rs.inthebestfamelies-第43章

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；　one　way　or　another；　and　second；　I　don't　remember　a　word　of　it。　Except　that　I　finally　said　it　was　time　to　go；　and　he　got　himself　a　man…sized　straight　bourbon　and　poured　it　down。
　　We　walked　the　few　blocks　to　my　building。　As　we　waited　at　the　curb　I　kept　my　eyes　peeled　for　a　Chewy　sedan；　but　apparently　Roeder　had　been　promoted；　either　that　or　the　Chewy　wasn't　used　for　important　guests；　for　when　a　car　nosed　in　to　us　it　was　a　shiny　black　Cadillac。　I　got　in　front　with　the　driver　and　Rackham　joined　Roeder　in　the　rear。　They　didn't　shake　hands　when　I　pronounced　names。　The　driver　was　new　to　me…a　stocky　middleaged　number　with　black　hair　and　squinty　black　eyes。　He　had　nothing　whatever　to　say　to　anyone；　and　for　that　matter　neither　did　anybody　else；　all　the　way　to　our　destination。　Once　on　the　Taconic　State　Parkway　a　car　passed　and　cut　in　ahead　of　us　so　short　that　it　damn　near　grazed　our　bumper；　and　the　driver　muttered　something；　and　I　went　so　far　as　to　glance　at　him　but　ventured　no　words。　Anyway；　my　mind　was　occupied。
　　Evidently　Rackham　had　been　there　before　with　his　eyes　open；　for　there　was　no　suggestion　that　he　should　take　to　the　floor；　and　of　course　I　was　now　a　B。　We　left　the　parkway　a　couple　of　miles　south　of　Millwood；　to　the　right；　followed　a　curving　secondary　road　a　while；　turned　onto　another　main　route；　soon　left　it　for　another　secondary　road；　and　after　some　more　curves　hit　concrete　again。　The　garage　was　at　a　four…ers　a　little　out　of　Mount　Kisco；　and　I　never　did　know　what　the　idea　was　of　that　roundabout　way　of　getting　there。　In　front　it　looked　like　any　other　garage；　with　gas…pumps　and　a　graveled　plaza；　and　cars　and　miscellaneous　objects　around；　except　that　it　seemed　a　little　large　for　its　location。　Two　men　were　there　in　front；　one　dressed　like　a　mechanic　and　the　other　in　a　summer　suit；　even　a　necktie；　and　they　exchanged　nods　with　our　driver　as　we　headed　in。
　　The　big　room　we　drove　into　was　normal　too；　like　a　thousand　others　anywhere；　but　a　variation　was　ing。　Our　car　rolled　across；　past　pillars；　to　the　far　end；　and　stopped　just　in　front　of　a　big　closed　door；　and　our　driver　stuck　his　head　out；　but　said　nothing。　Nothing　happened　for　thirty　seconds；　then　the　big　door　slowly　opened；　rising；　the　driver　pulled　his　head　in；　and　the　car　went　forward。　As　we　cleared　the　entrance　the　door　started　back　down；　and　by　the　time　we　had　eased　across　to　a　stop　the　door　was　shut　again；　and　our　reception　mittee　was　right　there…two　on　one　side　and　one　on　the　other。　I　had　seen　two　of　them　before；　but　one　was　a　stranger。　The　stranger　was　in　shirt　sleeves；　with　his　gun　in　a　belt　holster。
　　Stepping　out；　I　announced；　〃I've　got　that　same　gun　under　my　armpit。〃
　　〃Okay；　Goodwin；〃　the　tenor　said。　'We'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　　They　did。　I　may　have　been　a　B；　but　there　was　no　discernible　difference　between　inspection　of　a　B　and　of　an　unknown。　In　fact；　it　seemed　to　me　that　they　were　slightly　more　thorough　than　they　had　been　on　Sunday；　which　may　have　been　because　there　were　three　of　us。　They　did　us　one　at　a　time；　with　me　first；　then　Rackham；　then　Roeder。　With　Roeder　they　were　a　little　more　superficial。　They　went　over　him；　but　not　so　enthusiastically；　and　all　they　did　with　the　brief　case　was　open　it　and　glance　inside　and　let　Roeder　himself　shut　it　again。
　　One　change　from　Sunday　was　that　two　of　them；　not　one；　acpanied　us　to　the　door　in　the　rear　wall；　and　through；　across　the　vestibule；　and　down　the　fourteen　steps　to　the　first　metal　door。　The　sentinel　who　opened　and　let　us　in　was　the　same　pasty…faced　bird　with　a　pointed　chin…Schwartz。　This　time　the　other　sentinel　did　not　stay　at　the　table　with　his　book　work。　He　was　right　there　with　Schwartz；　and　interested　in　the　callers；　especially　Rackham。
　　〃We're　a　little　early；〃　Roeder　said；　〃but　they　sent　us　on　in。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　Schwartz　rumbled。　〃He's　ahead　of　schedule　today。　One　didn't　e。〃
　　He　went　to　the　big　metal　door　at　the　other　end；　pulled　it　open；　and　jerked　his　head。　〃On　in。〃
　　Entering；　Roeder　took　the　lead；　then　Rackham；　then　me。　Schwartz　brought　up　the　rear。　He　came　in　three　paces　and　stood。　Arnold　Zeck；　from　behind　his　desk；　told　him；　in　the　cold　precise　tone　that　he　used　for　everything；　〃All　right；　Schwartz。〃
　　Schwartz　left　us。　As　the　door　closed　I　hoped　to　heaven　it　was　as　soundproof　as　it　was　supposed　to　be。
　　Zeck　spoke。　〃The　last　time　you　were　here；　Rackham；　you　lost　control　of　yourself　and　you　know　what　happened。〃
　　Rackham　did　not　reply。　He　stood　with　his　hands　behind　him　like　a　man　ready　to　begin　a　speech；　but　his　trap　stayed　shut；　and　from　the　expression　of　his　face　it　was　a　good　guess　that　his　hands；　out　of　sight；　were　making　a　tight　knot。
　　〃Sit　down；〃　Zeck　told　him。
　　Since　the　seating　was　an　important　item　of　the　staging；　I　had　stepped　up　ahead　after　we　entered　and　made　for　the　chair　farthest　front；　a　little　to　the　left　of　Zeck's　desk　and　about　even　with　it；　and　Roeder　had　taken　the　one　nearest　me；　to　my　right。　That　left；　for　Rackham；　of　the　chairs　near　the　desk；　the　one　on　the　other　side；　and　he　went　to　it。　He　was　about　twelve　feet　from　Zeck；　Roeder　about　the　same；　and　I　was　slightly　closer。
　　Zeck　asked　Roeder；　〃Have　you　had　a　talk？〃
　　Roeder　shook　his　head。　〃Since　Mr。　Rackham　had　never　met　me　before；　I　thought　it　might　be　better　for　you　to　explain　the　proposal　to　him。　Naturally　he　will　want　to　know　exactly　how　it　is　to　be　handled　before　deciding　whether　to　help　with　it。〃　He　reached　to　get　his　brief　case　from　the　floor；　put　it　on　his　lap；　and　opened　it。
　　〃I　think；〃　Zeck　said；　〃that　you　should　describe　the　operation；　since　you　conceived　it　and　will　manage　it。　But　you　were　right　to　wait。〃　He　turned　to　Rackham。　〃You　remember　our　last　talk　some　time　ago。〃
　　Rackham　said　nothing。
　　〃You　remember　it？〃　Zeck　demanded。　He　made　it　a　demand　by　the　faintest　possible　sharpening　of　his　tone。
　　〃I　remember　it；〃　Rackham　stated；　not　much　above　a　whisper。
　　〃You　know　the　position　you　took。　Ordinarily　that　course　is　not　permitted　to　any　man　who　has　been　given　a　place　in　my　organization；　and　I　made　an　exception　of　you　only　because　the　death　of　your　wife　had　changed　your　circumstances。　I　thought　it　better　to　await　an　opportunity　to　take　advantage　of　that　change；　and　now　it　has　e…through　Roeder　here。　We　want　your　help　and　we　are　prepared　to　insist　on　getting　it。　How　do　you　feel　about　it？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Rackham　licked　his　lips。　〃I'd　have　to　know　more　about　what　you　want。〃
　　Zeck　nodded。　〃But　first　your　attitude。　You　will　need　to　recognize　the　existence　of　mutual　interests…yours　and　mine。〃
　　Rackham　said　nothing。
　　〃Well？〃　The　faint　sharpening。
　　〃Damn　it；　of　course　I　recognize　them！〃
　　〃Good。　Go　ahead；　Roeder。〃
　　Roeder　had　got　some　papers　from　his　brief　case。　One　of　them　fluttered　away　from　him；　and　I　left　my　chair　to　retrieve　it　for　him。　I　believe　he　did　that　on　purpose。　I　believe　he　knew　that　now　that　the　moment　had　e　every　nerve　and　muscle　in　me　was　on　a　hair　trigger；　and　he　was　giving　me　an　excuse　to　loosen　them　up。
　　〃As　I　understand　it；〃　he　said；　〃we're　going　to　give　Rackham　a　cut；　and　before　I　tell　him　about　it　I　wish　you'd　take　a　look　at　this　revised　list　of　percentages。　Yours　is　of　course　fixed；　and　I　don't　like　to　reduce　mine　unless　it's　absolutely　unavoidable　。　。　。〃
　　He　had　a　sheet　of　paper　in　his　hand。　With　his　brief　case　on　his　lap；　and　loose　papers；　it　was　awkward　for　him　to　get　up；　so　I　obliged。　I　reached；　and　he　handed　me　the　paper；　and　I　had　to　leave　my　chair　to　get　it　to　Zeck。　On　my　way　I　took　a　glance　at　the　paper　because　I　thought　it　was　in　character　to　do　that；　and　if　I　ever　needed　my　character　to　stay　put　for　another　four　seconds　I　did　right　then。　When　I　extended　my　hand　to　Zeck　I　released　the　paper　an　instant　too　soon　and　it　started　to　drop。　I　grabbed　at　it　and　missed；　and　that　made　me　take　another　step　and　bend　over；　which　put　me　in　exactly　the　right　position　to　take　him　away　from　there　before　he　could　possibly　get　a　toe　on　one　of　the　buttons　under　his　desk。
　　Not　wanting　to　knock　his　chair　over；　I　used　my　left　knee　to　push　him　back；　chair　and　all；　my　right　knee　to　land　on　his　thighs　and　keep　him　there；　and　my　hands　for　his　throat。　There　was　only　one　thing　in　my　mind　at　that　precise　instant；　the　i