cpatricia.blacknotice-第58部分

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ured；　well…dressed　man　with　silver　hair　jolted　me。　He　looked　like　Benton　from　a　distance。　I　could　not　help　but　scan　the　crowd　as　if　I　might　find　him；　my　heart　throbbing　as　if　it　couldn't　survive　much　more　of　this。
　　〃Coffee；〃　I　told　Marino。
　　We　sat　at　a　counter　inside　L'Embarcadére　and　were　served　espresso　in　tiny　brown　cups。
　　〃What　the　hell　is　this？〃　Marino　grumbled。　〃I　just　wanted　regular　coffee。　How　'bout　handing　me　some　sugar；〃　he　said　to　the　woman　behind　the　counter。
　　She　dropped　several　packs　on　the　counter。
　　〃I　think　he'd　rather　have　a　café　créme；〃　I　told　her。
　　She　nodded。　He　drank　four　of　them　and　ate　two　ham　baguettes　and　smoked　three　cigarettes　in　less　than　twenty　minutes。
　　〃You　know；〃　I　said　to　him　as　we　boarded　a　train　á　grande　vitesse；　or　TGV；　〃I　really　don't　want　you　to　kill　yourself。〃
　　〃Hey；　not　to　worry；〃　he　replied；　taking　a　seat　across　from　me。　〃If　I　tried　to　clean　up　my　act；　the　stress　would　do　me　in。〃
　　Our　car　was　barely　a　third　full；　and　those　passengers　seemed　interested　only　in　their　newspapers。　The　silence　prompted　Marino　and　me　to　speak　in　very　low　voices；　and　the　bullet　train　made　no　sound　as　it　suddenly　lurched　forward。　We　glided　out　of　the　station；　then　blue　sky　and　trees　were　flying　by。　I　felt　flushed　and　very　thirsty。　I　tried　to　sleep；　sunlight　flashing　over　my　shut　eyes。
　　I　came　to　when　an　Englishwoman　two　rows　back　began　talking　on　a　portable　phone。　An　old　man　across　the　aisle　was　working　a　crossword　puzzle；　his　mechanical　pencil　clicking。　Air　buffeted　our　car　as　another　train　sped　by；　and　near　Lyon；　the　sky　turned　milky　and　it　began　to　snow。
　　Marino's　mood　was　getting　increasingly　curdled　as　he　stared　out　the　window；　and　he　was　rude　when　we　disembarked　in　the　Lyon　Part…Dieu。　He　had　nothing　to　say　during　our　taxi　ride；　and　I　got　angrier　with　him　as　I　replayed　the　words　he　had　recklessly　thrown　at　me　last　night。
　　We　neared　the　old　part　of　the　city　where　the　Rh8ne　and　SaOne　rivers　joined；　and　apartments　and　ancient　walls　built　into　the　hillside　reminded　me　of　Rome。　I　felt　awful。　My　soul　was　bruised。　I　felt　as　alone　as　I'd　ever　felt　in　my　life；　as　if　I　didn't　exist；　as　if　I　were　part　of　another　person's　bad　dream。
　　〃I　don't　hope　nothing；〃　Marino　finally　spoke　apropos　of　nothing。　〃I　might　say　what　if；　but　I　don't　hope。　There's　no　point。　My　wife　left　me　a　long　time　ago　and　I've　still　never　found　anybody　that　fits。　Now　I'm　suspended　and　thinking　about　working　for　you。　I　did　that？　You　wouldn't　respect　me　anymore。〃
　　〃Of　course　I　would。〃
　　〃Bullshit。　Working　for　someone　changes　everything　and　you　know　it。〃
　　He　looked　dejected　and　exhausted；　his　face　and　slumped　posture　showing　the　strain　of　the　life　he'd　lived。　He'd　spilled　coffee　on　his　rumpled　denim　shirt；　and　his　khakis　were　ridiculously　baggy。　I'd　noticed　that　the　bigger　he　got；　the　larger　the　size　of　the　pants　he　bought；　as　if　he　fooled　himself　or　anyone　else。
　　〃You　know；　Marino；　it's　not　very　nice　to　imply　that　working　for　me　would　be　the　worst　thing　that　ever　happened　to　you。〃
　　〃Maybe　it　wouldn't　be　the　worst　thing。　But　pretty　close；〃　he　said。
　　　
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　　Interpol's　headquarters　stood　alone　on　the　Parc　de　la　Téte　d'Or。　It　was　a　fortress　of　reflective　pools　and　glass　and　did　not　look　like　what　it　was。　I　was　certain　the　subtle　signs　of　what　went　on　inside　were　missed　by　virtually　all　who　drove　past。　The　name　of　the　plantanne　tree…lined　street　where　it　was　located　wasn't　posted；　so　if　you　didn't　know　where　you　were　going；　you　quite　likely　would　never　get　there。　There　was　no　sign　out　front　announcing　Interpol。　In　fact；　there　were　no　signs　anywhere。
　　Satellite　dishes；　antennas；　concrete　barricades　and　cameras　were　very　hard　to　see；　and　the　razor　wire…topped　green　metal　fence　was　well　disguised　by　landscaping。　The　secretariat　for　the　only　international　police　organization　in　the　world　silently　emanated　enlightenment　and　peace；　appropriately　allowing　those　who　worked　inside　to　look　out　and　no　one　to　look　in。　On　this　overcast；　cold　morning；　a　small　Christmas　tree　on　the　roof　ironically　tipped　its　hat　to　the　holidays。
　　I　saw　no　one　when　I　pressed　the　inter　button　on　the　front　gate　to　say　we　had　arrived。　Then　a　voice　asked　us　to　identify　ourselves　and　when　we　did；　a　lock　clicked　free。　Marino　and　I　followed　a　sidewalk　to　an　outbuilding；　where　another　lock　released；　and　we　were　met　by　a　guard　in　suit　and　tie　who　looked　strong　enough　to　snatch　up　Marino　and　hurl　him　back　to　Paris：　Another　guard　sat　behind　bulletproof　glass　and　slid　out　a　drawer　to　exchange　our　passports　for　visitor　badges。
　　A　belt　carried　our　personal　effects　through　an　X…ray　machine；　and　the　guard　who　had　greeted　us　gave　us　instructions　with　gestures　rather　than　words　to　step；　one　at　a　time；　inside　what　looked　like　a　floor…to…ceiling　transparent　pneumatic　tube。　I　plied；　halfway　expecting　to　be　sucked　up　somewhere；　and　a　curved　Plexiglas　door　shut。　Another　one　released　me　on　the　other　side；　every　molecule　of　me　scanned。
　　〃What　the　hell　is　this？　Star　Trek？〃　Marino　said　to　me　after　he'd　been　scanned；　too。　〃How　you　know　something　like　that　can't　give　you　cancer？　Or　if　you're　a　man；　give　you　other　problems。〃
　　〃Be　quiet；〃　I　said。
　　It　seemed　we　waited　a　very　long　time　before　a　man　appeared　on　a　breezeway　connecting　the　secure　area　to　the　main　building；　and　he　was　not　at　all　what　I　expect。　He　walked　with　the　easy　spring　of　a　youthful　athlete；　and　an　expensive　charcoal　flannel　suit　draped　elegantly　over　what　was　clearly　a　sculpted　body。　He　wore　a　crisp　white　shirt　and　a　rich　Hermés　tie　in　maroon；　green　and　blue；　and　when　he　firmly　shook　our　hands　I　noticed　a　gold　watch；　too。
　　〃Jay　Talley。　Sorry　to　make　you　wait；〃　he　said。
　　His　hazel　eyes　were　so　penetrating　I　felt　violated　by　them；　his　dark　good　looks　so　striking　I　instantly　knew　his　type；　because　men　that　beautiful　are　all　alike。　I　could　tell　Marino　had　no　use　for　him；　either。
　　〃We　spoke　on　the　phone；〃　he　said　to　me；　as　if　I　didn't　remember。
　　〃And　I　haven't　slept　since；〃　I　said；　unable　to　take　my　eyes　off　him；　no　matter　how　hard　I　tried。
　　〃Please。　If　you'll　e　with　me。〃
　　Marino　gave　me　a　look　and　wiggled　his　fingers　behind　Talley's　back；　the　way　he　did　when　he　decided　on　the　spot　that　someone　was　gay。　Talley's　shoulders　were　broad。　He　had　no　waist。　His　profile　had　the　perfect　slope　of　a　Roman　god；　and　his　lips　were　full　and　his　jaw　was　flared。
　　I　concentrated　on　being　puzzled　by　his　age。　Usually；　overseas　posts　were　much　coveted　and　were　awarded　to　agents　with　seniority　and　rank；　yet　Talley　looked　barely　thirty。　He　led　us　into　a　marble　atrium　four　stories　high　that　was　centered　by　a　brilliant　mosaic　of　the　world　and　washed　in　light。　Even　the　elevators　were　glass。
　　After　a　series　of　electronic　locks　and　buzzers　and　binations　and　cameras　that　cared　about　our　every　move；　we　got　off　on　the　third　floor。　I　felt　as　if　I　were　inside　cut　crystal。　Talley　seemed　to　blaze。　I　felt　dazed　and　resentful　because　it　hadn't　been　my　idea　to　e　here；　and　I　didn't　feel　in　charge。
　　〃So　what's　up　there？〃　Marino；　the　model　of　politeness；　pointed。
　　‘17he　fourth　floor；〃　Talley　impassively　said。
　　〃Well；　the　button　don't　have　a　number　and　it　looks　like　you　have　to　key　yourself　up；〃　Marino　went　on；　staring　at　the　elevator　ceiling。　〃I　was　just　wondering　if　that's　where　you　keep　all　your　puters。〃
　　〃Ibe　secretary…general　lives　up　there；〃　Talley　matteróf…factly　stated；　as　if　there　were　nothing　unusual　about　this。
　　〃No　shit？〃
　　〃For　security　reasons。　He　and　his　family　live　in　the　building；〃　Talley　said　as　we　passed　normal…looking　offices　with　normal…looking　people　inside　them。　〃We're　meeting　him　now。〃
　　〃Good。　Maybe　he　won't　mind　telling　us　what　the　hell　we're　doing　here；〃　Marino　replied。
　　Talley　opened　another　door；　this　one　made　of　rich；　dark　wood；　and　we　were　politely　greeted　by　a　man　with　a　British　accent　who　identified　himself　as　the　director　of　munication。　He　took　orders　for　coffee　and　let　Secretary…General　George　Mirot　know　we　had　arrived。　Minutes　later　he　showed　us　into　Mirot's　private　office；　where　we　found　an　imposing　gray…haired　man　seated　behind　a　black　leather　desk　amid　walls　of　antique　guns　and　medals　and　gifts　from