dwestlake.bankshot-第18部分

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ike　uniform；　with　the　　triangular　badge　on　the　left　shoulder　reading　Continental　Detective　Agency。　　Their　shields；　embossed　with　CDA　and　their　number；　were　also　police…like；　and　　so　were　their　gun　belts　and　holsters　and　the　。38…caliber　Smith　&　Wesson　Police　　Positive　revolvers　within　them。　Most　of　them；　including　Mulligan；　had　been　　police　officers　at　one　time　and　had　no　trouble　looking　natural　in　the　uniform。　　Mulligan　had　been　on　the　force　in　New　York　City　for　twelve　years　but　hadn't　　liked　the　way　things　were　going　and　had　spent　the　last　nine　years　with　　Continental。　Garfield　had　been　an　MP；　and　Fenton　had　spent　twenty…five　years　　as　a　cop　in　some　city　in　Massachusetts；　retired　on　half　pay；　and　was　working　for　　Continental　now　as　much　to　keep　himself　occupied　as　to　augment　his　ine。
　　Fenton　was　the　only　one　with　any　additional　insignia　on　his　uniform；　the　two　　blue　chevrons　on　his　sleeves　meant　he　was　a　sergeant。　The　CDA　had　only　the　　two　uniformed　ranks；　guard　and　sergeant；　and　used　sergeants　only　where　a　job　　called　for　more　than　three　men。　They　also　had　an　Operative　classification；　which　　was　for　plainclothes　work；　a　job　toward　which　Mulligan　did　not　aspire。　He　　knew　that　being　a　Continental　Op　was　supposed　to　be　glamorous；　but　he　was　a　　flat…foot；　not　a　detective；　and　content　to　remain　so。
　　At　eight…thirty　the　regular　bank　guard；　an　old　man　named　Nieheimer；　not　a　　CDA　man；　locked　both　bank　doors　and　then　stood　by　one　of　them　to　keep　　unlocking　it　again　for　the　next　five　minutes　or　so；　letting　the　last　customers　out。　　Then　the　employees　did　their　closing　paperwork；　put　all　the　cash　away　in　the　　safe；　covered　the　typewriters　and　adding　machines；　and　by　nine　o'clock　the　last　　of　them…that　was　always　Kingworthy；　the　manager…was　ready　to　go　home。　　Fenton　always　stood　by　the　door　to　watch　Kingworthy　out　and　be　sure　the　　manager　locked　up　properly　on　the　outside。　The　way　the　system　worked；　the　　alarm　could　be　switched　on　or　oft　only　with　a　key　on　the　outside；　once　　Kingworthy　left；　the　guards　inside　couldn't　open　either　door　without　sounding　　the　alarm　down　at　police　headquarters。　For　that　reason；　all　seven　guards　brought　　lunch　bags　or　lunch　buckets。　There　was　also　a　men's　room　at　the　front　end　of　　the　trailer；　the　end　farthest　from　the　safe。
　　Nine　o'clock。　Kingworthy　left；　he　locked　up；　Fenton　turned　and　said　what　he　　said　every　Thursday　night：　〃Now　we're　on　duty。〃
　　〃Right；〃　Mulligan　said　and　reached　for　the　courtesy　desk's　chair。　Meanwhile；　　Block　was　going　down　to　get　the　folding　table　from　where　it　was　stored　by　the　　safe；　and　the　others　were　all　heading　for　their　favorite　chairs。　Within　a　minute；　　the　folding　table　was　set　up　in　the　customer　area　of　the　bank；　the　seven　guards　　were　in　seven　chairs　around　it；　and　Morrison　had　pulled　the　two　fresh　decks　　from　his　uniform　pocket…one　deck　with　blue　backs；　the　other　with　red…and　　they　were　all　taking　handfuls　of　change　from　their　pockets　and　slapping　them　　down　on　the　table。
　　Seven　cards　were　dealt　around；　with　the　high　card　to　be　the　first　dealer；　and　　that　turned　out　to　be　Dresner。　〃Five…card　stud；〃　he　said；　put　a　nickel　in　the　pot　　and　started　to　deal。
　　Mulligan　was　sitting　with　his　back　to　the　safe；　facing　the　front　of　the　trailer；　that　　is；　the　part　with　the　officers'　desks。　The　tellers'　counter　was　to　his　right；　the　two　　locked　doors　to　his　left。　He　sat　with　his　legs　spread　wide；　both　feet　flat　on　the　　floor；　and　watched　Dresner　deal　him　a　five　of　hearts　up。　He　looked　at　his　hole　　card；　and　it　was　the　two　of　spades。　Morrison　bet　a　nickel…it　was　nickel　limit　on　　the　first　card；　dime　after　that；　twenty　cents　on　the　last…and　when　it　came　　around　to　Mulligan　he　very　quietly　folded。　〃I　don't　believe　this　is　going　to　be　my　　night；〃　he　said。
　　It　wasn't。　By　one…thirty　in　the　morning　he　was　losing　four　dollars　and　seventy　　cents。　However；　Fox　occasionally　dealt　draw　poker；　jacks　or　better　to　open；　　and　at　one…thirty　he　did　it　again。　In　draw；　each　player　anted　at　the　beginning；　so　　they　started　oft　with　a　thirty…five…cent　pot。　When　no　one　could　open　and　Fox　　had　to　deal　out　another　hand；　they　all　anted　again。　Still　no　one　could　open；　and　　when　Mulligan　looked　at　his　third　hand　and　saw　three　sixes　in　it　there　was　　already　a　dollar　five　in　the　pot。　To　top　it　off；　Fenton　on　his　right　opened；　with　a　　quarter；　the　maximum　bid。　Mulligan　thought　of　raising；　but　decided　to　keep　as　　many　players　in　as　possible；　so　just　called。　So　did　Garfield　and　Block。　Two　　dollars　and　five　cents　in　the　pot　now。
　　It　was　time　for　the　draw。　Fenton；　the　opener；　took　three　new　cards；　so　he　had　　only　the　one　high　pair；　jacks　or　over；　to　begin　with。　Mulligan　considered；　if　he　　took　two　cards；　they'd　all　suspect　he　had　trips。　But　he　was　known　to　be　a　man　　to　try　for　straights　and　flushes；　so　if　he　took　only　one　card　they'd　think　he　was　at　　it　again。　In　addition　to　the　three　sixes；　he　had　a　queen　and　a　four；　he　threw　away　　the　four　and　said；　〃One　card。〃
　　Garfield　chuckled。　〃Still　trying；　eh；　Joe？〃
　　〃I　guess　so；〃　Mulligan　said　and　looked　at　another　queen。
　　〃An　honest　three；〃　Garfield　said。　So　he；　too；　was　starting　with　only　a　pair…probably　aces　or　kings；　hoping　to　just　beat　out　Fenton's　openers。
　　〃A　dishonest　one；〃　Block　said。　Which　was　either　two　pair；　or　an　attempt　to　　buy　a　flush　or　a　straight。
　　After　the　draw；　the　maximum　bet　was　fifty　cents；　and　that's　what　Fenton　bet。　　So　he'd　improved。
　　Mulligan　looked　at　his　cards；　though　he　hadn't　forgotten　them。　Three　sixes　　and　two　queens…a　very　nice　full　house。　〃I　believe　I'll　just　raise；〃　he　said　and　　plucked　a　dollar　bill　from　his　shirt　pocket　and　dropped　it　casually　among　the　　coins　in　the　pot。
　　Now　there　was　three　fifty…five　in　the　pot。　Mulligan　had　put　in　a　dollar…forty；　　meaning　he　could　win　two　dollars　and　fifteen　cents　if　nobody　called　his　raise。
　　Garfield　frowned　at　his　cards。　〃I'm　kind　of　sorry　I　bought；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　just　　gonna　have　to　call　you；　Joe。〃　And　put　in　his　own　dollar。
　　〃And　I'm　just　gonna　have　to　raise；〃　Block　said。　He　put　in　a　dollar　and　a　half。
　　〃Well；　now；〃　Fenton　said。　〃I　bought　a　second　little　pair；　but　I　suddenly　don't　　believe　they'll　win。　I　fold。〃
　　The　pot　now　had　four　dollars　and　sixty…five　cents　in　it　that　Mulligan　hadn't　put　　in　there。　If　he　just　called…and　if　he　won…he　would　be　within　a　nickel　of　　breaking　even　on　the　night。　If　he　lost；　he　would　be　down　another　two　dollars　and　　forty　cents；　all　in　one　hand。
　　〃The　hand　of　the　night；〃　Morrison　said　disgustedly；　〃and　I'm　not　in　it。〃
　　〃I'd　just　about　trade　places　with　you；〃　Mulligan　said。　He　kept　staring　at　his　　hand　and　thinking。　If　he　actually　raised　another　half　dollar；　and　got　even　one　call；　　and　won；　he'd　be　ahead　on　the　night。　On　the　other　hand　。
　　Well；　what　did　those　two　have？　Garfield　had　started　with　a　high　pair　and　had　　taken　three　cards　and　improved　…meaning　more　than　likely　either　triplets　or　a　　second　pair。　In　either　case；　nothing　to　worry　about。　Block；　on　the　other　hand；　　had　taken　only　one　card。　If　he'd　been　buying　to　a　straight　or　flush；　and　if　he'd　　bought；　Mulligan's　full　house　would　beat　him。　But　what　if　Block　had　started　with　　two　pair　and　had　bought　a　full　house　of　his　own？　Mulligan's　full　house　was　　based　on　sixes；　that　left　a　lot　of　higher　numbers　for　Block　to　e　up　with。
　　Garfield；　sounding　nervous　and　irritated；　said；　〃Are　you　going　to　make　up　　your　mind？〃
　　It　was；　as　Morrison　had　said；　the　hand　of　the　night。　So　he　ought　to　play　it　that　　way。　〃I'll　raise　half　a　dollar；〃　he　said。
　　〃Fold；〃　Garfield　said　in　prompt　disgust。
　　〃Raise　you　right　back　again；〃　Block　said；　dropped　a　dollar　in　the　pot；　and　　smiled　like　the　cat　that　ate　the　canary。
　　A　higher　full　house。　Mulligan　was　suddenly　very　depressed。　It　couldn't　be　　anything　else；　it　had　to　be　a　higher　full　house。　But　he'd　e　this　far　。　。　。　〃I'll　　call；〃　Mulligan　said　wearily　and　shoved　in　yet　another　half　dollar。
　　〃King　high　flush；〃　Block　said；　spreading　the　cards　out。　〃All　diamonds。〃
　　〃By　God！〃　Mulligan　cried　and　lifted　his　hand　over　his　head　to　slap　it　down　in　　the　middle　of　the　table　with　the　full　house　showing；　but　just　as　his　arm　reached　　the　top　of　its　swing；　he　was　suddenly　jerked　backward；　up　over　the　chair　and　　onto　the　suddenly　bouncing　floor。　And　as　he　went　flailing　back；　his　legs　kicked　　up　into　the　under　part　of　the　table　and　sent　it　too　flying；　nickels　and　dimes　and　　cards　and　guards　exploded　in　all　directions；　and　a　second　later　the　lights　went　　out。
　　
　　
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　　AT　THIS　HOUR　on　a　Thursday　night　there　were　three　police　dispatchers　on　　duty　down　at　the　station　house。　They　sat　in　a　row　at　a　long　continuous　table；　　each　one　equipped　with　three　telephones　and　a　two…way　radio；　all　three　facing　a　　big　square　panel　of　lights　built　into　the　opposite　wall。　The　panel　was　four　feet　on　　a　side；　edged　with　a　wooden　frame；　and　looked　like　the　kind　of　thing　hung　in　the　　Museum　of　Modern　Art。　Against　a　flat　black　background；　sixteen　rows　of　　sixteen　frosted　red　bulbs　stuck　out；　each　with　a　number　painted　on　it　in　white。　At　　the　moment　none　of　the　bulbs　were　lit；　and　the　position　might　have　been　　titled　〃Tail　Lights　at　Rest。〃
　　At　1：37　A。M。　a　tail　light　lit　up…number　fifty…two。　At　the　same　time；　a　very　　annoying　buzzing　sound　started；　as　though　it　were　time　to　get　out　of　bed。
　　The　dispatchers　worked　in　strict　sequence；　to　avoid　confusion；　and　this　　squeal…which　was　what　the　fuzz　called　the　buzz…was　the　property　of　the　man　　on　the　left；　who　pushed　a　button　that　stopped　the　noise；　at　the　same　time　saying；　　〃Mine。〃　Then；　while　his　left　hand　reached　for　one　of　the　phones　and　his　right　　hand　switched　the　radio　to　send；　he　quickly　glanced　at　the　typewritten　list　on　the　　table　in　front　of　him；　under　a　piece　of　glass；　and　saw　that　number　fifty…two　was　　the　temporary　branch　of　Capitalists'　&　Immigrants'　Trust。
　　〃Car　nine；〃　he　said；　while　with　his　left　hand；　still　holding　the　phone　receiver；　he　　dialed　the　number　seven；　which　was　the　captain's　office；　currently　occupied　by　　the　senior　man　on　duty；　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite。
　　Car　nine　was　the　regular　patrol　car　past　the　bank；　and　tonight　the　men　on　duty　　were　Officers　Bolt　and　Echer。　Bolt　was　driving；　very　slowly；　and　had　driven　past　　the　bank　just　five　minutes　ago；　not　long　before　Joe　Mu