"Steven Gould - Jumper" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gould Stephen Jay)

"Ah, what the hell. See that door there?" He pointed to a door past the long line of teller's
windows. "Go through there and straight back. The bathroom is on the right at the end of the hall. If
anyone gives you a problem, tell them Kelly sent you."

I let out a lungful of air. "Thanks, Mr. Kelly. You've saved my life."

I went through the door as if I knew what I was doing. My stomach was churning and I felt sure
that everyone who passed me could read my intentions and knew I was a criminal.
 The vault was two doors before the bathroom. Its huge steel door hung on hinges larger than
myself, open, but a smaller door of bars within was shut and a guard sat before it, at a small table. I
paused before him, looking past him to the interior of the vault. He looked up at me.

"Can I help you?" His voice was cold and he stared at me like a high school principal looks at a
student without a hall pass.

I stammered, "I'm looking for the bathroom."

The guard said, "There are no public rest rooms in this bank."

"Mr. Kelly said I could use the employees' rest room. It's kind of an emergency."

He relaxed a little. "End of the hall then. It's certainly not here."

I bobbed my head. "Right. Thank you." I walked on. I really hadn't gotten a good enough look. I
went into the bathroom and washed my hands.

On the way back I stopped and said, "That sure is a huge door. Do you know how much it
weighs?" I stepped a bit closer.

The guard looked annoyed. "A lot. If you're quite through using the bathroom, I would
appreciate it if you returned to the lobby!"

I pivoted. "Oh, certainly." I stared at the door again from my new angle. I saw carts and a table
up against one of vault's interior doors. The carts had canvas bags on them, as well as stacks of
bundled money. Another step and I glimpsed gray steel shelves against another wall.

Got it!

The guard started to stand up. I looked away from the door and saw his face color.

"On my way," I said. "Thanks for your directions."

He growled something, but I walked briskly down the hall. As I walked past the lobby guard, I
smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Kelly." He waved and I went out the door.



I spent the rest of the afternoon in the library, back in Stanville, first reading the encyclopedia
entries under Banks, Bank Robberies, Alarm Systems, Safes, Vaults, Time Locks, and