ss.iftomorrowcomes-第31部分

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　of　rubies；　one　of　pearls。
　
　There　must　be　more　than　a　million　dollars'　worth　of　jewelry　here；　Tracy　marveled。　As　the　train　rolled　through　the　countryside；　she　leaded　back　in　her　seat　and　replayed　the　evening　in　her　mind。　Renting　the　car。。。　the　drive　to　Sea　Cliff。。。　the　stillness　of　the　night。。。　turning　off　the　alarm　and　entering　the　house。。。　opening　the　safe。。。　the　shock　of　the　alarm　going　off；　and　the　police　appearing。　It　had　never　occurred　to　them　that　the　woman　in　the　nightgown　with　a　mudpack　on　her　face　and　a　curler　cap　on　her　head　was　the　burglar　they　were　looking　for。
　
　Now；　seated　in　her　partment　on　the　train　to　St。　Louis；　Tracy　allowed　herself　a　smile　of　satisfaction。　She　had　enjoyed　outwitting　the　police。　There　was　something　wonderfully　exhilarating　about　being　on　the　edge　of　danger。　She　felt　daring　and　clever　and　invincible。　She　felt　absolutely　great。
　
　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door　of　her　partment。　Tracy　hastily　put　the　jewels　back　into　the　chamois　bag　and　placed　the　bag　in　her　suitcase。　She　took　out　her　train　ticket　and　unlocked　the　partment　door　for　the　conductor。
　
　Two　men　in　gray　suits　stood　in　the　corridor。　One　appeared　to　be　in　his　early　thirties；　the　other　one　about　ten　years　older。　The　younger　man　was　attractive；　with　the　build　of　an　athlete。　He　had　a　strong　chin；　a　small；　neat　mustache；　and　wore　horn…rimmed　glasses　behind　which　were　intelligent　blue　eyes。　The　older　man　had　a　thick　head　of　black　hair　and　was　heavy…set。　His　eyes　were　a　cold　brown。
　
　〃Can　I　help　you？〃　Tracy　asked。
　
　〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　the　older　man　replied。　He　pulled　out　a　wallet　and　held　up　an　identification　card：
　
　FEDERAL　BUREAU　OF　INVESTIGATION
　UNITED　STATES　DEPARTMENT　OF　JUSTICE
　
　〃I'm　Special　Agent　Dennis　Trevor。　This　is　Special　Agent　Thomas　Bowers。〃
　
　Tracy's　mouth　was　suddenly　dry。　She　forced　a　smile。　〃I…　I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand。　Is　something　wrong？〃
　
　〃I'm　afraid　there　is；　ma'am；〃　the　younger　agent　said。　He　had　a　soft；　southern　accent。　〃A　few　minutes　ago　this　train　crossed　into　New　Jersey。　Transporting　stolen　merchandise　across　a　state　line　is　a　federal　offense。〃
　
　Tracy　felt　suddenly　faint。　A　red　film　appeared　in　front　of　her　eyes；　blurring　everything。
　
　The　older　man；　Dennis　Trevor；　was　saying；　〃Would　you　open　your　luggage；　please？〃　It　was　not　a　question　but　an　order。
　
　Her　only　hope　was　to　try　to　bluff　it　out。　〃Of　course　I　won't！　How　dare　you　e　barging　into　my　partment　like　this！〃　Her　voice　was　filled　with　indignation。　〃Is　that　all　you　have　to　do…　go　around　bothering　innocent　citizens？　I'm　going　to　call　the　conductor。〃
　
　〃We've　already　spoken　to　the　conductor；〃　Trevor　said。
　
　Her　bluff　was　not　working。　〃Do…　do　you　have　a　search　warrant？〃
　
　The　younger　man　said　gently；　〃We　don't　need　a　search　warrant；　Miss　Whitney。　We're　apprehending　you　during　the　mission　of　a　crime。〃　They　even　knew　her　name。　She　was　trapped。　There　was　no　way　out。　None。
　
　Trevor　was　at　her　suitcase；　opening　it。　It　was　useless　to　try　to　stop　him。　Tracy　watched　as　he　reached　inside　and　pulled　out　the　chamois　bag。　He　opened　it；　looked　at　his　partner；　and　nodded。　Tracy　sank　down　onto　the　seat；　suddenly　too　weak　to　stand。
　
　Trevor　took　a　list　from　his　pocket；　checked　the　contents　of　the　bag　against　the　list；　and　put　the　bag　in　his　pocket。　〃It's　all　here；　Tom。〃
　
　〃How…　how　did　you　find　out？〃　Tracy　asked　miserably。
　
　〃We're　not　permitted　to　give　out　any　information；〃　Trevor　replied。　〃You're　under　arrest。　You　have　the　right　to　remain　silent；　and　to　have　an　attorney　present　before　you　say　anything。　Anything　you　say　now　may　be　used　as　evidence　against　you。　Do　you　undersand？〃
　
　Her　answer　was　a　whispered；　〃Yes。〃
　
　Tom　Bowers　said；　〃I'm　sorry　about　this。　I　mean；　I　know　about　your　background；　and　I'm　really　sorry。〃
　
　〃For　Christ's　sake；〃　the　older　man　said；　〃this　isn't　a　social　visit。〃
　
　〃I　know；　but　still…〃
　
　The　older　man　held　out　a　pair　of　handcuffs　　to　Tracy。　〃Hold　ijut　your　wrists；　please。〃
　
　Tracy　felt　her　heart　twisting　in　agony。　She　remembered　the　airport　in　New　Orleans　when　they　had　handcuffed　her；　the　staring　faces。　〃Please！　Do　you…　do　you　have　to　do　that？〃
　
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　
　The　younger　man　said；　〃Can　I　talk　to　you　alone　for　a　minute；　Dennis？〃
　
　Dennis　Trevor　shrugged。　〃Okay。〃
　
　The　two　men　stepped　outside　into　the　corridor。　Tracy　sat　there；　dazed；　filled　with　despair。　She　could　hear　snatches　of　their　conversation。
　
　〃For　God's　sake；　Dennis；　it　isn't　necessary　to　put　cuffs　on　her。　She's　not　going　to　run　away。。。。〃
　
　〃When　are　you　going　to　stop　being　such　a　boy　scout？　When　you've　been　with　the　Bureau　as　long　as　I　have。。。〃
　
　〃e　on。　Give　her　a　break。　She's　embarrassed　enough；　and。。。〃
　
　〃That's　nothing　to　what　she's　going　to。。。〃
　
　She　could　not　hear　the　rest　of　the　conversation。　She　did　not　want　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　conversation。
　
　In　a　moment　they　returned　to　the　partment。　The　older　man　seemed　angry。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃We're　not　cuffing　you。　We're　taking　you　off　at　the　next　station。　We're　going　to　radio　ahead　for　a　Bureau　car。　You're　not　to　leave　this　partment。　Is　that　clear？〃
　
　Tracy　nodded；　too　miserable　to　speak。
　
　The　younger　man；　Tom　Bowers；　gave　her　a　sympathetic　shrug；　as　though　to　say；　〃I　wish　there　was　something　more　I　could　do。〃
　
　There　was　nothing　anyone　could　do。　Not　now。　It　was　too　late。　She　had　been　caught　red…handed。　Somehow　the　police　had　traced　her　and　informed　the　FBI。
　
　The　agents　were　outside　in　the　corridor　talking　to　the　conductor。　Bowers　pointed　to　Tracy　and　said　something　she　could　not　hear。　The　conductor　nodded。　Bowers　closed　the　door　of　the　partment；　and　to　Tracy；　it　was　like　a　cell　door　slamming。　
　
　The　countryside　sped　by；　flashing　vignettes　briefly　framed　by　the　window；　but　Tracy　was　unaware　of　the　scenery。　She　sat　there；　paralyzed　by　fear。　There　was　a　roaring　in　her　ears　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　sounds　of　the　train。　She　would　get　no　second　chance。　She　was　a　convicted　felon。　They　would　give　her　the　maximum　sentence；　and　this　time　there　would　be　no　warden's　daughter　to　rescue；　there　would　be　nothing　but　the　deadly；　endless　years　of　prison　facing　her。　And　the　Big　Berthas。　How　had　they　caught　her？　The　only　person　who　knew　about　the　robbery　was　Conrad　Morgan；　and　he　could　have　no　possible　reason　to　turn　her　and　the　jewelry　over　to　the　FBI。　Possibly　some　clerk　in　his　store　had　learned　of　the　plan　and　tipped　off　the　police。　But　how　it　happened　made　no　difference。　She　had　been　caught。　At　the　next　stop　she　would　be　on　her　way　to　prison　again。　There　would　be　a　preliminary　hearing　and　then　the　trial；　and　then。。。。
　
　Tracy　squeezed　her　eyes　tightly　shut；　refusing　to　think　about　it　any　further。　She　felt　hot　tears；　brush　her　cheeks。
　
　**********
　
　The　train　began　to　lose　speed。　Tracy　started　to　hyperventilate。　She　could　not　get　enough　air。　The　two　FBI　agents　would　be　ing　for　her　at　any　moment。　A　station　came　into　view；　and　a　few　seconds　later　the　train　jerked　to　a　stop。　It　was　time　to　go。　Tracy　closed　her　suitcase；　put　on　her　coat；　and　sat　down。　She　stared　at　the　closed　partment　door；　waiting　for　it　to　open。　Minutes　went　by。　The　two　men　did　not　appear。　What　could　they　be　doing？　She　recalled　their　words：　〃We're　taking　you　off　at　the　next　station。　We're　going　to　radio　ahead　for　a　Bureau　car。　You're　not　to　leave　this　partment。〃
　
　She　heard　the　conductor　call；　〃All　aboard。。。。〃
　
　Tracy　started　to　panic。　Perhaps　they　had　meant　they　would　wait　for　her　on　the　platform。　That　must　be　it。　If　she　stayed　on　the　train；　they　would　accuse　her　of　trying　to　run　away　from　them；　and　it　would　make　things　even　worse。　Tracy　grabbed　her　suitcase；　opened　the　partment　door；　and　hurried　out　into　the　corridor。
　
　The　conductor　was　approaching。　〃Are　you　getting　off　here；　miss？〃　he　asked。　〃You'd　better　hurry。　Let　me　help　you。　A　woman　in　your　condition　shouldn't　be　lifting　things。〃
　
　She　stared。　〃In　my　condition？〃
　
　〃You　don't　have　to　be　embarrassed。　Your　brothers　told　me　you're　pregnant　and　to　sort　of　keep　an　eye　on　you。〃
　
　〃My　brothers…？〃
　
　〃Nice　chaps。　They　seemed　really　concerned　about　you。〃
　
　The　world　was　spinning　around。　Everything　was　topsy…turvy。
　
　The　conductor　carried　the　suitcase　to　the　end　of　the　car　and　helped　Tracy　down　the　steps。　The　train　began　to　move。
　
　〃Do　you　know　where　my　brothers　went？〃　Tracy　called。
　
　〃No；　ma'am。　They　jumped　into　a　taxi　when　the　train　stopped。〃
　
　With　a　million　dollars'　worth　of　stolen　jewelry。
　
　**********
　
　Tracy　headed　for　the　airport。　It　was　the　only　place　she　could　think　of。　If　the　men　had　taken　a　taxi；　it　meant　they　did　not　have　their　own　transportation；　and　they　would　surely　want　to　get　out　of　town　as　fast　as　possible。　She　sat　back　in　the　cab；　filled　with　rage　at　what　they　had　done　to　her　and　with　shame　at　how　easily　they　had　conned　her。　Oh；　they　were　good；　both　of　them。　Really　good。　They　had　been　so　convincing。　She　blushed　to　think　how　she　had　fallen　for　the　ancient　good　cop…bad　cop　routine。
　
　For　God's　sake；　Dennis；　it　isn't　necessary　…to　put　cuffs　on　her。　She's　not　going　to　run　away。。。。
　
　When　are　you　going　to　stop　being　such　a　boy　scout？　When　you've　been　with　the　Bureau　as　long　as　I　have。。。。
　
　The　Bureau？　They　were　probably　both　fugitives　from　the　law。　Well；　she　was　going　to　get　those　jewels　back。　She　had　gone　through　too　much　to　be　outwitted　by　two　con　artists。　She　had　to　get　to　the　airport　in　time。
　
　She　leaned　forward　in　her　seat　and　said　to　the　driver；　〃Could　you　go　faster；　please！〃
　
　**********
　
　They　were　standing　in　the　boarding　line　at　the　departure　gate；　and　she　did　not　recognize　them　immediately。　The　younger　man；　who　had　called　himself　Thomas　Bowers；　no　longer　wore　glasses；　his　eyes　had　changed　from　blue　to　gray；　and　his　mustache　was　gone。　The　other　man；　Dennis　Trevor；　who　had　had　thick　black　hair；　was　now　totally　bald。　But　still；　there　was　no　mistaking　them。　They　had　not　had　time　to　change　their　clothes。　They　were　almost　at　the　boarding　gate　when　Tracy　reached　them。
　
　〃You　forgot　something；〃　Tracy　said。
　
　They　turned　to　look　at　her；　startled。　The　younger　man　frowned。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　A　car　f