jherbert.sepulchre-第68部分

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ntrate　to　keep　himself　steady；　for　his　head　was　still　groggy。　Cora　took　a　step　towards　him　and　Palusinski　grabbed　her　to　bald　her　back。　She　looked　dumbly　at　the　Pole's　hand　as　though　wondering　what　it　was　doing　on　her　arm。
　　Kline；　assisted　by　Khayed；　was　rising　from　the　shadows。　He　came　forward；　movement　slow；　an　old　man's　shuffle；　his　servant　close　by　his　side。　Part　of　the　darkness　came　with　him；　for　he　was　wearing　a　black　robe　whose　hem　swept　along　the　flour。　He　left　the　statues。
　　He　came　into　the　light。
　　'Jesus；　Mary　。　。　。'　Halloran　breathed。
　　　
　　　
　　　43　THE　OPEN　GATES
　　
　　Rain　lashed　the　windscreen；　the　wipers　barely　able　to　keep　the　glass　clear。　Charles　Mother　peered　over　the　steering　wheel；　his　whole　body　tensed；　the　aching　in　his　leg　bad。
　　He　was　close；　he　was　sure　of　that。　The　entrance　to　Neath　had　to　be　nearby。　Unfortunately；　the　rain　made　it　impossible　to　see　too　far　ahead。　Damned　incredible　night；　he　mused　irritably。　The　storm　was　as　fierce　now　as　when　it　had　first　begun　nearly　an　hour　ago；　with　no　sign　of　abating。　The　clouds　were　black　and　ragged　with　inner　strife；　the　thunder　they　threw　out　rattling　his　very　bones。
　　Lightning　lit　the　way；　white…washing　the　landscape。　The　earth　threatened　to　split　under　the　explosive　crack　that　acpanied　the　light。
　　It　would　have　been　safer…and　more　sensible…to　have　pulled　over　by　the　roadside　and　wait　out　the　storm；　but　Mother　would　not　consider　doing　that。　He　was　too　concerned　for　Liam　Halloran。　Something　had　been　wrong　with　this　assignment　all　along　and　the　revelation　by　Magma's　chairman　earlier　that　evening　had　furthered　Mother's　disquiet。　Snaith　himself　had　given　the　goahead　to　bring　out　their　operative；　although　he　had　not　personally　felt　Halloran　was　at　risk。　No；　the　Controller　was　more　unhappy　with　the　Magma　Corporation's　unreliable　conduct；　for　deceit　could　easily　jeopardise　an　operation　of　this　sort。　'Negative　factor'　was　the　term　used　by　Achilles'　Shield　when　carefully　laid　plans　could　be　put　at　risk　by　deliberate　misinformation。　Under　such　circumstances；　a　mission　could　be　resigned　at　once；　and　every　Shield　contract　contained　a　get…out　clause　covering　this　particular　area。　As　Magma　had　been　quite　prepared　to　withhold　certain　vital　information；　they　could　not　be　regarded　as　a　trustworthy　client。
　　Mother　had　agreed　with　his　Controller　on　that　score；　but　it　was　Sir　Victor　Penlock's　insinuation　which　bothered　him　more。
　　Felix　Kline　was　not　an　employee　of　the　Magma　Corporation。　Far　from　it。　He　was　Magma。　Many　years　before；　Mother　had　learned；　he　had　taken　over　an　existing　mineral　and　energy　research　and　development　pany；　acquiring　fifty…two　per　cent　of　the　stock　through　various　other　worldwide　panies　which　had　no　connection　with　Magma。　The　secret　of　ownership　had　been　kept　because　of　'credibility'　in　the　all…important　City　market…no　financial　adviser　would　remend　investment　in　a　pany　whose　major　shareholder　was　a　socalled　'mystic'。　The　world　of　high　finance　was　not　known　for　its　sense　of　humour。
　　If　Shield　had　been　made　aware　of　Kline's　true　role　within　the　organisation；　then　a　much　more　prehensive　plan　of　action　would　have　been　undertaken　and　a　larger　protection　force；　with　even　more　stringent　restrictions；　employed。　As　it　was；　Magma　had　used　a　blindfold　on　the　agency。
　　But　what　concerned　Mother　most；　though；　was　Sir　Victor's　suggestion　that　Kline　might　have　been　responsible　for　QuinnReece's　death　in　some　way。　The　deputy…chairman　had　succumbed　to　heart　failure；　surely。　But　there　had　been　others　in　conflict　with　the　psychic　in　the　past　who　had　also　died　of　sudden　and；　in　two　cases　at　least；　inexplicable　cardiac　arrests。　Three　others；　to　be　precise。　One　inside　the　Corporation；　a　board　member　who　had　constantly　opposed　plans　for　development　put　forward　（albeit　surreptitiously）　by　Kline；　another　had　been　from　a　rival　pany；　whose　persistent　investigations　were　slowly　unravelling　Kline's　real　worth　to　Magma；　the　third　had　been　a　munications　magnate　who　had　instigated　a　take…over　bid　for　the　Corporation。　This　man　had　a　known　heart　condition；　but　when　he　had　been　found　dead　from　a　massive　coronary　in　his　bed　one　morning；　a　look　of　sheer　horror　had　been　frozen　into　his　features。　It　was　concluded　that　a　nightmare　had　aggravated　his　diseased　heart　to　the　point　of　killing　him。　But　both　Sir　Victor　and　Mother　had　seen　the　horrorstruck　look　also　on　Quinn…Reece's　face。
　　There　had　been　other　incidents　through　the　years。　and　the　chairman　had　confessed　to　Mother　that　he；　himself；　had　begun　to　live　in　fear　of　Kline's　strange　powers。　Although　nothing　could　be　proved；　Sir　Victor　realised　there　had　been　too　many　mysterious　'happenings'　to　be　ignored。
　　Why　Quinn…Reece？　Mother　had　demanded。　What　on　earth　could　Kline　have　against　his　own　deputy…chairman？
　　Sir　Victor　had　explained　that　for　some　time　Kline　had　suspected　Quinn…Reece　of　leaking　news　of　possible　mineral　sites　for　development　to　another　pany。　Indeed；　he　and　the　chairman　had　discussed　those　suspicions　on　more　than　one　occasion。　However；　this　time；　Kline　had　accused　his　personal　assistant；　Cora　Redmile。　But　the　chairman　was　accustomed　to　the　psychic's　deviousness　and　Quinn…Reece's　subsequent　death　was　too　much　of　a　coincidence　to　be　taken　lightly。　Yet　there　was　no　proof；　none　at　all。　Only　misgivings。
　　That　was　enough　for　Mather。　He　already　had　doubts　about　the　assignment；　a　gut…feeling　that　things　weren't　quite　right。　The　torture　of　Dieter　Stuhr　had　added　to　his　concern；　for　torture；　unless　perversion　was　involved；　usually　meant　information　was　being　sought　of　the　victim。　That　information　might　well　have　been　to　do　with　Shield's　security　arrangements　for　Felix　Kline。　Somewhat　drastic　perhaps；　but　where　huge　sums　of　ransom　money　were　involved　kidnappers　had　few　scruples。　And　then　there　was　always　the　possibility　that　more　than　just　abduction　was　in　mind。　Kline　might　well　be　a　target　for　assassination…God　only　knew　what　enemies　the　man　had。
　　Mather　had　left　the　Magma　building　and　had　gone　straight　to　the　home　of　Gerald　Snaith　with　the　remendation　that　the　contract　be　declared　null　and　void。　That　had　been　over　two　hours　ago；　but　he　felt　he　had　been　driving　for　much　longer。
　　Mather　used　the　booster　fan　to　clear　vapour　from　the　windscreen；　his　own　breath；　because　he　was　so　close　to　the　glass；　contributing　to　the　mist。　For　a　few　moments　he　was　driving　blind　and　he　slowed　the　car　almost　to　a　halt。　He　pushed　another　button　and　the　driver's　window　slid　down。　Raindrops　pounded　at　his　face　when　he　looked　at　the　road　ahead。　There　was　a　wall　to　his　left；　set　back；　undergrowth　thick　before　it；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road　was　forest。　He　ducked　his　head　back　inside　and　wiped　a　handkerchief　across　his　face。
　　A　light　behind；　dazzling　in　the　rearview　mirror；　ing　up　slowly。　A　car's　headlights。
　　They　blinked　once；　twice。　He　grunted　with　satisfaction　when　they　blinked　a　third　time。
　　Mather　touched　his　brakes　twice　in　acknowledgement；　then　pulled　over　to　the　side　of　the　road；　bringing　the　car　to　a　halt。　He　waited　for　one　of　the　two　men　in　the　vehicle　behind　to　e　to　him。
　　'Didn't　expect　you；　sir；'　the　operative　said　loudly　enough　to　be　heard　over　the　storm。　He　crouched　at　the　open　window；　collar　up　against　the　rain。　'Gave　us　a　surprise；　seeing　your　number。'
　　'I've　been　trying　to　reach　you　on　the　radio；'　Mather　plained。
　　'The　storm's　fouled　up　munications。　Never　known　one　like　this　before。　We've　kept　in　touch　with　the　other　patrol　by　stopping　each　time　we　meet　en　route。　What's　up；　Mr　Mather；　what　brings　you　here？'
　　'We're　pulling　out。'
　　'Shit；　you're　joking。'
　　'I'm　afraid　not。　Anything　occurred　tonight　that　you're　not　happy　about？'
　　'Only　this　bloody　weather。　Visibility's　down　to　twenty　yards。'
　　'Where's　the　entrance　to　the　estate？'
　　'Gates　are　up　ahead；　on　the　left。　You're　nearly　there。'
　　'Follow　me　down；　I'll　brief　you　off　the　road。'　The　operative　shrugged；　then　ran　back　to　the　Granada。　Mather　set　his　car　in　motion；　going　slowly；　looking　for　the　gates。　An　open　area　swept　back　from　the　roadway　and　he　turned　into　it；　driving　right　up　to　the　tall　gates。　There　should　be　。　。　。　yes；　there　it　was。　A　dark；　bulky　shape　that　had　to　be　the　lodge…house。