ss.iftomorrowcomes-第30部分

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　twenty　minutes。　If　I'm　going　to　do　it；　I'd　better　move。
　
　She　could　not　move。　She　was　frozen　with　fear。　I　can't　sit　here　forever；　she　told　herself。　Why　don't　I　just　go　take　a　look　at　the　house？　A　quick　look。
　
　Tracy　took　a　deep　breath　and　got　out　of　the　car。　She　was　wearing　black　coveralls；　her　knees　were　shaking。　She　approached　the　house　slowly；　and　she　could　see　that　it　was　pletely　dark。
　
　Be　sure　to　wear　gloves。
　
　Tracy　reached　in　her　pocket；　took　out　a　pair　of　gloves；　and　put　them　on。　Oh；　God；　I'm　doing　it；　she　thought。　I'm　really　going　ahead　with　it。　Her　heart　was　pounding　so　loudly　she　could　no　longer　hear　any　other　sounds。
　
　The　alarm　is　to　the　left　of　the　front　door。　There　are　five　buttons。　The　red　light　will　be　on；　which　means　the　alarm　is　activated。　The　code　to　turn　it　off　is　three…two…four…one…one。　When　the　red　light　goes　off；　you'll　know　the　alarm　is　deactivated。　Here's　the　key　to　the　front　door。　When　you　enter；　be　sure　to　close　the　door　after　you。　Use　this　flashlight。　Don't　turn　on　any　of　the　lights　in　the　house　in　case　someone　happens　to　drive　past。　The　master　bedroom　is　upstairs；　to　your　left；　overlooking　the　bay。　You'll　find　the　safe　behind　a　portrait　of　Lois　Bellamy。　It's　a　very　simple　safe。　All　you　have　to　do　is　follow　this　bination。
　
　Tracy　stood　stock…still；　trembling；　ready　to　flee　at　the　slightest　sound。　Silence。　Slowly；　she　reached　out　and　pressed　the　sequence　of　alarm　buttons；　praying　that　it　would　not　work。　The　red　light　went　out。　The　next　step　would　mit　her。　She　remembered　that　airplane　pilots　had　a　phrase　for　it：　the　point　of　no　return。
　
　Tracy　put　the　key　in　the　lock；　and　the　door　swung　open。　She　waited　a　full　minute　before　she　stepped　inside。　Every　nerve　in　her　body　throbbed　to　a　savage　beat　as　she　stood　in　the　hallway；　listening；　afraid　to　move。　The　house　was　filled　with　a　deserted　silence。　She　took　out　a　flashlight；　turned　it　on；　and　saw　the　staircase。　She　moved　forward　and　started　up。　All　she　wanted　to　do　now　was　get　it　over　with　as　quickly　as　possible　and　run。
　
　The　upstairs　hallway　looked　eerie　in　the　glow　of　her　flashlight；　and　the　wavering　beam　made　the　walls　seem　to　pulse　back　and　forth。　Tracy　peered　into　each　room　she　passed。　They　were　all　empty。
　
　The　master　bedroom　was　at　the　end　of　the　hallway；　looking　out　over　the　bay；　just　as　Morgan　had　described　it。　The　bedroom　was　beautiful；　done　in　dusky　pink；　with　a　canopied　bed　and　a　mode　decorated　with　pink　roses。　There　were　two　love　seats；　a　fireplace；　and　a　table　in　front　of　it　for　dining。　I　almost　lived　in　a　house　like　this　with　Charles　and　our　baby；　Tracy　thought。
　
　She　walked　over　to　the　picture　window　and　looked　out　at　the　distant　boats　anchored　in　the　bay。　Tell　me；　God；　what　made　you　decide　that　Lois　Bellamy　should　live　in　this　beautiful　house　and　that　I　should　be　here　robbing　it？　e　on；　girl；　she　told　herself；　don't　get　philosophical。　This　is　a　one…time　thing。　It　will　be　over　in　a　few　minutes；　but　not　if　you　stand　here　doing　nothing。
　
　She　turned　from　the　window　and　walked　over　to　the　portrait　Morgan　had　described。　Lois　Bellamy　had　a　hard；　arrogant　took。　It's　true。　She　does　look　like　a　horrible　woman。　The　painting　swung　outward；　away　from　the　wall；　and　behind　it　was　a　small　safe。　Tracy　had　memorized　the　bination。　Three　turns　to　the　right；　stop　at　forty…two。　Two　turns　to　the　left；　stop　at　ten。　One　turn　to　the　right；　stop　at　thirty。　Her　hands　were　trembling　so　much　that　she　had　to　start　over　twice。　She　heard　a　click。　The　door　was　open。
　
　The　safe　was　filled　with　thick　envelopes　and　papers；　but　Tracy　ignored　them。　At　the　back；　resting　on　a　small　shelf；　was　a　chamois　jewelry　bag。　Tracy　reached　for　it　and　lifted　it　from　the　shelf。　At　that　instant　the　burglar　alarm　went　off；　and　it　was　the　loudest　sound　Tracy　had　ever　heard。　It　seemed　to　reverberate　from　every　corner　of　the　house；　screaming　out　its　warning。　She　stood　there；　paralyzed；　in　shock。
　
　What　had　gone　wrong？　Had　Conrad　Morgan　not　known　about　the　alarm　inside　the　safe　that　was　activated　when　the　jewels　were　removed？
　
　She　had　to　get　out　quickly。　She　scooped　the　chamois　bag　into　her　pocket　and　started　running　toward　the　stairs。　And　then；　over　the　sound　of　the　alarm；　she　heard　another　sound；　the　sound　of　an　approaching　siren。　Tracy　stood　at　the　top　of　the　staircase；　terrified；　her　heart　racing；　her　mouth　dry。　She　hurried　to　a　window；　raised　the　curtain；　and　peered　out。　A　black…and…white　patrol　car　was　pulling　up　in　front　of　the　house。　As　Tracy　watched；　a　uniformed　policeman　ran　toward　the　back　of　the　house；　while　a　second　one　moved　toward　the　front　door。　There　was　no　escape。　The　alarm　bells　were　still　clanging；　and　suddenly　they　sounded　like　the　terrible　bells　in　the　corridors　of　the　Southern　Louisiana　Penitentiary　for　Women。
　
　No！　thought　Tracy。　I　won't　let　them　send　me　back　there。
　
　The　front　doorbell　shrilled。
　
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　Lieutenant　Melvin　Durkin　had　been　on　the　Sea　Cliff　police　force　for　ten　years。　Sea　Cliff　was　a　quiet　town；　and　the　main　activity　of　the　police　was　handling　vandalism；　a　few　car　thefts；　and　occasional　Saturday…night　drunken　brawls。　The　setting…off　of　the　Bellamy　alarm　was　in　a　different　category。　It　was　the　type　of　criminal　activity　for　which　Lieutenant　Durkin　had　joined　the　force。　He　knew　Lois　Bellamy　and　was　aware　of　what　a　valuable　collection　of　paintings　and　jewelry　she　owned。　With　her　away；　he　had　made　it　a　point　to　check　the　house　from　time　to　time；　for　it　was　a　tempting　target　for　a　cat　burglar。　And　now；　Lieutenant　Durkin　thought；　it　looks　like　I've　caught　one。　He　had　been　only　two　blocks　away　when　the　radio　call　had　e　in　from　the　security　pany。　This　is　going　to　look　good　on　my　record。　Damned　good。
　
　Lieutenant　Durkin　pressed　the　front　doorbell　again。　He　wanted　to　be　able　to　state　in　his　report　that　he　had　rung　it　three　times　before　making　a　forcible　entry。　His　partner　was　covering　the　back；　so　there　was　no　chance　of　the　burglar's　escaping。　He　would　probably　try　to　conceal　himself　on　the　premises；　but　he　was　in　for　a　surprise。　No　one　could　hide　from　Melvin　Durkin。
　
　As　the　lieutenant　reached　for　the　bell　for　the　third　time；　the　front　door　suddenly　opened。　The　policeman　stood　there　staring。　In　the　doorway　was　a　woman　dressed　in　a　filmy　nightgown　that　left　little　to　the　imagination。　Her　face　was　covered　with　a　mudpack；　and　her　hair　was　tucked　into　a　curler　cap。
　
　She　demanded；　〃What　on　earth　is　going　on？〃
　
　Lieutenant　Durkin　swallowed。　〃I。。。　who　are　you？〃
　
　〃I'm　Ellen　Branch。　I'm　a　houseguest　of　Lois　Bellamy's。　She's　away　in　Europe。〃
　
　〃I　know　that。〃　The　lieutenant　was　confused。　〃She　didn't　tell　us　she　was　having　a　houseguest。〃
　
　The　woman　in　the　doorway　nodded　knowingly。　〃Isn't　that　just　like　Lois？　Excuse　me；　I　can't　stand　that　noise。〃
　
　As　Lieutenant　Durkin　watched；　Lois　Bellamy's　houseguest　reached　over　to　the　alarm　buttons；　pressed　a　sequence　of　numbers；　and　the　sound　stopped。
　
　〃That's　better；〃　she　sighed。　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you。〃　She　laughed　shakily。　〃I　was　just　getting　ready　for　bed　when　the　alarm　went　off。　I　was　sure　there　were　burglars　in　the　house；　and　I'm　all　alone　here。　The　servants　left　at　noon。〃
　
　〃Do　you　mind　if　we　look　around？〃
　
　〃Please；　I　insist！〃
　
　It　took　the　lieutenant　and　his　partner　only　a　few　minutes　to　make　sure　there　was　no　one　lurking　on　the　premises。
　
　〃All　clear；〃　Lieutenant　Durkin　said。　〃False　alarm。　Something　must　have　set　it　off。　Can't　always　depend　on　these　electronic　things。　I'd　call　the　security　pany　and　have　them　check　out　the　system。〃
　
　〃I　most　certainly　will。〃
　
　〃Well；　guess　we'd　better　be　running　along；〃　the　lieutenant　said。
　
　〃Thank　you　so　much　for　ing　by。　I　feel　much　safer　now。〃
　
　She　sure　has　a　great　body；　Lieutenant　Durkin　thought。　He　wondered　what　she　looked　like　under　that　mudpack　and　without　the　curler　cap。　〃Will　you　be　staying　here　long；　Miss　Branch？〃
　
　〃Another　week　or　two；　until　Lois　returns。〃
　
　〃If　there's　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　just　let　me　know。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　I　will。〃
　
　Tracy　watched　as　the　police　car　drove　away　into　the　night。　She　felt　faint　with　relief。　When　the　car　was　out　of　sight；　she　hurried　upstairs；　washed　off　the　mudpack　she　had　found　in　the　bathroom；　stripped　off　Lois　Bellamy's　curler　cap　and　nightgown；　changed　into　her　own　black　coveralls；　and　left　by　the　front　door；　carefully　resetting　the　alarm。
　
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　It　was　not　until　Tracy　was　halfway　back　to　Manhattan　that　the　audacity　of　what　she　had　done　struck　her。　She　giggled；　and　the　giggle　turned　into　a　shaking；　uncontrollable　laughter；　until　she　finally　had　to　pull　the　car　off　onto　the　side　of　the　road。　She　laughed　until　the　tears　streamed　down　her　face。　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　laughed　in　a　year。　It　felt　wonderful。
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　17
　
　
　
　It　was　not　until　the　Amtrak　train　pulled　out　of　Pennsylvania　Station　that　Tracy　began　to　relax。　At　every　second　she　had　expected　a　heavy　hand　to　grip　her　shoulder；　a　voice　to　say；　〃You're　under　arrest。〃
　
　She　had　carefully　watched　the　other　passengers　as　they　boarded　the　train；　and　there　was　nothing　alarming　about　them。　Still；　Tracy's　shoulders　were　knots　of　tension。　She　kept　assuring　herself　that　it　was　unlikely　anyone　would　have　discovered　the　burglary　this　soon；　and　even　if　they　had；　there　was　nothing　to　connect　her　with　it。　Conrad　Morgan　would　be　waiting　in　St。　Louis　with　25；000。　Twenty…five　thousand　dollars　to　do　with　as　she　pleased！　She　would　have　had　to　work　at　the　bank　for　a　year　to　earn　that　much　money。　I'll　travel　to　Europe；　Tracy　thought。　Paris。　No。　Not　Paris。　Charles　and　I　were　going　to　honeymoon　there。　I'll　go　to　London。　There；　I　won't　be　a　jailbird。　In　a　curious　way；　the　experience　she　had　just　gone　through　had　made　Tracy　feel　like　a　different　person。　It　was　as　though　she　had　been　reborn。
　
　She　locked　the　door　to　the　partment　and　took　out　the　chamois　bag　and　opened　it。　A　cascade　of　glittering　colors　spilled　into　her　hands。　There　were　three　large　diamond　rings；　an　emerald　pin；　a　sapphire　bracelet；　three　pairs　of　earrings；　and　two　necklaces；　one　of　rubies；　one　of　pearls。
　
　There　must　be　more　than　a　million　dollars'　worth　of　jewelry　here；