dw.jimmythekid-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


aid；　〃You'll　have　to　back　it　up。　Just　like　in　the　book。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Dortmunder　said。　Just　like　in　the　book。　Dortmunder　turned　and　walked　back　past　the　Cadillac　toward　the　Caprice。　Inside　the　Cadillac；　Kelp's　Mickey　Mouse　face　was　staring　at　the　chauffeur　and　May's　Mickey　Mouse　face　was　staring　at　the　boy。　She　was　supposed　to　be　chattering　at　him；　keeping　him　calm　with　a　soothing　flow　of　words；　but　she　was　just　staring　at　him。　They　seemed　to　have　some　sort　of　Mexican　standoff　in　there。
　Dortmunder　backed　up　the　Caprice；　then　walked　to　the　Cadillac　again；　opened　the　chauffeur's　door　and　said；　〃Move　over。〃
　Kelp　made　room；　and　Van　Golden　slid　over　into　the　middle　of　the　seat。　He　said；　〃I　hope　you　birds　are　bright　enough　to　surrender　if　some　state　trooper　happens　by。　I　don't　want　to　be　a　hostage　or　a　victim　or　anything　like　that。〃
　Kelp；　given　an　opportunity　to　produce　another　of　his　lines　from　the　book；　said；　〃Keep　it　down。　I　told　you；　we　don't　scare　the　kid。〃
　But　he'd　said　it　without　lifting　his　mask　away　from　his　mouth。　Van　Golden　looked　at　him　and　said；　〃What？〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃What？〃
　Kelp　took　the　mask　away　from　his　mouth。　〃Forget　it！〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　shout；　fella；〃　Van　Golden　said。　〃I'm　right　next　to　you。〃
　Dortmunder　started　the　Cadillac　and　backed　it　away　from　the　truck。　Then　Murch　pulled　out　the　two　wooden　planks　they　were　going　to　use　instead　of　a　metal　ramp。　May　was　the　one　who　had　pointed　out　that　if　they　used　a　ramp　they　wouldn't　be　able　to　put　it　back　in　after　the　car　was　inside　the　truck；　since　the　car's　wheels　would　be　in　the　way。　Dortmunder　had　said；　〃And　that's　the　book　we're　supposed　to　follow；〃　but　Murch　had　immediately　suggested　a　pair　of　planks；　which　could　be　stored　under　the　Cadillac　once　it　was　inside。
　But　it　took　a　while　to　place　them。　Dortmunder　sat　with　both　hands　on　the　wheel；　and　Murch　kept　running　back　and　forth　between　the　truck　and　the　car；　making　minor　shifts　in　the　two　planks；　lining　them　up　with　the　front　wheels　and　trying　to　keep　them　nice　and　parallel。　Finally；　content；　he　climbed　up　into　the　truck　and　gestured　for　Dortmunder　to　drive　forward。
　Slowly　they　went　up　the　ramp。　They　could　feel　the　planks　bending　beneath　the　weight；　but　Murch　had　positioned　them　properly　and　the　tires　were　nicely　in　the　middle　of　each　plank。　The　front　tires；　the　rear　tires　were　still　on　the　ground　when　the　bumper　scraped　against　the　rear　of　the　truck。
　〃Now　what？〃　Dortmunder　said。
　Murch；　frowning；　went　to　look　at　the　left　front　fender　of　the　Cadillac；　and　then　at　the　right　front　fender。　He　shook　his　head；　frowned　more　deeply；　put　his　hands　on　his　hips；　and　went　back　to　consider　the　left　front　fender　again。　Then；　leaning　on　that　fender；　he　called　to　Dortmunder；　〃It's　too　wide！〃
　Dortmunder　stuck　his　head　out　the　side　window。　〃What　do　you　mean　it's　too　wide？〃
　〃It　won't　fit。〃
　Murch　backed　up　from　the　Cadillac；　standing　inside　the　truck　and　studying　the　two　vehicles。　He　held　his　hands　up；　palms　facing　one　another；　and　peered　through　them。　He　shook　his　head。
　Murch's　Mom；　sitting　at　the　wheel　of　the　school　bus　and　not　knowing　what　the　hell　was　going　on；　considered　honking　the　horn　to　try　to　attract　somebody's　attention。　But　probably　this　wasn't　a　good　time　to　distract　them　all　from　whatever　they　were　doing　over　there。　On　the　other　hand；　it　did　seem　to　be　taking　them　a　long　time　to　get　that　Cadillac　into　that　truck。
　Inside　the　Cadillac；　Kelp　said；　〃I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。　Cars　always　fit　inside　trucks。〃
　Van　Golden　said；　〃What？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃I　should　have　known；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　Jimmy；　in　the　back　seat；　found　himself　considering　the　situation　as　though　it　were　a　problem　to　be　solved。　Like　the　problems　in　Scientific　American；　to　which　he　was　a　subscriber。　But　that　wasn't　the　right　thing　to　do；　he　wasn't　on　their　side；　he　was　on　the　other　side。　So　he　tabled　the　problem；　to　be　considered　at　some　later　time。
　May；　leaning　forward；　said；　〃Maybe　we　could…〃　and　the　phone　rang。
　Everybody　jumped。　The　Cadillac　sagged　on　the　boards。　May　stared　at　the　phone　in　horror　and　said；　〃What　do　I　do？〃
　Dortmunder　twisted　around。　It　was　hard；　with　three　men　crammed　in　together　in　the　front　seat；　but　he　turned　sufficiently　to　be　able　to　look　through　the　eyeholes　in　his　Mickey　Mouse　mask　at　both　May　and　the　boy。　He　said；　〃The　kid　has　to　answer　it。〃
　The　phone　rang　again。
　Dortmunder　said　to　the　boy；　〃You　play　it　like　everything's　okay。　You　got　the　idea？〃
　〃I　won't　cause　any　trouble；〃　Jimmy　said。　He　wasn't　exactly　frightened　of　these　people；　but　he　was　well　aware　that　a　tense　situation　could　sometimes　make　a　person　react　more　violently　than　they　would　normally。　He　didn't　want　any　of　this　gang　going　into　a　panic。
　〃You　just　answer　the　phone；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃You　act　normal；　and　you　make　it　as　short　as　you　can。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Jimmy　said。　He　reached　out　to　pick　up　the　phone　as　it　rang　for　the　third　time。
　Dortmunder　said；　〃Hold　it　away　from　your　ear；　so　we　can　all　hear　what　they're　saying。〃
　Jimmy　nodded。　His　mouth　and　throat　were　dry。　Picking　up　the　phone；　he　held　it　so　the　back　part　was　out　and　away　from　his　ear。　〃Hello？〃
　〃Hel…lo；　there；　is　this　James　Harrington？〃　The　cheerful　male　voice　came　tinnily　from　the　phone。
　〃Yes；　it　is。〃
　〃Well；　this　is　Bob　Dodge　of　radio　WRTZ；　the　voice　of　Sussex　County；　calling　you　from　Hotline　For　Facts。　Your　postcard　has　been　selected　at　random；　and　you　have　the　opportunity　to　win　prizes　totaling　over　five　hundred　dollars！　And　now；　here's　Lou　Sweet　to　tell　you　what　prizes　are　in　this　week's　Hotline　Jackpot！〃
　Another　voice　began　to　ripple　from　the　phone；　describing　prizes；　in　each　case　giving　the　name　of　the　merchant　who　had　contributed　the　prize。　A　camera　from　a　drugstore。　Dog　food　from　a　supermarket。　A　dictionary　and　a　table　radio　from　a　department　store。　Dinner　for　two　at　a　local　restaurant。
　〃I　don't　believe　this；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　May　shushed　him　again。
　Bob　Dodge　came　back　on　the　phone。　〃Are　you　familiar　with　the　rules　of　our　game？〃　he　asked；　but　before　Jimmy　could　answer　he　gave　them　anyway；　talking　at　top　speed。　There　seemed　to　be　something　about　levels；　options　of　subject　matter；　various　other　sophistications；　but　the　main　idea　was　that　they　would　ask　him　questions　and　he　would　try　to　answer　them。　〃Are　you　ready；　James？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Jimmy　said。　He　sometimes　listened　to　this　program　in　the　car　on　the　way　home　from　Dr。　Schraubenzieher；　and　it　always　seemed　as　though　he　knew　the　right　answers　whenever　the　contestants　got　them　wrong。　About　six　months　ago　he'd　sent　in　a　postcard；　giving　both　his　home　phone　and　the　mobile　telephone　unit　in　the　car；　but　he'd　never　expected　them　to　call　him。　Particularly　not　the　mobile　telephone　number。
　And　he　sure　wished　it　hadn't　happened　now。　It　was　embarrassing　to　be　here　on　the　phone　like　this；　answering　some　quiz　show's　silly　questions；　with　a　lot　of　strangers　looking　on。
　〃And　here's　your　first　question；〃　Bob　Dodge　said。　〃Name　four　of　the　states　of　Australia。〃
　Australia。　Concentrating；　Jimmy　said；　〃New　South　Wales。　Queensland。　Victoria。　And　Northern　Territory。〃
　〃Very　good！　Next；　give　the　atomic　number　of　samarium。〃
　〃Sixty…two。〃
　〃What　is　hemialgia？〃
　〃Pain　on　one　side　of　the　head。〃
　〃I've　got　pain　on　both　sides　of　my　head；〃　Dortmunder　muttered。
　〃Sshh！〃　Kelp　said。
　〃Who　wrote　Adrienne　Toner？〃
　〃Anne　Sedgwick。〃
　〃What　year　was　the　battle　of　Lancaster　Abbey？〃
　Jimmy　hesitated。　The　others　in　the　car　all　tensed；　looking　at　him；　waiting。　Finally；　with　the　question　apparent　in　his　voice；　he　said；　〃Fourteen　ninety…three？〃
　〃Yes！〃
　Everybody　in　the　car　sighed　with　relief；　three　Mickey　Mouse　masks　ballooned。
　Jimmy　answered　four　more　questions；　on　astronomy；　economics；　French　history　and　physics；　and　then　the　next　question　was；　〃In　astrology；　what　are　the　signs　before　and　after　Gemini？〃
　Astrology；　that　was　one　of　Jimmy's　weak　areas。　He　had　no　belief　in　it；　and　so　had　never　studied　it。　He　said；　〃The　signs　before　and　after？〃
　〃Before　and　after　Gemini；　yes。〃
　〃Before　Gemini　。　。　。　is　Taurus。〃
　〃Yes！　And　after？〃
　〃After　Gemini。〃
　Kelp　whispered；　〃Cancer。〃
　Dortmunder　glared　at　him。　He　whispered；　〃If　you're　wrong…〃
　〃Time　is　almost　up；　James。〃
　Jimmy　took　a　deep　breath。　He　didn't　like　accepting　help　on　a　test；　but　what　else　could　he　do？　He　hadn't　asked　for　it；　and　it　might　not　even　be　right。　He　said；　〃Cancer？〃
　〃Absolutely　right！〃
　Again；　general　relief。　Even　with　the　mask　over　his　face；　Kelp　could　be　seen　smiling。
　〃You；　James　Harrington；〃　Bob　Dodge　was　saying；　〃have　won　our　Hotline　Jackpot！〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Jimmy　said；　and　when　he　saw　Dortmunder　gesturing　violently　at　him　he　added；　〃I　have　to　hang　up　now；〃　and　hung　up。
　〃Well；〃　May　said。　〃Jimmy；　that　was　really　impressive。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Now　that　the　kid　got　his　dog　food　and　his　dinner　for　two；　let's　get　back　to…〃
　And　the　planks　gave　way；　both　of　them　at　once。　The　Cadillac　slapped　down　onto　the　road　like　a　palm　slapping　down　on　a　table。　Everybody　was　tossed　up；　ricocheted　off　the　roof；　and　jolted　into　their　seats　again。　In　the　process；　Dortmunder's　gun　went　sailing　out　the　open　window　next　to　him；　and　Kelp's　gun　bounced　off　the　roof；　the　steering　wheel　and　the　dashboard　before　landing　in　Van　Gelden's　lap。
　〃Hands　up！〃　Van　Golden　yelled；　and　scrabbled　in　his　lap　for　the　gun。　Both　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　were　obediently　lifting　their　arms；　and　Van　Golden　was　still　bobbling　the　gun；　when　May　reached　over　his　shoulder；　took　it　away　from　him；　and　handed　it　to　Dortmunder。
　〃All　right；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃All　right；　that's　enough　fooling　around。〃　To　May　he　said；　〃Put　the　mask　on　the　kid　and　put　him　in　our　car。〃　To　Kelp　he　said；　〃Put　the　cuffs　on　this　guy。　If　it　won't　upset　you　too　much；　we're　gonna　rewrite　that　book　of　yours　a　little　bit。〃
　〃Anything　you　say；〃　Kelp　said。　He　was　puffing　the　handcuffs　out　of　his　hip　pocket。
　〃And　you；〃　Dortmunder　told　the　chauffeur；　〃you　just　sit　there　and　keep　your　mouth　shut。　'Hands　up；'　is　it？〃　Giving　the　chauffeur　a　look　of　disgust　that　the　chauffeur　couldn't　see　through　the　Mickey　Mouse　mask；　Dortmunder　got　out　of　the　Cadillac；　picked　up　his　gun　from　the　road；　and　said　to　Murch；　〃Forget　that　goddam　truck。　We'll　g