jamesclavell.noblehouse-第243章

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astasio。　Soon　they　joined　other　people　going　up　the　wide　steps　to　the　hotel。　A　smiling　pageboy　opened　the　swing　doors。　The　foyer　was　bustling。　〃Casey；　I'm　early　for　my　appointment。　Can　I　buy　you　a　drink？〃
　Casey　hesitated；　then　smiled；　liking　him；　enjoying　chatting。　〃Sure；　thanks。　First　let　me　collect　my　messages；　okay？〃　She　went　to　the　desk。　There　were　a　sheaf　of　telexes；　and　messages　from　Jannelli；　Steigler　and　Forrester　to　please　call。　And　a　handwritten　note　from　Bartlett。　The　note　contained　routine　instructions　about　Par…Con；　all　of　which　she　agreed　to；　and　asked　her　to　make　sure　that　the　airplane　was　ready　to　take　off　on　Sunday。　The　note　ended：　〃Casey；　we're　going　with　Rothwell…Gornt。　Let's　meet　for　breakfast　in　the　suite；　9：00　a。m。　See　you　then。〃
　She　went　back　to　Rosemont。　〃Can　I　take　a　raincheck？〃
　〃Bad　news？〃
　〃Oh　no；　just　a　load　of　stuff　to　deal　with。〃
　〃Sure；　but　maybe　you'd　like　dinner　next　week；　you　and　Linc？　I'd　like　Athena　to　meet　you。　She'll　give　you　a　call　to　fix　the　day；　okay？〃
　〃Thanks；　I'd　like　that。〃　Casey　left　him；　her　whole　being　more　than　ever　mitted　to　the　course　she　had　decided　upon。
　Rosemont　watched　her　go；　then　ordered　a　Cutty　Sark　and　soda　and　began　to　wait；　lost　in　thought。　How　much　money's　Banastasio　got　in　Par…Con　and　what's　he　get　in　return？　Jesus　H。　Christ；　Par…Con's　hot　in　defense　and　space　and　a　lot　of　secret　crap。　What's　that　bum　doing　here？　Thank　God　I　took　on　Casey　today　and　didn't　leave　her　to　one　of　the　guys。　He　might've　missed　Banastasio。　。。。
　Robert　Armstrong　arrived。
　〃Jesus；　Robert；　you　look　terrible；〃　the　American　said。　〃You　better　get　yourself　a　vacation　or　a　good　night's　rest　or　lay　off　the　broads。〃
　〃Get　stuffed！　You　ready？　We'd　better　leave。〃
　〃You've　time　for　a　quick　one。　The　bank　date's　been　changed　to　seven；　there's　plenty　of　time。〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　don't　want　to　be　late　as　we're　to　meet　the　governor　at　his　office。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　Obediently　Rosemont　finished　his　drink；　signed　the　bill　and　they　walked　back　toward　the　ferry　terminal。
　〃How's　Dry　Run？〃　Armstrong　asked。
　〃They're　still　there　with　flags　flying。　Looks　like　the　Azerbaijan　revolt　fizzled。〃　Rosemont　noticed　the　heaviness　on　the　Englishman。　〃What's　eating　you；　Robert？〃
　〃Sometimes　I　don't　like　being　a　copper；　that's　all。〃　Armstrong　took　out　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。
　〃I　thought　you　gave　up　smoking。〃
　〃I　did。　Listen；　Stanley　old　friend；　I'd　better　warn　you：　you're　in　the　proverbial　creek　without　a　paddle。　Crosse's　so　mad　he's　fit　to　be　mitted。〃
　〃So　what　else's　new？　A　lot　of　guys　think　he's　a　basket　case　anyway。　Jesus；　it　was　Ed　Langan　who　tipped　you　off　about　the　AMG　files　in　the　first　place。　We're　allies　for　chrissake！〃
　〃True；〃　Armstrong　replied　sourly；　〃but　that's　no　license　to　mount　a　totally　unauthorized　raid　on　a　totally　clean　flat　belonging　to　the　totally　clean　telephone　pany！〃
　〃Who　me？〃　Rosemont　looked　pained。　〃What　flat？〃
　〃Sinclair　Towers；　flat　32。　You　and　your　gorillas　knocked　down　the　door　in　the　dead　of　the　night。　For　what；　may　I　ask？〃
　〃How　should　I　know？〃　Rosemont　knew　he　had　to　bluff　this　one　through；　but　he　was　still　furious　that　whoever　was　in　the　apartment　had　escaped　without　identification。　His　rage　over　the　carrier　leak；　Metkin's　not　being　available　for　questioning；　the　whole　Sevrin　mess　and　Crosse's　perfidy；　had　prompted　him　to　order　the　raid。　One　of　his　Chinese　informants　had　picked　up　a　rumor　that　though　the　apartment　was　empty　most　of　the　time；　sometimes　it　was　used　by　munist　enemy　agents　…　of　gender　unknown　…　and　there　was　a　meeting　tonight。　Connochie；　one　of　his　best　agents；　had　led　the　raid　and　thought　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　two　men　going　out　the　back　but　he　wasn't　sure；　and　though　he　searched　diligently；　they　had　vanished　and　he　found　nothing　in　the　apartment　to　prove　or　disprove　the　rumor；　just　two　half…empty　glasses。　The　glasses　were　brought　back　and　tested　for　fingerprints。　One　was　clean；　the　other　well　marked。　〃I've　never　been　to　32　Sinclair　Towers；　for　chrissake！〃
　〃Maybe；　but　your　Keystone　Kops　were　there。　Several　tenants　reported　four　tall；　meaty　Caucasians　charging　up　and　down　the　stairs。〃　Armstrong　added　even　more　sourly；　〃All　fat…arsed　and　fat…headed。　Have　to　be　yours。〃
　〃Not　mine。　No　sir。〃
　〃Oh　yes　they　were　and　that　mistake's　going　to　backfire。　Crosse's　already　sent　two　pretty　foul　cables　to　London。　The　pity　of　it　is　you　failed　to　catch　anything　and　we　catch　hell　because　of　your　continual　screw…ups！〃
　Rosemont　sighed。　〃Get　off　my　back。　I've　got　something　for　you。〃　He　told　Armstrong　of　his　conversation　with　Casey　about　Banastasio。　〃Of　course　we　knew　his　connection　with　Par…Con　but　I　didn't　know　he　was　arriving　tomorrow。　What　do　you　think？〃
　Armstrong　had　seen　the　arrival　recorded　on　Photographer　Ng's　calendar。　〃Interesting；〃　he　said　nonmittally。　〃I'll　tell　the　Old　Man。　But　you'd　better　have　a　good　explanation　for　him　about　Sinclair　Towers　and　don't　mention　that　I　told　you。〃　His　fatigue　was　almost　overwhelming　him。　This　morning　at　6：30　a。m。　he　had　begun　the　first　real　probe　of　Brian　Kwok。
　It　was　an　orchestrated　set　piece：　while　still　drugged；　Brian　Kwok　had　been　taken　out　of　his　clean　white　cell　and　put　naked　into　a　filthy　dungeon　with　dank　walls　and　a　stinking　thin　mattress　on　the　mildewed　floor。　Then；　ten　minutes　after　the　wake…up　drug　had　jerked　him　into　parched；　aching　consciousness；　the　light　had　blazed　on　and　Armstrong　had　ripped　the　door　open　and　cursed　the　SI　jailer。　〃For　chrissake；　what're　you　doing　to　Superintendent　Kwok？　Have　you　gone　mad？　How　dare　you　treat　him　like　this！〃
　〃Superintendent　Crosse's　orders；　sir。　This　client's　b…　〃
　〃There　must　be　a　mistake！　I　don't　give　a　damn　about　Crosse！〃　He　had　thrown　the　man　out　and　put　his　full；　kind　attention　onto　his　friend。　〃Here；　old　chum；　do　you　want　a　cigarette？〃
　〃Oh　Christ。　Thank　。。。　thanks。〃　Brian　Kwok's　fingers　had　trembled　as　he　held　the　cigarette　and　drew　the　smoke　deep。　〃Robert；　what　。。。　what　the　hell's　going　on？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I've　just　heard；　that's　why　I'm　here。　I　was　told　you'd　been　on　leave　for　a　few　days。　Crosse's　gone　mad。　He　claims　you're　a　munist　spy。〃
　〃Me？　For　God's　sake　。。。　what's　the　date　today？〃
　〃The　thirtieth；　Friday；〃　he　had　said　at　once；　expecting　the　question；　adding　seven　days。
　〃Who　won　the　fifth　race？〃
　〃Butterscotch　Lass；〃　he　had　said；　caught　off　guard；　astonished　that　Brian　Kwok　was　still　functioning　so　well　and　not　at　all　certain　if　his　own　slight　hesitation　had　been　read　for　the　lie　it　was。　〃Why？〃
　〃Just　wondered　。。。　just　。。。　Listen；　Robert；　this's　a　mistake。　You've　got　to　help　me。　Don't　you　s…　〃
　On　cue　Roger　Crosse　had　e　in　like　the　wrath　of　God。　〃Listen；　spy；　I　want　names　and　addresses　of　all　your　contacts　right　now。　Who's　your　controller？〃
　Weakly　Brian　Kwok　had　stumbled　to　his　feet。　〃Sir；　it's　all　a　mistake。　There's　no　controller　and　I'm　no　spy　an…　〃
　Crosse　had　suddenly　shoved　blowups　of　the　photos　in　his　face。　〃Then　explain　how　you　were　photographed　in　Ning…tok　in　front　of　your　family　pharmacy　with　your　mother　Fang…ling　Wu。　Explain　how　your　real　name's　Chu…toy　Wu；　second　son　of　these　parents；　Ting…top　Wu　and　Fang…ling　Wu　。。。〃
　They　had　both　seen　the　instant　of　shock　on　Brian　Kwok's　face。
　〃Lies；〃　he　had　mumbled；　〃lies；　I'm　Brian　Kar…shun　Kwok　and　I'm　…　〃
　〃You're　a　liar！〃　Crosse　had　shouted。　〃We　have　witnesses！　We　have　evidence！　You　are　identified　by　your　gan　sun；　Ah　Tam！〃
　Another　gasp；　covered　almost　brilliantly；　then　〃I　。。。　I　have　no　gan　sun　called　Ah　Tam。　I　h…　〃
　〃You'll　spend　the　rest　of　your　life　in　this　cell　unless　you　tell　us　everything。　I'll　see　you　in　a　week。　You'd　better　answer　everything　truthfully　or　I'll　put　you　in　chains！　Robert！〃　Crosse　had　whirled　on　him。　〃You're　forbidden　to　e　here　without　permission！〃　Then　he　had　stalked　out　of　the　cell。
　In　the　silence　Armstrong　remembered　how　nauseated　he　had　been；　having　seen　the　truth　written　on　his　friend's　face。　He　was　too　well　trained　an　observer　to　be　mistaken。　〃Christ；　Brian；〃　he　had　said；　continuing　the　game；　hating　his　hypocrisy　even　so。　〃What　possessed　you　to　do　it？〃
　〃Do　what？〃　Brian　Kwok　had　said　defiantly。　〃You　can't　cheat　me　…　or　trick　me；　Robert　。。。　It　can't　be　seven　days。　I'm　innocent。〃
　〃And　the　photos？〃
　〃Fake　。。。　they're　fak