if.thespywholovedme-第12部分

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After　locking　themselves　in　and　waiting　for　the　lights　to　go　out　in　the　office；　the　couple　would　set　to　work　on　inconspicuous　things　like　loosening　the　screws　of　the　bathroom　fixtures；　testing　the　anchoring　of　the　TV　set；　and　so　on。　Once　the　management　had　gone　to　bed；　they　would　really　get　down　to　it；　making　neat　piles　of　bedding；　towels；　and　shower　curtains；　dismantling　light…fixtures；　bed…frames；　toilet　seats；　and　even　the　Johns　themselves　if　they　had　plumbing　knowledge。　They　worked　in　darkness　of　course；　with　pencil　flashlights；　and；　when　everything　was　ready；　say　around　two　in　the　morning；　they　would　quietly　carry　everything　through　the　door　into　the　carport　and　pile　it　into　the　station　wagon。　The　last　job　would　be　to　roll　up　the　carpets　and　use　them；　the　reverse　side　up；　as　tarpaulins　to　cover　the　contents　of　the　station　wagon。　Then　change　the　plates　and　softly　away　with　their　new　bedroom　suite　all　ready　to　lay　out　in　their　unfurnished　flat　many　miles　away　in　another　state！
　Two　or　three　hauls　like　that　would　also　look　after　the　living　room　and　spare　bedroom；　and　they　would　be　set　up　for　life。　If　they　had　a　garden；　or　a　front　porch；　a　few　midnight　forays　around　the　rich　out…of…town　〃swimming…pool〃　residences　would　take　care　of　the　outdoor　furniture；　children's　heavy　playthings；　perhaps　even　the　lawnmower　and　sprinklers。
　Mrs。　Phancey　said　that　motels　had　no　defense　against　this　sort　of　attack。　Everything　was　screwed　down　that　could　be　screwed　down；　and　marked　with　the　name　of　the　motel。　The　only　hope　was　to　smell　the　marauders　when　they　registered　and　then　either　turn　them　away　or　sit　up　all　night　with　a　shotgun。　In　cities；　motels　had　other　problems…prostitutes　who　set　up　shop；　murderers　who　left　corpses　in　the　shower；　and　occasional　holdups　for　the　money　in　the　cash　register。　But　I　was　not　to　worry。　Just　call　for　Jed　if　I　smelled　trouble。　He　could　act　real　tough　and　he　had　a　gun。　And；　with　this　cold　fort；　I　was　left　to　ponder　on　the　darker　side　of　the　motel　industry。
　Of　course　it　all　turned　out　perfectly　all　right　and　the　job　was　no　problem。　In　fact　there　was　so　little　to　do　that　I　did　rather　wonder　why　the　Phanceys　had　bothered　to　take　me　on。　But　they　were　lazy；　and　it　wasn't　their　money　they　were　paying　me；　and　I　guessed　that　part　of　the　reason　was　that　Jed　thought　he　had　found　himself　an　easy　lay。　But　that　also　was　no　problem。　I　just　had　to　dodge　his　hands　and　snub　him　icily　on　an　average　of　once　a　day　and　hook　a　chair　under　the　door…handle　when　I　went　to　bed　to　defeat　the　pass…key　he　tried　on　my　second　night。
　We　had　a　few　overnighters　in　the　first　week；　and　I　found　that　I　was　expected　to　lend　a　hand　with　the　housekeeping；　but　that　too　was　all　right　with　me；　and　anyway　the　customers　slacked　off；　until；　after　October　tenth　there　wasn't　a　single　one。
　Apparently　October　fifteenth　is　a　kind　of　magical　date　in　this　particular　holiday　world。　Everything　closes　down　on　that　day；　except　along　the　major　highways。　It　is　supposed　to　be　the　beginning　of　winter。　There　is　the　hunting　season　ing　up；　but　the　rich　hunters　have　their　own　hunting　clubs　and　camps　in　the　mountains；　and　the　poor　ones　take　their　cars　to　one　or　another　of　the　picnic　areas　and　climb　up　into　the　forests　before　dawn　to　get　their　deer。　Anyway；　around　October　fifteenth　the　tourists　disappear　from　the　scene　and　there　is　no　more　easy　money　to　be　made　in　the　Adirondacks。
　As　closing　day　came　nearer；　there　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　on　the　telephone　between　the　Phanceys　and　Mr。　Sanguinetti　in　Troy；　and　on　the　eleventh　Mrs。　Phancey　told　me　casually　that　she　and　Jed　would　be　leaving　for　Troy　on　the　thirteenth　and　would　I　mind　staying　in　charge　that　night　and　handing　over　the　keys　to　Mr。　Sanguinetti；　who　would　be　ing　up　finally　to　close　the　place　around　noon　on　the　fourteenth？
　It　seemed　a　vague　sort　of　arrangement　to　leave　an　unknown　girl　in　charge　of　such　a　valuable　property；　but　it　was　explained　that　the　Phanceys　would　be　taking　the　cash　and　the　register　and　the　stock　of　food　and　drinks　with　them；　and　all　I　had　to　do　was　switch　off　the　lights　and　lock　up　before　I　went　to　bed。　Mr。　Sanguinetti　would　be　ing　up　with　trucks　for　the　rest　of　the　movables　the　next　morning。　Then　I　could　be　on　my　way。　So　I　said　yes；　that　would　be　all　right；　and　Mrs。　Phancey　beamed　and　said　I　was　a　very　good　girl；　but　when　I　asked　if　she　would　give　me　a　reference；　she　got　cagey　and　said　she　would　have　to　leave　that　to　Mr。　Sanguinetti；　but　she　would　make　a　point　of　telling　him　how　helpful　I　had　been。
　So　the　last　day　was　spent　packing　things　into　their　station　wagon　until　the　stores　and　cafeteria　were　empty　of　everything　except　plenty　of　bacon　and　eggs　and　coffee　and　bread　for　me　and　for　the　truckers　to　eat　when　they　came　up。
　That　last　day　I　had　expected　the　Phanceys　to　be　rather　nice　to　me。　After　all；　we　had　got　on　all　right　together　and　I　had　gone　out　of　my　way　to　be　helpful　about　everything。　But；　oddly　enough；　they　were　just　the　reverse。　Mrs。　Phancey　ordered　me　about　as　if　I　was　a　maid；　and　Jed　became　tough　and　nasty　in　his　leching；　using　filthy　words　even　when　his　wife　was　in　earshot；　and　quite　openly；　reaching　for　my　body　whenever　he　got　within　range。　I　couldn't　understand　the　change。　It　was　as　if　they　had　had　what　they　wanted　out　of　me　and　could　now　discard　me　with　contempt…and　even；　it　seemed　to　me；　almost　with　loathing。　I　got　so　furious　that　I　finally　went　to　Mrs。　Phancey　and　said　I　was　going　and　could　I　have　my　money？　But　she　just　laughed　and　said；　Oh；　no。　Mr。　Sanguinetti　would　be　giving　me　that。　They　couldn't　take　a　chance　of　the　cutlery　being　short　when　he　came　to　count　it。　After　this；　and　rather　than　face　them　at　supper；　I　made　myself　some　jam　sandwiches　and　went　and　locked　myself　in　my　cabin　and　prayed　for　the　morning；　when　they　would　be　gone。　And；　as　I　have　said；　six　o'clock　did　at　last　e　and　I　saw　the　last　of　the　monsters。
　And　now　this　was　my　last　night　at　The　Dreamy　Pines　and　tomorrow　I　would　be　off　again。　It　had　been　a　slice　of　life；　not　totally　unpleasant　in　spite　of　the　Phanceys；　and　I　had　learned　the　fringes　of　a　job　that　might　stand　me　in　good　stead。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　nine　o'clock；　and　here　was　the　doomful　WOKO　from　Albany　with　its　storm　bulletin。　The　Adirondacks　would　be　clear　by　midnight。　So；　with　any　luck；　I　would　have　dry　roads　in　the　morning。　I　went　behind　the　cafeteria　bar；　turned　on　the　electric　cooker；　and　put　out　three　eggs　and　six　slices　of　hickory…smoked　bacon。　I　was　hungry。
　And　then　came　a　loud　hammering　on　the　door。
　　
　Eight：　Dynamite　from　Nightmare…Land
　
　MY　heart　went　to　my　mouth。　Who　could　it　possibly　be？　And　then　I　remembered。　The　VACANCY　sign！　I　had　pulled　the　switch　when　the　lightning　struck　and　I　had　forgotten　to　turn　the　damned　thing　off。　What　an　idiot！　The　banging　started　up　again。　Well；　I　would　just　have　to　face　it；　apologize；　and　send　the　people　on　to　Lake　George。　I　went　nervously　across　to　the　door；　unlocked　it；　and　held　it　on　the　chain。
　There　was　no　porch。　The　neon　VACANCY　sign　made　a　red　halo　in　the　sheet　of　rain　and　glittered　redly　on　the　shiny　black　oilskins　and　hoods　of　the　two　men。　Behind　them　was　a　black　sedan。　The　leading　man　said　politely；　〃Miss　Michel？〃
　〃Yes；　that's　me。　But　I'm　afraid　the　VACANCY　sign's　on　by　mistake。　The　motel's　closed　down。〃
　〃Sure；　sure。　We're　from　Mr。　Sanguinetti。　From　his　insurance　pany。　e　to　make　a　quick　inventory　before　things　get　taken　away　tomorrow。　Can　we　e　in　out　of　the　rain；　miss？　Show　you　our　credentials　inside。　Sure　is　a　terrible　night。〃
　I　looked　doubtfully　from　one　to　the　other；　but　I　could　see　little　of　the　faces　under　the　oilskin　hoods。　It　sounded　all　right；　but　I　didn't　like　it。　I　said　nervously；　〃But　the　Phanceys；　the　managers；　they　didn't　say　anything　about　you　ing。〃
　〃Well；　they　should　of；　miss。　I'll　havta　report　that　back　to　Mr。　Sanguinetti。〃　He　turned　to　the　man　behind　him。　〃That　right；　Mr。　Jones？〃
　The　other　man　stifled　a　giggle。　Why　did　he　giggle？　〃Sure；　that's　right；　Mr。　Thomson。〃　He　giggled　again。
　〃Okay　then；　miss。　Can　we　e　inside；　please？　It　sure　is　wetter'n　hell　out　here。〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　know。　I　was　told　not　to　let　anyone　in。　But　as　it's　from　Mr。　Sanguinetti。。。〃　I　nervously　undid　the　chain　and　opened　the　door。
　They　pushed　in；　shouldering　roughly　past　me；　and　stood　side　by　side；　looking　the　big　room　over。　The　man　who　had　been　addressed　as　〃Mr。　Thomson〃　sniffed。　Black　eyes　looked　at　me　out　of　a　cold　gray　face。　〃You　smoke？〃
　〃Yes；　a　little。　Why？〃
　〃Reckoned　you　could　have　pany。〃　He　took　the　door　handle　from　me；　slammed　the　door；　locked　it；　and　put　up　the　chain。　The　two　men　stripped　off　their　dripping　oilskins　and　threw　them　messily　down　on　the　floor　and；　now　that　I　could　see　them　both；　I　felt　in　extreme　danger。
　〃Mr。　Thomson；〃　obviously　the　leader；　was　tall　and　thin；　almost　skeletal；　and　his　skin　had　this　gray；　drowned　look　as　if　he　always　lived　indoors。　The　black　eyes　were　slow…moving；　incurious；　and　the　lips　thin　and　purplish　like　an　unstitched　wound。　When　he　spoke　there　was　a　glint　of　gray　silvery　metal　from　his　front　teeth；　and　I　supposed　they　had　been　cheaply　capped　with　steel；　as　I　had　heard　was　done　in　Russia　and　Japan。　The　ears　lay　very　flat　and　close　to　the　bony；　rather　box…shaped　head　and　the　stiff　grayish…black　hair　was　cut　so　close　to　the　skull　that　the　skin　showed　whitely　through　it。　He　was　wearing　a　black；　sharp…looking　single…breasted　coat　with　shoulders　padded　square；　stovepipe　trousers　so　narrow　that　the　bones　of　his　knees　bulged　through　the　material；　and　a　gray　shirt　buttoned　up　to　the　throat　with　no　tie。　His　shoes　were　pointed　in　the　Italian　style　and　of　gray　suede。　They　and　the　clothes　looked　new。　He　was　a　frightening　lizard　of　a　man；　and　my　skin　crawled　with　fear　of　him。
　Where　this　man　was　deadly　the　other　was　merely　unpleasant…a　short；　moon…faced　youth　with　wet；　very　pale　blue　eyes　and　fat　wet　lips。　His　skin　was　very　white　and　he　had　that　hideous　disease　of　no　hair…no　eyebrows　and　no　eyelashes；　and　none　on　a　head　that　was　as　polished　as　a　billiard　ball。　I　would　have　felt　sorry　for　him　if　I　hadn't　been　so　frightened；　particularly　as　he　seemed　to　have　a　bad　cold　and　began　blowing　his　nose　as　soon　as　he　got　his　oilskins　off。　Under　them　he　wore　a　black　leather　windcheater；　grubby　trousers；　and　those　Mexican　saddle…leat