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head leaned out； and Murch waved at him。 The thin man nodded； disappeared； and a second later the metal door began to creak upward。
Murch drove into a huge concrete room that looked much like a parking garage； with metal support pillars spaced all around it。 A dozen or so cars were scattered around the walls； leaving most of the space empty。 These were all in the process of being repainted。 A used oil drum next to one pillar was half full of license plates； most of them from out…of…state。 A dozen men； most of them black or Puerto Rican； were working on the cars； this was obviously an equal…
opportunity employer。 A battered plastic radio in a far corner raspingly played WABC； a local shlock…rock station。
The thin black man with the sweatband motioned for Murch to leave the Imperial over against the wall to the right。 Murch left it there； went through the glove partment on the off chance； found nothing of interest； and walked back over toward the door。 The thin man； who had shut the garage door again； grinned at Murch and said； 〃You sure do bring in a lot of cars。〃
〃The streets are full of them；〃 Murch said。 〃Tell Mr。 Marconi I'd appreciate the money in a hurry； okay？〃
〃What do you do with all your money？〃
〃I'm the sole support of my mother。〃
〃She isn't back in the cab yet？〃
〃Still got the neck brace on；〃 Murch said。 〃She could drive； but people generally don't like to ride in a cab with a driver with a neck brace on。 It's a superstition； I guess。〃
〃How long's she got to keep it on？〃
〃Till we settle out of court；〃 Murch said。 〃Tell Mr。 Marconi； will you？〃
〃Sure；〃 the thin man said。 〃But； by the way； he isn't Mr。 Marconi any more。 He changed his name to March legally。〃
〃Oh； yeah？ How e？〃
〃The Italian…American Defamation League made him do it。〃
〃Huh；〃 Murch said。 He rolled the new name on his lips：
〃Salvatore March。 Doesn't sound bad。〃
〃I don't think he's happy with it； though；〃 said the thin man。 〃But what's he gonna do？〃
〃True。 See you around。〃
〃So long；〃 said the thin man。
Murch left and walked four blocks before he found a cab。 The driver gave him a mournful yet frantic look and said； 〃Tell me you want to go to Manhattan。〃
〃I'd like to tell you that；〃 Murch said； 〃but my mother's in Canarsie。〃
〃Canarsie；〃 said the driver。 〃And I thought it couldn't get worse。〃 He faced front and headed across the sixth and seventh circles of Brooklyn。
After a while； Murch said； 〃Listen； would you mind a suggestion about the route？〃
〃Shut your face；〃 said the driver。 He said it softly； but he was hunched forward and his hands were gripping the steering wheel very hard。
Murch shrugged。 〃You're the boss；〃 he said。
They got there eventually。 Murch gave him a nearly 15 percent tip； in honor of his mother； and went inside to find his mother walking around without the brace on。 〃Hey；〃 he said。 〃What if I was an insurance adjuster？〃
You'dve rung the doorbell；〃 she said。
〃Or looked through the window。〃
〃Don't give me a tough time； Stan；〃 she said。 〃I'm going crazy cooped up in this house。〃
〃Whyn't you go for a walk？〃
〃I go out with that brace on；〃 she said； 〃kids e up and want to know am I a publicity stunt for Beneath the Planet of the Apes。〃
〃Little bastards；〃 Murch said。
〃Language。〃
〃I tell you what。 I'll take tomorrow off； we'll go for a ride。〃
She perked up a bit。 〃Where to？〃
〃Montauk Point。 Break out the maps。 Let's figure a route。〃
〃You're a good boy； Stan；〃 his mother said； and soon the two of them had their heads together over road maps opened on the dining…room table。 They were like that when the doorbell rang。
〃Damn！〃 she said。
〃I'll get it；〃 Murch said。 〃You put on your brace。〃
〃I'm using it；〃 she said。
Murch looked at her； and she didn't have it on。 〃What do you mean； you're using it？〃
〃You put it upside down on the drainboard；〃 she said； 〃it's just perfect for drying socks。〃
〃Aw； Mom； you don't take this seriously。〃 The doorbell rang again。 〃What if that's an insurance adjuster and you've got socks on your neck brace？〃
〃I'll put it on； I'll put it on；〃 she said； and went away to the kitchen； while Murch moved more slowly toward the front door。
It was Kelp out there。 Murch opened the door wide and said； 〃Hey； e on in。 Long time no see。〃
〃I figured I'd…〃
〃Mom！ Forget it！〃
Kelp looked a little startled。
Murch said to him； 〃Sorry； I just didn't want her to put her brace on。〃
Kelp tried a smile but went on looking baffled anyway。
〃Sure；〃 he said。 〃I just figured I'd…〃
Murch's Mom appeared with her neck brace on。 〃You called me？〃
〃Hey； Mrs。 Murch！〃 said Kelp。 〃What happened？〃
〃I wanted to tell you to forget it；〃 Murch said。
〃I couldn't make out what you 。 。 。〃 She stopped and frowned at Kelp。
〃Kelp？〃
〃You hurt your neck？〃
Disgusted； she said； 〃I put this thing on for you？〃
〃That's why I called to you；〃 said Murch。
Shaking her head as best she could in the brace； she turned away again； saying； 〃This thing is cold； and it's wet。〃
Kelp said； 〃You put it on for me？〃
Murch said； 〃Well； if you're gonna put socks on it； it's gonna be cold and wet。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 Kelp said。
〃I don't know how much longer I can put up with this；〃 she said and left the room。
Kelp said； 〃Why don't I go out and walk around the block and then e back？〃
Murch looked at him； bewildered。 〃What for？ You feel dizzy or something？〃
Kelp glanced around。 〃No； I guess not。 Everything's okay； I guess。 I must've e in while there was already a conversation going on。〃
〃Something like that；〃 Murch said。
〃I thought so； yeah。〃
〃Well； e on in。〃
Kelp was already in。 He looked at Murch and didn't say anything。
〃Oh； yeah；〃 Murch said。 He shut the door and said； 〃We were just in the dining room。〃
〃I'm busting into dinner？ Look； I can…〃
〃No； we were just looking at maps。 e on in。〃 Murch and Kelp went into the dining room； just as Murch's Mom was ing in from the other direction； patting her shoulders and saying； 〃It's my cashmere sweater and it's all wet。〃
Murch said to Kelp； 〃You wouldn't have something lined up； would you？〃
〃As a matter of fact； I would。 You free to look it over tomorrow？〃
〃Oh； hell；〃 said Murch's Mom。 〃There goes our ride out to the Island。〃
〃Out to Long Island？〃 said Kelp。 〃That's perfect； that's just what I want； couldn't be better。〃 He approached the table with all its maps。 〃Is this LongIsland？ Here； let me show you the exact spot。〃
〃You two talk；〃 Murch's Mom said。 〃I've got to go change out of this wetsweater before I get a stiff neck。〃
8
WHEN Dortmunder walked into the 0。 J。 Bar and Grill on AmsterdamAvenue at eight…thirty the next night； there was nobody in the place but threesubway motormen； the television set high up on the wall； and Rollo； thebartender。 The television set was showing three people scaling a wall； allburdened down with coils of rope and little hammers and walkie…talkies； theywere a Negro； a Jew； and a beautiful blond Swedish girl。 The three subwaymotormen； all Puerto Rican； were talking abo