dwestlake.bankshot-第32部分

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up　pretty　good；　and　it　must　have　　just　enough　air　in　it　to　make　it　buoyant　enough　not　to　be　stuck　in　the　mud　or　the　　sand　on　the　bottom。　So　the　undertow's　moving　it。〃
　　The　others　had　e　up　by　now。　May　said；　〃You　mean　it's　going　away？〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Victor　said。
　　Kelp　felt　Dortmunder　looking　at　him　but　wouldn't　acknowledge　it。　He　kept　　staring　into　the　water　instead。
　　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃Where's　it　going　to？〃
　　〃France；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　　Herman　said；　〃You　mean　it's　gone　for　good？　After　all　that　work？〃
　　〃Well；　we　got　some　of　the　money　anyway；〃　Kelp　said　and　looked　around　　with　the　sickly　smile　on　his　face　again。　But　Dortmunder　was　already　walking　　away　along　the　pier　toward　the　shore。　One　by　one；　the　others　followed　him；　and　　the　rain　rained　down　all　around。
　　
　　
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　　〃TWENTY…THREE　thousand；　eight　hundred　twenty　dollars；〃　Dortmunder　　said　and　sneezed。
　　They　were　all　in　the　apartment；　his　and　May's。　Everybody　had　changed　　clothes；　with　May　and　Murch's　Mom　both　in　clothing　belonging　to　May；　and　all　　five　men　in　Dortmunder's　clothes。　They　were　also　all　sneezing；　and　May　had　　brewed　up　a　lot　of　tea　with　whiskey　in　it。
　　〃Twenty…three；　almost　twenty…four　thousand；〃　Kelp　said　brightly。　〃It　could　　have　been　worse。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃It　could　have　been　Confederate　money。〃
　　Murch　sneezed　and　said；　〃How　much　is　that　apiece？〃
　　Dortmunder　said；　〃First　we　pay　off　the　financier。　That's　eight　thousand；　　leaving　fifteen　thousand；　eight　hundred　twenty。　Divided　by　seven；　that's　two　　thousand；　two　hundred　sixty　bucks　apiece。〃
　　Murch　made　a　face　as　though　something　smelled　bad。　〃Two　thousand　dollars？　　That's　all？〃
　　Herman　and　Murch's　Mom　sneezed　simultaneously。
　　〃We'll　spend　more　than　that　in　medical　bills；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　　Victor　said；　〃Still；　we　did　the　job；　you　have　to　admit　that。　You　can't　call　it　a　　failure。〃
　　〃I　can　if　I　want　to；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　　〃Have　some　more　tea；〃　said　May。
　　Kelp　sneezed。
　　〃Two　thousand　dollars；〃　Herman　said；　and　blew　his　nose。　〃I　spill　that　much。〃
　　They　were　all　in　the　living　room；　sitting　around　the　money；　the　charred　bills　　and　wet　bills　and　good　bills　all　stacked　in　different　piles　on　the　coffee　table。　The　　apartment　was　warm　and　dry；　but　the　smell　of　wet　clothes　and　disaster　filled　the　　air　from　the　bedroom。
　　Murch's　Mom　sighed。　〃I'll　have　to　start　wearing　that　brace　again；〃　she　said。
　　〃You　lost　it；〃　her　son　told　her　accusingly。　〃You　left　it　in　the　bank。〃
　　〃So　we'll　buy　a　new　one。〃
　　〃Another　expense。〃
　　〃Well；〃　Kelp　said；　〃I　guess　we　might　as　well　divvy　the　loot　and　go　on　home。〃
　　〃Divvy　the　loot；〃　Dortmunder　echoed　and　looked　at　the　paper　on　the　coffee　　table。　〃You　got　an　eye　dropper？〃
　　〃It　isn't　that　bad；〃　Kelp　said。　〃We　didn't　e　out　of　it　empty…handed。〃
　　Victor　got　to　his　feet　and　stretched　and　said；　〃I　suppose　this　would　be　more　　like　a　celebration　if　we'd　gotten　the　rest　of　the　money。〃
　　Dortmunder　nodded。　〃You　could　say　that。〃
　　They　split　up　the　cash　and　departed；　everybody　promising　to　send　back　the　　borrowed　clothes　and　reclaim　their　own。　Left　to　themselves；　Dortmunder　and　　May　sat　on　the　sofa　and　looked　at　the　four　thousand；　five　hundred　twenty　　dollars　left　on　the　coffee　table。　They　sighed。　Dortmunder　said；　〃Well；　it　did　give　　me　something　to　think　about；　I　have　to　admit　it。〃
　　〃The　worst　thing　about　a　cold；〃　May　said；　〃is　the　way　it　makes　the　cigarettes　　taste。〃　She　plucked　the　ember　from　the　corner　of　her　mouth　and　flipped　it　into　　an　ashtray　but　didn't　light　a　new　one。　〃You　want　some　more　tea？〃
　　〃I　still　got　some。〃　He　sipped　at　the　tea　and　frowned。　〃What's　the　percentage　　of　tea　and　whiskey　in　this　thing？〃
　　〃About　half　and　half。〃
　　He　drank　a　little　more。　The　warm　steam　curled　around　his　nostrils。　〃You　　better　brew　up　another　pot；〃　he　said。
　　She　nodded；　starting　to　smile。　〃Right；〃　she　said。
　　
　　
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　　〃IT'S　on　the　Island；〃　Captain　Deemer　said。　〃It's　somewhere　on　this　goddam　　Island。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Lieutenant　Hepplewhite　said；　but　faintly。
　　〃And　I'm　going　to　find　it。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　The　two　of　them　were　alone　in　the　unmarked　patrol　car；　a　black　Ford；　radio…
　　equipped。　The　captain　was　driving；　and　the　lieutenant　was　beside　him。　The　　captain　hunched　over　the　wheel；　his　eyes　constantly　moving　as　he　drove　back　　and　forth　and　up　and　down　and　all　over　Long　Island。
　　Beside　him；　the　lieutenant's　eyes　were　unfocused。　He　wasn't　looking　for　or　at　　anything；　but　was　practicing　once　more　the　speech　that　he　would　never　make　to　　the　captain。　In　its　latest　form　it　went：　〃Captain；　it's　been　three　weeks。　You're　　letting　the　precinct　go　to　hell；　you've　bee　obsessed　with　this　missing　bank；　　all　you　do　is　spend　all　the　daylight　hours；　seven　days　a　week；　driving　around　　looking　for　that　bank。　It's　gone；　Captain；　that　bank　is　gone　and　we　are　never　　going　to　find　it。
　　〃But；　Captain；　even　if　you　are　obsessed　and　can't　get　out　of　your　obsession；　　I'm　not。　You　pulled　me　off　night　duty；　and　I　loved　night　duty；　I　loved　being　the　　man　behind　the　desk　at　night　in　the　precinct。　But　you　put　that　idiot　Schlumgard　in　　there　in　my　place；　and　Schlumgard　doesn't　know　what　the　hell　he's　doing；　and　　morale　is　going　to　hell。　If　I　ever　do　get　my　job　back；　Schlumgard　will　have　　undone　everything　I've　tried　to　do。
　　〃But　the　point　is；　Captain；　it　has　been　three　weeks。　The　New　York　City　　police　stopped　cooperating　after　four　days；　which　means　the　bank　could　have　　been　taken　out　of　our　jurisdiction　anytime　in　the　last　two　and　a　half　weeks；　which　　means　it　could　be　anywhere　in　the　world　by　now。　I　know　your　theory；　Captain；　　that　the　bank　was　hidden　sometime　that　first　night；　that　the　crooks　emptied　the　　safe　in　the　first　day　or　two　and　went　away　and　just　left　it　there；　but　even　if　you're　　right；　what　good　does　it　do？　If　they　hid　it　so　well　we　couldn't　find　it　in　the　first　　few　days；　when　we　had　search　parties　bing　the　entire　Island；　two　of　us　are　　not　going　to　find　it　by　driving　around　in　a　car　three　weeks　later。
　　〃Which　is　why；　Captain；　I　feel　I　must　tell　you　that　I　have　e　to　a　decision。　If　　you　want　to　go　on　looking　for　the　bank；　that's　up　to　you。　But　either　you　let　me　　go　back　to　my　regular　duties；　or　I'll　just　have　to　talk　to　the　missioner。　Now；　　Captain；　I've　gone　along　with　you　on　every…〃
　　〃You　say　something？〃
　　Startled；　the　lieutenant　snapped　his　head　around　and　stared　at　the　captain。　　〃What？　What？〃
　　Captain　Deemer　frowned　at　him；　then　faced　the　road　again。　〃I　thought　you　　said　something。〃
　　〃No；　sir。〃
　　〃Well；　just　keep　your　eyes　open。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　The　lieutenant　looked　out　the　side　window；　though　without　any　hope。　They　　were　climbing　a　hill；　and　just　ahead　was　the　sign　for　McKay's　Diner。　The　　lieutenant　remembered　the　free　cheeseburger　he'd　been　promised；　and　smiled。　　He　was　about　to　turn　his　head　toward　the　captain　and　suggest　they　stop　for　a　　snack　when　he　saw　the　diner　was　gone　again。　〃Well；　I'll　be　darned；〃　he　said。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃That　diner；　sir；〃　the　lieutenant　said　as　they　drove　by。　〃They　went　out　of　　business　already。〃
　　〃Is　that　right。〃　The　captain　didn't　sound　interested。
　　〃Even　faster　than　I　thought；〃　the　lieutenant　said；　looking　back　at　the　space　　where　the　diner　had　been。
　　〃We're　looking　for　a　bank；　Lieutenant；　not　a　diner。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　lieutenant　faced　front；　began　again　to　scan　the　countryside。　〃I　　knew　they　wouldn't　make　it；〃　he　said。
　　
　
　
　
　
　
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