dwestlake.bankshot-第20部分

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may　shoot　the　place　up　first；　so　　what　we　have　to　do　is　all　of　us　get　in　back　of　that　counter。　Try　to　keep　a　desk　or　　some　other　piece　of　furniture　between　you　and　any　outside　wall。　They　have　the　　bank；　but　they　don't　have　the　money；　and　as　long　as　we're　on　the　job　they　　aren't　going　to　get　the　money！〃
　　It　might　have　been　an　inspiring　speech　if　it　hadn't　been　slowed　down　by　all　the　　panting　Fenton　was　doing；　and　if　the　rest　of　them　hadn't　had　to　hold　onto　the　　walls　and　one　another　for　dear　life　while　listening　to　it。　Still；　it　did　recall　them　all　　to　their　duties；　and　Mulligan　heard　them　now　crawling　toward　the　counter；　　panting　and　bumping　into　things；　but　making　progress。
　　Mulligan　had　to　go　by　his　memory　of　the　place；　since　he　couldn't　see　his　hand　　in　front　of　his　face。　Or　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　if　it　was　there　and　not　　clutching　the　counter。　As　he　remembered　the　layout；　the　nearest　entrance　　through　the　counter　was　down　to　his　right；　toward　the　safe。　He　moved　that　way；　　sidling　along；　keeping　both　hands　firmly　on　the　counter　edge。
　　He　too　was　panting；　which　he　could；　surely　understand；　given　the　exertion　　required　simply　to　keep　on　his　feet；　but　why　should　he　be　so　sleepy？　He'd　been　　working　a　night　shift　for　years；　he　hadn't　gotten　out　of　bed　yesterday　until　four　in　　the　afternoon。　It　was　ridiculous　to　feel　sleepy。　Nevertheless；　it　would　feel　very　　good　to　sit　down；　once　he　got　around　behind　this　counter。　Wedge　himself　in　next　　to　a　filing　cabinet　or　something；　relax　a　little。　Not　actually　close　his　eyes；　of　　course…just　relax。
　　
　　
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　　〃CALLING　all　cars；　calling　all　cars。　Be　on　the　lookout　for　a　stolen　bank；　　approximately　eleven　feet　tall；　blue　and　white。〃
　　
　　
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　　DORTMUNDER；　Kelp　and　Murch　were　the　only　gang　members　present　at　　the　actual　theft　of　the　bank。　Kelp；　earlier　that　evening；　had　picked　up　a　tractor…
　　trailer　cab　without　its　trailer　near　the　piers　in　the　West　Village　section　of　　Manhattan　and　had　met　Dortmunder　and　Murch　with　it　on　Queens　Boulevard　in　　Long　Island　City；　just　across　the　59th　Street　bridge　from　Manhattan；　shortly　　after　midnight。　Murch　had　done　the　driving　after　that；　with　Kelp　sitting　in　the　　middle　and　Dortmunder　on　the　right；　resting　his　elbow　on　the　open　windowsill。　　Below　his　elbow　read　a　pany　name：　Elmore　Trucking。　The　cab　had　North　　Dakota　plates。　Stuffed　inside　with　them；　amid　their　feet　as　they　headed　east　out　　Long　Island；　were　a　twenty…five…foot　coil　of　black　rubber　garden　hose；　several　　lengths　of　thick　heavy　chain　and　a　carpenter's　tool　kit。
　　They　arrived　at　the　bank　at　one…fifteen　and　had　to　move　a　car　parked　in　the　　way。　They　pushed　it　down　in　front　of　a　fire　hydrant　and　took　its　place　and　　waited　silently　with　the　lights　and　engine　off　until　they　saw　the　patrol　car…car　　nine…drive　by　just　after　one…thirty。　Very　quietly　then　they　backed　the　cab　up　to　　the　trailer　and　left　its　engine　idling　but　lights　off　while　they　hooked　the　two　parts　　together。
　　Which　was　a　little　plicated。　The　tractor　cab　was　of　the　sort　that　fits　under　　the　front　of　a　cargo…carrying　trailer　equipped　only　with　rear　wheels；　that　is；　the　　cab's　rear　wheels　normally　served　as　the　front　wheels　of　any　trailer　it　towed；　　with　the　front　section　of　the　trailer　resting　on　the　low　flat　rear　section　of　the　cab。　　But　this　particular　trailer；　the　bank；　being　a　mobile　home　instead　of　a　cargo　　transporter；　wasn't　set　up　for　that　kind　of　rig；　having　instead　a　kind　of　modified　　V　hitch　in　front；　which　was　supposed　to　lock　onto　a　ball　at　the　rear　of　the　towing　　vehicle。　So　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　and　Murch　had　to　attach　the　two　together　　with　the　loops　of　chain；　shushing　each　other　at　every　rattle　and　clank；　squeezing　　links　shut　with　the　pliers　from　the　tool　kit　in　order　to　plete　the　loops　and　　attach　trailer　to　cab　with　four　heavy　circles　of　chain。
　　One　end　of　the　garden　hose　was　then　stuck　into　the　cab's　tailpipe；　and　while　　Kelp　wrapped　lots　of　black　tape　around　the　hose　and　that　end　of　the　pipe　　Dortmunder　stood　on　the　rear　of　the　cab　and　shoved　the　other　end　through　an　　air　vent　high　in　the　trailer　wall；　so　the　cab　exhaust　would　now　go　into　the　bank。　　More　tape　was　used　to　fasten　that　end　of　the　hose　in　place；　and　to　keep　the　　length　of　it　flat　against　the　front　of　the　trailer　all　the　way　down；　and　to　attach　the　　extra　coils　of　hose　to　the　rear　superstructure　of　the　cab。
　　All　of　which　had　taken　only　three　or　four　minutes。　Murch　and　Kelp　got　back　　into　the　cab；　Kelp　carrying　the　tool　kit；　and　Dortmunder　made　one　last　check　　before　trotting　around　and　swinging　up　into　the　cab　on　the　right　side。　〃Set；〃　he　　said。
　　〃I'm　not　gonna　start　slow；〃　Murch　said。　〃We're　gonna　have　to　jerk　it　loose　　and　then　go　like　hell。　So　hold　on。〃
　　〃Any　time；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃Now；〃　Murch　said；　threw　it　in　first；　and　jumped　on　the　accelerator　with　both　　feet。
　　The　cab　lunged　forward　like　a　dog　that　had　backed　into　a　hot　stove。　There　　was　a　grinding　noise　that　none　of　them　heard　over　the　engine　roar；　and　the　bank　　snapped　its　moorings…these　being　the　water　pipe　in　and　the　sewage　pipe　out　of　　the　bathroom。　As　water　spurted　up　from　the　broken　city　water　pipe　like　Old　　Faithful　geyser；　the　bank　slid　away　leftward　over　its　concrete　wall；　like　a　name　　card　being　slipped　out　of　a　slot　in　a　door。　Murch；　not　wanting　to　turn　before　the　　bank's　rear　wheels　had　cleared　the　concrete　blocks；　tore　straight　ahead　across　　the　side　street；　began　to　spin　the　steering　wheel　only　as　his　front　tires　thumped　　up　over　the　curb　on　the　other　side；　and　as　Kelp　and　Dortmunder　both　yelled　and　　waved　their　arms　he　angled　the　cab　leftward　so　it　just　missed　the　bakery　　windows　on　the　corner；　drove　catty…corner　across　the　sidewalk　at　the　　intersection；　thumped　down　off　the　curb　again　on　the　other　side；　shot　out　across　　the　main　street　at　a　long　angle；　straightened　out　at　last　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　　street；　and　took　off。
　　Behind　them；　the　left　rear　wheel　of　the　bank　had　just　nicked　the　edge　of　the　　concrete　block　wall；　but　aside　from　an　extra　jounce　it　caused　no　obvious　　damage；　though　it　did　loosen　a　couple　of　the　screws　holding　the　rear　wheels　to　　the　bottom　of　the　trailer。　The　bank　followed　the　cab；　thumping　and　bumping　up　　and　down　over　curbs；　missing　the　bakery　windows　by　even　less　than　the　cab　　because　it　was　so　much　wider；　and　shuddered　and　rocked　from　side　to　side　as　it　　swept　on　away　down　the　street　in　the　cab's　wake。　An　automatic　cutoff　valve　　had　already　shut　down　the　water　from　the　main　line　into　this　spur；　and　the　geyser　　had　stopped。
　　Murch　had　planned　his　route　with　the　greatest　care。　He　knew　which　　secondary　streets　were　wide　enough　to　allow　the　bank　passage；　which　major　　streets　could　be　traveled　for　brief　periods　without　the　likelihood　of　running　into　　traffic。　He　made　left　turns　and　right　turns　with　a　minimum　use　of　brakes　or　lower　　gears；　and　behind　him　the　bank　rocked　and　reeled　and　occasionally　took　　corners　on　two　wheels　but　never　did　go　over。　The　greatest　weight　in　the　thing　　was　the　safe；　which　was　at　the　back；　which　gave　it　more　stability　the　faster　　Murch　drove。
　　Kelp　and　Dortmunder　and　the　tool　kit；　meanwhile；　were　all　over　each　other。　　Dortmunder　surfaced　at　last　to　shout；　〃Are　they　on　our　tail？〃
　　Murch　gave　a　quick　look　to　the　outside　mirror。　〃Nobody　back　there　at　all；〃　　he　said；　and　took　a　left　turn　so　hard　it　popped　the　glove…partment　door　　open　and　a　package　of　No…Doz　dropped　into　Kelp's　lap。　Kelp　picked　it　up　in　　trembling　fingers　and　said；　〃Never　did　I　need　you　less。〃
　　〃Then　slow　down！〃　Dortmunder　yelled。
　　〃Nothing　to　worry　about；〃　Murch　said。　His　headlights　showed　a　pair　of　cars　　parked　up　ahead；　opposite　each　other；　both　too　far　out　from　the　curb；　leaving　a　　space　that　was　under　the　circumstances　very　small。　〃Everything　under　control；〃　　Murch　said；　jiggled　the　wheel　as　he　went　through；　and　simply　amputated　the　　outside　mirror　from　the　car　on　the　right。
　　〃Uh；〃　said　Kelp。　He　dropped　the　No…Doz　on　the　floor　and　shut　the　glove　　partment。
　　Dortmunder　looked　past　Kelp　at　Murch's　profile；　saw　how　absorbed　it　was；　　and　understood　there　was　no　way　right　now　to　attract　Murch's　attention　without　　actually　setting　up　a　roadblock　ahead　of　him。　And　that　might　not　do　it；　either。　〃I　　trust　you；〃　Dortmunder　said；　since　he　had　no　choice；　and　sat　back　in　the　corner　　to　brace　himself　and　to　watch　the　night　thunder　at　their　windshield。
　　They　drove　for　twenty　minutes；　mostly　heading　north；　sometimes　heading　east。　　Generally　speaking；　the　south　shore　of　Long　Island；　which　faces　the　Atlantic　　Ocean；　is　less　prestigious　than　the　north　shore；　which　faces　Long　Island　Sound；　　a　mostly　enclosed　body　of　water　protected　by　the　island　on　one　side　and　　Connecticut　on　the　other。　In　taking　the　bank　from　the　south…shore　munity　it　　had　serviced　so　well；　arid　in　heading　north　with　it；　Murch　and　Dortmunder　and　　Kelp　were　moving　by　gradual　stages　from　smaller　older　houses　on　narrower　　plots　of　land　to　larger　newer　houses　on　broader　plots　of　land。　Similarly；　　westward；　toward　New　York　City；　the　houses　were　poorer　and　closer　together；　　but　eastward　they　were　richer　and　farther　apart。　In　going　both　east　and　north；　　Murch　was　giving　this　branch　of　the　C&I　Trust　a　literal　kind　of　upward　mobility。
　　They　were　also　moving　into　an　area　where　there　was　still　undeveloped　land　　between　the　towns；　rather　than　the　undifferentiated　sweep　of　suburb　that　　characterized　the　section　where　they'd　started。　After　twenty　minutes；　they　had　　crossed　a　county　line　and　were　on　a　deserted　bit　of　cracked　and　bumpy　two…
　　lane　road；　with　a　farmer's　field　on　the　right　and　a　stand　of　trees　on　the　left。　〃This　　is　close　enough；〃　Murch　said；　and　began　tapping　the　brake。　〃God　damn　it；〃　he　　said。
　　Dortmunder　sat　up。　〃What's　the　matter？　Brakes　no　good？〃
　　〃Brakes　are　fine；〃　Murch　said　through　clenched　teeth；　and　tapped　them　some　　more。　〃Goddam　bank　wants　to　jackknife；〃　he　said。
　　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　twisted　around　to　look　through　the　small　rear　window　　at　the　bank。　Every　time　Murch　touched　the　brakes；　the　trailer　began　to　slue　　around；　the　rear　of　it　moving　leftward　like　a　car　in　a　skid　on　ice。　Kelp　said；　〃It　　looks　like　it　wants　to　pass　us。〃
　　〃It　does；〃　Murch　said。　He　kept　tapping；　and　very　gradually　they　slowed；　and　　when　the