dk.nightchills-第13章

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　After　dinner　the　three　men　reclined　in　easy　chairs　in　the　living　room；　a　few　feet　from　the　picture　window。　Tahoe；　one　of　the　highest　and　deepest　lakes　in　the　world；　shimmered　with　light　and　shadow　as　the　last　rays　of　the　sun；　already　gone　behind　the　mountains；　drained　from　the　sky。　In　the　morning　the　water　had　a　clear；　greenish　cast。　By　afternoon　it　was　a　pure；　crystalline　blue。　Now；　soon　to　be　as　black　as　a　vast　spill　of　oil；　it　was　like　purple　velvet　folded　softly　against　the　shoreline。　For　five　or　ten　minutes　they　enjoyed　the　view；　speaking　only　to　remark　on　the　meal　they　had　just　finished　and　on　the　brandy　they　were　sipping。
　At　last　Dawson　turned　to　the　general　and　said；　〃Ernst；　what　do　you　think　of　subliminal　advertising？〃
　The　general　had　anticipated　this　abrupt　shift　from　relaxation　to　business。　〃Fascinating　stuff。〃
　〃You　have　no　doubts？〃
　〃That　it　exists？　None　whatsoever。　Your　man　here　has　the
　proof。　But　he　didn't　explain　what　subliminal　advertising　has　to　do　with　me。〃
　Sipping　brandy；　savoring　it；　Dawson　nodded　toward　Salsbury。　Putting　down　his　own　drink；　angry　with　Klinger　for　referring　to　him　as　Dawson's　man　and　angry　with　Dawson　for　not　correcting　the　general；　reminding　himself　not　to　address　Klinger　by　his　military　title；　Ogden　said；　〃Ernst；　we　never　met　until　this　morning。　I've　never　told　you　where　I　work…but　I'm　sure　you　know。〃
　〃The　Brockert　Institute；〃　Klinger　said　without　hesitation。
　General　Ernst　Klinger　supervised　a　division　of　the　Pentagon's　vitally　important　Department　of　Security　for　Weapons　Research。　His　authority　within　the　department　extended　to　the　states　of　Ohio；　West　Virginia；　Virginia；　Maryland；　Delaware；　Pennsylvania；　New　Jersey；　New　York；　Connecticut；　Massachusetts；　Rhode　Island；　Vermont；　New　Hampshire；　and　Maine。　It　was　his　responsibility　to　choose；　oversee　the　installation　of；　and　regularly　inspect　the　traditional　and　electronic　systems　that　protected　all　laboratories；　factories；　and　test　sites　where　weapons　research　was　conducted　within　those　fourteen　states。　Several　laboratories　belonging　to　Creative　Development　Associates；　including　the　Brockert　facility　in　Connecticut；　came　under　his　jurisdiction；　and　Salsbury　would　have　been　surprised　if　the　general　had　not　known　the　name　of　the　scientist　in　charge　of　the　work　at　Brockert。
　〃Do　you　know　what　sort　of　research　we're　conducting　up　there？〃　Salsbury　asked。
　〃I'm　responsible　for　the　security；　not　the　research；〃　Klinger　said。　〃I　only　know　what　I　need　to　know。　Like　the　backgrounds　of　the　people　who　work　there；　the　layout　of　the　buildings；　and　the　nature　of　the　surrounding　countryside。　I　don't　need　to　know　about　your　work。〃
　〃It　has　to　do　with　subliminals。〃
　Stiffening　as　if　he　had　sensed　stealthy　movement　behind　him；　Some　of　the　brandy…inspired　color　seeping　from　his　face；　Klinger　said；　〃I　believe　you've　signed　a　secrecy　pledge　like　everyone　else　at　Brockert。〃
　〃Yes；　I　have。〃
　〃You　just　now　violated　it。〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　that。〃
　〃Are　you　aware　of　the　penalty？〃　〃Yes。　But　I'll　never　suffer　it。〃
　〃You're　sure　of　yourself；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Damned　sure；〃　Salsbury　said。
　〃It　makes　no　difference；　you　know；　that　I'm　a　general　in　the　United　States　Army　or　that　Leonard　is　a　loyal　and　trusted　citizen。　You've　still　broken　the　pledge。　Maybe　they　can't　put　you　away　for　treason　when　you've　only　talked　to　the　likes　of　us…　but　they　can　at　least　give　you　eighteen　months　for　declassifying　information　without　the　authority　to　do　so。〃
　Salsbury　glanced　at　Dawson。
　Leaning　forward　in　his　chair；　Dawson　patted　the　general's　knee。　〃Let　Ogden　finish。〃
　Klinger　said；　〃This　could　be　a　setup。〃
　〃A　what？〃
　〃A　setup。　A　trap。〃
　〃To　get　you？〃　Dawson　asked。
　〃Could　be。〃
　〃Why　would　I　want　to　set　you　up？〃　Dawson　asked。　He　seemed　genuinely　hurt　by　the　suggestion。
　In　spite　of　the　fact；　Salsbury　thought；　that　he　has　probably　set　up　and　destroyed　hundreds　of　men　over　the　last　thirty　years。
　Klinger　seemed　to　be　thinking　the　same　thing；　although　he　shrugged　and　pretended　that　he　had　no　answer　to　Dawson's　question。
　〃That's　not　the　way　I　operate；〃　Dawson　said；　either　unable　or　unwilling　to　conceal　his　bruised　pride。　〃You　know　me　better　than　that。　My　whole　career；　my　whole　life；　is　based　on　Christian　principles。〃
　〃I　don't　know　anyone　well　enough　to　risk　a　charge　of　treason；〃　the　general　said　gruffly。
　Feigning　exasperation…it　was　a　bit　too　obvious　to　be　real…　Dawson　said；　〃Old　friend；　we've　made　a　great　deal　of　money　together。　But　all　of　it　amounts　to　pocket　change　when　pared　to　the　money　we　can　make　if　we　cooperate　with　Ogden。
　There　is　literally　unlimited　wealth　here…for　all　of　us。〃　He　watched　the　general　for　a　moment；　and　when　he　could　get　no　reaction　he　said；　〃Ernst；　I　have　never　misled　you。　Never。　Not　once。〃
　Unconvinced；　Klinger　said；　〃All　you　ever　did　before　was　pay　me　for　advice…〃
　〃For　your　influence。〃
　〃For　my　advice；〃　Klinger　insisted。　〃And　even　if　I　did　sell　my　influence…which　I　didn't…that's　a　long　way　from　treason。〃
　They　stared　at　each　other。
　Salsbury　felt　as　if　he　were　not　in　the　room　with　them；　as　if　he　were　watching　them　from　the　eyepiece　of　a　mile…long　telescope。
　With　less　of　an　edge　to　his　voice　than　there　had　been　a　minute　ago；　Klinger　finally　said；　〃Leonard；　I　suppose　you　realize　that　I　could　be　setting　you　up。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃I　could　agree　to　hear　your　man　out；　listen　to　everything　he　has　to　say…only　to　get　evidence　against　you　and　him。〃
　〃String　us　along。〃
　〃Give　you　enough　rope　to　hang　yourselves；〃　Klinger　said。　〃I　only　warn　you　because　you're　a　friend。　I　like　you。　I　don't　want　to　see　you　in　trouble。〃
　Dawson　settled　back　in　his　chair。　〃Well；　I've　an　offer　to　make　you；　and　I　need　your　cooperation。　So　I'll　just　have　to　take　that　risk；　won't　I？〃
　〃That's　your　choice。〃
　Smiling；　apparently　pleased　with　the　general；　Dawson　raised　his　brandy　glass　and　silently　proposed　a　toast。
　Grinning　broadly；　Klinger　raised　his　own　glass。
　What　in　the　hell　is　going　on　here？　Salsbury　wondered。
　When　he　had　sniffed　and　sipped　his　brandy；　Dawson　looked　at　Salsbury　for　the　first　time　in　several　minutes　and　said；　〃You　may　proceed；　Ogden。〃
　Suddenly；　Salsbury　grasped　the　underlying　purpose　of　the　conversation　to　which　he　had　just　listened。　In　the　unlikely　event　that　Dawson　actually　was　setting　a　trap　for　an　old　friend；
　on　the　off　chance　that　the　meeting　was　being　taped；　Klinger　had　deftly　provided　himself　with　at　least　some　protection　against　successful　prosecution。　He　was　now　on　record　as　having　warned　Dawson　about　the　consequences　of　his　actions。　In　court　or　before　a　military　review　board；　the　general　could　argue　that　he　had　only　been　playing　along　with　them　in　order　to　collect　evidence　against　them；　and　even　if　no　one　believed　him；　he　more　than　likely　would　manage　to　retain　both　his　freedom　and　his　rank。
　Ogden　got　up；　leaving　his　brandy　glass　behind　him；　went　to　the　window　and　stood　with　his　back　to　the　darkening　lake。　He　was　too　nervous　to　sit　still　while　he　talked。　Indeed；　for　a　few　seconds　he　was　too　nervous　to　speak　at　all。
　Like　a　pair　of　lizards　perched　half　in　warm　sunlight　and　half　in　chilly　shadows；　waiting　for　the　light　balance　to　change　enough　to　warrant　movement；　Dawson　and　Klinger　watched　him。　They　were　sitting　in　identical　high…backed　black　leather　easy　chairs　with　burnished　silvery　buttons　and　studs。　A　small　round　cocktail　table　with　a　dark　oak　top　stood　between　them。　The　only　light　in　the　richly　furnished　room　came　from　two　floor　lamps　that　flanked　the　fireplace；　twenty　feet　away。　The　right　side　of　each　man's　face　was　softened　and　somewhat　concealed　by　shadows；　while　the　left　side　was　starkly　detailed　by　amber　light；　and　their　eyes　blinked　with　saurian　patience。
　Whether　or　not　the　scheme　was　a　success；　Salsbury　thought；　both　Dawson　and　Klinger　would　e　through　it　unscathed。　They　both　wore　effective　armor：　Dawson　his　wealth；　Klinger　his　ruthlessness；　cleverness；　and　experience。
　However；　Salsbury　didn't　possess　any　armor　of　his　own。　He　hadn't　even　realized…as　Klinger　had　when　he　protected　himself　with　that　spiel　about　secrecy　pledges　and　treason…that　he　might　need　it。　He　had　assumed　that　his　discovery　would　generate　enough　money　and　power　to　satisfy　all　three