dwestlake.bankshot-第11部分

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nd　nothing　at　all　interesting；　and　finally　settled　for　a　copy　of　　Gourmet。　He　sat　down　with　it　near　Kelp；　browsed　along；　and　after　a　while　　noticed　that　the　word　〃redolent〃　appeared　on　every　page。　He　staved　of　　boredom　by　watching　for　its　reappearances。
　　But　mostly　he　thought　about　the　robbery　and　what　he　and　Kelp　were　doing　　here。　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　big…scale　robbers　had　to　be　financed；　　just　like　anybody　else；　but　of　course　they　did。　The　preparation　of　a　robbery　　involved　all　sorts　of　expenses；　and　somebody　had　to　foot　the　bill。　Victor　had　　eagerly　asked　Kelp　a　thousand　questions　about　that　facet　of　the　operation　and　　had　learned　that　sometimes　a　member　of　the　robbery　team　did　the　financing；　in　　return　for　a　larger　share　of　the　profit；　but　that　more　often　the　financing　was　done　　by　outsiders；　who　put　up　the　money　for　a　guarantee　of　100　percent　profit；　two　　dollars　for　every　one；　should　the　robbery　turn　out　to　he　successful。　If　the　　robbery　failed；　of　course；　the　financier　got　nothing。
　　〃Mostly　what　we　get；〃　Kelp　had　said；　〃is　undeclared　ine。　Doctors　are　the　　best；　but　florists　are　pretty　good；　too。　Anybody　whose　line　lets　them　keep　some　　cash　that　they　don't　tell　the　Feds　about。　You'd　be　surprised　how　many　　greenbacks　there　are　in　safe…deposit　boxes　around　the　country。　They're　saving　　the　money　for　when　they　retire。　They　can't　really　spend　it　now；　for　fear　the　　ine…tax　people　will　get　after　them。　They　can't　invest　it　anyplace　legal　for　the　　same　reason。　So　it　just　sits　there；　not　earning　any　interest；　getting　eaten　up　by　　inflation；　and　they　look　around　for　some　way　to　put　it　to　work。　They'll　go　for　a　　high　risk　if　they　can　get　a　shot　at　a　high　return。　And　if　they　can　be　a　silent　　partner。〃
　　〃That's　fascinating；〃　'Victor　had　said　raptly。
　　〃I　like　doctors　best；〃　Kelp　had　said。　〃I　don't　know　why；　I've　just　got　a　thing　　about　doctors。　I　use　their　cars；　I　use　their　money。　They've　never　let　me　down　　yet。　You　can　trust　doctors。〃
　　They　spent　half　an　hour　now　in　this　particular　doctor's　waiting　room。　The　stout　　lady　was　called　in　by　the　nurse　after　a　while　and　never　returned。　Nor　did　any　　other　patient　e　out。　Victor　wondered　about　that；　but　later　on　discovered　the　　doctor　had　a　different　exit；　another　door　that　led　back　to　the　elevator。
　　Finally　the　nurse　came　back；　saying；　〃Doctor　will　see　you　now。〃　Kelp　　followed　the　nurse；　and　Victor　followed　Kelp；　and　they　all　went　down　a　hall　to　　an　examining　room…white　cabinets；　black　leatherette　examination　table。　　〃Doctor　will　be　right　with　you；〃　the　nurse　said；　and　shut　the　door　behind　her　　when　she　left。
　　Kelp　sat　down　on　the　examination　table　and　let　his　feet　dangle。　〃Now；　let　me　　do　the　talking。〃
　　〃Oh；　sure；〃　Victor　said　reassuringly。　He　wandered　around　the　room；　reading　　the　charts　and　the　labels　on　the　bottles；　until　the　door　opened　again　and　the　　doctor　came　in。
　　〃Doctor　Osbertson；〃　said　Kelp；　getting　to　his　feet。　〃This　is　my　nephew；　　Victor。　He's　okay。〃
　　Victor　smiled　at　Dr。　Osbertson。　The　doctor　was　fiftyish；　distinguished…looking；　　well　padded　and　irritable。　He　had　the　round　face　of　a　sulky　baby；　and　he　said；　　〃I'm　not　sure　I　want　to　be　involved　in　this　sort　of　thing　any　more。〃
　　Kelp　said；　〃Well；　that's　up　to　you。　It　looks　like　a　good　one；　though。〃
　　〃The　way　the　market's　been　。　。　。〃　He　looked　around；　as　though　he'd　never　　seen　his　own　examining　room　before　and　didn't　much　like　it。　〃There's　no　place　　to　sit　in　here；〃　he　said。　〃e　with　me。〃
　　They　followed　him　part　way　back　along　the　same　hall　and　into　a　small　wood…
　　paneled　office　with　two　maroon　chairs　facing　the　desk。　All　three　sat　down；　and　　the　doctor　leaned　back　in　his　swivel　chair；　frowning　in　discontent。　〃I　took　a　　couple　of　headers　in　the　market；〃　he　said。　〃Take　my　advice。　Never　listen　to　a　　stock　tip　from　a　terminal　case。　What　if　he　turns　out　to　be　wrong？〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　guess　so；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃Then　my　car　was　stolen。〃
　　Victor　looked　at　Kelp；　who　was　facing　the　doctor；　his　expression　showing　　sympathetic　interest。　〃is　that　right？〃
　　〃Just　the　other　day。　Kids；　joy…riding。　Managed　to　get　into　a　rear…end　collision　　somehow。〃
　　〃Kids；　huh？　Did　they　get　them？〃
　　〃The　police？〃　The　doctor's　sullen　baby　face　made　a　grimacing　smile；　as　　though　he　had　gas。　〃Don't　make　me　laugh。　They　never　get　anybody。〃
　　〃Let's　hope　not；〃　Kelp　said。　〃But　about　our　proposition。〃
　　〃Then　I　had　to　buy　some　letters　back。〃　The　doctor　waggled　his　hands；　as　　though　to　minimize　what　he　was　saying。　〃Ex…patient；〃　he　said。　〃Didn't　mean　a　　thing；　of　course；　just　consolation　in　her　grief。〃
　　〃The　terminal　tipper's　wife？〃
　　〃What？　No；　I　never　wrote　her　anything；　thank　God。　This　one　。　。　。　Well；　it　　doesn't　matter。　Expenses　have　been　high。　That　car　business　was　the　last　straw。〃
　　〃Did　you　leave　the　keys　in　it？〃
　　〃Of　course　not。〃　He　sat　up　straight　to　show　how　indignant　he　was。
　　〃But　you're　insured；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃You　never　recover　all　your　costs；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃Traveling　by　cab；　　making　phone　calls；　getting　estimates　。　I'm　a　busy　man。　I　don't　have　time　for　all　　this。　And　now　you　people。　What　if　you're　caught？〃
　　〃We'll　do　our　best　to　avoid　that。〃
　　〃But　what　if　you　are？　Then　I'm　out…how　much　do　you　want？〃
　　〃We　figure　four　thousand。〃
　　The　doctor　pursed　his　lips。　He　looked　now　like　a　baby　who'd　just　had　his　　pacifier　plucked　from　him。　〃A　lot　of　money；〃　he　said。
　　〃Eight　thousand　back。〃
　　〃If　it　works。〃
　　〃This　is　a　good　one；〃　Kelp　said。　〃You　know　I　can't　tell　you　the　details；　but…〃
　　The　doctor　flung　up　his　hands　as　though　to　ward　oft　an　avalanche。　〃Don't　tell　　me。　I　don't　want　to　know！　I　won't　be　an　accessory！〃
　　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said。　〃I　know　how　you　feel。　Anyway；　we　think　of　this　one　as　　being　a　really　sure　thing。　Money　in　the　bank；　you　might　say。〃
　　The　doctor　rested　his　palms　on　his　green　blotter。　〃Four　thousand；　you　say。〃
　　〃There　might　be　a　little　more。　I　don't　think　so。〃
　　〃You're　getting　the　whole　thing　from　me？〃
　　〃If　we　can。〃
　　〃This　recession　。　。　。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃People　don't　e　around　for　　every　little　thing　any　more。　When　I　see　a　patient　in　the　waiting　room　these　days；　I　　know　that　patient　is　sick。　Drug　panies　getting　a　little　stingier；　too。　Had　to　dip　　into　capital　just　the　other　week。〃
　　〃That's　a　shame；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃Diet　foods；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃There's　another　problem。　Used　to　be；　I　could　　count　on　gastritis　from　overeating　for　a　good　thirty　percent　of　my　ine。　Now　　everybody's　on　diets。　How　do　they　expect　a　doctor　to　make　ends　meet？〃
　　〃Things　sure　can　get　rough；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃And　now　they're　giving　up　cigarettes。　The　lungs　have　been　a　gold　mine　for　　me　for　years。　But　not　any　more。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know　what　　medicine　is　ing　to；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　had　a　son　entering　college　today；　and　he　　asked　me　if　I　wanted　him　to　follow　in　my　footsteps；　I'd　say；　'No；　son。　I　want　　you　to　be　a　tax　accountant。　That's　the　wave　of　the　future；　you　ride　it。　It's　too　　late　for　me。'　That's　what　I'd　tell　him。〃
　　〃Good　advice；〃　Kelp　said。
　　The　doctor　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃Four　thousand；〃　he　said。
　　〃That　should　do　it；　yes。〃
　　〃All　right。〃　He　sighed　and　got　to　his　feet。　〃Wait　here。　I'll　get　it　for　you。〃
　　He　left　the　room；　and　Kelp　turned　to　Victor　to　say；　〃He　left　the　keys　in　it。〃
　　
　　
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　　DORTMUNDER　at　the　movies　was　like　a　rock　on　the　beach；　the　story　kept　　washing　over　him；　in　wave　after　wave；　but　never　had　any　effect。　This　one；　called　　Murphy's　Madrigal；　had　been　advertised　as　a　tragic　farce　and　gave　the　　audience　an　opportunity　to　try　out　every　emotion　known　to　the　human　brain。　　Pratfalls；　crippled　children；　Nazis；　doomed　lovers；　you　never　knew　what　was　　going　to　happen　next。
　　And　Dortmunder　just　sat　there。　Beside　him　May　roared　with　laughter；　she　　sobbed；　she　growled　with　rage；　she　clutched　his　arm　and　cried；　〃Oh！〃　And　　Dortmunder　just　sat　there。
　　When　they　got　out　of　the　movie　it　was　ten　to　eight；　so　they　had　time　to　get　a　　hero。　They　went　to　a　Blimpie　and　May　treated；　and　when　they　were　sitting　　together　at　a　table　with　their　sandwiches　under　the　bright　lights　she　said；　〃You　　didn't　like　it。〃
　　〃Sure　I　did；〃　he　said。　He　pushed　bread　and　sauerkraut　in　his　mouth　with　his　　finger。
　　〃You　just　sat　there。〃
　　〃I　liked　it；〃　he　said。　Going　to　the　movies　had　been　her　idea；　he'd　spent　most　　of　the　time　in　the　theater　thinking　about　that　mobile　home　bank　out　on　Long　　Island　and　how　to　take　it　away。
　　〃Tell　me　what　you　liked　about　it。〃
　　He　thought　hard；　trying　to　remember　something　he'd　seen。　〃The　color；〃　he　　said。
　　〃A　part　of　the　movie。〃
　　She　was　really　getting　irritated　now；　which　he　didn't　want　to　happen。　He　　struggled　and　came　up　with　a　memory。　〃The　elevator　bit；〃　he　said。　The　director　　of　the　movie　had　tied　a　strong　elastic　around　a　camera　and　dropped　the　camera　　down　a　brightly　lighted　elevator　shaft。　The　thing　had　recoiled　just　before　hitting　　bottom　and　had　bounced　up　and　down　for　quite　a　while　before　ing　to　rest。　　The　whole　sequence；　forty…three　seconds　of　it；　was　run　without　a　break　in　the　　movie；　and　audiences　had　been　known　to　throw　up　en　masse　at　that　point　in　the　　picture。　Everybody　agreed　it　was　great；　the　high　point　of　film　art　up　to　this　time。
　　May　smiled。　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　〃That　was　good；　wasn't　it？〃
　　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　He　looked　at　his　watch。
　　〃You　got　time。　Eight…thirty；　right？〃
　　〃Right。〃
　　〃How　does　it　look？〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃Possible。　Crazy；　but　possible。〃　Then；　to　keep　her　from　going　　back　to　the　subject　of　the　movie　and　asking　him　more　questions　about　it；　he　　said；　〃There's　still　a　lot　of　things　to　work　out。　But　we　maybe　got　a　lockman。〃
　　〃That's　good。〃
　　〃We　still　don't　have　anyplace　to　take　it。〃
　　〃You'll　find　a　place。〃
　　〃It's　pretty　big；〃　he　said。
　　〃So's　the　world。〃
　　He　looked　at　her；　not　sure　she'd　just　said　something　sensible；　but　decided　to　　let　it　go。　〃There's　also　financing；〃　he　said。
　　〃Is　that　going　to　be　a　problem？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　Kelp　saw　somebody　today。〃　He　hadn't　known　May　very　　long；　so　this　was　the　first　time　she'd　watched　him　put　together　a　piece　of　work；　　but　he　had　a　feeling　with　her　as　though　she　just　naturally　understood　the　situation。　　He　never　gave　her　a　lot　of　background　explanations；　and　she　didn't　seem　to　　need　any