ss.iftomorrowcomes-第63部分

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w　and　slowly　forced　herself　to　her　knees。　She　stood　up；　reeling；　hanging　on　to　the　container　to　keep　from　falling。　The　new　rope　was　in　place。　She　clasped　the　jewel　box　to　her　chest　and　began　to　weave　her　way　back　to　her　pallet。　She　pushed　her　body　through　the　canvas　opening　and　flopped　down；　panting；　her　body　beaded　with　perspiration。　I've　done　it。　But　there　was　something　more　she　had　to　do。　Something　important。　What？　Tape　up　the　rope　on　your　pallet。
　
　She　reached　into　the　pocket　of　her　coveralls　for　the　roll　of　masking　tape。　It　was　gone。　Her　breath　was　ing　in　shallow；　ragged　gasps；　and　the　sound　deafened　her。　She　thought　she　heard　voices　and　forced　herself　to　stop　breathing　and　listen。　Yes。　There　they　were　again。　Someone　laughed。　Any　second　now　the　cargo　door　would　open；　and　the　men　would　begin　unloading。　They　would　see　the　cut　rope；　look　inside　the　pallet；　and　discover　her。　She　had　to　find　a　way　to　hold　the　rope　together。　She　got　to　her　knees；　and　as　she　did　she　felt　the　hard　roll　of　masking　tape；　which　had　fallen　from　her　pocket　sometime　during　the　turbulence　of　the　flight。　She　lifted　the　canvas　and　fumbled　around　to　find　the　two　ends　of　cut　rope；　and　held　them　together　while　she　clumsily　tried　to　wrap　the　tape　around　them。
　
　She　could　not　see。　The　perspiration　pouring　down　her　face　was　blinding　her。　She　pulled　the　scarf　from　her　throat　and　wiped　her　face。　Better。　She　finished　taping　the　rope　and　dropped　the　canvas　back　in　place；　there　was　nothing　to　do　now　but　wait。　She　felt　her　forehead　again；　and　it　seemed　hotter　than　before。
　
　l　must　get　out　of　the　sun；　Tracy　thought。　Tropical　suns　can　be　dangerous。
　
　She　was　on　holiday　somewhere　in　the　Caribbean。　Jeff　had　e　here　to　bring　her　some　diamonds；　but　he　had　jumped　into　the　sea　and　disappeared。　She　reached　out　to　save　him；　but　he　slipped　from　her　grasp。　The　water　was　over　her　head。　She　was　choking；　drowning。
　
　She　heard　the　sound　of　workmen　entering　the　plane。
　
　〃Help！〃　she　screamed。　〃Please　help　me。〃
　
　But　her　scream　was　a　whisper；　and　no　one　heard。
　
　The　giant　containers　began　rolling　out　of　the　plane。
　
　Tracy　was　unconscious　when　they　loaded　her　container　onto　a　Brucère　et　Cie　truck。　Left　behind；　on　the　floor　of　the　cargo　plane；　was　the　scarf　Jeff　had　given　her。
　
　**********
　
　Tracy　was　awakened　by　the　slash　of　light　hitting　the　inside　of　the　truck　as　someone　raised　the　canvas。　Slowly；　she　opened　her　eyes。　The　truck　was　in　a　warehouse。
　
　Jeff　was　standing　there；　grinning　at　her。　〃You　made　it！〃　he　said。　〃You're　a　marvel。　Let's　have　the　box。〃
　
　She　watched；　dully；　as　he　picked　up　the　box　from　her　side。　〃See　you　in　Lisbon。〃　He　turned　to　leave；　then　stopped　and　looked　down　at　her。　〃You　look　terrible；　Tracy。　You　all　right？〃
　
　She　could　hardly　speak。　〃Jeff；　I…〃
　
　But　he　was　gone。
　
　Tracy　had　only　the　haziest　recollection　of　what　happened　next。　There　was　a　change　of　clothes　for　her　in　back　of　the　warehouse；　and　some　woman　said；　〃You　look　ill；　mademoiselle。　Do　you　wish　me　to　call　a　doctor？〃
　
　〃No　doctors；〃　Tracy　whispered。
　
　There　will　be　a　plane　ticket　for　Geneva　waiting　for　you　at　the　Swissair　counter。　Get　out　of　Amsterdam　as　fast　as　you　can。　As　soon　as　the　police　learn　of　the　robbery；　they'll　close　up　the　city　tight。　Nothing　will　go　wrong；　but　just　in　case；　here　is　the　address　and　the　key　to　a　safe　house　in　Amsterdam。　It　is　unoccupied。
　
　The　airport。　She　had　to　get　to　the　airport。　〃Taxi；〃　she　mumbled。　〃Taxi。〃
　
　The　woman　hesitated　a　moment；　then　shrugged。　〃All　right。　I　will　call　one。　Wait　here。〃
　
　She　was　floating　higher　and　higher　now；　ever　closer　to　the　sun。
　
　〃Your　taxi　is　here；〃　a　man　was　saying。
　
　She　wished　people　would　stop　bothering　her。　She　wanted　only　to　sleep。
　
　The　driver　said；　〃Where　do　you　wish　to　go；　mademoiselle？〃
　
　There　will　be　a　plane　ticket　for　Geneva　waiting　for　you　at　the　Swissair　counter。
　
　She　was　too　ill　to　board　a　plane。　They　would　stop　her；　summon　a　doctor。　She　would　be　questioned。　All　she　needed　was　to　sleep　for　a　few　minutes；　then　she　would　be　fine。
　
　The　voice　was　getting　impatient。　〃Where　to；　please？〃
　
　She　had　no　place　to　go。　She　gave　the　taxi　driver　the　address　of　the　safe　house。
　
　**********
　
　The　police　were　cross…examining　her　about　the　diamonds；　and　when　she　refused　to　answer　them；　they　became　very　angry　and　put　her　in　a　room　by　herself　and　turned　up　the　heat　until　the　room　was　boiling　hot。　When　it　became　unbearable；　they　dropped　the　temperature　down；　until　icicles　began　to　form　on　the　walls。
　
　Tracy　pushed　her　way　up　through　the　cold　and　opened　her　eyes。　She　was　on　a　bed；　shivering　uncontrollably。　There　was　a　blanket　beneath　her；　but　she　did　not　have　the　strength　to　get　under　it。　Her　dress　was　soaked　through；　and　her　face　and　neck　were　wet。
　
　I'm　going　to　die　here。　Where　was　here？
　
　The　safe　house。　I'm　in　the　safe　house。　And　the　phrase　struck　her　as　so　funny　that　she　started　to　laugh；　and　the　laughter　turned　into　a　paroxysm　of　coughing。　It　had　all　gone　wrong。　She　had　not　gotten　away　after　all。　By　now　the　police　would　be　bing　Amsterdam　for　her：　Mademoiselle　Whitney　had　a　ticket　on　Swissair　and　did　not　use　it？　Then　she　still　must　be　in　Amsterdam。
　
　She　wondered　how　long　she　had　been　in　this　bed。　She　lifted　her　wrist　to　look　at　her　watch；　but　the　numbers　were　blurred。　She　was　seeing　everything　double。　There　were　two　beds　in　the　small　room　and　two　dressers　and　four　chairs。　The　shivering　stopped；　and　her　body　was　burning　up。　She　needed　to　open　a　window；　but　she　was　too　weak　to　move。　The　room　was　freezing　again。
　
　She　was　back　on　the　airplane；　locked　in　the　crate；　screaming　for　help。
　
　You've　made　it！　You're　a　marvel。　Let's　have　the　box。
　
　Jeff　had　taken　the　diamonds；　and　he　was　probably　on　his　way　to　Brazil　with　her　share　of　the　money。　He　would　be　enjoying　himself　with　one　of　his　women；　laughing　at　her。　He　had　beaten　her　once　more。　She　hated　him。　No。　She　didn't。　Yes；　she　did。　She　despised　him。
　
　She　was　in　and　out　of　delirium。　The　hard　pelota　ball　was　hurtling　toward　her；　and　Jeff　grabbed　her　in　his　arms　and　pushed　her　to　the　ground；　and　his　lips　were　very　close　to　hers；　and　then　they　were　having　dinner　at　Zalacaín。　Do　you　know　how　special　you　are；　Tracy？
　
　I　offer　you　a　draw；　Boris　Melnikov　said。
　
　Her　body　was　trembling　again；　out　of　control；　and　she　was　on　an　express　train　whirling　through　a　dark　tunnel；　and　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel　she　knew　she　was　going　to　die。　All　the　other　passengers　had　gotten　off　except　Alberto　Fornati。　He　was　angry　with　her；　shaking　her　and　screaming　at　her。
　
　〃For　Christ's　sake！〃　he　yelled。　〃Open　your　eyes！　Look　at　me！〃
　
　With　a　superhuman　effort；　Tracy　opened　her　eyes；　and　Jeff　was　standing　over　her。　His　face　was　white；　and　there　was　fury　in　his　voice。　Of　course；　it　was　all　a　part　of　her　dream。
　
　〃How　long　have　you　been　like　this？〃
　
　〃You're　in　Brazil；〃　Tracy　mumbled。
　
　After　that；　she　remembered　nothing　more。
　
　**********
　
　When　Inspector　Trignant　was　given　the　scarf　with　the　initials　TW　on　it；　found　on　the　floor　of　the　Air　France　cargo　plane；　he　stared　at　it　for　a　long　time。
　
　Then　he　said；　〃Get　me　Daniel　Cooper。〃
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　32
　
　
　
　The　picturesque　village　of　Alkmaar；　on　the　northwest　coast　of　Holland　facing　the　North　Sea；　is　a　popular　tourist　attraction；　but　there　is　a　quarter　in　the　eastern　section　that　tourists　seldom　visit。　Jeff　Stevens　had　vacationed　there　several　times　with　a　stewardess　from　KLM　who　had　taught　him　the　language。　He　remembered　the　area　well；　a　place　where　the　residents　minded　their　own　business　and　were　not　unduly　curious　about　visitors。　It　was　a　perfect　place　to　hide　out。
　
　Jeff's　first　impulse　had　been　to　rush　Tracy　to　a　hospital；　but　that　was　too　dangerous。　It　was　also　risky　for　her　to　remain　in　Amsterdam　a　minute　longer。　He　had　wrapped　her　in　blankets　and　carried　her　out　to　the　car；　where　she　had　remained　unconscious　during　the　drive　to　Alkmaar。　Her　pulse　was　erratic　and　her　breathing　shallow。
　
　In　Alkmaar；　Jeff　checked　into　a　small　inn。　The　innkeeper　watched　curiously　as　Jeff　carried　Tracy　upstairs　to　her　room。
　
　〃We're　honeymooners；〃　Jeff　explained。　〃My　wife　became　ill…　a　slight　respiratory　disturbance。　She　needs　rest。〃
　
　〃Would　you　like　a　doctor？〃
　
　Jeff　was　not　certain　of　the　answer　himself。　〃I'll　let　you　know。〃
　
　The　first　thing　he　had　to　do　was　try　to　bring　down　Tracy's　fever。　Jeff　lowered　her　onto　the　large　double　bed　in　the　room　and　began　to　strip　off　her　clothes；　sodden　with　perspiration。　He　held　her　up　in　a　sitting　position　and　lifted　her　dress　over　her　head。　Shoes　next；　then　pantyhose。　Her　body　was　hot　to　the　touch。　Jeff　wet　a　towel　with　cool　water　and　gently　bathed　her　from　head　to　foot。　He　covered　her　with　a　blanket　and　sat　at　the　bedside　listening　to　her　uneven　breathing。
　
　If　she's　not　better　by　morning；　Jeff　decided；　I'll　have　to　bring　in　a　doctor。
　
　**********
　
　In　the　morning　the　bedclothes　were　soaked　again。　Tracy　was　still　unconscious；　but　it　seemed　to　Jeff　that　her　breathing　was　a　little　easier。　He　was　afraid　to　let　the　maid　see　Tracy；　it　would　lead　to　too　many　questions。　Instead；　he　asked　the　housekeeper　for　a　change　of　linens　and　took　them　inside　the　room。　He　washed　Tracy's　body　with　a　moist　towel；　changed　the　sheets　on　the　bed　the　way　he　had　seen　nurses　do　in　hospitals；　without　disturbing　the　patient；　and　covered　her　up　again。
　
　Jeff　put　a　DO　NOT　DISTURB　sign　on　the　door　and　went　looking　for　the　nearest　pharmacy。　He　bought　aspirin；　a　thermometer；　a　sponge；　and　rubbing　alcohol。　When　he　returned　to　the　room；　Tracy　was　still　not　awake。　Jeff　took　her　temperature：　104　degrees。　He　sponged　her　body　with　the　cool　alcohol；　and　her　fever　dropped。
　
　An　hour　later　her　temperature　was　up　again。　He　was　going　to　have　to　call　a　doctor。　The　problem　was　that　the　doctor　would　insist　Tracy　be　taken　to　a　hospital。　Questions　would　be　asked。　Jeff　had　no　idea　whether　the　police　were　looking　for　them；　but　if　they　were；　they　would　both　be　taken　into　custody。　He　had　to　do　something。　He　mashed　up　four　aspirins；　placed　the　powder　between　Tracy's　lips；　and　gently　spooned　water　into　her