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dw.jimmythekid-第25部分

小说: dw.jimmythekid 字数: 每页4000字

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ht did seem too pale to be direct sunshine。 Anyway。 the rain had apparently stopped。
 Well; there was nothing for it but to get up; or at least to make the attempt。 Also; there was the smell of coffee in the air; which made Dortmunder's stomach growl softly to itself in anticipation。 Last night's Lurps had been better than nothing; but they weren't exactly the kind of meal he was used to。
 〃Urn;〃 he said; when he leaned forward; and; 〃Oof;〃 when he stretched one hand out on the floor and shifted his weight over onto it。 〃Aggghh;〃 he said; when he heaved his body heavily over onto one knee; and; 〃Oh; Jee…sus;〃 when at last he struggled to his feet。
 What a back。 It felt as though somebody had pounded a lot of finishing nails into it last night。 He bent; twisted; arched his back; and listened to his body creak and snap and plain。 Moving a lot like Boris Karloff in that movie last night…in fact; he looked a bit like that character…he staggered out of the dining room and into the living room; where he found May; Murch's Mom and the kid sitting at the card table; playing hearts。 May said; 〃Good morning。 There's hot water on the hibachi; if you want to make yourself some coffee。〃
 〃I don't want to make myself some coffee;〃 Dortmunder said。 〃My mattress leaked; I slept on the floor; I'm too stiff to bend over。〃
 〃In other words;〃 May said; 〃you want me to make it。〃
 〃That's right;〃 Dortmunder said。
 〃After this hand;〃 May said。
 Dortmunder grunted; and went over to open the door and look out at the world。 The sky was very gray and the ground was very wet and there was still a damp chill in the air。
 〃Shut that door;〃 Murch's Mom called。 〃It's nice and warm in here; let's keep it that way。〃
 Dortmunder shut the door。 〃Where's Stan?〃 he said。
 Murch's Mom said; 〃He went to get some groceries。〃
 〃Groceries?〃
 May said; 〃Jimmy says he's an expert at scrambled eggs。〃
 〃I always make my own breakfast;〃 Jimmy said。 〃Mrs。 Engelberg is hopeless。〃 Looking slyly at Murch's Mom he said; 〃You wouldn't be shooting the moon; would you?〃
 〃Of course not;〃 Murch's Mom said。 〃With this hand?〃 Dortmunder walked slowly around the room; bending this way and that; shrugging his shoulders; twisting his head around。 Everything hurt。 His wrists hurt。 He said; 〃Isn't that hand over?〃
 〃Not quite;〃 Murch's Mom said。
 Dortmunder went over and looked at the hand。 They each had two cards left and it was Murch's Mom's lead。 Dortmunder; kibitzing over her shoulder; saw that she had the ace of clubs and the ten of diamonds left。 〃Well; I might as well get rid of my last winner;〃 she said; and tossed out the ace of clubs。
 Dortmunder walked around to kibitz May's hand; while Jimmy said; 〃I thought you weren't shooting the moon。〃
 〃I'm not;〃 Murch's Mom said。 〃I just don't want to get stuck with the last lead。〃
 〃Sure;〃 Jimmy said。
 May had to play second; on Murch's Mom's ace of clubs; and she had the ace of hearts and the jack of diamonds。 Dortmunder watched May's hand hover over the jack of diamonds; which would beat Murch's Mom's final ten of diamonds lead; then hover over the ace of hearts。
 Then it hovered over the jack of diamonds again。 Then the ace of hearts again。
 Dortmunder's stomach growled。 Loudly。
 〃Oh; all right;〃 May said; and threw the jack of diamonds; holding back the ace of hearts。
 〃I didn't say anything;〃 Dortmunder said。
 〃Your stomach did;〃 May told him。
 〃I can't help that。〃 Dortmunder went on around the table to look at Jimmy's hand。 The kid had the king of hearts and the queen of diamonds; and he barely hesitated at all before throwing the king of hearts。 〃If you want to shoot the moon;〃 he said; 〃I might as well help。〃
 Murch's Mom; drawing in the trick; looked at the kid with sudden sharp suspicion。 〃What have you done; you bad boy?〃 she asked; and tossed out the ten of diamonds。
 〃Oh; dear;〃 May said; and dropped the ace of hearts on it。
 〃I kept a stopper;〃 Jimmy said calmly。 He dropped the queen of diamonds and said; 〃That's twenty…five for you and one for me。〃
 〃And coffee for me;〃 Dortmunder said。
 〃Yes yes;〃 May said。
 Murch's Mom; who was well…known as a poor loser; wrote down the scores and said; 〃You think you're pretty cute; don't you?〃
 〃I've learned over the course of years;〃 Jimmy told her; 〃that defensive play is much more profitable in the long run。〃
 〃The course of years? Are you kidding me?〃
 His face as innocent as a choirboy's; Jimmy said; 〃What's the score; anyway?〃
 Murch's Mom tossed the pad across the table to him。 〃Read it yourself;〃 she said。
 Dortmunder got his coffee from May; who then went back to her game。 Dortmunder walked around and around; drinking coffee and trying to limber up; and after a while Murch came in; with eggs and milk and butter and bread and a newspaper and a frying pan and a pale blue flight bag that said Air France on it and God knows what else。 Dortmunder said; 〃We gonna live here?〃
 Murch's Mom said; 〃There's things we need。 Don't plain all the time。〃
 Dortmunder said; 〃What's with the Air France bag?〃
 May was pulling clothing out of it: sweater; socks; trousers; all boy…size。 〃Jimmy doesn't have anything to wear;〃 she said。 〃It's too cold for what he had on; and that's all dirty now anyway。〃
 Murch said to Jimmy; 〃I'm sorry; kid; they didn't have an avocado。〃
 〃That's okay;〃 Jimmy said。 'We can make a fine salad without it。〃
 Dortmunder said; 〃Avocado?〃 Things; it seemed to him; were getting out of hand: Air France bags; avocados。 However; nobody else in this room seemed to think things were getting out of hand; and he knew better than to raise the question with any of them; so he went back to the dining room。
 Where Kelp was wide awake; sitting up; reading Child Heist。 〃Morning;〃 Kelp said; grinning from ear to ear。 〃I slept like a top。 How about you?〃
 〃Like a bottom;〃 Dortmunder told him。 〃My mattress leaked。〃
 〃Oh; that's a shame。〃
 〃Don't you ever get tired of that book?〃
 'Well; we got the money switch ing up this afternoon;〃 Kelp said。 〃I thought I ought to refresh my memory; read that chapter again。 You oughta take a look at it; too。〃
 〃Oh; yeah?〃
 〃Absolutely;〃 Kelp said。 〃Chapter twelve。 Page a hundred and nine。〃
 
 21
 
 At exactly four P。M。 Ruth; in a pay phone at a Shell station in Patchogue; Long Island; made the second call。
 〃Myers residence。〃
 〃Let me talk to George Myers。〃
 〃Who's calling; please?〃
 〃Tell him;〃 Ruth said; 〃it's the people who have his kid。〃
 〃One moment; please。〃
 But it was only fifteen or twenty seconds before Myers was on the phone; saying; 〃How's Bobby? Is he all right?〃
 〃He's fine;〃 Ruth said。 〃You've got the money?〃
 〃Yes。 Can't I speak to him?'
 〃He isn't here。 You do right; you'll have him back tonight。〃
 〃I'll do what you say; don't worry about that。〃 I'm not the one has to worry; Ruth said。 I want you to get into your car with the money。 Use the Lincoln。 You can bring your chauffeur along; but nobody else。〃
 〃All right;〃 Myers said。 〃All right。〃
 〃Drive over to Northern State Parkway;〃 Ruth told him; 〃and get up on the eastbound。 Drive at a steady fifty。 We'll meet you along the way。〃
 〃Yes;〃 Myers said。 〃All right。〃
 〃Do it now;〃 Ruth said; and hung up。 Going outside; she got into the Pinto; drove away from the Shell station; and headed for the other phone booth。
 Northward; a block from the Myers estate; Parker and Krauss sat in the Dodge and waited。 Henley and Angie were back at the farmhouse; watching the kid。
 〃Here he es;〃 Krauss said。
 They watched the Lincoln go by; the chauffeur driving; Myers hunched forward nervously on the back seat。 When it was two blocks away; Krauss started the Dodge; and they moved off in its wake。
 After a few blocks Parker said; 〃He's going the right way。 And there's nobody else with him。〃
 〃Right。 There's a phone in this drugstore up here。〃
 They let the Lincoln go on; heading for Northern State Parkway。 While Krauss stayed in the car; Parker went into the drugstore and called Ruth at the other pay phone。 She had just arrived; and picked it up on the first ring。 〃Yes?〃
 〃He's on his way;〃 Parker said。 〃He'll be taking the ramp in maybe two minutes。〃
 Ruth checked 

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