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第97部分

scoonts.theminotaur-第97部分

小说: scoonts.theminotaur 字数: 每页4000字

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 〃I told him about the mander's troubles;〃 Camacho replied。
 〃You told him?〃 The admiral's eyes widened。 〃Good God! Who are you working for; anyway?〃
 〃I'm on your side; Admiral。〃
 〃Hallelujah! I hate to think of the mess we'd be in if you weren't。〃
 〃Why my wife?〃 Jake asked。
 〃You'd been given guardianship of the holy grail; Athena。 You; a captain。 Smoke Judy worked for you。 Admiral Henry knew Judy was a bad apple; and he knew I knew。〃
 〃It's a wonder he slept nights。〃 Dunedin muttered。
 〃Are you saying he didn't trust me?〃 Jake said doggedly。
 〃Tyler Henry didn't trust anyone。 He didn't just cut the cards; he insisted on shuffling every time。 But I don't think it was you he was really worried about。 It was me。 He didn't want you corrupted by me。〃
 〃Say again?〃
 〃He thought I might recruit you; so he was looking for clues in the only place he could。〃 Camacho stood。 Dreyfus got to his feet a second later。 〃Gentlemen; that's the crop。 That's all you get。〃
 〃Not so fast; Camacho;〃 the admiral said; pointing toward the chairs。 〃You can hike when I finish this interview。 I have a few more questions to ask; and so you sit right there and I'll do the asking。〃
 Camacho obeyed。 Dreyfus remained erect。 〃You can wait outside;〃 the admiral said。
 〃He can stay;〃 Camacho said。 Dreyfus sat。
 〃Who approved this operation?〃
 〃My superiors。〃
 〃Who are?〃
 〃The Assistant Director and the Director。 And the mittee。〃
 〃What I want to know is this: who gave you the green light to screw around with the U。S。 Navy? As if we didn't have enough troubles。〃
 〃My superiors。〃
 〃I want names; mister! I want to know the names of the idiots who authorized a covert operation that resulted in the death of a vice admiral and jeopardized congressional approval of the A…12。 I want some ass! The CNO is going to want blood。 George Ludlow; Royce Caplinger; if they don't know about this…〃
 〃Ask them。 Any more questions?〃
 〃Ludlow? Caplinger? They knew?〃
 〃The people who have to know; know。 You said those names; I didn't。 Now if you will excuse me; I've said all I can say and I have work to do。〃 Dreyfus reached the door before Camacho got pletely out of his chair。
 〃The FBI Director better be there pouring oil on the water when I get to those hearings; Camacho;〃 Jake said。
 〃And if he isn't?〃 Dreyfus asked with exaggerated politeness。
 〃Then you'd better be there with a warrant if you want me to keep quiet。 I have this nasty little habit of answering questions by telling the truth。〃
 Camacho just nodded and strolled for the door; which Dreyfus opened and held。 〃Thank you both;〃 he told the naval officers; then stepped through。
 When the door was shut behind them; Dunedin said; 〃Too bad we don't know any truth to answer questions with。〃
 〃We know a little。〃
 〃You've still got a lot to learn; Jake。 Truth isn't something you can extrapolate from a tiny piece。 And believe me; those two have given us the tiniest piece they could。 If it was a piece of the truth at all; which is debatable。〃
 
 On Monday morning Jake signed his report; which remended the TRX prototype as the plane the navy should buy; and hand…carried it to Admiral Dunedin's office。 The admiral flipped through it to see that the changes he wanted were made; then he signed the prepared endorsement。 From there Jake carried it over to the program coordinator's office。 mander Rob Knight was tapping a letter on his word processor when Jake came in。
 〃This is it; huh?〃
 〃Yep。〃 Jake pulled up a chair。 Knight reviewed the changes; then signed the routing slip。 〃Congratulations。 Another milestone passed。〃
 〃Think we'll get this plane?〃
 〃Looks good。 Looks good。〃 Knight grinned。 He spent a large portion of his time talking to congressional staffers on behalf of the CNO's office。 〃They know we need it。 They know it's a good buy。 The only really iffy thing is the choice of prototypes。 Duquesne knows this is ing and he's loading his guns。〃
 〃What's he going to e at me with?〃
 〃I'll know more by tomorrow。 I'll be over at nine with a guy from the Office of Legislative Affairs to brief you on expected questions; suggested answers; how to keep your cool…all the good stuff。 You'll be testifying with Admiral Dunedin and he'll go first。 But you're the guy they'll try to rip。 You originated the remendation。 If they can get you to admit you're an inpetent; lying idiot; then Dunedin; CNO; SECNAV; SECDEF; they all have to reconsider。 So wear your steel underwear。〃
 Jake's next stop was CNO's office。 He had to talk to the executive assistant…the EA…and wait an hour; but with the CNO's blessing on his document; he walked it down to the Secretary of the Navy's office。 After the obligatory half hour wait while the EA reviewed the document; Ludlow invited him in。
 〃How close is this to the draft I saw?〃
 〃Pretty close; sir。 Vice Admiral Dunedin and CNO wanted some changes; and they're incorporated。〃
 〃Are you prepared to defend this report on the Hill?〃
 〃Yessir。〃
 Ludlow quizzed him for an hour on the technical aspects of the report。 Apparently satisfied; he acpanied Jake to the door。 〃Just don't get cute with the elected ones。 Be open; aboveboard; a good little sailor。〃
 
 Smoke Judy changed into his running clothes and stowed ha rags behind a Dumpster in a Georgetown alley。 God; he smelled ripe。 But what the hell…they sold this stink in a bottle now; didn't they? He would probably have women crawling all over him。 Everyone would think he just ran five miles and dropped by for a tall; cool Perrier。 Just as trendy as a pair of Gucci shoes。
 He walked the four blocks to the bar carrying the gym bag in his right hand。 The place was packed; just like last week。 If anyone noticed his aroma; they didn't show it。
 He made his way through the crowd and into the men's room; where he washed his face and neck and arms as thoroughly as possible。 He even used a paper towel on his armpits without taking his shirt off。
 Whew! He felt better。
 He stepped out of the men's room and stood looking。 A two…person booth opened up at the back of the room; so he immediately slipped into it。 Holding the gym bag under the table; he extracted the pistol from the bag and laid it on his lap。
 The waitress didn't give his four…day beard a second glance。 〃Gimme a Bud。〃
 He drank the first one quickly; then nursed the second。 Twenty minutes passed; then thirty。
 What if Albright doesn't show?
 Judy got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach。 The beer felt like it was going to e up。 He stared at the door; scrutinizing every face。
 When Albright came in; Judy almost shouted。
 He walked the length of the room and sat into the booth。 Only then did Judy realize his hands were empty。
 〃Jesus;〃 Albright said。 〃You look bad。〃
 〃Had a little trouble。〃
 〃I guess you did。 I read about it。 Dealing; are you?〃
 〃A crock。〃
 〃Yeah。〃 Albright ordered a Corona。 He sat looking around。
 〃Where'd you spend the weekend?〃
 〃In an alley。〃
 〃Smart。〃
 〃They haven't caught me yet。〃
 〃You wired?〃
 〃What?〃
 〃Are you wearing a wire?〃
 〃Hell no。 Where's the fucking money?〃
 〃You got it?〃
 〃Yeah; right here。 You wanta see it?〃
 〃Okay。 Show me。〃
 Judy passed him the gym bag。 〃The side pocket。 Look but don't take it out。〃 Albright did as requested。
 〃So; you got it?〃
 〃What's it look like?〃
 〃What it looks like; my friend; is a five…and…a…quarter…inch floppy disk; which could have anything under the sun on it。 It could even be empty。 You didn't think I was just going to take it on faith that you're an honorable gentleman and hand you all that lettuce; did you?〃
 〃Something like that。〃
 The Corona came。 Albright took his time squeezing the lime slice and dropping it down the neck of the bottle。 〃Your good health;〃 he said; and took a sip。
 〃Where is it?〃
 〃Where is what?〃
 〃The bread; asshole。〃
 〃Out in my car。〃
 〃You want the disk; you go get it。〃
 〃I need to see what's on the disk first。 What say we both go out there and I'll check the disk on my laptop。 I brought it along; just in case。〃
 〃Uh…uh。 No money; no disk。〃
 〃You make me very suspicious; my friend。 Your refusal to e outside indicates there is a very good possibility you are wear

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