The Wrong House

James N. Young

Yanl Ev
James N. Young

he night was dark. And the house was dark. Dark-and silent. The two men ran toward it quietly. They slipped quickly through the dark bushes, which surrounded the house. They reached the porch, ran quickly up the steps, kneeled-down, breathing hea ily, in the dark shadows. They waited-listening whisper! "we can#t stay here$.Take this suitcase$.%et me try those keys. &e# e got to get in'" Ten-twenty (thirty seconds. &ith one o) the keys the one man opened the door. *ilently, the two men entered the house, closed the door behind them, locked it. &hispering, they discussed the situation. They wondered i) they had awakened anyone in he house. +%et#s ha e a look at this place." +,are)ul ,-asty'" +.h, there is not anybody awake'" And the so)t rays o) a )lashlight swept the room. /t was a large room. A li ing room. 0ugs, care)ully rolled, lay piled on one side. The )urniture (chairs, tables, couches-was co ered by sheets. Dust lay like a light snow o er e erything. The man who held the )lashlight spoke )irst. "&ell, 1lackie," he said, +&e#re in luck. %ooks as i) the )amily#s away." +Yeah, 2one )or the summer, / guess. &e better make sure, though. -uh." Together they searched the house. They went on tiptoe through e ery room. There could be no doubt about it. The )amily was away. -ad been away )or weeks. Yes, -asty -ogan and 1lackie 1urns were in luck. .nly once in the past ten days had their luck )ailed them. /t had been with them when they made their big robbery-their truly magni)icent robbery-on the ,oast.

ece karanl3kt3. 4e e karanl3kt3. 5aranl3k e sessi6. 7ki adam sessi6ce ona do8ru ko9tular. : i ;e releyen karanl3k ;al3l3klar3n aras3ndan h36la ge;tiler. 4erandaya ula93p, s<ratle merdi enleri ;3kt3lar e karanl3k g=lgede derin derin ne)es alarak di6 <st< ;=kt<ler. :tra)3 dinleyerek beklediler. +1urada , d39ar3da bekleyemeyi6$;antay3 al$ 9u anahtarlar3 bir deneyelim$.i;eri girmeliyi6" diye )3s3lda9t3lar. +on-yirmi-otu6 saniye. Adamlardan biri anahtarlardan biriyle kap3y3 a;t3. *essi6ce iki adam e e girdi, arkalar3ndan kap3y3 kapatt3lar, e kilitlediler.. >3s3slda9arak durumu de8erlendirdiler. : den herhangi birini uyand3r3p uyand3rmad3klar3n3 merak ettiler. +?uraya bir g=6 atal3m'" + Dikkatli ol, -asty '" +.h, uyan3k kimse yok'". 4e ha)i) )ener 39383 oday3 tarad3. 1<y<k bir odayd3. .turma odas3. Dikkatle rulo yap3lan hal3lar bir kenara y383lm39t3. *andalyeler , masalar, kanepeler gibi mobilyalar be6lerle =rt<lm<9t<. To6 ince bir kar gibi her9eyin <6erindeydi. >eneri tutan adam 7lk olarak konu9tu. +: et 1lackie, 9ansl3y36. Aile tatile ;3km39 gibi g=r<n<yor."dedi. +: et tahminimce ya6 tatiline gitmi9ler, yine de emin olsak iyi olur, de8il mi@" 1eraber e i ara9t3rd3lar. 1<t<n odalar3 ayaklar3n3n ucuna basarak arad3lar. -i; 9<pheleri kalmam39t3. Aile gitmi9ti. -a)talard3r u6aktayd3lar. : et, -asty -ogan e 1lackie 1urns 9ansl3yd3lar. 2e;en on g<n i;inde sadece bir keresinde 9anslar3 ya er gitmedi. *ahildeki b<y<k soygunlar3nda -ki ger;ekten muhte9em bir soygundu-, 9anslar3 ya er gitmi9ti.

/t had been with them during their thousand-mile trip eastward, by automobile. /t had been with them e ery momentbut one. That moment had come Aust one hour be)ore. /t came when 1lackie, dri ing the car, ran o er a policeman. And 1lackie, thinking o) the suitcase at -asty#s )eet, had dri en away. *wi)tly. There had been a chase, o) course. A wild cra6y chase. And when a bullet had punctured the gasoline tank, they had had to abandon the car. 1ut luck or no luck, here they were. Alone, and without a car, in a completely strange town. /n the suitcase, neat little package on neat little package, lay nearly three hundred thousand dollars' +%isten," said Br. -ogan. +&e ha e to get a car. Cuick, too. And we can not steal one- and use it. /t#s too dangerous. &e ha e to buy one. That means that we ha e to wait until the stores open. That will be about eight o#clock in this town." +1ut what are we going to do with that@" And Br. 1urns pointed to the suitcase. +-ide it right here. *ure' &hy not@ /t#s much sa)er here than with us- until we get a car." And so they hid the suitcase. They carried it down to the cellar. 1uried it deep in some coal, which lay in a corner o) the cellar. A)ter this, Aust be)ore dawn, they slipped out. +*ay, 1lackie," Br. -ogan remarked as they walked down the street, +The name o) the gentleman we are isiting is Br. *amuel &. 0ogers." +-ow do you know@" +*aw with on some o) them books. -e#s surely got a wonder)ul library, hasn#t he@" The automobile salesrooms opened at D o#clock, as Br. -ogan had supposed.

1u 9anslar3 do8uya do8ru otomobille yapt3klar3 bin millik yolculuklar3 boyunca hep onlarla beraberdi. 1u 9ans, sadece bir ke6 hari; her an i;in onlarla beraberdi. . an bir saat =nce oldu. 1lackie arabay3 kullan3rken bir polisi e6mi9ti. 4e 1lackie arabay3 kullan3rken -asty#nin aya83n3n yan3ndaki ;antay3 d<9<n<rek h36la oradan u6akla9t3. :lbette bir ko alamaca olmu9tu. 4ah9i e ;3lg3nca bir takip. 4e bir kur9un ben6in deposunu delince arabay3 terketmek 6orunda kalm39lard3. >akat 9ans eya 9anss36l3k i9te buradayd3lar. Yaln36, arabas36 e t<m<yle yabanc3 bir kasabada. Eantan3n i;inde <st <ste d<6enli konmu9 deste deste yakla93k <; y<6 bin dolar yat3yordu. +Dinle" dedi -ogan + bir araba bulmak 6orunday36. -em de ;abuk. 4e bir araba ;al3p onu kullanamay36. 1u ;ok tehlikeli olur. 1ir tane sat3n almak 6orunday36. 1u da demek ki sabah d<kkanlar a;3l3ncaya kadar beklemek 6orunday36. 1u kasabada d<kkanlar3n a;3lmas3 saat seki6 gibi olur." +>akat bununla ne yapaca836" e 1urns ;antay3 g=sterdi.. +.nu tam buraya sakla. 5esinlikle' Neden olmas3n@ 1i6 bir araba buluncaya kadar bi6imle olmas3ndansa burada olmas3 daha g< enli." 4e b=ylece ;antay3 saklad3lar. .nu a9a83 bodruma ta93d3lar. 1odrumun bir k=9esine isti)lenmi9 bir miktar k=m<r<n i;ine iyice g=md<ler. 1undan sonra, 9a)aktan a6 e el, d39ar3 ;3kt3lar. -ogan caddeden a9a83 do8ru y<r<rlerken +1aksana 1lackie" +6iyaret edece8imi6 beye)endinin ismi *amuel &. 0ogers" diye dikkatini ;ekti. +Nas3l bildin@" +5itaplar3n3n ba63lar3n3n <6erinde g=rd<m. ,idden m<kemmel bir k<t<phanesi arF =yle de8il mi@" -ogan#3n tahmin etti8i gibi otomobil sat39 yeri saat seki6 de a;3ld3.
2

*hortly be)ore nine , Br. -ogan and Br. 1urns had a car. A ery nice little car. 4ery quiet. 4ery inconspicuous. And ery speedy. The dealer lent them his license plates and away they rode. Three blocks )rom the house, they stopped. Br. -ogan got out. &alked toward the house. -e had Aust to go around to the rear, he thought, and slip in.. >i)ty yards )rom the house he stopped. *tared, swore so)tly. The )ront door was open. The window shades were up. The )amily had returned' &ell, what bad luck. And what could they do@ 1reak into the cellar that night, and pick up the suitcase@ No-too dangerous. Br. -ogan would ha e to think o) something. +%ea e it to me, kid + -e told Br. 1urns. +You dri e the car. /#ll do the special brainwork. %et#s )ind a telephone. Cuick." Directory. Yes , there it was- *amuel &. 0ogers, Glain iew HIJK. A moment later he was talking to the surprised Br. 0ogers. +-ello," he began, + /s this Br. 0ogers ( Br. *amuel 0ogers@" +Yes, this is Br. 0ogers." Br. -ogan cleared his throat. +Br. 0ogers, + he saidLand his tone was sharp , o))icial ,impressi eL+this is -eadquarters , Golice -eadquarters , talking. / am *impson. *ergeant *impson, o) the detecti e di isionL+ +Yes , yes + came o er the wire. +The ,hie) (the ,hie) o) Golice , you know,"Lhere Br. -ogan lowered his oice a littleL+has ordered me to get in touch with you. -e#s sending me out with one o) our men to see you." + Am / in trouble o) some kind @" asked Br. 0ogers. +No, no, no. Nothing like that. 1ut / ha e something o) great importance to talk to you about."

*aat doku6dan a6 e el -ogan e 1urns bir araba sat3n ald3lar. Eok ho9, k<;<k bir araba. Eok sessi6 , g=6e batmayan. 4e ;ok da h36l3. *at3c3 onlara kendi arabas3n3n plakas3n3 =d<n; erdi e onlar s<r<p u6akla9t3lar. : den <; blok =tede durdular. -ogan d39ar3 ;3kt3 e e e do8ru y<r<d<. *adece e in arkas3na ge;ip, i;eri girmeyi d<9<nd<. : den elli yard =tede durdu . Dikkatlice bakt3, sessi6ce k<)retti. Mn kap3 a;3kt3 e pencere kepenkleri a;3lm39t3. Aile geri d=nm<9t<. Ne k=t< 9ans ama. Geki 9imdi ne yapabilirlerdi. 1odruma bu gece kap3s3n3 k3rarak girmek e ;antay3 almak m3@ -ay3r -;ok tehlikeli. -ogan bir 9eyler d<9<nmek 6orundayd3. 1urns#e +1ana b3rak, op8lum" dedi +sen arabay3 s<r.1en =6el beyin i9ini yapay3m. 1ir tele)on bulal3m. Eabuk'" 1ir tele)on rehberi. 79te burda. *amuel &. 0ogers, Glain 4iew mahallesi no!HIJK. 1ir s<re sonra 9a9k3n 1ay 0ogers#la konu9uyordu.. +Berhaba" diye ba9lad3 +1ay 0ogers#la m3@ bay *amuel 0ogers m3 @" +: et, ben *amuel 0ogers." -ogan boga63n3 temi6ledi e kesin, resmi, etkileyici bir ses tonuyla +*ay3n 0ogers" dedi. +1uras3 karakol, polis karakolu konu9uyor. 1en *impson. Dedekti) b=l<m<nden Ea u9 *impson." Tele)ondan +: et, e et" diye ses geldi.. +?e), polis 9e)i bilirsini6" dedi e bu arada sesini bira6 d<9<rerek +si6inle g=r<9memi emretti. 1eni bir adam3m36la si6i g=rmeye g=nderiyor." +1ir t<r belan3n i;inde miyim@" diye sordu *ay3n 0ogers. +-ay3r , hay3r , hay3r. Myle bir9ey de8il. >akat si6inle hakk3nda g=r<9mem gereken ;ok =nemli bir konu ar."

+4ery well," came the oice o) Br. 0ogers. "/#ll wait )or you." +And, Br. 0ogers" Br. -ogan cautioned, + please keep quiet about this. Don#t say anything to anybody. You#ll understand why when / see you." .n the way back to the house, Br. -ogan eNplained his idea to Br. 1urns. &ithin ten minutes +*ergeant *impson" and +Detecti e Johnson" were con ersing with the surprised Br. 0ogers. Br. 0ogers was a small man . 0ather insigni)icant. -e had pale blue eyes. Not much o) a chin. A )unny little )ace. -e was ner ousLa badly )rightened man. Br. -ogan told the whole story. *omewhat changed. 4ery much changed. And Br. 0ogers was surprised ,but delighted. -e accompanied Br. -ogan to the cellar. And together they dug up to the suitcase. Took it to the li ing room, opened it, so that it had not been touched-that it really did hold a small )ortune. 1ills, bills, bills' Br. -ogan closed the suitcase. +And now, Br. 0ogers," he announced, in this best o))icial manner, +Johnson and / must run along. The chie) wants a report ( quick. &e ha e to catch the rest o) the robbers. /#ll keep in touch with you." -e picked up the suitcase and rose. Br. 1urns also rose. Br. 0ogers also rose. The trio walked to the door. Br. 0ogers opened in. +,ome in boys," he said pleasantly. And in walked three men. %arge men. *trong men. Ben in police uni)orm who without )ear, stared at Br. -asty -ogan and Br. 1lackie 1urns. +&hat does this mean Br. 0ogers@" asked Br. -ogan. +/t#s quiet simple," said Br. 0ogers. +/t Aust happens that / am the ,hie) o) Golice'"

+Eok iyi" diye geldi *ay3n 0ogers#3n sesi +si6i bekleyece8im." +4e 1ay 0ogers" diye -ogan de am etti +%<t)en bu aram36da kals3n. 5imseye bir9ey s=ylemeyin, si6inle g=r<9t<8<m<6de nedenini anlayacaks3n36." dedi. : e giderken, -ogan 1urns#e kendi )ikrini a;3klad3. .n dakika i;inde Ea u9 *impson e Dedekti) Johnson 9a9k3n 1ay 0ogers#la konu9uyorlard3. 0ogers u)ak yap3l3 bir adamd3. olduk;a =nemsi6 biri. Bat ma i g=6leri, b<y<k olmayan bir ;ene . *e ecen bir surat3 ard3. 2ergindi- 1elli ki k=t< bir 9ekilde korkmu9tu. 1ay -ogan b<t<n hikayeyi anlatt3. 1ira6 de8i9ik, hatta baya83 de8i9mi9 olarak. 4e 0ogers 9a93rd3 ama ho9una da gitti. -ogan#a bodruma kadar e9lik etti. 4e beraberce ;antay3 ;3kard3lar. Eantay3 oturma odas3na ta93d3lar, ;antay3 a;t3lar e i;inde ger;ekten k<;<k bir ser et ta93yan ;antaya hi; dokunulmam39 oldugunu g=rd<ler. Garalar, paralar, paralar' -ogan ;antay3 kapatt3. :n ciddi ta r3yla +4e 9imdi 0ogers, JohnsonOla ben gitmeliyi6. ?e) bi6den hemen bir rapor istiyor. -3rs36lar3n geriye kalanlar3n3 da yakalamak 6orunday36. *i6inle irtibatta olaca83m."dedi. -ogan ;antay3 ald3 e aya8a kalkt3. 1urns de aya8a kalkt3. 0ogers da aya8a kalkt3. P;l< kap3ya do8ru y<r<d<. 0ogers kap3y3 a;t3. Bemnuniyetle +1uyrun beyler '" dedi. 4e i;eri <; adam girdi. 7ri yap3l3, g<;l< adamlar. Golis <ni)ormal3 adamlar korkusu6ca -asty -ogan e 1lackie 1urns#e dik dik bakt3lar. -ogan +1u ne demek oluyor, *ay3n 0ogers@" diye sordu +.lduk;a basit" dedi 0ogers. +?=yleki ben buran3n polis 9e)iyim '"