p&c.brimstone-第45章
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She glanced up。 〃What brings you to brasstown so late？〃
D'Agosta cleared his throat。 This was going to be difficult。 Pendergast…after dropping off the face of the earth for more than an hour…had just shown up in his hotel room thirty minutes before。 Although he'd revealed precious few details of what happened； he had seemed almostanimated ； if such a thing was possible。 And then he'd promptly sent D'Agosta off on an assignment…thisassignment…because he'd known he had no chance at succeeding himself。
〃It's Bullard again；〃 he said。
Hayward sighed。 〃Move those papers and take a seat。〃
D'Agosta shifted a pile off one of the chairs and sat down。 Hayward had unbuttoned her collar； taken off her hat； and let her hair down。 It was surprisingly long； falling in big glossy waves below her shoulders。 Despite the cluttered office； she looked cool somehow； fresh。 She eyed him with a mixture of amusement and…what else？ Affection？ But no： that was his late…night imagination at work。
D'Agosta took out the folder and laid it on the desk。 〃Pendergast got this； I don't know how。〃
Hayward picked it up； glanced at it； dropped it like it was a piece of hot iron。 〃Jesus； Vinnie。 This is classified！〃
〃No shit it's classified。〃
〃No way am I going to read that。 I never even saw it。 Put it away。〃
〃Let me just summarize what's in there…〃
〃God； no。〃
D'Agosta sat； wondering just how he was going to do this。 Might as well get it over with。
〃Pendergast wants you to put a tap on Bullard's phones。〃
Hayward stared at him for at least ten seconds。 〃Why doesn't he get it through the FBI？〃
〃He can't。〃
〃Can't Pendergast ever doany thing by the book？〃
〃Bullard's too powerful。 The FBI's a political creature； and not even Pendergast can change that。 But you could get the U。S。 Attorney's Office to issue a Title 3； no problem。〃
〃I can't use aclassified file to get Title 3 wiretap authority！〃 She was up from the desk； eyes flashing。
〃No。 But you could use the murder investigation as a hook。〃
〃Vincent； are younuts ？ There's no evidence against Bullard。 No witness to put him at the scene of the crime。 No motive； nothing to connect him with either the murders or the victims。〃
〃The phone calls。〃
〃Phone calls！〃 She paced behind the desk。 〃A lot of people make phone calls。〃
〃His puter was stuffed with encrypted files。 Hard encryption； virtually unbreakable。〃
〃I encrypt e…mails to my mother。 Vincent； that isnot evidence。 This is just the kind of thing that hits theTimes front page； makes us look like we're blowing off people's constitutional rights。 Besides； you know what a pain in the ass it is to get a wiretap authority。 You've got to prove it's your last resort。〃
〃You should read the file。 It seems Bullard's been transferring military technology to the Chinese。〃
〃I told you not to tell me what's in the file。〃
〃He's got a pany in Italy that's helping the Chinese develop a missile that can penetrate the U。S。's planned missile shield。〃
〃That's as far out of my jurisdiction as a pickpocket in Outer Mongolia。〃
〃Bullard has big…time friends in Washington。 He gives money to everyone's campaign。 So neither the FBI nor the CIA wants to touch it。〃
She was pacing the room； flushed； her jet hair swaying across her shoulders。
〃Look； Laura； we're both Americans。 Bullard's a bad guy。 He's selling our country down the river； and no one's doing a damn thing about it。 All you need to do is e up with a good story for the judge。 Okay； so maybe it's not strictly by the book。〃
〃There's a reason for the book； Vincent。〃
〃Yeah； but there also es a time when you have to do what'sright 。〃
〃What's right is to follow the rules。〃
〃Not with something like this。 New York City is still terrorist target numero uno。 God knows who Bullard might sell his services to。 Once this technology gets on the black market； we have no idea where it'll end up。〃
Hayward sighed。 〃Look。 I'm a detective captain in New York City Homicide。 The United States has hundreds of thousands of talented people…spooks； scientists； diplomats…employed to handle people like Bullard。〃
〃Yeah。 But right now； you're on the spot。 The file hints that something big is going down。 Listen； Laura； nothing could be simpler than this wiretap。 Bullard's in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean。 We've got his satellite phone number； we've got a pen register of the numbers he's calling。 It's all in the file。〃
〃You can't tap a sat phone。〃
〃I know。 We'd get the taps on the land…based numbers of his cronies； monitor the conversations from their end。〃
〃That won't help us if he calls a nonrecorded number。〃
〃It's better than nothing。〃
Hayward took a few more turns around the room； then stopped in front of him。 〃This is not our problem。 The answer's no。〃
D'Agosta tried to smile； found he couldn't。 That was it； then。 You didn't bee the youngest female detective captain in New York City history by breaking the rules； being a maverick。 He should have known the answer even before he asked the question。
He glanced up to find Hayward looking at him intently。 〃I don't like the expression on your face； Vincent。〃
He shrugged。 〃I gotta go。〃
〃I know what you're thinking。〃
〃Then I don't need to tell you。〃
Her face was coloring with anger。 〃You think I'm a careerist； don't you？〃
〃You said it； not me。〃
She stepped around the desk toward him。 〃You're a son of a bitch； you know that？ I had to take a lot of shit as a T。A。 cop； a lot of harassment from guys who thought I was working too hard。 I'm not going to take that shit anymore。 When a man's ambitious； it's called drive。 When a woman's ambitious； it's careerism and she's a bitch。〃
Now D'Agosta felt himself flaring as well。 Women were always broadening an argument into some kind of male…female thing。 〃That's just a smoke screen。 Look； you can either do the right thing； or you can do the safe thing。 And you're obviously on the side of safe。 Fine。 I won't stand in your way of being missioner Hayward。〃 D'Agosta rose； picked up the bundle of papers he had put on the floor； put them back on the chair。 Then he retrieved the classified folder from the desktop。 When he turned； he found she was blocking the door。
He stood calmly； waiting for her to step aside。 She didn't move。
He remained standing。
〃I'm leaving now。〃 He took a step forward but she still didn't move。 She was so close to him he could feel her warmth； smell the fragrance of shampoo in her hair。
〃That was a shitty thing to say。〃 Her face remained flushed。
He tried to go around her； but she shifted and he almost ran up against her。
〃Listen；〃 she said。 〃I love this country as much as anyone。 I also know I've done a lot of good work in this department； solved a lot of cases； put a lot of bad people behind bars。 I'm effectivebecause I play by the rules。 So don't lay that bullshit on me。〃
D'Agosta said nothing。 He stood where he was； mere inches from her； breathing hard； breathing in her anger； her perfume； the smell of her。 He was conscious of her blue eyes； her ivory skin。 He took a step toward her and their bodies touched。 It was like a sudden electrical contact。 They stood that way a moment； both breathing hard； their anger morphing into something else。 He leaned forward and their lips met and he could feel her breasts pressing against him as they slowly kissed。
Her hand touched the back of his neck and she moved closer still； bringing their bodies into full contact； and then almost without knowing what he was doing he reached around with both arms； molded his hands to her form； and pulled her in hard against him。 He could barely stand the rush of arousal that had engulfed him and he fought for breath as his lips slid lightly to her chin； kissing her； then down her neck； then over her shoulder。 She shifted in his grasp； sighing； he could feel her hot breath move across his cheek as she took his earlobe between her teeth； first gently； then more sharply。 She pulled him back toward her desk； leaned back； and he followed her down； keeping her hips locked against his。 Now his hands fumbled with the buttons of her shirt； then the catch of her bra； and as he saw h
