dw.jimmythekid-第8节

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　〃Right。　She　and　May　can　take　care　of　the　kid。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Murch　said。　〃Only；　where's　the　kid？〃
　〃Up　till　now；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃we're　going　along　with　the　idea　this　book　can　tell　us　how　we　get　one。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Kelp　said。　〃How　to　find　just　the　kid　we　want；　it's　all　in　the　book　here。〃
　Picking　up　his　copy；　Dortmunder　said；　〃Well；　I　got　an　open　mind。　I'm　always　ready　to　have　a　book　writer　tell　me　my　business。　Let's　take　a　look　at　that　part。〃
　Kelp；　riffling　hurriedly　through　his　own　dog…eared　copy；　said；　〃It's　chapter　four。　Page　twenty…nine。〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃Thanks；〃　and　turned　to　the　right　page。　He　read　slowly　and　patiently；　his　lips　not　quite　moving；　his　blunt　fingertip　following　the　words　from　line　to　line。
　Kelp　watched　him　for　a　few　seconds；　then　began　to　read　the　same　chapter　in　his　own　copy　of　the　book。
　Murch　sat　there　by　himself。　He　looked　at　Dortmunder；　and　then　at　Kelp。　It　took　him　quite　a　while　to　figure　out　what　they　were　doing；　until；　in　fact；　both　of　them　had　turned　a　page。　Then　he　shrugged；　picked　up　his　own　copy　of　the　book；　shook　a　little　salt　into　his　beer　to　get　the　head　back；　drank　a　bit；　and　settled　down　to　read。
　
　
　
　
　7
　
　When　Parker　walked　into　the　apartment；　Krauss　was　at　the　window　with　the　binoculars。　He　was　sitting　on　a　metal　folding　chair；　and　his　notebook　and　pen　were　on　another　chair　next　to　him。　There　was　no　other　furniture　in　the　room；　which　had　gray　plaster　walls　from　which　patterned　wallpaper　had　recently　been　stripped。　Curls　of　wallpaper　lay　against　the　molding　in　all　the　corners。　On　the　floor　beside　Krauss's　chair　lay　three　apple　cores。
　Krauss　turned　when　Parker　shut　the　door。　His　eyes　looked　pale；　the　skin　around　them　wrinkled；　as　though　he'd　spent　too　long　in　a　swimming　pool。　He　said；　〃Nothing。〃
　Parker　crossed　the　room　and　looked　out　the　window。　A　clear　blue　cloudless　day。　Three　stories　down　and　one　block　to　the　north　was　the　Manhattan　exit　of　the　Midtown　Tunnel。　Two　lanes　of　cars　and　trucks　streamed　out　of　the　tunnel；　fanning　apart　into　half　a　dozen　lanes　of　traffic；　curving　away　to　the　left　or　the　right。　Parker　watched　for　a　few　seconds；　then　picked　up　the　notebook　and　studied　the　entries。　The　numbers　were　license　plates　and　dates　and　times　of　day。　Parker　said；　〃The　Pontiac　came　through　today；　huh？〃
　〃So　did　the　Mercedes；〃　Krauss　said。　〃But　there　isn't　any　phone　in　either　of　them。〃
　〃We　may　have　to　change　things　around。〃　Parker　dropped　the　notebook　on　the　chair　and　said；　〃We'll　try　the　Lincoln　today；　if　it　es　through。〃
　Krauss　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Ten；　fifteen　minutes；〃　he　said。
　〃If　it　isn't　any　good；〃　Parker　said；　〃Henley　will　e　take　over　here　at　four。　If　he　doesn't　show　up；　that　means　we're　on　the　Lincoln；　so　just　pack　in　everything　here。〃
　〃Right；〃　Krauss　said。
　Parker　glanced　out　the　window　again。　〃See　you　later；〃　he　said；　and　left　the　apartment。　He　went　down　the　warped　wooden　stairs　and　out　to　the　street；　then　crossed　Second　Avenue　and　got　into　a　blue　Plymouth　just　around　the　corner　on　Thirty…seventh　Street。
　Henley；　at　the　wheel；　said；　〃Anything　new？〃
　〃The　Lincoln's　still　the　best　bet。〃
　Henley　looked　in　the　rearview　mirror。　〃That's　due　pretty　soon；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Maybe　ten　minutes。〃
　Henley　rolled　down　his　side　window　and　lit　one　of　his　narrow　cigars。　They　waited　in　the　car；　neither　of　them　saying　anything；　until　Henley；　looking　in　the　mirror　again；　said；　〃Maybe。〃
　Parker　twisted　around　and　looked　out　the　back　window。　Among　the　cars　crossing　Second　Avenue；　ing　this　way；　was　a　black　Lincoln　Continental。　Squinting；　Parker　could　make　out　the　uniformed　chauffeur　at　the　wheel。　〃Right；〃　he　said。
　Henley　turned　the　key　in　the　ignition。　When　the　Lincoln　went　by；　an　eight…year…old　boy　could　be　seen　alone；　reading　a　ic　book　in　the　backseat。　Henley　shifted　into　drive　and　eased　the　Plymouth　into　line　two　vehicles　back　from　the　Lincoln。
　The　black　car　led　them　across　to　Park　Avenue；　then　north　to　Seventy…second　Street；　then　through　the　park　and　north　again　on　Central　Park　West。　At　Eighty…first　Street　the　Lincoln　made　a　U…turn　and　stopped　in　front　of　the　canopied　entrance　to　a　large　apartment　house。　Henley　eased　into　a　bus…stop　zone　across　the　street；　and　Parker　watched　as　a　livened　doorman　opened　the　Lincoln's　door；　and　the　boy　stepped　out；　not　carrying　his　ic　book。　The　doorman　shut　the　Lincoln's　door　and　the　boy　went　into　the　building。　The　Lincoln　moved　forward　along　the　curb　and　stopped　in　a　no…parking　zone　just　beyond　the　canopy。　The　chauffeur　took　his　cap　off；　picked　up　a　tabloid　newspaper　from　the　seat　beside　him；　and　settled　down　to　read。
　Parker　said；　〃I'll　be　right　back。〃　He　got　out　of　the　car；　crossed　the　Street；　and　walked　slowly　down　the　block　past　the　Lincoln。　Looking　in　on　the　way　by；　he　saw　the　telephone　built　into　the　back　of　the　front　seat。　Good。　He　went　on　down　to　the　corner；　crossed　to　the　park　side　of　the　street　again；　went　back　to　the　Plymouth；　and　slid　in　next　to　Henley。　〃It's　got　one；〃　he　said。
　Henley　smiled；　drawing　his　lips　back　to　show　his　teeth　clenched　on　the　cigar。　〃That's　nice；〃　he　said。
　〃Now　we　wait　for　the　kid　to　e　out　again；〃　Parker　said。　〃Then　we'll　take　a　look　at　his　route　home。〃
　
　8
　
　WHEN　DORTMUNDER　walked　into　the　apartment；　Kelp　was　asleep　at　the　window　with　the　binoculars　in　his　lap。　〃For　Christ's　sake；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃Huh？〃　Startled；　Kelp　sat　up；　scrabbled　for　the　binoculars；　dropped　them　on　the　floor；　picked　them　up；　slapped　them　to　his　face；　and　stared　out　at　the　Lincoln　Tunnel　exit。
　They　hadn't　been　able　to　find　an　apartment　overlooking　the　Midtown　Tunnel。　This　one；　in　a　condemned　tenement　on　West　Thirty…ninth　Street；　had　an　excellent　view　of　the　Manhattan　exit　of　the　Lincoln　Tunnel；　bringing　cars　in　from　New　Jersey。　It　also；　since　it　faced　south；　got　a　terrific　amount　of　sun；　even　though　it　was　now　October；　they　were　all　getting　sunburns；　with　white　circles　around　their　eyes　where　they　would　hold　the　binoculars。
　Kelp　was　sitting　in　a　maroon　armchair　with　broken　springs；　this　was　a　furnished　apartment；　three　rooms　full　of　the　most　awful　furniture　imaginable。　The　floor　lamps　alone　were　cause　for　weeping。　Kelp's　notebook　and　pen　were　on　a　drum　table　next　to　him；　the　drum　table　having　been　painted　with　green　enamel　and　its　top　having　been　covered　with　Contac　paper　in　a　floral　design。　The　walls　were　covered　with　a　patterned　wallpaper　showing　cabbage　roses　against　an　endless　trellis。　Some　of　this　wallpaper　had　peeled　itself　off；　and　curls　of　it　lay　against　the　molding　in　all　the　corners。　On　the　floor　beside　Kelp's　chair　stood　three　empty　beer　cans　and　three　full　beer　cans。
　Dortmunder　slammed　the　door。　〃You　were　asleep；〃　he　said。
　Kelp　put　the　binoculars　down　and　turned　an　innocent　face。　〃Huh？　I　was　just　resting　my　eyes　a　minute。〃
　Dortmunder　crossed　the　room　and　picked　up　the　notebook　to　study　the　entries。　〃You　been　resting　your　eyes　since　one…thirty；〃　he　said。
　〃There　wasn't　anything　useful　since　one…thirty；〃　Kelp　said。　〃You　think　chauffeured　limousines　with　a　kid　alone　in　the　back　seat　e　through　every　minute？〃
　〃It's　all　that　beer　you　drink；〃　Dortmunder　told　him。　〃You　drink　that　stuff　and　then　you　sit　in　the　sun　here；　and　you　go　to　sleep。〃
　〃For　maybe　two　minutes；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Maybe　at　the　most　five。　But　not　what　you　could　call　a　deep　sleep。〃
　Dortmunder　shrugged　and　dropped　the　notebook　back　on　the　drum　table。　〃Anyway；〃　he　said；　〃we've　got　that　Caddy　to　follow。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said。　〃It's　a　natural。　And　I　bet　it's　got　a　phone　in　it。　Why　else　would　it　have　that　big　antenna　thing？〃
　〃Because　it's　probably　the　police　missioner　of　Trenton；　New　Jersey；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃and　they'll　see　Murch　and　me　following　the　car；　and　we'll　get　picked　up　for　anarchists。〃
　〃Ha　ha；〃　Kelp　said。
　Dortmunder　looked　out　the　window。　〃Traffic；〃　he　said。
　〃You　know；〃　Kelp　said；　〃I　have　a　very　hopeful　feeling　about　this　operation。〃
　〃I　wish　you　hadn't　told　me　that；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃If　the　Caddy's　ing　through；　it'll　be　pretty　soon。〃
　〃Sure　it's　ing　through；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Monday；　Wednesday；　Friday；　right　around　two…thirty。〃
　〃Uh　huh。　If　it　turns　out　it's　no　good；　Murch'll　e　take　over　here　at　four。　Try　to　stay　awake　until　then。〃
　〃I　wasn't　really　asleep；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Not　really。　Anyway；　I'm　wide　awake　now。〃
　〃Uh　huh。　If　Murch　doesn't　show　up　here　at　four；　that　means　we're　either　following　the　Caddy　or　some　damn　thing　has　gone　wrong；　and　you　should　pack　up　everything　and　go　home。〃
　〃Right；〃　Kelp　said。
　Dortmunder　glanced　toward　the　tunnel；　looked　at　Kelp；　sighed　and　said；　〃See　you　later。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Dortmunder　left　and　went　down　the　warped　wooden　stairs　and　out　to　the　street。　He　walked　to　the　corner；　went　a　block　up　Tenth　Avenue；　and　got　into　the　Renault　just　around　the　corner　on　Fortieth　Street。　Murch；　at　the　wheel；　said；　〃Anything　new？〃
　〃Kelp　was　asleep；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃It's　all　that　beer　he　drinks；〃　Murch　said。　〃He　drinks　that　beer　and　then　he　sits　in　the　sun；　and　he　falls　asleep。〃
　〃I　just　told　him　that。〃
　〃So　what　do　we　do？　Follow　the　Caddy？〃
　〃If　it　shows　up。〃
　〃Right。〃　Murch　started　the　Renault；　drove　a　block；　waited　for　a　green　light；　turned　left　on　Dyer　Avenue；　and　parked　over　against　the　left…hand　cu