dwestlake.bankshot-第16部分

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rrow　morning　that　they'd　　been　burgled　tonight。　This　meant　that　Dortmunder　and　the　others　couldn't　just　　bust　through　the　locks　but　had　to　open　them　in　such　a　way　that　they　would　still　　be　usable　afterward。
　　While　Herman　worked；　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　and　Victor　sat　on　the　ground　　nearby；　their　backs　against　the　green　wooden　fence。　Gradually　their　breathing　　grew　more　regular　and　they　got　some　flesh　tone　back　in　their　faces。　None　of　　them　spoke；　though　once　or　twice　Kelp　looked　on　the　verge　of　a　declamation。　　However；　he　didn't　deliver　it。
　　This　part　of　Long　Island；　quite　a　distance　out　from　the　city；　was　semi…rural　　between　the　patches　of　housing　developments。　The　private　estates　were　on　the　　north　side；　down　here；　junkyards；　car　dealers；　small　assembly　plants　and　Little　　League　baseball　diamonds　were　interspersed　amid　weedy　fields　and　off…brand　　gas　stations。　There　were　housing　developments　within　a　mile　of　here　in　three　　different　directions；　but　no　residences　in　this　particular　area　at　all。
　　〃All　right；〃　Herman　said　quietly。
　　Dortmunder　looked　along　the　fence。　The　gate　was　hanging　slightly　open；　and　　Herman　was　putting　his　tools　away　in　his　black　bag。　〃Okay；〃　Dortmunder　said；　　and　he　and　the　others　got　to　their　feet。　They　all　went　inside　and　pushed　the　gate　　closed　behind　them。
　　Murch　had　made　the　right　count　on　the　dogs；　all　four　of　them　were　sound　　asleep；　and　two　of　them　were　snoring。　They　would　wake　up　in　an　hour　or　so　　with　a　splitting　headache；　but　the　Lafferty's　people　wouldn't　be　likely　to　notice　　anything　tomorrow　morning；　since　dogs　like　this　never　do　have　much　by　way　of　　a　sweet　disposition。
　　The　interior　of　Lafferty's　looked　like　an　abandoned　city　on　the　moon。　If　it　　hadn't　been　for　the　big　boxes　of　the　mobile　homes　spaced　here　and　there；　it　　would　have　been　an　ordinary　junkyard；　with　its　piles　of　used　parts；　some　　mounds　of　chrome　reflecting　the　dim　light　and　other　mounds　of　grimy　dark　　machinery　parts　like　a　wrecked　spaceship　a　thousand　years　after　the　crash。　But　　the　mobile　homes　looked　almost　like　houses；　with　their　high　walls　and　their　　narrow　windows　and　doors；　and　the　way　they　were　canted　and　leaning　here　and　　there　around　the　lot　made　it　look　as　though　this　city　had　been　abandoned　after　　an　earthquake。
　　There　were　floodlights　mounted　on　fairly　high　poles　around　and　about；　but　　they　were　so　broadly　scattered　that　most　of　the　interior　was　in　a　kind　of　fitful　　semi…darkness。　However；　there　was　enough　light　to　see　the　paths　through　the　　rubble；　and　Dortmunder　had　been　here　with　Murch　yesterday　afternoon；　so　he　　knew　what　spot　to　head　for。　The　others　followed　him　as　he　walked　straight　up　　the　main　road；　gravel　crunching　under　their　feet；　and　then　made　a　right　turn　at　a　　pile　of　chrome　window　frames　and　headed　straight　for　a　mountain　of　wheels。
　　Victor　suddenly　said；　〃You　know　what　this　is　like？〃　When　nobody　　responded；　he　answered　his　own　question；　saying；　〃It's　like　those　stories　where　　people　suddenly　shrink　and　get　very　small。　And　here　we　are　on　the　toymaker's　　bench。〃
　　Undercarriages。　Stacked　up　higher　than　their　heads；　and　spreading　out　　sloppily　to　left　and　right；　were　dozens　of　undercarriages　salvaged　from　defunct　　mobile　homes。　Over　to　the　right　was　another　pile　of　separate　wheels；　without　　their　tires…to　follow　Victor's　toymaker　analogy；　the　stack　of　round　metal　　wheels　looked　like　markers　in　some　board　game　similar　to　checkers…but　it　was　　the　plete　undercarriages　that　Dortmunder　had　in　mind。　These　too　were　　minus　tires　but　were　otherwise　plete…the　two　wheels；　the　axle；　the　metal　　framework　to　attach　the　whole　thing　to　the　bottom　of　a　trailer。
　　Dortmunder　was　wearing　his　leather　jacket　now；　and　from　the　pocket　he　took　　a　metal　tape　measure。　Murch　had　given　him　minimum　and　maximum　dimensions；　　both　in　width　and　height；　and　Dortmunder　started　with　the　easiest　undercarriages；　the　ones　off　to　the　side　of　the　main　heap。
　　Most；　it　turned　out；　were　too　small；　generally　in　the　way　of　being　too　narrow；　　though　Dortmunder　did　find　one　good　set　among　those　just　lying　on　the　ground。　　Kelp　and　Herman　rolled　that　one　away　from　the　rest；　so　they　could　keep　track　　of　it；　and　then　all　four　of　them　started　dismantling　the　hill　of　undercarriages；　　Dortmunder　measuring　each　one　as　they　got　it　down。　The　damn　things　were　very　　heavy；　being　totally　metal；　and　for　the　same　reason　made　a　lot　of　noise。
　　Finally　another　set　came　within　the　usable　range　of　measurements；　and　that　　too　was　set　aside。　Then　they　rebuilt　the　hill…aside　from　being　heavy　and　loud；　　the　undercarriages　were　also　all　dirty　and　grimy；　so　that　by　now　all　four　men　　were　heavily　grease…smeared…and　when　they　were　done　Dortmunder　stepped　　back；　panting；　and　surveyed　their　work。　It　looked　just　about　the　same　as　before；　　the　removal　of　two　sets　of　wheels　not　changing　the　appearance　of　the　pile　in　any　　significant　way。
　　All　that　remained　now　was　to　roll　the　undercarriages　down　to　the　gate　and　　out。　They　pushed　them　along；　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　on　one　and　Victor　and　　Herman　on　the　other；　and　they　clattered　and　banged　and　made　one　hell　of　a　lot　　of　noise。　It　disturbed　the　dogs；　who　groaned　and　moved　around　in　their　sleep　　but　didn't　quite　wake　up。
　　Murch　was　standing　by　the　open　rear　of　the　truck　when　they　came　out。　He　　had　the　flashlight　in　his　hand　again；　but　tucked　it　away　in　his　jacket　pocket　when　　he　saw　them。　〃I　heard　you　ing；〃　he　said。
　　They　were　still　rolling　the　wheels　over　from　the　gate　to　the　truck。　〃What？〃　　shouted　Dortmunder；　over　the　racket。
　　〃Forget　it；〃　Murch　said。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Forget　it！〃
　　Dortmunder　nodded。
　　They　loaded　the　wheels　into　the　back　of　the　truck；　and　then　Dortmunder　said　　to　Murch；　〃I'll　ride　up　front　with　you。〃
　　〃So　will　I；〃　Herman　said　very　fast。
　　〃We　all　will；〃　Kelp　said；　and　Victor　said；　〃Darn　right。〃　Murch　looked　at　them　　all。　〃You　can't　fit　five　people　up　there；〃　he　said。
　　〃We're　going　to；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　　〃It's　a　floor　shift。〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Kelp　said。
　　Herman　said；　〃We'll　manage。〃
　　〃It's　against　the　law；〃　Murch　said。　〃Two　people　in　the　front　seat　of　a　floor…
　　shift　vehicle；　no　more。　That's　the　law。　What　if　a　cop　stops　us？〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　and　the　others　turned　and　　headed　for　the　cab；　leaving　Murch　to　shut　the　rear　doors。　Murch　did　and　came　　around　to　the　left　side　of　the　cab　to　find　the　other　four　all　jammed　into　the　passenger　seat　like　college　students　in　a　phone　booth。　He　shook　his　head；　made　no　　ment；　and　stepped　up　behind　the　wheel。
　　The　only　real　problem　was　when　he　tried　to　shift　into　fourth；　there　seemed　to　　be　six　or　seven　knees　in　that　spot。　〃I　have　to　shift　into　fourth　now；〃　he　said；　　speaking　with　the　even　patience　of　somebody　who　has　decided　he　isn't　going　to　　run　amok　after　all；　and　a　lot　of　grunting　and　grumbling　took　place　from　the　mass　　beside　him　as　it　retracted　all　its　knees；　leaving　him　just　enough　room　to　move　the　　shift　lever　into　high。
　　Fortunately；　there　weren't　many　traffic　lights　on　the　route　he'd　worked　out；　so　　he　didn't　have　to　change　gears　very　often。　But　the　jumble　beside　him　gave　a　　four…throated　groan　every　time　they　went　over　a　bad　bump。
　　〃I　am　trying　to　figure　out；〃　Murch　said　conversationally　at　one　point；　frowning　　out　the　windshield　as　he　spoke；　〃how　this　up　here　can　be　better　than　that　back　　there。〃　But　he　wasn't　surprised　when　no　one　answered　him；　and　he　didn't　repeat　　the　remark。
　　The　bankrupt　puter…parts　factory　that　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　had　found　　was　at　last　up　ahead　on　the　left。　Murch　drove　in　there　and　around　to　the　loading　　platform　at　the　back；　and　they　all　got　out　again。　Herman　got　his　bag　of　tools　　from　the　interior　of　the　truck；　unlocked　the　loading　platform　door；　and　by　the　　light　of　Murch's　flashlight　they　cleared　enough　space　in　the　rubble　for　the　two　　sets　of　wheels。　Then　Herman　locked　the　place　up　again。
　　When　it　was　time　to　go；　they　found　Murch　walking　around　the　interior　of　the　　truck；　shining　his　flashlight　in　the　corners。　〃We're　ready；〃　Kelp　told　him。
　　Murch　frowned　at　them；　all　four　standing　on　the　loading　platform　looking　in　at　　him。　〃What's　that　funny　smell？〃　he　said。
　　〃Whiskey；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃Canadian　whiskey；〃　Herman　said。
　　Murch　gave　them　a　long　look。　〃I　see；〃　he　said　very　coldly。　He　switched　off　　the　flashlight；　came　out　onto　the　platform　and　shut　the　rear　doors。　Then　they　all　　got　into　the　cab　again；　Murch　on　the　left　and　everybody　else　on　the　right；　and　　headed　back　for　where　they'd　left　their　cars。　Kelp　would　bring　the　truck　back　to　　where　he'd　picked　it　up。
　　They　drove　for　ten　minutes　of　grunting　silence；　and　then　Murch　said；　〃You　　didn't　offer　me　any。〃
　　〃What？〃　said　the　hodgepodge　beside　him。
　　〃Never　mind；〃　Murch　said；　aiming　at　a　pothole。　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃
　　
　　
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　　AT　TWENTY　after　four　on　Sunday　morning；　the　world　still　dark　with　　Saturday　night；　a　police　patrol　car　drove　slowly　past　the　temporary　headquarters　　of　the　local　branch　of　the　Capitalists'　&　Immigrants'　Trust。　The　two　uniformed　　patrolmen　in　the　car　barely　glanced　at　the　trailer　containing　the　bank。　Lights　were　　always　kept　on　in　there　at　night　and　could　be　seen　through　the　slats　of　the　　venetian　blinds　over　all　the　windows；　but　the　patrolmen　knew　there　was　no　　money　inside　the　trailer；　not　a　dime。　They　also　knew　that　any　burglar　who　　thought　there　was　money　in　there　would　be　sure　to　trip　the　alarm　when　he　tried　　to　get　in；　no　matter　what　method　he　chose；　the　alarm　would　sound　down　at　the　　station　house；　and　the　dispatcher　would　inform　them　on　their　car　radio。　Since　the　　dispatcher　had　not　so　informed　them；　they　knew　as　they　drove　by　that　the　C&I　　Trust　trailer　was　empty；　and　therefore　hardly　looked　at　it　at　all。
　　Their　confidence　was　well　placed。　The　entire　trailer　was　wired　against　　burglary。　If　an　amateur　were　to　jimmy　open　a　door　or　smash　the　glass　in　a　　window；　that　would　naturally　sound　the　alarm；　but　even　a　more　experienced　man　　would　be　in　trouble　if　he　tried　breaking　and　entering　around　here。　For　instance；　　the　entire　floor　of　the　trailer　was　wired；　should　a　man　cut　a　hole　in　the　bottom　to　　e　in　that　way；　he　too　would　trip　the　alarm。　Same　with　the　roof　and　all　four　　walls。　A　sparrow　couldn't　have　gotten　into　that　mobile　h