lrh.fortuneoffear-第30章

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　　　The　gunmen　in　the　room　stiffened；　took　their　hands　out　of　their　pockets；　showed　empty；　open　palms　and　backed　up。
　　　Gobbo　continued；　〃And　so　it　says；　directly　on　your　own　passport　and　driver's　license。〃　He　opened　the　wallet　he　had　taken　out　and　read　it。　〃Jerome　Terrance　Wister；　the　Whiz　Kid　himself。　So　maybe　you　didn't　bribe　the　croupiers。　Maybe　you　had　a　system；　the　first　one　in　history　that　worked。　But　however　that　may　be；　not　even　Brinks　could　get　that　dough　out　of　Atlantic　City　tonight　or　any　other　time；　so　you　better　sign　that　contract　purchasing　the　whole　of　Scalpello　Corporation。　And　with　your　right　name。〃
　　　〃If　you　look　at　that　passport　you　will　find　that　it　says；〃　said　Heller；　〃that　Wister　is　only　seventeen。　As　a　minor；　the　contract　would　not　be　binding。〃
　　　〃Well；　I'm　looking　at　this　passport；〃　said　Gobbo；　〃and　I　find　that　Wister　had　a　birthday　just　three　days　ago　and　is　eighteen　and　according　to　the　new　laws　of　New　Jersey；　that's　of　age。　It's　legal　as　legal。　Call　it　a　birthday　present；　and　a　nice　one　at　that。　Five　casino　hotels　and　all　those　other　things。　I　got　a　notary　right　here；　ready　to　witness　the　signatures。　You're　buying　the　whole　thing　for　'one　dollar　and　other　legal　considerations。'　I'll　even　leave　the　two　G's　in　your　wallet　when　I　give　it　back　so　you　can　pay　me　the　dollar　out　of　your　own　money　and　no　hanky…panky。　It's　not　even　bought　with　gambling　winnings　and　all　these　here　can　witness　it　is　so。　So　sign　and　give　me　the　privilege　of　wishing　you　a　Happy　Birthday。〃
　　　Heller　took　the　pen　and　signed。　Gobbo；　his　son　and　the　consigliere　also　signed　as　the　only　ones　who　held　shares。　The　notary　notarized　everything。
　　　Then　Gobbo　put　his　hand　on　the　contracts；　holding　them　to　the　desk。　〃You　get　these　as　soon　as　you　produce　the　money。　Don't　be　uneasy。　We　are　all　just　honest　businessmen　here。　And　you　can　even　take　Don　Julio　along　and　blow　his　guts　out　if；　when　you　give　us　the　money；　we　don't　give　you　the　contracts。　He's　my　own　son。　How　can　you　lose？〃
　　　Heller　touched　his　collar。　He　said；　〃Dear；　would　it　be　convenient　for　you　to　bring　the　money　to　room　201？　It　is　on　the　second　floor。　Just　look　at　the　numbers　and　arrows。　I　am　sure　the　armed　men　here　will　give　you　no　trouble。〃
　　　They　waited。
　　　There　was　the　clang　of　an　elevator。　Then　sounds　of　something　ing　down　the　hall。　A　gunman　there；　keeping　his　hands　very　empty；　gingerly　opened　the　door。
　　　A　big　laundry　cart　rolled　in；　piled　to　the　top　with　laundry　bags。　What　appeared　to　be　an　old　chambermaid　stood　up。　It　was　the　Countess　Krak　dressed　in　hotel　worker　clothes　and　lines　of　age　drawn　on　her　face。
　　　〃Mother　of　God；〃　said　one　of　the　men；　〃I　passed　her　three　times　with　that　cart　when　we　were　looking　on　the　sixth　floor！〃
　　　But　Gobbo　was　not　interested　in　who　had　brought　the　cart　in。　He　stood　up。　He　signalled。　The　consigliere　and　two　others　began　to　lift　the　bags　out。　They　opened　the　covering　laundry　sack　and　peered　in　at　the　money。　They　turned　the　open　ends；　one　after　the　other；　to　Gobbo。
　　　He　went　over　and　into　each　sack　plunged　his　hand　and　verified　there　was　no　stuffing　but　money。　He　looked　at　many　of　the　bills　to　make　sure　they　were　not　counterfeit。
　　　Bags　were　lying　all　over　the　floor！　Big　and　fat。
　　　Gobbo　clapped　his　hands　together　twice　and；　with　a　gesture；　had　the　bags　closed　and　piled　back　into　the　laundry　truck。
　　　The　capo　then；　with　a　gesture；　had　two　men　speed　the　laundry　cart　out　of　the　room。
　　　Heller's　gun　came　up。　But　Gobbo　was　walking　over　with　the　contracts。　Gobbo　waited　until　he　heard　the　elevator　door　bang　shut　and　the　car　start　down。　With　an　elegant　bow　he　handed　the　contracts　to　Heller。　Then；　with　a　very　imperious　gesture；　like　an　orchestra　conductor；　he　began　to　wave　his　arms　at　the　men　in　the　room。
　　　〃Happy　Birthday；〃　said　Gobbo；　in　English。
　　　The　others　in　the　room　immediately　began　to　sing。　They　sang：

Happy　Birthday　to　you；
Happy　Birthday　to　you；
Happy　Birthday；　dear　Whiz　Kid；
You've　been　fun　to　screw。

　　　Then　they　all　started　laughing。
　　　Gobbo　said；　〃Put　your　gun　away；　Whiz　Kid。　Nobody　would　think　of　shooting　you；　now　that　you　are　the　sole　owner　of　the　Scalpello　Casino　Corporation　and　all　its　vast　properties。　Three　days　ago；　the　New　Jersey　Gambling　mission　told　us　that　at　the　end　of　the　week　all　our　licenses　were　going　to　be　cancelled　for　nonpayment　of　bribes　and　ordered　us　to　sell　the　whole　thing　to　anyone　else　who　would　buy　it。
　　　〃But　you　see；　Whiz　Kid；　nobody　at　all　would　touch　any　part　of　this　corporation；　for　at　noon　tomorrow；　by　the　clock；　the　Grabbe…Manhattan　Bank；　that　owns　all　the　mortgages；　first　and　second；　on　all　these　hotels　and　property；　is　going　to　foreclose　and　take　over　everything　it　owns。　They　even　blocked　efforts　to　file　bankruptcy　by　threatening　criminal　proceeding　on　other　counts　against　the　directors　if　we　did。
　　　〃All　the　money　that　you　won；　Whiz　Kid；　went　through　the　puters　as　legal　gambling　losses　paid　out　to　unknown　people。　It's　all　laundered　money　and　untraceable。　So　you　let　us　follow　the　New　Jersey　Gambling　mission　ruling　and　it's　you　that　Grabbe…Manhattan　will　now　be　foreclosing　on！　AND　you've　given　us　all　these　lovely　millions　as　run　money　to　go　someplace　nice　and　retire　on。　So　Happy　Birthday；　Whiz　Kid。　The　Virgin　Mary　herself　must　have　sent　you。　Although；　when　we　spotted　you　earlier　today；　I　will　admit　we　gave　her　lots　of　help。〃
　　　He　went　over　to　his　desk。　He　took　a　letter　basket　and　piled　a　few　personal　knickknacks　in　it。　He　handed　the　basket　to　Don　Julio　to　carry　and　directed　him　out　the　door。
　　　The　rest　of　the　men　filed　out。　Gobbo；　the　last　one　at　the　door；　made　a　sweeping　gesture　with　his　hand。　〃It　is　all　yours；　Wister。　Every　bit　of　it。　But　there's　just　one　more　thing。　I　don't　know　why　they　call　you　the　Whiz　Kid。　You're　the　dumbest　（bleepard）　in　a　business　deal　that　I　ever　met！〃　He　bowed。　He　was　gone。
　　　Heller　stood　there　for　a　moment。　Then　he　dived　for　the　phone。　He　punched　the　buttons　frantically。
　　　A　sleepy　voice　at　the　other　end　said；　〃Hello。〃
　　　Heller　shouted；　〃IZZY！　HELP！〃

PART　THIRTY…NINE
Chapter　1

　　　The　next　day　I　lay　in　bed；　overtaken　by　uncontrollable　bursts　of　chuckling。　I　had　been　up　all　night　due　to　time　differences　between　Turkey　and　Atlantic　City；　and　would　have　slept　all　morning　in　any　event。　But　every　time　I　thought　of　getting　up　after　that；　I　would　go　into　spasms　of　guffaws　and　would　have　to　lie　back。
　　　Clever；　clever　Gobbo　Piegare！　What　a　friend　I　had　in　him！　Between　spasms　of　glee；　I　pondered　the　possibility　of　awarding　him　in　some　way：　maybe　send　him　a　stuffed　bluejay；　that　ace　of　robbers；　mounted　on　a　gold　base。　Or　maybe　get　Senator　Twiddle　to　put　him　up　for　the　Congressional　Medal　of　Honor　or　get　Rockecenter's　attorney　Bury　to　nominate　Piegare　for　the　Nobel　Prize　as　hit　man　of　the　year。
　　　Gobbo　Piegare　was　an　absolute　master。　If　and　when　Lombar　Hisst　took　over　Earth；　that　stellar　crook　should　be　a　candidate　for　Earth　Apparatus　staff。
　　　At　length；　my　stomach　hurting　with　laughter；　I　called　for　breakfast　and　shortly　began　to　laugh　still　more　to　see　that　the　waiter　now　had　a　purple　cheek　and　Karagoz　wore　two　black　eyes。　Melahat；　the　housekeeper；　looking　like　she'd　been　raped；　stood　in　the　door；　wringing　her　hands　and　hoping　that　the　kahve　was　just　the　right　temperature。　Musef　and　Torgut　were　doing　their　job　properly。　Oh；　it　was　a　lovely　day。　Cold　and　bitter　outside　but　nice　and　gleeful　within。
　　　About　four　o'clock；　I　went　into　my　secret　room　and　uncovered　the　viewers。　I　sat　down　to　enjoy　any　further　disfiture　of　Heller　and　Krak。
　　　It　was　midmorning　in　Atlantic　City。　They　were　in　bed　in　a　palatial　bedroom。　The　bed　had　a　canopy　of　white　gauze　and　bows。　It　must　be　the　bridal　suite。　The　furnishings　were　all　decorated　with　flowers　and　were　very　posh。
　　　Heller　got　up　and　went　into　the　ornate　sitting　room。　He　pulled　a　drape　cord　and　disclosed　a　big　picture　window。　The　room　was　evidently　high　up　and　the　window　overlooked　a　vast　expanse　of　the　cold；　gray　Atlantic　Ocean。　He　looked　at　the　slow　and　sullen　swells　rolling　in　upon　deserted　and　forlorn　amusement　piers。　There　were　several　wrecks　on　the　beach　and　black；　oily　smoke　drif