rl.thebourneidentity-第67章

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he　hotel　clerk　who　remembered　her　well　…　remembered　what　appeared　to　him　to　be　a　guest　in　a　highly　disturbed　state　of　anxiety。　The　final　piece　of　evidence　was　a　handgun　discovered　not　far　from　the　Steppdeckstrasse；　in　an　alley　close　by　the　scene　of　two　other　killings。　Ballistics　held　it　to　be　the　murder　weapon；　and　again　there　were　fingerprints；　again　confirmed　by　the　Canadian　government。　They　belonged　to　the　woman；　Marie　St　Jacques。
　It　was　at　this　point　that　the　article　veered　from　fact。　It　spoke　of　rumours　along　the　Bahnhofstrasse　that　a　multi…million…dollar　theft　had　taken　place　by　means　of　a　puter　manipulation　dealing　with　a　numbered；　confidential　account　belonging　to　an　American　corporation　called　Treadstone　Seventy…one。　The　bank　was　also　named；　it　was　of　course　the　Gemeinschaft　But　everything　else　was　clouded；　obscure；　more　speculation　than　fact。
　According　to　'unnamed　sources'；　an　American　male　holding　the　proper　codes　transferred　millions　to　a　bank　in　Paris；　assigning　the　new　account　to　specific　individuals　who　were　to　assume　rights　of　possession。　The　assignees　were　waiting　in　Paris　and；　upon　clearance；　withdrew　the　millions　and　disappeared。　The　success　of　the　operation　was　traced　to　the　American's　obtaining　the　accurate　codes　to　the　Gemeinschaft　account；　a　feat　made　possible　by　penetrating　the　bank's　numerical　sequence　related　to　year；　month　and　day　of　entry；　standard　procedure　for　confidential　holdings。　Such　an　analysis　could　only　be　made　through　the　use　of　sophisticated　puter　techniques　and　a　thorough　knowledge　of　Swiss　banking　practices。　When　questioned；　an　officer　of　the　bank；　Herr　Walther　Apfel；　acknowledged　that　there　was　an　on…going　investigation　into　matters　pertaining　to　the　American　pany；　but　pursuant　to　Swiss　law；　'the　bank　would　make　no　further　ment。　To　anyone。'
　Here　the　connection　with　Marie　St。　Jacques　was　clarified。　She　was　described　as　a　government　economist　extensively　schooled　in　international　banking　procedures；　as　well　as　a　skilled　puter　programmer。　She　was　suspected　of　being　an　acplice；　her　expertise　necessary　to　the　massive　theft。　And　there　was　a　male　suspect；　she　was　reported　to　have　been　seen　in　his　pany　at　the　Carillon　du　Lac。
　Marie　finished　the　article　first　and　let　the　paper　drop　to　the　floor。　At　the　sound；　Bourne　looked　over　from　the　edge　of　the　bed。　She　was　staring　at　the　wall；　a　strange　pensive　serenity　having　e　over　her。　It　was　the　last　reaction　he　expected。　He　finished　reading　quickly；　feeling　depressed　and　hopeless　…　for　a　moment；　speechless。　Then　he　found　his　voice　and　spoke。
　'Lies；'　he　said；　'and　they　were　made　because　of　me；　because　of　who　and　what　I　am。　Smoke　you　out；　they　find　me。　I'm　sorry；　sorrier　than　I　can　ever　tell　you。'
　Marie　shifted　her　eyes　from　the　wall　and　looked　at　him。　'It　goes　much　deeper　than　lies；　Jason；'　she　said。　〃There's　too　much　truth　for　lies　alone。'
　'Truth？　The　only　truth　is　that　you　were　in　Zurich！　You　never　touched　a　gun；　you　were　never　in　an　alley　near　the　Steppdeckstrasse；　you　didn't　lose　a　hotel　key；　and　you　never　went　near　the　Gemeinschaft。'
　'Agreed；　but　that's　not　the　truth　I'm　talking　about。'
　Then　what　is？'
　'The　Gemeinschaft；　Treadstone　Seventy…one；　Apfel。　Those　are　true　and　the　fact　that　any　of　them　were　mentioned　…　especially　Apfel's　acknowledgment　…　is　incredible。　Swiss　bankers　are　cautious　men。　They　don't　defy　the　law；　not　this　way；　the　sentences　are　too　severe。　The　statutes　pertaining　to　banking　confidentiality　are　among　the　most　sacrosanct　in　Switzerland。　Apfel　could　go　to　prison　for　years　for　saying　what　he　did；　for　even　alluding　to　such　an　account；　much　less　confirming　it　by　name。　Unless　he　was　ordered　to　say　what　he　did　by　an　authority　powerful　enough　to　contravene　the　laws。'　She　stopped；　her　eyes　straying　to　the　wall　again。　'Why？　Why　was　the　Gemeinschaft　or　Treadstone　or　Apfel　ever　made　part　of　the　story？'
　'I　told　you。　They　want　me　and　they　know　we're　together。　Carlos　knows　we're　together。　Find　you；　he　finds　me。'
　'No；　Jason；　it　goes　beyond　Carlos。　You　really　don't　understand　the　laws　in　Switzerland。　Not　even　a　Carlos　could　cause　them　to　be　flouted　this　way。'　She　looked　at　him；　but　her　eyes　did　not　see　him；　she　was　peering　through　her　own　mists。　This　isn't　one　story；　it's　two。　Both　are　constructed　out　of　lies；　the　first　connected　to　the　second　by　tenuous　speculation　…　public　speculation　…　on　a　banking　crisis　that　would　never　be　made　public；　unless　and　until　a　thorough　and　private　investigation　proved　the　facts。　And　that　second　story　…　the　patently　false　statement　that　millions　were　stolen　from　the　Gemeinschaft　was　tacked　on　to　the　equally　false　story　that　I'm　wanted　for　killing　three　men　in　Zurich。　It　was　added。　Deliberately。'　'Explain　that；　please。'
　'It's　there；　Jason。　Believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that；　it's　right　in　front　of　us。'　'What　is？'　'Someone's　trying　to　send　us　a　message。'
　The　heavy　army　car　sped　south　on　Manhattan's　East　River　Drive；　headlights　illuminating　the　swirling　remnants　of　a　March　snowfall。　The　major　in　the　back　seat　dozed；　his　long　body　angled　into　the　corner；　his　legs　stretched　out　diagonally　across　the　floor。　In　his　lap　was　a　briefcase；　a　thin　nylon　cord　attached　to　the　handle　by　a　metal　clamp；　the　cord　itself　strung　through　his　right　sleeve　and　down　his　inner　tunic　to　his　belt。　The　security　device　had　been　removed　only　twice　in　the　past　nine　hours。　Once　during　the　major's　departure　from　Zurich；　and　again　with　his　arrival　at　Kennedy　Airport。　In　both　places；　however；　U。　S。　government　personnel　had　been　watching　the　customs　clerks　more　precisely；　watching　the　briefcase。　They　were　not　told　why；　they　were　simply　ordered　to　observe　the　inspections；　and　at　the　slightest　deviation　from　normal　procedures　…　which　meant　any　undue　interest　in　the　briefcase　…　they　were　to　intervene。　With　weapons；　if　necessary。
　There　was　a　sudden；　quiet　ringing；　the　major　snapped　his　eyes　open　and　brought　his　left　hand　up　in　front　of　his　face。　The　sound　was　a　wrist　alarm；　he　pressed　the　button　on　his　watch　and　squinted　at　the　second　radium　dial　of　his　two…zoned　instrument。　The　first　was　on　Zurich　time；　the　second；　New　York；　the　alarm　had　been　set　twenty…four　hours　ago；　when　the　officer　had　received　his　cabled　orders。　The　transmission　would　e　within　the　next　three　minutes。　That　is；　thought　the　major；　it　would　e　if　Iron　Ass　was　as　precise　as　he　expected　his　subordinates　to　be。　The　officer　stretched；　awkwardly　balancing　the　briefcase；　and　leaned　forward；　speaking　to　the　driver。
　'Sergeant；　turn　on　your　scrambler　to　fourteen…thirty　megahertz；　will　you　please？'
　'Yes；　sir。'　The　sergeant　flipped　two　switches　on　the　radio　panel　beneath　the　dashboard；　then　twisted　the　dial　to　the　1430　frequency。　〃There　it　is；　Major。'
　Thanks。　Will　the　microphone　reach　back　here？'
　'I　don't　know。　Never　tried　it；　sir。'　The　driver　pulled　the　small　plastic　microphone　from　its　cradle　and　stretched　the　spiral　cord　over　the　seat。　'Guess　it　does；'　he　concluded。
　Static　erupted　from　the　speaker；　the　scrambling　transmitter　electronically　scanning　and　jamming　the　frequency。　The　message　would　follow　in　seconds。　It　did。
　Treadstone？　Treadstone；　confirm；　please。'
　Treadstone　receiving；'　said　Major　Gordon　Webb。　'You're　clear。　Go　ahead。'
　'What's　your　position？'
　'About　a　mile　south　of　the　Triboro；　East　River　Drive；'　said　the　major。
　'Your　timing　is　acceptable；'　came　the　voice　from　the　speaker。　'Glad　to　hear…it。　It　makes　my　day。。。　sir。'　There　was　a　brief　pause；　the　major's　ment　not　appreciated。　'Proceed　to　one…four…zero；　Seven…one　East。　Confirm　by　repeat。'
　'One…four…zero；　East　Seventy…first。'　'Keep　your　vehicle　out　of　the　area。　Approach　on　foot。'　'Understood。'　'Out。'
　'Out。'　Webb　snapped　the　transmission　button　in　place　and　handed　the　microphone　back　to　the　driver。　'Forget　that　address；　Sergeant。　Your　name's　on　a　very　short　file　now。'
　'Gotcha；　Major。　Nothing　but　static　on　that　thing　anyway。　But　since　I　don't　know　where　it　is　and　these　wheels　aren't　supposed　to　go　there；　where　do　you　want　to　be　dropped　off？〃
　Webb　smiled。　'No　more　than　two　blocks　away。　I'd　go　to　sleep　in　the　gutter　if　I　had　to　walk　any　further　than　that。'　'How　about　Lex　and　Seventy…second？'　'Is　that　two　blocks？'　'No　more　than　three。'　'If　it's　three　you're　a　priv