ss.iftomorrowcomes-第24部分

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　〃The　attic。〃
　
　〃Let's　take　a　look。〃
　
　The　workmen　followed　Andre　up　to　the　attic；　a　long；　low…ceilinged　room；　dusty　and　spattered　with　cobwebs。
　
　Al　walked　over　to　an　electrical　box　set　in　the　wall。　He　inspected　the　tangle　of　wires。　〃Ha！〃
　
　〃Did　you　find　something？〃　Andre　asked　anxiously。
　
　〃Condenser　problem。　It's　the　humidity。　We　musta　had　a　hundred　calls　this　week。　It's　shorted　out。　We'll　have　to　replace　the　condenser。〃
　
　〃Oh；　my　God！　Will　it　take　long？〃
　
　〃Naw。　We　got　a　new　condenser　out　in　the　truck。〃
　
　〃Please　hurry；〃　Andre　begged　them。　〃Mr。　Pope　is　going　to　be　home　soon。〃
　
　〃You　leave　everything　to　us；〃　Al　said。
　
　Back　in　the　kitchen；　Andre　confided；　〃I　must　finish　preparing　my　salad　dressing。　Can　you　find　your　way　back　up　to　the　attic？〃
　
　Al　raised　a　hand：　〃No　sweat；　pal。　You　just　go　on　about　your　business；　and　we'll　go　on　about　ours。〃
　
　〃Oh；　thank　you。　Thank　you。〃
　
　Andre　watched　the　men　go　out　to　the　truck　and　return　with　two　large　canvas　bags。　〃If　you　need　anything；〃　he　told　them；　〃just　call　me。〃
　
　〃You　betcha！〃
　
　The　workmen　went　up　the　stairs；　and　Andre　returned　to　his　kitchen。
　
　When　Ralph　and　Al　reached　the　attic；　they　opened　their　canvas　bags　and　removed　a　small　folding　camp　chair；　a　drill　with　a　steel　bit；　a　tray　of　sandwiches；　two　cans　of　beer；　a　pair　of　12　by　40　Zeiss　binoculars　for　viewing　distant　objects　in　a　dim　light；　and　two　live　hamsters　that　had　been　injected　with　three　quarters　of　a　milligram　of　acetyl　promazine。
　
　The　two　men　went　to　work。
　
　〃Ol　Ernestine　is　gonna　be　proud　of　me；〃　Al　chortled　as　they　started。
　
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　In　the　beginning；　Al　had　stubbornly　resisted　the　idea。
　
　〃You　must　be　outta　your　mind；　woman。　I　ain't　gonna　fuck　around　with　no　Perry　Pope。　That　dude'll　e　down　on　my　ass　so　hard　I'll　never　see　daylight　again。〃
　
　〃You　don't　gotta　worry　about　him。　He　won't　never　be　botherin'　no　one　again。〃
　
　They　were　naked　on　the　water　bed　in　Ernestine's　apartment。
　
　〃What　you　gettin'　out　of　this　deal；　anyway；　honey〃　Al　demanded。
　
　〃He's　a　prick。〃
　
　〃Hey；　baby；　the　world's　full　of　pricks；　but　you　don't　spend　your　life　goin'　around　cuttin'　off　their　balls。〃
　
　〃All　right。　I'm　doin'　it　for　a　friend。〃
　
　〃Tracy？〃
　
　〃That's　right。〃
　
　Al　liked　Tracy。　They　had　all　had　dinner　together　the　day　she　got　out　of　prison。
　
　〃She's　a　classy　dame；〃　Al　admitted。　〃But　why　we　stickin'　our　necks　out　for　her？〃
　
　〃Because　if　we　don't　he'p　her；　she's　gonna　have　to　settle　for　someone　who　ain't　half　as　good　as　you；　and　if　she　gets　caught；　they'll　cart　her　ass　right　back　to　the　joint。〃
　
　Al　sat　up　in　bed　and　looked　at　Ernestine　curiously。　〃Does　it　mean　that　much　to　you；　baby？〃
　
　〃Yeah；　hon。〃
　
　She　would　never　be　able　to　make　him　understand　it；　but　the　truth　was　simply　that　Ernestine　could　not　stand　the　thought　of　Tracy　back　in　prison　at　the　mercy　of　Big　Bertha。　It　was　not　only　Tracy　whom　Ernestine　was　concerned　about：　It　was　herself。　She　had　made　herself　Tracy's　protector；　and　if　Big　Bertha　got　her　hands　on　her；　it　would　be　a　defeat　for　Ernestine。
　
　So　all　she　said　now　was；　〃Yeah。　It　means　a　lot　to　me；　honey。　You　gonna；　do　it？〃
　
　〃I　damn　sure　can't　do　it　alone；〃　Al　grumbled。
　
　And　Ernestine　knew　she　had　won。　She　started　nibbling　her　way　down　his　long；　lean　body。　And　she　murmured；　〃Wasn't　ole　Ralph　due　to　be　released　a　few　days　ago。。。？〃
　
　**********
　
　It　was　6：30　before　the　two　men　returned　to　Andre's　kitchen；　grimy　with　sweat　and　dust。
　
　〃Is　it　fixed？〃　Andre　asked　anxiously。
　
　〃It　was　a　real　bitch；〃　Al　informed　him。　〃You　see；　what　you　got　here　is　a　condenser　with　an　AC/DC　cutoff　that…〃
　
　〃Never　mind　that；〃　Andre　interrupted　impatiently。　〃Did　you　fix　it？〃
　
　〃Yeah。　It's　all　set。　In　five　minutes　we'll　have　it　goin'　again　as　good　as　new。〃
　
　〃Formidable！　If　you'll　just　leave　your　bill　on　the　kitchen　table…〃
　
　Ralph　shook　his　head。　〃Don't　worry　about　it。　The　pany'll　bill　you。〃
　
　〃Bless　you　both。　Au　'voir。〃
　
　Andre　watched　the　two　men　leave　by　the　back　door；　carrying　their　canvas　bags。　Out　of　his　sight；　they　walked　around　to　the　yard　and　opened　the　casing　that　housed　the　outside　condenser　of　the　air…conditioning　unit。　Ralph　held　the　flashlight　while　Al　reconnected　the　wires　he　had　loosened　a　couple　hours　earlier。　The　air…conditioning　unit　immediately　sprang　into　life。
　
　Al　copied　down　the　telephone　number　on　the　service　tag　attached　to　the　condenser。　When　he　telephoned　the　number　a　short　time　later　and　reached　the　recorded　voice　of　the　Eskimo　Air…Conditioning　pany；　Al　said；　〃This　is　Perry　Pope's　residence　at　Forty…two　Charles　Street。　Our　air…conditioning　is　workin'　fine　now。　Don't　bother　to　send　anyone。　Have　a　nice　day。〃
　
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　The　weekly　Friday…night　poker　game　at　Perry　Pope's　house　was　an　event　to　which　all　the　players　eagerly　looked　forward。　It　was　always　the　same　carefully　selected　group：　Anthony　Orsatti；　Joe　Romano；　Judge　Henry　Lawrence；　an　alderman；　a　state　senator；　and　of　course　their　host。　The　stakes　were　high；　the　food　was　great；　and　the　pany　was　raw　power。
　
　Perry　Pope　was　in　his　bedroom　changing　into　white　silk　slacks　and　matching　sport　shirt。　He　hummed　happily；　thinking　of　the　evening　ahead。　He　had　been　on　a　winning　streak　lately。　In　fact；　my　whole　life　is　just　one　big　winning　streak；　he　thought。
　
　If　anyone　needed　a　legal　favor　in　New　Orleans；　Perry　Pope　was　the　attorney　to　see。　His　power　came　from　his　connections　with　the　Orsatti　Family。　He　was　known　as　The　Arranger；　and　could　fix　anything　from　a　traffic　ticket　to　a　drug…dealing　charge　to　a　murder　rap。　Life　was　good。
　
　When　Anthony　Orsatti　arrived；　he　brought　a　guest　with　him。　〃Joe　Romano　won't　be　playin'　anymore；〃　Orsatti　announced。　〃You　all　know　Inspector　Newhouse。〃
　
　The　men　shook　hands　all　around。
　
　〃Drinks　are　on　the　sideboard；　gentlemen；〃　Perry　Pope　said。
　
　〃We'll　have　supper　later。　Why　don't　we　start　a　little　action　going？〃
　
　The　men　took　their　accustomed　chairs　around　the　green　felt　table　in　the　den。　Orsatti　pointed　to　Joe　Romano's　vacant　chair　and　said　to　Inspector　Newhouse；　〃That'll　be　your　seat　from　now　on；　Mel。〃
　
　While　one　of　the　men　opened　fresh　decks　of　cards；　Pope　began　distributing　poker　chips。　He　explained　to　Inspector　Newhouse；　〃The　black　chips　are　five　dollars；　red　chips　ten　dollars；　blue　chips　fifty　dollars；　white　chips　a　hundred。　Each　man　starts　out　buying　five　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　chips。　We　play　table　stakes；　three　raises；　dealer's　choice。〃
　
　〃Sounds　good　to　me；〃　the　inspector　said。
　
　Anthony　Orsatti　was　in　a　bad　mood。　〃e　on。　Let's　get　started。〃　His　voice　was　a　strangled　whisper。　Not　a　good　sign。
　
　Perry　Pope　would　have　given　a　great　deal　to　learn　what　had　happened　to　Joe　Romano；　but　the　lawyer　knew　better　than　to　bring　up　the　subject。　Orsatti　would　discuss　it　with　him　when　he　was　ready。
　
　Orsatti's　thoughts　were　black：　I　been　like　a　father　to　Joe　Romano。　I　trusted　him；　made　him　my　chief　lieutenant。　And　the　son　of　a　bitch　stabbed　me　in　the　back。　If　that　dizzy　French　dame　hadn't　telephoned；　he　might　have　gotten　away　with　it；　too。　Well；　he　won't　ever　get　away　with　nothin'　again。　Not　where　he　is。　If　he's　so　clever；　let　him　fuck　around　with　the　fish　down　there。
　
　〃Tony；　are　you　in　or　out？〃
　
　Anthony　Orsatti　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　game。　Huge　sums　of　money　had　been　won　and　lost　at　this　table。　It　always　upset　Anthony　Orsatti　to　lose；　and　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　money。　He　could　not　bear　to　be　on　the　losing　end　of　anything。　He　thought　of　himself　as　a　natural…born　winner。　Only　winners　rose　to　his　position　in　fife。　For　the　last　six　weeks；　Perry　Pope　had　been　on　some　kind　of　crazy　winning　streak；　and　tonight　Anthony　Orsatti　was　determined　to　break　it。
　
　Since　they　played　dealer's　choice；　each　dealer　chose　the　game　in　which　he　felt　the　strongest。　Hands　were　dealt　for　five…card　stud；　seven…card　stud；　low　ball；　draw　poker…　but　tonight；　no　matter　which　game　was　chosen；　Anthony　Orsatti　kept　finding　himself　on　the　losing　end。　He　began　to　increase　his　bets；　playing　recklessly；　trying　to　recoup　his　losses。　By　midnight　when　they　stopped　to　have　the　meal　Andre　had　prepared；　Orsatti　was　out　50；000；　with　Perry　Pope　the　big　winner。
　
　The　food　was　delicious。　Usually　Orsatti　enjoyed　the　free　midnight　snack；　but　this　evening　he　was　impatient　to　get　back　to　the　table。
　
　〃You're　not　eating；　Tony；〃　Perry　Pope　said。
　
　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃　Orsatti　reached　for　the　silver　coffee　urn　at　his　side；　poured　coffee　into　a　Victoria…patterned　Herend…china　cup；　and　sat　down　at　the　poker　table。　He　watched　the　others　eat　and　wished　they　would　hurry。　He　was　impatient　to　win　his　money　back。　As　he　started　to　stir　his　coffee；　a　small　particle　fell　into　his　cup。　Distastefully；　Orsatti　removed　the　particle　with　a　spoon　and　examined　it。　It　appeared　to　be　a　piece　of　plaster。　He　looked　up　at　the　ceiling；　and　something　hit　him　on　the　forehead。　He　suddenly　became　aware　of　a　scurrying　noise　overhead。
　
　〃What　the　hell's　goin'　on　upstairs？〃　Anthony　Orsatti　asked。
　
　Perry　Pope　was　in　the　middle　of　telling　an　anecdote　to　Inspector　Newhouse。　〃I'm　sorry；　what　did　you　say；　Tony？〃
　
　The　scurrying　noise　was　more　noticeable　now。　Bits　of　plaster　began　to　trickle　onto　the　green　felt。
　
　〃It　sounds　to　me　like　you　have　mice；〃　the　senator　said。
　
　〃Not　in　this　house。〃　Perry　Pope　was　indignant。
　
　〃Well；　you　sure　as　hell　got　somethin'；〃　Orsatti　growled。　A　larger　piece　of　plaster　fell　on　the　green　felt　table。
　
　〃I'll　have　Andre　take　care　of　it；〃　Pope　said。　〃If　we're　finished　eating；　why　don't　we　get　back　to　the　game？〃
　
　Anthony　Orsatti　was　staring　up　at　a　small　hole　in　the　ceiling　directly　above　his　head。　〃Hold　it。　Let's　go　take　a　look　up　there。〃
　
　〃What　for；　Tony？　Andre　can…〃
　
　Orsatti　had　already　risen　and　started　for　the　stairway。　The　others　looked　at　one　another；　then　hurried　after　him。
　
　〃A　squirrel　probably　got　into　the　attic；〃　Perry　Pope　guessed。　〃This　time　of　year　they're　all　over　the　place：　Probably　hiding　his　nuts　for　the　winter。〃　He　laughed　at　his　little　joke。
　
　When　they　reached　the　door　to　the　attic；　Or