ss.iftomorrowcomes-第65部分

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　〃Tomorrow。　Leaving　this　place。　I'll　miss　it。〃
　
　〃I'm　going　to　miss　you；　Jeff。〃　The　words　were　out　before　she　could　stop　herself。
　
　Jeff　sat　up　slowly　and　looked　at　her。　〃How　much？〃　he　asked　softly。
　
　〃Terribly。〃
　
　A　moment　later　he　was　at　her　bedside。　〃Tracy…〃
　
　〃Shhh。　Don't　talk。　Just　put　your　arms　around　me。　Hold　me。〃
　
　It　started　slowly；　a　velvet　touching　and　stroking　and　feeling；　a　caressing　and　gentle　exploring　of　the　senses。　And　it　began　to　build　and　swell　in　a　frenzied；　frantic　rhythm；　until　it　became　a　bacchanal；　an　orgy　of　pleasure；　wild　and　savage。　His　hard　organ　stroked　her　and　pounded　her　and　filled　her　until　she　wanted　to　scream　with　the　unbearable　joy。　She　was　at　the　center　of　a　rainbow。　She　felt　herself　being　swept　up　on　a　tidal　wave　that　lifted　her　higher　and　higher；　and　there　was　a　sudden　molten　explosion　within　her；　and　her　whole　body　began　to　shudder。　Gradually；　the　tempest　subsided。　She　closed　her　eyes。　She　felt　Jeff's　lips　move　down　her　body；　down；　down　to　the　center　of　her　being；　and　she　was　caught　up　in　another　fierce　wave　of　blissful　sensation。
　
　She　pulled　Jeff　to　her　and　held　him　close；　feeling　his　heart　beat　against　hers。　She　strained　against　him；　but　still　she　could　not　get　close　enough。　She　crept　to　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　touched　her　lips　to　his　body　with　soft；　tender　kisses；　moving　upward　until　she　felt　his　hard　maleness　in　her　hand。　She　stroked　it　softly　and　slid　it　into　her　mouth；　and　listened　to　his　moans　of　pleasure。　Then　Jeff　rolled　on　top　of　her　and　was　inside　her　and　it　began　again；　more　exciting　than　before；　a　fountain　spilling　over　with　unbearable　pleasure；　and　Tracy　thought；　Now　I　know。　For　the　first　time；　I　know。　But　I　must　remember　that　this　is　just　for　tonight；　a　lovely　farewell　present。
　
　All　through　the　night　they　made　love　and　talked　about　everything　and　nothing；　and　it　was　as　though　some　long…locked　floodgates　had　opened　for　both　of　them。　At　dawn；　as　the　canals　began　to　sparkle　with　the　beginning　day；　Jeff　said；　〃Marry　me；　Tracy。〃
　
　She　was　sure　she　had　misunderstood　him；　but　the　words　came　again；　and　Tracy　knew　that　it　was　crazy　and　impossible；　and　it　could　never　work；　and　it　was　deliriously　wonderful；　and　of　course　it　would　work。　And　she　whispered；　〃Yes。　Oh；　yes！〃
　
　She　began　to　cry；　gripped　tightly　in　the　safety　of　his　arms。　I'll　never　be　lonely　again；　Tracy　thought。　We　belong　to　each　other。　Jeff　is　a　part　of　all　my　tomorrows。
　
　Tomorrow　had　e。
　
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　A　long　time　later　Tracy　asked；　〃When　did　you　know；　Jeff？〃
　
　〃When　I　saw　you　in　that　house　and　I　thought　you　were　dying。　I　was　half　out　of　my　mind。〃
　
　〃I　thought　you　had　run　away　with　the　diamonds；〃　Tracy　confessed。
　
　He　took　her　in　his　arms　again。　〃Tracy；　what　I　did　in　Madrid　wasn't　for　the　money。　It　was　for　the　game…　the　challenge。　That's　why　we're　both　in　the　business　we're　in；　isn't　it？　You're　given　a　puzzle　that　can't　possibly　be　solved；　and　then　you　begin　to　wonder　if　there　isn't　some　way。〃
　
　Tracy　nodded。　〃I　know。　At　first　it　was　because　I　needed　the　money。　And　then　it　became　something　else；　I've　given　away　quite　a　bit　of　money。　I　love　matching　wits　against　people　who　are　successful　and　bright　and　unscrupulous。　I　love　living　on　the　cutting　edge　of　danger。〃
　
　After　a　long　silence；　Jeff　said；　〃Tracy。。。　how　would　you　feel　about　giving　it　up？〃
　
　She　looked　at　him；　puzzled。　〃Giving　it　up？　Whys〃
　
　〃We　were　each　on　our　own　before。　Now；　everything　has　changed。　I　couldn't　bear　it　if　anything　happened。　Why　take　any　more　risks？　We　have　all　the　money　we'll　ever　need。　Why　don't　we　consider　ourselves　retired？〃
　
　〃What　would　we　do；　Jeff？〃
　
　He　grinned。　〃We'll　think　of　something。〃
　
　〃Seriously；　darling；　how　would　we　spend　our　lives？〃
　
　〃Doing　anything　we　like；　my　love。　We'll　travel；　indulge　ourselves　in　hobbies。　I've　always　been　fascinated　by　archaeology。　I'd　like　to　go　on　a　dig　in　Tunisia。　I　made　a　promise　once　to　an　old　friend。　We　can　finance　our　own　digs。　We'll　travel　all　over　the　world。〃
　
　〃It　sounds　exciting。〃
　
　〃Then　what　do　you　say？〃
　
　She　looked　at　him　for　along　moment。　〃If　that's　what　you　want；〃　Tracy　said　softly。
　
　He　hugged　her　and　began　laughing。　〃I　wonder　if　we　should　send　a　formal　announcement　to　the　police？〃
　
　Tracy　joined　in　his　laughter。
　
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　The　churches　were　older　than　any　Cooper　had　ever　known　before。　Some　dated　back　to　the　pagan　days；　and　at　times　he　was　not　certain　whether　he　was　praying　to　the　devil　or　to　God。　He　sat　with　bowed　head　in　the　ancient　Beguine　Court　Church　and　in　St。　Bavokerk　and　Pieterskerk　and　the　Nieuwekerk　at　Delft；　and　each　time　his　prayer　was　the　same：　Let　me　make　her　suffer　as　I　suffer。
　
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　The　telephone　call　from　Gunther　Hartog　came　the　next　day；　while　Jeff　was　out。
　
　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃　Gunther　asked。
　
　〃I　feel　wonderful；〃　Tracy　assured　him。
　
　Gunther　had　telephoned　every　day　after　he　had　heard　what　had　happened　to　her。　Tracy　decided　not　to　tell　him　the　news　about　Jeff　and　herself；　not　yet。　She　wanted　to　hug　it　to　herself　for　a　while；　take　it　out　and　examine　it；　cherish　it。
　
　〃Are　you　and　Jeff　getting　along　all　right　together？〃
　
　She　smiled。　〃We're　getting　along　splendidly。〃
　
　〃Would　you　consider　working　together　again？〃
　
　Now　she　had　to　tell　him。　〃Gunther。。。　we're。。。　quitting。〃
　
　There　was　a　momentary　silence。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　
　〃Jeff　and　I　are…　as　they　used　to　say　in　the　old　James　Cagney　movies…　going　straight。〃
　
　〃What？　But。。。　why？〃
　
　〃It　was　Jeff's　idea；　and　I　agreed　to　it。　No　more　risks。〃
　
　〃Supposing　I　told　you　that　the　jab　I　have　in　mind　is　worth　two　million　dollars　to　you　and　there　are　no　risks？〃
　
　〃I'd　laugh　a　lot；　Gunther。〃
　
　〃I'm　serious；　my　dear。　You　would　travel　to　Amsterdam；　which　is　only　an　hour　from　where　you　are　now；　and…〃
　
　〃You'll　have　to　find　someone　else。〃
　
　He　sighed。　〃I'm　afraid　there　is　no　one　else　who　could　handle　this。　Will　you　at　least　discuss　the　possibility　with　Jeff？〃
　
　〃All　right；　but　it　won't　do　any　good。〃
　
　〃I　will　call　back　this　evening。〃
　
　When　Jeff　returned；　Tracy　reported　the　conversation。
　
　〃Didn't　you　tell　him　we've　bee　law…abiding　citizens？〃
　
　〃Of　course；　darling；　I　told　him　to　find　someone　else。〃
　
　〃But　he　doesn't　want　to；〃　Jeff　guessed。
　
　〃He　insisted　he　needed　us。　He　said　there's　no　risk　and　that　we　could　pick　up　two　million　dollars　for　a　little　bit　of　effort。〃
　
　〃Which　means　that　whatever　he　has　in　mind　must　be　guarded　like　Fort　Knox。〃
　
　〃Or　the　Prado；〃　Tracy　said　mischievously。
　
　Jeff　grinned。　〃That　was　really　a　neat　plan；　sweetheart。　You　know；　I　think　that's　when　I　started　to　fall　in　love　with　you。〃
　
　〃I　think　when　you　stole　my　Goya　is　when　I　began　to　hate　you。〃
　
　〃Be　fair；〃　Jeff　admonished。　〃You　started　to　hate　me　before　that。〃
　
　〃True。　What　do　we　tell　Gunther？〃
　
　〃You've　already　told　him。　We're　not　in　that　line　of　work　anymore。〃
　
　〃Shouldn't　we　at　least　find　out　what　he's　thinking？〃
　
　〃Tracy；　we　agreed　that…〃
　
　〃We're　going　to　Amsterdam　anyway；　aren't　we？〃
　
　〃Yes；　but…〃
　
　〃Well；　while　we're　there；　darling；　why　don't　we　just　listen　to　what　he　has　to　say？〃
　
　Jeff　studied　her　suspiciously。　〃You　want　to　do　it；　don't　you？〃
　
　〃Certainly　not！　But　it　can't　hurt　to　hear　what　he　has　to　say。。。。〃
　
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　They　drove　to　Amsterdam　the　following　day　and　checked　into　the　Amstel　Hotel。　Gunther　Hartog　flew　in　from　London　to　meet　them。
　
　They　managed　to　sit　together；　as　casual　tourists；　on　a　Plas　Motor　launch　cruising　the　Amstel　River。
　
　〃I'm　delighted　that　you　two　are　getting　married；〃　Gunther　said。　〃My　warmest　congratulations。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　Gunther。〃　Tracy　knew　that　he　was　sincere。
　
　〃I　respect　your　wishes　about　retiring；　but　I　have　e　across　a　situation　so　unique　that　I　felt　I　had　to　call　it　to　your　attention。　It　could　be　a　very　rewarding　swan　song。〃
　
　〃We're　listening；〃　Tracy　said。
　
　Gunther　leaned　forward　and　began　talking；　his　voice　low。　When　he　had　finished；　he　said；　〃Two　million　dollars　if　you　can　pull　it　off。〃
　
　〃It's　impossible；〃　Jeff　declared　flatly。　〃Tracy…〃
　
　But　Tracy　was　not　listening。　She　was　busily　figuring　out　how　it　could　be　done。
　
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　Amsterdam's　police　headquarters；　at　the　corner　of　Marnix　Straat　and　Elandsgracht；　is　a　gracious　old　five…story；　brownbrick　building　with　a　long　white…stucco　corridor　on　the　ground　floor　and　a　marble　staircase　leading　to　the　upper　floors。　In　a　meeting　room　upstairs；　the　Gemeentepolitie　were　in　conference。　There　were　six　Dutch　detectives　in　the　room。　The　lone　foreigner　was　Daniel　Cooper。
　
　Inspector　Joop　van　Duren　was　a　giant　of　a　man；　larger　than　life；　with　a　beefy　face　adorned　by　a　flowing　mustache；　and　a　roaring　basso　voice。　He　was　addressing　Toon　Willems；　the　neat；　crisp；　efficient　chief　missioner；　head　of　the　city's　police　force。
　
　〃Tracy　Whitney　arrived　in　Amsterdam　this　morning；　Chief　missioner。　Interpol　is　certain　she　was　responsible　for　the　De　Beers　hijacking。　Mr。　Cooper；　here；　feels　she　has　e　to　Holland　to　cgmmit　another　felony。〃
　
　Chief　missioner　Willems　turned　to　Cooper。　〃Do　you　have　any　proof　of　this；　Mr。　Cooper？〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　did　not　need　proof。　He　knew　Tracy　Whitney；　body　and　soul。　Of　course　she　was　here　to　carry　out　a　crime；　something　outrageous；。　something　beyond　the　scope　of　their　tiny　imaginations。　He　forced　himself　to　remain　calm。
　
　〃No　proof。　That's　why　she　must　be　caught　red…handed。〃
　
　〃And　just　how　do　you　propose　that　we　do　that？〃
　
　〃By　not　letting　the　woman　out　of　our　sight。〃
　
　The　use　of　the　pronoun　our　disturbed　the　chief　missioner。　He　had　spoken　with　Inspector　Trignant　in　Paris　about　Cooper。　He's　obnoxious；　but　he　knows　what　he's　about。　If　we　had　listened　to　him；　we　would　have　caught　the　Whitney　woman　red…handed。　It　was　the　same　phrase　Cooper　had　just　used。
　
　Toon　Willems　made　his　decision；　and　it　was　based　partly　on　the　well…publicized　failure　of　the　French　police　to　apprehend　the　hijackers　of　the　De　Beers　diamonds。　Where　the　French　police　had　failed；　the　Dutch　police　would　succeed。
　
　〃Very　well；