ss.iftomorrowcomes-第20部分

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　would　lend　a　sympathetic　ear　and　delay　bouncing　their　checks。　In　return；　perhaps　they　could　have　a　quiet　little　dinner　together？　Many　of　his　female　customers　sought　his　help　and　confided　delicious　secrets　to　him：　They　needed　a　loan　without　their　husbands'　knowledge　。。。。　They　wanted　to　keep　confidential　certain　checks　they　had　written。。。。　They　were　contemplating　a　divorce；　and　could　Lester　help　them　close　out　their　joint　account　right　away？　Lester　was　only　too　eager　to　please。　And　to　be　pleased。
　
　On　this　particular　Friday　morning；　Lester　knew　he　had　hit　the　jackpot。　He　saw　the　woman　the　moment　she　walked　in　the　door　of　the　bank。　She　was　an　absolute　stunner。　She　had　sleek　black　hair　falling　to　her　shoulders；　and　she　wore　a　tight　skirt　And　sweater　that　outlined　a　figure　a　Las　Vegas　chorine　would　have　envied。
　
　There　were　four　other　tellers　in　the　bank；　and　the　young　woman's　eyes　went　from　one　cage　to　the　other；　as　though　seeking　help。　When　she　glanced　at　Lester；　he　nodded　eagerly　and　gave　her　an　encouraging　smile。　She　walked　over　to　his　cage；　just　as　Lester　had　known　she　would。
　
　〃Good　morning；〃　Lester　said　warmly。　〃What　may　I　do　for　you？〃　He　could　see　her　nipples　pushing　against　her　cashmere　sweater；　and　he　thought；　Baby；　what　I'd　like　to　do　for　you！
　
　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　a　problem；〃　the　woman　said　softly。　She　had　the　most　delightful　southern　accent　Lester　had　ever　heard。
　
　〃That's　what　I'm　here　for；〃　he　said　heartily；　〃to　solve　problems。〃
　
　〃Oh；　I　do　hope　so。　I'm　afraid　I've　done　somethin'　just　terrible。〃
　
　Lester　gave　her　his　best　paternal；　you…can…lean…on…me　smile。　〃I　can't　believe　a　lovely　lady　like　you　could　do　anything　terrible。〃
　
　〃Oh；　but　I　have。〃　Her　soft　brown　eyes　were　wide　with　panic。　〃I'm　Joseph　Romano's　secretary；　and　he　told　me　to　order　new　blank　checks　for　his　checking　account　a　week　ago；　and　I　simply　forgot　all　about　it；　and　now　we've　just　about　run　out；　and　when　he　finds　out；　I　don't　know　what　he'll　do　to　me。〃　It　came　out　in　a　soft；　velvety　rush。
　
　Lester　was　only　too　familiar　with　the　name　of　Joseph　Romano。　He　was　a　prized　customer　of　the　bank's；　even　though　he　kept　relatively　small　amounts　in　his　account。　Everyone　knew　that　his　real　money　was　laundered　elsewhere。
　
　He　sure　has　great　taste　in　secretaries；　Lester　thought。　He　smiled　again。　〃Well；　now；　that's　not　too　serious；　Mrs。…？〃
　
　〃Miss。　Hartford。　Lureen　Hartford。〃
　
　Miss。　This　was　his　lucky　day。　Lester　sensed　that　this　was　going　to　work　out　splendidly。　〃I'll　just　order　those　new　checks　for　you　right　now。　You　should　have　them　in　two　or　three　weeks　and…〃
　
　She　gave　a　little　moan；　a　sound　that　seemed　to　Lester　to　hold　infinite　promise。　〃Oh；　that's　too　late；　and　Mr。　Romano's　already　so　upset　with　me。　I　just　can't　seem　to　keep　my　mind　on　my　work；　you　know？〃　She　leaned　forward　so　that　her　breasts　were　touching　the　front　of　the　cage。　She　said　breathlessly；　〃If　you　could　just　rush　those　checks　out；　I'd　be　happy　to　pay　extra。〃
　
　Lester　said　ruefully；　〃Gee；　I'm　sorry；　Lureen；　it　would　be　impossible　to…〃　He　saw　that　she　was　near　to　tears。
　
　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　this　might　cost　me　my　job。　Please。。。　I'll　do　anything。〃
　
　The　words　fell　like　music　on　Lester's　ears。
　
　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；〃　Lester　declared。　〃I'll　phone　in　a　special　rush　on　them；　and　you'll　have　them　Monday。　How's　that？〃
　
　〃Oh；　you're　just　wonderful！〃　Her　voice　was　filled　with　gratitude。
　
　〃I'll　send　them　to　the　office　and…〃
　
　〃It　would　be　better　if　I　picked　them　up　myself。　I　don't　want　Mr。　Romano　to　know　how　stupid　I　was。〃
　
　Lester　smiled　indulgently。　〃Not　stupid；　Lureen。　We　all　get　a　little　forgetful　sometimes。〃
　
　She　said　softly；　〃I'll　never　forget　you。　See　you　Monday。〃
　
　〃I'll　be　here。〃　It　would　take　a　broken　back　to　keep　him　home。
　
　She　gave　him　a　dazzling　smile　and　walked　slowly　out　of　the　bank；　and　her　walk　was　a　sight　to　behold。　Lester　was　grinning　as　he　went　over　to　a　file　cabinet；　got　the　number　of　Joseph　Romano's　account；　and　phoned　in　a　rush　order　for　the　new　checks。
　
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　The　hotel　on　Carmen　Street　was　indistinguishable　from　a　hundred　other　hotels　in　New　Orleans；　which　was　why　Tracy　had　chosen　it。　She　had　been　in　the　small；　cheaply　furnished　room　for　a　week。　pared　to　her　cell；　it　was　a　palace。
　
　When　Tracy　returned　from　her　encounter　with　Lester；　she　took　off　the　black　wig；　ran　her　fingers　through　her　own　luxuriant　hair；　removed　the　soft　contact　lenses；　and　creamed　off　her　dark　makeup。　She　sat　down　on　the　single　straight　chair　in　the　room　and　breathed　deeply。　It　was　going　well。　It　had　been　easy　to　learn　where　Joe　Romano　kept　his　bank　account。　Tracy　had　looked　up　the　canceled　check　from　her　mother's　estate；　issued　by　Romano。　〃Joe　Romano？　You　can't　touch　him；〃　Ernestine　had　said。
　
　Ernestine　was　wrong　and　Joe　Romano　was　just　the　first。　The　others　would　follow。　Every　one　of　them。
　
　She　closed　her　eyes　and　relived　the　miracle　that　had　brought　her　there。。。。
　
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　She　felt　the　cold；　dark　waters　closing　over　her　head。　She　was　drowning；　and　she　was　filled　with　terror。　She　dived　down；　and　her　hands　found　the　child　and　grabbed　her　and　pulled　her　to　the　surface。　Amy　struggled　in　blind　panic　to　break　free；　dragging　them　both　under　again；　her　arms　and　legs　flailing　wildly。　Tracy's　lungs　were　bursting。　She　fought　her　way　out　of　the　watery　grave；　hanging　on　to　the　little　girl　in　a　death　grip；　and　she　felt　her　strength　ebbing。　We're　not　going　to　make　it；　she　thought。　We're　dying。　Voices　were　calling　out；　and　she　felt　Amy's　body　torn　from　her　arms　and　she　screamed；　〃Oh；　God；　no！〃　Strong　hands　were　around　Tracy's　waist　and　a　voice　said；　〃Everything's　fine　now。　Take　it　easy。　It's　over。〃
　
　Tracy　looked　around　frantically　for　Amy　and　saw　that　she　was　safe　in　a　man's　arms。　Moments　later　they　were　both　hauled　up　from　the　deep；　cruel　water。。。。
　
　The　incident　would　have　been　worth　no　more　than　a　paragraph　on　the　inside　page　of　the　morning　newspapers；　except　for　the　fact　that　a　prisoner　who　could　not　swim　had　risked　her　life　to　save　the　child　of　the　warden。　Overnight　the　newspapers　and　television　mentators　turned　Tracy　into　a　heroine。　Governor　Haber　himself　visited　the　prison　hospital　with　Warden　Brannigan　to　see　Tracy。
　
　〃That　was　a　very　brave　thing　you　did；〃　the　warden　said。　〃Mrs。　Brannigan　and　I　want　you　to　know　how　grateful　we　are。〃　His　voice　was　choked　with　emotion。
　
　Tracy　was　still　weak　and　shaken　from　her　experience。　〃How　is　Amy？〃
　
　〃She's　going　to　be　fine。〃
　
　Tracy　closed　her　eyes。　I　couldn't　have　borne　it　if　anything　had　happened　to　her；　she　thought。　She　remembered　her　coldness；　when　all　the　child　had　wanted　was　love；　and　Tracy　felt　bitterly　ashamed。　The　incident　had　cost　her　her　chance　to　escape；　but　she　knew　that　if　she　had　it　to　do　over　again；　she　would　do　the　same　thing。
　
　There　was　a　brief　inquiry　into　the　accident。
　
　〃It　was　my　fault；〃　Amy　told　her　father。　〃We　were　playing　ball；　and　Tracy　ran　after　the　ball　and　told　me　to　wait；　but　I　climbed　up　on　the　wall　so　I　could　see　her　better　and　I　fell　in　the　water。　But　Tracy　saved　me；　Daddy。〃
　
　They　kept　Tracy　in　the　hospital　that　night　for　observation；　and　the　next　morning　she　was　taken　to　Warden　Brannigan's　office。　The　media　was　waiting　for　her。　They　knew　a　human…interest　story　when　they　saw　one；　and　stringers　from　UPI　and　the　Associated　Press　were　present；　the　local　television　station　had　sent　a　news　team。
　
　That　evening　the　report　of　Tracy's　heroism　unfolded；　and　the　account　of　the　rescue　went　on　national　television　and　began　to　snowball。　Time；　Newsweek；　People；　and　hundreds　of　newspapers　all　over　the　country　carried　the　story。　As　the　press　coverage　continued；　letters　。and　telegrams　poured　into　the　penitentiary；　demanding　that　Tracy　Whitney　be　pardoned。
　
　Governor　Haber　discussed　it　with　Warden　Brannigan。
　
　〃Tracy　Whitney　is　in　here　for　some　serious　crimes；〃　Warden　Brannigan　observed。
　
　The　governor　was　thoughtful。　〃But　she　has　no　previous　record；　right；　George？〃
　
　〃That's　right；　sir。〃
　
　〃I　don't　mind　telling　you；　I'm　getting　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　pressure　to　do　something　about　her。〃
　
　〃So　am　I；　Governor。〃
　
　〃Of　course；　we　can't　let　the　public　tell　us　how　to　run　our　prisons；　can　we？〃
　
　〃Certainly　not。〃
　
　〃On　the　other　hand；〃　the　governor　said　judiciously；　〃the　Whitney　girl　has　certainly　demonstrated　a　remarkable　amount　of　courage。　She's　bee　quite　a　heroine。〃
　
　〃No　question　about　it；〃　Warden　Brannigan　agreed。
　
　The　governor　paused　to　light　a　cigar。　〃What's　your　opinion；　George？〃
　
　George　Brannigan　chose　his　words　carefully。　〃You're　aware；　of　course；　Governor；　that　I　have　a　very　personal　interest　in　this。　It　was　my　child　she　saved。　But；　putting　that　aside；　I　don't　think　Tracy　Whitney　is　the　criminal　type；　and　I　can't　believe　she　would　be　a　danger　to　society　if　she　were　out　in　the　world。　My　strong　remendation　is　that　you　give　her　a　pardon。〃
　
　The　governor；　who　was　about　to　announce　his　candidacy　for　a　new　term；　recognized　a　good　idea　when　he　heard　it。　〃Let's　play　this　close　to　the　chest　for　a　bit。〃　In　politics；　timing　was　everything。
　
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　After　discussing　it　with　her　husband；　Sue　Ellen　said　to　Tracy；　〃Warden　Brannigan　and　I　would　like　it　very　much　if　you　moved　into　the　cottage。　We　have　a　spare　bedroom　in　back。　You　could　take　care　of　Amy　full…time。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Tracy　said　gratefully。　〃I　would　like　that。〃
　
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　It　worked　out　perfectly。　Not　only　did　Tracy　not　have　to　spend　each　night　locked　away　in　a　cell；　but　her　relationship　with　Amy　changed　pletely。　Amy　adored　Tracy；　and　Tracy　responded。　She　enjoyed　being　with　this　bright；　loving　little　girl。　They　played　their　old　games　and　watched　Disney　movies　on　television　and　read　together。　It　was　almost　like　being　part　of　a　family。
　
　But　whenever　Tracy　had　an　errand　that　took　her　into　the　cell　blocks；　she　invariably　ran　into　Big　Bertha。
　
　〃You're　a　lucky　bitch；〃　Big　Bertha　growled。　〃But　you'll　be　back　here　with　the　mon　folks　one　day　soon。　I'm　workin'　on　it；　littbarn。〃
　
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　Three　weeks　after　Amy's　rescue　Tracy　and　Amy　were　playing　tag　in　the　yard　when　Sue　Ellen　Brannigan　hur