lrh.fortuneoffear-第29部分

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　　　The　crash　of　the。45　was　followed　by　the　smashing　crash　of　breaking　glass。　Showers　of　it　cascaded　down。
　　　A　yelp　came　from　that　end　of　the　corridor。
　　　A　slug　thumped　into　the　top　of　the　sofa；　instantly　followed　by　the　sound　of　the　shot　from　the　corridor。
　　　An　Italian　voice　in　the　side　corridor　yelled；　〃Tell　the　capo　the　money　isn't　here！〃
　　　Somebody　up　the　long　corridor　yelled　back；　〃You　look　everyplace？　He　coulda　thrown　it　down　a　laundry　chute。　Did　you　look　in　the　laundry　room？〃
　　　〃Ignacio　went　down　there；　too。　Nobody　there。　We　looked　every　place。　It's　gone。〃
　　　Silence　reigned　for　a　long　space。　It　was　pretty　obvious　that　nobody　could　get　into　a　point　of　vantage　from　which　they　could　shoot　Heller。　The　only　way　they　could　reach　him　was　by　a　frontal　charge。
　　　Suddenly　the　P。　A。　system　opened　up。　It　said；　〃Look；　kid。　We　may　not　be　able　to　get　at　you。　But　at　the　same　time；　you　can't　get　out　of　where　you　are　and　even　if　you　could；　you'd　never　be　able　to　leave　this　building　with　that　dough　and　arrive　anyplace　else。　The　capo　wants　to　see　you。〃

Chapter　9

　　　Heller　touched　his　collar。　〃Are　you　all　right；　dear？〃　〃Everything　is　fine；　Jettero。〃
　　　Heller　raised　his　voice　but　not　his　head。　He　shouted　down　the　long　corridor　in　passable　Italian；　〃You　give　me　a　hostage　and　let　me　keep　my　gun　and　we'll　talk　about　it。〃
　　　Up　at　the　other　end　of　the　corridor；　voices　were　arguing。
　　　〃You　go。〃
　　　〃Why　me？〃
　　　〃Listen；　as　the　son　of　Capo　Gobbo　Piegare；　I　mand　you　in　my　father's　name；　go　down　that　corridor；　Jimmy　Coniglio；　and　give　yourself　up　as　a　hostage！〃
　　　A　squeal。　〃Not　me！　If　you're　so　anxious　to　have　a　hostage；　go　yourself；　Don　Julio！〃
　　　Heller　called　out；　〃I'll　take　the　son　of　the　capo；　if　you　please。〃
　　　A　loud　outburst　of　arguing。　Then　finally；　〃Mother　of　the　Virgin；　why　can't　somebody　else　be　his　God　（bleeped）　son？〃
　　　〃You're　the　son。　We　ain't。〃
　　　A　body　thrust　into　the　corridor。　Then；　seeing　there　was　no　shot　forthing；　the　person　crept　timidly　down　the　wall　toward　the　mezzanine　and　the　sofa　fortress。　He　stopped　and　yelled　back；　〃Now；　none　of　your　God　（bleeped）　parlor　games！　Don't　go　shooting　me　or　anybody　else　in　the　back！〃　That　attended　to；　the　person　came　closer。
　　　Heller　let　him　get　within　two　feet。　The　fellow　was　about　thirty；　dressed　in　a　silk　tuxedo　with　a　lace　shirt　front　and　a　very　Sicilian　face。　It　was　the　same　man　who　had　been　directing　the　shift　of　money　from　cage　to　cage　down　on　the　floor。
　　　Heller；　the　Llama。45　held　close　to　his　chest；　sat　erect。　He　plucked　a　Beretta　from　the　shoulder　holster　under　the　tuxedo　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。
　　　〃I　think　we　will　get　along　fine；　Don　Julio；〃　he　said。　〃Nobody　has　gotten　shot；　yet；　and　it　would　be　a　shame　if　you　were　the　first。　So　do　I　have　your　word　you　will　take　me　to　your　father　and　to　nobody　else？〃
　　　〃Upon　the　grave　of　my　father's　mistress；　I　swear　it；〃　said　Don　Julio。　〃Would　you　please　put　that　safety　catch　on？　I　might　stumble。　My　knees　seem　to　be　a　bit　shaky　tonight。〃
　　　〃Anything　to　oblige；〃　said　Heller　and　put　the　side…lever　safety　catch　on；　pushing　the　gun　into　Don　Julio's　ribs。　He　turned　him　around　and　with　a　panionable　arm　over　his　shoulders　and　a　thumb　close　to　a　paralysis　point　of　Don　Julio's　neck；　he　let　the　chief's　son　lead　on。
　　　They　went　to　an　elevator。　Don　Julio　pushed　the　call　button。　They　went　to　the　second　floor。　Don　Julio　turned　down　a　corridor　which　seemed　to　be　made　up；　not　of　bedrooms；　but　offices。　They　came　to　the　end　and　Don　Julio　knocked　twice；　then　three　times。
　　　Somebody　inside　opened　the　door。
　　　It　was　a　splendid　office；　very　large；　done　in　what　appeared　to　be　yellow　leather。　An　expensive　rug　was　on　the　floor。　Hanging　plants　gave　the　room　a　strange；　jungle　look。
　　　A　very　small　man　was　sitting　at　a　very　large　desk。　There　were　several　other　men　in　the　room；　hands　in　pockets；　hats　on；　natty　but　very　dark　and　Italian。
　　　〃My　father；〃　said　Don　Julio　impressively。　〃Capo　Gobbo　Piegare；　supreme　leader　of　the　Atlantic　City　mob。〃　He　glanced　sideways　at　Heller。　〃I　am　sorry。　I　do　not　know　how　you　are　called。〃
　　　〃Cattivo；〃　said　Heller。　〃Johnny　Cattivo。　At　your　orders；〃　he　added　with　polite　formality。　He　was　still　speaking　Italian　and　he　seemed　to　have　their　endless；　involved　manners　down　pat。
　　　〃Sit　down；〃　said　the　capo；　waving　at　a　yellow　interview　chair　that　had　its　back　to　the　room。
　　　〃Thank　you。　I've　been　sitting　too　long　this　afternoon；〃　said　Heller。　〃I　think　your　gracious　son　and　I　will　stand　over　here　against　the　wall。〃
　　　〃Just　trying　to　make　you　fortable；〃　said　Gobbo　Piegare。　〃So；　with　your　permission；　we　will　get　down　to　business。　I　don't　know　how　you　bribed　the　croupiers　to　always　stop　the　wheels　on　the　right　numbers；　but　that's　all　ancient　history。　Where's　the　dough？〃
　　　〃It　is　my　take；　isn't　it？〃　said　Heller。
　　　〃According　to　custom　and　law；〃　said　Gobbo；　〃I　must　allow　that　it　is。　However；　I　must　point　out；　with　all　delicacy；　that　every　exit　from　this　hotel；　as　well　as　the　parking　lot；　is　covered　with　Heckler　and　Koch　nine…millimeter　submachine　guns　in　the　hands　of　very　petent　guards　who　have　orders　to　shoot　you　on　sight　if　they　see　a　single　package　in　your　hands。　They're　on　the　roof；　too。〃
　　　〃I　appreciate　your　courtesy；〃　said　Heller；　〃but　I　must　point　out　that　your　son　and　you　would　undoubtedly　be　hit　by。45　slugs　before　the　rest　of　the　men　in　this　room　could　shoot　out　of　their　pockets。　And　you　have　no　idea　at　all　where　the　money　is；　other　than　that　it　is　in　my　possession。〃
　　　Gobbo　Piegare　made　a　tent　of　his　hands；　elbows　on　the　desk；　and　supported　his　chin。　He　thought　for　a　while。　Then　he　said；　〃Legally；　this　is　what　is　called　a　'Mexican　standoff。'　You　have　me　at　a　very　great　disadvantage。　You　have　drained　the　other　four　casinos　and　this　one　of　all　cash。　Without　that　cash；　finances　could　bee　embarrassing。　I　have　a　proposition。　Are　you　open　to　offers？〃
　　　〃If　they　are　good　ones；〃　said　Heller。
　　　〃Oh；　this　is　a　good　one；〃　said　Gobbo　reassuringly。　〃The　Scalpello　Casino　Corporation　owns；　in　all；　five　beautiful　casino…hotels　here；　including　this　one。　They　are　only　eight　to　twelve　years　old。　They　have　the　most　modern　and　fanciest　fittings。　The　corporation　also　owns　tons　of　real　estate　around　them　and　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　Boardwalk；　two　miles　of　waterfront　along　the　Intracoastal　Waterway；　a　game　preserve；　a　yacht　marina　and　two　piers。　Sound　impressive；　kid？〃
　　　〃Indeed；　it　does；〃　said　Heller。
　　　〃You；　on　the　other　hand；〃　said　Gobbo；　〃have　several　million　cash　around　somewhere。　Now；　I　will　make　you　the　proposition。　In　return　for　that　cash；　I　will　sell　you　the　whole　corporation　and　every　share　of　stock　in　it。〃
　　　I　flinched。　Was　Heller　going　to　land　squarely　on　his　feet　in　spite　of　everything？
　　　〃My　consigliere；〃　continued　Gobbo；　〃happens　to　be　right　here。　He　has　all　the　deeds　and　shares　right　in　that　briefcase。　Show　the　kid；〃　he　ordered。
　　　A　scholarly　Italian　stepped　forward；　adjusted　his　glasses　and　opened　his　case。　He　took　out　a　huge　stack　of　deeds　and　maps　and　laid　them　where　Heller　could　see　them　and　still　watch　the　room　and　started　leafing　through　the　documents。　That　done；　he　took　a　bundle　of　stock　out；　showed　Heller　it　was　all　of　the　authorized　issued　shares　of　the　Scalpello　Casino　Corporation　of　New　Jersey　and　left　them　in　a　pile　on　a　chair。
　　　〃Well。。。〃　said　Heller。
　　　〃Good　thinking；〃　said　Gobbo。　〃Show　him　the　contract；〃　he　ordered　the　consigliere。　To　Heller；　he　said；　〃I　had　this　drawn　up　just　in　case　you　saw　it　our　way　and　your　own；　too。〃
　　　The　consigliere　laid　the　contract　on　a　table　to　Heller's　right。　He　tendered　a　pen。
　　　Gobbo　said；　〃You　better　use　your　own　name；　not　that　of　Johnny　Cattivo。　We　happen　to　know　he's　dead　and　you；　I　might　point　out；　are　not　a　ghost。　When　we　saw　this　I。D。　on　the　floor　this　afternoon；　we　checked　on　the　puters。　So　at　supper　we　had　your　pocket　picked。　The　man　got　your　real　wallet　before　he　tried　to　lift　your　gun。　Only　one　man　would　have　Johnny　Cattivo's　passport　and　that　would　be　Jerome　Terrance　Wister。〃
　　　The　gunmen　in　the　room　stiffened；　took　their　hands　out　of　their　pockets；　showed　empty；　open　palms　an