dw.jimmythekid-第14部分

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ne。
　〃Anything　you　say；〃　Kelp　said；　and　relaxed　against　the　seat　back　as　Dortmunder　eased　the　Caprice　into　the　line　of　traffic。
　The　Cadillac　led　the　way　down　Central　Park　West　to　Sixty…ninth　Street；　then　across　to　Ninth　Avenue　and　straight　down　to　the　Lincoln　Tunnel。　It　was　shortly　after　four　on　a　Wednesday　afternoon；　and　the　rush…hour　traffic　had　already　started　to　build。　It　was　stop…and…go　through　the　tunnel；　but　over　on　the　Jersey　side　things　loosened　up；　and　they　were　driving　almost　up　to　the　speed　limit　as　they　headed　west；　across　route　3。
　Kelp　had　been　nervous　and　full　of　anticipation　all　day；　but　now　that　they　were　actually　in　motion　he　found　himself　growing　increasingly　calm。　In　fact；　sifting　in　the　back　seat　of　a　car　heading　west　across　New　Jersey　was　essentially　a　dull　and　monotonous　occupation　no　matter　what　the　purpose；　and　Kelp　soon　had　to　admit　he　was　getting　bored。　Conversation　might　have　helped；　but　he　suspected　Dortmunder　wasn't　in　any　mood　for　chitchat；　and　in　any　event　it's　always　hard　to　maintain　a　conversation　between　the　front　and　back　seats　of　an　automobile。　So　after　a　while　he　pulled　from　his　pocket　one　of　his　copies　of　Child　Heist　and　began　to　read　again　the　part　where　they　grabbed　the　kid。　Chapter　eight。
　
　12
　
　When　Parker　got　to　the　intersection　he　made　a　U…turn　and　stopped；　facing　back　the　way　he　had　e。　He　and　Angie　waited　in　the　Dodge　while　Henley　took　the　ROAD　CLOSED…DETOUR　sign　out　of　the　trunk　and　set　it　up　blocking　the　numbered　county　road；　with　the　arrow　pointing　toward　the　smaller　blacktop　road　leading　off　into　the　woods　to　the　right。　This　was　a　pletely　empty　intersection；　the　crossing　of　a　minor　county　road　and　an　almost…abandoned　old　connector　road；　with　no　buildings　of　any　kind　anywhere　in　sight。　On　two　sides　there　were　dense　woods；　on　the　third　a　scruffy　weed…grown　meadow；　and　on　the　fourth　a　cornfield　now　dry　and　brown　after　the　harvest。
　Henley　got　back　into　the　car；　and　Parker　drove　a　quarter　mile　back　toward　the　city；　then　backed　off　into　the　dead…end　dirt　road　he'd　found　last　week。　There　was　nothing　to　do　now　but　wait；　Krauss　and　Ruth　had　already　been　dropped　off；　Krauss　would　be　setting　up　the　other　detour　sign；　and　everything　was　set。
　Six　miles　away；　the　black　Lincoln　limousine　took　the　curving　ramp　down　from　Northern　State　Parkway　to　the　county　road　and　turned　north。　The　chauffeur；　Albert　Judson；　drove　steadily　at　fifty…five；　undisturbed　by　other　traffic　in　this　sparsely　populated　area　early　on　a　Tuesday　afternoon。　In　the　back　seat；　Bobby　Myers　read　his　ic　books；　sprawling　fortably　across　the　seat。
　Seven　minutes　later　Henley　said；　〃Here　they　e。〃
　〃I　see　them；〃　Parker　said；　and　put　the　Dodge　in　gear　as　the　Lincoln　sailed　by　them。　The　Dodge　moved　out　from　the　dirt　road　and　accelerated　in　the　Lincoln's　wake。
　Judson；　at　the　wheel　of　the　Lincoln；　tapped　the　brake　when　he　saw　the　sign　blocking　the　road　ahead。　Bobby；　behind　him；　looked　up　from　his　ic　book　and　said；　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃Detour。　We　have　to　take　Edgehill　Road。〃
　〃The　detour　wasn't　there　before。〃
　Judson；　turning　off　onto　the　secondary　road；　said；　〃I　guess　they　just　started。　Maybe　they'll　fill　in　those　potholes　down　by　the　bridge。〃
　〃Boy；　I　hope　so；〃　Bobby　said。　〃Sometimes　I　could　throw　up　along　there。〃
　〃Don't　do　that；〃　Judson　said；　grinning　in　the　rear…view　mirror　at　the　boy；　and　as　he　did　so　he　came　around　a　curve　in　the　road　and　saw　vehicles　stopped　ahead。　A　school　bus；　facing　this　way；　its　red　lights　flashing；　meaning　it　was　unloading　passengers　and　traffic　wasn't　permitted　to　pass　it　in　either　direction。　And　a　truck；　a　big　tractor…trailer　rig；　facing　the　same　direction　as　the　Lincoln　and　obediently　standing　still。　The　two　vehicles　between　them　blocked　the　road　pletely。　Judson　braked；　and　the　Lincoln　slid　to　a　stop　directly　behind　the　truck。　Bobby　said；　〃Why's　the　bus　stopped　there？〃
　〃Must　be　letting　somebody　off。〃
　〃Nobody's　getting　out。〃
　Judson；　who　was　sometimes　irritated　by　Bobby's　questions；　said；　〃Then　they're　waiting　for　somebody　who's　supposed　to　get　on。〃
　Back　at　the　intersection；　Parker　stopped　long　enough　for　Henley　to　get　out　and　move　the　detour　sign　so　that　it　now　blocked　the　road　the　Lincoln　had　just　gone　down。　Then　they　drove　on；　following　the　Lincoln。
　Judson　too　was　beginning　to　think　the　school　bus　was　taking　too　long　to　do　nothing。　Glancing　in　the　rear…view　mirror　again；　seeing　the　blue　Dodge　ing　to　a　stop　behind　him；　almost　close　enough　to　touch　the　Lincoln's　rear　bumper；　he　said；　〃Pretty　well…traveled　road。〃
　In　the　Dodge；　Parker　and　Henley　and　Angie　were　putting　on　the　large　rubber　Mickey　Mouse　masks。　〃I　feel　like　a　clown　in　this　thing；〃　Henley　said。　His　voice　was　muffled　and　altered　by　the　rubber。
　〃It's　to　make　it　easier　for　the　kid；〃　Parker　said。　〃We　don't　want　a　hysterical　kid　on　our　hands。　Angie；　you　do　the　talking　to　him。〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃It's　a　game；　it's　fun；　we're　all　just　playing。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Angie　said。
　〃Let's　go；〃　Parker　said。
　They　got　out　of　the　Dodge；　Parker　and　Henley　carrying　revolvers；　and　walked　swiftly　up　next　to　the　Lincoln；　Parker　on　the　left　and　Henley　and　Angie　on　the　right。
　Judson；　who　was　frowning　now　toward　the　school　bus；　wondering　why　it　wasn't　finishing　its　business　and　moving　on；　caught　a　glimpse　of　something　moving　in　his　outside　mirror。　He　looked　at　it；　and　saw　a　man　ing　this　way　with　something　glittery　and　strange　over　his　head。　〃What　the…？〃　He　twisted　around　to　his　left；　to　look　back；　and　the　man　closed　the　distance；　pulled　open　Judson's　door；　and　said；　fast　and　low；　〃Not　a　move。　Not　one　move。〃
　There　was　a　gun　in　the　man's　hand；　down　by　Judson's　elbow。　〃Uh；〃　said　Judson　The　Lincoln's　engine　was　running；　but　the　gearshift　was　in　park。　Also；　the　car　was　wedged　in　both　front　and　back　by　the　truck　and　the　Dodge。　Still；　Judson's　hand　started　to　move　almost　instinctively　toward　the　gearshift　lever；　when　the　door　on　the　passenger　side　opened；　and　another　one　got　in。　Another　gun；　another　mask　over　the　head。　Judson；　looking　at　him；　suddenly　terrified　at　this　apparition　sitting　next　to　him；　realized　what　he　was　looking　at　was　a　Mickey　Mouse　mask；　and　for　some　reason　that　only　made　things　more　frightening。
　Meanwhile；　Angie　had　gotten　into　the　backseat。　〃Hi；　Bobby；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　know　whose　face　this　is　I'm　wearing？〃
　Bobby　hadn't　seen　the　guns　of　the　two　men　dealing　with　the　chauffeur；　but　he'd　heard　the　toughness　in　the　one　man's　voice；　and　he　sensed　the　strangeness　of　what　was　happening。　Frightened；　not　sure　what　to　expect　or　how　he　should　act；　he　said；　〃Who…who　are　you？〃
　〃Who　do　I　look　like；　Bobby？〃
　〃You're　not　Mickey　Mouse！〃　He　knew　that　much；　and　being　able　to　say　so；　loud　and　clear；　helped　to　calm　and　reassure　him。
　〃But　I'm　making　believe　to　be　Mickey　Mouse；〃　Angie　said。　〃We're　all　going　to　play　make…believe　for　a　while　now。〃
　Up　front；　Henley　had　pressed　his　revolver　into　Albert　Judson's　side。　His　voice　soft；　muffled　by　the　mask；　he　said；　〃Let's　not　scare　the　kid。　Nobody's　gonna　get　hurt。〃
　〃What　do　you…？〃　Judson's　mouth　was　dry。　He　coughed；　and　started　again。　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　〃Think　about　it；〃　Henley　said。
　Parker。　seeing　that　the　chauffeur　was　under　control；　shut　the　Lincoln's　door　again　and　went　up　to　rap　on　the　rear　doors　of　the　tractor…trailer。　The　doors　swung　open；　pushed　out　by　Krauss；　who　looked　critically　out　and　down　at　the　Lincoln　and　said；　〃You'll　have　to　back　it　up。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　Parker　walked　back　past　the　Lincoln　to　the　Dodge。　Inside　the　Lincoln；　Henley　was　controlling　the　chauffeur　and　Angie　was　controlling　the　boy。　She　was　talking　to　him；　chattering　at　him；　keeping　him　calm　with　a　soothing　flow　of　words。
　Parker　got　into　the　Dodge；　ran　it　backward　about　fifteen　feet；　got　out　of　it；　walked　up　to　the　Lincoln；　opened　the　chauffeur's　door　again；　and　said；　〃Slide　over。〃
　Henley　made　room；　and　Judson　slid　over　into　the　middle　of　the　seat。　He　said；　〃You're　going　to　kidnap　the　boy！〃
　Henley　said；　〃Keep　it　down。　I　told　you；　we　don't　scare　the　kid。〃
　Krauss　had　pulled　the　metal　ramp　out　of　the　truck　partway　and　now；　when　Parker　put　the　Lincoln　into　reverse　and　backed　up　till　he　was　nudging　the　Dodge's　bumper；　Krauss　brought　the　ramp　out　the　rest　of　the　way　a