Murch found a space in front of a fire hydrant in the next block。 He was grinning all over his face when he …switched the engine off and turned to say to Dortmunder； 〃I just had a hunch； that's all。 I figured； what the hell； and I just had a hunch。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Dortmunder said。
〃You get things like that sometimes；〃 Murch said。 〃It's just a hunch you get； they e on you sometimes。〃
Dortmunder nodded； heavily。 〃We'll pay for this later on；〃 he said； and got out of the car； and walked back up toward the Cadillac。 It was parked facing this way； and the chauffeur's head was hidden behind his open newspaper。
Dortmunder didn't look right on Central Park West； and he knew it。 He felt eyes on him； mistrusting him。 It seemed to him that doormen； as he walked by； glared at him and clutched their whistles。 Cruising cabs accelerated。 Dog walkers stood closer to their Weimaraners and Schnauzers。 And old men in wheelchairs； being pushed by stout black ladies in white uniforms； scrabbled at their blankets。
Dortmunder walked slowly by the Cadillac。 The back seat was empty and the side windows were open； but it was very hard to see inside。 Aware of being an alien here； still feeling the eyes on him； Dortmunder didn't want to stop； so he kept on walking even though he didn't know if there was a telephone in the limousine or not。
Well； he couldn't keep walking north forever。 At the next corner he stopped； looked indecisive； then patted himself all over； pantomiming a search for some small but necessary object。 In a large elaborate movement； he snapped his fingers； suggesting the sudden realization that the small but necessary object had been left behind； at home； perhaps。 He then turned around and walked the other way。
The Cadillac was getting closer。 ing from behind it he had a clearer view of the interior； but it still wasn't good enough。 He walked more and more slowly； squinting； trying to see into the damn car。
Well； screw it。 He went over to the Cadillac； leaned down； stuck his head in the open window by the back seat； and saw that indeed there was a telephone mounted on the back of the front seat。 He nodded in satisfaction。 The chauffeur remained inside his newspaper。
Dortmunder got his head out of the Cadillac and walked briskly on down to the Renault。 He opened the Renault door； but before getting in he looked back up at the Cadillac。 The chauffeur still hadn't moved； but as Dortmunder watched he suddenly jumped； yanked the newspaper down into his lap； spun around and stared at the empty hack seat。 He then faced front again； looking baffled。 He turned his head this way and that； staring suspiciously all around。 His eyes met Dortmunder's； and he frowned； deeply。
Dortmunder got into the Renault。 He arranged his feet as best he could； closed the door； and said； 〃The amazing thing is； there's a goddam telephone in there。〃
Murch was still grinning from ear to ear； and he had his paperback copy of Child Heist open in his hands。 〃Now we wait for the kid to e out again；〃 he said； reading the words from the book。 〃Then we'll take a look at his route home。〃 He slapped the book shut and said； 〃Just like it says in the book！〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Dortmunder。
9
W H E N D 0 R T M U N D E R escorted May into the 0。 J。 Bar and Grill； Rollo the bartender was in the process of separating two customers who had e to blows during a statistical discussion of the New York Mets。 Stools and chairs were being kicked as the customers thrashed around on the floor with their arms around one another。 Rollo； avoiding their feet； circled them looking for an opening。 Dortmunder gestured for May to move off to the left； and the two of them got in behind the cigarette machine； in the front corner of the room。
〃So this is the 0。 J。；〃 May said； as a stool went crashing over on its side。 The seat part of the stool separated from the chrome legs and went rolling away toward the rear； making metal noises on the floor。 The three other customers in the place were all straining toward the television set； trying to make out what George Peppard was saying to Jill St。 John。
〃It's usually quieter than this；〃 Dortmunder said。
Out there on the floor； Rollo had gotten hold of a shoulder and was shaking it。 Then； with his other hand； he got hold of a different shoulder and tried throwing it away。 The shoulders； though wearing different colored jackets； didn't want to separate at first； Rollo had to do a lot of shaking with his left hand while making three strong throwing gestures with his right before they popped apart。 Then the one customer went skidding away on his back under a booth； and Rollo picked the other one up by his shoulder and hair and carried him to the front door。 Ort his way by the cigarette machine he nodded to Dortmunder and said； 〃How ya doin？〃
〃Fine；〃 Dortmunder said。
Rollo pushed the door open with the customer's head； and ejected the customer。 Then he turned and went back for the other customer； who was scrambling out from under the booth。 Rollo picked him up by his belt； in the middle of his back； and half…carried half…ran him across the floor and through the door and out onto Amsterdam Avenue。 When he came back in； he nodded again to Dortmunder； who was escorting May out from behind the cigarette machine； and said； 〃When he asked for white cream de mint I knew there was gonna be trouble。〃
〃Rollo；〃 Dortmunder said； 〃this is May。〃
〃How ya doin？〃 Rollo said。
〃I'm fine；〃 said May。 〃Does that happen a lot？〃
〃Not so much；〃 Rollo said。 'We mostly got beer drinkers in here。 Beer drinkers got a low center of gravity； they don't like to fight much。 They just like to sit there； mind their own business。〃
〃I like a nice beer myself；〃 May said。
〃I seen you were a good person when you walked in；〃 Rollo said。 To Dortmunder he said； 〃The other bourbon's in the back。 I give him your glass。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Expecting anybody else？〃
〃The draft beer and salt；〃 Dortmunder said。 〃And he'll be bringing his mother。〃
〃Oh； yeah； I remember her。 She's also a draft beer； right？〃
〃Right。〃
〃That's nice；〃 Rollo said。 〃I like ladies in the place； it makes for a better atmosphere。〃
〃Thank you；〃 May said。
〃You go on back；〃 Rollo said； 〃I'll bring you your beer； little lady。〃
Dortmunder and May went to the back room； and Kelp was sitting there with the bottle of bourbon and two glasses。 He got to his feet and said； 〃Hi； May。 Sit down。 What was all the noise out there？〃
〃That was Rollo；〃 Dortmunder said； 〃cutting back on his services。〃
〃He's very gallant；〃 May said。
Kelp； looking at his watch； said； 〃Murch and his Mom are late。〃
Dortmunder nodded。 〃I know。 And the worst of it is； he'll tell us why。〃
〃And；〃 Kelp said； 〃what route he should of took。〃 May said； 〃Maybe he couldn't find a deserted farmhouse。〃
Kelp said； 〃Why not？ We found the kid； didn't we？ We followed the book and we found the kid。 So now the book says we want a deserted farmhouse； we'll find a deserted farmhouse？'
Dortmunder said； 〃You know； there are these little moments when that book gives me a swift pain in the ass。〃
〃It's been right so far；〃 Kelp said。 〃You got to give credit where credit is due。〃
May said； 〃Tell me about this boy。 John says you found out about his family and all。〃
〃Right；〃 Kelp said。 〃His name is Jimmy Harrington。 His father's a lawyer on Wall Street； in the firm of McIntire； Loeb； Sanderson and Chen。 He's a partner there。〃
Dortmunder said； 〃He's a partner？ I thought his name was Harrington。〃
〃It is；〃 Kelp said。
〃There isn't any Harrington in the pany name。 Just those other people。〃
〃McIntire；〃 Kelp said； 〃Loeb； Sanderson and Chen。〃
〃Right；〃 Dortmunder said。 〃That bunch。 If Harrington's a partner； where's his name？〃
〃They got a whole bunch of partners；〃 Kelp said。 〃I saw a piece of their stationery； there's this whole line of names down the left side； they're all partners。 I think maybe McIntire； Loeb； Sanderson and Chen are maybe the first partners。〃
〃The founders；〃 May suggested。
〃I get it；〃 Dortmunder said。 〃Okay； fine。〃
〃Anyway；〃 Kelp said； 〃Harrington is maybe fifty…five； he's got four grown…up kids and grandchildren； the whole thing。 He's also got a second wife； and she