jherbert.sepulchre-第48部分

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　follow。　It　seemed　to　me　at　the　time　that　Liam　had　almost　lost　all　reasonable　values。'　The　girl　looked　down　at　her　hands　and　Mather　wondered　if　he　had　embarrassed　her。　Were　his　ideas　too　rigid；　or　too　'quaint'　for　these　racy　times？　Probably；　but　no　less　valid　for　that；　he　reassured　himself。
　　'And　has　he　changed？'　Cora　asked　softly。
　　'Well；　he's　been　with　Shield　for　over　six　years　now；　and　in　many　ways　he's　the　best　operative　we　have。　Yes；　he　has　changed。'　Mather　smiled。　'But　just　how　much；　I　really　can't　say。'
　　　
　　　
　　　29　RECONNOITRE
　　
　　They　drove　past　the　gates；　all　three　occupants　of　the　car　peering　round；　looking　along　the　uneven　drive　to　see　where　it　led。　Unfortunately　it　curved　into　woodland　which　obscured　any　further　view。
　　With　a　nod　of　his　head；　the　front　passenger　indicated　the　old　lodge…house　set　to　one　side　of　the　big　iron　gates。　The　car　did　not　slow　down。
　　They　studied　the　high　wall　as　the　car　picked　up　a　steady　speed　once　more；　and　then　the　dense　trees　and　undergrowth　when　the　weathered　brickwork　ran　out。　They　travelled　a　long　way　before　a　narrow　lane　came　up　on　the　left。　The　driver　steered　into　it；　the　other　two　occupants　continuing　to　study　the　hedges　that　bordered　the　left…hand　side　of　the　lane。　Presently　they　were　able　to　catch　brief　glimpses　of　downward　slopes；　woodland；　a　lake。　The　man　in　the　backseat　told　the　driver　to　stop　the　car。
　　Although　their　view　was　restricted　by　the　trees　closest　to　the　lane；　they　could　just　make　out　what　appeared　to　be　a　red…stoned　building　on　the　far　shore　of　the　lake；　nestled　beneath　low　hills。　Reluctant　to　linger　too　long；　the　back　passenger　instructed　the　driver　to　move　on。
　　The　lane　joined　a　wider　road　and　again　the　car　turned　left；　maintaining　a　casual　speed；　neither　fast；　nor　slow。　There　were　bends　and　dips　along　the　route；　but　the　observers'　attention　rarely　wavered　from　the　heavily　wooded　countryside　on　their　left。　Through　his　rearview　mirror；　the　driver　noticed　another　vehicle　approaching　from　behind。　It　was　a　Granada　and　he　mentioned　the　fact　to　his　panions。　It　slowed　down；　keeping　a　distance　of　forty　or　fifty　yards　away；　following　without　pressurising　the　lead　car　into　hurrying。
　　The　driver　of　the　first　vehicle　watched　for　a　road　to　e　up　on　his　right。　One　did；　and　he　drove　on　by。　Soon　another　appeared；　again　to　his　right；　and　this　one　he　took。
　　In　his　mirror　he　saw　the　Granada　pass　along　the　road　they　hid　left；　its　two　occupants　staring　after　them。　It　quickly　vanished　from　view；　but　the　driver　of　the　first　car　kept　on　going；　picking　up　speed。
　　Only　when　they　had　travelled　a　mile　or　so　further　did　he　pull　in　by　the　side　of　the　road　and　turn　to　look　at　his　panions。
　　The　passenger　in　the　back　nodded。　From　what　they'd　seen　so　far；　the　scar…faced　man　（when　they　had　finally　broken　him）　had　been　quite　correct：　the　estate　was　large；　very　large　indeed。
　　　
　　　
　　　30　RETRIBUTION　IN　DARKNESS
　　
　　Quinn…Reece　was　alone　in　his　office　on　the　eighteenth　floor　of　the　Magma　Corporation。
　　The　tiniest　smile　of　satisfaction　twitched　his　lips　as　he　pleted　the　last　paragraph　of　the　report　concerning　the　Papua　New　Guinea　copper　situation。　A　report　that　Felix　Kline　had　requested　he　provide　before　leaving　the　building；　so　that　the　chairman　could　call　a　forward　planning　meeting　after　he　had　broken　the　news　to　the　board　of　directors　on　Monday　morning。
　　Did　they　really　hope　to　retrieve　the　situation？　Exploration　rights　for　that　particular　area　of　land　had　already　been　granted　to　Consolidated　Ores；　and　not　even　if　Magma's　bribe　to　the　government　officials　involved　outmatched　their　rival　pany's　could　the　agreement　he　rescinded。
　　He　gathered　the　papers　together　on　his　desk。　They　would　be　ready　for　his　secretary　to　tpe　first　thing　in　the　morning。　Rarely　a　happy　man；　Quinn…Reece…　allowed　his　smile　to　broaden。　He　was　pleased　with　the　wording；　for　it　emphasised；　in　all　due　modesty；　of　course；　his　strenuous　efforts　to　secure　those　rights　before　anyone　else　got　wind　of　the　find；　continuously　trying　to　contact　their　agent　on　the　island　by　telephone；　telex　and　even　personal　messenger　to　his　hotel。　Unfortunately；　the　man　could　not　be　located　（or　so　Quinn…Reece　indicated　in　his　report）　and　in　the　meanwhile；　Magma's　biggest　rival　had　learned　of　the　'find'。
　　He　allowed　himself　to　chuckle。
　　Time　to　go　home；　he　decided。　Enough　is　enough。　The　report　could　indeed　be　more　full；　but　why　the　hell　should　he　put　in　any　more　hours　on　a　Sunday？　It　was　late　afternoon　and　the　skies　were　already　darkened　by　clouds　and　drizzle。　Before　he　went；　though；　a　stiff　gin　and　tonic　to　celebrate　yet　another　successful　deception。
　　lie　left　his　desk　and　went　to　a　wall　cabinet；　opening　it　to　reveal　his　private　liquor　stock；　there　for　entertaining　business　associates　or；　more　often　than　not；　for　the　frequent　'nips'　that　got　him　through　the　day。　The　small　ice　bucket　was　empty；　but　who　needed　ice'？　fie　poured　a　good　measure　of　gin　into　a　glass　tumbler　anti　added　an　equal　amount　of　tonic。　He　raised　the　glass　to　his　ips　when　the　noise　outside　his　office　door　stopped　him。
　　He　shrugged。　Security　on　their　rounds；　checking　all　offices。　lour　excellent　health！　he　silently　toasted　himself；　and　took　a　large　。wallow　of　the　drink。　The　mixture　warmed　him；　lightening　his　mood　even　further。　Just　a　few　more　months'　subservience　to　chat　obnoxious；　stunted　oaf；　then　home　and　dry；　working　for　a　pany　who　would　appreciate　his　business　acumen；　and　who　Mould　be　extremely　grateful　for　past　services。　The　risk　had　been　：north　it。　And　what　could　the　Corporation　do　anyway　even　if　they　had　discovered　he　was　the　source　of　the　leaks？　Take　him　to　court？　I　Oh　no；　he　knew　too　much　for　that。　The　share…holders　would　be　；unhappy　if　they　were　to　（earn　of　Kline's　true　position　at　Magma；　and　the　financial　Press　would　have　a　ball。　Even　Consolidated　were　unaware　of　the　psychic's　presence　within　Magma…they　merely　；assumed　that　the　Corporation's　field　agents　were　more　astute　than　their　own。　No；　the　worst　that　Magma　could　do　would　be　to　dismiss　him。　And　pay　him　off　for　keeping　his　mouth　shut；　of　course。　Instead　they　were　sacking　the　girl；　Cora。
　　He　was　smiling　again。
　　Quinn…Reece　turned　his　head。　Was　someone　still　outside？　He　was　sure　he'd　heard　movement　in　the　outer　office。　Leaving　the　glass　on　the　corner　of　his　desk；　the　vice…chairman　walked　to　the　half…open　door。
　　He　pulled　it　open　all　the　way　and　looked　through。　'Anyone　；here'？'　he　called　out；　feeling　rather　foolish。
　　There　was　no　response。
　　He　stepped　forward　and　caught　a　whiff　of　spices　just　before　…）mething　soft　fell　over　his　head　and　blocked　out　the　light。
　　Hands　shoved　him　from　behind　and　he　staggered　forward；　fell；　'ay　sprawled　on　a　hard　floor；　his　head　still　covered。
　　Quinn…Reece　remained　prone　for　a　few　seconds；　regathering　his　senses。　terribly　afraid　to　move。　He　heard　the　click　of　a　door　closing。　He　was　trembling　badly。
　　The　brief；　stumbling　journey　had　been　one　of　the　worst　experiences　of　his　life　（so　far）；　for　it　was　a　brutally　rushed　trip　towards　a　fate　unknown。　He　now　knew　how　murderers　must　have　felt　in　the　old　days　when　they　were　taken　hooded　from　their　cell　and　hurried　to　the　gallows；　giving　them　precious　little　time　to　consider　the　eternity　waiting　for　them　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　（except　there　was　always　time　to　consider　that　prospect；　no　matter　how　fast　they　took　you；　no　matter　how　roughly　they　treated　you；　because　part　of　your　mind　was　quiet；　entirely　remote　from　the　rest　of　your　feverish　thoughts；　numbingly　and　so　fearfully　aware　。　。　。）。　He　had　been　held　down…by　two　of　them…even　though　no　words　were　spoken；　no　one　answered　his　demands；　nor　his　pleas；　he　was　sure　there　were　two　of　them…yet　he　had　felt　himself　rising。　The　lift。　They　must　have　bundled　him　into　the　lift。　But　why？　Where　were　they　taking　him？　Oh　God；　was　it　true　then？　Were　these　people　after　Felix　Kline？　Had　they　made　a　mistake；　thinking　that　he　was　psychic'？　That　had　to　be　it！　So　perhaps　it　was　safe　to　look　up；　to　show　them；　convince　them　they'd　got　the　wrong　man。　He　had　no　allegiance　to　Kline；　far　from　it：　he　could　tell　them　all　they　wanted　to　know。　No　need　to　harm　him；　he　wasn't　the　one　they　were　after。
　　Quinn…Reece　hesitantly　r