jg.thepelicanbrief-第11章

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；　our　agents　were　outside；　and　they　estimate　Ferguson's　four　o'clock　inspection　took　from　three　to　four　minutes。　I　suspect　the　killer　was　waiting　and　hiding　when　the　Justice　returned　and　Ferguson　walked　through。〃
　　
　　〃Why？〃　Coal　insisted。　
　　
　　Voyles'　red　eyes　watched　the　President　and　ignored　his　hatchet　man。　〃This　man　is　obviously　very　talented。　He　killed　a　Supreme　Court　Justice　maybe　two　and　left　virtually　no　trail。　A　professional　assassin；　I　would　guess。　Entry　would　not　be　a　problem　for　him。　Eluding　a　cursory　inspection　by　Ferguson　would　be　no　problem　for　him。　He's　probably　very　patient。　He　wouldn't　risk　an　entry　when　the　house　was　occupied　and　cops　around。　I　think　he　entered　sometime　in　the　afternoon　and　simply　waited；　probably　in　a　closet　upstairs；　or　perhaps　in　the　attic。　We　found　two　small　pieces　of　attic　insulation　on　the　floor　under　the　retractable　stairs；　suggests　they　had　recently　been　used。〃
　　
　　〃Really　doesn't　matter　where　he　was　hiding；〃　the　President　said。　〃He　wasn't　discovered。〃
　　
　　〃That's　correct。　We　were　not　allowed　to　inspect　the　house；　you　understand？〃
　　
　　〃I　understand　he's　dead。　What　about　Jensen？〃
　　
　　〃He's　dead　too。　Broken　neck；　strangled　with　a　piece　of　yellow　nylon　rope　that　can　be　found　in　any　hardware　store。　The　medical　examiners　doubt　the　broken　neck　killed　him。　They're　reasonably　confident　the　rope　did。　No　fingerprints。　No　witnesses。　This　is　not　the　sort　of　place　where　witnesses　e　rushing　forward；　so　I　don't　expect　to　find　any。　Time　of　death　was　around　twelve…thirty　this　morning。　The　killings　were　two　hours　apart。〃　
　　
　　The　President　scribbled　notes。　〃When　did　Jensen　leave　his　apartment？〃
　　
　　〃Don't　know。　We're　relegated　to　the　parking　lot；　remember。　We　followed　him　home　around　6　P。M。；　then　watched　the　building　for　seven　hours　until　we　found　out　he'd　been　strangled　in　a　queer　joint。　We　were　following　his　demands；　of　course。　He　sneaked　out　of　the　building　in　a　friend's　car。　Found　it　two　blocks　from　the　joint。〃　
　　
　　Coal　took　two　steps　forward　with　his　hands　clasped　rigidly　behind　him。　〃Director；　do　you　think　one　assassin　did　both　jobs？〃
　　
　　〃Who　in　hell　knows。　The　bodies　are　still　warm。　Give　us　a　break。　There's　precious　little　evidence　right　now。　With　no　witnesses；　no　prints；　no　screwups；　it'll　take　time　to　piece　this　thing　together。　Could　be　the　same　man；　I　don't　know。　It's　too　early。〃
　　
　　〃Surely　you　have　a　gut　feeling；〃　the　President　said。　
　　
　　Voyles　paused　and　glanced　at　the　windows。　〃Could　be　the　same　guy；　but　he　must　be　superman。　Probably　two　or　three；　but　regardless；　they　had　to　have　a　lot　of　help。　Someone　fed　them　a　lot　of　information。〃
　　
　　〃Such　as？〃
　　
　　〃Such　as　how　often　Jensen　goes　to　the　movies；　where　does　he　sit；　what　time　does　he　get　there；　does　he　go　by　himself；　does　he　meet　a　friend。　Information　we　didn't　have；　obviously。　Take　Rosenberg。　Someone　had　to　know　his　little　house　had　no　security　system；　that　our　boys　were　kept　outside；　that　Ferguson　arrived　at　ten　and　left　at　six　and　had　to　sit　in　the　backyard；　that〃
　　
　　〃You　knew　all　this；〃　the　President　interrupted。
　　
　　〃Of　course　we　did。　But　I　assure　you　we　didn't　share　it　with　anyone。〃　The　President　shot　a　quick　conspiratorial　glance　at　Coal；　who　was　scratching　his　chin；　deep　in　thought。　
　　
　　Voyles　shifted　his　rather　wide　rear　and　gave　Gminski　a　smile；　as　if　to　say；　〃Let's　play　along　with　them。〃
　　
　　〃You're　suggesting　a　conspiracy；〃　Coal　said　intelligently　with　deep　eyebrows。
　　
　　〃I'm　not　suggesting　a　damned　thing。　I　am　proclaiming　to　you；　Mr。　Coal；　and　to　you；　Mr。　President；　that；　yes；　in　fact；　a　large　number　of　people　conspired　to　kill　them。　There　may　be　only　one　or　two　killers；　but　they　had　a　lot　of　help。　It　was　too　quick　and　clean　and　well　organized。〃　
　　
　　Coal　seemed　satisfied。　He　stood　straight　and　again　clasped　his　hands　behind　him。
　　
　　〃Then　who　are　the　conspirators？〃　the　President　asked。　〃Who　are　your　suspects？〃　
　　
　　Voyles　breathed　deeply　and　seemed　to　settle　in　his　chair。　He　closed　the　briefcase　and　laid　it　at　his　feet。　〃We　don't　have　a　prime　suspect；　at　the　moment；　just　a　few　good　possibilities。　And　this　must　be　kept　very　quiet。〃　
　　
　　Coal　sprang　a　step　closer。　〃Of　course　it's　confidential；〃　he　snapped。You're　in　the　Oval　Office。〃
　　
　　〃And　I've　been　here　many　times　before。　In　fact；　I　was　here　when　you　were　running　around　in　dirty　diapers；　Mr。　Coal。　Things　have　a　way　of　leaking　out。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　you've　had　leaks　yourself；〃　Coal　said。　
　　
　　The　President　raised　his　hand。　〃It's　confidential；　Denton。　You　have　my　word。〃　Coal　retreated　a　step。　
　　
　　〃Voyles　watched　the　Presidenturt　opened　Monday；　as　you　know；　and　the　maniacs　have　been　in　town　for　a　few　days。　For　the　past　two　weeks；　we've　been　monitoring　various　movements。　We　know　of　at　least　eleven　members　of　the　Underground　Army　who've　been　in　the　D。C。　area　for　a　week。　We　questioned　a　couple　today；　and　released　them。　We　know　the　group　has　the　capability；　and　the　desire。　It's　our　strongest　possibility；　for　now。　Could　change　tomorrow。〃　
　　
　　Coal　was　not　impressed。　The　Underground　Army　was　on　everyone's　list。
　　
　　〃I've　heard　of　them；〃　the　President　said　stupidly。
　　
　　〃Oh　yes。　They're　being　quite　popular。　We　believe　they　killed　a　trial　judge　in　Texas。　Can't　prove　it；　though。　They're　very　proficient　with　explosives。　We　suspect　them　in　at　least　a　hundred　bombings　of　abortion　clinics；　ACLU　offices；　porno　houses；　gay　clubs；　all　over　the　country。　They're　just　the　people　who　would　hate　Rosenberg　and　Jensen。〃
　　
　　〃Other　suspects？〃　Coal　asked。
　　
　　〃There's　an　Aryan　group　called　White　Resistance　that　we've　been　watching　for　two　years。　It　operates　out　of　Idaho　and　Oregon。　The　leader　gave　a　speech　in　West　Virginia　last　week；　and　has　been　in　the　area　for　a　few　days。　He　was　spotted　Monday　in　the　demonstration　outside　the　Supreme　Court。　We'll　try　to　talk　to　him　tomorrow。〃
　　
　　〃But　are　these　people　professional　assassins？〃　Coal　asked。
　　
　　〃They　don't　advertise；　you　understand。　I　doubt　if　any　group　performed　the　actual　killings。　They　just　hired　the　assassins　and　provided　the　legwork。〃
　　
　　〃So　who're　the　assassins？〃　the　President　asked。
　　
　　〃We　may　never　know；　frankly。〃　
　　
　　The　President　stood　and　stretched　his　legs。　Another　hard　day　at　the　office。　He　smiled　down　at　Voyles　across　the　desk。　〃You　have　a　difficult　task。〃　It　was　the　grandfather's　voice；　filled　with　warmth　and　understanding。　〃I　don't　envy　you。　If　possible；　I　would　like　a　two…page　typewritten　double…spaced　report　by　5　P。M。　each　day；　seven　days　a　week；　on　the　progress　of　the　investigation。　If　something　breaks；　I　expect　you　to　call　me　immediately。〃　
　　
　　
　　Voyles　nodded　but　did　not　speak。
　　
　　〃I'm　having　a　press　conference　in　the　morning　at　nine。　I　would　like　for　you　to　be　here。〃　
　　
　　Voyles　nodded　but　did　not　speak。　Seconds　passed　and　no　one　spoke。　Voyles　stood　noisily　and　tied　the　strap　around　the　trench　coat。　〃Oh　well；　we'll　be　going。　You've　got　the　Ethiopians　and　all。〃　He　handed　the　ballistics　and　autopsy　reports　to　Coal；　knowing　the　President　would　never　read　them。
　　
　　〃Thanks　for　ing；　gentlemen；〃　the　President　said　warmly。　Coal　closed　the　door　behind　them；　and　the　President　grabbed　the　putter。　〃I'm　not　eating　with　the　Ethiopians；〃　he　said；　staring　at　the　carpet　and　a　yellow　ball。
　　
　　〃I　know　it。　I've　already　sent　your　apologies。　This　is　a　great　hour　of　crisis；　Mr。　President；　and　you　are　expected　to　be　here　in　this　office　surrounded　by　your　advisers；　hard　at　work。〃　
　　
　　He　putted；　and　the　ball　rolled　perfectly　into　the　cup。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　Horton。　These　nominations　must　be　perfect。〃
　　
　　〃He's　sent　a　short　list　of　ten。　Looks　pretty　good。〃
　　
　　〃I　want　young　conservative　white　men　opposed　to　abortion；　pornography；　queers；　gun　control；　racial　quotas；　all　that　crap。〃　He　missed　a　putt；　and　kicked　off　his　loafers。　〃I　want　judges　who　hate　dope　and　criminals　and　are　enthusiastic　about　the　death　penalty。　Understand？〃　
　　
　　Coal　was　on　the　phone；　punching　numbers　and　nodding　at　his　boss。　He　would　select　the　nominees；　then　convin