cc.goldenbuddha-第76部分

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　〃I　want　to　lead　this　one　myself；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I'll　need　a　dozen　men；　air　cover　and　some　way　to　destroy　the　gas。〃　
　〃Sir；　I　inventoried　the　hangar；〃　Gannon　said。　〃There　were　a　pair　of　fuel…air　cluster　bombs　in　the　ordnance　room。〃
　〃That　should　do　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　
　STANLEY　HO　MIGHT　own　a　mansion　in　Macau　and　bear　all　the　earmarks　of　legitimacy；　but　the　fact　was　that　he　was　really　only　one　step　away　from　street…level　thug。　Once　he　realized　that　Winston　Spenser　had　screwed　him　on　the　Golden　Buddha；　his　every　waking　minute　since　had　been　used　in　scheming　to　settle　the　score。　It　was　not　just　that　Spenser　had　ripped　him　offthat　was　one　thing。　It　was　the　fact　that　he　had　dealt　with　Spenser　so　many　times　in　the　past。　That　Spenser　had　smiled　in　his　face；　then　stabbed　him　in　the　back。　To　Ho；　that　meant　that　Spenser　had　been　toying　with　him；　that　all　the　art　dealer's　good…　natured　ass…kissing　and　pandering　had　been　merely　a　prelude　to　the　big　screw。　Ho　had　been　treated　like　a　dupeand　he　hated　that　most　of　all。　
　Ho　had　personally　gone　down　to　the　Macau　immigration　office　to　bribe　the　clerk。　That　had　given　him　a　list　of　everyone　who　had　exited　the　country　the　day　after　the　robbery。　With　that　in　hand；　it　had　just　been　a　case　of　eliminating　all　the　improbabilities　until　Ho　had　gotten　down　to　just　three　people。　Then　he　had　sent　three　men　hired　from　the　local　triad　leader　to　Singapore；　Los　Angeles；　and　Asuncion；　Paraguay。　The　first　two　had　been　washes；　the　parties　had　been　observed　and　disqualified　and　the　men　were　called　back。　Ho　was　starting　to　think　that　maybe　he'd　need　to　expand　the　search；　that　he　had　somehow　eliminated　Spenser　from　the　first　cut　by　accident。　He　was　beginning　to　think　this　would　take　longer　than　he'd　planned。　
　Just　then　his　fax　started　printing　and　a　picture　came　across。　
　Ho　was　staring　at　the　photograph　when　his　telephone　rang。　
　〃Yes　or　no？〃　a　voice　with　a　rough　Chinese　accent　asked。　
　Ho　stared　a　second　longer；　then　smiled。　〃His　hands　and　his　head；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Pack　them　in　ice　and　overnight　them。〃　
　The　telephone　went　dead　in　his　ear。　
　
　PARAGUAY　IN　GENERAL　and　Asuncion　in　particular　is　more　European　feeling　than　South　American。　The　massive　stone　buildings　and　extensive　parks　with　fountains　scream　Vienna；　not　Rio。　Spenser　tossed　some　feed　purchased　from　a　machine　nearby　toward　the　pigeons；　then　wiped　the　cold　sweat　from　his　forehead。　
　The　fact　is；　a　man　who　mits　a　crime　is　never　freeeven　if　it　seems　he　pulled　it　off。　
　The　abiding　knowledge　of　his　infraction　is　never　far　from　his　mind　and　it　weighs　on　his　psyche；　and　holding　it　inside　only　makes　it　worse。　Only　the　sociopath　feels　no　remorsethe　events　happened　to　another；　if　they　ever　happened　at　all。　
　Spenser　brushed　the　last　of　the　feed　from　his　hand；　watched　as　the　birds　fought　over　the　morsels；　then　stood　up。　It　was　Jate　afternoon。　He　decided　to　return　to　his　anonymous　hotel　and　nap　before　going　out　for　a　Jate　dinner。　Tomorrow　he　would　start　looking　for　a　house　to　rent　and　begin　to　rebuild　his　life。　Tonight；　his　plan　was　to　eat；　sleep　and　try　to　forget。　
　The　art　dealer　was　not　a　stupid　man。　He　knew　Ho　would　scour　the　earth　for　him。　
　Right　now；　however；　Spenser　was　just　trying　to　put　that　all　out　of　his　mind。　He　had　a　few　days　at　least；　he　thought；　before　the　trail　here　might　be　detected；　if　it　ever　was。　That　would　give　him　time　to　move　out　of　the　capital　into　the　countryside。　There；　he　would　eventually　make　friends　who　could　help　warn　him　if　people　started　poking　around。　And　hide　him；　if　they　came　too　close。　
　At　this　instant　in　time；　however；　his　guard　was　down　and　he　was　weary。　Tomorrow　he　could　worrytonight　he　would　have　a　fine　Argentine　steak　and　an　entire　bottle　of　red　wine。　Crossing　through　the　park；　he　started　down　the　cobblestone　street　leading　up　the　hill　toward　the　hotel。　
　The　sidewalk　was　deserted；…most　people　were　taking　their　midday　break。　That　gave　him　fort。　He　was　humming；　〃I　Left　My　Heart　in　San　Francisco〃　as　he　strolled　along。　Halfway　up　the　block；　he　saw　the　awning　leading　to　the　street　from　his　hotel。　
　Spenser　was　still　humming　when　a　side　door　onto　the　sidewalk　swung　open　and　a　garrote　was　slipped　over　his　head　and　he　gagged　over　his　verse。　
　With　lightning　speed　the　triad　killed　and　dragged　Spenser　inside　a　garden　at　the　rear　of　a　home　facing　the　street。　The　occupants　of　the　home　were　out　of　town；　but　that　was　of　little　matter　to　the　killerhad　they　been　unfortunate　enough　to　be　home；　he　would　have　killed　them　too。　
　Four　days　passed　before　the　remains　of　Spenser's　body　were　found。　It　was　minus　the　hands　and　the　head；　but　the　arms　had　been　carefully　folded　across　his　chest　and　the　Canadian　passport　tucked　into　his　belt。　
　
　TRUITT　STARED　AT　the　water　as　the　turboprop　made　a　final　approach　for　landing　at　the　Kiribati　capital　city　of　Tarawa。　The　water　was　a　light　sapphire　color；　with　coral　reefs　clearly　visible　beneath　the　surface。　Fishermen　in　small　canoes　and　outboard…motored　crafts　plied　the　waters；　while　a　black…hulled　tramp　steamer　was　tied　alongside　the　dock　at　the　main　port。　
　It　looked　like　a　scene　out　of　South　Pacific。　
　The　plane　was　not　crowded；　just　Truitt；　a　single　chubby　male　islander　who　had　yet　to　stop　smiling；　and　a　load　of　cargo　in　the　rear。　The　inside　of　the　cabin　smelled　like　salt；　sand　and　the　aroma　of　light　mold　that　seemed　to　permeate　everything　in　the　tropics。　It　was　hot　inside　the　plane；　and　humid；　and　Truitt　dabbed　a　handkerchief　to　his　forehead。　
　The　pilot　lined　up　for　a　landing　on　the　dirt　strip；　then　eased　the　plane　down。　
　A　bump；　the　feeling　of　the　brakes　slowing　the　aircraft　to　a　crawl；　then　a　slow　taxi　to　the　concrete…block　terminal　building。　Truitt　watched　out　the　window　as　the　plane　stopped　in　front　of　the　terminal；　then　felt　a　rush　of　humid；　flower…scented　air　as　the　pilot　walked　back　and　lowered　the　door。　The　islander　climbed　down　first　and　walked　toward　a　woman　holding　a　pair　of　smiling　children　in　her　arms；　while　Truitt　grabbed　his　overnight　bag　from　the　seat　behind。　Then　he　rose　and　walked　down　the　steps。　The　presidents　of　Kiribati　and　Tuvalu　were　waiting。　
　
　THE　ATTORNEY　HIRED　by　Halpert　sat　on　the　rear　deck　of　the　spacious　mountain　chalet。　In　the　distance；　across　a　meadow　with　a　stone　fence　marking　the　borders　and　a　haystack　leaving　no　doubt　as　to　the　purpose　of　the　land；　a　dark…haired　man　adjusted　a　portable　propane…fueled　heater；　then　sat　down　in　a　chair　across　the　table。　
　Marc　Forne　Molne；　the　head　of　government　of　Andorra；　was　kindly　but　direct。　
　〃You　may　relay　to　your　principals　that　I　sincerely　appreciate　the　investment　in　my　countrywe　always　wele　finding　a　home　for　fine　panies。　However；　the　simple　fact　is　this：　Even　if　they　had　not　chosen　to　base　their　operations　here；　our　vote　would　have　gone　toward　a　free　Tibet。〃　
　Molne　rose　again　and　adjusted　the　flame　higher。　〃Opposition　against　tyranny　and　oppression　is　an　Andorran　legacy。〃　
　Molne　brushed　a　drop　of　water　from　his　hands。　〃You　tell　your　men　they　have　our　vote。　And　you　also　tell　them　if　they　need　anything　else；　they　need　but　ask。〃　
　The　attorney　rose　from　his　chair。　〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　report　back　to　them　immediately。〃　
　Molne　motioned　with　his　hand　and　a　butler　appeared　out　of　nowhere。　
　〃Show　this　man　to　my　office；〃　he　ordered。　〃He　needs　to　use　the　telephone。〃　
　
　TWO　HOURS　LATER；　Truitt　had　forged　an　agreement。　A　pair　of　trusts；　one　for　each　nation。　Because　the　population　of　Kiribati　was　just　over　84；000；　they　received　8。4　million。　Tuvalu；　with　a　population　of　10；867；　received　1。1　million。　Another　5。5　million　was　dedicated　for　development　of　eco…tourism　on　the　two　chains　of　islands。　To　promote　tourism；　the　two　countries　decided　on　a　series　of　small　island　resorts　where　the　natives　would　act　as　guides；　scuba…diving　masters　and　overseers。　
　The　planned　stilt　homes　would　be　self…service。　The　tourists　could　clean　their　own　rooms。　
　Truitt　caught　the　last　flight　out　on　Easter　day。　
　
　HANLEY　WAS　STARING　at　a　satellite　image　of　Tibet　as　he　spoke　on　the　telephone。　
　〃You're　sure；　Murph？〃　he　asked。　〃He's　fit　to　fly？〃
　〃It　was　like　magic；〃　Murphy　said　over　the　secure　line。　〃Gurt　looks　better　than　before　he　was　shot。　He's