dwestlake.bankshot-第30部分

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here　had　still　been　three　sets　for　each　　man　in　the　mobile　headquarters。　They　hadn't　drunk　all　the　coffee；　but　they'd　　eaten　all　the　Danish　and　were　now　feeling　somnolent　and　sluggish。　The　driver　fell　　into　a　deep　sleep；　the　captain　napped；　and　the　lieutenant　kept　dropping　off　and　　then　waking　up　again　with　a　start。　The　radio　man　never　quite　lost　consciousness；　　though　he　did　take　his　shoes　off　and　rest　his　head　against　the　window　and　hold　　his　microphone　slackly　in　his　lap。
　　The　morning　passed　slowly；　with　undiminished　rain　and　no　positive　news　in　　any　of　the　infrequent　crackling　radio　contacts　from　headquarters。　Noontime　　came　and　went；　and　the　afternoon　began　heavily　to　row　past；　and　by　two　　o'clock　they　were　all　feeling　restless　and　cramped　and　irritable　and　　unfortable。　Their　mouths　tasted　bad；　their　feet　had　swollen；　their　underwear　　chafed；　and　it　had　been　hours　since　any　of　them　had　relieved　themselves。
　　Finally；　at　ten　past　two；　the　captain　grunted　and　shifted　position　and　said；　　〃Enough　is　enough。〃
　　The　other　three　tried　to　look　alert。
　　〃We're　not　acplishing　anything　out　here；〃　the　captain　said。　〃We're　not　　mobile；　we're　not　in　contact　with　anybody；　we're　not　getting　anywhere。　Driver；　　take　us　back　to　headquarters。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir！〃
　　As　the　car　started　forward；　the　lieutenant　looked　out　at　the　diner　one　last　time　　and　wondered　if　the　thing　would　actually　stay　in　business　long　enough　for　him　to　　get　that　free　cheeseburger。　He　was　sorry　for　the　people　trying　to　run　the　place；　　but　somehow　he　doubted　it。
　　
　　
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　　〃THERE　they　go！〃　Victor　shouted。
　　〃At　goddam　last；〃　said　Murch's　Mom　and　started　at　once　undoing　the　straps　　on　her　neck　brace。
　　Dortmunder　had　been　sitting　at　the　table　with　May；　practicing　holding　his　　hands　together　as　if　he　had　the　cuffs　on。　Now　he　cocked　an　eye　toward　Victor　　and　said；　〃You　sure　they're　leaving？〃
　　〃Gone；〃　Victor　said。　〃Absolutely　gone。　Made　a　U…turn　out　there　by　the　sign　　and　took　off。〃
　　〃And　about　time；〃　May　said。　The　floor　around　the　chair　where　she　was　sitting　　was　littered　with　tiny　cigarette　ends。
　　Dortmunder　sighed。　When　he　got　to　his　feet　his　bones　creaked；　he　felt　old　and　　stiff　and　achy　all　over。　He　shook　his　head；　thought　of　adding　a　ment；　and　　decided　just　to　let　it　go。
　　The　last　four　hours　had　been　hell。　And　yet；　when　he　and　Kelp　had　first　seen　　this　spot；　it　had　seemed　like　a　special　dispensation　from　Heaven。　The　big　sign　　out　by　the　road；　the　empty　gravel　parking　lot；　and　a　blank　space　where　the　diner　　should　be；　who　could　ask　for　anything　more？　They'd　rushed　back　to　the　　Wanderlust　Trailer　Park；　where　Murch　already　had　the　bank　attached　to　the　　horse　van；　and　quickly　they'd　brought　the　whole　kit　and　caboodle　over　here；　　except　for　the　stolen　station　wagon；　which　they'd　left　in　somebody's　driveway　　along　the　way。　Victor　and　Kelp　had　gone　a　block　or　so　ahead　in　the　Packard；　to　　watch　out　for　cops；　and　Murch　had　followed　with　the　horse　van　and　the　bank…his　Mom　and　May　riding　with　him　in　the　cab　of　the　van；　Dortmunder　and　　Herman　back　in　the　bank。　They'd　gotten　here　with　no　trouble；　positioned　the　　bank；　parked　the　van　and　the　Packard　out　of　sight　behind　it；　and　gone　back　to　　business　as　usual；　the　only　changes　being　that　Herman　had　to　use　battery…operated　power　tools　again　and　the　hearts　game　had　been　resumed　by　flashlight。　　Also；　the　rainwater　drenching　down　the　metal　skin　of　the　bank　quickly　chilled　the　　interior；　and　made　everybody　feel　a　little　stiff　and　rheumatic。　But　it　hadn't　been　　terrible；　and　they'd　mostly　been　in　a　pretty　good　mood…even　Herman；　who　　had　regained　his　belief　in　his　ability　to　get　into　any　safe；　if　given　sufficient　time。
　　And　then　the　cops　had　arrived。　Kelp　had　seen　them　first；　glancing　out　the　　window　and　saying；　〃Look！　Law！〃
　　The　rest　of　them　had　crowded　to　the　windows　and　stared　out　at　the　police　car　　parked　out　by　the　sign。　May　had　said；　〃What　are　they　going　to　do？　Are　they　　onto　us？〃
　　〃No。〃　That　had　been　Victor；　always　ready　with　an　opinion　based　on　his　　experiences　with　the　other　side　of　the　law。　〃They're　just　on　patrol；〃　he'd　said。　　〃If　they　were　interested　in　us；　they'd　handle　the　situation　differently。〃
　　〃Like…　surround　the　place；〃　Dortmunder　had　suggested。
　　〃Exactly。〃
　　Then　the　one　cop　had　gotten　out　of　the　car　and　e　over；　and　it　had　turned　　out　their　cover　was　working。　Still；　it　was　hard　to　concentrate　with　that　damn　　police　car　everlastingly　parked　outside　the　bank　you'd　just　stolen；　and　the　hearts　　game　had　finally　just　dwindled　away　and　stopped。　Everybody　had　sat　around；　　irritable　and　nervous；　and　every　five　minutes　or　so　somebody　would　ask　Victor；　　〃What　the　hell　are　they　doing　out　there？〃　Or　〃When　are　they　going　to　go　away；　　for　the　love　of　God？〃　And　Victor　would　shake　his　head　and　say；　〃I　just　don't　　know。　I'm　baffled。〃
　　When　the　other　police　cars　started　showing　up；　one　and　two　at　a　time；　the　　whole　crew　inside　the　bank　began　to　bounce　around　as　agitated　as　kittens　in　a　　sack　〃What　are　they　doing〃　everybody　asked；　and　Victor　kept　saying；　〃I　don't　　know；　I　don't　know。〃
　　It　later　turned　Out；　of　course；　that　the　other　cars　had　all　been　delivering　orders　　of　coffee　and　Danish　When　Dortmunder　had　finally　e　to　that　understanding；　　he'd　told　the　others　and　added；　〃Which　means　they're　as　loused　up　as　we　are　　Which　gives　me　hope〃
　　Still；　the　time　had　passed　slowly　The　extra　coffee　and　9　Danish　they　were　　given　by　the　cops　helped　a　lot…they　were
　　all　getting　pretty　cold　and　hungry　by　then…but　as　the　hours　went　by　they　all　　began　to　see　themselves　either　starving　or　freezing　to　death；　trapped　in　this　　stupid　bank　forever　by　a　bunch　of　cops　who　didn't　even　know　they　were　in　the　　same　county。
　　Also；　Herman　was　restricted　in　the　attacks　he　could　make　on　the　safe　while　　the　police　car　was　parked　out　front　The　grinding　on　the　circular　hole　could　　continue；　but　things　like　explosions　had　to　wait。　This　made　Herman　fretful；　and　　he　tended　to　pace　back　and　forth　from　one　end　of　the　bank　to　the　other　and　　snarl　at　people
　　Then　there　was　the　business　of　the　neck　brace。　Murch　cared　on　so　much　　about　it　that　his　Mom　finally　agreed　to　wear　it　as　long　as　the　police　car　was　out　　front；　but　she　was　supposed　to　be　testy　while　her　head　was　propped　up　by　the　　thing；　so　that　made　two　soreheads　prowling　around；　which　didn't　help　matters　　any。
　　And　then；　all　at　once；　they　left。　No　reason；　no　explanation；　their　departure　as　　abrupt　and　senseless　as　their　arrival；　they　up　and　went。　And　suddenly　everybody　　was　smiling；　even　Murch's　Mom；　who　had　flung　the　neck　brace　into　the　farthest　　corner　of　the　bank。
　　〃Now；〃　Herman　said。　〃Now　I　get　to　try　what　I've　wanted　to　do　for　the　last　　two　hours。　Longer。　Since　before　noon。〃
　　Dortmunder　was　walking　around　in　a　figure　eight；　moving　his　shoulders　and　　elbows；　trying　to　loosen　up。　〃What's　that？〃　he　said。
　　〃That　circular　groove；〃　Herman　told　him。　〃I　think　we've　got　it　deep　enough　　now；　so　if　I　pack　the　groove　with　plastic　explosive；　it　just　might　pop　it　out　of　　there。〃
　　〃Then　let's　do　it；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Before　the　Health　Department　es　　around　to　inspect　the　kitchen　and　the　bread　man　starts　making　deliveries；　let's　　do　it　and　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃
　　〃This'll　be　a　bigger　explosion　than　before；〃　Herman　warned。　〃I　want　you　to　　know　that。〃
　　Dortmunder　stopped　figure　eighting。　Voice　flat；　he　said；　〃Will　we　survive　it？〃
　　〃Oh；　sure！　Not　that　big！〃
　　〃That's　all　I　ask；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃My　wants　are　simple。〃
　　〃Take　me　about　five　minutes　to　set　up；〃　Herman　said。
　　It　took　less。　Four　minutes　later；　Herman　made　everybody　get　around　on　the　　other　side　of　the　partition　from　the　safe；　explaining；　〃This　might　throw　a　little　　metal　around。〃
　　〃Good；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃I　feel　like　doing　the　same　thing　myself。〃
　　They　all　waited　out　in　the　main　part　of　the　bank　while　Herman；　out　of　sight；　　did　his　final　bit　of　work。　After　a　few　seconds　of　silence；　they　watched　him　back　　slowly　into　view　around　the　end　of　the　partition；　holding　a　length　of　wire　in　each　　hand；　gently　drawing　the　wires　after　him。　He　looked　at　the　others　over　his　　shoulder。　〃Everybody　set？〃
　　〃Blow　the　damn　thing；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　　〃Right。〃　Herman　touched　the　exposed　ends　of　wire　together；　and　from　the　　other　side　of　the　partition　came　a　Krack！　The　bank　rocked；　much　more　than　　with　the　earlier　explosions；　and　a　stack　of　empty　plastic　coffee　containers　fell　off　　the　desk　over　in　the　corner　where　May　had　left　them。　〃Got　it；〃　Herman　said；　　smiling　all　over　his　face；　and　a　bit　of　gray　smoke　came　curling　around　the　edge　of　　the　partition。
　　They　all　crowded　around　the　partition　to　look　at　the　safe；　and　damn　if　it　didn't　　have　a　round　hole　in　the　side。　Kelp　shouted；　〃You　did　it！〃
　　〃God　damn！〃　Herman　cried；　delighted　with　himself；　and　everybody　　pummeled　him　on　the　back。
　　Dortmunder　said；　〃Why's　the　smoke　ing　out　of　there？〃　They　all　got　quiet　　again　and　looked　at　the　wisp　of　smoke　curling　up　from　the　hole。　Herman　said；　　〃Wait　a　minute　now；〃　and　stepped　forward　to　take　a　quick　look　around　on　the　　floor。　Then　he　turned　to　Dortmunder；　outraged；　and　said；　〃You　know　what　　happened？〃
　　〃No；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　　〃The　goddam　metal　fell　inside；〃　Herman　said。
　　Kelp　had　gone　over　to　look　in　the　hole；　and　now　he　said；　〃Hey。　The　money's　　on　fire。〃
　　That　caused　general　panic；　but　Dortmunder　pushed　his　way　through　the　mob　　and　took　a　look　inside；　and　it　wasn't　as　bad　as　all　that。　The　hole　in　the　side　of　　the　safe　was　perfectly　round　and　about　a　foot　in　diameter；　and　inside　there　was　a　　round　piece　of　black　metal　the　same　size；　like　a　midget　manhole　cover　except　　much　thicker；　and　it　was　resting　on　stacks　of　money；　and　it　was　setting　them　on　　fire。　Not　very　much；　just　browning　and　curling　them　around　the　edge　of　the　　circle。　However；　a　couple　of　little　flames　had　already　puffed　into　life；　and　if　left　to　　themselves　they　would　spread　and　eventually　all　of　the　money　would　turn　into　　ashes。
　　〃Okay；〃　Dortmunder　said；　partly　to　calm　the　people　behind　him；　partly　to　　challenge　the　fates。　He　took　off　his　right　shoe；　stuck　it　in　through　the　hole　and　　began　to　slap　the　fire　out。
　　〃If　only　we　had　water；〃　Victor　said。
　　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃The　toilet　tank！　We　haven't　flushed　since　w