。
　Harrington　put　it　to　his　face　as　though　it　were　a　spider。　〃Hello？〃
　The　familiar　voice　said；　〃Oh；　there　you　are。　Who's　that　Bradford？〃
　〃Urn…　An　FBI　man。〃
　〃Oh。　Sounds　like　a　jerk。〃　（The　head　FBI　man　transformed　his　eyebrows　into　a　bushy　straight　line　low　over　his　eyes。）　〃Anyway；〃　the　kidnapper　went　on；　〃I　got　somebody　here　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃What？〃　Harrington　felt　more　and　more　nervous。　Had　the　kidnappers　discovered　the　transmitter　in　the　suitcase？　Were　they　about　to　make　further　demands？
　〃Hello；　Dad？〃
　〃Jimmy！〃　A　flood　of　warmth　suffused　him。　〃By　golly；　boy；　it's　good　to　hear　your　voice。〃
　〃You；　too；　Dad。〃
　〃I　wasn't　looking　forward　to　the　ride　out　tomorrow　without　you；　I　can　tell　you　that。〃
　〃Well；　I'll　be　there；　Dad；〃　Jimmy　said。
　〃I　know　you　will；〃　Harrington　said；　but　when　he　saw　the　head　FBI　man　gesturing　wildly　at　him　he　realized　he　must　be　sounding　too　confident。　It　wouldn't　do　to　make　the　kidnappers　suspicious　at　this　stage。　〃That　is；〃　he　amended；　〃I　was　hoping　you　would。〃
　Jimmy　said；　〃These　people　want　you　to　know　they　haven't　hurt　me；　and　they're　going　to　let　me　go　in　New　York　tomorrow　morning。〃
　〃In　New　York？〃　Harrington　and　the　head　FBI　man　stared　at　one　another；　both　startled。
　〃That's　right。　Should　I　e　down　to　your　office；　or　go　on　up　to　Dr。　Schraubenzieher？〃
　〃Well；　I…well…〃
　〃I　think　I'd　rather　go　to　Dr。　Schraubenzieher　first；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃If　that's　okay　with　you。〃
　〃Yes；　certainly；〃　Harrington　said。　〃After　this　ordeal；　I'm　sure　you'll　want　to　see　him；　talk　to　him。〃
　〃It　hasn't　been　much　of　an　ordeal；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃Anyway；　it's　almost　over。　Would　you　call　the　doctor　and　change　my　appointment？　Tell　him　I'd　want　to　get　there　around　noon。〃
　〃Yes；　I　will。〃
　〃And　I'll　call　you　from　his　office。〃
　〃That's　fine；〃　Harrington　said。
　〃Well；　I'd　better　go　now；〃　Jimmy　said。
　〃It　was　good　to　hear　from　you；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Urn；　perhaps　we　could　have　lunch。　After　your　appointment。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I'll　he　free　all　afternoon。'
　〃Fine。　Good　talking　to　you；　son。〃
　〃So　long；　Dad。〃
　Harrington　hung　up；　and　the　head　FBI　man　said；　〃Sounds　like　he's　in　good　shape；　considering。〃
　〃Well；〃　Harrington　said；　〃he's　an　intelligent　boy；　he　wouldn't　make　a　lot　of　trouble。〃
　The　head　FBI　man　turned　to　the　technician。　〃Let's　hear　that　again；〃　he　said。
　〃I　think　I'd　rather　not；〃　Harrington　said。　〃If　you　don't　mind。〃
　The　head　FBI　man　frowned　at　him。　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Well；　I　think　I　might　weep　or　some　such　thing；〃　Harrington　said；　〃and　I　wouldn't　want　to　do　that。〃
　
　25
　
　AT　QUARTER　to　two　in　the　morning　Jimmy　used　the　tweezers　to　unlock　his　door　again；　and　went　downstairs。　A　few　embers　glowed　in　the　fireplace；　and　one　of　the　kerosene　lamps　was　still　lit；　standing　on　the　card　table　like　a　beacon　calling　ships　in　from　sea。　They'd　watched　The　Thing　tonight　（direction　credited　to　Christian　Nyby　but　more　probably　the　work　of　producer　Howard　Hawks；　with　a　screenplay　by　Charles　Lederer；　based　on　Who　Goes　There？；　a　short　story　by　John　W。　Campbell；　Jr。）　and　after。　ward　the　lady　called　Mom　had　insisted　that　a　light　be　left　on。　〃Otherwise；〃　she'd　said；　〃I　won't　sleep。〃
　She　was　asleep；　and　so　was　the　lady　called　May；　both　floating　peacefully　on　their　air　mattresses　under　mounds　of　blankets。　The　three　men；　called　John　and　Andy　and　Stan；　were　presumably　asleep　in　the　next　room；　from　which　no　light　at　all　shone。　（They'd　been　careful；　he'd　noticed；　not　to　use　their　last　names　around　him；　but　they'd　been　free　about　using　first　names；　so　they　were　probably　all　aliases。　That's　the　way　professional　criminals　like　these　operated；　he'd　been　impressed　by　their　constant　references　to　some　previously　worked…out　master　plan；　or　〃book；〃　that　they　were　following　through　this　crime。）
　It　took　less　than　ten　minutes　to　do　what　he　had　to　do　in　the　living　room；　and　then　he　moved　swiftly　and　silently　back　upstairs；　pausing　at　the　top　for　one　last　glance　down　at　the　sleeping　figures　in　the　soft　light；　they　weren't　such
　bad　people；　really。　Probably　given　psychological　scars　in　their　childhoods；　and　not　born　into　an　economic　level　where　treatment　could　be　given　at　an　early　age。　Understanding；　as　Dr。　Schraubenzieher　was　fond　of　pointing　out；　is　the　key　to　nothing　except　further　understanding；　but　in　the　last　analysis　what　else　is　there？　All　of　life　is　either　ignorance　or　knowledge；　there's　no　third　possibility。
　Back　in　the　room；　he　dressed　himself　as　warmly　as　possible　and　then　once　more　removed　the