Read Jimmy the Kid for Free Online Page B

call the director the aw-tour,” she explained, “because that’s French for writer.”
    â€œI don’t know what we’re talking about,” Dortmunder said, “but I think I’m getting caught up in it. Why do they do it in French?”
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe because it’s more classy. Like chifferobe.”
    â€œLike what?”
    She could sense the whole thing getting out of hand. “Never mind,” she said. “The point was, you could be the aw-tour on this kidnapping idea. Like a movie director.”
    â€œWell, I think that whole aw-tour theory is—” He stopped, and his eyes squinted. “Wait a minute,” he said. “You want me to do the job!”
    She hesitated. She clutched her paper napkin to her bosom. But there was no turning back now. “Yes,” she said.
    â€œSo you can take care of the kid!”
    â€œPartly,” she said. “And also because all of these late-night burglaries aren’t good for you, John, they really aren’t. You go out and risk life imprisonment for—”
    â€œDon’t remind me,” he said.
    â€œBut I want to remind you. If you get caught again, you’re habitual, isn’t that right?”
    â€œIf I stay away from Kelp,” Dortmunder said, “I won’t get caught. And if I stay away from him, my luck’ll get better. I’ve had a string of bad luck, and it’s all from hanging around with Andy Kelp.”
    â€œLike tonight? That store going out of business? You haven’t seen Kelp for two weeks, not since you threw him out of here.”
    â€œIt takes time to wear off a jinx,” he said. “Listen, May, I know I’m not pulling my weight around here, but I’ll—”
    â€œThat’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it. These small-time stings just aren’t right for you. You need one major job a year, that you can take some time on, do it right, and feel comfortable with a little money in the bank afterwards.”
    â€œThere aren’t any of those jobs any more,” he said. “That’s the whole problem in a nutshell. Nobody uses cash any more. It’s all checks and credit cards. You open a cash register, it’s full of nickels and Master Charge receipts. Payrolls are all by check. Do you know, right here in Manhattan, there’s a guy sells hot dogs on a street corner, he’s on Master Charge?”
    May said, “Well, maybe that shows Kelp has a good idea. You can take the story in that book, and adapt it around, and turn it into something. Andy Kelp couldn’t do it, John, but you could. And it wouldn’t just be following somebody else’s plan, you’d adapt it, you’d make it work. You’d be the aw-tour.”
    â€œWith Kelp for my actor, huh?”
    â€œI’ll tell you the truth, John, I think you’re unfair to him. I know he gets too. optimistic sometimes, but I really don’t think he’s a jinx.”
    â€œYou’ve seen me work with him,” Dortmunder said. “You don’t think that’s a jinx?”
    â€œYou didn’t get caught,” she pointed out. “You’ve been collared a few times in your life, John, but it was never while you were working with Andy Kelp.”
    Dortmunder glowered over that one, but he didn’t have an immediate answer. May waited, knowing she’d presented all the arguments she could, and now all she could do was let it percolate through his head.
    Dortmunder frowned toward the opposite wall for a while, then grimaced and said, “I don’t remember the book so good, I don’t know if it was such a hot idea in the first place.”
    â€œI’ve still got it,” she said. “You could read it again.”
    â€œI didn’t like the style,” he said.
    â€œIt isn’t the style, it’s the story. Will you read it again?”
    He looked at her. She