jamesclavell.noblehouse-第289章

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　woman　shoved　her　way　out　at　the　mezzanine　floor　and　Casey　knew　she　had　won　a　great　victory。　Amused；　she　glanced　at　Bartlett　but　he　was　lost　in　thought；　staring　into　space；　and　she　wondered　very　much　what　the　real　problem　was。　Orlanda？
　On　the　eighth　floor　they　got　out。　She　followed　Bartlett　down　the　corridor。　〃You　know　what　this's　all　about；　Linc？　What　Banastasio　wants？〃
　〃He　said　he　just　wanted　to　say　hi　and　pass　the　time　of　day。〃　Bartlett　pressed　the　button。　The　door　opened。
　Banastasio　was　a　good…looking　man　with　iron…gray　hair　and　very　dark　eyes。　He　weled　them　cordially。　〃Hey；　Casey；　you've　lost　weight　…　you're　looking　great。　Drink？〃　He　waved　a　hand　at　the　bar。　It　was　stocked　with　everything。　Casey　fixed　herself　a　martini　after　opening　a　can　of　beer　for　Bartlett；　lost　in　thought。　Peter　Marlowe's　right。　So's　the　tai…pan。　So's　Linc。　All　I　have　to　do　is　decide。　By　when？　Very　soon。　Today；　tomorrow？　By　Tuesday　dinner　for　sure。　Absolutely　one　hundred　percent　for　sure　and　meanwhile　maybe　I'd　better　begin　a　few　diversionary　raids。
　〃How's　it　going？〃　Banastasio　was　saying。
　〃Fine。　With　you？〃
　〃Great。〃　Banastasio　sipped　a　Coke　then　reached　forward　and　turned　on　a　small　tape　recorder。　Out　of　it　came　a　confusing　mishmash　of　voices；　the　sort　of　background　heard　at　any　busy　cocktail　party。
　〃Just　a　habit；　Linc；　Casey；　when　I　want　to　talk　private；〃　Banastasio　said　quietly。
　Bartlett　stared　at　him。　〃You　think　this　place's　bugged？〃
　〃Maybe；　maybe　not。　You　never　know　who　could　be　listening；　huh？〃
　Bartlett　glanced　at　Casey　then　back　at　Banastasio。　〃What's　on　your　mind；　Vincenzo？〃
　Banastasio　smiled。　〃How's　Par…Con？〃　the　man　asked。
　〃Same　as　ever　…　great；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃Our　growth　rate　will　be　better'n　forecast。〃
　〃By　7　percent；〃　Casey　added；　all　her　senses　equally　sharpened。
　〃You　going　to　deal　with　Struan's　or　Rothwell…Gornt？〃
　〃We're　working　on　it。〃　Bartlett　covered　his　surprise。　〃Isn't　this　new　for　you；　Vincenzo？　Asking　about　deals　before　they　happen？〃
　〃You　going　to　deal　with　Struan's　or　Rothwell…Gornt？〃
　Bartlett　watched　the　cold　eyes　and　the　strangely　menacing　smile。　Casey　was　equally　shocked。　〃When　the　deal's　done　I'll　tell　you。　The　same　time　I　tell　the　other　stockholders。〃
　The　smile　did　not　change。　The　eyes　got　colder。　〃The　boys　and　I'd　like　to　get　invol…　〃
　〃What　boys？〃
　Banastasio　sighed。　〃We've　got　a　good　piece　of　change　in　Par…Con；　Linc；　and　now　we'd　like　to　figure　in　some　of　the　up…front　decisions。　We　figure　I　should　have　a　seat　on　the　board。　And　on　the　Finance　mittee　and　the　New　Acquisitions　mittee。〃
　Bartlett　and　Casey　stared　at　him　openly。　〃That　was　never　part　of　the　stock　deal；〃　Bartlett　told　him。　〃Up　front　you　said　it　was　just　an　investment。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Casey　added；　her　voice　sounding　thin　to　her。　〃You　wrote　us　you　were　just　an　investor　an…　〃
　〃Times've　changed；　little　lady。　Now　we　want　in。　Got　it？〃　The　man's　voice　was　harsh。　〃Just　one　seat；　Linc。　That　much　stock　in　General　Motors　and　I'd　have　two　seats。〃
　〃We're　not　General　Motors。〃
　〃Sure。　Sure；　we　know。　But　what　we　want　isn't　out　of　line。　We　want　Par…Con　to　grow　faster。　Maybe　I　ca…　〃
　〃It's　growing　just　fine。　Don't　you　think　it'd　be　bet…　〃　Again　Banastasio　turned　his　bleak　gaze　on　her。　Casey　stopped。　Bartlett's　fists　began　to　clench　but　he　held　them　still。　Carefully。
　Banastasio　said；　〃It's　settled。〃　The　smile　came　back。　〃I'm　on　the　board　from　today；　right？〃
　〃Wrong。　Directors　get　elected　by　the　stockholders　at　the　annual　general　meeting；〃　Bartlett　said；　his　voice　raw。　〃Not　before。　There's　no　vacancy。〃
　Banastasio　laughed。　〃Maybe　there　will　be。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　say　that　again？〃
　Abruptly　Banastasio　hardened。　〃Listen；　Linc；　that's　not　a　threat；　just　a　possibility。　I　can　be　good　on　the　board。　I've　got　connections。　And　I　want　to　put　in　my　two　cents'　worth　here　and　there。〃
　〃About　what？〃
　〃Deals。　For　instance；　Par…Con　goes　with　Gornt。〃
　〃And　if　I　don't　agree？〃
　〃A　little　nudge　from　us　and　Dunross'll　be　on　the　street。　Gornt's　our　boy；　Linc。　We　checked　and　he's　better。〃
　Bartlett　got　up。　Casey　followed；　her　knees　very　weak。　Banastasio　didn't　move。　〃I'll　think　about　all　this；〃　Bartlett　said。　〃As　of　right　now　it's　a　toss…up　if　we　make　a　deal　with　either　one。〃
　Banastasio's　eyes　narrowed。　〃What？〃
　〃I'm　not　convinced　that　either's　good　for　us。　Right；　Casey？〃
　〃Yes；　Linc。〃
　〃My　vote　says　Gornt。　Got　it？〃
　〃Go　screw。〃　Bartlett　turned　to　go。
　〃Just　a　minute！〃　Banastasio　stood　up　and　came　closer。　〃No　one　wants　trouble；　not　me；　not　the　boys；　n…　〃
　〃What　boys？〃
　Again　the　other　man　sighed。　〃C'mon；　Linc；　you're　over　twenty…one。　You've　had　a　good　ride。　We　don't　want　to　make　waves；　just　money。〃
　〃We　have　that　in　mon。　We'll　buy　back　your　stock　and　give　you　a　profit　of　si…　〃
　〃No　deal。　It's　not　for　sale。〃　Another　sigh。　〃We　bought　in　when　you　needed　dough。　We　paid　a　fair　price　and　you　used　our　cash　to　expand。　Now　we　want　a　piece　of　the　exec　action。　Got　it？〃
　〃I'll　put　it　to　the　stockholders　at　the　annual　gen…　〃
　〃Goddamnit；　now！〃
　〃Goddamnit　no！〃　Bartlett　was　ready　and　very　dangerous。　〃Got　it？〃
　Banastasio　looked　at　Casey；　his　eyes　flat　like　a　reptile's。　〃That　your　vote　too；　Miss　Executive　Vice…President　and　Treasurer？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　surprised　that　her　voice　sounded　firm。　〃No　seat　on　the　board；　Mr。　Banastasio。　If　it　es　to　a　vote；　my　stock's　against　you　and　totally　against　Gornt。〃
　〃When　we　get　control；　you're　fired。〃
　〃When　you　get　control；　I'll　already　have　left。〃　Casey　walked　toward　the　door；　astonished　that　her　legs　worked。
　Bartlett　stood　in　front　of　the　other　man；　on　guard。　〃See　you　around；〃　he　said。
　〃You'd　better　change　your　mind！〃
　〃You'd　better　stay　the　hell　out　of　Par…Con。〃　Bartlett　turned　and　followed　Casey　out　of　the　room。
　At　the　elevator　he　said；　〃Jesus！〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　muttered　as　helplessly。
　〃We'd　。。。　we'd　better　talk。〃
　〃Sure。　I　think　I　need　a　drink。　Jesus；　Linc；　that　man　petrified　me。　I've　never　been　so　frightened　in　my　whole　life。〃　She　shook　her　head；　as　though　trying　to　clear　it。　〃That　was　like　a　goddamn　nightmare。〃
　In　the　bar　on　the　top　floor　she　ordered　a　martini　and　he　a　beer　and　when　the　drinks　had　been　silently　consumed；　he　ordered　another　round。　All　the　while　their　minds　had　been　sifting；　pitting　facts　against　theories；　changing　the　theories。
　Bartlett　shifted　in　his　chair。　She　looked　across　at　him。　〃Ready　for　what　I　think？〃　she　asked。
　〃Sure；　sure；　Casey。　Go　ahead。〃
　〃There's　always　been　a　rumor　he's　Mafia　or　connected　with　Mafia　and　after　our　little　talk　I'd　say　that's　a　good　bet。　Mafia　jumps　us　to　narcotics　and　all　sorts　of　evil。　Theory：　maybe　it　also　jumps　us　somehow　to　the　guns？〃
　The　tiny　lines　beside　Bartlett's　eyes　crinkled。　〃I　reached　that　too。　Next？〃
　〃Fact：　if　Banastasio's　scared　of　being　bugged　that　jumps　us　to　surveillance。　That　means　FBI。〃
　〃Or　CIA。〃
　〃Or　CIA。　Fact：　if　he's　Mafia　and　if　the　CIA　or　FBI're　involved；　we're　in　a　game　we've　no　right　to　be　in；　with　nowhere　to　go　but　down。　Now；　as　to　what　he　wan…　〃　Casey　stopped。　She　gasped。
　〃What？〃
　〃I　just　。。。　I　just　remembered　Rosemont；　you　remember　him　from　the　party；　Stanley　Rosemont；　the　tall；　good…looking；　gray…haired　man　from　the　consulate？　We　met　on　the　ferry　yesterday；　yesterday　afternoon。　By　chance。　Maybe　it's　a　coincidence；　maybe　not；　but　now　that　I　think　of　it　he　brought　up　Banastasio；　said　his　friend　Ed　someone；　also　at　the　consulate；　knew　him　slightly　…　and　when　I　said　he　was　arriving　today　he　was　knocked　for　a　loop；〃　She　recapped　her　conversation。　〃I　never　thought　much　about　it　at　the　time　。。。　but　the　consulate　and　what　he　said　adds　up：　CIA。〃
　〃Got　to　be。　Sure。　And　if　。。。〃　He　stopped　too。　〃e　to　think　of　it；　Ian　brought　up　Banastasio　out　of　the　blue　too。　Tuesday；　in　the　lobby　when　you　were　at　the　phone；　just　before　we　went　to　the　gold　vaults。〃
　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Maybe　we're　in　real　deep　shit！　Fact：　we　　got　a　murder；　kidnapping；　guns；　Banastasio；　Mafia；　John　Chen。　e　to　think　of　it；　John　Chen　and　Tsu…yan　were　very　friendly　with　that　bum。〃　Her　eyes　widened。　〃Banastasio　and　John　Chen's　killing。　Does　that　tie？　From　what　the　papers've　said；　the　Werewolves　don't　sound　like　Chinese　…　the　ear　bit。　That's；　that's　brutal。〃
　Bartlett　sipped　his　beer；