jherbert.sepulchre-第22部分

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　　Mather　pushed　himself　up　from　the　padded　kneeler　and；　the　tip　of　his　cane　sinking　into　the　soft　earth。　he　hobbled　towards　the　terrace。
　　'I　should　get　back　inside　if　I　were　you；　Aggie；'　he　said　as　he　awkwardly　climbed　the　steps。　'You'll　catch　your　death　of　cold　standing　around　like　that。'
　　'Thank　you　for　your　concern；　Charles；　but　I'm　sure　poking　around　in　the　damp　grass　for　a　couple　of　hours　hasn't　done　much　for　your　leg　either；'　she　replied　more　tartly　than　she　felt。　'I　think　you'd　better　take　a　bath　right　after　me。'
　　'Mother　knows　best；'　he　agreed　with　a　smile。　'Now　you　get　yourself　back　indoors　before　I　whip　off　your　dressing…gown　and　chase　you　naked　around　the　garden。'　She　quickly　turned　to　hide　her　own　smile　and　walked　to　the　patio　doors。　'That　might　give　the　neighbours　a　breakfast　thrill；'　she　said　over　her　shoulder。
　　'Y'know；'　he　murmured；　limping　after　her　and　admiring　her　rear　with　almost　as　much　enthusiasm　as　when　they　were　younger；　'I　really　believe　it　would。'　He　took　the　call　in　his　study；　settling　down　into　an　easy　chair　first　and　waiting　for　the　click　that　signalled　Agnes　had　replaced　the　upstairs　receiver。　'Liam；　Charles　here。　I　hadn't　expected　to　hear　from　you　today。'　There　was　no　urgency　in　Halloran's　voice。　'I've　been　trying　to　contact　Dieter　Stuhr　since　eight　this　morning；　but　had　no　luck。'
　　'As　we　have　an　ongoing　operation　he'll　be　at　Shield　all　weekend；'　said　Mather。　'I　assume　you've　already　tried　to　reach　him　there　though。'
　　'I　thought　I'd　probably　catch　him　at　home　earlier；　then　I《　rang　the　office。　No　answer　from　there　either。'　Mather　checked　his　wristwatch。　'H'mn；　just　after　nine。　He'd　have　one　other　coordinator　with　him　today　and　she　should　have　arrived　by　now。'
　　'Only　Stuhr　would　have　a　key。'
　　'Then　she　might　be　waiting　outside　at　this　moment。　It〃s　not　like　Dieter　to　be　late；　but　perhaps　he's　on　his　way。　That　could　be　why　you　missed　him。'
　　'I　rang　his　apartment　over　an　hour　ago。'
　　'Well；　he　could　have　been　delayed。　Look；　I'll　get　on　to　Snaith…don't　see　why　his　Saturday　shouldn't　be　disrupted…and　between　us　we'll　see　what　we　can　find　out。　No　doubt　it'll　prove　to　be　something　trivial…his　car's　probably　had　an　upset。'　With　his　free　hand；　Mather　rubbed　his　aching　knee。　'D'you　have　a　problem　there　at　Neatly　Liam？'
　　'I　wanted　to　arrange　for　extra　patrols　outside；　that's　all。　And　I　think　our　men　should　be　armed。　Security　here　is　virtually　nil。'　There　was　a　pause；　but　Mather　sensed　that　Halloran　wanted　to　say　more。　When　no　further　words　came；　the　older　man　spoke　up：　'Anything　else　bothering　you；　Liam？'　The　question　was　put　mildly；　but　Mather　knew　his　operative　well　enough　to　understand　something　was　wrong。
　　More　silence；　then；　'No；　nothing　else。　Our　client　is　unusual；　but　he　can　be　handled。'
　　'If　there's　a　problem　between　you　two；　we　can　switch。　No　need　for　added　plications；　y'know。'
　　'Uh；　no。　Leave　things　as　they　are。　Let　me　know　what's　happened　to　the　Organiser；　will　you？'
　　'Surely。　Soon　as　we　know　something　ourselves。　Perhaps　Stuhr　stayed　somewhere　else　overnight…I　understand　it　frequently　happens　to　single　men。　Could　be　whoever　he's　with　has　found　ways　to　detain　him。'
　　'It's　not　like　him　to　be　out　of　touch。'
　　'I　agree；　particularly　when　there's　an　operation　in　progress。'　Mather　was　frowning　now。　'We'll　keep　you　informed；　Liam；　and　in　the　meanwhile　we'll　organise　some　extra　cover　for　you。　I　assume　last　night　went　without　incident？'
　　'It　was　quiet。　Anything　more　on　the　stolen　Peugeot？'
　　'Still　drawn　a　blank　there；　I'm　afraid。　Police　can't　help。　You're　sure　our　client　doesn't　know　more　than　he's　telling'
　　'I'm　not　sure　of　anything。'　Mather　stopped　soothing　the　ache　in　his　knee。　Again　he　waited　for　Halloran　to　continue；　but　all　that　came　through　was　atmospherics　on　the　line。　'It　might　be　an　idea　if　I　paid　Neath　a　visit　myself；'　he　suggested。
　　'We'll　be　back　in　London　on　Monday。　Let's　you　and　I　meet　then。'
　　'If　you　say　so。　Look；　I'll　get　back　to　you　as　soon　as　I've　got　some　news。'
　　'Fine。'　He　heard　the　click　as　the　line　was　disengaged　and　he　held　his　own　phone　close　to　his　ear　for　several　seconds　before　putting　it　down。　Mather　was　thoughtful　for　several　more　moments　before　he　lifted　the　receiver　again。
　　Halloran　stood　by　the　telephone　in　the　large　open　hallway；　his　hand　still　resting　on　the　receiver。　He　was　concerned　about　Dieter　Stuhr's　absence；　well　aware　that　it　was　out　of　character　for　the　German　to　go　missing　during　a　major　assignment　（or　even　a　minor　one；　for　that　matter）。　Maybe；　as　Mother　had　suggested；　he　was　having　problems　getting　into　the　office　that　morning。　Less　likely　was　that　he'd　been　detained　at　some　other　address；　the　Organiser　didn't　run　his　life　that　way…he'd　have　at　least　let　Shield　know　where　he　could　he　contacted　no　matter　how　impromptu　the　situation。　Halloran　ran　his　fingers　across　his　as　yet　unshaven　chin。　Maybe　Kline…and　Neath　itself…was　getting　to　him。　He　was　beginning　to　feel　uneasy　about　everything。
　　There　were　footsteps　on　the　staircase　behind　him。　He　turned　to　find　Cora　approaching；　her　descent　faltering　momentarily　when　he　looked　into　her　eyes；　her　hand　touching　the　wide　balustrade　for　balance。
　　'Good　morning；　Liam。'　Her　greeting　was　subdued；　as　if　she　were　not　sure　how　he　would　react　towards　her。
　　'Cora；'　he　responded。　He　moved　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs　and　waited。　Neither　one　smiled　at　the　other　and　both　were　conscious　that　this　was　not　the　usual　way　for　lovers　to　say　hello　after　a　night　of　intimacy。
　　'Have　you　had　breakfast？'　she　asked；　the　question　put　to　break　the　awkwardness　between　them　rather　than　out　of　any　real　interest。
　　'I'm　on　my　way　in；'　Halloran　replied。　He　touched　her　arm　to　atop　her　from　walking　on。　She　looked　up　at　him；　startled。　'Cora；　why　didn't　you　warn　me　about　Kline？'　She　could　not　conceal　the　tiny　flicker　of　alarm　that　showed　in　her　eyes。
　　'Why　didn't　you　tell　me　he　had　the…I　suppose　you'd　call　it　〃power〃…to　hypnotise？　We　took　a　little　trip　this　morning；　out　on　the　lake。　He　made　me　see　things　there；　things　I　never　thought　possible。　Creatures　Cora；　monsters　that　seemed　to　be　living　in　the　slime　beneath　that　water。　I　don't　know　whose　imagination　he　dredged　them　from…his　or　mine…but　they　scared　the　hell　out　of　me　even　though　mon　sense　told　me　they　couldn't　really　exist。　He　froze　me；　and　it's　been　a　long　time　since　anyone　did　that。'
　　'lie　was　playing　games　with　you。'　She　had　mowed　closer　and　her　voice　was　quiet；　almost　mournful。　'It　was　Felix's　way　of　showing　you　how　manipulative　his　mind　is；　how　sometimes　he　can　direct　images　into　the　minds　of　others。'　Halloran　shook　his　head。　'Thought　transference…it's　the　same　as　hypnosis。'
　　'No。　No　it　isn't。　He　can't　make　you　do　things；　control　your　actions。　He　can　only　suggest　images；　make　you　feel　something　is　happening。'　Halloran　thought　back　to　the　white　room　at　the　Magma　building；　remembering　his　first　encounter　with　Kline；　the　finger　prodding　him　in　the　darkness　when　no　one　was　near；　reaching　out　and　touching　withered　skin　when　only　he　and　Kline　were　in　the　room　。　。　。　'At　least　it　makes　a　kind　of　sense；'　he　said　aloud；　although　it　was　more　a　rationale　for　himself。
　　Her　laugh　was　brittle。　'Don't　look　for　sense　in　any　of　this；'　she　said。　Cora　slipped　from　his　grip　and　made　her　way　towards　the　dining　room。
　　A　creak　from　the　balcony　above。　He　looked　up　sharply　and　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　bulky　shape　of　Monk　stepping　back　out　of　sight。　Halloran　was　sure　the　big　man　had　been　grinning。
　　'Well；　I　can　see　your　appetite　hasn't　been　spoilt　by　this　morning's　little　upset。'　Kline　waved　away　the　Arab　who　had　been　pouring　him　more　coffee。
　　Halloran　glanced　up　from　his　plate　and　returned　his　client's　smile。　'It　takes　a　lot　to　do　that。'
　　'Oh　yeah？　For　a　moment　there　in　the　boat　I　thought　you　were　going　to　puke。　Couldn't　figure　it…there　was　hardly　a　ripple　in　the　lake。　Unless　all　that　mist　out　there　disorientated　you　that　can　often　make　you　giddy；　y'know；　that　and　the　drifting　sensation。　You　had　me　worried。'　He　sipped　from　his　cup。　'Youssef；　give　Miss　Redmile　some　more　coffee。　She　looks　as　if　she　needs　it。　Make　it　strong；　leave　the　cream。　Cora；　you've　got　to　eat　more　than　you　do；　you're　going　to　waste　away　otherwise。　Don't　you　think　she　looks　kinda　drawn；　Halloran？　You　not　sleeping　well；　Cora？'　Halloran　had　to　agree：　she　looked　pale；　the　dark　smudges　under　her　eyes　even　more　pronounced。
　　'I　think　that　business　yesterday　is　having　some　effect　on　me；'　Cora　said。　'Delayed　reaction；　I　suppose。'
　　'The　attempted　kidnapping？'　The　incident　sounded　pleasurable　to　Kline。　'There　was　no　problem；　not　with　our　hero　along　to　protect　us。　Those　bastards　didn't　stand　a　chance；　am　I　right；　Halloran？　Not　with　you　around。　I　bet　they　couldn't　believe　their　eyes　when　they　saw　our　car　reversing　away　like　a　bat　outa　。　。　。'　He　didn't　plete　the　sentence；　gulping　coffee　instead。
　　'Hopefully　your　own　driver；　Palusinski；　will　have　learned　the　technique　by　now。　That　and　a　few　others　to　get　away　from　a　road…block　fast。'　Halloran　continued　eating；　a　surprisingly　good　English　breakfast　provided　by　the　two　Jordanians。　He　noticed　that　Kline；　for　all　his　jibes　at　the　girl；　hadn't　eaten　much　either。　Monk　probably　made　up　for　the　pair　of　them　in　the　kitchen。
　　'Were　you　an　army　man；　Halloran？'　The　question　from　Kline　was　unexpected。
　　'Most　of　your　outfit　are　ex…military；　aren't　they？'　Kline　went　on。　'You　ever　killed　anybody？　Shot　them　dead；　knifed　them？　You　ever　done　anything　like　that？'　Cora　was　watching　him；　along　with　her　employer。　Halloran　leaned　back　from　the　table。　'What　makes　you　ask？'　he　said。
　　'Oh；　curiosity。　Wondered　if　you　had　the　capability。　Can't　be　an　easy　thing　taking　someone　else's　life　away。　No；　got　to　be　the　hardest　thing　in　the　world　to　do。　Or　is　it？　Maybe　it's　easy　once　you　have　the　know…how；　the　experience。　Have　you　had　the　experience？　Could　you　do　it？'
　　'It　would　depend　on　the　situation。'
　　'Hah！　Let　me　give　you　a　situation　then。　Suppose　those　creeps　yesterday　had　managed　to　stop　our　car。　Suppose　they　came　at　me　with　guns…which；　presumably；　given　the　chance　they　would　have。　Would　you　have　used　your　own　weapon'？'
　　'That's　why　I'm　here；　Kline　。'
　　'Okay。　Let's　change　the　scenari