dw.jimmythekid-第3部分

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er　who　hadn't　known　there　were　whirlpools　anywhere　around　here。　Murch；　ignoring　him；　said　to　Max；　〃Max；　could　I　interrupt？〃
　〃I　hope　so；〃　Max　said。　A　big　old　man　with　heavy　jowls　and　thin　white　hair；　he　always　wore　a　dark　vest；　wide　open；　and　no　tie。　His　white　shirt　was　usually　smudged　from　leaning　against　used　cars。　Now；　getting　to　his　feet　from　behind　his　desk；　he　said　to　the　customer；　〃Read　a　little。　Read　the　words。　I'll　be　back。〃
　〃You　better　be；〃　the　customer　said；　but　there　wasn't　any　real　threat　in　it。　He　was　buffaloed；　and　he　was　himself　beginning　to　understand　it。
　Max　and　Murch　crossed　the　empty　office　and　went　out　the　rear　door。　Murch　said；　〃That　the　same　customer　as　when　I　called？〃
　〃Some　of　them　just　won't　go　away；〃　Max　said。　〃Don't　they　got　homes？　Some　friend　of　yours　called。　On　the　telephone。　You　shouldn't　go　away　without　him　ing　here。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃A　little　name；〃　Max　said；　as　they　followed　the　path　toward　the　chain…link　fence。　〃Chip？　Shep？〃
　〃Kelp？〃
　〃If　you　say　so；〃　Max　said；　and　they　stepped　out　onto　the　driveway；　now　filled　with　the　bulk　of　the　car　carrier。　Max　looked　at　it。　〃Jesus；　Mary　and　Joseph；〃　he　said。　〃You　stealing　now　in　bunches？　They　ain't　grapes！〃
　〃It　was　there；〃　Murch　said。　〃I　put　the　Continental　on　the　back。〃
　Max　went　down　along　the　side　of　the　car　carrier；　looking　at　the　automobiles　in　there。　〃In　broad　daylight；〃　he　said。　〃You　go　talk　to　the　customer。〃
　Murch　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　talk　to　customers；〃　he　said。　〃What　I　do；　I　drive。〃
　〃So　I　see。〃　Max　looked　at　the　cars　and　the　car　carrier。　〃I'll　take　them；〃　he　said。
　〃Fine。〃
　〃e　around　next　week；　we'll　talk　money。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　Max　pointed　down　the　driveway。　〃You'll　put　them　around　by　the　body　shop；〃　he　said。
　〃Have　your　people　do　it；〃　Murch　said。　〃I'd　rather　not　stick　around。〃
　〃What　about　the　truck？〃
　Murch　frowned　at　the　truck。　〃What　about　it？〃
　〃I　don't　want　it；〃　Max　said。　〃You　read　the　sign　out　front；　it　says　used　cars。　I　got　no　use　for　a　truck。〃
　〃Neither　do　I；　Max。〃
　〃Take　it　back　where　you　got　it。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　drive　it　any　more。〃
　〃You　can't　dump　a　stolen　truck　on　me；　Stanley；　that　isn't　a　thing　to　do。〃
　〃Take　it　someplace　else　tonight；〃　Murch　told　him。　〃Just　park　it　out　along　the　road。　Have　one　of　your　people　do　it。〃
　〃Why　not　keep　it？〃　Max　suggested。　〃You　could　drive　around　in　it；　every　time　you　see　a　nice　car　just　toss　it　in。〃
　Murch　looked　at　the　truck；　considering　the　idea。　It　had　a　certain　appeal。　But　finally　he　shook　his　head　and　said；　〃No；　it　wouldn't　be　any　good。　Too　noticeable。〃
　〃Stan；　if　I　got　to　unload　this　truck；　it's　got　to　cost　you。〃
　〃Sure；　Max；　we'll　take　ten　bucks　off。〃　Murch　shrugged　it　away；　and　turned　to　go　back　to　the　used…car　lot。　Behind　him；　Max　looked　at　the　car　carrier　the　way　the　dissatisfied　customer　had　looked　at　Max。　Then　he　shook　his　head；　and　followed　Murch　through　the　chain…link　fence。
　The　customer　wasn't　in　the　office。　〃Now　what？〃　Max　said。　〃I'll　tell　you；　he's　out　front　breaking　windshields。　We　had　one　just　last　spring；　came　in；　plained　about　all　that　stuff　they　always　plain　about；　and　first　thing　you　know　he's　got　a　wrench；　he's　breaking　windshields　right　and　left。　Terrible。〃
　〃Terrible；〃　Murch　agreed。
　The　two　of　them　walked　out　the　front　door。　Used　cars　were　lined　up　on　three　sides　of　them；　with　placards　in　their　windshields。　Max　pointed。　〃There　he　is！　And　who's　that　with　him？〃
　〃That's　my　friend　Kelp；〃　Murch　said。
　Kelp　and　the　customer　were　standing　next　to　a　dilapidated　green　Chevrolet。　They　were　talking。　The　customer　seemed　less　aggrieved　than　before。　In　fact；　he　chuckled　at　something　Kelp　said；　and　he　didn't　seem　to　mind　it　when　Kelp　patted　his　arm。
　〃Ho　ho；〃　Max　said。　He　looked　and　sounded　awed。
　Kelp　and　the　customer　shook　hands。　The　customer　got　into　the　green　Chevrolet　and　started　the　engine。　It　sounded　awful。　Kelp　waved　to　him　and　the　customer　waved　back　and　drove　off。　Something　under　the　car　was　scraping；　causing　an　even　worse　noise　than　the　engine　and　also　causing　sparks。　The　Chevrolet　jounced　down　the　driveway　and　went　away。
　Kelp　came　walking　over；　a　cheerful　smile　on　his　face　in　the　sunshine。　〃Hi；　Stan；〃　he　said。
　〃Mister　Cheep；〃　Max　said；　〃could　you　use　a　job？〃　〃What？　No；　thanks；　I've　got　something　on　the　fire。〃　Murch　said；　〃You　wanted　to　talk　to　me？〃
　〃Right。　You　want　a　lift　somewhere？〃　〃I　left　my　car　at　a　diner　on　Jericho　Turnpike。〃　〃I'll　take　you　there；〃　Kelp　said。
　Murch　said　so　long　to　Max；　who　was　still　looking　dazed；　and　went　with　Kelp　to　the　car　he　had　parked　at　the　curb。　It　was　a　Mercedes；　with　MD　plates。　Murch　said；　〃Still　copping　doctors'　cars；　huh？〃
　〃They　got　the　best　taste；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Power　steering；　power　seats；　power　everything。　You　never　catch　a　doctor　cranking　his　own　window　down。　Get　in。〃
　They　got　into　the　car；　Murch　pushing　a　paperback　that　was　resting　on　the　seat　out　of　his　way。　Kelp　started　the　engine；　and　they　rolled　away　from　the　curb。
　Murch　said；　〃What's　the　story？〃
　Kelp；　pointing　to　the　book　on　the　seat　between　them；　said。　〃That。〃
　Murch　laughed　politely。
　〃No；　on　the　level；〃　Kelp　said。　〃What　I　want　you　to　do；　I　want　you　to　read　that　book。〃　…
　〃Read　a　book？〃　Murch　read　the　Daily　News　and　several　car　magazines；　but　he　didn't　read　books。
　〃You'll　like　it；〃　Kelp　told　him。　〃And　I've　got　an　idea　that　hooks　up　with　it。〃
　Murch　picked　up　the　book。　He　would　like　it？　Child　Heist；　by　Richard　Stark。　〃What's　it　about？〃
　〃About　a　crook；〃　Kelp　said。　〃A　crook　named　Parker。　He'll　remind　you　of　Dortmunder。〃
　〃That　sounds　great；〃　Murch　said；　but　without　much　enthusiasm。　He　riffled　through　the　book：　words　on　every　page。
　〃You　read　it；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Dortmunder's　reading　it；　too。　And　have　your　Mom　read　it。　Then　when　everybody's　had　a　chance　to　go　through　the　book；　we'll　have　a　meeting。〃
　〃Dortmunder's　in　on　this？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said；　casual　and　convincing。　Murch　I　opened　the　book；　feeling　the　stirrings　of　curiosity。
　
　When　the　guard　came　to　open　the　cell　door；　Parker　said　to　the　big　man　named　Krauss；　〃e　see　me　next　week　when　you　get　out。　I　think　I'll　have　something　on。〃
　
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　K　E　L　P　was　very　excited　and　very　happy。　He　couldn't　sit　in　one　place；　and　the　result　was　he　got　to　Dortmunder　and　May's　place　half　an　hour　early　for　the　meeting。　He　didn't　want　to　risk　annoying　Dortmunder　again；　so　he　spent　the　half　hour　walking　around　the　block。
　He　was　so　sure　of　this　idea　that　he　didn't　see　any　possible　way　for　Dortmunder　to　turn　it　down。　With　Dortmunder　and　May　in；　plus　Murch　to　do　the　driving　and　Murch's　Mom　to　handle　the　kid；　it　was　all　going　to　work　just　beautifully。　Just　like　the　book。
　The　way　Kelp　had　e　across　that　book；　he'd　been　in　jail　at　the　time：　a　fact　he　didn't　intend　to　mention　to　anybody。　It　had　been　upstate　in　Rockland　County；　a　small　town　where　he'd　run　into　a　little　trouble　when　some　cops　stopping　cars　to　look　for　drugs　had　found　a　whole　lot　of　burglar　tools　in　his　trunk。　It　had　taken　five　days　to　get　the　whole　thing　squashed　because　of　the　element　of　illegal　search；　but　during　those　five　days　Kelp　had　been　kept　locked　up　in　the　local　pokey。　And　a　very　poky　pokey　it　had　been；　too…nothing　to　do　but　roll　Bugler　cigarettes　and　read　paperback　books　donated　by　some　local　ladies'　club。
　Several　of　the　hooks　had　been　by　this　writer　Richard　Stark；　always　about　the　same　crook；　named　Parker。　Robbery　stories；　big　capers；　armored　cars；　banks；　all　that　sort　of　thing。　And　what　Kelp　really　liked　about　the　books　was　that　Parker　always　got　away　with　it。　Robbery　stories　where　the　crooks　didn't　get　caught　at　the　end…fantastic。　For　Kelp；　it　was　like　being　an　American　Indian　and　going　to　a　western　movie　where　the　cowboys　lose。　Wagon　train　wiped　out；　cavalry　lost　in　the　desert；　settlement　abandoned；　ranchers　and　farmers　driven　back　across　the　Mississippi。　Grand。
　Child　Heist　was　the　third　of　the　Parker　novels　he'd　read；　and　even　while　he　was　reading　it　he'd　known　it　meant　something　special　to　him；　even　more　than　the　others。　And　as　he　was　finishing　the　book　the　revelation　had　e　on　him　like　a　sudden　flood　of　heavenly　light；　like　his　little　gray　cell　had　just　been　illumined　by　a　thousand　suns。　That's　the　way　it　had　been。　And　when；　the　next　day；　the　Public　Defender　had　finally　gotten　him　sprung；　he'd　walked　out　of　there　with　Child　Heist　concealed　inside　his　shirt；　and　as　soon　as　he'd　made　it　back　to　the　city　he'd　gone　to　a　bookstore　and　picked　up　half　a　dozen　more　copies。
　Would　the　others　see　it　the　way　he　had？　May　probably　would；　she　was　smart；　and　in　any　case　she'd　go　along　with　it　if　Dortmunder　did。　Murch　probably　not；　he　tended　not　to　understand　anything　that　didn't　have　wheels；　but　that　wouldn't　really　。　matter；　not　if　Dortmunder　went　for　it。　Murch　would　follow　Dortmunder's　lead；　and　Murch's　Mom　would　follow　Murch。
　So　it　all　came　down　to　Dortmunder；　and　how　could　Dortmunder　say　no？　It　was　a　natural；　it　had　struck　Kelp　in　that　jail　cell　as　a　natural；　and　it　was　going　to　strike　Dortmunder　as　a　natural。　Going　to。　Have　to。　No　question。
　Kelp；　growing　more　and　more　terrified　that　Dortmunder　wasn't　going　to　think　it　was　a　natural；　walked　around　and　around　the　block　for　half　an　hour　until　a　voice　called　to　him　from　amid　the　traffic；　〃Hey；　Kelp！〃
　He　looked　up　and　saw　a　cab　going　by；　with　Murch　in　the　back　seat；　waving　at　him　out　the　window。　Kelp　waved　back　and　the　cab　continued　on；　toward　the　building　in　the　middle　of　the　block　where　Dortmunder　and　May　lived。　Kelp　turned　around　and　walked　briskly　after　it；　and　saw　the　cab　pull　in　next　to　a　fire　hydrant　down　there。　Murch　got　out；　waving　at　Kelp　again；　and　then　the　driver　got　out　and　walked　around　the　front　of　the　cab　to　the　sidewalk。　The　driver　was　short　and　stocky；　wearing　gray　pants　and　a　black　leather　jacket　and　a　cloth　cap。
　〃Hi；〃　Kelp　shouted；　and　waved。
　Murch　stood　waiting；　and　when　Kelp　got　there　he　said；　〃Hey；　Kelp。　How　e　you　were　going　the　wrong　way？〃
　Kelp　frowned　at　him。　〃The　wrong　way？〃
　〃You　were　going　that　way。　You　miss　the　address？〃
　〃Oh；　right！〃　Kelp　said。　He　didn't　want　to　display　nervousness　or　indecision；　so　he　shouldn't　mention　about　walking　around　the　block　for　half　an　hour。　〃Ha　ha；〃　he　said。　〃How　do　you　like　that；　I　walked　right　on　by　it。　I　guess　I　must　have　been　thinking；　huh？〃