scoonts.theminotaur-第88部分

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ad　inset　in　the　driver's　door。　It　was　dark。
　He　got　into　the　car　and　started　the　engine　and　backed　out　onto　the　street。
　〃I　want　to　run　by　the　Richards　house　and　pick　up　Gerald。〃　The　boy　had　spent　the　night　with　a　friend。
　〃Why？　He　can　walk　home　this　afternoon　and　he…has　a　key　to　the　house。〃
　〃I'm　taking　you　two　to　the　airport。　I　want　you　to　go　visit　your　mother　for　a　week　or　two。〃
　〃But　I'm　not　packed！　The　PTA　has　a　benefit　on　Thurs…〃
　〃I　want　you　both　out　of　town　for　a　while。　Don't　argue。　I　mean　it。〃
　〃What　about　our　clothes？〃　his　wife　protested。　〃We　can't…〃
　〃Oh　yes　you　can！　Buy　some　more　clothes。　You　have　your　checkbook。〃
　〃Luis；　what　is　this　all　about？〃
　He　pulled　over　to　the　side　of　the　street　and　put　the　car　in　neutral。　He　turned　in　the　seat　to　face　his　wife。　〃I'm　working　a　case。　The　people　we're　after　know　where　I　live。　I'd　just　feel　a　whole　lot　better　if　you　and　Gerald　weren't　home　until　I　wrap　this　up。　Now　there's　no　danger；　but　why　take　a　chance？〃
　〃You're　really　serious；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Yes。　I　am。〃
　〃Mother…how　will　I　explain　dropping　in　on　her　and　Dad　like　this？〃
　〃Tell　them　we　had　a　fight　and　you　want　some　time　alone。〃
　〃Mom　won't　believe　that！　She　knows　you　too　well　to…〃
　〃You　think　of　something。　Tell　them　we're　redoing　the　downstairs　and　you've　developed　an　allergy　to　paint。　I　don't　care。　Just　don't　tell　the　truth。　Your　mother'll　spill　it　to　every　one　other　friends；　and　it's　a　very　small　world。〃　He　put　the　car　in　gear　and　rolled。
　Sally　chewed　on　her　lip　and　twisted　the　strap　of　her　purse。　〃I　don't　like　this；　Luis。〃
　〃I　don't　either；　but　this　is　the　way　it　has　to　be。〃
　
　Smoke　Judy　was　sipping　beer　in　a　booth　at　his　favorite　bar　when　he　saw　Harlan　Albright　e　in　and　ask　for　change　for　the　parking　meter。　Judy　waited　several　minutes；　paid　his　tab　and　left。
　Albright　was　behind　the　wheel　of　his　car。　Judy　opened　the　passenger　door　and　sat　down。　〃Hi。〃
　〃Want　to　take　a　little　ride？〃
　〃Sure。　Why　not？〃　Smoke　took　his　sunglasses　from　the　neck　of　his　shirt；　where　they　hung　suspended　by　an　earpiece；　cleaned　them　on　a　shirttail；　then　put　them　on。　He　tossed　his　gym　bag　onto　the　backseat
　After　several　blocks；　Albright　glanced　at　Judy　and　asked；　〃How's　things　at　the　office？　Hear　you　guys　had　a　crash。〃
　〃Where'd　you　hear　that？〃
　〃Oh；　people　talk。〃
　Judy　shrugged。
　〃Got　anything　on　today？〃
　〃Not　really。〃
　〃Want　to　go　over　on　the　Eastern　Shore　and　get　some　dinner？　I　know　a　great　little　place　that　serves　the　best　crab　in　Maryland。〃
　〃They'll　serve　us　like　this？〃　Both　men　were　in　jeans。　Albright　was　wearing　a　pullover　shirt　that　sported　a　Redskins　logo。
　〃I　think　so。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　Albright　drove　to　the　beltway　and　got　on　it　headed　east。　Traffic　was　heavy；　as　usual。　He　took　the　exit　toward　Annapolis　and　engaged　the　cruise　control。　Judy　turned　on　the　radio　and　found　a　ball　game。　The　Orioles；　only　the　second　inning。
　Judy　noticed　that　Albright　kept　checking　the　rearview　mirrors；　but　he　quit　after　a　while　and　drove　with　his　left　elbow　out　the　window。　〃Can't　stand　air　conditioning；〃　he　muttered；　and　Judy　nodded。
　
　Luis　Camacho　sat　in　his　backyard　with　a　beer　in　his　hand。　He　had　carried　out　the　portable　TV　that　Sally　normally　watched　in　the　kitchen；　and　rigged　up　the　extension　cord。　He　had　the　Orioles　game　on。
　When　he　returned　from　the　airport；　Albright's　car　was　missing。　He　had　called　the　office　and　got　Dreyfus。　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃On　the　beltway　heading　east。　Picked　up　a　guy　at　a　bar　in　Alexandria；　but　we　don't　know　who。　Couldn't　get　close　enough。〃
　〃Okay。　Any　idea　where　they're　going？〃
　〃He　made　no　phone　calls　before　he　left　the　house。　Didn't　say　anything。　About　thirty　minutes　after　you　left　for　the　airport；　he　got　in　his　car　and　drove　off。　He　went　over　to　Reston　and　stopped　by　the　Gourmet　Market。〃
　〃Heard　from　Susan　yet？〃　Susan　was　the　wife　of　an　FBI　agent。　She　and　her　husband　owned　the　market；　and　Camacho　had　enlisted　their　help。　Susan　was　the　skinniest　woman　Camacho　had　ever　met；　but　to　the　best　of　his　knowledge　she　was　not　suffering　from　anorexia。
　〃Yeah。　Said　he　came　in　and　bought　some　things；　stood　and　chatted；　said　he　was　new　in　the　neighborhood。　Spent　about　fifteen　minutes　in　the　store。　She　says　he　never　asked　about　Caplinger　or　anyone　else；　and　she　didn't　volunteer。　She　wants　to　know　if　you　think　he'll　be　back。〃
　〃Tell　her　probably　not。　I　think　Albright　just　wanted　some　tangible　verification　of　my　little　tale。〃
　〃Okay。　I'll　call　you　back　when　he　gets　to　wherever　he's　going　and　let　you　know。〃
　〃Dreyfus；　I　meant　what　I　said　yesterday。　Under　no　circumstances；　none；　do　I　want　him　to　burn　the　tail。　Lose　him　if　you　have　to；　but　don't　give　him　a　chance　to　figure　out　we're　watching。〃
　〃Gotcha；　boss。〃
　Now　Camacho　sat　in　his　backyard　with　the　TV　going。　He　nursed　the　beer　and　paid　no　attention　to　the　game。
　Everything　that　could　be　done　had　been　done。　Nothing　had　been　rushed。　The　situation　had　been　allowed　to　ripen　naturally；　and　now　all　was　in　readiness。　Including　Dreyfus；　he　had　sixty…five　agents　on　this　case。　They　were　in　the　main　telephone　exchange　in　case　Albright　used　a　pay　phone；　Albright's　house　was　wired　and　continuously　monitored；　a　fleet　of　unmarked　cars　was　at　this　very　minute　preceding　and　following　Albright　as　he　drove　the　highways；　two　vans　full　of　cameras　and　parabolic　listening　devices　trailed　the　caravan；　two　helicopters　were　airborne；　Dreyfus　had　a　stack　of　signed　John　Doe　warrants　in　the　desk。　What　else？　Oh　yes；　all　the　top　lab　technicians　were　on　call。
　He　sipped　his　beer　and　tried　to　think　of　something　else　that　should　be　done；　some　contingency　that　he　had　not　foreseen。　He　could　think　of　nothing。　Well；　that　wasn't　really　true。　This　whole　operation　could　fizzle；　any　operation　could；　but　it　wouldn't　be　because　he　hadn't　prepared　as　well　as　possible。　His　worst　handicap　was　the　requirement　to　stay　loose　on　Albright；　to　remain　pletely　hidden。　Well；　that　was　the　only　way　it　could　be；　so　no　use　worrying。
　But　he　was　worried。　When　he　could　sit　still　no　longer；　he　got　the　lawn　rake　from　the　garage　and　set　to　work　on　the　grass　clippings　as　the　ball…park　announcer　chanted　the　summer　myth　yet　again　and　the　afternoon　heat　continued　to　build。
　
　Smoke　Judy　was　impressed。　The　building　wasn't　much；　but　the　prices　on　the　menu　were　reasonable　and　the　seafood　heaped　on　the　plates　of　the　early　diners　looked　scrumptious　and　smelled　the　same。　Didn't　they　call　this　decor　〃rustic〃？　Unfinished　boards　on　the　interior　walls；　with　fishing　nets　and　crab　pots　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　Subdued　lighting。　〃The　food's　great；〃　Albright　assured　him。　〃Deviled　crab　is　the　house　specialty。〃
　They　had　ordered　their　dinner　and　were　sipping　the　foam　off　frosty　glasses　of　beer　when　Albright　said；　〃Got　a　little　proposition　for　you；　if　you're　interested。〃
　Judy　wiped　off　his　foam　mustache　with　a　finger。　〃Depends。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　hear　the　term　'kilderkin'？〃
　Smoke　set　the　beer　mug　down　and　straightened　in　his　chair。　He　looked　around　at　the　other　guests　with　interest。　Two　or　three　looked　like　they　could　be　the　right　age　and　level　of　fitness。　His　eyes　swung　back　to　Albright。　〃Let's　go　to　the　John。〃
　He　rose　and　led　the　way。
　It　was　a　one…seater　with　a　urinal　and　a　sink。　Not　the　cleanest　rest　room　he　was　ever　in；　but　better　than　most。　And　it　was　empty。　Judy　turned　and　set　his　feet；　the　right　slightly　behind　the　left。　He　got　his　weight　up　on　the　balls　of　his　feet　and　bent　his　knees　slightly。　〃Hands　on　the　door；　feet　back　and　spread。　The　position；　man。〃
　Albright　stood　with　his　hands　on　his　hips　a　moment；　then　did　as　he　was　told。
　〃I'm　not　wearing　a　wire。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　He　felt　Albright　all　over；　including　his　crotch。　He　inspected　his　belt　and　his　shoes　and　his　pen。　He　examined　his　sunglasses。　He　looked　at　the　patch　on　his　jeans。　Then　he　removed　Albright's　wallet　and　moved　back　against　the　sink。　〃You　can　turn　around　now。〃
　Albright　watched　him　go　through　it。　He　looked　at　the　driver's　license　carefully；　the　library　card；　the　automobile　registration　and　insurance　cards；　the　receipts　from　the　food　store　and　the　laundry；　the　credit　cards。　He　counted　the　cash。　It　was　in　hundreds；　twenty　of　them。　〃Gonna　play　poker　tonight？〃
　〃I　like　to　pay　in　cash。〃
　〃Wh