pdouglas.thecodex-第14部分
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the cheap suit。
Hauser kept walking。
〃We're always open to…Mr。 Hauser！〃
The door closed in Graff's face。 Hauser was gone。
Graff turned toward Skiba。 His hands were shaking。 〃We've got to stop him。〃
Skiba said nothing for a moment。 What Hauser had said was true： If they got their hands on the manuscript； the announcement alone would turn around their stock。 Fifty million； however； was blackmail。 Dealing with a man like this was odious。 But some things couldn't be helped。 Skiba said； 〃While there's only one way to pay a debt； there are a million ways not to pay it。 As you well know； Mike。〃
Graff couldn't quite muster a smile through the sheen of sweat on his face。
Skiba spoke into his inter。 〃That man who was just here； don't let him leave the building。 Tell him we agree to his terms and escort him back up here。〃
He laid the phone back in its cradle and turned to Graff。 〃I hope for both of our sakes this guy is for real。〃
〃He is；〃 said Graff。 〃Believe me； I looked into this very thoroughly。 The Codex exists； and the sample page is real。〃
In a moment Hauser was standing in the door。
〃You'll get your fifty million；〃 Skiba said brusquely。 〃Now take a seat and tell us your plan。〃
10
Charlie Hernandez felt drained。 The funeral had been long； the interment longer。 He could still feel the grit of the dirt on his right hand。 It was always hell when one of their own had to be buried； let alone two。 And he still had a court appearance and half a shift to get through。 He glanced over at his partner； Willson； catching up on paperwork。 Smart guy； too bad his handwriting looked like a kindergartner's。
The buzzer rang； and Doreen said； 〃Two people to see； ah； Barnaby and Fenton。〃
Christ； this was just what he needed。 〃What about？〃
〃They won't say。 Won't talk to anyone but Barnaby and Fenton。〃
He sighed heavily。 〃Send them in。〃
Willson had stopped writing and was looking up。 〃You want me…？〃
〃You stay。〃
They appeared in the doorway； a stunning blond and a tall guy in cowboy boots。 Hernandez grunted； sat up； smoothed a hand over his hair。 〃Sit down。〃
〃We're here to see Lieutenant Barnaby； not…〃
〃I know who you're here to see。 Please take a seat。〃
They sat down； reluctantly。
〃I'm Officer Hernandez；〃 he said； addressing the blond。 〃May I ask what your business with Officer Barnaby is？〃 He spoke with the practiced voice of officialdom； slow； stolid； and final。
〃We'd prefer to deal directly with Officer Barnaby；〃 said the man。
〃You can't。〃
〃Why not？〃 He flared up。
〃Because he's dead。〃
They stared back at him。 〃How？〃
God； Hernandez felt tired。 Barnaby had been a good man。 What a waste。 〃Automobile accident。〃 He sighed。 〃Perhaps if you told me who you were and how I could help you？〃
They looked at each other。 The man spoke。 〃I'm Tom Broadbent； and about ten days ago Lieutenant Barnaby investigated a possible break…in at our house off the Old Santa Fe Trail。 Barnaby handled the call； and I wondered if he filed a report。〃
Hernandez glanced over at Willson。
〃He didn't file a report；〃 Willson said。
〃Did he say anything？〃
〃He said it had been some kind of misunderstanding； that Mr。 Broadbent had moved some artworks and his sons mistakenly assumed they had been stolen。 As I explained last week to your brother； a crime hadn't been mitted； so there was no reason to open a file。〃
〃My brother？ Which one？〃
〃The name escapes me。 Long hair； beard； hippie type…〃
〃Vernon。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Can we talk to his partner； Fenton？〃
〃He also passed away in the accident。〃
〃What happened？〃
〃Car went off the Ski Basin Road at Nuns Corner。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃
〃So are we。〃
〃So there's no paperwork； nothing on the investigation up at the Broadbent house？〃
〃Nothing。〃
There was a silence； and then Hernandez said； 〃Is there anything else I can do for you folks？〃
11
Trash burned in a row of fifty…five…gallon drums along the filthy beach at Puerto Lempira； each sending a stream of acrid smoke into the town。 A fat woman cooked on a al over one of the drums； the smell of frying pork cracklings carried toward Vernon on a fetid breeze。 He walked with the Teacher along the dirt street that paralleled the beach； trailed and jostled by a crowd of children； followed in turn by a groveling pack of dogs。 The children had been trailing them for almost an hour； crying out 〃Gimme sweet！〃 and 〃Gimme dollar！〃 Vernon had dispensed several bags of candy and given out all his dollar bills in an effort to placate them； but the generosity had succeeded only in swelling the crowd to ever more hysterical proportions。
Vernon and the Teacher arrived at a rickety wooden pier that stuck out into the muddy lagoon； at the end of which was tied a gaggle of dugout canoes with outboard motors。 Men lounged in hammocks； and dark…eyed women eyed them from doorways。 A man pushed up to them； a boa wrapped around his neck。
〃Snake；〃 he said。 〃Fifty dollar。〃
〃We don't want a snake；〃 said the Teacher。 〃We want a boat。 Barca。 Boat。 We're looking for Juan Freitag Charters。 You sale Juan Freitag？〃
The man began unwrapping the snake and holding it out as if he were offering a string of sausages。 〃Snake。 Thirty dollar。〃
The Teacher brushed past him。
〃Snake！〃 the man cried； pursuing。 〃Twenty dollar！〃 His shirt was almost falling off his shoulders； it had so many holes。 He clutched at Vernon with long brown fingers as he passed。 Vernon； fishing in his pocket for change and dollar bills； could only find a fiver。 He gave it to the man。 The children surged forward； redoubling their hollering； streaming down to the quayside from the teeming barrios above。 〃Damn you； stop handing out money；〃 said the Teacher。 〃We're going to be robbed。〃
〃Sorry。〃
The teacher seized an older child by the scruff of his neck。 〃Juan Freitag Charters！〃 he cried impatiently。 〃Where？ Donde？〃 He turned to Vernon。 〃How do you say boat in Spanish again？〃
〃Barca。〃
〃Barca！ Donde barca？〃
The boy； frightened； pointed a dirty finger toward a cinderblock building across from the pier。
The Teacher released him and hurried along the dusty quayside； Vernon following； pursued by children and dogs。 The door to the office was open； and they went in。 A man behind a desk got up； went to the door with a flyswatter； swatted the pursuing children away from the door； and slammed it。 By the time he had resumed his seat； he was all smiles。 He had a small； neat head and body and blond； Aryan features。 But when he spoke； it was with a Spanish accent。
〃Please acmodate yourselves。〃
They took a couple of wicker chairs； next to an end table piled with copies of scuba magazines。
〃What can I do for you； gentlemen？〃
〃We want to rent a couple of boats with guides；〃 the Teacher said。
The man smiled。 〃Scuba diving or tarpon fishing？〃
〃Neither。 We want to go upriver。〃
The smile seemed to gel on the man's face。 〃Up the Patuca？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I see。 You are adventure travelers？〃
The Teacher glanced at Vernon。 〃Yes。〃
〃How far do you wish to go？〃
〃We don't know yet。 A long way。 Perhaps as far as the mountains。〃
〃You must take motorized dugout canoes； because the river is too shallow for a regular boat。 Manuel！〃
After a moment a young man came in from the back。 He blinked in the light。 He had fish blood and scales on his hands。
〃This is Manuel。 He and his cousin Ramón will guide you。 They know the river well。〃
〃How long will it take to get upriver？〃
〃You can go as far as Pito Solo。 One week。 Beyond that is the Meambar Swamp。〃
〃And beyond that？〃
The man waved his hand。 〃You do not want to cross the Meambar Swamp。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 said the Teacher； 〃it's quite possible we do。〃
The man inclined his head； as if humoring crazy Americans was all in a day's work。 〃As you wish。 Beyond the swamp are mountains and more mountains。 You will need to take at least a month of supplies and food。〃
A wasp buzzed in the whitewashed room； tapping on the cracked window； swinging around； and colliding with it again。 With a lightning motion the man smacked it with the flyswatter。 It fell to the ground； writhing and stinging itself in agony。 A polished shoe was extended from under t
