ss.iftomorrowcomes-第19部分

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ops　for　a　red　light；　just　open　the　door；　step　out；　real　cool；　and　catch　a　bus　to　wherever　you're　goin'。
　
　〃Can　you　see　me？〃　Amy　called。　She　was　half…hidden　behind　the　trunk　of　a　magnolia　tree。　She　held　her　hand　over　her　mouth　to　stifle　a　giggle。
　
　I'll　miss　her；　Tracy　thought。　When　I　leave　here；　the　two　people　I'll　miss　will　be　a　black；　bald…headed　bull…dyke　and　a　young　girl。　She　wondered　what　Charles　Stanhope　III　would　have　made　of　that。
　
　〃I'm　ing　to　find　you；〃　Tracy　said。
　
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　Sue　Ellen　watched　the　game　from　inside　the　house。　It　seemed　to　her　that　Tracy　was　acting　strangely。　All　morning　she　had　kept　looking　at　her　watch；　as　though　expecting　someone；　and　her　mind　was　obviously　not　on　Amy。
　
　I　must　speak　to　George　about　it　when　he　es　home　for　lunch；　Sue　Ellen　decided。　I'm　going　to　insist　that　he　replace　her。
　
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　In　the　yard；　Tracy　and　Amy　played　hopscotch　for　a　while；　then　jacks；　and　Tracy　read　to　Amy；　and　finally；　blessedly；　it　was　twelve…thirty；　time　for　Amy's　lunch。　Time　for　Tracy　to　make　her　move。　She　took　Amy　into　the　cottage。
　
　〃I'll　be　leaving　now；　Mrs。　Brannigan。〃
　
　〃What？　Oh。　Didn't　anyone　tell　you；　Tracy？　We're　having　a　delegation　of　VIP　visitors　today。　They'll　be　having　lunch　here　at　the　house；　so　Amy　won't　be　having　her　nap。　You　may　take　her　with　you。〃
　
　Tracy　stood　there；　willing　herself　not　to　scream。　〃I…　I　can't　do　that；　Mrs。　Brannigan。〃
　
　Sue　Ellen　Brannigan　stiffened。　〃What　do　you　mean　you　can't　do　that？〃
　
　Tracy　saw　the　anger　in　her　face　and　she　thought；　l　mustn't　upset　her。　She'll　call　the　warden；　and　I'll　be　sent　back　to　my　cell。
　
　Tracy　forced　a　smile。　〃I　mean。。。　Amy　hasn't　had　her　lunch。　She'll　be　hungry。〃
　
　〃I've　had　the　cook　prepare　a　picnic　lunch　for　both　of　you。　You　can　go　for　a　nice　walk　in　the　meadow　and　have　it　there。　Amy　enjoys　picnics；　don't　you；　darling？〃
　
　〃I　love　picnics。〃　She　looked　at　Tracy　pleadingly。　〃Can　we；　Tracy？　Can　we？〃
　
　No！　Yes。　Careful。　It　could　still　work。
　
　Be　in　the　utility　room　by　one…thirty。　Don't　be　late。
　
　Tracy　looked　at　Mrs。　Brannigan。　〃What…　what　time　do　you　want　me　to　bring　Amy　back？〃
　
　〃Oh；　about　three　o'clock。　They　should　be　gone　by　then。〃
　
　So　would　the　truck。　The　world　was　tumbling　in　on　her。　〃I…〃
　
　Are　you　all　right？　You　look　pale。〃
　
　That　was　it。　She　would　say　she　was　ill。　Go　to　the　hospital。
　
　But　then　they　would　want　to　check　her　over　and　keep　her　there。　She　would　never　be　able　to　get　out　in　time。　There　had　to　be　some　other　way。
　
　Mrs。　Brannigan　was　staring　at　her。
　
　〃I'm　fine。〃
　
　There's　something　wrong　with　her；　Sue　Ellen　Brannigan　decided。　I'm　definitely　going　to　have　George　get　someone　else。
　
　Amy's　eyes　were　alight　with　joy。　〃I'll　give　you　the　biggest　sandwiches；　Tracy。　We'll　have　a　good　time；　won't　we？〃
　
　Tracy　had　no　answer。
　
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　The　VIP　tour　was　a　surprise　visit。　Governor　William　Haber　himself　was　escorting　the　prison　reform　mittee　through　the　penitentiary。　It　was　something　that　Warden　Brannigan　had　to　live　with　once　a　year。
　
　〃It　goes　with　the　territory；　George；〃　the　governor　had　explained。　〃Just　clean　up　the　place；　tell　your　ladies　to　smile　pretty；　and　we'll　get　our　budget　increased　again。〃
　
　The　word　had　gone　out　from　the　chief　guard　that　morning：　〃Get　rid　of　all　the　drugs；　knives；　and　dildos。〃
　
　Governor　Haber　and　his　party　were　due　to　arrive　at　10：00　A。M。　They　would　inspect　the　interior　of　the　penitentiary　first；　visit　the　farm；　and　then　have　lunch　with　the　warden　at　his　cottage。
　
　Big　Bertha　was　impatient。　When　she　had　put　in　a　request　to　see　the　warden；　she　had　been　told；　〃The　warden　is　very　pressed　for　time　this　morning。　Tomorrow　would　be　easier。　He…〃
　
　〃Fuck　tomorrow！〃　Big　Bertha　had　exploded。　〃I　want　to　see　him　now。　It's　important。〃
　
　There　were　few　inmates　in　the　prison　who　could　have　gotten　away　with　it；　but　Big　Bertha　was　one　of　them。　The　prison　authorities　were　well　aware　of　her　power。　They　had　seen　her　start　riots；　and　they　had　seen　her　stop　them。　No　prison　in　the　world　could　be　run　without　the　cooperation　of　the　inmate　leaders；　and　Big　Bertha　was　a　leader。
　
　She　had　been　seated　in　the　warden's　outer　office　for　almost　an　hour；　her　huge　body　overflowing　the　chair　she　sat　in。　She's　a　disgusting…looking　creature；　the　warden's　secretary　thought。　She　gives　me　the　creeps。
　
　〃How　much　longer？〃　Big　Bertha　demanded。
　
　〃It　shouldn't　be　too　much　longer。　He　has　a　group　of　people　in　with　him。　The　warden's　very　busy　this　morning。〃
　
　Big　Bertha　said；　〃He's　gonna　be　busier。〃　She　looked　at　her　watch。　Twelve…forty…five。　Plenty　of　time。
　
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　It　was　a　perfect　day；　cloudless　and　warm；　and　the　singing　breeze　carried　a　tantalizing　mixture　of　scents　across　the　green　farmland。　Tracy　had　spread　out　a　tablecloth　on　a　grassy　area　near　the　lake；　and　Amy　was　happily　munching　on　an　egg　salad　sandwich。　Tracy　glanced　at　her　watch。　It　was　already　1：00。　She　could　not　believe　it。　The　morning　had　dragged　and　the　afternoon　was　winging　by。　She　had　to　think　of　something　quickly；　or　time　was　going　to　steal　away　her　last　chance　at　freedom。
　
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　One…ten。　In　the　warden's　reception　office　Warden　Brannigan's　secretary　put　down　the　telephone　and　said　to　Big　Bertha；　〃I'm　sorry。　The　warden　says　it's　impossible　for　him　to　see　you　today。　We'll　make　another　appointment　for…〃
　
　Big　Bertha　pushed　herself　to　her　feet。　〃He's　got　to　see　me！　It's…〃
　
　〃We'll　fit　you　in　tomorrow。〃
　
　Big　Bertha　started　to　say；　〃Tomorrow　will　be　too　late；〃　but　she　stopped　herself　in　time。　No　one　but　the　warden　himself　must　know　what　she　was　doing。　Snitches　suffered　fatal　accidents。　But　she　had　no　intention　of　giving　up。　There　was　no　way　she　was　going　to　let　Tracy　Whitney　get　away　from　her。　She　walked　into　the　prison　library　and　sat　down　at　one　of　the　long　tables　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　She　scribbled　a　note；　and　when　the　matron　walked　over　to　an　aisle　to　help　an　inmate；　Big　Bertha　dropped　the　note　on　her　desk　and　left。
　
　When　the　matron　returned；　she　found　the　note　and　opened　it。　She　read　it　twice：
　
　YOU　BETTER　CHEK　THE　LAUNDREY　TRUCK　TO　DAY。
　
　There　was　no　signature。　A　hoax？　The　matron　had　no　way　of　knowing。　She　picked　up　the　telephone。　〃Get　me　the　superintendent　of　guards。。。〃
　
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　One…fifteen。　〃You're　not　eating；〃　Amy　said。　〃You　want　some　of　my　sandwich？〃
　
　〃No！　Leave　me　alone。〃　She　had　not　meant　to　speak　so　harshly。
　
　Amy　stopped　eating。　〃Are　you　mad　at　me；　Tracy？　Please　don't　be　mad　at　me。　I　love　you　so　much。　I　never　get　mad　at　you。〃　Her　soft　eyes　were　filled　with　hurt。
　
　〃I'm　not　angry。〃　She　was　in　hell。
　
　〃I'm　not　hungry　if　you're　not。　Let's　play　ball；　Tracy。〃　And　Amy　pulled　her　rubber　ball　out　of　her　pocket。
　
　One…sixteen。　She　should　have　been　on　her　way。　It　would　take　her　at　least　fifteen　minutes　to　get　to　the　utility　room。　She　could　just　make　it　if　she　hurried。　But　she　could　not　leave　Amy　alone。　Tracy　looked　around；　and　in　the　far　distance　she　saw　a　group　of　trusties　picking　crops。　Instantly；　Tracy　knew　what　she　was　going　to　do。
　
　〃Don't　you　want　to　play　ball；　Tracy？〃
　
　Tracy　rose　to　her　feet。　〃Yes。　Let's　play　a　new　game。　Let's　see　who　can　throw　the　ball　the　farthest。　I'll　throw　the　ball；　and　then　it　will　be　your　turn。〃　Tracy　picked　up　the　hard　rubber　ball　and　threw　it　as　far　as　she　could　in　the　direction　of　the　workers。
　
　〃Oh；　that's　good；〃　Amy　said　admiringly。　〃That's　real　far。〃
　
　〃I'll　go　get　the　ball；〃　Tracy　said。　〃You　wait　here。〃
　
　And　she　was　running；　running　for　her　life；　her　feet　flying　across　the　fields。　It　was　1：18。　If　she　was　late；　they　would　wait　for　her。　Or　would　they？　She　ran　faster。　Behind　her；　she　heard　Amy　calling；　but　she　paid　no　attention。　The　farm　workers　were　moving　in　the　other　direction　now。　Tracy　yelled　at　them；　and　they　stopped。　She　was　breathless　when　she　reached　them。
　〃Anythin'　wrong？〃　one　of　them　asked。
　〃No；　n…　nothing。〃　She　was　panting；　fighting　for　breath。　〃The　little　girl　back　there。　One　of　you　look　after　her。　I　have　something　important　I　have　to　do。　I…〃
　
　She　heard　her　name　called　from　a　distance　and　turned。　Amy　was　standing　on　top　of　the　concrete　wall　surrounding　the　lake。　She　waved。　〃Look　at　me；　Tracy。〃
　
　〃No！　Get　down！〃　Tracy　screamed。
　
　And　as　Tracy　watched　in　horror；　Amy　lost　her　balance　and　plunged　into　the　lake。
　
　〃Oh；　dear　God！〃　The　blood　drained　from　Tracy's　face。　She　had　a　choice　to　make；　but　there　was　no　choice。　I　can't　help　her。　Not　now。　Someone　will　save　her。　I　have　to　save　myself。　I've　got　to　get　out　of　this　place　or　I'll　die。　It　was　1：20。
　
　Tracy　turned　and　began　running　as　fast　as　she　had　ever　run　in　her　life。　The　others　were　calling　after　her；　but　she　did　not　hear　them。　She　flew　through　the　air；　unaware　that　her　shoes　had　fallen　off；　not　caring　that　the　sharp　ground　was　cutting　into　her　feet。　Her　heart　was　pounding；　and　her　lungs　were　bursting；　and　she　pushed　herself　to　run　faster；　faster。　She　reached　the　wall　around　the　lake　and　vaulted　on　top　of　it：　Far　below；　she　could　see　Amy　in　the　deep；　terrifying　water；　struggling　to　stay　afloat。　Without　a　second's　hesitation；　Tracy　jumped　in　after　her。　And　as　she　hit　the　water；　Tracy　thought；　Oh；　my　God！　I　can't　swim。。。。
　
　
　
　BOOK　TWO
　Chapter　12
　
　
　
　New　Orleans
　
　FRIDAY；　AUGUST　25…　lO：OO　A。M。
　
　Lester　Torrance；　a　teller　at　the　First　Merchants　Bank　of　New　Orleans；　prided　himself　on　two　things：　his　sexual　prowess　with　the　ladies　and　his　ability　to　size　up　his　customers。　Lester　was　in　his　late　forties；　a　lanky；　sallow…faced　man　with　a　Tom　Selleck　mustache　and　long　sideburns。　He　had　been　passed　over　for　promotion　twice；　and　in　retaliation；　Lester　used　the　bank　as　a　personal　dating　service。　He　could　spot　hookers　a　mile　away；　and　he　enjoyed　trying　to　persuade　them　to　give　him　their　favors　for　nothing。　Lonely　widows　were　an　especially　easy　prey。　They　came　in　all　shapes；　ages；　and　states　of　desperation；　and　sooner　or　later　they　would　appear　in　front　of　Lester's　cage。　If　they　were　temporarily　overdrawn；　Lester　would　lend　a　sympathetic　ear　and　delay　bouncing　their　checks。　In　return；　perhaps　they　could　have　a