dwestlake.bankshot-第22部分

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　　〃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　to　do；　the　proper　thing　to　do；　　and　the　lieutenant　knew　the　captain　didn't　blame　him　personally　for　it；　but　　nevertheless　the　act　had　made　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite　very　nervous；　and　　nothing　that　had　happened　since　had　served　to　calm　him　down。
　　The　lieutenant　and　the　captain　were　different　in　almost　every　respect…the　　lieutenant　young；　slender；　hesitant；　quiet　and　a　reader；　the　captain　fiftyish；　　heavyset；　bullheaded；　loud　and　illiterate…but　they　did　have　one　trait　they　shared　　in　mon：　Neither　of　them　liked　trouble。　It　was　the　one　area　in　which　they　even　　used　the　same　language：　〃I　want　things　quiet；　men；〃　the　captain　would　tell　his　　men　at　the　morning　shape…up；　and　at　the　night　shape…up　the　lieutenant　would　　say；　〃Let's　keep　things　quiet；　men；　so　I　don't　have　to　wake　the　captain。〃　They　　were　both　death　on　police　corruption；　because　it　might　tend　to　endanger　the　　quiet。
　　If　they'd　wanted　noise；　after　all；　New　York　City　was　right　next　door；　and　its　　police　force　was　always　looking　for　recruits。
　　But　it　was　noise　they　had　tonight；　whether　they　liked　it　or　not。　Captain　　Deemer　turned　away　from　the　lieutenant；　muttering；　〃It's　just　a　goddam　good　　thing　I　was　home；〃　and　went　over　to　brood　at　the　map　of　the　Island　on　the　side　　wall。
　　〃Sir？〃
　　〃Never　mind；　Lieutenant；〃　said　the　captain。
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　The　phone　rang。
　　〃Get　that；　Lieutenant。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　Hepplewhite　spoke　briefly　into　the　phone…he　stood　beside　the　desk；　not　　wanting　to　sit　at　it　in　the　captain's　presence…　and　then　put　the　caller　on　hold　　and　said；　〃Captain；　the　people　from　the　bank　are　here。〃
　　〃Have　'em　e　in。〃　The　captain　kept　brooding　at　the　map；　and　his　lips　　moved　without　sound。　〃Tighten　the　net；〃　he　seemed　to　be　saying。
　　The　three　men　who　entered　the　office　looked　like　some　sort　of　statistical　　sampling；　a　cross…section　of　America　perhaps；　the　mind　boggled　at　the　attempt　　to　see　them　as　a　group　connected　with　one　another。
　　The　first　in　was　portly；　distinguished；　with　iron…gray　hair　and　black　suit　and　　conservative　narrow　tie。　He　carried　a　black　attaché　case；　and　fat　cigar　tips　　protruded　from　his　breast　pocket。　He　looked　to　be　about　fifty…five；　prosperous；　　and　used　to　giving　orders。
　　The　second　was　stocky；　short；　wearing　a　tan　sports　jacket；　dark…brown　　slacks　and　a　bow　tie。　He　had　crewcut　sandy　hair；　horn…rimmed　glasses；　leather　　patches　on　the　elbows　of　his　jacket；　and　carried　a　brown　briefcase。　He　was　　about　forty　and　looked　thoughtful　and　petent　in　some　specialty。
　　The　third　was　very　tall　and　very　thin；　with　shoulder…length　hair；　deep　sideburns　　and　Western…sheriff　mustache。　He　was　no　more　than　twenty…five　and　wore　a　　yellow　pullover　polo　shirt；　tie…dye　blue　jeans　and　white　basketball　sneakers。　He　　carried　a　gray　cloth　bag　of　the　kind　plumbers　use；　which　clanked　when　he　put　it　　down　on　a　chair。　He　grinned　all　the　time　and　did　a　lot　of　bobbing　in　place；　as　　though　listening　to　music。
　　The　portly　man　looked　around　with　a　tentative　smile。　〃Captain　Deemer？〃
　　The　captain　remained　by　the　map　but　looked　over　with　brooding　eyes　and　　said；　〃That's　me。〃
　　〃I　am　George　Gelding；　of　C　and　L〃
　　The　captain　gave　an　irritated　frown。　〃Seeing…eye？〃
　　〃Capitalists'　and　Immigrants'　Trust；〃　said　Gelding。　〃The　bank　you　lost。〃
　　The　captain　grunted；　as　though　he'd　been　hit　in　the　chest　with　an　arrow；　and　　lowered　his　head　like　a　bull　deciding　to　get　mad。
　　Gelding　gestured　to　the　man　with　the　bow　tie　and　leather　elbow　patches。　〃This　　is　Mr。　Albert　Docent；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　pany　which　provided　the　safe　　employed　in　that　particular　branch　of　our　bank。〃
　　Deemer　and　Docent　nodded　at　each　other；　the　captain　sourly；　the　safe　man　　with　a　thoughtful　smile。
　　〃And　this；〃　Gelding　said；　gesturing　to　the　young　man　with　the　hair；　〃is　Mr。　　Gary　Wallah；　of　Roamerica　Corporation；　the　pany　which　provided　the　　trailer　in　which　the　bank　has　recently　been　housed。〃
　　〃Mobile　home；〃　Wallah　said。　He　grinned　and　nodded　and　bounced。
　　〃Mobile；　at　any　rate；〃　Gelding　said　and　turned　back　to　the　captain；　saying；　　〃We　are　here　to　offer　you　whatever　information　and　expertise　may　be　of　help　to　　you。〃
　　〃Thank　you。〃
　　〃And　to　ask　if　there　have　been　any　further　developments。〃
　　〃We　have　them　bottled　up；〃　the　captain　said　grimly。
　　〃Have　you　really？〃　said　Gelding；　smiling　broadly　and　taking　a　step　forward；　　〃Where？〃
　　〃Here；〃　the　captain　said　and　thumped　the　map　with　the　back　of　one　meaty　　hand。　〃It's　only　a　question　of　time。〃
　　〃You　mean　you　still　don't　know　exactly　where　they　are。〃
　　〃They're　on　the　Island。〃
　　〃But　you　don't　know　where。〃
　　〃It's　only　a　question　of　time！〃
　　〃It　is　approximately　one　hundred　miles；〃　Gelding　said；　with　no　attempt　to　　soften　his　tone；　〃from　the　New　York　City　line　across　Long　Island　to　Montauk　　Point。　In　spots；　the　island　is　twenty　miles　wide。　In　land　area；　it　is　larger　than　　Rhode　Island。　This　is　the　area　in　which　you　have　them　bottled　up？〃
　　In　moments　of　stress；　the　captain's　left　eye　tended　to　close；　and　then　open　　again；　and　then　slowly　close　again；　then　pop　open　once　more；　and　so　on。　It　　made　him　look　as　though　he　were　winking；　and　in　his　youth　he　had　inadvertently　　picked　up　more　than　one　young　lady　that　way；　in　fact；　it　still　did　pretty　well　for　　him。
　　But　there　were　no　young　ladies　here　now。　〃The　point；〃　the　captain　told　the　　banker；　〃is　that　they　can't　get　oft　the　Island。　It's　a　big　place；　but　sooner　or　later　　we'll　cover　it。〃
　　〃What　are　you　doing　so　far？〃
　　〃Until　morning；〃　the　captain　said；　〃the　only　thing　we　can　do　is　patrol　the　　streets；　hope　to　find　them　before　they　get　the　thing　under　cover。〃
　　〃It　is　almost　three　in　the　morning；　well　over　an　hour　since　the　bank　was　stolen。　　Surely　they're　under　cover　by　now。〃
　　〃Maybe。　At　first　light；　we　spread　out　more。　Before　we're　done；　we'll　look　　inside　every　old　barn；　every　abandoned　factory；　every　empty　building　of　any　　kind　on　the　whole　Island。　We'll　check　all　dead…end　roads；　we'll　look　into　every　　bit　of　woods。〃
　　〃You're　talking；　Captain；　about　an　operation　that　will　take　a　month。〃
　　〃No；　Mr。　Gelding；　I'm　not。　By　morning；　we'll　have　the　assistance　of　Boy　　Scout　troops；　volunteer　fire　departments　and　other　local　organizations　all　over　　the　Island　to　help　in　the　search。　We'll　use　the　same　groups　and　the　same　tech…
　　niques　as　when　we're　looking　for　a　lost　child。〃
　　〃The　bank；〃　Gelding　said　frostily；　〃is　somewhat　larger　than　a　lost　child。〃
　　〃That　can　only　help；〃　Captain　Deemer　said。　〃We'll　also　have　assistance　from　　the　Civil　Air　Patrol　in　scanning　from　the　skies。〃
　　〃Scanning　from　the　skies？〃　The　phrase　seemed　to　take　Gelding　aback。
　　〃I　say　we　have　them　bottled　up；〃　Captain　Deemer　said；　his　voice　rising　and　his　　left　eyelid　lowering；　〃and　I　say　it's　only　a　question　of　time　till　we　tighten　the　　net！〃　And　he　did　that　chicken…killing　gesture　again；　making　Lieutenant　Hepple…
　　white　in　his　unobserved　corner　wince　once　more。
　　〃All　right；〃　Gelding　said　grudgingly。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　I　must　admit　　you　seem　to　be　doing　everything　possible。〃
　　〃Everything；〃　agreed　the　captain　and　turned　his　attention　to　Gary　Wallah；　the　　young　man　from　the　mobile　home　pany。　The　strain　of　having　to　deal　as　allies　　with　somebody　who　looked　like　Gary　Wallah　caused　the　captain's　head　to　　lower　into　his　neck　again　and　his　left　eyelid　to　flutter　like　an　awning　in　an　onshore　breeze。　〃Tell　me　about　this　trailer；〃　he　said；　and　despite　his　best　intentions　　the　sentence　came　growling　out　as　though　instead　he'd　said；　〃Up　against　the　　wall；　kid。〃　（He　didn't　use　bad　language　in　uniform。）
　　〃It's　a　mobile　home；〃　Wallah　said。　〃It　isn't　a　trailer。　A　trailer　is　a　little　thing　　with　wheels　that　you　rent　from　U…Haul　when　you　want　to　move　a　refrigerator。　　What　we're　talking　about　is　a　mobile　home。〃
　　〃I　don't　care　if　you　call　it　a　Boeing　747；　boy；〃　said　the　captain；　no　longer　even　　caring　about　the　growl　in　his　voice；　〃just　so　you　describe　it　to　me。〃
　　Wallah　didn't　say　anything　for　a　few　seconds；　just　glanced　around　the　room　　with　a　little　smile　on　his　face。　Finally　he　nodded　and　said；　〃Right　on。　I'm　here　this　　time　to　cooperate；　that's　what　I'll　do。〃
　　Captain　Deemer　closed　his　mouth　firmly　over　the　several　things　it　occurred　to　　him　to　say。　He　reminded　himself　that　he　really　didn't　want　to　fight　with　　everybody　on　his　own　team；　and　he　waited　in　controlled　impatience　for　this　god…
　　dam　draft…dodging　useless　hippie　pot…smoking　disrespectful　radical　son　of　a　　bitch　bastard　to　say　whatever　it　was　he　was　going　to　say。
　　In　a　neutral　tone；　Wallah　said；　〃What　Roamerica　leased　to　the　bank　was　a　　modified　version　of　our　Remuda　model。　It's　fifty　feet　long　and　twelve　feet　wide　　and　is　usually　made　up　as　a　two…　or　three…bedroom　home　in　a　variety　of　styles；　　but　mostly　either　Colonial　or　Western。　But　in　this　case　it　was　turned　over　to　the　　bank　with　no　interior　partitions　and　without　the　usual　kitchen　appliances。　The　　normal　bathroom　was　put　in；　that　is；　the　fixtures　only；　no　walls　or　decor。　The　　modifications　done　at　the　factory　consisted　mostly　of　installing　a　full　burglar　　alarm　system　in　the　walls；　floor　and　roof　of　the　unit　and　strengthening　the　floor　at　　the　rear　portion。　This　what　you　want；　Cap？〃
　　Instead　of　answering　directly；　Captain　Deemer　looked　over　at　Lieutenant　　Hepplewhite　to　see　if　he　was　taking　all　this　down　the　way　he　was　supposed　to；　　he　was　taking　it　down；　but　not　the　way　he　was　supposed　to。　That　is；　instead　of　　sitting　at　the　desk　like　a　normal　human　being　he　was　standing　beside　it；　bent　　over；　pencil　flying　across　paper。　〃Goddamit；　Lieutenant；〃　the　captain　shouted；　　〃sit　down　before　you　get　a　humpback！〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　lieutenant　zipped　into　the　chair；　then　looked　attentively　toward　　Wallah。
　　The　captain　said；　〃You　got　all　that　so　far？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Good。　Go　ahead；　buh…〃
　　Wallah　raised　an　eyebrow　and　one　side　of　his　mustache。　〃Hello？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　the　captain　said　grumpily。　〃Go　ahead。〃
　　〃Not　much　more　to　tell。　It　has　the　usual　wiring　in　it；　to　be　attached　to　regular　　mercial　power　pany　lines。　It　has　baseboard　electric　h