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〃That's right；〃 May said。 〃How much is it for a week？〃
〃Twenty…seven fifty。 Where's the； uh； where do you have your trailer？〃
〃Back there on the right；〃 May said； pointing through the wall。
He frowned； bewildered。 〃I didn't hear you drive in。〃
〃We came in last night。〃
〃Last night！〃 He leaped to his feet； knocking a pile of forms slithering from the desk to the floor。 While May watched him in some amazement； he raced out the front door。 She shook her head and stooped to pick up the fallen papers。
He was back a minute later； saying； 〃You're right。 I never even noticed it when I … 。 。 Here； you don't have to do that。〃
〃All done；〃 May said。 Straightening； she put the pile of forms back on the desk； causing some sort of seismic disturbance； because another stack of papers promptly toppled off the desk on the other side。
〃Leave them； leave them；〃 the nervous man said。
〃I think I will。〃 May moved over to let him get back to his seat behind the desk； and then she sat in the room's only other chair； facing him。 〃Anyway；〃 she said； 〃we want to stay for a week。〃
〃There's some forms to fill out。〃 He started opening and slamming desk drawers； doing it far too rapidly to see any。 thing inside them in the milliseconds when they were open。 〃While you're doing that；〃 he said； opening and closing； opening and closing； 〃I'll go hook up the utilities。〃
〃We already did that。〃
He stopped； with a drawer open； and blinked at her。 〃But it's locked；〃 he said。
May took the padlock out of her sweater pocket； where it had been stretching the material even worse than her usual cigarettes。 〃This was on the ground beside it；〃 she said and reached forward to put it on a pile of papers in front of him。 〃We thought it might be yours。〃
〃It wasn't locked？〃 He stared at the padlock in horror； as though it were a shrunken head。
〃Nope。〃
〃If the boss 。 。 。〃 He licked his lips； then stared at May in mute appeal。
〃I won't tell；〃 she promised。 His nervousness was making her nervous； too； and she was in a hurry to get finished with him and out of here。
〃He can be very 。 。 。〃 He shook his head； then glanced down at the open drawer； seemed surprised to see it open； then frowned at it and drew out some papers。 〃Here they are；〃 he said。
May spent the next ten minutes filling out forms。 She wrote that the trailer had four occupants： Mrs。 Hortense Davenport （herself）； her sister； Mrs。 Winifred Loomis （Murch's Mom）； and Mrs。 Loomis' two sons； Stan （Murch） and Victor （Victor）。 Dortmunder and Kelp and Herman did not exist on the forms May filled out。
The manager grew gradually calmer as time went by； as though slowly getting used to May's presence； and was even risking shaky little smiles when May handed over the last of the forms and the twenty…seven dollars and fifty cents。 〃I hope your stay at Wanderlust is just great；〃 he said。
〃Thank you； I'm sure it will be；〃 May said； getting to her feet； and the manager suddenly looked terrified again and moved all his extremities at once； causing great land shifts of paper on his desk。 May； baffled； looked over her shoulder and saw the room filling with state troopers。 May stifled a nervous start of her own； but she didn't need to； the manager's contortions had riveted the troopers' attentions。
〃Well； bye now；〃 May said and walked through the troopers…there were only two of them after all…toward the door。 The thump behind her was either the padlock or the manager hitting the floor； she didn't turn to see which； but kept going； and strode hurriedly up the gravel drive toward the bank。 As she approached it； she saw it suddenly rock slightly on its wheels； and then settle down again。 Another of Herman's explosions； she thought； and a few seconds later a puff of white smoke came out a vent on the trailer roof。 They've picked a Pope； she thought。
Dortmunder was waiting in the doorway to give her a hand up。 〃Whoop； thanks；〃 she said。 〃The cops are here。〃
〃I saw them。 We'll get back of the partition。〃
〃Right。〃
Murch's Mom said； 〃Let's not get those cards mixed up。 Everybody hold onto your own hand。〃
Murch said； 〃Mom； will you please put the brace on？〃
〃For the last time； no。〃
〃You could blow the whole case for us right here。〃
She stared at him。 〃I am standing in a stolen bank；〃 she said； 〃which is about nine felonies rolled into one already； and you're worried about a lawsuit with an insurance pany？〃
〃If we get picked up on this thing；〃 Murch said； 〃we'll need all the cash we can lay our hands on for the defense。〃
〃That's a cheerful thought；〃 May said。 She was standing by the door； looking out toward the office。
Dortmunder had gone around behind the partition to join Herman and Kelp； and now all sound stopped from back there。 A second later； Victor came out and said； 〃So they're here； are they？〃 He had a big smile on his face。
〃Just ing out of the office；〃 May said。 She shut the door and went over to look out a window instead。
〃Remember；〃 Victor said； 〃they can't e in without a warrant。〃
〃I know； I know。〃
But the troopers made no attempt to e in。 They walked down the gravel roadway between the lines of trailers； looking this way and that； and gave the green…painted bank no more than a passing glance。
Victor was watching out another window。 〃It's starting to rain；〃 he said。 〃They'll want to get back in their car。〃
It was； and they did。 A slight sprinkle had developed； and the troopers walked a bit faster on their way back down the line of trailers toward their car。 May； looking up； saw heavy clouds ing on fast from the west。 〃It's really going to e down；〃 she said。
〃What do we care？〃 Victor said。 〃We're warm and dry inside this bank here。〃 He looked around with that big smile on his face and said； 〃They even have electric baseboard heat。〃
Murch's Mom said； 〃Are they gone？〃
〃Just getting in their car；〃 May said。 〃There they go。〃 She turned from the window； and now she too was smiling。 〃I suddenly realize；〃 she said； 〃that I was very nervous。〃 She took the stub of cigarette from her mouth and looked at it。 〃I just lit this；〃 she said。
〃Let's play cards；〃 Murch's Mom said。 〃Dortmunder！ e on out and play cards。〃
Dortmunder came out； Victor went back in with Herman and Kelp； the four outside sat down to play cards again； and Murch's Mom shot the moon。 Murch said； 〃See？ See？ I told you！〃
〃So you did；〃 Murch's Mom said。 She smiled at her son and riffled the cards as she shuffled。
Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door。 Everybody at the table stared； and May quickly got up to look out the nearest window。 〃It's somebody with an umbrella；〃 she announced。 It was really pouring out there now； puddles everywhere。
〃Get rid of him；〃 Dortmunder said。 〃I'll go back by the safe again。〃
〃Right。〃
May waited till Dortmunder was out of sight； then opened the door and looked out at the nervous manager； more nervous than ever and miserable… looking under the black umbrella。 〃Uh；〃 May said。 How could she avoid inviting him in； with all that rain？
He said something； but the drumming of the rain on both