scoonts.theminotaur-第82部分

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ailed　somewhere　along　the　way；　my　personal　second　choice　would　be　Hellcat；　another　good　old　navy　name。〃
　〃That　choice　wouldn't　be　popular　with　Dr。　Dodgers；〃　the　congressman　said　dryly。
　〃I　doubt　if　it　would；〃　Jake　agreed。
　And　then　it　was　over。　He　was　excused。　It　was　4　P。M。　Out　on　the　steps　Knight　said；　〃One　down；　two　to　go。〃
　That　was　right。　Assuming　the　Armed　Services　mittees　authorized　some　airplanes　and　the　full　House　and　Senate　agreed；　then　the　battle　would　begin　to　convince　the　appropriations　mittees　to　provide　the　dollars　to　pay　for　them。
　Jake　groaned。
　〃Relax。　You　did　very　well。〃
　〃C'mon。　Let's　go　get　a　beer　somewhere。　I'm　dying　of　thirst。〃
　On　Sunday　morning　as　they　walked　on　the　beach　and　Amy　played　in　the　surf；　Jake　and　Callie　talked　again　about　the　Minotaur。　〃As　I　understand　it；〃　Jake　said；　〃he's　not　a　mole　in　the　usual　sense　of　the　word。　He's　not　a　Russian　who　slipped　in　years　ago　and　worked　his　way　into　a　position　of　trust。　He's　an　American。　A　traitor。〃
　〃This　world　of　espionage　and　counterespionage；〃　Callie　said；　〃it　reminds　me　of　Alice　in　Wonderland。　Nothing　is　ever　as　it　seems。〃
　〃What　made　you　think　of　that？〃
　〃If　you　lose　something　and　look　for　it　in　all　the　usual　places　and　you　don't　find　it；　what　conclusion　do　you　reach？〃
　〃It　isn't　in　a　usual　place。〃
　〃Precisely。　And　if　the　FBI　has　been　looking　for　a　mole　for　three　years；　then　the　mole　is　not　in　the　usual　place。〃
　〃But　the　usual　places　are　positions　where　a　person　would　have　access　to　the　information　being　passed。〃
　〃Perhaps　the　mole　was　never　there　at　all。〃
　Jake　stared　at　her。
　〃How　do　you　know　the　FBI　has　been　looking？〃　she　asked。
　〃Henry　said　so。　Camacho　said　so。〃
　〃Henry　merely　repeated　what　he　was　told。　Camacho　told　you　what　he　wanted　you　to　hear。　What　if　there　is　no　mole　at　all？　What　if　the　Minotaur　is　merely　a　character；　an　actor　assigned　to　play　a　part？〃
　Amy　called　her　to　look　at　something　that　had　washed　up　on　the　beach　during　the　night；　and　she　went。　Jake　stood　and　watched　them。　The　surf　broke　and　swirled　around　their　ankles　as　the　seabirds　circled　and　called。
　〃You　are　a　very　smart　woman；〃　he　told　her　when　she　rejoined　him；
　〃Oh；　I'm　glad　you　noticed。　What　did　I　say　that　was　smart？〃
　
　On　Monday　morning　at　the　office　Jake　stopped　by　the　copy　machine　and　helped　himself　to　twenty　or　so　sheets　of　paper。　In　his　office　he　closed　the　door　and　pulled　on　a　pair　of　gloves　he　had　brought　from　home。　Spreading　the　pile　of　paper　gingerly；　he　selected　a　sheet　from　the　middle　of　the　pile　and　slid　it　away　from　the　others。　It　should　be　free　of　fingerprints。　From　his　pocket　he　took　a　black　government　pen。　He　clicked　the　point　in　and　out　a　few　times　as　he　stared　thoughtfully　at　the　paper。
　In　block　letters　in　the　center　of　the　page　he　wrote：　〃I　KNOW　WHO　YOU　ARE。〃　He　put　the　words　all　on　one　line。
　He　inspected　it　carefully；　then　folded　the　sheet　and　placed　it　in　a　blank　letter…sized　envelope　he　had　removed　from　a　box　at　home　this　morning。
　There　was　a　pair　of　tweezers　in　his　desk；　in　that　vanity　case　Callie　got　him　for　Christmas　a　year　or　so　ago。　He　found　them　and　dropped　them　in　his　pocket。
　He　took　the　gloves　off。　With　the　envelope　inside　his　shirt；　he　went　to　the　men's　head。　There　he　used　the　tweezers　to　put　the　envelope　on　the　counter。　Holding　his　shin　pocket　open；　he　used　the　tweezers　again　to　fish　a　stamp　from　the　interior。　He　moistened　it　on　a　damp　place　on　the　sink；　then　affixed　it　to　the　envelope。
　Back　in　the　office；　trying　very　hard　not　to　touch　the　envelope　at　all；　he　dug　through　the　classified　Department　of　Defense　directory　until　he　found　the　address　he　wanted。　This　he　copied　onto　the　face　of　the　envelope　in　block　letters。
　He　put　the　envelope　back　into　his　shirt；　put　on　his　hat　and　told　the　secretary　in　the　outer　office　he　would　be　back　in　ten　minutes。
　He　dropped　the　envelope　in　a　mailbox　on　the　plaza　near　the　entrance　to　his　building；　then　retraced　his　steps　back　to　the　office。
　
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　Vice　Admiral　Henry's　funeral　was　on　Wednesday　in　Arlington　National　Cemetery；　held　outdoors　on　the　grass　at　the　request　of　his　eldest　daughter。　Everyone　who　was　anyone　in　the　Department　of　Defense　was　on　hand；　so　Jake　Grafton　ended　up　seated　among　the　rank　and　file。　The　politicians　who　ruled　the　armed　forces　sat　on　the　right　and　side　of　the　aisle；　while　on　the　left　were　the　admirals　and　generals；　who　had　been　carefully　seated　in　order　of　seniority　as　protocol　demanded。　A　band　played　funeral　airs　and　Royce　Caplinger；　George　Ludlow；　and　CNO　delivered　short　eulogies…
　From　where　he　sat　Jake　could　see　the　backs　of　the　heads　of　some　of　the　heavyweights。　Off　to　his　left　were　the　rows　and　rows　of　white　monuments；　marching　across　the　green　rolling　terrain　with　faultless　precision。
　To　his　right　was　the　low　bulk　of　the　Pentagon；　only　the　top　of　it　visible　between　the　heads　of　the　people　and　the　uniformed　ushers　at　parade　rest。
　Tyler　Henry　had　spent　his　adult　life　in　uniform；　and　Jake　had　no　doubt　that　interment　at　this　cemetery；　with　all　those　who　had　also　served；　would　have　met　with　Henry's　approval。　After　all；　Henry　had　died　in　bat；　fighting　for　something　he　believed　in。
　Half　listening　to　the　speeches；　Jake　Grafton　once　again　considered　all　he　knew　about　the　Minotaur　affair。　It　was　precious　little；　yet　it　seemed　to　him　he　could　see　the　underlying　structure。　Perhaps；　he　mused；　even　that　was　an　illusion。
　The　funeral　was　real　enough。　Henry　was　truly　dead。　The　people　involved　were　real；　the　information　passed　to　the　Soviets　was　real；　Smoke　Judy's　attempt　to　steal　the　Athena　file　was　real。　And　yet。。。
　When　he　got　back　to　the　office；　he　made　another　trip　to　the　copy　machine　for　paper。　This　time　he　wrote：　〃I　KNOW　YOU　ARE　THE　MINOTAUR。〃
　He　addressed　the　envelope　as　before　and　deposited　it　in　the　plaza　mailbox　when　he　went　down　to　catch　the　shuttle　to　the　Pentagon　for　another　round　of　meetings。
　On　Thursday　the　announcement　was　made　that　the　various　mittees　of　congress　had　authorized　the　navy　to　purchase　the　TRX　plane　as　the　A…12。　Although　the　buy　schedule　was　lower　than　planned；　which　would　raise　the　cost　of　each　plane　by　five　million　dollars；　a　general　celebration　was　in　order。　That　afternoon　Jake　and　Admiral　Dunedin　treated　everyone　in　the　office　to　a　beer　bash　at　Gus's　Place；　a　beanery　on　the　lower　floor　of　Jefferson　Plaza　1…
　〃If　you　had　any　class；　Grafton；〃　Rob　Knight　told　him；　〃you'd　have　taken　us　to　Amelia's　in　the　Underground。〃
　〃No　class。　You　got　that　right。〃
　〃Two　more　hearings　to　go；〃　Rob　said。　〃Without　an　appropriation　of　money；　all　we　have　is　a　piece　of　paper　to　frame。〃
　
　Dunedin　was　in　a　cheerful　mood。　He　laughed　and　joked　with　the　troops；　seemingly　glad　to　once　again；　if　only　for　a　little　while；　be　just　one　of　the　guys。　He　never　could　be；　of　course。　The　officers　he　had　spent　his　career　with　were　all　retired；　except　for　those　precious　few　who　were　also　vice　admirals。　All　the　others　were　playing　golf　in　Phoenix　and　Orlando；　selling　insurance　in　Virginia　Beach　or　boats　in　San　Diego；　or　were　working　for　defense　contractors。
　At　one　point　Dunedin　ended　up　at　Jake's　table。　When　they　were　temporarily　alone；　he　said；　〃Really　a　shame　about　Tyler　Henry。　He　was　going　to　retire　in　three　months；　you　know。〃
　No；　Jake　didn't　know。
　〃Had　a　little　cottage　up　in　Maine；　right　near　the　beach。　Owned　it　for　years。　Was　going　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　life　there；　he　told　me；　and　if　be　never　heard　the　sound　of　freedom　again　be　thought　he　could　live　with　that。〃　〃The　sound　of　freedom〃　was　a　public　relations　euphemism　for　jet　noise。
　〃I　guess　you　burn　out　after　a　while；〃　Jake　said。
　〃I　guess。　You　win　some；　lose　some；　hope　for　the　best。　Even　the　politicians；　they　try　to　do　that。〃
　
　Jake　remembered　that　ment　the　following　week　after　he　watched　Royce　Caplinger　sweat　in　front　of　a　Senate　Appropriations　submittee。　They　kept　him　going　over　numbers　for　most　of　the　day。　Although　he　was　subpoenaed；　Jake　never　took　the　stand。　He　was　delighted。
　Caplinger　stayed　afterwards　for　private　conversations　with　the　senators。　Jake　left　with　Toad　Tarkington；　who　had　acpanied　him。　As　they　were　leaving；　Caplinger　and　Senator　Duquesne　were　shaking　hands。　It　was　then　that　Jake　remembered　Dunedin's　ment。
　A　week　later　the　House　Appropriations　mittee　held　their　closed…door　hearing。　Caplinger　spent　three　hours　on　the　stand；　Ludlow　two　hours。　After　lunch　came　Jake's　turn　on　the　hot　seat。　Three　hours　later　Congresswoman　Samantha　Strader　cleared　her　throat。
　Strader　was　in　her　early　fifties；　her　hair　penned；　her　eyes　screwed　up　in　a　characteristic　squint。　One　of　only　two　Democrats　in　her　state's　congressional　delegation；　she　represented　a　district　carved　from　the　core　of　her　state's　capital　city；　the　only　area　of　the　state　with　a　significant　minority　population。　She　had　one　of　the　safest　Democratic　seats　in　the　country　and　had　been　elected　pro　forma　a　dozen　times；　yet　until　the　last　election　she　bad　been　almost　unknown　outside　her　state。　Prior　to　that　election　she　had　publicly　entertained　the　idea　of　entering　the　presidential　primaries　as　the　only　woman　in　the　field。　Her　short…lived　quest　came　to　grief　on　the　shoals　of　political　and　financial　reality；　but　not　before　her　name　and　face　had　been　splashed　coast　to　coast　by　the　media。　She　bad　jabbed　and　pricked　the　real　contenders　during　her　moment　in　the　spotlight；　had　a　delightful　time；　and　squinted　all　the　while。
　Sam　Strader's　avowed　passion　was　the　military。　Every　officer　in　the　Pentagon　knew　what　that　meant。　She　hated　them。　With　an　excellent　mind；　a　quick　wit；　and　a　tongue　to　match；　she　was　a　formidable　opponent。
　Today；　at　this　closed　hearing　of　the　black　projects　submittee　of　the　House　Appropriations　mittee；　she　adjusted　the　microphone　in　front　of　her　and　gazed　at　Jake　Grafton　as　though　looking　through　a　dense　smoke　screen。　〃Captain；　please　justify；　if　you　can；　the　acquisition　of　another　very　expensive　major　weapons　system　by　the　U。S。　Navy　when　Chairman　Gorbachev　is　cutting　the　Soviet　military　budget　drastically；　reducing　manpower　levels　by　ten　percent；　slashing　new　ship　construction；　cutting　navy　steaming　tune。〃
　〃Congresswoman；〃　Jake　said；　trying　to　digest　the　question。　〃I　don't　think　I'm　qualified　to　address　that。　I'm　here　to　testify　about　the　merits　of