dwestlake.bankshot-第19部分

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as　driving；　very　slowly；　and　had　driven　past　　the　bank　just　five　minutes　ago；　not　long　before　Joe　Mulligan　was　dealt　his　three　　sixes。
　　Echer；　the　passenger　right　now；　was　the　one　who　answered　the　call；　　unhooking　the　mike　from　under　the　dashboard；　depressing　the　button　in　its　side；　　saying；　〃Car　nine　here。〃
　　〃Alarm　at　C　and　I　bank；　Floral　Avenue　and　Tenzing　Street。〃
　　〃Which　one？〃
　　〃It's　on　the　corner　of　both　of　them。〃
　　〃Which　bank。〃
　　〃Oh。　The　temporary　one；　the　new　one；　the　temporary　one。〃
　　〃That　one；　huh？〃
　　Ambling；　it　had　taken　five　minutes　to　e　this　far　from　the　bank。　Flat　out；　　siren　screaming；　red　light　flashing；　it　took　less　than　two　minutes　to　get　back。　In　　that　time；　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite　had　been　informed　and　had　alerted　the　men　　downstairs　on　standby；　who　were　playing　poker　as　it　happened；　though　nobody　　had　had　a　full　house　all　night。　〃The　colds　are　card；〃　Officer　Kretschmann　said　in　　disgust　at　one　point；　and　the　others　hardly　even　noticed；　he　did　that　kind　of　thing　　all　the　time。
　　Two　other　patrol　cars；　on　beats　farther　away；　had　also　been　alerted　and　were　　rushing　toward　the　scene。　（The　standby　men　alerted　at　the　station　house　were　　not　as　yet　rushing　toward　the　scene；　though　they　had　stopped　playing　poker　and　　had　put　on　their　jackets　and　guns；　having　been　alerted；　they　were　standing　by。）　　The　dispatcher　who　had　handled　the　squeal　was　staying　with　it；　answering　no　　other　calls　until　car　nine　should　report。
　　〃Uhhhh；〃　said　the　radio。　〃Dispatcher？〃
　　〃Is　this　car　nine？〃
　　〃This　is　car　nine。　It　isn't　here。〃
　　The　dispatcher　felt　a　sudden　instant　of　panic。　The　trouble　wasn't　there？　He　　looked　again　at　the　red　light；　which　was　still　lit　even　though　the　buzzer　was　off；　　and　it　was　number　fifty…two。　He　looked　at　his　typewritten　sheet；　and　fifty…two　　was　the　temporary　bank。　〃Well；　it　was　there；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　know　it　was　here；〃　said　car　nine。　〃I　saw　it　only　five　minutes　ago。　But　it　isn't　　here　now。〃
　　The　dispatcher　was　by　now　pletely　bewildered。　〃You　saw　it　five　minutes　　ago？〃
　　〃Last　time　we　went　by。〃
　　〃Now　wait　a　minute；〃　the　dispatcher　said。　His　voice　was　rising；　and　the　other　　two　dispatchers　looked　at　him　oddly。　A　dispatcher　was　supposed　to　stay　calm。　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　the　dispatcher　repeated。　〃You　knew　about　this　trouble　five　　minutes　ago　and　you　didn't　report　it？〃
　　〃No　no　no；〃　car　nine　said；　and　another　voice　behind　it　said；　〃Let　me　have　　that。〃　Then　it　apparently　took　over　the　microphone；　being　louder　when　it　　said；　〃Dispatcher；　this　is　Officer　Bolt。　We　are　at　the　scene；　and　the　bank　is　　gone。〃
　　There　was　silence　from　the　dispatcher　for　several　seconds。　On　the　scene；　　Officer　Bolt　stood　next　to　the　patrol　car；　holding　the　microphone　to　his　mouth。　　He　and　Officer　Echer　both　gazed　at　the　place　where　the　bank　had　been…
　　Officer　Echer　in　a　glazed　manner；　Officer　Bolt　in　an　aggravated　and　brooding　　manner。
　　The　low　concrete　block　walls　were　there；　but　above　them　was　nothing　but　　space。　Wind　blew　through　the　air　where　the　bank　had　been；　if　you　squinted；　you　　could　almost　see　the　structure　standing　there；　as　though　it　had　bee　invisible　　but　was　still　present。
　　To　left　and　right；　wires　dangled　like　hair　from　the　telephone　and　power　poles。　　Two　sets　of　wooden　steps　led　up　to　the　top　of　the　concrete　block　wall　and　　stopped。
　　The　dispatcher；　his　voice　nearly　as　thin　as　the　air　where　the　bank　had　been；　　finally　said；　〃The　bank　is　gone？〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Officer　Bolt　said；　nodding　in　irritation。　From　far　away　he　could　　hear　more　sirens　ing。　〃Some　son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　said；　〃has　stole　the　bank。〃
　　
　　
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　　INSIDE　the　bank；　everything　was　chaos　and　confusion。　Dortmunder　and　the　　others　hadn't　bothered　about　springs；　shock　absorbers；　none　of　the　luxuries；　　wheels　had　been　their　only　concern。　Since　they　were　now　moving　pretty　fast；　the　　result　was　that　the　bank　dipped　and　swooped　and　bounced　pretty　much　like　a　　kite　at　the　end　of　a　string。
　　〃I　had　a　full　house！〃　Joe　Mulligan　wailed　in　the　darkness。　Every　time　he　　managed　to　get　to　his　feet　some　chair　or　some　other　guard　would　e　bowling　　along　and　knock　him　over　again；　so　now　he　was　just　staying　down；　hunkering　on　　hands　and　knees　and　bawling　his　announcement　into　the　darkness。　〃You　hear　　me？　I　had　a　full　house！〃
　　From　somewhere　in　the　confusion…it　was　like　being　in　an　avalanche　in　an　　aquarium…Block's　voice　answered：　〃For　Christ's　sake；　Joe；　that　hand　is　　dead！〃
　　〃Sixes　full！　I　had　sixes　full！〃
　　Fenton；　who　had　been　quiet　till　now；　suddenly　shouted；　〃Forget　poker！　Don't　　you　realize　what's　happening？　Somebody's　stealing　the　bank！〃
　　Until　that　moment；　Mulligan　actually　hadn't　realized　what　was　happening。
　　With　his　mind　occupied　on　the　one　hand　by　his　full　house　and　on　the　other　　hand　by　the　difficulty　of　simply　keeping　his　balance　in　this　jouncing　darkness　and　　not　getting　beaned　by　a　passing　chair；　it　hadn't　until　just　that　instant　occurred　to　　Mulligan　that　this　disaster　was　anything　more　than　his　own　personal　disaster　at　　poker。
　　　Which　he　couldn't　very　well　admit；　particularly　not　to　Fenton；　so　he　shouted　　back；　〃Of　course　I　realize　someone's　stealing　the　bank！〃　And　then　he　heard　the　words　he'd　just　said　and　spoiled　the　　effect　by　squeaking；　〃Stealing　the　bank？〃
　　〃We　need　light　in　here！〃　Dresner　shouted。　〃Who's　got　a　flashlight？〃
　　〃Get　them　venetian　blinds　up！〃　Morrison　yelled。
　　〃I　have　a　flashlight！〃　Garfield　shouted；　and　a　spot　of　white　light　showed；　　though　the　confusion　it　revealed　wasn't　much　more　informative　than　darkness。　　Then　the　light　swooped　down　and　away；　and　Garfield　shouted；　〃I　dropped　the　goddam　thing！〃　　Mulligan　watched　its　progression；　the　bouncing　white　light；　and　if　there'd　been　　wor4s　under　it　they　could　have　sung　along。　It　seemed　to　be　headed　his　way；　and　　he　braced　himself　to　make　a　grab　for　it；　but　before　it　got　to　him　it　suddenly　disappeared。　Went　out；　or　something。
　　However；　a　few　seconds　later　somebody　at　last　got　a　venetian　blind　opened；　　and　it　was　possible　at　last　to　see；　in　the　illumination　of　streetlights　whipping　by　　outside。　Intervals　of　darkness　and　light　succeeded　one　another　at　great　speed；　　like　a　flickering　silent　movie；　but　it　gave　light　enough　for　Mulligan　to　crawl　on　all　　fours　through　the　scattered　furniture　and　sprawled　guards　and　rolling　nickels　　over　to　the　tellers'　counter。　He　crawled　up　that　and　thus　reached　his　feet。　Feet　　braced　wide；　both　arms　stretched　out　across　the　counter　and　fingers　gripping　the　　inner　edge；　he　looked　around　at　the　shambles。
　　Down　to　his　left；　Fenton　was　also　clinging　to　the　counter；　in　the　angle　where　it　　made　a　turn　to　go　past　the　courtesy　desk。　Sitting　on　the　floor　with　his　back　to　　the　courtesy　desk　and　his　hands　braced　to　both　sides　was　Morrison；　wincing　at　　every　bump。　Across　the　way；　clutching　the　neck…high　windowsill　where　the　　venetian　blind　was　up；　hung　Dresner；　trying　to　make　some　sense　out　of　the　night　　scenes　flashing　past　the　window。
　　What　about　the　other　direction？　Block　and　Garfield　were　in　a　tight　embrace　in　　the　corner　where　the　counter…with　the　safe　past　it…met　the　wall　of　the　trailer；　　sitting　there；　locked　together；　half　buried　under　furniture　and　debris　since　the　　general　trend　of　everything　loose　was　to　head　toward　the　rear　of　the　trailer；　they　　looked　mostly　like　a　high…school　couple　on　a　hayride。
　　And　where　was　Fox？　Fenton　must　have　wondered　the　same　thing；　because　he　　suddenly　yelled；　〃Fox！　Where'd　you　get　to！〃
　　〃I'm　here！〃
　　It　was　Fox's　voice　all　right；　but　where　was　Fox？　Mulligan　gaped　around；　and　　so　did　everybody　else。
　　And　then　Fox　appeared。　His　head　emerged　above　the　counter；　down　by　the　　safe。　He　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　counter。　Hanging　there；　he　looked　　seasick。　〃Here　I　am；〃　he　called。
　　Fenton　saw　him；　too；　since　he　yelled；　〃How　in　God's　name　did　you　get　in　　there？〃
　　〃I　just　don't　know；〃　Fox　said。　〃I　just　don't　know。〃
　　Block　and　Garfield　were　now　ing　back　toward　the　middle　space；　both　　traveling　on　all　fours。　They　looked　like　fathers　who　didn't　yet　realize　their　sons　　had　grown　bored　with　piggyback　and　gone　away。　Garfield　paused　in　front　of　　Fenton；　hunkered　back；　looked　up　like　the　dog　on　the　old　Victrola　record　　labels；　and　said；　〃Shall　we　try　to　break　out　the　door？〃
　　〃What；　leave？〃　Fenton　looked　enraged；　as　though　somebody　had　suggested　　they　surrender　the　fort　to　the　Indians。　〃They　may　have　the　bank；〃　he　said；　〃but　　they　don't　have　the　money！〃　He　let　go　with　one　arm　to　gesture　dramatically　at　　the　safe。　Unfortunately；　the　bank　made　a　right　turn　at　the　same　instant　and　　Fenton　suddenly　ran　across　the　floor　and　tackled　Dresner；　over　at　the　window。　　The　two　of　them　went　crashing；　and　Block　and　Garfield　rolled　into　them。
　　Turning　his　head　to　the　left；　Mulligan；　who　had　retained　his　grip　on　the　　counter；　saw　Morrison　still　sitting　on　the　floor　against　the　courtesy　desk　and　still　　wincing。　Turning　his　head　to　the　right；　he　saw　that　Fox's　head　was　no　longer　on　　top　of　the　counter；　nor　anywhere　else　in　view。　He　nodded；　having　expected　as　　much。
　　From　the　scramble　across　the　way；　Fenton's　voice　rose：
　　〃Get　off　me；　you　men！　Get　off　me；　I　say！　That's　a　direct　order！〃
　　Mulligan；　his　chest　against　the　counter；　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　rest。
　　An　awful　lot　of　legs　were　flailing　over　there；　and　they　still　hadn't　sorted　　themselves　out　when　suddenly　the　flickering　light　stopped；　and　they　were　in　　darkness　again。
　　〃Now　what？〃　Fenton　wailed；　his　voice　muffled　as　though　somebody　possibly　　had　their　elbow　in　his　mouth。
　　〃We're　not　in　the　city　any　more；〃　Morrison　shouted。　〃We're　in　the　country。　　No　streetlights。〃
　　〃Get　off　me！〃
　　For　some　reason　it　all　seemed　quieter　in　the　dark；　though　just　as　jouncy　and　　chaotic。　Mulligan　clung　to　the　counter　like　Ishmael；　and　in　the　darkness　they　　eventually　sorted　themselves　out　across　the　way。　Finally　Fenton；　panting；　said；　　〃All　right。　Everybody　present？〃　He　then　called　the　role；　and　each　of　the　six　　pantingly　answered　to　his　name…　even　Fox；　though　faintly。
　　〃All　right；〃　Fenton　said　again。　〃Sooner　or　later　they're　going　to　have　to　stop。　　They're　going　to　want　to　get　in　here。　Now；　they　may　shoot　the　place　up　first；　so　　what　we　have　to　do　is　all　of　us　get　in　back　of　that　counter。　Try　t