dwestlake.bankshot-第21部分

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　pass　us。〃
　　〃It　does；〃　Murch　said。　He　kept　tapping；　and　very　gradually　they　slowed；　and　　when　they　got　below　twenty　miles　an　hour　Murch　could　apply　the　brakes　more　　normally　and　bring　them　to　a　stop。　〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　said。　His　hands　were　still　　clawed　around　the　wheel；　and　sweat　was　running　down　his　cheeks　from　his　　forehead。
　　Kelp　said；　〃Were　we　really　in　trouble；　Stan？〃
　　〃Well；　I'll　tell　you；〃　Murch　said；　breathing　slowly　but　heavily。　〃I　just　kept　　wishing　Christopher　was　still　a　saint。〃
　　〃Let's　go　take　a　look　at　things；〃　Dortmunder　said。　What　he　meant　was　that　he　　wanted　to　go　stand　on　the　ground　for　a　minute。
　　So　did　the　others。　All　three　got　out　and　wasted　several　seconds　just　stomping　　their　feet　on　the　cracked　pavement。　Then　Dortmunder　took　a　revolver　from　his　　jacket　pocket　and　said；　〃Let's　see　how　it　worked　out。〃
　　〃Right；〃　Kelp　said；　and　from　his　own　pocket　took　a　key　ring　containing　a　　dozen　keys。　Herman　had　assured　him　that　one　of　those　keys　would　definitely　　open　the　bank　door。　〃At　least　one；〃　he'd　said。　〃Maybe　even　more　than　one。〃　　But　Kelp　had　said；　〃One　will　do。〃
　　So　it　did。　It　was　the　fifth　key　he　tried；　while　Murch　stood　back　a　few　feet　with　　a　flashlight；　and　then　the　door　swung　outward。　Kelp　stayed　behind　it；　because　　they　weren't　sure　about　the　guards　inside；　whether　the　carbon…monoxide　truck　　exhaust　had　knocked　them　out　or　not。　They　had　made　careful　calculations　on　　how　much　of　the　cubic…foot　capacity　the　gas　would　fill　after　x　minutes　and　x　＋　y　　minutes；　and　were　certain　they　were　well　within　safety　limits。　So　Dortmunder　　called；　〃e　out　with　your　hands　up。〃
　　Kelp　said；　〃The　robbers　aren't　supposed　to　say　that　to　the　cops。　The　cops　　are　supposed　to　say　it　to　the　robbers。〃
　　Dortmunder　ignored　him。　〃e　out；〃　he　called　again。　〃Don't　make　us　drill　　you。〃
　　There　was　no　response。
　　〃Flashlight；〃　Dortmunder　said　quietly；　like　a　doctor　asking　for　a　scalpel；　and　　Murch　handed　it　to　him。　Dortmunder　moved　cautiously　forward；　pressed　himself　　against　the　wall　of　the　trailer；　and　slowly　looked　around　the　edge　of　the　door　　frame。　Both　his　hands　were　in　front　of　himself；　pointing　the　gun　and　the　flashlight　　at　the　same　spot。
　　There　was　no　one　in　sight。　Furniture　lay　scattered　all　over　the　place；　and　the　　floor　was　littered　with　credit…card　applications；　small　change　and　playing　cards。　　Dortmunder　waggled　the　flashlight　around；　continued　to　see　no　one；　and　said；　　〃That's　funny。〃
　　Kelp　said；　〃What's　funny？〃
　　〃There's　nobody　there。〃
　　〃You　mean　we　stole　an　empty　bank？〃
　　〃The　question　is；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃did　we　steal　an　empty　safe。〃
　　〃Oh　oh；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃I　should　have　known；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃the　first　second　I　saw　you。　And　if　　not　you；　when　I　saw　your　nephew。〃
　　〃Let's　at　least　look　it　over；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃Sure。　Give　me　a　boost。〃
　　All　three　of　them　climbed　up　into　the　bank　and　began　to　look　around；　and　it　　was　Murch　who　found　the　guards。　〃Here　they　are；〃　he　said。　〃Behind　the　　counter。〃
　　And　there　they　were；　all　seven　of　them；　stuffed　away　on　the　floor　behind　the　　counter；　jammed　in　amid　filing　cabinets　and　desks；　sound　asleep。　Murch　said；　〃I　　heard　that　one　snoring；　that's　how　I　knew。〃
　　〃Don't　they　look　peaceful；〃　Kelp　said；　looking　over　the　counter　at　them。　〃It　　makes　me　woozy　myself　just　to　look　at　them。〃
　　Dortmunder　too　had　been　feeling　a　certain　heaviness；　thinking　it　was　the　　physical　and　emotional　letdown　after　a　successful　job；　but　all　at　once　he　roused　　himself　and　cried；　〃Murch！〃
　　Murch　was　half　draped　over　the　counter；　it　was　hard　to　tell　if　he　was　looking　　at　the　guards　or　joining　them。　He　straightened；　startled　by　Dortmunder's　shout；　　and　said；　〃What？　What？〃
　　〃Is　the　motor　still　on？〃
　　〃My　God；　so　it　is；〃　Murch　said。　He　reeled　toward　the　door。　〃I'll　go　turn　it　　off。〃
　　〃No　no；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Just　get　that　damn　hose　out　of　the　ventilator。〃　He　　gestured　with　the　flashlight　toward　the　front　of　the　trailer；　where　the　hose　had　　been　pumping　truck　exhaust　into　the　trailer　for　the　last　twenty　minutes。　There　　was　a　strong　smell　of　garage　inside　the　bank；　but　it　hadn't　been　enough　to　warn　　them　right　away　not　to　fall　into　their　own　trap。　The　guards　had　been　put　to　sleep　　by　carbon　monoxide；　and　their　captors　had　almost　just　done　the　same　thing　to　　themselves。
　　Murch　staggered　out　into　the　fresh　air；　and　Dortmunder　said　to　Kelp；　who　　was　yawning　like　a　whale；　〃e　on；　let's　get　these　birds　out　of　here。〃
　　〃Right；　right；　right。〃　Knuckling　his　eyes；　Kelp　followed　Dortmunder　around　　the　counter；　and　they　spent　the　next　few　minutes　carrying　guards　outside　and　　depositing　them　in　the　grass　by　the　side　of　the　road。　When　they　were　finished　　with　that；　they　hooked　the　door　open；　propped　the　trailer　windows　open；　and　　got　back　into　the　cab；　where　they　found　Murch　asleep。
　　〃Oh；　e　on；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　joggled　Murch's　shoulder　hard　enough　　to　bump　his　head　into　the　door。
　　〃Ow；〃　Murch　said　and　looked　around；　blinking。　〃What　now？〃　he　said；　　obviously　trying　to　remember　what　situation　he　was　in。
　　〃Onward；〃　Kelp　said。
　　〃Right；〃　Dortmunder　said　and　slammed　the　cab　door。
　　
　　
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　　AT　FIVE　past　two；　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃I　hear　them　ing！〃　and　raced　to　　the　car　for　her　neck　brace。　She　barely　had　it　on　and　fastened　when　the　　headlights　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　stadium；　and　the　cab　and　bank　drove　　across　the　football　field　and　stopped　on　the　drop　cloth。　Meanwhile；　Herman　and　　Victor　and　May　were　standing　by　with　their　equipment　ready。　This　high…school　　football　stadium　was　open　at　one　end；　so　that　at　this　time　of　night　it　was　both　　accessible　and　untenanted。　The　stands　on　three　sides；　and　the　school　building　　beyond　the　open　side；　shielded　them　from　curious　eyes　on　any　of　the　　neighborhood　roads。
　　Murch　had　barely　stopped　the　cab　when　Victor　was　setting　up　the　ladder　at　　the　back　and　Herman　was　climbing　the　ladder　with　his　roller　in　one　hand　and　　paint　tray　in　the　other。　Meanwhile；　May　and　Murch's　Mom　had　started；　with　　newspapers　and　masking　tape；　to　cover　all　sections　on　the　sides　that　wouldn't　　get　painted…windows；　chrome　trim；　door　handles。
　　There　were　more　rollers　and　ladders　and　paint　trays。　While　Victor　and　Murch　　helped　the　ladies　mask　the　sides；　Kelp　and　Dortmunder　started　painting。　They　　were　using　a　pale…green　water…base　paint；　the　kind　people　use　on　their　living…
　　room　walls；　the　kind　you　can　clean　up　afterward　with　plain　water。　They　were　　using　this　because　it　was　the　fastest　and　neatest　to　apply；　it　was　guaranteed　to　　cover　in　one　coat；　and　it　would　dry　very　quickly。　Particularly　in　the　open　air。
　　In　five　minutes；　the　bank　wasn't　a　bank　any　more。　It　had　lost　its　〃Just　watch　　us　GROW！〃　sign　somewhere　along　the　way　and　was　now　a　pleasing　soft　green　　color　instead　of　its　former　blue　and　white。　It　had　also　gained　Michigan　license　　plates　appropriate　to　a　mobile　home。　Murch　drove　forward　till　it　was　off　the　　drop　cloth；　and　then　the　drop　cloth　was　folded　up　and　put　into　the　paint…　pany　truck　that　had　been　stolen　this　afternoon　for　just　this　purpose。　The　　ladders　and　rollers　and　paint　trays　were　stowed　away　in　there；　too。　Then　　Herman　and　May　and　Dortmunder　and　Murch's　Mom　climbed　up　into　the　　trailer；　the　ladies　both　carrying　packages；　and　Kelp　drove　away　in　the　paint…　pany　truck；　followed　by　Victor　in　the　Packard。　Victor　had　brought　the　　ladies　out　here　and　would　take　Kelp　home　after　he　ditched　the　truck。
　　Murch；　alone　in　the　cab　now；　made　a　sweeping　U…turn　and　drove　out　of　the　　football　field。　He　drove　more　slowly　and　carefully　now；　both　because　the　　urgency　was　gone　and　because　his　Mom　and　some　other　people　were　in　the　　back。
　　What　they　were　doing　in　the　back；　May　was　putting　up　on　the　windows　the　　curtains　she'd　been　making　all　week。　Murch's　Mom　was　holding　the　two　　flashlights　that　were　their　only　illumination；　and　Dortmunder　was　cleaning　up　the　　mess　a　bit　while　Herman　was　squatting　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　safe；　looking　it　　over　and　saying；　〃Hmmmmm。〃　He　didn't　look　pleased。
　　
　　
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　　〃A　BANK　doesn't　just　disappear；〃　Captain　Deemer　said。
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite。
　　Captain　Deemer　extended　his　arms　out　at　the　sides　as　though　he　would　do　　calisthenics　and　wiggled　his　hands。　〃It　doesn't　just　fly　away；〃　he　said。
　　〃No；　sir；〃　said　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite。
　　〃So　we　have　to　be　able　to　find　it；　Lieutenant。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　They　were　alone　in　the　captain's　office；　a　small　and　deceptively　quiet　life　raft　　in　a　sea　of　chaos…the　eye　of　the　storm；　as　it　were。　Beyond　that　door；　men　were　　running　back　and　forth；　scribbling　messages；　slamming　doors；　making　phone　　calls；　developing　heartburn　and　acid　indigestion。　Beyond　that　window；　a　massive　　bank　hunt　was　already　under　way；　with　every　available　car　and　man　from　both　　the　Nassau　County　police　and　the　Suffolk　County　police。　The　New　York　City　　police　in　both　Queens　and　Brooklyn　had　been　alerted；　and　every　street　and　road　　and　highway　crossing　the　twelve…mile　long　border　into　the　city　was　being　　watched。　There　was　no　land　exit　from　Long　Island　except　through　New　York　　City；　no　bridges　or　tunnels　to　any　other　part　of　the　world。　The　ferries　to　　Connecticut　from　Port　Jefferson　and　Orient　Point　didn't　run　at　this　time　of　night　　and　would　be　watched　from　the　time　they　opened　for　business　in　the　morning。　　The　local　police　and　harbor　authorities　at　every　spot　on　the　Island　with　facilities　　big　enough　to　handle　a　ship　that　could　load　an　entire　mobile　home　on　it　had　also　　been　alerted　and　were　ready。　Macarthur　Airport　was　being　watched。
　　〃We　have　them　bottled　up；〃　Captain　Deemer　said　grimly；　bringing　his　hands　　slowly　together　as　though　to　strangle　somebody。
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite。
　　〃Now　all　we　have　to　do　is　tighten　the　net！〃　And　Captain　Deemer　squeezed　　his　hands　shut　and　twisted　them　together；　as　though　snapping　the　neck　off　a　　chicken。
　　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite　winced。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　said。
　　〃And　get　those　sons　of　bitches；〃　Captain　Deemer　said；　shaking　his　head　from　　side　to　side；　〃that　woke　me　up　out　of　bed。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite　said　and　flashed　a　sickly　grin。
　　Because　it　had　been　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite　who　had　awakened　Captain　　Deemer　out　of　his　bed。　It　had　been　the　only　thing