lrh.fortuneoffear-第32章

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　　　〃Most　of　the　hotel　equipment　is　on　time…payment　contracts　and　those　panies　want　to　take　the　equipment　back；　even　the　furnaces。
　　　〃It's　winter　and　there　is　no　yacht　traffic　for　the　marina　and　nothing　is　travelling　on　the　Intracoastal　Waterway。
　　　〃It's　winter　and　there's　nothing　one　can　do　with　the　amusement　piers。
　　　〃It's　winter　and　there　are　no　vacationers　to　fill　the　hotels。〃
　　　Heller　shivered。　〃Is　that　all？〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Izzy。　He　was　unfolding　a　newspaper。　〃That　spaghetti…eating　schlemazel　Piegare　must　have　talked　to　the　press　right　away　last　night；　the　schmuck。　Have　you　seen　this？〃　He　was　holding　the　front　page　of　the　New　York　Grimes　before　Heller's　eyes。　It　said：

WHIZ　KID　STEALS　
ATLANTIC　CITY
　　　The　resort　metropolis　is　the　first　American　city　to　be　stolen　since　the　Indians　ripped　off　Roanoke　from　Sir　Walter　Raleigh　in　A。D。　1590。
　　　In　a　raging　midnight　gun　battle　which　local　police　and　the　Army　did　not　stop；　Jerome　Terrance　Wister；　known　as　the　〃Whiz　Kid；〃。。。

　　　〃Oh；　my　Gods；〃　said　Heller；　reading　no　further。
　　　〃It's　in　every　paper；　local　and　national；　that　I　spotted　on　the　stands　in　New　York；〃　said　Izzy。　〃Headlines！〃
　　　I　really　laughed。　Izzy　thought　Piegare　had　talked　to　the　press。　But　whether　he　had　or　not　made　no　difference。　Madison！　Good　old　J。　Walter　Madison；　priceless　Madison：　that　marvel　of　PR　had　Rockecenter's　Underworld　Crime　puter　Bank　right　at　his　fingertips。　He　had　jumped　onto　the　job；　feeding　a　story　to　the　media　within　minutes。　What　a　genius！
　　　Heller　groaned；　〃Isn't　there　any　good　news　at　all？〃
　　　Izzy　said；　〃I　think　you　should　e　down　to　the　auditorium。　The　employees　are　meeting　there　and　they　prise　about　a　quarter　of　the　population　of　Atlantic　City。　I　can't　face　that　many　people。〃
　　　Heller　opened　his　tattered　beachwear　denim　jacket　and　buckled　on　his　gun。　He　drew　it　and　checked　the　load。
　　　Izzy　cried；　〃Oh；　dear！　This　can't　be　solved　by　persuading　more　people　to　shoot　at　you！　I　only　want　you　there　when　they　start　ing　over　the　tops　of　the　seats　to　tear　me　to　pieces。〃
　　　Heller　threw　his　black　leather　trench　coat　over　his　shoulders；　locked　and　hid　his　grip　and　then　followed　Izzy　out　into　the　dark　passageway。
　　　They　had　to　walk　down　many　flights　of　steps；　as　the　elevators　were　not　running。　They　came　at　last　into　the　back　of　a　vast　auditorium。　It　was　lit　only　with　kerosene　camping　lights。
　　　It　was　jammed　with　people；　thousands　of　them。　Waiters；　cooks；　maids；　croupiers；　doormen；　marina　sailors；　clerks；　janitors；　drivers；　pilots；　carnival　barkers；　topless　dancers　and　every　other　kind　of　riffraff　it　takes　to　run　casino…hotels；　amusement　piers；　clubs；　marinas　and　honky…tonks。　Even　security　guards　were　there　but　they　sure　weren't　on　duty　to　keep　things　orderly。　What　a　tough　collection！　They　weren't　the　Mafia：　they　were　the　employees　of　all　the　enterprises　the　Mafia　had　taken　over　and　now　dumped。
　　　A　low　growl　began　to　rise。　Fingers　began　to　point。　Teeth　began　to　show。　And　they　were　all　directed　at　Heller　as　he　walked　down　the　aisle　toward　the　auditorium　stage。　From　those　expressions；　he　was　about　as　popular　as　a　skunk　with　rabies。　What　an　enjoyable　moment　for　me！
　　　Izzy　cringed　close　to　Heller。　He　whispered；　〃Don't　fire　them　all　at　once。　They'll　riot　and　we'll　have　hospital　bills。　We　have　made　no　arrangements　with　them。〃
　　　Heller　whispered　back；　a　little　savagely；　〃Haven't　you　done　anything？〃
　　　Izzy　whispered；　〃It's　an　almost　impossible　business　situation。　I　did　file　a　name　change　for　the　corporation。　Scalpello　is　too　notorious。　But　that　won't　alter　its　debts。〃
　　　They　were　walking　up　the　steps　to　the　stage。　It　was　totally　empty　except　for　a　set　of　trap　drums。　Izzy　whispered；　〃I　couldn't　get　any　of　my　relatives　to　take　over　any　director　or　officer　posts。　You　own　the　shares；　but　I　can't　let　you　get　involved　any　deeper。　So　I　had　to　do　the　best　I　could。〃
　　　Heller　was　about　to　turn　and　face　the　sullen　audience　but　Izzy　steered　him　further；　pushing　him　off　to　the　side　of　stage　right。　There　was　a　little　room　there；　probably　a　dressing　room　for　performers。　Izzy　stopped　Heller　before　they　could　enter。　Heller　peeked　in。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　was　sitting　there　with　Mamie　Boomp　and　Tom…Tom。　The　room　was　feebly　lit　by　a　single　burning　candle。
　　　Heller　whispered　to　Izzy；　〃What's　that　drummer　doing　there？　He　helped　with　the　sacks　last　night　but　he　can't　count　above　four。〃
　　　Izzy　whispered；　〃I　know。　That's　why　I　appointed；　him　treasurer　and　secretary。　He　won't　die　of　fright　looking　at　the　horrible　corporation　balance　sheets。〃
　　　I　turned　on　Krak's　viewer。　By　it；　I　could　see　Heller　peering　in；　clothes　looking　ragged　under　his　loose　trench　coat。　My；　his　depressed　expression　was　wonderful　to　see！　It　really　exhilarated　me。　Oh；　how　the　mighty　had　fallen！
　　　Mamie　Boomp　said；　〃Hello；　sailor。　Would　you　mind　loaning　me　that　raggedy　workman's　jacket　you've　got　on　under　your　trench　coat？　It's　freezing。〃
　　　Heller　looked　at　her。　She　was　wearing　a　sequined　blouse　and　a　wide　skirt。　Gentleman　that　he　was；　he　shrugged　off　the　trench　coat　that　lay　loosely　on　his　shoulders；　took　off　the　raggedy　workman's　jacket　and　held　it　for　her　to　put　on。　She　got　into　it　and　buttoned　it　up　to　her　throat。　My；　but　she　looked　weird。　Like　a　plumber　or　something！　Fat　lot　she　really　knew　about　clothes。
　　　Izzy　said；　〃Now；　Mr。　Jet；　as　you　are　the　principal　and　only　stockholder；　we　can　waive　the　formalities　of　a　shareholder　meeting。　Please　sign　these　papers。〃　He　laid　them　on　a　small　side　table。
　　　Heller　bent　over　the　papers　poising　a　pen。　He　read　the　top　lines。　Mamie　Boomp　had　been　appointed　president　and　general　manager！
　　　He　looked　up　wide…eyed。　Krak　was　looking　at　him　very　sternly。　She　made　a　small　signing　motion　with　her　hand。
　　　Heller　signed。
　　　At　once；　Mamie　Boomp；　Tom…Tom　and　the　Countess　Krak　rose　and　started　out　onto　the　stage。
　　　Heller　also　started　to　go　with　them。　Mamie　Boomp；　with　the　flat　of　her　hand；　pushed　him　solidly　backwards；　making　him　sit　down　in　a　chair。　She　said；　〃You　stay　here；　sailor；　and　act　as　marines　if　they　land　on　us。　But　don't　e　out　otherwise　until　I　give　you　your　cue。〃
　　　They　walked　out　on　the　stage　and　Tom…Tom　absent…mindedly　closed　the　dressing…room　door　behind　them。
　　　Heller　turned　to　Izzy；　〃Why　are　we　doing　anything　at　all？　The　Grabbe…Manhattan　Bank　will　padlock　the　doors。〃
　　　Izzy　said；　〃Oh；　the　bank。　Well；　when　I　called　the　Gambling　mission　of　New　Jersey　to　tell　them　their　order　to　Piegare　to　sell　the　corporation　had　been　executed；　they　dropped　the　case　and　extended　the　corporation's　license。〃
　　　Heller　said；　〃I'm　talking　about　the　Grabbe…Manhattan　Bank！〃
　　　〃Well；　so　am　I；〃　said　Izzy。　〃You　see；　I　could　tell　Grabbe…Manhattan　that　the　corporation　would　continue　to　hold　its　gambling　license。　They　thought　they　were　at　risk　because　the　license　was　going　to　be　revoked。〃
　　　〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Heller。
　　　〃Not　quite；〃　said　Izzy。　〃As　the　criminal　charges　they　could　have　brought　against　Piegare　no　longer　applied　to　the　corporation…since　it　had　been　sold…I　told　them　that　if　they　didn't　extend　the　loans；　I　would　file　bankruptcy　and　they'd　lose　everything。　That's　why　I　couldn't　get　here　sooner。　They　have　to　have　a　bank　directors'　meeting　on　all　matters　that　involve　a　billion　dollars'　worth　of　loans　or　more；　and　it　took　them　until　10：00　A。　M。　trying　to　locate　Rockecenter。　But　he　and　Bury　are　in　China　arranging　peace　and　new　oil　monopolies　and　they　had　to　go　on　without　him。　I'm　sure　he'll　raise　the　roof　when　he　gets　back　and　finds　out；　but　we　got　an　extension　on　all　corporation　mortgages。〃
　　　The　Countess　Krak　opened　the　door　and　beckoned。
　　　Izzy　pushed　Heller　forward　and　cowered　back。　〃You　go；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　too　scared　to　face　that　howling　mob！〃
　　　Heller　walked　out　on　the　stage。　Mamie　Boomp　was　standing　very　tall　and　manding。　I　suddenly　understood　her　wearing　a　tattered　workman's　jacket。　Sly　psychology：　it　made　her　one　of　them。　She　had　the　audience　dead　silent。　（Bleep）　her　performer's　control　of　the　house：　not　a　single　jeer　greeted　Heller；　only　silent；　grim　faces。　It　spoiled　the　moment　for　me。　No　tomatoes！
　　　Mamie　Boomp；　in　a　resonant　voi