scoonts.theminotaur-第47章

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　Camacho　jabbed　the　remote　savagely。　The　television　settled　on　the　educational　channel。　Some　Englishman　was　talking　about　cathedrals。　〃Listen；　asshole。　I'm　not　in　the　mood　for　that　shit　tonight。　It's　been　a　long　goddamn　weekend。〃
　〃Sorry。　I　read　about　that　shooting　incident　in　front　of　Jackson's　house。　That　must　have　been　touch　and　go。〃
　He　examined　the　Russian's　face。　〃I　know　you　probably　dropped　a　dime　on　her；　so　don't　waste　the　hot　air　on　me。　You　don't　give　a　damn　about　that　old　woman　or　anybody　else。〃
　〃Sometime…〃
　〃Shut　up！〃
　The　Englishman　was　explaining　about　flying　buttresses。　He　used　a　puter　model　to　graphically　depict　the　forces　transferred　through　the　stone。
　Albright　stood　up。　〃I'll　drop　over　some　night　this　week　when　you're　in　a　better　mood。〃
　〃Ummm。〃
　Camacho　listened　to　the　footsteps　climbing　the　stairs　and　the　noises　of　Sally　letting　him　out　the　front　door。　He　stared　at　the　television　without　seeing　it；　lost　in　thought。
　When　Luis　Camacho　returned　to　his　office　from　his　usual　Monday…morning　conference　with　his　boss；　he　was　in　a　foul　mood。　The　boss　had　made　several　candid　remarks　about　Camacho's　conduct　Friday　night。
　〃Look　at　this　shit；〃　he　roared；　waving　a　section　of　the　Sunday　Washington　Post；　〃the　special　agent　in　charge　of　counterespionage　standing　on　a　street　corner　with　two　punk　dopers；　in　front　of　a　fucking　crack　house；　for　Christ's　sake！　What　in　hell　has　busting　dopers　got　to　do　with　catching　spies？〃
　Camacho　remarked　that　he　had　asked　the　newspaper　photographer　not　to　take　his　picture。
　〃Apparently　you　haven't　read　the　Constitution　lately；　mister。〃
　〃That's　what　he　said。〃
　〃And　I'm　saying　it　too。　I　don't　ever　want　to　see　your　sweet　little　puss　in　the　public　press　again；　mister；　or　you're　going　to　wind　up　in　Pocatello　chasing　Nazis　through　cow　shit　up　to　your　armpits。　Those　crackpots　are　probably　the　only　nut　cases　around　who　never　read　the　goddamned　paper！〃　The　boss　had　been　irked　for　months　by　press　coverage　of　the　FBI　investigation　of　the　Aryan　Nations　white　supremacy　fanatics；　and　ridiculed　it　and　them　every　chance　he　got。　Sometimes　he　made　up　chances。　〃If　you　wanta　be　famous；　get　a　lobotomy　and　bee　a　rock　star。〃
　After　he'd　calmed　down；　he　wanted　a　plete　oral　report　on　Matilda　Jackson　and　Smoke　Judy。　That　had　taken　an　hour。　Then　the　boss　had　asked　questions　for　a　half　hour　and　discussed　tactics　and　strategy　for　another　thirty　minutes。　When　he　signaled　the　discussion　was　over；　Luis　Camacho　was　tired　and　needed　to　go　to　the　rest　room。
　Now　Camacho　slumped　in　his　office　chair　and　shuffled　through　the　paper　in　his　in　basket。　He　was　rereading　a　new　administrative　procedure　for　the　third　time　when　Dreyfus　tapped　on　his　door；　then　stuck　his　head　in。　Pipe　smoke　swirled　into　the　room。　〃Wanta　watch　the　tape　of　Smoke　Judy　we　made　yesterday？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Got　it　on　the　VCR。〃
　The　two　men　went　to　the　little　conference　room　next　door　and　Dreyfus　pushed　buttons。　〃The　plates　and　glasses　they　used　are　at　the　lab。　Should　have　some　good　prints。〃
　〃Terrific。〃
　〃The　lab　wizards　synched　up　the　sound　from　one　of　the　mikes　with　the　video。〃　Judy　and　the　beefy　man　in　the　windbreaker　appeared　on　the　television　screen。　Dreyfus　twiddled　the　color　knob　and　adjusted　the　volume。
　〃。。。not　happy　with　all　the　media　on　procurement　problems　down　there。〃　The　beefy　man　had　a　well…spoken　baritone　voice；　but　his　nervousness　was　evident。
　Judy　replied；　but　his　back　must　have　been　to　the　parabolic　mike　that　picked　up　this　sound　track；　because　his　words　were　indistinct　Dreyfus　punched　the　pause　button　and　said；　〃We　have　two　other　audio　tracks　and　think　we　got　it　all；　but　it'll　take　a　few　hours　to　e　up　with　a　plete　transcript。〃
　Camacho　nodded　and　the　tape　rolled　on。
　〃。。。big　risks。　Some　people　will　be　going　to　prison；〃　Judy's　panion　said；　〃after　they've　been　drawn　and　quartered　in　a　public　trial　that　will　take　six　months。〃
　Judy　leaned　forward　and　spoke　earnestly。　Snatches　of　his　remarks　came　through。　〃。。。you　people　。。。　a　lifetime　building　the　pany　。。。　literally　millions　at　stake。　You　guys　really　need　this　because　。。。　You'll　make　tens　of　millions　in　the　next　twenty　years　and　I'll　get　a　little　stock　and　a　paycheck　and　a　pension　。。。　not　much　。。。〃　The　rest　was　too　garbled　to　follow。
　〃That's　enough；〃　Camacho　said　after　another　five　minutes。　〃Let　me　see　the　transcript　when　it's　finished。〃
　Dreyfus　stopped　the　tape　and　pushed　the　rewind　button。　〃I　think　that　guy's　gonna　buy　what　Judy's　selling。〃
　〃When　you　get　that　rewound；　e　on　back　to　my　office。〃
　In　his　office　Luis　Camacho　took　a　sheet　of　scratch　paper　and　printed　one　word：　〃Fallacy。〃　He　handed　it　to　Dreyfus　when　he　came　in。　〃See　if　this　is　in　any　of　the　Minotaur's　letters。〃
　Dreyfus　dropped　into　a　chair　and　began　to　fiddle　with　his　pipe。　He　put　the　paper　in　his　shirt　pocket　after　a　glance。　〃Where'd　you　get　it？〃　he　asked　when　he　had　his　pipe　going　again。
　〃Ask　me　no　questions　and　I'll　tell　you　no　lies。〃
　〃Vice　Admiral　Henry；　huh？〃
　〃I　found　it　in　the　John。〃
　〃Why　can't　we　get　a　list　of　all　the　code　words　from　NSA？〃
　〃We've　been　all　through　this　before。〃
　〃So　I'm　not　too　bright。　Tell　me　again。〃
　〃NSA　won't　give　us　the　code　words　without　the　approval　of　the　mittee。　The　mittee　has　not　approved。〃　The　mittee　was　slang　for　the　ultrasecret　group　that　formulated　intelligence　munity　policy　and　coordinated　the　intelligence　activities　of　all　U。S。　agencies。　Some　of　its　members　included　the　directors　of　the　FBI　and　CIA；　the　Secretary　of　Defense；　the　Secretary　of　State；　the　National　Security　Agency　chief；　and　speaking　directly　for　the　President；　the　National　Security　Adviser。
　〃So　what　does　that　tell　you？〃　Dreyfus　asked；　his　voice　sharper　than　usual。
　Camacho　rubbed　his　eyes；　then　his　face。　〃You　tell　me。〃
　〃If　it　walks　like　a　duck；　quacks　like　a　duck；　and　leaves　duck　shit　all　over；　it　probably　is　a　duck。〃
　〃Umm。〃
　〃I　think　those　assholes　already　know　what　the　Minotaur　has　given　away。　So　they're　in　no　rush　for　us　to　put　a　list　together。〃　Dreyfus　flicked　his　lighter　and　puffed　several；　times。　〃Somebody　in　Moscow　has　gotta　be　telling　them。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　said　Luis　Camacho；　weighing　it。　〃Or　maybe　they're　hoping　this　whole　thing　will　crawl　into　a　corner　and　die　quietly　without　being　a　major　embarrassment。　Budgetary　blood　feuds　in　Congress；　some　big…ticket　military　programs　on　the　chopping　block；　Gramm…Rudman…hell；　they'd　be　less　than　human　if　they　didn't　try　to　play　ostrich　for　a　while。〃
　〃So　what　are　we　gonna　do　about　Smoke　Judy？〃
　〃What　would　you　suggest？〃
　〃That　shithead　is　shopping　secrets　to　defense　contractors。　He　wants　more　than　a　military　pension。　What'd　the　boss　say　when　you　told　him　this　morning？〃　His　voice　had　a　belligerent；　bitter　edge。
　〃Hang　loose。　Keep　an　eye　on　him。〃
　〃Fuck　us！　The　same　old　story。　No　matter　what　we　turn　up；　we　get　the　same　answer　from　ol'　brass　ass。　Be　cool；　guys！〃
　〃Calm　down；　Dreyfus。　You've　been　around　long　enough…〃
　〃How　much　shit　you　gonna　eat；　Luis；　before　you　decide　you　don't　like　it？　Right　now　the　Minotaur　is　busy　figuring　what　secrets　to　give　away　next　and　scribbling　another　little　love　letter　to　the　Russian　ambassador。　Terry　Franklin　is　still　running　around　loose；　you're　sneaking　code　words　from　friends　in　the　Pentagon…we're　doing　some　dynamic　drifting　but　our　investigation　is　going　nowhere。　You　know　that！　And　the　sickening　thing　is　the　mittee　is　quite　fortable　with　that　state　of　affairs。〃　His　voice　had　risen　to　almost　a　shout。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　think…I　think　the　guys　on　that　mittee　are　laughing　themselves　silly。　I　think　they're　tickled　pink　that　the　fucking　Russians　are　seeing　this　stuff。　That's　what　the　hell　I　think。〃
　〃I　think　you're　an　idiot；　Dreyfus；　with　a　big　mouth　and　a　piss　ant's　view　of　the　world。　I've　heard　enough。　Now　get　back　to　work。〃
　Dreyfus　bounced　to　his　feet　and　rammed　his　right　hand　out　in　a　Nazi　salute。　〃Ja　wohl…〃
　〃You　son　of　a…〃
　〃Don't　bullshit　yourself；　Luis。　I　know　you're　doing　the　best　you　can。　But；　goddamn；　I'm　sick　of　this　fucking　around！〃　Camacho　jerked　his　head　at　the　door　and　Dreyfus　went。
　
　13
　
　The　Naval　Weapons　Center；　China　Lake；　lies　in　the　desert　of　southern　California　east　of　the　range　of　mountains　that　form　the　eastern　wa