ss.iftomorrowcomes-第68部分

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　At　police　headquarters　at　Elandsgracht　Inspector　van　Duren　was　spreading　out　the　rapidly　accumulating　evidence　on　the　desk　of　Chief　missioner　Toon　Willems。
　
　〃What　does　all　this　signify？〃　the　chief　missioner　asked　in　his　dry；　thin　voice。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　spoke。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　she's　planning。〃　His　voice　was　heavy　with　conviction。　〃She's　planning　to　hijack　the　gold　shipment。〃
　
　They　were　all　staring　at　him。
　
　missioner　Willems　said；　〃And　I　suppose　you　know　how　she　intends　to　acplish　this　miracle？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　He　knew　something　they　did　not　know。　He　knew　Tracy　Whitney's　heart　and　soul　and　mind。　He　had　put　himself　inside　her；　so　that　he　could　think　like　her；　plan　like　her。。。　and　anticipate　her　every　move。
　
　〃By　using　a　fake　security　truck　and　getting　to　the　bank　before　the　real　truck；　and　driving　off　with　the　bullion。〃
　
　〃That　sounds　rather　farfetched；　Mr。　Cooper。〃
　
　Inspector　van　Duren　broke　in。　〃I　don't　know　what　their　scheme　is；　but　they　are　planning　something；　Chief　missioner。　We　have　their　voices　on　tape。〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　remembered　the　other　sounds　he　had　imagined：　the　night　whispers；　the　cries　and　moans。　She　was　behaving　like　a　bitch　in　heat。　Well；　where　he　would　put　her；　no　man　would　ever　touch　her　again。
　
　The　inspector　was　saying；　〃They　learned　the　security　routine　of　the　bank。　They　know　what　time　the　armored　truck　makes　its　pickup　and…〃
　
　The　chief　missioner　was　studying　the　report　in　front　of　him。　〃Lovebirds；　a　pigeon；　goldfish；　a　canary…　do　you　think　any　of　this　nonsense　has　something　to　do　with　the　robbery？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Van　Duren　said。
　
　〃Yes；〃　Cooper　said。
　
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　Constable　First…Class　Fien　Hauer；　dressed　in　an　aqua　polyester　slack　suit；　trailed　Tracy　Whitney　down　Prinsengracht；　across　the　Magere　Bridge；　and　when　Tracy　reached　the　other　side　of　the　canal；　Fien　Hauer　looked　on　in　frustration　as　Tracy　stepped　into　a　public　telephone　booth　and　spoke　into　the　phone　for　five　minutes。　The　constable　would　have　been　just　as　unenlightened　if　she　could　have　heard　the　conversation。
　
　Gunther　Hartog；　in　London；　was　saying；　〃We　can　depend　on　Margo；　but　she'll　need　time…　at　least　two　more　weeks。〃　He　listened　a　moment。　〃I　understand。　When　everything　is　ready；　I　will　get　in　touch　with　you。　Be　careful。　And　give　my　regards　to　Jeff。〃
　
　Tracy　replaced　the　receiver　and　stepped　out　of　the　booth。　She　gave　a　friendly　nod　to　the　woman　in　the　aqua　pantsuit　who　stood　waiting　to　use　the　telephone。
　
　At　11：00　the　following　morning　a　detective　reported　to　Inspector　van　Duren；　〃I'm　at　the　Wolters　Truck　Rental　pany；　Inspector。　Jeff　Stevens　has　just　rented　a　truck　from　them。〃
　
　〃What　kind　of　truck？〃
　
　〃A　service　truck；　Inspector。〃
　
　〃Get　the　dimensions。　I'll　hold　on。〃
　
　A　few　minutes　later　the　detective　was　back　on　the　phone。　〃I　have　them。　The　truck　is…〃
　
　Inspector　van　Duren　said；　〃A　step　van；　twenty　feet　long；　seven　feet　wide；　six　feet　high；　dual　axles。〃
　
　There　was　an　astonished　pause。　〃Yes；　Inspector。　How　did　you　know？〃
　
　〃Never　mind。　What　color　is　it？〃
　
　〃Blue。〃
　
　〃Who's　following　Stevens？〃
　
　〃Jacobs。〃
　
　〃Goed。　Report　back　here。〃
　
　Joop　van　Duren　replaced　the　receiver。　He　looked　up　at　Daniel　Cooper。　〃You　were　right。　Except　that　the　van　is　blue。〃
　
　〃He'll　take　it　to　an　auto　paint　shop。〃
　
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　The　paint　shop　was　located　in　a　garage　on　the　Damrak。　Two　men　sprayed　the　truck　a　gun…metal　gray；　while　Jeff　stood　by。　On　the　roof　of　the　garage　a　detective　shot　photographs　through　the　skylight。
　
　The　pictures　were　on　Inspector　van　Duren's　desk　one　hour　later。
　
　He　shoved　them　toward　Daniel　Cooper。　〃It's　being　painted　the　identical　color　of　the　real　security　truck。　We　could　pick　them　up　now；　you　know。〃
　
　〃On　what　charges？　Having　some　false　business　cards　printed　and　painting　a　truck？　The　only　way　to　make　the　charges　stick　is　to　catch　them　when　they　pick　up　the　bullion。〃
　
　The　little　prick　acts　like　he's　running　the　department。　〃What　do　you　think　he'll　do　next？〃
　
　Cooper　was　carefully　studying　the　photograph。　〃This　truck　won't　take　the　weight　of　the　gold。　They'll　have　to　reinforce　the　floorboards。〃
　
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　It　was　a　small；　out…of…the…way　garage　on　Muider　Straat。
　
　〃Goede　morgen；　mijnheer。　How　may　I　serve　you？〃
　
　〃I'm　going　to　be　carrying　some　scrap　iron　in　this　truck；〃　Jeff　explained；　〃and　I'm　not　sure　the　floorboards　are　strong　enough　to　take　the　weight。　I'd　like　them　reinforced　with　metal　braces。　Can　you　do　that？〃
　
　The　mechanic　walked　over　to　the　truck　and　examined　it。　〃Ja。　No　problem。〃
　
　〃Good。〃
　
　〃I　can　have　it　ready　vrijdag…　Friday。〃
　
　〃I　was　hoping　to　have　it　tomorrow。〃
　
　〃Morgen？　Nee。　Ik…〃
　
　〃I'll　pay　you　double。〃
　
　〃Donderdag…　Thursday。〃
　
　〃Tomorrow。　I'll　pay　you　triple。〃
　
　The　mechanic　scratched　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃What　time　tomorrow？〃
　
　〃Noon。〃
　
　〃Ja。　Okay。〃
　
　〃Dank　je　wel。〃
　
　〃Tot　uw　dienst。〃
　
　Moments　after　Jeff　left　the　garage　a　detective　was　interrogating　the　mechanic。
　
　On　the　same　morning　the　team　of　surveillance　experts　assigned　to　Tracy　followed　her　to　the　Oude　Schans　Canal；　where　she　spent　half　an　hour　in　conversation　with　the　owner　of　a　barge。　When　Tracy　left；　one　of　the　detectives　stepped　aboard　the　barge。　He　identified　himself　to　the　owner；　who　was　sipping　a　large　bessenjenever；　the　potent　red…currant　gin。　〃What　did　the　young　lady　want？〃
　
　〃She　and　her　husband　are　going　to　take　a　tour　of　the　canals。　She's　rented　my　barge　for　a　week。〃
　
　〃Beginning　when？〃
　
　〃Friday。　It's　a　beautiful　vacation；　mijnheer。　If　you　and　your　wife　would　be　interested　in…〃
　
　The　detective　was　gone。
　
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　The　pigeon　Tracy　had　ordered　from　the　pet　shop　was　delivered　to　her　hotel　in　a　birdcage。　Daniel　Cooper　returned　to　the　pet　shop　and　questioned　the　owner。
　
　〃What　kind　of　pigeon　did　you　send　her？〃
　
　〃Oh；　you　know；　an　ordinary　pigeon。〃
　
　〃Are　you　sure　it's　not　a　homing　pigeon？〃
　
　〃No。〃　The　man　giggled。　〃The　reason　I　know　it's　not　a　homing　pigeon　is　because　I　caught　it　last　night　in　Vondelpark。〃
　
　A　thousand　pounds　of　gold　and　an　ordinary　pigeon？　Why？　Daniel　Cooper　wondered。
　
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　Five　days　before　the　transfer　of　bullion　from　the　Amro　Bank　was　to　take　place；　a　large　pile　of　photographs　had　accumulated　on　Inspector　Joop　van　Duren's　desk。
　
　Each　picture　is　a　link　in　the　chain　that　is　going　to　trap　her；　Daniel　Cooper　thought。　The　Amsterdam　police　had　no　imagination。　but　Cooper　had　to　give　them　credit　for　being　thorough。　Every　step　leading　to　the　forthing　crime　was　photographed　and　documented。　There　was　no　way　Tracy　Whitney　could　escape　justice。
　
　Her　punishment　will　be　my　redemption。
　
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　On　the　day　Jeff　picked　up　the　newly　painted　truck　he　drove　it　to　a　small　garage　he　had　rented　near　the　Oude　Zijds　Kolk；　the　oldest　part　of　Amsterdam。　Six　empty　wooden　boxes　stamped　MACHINERY　were　also　delivered　to　the　garage。
　
　A　photograph　of　the　boxes　lay　on　Inspector　van　Duren's　desk　as　he　listened　to　the　latest　tape。
　
　Jeff's　voice：　〃When　you　drive　the　truck　from　the　bank　to　the　barge；　stay　within　the　speed　limit。　I　want　to　know　exactly　how　long　the　trip　takes。　Here's　a　stopwatch。〃
　
　〃Aren't　you　ing　with　me；　darling？〃
　
　〃No。　I'm　going　to　be　busy。〃
　
　〃What　about　Monty？〃
　
　〃He'll　arrive　Thursday　night。〃
　
　〃Who　is　this　Monty？〃　Inspector　van　Duren　asked。
　
　〃He's　probably　the　man　who's　going　to　pose　as　the　second　security　guard；〃　Cooper　said。　〃They're　going　to　need　uniforms。〃
　
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　The　costume　store　was　on　Pieter　Cornelisz　Hooft　Straat；　in　a　shopping　center。
　
　〃I　need　two　uniforms　for　a　costume　party；〃　Jeff　explained　to　the　clerk。　〃Similar　to　the　one　you　have　in　the　window。〃
　
　One　hour　later　Inspector　van　Duren　was　looking　at　a　photograph　of　a　guard's　uniform。
　
　〃He　ordered　two　of　these。　He　told　the　clerk　he　would　pick　them　up　Thursday。〃
　
　The　size　of　the　second　uniform　indicated　that　it　was　for　a　man　much　larger　than　Jeff　Stevens。　The　inspector　said；　〃Our　friend　Monty　would　be　about　six…three　and　weigh　around　two　hundred　twenty　pounds。　We'll　have　Interpol　put　that　through　their　puters；〃　he　assured　Daniel　Cooper；　〃and　we'll　get　an　identification　on　him。〃
　
　In　the　private　garage　Jeff　had　rented；　he　was　perched　on　top　of　the　truck；　and　Tracy　was　in　the　driver's　seat。
　
　〃Are　you　ready？〃　Jeff　called。　〃Now。〃
　
　Tracy　pressed　a　button　on　the　dashboard。　A　large　piece　of　canvas　rolled　down　each　side　of　the　truck；　spelling　out　HEINEKEN　HOLLAND　BEER。
　
　〃It　works！〃　Jeff　cheered。
　
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　'Heineken　beer？　Alstublieft！〃　Inspector　van　Duren　looked　around　at　the　detectives　gathered　in　his　office。　A　series　of　blown…up　photographs　and　memos　were　tacked　all　around　the　walls。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　sat　in　the　back　of　the　room；　silent。　As　far　as　Cooper　was　concerned；　this　meeting　was　a　waste　of　time。　He　had　long　since　anticipated　every　move　Tracy　Whitney　and　her　lover　would　make。　They　had　walked　into　a　trap；　and　the　trap　was　closing　in　on　them。　While　the　detectives　in　the　office　were　filled　with　a　growing　excitement；　Cooper　felt　an　odd　sense　of　anticlimax。
　
　〃All　the　pieces　have　fallen　into　place；〃　Inspector　van　Duren　was　saying。　〃The　suspects　know　what　time　the　real　armored　truck　is　due　at　the　bank。　They　plan　to　arrive　about　half　an　hour　earlier；　posing　as　security　guards。　By　the　time　the　real　truck　arrives；　they'll　be　gone。〃　Van　Duren　pointed　to　the　photograph　of　an　armored　car。　〃They　will　drive　away　from　the　bank　looking　like　this；　but　a　block　away；　on　some　side　street〃…　he　indicated　the　Heineken　beer　truck　photograph…　〃the　truck　will　suddenly　look　like　this。〃
　
　A　detective　from　the　back　of　the　room　spoke　up。　〃Do　you　know　how　they　plan　to　get　the　gold　out　of　the　country；　Inspector？〃
　
　Van　Duren　pointed　to　a　picture　of　Tracy　stepping　onto　the　barge。　〃First；　by　barge。　Holland　is　so　crisscrossed　with　canals　and　waterways　that　they　could　lose　themselves　indefinitely。〃　He　indicated　an　aerial　photograph　of　the　truck　speeding　along　the　edge　of　the　canal。　〃They've