ss.iftomorrowcomes-第69部分

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the　truck　speeding　along　the　edge　of　the　canal。　〃They've　timed　the　run　to　see　how　long　if　takes　to　get　from　the　bank　to　their　barge。　Plenty　of　time　to　load　the　gold　onto　the　barge　and　be　on　their　way　before　anyone　suspects　anything　is　wrong。〃　Van　Duren　walked　over　to　the　last　photograph　on　the　wall；　an　enlarged　picture　of　a　freighter。　〃Two　days　ago　Jeff　Stevens　reserved　cargo　space　on　the　Oresta；　sailing　from　Rotterdam　next　week。　The　cargo　was　listed　as　machinery；　destination　Hong　Kong。〃
　
　He　turned　to　face　the　men　in　the　room。　〃Well；　gentlemen；　we're　making　a　slight　change　in　their　plans。　We're　going　to　let　them　remove　the　gold　bullion　from　the　bank　and　load　it　into　the　truck。〃　He　looked　at　Daniel　Cooper　and　smiled。　〃Red…handed。　We're　going　to　catch　these　clever　people　red…handed。〃
　
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　A　detective　followed　Tracy　into　the　American　Express　office；　where　she　picked　up　a　medium…sized　package；　she　returned　immediately　to　her　hotel。
　
　〃No　way　of　knowing　what　was　in　the　package；〃　Inspector　van　Duren　told　Cooper。　〃We　searched　both　their　suites　when　they　left；　and　there　was　nothing　new　in　either　of　them。〃
　
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　Interpol's　puters　were　unable　to　furnish　any　information　on　the　220…pound　Monty。
　
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　At　the　Amstel　late　Thursday　evening；　Daniel　Cooper；　Inspector　van　Duren；　and　Detective　Constable　Witkamp　were　in　the　room　above　Tracy's；　listening　to　the　voices　from　below。
　
　Jeff's　voice：　〃If　we　get　to　the　bank　exactly　thirty　minutes　before　the　guards　are　due；　that　will　give　us　plenty　of　time　to　load　the　gold　and　move　out。　By　the　time　the　real　truck　arrives；　we'll　be　stowing　the　gold　onto　the　barge。〃
　
　Tracy's　voice：　〃I've　had　the　mechanic　check　the　truck　and　fill　it　with　gas。　It's　ready。〃
　
　Detective　Constable　Witkamp　said；　〃One　must　almost　admire　them。　They　don't　leave　a　thing　to　chance。〃
　
　〃They　all　slip　up　sooner　or　later；〃　Inspector　van　Duren　said　curtly。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　was　silent；　listening。
　
　〃Tracy；　when　this　is　over；　how　would　you　like　to　go　on　that　dig　we　talked　about？〃
　
　〃Tunisia？　Sounds　like　heaven；　darling。〃
　
　〃Good。　I'll　arrange　it。　From　now　on　we'll　do　nothing　but　relax　and　enjoy　life。〃
　
　Inspector　van　Duren　murmured；　〃I'd　say　their　next　twenty　years　are　pretty　well　taken　care　of。〃　He　rose　and　stretched。　〃Well；　I　think　we　can　go　to　bed。　Everything　is　set　for　tomorrow　morning；　and　we　can　all　use　a　good　night's　sleep。〃
　
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　Daniel　Cooper　was　unable　to　sleep。　He　visualized　Tracy　being　grabbed　and　manhandled　by　the　police；　and　he　could　see　the　terror　on　her　face。　It　excited　him。　He　went　into　the　bathroom　and　ran　a　very　hot　bath。　He　removed　his　glasses；　took　off　his　pajamas；　and　lay　back　in　the　steaming　water。　It　was　almost　over；　and　she　would　pay；　as　he　had　made　other　whores　pay。　By　this　time　tomorrow　he　would　be　on　his　way　home。　No；　not　home；　Daniel　Cooper　corrected　himself。　To　my　apartment。　Home　was　a　warm；　safe　place　where　his　mother　loved　him　more　than　she　loved　anyone　else　in　the　world。
　
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　〃You're　my　little　man；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　I　would　do　without　you。〃
　
　Daniel's　father　disappeared　when　Daniel　was　four　years　old；　and　at　first　he　blamed　himself；　but　his　mother　explained　that　it　was　because　of　another　woman。　He　hated　that　other　woman；　because　she　made　his　mother　cry。　He　had　never　seen　her；　but　he　knew　she　was　a　whore　because　he　had　heard　his　mother　call　her　that。　Later；　he　was　happy　that　the　woman　had　taken　his　father　away；　for　now　he　had　his　mother　all　to　himself。　The　Minnesota　winters　were　cold；　and　Daniel's　mother　allowed　him　to　crawl　into　bed　with　her　and　snuggle　under　the　warm　blankets。
　
　〃I'm　going　to　marry　you　one　day；〃　Daniel　promised；　and　his　mother　laughed　and　stroked　his　hair。
　
　Daniel　was　always　at　the　head　of　his　class　in　school。　He　wanted　his　mother　to　be　proud　of　him。
　
　What　a　brilliant　little　boy　you　have；　Mrs。　Cooper。
　
　I　know。　No　one　is　as　clever　as　my　little　man。
　
　When　Daniel　was　seven　years　old；　his　mother　started　inviting　their　neighbor；　a　huge；　hairy　man；　over　to　their　house　for　dinner；　and　Daniel　became　ill。　He　was　in　bed　for　a　week　with　a　dangerously　high　fever；　and　his　mother　promised　she　would　never　do　that　again。　I　don't　need　anyone　in　the　world　but　you；　Daniel。
　
　No　one　could　have　been　as　happy　as　Daniel。　His　mother　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　whole　world。　When　she　was　out　of　the　house；　Daniel　would　go　into　her　bedroom　and　open　the　drawers　of　her　dresser。　He　would　take　out　her　lingerie　and　rub　the　soft　material　against　his　cheek。　They　smelled　oh；　so　wonderful。
　
　He　lay　back　in　the　warm　tub　in　the　Amsterdam　hotel；　his　eyes　closed；　remembering　the　terrible　day　of　his　mother's　murder。　It　was　on　his　twelfth　birthday。　He　was　sent　home　from　school　early　because　he　had　an　earache。　He　pretended　it　was　worse　than　it　was；　because　he　wanted　to　be　home　where　his　mother　would　soothe　him　and　put　him　into　her　bed　and　fuss　over　him。　Daniel　walked　into　the　house　and　went　to　his　mother's　bedroom；　and　she　was　lying　naked　in　their　bed；　but　she　was　not　alone。　She　was　doing　unspeakable　things　to　the　man　who　lived　next　door。　Daniel　watched　as　she　began　to　kiss　the　matted　chest　and　the　bloated　stomach；　and　her　kisses　trailed　downward　toward　the　huge　red　weapon　between　the　man's　legs。　Before　she　took　it　into　her　mouth；　Daniel　heard　his　mother　moan；　〃Oh；　I　love　you！〃
　
　And　that　was　the　most　unspeakable　thing　of　all。　Daniel　ran　to　his　bathroom　and　vomited　all　over　himself。　He　carefully　undressed　and　cleaned　himself　up　because　his　mother　had　taught　him　to　be　neat。　His　earache　was　really　bad　now。　He　heard　voices　from　the　hallway　and　listened。
　
　His　mother　was　saying；　〃You'd　better　go　now；　darling。　I've　got　to　bathe　and　get　dressed。　Daniel　will　be　home　from　school　soon。　I'm　giving　him　a　birthday　party。　I'll　see　you　tomorrow；　sweetheart。〃
　
　There　was　the　noise　of　the　front　door　closing；　and　then　the　sound　of　running　water　from　his　mother's　bathroom。　Except　that　she　was　no　longer　his　mother　She　was　a　whore　who　did　dirty　things　in　bed　with　men；　things　she　had　never　done　with　him。
　
　He　walked　into　her　bathroom；　naked；　and　she　was　in　the　tub；　her　whore's　face　smiling。　She　turned　her　head　and　saw　him　and　said；　〃Daniel；　darling！　What　are　you…？〃
　
　He　carried　a　pair　of　heavy　dressmaker's　shears　in　his　hand。
　〃Daniel…〃　Her　mouth　was　opened　into　a　pink…lined　O；　but　there　was　no　sound　until　he　made　the　first　stab　into　the　breast　of　the　stranger　in　the　tub。　He　acpanied　her　screams　with　his　own。　〃Whore！　Whore！　Whore！〃
　
　They　sang　a　deadly　duet　together；　until　finally　there　was　his　voice　alone。　〃Whore。。。　whore。。。〃
　
　He　was　spattered　all　over　with　her　blood。　He　stepped　into　her　shower　and　scrubbed　himself　until　his　skin　felt　raw。
　
　That　man　next　door　had　killed　his　mother；　and　that　man　would　have　to　pay。
　
　After　that；　everything　seemed　to　happen　with　a　supernal　clarity；　in　a　curious　kind　of　slow　motion。　Daniel　wiped　the　fingerprints　off　the　shears　with　a　washcloth　and　threw　them　into　the　bathtub。　They　clanked　dully　against　the　enamel。　He　dressed　and　telephoned　the　police。　Two　police　cars　arrived；　with　sirens　screaming；　and　then　another　car　filled　with　detectives；　and　they　asked　Daniel　questions；　and　he　told　them　how　he　had　been　sent　home　from　school　early　and　about　seeing　their　next…door　neighbor；　Fred　Zimmer；　leaving　through　the　side　door。　When　they　questioned　the　man；　he　admitted　being　the　lover　of　Daniel's　mother；　but　denied　killing　her。　It　was　Daniel's　testimony　in　court　that　convicted　Zimmer。
　
　〃When　you　arrived　home　from　school；　you　saw　your　neighbor；　Fred　Zimmer；　running　out　the　side　door？〃
　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　〃Could　you　see　him　clearly？〃
　
　〃Yes；　sir。　There　was　blood　all　over　his　hands。〃
　
　〃What　did　you　do　then；　Daniel？〃
　
　〃I…　I　was　so　scared。　I　knew　something　awful　had　happened　to　my　mother。〃
　
　〃Then　did　you　go　into　the　house？〃
　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　〃And　what　happened？〃
　
　〃I　called　out；　'Mother！'　And　she　didn't　answer；　so　I　went　into　her　bathroom　and…〃
　
　At　this　point　the　young　boy　broke　into　hysterical　sobs　and　had　to　be　led　from　the　stand。
　
　Fred　Zimmer　was　executed　thirteen　months　later。
　
　In　the　meantime　young　Daniel　had　been　sent　to　live　with　a　distant　relative　in　Texas；　Aunt　Mattie；　whom　he　had　never　met。　She　was　a　stern　woman；　a　hard…shelled　Baptist　filled　with　a　vehement　righteousness　and　the　conviction　that　hell's　fire　awaited　all　sinners。　It　was　a　house　without　love　or　joy　or　pity；　and　Daniel　grew　up　in　that　atmosphere；　terrified　by　the　secret　knowledge　of　his　guilt　and　the　damnation　that　awaited　him。　Shortly　after　his　mother's　murder　Daniel　began　to　have　trouble　with　his　vision。　The　doctors　called　the　problem　psychosomatic。
　
　〃He's　blocking　out　something　he　doesn't　want　to　see；〃　the　doctors　said。
　
　The　lenses　on　his　glasses　grew　thicker。
　
　At　seventeen　Daniel　ran　away　from　Aunt　Mattie　and　Texas　forever。　He　hitchhiked　to　New　York；　where　he　was　hired　a　messenger　boy　by　the　International　Insurance　Protection　Association。　Within　three　years　he　was　promoted　to　an　investigator。　He　became　the　best　they　had。　He　never　demanded　raise　in　salary　or　better　working　conditions。　He　was　oblivious　to　those　things。　He　was　the　Lord's　right　arm；　his　scourge；　punishing　the　wicked。
　
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　Daniel　Cooper　rose　from　his　bath　and　prepared　for　bed。　Tomorrow；　he　thought。　Tomorrow　will　be　the　whore's　day　of　retribution。
　
　He　wished　his　mother　could　be　there　to　see　it。
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　34
　
　
　
　Amsterdam
　
　FRIDAY；　AUGUST　22…　8：OO　A。M。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　and　the　two　detectives　assigned　to　the　listening　post　heard　Tracy　and　Jeff　at　breakfast。
　
　〃Sweet　roll；　Jeff？　Coffee？〃
　
　〃No；　thanks。〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　thought；　It's　the　last　breakfast　they'll　ever　have　together。
　
　〃Do　you　know　what　I'm　excited　about？　Our　barge　trip。〃
　
　〃This　is　the　big　day；　and　you're　excited　about　a　trip　on　a　barge？　Why？〃
　
　〃Because　it　will　be　just　the　two　of　us。　Do　you　think　I'm　crazy？〃
　
　〃Absolutely。　But　you're　my　crazy。〃
　
　〃Kiss。〃
　
　The　sound　of　a　kiss。
　
　She　should