dw.jimmythekid-第23部分

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　〃I'm　still　here！〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　yell；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　was　being　very　calm。
　〃I　don't？〃
　〃No。　But　you　have　to　call　that　goddam　car！〃
　The　Cadillac　breezed　past　the　tomato　juice　bottle　with　the　instructions　in　it；　milk　doesn't　e　in　bottles　any　more；　it　es　in　plastic　cartons。　Harrington；　on　the　phone；　said　to　his　secretary；　〃Tell　him　our　client's　feeling　is　he　can　loan　him　the　seventeen；　but　he'll　need　some　form　of　security　other　than　the　department　store。　Tell　him；　off　the　record；　our　client　is　quite　frankly　worried　about　that　marital　situation　of　his。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　〃Should　be　any　second　now；〃　Murch　said。
　Dortmunder　twisted　around　and　looked　back。　No　suit。　case　came　falling　through　the　air。
　The　Cadillac　sailed　past　the　Hope　exit；　over　the　overpass　and　on；　toward　the　Delaware　Water　Gap。
　Back　at　the　deserted　farmhouse；　May　and　Kelp　and　Jimmy　sat　at　the　card　table。　〃Knock　with　two；〃　Jimmy　said；　and　spread　out　his　rummy　hand。
　〃Ouch；〃　said　Kelp。
　〃I　have　to　get　through　to　that　car！〃
　〃When　Fm　in　Washington；　we　can　arrange　the　meeting　with　Congressman　Henley　and　then　perhaps　get　a　little　action。〃
　Murch　said；　〃I　think　maybe　something　went　wrong。〃
　Dortmunder　didn't　say　anything。
　〃And　if　anything　else　es　up；〃　Harrington　said；　〃you　should　be　able　to　reach　me　at　home　certainly　by　six　o'clock。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　Harrington　hung　up。　He　said　to　Maurice；　〃Nothing's　happened　yet；　eh？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　who　wasn't　Maurice　at　all。　That's　right；　it　was　the　FBI　man；　Kirby。
　〃What's　that　up　ahead？〃　Harrington　asked。
　〃The　Delaware　Water　Gap。〃
　〃Oh；　really？〃　Harrington　said；　and　the　phone　rang。　Expecting　his　secretary　to　be　calling　back；　he　picked　it　up　and　said；　〃Hello？〃
　Some　woman　screamed　gibberish　at　him。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　on　the　goddam　phone！〃
　〃What？　Oh；　for　heaven's　sake；　it's　the　kidnapper！〃
　Kirby　slammed　on　the　brakes；　and　the　Caddy　slued　all　over　the　road。　Kirby　shouted；　〃Where？　Where？〃
　〃Don't　drive　like　that！〃　Harrington　cried。　〃Maurice　never　drives　like　that！〃
　〃Where's　the　kidnapper？〃　Kirby　had　bee　calmer　again；　was　driving　forward；　was　looking　all　around　without　quite　acknowledging　the　glares　of　the　other　drivers　passing　him；　the　ones　he'd　just　barely　missed　when　he'd　braked　so　abruptly
　〃On　the　phone；〃　Harrington　said。　The　woman　was　babbling　away　on　the　phone；　rancorous　and　belligerent；　and　Harrington　said；　〃I　am　sorry。　I　had　no　idea。　If　you'd　told　me；　of　course；　I　would　have…〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃Where　am　I？　Where　you　told　me　to　be；　on　route　80。〃
　〃But　where？〃
　〃Just　crossing　the　Delaware　Water　Gap；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Isn't　that　strange。　I've　lived　so　close　to　it　for　so　many　years；　and　I've　just　never　had　occasion　to　travel　this　way　before。　It's　really　quite…〃
　〃The　Delaware　Water　Gap？〃　You've　over…you're　way　the　hell　and…you　went　too　far！〃
　〃I　did？〃
　〃You've　got　to　e　back。　Listen；　what　you　do；　you　turn　around　and　e　back；　and　I'll　go　get　a　road　map。　e　back；　don't　drive　too　fast；　stay　off　the　goddam　phone　and　I'll　call　you　again。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Harrington　said；　and　leaned　forward　to　say　to　Kirby；　〃We　have　to　go　back。〃
　Kirby　said；　〃Do　you　have　a　quarter？　It's　a　toll　bridge。〃　Murch's　Mom　left　the　phone　booth　and　went　over　to　the　Roadrunner。　She　tossed　the　wrench　on　the　back　seat　and　went　through　the　glove　partment；　looking　for　a　road　map。　Pennsylvania；　New　York；　Delaware；　Connecticut；　Utah。　Utah？　No　New　Jersey。
　There　was　a　Mobil　station　across　the　highway　from　the　Burger　King。　Murch's　Mom　risked　life　and　limb　to　run　across　route　46；　get　a　New　Jersey　map；　and　run　back　again。　She　studied　the　map；　and　then　called　Harrington　again。　This　was　costing　a　fortune；　she'd　brought　almost　ten　dollars　in　change；　and　it　might　not　be　enough。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Look；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃This　is　very　simple；　so　just　do　it　and　don't　screw　up。〃
　〃I　really　don't　think　you　have　to　take　that　tone　with　me；〃　Harrington　said。　〃If　you'd　told　me　earlier　that　you　meant　to　contact　me　on　this　phone；　I　would　have　made　sure　the　line　was　kept　open。〃
　〃So　you　and　the　cops　could　set　up　some　sort　of　trap；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃That's　what　we　didn't　want。〃
　〃The　authorities　have　assured　me　they　will　do　nothing　to　endanger…〃
　〃Yeah；　yeah。　Let's　get　on　with　it；　all　right？〃
　〃Certainly。　The　ball's　in　your　court。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃You're　in　charge；〃　Harrington　said。
　Murch's　mom　sighed　〃Sure；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　have　a　New　Jersey　map　in　the　car？〃
　〃I'll　check　with　Maurice。　I　mean　Kirby。　I　mean　Maurice！〃
　Under　the　overpass；　Murch　said；　〃What　the　hell　do　you　suppose　is　going　on？〃
　〃I　suppose；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃I　suppose　I　let　myself　get　talked　into　another　Kelp　special；　that's　what　I　suppose。　You　notice　he　isn't　here。〃
　〃Somebody　had　to　watch　the　kid。〃
　Dortmunder　opened　the　car　door　and　got　out。
　〃Where　you　goin'？〃
　〃Look　things　over；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　walked　along　the　verge　of　the　road；　out　from　under　the　overpass　and　far　enough　away　so　he　could　look　up　at　the　highway。　He　stood　there　looking　at　cars　go　by　in　both　directions。　He　stood　there；　trucks　and　cars　going　by。　The　Cadillac　went　by；　in　the　wrong　direction。　It　was　too　far　away　to　see　the　license　plate；　but　it　was　the　right　color　and　it　had　the　whip　antenna　and　that　was　definitely　somebody　in　a　chauffeur's　cap　at　the　wheel。　And　somebody　else　in　the　back　seat。
　Harrington　leaned　over　the　New　Jersey　map。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Hackettstown。　I　see　it。〃
　Dortmunder　walked　back　and　got　into　the　Mustang。　〃It　just　went　by　the　wrong　way；〃　he　said。
　Murch　stared　at　him。　〃The　Cadillac？〃
　〃I　think　something's　wrong；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃That's　my　personal　opinion。〃
　〃We　better　go　talk　to　Mom；〃　Murch　said。　He　started　the　Mustang　and　headed　south　on　the　county　road。
　It　was　ten　miles　south　on　the　county　road　to　route　46。　Then　they　had　to　turn　left　and　travel　five　more　miles　to　get　to　the　Burger　King；　where　they　found　Murch's　Mom　sitting　morosely　in　the　Roadrunner；　eating　a　whopper。　They　stopped　beside　her；　and　Murch　got　out　and　said；　〃Mom；　what…〃
　Murch's　Mom　sprayed　whopper　in　all　directions。　Leaping　out　of　the　Roadrunner　she　cried；　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃They　went　by　the　wrong　way。　What's　going　on？〃
　〃They're　on　the　way　back！　I　just　went　through　the　whole　thing　with　them；　they're　turning　around　at　the　Hackettstown　exit。　They're　on　the　way！〃
　〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake；〃　said　Dortmunder。　〃What　happened　the　first　time？〃
　〃He　was　on　the　phone；　I　couldn't　get　through。　Will　you　hurry？　He'll　get　there；　somebody　else'll　pick　up　the　suitcase。〃
　Murch　and　Dortmunder　jumped　back　into　the　Mustang　and　took　off。　Murch's　Mom　watched　them　go；　and　shook　her　head。　〃I　swear　to　God；〃　she　said　aloud。　〃I　just　swear　to　God。〃
　At　the　Hackettstown　exit；　the　Cadillac　took　the　off　ramp　onto　county　road　517；　turned　left；　took　517　north　for　about　a　hundred　feet；　took　the　westbound　on　ramp；　and　got　back　up　on　Interstate　80。　Kirby　said；　〃I　suppose　I　can　step　it　up　a　little　bit　now。〃
　〃I　should　think　so；〃　Harrington　said。　〃We're　terribly　late；　apparently。〃
　Kirby；　grinning　a　little；　tipped　the　chauffeur's　cap　back　on　his　forehead　and　hunched　a　bit　over　the　wheel。　His　foot　became　heavy　on　the　accelerator。　The　Cadillac　tires　began　to　dig　in。　Harrington；　feeling　the　pressure　of　the　seat　back　against　his　spine；　began　to　regret　his　acquiescence。
　State　Trooper　Hubert　L。　Duckbundy；　driving　in　an　unmarked　patrol　car　which　made　it　possible　for　him　to　catch　speeders　but　impossible　for　rape　or　robbery　victims　to　contact　him　in　their　moment　of　travail；　cruised　along　at　sixty…one；　eleven　miles　an　hour　above　the　speed　limit；　enjoying　the　fall　scenery　and　waiting　for　somebody　else　to　do　sixty…two；　when　he　suddenly　was　passed。　A　silver　gray　Cadillac；　New　Jersey　plate　number　WAX　361；　chauffeur　driven；　was　abruptly　out　front；　and　going　like　hell。
　Well；　well。　Trooper　Duckbundy　accelerated　and　started　the　clock。　There　was　nothing　more　pleasing　in　the　life　of　a　man　who　brought　fifteen　thousand；　two　hundred　eighty…seven　dollars　and　ninety　cents　a　year　home　to　his　wife　and　three　children　than　slapping　a　speeding　violation　on　the　operator　of　a　luxury　car。　There；　you　bastard；　was　the　general　theme　of　the　encounter；　and　for　Trooper　Duckbundy　its　satisfactions　never　palled。
　Let's　give　this　one　a　full　mile　on　the　clock；　Trooper　Duckbundy　thought；　just　to　be　sure　he　doesn't　wiggle　out。　Ninety…two　miles　an　hour。　Oh；　my；　yes。
　But　within　half　a　mile　the　Cadillac's　brake　lights　suddenly　went　on。　Had　the　driver　noticed　he　was　being　paced？　The　Hope　exit　was　near　here；　maybe　the　Cadillac　meant　to　leave　the　Interstate　there。　If　so；　Trooper　Duckbundy　would　have　to　pull　him　over　now；　with　less　than　a　mile　on　the　clock。
　But　the　Cadillac　was　more　than　merely　slowing　down。　Its　right　directional　was　on；　it　was　angling　over　onto　the　shoulder　of　the　road。　Trooper　Duckbundy　slowed　to　a　crawl；　watching　the　events　occurring　ahead　of　him。　There's　something　funny　about　that；　he　thought。
　The　Cadillac　stopped。　A　well…dressed　man　hopped　out　of　the　back　seat；　picked　up　a　piece　of　trash　from　the　highway　verge；　and　hopped　back　into　the　car　again。　Trooper　Duckbundy's　gray　Fury　II　was　almost　even　with　the　Cadillac　when　the　Cadillac　suddenly　surged　forward　again；　spraying　gravel　out　behind　itself　and　shouldering　itself　out　onto　the　highway　directly　in　Trooper　Duckbundy's　path。
　Well；　enough　is　enough。　As　the　Cadillac　tore　away　along　the　highway；　tires　screaming；　Trooper　Duckbundy　switched　on　the　red　flasher　light　mounted　on　his　dashboard；　hit　the　siren；　and　gave　chase。
　〃Damn；〃　Kirby　said；　looking　in　the　rearview　mirror。　They　were　just　passing　the　off　ramp　for　the　Hope　exit。
　Harrington；　struggling　against　the　acceleration　to　get　the　message　out　of　the　tomato　juice　bottle；　said；　〃What's　wrong？〃
　〃State　trooper；〃　Kirby　said。　〃One　of　those　goddam　unmarked　cars。〃　He　braked　reluctantly；　angling　over　toward　the　shoulder　again。
　Harrington　at　last　got　the　paper　out　of　the　bottle。　Then　he　looked　around；　saw　the　flashing　red　light　and　saw　the　siren；　and　said；　〃State　trooper？　But　there　aren't　supposed　to　be　any　police　around！〃
　〃I'll　get　rid　of　him；〃　Kirby　said。　〃No　probl