thedestroyer.slavesafari-第21章

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　〃I　am　glad　you　have　said　that；　because　it　is　said　to　be　a　sin　for　a　Princess　of　the　Loni　to　know　a　man　before　she　is　wed。　And　yet；　Remo；　I　want　to　know　you　and　I　want　you　to　enter　into　me。〃
　〃Best　offer　I've　had　today；〃　Remo　said　lightly；　〃but　I　think　you　ought　to　think　about　it　some　more。〃
　Princess　Saffah　leaned　forward；　pressed　her　lips　against　Remo's　and　kissed　him　hard。　She　pulled　her　head　back　triumphantly。　〃There；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　already　mitted　the　sin　of　touching　a　man。　Now　when　your　time　es；　you　will　have　no　reason　not　to　take　me。〃
　〃When　I'm　sure　you're　ready；〃　Remo　said；　〃no　reason　could　have　stopped　me。　But　first　duty　calls。〃
　Duty　for　Remo　meant　two　things：　freeing　the　girls　in　the　white　house　behind　the　iron　gate　and　finding　out　what　had　happened　to　Lippincott
　But　princess　Saffah　could　give　aim　no　answers　to　either　of　those　problems；　although　she　suggested　that　if　evil　was　involved；　it　was　probably　the　work　of　General　Obode。
　〃We　have　a　friend；〃　she　said；　〃in　Obode's　camp。　Perhaps　be　will　be　able　to　help　you。〃
　〃What's　his　name？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃He　is　a　countryman　of　yours；〃　Saffah　said。　〃His　name　is　Butler。〃
　CHAPTES　TEN
　In　the　American　circles　that　concerned　themselves　with　the　activities　of　the　Four　Hundred；　it　was　well　known　that　the　Forsythes　and　the　Butlers　talked　only　to　their　cousins；　the　Lippincotts；　and　that　the　Lippincotts　talked　only　to　God　or　to　whomever　else　could　match　His　credentials。
　So　when　the　body　washed　onto　the　beach　a　few　miles　from　Norfolk；　Virginia；　pummeled　and　battered　by　the　stones　near　the　shore；　it　became　a　big　story　because　the　body　was　identified　as　that　of　Hillary　Butler。　The　identification　was　made　through　her　blue…and…white　dress　and　from　engraved　jewelry　the　corpse　wore。
　The　Butler　family　bit　its　lip；　as　such　families　do；　and　refused　to　indulge　in　speculation　for　the　press　as　to　how　their　daughter；　soon　to　be　married；　had　managed　to　wind　up　dead　and　drowned　in　the　ocean。
　The　family　detested　the　whole　idea；　but　part　of　the　routine　hi　such　accidental　deaths　was　an　autopsy。
　Clyde　Butler　was　called　by　the　county　medical　examiner　that　afternoon。
　〃Mr。　Butler；　I　have　to　see　you；〃　the　doctor　said。
　Resentfully；　Butler　agreed　and　made　an　appointment　to　see　the　examiner　at　his　private　medical　office；　where
　Butler's　arrival　would　not　draw　attention；　as　it　certainly　would　have　at　the　county　administration　building。
　Despite　the　unseasonable　spring　heat；　Butler　wore　a　heavy　dark　pin…striped　suit　as　he　sat　in　the　doctor's　office；　facing　him　across　〃a　tan…painted　metallic　desk。
　〃I　suppose　it's　about　my　poor　daughter；〃　Butler　said；　〃Really；　haven't　we　gone　through　enough　without。。。？〃
　〃That's　just　it；　sir；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃That　body　was　not　your　daughter's。〃
　Butler　could　not　speak。　Finally；　he　said；　〃Repeat　that。〃
　〃Certainly。　The　dead　girl　who　washed　ashore　was　not　your　daughter。〃
　〃You're　sure　of　this？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　In　making　the　autopsy；　I　discovered　that　the　girl　whose　body　was　found　had　syphilis。　Discreetly；　I　obtained　your　family's　records　from　your　physician　and　dentist。　If　was　very　difficult　because　of　the　mutiliation；　but　I　can　now　say　without　a　twinge　of　doubt　that　some　other　young　woman　is　on　the　slab　at　the　morgue　right　now。〃
　Butler　grimaced　at　what　he　considered　unnecessarily　explicit　phrasing　by　the　doctor。
　He　thought　momentarily；　then　said：　〃Have　you　told　anyone　else？〃
　〃No　one　at　all。　If　wanted　to　talk　to　you　first。　Frankly；　I　did　not　know　if　…your　daughter　might　have　known　this　other　girl；　or　if　your　daughter's　disappearance　might　be　tied　in　somehow　with　this　girl's　death；　or　precisely　what　It's　only　　air　no　tell　you　that　the　dead　girl　wasn't　drowned。　She　was　dead　before　she　entered　the　water。　I　thought　before　I　announced　anything　I　would　give　you　a　chance　to　explain。〃
　〃You've　done　very　well；〃　Butler　said；　〃and　I　appreciate　your　thoughtfulness。　I　would　like　you　to　do　something　else　for　me；　if　you　would。〃
　〃If　I　can。〃
　〃Give　me　an　hour　and　then　I　will　be　back　here。　Then　we　can　decide　what　to　do　and　what　to　say。〃
　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Butler。　Just　so　long　as　we　both　understand　that　I　must　fulfill　the　requirements　of　my　office。〃
　〃Naturally　I　understand　that；　Doctor。　Just　an　hour。〃
　Butler　left　the　doctor's　office。　In　the　middle　of　the　next　block　was　a　bank　in　which　the　Butler　family　was　the　controlling　stockholder。　Butler　went　in；　spoke　briefly　to　the　bank　president；　and　in　five　minutes　was　ensconced；　as　he　had　asked　to　be；　in　a　private　office　with　a　private　telephone　and　a　guarantee　of　no　interruptions。
　It　was　a　sticky　problem；　Butler　realized。　At　first　blush；　he　would　immediately　think　kidnaping　and　ransom。　But　why　then　would　the　kidnapers　have　gone　to　the　trouble　of　dressing　someone　in　Hillary's　clothes　and　jewelry　and　trying　to　make　it　appear　as　if　his　daughter　were　dead？　No。　Kidnaping　was　out。　Therefore；　the　next　step　might　be　that　Hillary　herself　was　somehow　involved　in　this。　He　had　no　idea　how　to　handle　a　thing　like　that；　no　knowledge　of　police　processes。　And　hanging　over　it　all　was　the　publicity　problem　because　of　the　Butler　family's　relationship　with　the　Lippincotts。
　Children　with　a　problem　go　to　their　fathers。　Butler　went　to　the　head　of　the　Lippincott　family　and　all　its　branches；　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott
　Succinctly；　calmly；　he　told　Lippincott　over　the　phone　what　had　happened。　Lippincott；　with　no　trace　of　emotion　in　his　voice；　got　Butler's　number　and　told　him　to　stay　put；　he　would　call　him　back。
　From　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott；　a　call　went　to　the　Senate　Office　Building。　From　there；　a　call　went　to　the　White　House。　From　the　White　House；　a　special　call　went　to　Folcroft　Sanitarium　in　Rye；　New　York。　Problems　were　discussed；　options　were　considered；　decisions　were　reached。
　The　links　in　the　chain　were　then　reversed；　and　finally；　the　telephone　rang　in　the　air…conditioned　bank　office　where　Butler　sat。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　〃This　is　Laurie。　Please　listen　very　carefully。　We　believe　your　daughter　is　alive；　but　that　she　is　no　longer　in　this　country。　The　very　highest　agencies　in　our　government　are　now　attempting　to　rescue　her。　This　rescue　effort；　however；　is　guaranteed　to　fail　if　the　people　involved　suspect　that　we　know　anything　except　what　they　wanted　us　to　think。　Therefore　this　is　what　we　will　do。〃
　Butler　listened　as　Laurie　Lippincott　spoke。　Finally　he　said；　〃What　of　Martha？〃　thinking　of　his　wife　who　was　in　a　state　of　near　collapse。
　〃She's　already　done　the　worst　of　her　suffering；〃　Lippincott　said。　〃Tell　her　nothing。〃
　〃Nothing？　But　she　ought　to　know。〃
　〃Why？　So　she　can　worry？　Bee　hysterical？　Perhaps　drop　a　word　here　or　there　that　could　mean　Hillary's　death？　Please。　The　very　best　thing　is　to　let　her　think　Hillary　is　dead。　If　we　can　get　Hillary　back；　Martha　can　rejoice。　And　if　we　fail；　well；　one　can　only　grieve　once。〃
　〃What　are　the　chances；　Laurie？〃
　〃I　won't　lie　to　you。　They're　less　than　fifty…fifty。　But　we're　pulling　out　every　stop。　The　best　we　have　is　on　it。〃
　〃We？　You　mean　the　family？〃
　〃No。　I　mean　the　United　States　of　America；〃　Lippincott　said。
　Butler　sighed。　〃Okay；　Laurie。　Whatever　you　say。　But　I'm　worried　about　the　doctor。　He's　a　snotty　young　bastard。　He　may　give　me　flak。〃
　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott　took　the　name　of　the　doctor；　while　allowing　himself　a　small　chuckle。　〃He　shouldn't　be　too　difficult；〃　he　said。　Not　if　his　tax　return　is　like　most　doctors'。〃
　So　it　was　that　ten　minutes　later；　Butler　was　back　in　the　office　of　the　doctor；　explaining　that　the　doctor　must　remain　silent；　must　permit　the　funeral　to　go　ahead　as　if　the　dead　body　were　really　that　of　Hillary　Butler。
　〃Never；〃　the　doctor　said　angrily。　〃I　don't　know　what　your　game　is；　but　I'm　not　playing　it。〃
　His　inter　rang。　The　doctor　picked　up　the　phone　and　said　sharply；　〃I　said　I　wasn't　to　be。。。　oh。。。oh；　I　see。　Yes；　of　course。〃
　He　pressed　a　blinking　lit　button　on　the　telephone　receiver。　Warily；　he　said；　〃This　is　he。〃　He　said　nothing　else　for　a　full　sixty　seconds。；　Finally；　he　said；　〃Of　course；　Senator。　Yes。　Senator；　I　understand。　Of　course。　No　problem。　Be　glad　to；　Senator。　Yes；　I　understand。〃　When　he　hung　up　the　phone；　beads　of　perspiration　dotted　his　forehead。
　He　looked　at　Butler　and　nodded。　〃I　won't