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第26部分

dwestlake.bankshot-第26部分

小说: dwestlake.bankshot 字数: 每页4000字

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 front of the safe; put the earphones on and listen to the tumblers while you  turn the bination。 Or ways of putting just a little plastic explosive in two  places at the edge of the door; where the hinges are on the inside; and then  going next door and setting them off by radio signal and ing back to find the  door lying on its face on the floor and not a sheet of paper wrinkled inside。 Or…  The padlock。 He'd done it again。 〃Rrrrrrr;〃 Herman said。
  〃Here es somebody。〃
  〃That was me growling。〃
  〃No。 Headlights。〃 Kelp switched off the flashlight。
  Herman looked around and saw the headlights turning in from the highway。 〃It  can't be Murch already;〃 he said。
  〃Well;〃 Kelp said doubtfully; 〃it is almost four o'clock。〃
  Herman stared at him。 〃Four o'clock? I've been at this; I've been here for 。 。 。  ? Give me that light!〃
  〃Well; we're not sure it's them yet。〃 The headlights were slowly approaching  past the darkened trailers。
  〃I don't need the goddam light;〃 Herman said; and while the headlights came  up close enough to show the car behind them; and the car parked; and Murch  got out; Herman picked the padlock by feel alone; and when Kelp next turned  the flashlight on; Herman was putting his tools away。 〃It's done;〃 he said。
  〃You got it!〃
  〃Of course I got it。〃 Herman glared at him。 〃What do you sound so surprised  for?〃
  〃Well; I just。 。 。 Uh; here's Stan and Victor。〃
  But it was just Murch。 He strolled over and gestured at the black box and  said; 〃You get it open?〃
  〃Listen;〃 Herman said angrily; 〃just because I'm having trouble with that safe 。  。
  Murch looked startled。 〃I just wanted to know;〃 he said。
  Kelp said; 〃Where's Victor?〃
  〃Here he es now;〃 Murch said and gestured with his thumb toward the court entrance as another pair of headlights made the turn。 〃He really hangs well back;〃 Murch said。 〃I was surprised。 I almost lost him a couple times。〃
  Dortmunder had e out of the bank and now walked over to say; 〃There's  a hell of a lot of talk out here。 Let's keep it down。〃
  〃The padlock's open;〃 Herman told him。
  Dortmunder glanced at him and then looked at his watch。 〃That's good;〃 he  said。 There was no expression in either his face or his voice。
  〃Look;〃 Herman said aggressively; but then didn't have anything else to say  and just stood there。
  Victor came over; walking slightly lopsided and looking stunned。 〃Boy;〃 he  said。
  Dortmunder said; 〃Let's go inside where we can talk。 You boys be able to fix  things up out here?〃
  Kelp and Murch would be doing the tie…in of power and water and sewer  lines。 Kelp said; 〃Sure; we'll work it out。〃
  〃You've got some bent pipes there;〃 Dortmunder said; 〃where we ripped  them when we took the bank。〃
  〃No problem;〃 Murch said。 〃I brought some pipe in the car。 We'll rig  something up。〃
  〃But quiet;〃 Dortmunder said。
  〃Sure;〃 Murch said。
  The efficiency all around him was making Herman nervous。 〃I'm going in and  work on that safe;〃 he said。
  Dortmunder and Victor came along with him; and Dortmunder said to Victor;  〃Did Stan tell you the situation?〃
  〃Sure。 Herman's having trouble getting the safe open; so we're going to stay  here for a while。〃
  Herman hunched his shoulders and glowered straight ahead; but said nothing。
  As they were climbing up into the bank; Victor said; 〃That Stan really drives;  doesn't he?〃
  〃That's his job;〃 Dortmunder said; and Herman winced at that one; too。
  〃Boy;〃 Victor said。 〃You try to keep up with him 。 boy。〃
  Inside the trailer; May and Murch's Mom had set up a couple of flashlights on  pieces of furniture so there was some light to work by and were now cleaning  the place up a little。
  〃I think we've got a full deck of cards here;〃 Murch's Mom told Dortmunder。  〃I just found the three of clubs over by the safe。〃
  〃That's fine;〃 Dortmunder said。 He turned to Herman。 〃You want any help?〃
  〃No!〃 Herman snapped; but a second later said; 〃I mean yes。 Sure; of  course。〃
  〃Victor; you go with Herman。〃
  〃Sure。〃
  May said to Dortmunder; 〃We need you to move some furniture。〃
  While Dortmunder went off to join the spring…cleaning brigade; Herman said  to Victor; 〃I've made a decision。〃
  Victor looked alert。
  〃I am going;〃 Herman said; 〃to attack that safe by every method known to  man。 All at once。〃
  〃Sure;〃 Victor said。 〃What should I do?〃
  〃You;〃 Herman told him; 〃will turn the handle。〃
  
  
  26
  
  〃FRANKLY;〃 May said; the cigarette bobbing in the corner of her mouth; 〃I  could make better coffee than this if I started with dirt。〃 She dropped a seven of  hearts on the eight of diamonds Dortmunder had led。
  〃I took what they had;〃 Murch said。 〃It was the only place I could find open。〃  He carefully slid a five of diamonds under the seven of diamonds。
  〃I'm not blaming you;〃 May said。 〃I'm just menting。〃
  Murch's Mom put down her own coffee container; frowned at her hand and  at last gave an elaborate sigh and said; 〃Oh; well。〃 She played the jack of  diamonds and drew in the trick。
  〃Look out;〃 Murch said。 〃Mom's shooting the moon。〃
  His mother gave him a dirty look。 〃Mom's shooting the moon; Mom's  shooting the moon。 You know so much。 I had to take that trick。〃
  〃That's okay;〃 Murch said calmly。 〃I got stoppers。〃
  May was sitting by the partially open door of the trailer; where she could look  out and see the blacktop street all the way down to the court entrance。 It was  now ten after seven in the morning and fully light。 Half a dozen seedy cars had  left here in the last half hour; as residents went off to work; but no one had as  yet arrived to question this new trailer's presence…neither a trailer…court  manager nor the police。
  While waiting; May and Murch's Mom were running a rousing game of hearts  in the pseudo…breakfast nook they'd set up by the door toward the front end of  the trailer; farthest from the safe。 Back at the other end; hidden behind a new  floor…to…ceiling partition created from sections of counter; Herman was working  away steadily at the safe; assisted by the men in groups of two。 Kelp and Victor  were back there with him now; while Dortmunder and Murch were sitting in at  the card game。 At eight o'clock; the men would switch。
  So far; there had been two small crump sounds from the other side of the  counter as Herman had tried minor explosions which had failed to acplish  anything; and occasionally there was the whir of a power tool or the buzz of a  saw intermixed with the steady rasp of the circular drill; but up till now very little  seemed to be happening。 Ten minutes ago; when Dortmunder and Murch had  finished their six…to…seven shift; May had asked them how things were going。 〃I  won't say he hasn't made a dent in it;〃 Dortmunder had said。 〃He's made a dent  in it。〃 And he'd rubbed his shoulder; having spent most of the previous hour  turning a handle in a large circle。
  In the meantime; the bank had been made more livable and homelike。 The  electricity and bathroom were both working; the floor had been swept; the  furniture rearranged and the curtains put up on the windows。 It was only too bad  the bank hadn't e equipped with a kitchen; the ham。 burgers and doughnuts  Murch had brought back from the all…night diner were almost edible; but the  coffee was probably against the anti…pollution laws。
  〃Anything?〃 Dortmunder asked。
  May had been gazing toward the street; thinking about kitchens and food and  coffee。 She switched her attention to Dortmunder and said; 〃No; I was just  daydreaming。〃
  〃You're tired; that's why;〃 Murch's Mom said。 〃We all are; staying up all  night。 I'm not as young as I used to be。〃 She played the ace of diamonds。
  〃Ho ho;〃 her son said。 〃Not shooting the moon; huh?〃
  〃I'm too clever for you;〃 she told him。 〃While you big…mouth; I get rid of all  my dangerous winners。〃 She had taken her neck brace off; despite her son's  plaints; and was now hunched over her cards like a gambling squirrel。
  〃Here es somebody;〃 May said。
  Dortmunder said; 〃Law?〃
  〃No。 The manager; I think。〃
  A blue…and…white station wagon had just turned in at the entrance and  stopped beside the small white…clapboard office shack。 A smallish man in a dark  suit got out of the car; and when May saw him start to unlock the office door  she put down her cards and said; 〃That's him。 I'll be back。〃
  Murch said; 〃Mom; put the brace on。〃
  〃I will not。〃
  They still didn't have steps for the trailer。 May clambered awkwardly down to  the ground; flipped a cigarette ember away from the corner of her mouth and lit  a new one as she walked down the row to the office。
  The man at the sloppy desk inside had the thin; nervous; dehydrated look of a  reformed drunk…the look of a man who at any instant may go back to sleeping  in alleys while clutching a pint bottle of port。 He gave May a terrified stare and  said; 〃Yes; Miss? Yes?〃
  〃We're moving in for a week;〃 May said。 〃I wanted to pay you。〃
  〃A week? A trailer?〃 He seemed baffled by everything。 Maybe it was just the  early hour that was getting to him。
  〃That's right;〃 May said。 〃How much is it for a week?〃
  〃Twenty…seven fifty。 Where's the; uh; where do you have your trailer?〃
  〃Back there on the right;〃 May said; pointing through the wall。
  He frowned; bewildered。 〃I didn't hear you drive in。〃
  〃We came in last night。〃
  〃Last night!〃 He leaped to his feet; knocking a pile of forms slithering from  the desk to the floor。 While May watched him in some amazement; he raced out  the front door。 She shook her head and stooped to pick up the fallen papers。
  He was back a minute later; saying; 〃You're right。 I never even noticed it  when I … 。 。 Here; you don't have to do that。〃
  〃All done;〃 May said。 Straightening; she put the pile of forms back on the  desk; causing some sort of seismic disturbance; because another stack of papers  promptly toppled off the desk on the other side。
  〃Leave them; leave them;〃 the nervous man said。
  〃I think I will。〃 May moved over to let him get back to his seat behind the  desk; and then she sat in the room's only other chair; facing him。 〃Anyway;〃 she  said; 〃we want to stay for a week。〃
  〃There's some forms to fill out。〃 He 

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