dw.jimmythekid-第29节

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　Back　in　the　room；　he　dressed　himself　as　warmly　as　possible　and　then　once　more　removed　the　boards　from　the　window。　With　his　Air　France　bag　over　his　shoulder；　out　the　window　he　went；　replaced　the　boards　as　before；　and　made　his　way　down　the　rope。
　He　had　no　flashlight　with　him　this　time；　but　on　the　other　hand　there　was　neither　wind　nor　rain　to　struggle　against；　and　a　flashlight　could　lead　to　his　being　discovered　before　he　was　ready。　The　clouded　sky　made　the　night　almost　as　dark　as　last　time；　but　now　he　had　traveled　the　dirt　road　un。　masked　and　in　daylight；　when　he'd　been　taken　out　to　call　his　father；　and　he　was　sure　he　could　find　the　road　in　the　dark　and；　once　having　found　it；　stay　on　it　by　the　sense　of　touch。
　This　time　he　went　around　the　house　the　opposite　way；　passing　the　new　car　Stan　and　Andy　had　stolen　to　replace　the　Caprice；　this　one　being　a　Ford　Country　Squire　station　wagon。　Jimmy　squeezed　by　it；　got　to　the　front　of　the　house；　found　the　dirt　road　by　scuffing　his　feet；　and　turned　right。　Though　he　couldn't　see　a　thing　he　strode　confidently　forward；　knowing　exactly　where　the　road　went。
　And　stopped　dead　when　he　heard　the　cough。　John？　Stan？　Andy？　The　women？　Had　there　been　any　bodies　under　those　mounds　of　blankets？
　No；　wait；　that's　just　irrational　fear。　There's　no　reason　for　any　member　of　the　gang　to　e　out　here　and　hide　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　no　reason　at　all。
　Therefore；　this　must　be　somebody　else。
　Even　as　he　was　thinking　that；　someone　yawned；　very　near；　on　the　right。　A　scratching　sound　followed；　as　of　someone　scratching　himself　through　clothing；　and　then　a　voice　Jimmy　had　never　heard　before　said；　〃God　damn；　this　is　boring。〃　The　volume　level　was　lower　than　normal；　but　it　was　by　no　means　a　whisper。
　A　second　voice；　speaking　more　softly　than　the　first；　said；　〃We'll　move　in　soon。　As　soon　as　those　lights　go　out。〃
　Turning；　Jimmy　could　see　the　lines　of　light　at　the　boarded…up　windows。　The　kerosene　lamp　seemed　much　brighter　when　seen　this　way。
　The　first　voice；　idly　plaining；　said；　〃I　don't　see　why　we　don't　go　in　now　and　get　it　over　with。〃
　〃We　don't　want　anything　to　happen　to　the　boy；〃　the　second　voice　told　him。　〃We'll　wait　till　they're　asleep。〃
　〃What　if　they　stay　up　all　night？〃
　〃We'll　have　to　go　in　before　dawn；　no　matter　what。〃
　〃I　still　say；〃　the　first　voice　said；　〃the　easiest　thing　is　let　them　go　tomorrow；　follow　them　with　the　radio　trucks；　and　pick　them　up　after　they　let　off　the　kid。〃
　〃Too　much　could　go　wrong；〃　the　second　voice　said。　〃They　could　split　up。　They　could　get　spooked　and　kill　the　kid。　And　they　could　still　get　rid　of　that　suitcase；　maybe　split　the　money　here　and　leave　it　behind。　No；　Bradford　knows　what　he's　doing。〃
　〃And　I　know　what　I'm　doing；〃　the　first　voice　said。　〃I'm　getting　goddam　bored；　that's　what　I'm　doing。　Why　don't　I　go　peek　through　the　boards　again；　see　if　they're　still　watching　television？〃
　〃Just　wait　here　like　we　were　told；〃　the　second　voice　said。　〃It　won't　be　long　now。〃
　At　that　point；　Jimmy　turned　and　headed　back　for　the　house；　moving　as　carefully　and　as　silently　as　he　knew　how。　The　two　men　continued　to　talk　behind　him；　but　he　didn't　listen　any　more；　he　already　knew　enough。　Bradford　was　the'　name　of　the　FBI　man　Mom　had　talked　to　on　the　phone。　And　there　must　be　some　sort　of　radio　transmitter　in　the　suitcase　containing　the　ransom。　And　now　the　house　was　surrounded。
　Or　was　it？　These　people　had　apparently　done　a　very　solid　surveillance　on　the　house；　including　creeping　up　on　the　porch　and　looking　through　the　window　at　them　watching　television。　So　they　must　know　that　the　house　was　pletely　boarded　up；　all　windows　and　doors；　except　the　main　entrance　in　front。　Isn't　that　where　they　would　concentrate　their　forces？　In　back；　where　pastureland　led　to　woods；　they　would　have　few　people　or　no　people　at　all。
　So　that's　the　way　they'd　have　to　get　out。　Thinking　it　over；　Jimmy　hurried　silently　toward　the　house。　He　didn't　want　the　gang　to　get　caught；　so　he'd　better　warn　them　pretty　fast。　Mostly　his　concern　had　an　ulterior　motive…if　they　were　caught　it　would　louse　up　his　own　plans…but　he　also　had　a　kind　of　reluctant　liking　for　the　different　members　of　the　gang　and　didn't　want　them　to　get　in　any　trouble。　So　he　hurried。
　This　time；　when　he　scaled　up　the　rope；　he　left　the　boards　out　of　the　window。　Unlocking　the　door；　hurrying　downstairs；　he　went　straight　to　the　suitcase。　A　transmitter；　hmmmmm。
　Found　it。　It　looked　like　a　tadpole；　a　round　piece　of　metal　shaped　like　a　nickel；　with　a　tail　of　wire　trailing　away　from　it。　。A　part　of　the　suitcase　lining　had　been　pulled　out；　the　transmitter　placed　behind　it；　and　the　lining　glued　down　over　it　again。　An　unsuspicious　person　wouldn't　notice　it；　but　a　lump　like　that　would　never　have　gotten　through　Customs。　Jimmy　was　surprised　nobody　in　the　gang　had　noticed　it。
　Holding　the　transmitter　in　his　hand；　he　considered　his　next　move。　Destroy　it？　No；　they　might　still　have　their　receivers　on；　and　if　the　transmitter　stopped　sending　they'd　surely　attack　the　house　at　once。　There　were　still　a　few　shards　of　shelf　stacked　up　next　to　the　fireplace；　he　stuffed　the　thing　in　among　them。　Go　ahead　and　transmit　now。
　How　much　time　did　he　have9　No　telling；　he　hurried　across　the　room　to　the　nearest　mound　and　shook　it；　whispering；　〃Wake　up！　Wake　up！〃
　It　was　May。　She　partly　sat　up；　blinking；　bewildered；　then　astonished　at　seeing　Jimmy。　〃What　are　you　doing　down　here？〃
　Still　whispering；　Jimmy　said；　〃There's　police　outside！〃
　〃What！〃　May　sat　upright；　shedding　blankets；　showing　she'd　gone　to　sleep　in　her　clothing。
　〃They're　waiting　for　this　light　to　go　out；　then　they'll　move　in。〃
　May　was　waking　up　fast。　Grasping　Jimmy's　arm　she　said；　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃I　went　outside。　I　heard　them　talking。〃
　〃You　went　outside？〃
　〃I　was　going　to　escape；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃Just　to　prove　a　point；　I　guess。　But　I　heard　them；　and　I　came　back。〃
　Mom　was　now　sitting　up；　nearby；　and　she　said；　〃What's　going　on？〃
　May　told　her；　〃Jimmy　says　there's　police　outside。〃
　〃Oh；　no！〃
　〃I　have　a　way　out；〃　Jimmy　told　them。　〃But　we　have　to　hurry。〃
　〃Yes；〃　May　said；　suddenly　in　motion；　pulling　her　shoes　on。　〃Yes　yes。〃
　The　next　five　minutes　were　a　frantic　scramble。　Jimmy　had　to　explain　over　and　over　that　he'd　started　to　escape；　that　he'd　heard　the　voices；　and　that　he'd　e　back　to　warn　the　gang。　He　told　them　about　the　kerosene　lamp　delaying　the　onslaught；　but　he　didn't　mention　anything　about　the　transmitter。
　May　and　Mom　and　Stan　and　Andy　all　believed　him　at　once。　John　was　skeptical；　for　no　good　reason。　〃Why'd　he　e　back？〃　　he　kept　asking　everybody。　〃Why'd　he　e　back　and　tell　us？　Makes　no　sense。〃
　〃You've　been　fair　to　me；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I　wanted　to　be　fair　to　you。〃　He　didn't　say　anything　about　his　own　plans　for　later。
　They　all　wanted　to　know　what　his　escape　route　was；　but　all　he'd　say　was；　〃Upstairs。　And　we'd　better　hurry。〃
　Finally　they　were　all　ready　to　go。　The　kerosene　lamp　was　left　burning；　and　they　all　trooped　after　Jimmy　up　the　stairs。　Andy　carried　the　suitcase；　Stan　carried　the　portable　TV；　Mom　carried　the　hibachi；　and　John　carried　the　flashlight。　When　Jimmy　led　the　way　into　his　room；　John　said；　〃Some　day　I　got　to　find　out　how　he　does　that。〃
　Jimmy　picked　up　the　Air　France　bag。　〃I　packed　when　I　was　going　to　escape；〃　he　said。　〃Can　I　keep　it　all？〃
　〃Sure；〃　May　told　him。
　〃Thanks。〃　To　John　he　said；　〃We'll　have　to　turn　the　flashlight　off　now。〃
　John　switched　off　the　flashlight。　〃I　just　want　to　know　what　we're　doing；〃　he　said。
　Jimmy　briefly　explained　what　he　had　done　here；　and　was　greeted　with　a　kind　of　awed　silence。　Then　he　said；　〃We'll　have　to　go　out　one　at　a　time。　I　don't　think　the　rope　would　be　strong　enough　for　more　than　that。〃
　Andy　went　first；　with　the　suitcase。　Then　Stan's　Mom　went；　having　trouble　squeezing　through　the　space；　with　her　son　shoving　and　holding　and　helping　the　best　he　can。　〃I　can't　bring　the　hibachi；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　need　both　hands　on　the　rope。〃
　〃I'll　bring　the　damn　hibachi；〃　John　told　her。
　Stan　helped　his　mother　for　the　first　part　down　the　rope　and　Andy　down　below　helped　her　for　the　last　part。　Then　May　went　down；　and　after　her；　Stan。　John　said；　〃You　next。〃
　〃No；　I'll　go　last；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I'll　fix　the　boards　over　the　window　again；　the　way　I　did　last　time。　I　already　locked　the　door；　while　everybody　else　was　going　down。〃
　〃From　the　inside？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Jimmy　said。
　John　made　some　sort　of　guttural　noise　in　his　throat。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　go　next。〃
　John　went　down　one…handed；　carrying　the　hibachi。　Then　Jimmy；　the　Air　France　bag　over　his　shoulder　again；　went　out　the　window　for　the　third　and　final　time。　He　was　very　adept　by　now　at　replacing　the　boards；　and　then　he　skimmed　down　the　rope　and　joined　the　others。　〃All　set；〃　he　whispered。
　〃You　want　to　lead　the　way？〃　John　asked　him。　It　didn't　sound　sarcastic；　it　sounded　mostly　heavy　and　fatalistic。
　〃Not　me；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I　don't　know　what's　over　there。〃
　〃More　trouble；〃　John　said；　and　led　off。
　The　six　of　them　marched　away　from　the　house　in　the　darkness；　off　across　the　scrubby　pastureland；　following　one　another　mainly　by　the　sound　of　their　footsteps　as　they　tramped　through　the　dry　autumn　grass。　John　went　first；　carrying　the　flashlight；　which　he　didn't　dare　switch　on。　May　follow