ss.iftomorrowcomes-第29部分

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first　day　Tracy　was　exhausted。　But　she　was　earning　money。
　
　At　noon　on　the　second　day；　as　Tracy　was　serving　a　table　filled　with　salesmen；　one　of　the　men　ran　his　hand　up　her　skirt；　and　Tracy　dropped　a　bowl　of　chili　on　his　head。　That　was　the　end　of　the　job。
　
　She　returned　to　Mrs。　Murphy　and　reported　what　had　happened。
　
　〃I　may　have　some　good　news；〃　Mrs。　Murphy　said。　〃The　Wellington　Arms　needs　an　assistant　housekeeper。　I'm　going　to　send　you　over　there。〃
　
　The　Wellington　Arms　was　a　small；　elegant　hotel　on　Park　Avenue　that　catered　to　the　rich　and　famous。　Tracy　was　interviewed　by　the　housekeeper　and　hired。　The　work　was　not　difficult；　the　staff　was　pleasant；　and　the　hours　reasonable。
　
　A　week　after　she　started；　Tracy　was　summoned　to　the　housekeeper's　office。　The　assistant　manager　was　also　there。
　
　〃Did　you　check　Suite　eight…twenty…seven　today？〃　the　housekeeper　asked　Tracy。　The　suite　was　occupied　by　Jennifer　Marlowe；　a　Hollywood　actress。　Part　of　Tracy's　job　was　to　inspect　each　suite　and　see　that　the　maids　had　done　their　work　properly。
　
　〃Why；　yes；〃　she　said。
　
　〃What　time？〃
　
　〃At　two　o'clock。　Is　something　wrong？〃
　
　The　assistant　manager　spoke　up。　〃At　three　o'clock　Miss　Marlowe　returned　and　discovered　that　a　valuable　diamond　ring　was　missing。〃
　
　Tracy　could　feel　her　body　grow　tense。
　
　〃Did　you　go　into　the　bedroom；　Tracy？〃
　
　〃Yes。　I　checked　every　room。〃
　
　〃When　you　were　in　the　bedroom；　did　you　see　any　jewelry　lying　around？〃
　
　〃Why。。。　no。　I　don't　think　so。〃
　
　The　assistant　manager　pounced　on　it。　〃You　don't　think　so？　You're　not　sure？〃
　
　〃I　wasn't　looking　for　jewelry；〃　Tracy　said。　〃I　was　checking　the　beds　and　towels。〃
　
　〃Miss　Marlowe　insists　that　her　ring　was　on　the　dressing　table　when　she　left　the　suite。〃
　
　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it。〃
　
　〃No　one　else　has　access　to　that　room。　The　maids　have　been　with　us　for　many　years。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　take　it。〃
　
　The　assistant　manager　sighed。　〃We're　going　to　have　to　call　in　the　police　to　investigate。〃
　
　〃It　had　to　be　someone　else；〃　Tracy　cried。　〃Or　perhaps　Miss　Marlowe　misplaced　it。〃
　
　〃With　your　record…〃　the　assistant　manager　said。
　
　And　there　it　was；　out　in　the　open。　With　your　record。。。
　
　〃I'll　have　to　ask　you　to　please　wait　in　the　security　office　until　the　police　get　here。〃
　
　Tracy　felt　her　face　flush。　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　She　was　acpanied　to　the　office　by　one　of　the　security　guards；　and　she　felt　as　though　she　were　back　in　prison　again。　She　had　read　of　convicts　being　hounded　because　they　had　prison　records；　but　it　had　never　occurred　to　her　that　this　kind　of　thing　could　happen　to　her。　They　had　stuck　a　label　on　her；　and　they　expected　her　to　live　up　to　it。　Or　down　to　it；　Tracy　thought　bitterly。
　
　Thirty　minutes　later　the　assistant　manager　walked　into　the　office；　smiling。　〃Well！〃　he　said。　〃Miss　Marlowe　found　her　ring。　She　had　misplaced　it；　after　all。　It　was　just　a　little　mistake。〃
　
　〃Wonderful；〃　Tracy　said。
　
　She　walked　out　of　the　office　and　headed　for　Conrad　Morgan　et　Cie　Jewelers。
　
　**********
　
　〃It's　ridiculously　simple；〃　Conrad　Morgan　was　saying。　〃A　client　of　mine；　Lois　Bellamy；　has　gone　to　Europe。　Her　house　is　in　Sea　Cliff；　on　Long　Island。　On　weekends　the　servants　are　off；　so　there's　no　one　there。　A　private　patrol　makes　a　check　evey　four　hours。　You　can　be　in　and　out　of　the　house　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　
　They　were　seated　in　Conrad　Morgan's　office。
　
　〃I　know　the　alarm　system；　and　I　have　the　bination　to　the　safe。　All　you　have　to　do；　my　dear；　is　walk　in；　pick　up　the　jewels；　and　walk　out　again。　You　bring　the　jewels　to　me；　I　take　them　out　of　their　settings；　recut　the　larger　ones；　and　sell　them　again。〃
　
　〃If　it's　so　simple；　why　don't　you　do　it　yourself？〃　Tracy　asked　bluntly。
　
　His　blue　eyes　twinkled。　〃Because　I'm　going　to　be　out　of　town　on　business。　Whenever　one　of　these　little　'incidents'　occurs；　I'm　always　out　of　town　on　business。〃
　
　〃I　see。〃
　
　〃If　you　have　any　scruples　about　the　robbery　hurting　Mrs。　Bellamy；　you　needn't　have。　She's　really　quite　a　horrible　woman；　who　has　houses　all　over　the　world　filled　with　expensive　goodies。　Besides；　she's　insured　for　twice　the　amount　the　jewels　are　worth。　Naturally；　I　did　all　the　appraisals。〃
　
　Tracy　sat　there　looking　at　Conrad　Morgan；　thinking；　l　must　be　crazy。　I'm　sitting　here　calmly　discussing　a　jewel　robbery　with　this　man。
　
　〃I　don't　want　to　go　back　to　prison；　Mr。　Morgan。〃
　
　〃There's　no　danger　of　that。　Not　one　of　my　people　has　ever　been　caught。　Not　while　they　were　working　for　me。　Well。。。　what　do　you　say？〃
　
　That　was　obvious。　She　was　going　to　say　no。　The　whole　idea　was　insane。
　
　〃You　said　twenty…five　thousand　dollars？〃
　
　〃Cash　on　delivery。〃
　
　It　was　a　fortune；　enough　to　take　care　of　her　until　she　could　figure　out　what　to　do　with　her　life。　She　thought　of　the　dreary　little　room　she　lived　in；　of　the　screaming　tenants；　and　the　customer　yelling；　〃I　don't　want　a　murderess　waiting　on　me；〃　and　the　assistant　manager　saying；　〃We're　going　to　have　to　call　in　the　police　to　investigate。〃
　
　But　Tracy　stilt　could　not　bring　herself　to　say　yes。
　
　〃I　would　suggest　this　Saturday　night；〃　Conrad　Morgan　said。　〃The　staff　leaves　at　noon　on　Saturdays。　I'll　arrange　a　driver's　license　and　a　credit　card　for　you　in　a　false　name。　You'll　rent　a　car　here　in　Manhattan　and　drive　out　to　Long　Island；　arriving　at　eleven　o'clock。　You'll　pick　up　the　jewelry；　drive　back　to　New　York；　and　return　the　car。。。。　You　do　drive；　don't　you？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃Excellent。　There's　a　train　leaving　for　St。　Louis　at　seven…forty…five　A。M。　I'll　reserve　a　partment　for　you。　I'll　meet　you　at　the　station　in　St。　Louis；　you'll　turn　over　the　jewels；　and　I'll　give　you　your　twenty…five　thousand。〃
　
　He　made　it　all　sound　so　simple。
　
　This　was　the　moment　to　say　no；　to　get　up　and　walk　out。　Walk　out　to　where？
　
　〃I'll　need　a　blond　wig；〃　Tracy　said　slowly。
　
　**********
　
　When　Tracy　had　left；　Conrad　Morgan　sat　in　the　dark　in　his　office；　thinking　about　her。　A　beautiful　woman。　Very　beautiful；　indeed。　It　was　a　shame。　Perhaps　he　should　have　warned　her　that　he　was　not　really　that　familiar　with　that　particular　burglar…alarm　system。　
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　16
　
　
　
　With　the　thousand　dollars　that　Conrad　Morgan　advanced　her；　Tracy　purchased　two　wigs…　one　blond　and　one　black；　with　a　multitude　of　tiny　braids。　She　bought　a　dark…blue　pants　suit；　black　coveralls；　and　an　imitation　Gucci　valise　from　a　street　vendor　on　Lexington　Avenue。　So　far　everything　was　going　smoothly。　As　Morgan　had　promised；　Tracy　received　an　envelope　containing　a　driver's　license　in　the　name　of　Ellen　Branch；　a　diagram　of　the　security　system　in　the　Bellamy　house；　the　bination　to　the　bedroom　safe；　and　an　Amtrak　ticket　to　St。　Louis；　in　a　private　partment。　Tracy　packed　her　few　belongings　and　left。　I'll　never　live　in　a　place　like　this　again；　Tracy　promised　herself。　She　rented　a　car　and　headed　for　Long　Island。　She　was　on　her　way　to　mit　a　burglary。
　
　What　she　was　doing　had　the　unreality　of　a　dream；　and　she　was　terrified。　What　if　she　were　caught？　Was　the　risk　worth　what　she　was　about　to　do？
　
　It's　ridiculously　simple；　Conrad　Morgan　had　said。
　
　He　wouldn't　be　involved　in　anything　like　this　if　he　weren't　sure　about　it。　He　has　his　reputation　to　protect。　I　have　a　reputation；　too；　Tracy　thought　bitterly；　and　it's　all　bad。　Any　time　a　piece　of　jewelry　is　missing；　I'll　be　guilty　until　proven　innocent。
　
　Tracy　knew　what　she　was　doing：　She　was　trying　to　work　herself　up　into　a　rage；　trying　to　psych　herself　up　to　mit　a　crime。　It　did　not　work。　By　the　time　she　reached　Sea　Cliff；　she　was　a　nervous　wreck。　Twice；　she　almost　ran　the　car　off　the　road。　Maybe　the　police　will　pick　me　up　for　reckless　driving；　she　thought　hopefully；　and　I　can　tell　Mr。　Morgan　that　things　went　wrong。
　
　But　there　was　not　a　police　car　in　sight。　Sure；　Tracy　thought；　in　disgust。　They're　never　around　when　you　need　them。
　
　She　headed　toward　Long　Island　Sound；　following　Conrad　Morgan's　directions。　The　house　is　right　on　the　water。　It's　called　the　Embers。　It's　an　old　Victorian　mansion。　You　can't　miss　it。
　
　Please　let　me　miss　it；　Tracy　prayed。
　
　But　there　it　was；　looming　up　out　of　the　dark　like　some　ogre's　castle　in　a　nightmare。　It　looked　deserted。　How　dare　the　servants　take　the　weekend　off；　Tracy　thought　indignantly。　They　should　all　be　discharged。
　
　She　drove　the　car　behind　a　stand　of　giant　willow　trees；　where　it　was　hidden　from　view；　and　turned　off　the　engine；　listening　to　the　nocturnal　sounds　of　insects。　Nothing　else　disturbed　the　silence。　The　house　was　off　the　main　road；　and　there　was　no　traffic　at　that　time　of　night。
　
　The　property　is　screened　by　trees；　my　dear；　and　the　nearest　neighbor　is　acres　away；　so　you　don't　have　to　be　concerned　about　being　seen。　The　security　patrol　makes　its　check　at　ten　P。M。　and　again　at　two　A。M。　You'll　be　long　gone　by　the　two　A。M。　check。
　
　Tracy　looked　at　her　watch。　It　was　11：00。　The　first　patrol　had　gone。　She　had　three　hours　before　the　patrol　was　due　to　arrive　for　its　second　check。　Or　three　seconds　to　turn　the　car　around　and　head　back　to　New　York　and　forget　about　this　insanity。　But　head　back　to　what？　The　images　flashed　unbidden　into　her　mind。　The　assistant　manager　at　Saks：　〃I'm　terribly　sorry；　Miss　Whitney；　but　our　customers　must　be　humored。。。。〃
　
　〃You　can　forget　about　running　a　puter。　They're　not　going　to　hire　anybody　with　a　record。。。。〃
　
　〃Twenty…five　thousand　tax…free　dollars　for　an　hour　or　two。。　If　you　have　scruples；　she's　really　a　horrible　woman。〃
　
　What　am　I　doing？　Tracy　thought。　I'm　not　a　burglar。　Not　a　real　one。　I'm　a　dumb　amateur　who's　about　to　have　a　nervous　breakdown。
　
　If　I　had　half　a　brain；　I'd　get　away　from　here　while　there's　still　time。　Before　the　SWAT　team　catches　me　and　there's　a　shoot…out　and　they　carry　my　riddled　body　to　the　morgue。　l　can　see　the　headline：　DANGEROUS　CRIMINAL　KILLED　DURING　BUNGLED　BURGLARY　ATTEMPT。
　
　Who　would　be　there　to　cry　at　her　funeral？　Ernestine　and　Amy。　Tracy　looked　at　her　watch。　〃Oh；　my　God。〃　She　had　been　sitting　there；　daydreaming；　for　twenty　minutes。　If　I'm　going　to　do　it；　I'd　better　move。
　
　She　could　not　move。　She　was　frozen　w