jg.skippingchristmas-第18部分

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Five　minutes　passed；　and　the　tree　reappeared　in　the　open　garage；　where　a　man　and　a　kid　were　wrestling　with　it。　He　looked　harder；　and　recognized　Luther　Krank。　Watching　every　move；　he　called　Walt　Scheel　on　a　portable　phone。
　〃Hey；　Walt；　Ned　here。〃
　〃Merry　Christmas；　Ned。〃
　〃Merry　Christmas；　Walt。　Say；　I'm　watching　the　Trogdons'　house；　and　it　appears　as　if　Krank　has　lost　his　mind。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃He's　stealing　their　Christmas　tree。〃
　Luther　and　Spike　began　their　way　down　the　Trogdon　driveway；　which　had　a　slight　decline　to　the　street。　Luther　was　behind　the　wagon；　hanging　on；　letting　it　roll　slightly。　Spike　clutched　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　terrified。
　Scheel　peeked　out　his　front　door；　and　when　he　saw　the　theft　with　his　own　eyes；　he　punched　the　number　for　the　police。
　The　desk　sergeant　answered。
　〃Yes；　this　is　Walt　Scheel；　Fourteen　eighty…one　Hemlock。　There's　a　burglary　under　way；　right　now。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Right　here。　At　Fourteen　eighty…three　Hemlock。　I'm　watching　it　in　progress。　Hurry。〃
　Trogdon's　tree　made　it　across　Hemlock　to　the　other　side；　right　in　front　of　the　Becker　house；　where　now　in　the　front　window　Ned；　his　wife；　Jude；　and　his　mother…in…law　were　watching。　Luther　negotiated　a　right　turn　with　the　handle；　and　began　pulling　the　wagon　toward　his　house。
　He　wanted　to　sprint　before　anyone　saw　him；　but　Spike　kept　telling　him　to　take　it　slow。　Luther　was　afraid　to　look　around；　and　he　didn't　believe　for　a　second　that　he　was　going　unnoticed。　When　he　was　almost　to　his　driveway；　Spike　said；　〃Cops。〃
　Luther　wheeled　around　just　as　the　patrol　car　slowed　to　a　stop　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　lights　flashing　but　no　siren。　Two　officers　jumped　out　as　if　it　were　a　SWAT　mission；　
　Luther　recognized　Salino　with　the　large　stomach；　then　young　Treen　with　the　thick　neck。　The　same　two　who'd　stopped　by　hawking　calendars　for　the　Police　Benevolent　Association。
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Krank；〃　Salino　said　with　a　smirk。
　〃Where　you　going　with　that？〃　asked　Treen。
　〃To　my　house；〃　Luther　said；　pointing。　He'd　e　so　close。
　〃Maybe　you'd　better　explain；〃　said　Salino。
　〃Yeah；　well；　Wes　Trogdon　over　there　let　me　borrow　his　Christmas　tree。　He　left　town　an　hour　ago；　and　me　and　Spike　here　were　just　moving　it。〃
　〃Spike？〃
　Luther　turned　and　looked　behind　him；　down　at　the　wagon；　at　the　narrow　gap　where　Spike　had　been。　Spike　was　gone；　nowhere　to　be　seen　on　Hemlock。
　〃Yeah；　a　kid　down　the　street。〃
　Walt　Scheel　had　a　seat　on　the　fifty…yard　line。　Bev　was　resting；　or　trying　to。　His　laughter　got　so　loud　that　she　came　to　see　what　was　the　matter。　〃Pull　up　a　chair；　honey；　they've　caught　Krank　stealing　a　tree。〃　The　Beckers　were　howling　too。
　〃We　got　a　report　that　a　burglary　was　in　progress；〃　said　Treen。
　〃There's　no　burglary。　Who　called？〃
　〃A　Mr。　Scheel。　Whose　wagon　is　this？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Spike's。〃
　〃So　you　stole　the　wagon　too；〃　said　Treen。
　〃I've　stolen　nothing。〃
　〃You　have　to　admit；　Mr。　Krank；　it　looks　very　suspicious；　Salino　said。
　Yes；　under　normal　circumstances；　Luther　might　be　forced　to　say　that　the　entire　scene　was　a　bit　unusual。　But　Blair　was　getting　closer　by　the　minute；　and　there　was　no　time　to　back　down。　〃Not　at　all；　sir。　I　borrow　Trogdon's　tree　all　the　time。〃
　〃We'd　better　take　you　in　for　questioning；〃　Treen　said；　and　unsnapped　a　pair　of　handcuffs　from　his　belt。　The　sight　of　the　silver　cuffs　sent　Walt　Scheel　to　the　floor。　The　Beckers　were　having　trouble　breathing。
　And　Luther　went　weak　at　the　knees。　〃e　on；　you　can't　be　serious。〃
　〃Get　in　the　backseat。〃
　
　Luther　sat　low　in　the　back；　thinking　of　suicide　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。　The　two　cops　in　the　front　seat　were　chatting　on　the　radio；　something　about　finding　the　owner　of　the　stolen　property。　Their　lights　were　still　swirling；　and　Luther　wanted　to　say　so　much。　Let　me　go！　I'll　sue！　Turn　off　the　damned　lights！　Next　year　I'll　buy　ten　calendars！　Just　go　ahead　and　shoot　me！
　If　Nora　came　home　now；　she'd　file　for　divorce。
　The　Kirby　twins　were　eight…year…old　delinquents　from　the　far　end　of　Hemlock；　and　for　some　reason　they　happened　by。　They　walked　close　to　the　car；　close　to　the　rear　window；　and　made　direct　eye　contact　with　Luther；　who　squirmed　even　lower。　Then　the　Bellington　brat　joined　them　and　all　three　peered　in　at　Luther　as　if　he'd　killed　their　mothers。
　Spike　came　running；　followed　by　Vic　Frohmeyer。　The　officers　got　out　and　had　a　word　with　him；　then　Treen　shooed　the　kids　away　and　released　Luther　from　the　backseat。　
　〃He's　got　keys；〃　Vic　was　saying；　and　Luther　then　remembered　that　he　did　indeed　have　the　keys　to　Trogdon's。　What　a　moron！
　〃I　know　both　these　men；〃　Frohmeyer　continued。　〃This　is　no　burglary。〃
　The　cops　whispered　for　a　moment　as　Luther　tried　to　ignore　the　stares　from　Vic　and　Spike。　He　glanced　around；　half…expecting　to　see　Nora　wheel　into　the　drive　and　have　a　stroke。
　〃What　about　the　tree？〃　Salino　asked　Vic。　
　〃If　he　says　Trogdon　loaned　it　to　him；　then　that's　the　truth。〃
　〃You　sure？〃
　〃I'm　sure。〃
　〃Okay；　okay；　Salino　said；　still　sneering　at　Luther　as　if　he'd　never　seen　a　guiltier　criminal。　They　slowly　got　in　the　car　and　drove　away。
　〃Thanks；〃　Luther　said。
　〃What're　you　doing；　Luther？〃　Vic　asked。
　〃I'm　borrowing　their　tree。　Spike's　helping　me　move　it。　Let's　go；　Spike。〃
　Without　further　interruption；　Luther　and　Spike　rolled　the　tree　up　the　driveway；　into　the　garage；　and　grappled　with　it　until　it　was　sitting　rather　nicely　in　the　front　window。　Along　the　way　they　left　a　trail　of　dead　needles；　red　and　green　icicles；　and　some　popcorn。　〃I'll　vacuum　later；〃　Luther　said。　〃Let's　check　the　lights。〃
　The　phone　rang。　It　was　Nora；　more　panicked　than　before。　〃I　can't　find　a　thing；　Luther。　No　turkey；　no　ham；　no　chocolates；　nothing。　And　I　can't　find　a　nice　gift　either。〃
　〃Gifts？　Why　are　you　shopping　for　gifts？〃
　〃It's　Christmas；　Luther。　Have　you　called　the　Yarbers　and　Friskis？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　lied。　〃Their　lines　were　busy。〃
　〃Keep　calling；　Luther；　because　no　one　is　ing。　I've　tried　the　McTeers；　Morrises；　and　Warners；　they're　all　busy。　How's　the　tree？〃
　〃ing　along。〃
　〃I'll　call　later。〃
　Spike　plugged　in　the　lights　and　the　tree　came　to　life。　They　attacked　the　nine　boxes　of　decorations　without　a　care　as　to　what　went　where。
　Across　the　street；　Walt　Scheel　watched　them　through　binoculars。
　
　
　Fifteen
　
　Spike　was　on　the　ladder；　leaning　precariously　into　the　tree　with　a　crystal　angel　in　one　hand　and　a　fuzzy　reindeer　in　the　other；　when　Luther　heard　a　car　in　the　drive。　He　glanced　out　the　window　and　saw　Nora's　Audi　sliding　into　the　garage。　〃It's　Nora；〃　he　said。　Quick　thinking　led　him　to　believe　that　Spike's　plicity　in　the　tree　should　be　kept　a　secret。
　〃Spike；　you　need　to　leave；　and　now；〃　he　said。
　〃Why？〃
　〃Job's　over；　son；　here's　the　other　twenty。　Thanks　a　million。〃　He　helped　the　kid　down　from　the　ladder；　handed　over　the　cash；　and　led　him　to　the　front　door。　When　Nora　stepped　into　the　kitchen；　Spike　eased　onto　the　front　steps　and　disappeared。
　〃Unload　the　car；〃　she　manded。　Her　nerves　were　shot　and　she　was　ready　to　snap。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　asked；　and　immediately　wished　he'd　said　nothing。　It　was　quite　obvious　what　was　the　matter。
　She　rolled　her　eyes　and　started　to　snap；　then　gritted　her　teeth　and　repeated；　〃Unload　the　car。〃
　Luther　high…stepped　toward　the　door　and　was　almost　outside　when　he　heard；　〃What　an　ugly　tree！〃
　He　spun；　ready　for　war；　and　said；　〃Take　it　or　leave　it。〃
　〃Red　lights？〃　she　said；　her　voice　incredulous。　Trogdon　had　used　a　strand　of　red　lights；　one　solitary　string　of　them；　and　had　wrapped　them　tightly　around　the　trunk　of　the　tree。　Luther　had　toyed　with　the　idea　of　pulling　them　off；　but　it　would've　taken　an　hour。　Instead；　he　and　Spike　had　tried　to　hide　them　with　ornaments。　Nora；　of　course；　had　spotted　them　from　the　kitchen。
　Now　she　had　her　nose　in　the　tree。　〃Red　lights？　We've　never　used　red　lights。〃
　〃They　were　in　the　box；〃　Luther　lied。　He　did　not　enjoy　lying；　but　he　knew　it　would　be　standard　behavior　for　the　next　day　or　so。
　〃Which　box？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　'Which　box？'　I've　been　throwing　stuff　on　the　tree　as　fast　as　I　can　open　boxes；　Nora。　Now's　not　the　time　to　get　touchy　about　the　tree。
　〃Green　icicles？〃　she　said；　picking　one　off　the　tree。　〃Where'd　you　find　this　tree？〃
　〃I　bought　the　last　one　from　the　Boy　Scouts。〃　A　sidestep；　not　a　direct　lie。
　She　looked　around　the　room；　at　the　strewn　and　empty　boxes；　and　decided　there　were　more　important　things　to　worry　about。
　〃Besides；〃　Luther　said；　unwisely；　〃at　the　rate　we're　going；　who's　gonna　see　it？〃
　〃Shut　up　and　unload　the　car。〃　There　were　four　bags　of　food　from　a　store　Luther'd　never　heard　of；　three　shopping　bags　with　handles　from　a　clothing　store　in　the　mail；　a　case　of　soft　drinks；　a　case　of　bottled　water；　and　a　bouquet　of　dreadful　flowers　from　a　florist　known　for　his　outrageous　prices。　Luther's　accountant's　brain　wanted　to　tally　up　the　damage；　but　he　thought　better　of　it。　
　How　would　he　explain　this　around　the　office？　All　the　money　he'd　saved　now　up　in　smoke。　Plus；　the　cruise　he　didn't　take　getting　wasted　because　he'd　declined　to　purchase　travel　insurance。　Luther　was　in　the　middle　of　a　financial　disaster　and　couldn't　do　a　thing　to　stop　the　bleeding。　
　〃Did　you　get　the　Yarbers　and　the　Friskis？〃　Nora　asked　at　the　phon