dw.jimmythekid-第22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！


n't　know　left　from　right　in　any　language。　It's　very　hard　to　give　travel　directions　to　someone　who　doesn't　know　his　left　from　his　right。〃
　Northward；　a　block　from　the　Harrington　estate；　Dortmunder　and　Murch　sat　in　a　freshly　stolen　Mustang　and　waited。　And　waited。　Murch　said；　〃Shouldn't　he　e　out　pretty　soon？〃
　〃Yeah；　he　should；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃I　wonder　what　he's　doing；〃　Murch　said。
　He　was　talking　taxis　with　Murch's　Mom。　They　were　trading　horror　stories…the　hippie　driver　fresh　from　Boston　who　didn't　know　there　was　a　section　of　the　city　called　Queens；　the　Oriental　who　didn't　speak　English　and　who　drove　at　twelve　miles　an　hour　to　the　wrong　airport…　until　finally　it　was　Harrington　who　said；　〃But　I'm　sorry；　I've　changed　the　subject。　I　do　apologize。　We　were　talking　about　the　ransom。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　looked　at　her　watch；　and　it　was　almost　quarter　after　four。　〃Right。　Okay；　let　me　start　again。　You'll　get　in　the　Cadillac　with　your　chauffeur；　but　no　other　passengers。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You'll　drive　to　Interstate　80；　and　get　up　on　it　westbound。　Drive　at　a　steady　fifty。　We'll　meet　you　along　the　way。〃
　〃Where？〃
　Murch's　Mom　frowned　again。　〃What？〃
　〃You'll　meet　me　where　along　the　way？〃
　〃I　don't　tell　you　that　now。　You　just　get　up　there；　and　we'll　contact　you。〃
　〃But　I　don't　understand。　Where　is　it　I'm　going？　What's　my　destination？〃
　〃You　just　get　on　80；〃　Murch's　Mom　told　him；　〃and　travel　west　at　fifty　miles　an　hour。　That's　all　you　do；　and　we'll　take　over　from　there。〃　The　sense　of　camaraderie　she'd　felt　with　him　over　the　issue　of　New　York　taxicabs　had　vanished；　once　again；　what　she　really　wanted　to　do　was　wring　his　neck。
　〃I've　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；〃　Harrington　said。　〃No　destination。　I　don't　know　anyone　who　travels　that　way。〃
　〃Just　do　it；〃　Murch's　Mom　said；　and　hung　up　in　exasperation。　Going　outside；　she　got　into　the　Roadrunner　her　son　had　stolen　for　her　this　morning；　and　headed　for　the　other　phone　booth。　She　had　originally　objected　to　this　move；　saying　she　didn't　see　why　she　couldn't　make　both　calls　from　the　same　booth；　but　Kelp　had　showed　her　where　in　Child　Heist　it　was　explained　the　cops　might　be　tracing　the　first　call；　and　might　show　up　pretty　soon　at　the　phone　booth　where　the　call　was　made。　So　okay；　she'd　go　to　the　other　phone　booth。
　Northward；　Dortmunder　and　March　continued　to　sit　in　the　Mustang　and　wait。　March　said；　〃Do　we　have　the　number　of　the　phone　booth　where　Mom　makes　her　first　call？〃
　〃No。　Why　should　we？〃
　〃I　thought　we　could　call　her；　see　if　anything　went　wrong。〃
　〃The　smart　guy　that　wrote　the　book；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃didn't　say　anything　about　that。〃
　On　the　Harrington　estate；　Herbert　Harrington　stood　beside　his　Cadillac　and　argued　with　the　head　FBI　man。　〃I　don't　see；〃　he　said；　〃why　I　can't　have　my　own　chauffeur。　I　like　the　way　he　drives。〃
　〃Kirby's　a　good　driver；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said。　He　was　being　patient　in　a　way　to　show　how　impatient　he　really　was。　〃And　he's　along　just　in　case　anything　happens。　Like　they　decide　to　kidnap　you；　too。〃
　〃Now；　why　on　earth　would　they　kidnap　me？　Who'd　pay　the　ransom？〃
　〃Your　wife；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said。
　〃My　what？　Oh；　Claire！　Hah；　what　a　thought！　She　doesn't　even　know　Jimmy's　been　stolen。　She　won't　answer　my　calls。〃
　〃For　your　own　protection；〃　the　head　FBI　man　said；　〃we're　going　to　insist　that　Kirby　drive　you。　Believe　me；　he's　a　petent　driver；　he'll　bring　you　back　safe　and　sound。〃
　Harrington　frowned　at　the　man　in　the　front　seat　of　the　Cadillac；　sitting　there　with　Maurice's　hat　on　his　head。　The　hat　was　too　large。　〃His　hat　is　too　large；〃　Harrington　said。
　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃　The　head　FBI　man　held　the　door　open。　〃You　ought　to　get　moving　now；　Mr。　Harrington。〃
　〃I　just　don't　like　anything　about　this；〃　Harrington　said；　and　reluctantly　slid　into　the　back　of　the　car。　The　suitcase　full　of　money　and　his　attaché　case　with　some　business　papers　were　already　in　there；　on　the　floor。
　The　head　FBI　man　shut　the　door；　perhaps　a　trifle　more　emphatically　than　necessary。　〃Okay；　Kirby；〃　he　said；　and　the　Cadillac　slid　forward　over　the　white　gravel　of　the　driveway。
　〃Son　of　a　gun；〃　March　said。　〃Here　it　es。〃
　〃Damned　if　it　doesn't；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　The　silver…gray　Cadillac　came　purring　around　the　curving　blacktop　road；　scattering　dead　leaves　in　its　wake。　The　right　car：　WAX　361；　whip　antenna。　The　chauffeur　was　at　the　wheel；　and　the　father　was　in　the　back　seat。　As　it　was　disappearing　around　the　far　curve…there　were　no　straight　streets　in　this　wealthy　section　of　New　Jersey…Murch　started　the　Mustang；　and　they　moved　off　in　its　wake。
　It　was　two　miles　to　Interstate　80。　While　March　and　Dortmunder　hung　well　back；　Kirby　steered　the　big　car　around　the　bends　and　through　the　dales。　It　was　fun　driving　a　Caddy；　maybe　on　the　way　back　he　could　really　open　it　up。
　In　the　back　seat；　Harrington　picked　up　his　attaché　case；　opened　it　on　the　seat　beside　him；　and　riffled　through　the　sheaves　of　documents。　He　hadn't　been　able　to　get　to　the　office　at　all　today；　naturally；　with　all　this　mess　going　on；　and　the　work　was　piling　up。　He　picked　up　the　phone　and　called　his　office　in　the　city；　his　secretary　had　already　been　alerted　to　expect　a　late…afternoon　call。　At　least　he'd　be　able　to　get　some　of　this　accumulation　cleared　away　during　the　drive。
　Murch's　Mom　reached　the　other　phone　booth。　It　was　next　to　a　Burger　King　on　route　46。　She　parked　the　Roadrunner　and　went　over　to　stand　in　the　booth　and　wait。　Outside；　a　group　of　juvenile　delinquents　showed　up　on　motorcycles。
　The　Cadillac　reached　Interstate　80。　Murch　stopped　at　a　Chevron　station　by　the　on　ramp　and　Dortmunder　phoned　Murch's　Mom　at　the　other　phone　booth。　When　she　answered；　there　was　such　a　loud　buzzing　noise；　hoarse　and　raspy；　that　he　could　barely　hear　her。　〃You　got　trouble　on　your　line；〃　he　said。
　She　said；　〃What？〃
　〃You　got　trouble　on　your　line！〃
　〃I　can't　hear　you　with　all　these　stinking　motorcycles！〃
　〃Oh。　He's　up　on　80！〃
　〃Right！〃
　Dortmunder　got　back　into　the　Mustang；　and　Murch　took　of！　again　in　the　wake　of　the　Cadillac。　They　went　up　on　the　Interstate；　Murch　put　the　Mustang　up　to　sixty…eight；　and　soon　they　passed　the　Caddy；　moving　obediently　at　fifty　in　the　right　lane。　〃Mom's　already　talking　to　him；〃　Murch　said。
　They　could　see　the　father　on　the　phone　in　back。　The　chauffeur　glanced　at　them　out　of　his　reflecting　sunglasses　as　they　went　by。　Look　at　that　Mustang；　Kirby　thought；　and　hated　the　frustration　that　he　couldn't　lean　into　this　Caddy　and　run　a　couple　rings　about　that　little　beast。　Later；　on　the　way　back。
　At　the　Burger　King；　Murch's　Mom　dialed　the　operator；　and　yelled；　〃I　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit　in　a　private　car！〃
　〃Well；　you　don't　have　to　yell　about　it；〃　the　operator　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃You　have　trouble　on　your　line；〃　the　operator　said。　〃Hang　up　and　dial　again。〃
　〃What？　I　can't　hear　you　with　all　these　motorcycles！〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　the　operator。　〃You　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit？〃
　〃Why　do　you　think　I'm　putting　up　with　all　this？〃
　〃Do　you　have　the　number？〃
　〃Yes！〃
　Harrington　was　saying；　〃Now　in　the　matter　of　that　prospectus。　I　think　our　posture　before　the　SEC　is　that　while　the　prospectus　did　speak　of　homesites；　it　does　not　at　any　point　say　anything　about　a　munity。　A　munity　would　necessarily　imply　the　existence　of　available　water。　A　homesite　would　not。　Country　retreat；　weekend　cottage；　that　sort　of　thing。　Have　Bill　Timmins　see　what　he　can　root　up　by　way　of　precedents。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　〃Then　call　Danforth　in　Oklahoma　and　tell　him　that　Marseilles　crowd　just　will　not　budge　on　the　three…for…two　stock　swap。　Tell　him　my　suggestion　is　that　we　threaten　to　simply　bow　out　on　the　railroad　end　of　it　and　carry　our　venture　capital　elsewhere。　If　he　approves；　try　and　arrange　a　phone　conference　with　Grandin　for　nine…thirty　tomorrow　morning；　New　York　time。　If　Danforth　has　a　problem；　give　him　my　home　number；　and　tell　him　I　should　be　there　in；　oh；　two　hours　at　the　very　most。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　〃But　the　line's　busy！〃　the　operator　8aid。
　〃Well；　try　again！〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　Murch　reached　the　off　ramp　for　the　Hope　exit；　and　slowed　for　the　curve。　In　all　of　New　Jersey；　this　was　the　closest　Interstate　80　exit　to　the　one　described　in　the　book。　There　was　one　small　mercial　building　down　on　the　county　road；　just　north　of　the　off　ramp；　but　that　was　all。　As　for　a　main　highway　exit　with　no　buildings　or　population　around　it；　there　was　no　such　thing　on　Interstate　80　in　New　Jersey；　and　Dortmunder　doubted　there　was　any　such　thing　along　Northern　State　Parkway　on　Long　Island；　the　site　of　Child　Heist。　The　writer　had　just　been　making　things　easy　for　himself；　that's　all。
　Murch　pulled　to　a　stop　next　to　the　wall　of　the　overpass。　Interstate　80　made　a　humming　roof　over　their　heads。　〃It　won't　be　long　now；〃　Murch　said。
　Dortmunder　didn't　say　anything。
　〃The　line's　still　busy！〃　the　operator　said。
　〃Hold　on　a　minute！〃
　〃What？〃
　〃I　said　hold　on！　Wait！　Don't　go　away！'〃
　〃Oh！〃
　Murch's　Mom；　leaving　the　phone　off　the　hook；　stepped　out　of　the　booth　and　went　over　to　the　Roadrunner。　She　had　seen　tools　on　the　back　seat；　yes；　there　was　a　nice　big　monkey　wrench。　She　picked　it　up；　hefted　it；　and　went　over　to　stand　in　front　of　the　motorcyclists；　who　were　sitting　on　their　throbbing　machines；　filling　their　faces　with　whoppers。　She　didn't　say　anything；　not　that　it　would　have　been　possible　in　any　event。　She　stood　looking　at　them。　She　thumped　the　monkey　wrench　gently　into　the　palm　of　her　left　hand。　She　lifted　it；　thumped　it　gently　again；　lifted　it；　thumped　it；　lifted　it；　thumped　it。
　They　became　aware　of　her。　Their　eyes　followed　the　small　movements　of　the　monkey　wrench。　They　looked　at　one　another；　and　they　looked　at　Murch's　Mom's　face。　Methodically；　without　any　appearance　of　undue　haste　but　nevertheless　efficiently；　they　stuffed　their　mouths　with　the　rest　of　their　whoppers；　packed　their　pockets　with　french　fries；　tied　their　Cokes　to　their　gas　tanks　with　little　leather　straps；　and　drove　away。
　Murch's　Mom　went　back　to　the　phone　booth。　She　put　down　the　monkey　wrench　and　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Hello；〃　she　said。　〃You　still　there？〃
　〃I'm　still　here！〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　yell；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　was　being　very　calm。
　〃I　d