dw.jimmythekid-第21部分

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　〃He's　on　his　way；〃　Parker　said。　〃He'll　be　taking　the　ramp　in　maybe　two　minutes。〃
　Ruth　checked　her　watch；　〃Right；〃　she　said。
　Parker　got　back　into　the　Dodge；　and　Krauss　took　off　again　in　the　wake　of　the　Lincoln；　which　was　no　longer　in　sight。　They　entered　the　parkway；　Krauss　lifted　them　to　sixty…five；　and　soon　they　passed　the　Lincoln；　moving　obediently　at　fifty　in　the　right　lane。　In　the　back　seat；　Myers　was　still　hunching　forward。
　In　the　phone　booth；　Ruth　dialed　the　operator；　and　told　her；　〃I　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit　in　a　private　car。〃
　〃Do　you　have　the　number？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃
　Krauss　reached　their　exit；　took　the　off　ramp；　looped　around　under　the　parkway；　and　stopped　next　to　the　wall　of　the　overpass。　They'd　chosen　this　exit　with　care；　it　having　no　nearby　buildings　or　population。　Potato　fields　stretched　away　flat　and　dry　in　all　directions；　with　stands　of　trees　in　the　distance。　To　the　south　the　secondary　road　led　to　the　first　fringes　of　a　town；　but　northward　there　were　merely　trees　and　the　black　top　curving　away　out　of　sight。
　In　the　limousine　moving　along　the　parkway　like　a　slow　black　whale　amid　darting　dolphins；　George　Myers　leaned　forward　in　his　seat；　staring　at　the　road　ahead；　wondering　when　and　how　they　would　contact　him。　The　suitcase　full　of　money　was　on　the　seat　beside　him。　Albert　Judson；　the　chauffeur；　kept　his　eyes　on　the　road　and　the　pace　of　the　car　at　a　steady　fifty。
　The　telephone　rang。
　For　the　first　few　seconds；　Myers　was　too　disoriented　to　realize　what　that　sound　was。　His　concentration　had　been　too　exclusively　outside　the　car；　out　ahead　of　him　where　the　kidnappers　were　waiting。　Now；　startled；　he　looked　quickly　around；　then　suddenly　understood。　That's　why　they　wanted　him　to　use　the　Lincoln；　they　intended　to　phone　him。
　He　picked　up　the　receiver；　almost　afraid　of　the　black　plastic。　Tentatively；　he　held　it　to　his　face。　〃Hello？〃
　〃Myers？〃　It　was　the　same　woman's　voice；　cold　and　impersonal；　with　a　tinge　of　roughness。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　who　you　are。〃
　〃Tell　your　chauffeur　to　stop　at　mile　marker　eighty…seven。　At　the　small　green　sign。　You'll　find　a　milk　bottle　there　with　a　piece　of　paper　in　it。　That　will　give　you　your　instructions。〃
　〃Yes；　I　will。　But　when…〃
　She　had　hung　up。　Myers　held　the　phone　a　second　longer；　anxious；　frustrated；　then　leaned　forward　again；　saying；　〃Albert。〃
　The　chauffeur　slightly　turned　his　head；　offering　an　ear。　〃Sir？〃
　Myers　cradled　the　telephone　〃We're　to　stop　at　mile　marker　eighty…seven；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　And；　a　second　later；　〃There's　number　eighty…six。〃
　Myers　watched　the　small　green　sign　go　by；　then　looked　forward　again。
　It　was　a　long　mile；　but　at　the　end　of　it　the　chauffeur　eased　the　Lincoln　off　onto　the　gravel　and　came　to　a　smooth　stop　next　to　the　sign　with　the　cream　numerals　87　on　it。　〃Wait；　Albert；〃　Myers　said；　and　climbed　from　the　car。
　The　milk　bottle；　looking　like　any　piece　of　rubbish　littering　the　edge　of　the　highway；　was　on　its　side　next　to　the　sign。　Picking　it　up；　Myers　fished　the　scrap　of　paper　out　of　it；　then　tossed　the　bottle　away　and　read　the　instructions：
　Stop　at　next　overpass。　Drop　suitcase　on　far　verge　of　road　below。　Drive　on。　
　Myers　got　back　into　the　car。　〃We　have　to　stop　again　at　the　next　overpass；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　The　chauffeur　eased　them　back　out　amid　the　traffic；　and　now　drove　even　more　slowly　than　before；　waiting　for　the　overpass。
　It　was　less　than　a　mile　later；　just　beyond　an　exit　ramp。　The　chauffeur　stopped　the　limousine　on　the　gravel　again　and　Myers　got　out；　this　time　carrying　the　suitcase。　Looking　around；　hearing　the　whisk　whisk　whisk　of　traffic　hurrying　by；　he　wondered　if　the　police　were　living　up　to　their　promise。　They'd　assured　him　they　wouldn't　try　to　interfere　with　the　money　transfer　in　any　way；　wouldn't　try　to　set　any　traps。　〃Let's　get　Bobby　back　first；〃　one　of　them　had　said；　〃and　then　we'll　go　after　the　kidnappers。〃　That　was　the　way　Myers　felt；　too；　and　the　condition　he　would　have　in　any　event　insisted　on。　But　was　it　possible　they'd　been　lying　to　him？　Could　some　of　these　other　cars　rushing　by　him　contain　plainclothes　policemen？
　But　all　he　had　now　was　hope：　the　hope　that　he　could　trust　the　kidnappers；　the　hope　that　he　could　trust　the　police。　Turning；　he　walked　to　the　concrete　railing　of　the　overpass；　looked　over；　and　saw　no　one　down　below。　The　far　verge　was　to　his　left。　He　walked　that　way；　hoisted　the　suitcase　onto　the　railing；　and　let　it　drop。　He　saw　it　hit　the　ground　down　there；　amid　the　weeds；　and　then　he　turned　and　walked　heavily　back　to　the　Lincoln。
　Down　below；　Parker　got　out　of　the　Dodge。　A　little　dust　settled　where　the　suitcase　had　landed。　No　traffic　came　down　the　ramp；　nothing　moved　anywhere。　Parker　walked　swiftly　back；　picked　up　the　suitcase；　carried　it　to　the　car。　Krauss　was　shifting　into　drive　as　Parker　got　into　the　seat　beside　him。
　
　22
　
　A　T　E　X　A　C　T　L　Y　five　minutes　after　four　Murch's　Mom；　in　a　pay　phone　at　a　Mobil　station　in　Netcong；　New　Jersey；　made　the　second　call。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Let　me　talk　to　Herbert　Harrington。〃
　〃Speaking。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃This　is　Herbert　Harrington　speaking；〃　the　voice　said　in　her　ear。　〃Aren't　you　the　kidnapper？〃
　〃Wait　a　second；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　was　trying　to　turn　the　page　of　a　paperback　book　one…handed。
　〃Oh；　dear；〃　the　voice　said。　〃Have　I　made　a　mistake？　I'm　expecting　a　call　from　a　kidnapper；　and…〃
　〃Yeah　yeah；〃　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃that's　me；　it's　me；　only　hold　on　a　second。　There！〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃Do　you　have　the　money？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Yes；　I　do。　I　want　you　to　know　it　wasn't　easy　to　assemble　that　much　cash　in　so　short　a　period　of　time。　If　I　didn't　have　some　some　personal　friends　at　Chase　Manhattan；　in　fact；　I　don't　believe　it　could　have　been　done。〃
　〃But　you've　got　it；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　〃Yes；　I　do。　In　a　small　suitcase。　I　do　have　a　question　on　that。〃
　Murch's　Mom　frowned；　scrinching　her　face　up。　Why　couldn't　it　ever　go　smooth　and　simple；　like　in　the　book。　〃What　kind　of　question？〃
　〃This　suitcase；〃　Harrington　said。　〃It　cost　forty　two　eighty…four；　with　the　tax。　Now；　should　that　e　out　of　the　hundred　fifty　thousand；　or　is　that　to　be　considered　my　expense？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Please　don't　think　I'm　being　difficult；〃　Harrington　said。　〃I've　never　handled　a　negotiation　like　this　before；　and　I　simply　don't　know　what's　considered　normal　practice。〃
　Shaking　her　head；　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃You　pay　for　the　suitcase。　We　don't　pay　for　it；　you　pay　for　it。〃　She　was　thinking；　There's　nothing　cheaper　than　a　rich　person。
　〃Fine；　fine；〃　Harrington　said。　〃I　merely　wanted　to　know。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃Can　we　get　on　with　it？〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　get　into　your　car　with　the　money；〃　Murch's　Mom　read。　〃Use　the　Lincoln。　You　can…〃
　〃What　was　that？〃
　Murch's　Mom　gave　an　exasperated　sigh。　〃Now　what？〃
　〃Did　you　say　a　Lincoln？　I　don't　have　a…〃
　〃The　Cadillac！〃　She'd　meant　to　make　a　pencil　change　to　that　effect；　and　she'd　forgot。　〃I　meant　the　Cadillac。〃
　〃Yes。　Well；　that's　the　only　automobile　I　have。〃
　Murch's　Mom　gritted　her　teeth。　〃So　that's　the　one　you'll　use；〃　she　said；　and　this　time　she　was　thinking；　If　I　could　get　my　hands　on　him；　I'd　strangle　him。
　〃Very　well；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Am　I　to　meet　you　somewhere？〃
　〃Let's　not　rush　me；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃So　you'll　use　the　Cadillac。　You　can　bring　your　chauffeur　along；　but…〃
　〃Well；　I　should　think　so；〃　Harrington　said。　〃I　don't　drive。〃
　Murch's　Mom　was　pletely　speechless。　She　had　never　in　her　life　met　anybody　who　didn't　drive。　She　had　been　a　cabdriver　herself　for　a　hundred　years。　Her　boy　Stan　was　always　either　in　a　car；　driving　it；　or　under　a　car；　fixing　it。　Not　drive？　It　was　like　not　walking。
　Harrington　said；　〃Hello？　Are　you　there？〃
　〃I'm　here。　Why　don't　you　drive？　Is　it　some　religious　thing　or　something？〃
　〃Why；　no。　I've　simply　never　felt　the　need。　I've　always　had　a　chauffeur。　And　in　the　city；　of　course；　one　takes　cabs。〃
　〃Cabs；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　〃They're　perfectly　satisfactory；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Except　that　recently；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　think　the　quality　of　the　drivers　has　gone　down。〃
　〃You're　absolutely　right！〃　Murch's　Mom　stood　up　straighter　in　the　phone　booth；　and　even　jabbed　the　air　with　her　finger　two　or　three　times；　to　emphasize　a　point。　〃It　was　the　Seventy…one　contract；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　a　sellout　to　the　owners；　it　screwed　the　cabby　and　the　riding　public　both。〃
　〃Oh；　is　that　the　time　the　fare　went　up　so　drastically？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃But　I'm　not　talking　about　the　fare；　that　was　realistic；　your　New　York　City　cabdriver　had　not　been　keeping　up　with　inflation。　It　was　a　big　jump；　but　it　was　just　to　get　the　cabby　up　where　he　used　to　be。〃
　〃It　seemed　a　large　leap　somehow；　almost　double　or　something。　I　did　notice　it　at　the　time。〃
　〃But　where　the　cabby　was　screwed；〃　March's　Mom　said；　〃and　where　the　riding　public　was　screwed；　was　in　the　split。　They　changed　the　formula　on　the　split。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand。〃
　Murch's　Mom　was　only　too　happy　to　explain；　this　whole　union　problem　was　a　big　hobbyhorse　with　her。　〃You　work　for　a　fleet　owner；〃　she　said；　〃you　split　the　meter　take　with　him。　You　get　maybe　fifty…two　percent；　fifty…five；　whatever。〃
　〃Yes；　I　see。　And　they　changed　the　split？〃
　〃They　changed　the　formula；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃They　fixed　it　so　the　owner　has　to　give　a　bigger　percent　to　a　driver　with　more　seniority。〃
　〃But　surely　that's　only　right。　After　all；　if　a　man　drives　a　cab　for　years　and　years；　he…〃
　〃But　that's　not　what　happens；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃What　happens　is；　if　the　owner　pulls　in　some　bum　off　the　Street；　can't　find　his　way　to　the　Empire　State　Building；　gives　him　a　job；　puts　him　in　a　cab；　the　owner　gets　to　keep　a　higher　percentage　of　the　meter！〃
　〃Oh！〃　Harrington　said。　〃I　see　what　you　mean；　the　contract　makes　it　more　advantageous　to　the　owner　to　hire　inexperienced　drivers。〃
　〃Absolutely；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃So　that's　why　you　had　all　them　potheads；　them　beatniks；　driving　around；　playing　cabdriver。〃
　〃I　did　have　one　last　summer；〃　Harrington　said；　〃who　didn't　know　his　left　from　his　right。　At　first　I　thought　it　was　only　because　he　didn't　speak　English；　but　in　fact　he　didn't　know　left　from　right　in　any　language。　It's　very　hard　to　give　travel　directions　to　someone　who　do