jherbert.sepulchre-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。　Liam　usually　held　his　emotions　totally　in　check。　'I　don't　see　that　it's　entirely　relevant；　Gerald；'　Mather　put　in。　'After　all；　Kline　isn't　married；　and　there's　no　mention　of　other　girlfriends…or　boyfriends；　for　that　matter…in　the　dossier　from　Magma。'
　　'She　could　be　a　weak　spot；'　Snaith　replied。　'He　might　put　himself　at　risk　if　he　knows　she's　in　danger。　There　could　be　other　possibilities；　also。　Has　she　been　checked　out？'
　　'I　have　her　file　right　here；'　said　Stuhr。　'Charles　brought　it　back　from　Magma　earlier　today；　so　I've　only　managed　to　glance　through　it。　She　sounds　pretty　solid　to　me。　Raised　in　Hampshire；　an　only　child；　father　a　university　lecturer；　mother　a　local　GP；　both　now　deceased。　Attended　private　school　until　eighteen；　bright　seven　Os　and　three　As…but　never　went　on　to　university。　Rents　an　apartment　in　Pimlico；　has　a　substantial　sum　of　money　in　her　bank　account…what's　left　of　the　proceeds　from　the　sale　of　her　parents'　home；　plus　a　little　of　her　own　savings。　Magma　is　her　first　and　only　job　apart　from　a　bit　of　summertime　temping　when　she　was　still　a　student；　she　worked　her　way　up　in　the　organisation　and　I　think　she　is　wonderful。'　He　took　a　black　and　white　photograph　from　the　file　and　held　it　up　for　the　others　to　see。
　　Snaith　didn't　smile。　'Dig　deeper　over　the　next　few　days。　Find　out　who　she　socialises　with；　boyfriends；　lovers；　her　politics；　religion…you　know　the　kind　of　thing。　She's　close　to　the　target；　so　we　can't　take　chances。'　Snaith　paused；　ran　fingers　through　his　short　ginger…grey　hair。
　　'Now；'　he　said；　looking　round　at　all　of　them。　'Our　friend　Mr　Kline。　Just　what　the　hell　do　we　know　about　him？'
　　'Hardly　anything；'　answered　Stuhr。　'It　took　me　all　of　half…aminute　to　read　through　his　file。'
　　'Hmn；　that's　what　I　was　afraid　of。　This　bloody　secrecy　can　be　taken　too　far。'
　　'Oh；　I　don't　chink　Magma　is　to　blame；'　said　Mather。　'When　I　spoke　with　the　chairman　this　morning　it　became　very　apparent　that　the　Corporation　doesn't　actually　know　too　much　about　Felix　Kline's　background。　I　got　the　impression　that　so　long　as　the　man　continues　to　make　them　money；　they're　not　particularly　bothered。'
　　'Would　somebody　please　tell　me　just　what　it　is　he　does　for　Magma？'　plained　Stuhr。
　　'Sorry；　Dieter。'　said　Snaith；　'that　isn't　necessary　for　you　to　know。　Their　terms；　I'm　afraid；　so　don't　sulk。　What　does　his　file　tell　us？'　Stuhr　made　a　snorting　noise；　but　didn't　argue。　'Like　I　said　there　isn't　much。　He　was　born　in　Israel；　arrived　in　England　eleven　years　ago；　began　working　far　the　Magma　Corporation　almost　immediately　=　'A　Jew　with　two　Arab　panions？'　interrupted　Snaith。
　　'They're　not　all　bitter　enemies。　He　moved　into　the　penthouse　suite　of　the　Magma　building　when　it　was　pleted　about　five　years　ago。　He　also　has　a　country　home　in　Surrey；　by　a　lake；　two　thousand　acres　of　pastures　and　woodland。　I　need　hardly　say　that's　a　huge　amount　of　land　to　own　in　the　Home　Counties。　He's　obviously　a　very　wealthy　man。　Unmarried；　doesn't　drive；　doesn't　smoke；　drinks　a　little；　no　mention　of　drugs　…but　there　wouldn't　be…doesn't　gamble。　That's　about　it。'
　　'What？'　said　Snaith　incredulously。　'There　must　be　more。'　Stuhr　reached　for　a　file　lying　beneath　Cora　Redmile's。　He　opened　it　and　indicated　the　single　sheet　of　paper　inside。　'I　told　you　there　wasn't　much　to　read。'
　　'It　must　give　his　birth　date；　where　he　was　educated；　his　employment　before　Magma。　Isn't　there　anything　about　his　social　activities？　It's　essential　that　we　at　least　have　some　idea　of　what　those　are。'
　　'He　doesn't　appear　to　have　any　if　this　document　is　anything　to　go　by。'
　　'Charles？'　Snaith　appealed。
　　Mather　waved　a　hand。　'That's　the　situation　I'm　afraid。　Even　in　conversation　the　chairman　gave　nothing　away。　Naturally　I　probed；　but　got　nowhere。　As　I　said；　they　seem　to　know　little　about　the　man　themselves；　and　I　think　that's　of　Kline's　choosing；　perhaps　part　of　his　own　terms　of　employment　was　his　plete　privacy　on　all　personal　matters。　If　he'd　already　demonstrated　how　good　his　abilities　were；　I　don't　suppose　the　board　objected　too　much。'
　　'All　right。　I'm　not　happy；　but　let's　accept　the　situation　for　what　of　is。'　Then　Snaith　asked　hopefully；　'I　suppose　his　salary　isn't　in　there　somewhere？'　Stuhr　grinned　and　shook　his　head。　'Not　even　a　hint。'
　　'We　could　find　out　from　other　sources；　but　let's　not　waste　our　tome。　In　fact；　there's　a　lot　more　information　we　could　uncover　if　we　tool　the　trouble；　but　we'll　take　the　assignment　at　face　value。　Our　contract　will　be　signed　later　today…we're　moving　fast　on　this　one…　Loam；　you'll　be　Kline's　constant　panion　as　of　eight　o'clock　tomorrow　morning。　Dieter；　I　want　a　report　from　you　on　terrorist　and　kidnap　activities　during　the　last　year。　Obviously　anything　relevant　to　Magma　or　its　subsidiary　panies　is　what　we're　after。'　Stuhr　made　a　note。　After　the　meeting　he　would　spend　some　tome　at　the　data　processing　machine；　using　a　special　access　code　to　link　up　with　another　pany　which　specialised　in　maintaining　and　updating　the　activities　and　whereabouts　of　known　worldwide　terrorist　groups　on　puter。
　　'I'll　do　some　checks　on　Magma's　rivals；　also；'　the　German　said；　'see　if　there　are　any　areas　where　petition　has　bee　over…fierce。'
　　'Good。　We're　looking　for　enemies；　business　or　otherwise。　But　if　Kline　is　as　neurotic　as　Liam　says；　this　whole　affair　could　well　be　a　waste　of　time　and　effort。　The　man　might　be　suffering　from　a　severe　case　of　paranoia。'　The　Controller　managed　a　grim　smile。　'Still；　that's　his　and　Magma's　problem　Achilles'　Shield　gets　paid　either　way。　What　do　you　have　for　us；　Charles？'　Mather　stopped　rubbing　at　his　knee。　'It's　all　fairly　straightforward。　For　the　time　being　we'll　allocate　four　operatives　to　work　with　Liam；　our　inside　man。　Two　to　a　team；　working　six…hour　shifts　around　the　clock。　We'll　also　keep　a　back…up　here　on　alert。　Any　preference　as　to　whom　you　want；　Liam？'　Halloran　shook　his　head。
　　'Very　well。　As　requested　by　Magma；　our　teams　will　keep　at　a　distance。　They'll　maintain　a　constant　patrol　around　the　Surrey　estate's　boundaries…as　usual；　we'll　inform　the　local　police　to　save　them　from　getting　into　a　tizz。'
　　'Will　our　people　be　armed？'　enquired　Stuhr。
　　There　was　a　pause。　Snaith　preferred　his　operatives　to　be　'lotted'　against　'severe　hostility'；　but　it　was　illegal　for　private　bodyguards　to　carry　weapons　in　England　（a　law　which　was　constantly　abused；　particularly　by　foreign　visitors　to　the　country）。　The　Controller　came　to　a　decision。　'Liam　will　take　with　him　to　the　estate　whatever　hardware　he　feels　is　necessary。　I'm　reluctant　to　sanction　anything　that　will　harm　our　special　relationship　with　the　police　and　Home　Office；　so　our　patrols　will　be　unarmed　for　the　time　being。　However；　should　there　be　any　definite　moves　against　our　client；　then　the　situation　will　be　reconsidered。　Although　we'll　have　to　rely　on　Liam　and　Kline's　own　bodyguards　to　take　care　of　internal　surveillance；　we'll　need　a　detailed　report　on　the　security　system　of　this　place　。　。　。'　Stuhr　made　another　note。
　　'　。　。　and　the　Magma　building　itself。　The　latter　worries　me　considerably。　Too　many　people　in　and　out　all　day。　However；　we　can　plant　an　extra　couple　of　our　men　in　the　lobbies　of　the　ground　and　twelfth　floors；　naturally　Magma's　own　security　people　will　have　to　know　they're　there。　We'll　have　a　surveillance　team　outside　at　night；　front　and　back；　when　Kline's　in　residence。'
　　'The　building　worries　me；　too；'　said　Halloran；　and　all　eyes　turned　towards　him。　'It's　a　glass　and　metal　fortress；　but　it's　vulnerable。'
　　'Then　let's　hope　nobody　tries　to　get　at　the　target　before　we're　operational；'　mented　Mather。　'Now　that　would　be　amusing。'　Snaith　didn't　find　that　prospect　amusing　at　all。　Not　one　bit。
　　　
　　　
　　　9　ENTICEMENT
　　
　　Ah　good；　at　last　he　is　approaching　the　boy。
　　The　boy　is　nervous　but　he　speaks　with　bravado。　He　is　pale；　the　boy；　and　looks　unwashed；　no　doubt　the　rumpled　plastic　bag　he　carries　contains　all　his　worldly　goods。　He　is　perhaps　sixteen；　perhaps　seventeen。　The　English　believe　that　is　too　young　to　be　without　family；　without　a　home；　would　that　they　knew　of　the　orphans　who　freely　roam　the　streets　and　marketplaces　of　Damascus；　boys　who　wander　alone；　others　who　prowl　in　packs；　stealing；　begging；　and　joining　lost　cau