dwestlake.bankshot-第4部分

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f　wall；　it　was　hinged　at　the　top；　and　Victor　lifted　it　up　out　of　the　way　and　stood　close　to　peer　through　a　small　rectangular　pane　of　dusty　glass　at　the　world　outside。　　
　What　he　was　looking　at　was　the　weedy　driveway　beside　his　house；　with　its　two　narrow　ribbons　of　old　cracked　concrete　leading　down　to　the　sidewalk　and　the　street。　This　was　an　older　section　of　Long　Island　than　either　Ranch　Cove　Estates　or　Elm　Valley　Heights。　It　was　called　Belle　Vista；　the　streets　were　all　straight；　and　the　houses　ran　mostly　to　two…story；　one…family　affairs　with　front　porches。　　
　Down　at　the　sidewalk　Victor　saw　a　man。　He　was　walking　slowly　back　and　forth；　he　was　looking　down；　and　he　was　taking　occasional　quick　puffs　on　a　stub　of　cigarette　he　held　in　his　cupped　hand。　Victor　nodded；　pleased　at　what　he　saw。　Dortmunder　was　tall　and　lean　and　tired…looking；　he　had　the　worn　look　of　Humphrey　Bogart　in　High　Sierra。　Victor　did　a　Bogart　twitch　with　the　left　side　of　his　mouth；　leaned　back；　and　lowered　the　movie　poster　again。　〃That's　fine；〃　he　said　amiably。　〃Let's　go　out　and　meet　him。〃　　
　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said。　　
　Victor　opened　the　bookcase　and　bowed　Kelp　through　ahead　of　him。　On　the　other　side；　the　bookcase　was　an　ordinary　door；　with　a　dusty　window　in　it　covered　by　a　chintz　curtain。　Victor　pulled　the　door　shut　and　walked　with　Kelp　around　to　the　front　of　the　garage　and　down　the　driveway　toward　Dortmunder。　　
　Victor　couldn't　help　looking　back；　when　he　was　halfway　down　the　drive；　and　admiring　his　handiwork。　From　the　outside　it　looked　like　a　perfectly　ordinary　garage；　except　that　it　was　more　old…fashioned　than　most；　with　its　pair　of　side　…hinged　doors　padlocked　in　the　middle。　Anybody　who　went　up　to　those　doors　and　looked　through　the　small　dusty　windows　would　see　nothing　but　blackness；　it　was　black　felt　against　plywood　six　inches　from　the　glass；　but　he　wouldn't　know　that。　He'd　think　it　was　simply　dark　in　there。　Victor　had　tried　rigging　up　a　blow…up　photograph　of　a　1933　Ford　in　there；　but　he　just　couldn't　ever　get　the　perspective　right；　so　he'd　settled　for　darkness　instead。　　
　He　faced　front　again；　smiling；　and　walked　with　Kelp　the　rest　of　the　way　to　meet　Dortmunder；　who　stopped　on　the　sidewalk；　gave　them　both　a　sour　look　and　flicked　his　cigarette　butt　away。　　
　Kelp　made　introductions：　〃Dortmunder；　this　is　Victor。〃　　
　〃Hello；〃　Dortmunder　said。　　
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Dortmunder；〃　Victor　said　eagerly　and　stuck　his　hand　out。　〃I've　sure　heard　a　lot　about　you；〃　he　said　admiringly。　　
　Dortmunder　looked　at　the　hand；　then　at　Victor；　and　finally　shook　hands　with　him；　suddenly　saying；　〃You　heard　a　lot　about　me？〃　　
　〃From　my　uncle；〃　Victor　said　proudly。　　
　Dortmunder　gave　Kelp　a　look　that　wasn't　easy　to　define　and　said；　〃Is　that　right？〃　　
　〃General　things；〃　Kelp　said。　〃You　know；　just　general　things。〃　　
　〃This　and　that；〃　Dortmunder　suggested。　　
　〃That　kind　of　thing；　yeah。〃　　
　Victor　smiled　at　both　of　them。　Dortmunder　was　just　fine；　in　appearance　and　voice　and　attitude　and　everything。　Just　fine。　After　the　disappointment　of　the　Bureau；　he　hadn't　known　exactly　what　to　expect；　but　so　far　Dortmunder　was　everything　Victor　could　have　hoped　for。　　
　He　rubbed　his　hands　together　in　anticipation。　〃Well；〃　he　said　happily；　〃shall　we　go　take　a　look　at　it？〃　　
　　　
　　　
　5　　
　　　　　
　THE　THREE　of　them　sat　in　the　front　seat；　with　Dortmunder　on　the　right。　Every　time　he　turned　his　head　slightly　to　the　left　he　saw　Victor；　sitting　in　the　middle；　smiling　at　him；　as　though　Victor　were　a　fisherman　and　Dortmunder　was　the　biggest　fish　he'd　ever　caught。　It　made　Dortmunder　very　nervous；　particularly　since　this　Victor　used　to　be　an　FBI　man；　so　he　kept　his　head　turned　to　the　right　most　of　the　time　and　watched　the　houses　go　by。　Suburbs；　suburbs。　All　these　millions　of　bedrooms。　　
　After　a　while　Victor　said；　〃Well；　we　certainly　do　have　a　nice　day　for　it。〃　　
　Dortmunder　turned　his　head；　and　Victor　was　smiling　at　him。
　　〃Yes；〃　Dortmunder　said　and　turned　away　again。　　
　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Dortmunder；〃　Victor　said；　〃do　you　read　newspapers　much？〃　　
　What　kind　of　question　was　that？　Dortmunder　kept　his　head　turned　to　the　right　and　mumbled；　〃Sometimes。〃　　
　〃Any　paper　in　particular？〃　It　was　asked　in　a　careless　sort　of　tone；　as　though　Victor　were　just　making　conversation。　But　it　was　a　weird　conversation。　　
　〃The　Times　sometimes；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　watched　an　intersection　go　by。　　
　〃That's　sort　of　a　liberal　paper；　isn't　it？　Is　that　what　you'd　say　your　politics　were？　Sort　of　liberal？〃　　
　Dortmunder　couldn't　help　turning　and　looking　at　him　again；　but　Victor　was　still　smiling　that　same　smile；　so　Dortmunder　quick　looked　away　again；　saying；　〃Sometimes　I　read　the　News。〃　　
　〃Ah；〃　said　Victor。　〃I　see。　Do　you　find　yourself　in　agreement　more　often　with　one　paper　than　the　other？〃　　
　On　Victor's　other　side；　Kelp　said；　〃Lay　off；　Victor。　You　quit　that　job；　remember？〃　　
　〃What？　I'm　just　talking。〃　　
　〃I　know　what　you're　just　doing；〃　Kelp　told　him。　〃But　it　es　over　like　a　third　degree。〃　　
　〃I'm　terribly　sorry；〃　Victor　said。　He　sounded　as　though　he　meant　it。　〃It's　just　a　habit　you　get　into。　You'd　be　surprised　how　hard　it　is　to　break。〃　　
　Neither　Kelp　nor　Dortmunder　mented。　　
　Victor　said；　〃Mr。　Dortmunder；　I　really　am　sorry。　I　didn't　mean　to　pry。〃　　
　Dortmunder　sneaked　another　look　at　him；　and　for　once　he　wasn't　smiling；　he　was　looking　concerned　and　penitent　instead。　Dortmunder　faced　him　more　securely　and　said；　〃That's　okay。　Think　nothing　of　it。〃　　
　And　Victor　smiled　again。　To　the　back　of　Dortmunder's　head　he　said；　〃I'm　sure　glad　you　didn't　take　offense；　Mr。　Dortmunder〃　　
　Dortmunder　grunted；　watching　houses　go　by。　　
　〃After　all；　if　you　don't　want　to　tell　me　your　politics；　there's　no　reason　why　you　should　have　to。〃　　
　〃Victor；〃　said　Kelp　warningly。　　
　〃What？〃　　
　〃You're　doing　it　again。〃　　
　〃By　golly；　so　I　am。　Hey；　you're　supposed　to　turn　there。〃　　
　Dortmunder　watched　the　intersection　go　by　and　felt　the　car　slowing。　　
　Kelp　said；　〃I'll　just　make　a　U…turn。〃　　
　〃Go　around　the　block；〃　Dortmunder　said。　　
　〃It's　just　as　easy；〃　Kelp　said；　bringing　the　car　to　a　stop；　〃to　make　a　U…turn。〃　　
　Dortmunder　moved　his　head　and　gave　Kelp　a　look　past　Victor's　smile。　〃Go　around　the　block；〃　he　said。　　
　Victor；　not　seeming　to　notice　any　tension　in　the　air；　pointed　out　front　and　said；　〃Why　not　just　go　down　there　and　turn　right？　es　out　the　same　place。〃　　
　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said；　shrugging；　as　though　it　didn't　matter　one　way　or　the　other。　The　Toronado　started　forward　again；　and　Dortmunder　turned　away　from　Victor's　smile　once　more　and　watched　suburban　houses　go　by。　They　went　through　a　couple　of　small　shopping　areas；　each　with　its　own　record　store　and　Chinese　restaurant；　and　stopped　at　last　in　front　of　a　bank。　〃There　it　is；〃　Kelp　said。　　
　It　was　an　old…fashioned　bank；　done　in　stone　that　had　turned　dark　gray　over　the　years。　Like　many　banks　built　in　the　Northeast　in　the　Twenties；　it　tried　its　best　to　look　like　a　Greek　temple；　the　Twenties　being　the　last　decade　that　Americans　actually　worshipped　money。　Like　many　suburban　banks；　the　Greek…temple　motif　really　wasn't　suitable　to　the　size　of　this　building；　the　four　gray　stone　pillars　across　the　front　of　it　were　crammed　so　close　together　it　was　barely　possible　to　get　between　them　to　the　front　door。　　
　Dortmunder　spent　a　few　seconds　studying　that　front　door；　and　the　pillars；　and　the　sidewalk；　and　the　storefronts　on　both　sides；　and　then　the　front　door　opened　and　two　men　in　work　clothes　and　construction…crew　helmets　came　out；　carrying　a　tall　wooden　writing　stand；　the　pens　at　the　end　of　their　chains　dangling　like　remnants　of　fringe。　〃We're　too　late；〃　Dortmunder　said。　　
　〃Not　that　bank；〃　Kelp　said。　〃That　bank。〃　　
　Dortmunder　turned　his　head　again；　looking　at　Kelp　past　Victor's　smile。　Kelp　motioned　across　the　street；　and　Dortmunder　ducked　his　head　a　little　bit…for　one　awful　second　he　thought　Victor　was　going　to　kiss　him　on　the　cheek；　but　he　didn't…and　looked　across　the　way　at　the　other　bank。　　
　At　first　he　didn't　see　it　at　all。　Blue　and　white　and　chrome；　something　wide　and　low…that's　all　he　could　make　out。　But　then　he　saw　the　sign；　spread　in　a　banner　across　the　front　of　the　thing：　　
　　　
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　〃What　the　hell　is　it？〃　Dortmunder　said。　　
　〃It's　a　trailer；〃　Kelp　said。　〃What　they　call　a　mobile　home。　Didn't　you　ever　see　that　kind　of　thing　before？〃　　
　〃But　what　the　hell　is　it？〃　　
　〃It's　the　bank；〃　Kelp　said。　　
　Smiling；　Victor　said；　〃They're　tearing　down　the　old　building；　Mr。　Dortmunder；　and　they're　going　to　put　the　new　one　up　in　the　same　place。　So　in　the　meantime　they're　running　the　bank　from　over　there　in　that　mobile　home。〃　　
　〃In　the　trailer；〃　Dortmunder　said。　　
　〃They　do　that　kind　of　thing　all　the　time；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Didn't　you　ever　notice？〃　　
　〃I　guess　so。〃　Dortmunder　frowned　past　their　two　faces　and　through　the　side　window　and　past　the　traffic　and　across　the　opposite　sidewalk　and　tried　to　make　some　sense　out　of　what　he　was　looking　at；　but　it　was　difficult。　Particularly　with　Victor　smiling　right　next　to　his　left　ear。　〃I　can't　see　anything；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃I'll　be　right　back。　You　two　wait　here。〃　　
　He　got　out　of　the　Toronado　and　walked　down　the　block；　glancing　into　the　old　bank　building　on　the　way　by。　It　was　nearly　five　o'clock　by　now；　but　the　interior　was　full　of　men　with　construction　helmets　on；　ripping　things　apart　in　the　glare　of　the　work　lights。　The　bank　must　be　in　a　hell　of　a　hurry　to　get　the　old　building　down　and　the　new　one　up　if　they　were　willing　to　pay　that　kind　of　overtime。　Probably　nervous　about　being　in　the　trailer。　　
　At　the　corner；　Dortmunder　turned　left；　waited　for　the　light；　and　then　crossed　the　street。　Turning　left　again；　he　strolled　along　the　sidewalk　toward　the　trailer。　　
　It　was　at　the　end　of　the　block；　in　the　only　vacant　lot　on　the　street。　It　was　one　of　the　biggest　mobile　home　units　Dortmunder　had　ever　seen；　being　a　good　fifty　feet　long　and　twelve　feet　wide。　Set　back　a　yard　or　so　from　the　regular　building　line；　it　filled　the　width　of　the　lot；　one　end　flush　against　the　side　of　a　Kresge　five…and…dime　and　the　other　end　almost　reaching　the　sidewalk　on　the　cross　street。　The　surface　of　the　lot　was　crushed　brick　rubble；　showing