ss.iftomorrowcomes-第36部分

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　Stevens　some　paper　and　a　pen。〃
　
　It　was　produced　almost　instantly。
　
　〃We　can　wrap　up　this　little　deal　right　here；〃　Budge　said　to　Jeff。　〃You　just　make　out　this　paper；　giving　us　the　rights；　and　we'll　all　sign　it；　and　in　the　morning　you'll　have　a　certified　check　for　two　hundred　fifty　thousand　dollars。　How　does　that　suit　you？〃
　
　Jeff　was　biting　his　lower　lip。　〃Budge；　I　promised　Mr。　Bartlett　〃
　
　〃Fuck　Bartlett；〃　Budge　snarled。　〃Are　you　married　to　his　sister　or　mine？　Now　write。〃
　
　〃We　don't　have　a　patent　on　this；　and…〃
　
　〃Write；　goddamn　it！〃　Budge　shoved　the　pen　in　Jeff's　hand。
　
　Reluctantly；　Jeff　began　to　write：　〃This　will　transfer　all　my　rights；　title；　and　interest　to　a　mathematical　puter　called　SUCABA；　to　the　buyers；　Donald　'Budge'　Hollander；　Ed　Zeller；　Alan　Thompson；　and　Mike　Quincy；　for　the　consideration　of　two　million　dollars；　with　a　payment　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　on　signing。　SUCABA　has　been　extensively　tested；　is　inexpensive；　trouble…free；　and　uses　less　power　than　any　puter　currently　on　the　market。　SUCABA　will　require　no　maintenance　or　parts　for　a　minimum　period　of　ten　years。〃　They　were　all　looking　over　Jeff's　shoulder　as　he　wrote。
　
　〃Jesus！〃　Ed　Zeller　said。　〃Ten　years！　There's　not　a　puter　on　the　market　that　can　claim　that！〃
　
　Jeff　continued。　〃The　buyers　understand　that　neither　Professor　Vernon　Ackerman　nor　I　holds　a　patent　on　SUCABA…〃
　
　〃We'll　take　care　of　all　that；〃　Alan　Thompson　interrupted　impatiently。　〃I've　got　one　hell　of　a　patent　attorney。〃
　
　Jeff　kept　writing。　〃I　have　explained　to　the　buyers　that　SUCABA　may　have　no　value　of　any　kind；　and　that　neither　Professor　Vernon　Ackerman　nor　I　makes　any　representations　or　warranties　about　SUCABA　except　as　written　above。〃　He　signed　it　and　held　up　the　paper。　〃Is　that　satisfactory？〃
　
　〃You　sure　about　the　ten　years？〃　Budge　asked。
　
　〃Guaranteed。　I'll　just　make　a　copy　of　this；〃　Jeff　said。　They　watched　as　he　carefully　made　a　copy　of　what　he　had　written。
　
　Budge　snatched　the　papers　out　of　Jeff's　hand　and　signed　them。　Zeller；　Quincy；　and　Thompson　followed　suit。
　
　Budge　was　beaming。　〃A　copy　for　us　and　a　copy　for　you。　Old　Seymour　Jarrett　and　Charlie　Bartlett　are　sure　going　to　have　egg　on　their　faces；　huh；　boys？　I　can't　wait　until　they　hear　that　they　got　screwed　out　of　this　deal。〃
　
　The　following　morning　Budge　handed　Jeff　a　certified　check　for　250；000。
　
　〃Where's　the　puter？〃　Budge　asked。
　
　〃I　arranged　for　it　to　be　delivered　here　at　the　club　at　noon。　I　thought　it　only　fitting　that　we　should　all　be　together　when　you　receive　it。〃
　
　Budge　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　know；　Jeff；　you're　a　smart　fellow。　See　you　at　lunch。〃
　
　At　the　stroke　of　noon　a　messenger　carrying　a　box　appeared　in　the　dining　room　of　the　Pilgrim；　Club　and　was　ushered　to　Budge's　table；　where　he　was　seated　with　Zeller；　Thompson；　and　Quincy。
　
　〃Here　it　is！〃　Budge　exclaimed。　〃Jesus！　The　damned　thing's　even　portable！〃
　
　〃Should　we　wait　for　Jeff？〃　Thompson　asked。
　
　〃Fuck　him。　This　belongs　to　us　now。〃　Budge　ripped　the　paper　away　from　the　box。　Inside　was　a　nest　of　straw。　Carefully；　almost　reverently；　he　lifted　out　the　object　that　lay　in　the　nest。　The　men　sat　there；　staring　at　it。　It　was　a　square　frame　about　a　foot　in　diameter；　holding　a　series　of　wires　across　which　were　strung　rows　of　beads。　There　was　a　long　silence。
　
　〃What　is　it？〃　Quincy　finally　asked。
　
　Alan　Thompson　said；　〃It's　an　abacus。　One　of　those　things　Orientals　use　to　count…〃　The　expression　on　his　face　changed。　〃Jesus！　SUCABA　is　abacus　spelled　backward！〃　He　turned　to　Budge。　〃Is　this　some　kind　of　joke？〃
　
　Zeller　was　sputtering。　〃Low　power；　trouble…free；　uses　less　power　than　any　puter　currently　on　the　market。。。　Stop　the　goddamned　check！〃
　
　There　was　a　concerted　rush　to　the　telephone。
　
　〃Your　certified　check？〃　the　head　bookkeeper　said。　〃There's　nothing　to　worry　about。　Mr。　Stevens　cashed　it　this　morning。〃
　
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　Pickens；　the　butler；　was　very　sorry；　indeed；　but　Mr。　Stevens　had　packed　and　left。　〃He　mentioned　something　about　an　extended　journey。〃
　
　**********
　
　That　afternoon；　a　frantic　Budge　finally　managed　to　reach　Professor　Vernon　Ackerman。
　
　〃Of　course。　Jeff　Stevens。　A　charming　man。　Your　brother…in…law；　you　say？〃
　
　〃Professor；　what　were　you　and　Jeff　discussing？〃
　
　〃I　suppose　it's　no　secret。　Jeff　is　eager　to　write　a　book　about　me。　He　has　convinced　me　that　the　world　wants　to　know　the　human　being　behind　the　scientist。。。。〃
　
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　Seymour　Jarrett　was　reticent。　〃Why　do　you　want　to　know　what　Mr。　Stevens　and　I　discussed？　Are　you　a　rival　stamp　collector？〃
　
　〃No　I…〃
　
　〃Well；　it　won't　do　you　any　good　to　snoop　around。　There's　only　one　stamp　like　it　in　existence；　and　Mr。　Stevens　has　agreed　to　sell　it　to　me　when　he　acquires　it。〃
　
　And　he　slammed　down　the　receiver。
　
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　Budge　knew　what　Charlie　Bartlett　was　going　to　say　before　the　words　were　out。　〃Jeff　Stevens？　Oh；　yes。　I　collect　antique　cars。　Jeff　knows　where　this　'37　Packard　four…door　convertible　in　mint　condition〃
　
　This　time　it　was　Budge　who　hung　up。
　
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Budge　told　his　partners。　〃We'll　get　our　money　back　and　put　the　son　of　a　bitch　away　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　There　are　laws　against　fraud。〃
　
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　The　group's　next　stop　was　at　the　office　of　Scott　Fogarty。
　
　〃He　took　us　for　two　hundred　fifty　thousand　dollars；〃　Budge　told　the　attorney。　〃I　want　him　put　behind　bars　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　Get　a　warrant　out　for…〃
　
　〃Do　you　have　the　contract　with　you；　Budge？〃
　
　〃It's　right　here。〃　He　handed　Fogarty　the　paper　Jeff　had　written　out。
　
　The　lawyer　scanned　it　quickly；　then　read　it　again；　slowly。　〃Did　he　forge　your　names　to　this　paper？〃
　
　〃Why；　no；〃　Mike　Quincy　said。　〃We　signed　it。〃
　
　〃Did　you　read　it　first？〃
　
　Ed　Zeller　angrily　said；　〃Of　course　we　read　it。　Do　you　think　we're　stupid？〃
　
　〃I'll　let　you　be　the　judge　of　that；　gentlemen。　You　signed　a　contract　stating　that　you　were　informed　that　what　you　were　purchasing　with　a　down　payment　of　two　hundred　fifty　thousand　dollars　was　an　object　that　had　not　been　patented　and　could　be　pletely　worthless。　In　the　legal　parlance　of　an　old　professor　of　mine；　'You've　been　royally　fucked。'　〃
　
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　Jeff　had　obtained　the　divorce　in　Reno。　It　was　while　he　was　establishing　residence　there　that　he　had　run　into　Conrad　Morgan。　Morgan　had　once　worked　for　Uncle　Willie。　〃How　would　you　like　to　do　me　a　small　favor；　Jeff？〃　Conrad　Morgan　had　asked。　〃There's　a　young　lady　traveling　on　a　train　from　New　York　to　St。　Louis　with　some　jewelry。。。。〃
　
　Jeff　looked　out　of　the　plane　window　and　thought　about　Tracy。　There　was　a　smile　on　his　face。
　
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　When　Tracy　returned　to　New　York；　her　first　stop　was　at　Conrad　Morgan　et　Cie　Jewelers。　Conrad　Morgan　ushered　Tracy　into　his　office　and　closed　the　door。　He　rubbed　his　hands　together　and　said；　〃I　was　getting　very　worried；　my　dear。　I　waited　for　you　in　St。　Louis　and…〃
　
　〃You　weren't　in　St。　Louis。〃
　
　〃What？　What　do　you　mean？〃　His　blue　eyes　seemed　to　twinkle。
　
　〃I　mean；　you　didn't　go　to　St。　Louis。　You　never　intended　to　meet　me。〃
　
　〃But　of　course　I　did！　You　have　the　jewels　and　I…〃
　
　〃You　sent　two　men　to　take　them　away　from　me。〃
　
　There　was　a　puzzled　expression　on　Morgan's　face。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　
　〃At　first　I　thought　there　might　be　a　leak　in　your　organization；　but　there　wasn't；　was　there？　It　was　you。　You　told　me　that　you　personally　arranged　for　my　train　ticket；　so　you　were　the　only　one　who　knew　the　number　of　my　partment。　I　used　a　different　name　and　a　disguise；　but　your　men　knew　exactly　where　to　find　me。〃
　
　There　was　a　look　of　surprise　on　his　cherubic　face。　〃Are　you　trying　to　tell　me　that　some　men　robbed　you　of　the　jewels？〃
　
　Tracy　smiled。　〃I'm　trying　to　tell　you　that　they　didn't。〃
　
　This　time　the　surprise　on　Morgan's　face　was　genuine。　〃You　have　the　jewels？〃
　
　〃Yes。　Your　friends　were　in　such　a　big　hurry　to　catch　a　plane　that　they　left　them　behind。〃
　
　Morgan　studied　Tracy　a　moment。　〃Excuse　me。〃
　
　He　went　through　a　private　door；　and　Tracy　sat　down　on　the　couch；　perfectly　relaxed。
　
　Conrad　Morgan　was　gone　for　almost　fifteen　minutes；　and　when　he　returned；　there　was　a　look　of　dismay　on　his　face。　〃I'm　afraid　a　mistake　has　been　made。　A　big　mistake。　You're　a　very　clever　young　lady；　Miss　Whitney。　You've　earned　your　twenty…five　thousand　dollars。〃　He　smiled　admiringly。　〃Give　me　the　jewels　and…〃
　
　〃Fifty　thousand。〃
　
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　
　〃I　had　to　steal　them　twice。　That's　fifty　thousand　dollars；　Mr。　Morgan。　〃
　
　〃No；〃　he　said　flatly。　His　eyes　had　lost　their　twinkle。　〃I'm　afraid　I　can't　give　you　that　much　for　them。〃
　
　Tracy　rose。　〃That's　perfectly　all　right。　I'll　try　to　find　someone　in　Las　Vegas　who　thinks　they're　worth　that。〃　She　moved　toward　the　door。
　
　〃Fifty　thousand　dollars？〃　Conrad　Morgan　asked。
　
　Tracy　nodded。
　
　〃Where　are　the　jewels？〃
　
　〃In　a　locker　at　Penn　Station。　As　soon　as　you　give　me　the　money…　in　cash…　and　put　me　in　a　taxi；　I'll　hand　you　the　key。〃
　
　Conrad　Morgan　gave　a　sigh　of　defeat。　〃You've　got　a　deal。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Tracy　said　cheerfully。　〃It's　been　a　pleasure　doing　business　with　you。〃
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　19
　
　
　
　Daniel　Cooper　was　already　aware　of　what　the　meeting　in　J。　J。　Reynolds's　office　that　morning　was　about；　for　all　the　pany's　investigators　had　been　sent　a　memo　the　day　before　regarding　the　Lois　Bellamy　burglary　that　had　taken　place　a　week　earlier。　Daniel　Cooper　loathed　conferences。　He　was　too　impatient　to　sit　around　listening　to　stupid　chatter。
　
　He　arrived　in　J。　J。　Reynolds's　office　forty…five　minutes　late；　while　Reynolds　was　in　the　middle　of　a　speech。
　
　〃Nice　of　you　to　drop　by；〃　J。　J。　Reynolds　said　sarcastically。　There　was　no　response。　It's　a　waste　of　time；　Reynolds　decided。　Cooper　did　not　understand　sarcasm…　or　anything　else；　as　far　as　Reynolds　was　concerned。　Except　how　to　catch　criminals。　There；　he　had　to　admit；　the　man　was　a　goddamned　genius。
　
　Seated　in　the　office　were　three　of　the　agency's　top　investigators：　David　Swift；　Robert　Schiffer；　and　Jerry　Davis。