ss.iftomorrowcomes-第66部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　
　〃Very　well；〃　the　chief　missioner　said。　〃If　the　lady　has　e　to　Holland　to　test　the　efficiency　of　our　police　force；　we　shall　acmodate　her。〃　He　turned　to　Inspector　van　Duren。　〃Take　whatever　measures　you　think　necessary。〃
　
　**********
　
　The　city　of　Amsterdam　is　divided　into　six　police　districts；　with　each　district　responsible　for　its　own　territory。　On　orders　from　Inspector　Joop　van　Duren；　the　boundaries　were　ignored；　and　detectives　from　different　districts　were　assigned　to　surveillance　teams。　〃I　want　her　watched　twenty…four　hours　a　day。　Don't　let　her　out　of　your　sight。〃
　
　Inspector　van　Duren　turned　to　Daniel　Cooper。　〃Well；　Mr。　Cooper；　are　you　satisfied？〃
　
　〃Not　until　we　have　her。〃
　
　〃We　will；〃　the　inspector　assured　him。　〃You　see；　Mr。　Cooper；　we　pride　ourselves　on　having　the　best　police　force　in　the　world。〃
　
　**********
　
　Amsterdam　is　a　tourist's　paradise；　a　city　of　windmills　and　dams　and　row　upon　row　of　gabled　houses　leaning　crazily　against　one　another　along　a　network　of　tree…lined　canals　filled　with　houseboats　decorated　by　boxes　of　geraniums　and　plants；　and　laundry　flying　in　the　breeze。　The　Dutch　were　the　friendliest　people　Tracy　had　ever　met。
　
　〃They　all　seem　so　happy；〃　Tracy　said。
　
　〃Remember；　they're　the　original　flower　people。　Tulips。〃
　
　Tracy　laughed　and　took　Jeff's　arm。　She　felt　such　joy　in　being　with　him。　He's　so　wonderful。　And　Jeff　was　looking　at　her　and　thinking；　I'm　the　luckiest　fellow　in　the　world。
　
　Tracy　and　Jeff　did　all　the　usual　sightseeing　things　tourists　do。　They　strolled　along　Albert　Cuyp　Straat；　the　open…air　market　that　stretches　block　after　block　and　is　filled　with　stands　of　antiques；　fruits　and　vegetables；　flowers；　and　clothing；　and　wandered　through　Dam　Square；　where　young　people　gathered　to　listen　to　itinerant　singers　and　punk　bands。　They　visited　Volendam；　the　old　picturesque　fishing　village　on　the　Zuider　Zee；　and　Madurodam；　Holland　in　miniature。　As　they　drove　past　the　bustling　Schiphol　Airport；　Jeff　said；　〃Not　long　ago；　all　that　land　the　airport　stands　on　was　the　North　Sea。　Schiphol　means　'cemetery　of　ships。'　〃
　
　Tracy　nestled　closer　to　him。　〃I'm　impressed。　It's　nice　to　be　in　love　with　such　a　smart　fellow。〃
　
　〃You　ain't　heard　nothin'　yet。　Twenty…five　percent　of　the　Netherlands　is　reclaimed　land。　The　whole　country　is　sixteen　feet　below　sea　level。〃
　
　〃Sounds　scary。〃
　
　〃Not　to　worry。　We're　perfectly　safe　as　long　as　that　little　kid　keeps　his　finger　in　the　dyke。〃
　
　Everywhere　Tracy　and　Jeff　went；　they　were　followed　by　the　Gemeetepolitie；　and　each　evening　Daniel　Cooper　studied　the　written　reports　submitted　to　Inspector　van　Duren。　There　was　nothing　unusual　in　them；　but　Cooper's　suspicions　were　not　allayed。　She's　up　to　something；　he　told　himself；　something　big。　I　wonder　if　she　knows　she's　being　followed？　I　wonder　if　she　knows　I'm　going　to　destroy　her？
　
　As　far　as　the　detectives　could　see；　Tracy　Whitney　and　Jeff　Stevens　were　merely　tourists。
　
　Inspector　van　Duren　said　to　Cooper；　〃Isn't　it　possible　you're　wrong？　They　could　be　in　Holland　just　to　have　a　good　time。〃
　
　〃No；〃　Cooper　said　stubbornly。　〃I'm　not　wrong。　Stay　with　her。〃　He　had　an　ominous　feeling　that　time　was　running　out；　that　if　Tracy　Whitney　did　not　make　a　move　soon；　the　police　surveillance　would　be　called　off　again。　That　could　not　be　allowed　to　happen。　He　joined　the　detectives　who　were　keeping　Tracy　under　observation。
　
　**********
　
　Tracy　and　Jeff　had　connecting　rooms　at　the　Amstel。　〃For　the　sake　of　respectability；〃　Jeff　had　told　Tracy；　〃but　I　won't　let　you　get　far　from　me。〃
　
　〃Promise？〃
　
　Each　night　Jeff　stayed　with　her　until　early　dawn；　and　they　made　love　far　into　the　night。　He　was　a　protean　lover；　by　turns　tender　and　considerate；　wild　and　feral。
　
　〃It's　the　first　time；〃　Tracy　whispered；　〃that　I've　really　known　what　my　body　was　for。　Thank　you；　my　love。〃
　
　〃The　pleasure's　all　mine。〃
　
　〃Only　half。〃
　
　They　roamed　the　city　in　an　apparently　aimless　manner。　They　had　lunch　at　the　Excelsior　in　the　H？tel　de　l'Europe　and　dinner　at　the　Bowedery；　and　ate　all　twenty…two　courses　served　at　the　Indonesian　Bali。　They　had　erwtensoep；　Holland's　famous　pea　soup；　sampled　kutspot；　potatoes；　carrots；　and　onions；　and　boerenkool　met　worst；　made　from　thirteen　vegetables　and　smoked　sausage。　They　walked　through　the　walletjes；　the　redlight　district　of　Amsterdam；　where　fat；　kimono…clad　whores　sat　on　the　street　windows　displaying　their　ample　wares；　each　evening　the　written　report　submitted　to　Inspector　Joop　van　Duren　ended　with　the　same　note：　Nothing　suspicious。
　
　Patience；　Daniel　Cooper　told　himself。　Patience。
　
　At　the　urging　of　Cooper；　Inspector　van　Duren　went　to　Chief　missioner　Willems　to　ask　permission　to　place　electronic　eavesdropping　devices　in　the　hotel　rooms　of　the　two　suspects。　Permission　was　denied。
　
　〃When　you　have　more　substantial　grounds　for　your　suspicions；〃　the　chief　missioner　said；　〃e　back　to　me。　Until　then；　I　cannot　permit　you　to　eavesdrop　on　people　who　are　so　far　guilty　only　of　touring　Holland。〃
　
　**********
　
　That　conversation　had　taken　place　on　Friday。　On　Monday　morning　Tracy　and　Jeff　went　to　Paulus　Potter　Straat　in　Coster；　the　diamond　center　of　Amsterdam；　to　visit　the　Nederlands　Diamond…Cutting　Factory。　Daniel　Cooper　was　a　part　of　the　surveillance　team。　The　factory　was　crowded　with　tourists。　An　English…speaking　guide　conducted　them　around　the　factory；　explaining　each　operation　in　the　cutting　process；　and　at　the　end　of　the　tour　led　the　group　to　a　large　display　room；　where　showcases　filled　with　a　variety　of　diamonds　for　sale　lined　the　walls。　This　of　course　was　the　ultimate　reason　visitors　were　given　a　tour　of　the　factory。　In　the　center　of　the　room　stood　a　glass　case　dramatically　mounted　on　a　tall；　black　pedestal；　and　inside　the　case　was　the　most　exquisite　diamond　Tracy　had　ever　seen。
　
　The　guide　announced　proudly；　〃And　here；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　is　the　famous　Lucullan　diamond　you　have　all　read　about。　It　was　once　purchased　by　a　stage　actor　for　his　movie　star　wife　and　is　valued　at　ten　million　dollars。　It　is　a　perfect　stone；　one　of　the　finest　diamonds　in　the　world。〃
　
　〃That　must　be　quite　a　target　for　jewel　thieves；〃　Jeff　said　aloud。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　moved　forward　so　he　could　hear　better。
　
　The　guide　smiled　indulgently。　〃Nee；　mijnheer。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　armed　guard　standing　near　the　exhibit。　〃This　stone　is　more　closely　guarded　than　the　jewels　in　the　Tower　of　London。　There　is　no　danger。　If　anyone　touches　that　glass　case；　an　alarm　rings…　en　onmiddellijk！…　and　every　window　and　door　in　this　room　is　instantly　sealed　off。　At　night　electronic　beams　are　on；　and　if　someone　enters　the　room；　an　alarm　sounds　at　police　headquarters。〃
　
　Jeff　looked　at　Tracy　and　said；　〃I　guess　no　one's　ever　going　to　steal　that　diamond。〃
　
　Cooper　exchanged　a　look　with　one　of　the　detectives。　That　afternoon　Inspector　van　Duren　was　given　a　report　of　the　conversation。
　
　**********
　
　The　following　day　Tracy　and　Jeff　visited　the　Rijksmuseum。　At　the　entrance；　Jeff　purchased　a　directory　plan　of　the　museum；　and　he　and　Tracy　passed　through　the　main　hall　to　the　Gallery　of　Honor；　filled　with　Fra　Angelicos；　Murillos；　Rubenses；　Van　Dycks；　and　Tiepolos。　They　moved　slowly；　pausing　in　front　of　each　painting；　and　then　walked　into　the　Night　Watch　Room；　where　Rembrandt's　most　famous　painting　hung。　There　they　stayed。　And　the　attractive　Constable　First…Class　Fien　Hauer；　who　was　following　them；　thought　to　herself；　Oh；　my　God！
　
　The　official　title　of　the　painting　is　The　pany　of　Captain　Franc　Banning　Cocq　and　Lieutenant　Willem　van　Ruytenburch；　and　it　portrays；　with　extraordinary　clarity　and　position；　a　group　of　soldiers　preparing　to　go　on　their　watch；　under　the　mand　of　their　colorfully　uniformed　captain。　The　area　around　the　portrait　was　roped　off　with　velvet　cords；　and　a　guard　stood　nearby。
　
　〃It's　hard　to　believe；〃　Jeff　told　Tracy；　〃but　Rembrandt　caught　hell　for　this　painting。〃
　
　〃But　why？　It's　fantastic。〃
　
　〃His　patron…　the　captain　in　the　painting…　didn't　like　the　attention　Rembrandt　paid　to　the　other　figures。〃　Jeff　turned　to　the　guard。　〃I　hope　this　is　well　protected。〃
　
　〃Ja；　mijnheer。　Anyone　who　tries　to　steal　anything　from　this　museum　would　have　to　get　by　electronic　beams；　security　cameras；　and；　at　night；　two　guards　with　patrol　dogs。〃
　
　Jeff　smiled　easily。　〃I　guess　this　painting　is　going　to　stay　here　forever。〃
　
　Late　that　afternoon　the　exchange　was　reported　to　Van　Duren。　〃The　Night　Watch！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Alstublieft；　impossible！〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　merely　blinked　at　him　with　his　wild；　myopic　eyes。
　
　**********
　
　At　the　Amsterdam　Convention　Center；　there　was　a　meeting　of　philatelists；　and　Tracy　and　Jeff　were　among　the　first　to　arrive。　The　hall　was　heavily　guarded；　for　many　of　the　stamps　were　priceless。　Cooper　and　a　Dutch　detective　watched　as　the　two　visitors　wandered　through　the　rare…stamp　collection。　Tracy　and　Jeff　paused　in　front　of　the　British　Guiana；　an　unattractive　magenta；　six…sided　stamp。
　
　〃What　an　ugly　stamp；〃　Tracy　observed。
　
　〃Don't　knock　it；　darling。　It's　the　only　stamp　of　its　kind　in　the　world。〃
　
　〃What's　it　worth？〃
　
　〃One　million　dollars。〃
　
　The　attendant　nodded。　〃That　is　correct；　sir。　Most　people　would　have　no　idea；　just　looking　at　it。　But　I　see　that　you；　sir；　love　these　stamps；　as　I　do。　The　history　of　the　world　is　in　them。〃
　
　Tracy　and　Jeff　moved　on　to　the　next　case　and　looked　at　an　Inverted　Jenny　stamp　that　portrayed　an　airplane　flying　upside　down。
　
　〃That's　an　interesting　one；〃　Tracy　said。
　
　The　attendant　guarding　the　stamp　case　said；　〃It's　worth…〃
　
　〃Seventy…five　thousand　dollars；〃　Jeff　remarked。
　
　〃Yes；　sir。　Exactly。〃
　
　They　moved　on　to　a　Hawaiian　Missionary　two…cent　blue。
　
　〃That's　worth　a　quarter　of　a　million　dollars；〃　Jeff　told　Tracy。
　
　Cooper　was　following　closely　behind　them　now；　mingling　with　the　crowd。
　
　Jeff　pointed　to　another　stamp。　〃Here's　a　rare　one。　The　one…pence　Mauritius　post　office。　Instead　of　'postpaid；'　some　daydreaming　engraver　printed　'post　office。'　It's　worth　a　lot　of　pence　today。〃
　
　〃They　all　seem　so　small　and　vulnerable；〃　Tracy　said；　〃and　so　easy　to　walk　away　with。〃
　
　Th