scoonts.theminotaur-第111章

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　〃Thanks　for　your　time　today；　Mr。　Secretary。〃
　〃I'll　walk　you　to　your　car。〃
　He　led　them　through　the　kitchen　to　the　door　that　led　to　the　parking　area。　As　he　walked；　he　asked　Jake；　〃How'd　you　learn　I　was　the　Minotaur？〃
　〃I　didn't。　I　guessed。　Your　seeing　us　today　was　the　proof。〃
　〃You　guessed？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　My　wife　suggested　that　perhaps　the　Minotaur　was　a　role　played　by　an　actor；　an　intuitive　insight　which　seemed　to　me　to　explain　a　great　deal。　Then　I　remembered　that　ment　you　made　one　evening　at　dinner　in　China　Lake　this　past　summer；　something　to　the　effect　that　the　perception　of　reality　is　more　important　than　the　facts。　Camacho　had　said　that　the　people　who　had　to　know　about　this　operation　did　know。　By　implication　that　ment　included　you。　So　I　decided　you　were　probably　the　Minotaur。〃
　〃I　thought　your　notes　meant　blackmail；　until　I　saw　you　this　afternoon。〃
　〃I　thought　you　might。〃
　Jake　stepped　to　the　car　ten　feet　away　and　opened　the　door。
　〃All　our　scheming；〃　Caplinger　mused。　〃So　transparent。　No　wonder　Camacho　thought　Albright　saw　through　it。　Albright　was　no　fool。〃
　Royce　Caplinger　stopped　at　the　end　of　the　walk　to　look　at　the　clouds　building　above　the　mountains　to　the　west　He　started　as　something　hard　dug　into　his　back。
　In　his　ear　Toad　said；　〃You　miscalculated　once　too　often；　Caplinger。〃
　Catching　the　tone　but　not　the　words；　Jake　Grafton　turned　with　a　puzzled　look　on　his　face。
　The　lieutenant　had　his　arm　on　Caplinger's　shoulder。　He　jerked　the　older　man　sideways　until　he　was　between　him　and　Grafton。　〃Don't　move；　Captain！　I　swear　I'll　shoot　him　if　I　have　to。〃
　〃What…？〃
　〃That's　right；　Caplinger；〃　Toad　hissed　in　the　secretary's　ear。　〃I'll　pull　this　trigger　and　blow　your　spine　clean　in　half。　This　time　it　isn't　Matilda　Jackson　or　Rita　Moravia　or　Luis　Camacho。　It's　you！　You　thought　you　had　everything　figured；　didn't　you？　Minotaur！　You　were　wrong！　The　decision　has　been　made。　It's　time　for　you　to　die。〃
　The　secretary　tried　to　turn。　〃Now　listen…〃
　〃Tarkington！〃　Jake　Grafton　roared。
　Toad　twisted　the　man's　arm；　squeezing　as　hard　as　he　could。　〃The　decision　has　been　made！　They　decided。　It's　over　for　you。〃
　〃Please　listen…〃　Caplinger　began　as　Jake　strode　toward　the　two　men；　his　face　a　mask　of　livid　fury。
　〃Tarkington！〃
　〃So　long；　asshole！〃　Toad　stepped　to　one　side；　raised　his　arm　and　pointed　right　into　Caplinger's　face。　〃Bang；〃　he　said；　and　let　the　corncob　pipe　fall　from　his　hand。
　Caplinger　stood　staring　at　it。
　〃Tarkington；〃　Jake　said　softly；　his　voice　as　ominous　as　a　gathering　storm。
　Toad　walked　away　down　the　drive。　He　stumbled　once；　caught　himself　and　kept　walking。　He　didn't　look　back。
　Caplinger　lowered　himself　into　the　gravel。　He　put　his　head　on　his　knees。　After　a　bit　he　whispered；　〃I　really。。。　I　really　thought。。。〃
　〃His　wife。。。〃
　〃He's　right；　you　know。〃
　Jake　turned　and　looked　down　the　long；　straight　driveway。　Tarkington　was　still　going；　marching　for　the　road；　his　head　up　and　shoulders　back。　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Go。　Take　him　with　you。　Go。〃
　〃You　going　to　be　okay？〃
　〃Yes。　Just　go。〃
　Jake　started　the　car；　turned　it　around　and　went　down　the　driveway。　He　slowed　to　a　crawl　alongside　Toad；　who　kept　walking。　〃Get　in。〃
　Tarkington　ignored　him。　He　was　chewing　on　his　lower　lip。
　〃Get　in　the　car；　Lieutenant；　or　I　will　court…martial　you；　so　help　me　God。〃
　Tarkington　stopped　and　looked　at　Grafton　behind　the　wheel。　He　hesitated；　then　opened　the　passenger　door　and　climbed　in。
　As　Jake　started　the　car　rolling　again　he　glanced　in　the　rearview　mirror。　In　front　of　the　huge　mansion　covered　with　ivy；　Caplinger　was　still　sitting　in　the　gravel　with　his　head　down。
　Three　mites　down　the　road　Toad　spoke。　〃Why　did　you　stay　in　the　navy？〃
　〃Some　things　are　worth　fighting　for。〃
　Toad　sat　silently；　his　eyes　on　the　road；　for　a　long　time。　Finally　he　said；　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Everyone's　sorry。〃　We're　born　sorry；　we　spend　our　life　apologizing；　and　we　die　sorry。　Sorry　for　all　the　guys　with　their　names　on　the　Wall。　Sorry　for　the　silly　bastards　who　sent　them　there　and　stayed　home　and　aren't　sorry　themselves。　Sorry　for　the　230　grunts　killed　in　Lebanon　by　a　truck　bomb。　Sorry　for　the　simple　sonuvabitch　who　wouldn't　let　the　sentry　load　his　rifle。　We're　sorry　for　them　all。
　〃Forget　it；〃　Jake　added。
　〃I　should've　killed　the　bastard。〃
　〃Wouldn't　have　done　any　good。〃
　〃I　suppose　not。〃
　
　31
　
　Rita　was　released　from　the　hospital　on　a　Wednesday　in　November。　She　wore　a　cervical　collar　and　a　blue　uniform　that　Toad　had　had　dry…cleaned。　He　picked　her　up　at　noon。　〃Where　to；　beautiful？〃
　〃Straight　to　the　beauty　shop；　James。　I'm　going　to　treat　myself　to　a　cut；　shampoo　and　perm；　then　home　to　bed。〃
　She　was　very　tired　when　he　got　her　home　to　their　apartment；　After　a　nap；　that　evening　she　walked　around　slowly；　looking　at　this；　touching　that。　Harriet　came　over　for　a　gabfest　and　left　at　nine　when　Rita　visibly　wilted。
　On　Friday；　Rita　insisted　on　going　to　the　office　with　Toad。　The　crowd　paraded　by　the　desk　one　at　a　time　to　wele　her　back。　She　greeted　each　of　them　joyfully；　with　genuine　enthusiasm。　Her　delightful　exhilaration　was　contagious。　She　seemed　the　incarnation　of　the　promise　and　hope　of　life。　Yet　by　noon　she　was　tired；　so　Toad　drove　her　home；　then　be　returned　to　the　office　alone。
　Saturday　morning　arrived　crisp　and　clear。　〃How　do　you　feel　today？〃　Toad　asked　as　he　helped　her　into　the　collar。
　〃Good。　I'll　need　a　nap　this　afternoon；　though。〃
　〃Want　to　go　on　an　expedition？　I　promise　a　nap。〃
　〃Where？〃
　He　wouldn't　tell。　So；　suitably　dressed；　they　went　down　to　the　car；　where　Toad　announced　he　had　forgotten　something　upstairs。
　He　rode　the　elevator　back　up　to　the　third　floor　and　made　several　quick　phone　calls；　then　returned　smiling。
　He　drove　out　to　a　small　civilian　airport　in　Reston；　all　the　while　refusing　to　answer　questions；　parked　the　car　in　front　of　the　flying　service's　little　building；　and　came　around　to　help　her　out。
　〃'Just　as　lovely　a　morning　as　ever　was　seen；　for　a　nice　tittle　trip　in　a　flying　machine；'〃　quoted　Toad。
　〃What　is　this？　Toad！　I　can't　fly！〃
　〃I　can。　You　can　watch　me。〃
　〃You？　You've　been　taking　lessons？〃
　〃Got　my　license　too。　Last　weekend。　Now　we're　both　pilots。〃　He　grinned　broadly　and　hugged　her　gently。
　Toad　took　her　inside　and　introduced　her　to　the　owner　of　the　flying　service；　who　visited　with　her　while　Toad　preflighted　the　plane　and　taxied　it　to　the　front；　where　he　killed　the　engine。　The　machine　was　a　Cessna　172；　white　with　a　red　stripe　extending　horizontally　along　the　fuselage；　back　from　the　prop　spinner。　Toad　thought　it　looked　racy。
　Rita　was　standing　in　the　door；　watching　him。　He　couldn't　resist。　He　bowed　deeply　from　the　waist。　〃e；〃　he　said。　〃e　fly　with　me。〃
　He　helped　her　strap　into　the　right　seat；　then　walked　around　the　machine　and　strapped　himself　into　the　left。
　〃This　feels　funny；〃　she　giggled。
　〃e　fly　with　me；　darling　Rita。　We'll　fly　the　halls　of　heaven；　watch　the　angel　choir。　We'll　soar　with　the　eagles　and　see　where　the　storms　are　born。　Fly　with　me；　Rita；　all　your　life。〃
　〃Start　the　engine；　Toad…man。〃
　With　a　half　inch　of　throttle；　the　engine　spluttered　to　life　again。　He　pulled　the　throttle　back　to　idle　and　the　Lying　ran　smoothly；　the　propeller　a　blurred　disk。　Out　they　went　down　the　narrow　asphalt　taxiway　with　Toad　monitoring　the　Unicorn　frequency　and　checking　the　sky。　He　paused　at　the　end　of　the　taxiway；　ran　the　engine　up　to　1；700　RPM　and　checked　the　mags；　carb　heat　and　mixture　control；　all　the　while　acutely　aware　of　Rita's　scrutiny。
　He　was　trying　very　hard　to　do　everything　right　and　not　to　laugh　at　the　incongruity　of　the　situation。　When　he　glanced　at　Rita；　she　quickly　averted　her　gaze。　She　was　biting　her　lip；　no　doubt　to　keep　from　smiling。　She　had　that　scrunched…up　look　around　her　eyes。　Trying　hard　to　keep　a　straight　face　himself。　Toad　got　back　to　the　business　at　hand。
　He　wiped　the　controls　through　a　cycle　and　ran　the　flaps　out　and　in　with　an　eye　on　the　voltage　needle。　Satisfied；　he　announced　his　intentions　on　Unicorn　and　took　the　runway。
　The　engine　snarled　as　he　smoothly　pushed　the　throttle　knob　in　all　the　way。　With　his　feet　dancing　on　the　rudder　pedals；　the　plane　swerved　only　a　little　as　it　accelerated。　At　fifty…five　knots　he　pulled