dw.jimmythekid-第15部分

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　backed　up　till　he　was　nudging　the　Dodge's　bumper；　Krauss　brought　the　ramp　out　the　rest　of　the　way　and　lowered　it　to　the　ground。　Parker　shifted　into　low　and　eased　the　Lincoln　forward；　up　the　ramp　and　inside　the　truck。
　Bobby；　wide…eyed；　said；　〃What　are　we　doing？〃
　〃Have　you　ever　been　inside　a　truck　before？〃　Angie　tried　to　make　it　sound　like　a　treat；　or　a　game。　〃Inside　a　car　that's　inside　a　truck？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I　want　to　do　this；〃　Bobby　said。
　〃Don't　be　afraid；　Bobby；〃　Angie　said。　〃Nobody's　going　to　hurt　you；　I　promise。〃
　Parker　switched　off　the　Lincoln's　engine；　took　the　keys；　and　climbed　out。　It　was　a　tight　fit　between　the　side　of　the　car　and　the　inner　wall　of　the　truck。　Parker　went　sideways　to　the　rear　of　the　truck；　dropped　down　to　the　ground；　and　helped　Kraus　slide　the　ramp　back　up　inside　the　truck。
　In　the　Lincoln；　Judson　had　moved　over　behind　the　wheel　again；　not　so　he　could　drive；　but　so　he　would　be　further　from　the　gun。　Henley；　facing　him　but　staying　on　his　own　side；　said；　〃Switch　on　the　interior　lights；〃　and　Judson　did　so；　without　question。
　Parker　and　Krauss　closed　the　truck's　doors；　inside；　now；　the　only　illumination　came　from　the　lights　inside　the　Lincoln。　Bobby；　his　fright　being　slowly　overe　by　curiosity　as　time　went　by　with　no　attack　against　him；　looked　around　and　said；　〃It's　like　being　out　at　night；　isn't　it？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Angie　said。　〃We'll　pretend　we're　going　for　a　drive　now；　at　night。〃
　Outside；　Krauss　and　Parker　had　removed　their　masks。　Ruth；　at　the　wheel　of　the　school　bus；　switched　off　the　flashing　red　lights；　put　the　bus　in　gear；　and　drove　it　off　the　road。　Krauss　got　into　the　cab　of　the　truck；　started　the　engine；　and　drove　off；　accelerating　slowly；　the　engine　whining　up　through　the　gears。
　Ruth　got　out　of　the　bus　and　walked　across　the　road　to　the　Dodge。　Peeling　rubber　gloves　from　her　hands；　she　tossed　them　into　the　weeds　beside　the　road；　then　got　into　the　Dodge　on　the　passenger　side　as　Parker　slid　in　behind　the　wheel。　She　said；　〃How'd　the　kid　take　it？〃
　〃Fine；〃　Parker　said。　〃Angie's　talking　to　him。〃
　Parker　swung　the　Dodge　around　in　a　U…turn；　drove　back　to　the　intersection；　and　picked　up　the　detour　sign　there。　He　tossed　it　in　the　trunk；　went　back　the　other　way　again；　passed　the　abandoned　school　bus；　and　caught　up　with　the　tractor…trailer　at　the　next　crossroad；　where　Krauss　was　removing　the　second　detour　sign；　the　one　that　had　diverted　traffic　away　from　Edgehill　Road　while　they　were　collecting　the　Lincoln。
　Inside　the　Lincoln；　Henley　had　taken　out　the　handcuffs；　and　had　cuffed　the　chauffeur　to　the　steering　wheel。　Now；　when　Krauss　knocked　on　the　trailer　doors；　Henley　turned　to　Angie；　nodded　at　the　boy；　and　said；　〃Get　him　ready。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Despite　the　muffling　effect　of　the　mask；　Angie's　nervousness　could　clearly　be　heard；　and　she　fumbled　at　first　when　she　tried　to　take　the　other　mask　out　from　under　her　shirt。　Then　she　got　it；　and　showed　it　to　Bobby；　and　said；　〃This　is　for　you。　The　same　kind　of　mask　as　the　rest　of　us；　see？　Mickey　Mouse。〃
　〃For　me？〃　Then　he　looked　at　it　more　closely；　and　said；　〃The　eyes　are　taped　up。〃
　〃That's　because　we're　going　to　go　on　playing　nighttime；〃　Angie　said。　〃We'll　be　leaving　the　truck　now；　but　you're　still　going　to　make　believe　it's　night。〃
　〃I　won't　be　able　to　see　anything！〃　Renewed　fright　made　the　boy's　voice　shrill。
　〃You'll　be　holding　my　hand；〃　Angie　told　him。　〃It's　all　right；　it　really　is。　Ask　your　chauffeur；　there；　he　knows。〃
　Bobby　looked　doubtfully　toward　Judson；　whose　back　was　to　him。　〃Albert？〃　he　said。　〃Am　I　supposed　to　do　that？〃
　Judson　turned　his　head　just　enough　to　see　Henley　and　the　gun　in　Henley's　hand。　〃Answer　the　boy；〃　Henley　said。；　his　voice　soft。　He　was　holding　the　gun　too　low　for　the　boy　to　see　it。
　Judson　nodded。　Not　facing　Bobby；　he　said；　〃It's　all　right；　Bobby。　You　do　what　these　people　say。　There's　nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　Bobby　relaxed　a　bit；　then；　but　still　kept　looking　doubtfully　at　everybody；　and　when　he　said；　〃All　right；　then；　I'll　wear　the　old　mask；〃　his　reluctance　was　clear　in　his　voice。
　Angie　slipped　the　mask　on　over　the　boy's　head。　〃Is　that　all　right？　It　isn't　too　tight；　is　it？〃
　〃No；　it's　okay。　It　smells　funny。〃　His　voice；　too；　was　muffled　now。
　〃That's　the　smell　of　rubber；〃　Angie　told　him。　〃Take　my　hand；　now；　we're　going　to　get　out　of　the　car。〃
　Henley　led　the　way；　opening　the　rear　doors　of　the　truck；　then　handing　Bobby　down　to　Parker。　Angie　got　down；　took　the　boy's　hand　again；　and　led　him　over　to　the　Dodge。　Henley　and　Krauss　closed　the　truck　doors　while　Parker　got　into　the　Dodge　and　started　the　engine。　Angie　and　Henley　had　gotten　rid　of　their　masks　now；　leaving　Bobby　the　only　one　with　his　face　covered。
　They　all　got　into　the　Dodge；　the　three　men　in　front；　the　two　women　in　back　with　the　boy　between　them。　Angie　said；　〃Bobbie；　this　is　Gloria；　a　friend　of　mine。〃
　〃Hello；　Bobby。〃
　Bobby　said；　his　face　toward　Angie；　〃You　took　your　mask　off。　Your　voice　sounds　different。〃
　〃You're　the　one　with　the　mask　on　now；〃　Angie　told　him。　〃We　take　turns。〃
　〃And　be　sure　to　leave　it　on；〃　Ruth　said。　She　sounded　colder；　more　stern　than　Angie。
　〃I　will；〃　Bobby　said。　Angie　had　been　continuing　to　hold　his　hand；　and　now　Bobby　squeezed　her　fingers；　holding　on。
　
　13
　
　WHEN　DORTMUNDER　got　to　the　intersection　he　made　a　U…turn　and　stopped；　facing　back　the　way　he　had　e。　He　and　May　waited　in　the　Caprice　while　Kelp　got　out　and　went　around　to　the　back　of　the　car。　Then　he　came　around　to　the　side　again；　rapped　on　Dortmunder's　window；　and　when　Dortmunder　rolled　the　window　down　Kelp　said；　〃I　need　the　key。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　key。　For　the　trunk。〃
　〃Oh。〃　The　keys　were　all　together　on　a　key　ring。　Dortmunder　switched　off　the　engine　and　gave　the　keys　to　Kelp；　who　went　and　unlocked　the　trunk；　then　gave　the　keys　to　Dortmunder；　then　went　back　and　got　his　sign。　He　stood　there　holding　it；　looking　around　but　not　doing　anything；　until　Dortmunder　leaned　his　head　out　and　yelled；　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃I　forgot　which　one　to　block。〃
　Dortmunder　pointed。　〃That　one。　The　one　on　the　kid's　route。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah。　Right。〃
　Kelp　went　over　and　set　up　the　sign。　It　was　a　three…by。　four　piece　of　thin　metal　that　had　once　advertised　7…Up；　and　the　shape　of　the　bottle　could　still　be　seen　vaguely　through　the　yellow　paint。　Kelp　had　also　thought　to　bring　a　triangular　arrangement　of　sticks　to　lean　the　sign　against；　a　detail　not　mentioned　in　Child　Heist。　He　put　the　sign　in　place；　then　trotted　back　over　to　the　Caprice　and　said；　〃How's　that？〃
　Dortmunder　looked　at　it。　It　said　ROAD　CLOSED…DETORE。　He　said；　〃Jesus　H。　Goddam　Christ。〃
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Kelp　looked　all　around　the　intersection；　worried。　〃Did　I　put　it　in　the　wrong　place？〃
　〃Do　you　have　that　goddam　book　on　you？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃Take　it　out；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃and　find　the　page　where　they　set　up　the　sign。〃　Turning　to　May；　he　said；　〃I'm　following　a　book　he　read；　and　he　doesn't　even　know　how　to　read。〃
　Kelp　said；　〃I　got　it。〃
　〃Look　at　it。　Now　look　at　the　sign。〃
　Kelp　looked　at　the　book。　He　looked　at　the　sign。　He　said；　〃Son　of　a　gun。　Detour。　I　thought　sure　you…〃
　〃You　can't　even　read！〃
　May　said；　〃It's　okay；　John；　it　really　is。　They'll　just　think　some　local　highway　department　people　didn't　know　how　to　spell。〃
　Dortmunder　considered　that。　〃You　think　so？〃
　Kelp　hopped　into　the　back　seat。　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　〃It　makes　it　more　realistic；　like。　Who'd　expect　a　kidnap　gang　to　put　up　a　sign　that's　spelled　wrong？〃
　〃I　would；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃In　fact；　I'm　surprised　I　didn't　think　to　check。〃
　〃Listen；　I　don't　want　to　push　you；〃　Kelp　said；　〃but　we　ought　to　get　down　there　to　that　dirt　road。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　next；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　started　the　engine；　drove　a　quarter　mile　back　toward　the　city；　then　backed　off　into　the　dead…end　dirt　road　Murch　had　been　astonished　to　find　last　week。
　〃Now　there's　nothing　to　do　but　wait；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃I'll　lay　five　to　two；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃some　farmer　es　along　in　a　pickup　truck；　drives　in；　wants　to　know　what　we're　doing　here；　and　pulls　out　a　shotgun。〃
　〃You're　on；〃　Kelp　said。
　Four　miles　away；　the　silver…gray　Cadillac　limousine　took　the　curving　ramp　down　from　Interstate　80　to　the　county　road　and　turned　south。　The　chau