dw.jimmythekid-第5部分

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on't　you？　You　see　what　a　natural　this　is；　what　a　winner　this　is。〃
　〃There's　a　lot　of　driving　in　it；〃　Murch　said。　〃I　noticed　that　right　away。〃
　〃Plenty　for　you　to　do；〃　Kelp　told　him　eagerly。
　〃And　they　got　the　roads　right；〃　Murch　said。　〃I　mean；　the　guy　that　wrote　the　book；　he　got　all　the　roads　right。〃
　May　said；　〃But　you're　still　talking　about　kidnapping　a　child；　and　I　still　say　that's　a　mean；　terrible　thing　to　do。'
　〃Not　if　you　do　it　like　this　book　says。〃
　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃I　suppose　you'd　want　May　and　me　to　take　care　of　this　brat；　like　the　women　in　the　book。〃
　Kelp　said；　〃Well；　we're　not　talking　about　a　baby　or　anything；　you　don't　have　to　change　anybody's　diaper　or　anything　like　that。　We're　talking　about　a　kid　maybe　ten；　twelve　years　old。〃
　〃That's　very　sexist；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　Kelp　looked　blank。　〃Hah？〃
　〃Wanting　May　and　me　to　take　care　of　the　kid。　Role…assumption。　It's　sexist。〃
　〃Goddammit；　Mom；〃　Murch　said；　〃you've　been　off　with　those　consciousness…raising　ladies　again。〃
　〃I　drive　a　cab；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　no　different　from　a　man。〃　Kelp　said；　〃You　want　me　to　take　care　of　the　kid？〃　He　seemed　honestly　bewildered。
　Murch's　Mom　snorted。　〃What　does　a　man　know　about　taking　care　of　a　child？〃
　〃But…〃
　〃I　just　wanted　you　to　know；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　sexist；　and　I　wanted　you　to　know　it　was　sexist。〃
　〃And　I　still　say　it's　mean；〃　May　said。　Beside　her；　Dortmunder　took　a　deep　breath；　but　he　didn't　say　any。　thing。　He　was　watching　Kelp；　listening　to　everybody　and　thinking。
　Kelp　said　to　May；　〃How　could　it　be　mean？　With　you　and　Murch's　Mom　to　take　care　of　the　kid；　who's　gonna　treat　him　mean？　We　follow　what　the　book　says；　he'll　never　be　in　any　danger；　and　he　won't　even　get　scared。　He'll　probably　be　glad　he　doesn't　have　to　go　to　school　for　a　couple　days。〃
　Dortmunder　rose　slowly　to　his　feet。　〃Kelp；〃　he　said。
　Kelp　looked　at　him；　alert；　bright…eyed；　eager　to　be　of　assistance。
　〃You　and　me；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃we've　worked　together　a　few　times　over　the　years；　am　I　right？〃
　Kelp　said；　〃Now；　you're　not　gonna　start　dredging　up　the　past；　blaming　me　for…〃
　〃I'm　not　talking　about　blame；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃I'm　just　saying　we　worked　together。〃
　〃Well；　sure；〃　Kelp　said。　〃That's　right；　sure；　we're　longtime　partners。〃
　〃Now；　Stan；　here；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃he's　worked　with　us；　too。　What　his　job　is；　he　drives；　am　I　right？〃
　〃I'm　the　best；〃　Murch　said。
　〃That's　right；〃　Kelp　said。　He　seemed　a　little　confused；　but　still　bright…eyed　and　eager　to　please。　〃Stan　drives；　and　he's　the　best。〃
　〃And　what　do　I　do？〃　Dortmunder　asked　him。
　〃You？〃　Kelp　moved　his　hands　vaguely。　〃You　know　what　you　do；〃　he　said。　〃You　run　it。〃
　〃I　run　it。　I　make　the　plan；　isn't　that　right？〃
　〃Well；　sure；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃Now；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　his　voice　was　beginning　to　rise　just　a　little；　〃are　you　saying　all　those　things　that　went　wrong　in　the　past　are　my　fault？〃
　〃What？　No　no；　I　never…〃
　〃You're　going　to　bring　in　a　plan？〃
　〃But…〃
　〃You　don't　like　the　way　I　do　plans；　is　that　it？　You　think　there's　something　wrong　with　the　plans　I　work　out？〃
　〃No；　I…〃
　〃You　think　some　book　writer's　gonna　do　you　a　better　plan　than　I　am；　is　that　what　you　e　here　to　say？〃
　〃Dortmun…〃
　〃You　can　get　right　out　of　here；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　pointed　a　big…knuckled　finger　at　the　door。
　〃Just　let　me…〃
　〃You　and　that　Richard　Smart　or　whatever　the　hell　his　name　is；〃　Dortmunder　raged；　〃the　two　of　you　can　get　the　hell　out　of　here；　and　don't　e　back！〃
　
　5
　
　M　A　Y　had　put　together　a　special　dinner；　all　of　Dortmunder's　favorites：　Salisbury　steak；　steamed　green　beans；　whipped　potatoes　from　a　mix；　enriched　white　bread；　beer　in　the　can；　and　boysenberry　Jell…O　for　dessert。　On　the　table　were　lined　up　the　ketchup；　the　A…1　sauce；　the　Worcestershire　sauce；　the　salt　and　pepper　and　sugar；　the　margarine；　and　the　can　of　evaporated　milk。　She　had　the　entrée　done　by　midnight；　and　put　it　in　the　oven　to　keep　warm　till　Dortmunder　got　home　at　quarter　to　four。
　From　the　slope　of　his　shoulders　when　he　walked　in　she　knew　things　hadn't　gone　well。　Maybe　she　should　wait；　and　broach　the　subject　some　other　time？　No；　if　she　waited　for　John　Dortmunder　to　be　in　a　good　mood　they'd　both　of　them　be　very；　very　old　before　she　ever　said　anything。
　He　dropped　his　bag　of　tools　on　the　gray　armchair；　where　they　clanked。　He　unzipped　his　black　jacket；　peeled　off　his　black　gloves；　shook　his　head；　and　said；　〃I　don't　know；　May。　I　just　don't　know。〃
　〃Something　go　wrong？〃
　〃Twenty…five　minutes　going　through　that　door；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃I　did　everything　right；　everything　smooth　and　perfect。　Not　a　sound；　not　a　peep。　I　go　in　through　the　door；　I　flash　the　light　around；　you　know　what　the　place　is？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　can't　imagine；〃　she　said。
　〃Empty。〃
　〃Empty？〃
　〃Since　last　Tuesday　and　today；〃　he　said；　waving　one　hand　around；　〃they　went　out　of　business。　Can　you　figure　that？　Just　last　Tuesday　I　walked　by　the　front　of　the　place；　they're　still　open。　All　right；　they're　having　an　up…to…fifty…percent…off　sale；　but　they're　open。　Who　expects　them　to　go　out　of　business？〃
　〃I　guess　times　are　bad　all　over；〃　May　said。
　〃I'd　like　to　take　the　guy　had　that　store；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃and　punch　him　right　in　the　head。〃
　〃Well；　it　isn't　his　fault　either；〃　May　said。　〃He　probably　feels　just　as　bad　about　closing　up　as　you　do。〃
　With　a　cynical　look；　Dortmunder　shook　his　head　and　said；　〃Not　damn　likely。　He　made　out　on　that　sale　he　had　there；　don't　you　think　he　didn't。　And　what　do　I　get？　I　get　zip。〃
　〃There'll　be　other　times；〃　May　said。　She　wished　she　knew　how　to　console　him。　〃Anyway；　wash　up　and　I've　got　a　nice　dinner　for　you。〃
　Dortmunder　nodded；　heavy　and　fatalistic。　Walking　away　toward　the　bathroom；　shrugging　out　of　his　jacket；　he　muttered；　〃Living　off　the　proceeds　of　a　woman。〃　He　shook　his　head　again。
　May　scrinched　her　face　up。　He　was　always　using　that　phrase；　whenever　things　went　wrong；　and　it　was　perfectly　true　that　when　he　didn't　make　any　money　they　had　to　live　on　her　salary　and　fringe　benefits　from　Bohack's；　but　she　didn't　mind。　She'd　told　him　a　hundred　times　that　she　didn't　mind。　All　she　minded；　actually；　was　that　phrase：
　〃Living　off　the　proceeds　of　a　woman。〃　Somehow；　the　impression　the　phrase　gave　her　didn't　seem　to　have　anything　to　do　with　being　a　cashier　at　Bohack's。　Oh；　well。　He　didn't　mean　anything　bad　by　it。　May　padded　on　back　to　the　kitchen　to　see　to　dinner；　and　also　to　change　cigarettes。　The　one　burning　away　in　the　corner　of　her　mouth　had　bee　no　bigger　than　an　ember　by　now；　causing　a　sensation　of　heat　against　her　lips。　She　reached　up；　plucked　the　burning　coal　from　her　mouth　with　thumb　and　two　fingers；　and　flipped　it　into　the　sink；　where　it　sizzled　in　plaint　and　then　died。　Meanwhile；　May　had　already　taken　the　crumpled　pack　of　Lucky　Strikes　from　her　sweater　pocket　and　was　finagling　one　cigarette　out　of　it。　It　was　a　process　like　removing　an　accident　victim　from　his　crushed　automobile。　Freeing　the　cigarette；　she　straightened　and　smoothed　it；　and　went　looking　for　matches。　Unlike　most　chain　smokers；　she　couldn't　light　the　new　cigarette　from　the　old；　there　never　being　enough　of　the　old　one　left　to　hold　onto；　so　she　had　a　continuing　supply　problem　with　matches。
　Like　now；　for　instance。　There　were　no　matches　at　all　in　the　kitchen。　Rather　than　carry　the　hunt　through　the　rest　of　the　apartment　she　turned　on　a　front　burner　of　the　gas　stove；　crouched　down　in　front　of　it；　and　crept　up　on　the　flame　like　a　peeping　tom　creeping　up　on　an　open　window。　The　smell　of　cigarette　smoke　mingled　in　the　air　with　the　smell　of　singed　eyebrow。　Squinting　her　eyes　shut；　she　ducked　back；　puffed；　shook　her　head；　wiped　her　eyes；　turned　off　the　burner；　and　saw　to　dinner。
　Dortmunder　was　sitting　at　the　table　in　the　dinette　end　of　the　living　room　when　she　carried　the　two　hot　plates　in；　using　potholders　with　cartoons　on　them。　Dortmunder　looked　at　the　food　as　she　put　it　before　him；　and　he　almost　smiled。　〃Looks　real　nice；〃　he　said。
　〃I　thought　you'd　like　it。〃　She　sat　down　opposite　him；　and　for　a　while　they　just　ate　together　in　panionable　silence。　She　didn't　want　to　rush　into　this　conversation；　and　in　fact　she　wasn't　even　sure　how　she　would　start　it。　All　she　knew　was　that　she　wasn't　looking　forward　to　it。
　She　waited　till　they　were　having　their　coffee　and　Jell…0；　and　then　said；　〃I　had　a　call　today　from　Murch's　Mom。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah？〃　He　sounded　neither　interested　nor　suspicious。　What　a　simple；　honest；　trusting　man；　May　thought；　looking　at　him；　feeling　for　him　again　the　same　tenderness　as　when　they'd　first　met；　the　time　she　caught　him　shoplifting　in　Bohack's。　That　time；　he　hadn't　run　or　lied　or　plained　or　caused　any　trouble　at　all；　he'd　just　stood　there；　looking　so　defeated　she　hadn't　had　the　heart　to　turn　him　in。　She'd　even　helped　him　stuff　the　sliced　cheese　and　the　packaged　baloney　back　into　his　armpits；　and　had　said；　〃Look；　why　not　hit　the　Grand　Union　from　now　on？〃　And　he'd　said；　〃I　always　liked　the　Bohack　coffee。〃　It　was　the　first　thing　he'd　ever　said　to　her。
　She　cleared　her　throat；　she　was　feeling　misty　and　emotional；　and　that　would　never　do。　Much　as　she　hated　the　role；　what　she　had　to　do　now　was　start　manipulating　her　man；　it　was；　after　all；　for　his　own　good。　So　she　said；　〃She　told　me；　Murch's　Mom　told　me；　that　Andy　Kelp　is　still　trying　to　organize　that　kidnapping　idea。〃
　Dortmunder　paused　with　a　spoonful　of　Jell…O；　gave　a　disgusted　look；　and　went　back　to　his　eating。
　〃He　wanted　Stan　to　drive；〃　May　said；　〃but　Stan　wouldn't　go　into　it　without　you。〃
　〃Good；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃I'm　worried　about　Kelp；〃　May　said。　〃You　know　what　he's　like；　John。〃
　〃He's　a　jinx；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃He's　also　an　ingrate；　and　besides　that　he's　a　bigmouth。　Let's　not　spoil　a　nice　dinner　with　talk　about　Kelp。〃
　〃I'm　just　afraid　of　the　kind　of　woman　he'll　get；〃　May　said。　〃You　know；　to　take　care　of　the　child。〃
　Dortmunder　frowned。　〃What　child？〃
　〃The　one　they　kidnap。〃
　Dortmunder　shook　his　head。　〃He'll　never　get　it　off　the　ground。　Andy　Kelp　couldn't　steal　third　in　the　Little　League。〃
　〃Well；　that　would　make　it　even　worse；〃　May　said。　〃He's　really　determined　to　do　it；　you　know。　He'll　get　the　wrong　people；　some　awful　woman　who　doesn't　care　about　children；　and　some　barfly　to　do　the　driving；　and　they'll　just　get　them