scoonts.theminotaur-第40部分

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　〃Uh…huh。〃
　〃I　can　finish　it　later。〃
　〃What's　it　going　to　be　about？〃
　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　scene　today　in　the　parking　lot。　I　just　wanted…oh；　I…let's　forget　it；　shall　we？〃
　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　only　a　little　pothole　on　the　hard；　righteous　road。〃　His　gaze　was　drifting　lower　and　lower。　〃Not　enough　to　get　us　sidetracked　onto　that　short；　steep　road　that　leads　down。。。　down　straight。。。〃　Her　nipples　were　visible　through　the　lace　of　the　teddy；　ripe；　red。。。
　Rita　stood　in　one　smooth；　fluid　motion。　〃I　want　to　make　love　to　you；〃　she　murmured　as　she　peeled　off　the　teddy；　〃but　I　don't　want　to　be　too　forward。〃
　He　pursed　his　lips　and　nodded。　〃Uh…huh。〃　He　reached　out　and　she　slid　into　his　arms；　her　skin　all　silky　and　smooth。
　〃Should　we　turn　off　the　lights？〃　she　suggested　as　he　caressed　her　breasts　with　his　lips。
　〃You're　pretty　enough　for　lights；〃　he　said；　and　pulled　her　down　on　the　bed　beside　him。
　〃I　don't　want　you　to　get　the　idea　that　I　just　want　you　for　sex；〃　she　said　tentatively。
　His　mouth　was　full　of　breast；　so　the　best　he　could　manage　was　a　reassuring　noise。
　〃The　sex　is　great；　of　course；　but　I　want　us　to　have　something　else。〃　She　ran　her　fingers　through　his　hair；　then　smoothed　the　stray　locks。　〃You're　a　pretty　terrific　guy；　and　it's　more　than　sex。　That's　what　I　was　trying　to　get　at　this　afternoon　in　the　parking　lot。〃
　Toad　reluctantly　took　a　last　lick　at　that　swollen　nipple；　then　shifted　his　body　until　his　eyes　were　inches　from　hers。　〃Are　you　trying　to　tell　me　you're　in　love　with　me？〃
　She　frowned。　〃I　suppose。　It　hasn't　happened　quite　the　way　I　always　dreamed　it　would。　Girls　have　their　fantasies。〃　She　took　a　tiny　little　nip　on　her　lower　lip。　〃I　hope　I'm　saying　this　right。　You　don't　mind；　do　you？〃
　〃I'm　delighted。　I'm　falling　in　love　with　you　and　I'm　glad　you　feel　the　same　way。〃
　〃I　love　you；〃　Rita　Moravia　said　softly；　savoring　it；　then　gently　pulled　his　mouth　onto　hers。
　When　she　was　asleep；　Toad　eased　out　of　bed　and　peered　through　the　curtain。　He　was　restless。　Why　had　he　said　that…that　falling…in…love　stuff？　Only　a　cretin　tells　a　woman　that　just　before　he　beds　her。　He　sat　in　a　chair　and　worried　a　fingernail。　He　was　getting　in　over　his　head　again　and　he　had　his　doubts。　Was　he　just　scared？　Nah；　a　little　frightened　maybe；　nervous；　but　not　scared。　Why　is　it　all　women　want　to　fall　in　love？　He　wondered　what　Samuel　Dodgers　would　say　on　that　subject。
　
　Dreyfus　laid　it　on　Camacho's　desk　and　sat　down　to　light　his　pipe。　Camacho　knew　what　it　was：　his　boss　had　called　him。　It　was　a　copy　of　a　letter。　The　original　was　at　the　lab。　He　opened　the　folder　that　the　lab　technicians　used　for　copies　and　glanced　at　it。　There　was　no　date。　The　envelope　was　postmarked　Bakersfield；　California；　three　days　ago。　The　message　was　in　florid　longhand；　yet　quite　legible。
　
　Dear　Sir；
　I　think　it's　my　duty　to　inform　you　that　my　daughter's　husband；　Petty　Officer　First　Class　Terry　Franklin　USN；　is　a　spy。　He　works　at　the　Pentagon。　puters；　or　something　like　that。　I　don't　know　how　long　he　has　been　a　spy；　but　he　is。　My　daughter　Lucy　is　sure　he　is　and　so　am　I。　He　got　a　funny　phone　call　once　that　Lucy　overheard　and　he　got　really　really　mad　when　he　found　out　Lucy　mentioned　her　suspicions　to　a　neighbor。　Lucy　is　afraid　of　him　and　so　am　I。　He　is　crazy。　He　is　a　spy　like　that　Walker　fellow。
　We　are　good　citizens　and　pay　our　taxes　and　know　you　will　do　what　has　to　be　done。　We　are　sorry　for　him　but　he　did　this　himself。　Lucy　had　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　this　spy　thing；　and　that's　why　I　am　writing　this　letter。　I　wanted　her　to　write　it　but　she　said　she　just　couldn't；　even　though　she　knows　it　has　to　be　this　way。　Please　arrest　him　and　keep　Lucy　and　the　kids　out　of　it。　Please　don't　tell　the　newspapers　he　is　married。　His　name　is　Terry　Franklin　and　he　works　at　the　Pentagon　and　he　is　a　spy。　And　PLEASE；　whatever　you　do；　don't　tell　Terry　we　told　on　him。　He　is　crazy。
　Sincerely；
　Flora　May　Southworth
　
　〃Can　you　get　a　divorce　in　California　if　your　spouse　is　a　spy？〃
　Dreyfus　snorted。　〃You　can　get　a　divorce　in　California　if　your　spouse　farts　in　bed。〃
　〃Progressive　as　hell。〃
　〃Right　out　front。〃
　〃Better　call　out　there　and　have　an　agent　go　interview　them。　Tell　him　to　stay　all　afternoon　and　take　lots　of　notes。〃
　〃You　don't　want　them　going　to　the　press？〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　the　mittee　is　going　to　want　to　do　about　this？〃
　〃Well；　they　sure　are　gonna　have　to　do　something。　Now　we　got　the　mother…in…law　writing　us　letters。　They　probably　talked　to　their　minister　and　a　lawyer　and　every　neighbor　in　a　five…block　radius。〃
　〃Not　letters。　A　letter。　One　letter　with　no　hard　facts　and　a　variety　of　unsubstantiated　allegations。　We　get　two　dozen　letters　like　this　every　month　from　people　out　to　get　even　with　someone　in　a　sensitive　job。　I　repeat；　do　you　know　what　the　mittee…〃
　〃No。〃　He　spit　it　out。
　〃So　we　had　better　do　our　best　to　convince　Mrs。　Southworth　we　are　going　like　gangbusters　on　this　hot　tip。　Pledge　confidentiality。　Better　send　two　agents。　Tell　them　to　be　thorough。　Then　two　days　later　go　back　for　a　follow…up　interview　with　more　questions。　New　questions；　not　repeats。〃
　〃A　major　break　like　this；　maybe　you　want　to　send　me　out　there　to　see　that　they　do　it　right？　I　could　go　by　bus；　get　there　in　a　week　or　so。〃
　Camacho　ignored　him。　He　picked　up　the　letter　and　read　it　again。　Then　he　pulled　a　legal　pad　around　and　began　making　notes。　Dreyfus　got　the　message　and　left　in　a　swirl　of　smoke；　closing　the　door　behind　him。
　Camacho　threw　the　legal　pad　at　the　door。
　
　14
　
　With　its　twin　engines　bellowing　a　roar　that　could　be　heard　for　several　miles；　the　Intruder　departed　the　earth　with　a　delicate　wiggle；　a　perceptible　rocking　of　the　wings　that　Rita　Moravia　automatically　smoothed　with　the　faintest　side　pressure　on　the　control　stick。　She　had　let　the　takeoff　trim　setting　rotate　the　plane's　nose　to　eight　degrees　nose…up　and　had　stopped　it　there　with　a　nudge　of　forward　stick　in　that　delicious　moment　when　the　weight　of　twenty…five　tons　of　machine　and　fuel　was　transferred　from　the　main　landing　gear　to　the　wings。　This　was　the　transition　to　flight；　a　shimmering；　imprecise　hesitation　as　the　machine　gathered　its　strength　and　the　wings　took　a　firm　bite　into　the　warm　morning　air。
　Now　safely　airborne；　Rita　slapped　the　gear　handle　up　with　her　left　hand。　Her　right　thumb　flicked　at　the　coolie…hat　button　on　the　top　of　the　stick；　trimming　the　stick　pressure　to　neutral　as　the　twin…engined　warplane　accelerated。
　She　checked　to　make　sure　the　landing　gear　were　up　and　locked。　They　were。　Temps；　RPMs；　fuel　flow　normal。　Oil　and　hydraulic　pressure　okay。　Using　her　left　hand　again；　she　raised　the　flap　handle　as　she　caressed　the　stick　with　her　right　to　hold　the　nose　steady　through　the　configuration　change。　Accelerating　nicely。　Flaps　and　slats　up　and　in　and　the　stabilizer　shifted；　she　isolated　the　flight　hydraulic　system　and　continued　to　trim。　At　290　knots　indicated　she　pulled　the　nose　higher　into　the　sky　in　order　to　ply　with　Jake　Grafton's　directive　not　to　exceed　300　knots。
　Toad　had　activated　the　IFF　and　was　talking　to　Departure。　Now　he　switched　to　Los　Angeles　Center。　The　controller　asked　him　to　push　the　identification　button　on　the　IFF…〃squawk　ident〃…and　he　plied。　〃Xray　Echo　22；　radar　contact。　e　left　to　a　heading　of　020。　Passing　Flight　Level　180；　proceed　on　course。〃
　Rita　Moravia　dipped　the　left　wing　as　Toad　rogered。
　When　she　leveled　the　wings　on　course；　still　climbing；　he　was　humming　and　singing　over　the　ICS　as　he　tuned　the　radar　presentation　and　checked　that　he　had　property　entered　the　puter　way…points。　〃hi…ho；　hi…ho；　it's　off　to　work　we　go；　with　a　hi…hi…hee　and　a　fiddly…dee；　hi…hi；　ho…ho。。。〃
　Rita　grinned　behind　her　oxygen　mask。　Flying　with　the　Toadman　was　an　experience。　No　wonder　Captain　Grafton's　face　softened　every　time　he　saw　Tarkington。
　She　leveled　the　plane　at　Flight　Level　310…31；000　feet…and　engaged　the　autopilot。　Just　above　them　a　thin；　wispy　layer　slid　across　the　top　of　the　canopy；　so　close　it　seemed　they　could　almost　reach　up　and　let　the　gauzy　tendrils　slip　around　their　fingers。　Rita　looked　ahead　and　tried　to　find　that　point　where　the　motion　of　the　ropy　filaments　seemed　to　originate　as　they　came　racing　toward　the　cockpit；　accelerating　as　the　distance　closed。　It　was　like　flying　just　under　an　infinite；　flat　ceiling…some　Steven　Spielberg　effect　to　give　the　audience　a　rush　of　speed　and　wonder　as　the　woofers　oomphed　and　the　seats　throbbed；　before　the　credits　came　on　the　screen。
　After　a　moment　she　disengaged　the　autopilot　and　let　the　nose　creep　up　a　smidgen。　Almost　imperceptibly　the　plane　rose　a　hundred　feet；　where　the　cloud　layer　literally　sliced　around　the　cockpit。　Toad　picked　that　moment　to　withdraw　his　head　from　the　radar　scope　and　look　slowly　around。　After　a　moment　he　glanced　at　her　and　caught　her　eye。　She　saw　him　wink；　then　readjust　the　hood　and　devote　his　attention　to　the　puter　and　radar。
　A　lifetime　of　work；　all　for　this。
　She　had　been　an　outstanding　student　at　an　excellent　suburban　high　school；　one　of　those　bright　youngsters　who　applied　themselves　in　a　frenzy　of　self…discipline　and　diligence　that　separated　her　from　her　classmates；　who　were　more　interested　in　boys；　music　and　peer　acceptance　than　school。　She　had　shocked　everyone；　including　her　parents；　by　her　announcement　that　she　wanted　to　attend　a　military　academy。　In　due　course　an　appointment　to　the　Naval　Academy　came　from　a　congressman　who　knew　better　than　to　echo　her　mother's　surprise　or　horror　in　an　era　when　socially　correct　posturing　was　more　important　than　his　voting　record。
　So　she　set　forth　bravely　that　summer　after　high　school；　at　the　age　of　eighteen；　set　off　into　the　unknown　world　of　plebes　at　the　Naval　Academy；　this　girl　who　had　never　set　foot　on　a　military　installation；　this　girl　who　knew　only　that　she　wanted　to　make　her　own　way　in　life　and　that　way　would　be　much　different　from　those　of　her　mother　or　the　friends　of　her　youth。
　It　had　been　worse　than　different。　It　had　been　horrid；　humiliating　nightmare　beyond　anything　she　had　imagined　in　her　worst　moments　of　trepidation。　All　the　sly　taunts　of　her　friends；　bound　for　sororities　and；　they　hoped；　excellent　marriages；　hadn't　even　hinted　at　the　emotional　trauma　she　experienced　those　first　weeks。　During　the　day　she　braced　and　marched