jamesclavell.noblehouse-第92部分

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ry　14；　1945；　now　Squadron　Leader；　DFC　and　Bar；　ing　home　from　the　supreme　holocaust　of　Dresden；　his　Lancaster　had　been　jumped　by　a　Messerschmitt　and　though　his　copilot　had　brought　the　crippled　plane　to　rest　in　England；　Scotty　was　dead　in　the　left　seat。
　Kathy　had　been　at　his　funeral　and　Ian　had　been　there　…　in　uniform；　e　home　on　leave　from　Chungking　where　he　had　been　attached　to　Chiang　Kai…shek's　air　force　after　he　was　shot　down　and　grounded。　She　had　wept　on　Ian's　shoulder；　wept　for　Lechie　and　wept　for　Scotty　and　wept　for　her　Johnny。　She　was　a　widow　then。　Flight　Lieutenant　John　Selkirk；　DFC；　another　happy　god　of　war；　inviolate；　invincible；　had　been　blown　out　of　the　sky；　torched　out　of　the　sky；　the　debris　burning　on　the　way　to　earth。
　Johnny　had　had　no　funeral。　There　was　nothing　to　bury。　Like　Lechie。　Just　a　telegram　came。　One　for　each　of　them。
　Oh　Johnny　my　darling　my　darling　my　darling　。。。
　〃What　an　awful　waste；　Ian　dear；　all　of　them。　And　for　what？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　little　Kathy；〃　he　said；　still　holding　her。　〃I　don't　know。　And　I　don't　know　why　I　made　it　and　why　they　didn't。〃
　〃Oh　I'm　ever　so　glad　you　did！〃　She　gave　him　a　little　hug　and　gathered　herself。　Somehow　she　put　away　her　sadness　for　all　of　them。　Then　she　dried　her　tears；　took　out　a　small　mirror　and　looked　at　herself。　〃God；　I　look　a　mess！　Sorry。〃　His　private　bathroom　was　concealed　behind　a　bookcase　and　she　went　there　and　repaired　her　makeup。
　When　she　came　back　he　was　still　staring　out　of　the　window。　〃Andrew's　out　of　the　office　at　the　moment　but　the　moment　he　es　back　I'll　tell　him；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh　no　dear；　that's　my　job。　I　must　do　that。　I　must。　That's　only　fair。〃　She　smiled　up　at　him　and　touched　him。　〃I　love　you；　Ian。〃
　〃I　love　you；　Kathy。〃
　
　22
　
　4：55　P。M。：
　The　cardboard　box　that　the　Werewolves　had　sent　to　Phillip　Chen　was　on　Roger　Crosse's　desk。　Beside　the　box　was　the　ransom　note；　key　ring；　driver's　license；　pen；　even　the　crumpled　pieces　of　torn　newspaper　that　had　been　used　for　packing。　The　little　plastic　bag　was　there；　and　the　mottled　rag。　Only　its　contents　were　missing。
　Everything　had　been　tagged。
　Roger　Crosse　was　alone　in　the　room　and　he　stared　at　the　objects；　fascinated。　He　picked　up　a　piece　of　the　newspaper。　Each　had　been　carefully　smoothed　out；　most　were　tagged　with　a　date　and　the　name　of　the　Chinese　newspaper　it　had　e　from。　He　turned　it　over；　seeking　hidden　information；　a　hidden　clue；　something　that　might　have　been　missed。　Finding　nothing；　he　put　it　back　neatly　and　leaned　on　his　hands；　lost　in　thought。
　Alan　Medford　Grant's　report　was　also　on　his　desk；　near　the　inter。　It　was　very　quiet　in　the　room。　Small　windows　overlooked　Wanchai　and　part　of　the　harbor　toward　Glessing's　Point。
　His　phone　jangled。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Mr。　Rosemont；　CIA；　and　Mr。　Langan；　FBI；　sir。〃
　〃Good。〃　Roger　Crosse　replaced　his　phone。　He　unlocked　his　top　desk　drawer　and　carefully　put　the　AMG　file　on　top　of　the　decoded　telex　and　relocked　it。　The　middle　drawer　contained　a　high…quality　tape　recorder。　He　checked　it　and　touched　a　hidden　switch。　Silently　the　reels　began　to　turn。　The　inter　on　his　desk　contained　a　powerful　microphone。　Satisfied；　he　relocked　this　drawer。　Another　hidden　desk　switch　slid　a　bolt　open　on　the　door　soundlessly。　He　got　up　and　opened　the　door。
　〃Hello；　you　two；　please　e　in；〃　he　said　affably。　He　closed　the　door　behind　the　two　Americans　and　shook　hands　with　them。　Unnoticed；　he　slid　the　bolt　home　again。　〃Take　a　seat。　Tea？〃
　〃No　thanks；〃　the　CIA　man　said。
　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　Both　men　were　carrying　manila　envelopes。　Rosemont　opened　his　and　took　out　a　sheaf　of　good…quality　eight…by…ten　photos；　clipped　into　two　sections。　〃Here；〃　he　said；　passing　over　the　top　section。
　They　were　various　shots　of　Voranski　running　across　the　wharf；　on　the　streets　of　Kowloon；　getting　into　and　out　of　taxis；　phoning；　and　many　more　of　his　Chinese　assassins。　One　photograph　showed　the　two　Chinese　leaving　the　phone　booth　with　a　clear　glimpse　of　the　crumpled　body　in　the　background。
　Only　Crosse's　superb　discipline　kept　him　from　showing　astonishment；　then　blinding　rage。　〃Good；　very　good；〃　he　said　gently；　putting　them　on　the　desk；　very　conscious　of　the　ones　Rosemont　had　retained　in　his　hand。　〃So？〃
　Rosemont　and　Ed　Langan　frowned。　〃You　were　tailing　him　too？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Crosse　said；　lying　with　his　marvelous　sincerity。　〃My　dear　fellow；　this　is　Hong　Kong。　But　I　do　wish　you'd　let　us　do　our　job　and　not　interfere。〃
　〃Rog；　we；　er；　we　don't　want　to　interfere；　just　want　to　backstop　you。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　don't　need　backstopping。〃　There　was　a　sharpness　to　his　voice　now。
　〃Sure。〃　Rosemont　took　out　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。　He　was　tall　and　thin　with　gray　crew…cut　hair　and　good　features。　His　hands　were　strong；　like　all　of　him。　〃We　know　where　the　two　killers're　holed　up。　We　think　we　know；〃　he　said。　〃One　of　our　guys　thinks　he's　pegged　them。〃
　〃How　many　men　have　you　got　watching　the　ship？〃
　〃Ten。　Our　guys　didn't　notice　any　of　yours　tailing　this　one。　The　diversion　almost　spooked　us　too。〃
　〃Very　dicey；〃　Crosse　said　agreeably；　wondering　what　diversion。
　〃Our　guys　never　got　to　go　through　his　pockets　…　we　know　he　made　two　calls　from　the　booth。　。。。〃　Rosemont　noted　Crosse's　eyes　narrow　slightly。　That's　curious；　he　thought。　Crosse　didn't　know　that。　If　he　doesn't　know　that；　maybe　his　operators　weren't　tailing　the　target　either。　Maybe　he's　lying　and　the　mie　was　loose　in　Hong　Kong　until　he　was　knifed。　〃We　radioed　a　mug　shot　back　home　…　we'll　get　a　call　back　fast。　Who　was　he？〃
　〃His　papers　said；　Igor　Voranski；　seaman　first　class。　Soviet　merchant　marine。〃
　〃You　have　a　file　on　him；　Rog？〃
　〃It's　rather　unusual　for　you　two　to　call　together；　isn't　it？　I　mean；　in　the　movies；　we're　always　led　to　believe　the　FBI　and　CIA　are　always　at　odds。〃
　Ed　Langan　smiled。　〃Sure　we　are　…　like　you　and　MI…5　…　like　the　KGB；　GRU　and　fifty　other　Soviet　operations。　But　sometimes　our　cases　cross　…　we're　internal　U。S。；　Stan's　external；　but　we're　both　out　for　the　same　thing：　security。　We　thought　。。。　we're　asking　if　we　could　all　cooperate。　This　could　be　a　big　one；　and　we're　。。。　Stan　and　I're　out　of　our　depth。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Rosemont　said；　not　believing　it。
　〃All　right；〃　Crosse　said；　needing　their　information。　〃But　you　first。〃
　Rosemont　sighed。　〃Okay；　Rog。　We've　had　a　buzz　for　some　time　there's　something　hotting　up　in　Hong　Kong　…　we　don't　know　what　…　but　it　sure　as　hell's　got　tie…ins　to　the　States。　I　figure　the　AMG　file's　the　link。　Lookit：　take　Banastasio　…　he's　Mafia。　Big…time。　Narcotics；　the　lot。　Now　take　Bartlett　and　the　guns。　Guns　…　〃
　〃Is　Bartlett　tied　into　Banastasio？〃
　〃We're　not　sure。　We're　checking。　We　are　sure　the　guns　were　put　aboard　in　L。A。　…　Los　Angeles　…　where　the　airplane's　based。　Guns！　Guns；　narcotics　and　our　growing　interest　in　Vietnam。　Where　do　narcotics　e　from？　The　Golden　Triangle。　Vietnam；　Laos　and　the　Yunnan　Province　of　China。　Now　we're　into　Vietnam　and　…　〃
　〃Yes；　and　you're　ill…advised　to　be　there；　old　chum　…　I've　pointed　that　out　fifty　times。〃
　〃We　don't　make　policy；　Rog；　any　more　than　you　do。　Next：　Our　nuclear　carrier's　here　and　the　goddamn　Sovetsky　Ivanov　arrives　last　night。　That's　too　convenient；　maybe　the　leak　came　from　here。　Then　Ed　tips　you　off　and　we　get　AMG's　wild…assed　letters　from　London　and　now　there's　Sevrin！　Turns　out　the　KGB've　plants　all　over　Asia　and　you've　a　high…placed　hostile　somewheres。〃
　〃That's　not　yet　proved。〃
　〃Right。　But　I　know　about　AMG。　He's　nobody's　fool。　If　he　says　Sevrin's　in　place　and　you've　a　mole；　you've　a　mole。　Sure　we've　got　hostiles　in　the　CIA　too；　so've　the　KGB。　I'm　sure　Ed　has　in　the　FBI　…　〃
　〃That's　doubtful；〃　Ed　Langan　interrupted　sharply。　〃Our　guys　are　handpicked　and　trained。　You　get　your　firemen　from　all　over。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Rosemont　said；　then　added　to　Crosse；　〃Back　to　narcotics。　Red　China's　our　big　enemy　and　…　〃
　〃Again；　you're　wrong；　Stanley。　The　PRC's　not　the　big　enemy　anywhere；　Russia　is。〃
　〃China's　mie。　mies're　the　enemy。　Now；　it'd　be　real　smart　to　flood　the　States　with　cheap　narcotics　and　Red　China　。。。　okay　the　People's　Republic　of　China　can　open　the　dam　gates。〃
　〃But　they　haven't。　Our　Narcotics　Branch's　the　best　in　Asia　…　they've　never　e　up　with　anything　to　support　your　misguided　official　theory　that　they're　behi