dwestlake.bankshot-第13部分

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　　〃I　was　just　wondering　what　your　experience　is。〃
　　Herman's　grin　broadened　into　a　smile。　〃Well；　now；〃　he　said。　〃One　doesn't　　like　to　talk　about　one's　experiences　in　front　of　a　whole　room　of　witnesses。〃
　　Kelp　said；　〃Everybody's　okay　in　here。　But；　Dortmunder；　Herman　really　does　　know　his　business。〃
　　Dortmunder　continued　to　frown　at　Herman。　It　seemed　to　him　there　was　　something　of　the　dilettante　about　this　guy。　Your　ordinary　run…of…the…mill　heavy　　could　be　a　dilettante；　hut　a　lockman　was　supposed　to　be　serious；　he　was　　supposed　to　be　a　man　with　a　craft；　with　expertise。
　　Herman　glanced　around　the　table　with　an　ironic　smile；　then　shrugged；　sipped　　at　his　drink　and　said；　〃Well；　last　night　I　helped　take　away　the　Justice　receipts。〃
　　Victor；　looking　startled；　said；　〃From　the　Bureau？〃
　　Herman　looked　baffled。　〃From　the　bureau？　It　was　on　tables；　they　were　　counting　it。〃
　　Kelp　said；　〃That　was　you？　I　read　about　that　in　the　paper。〃
　　So　had　Dortmunder。　He　said；　〃What　locks　did　you　open？〃
　　〃None；〃　Herman　said。　〃It　wasn't　that　kind　of　a　job。〃
　　Victor；　still　trying　to　work　it　all　out；　said；　〃You　mean　down　at　Foley　Square？〃
　　This　time；　Herman's　frown　was　deep　and　somewhat　hostile。　〃Well；　the　FBI　is　　down　there；〃　he　said。
　　〃The　Bureau；〃　said　Victor。
　　Kelp　said；　〃Later；　Victor。　You're　confused。〃
　　〃They　don't　have　any　receipts　at　the　Bureau；〃　Victor　said。　〃I　should　know。　I　　was　an　agent　for　twenty…one　months。〃
　　Herman　was　on　his　feet；　the　chair　tipping　over　behind　him。　〃What's　going　on　　here？〃
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　Kelp　said；　fast　and　soothing。　He　patted　the　air　in　a　gesture　of　　reassurance。　〃It's　all　right。　They　fired　him。〃
　　Herman；　in　his　mistrust；　was　trying　to　look　in　seven　directions　at　once；　his　eyes　　kept　almost　crossing。　〃If　this　is　entrapment…〃　he　said。
　　〃They　fired　him；〃　Kelp　insisted。　〃Didn't　they；　Victor？〃
　　〃Well；〃　Victor　said；　〃we　sort　of　agreed　to　disagree。　I　wasn't　exactly　fired　　precisely；　not　exactly。〃
　　Herman　had　focused　on　Victor　again；　and　now　he　said；　〃You　mean　it　was　　political？〃
　　Before　Victor　could　answer；　Kelp　said　smoothly；　〃Something　like　that。　Yeah；　　it　was　political；　wasn't　it；　Victor？〃
　　〃Uh。　Sure；　yeah。　You　could　call　it　。　。　。　I　guess　you　could　call　it　that。〃
　　Herman　shrugged　his　shoulders　inside　his　sports　jacket；　to　adjust　it。　Then　he　　sat　down　again　with　a　relieved　smile；　saying；　〃You　had　me　going　there　for　a　　minute。〃
　　Dortmunder　had　learned　patience　at　great　cost。　The　trial　and　error　of　life　　among　human　beings　had　taught　him　that　whenever　a　bunch　of　them　began　to　　jump　up　and　down　and　shout　at　cross…purposes；　the　only　thing　a　sane　man　could　　do　was　sit　back　and　let　them　sort　it　out　for　themselves。　No　matter　how　long　it　　took。　The　alternative　was　to　try　to　attract　their　attention；　either　with　explanations　　of　the　misunderstanding　or　with　a　return　to　the　original　topic　of　conversation；　and　　to　make　that　attempt　meant　that　sooner　or　later　you　too　would　be　jumping　up　　and　down　and　shouting　at　cross…purposes。　Patience；　patience；　at　the　very　worst；　　they　would　finally　wear　themselves　out。
　　Now；　he　looked　around　the　table　at　everybody　smiling　in　new　　prehension…Murch　was　salting　his　beer　again…　and　then　he　said；　〃What　　we　had　in　mind　for　this　job　was　a　lockman。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　am；〃　Herman　said。　〃Last　night；　I　was　just　filling　in。　You　know；　　helping　out。　Usually　I'm　a　lockman。〃
　　〃For　instance。〃
　　〃For　instance　the　People's　Co…operative　Supermarket　on　Sutter　Avenue　　about　three　weeks　ago。　The　Lenox　Avenue　office　of　the　Tender　Loving　Care　　Loan　pany　a　couple　weeks　before　that。　Smilin　Sam　Tahachapee's　safe　in　　the　horse　room　behind　the　Fifth　of　November　Bar　and　Grill　on　Linden　　Boulevard　two　days　before　that。　The　Balmy　Breeze　Hotel　safe　in　Atlantic　City　　during　the　Retired　Congressmen's　Convention　the　week　before　that。　The　Open　　Hand　Check　Cashing　Agency　on　Jerome　Avenue　the…〃
　　〃You　don't　need　work；〃　Kelp　said。　He　sounded　awed。　〃You　got　all　the　work　　you　can　handle。〃
　　〃Not　to　mention　money；〃　Murch　said。
　　Herman　shook　his　head　with　a　bitter　smile。　〃The　fact　is；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　broke。　　I　really　need　a　score。〃
　　Dortmunder　said；　〃You　must　run　through　it　pretty　quick。〃
　　〃Those　are　Movement　jobs；〃　Herman　said。　〃I　don't　get　to　keep　any　of　it。〃
　　This　time　Victor　was　the　only　one　who　understood。　〃Ah；〃　he　said。　〃You're　　helping　to　finance　their　schemes。〃
　　〃Like　the　free…lunch　program；〃　Herman　said。
　　Kelp　said；　〃Wait　a　minute。　These　are　Movement　jobs；　so　you　don't　get　to　　keep　the　money。　What　does　that　mean　exactly？　Movement　jobs。　You　mean　　they're　like　for　practice？　You　send　the　money　back？〃
　　Victor　said；　〃He　gives　the　money　to　the　organization　he　belongs　to。〃　Mildly；　　he　said　to　Herman；　〃Which　movement　do　you　belong　to；　exactly？〃
　　〃One　of　them；〃　Herman　said。　To　Kelp　he　said；　〃I　don't　set　any　of　those　things　　up。　These　people　that　I　believe　in…〃　with　a　glance　at　Victor…〃that　your　　nephew　would　know　about；　they　set　them　up；　and　they　put　together　the　group　　that　does　the　job。　What　we　say　is；　we're　liberating　the　money。〃
　　〃I　think　of　it　the　other　way　around；〃　Kelp　said。　〃I　think　of　it　that　I'm　capturing　　the　money。〃
　　Dortmunder　said；　〃What　was　the　last　job　you　did　on　your　own？　Where　you　　got　to　keep　the　loot？〃
　　〃About　a　year　ago；〃　Herman　said。　〃A　bank　in　St。　Louis。〃
　　〃Who'd　you　work　with？〃
　　〃Stan　Devers　and　Mort　Kobler。　George　Cathcart　drove。〃
　　〃I　know　George；〃　Kelp　said。
　　Dortmunder　knew　Kobler。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。
　　〃Now；〃　Herman　said；　〃let's　talk　about　you　boys。　Not　what　you've　done；　I'll　　take　Kelp's　word　for　that。　What　you　want　to　do。〃
　　Dortmunder　took　a　deep　breath。　He　wasn't　happy　about　this　moment。　　〃We're　going　to　steal　a　bank；〃　he　said。
　　Herman　looked　puzzled。　〃Rob　a　bank？〃
　　〃Steal　a　bank。〃　To　Kelp　he　said；　〃You　tell　him。〃
　　Kelp　told　him。　At　first　Herman　sort　of　grinned；　as　though　waiting　for　the　punch　　line。　Then；　for　a　while；　he　frowned；　as　though　suspecting　he　was　surrounded　by　　mental　cases。　And　finally　he　looked　interested；　as　though　the　idea　had　caught　his　　fancy。　At　the　end　he　said；　〃S0　I　can　take　my　time。　I　can　even　work　in　daylight　if　　I　want。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said。
　　Herman　nodded。　He　looked　at　Dortmunder　and　said；　〃Why　is　it　still　just　a　　maybe？〃
　　〃We　don't　have　any　place　to　put　it；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Also；　we　have　to　get　　wheels　for　it。〃
　　〃I'm　working　on　that；〃　Murch　said。　〃But　I　may　need　some　help。〃
　　〃A　whole　bank；〃　Herman　said。　He　beamed。　〃We're　gonna　liberate　a　whole　　bank。〃
　　Kelp　said；　〃We're　gonna　capture　a　whole　bank。〃
　　〃It　es　to　the　same　thing；〃　Herman　told　him。　〃Believe　me；　it　es　to　the　　same　thing。〃
　　
　　
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　　MURCH'S　Mom　stood　smiling　and　blinking　in　the　sunlight　in　front　of　　Kresge's　holding　her　purse　strap　with　both　hands；　arms　extended　down　and　in　　front　of　her　so　that　the　purse　dangled　at　her　knees。　She　was　wearing　a　dress　　with　horizontal　green　and　yellow　stripes　which　did　nothing　to　improve　her　figure；　　and　below　that　yellow　vinyl　boots　with　green　laces　all　the　way　up。　Above　the　　dress　she　wore　her　neck　brace。　The　purse　was　an　ordinary　beige　leather　affair；　　which　went　much　better　with　the　neck　brace　than　with　the　dress　and　boots。
　　Standing　next　to　a　parking　meter；　peering　at　Murch's　Mom's　image　in　an　　Instamatic　camera；　was　May；　dressed　in　her　usual　fashion。　The　original　idea　was　　that　May　would　be　the　one　in　the　fancy　clothes　and　Murch's　Mom　would　take　　the　pictures；　but　May　had　absolutely　refused　to　buy　the　kind　of　dress　and　boots　　Dortmunder　had　in　mind。　It　also　turned　out　that　Murch's　Mom　was　one　of　those　　people　who　always　take　pictures　low　and　to　the　left　of　what　they　were　aiming　at。　　So　the　roles　had　been　reversed。
　　May　kept　frowning　into　the　camera；　apparently　never　being　quite　content　with　　what　she　saw…which　was　perfectly　understandable。　Shoppers　would　e　　along　the　sidewalk；　see　Murch's　Mom　posing　there；　see　May　with　the　camera；　　and　would　pause　a　second；　not　wanting　to　louse　up　the　picture。　But　then　nothing　　would　happen　except　that　May　would　frown　some　more　and　maybe　take　a　step　　to　the　left　or　right；　so　the　shoppers　would　all　finally　murmur；　〃Excuse　me；〃　or　　something　like　that；　and　duck　on　by。
　　At　last　May　looked　up　from　the　camera　and　shook　her　head；　saying；　〃The　　light's　no　good　here。　Let's　try　farther　down　the　block。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Murch's　Mom。　She　and　May　started　down　the　sidewalk　　together；　and　Murch's　Mom　said　under　her　breath；　〃I　feel　like　a　damn　fool　in　　this　get…up。〃
　　〃You　look　real　nice；〃　May　said。
　　〃I　know　what　I　look　like；〃　Murch's　Mom　said　grimly。　〃I　look　like　the　Good　　Humor　flavor　of　the　month。　Lemon　pistachio。〃
　　〃Let's　try　here；〃　May　said。　Coincidentally；　they　were　in　front　of　the　bank。
　　〃Okay；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　　〃You　stand　against　the　wall　in　the　sunlight；〃　May　said。
　　〃Okay。〃
　　Murch's　Mom　backed　up　slowly　across　the　brick　rubble　toward　the　trailer；　　and　May　backed　up　against　the　car　parked　there。　This　time；　Murch's　Mom　held　　the　purse　at　her　side；　and　her　back　was　against　the　trailer　wall。　May　took　a　fast　　picture；　then　stepped　forward　two　paces　and　took　a　second　one。　With　the　third；　　she　was　at　the　inner　edge　of　the　sidewalk…too　close　to　get　all　of　Murch's　Mom　　in　the　picture　and　with　the　camera　angled　too　low　to　include　her　head。
　　〃There；〃　May　said。　〃I　think　that's　got　it。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　dear；〃　Murch's　Mom　said；　smiling；　and　the　two　ladies　walked　　around　the　block。
　　
　　
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　　DORTMUNDER　and　Kelp　quartered　around　the　remoter　bits　of　Long　Island　　like　a　bird　dog　who's　lost　his　bird。　Today's　car　was　an　orange　Datsun　40Z　with　　the　usual　MD　plates。　They　drove　around　under　a　sky　that　kept　threatening　rain　　but　never　quite　delivered；　and　after　a　while　Dortmunder　began　to　grouse。　〃In　the　　meantime；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　not　making　any　ine。〃
　　〃You've　got　May。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　living　on　the　earnings　of　a　woman；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃It　isn't　in　　my　makeup。〃
　　〃The　earnings　of　a　woman？　She's　not　a　hooker；　she's　a　cashier。〃
　　〃The　principle's　the　same。〃
　　〃The　interest　isn't。　What's　that　over　there？〃
　　〃Looks　like　a　barn；〃　Dortmunder　said；　squinting。
　　〃Abandoned？〃
　　〃How　the　hell　do　I　know？〃
　　〃Let's　take　a　look。〃
　　They　looked　that　day　at　se