cussler.blueandgold-第39部分

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nly　take　it　on　the　condition　that　it's　on　loan。　As　soon　as　I've　bragged　to　everyone　at　the　agency；　it's　going　back　in　your　trophy　case　with　the　others。〃
　
　LeGrand's　pride　was　mixed　with　guilt。　True；　he　had　sup　ported　his　daughter's　love　for　riding　financially；　but　this　was　the　first　event　he　had　attended　in　years。　The　country　club　photographer　came　over；　and　LeGrand　posed　with　his　daughter　and　her　horse；　wishing　as　he　did　that　his　wife　were　still　alive　to　make　the　picture　plete。
　
　Katie　led　Val　back　to　the　stable；　and　LeGrand　ambled　across　the　field；　chatting　with　his　assistant；　a　plain　but　extremely　intelligent　woman　named　Hester　Leonard。　LeGrand　was　sometimes　likened　in　press　reports　to　a　beardless　Lincoln；　a　parison　based　on　his　reputation　for　honesty　and　his　resemblance　to　the　sixteenth　president。　He　was　tall　and　homely；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　character　etched　into　his　large　features。　He　had　earned　a　reputation　for　integrity　in　running　the　world's　largest　intelligence…gathering　organization；　and　in　another　age　with　no　TV　and　sound　bites；　he　would　have　been　considered　seriously　as　a　candidate　for　president。
　
　Leonard's　cell　phone　buzzed；　and　she　put　it　to　her　ear。　〃Sir；〃　she　said　hesitantly；　〃call　for　you　from　Langley。〃
　
　LeGrand　scowled；　muttering　under　his　breath　about　no　peace　for　the　wicked。　He　made　no　motion　to　take　the　phone。　〃Didn't　I　ask　that　I　not　be　disturbed　for　two　hours　while　I　was　in　McLean　unless　it　was　extremely　urgent？〃
　
　〃It's　John　Rowland；　and　he　says　it　is　of　utmost　importance。〃
　
　〃Rowland？　Well；　in　that　case。　。　。　〃　He　took　the　phone　and　stuck　it　in　his　ear。　〃Hello；　John；〃　he　said；　frown　changing　to　a　smile。　〃No　apology　needed。　You're　just　in　time　to　hear　the　good　news。　Katie　won　first　place　in　English　riding　at　the　country　club。。。。　Thank　you。　Now；　what's　so　important　that　it　interrupts　possibly　the　most　important　moment　of　Katie's　life？〃
　
　LeGrand's　brow　furrowed。　〃No；　I've　never　heard　of　it　。　。　。　yes；　of　course　。　。　。　wait　for　me　in　my　office。〃
　
　He　handed　the　phone　to　his　aide；　looked　at　the　trophy；　and　shook　his　head。　〃Tell　the　car　to　e　around　and　pick　me　up　immediately　at　the　stable。　We've　got　to　get　back　to　Langley　immediately。　Then　put　a　call　in　to　my　office　and　tell　them　to　render　any　assistance　that　John　Rowland　asks　for。　I've　got　to　say　my　good…byes　and　make　amends。　Hell；　this　will　probably　cost　me　another　horse。〃　He　loped　off　to　offer　his　apologies　to　his　daughter。
　
　Twenty　minutes　later　the　black　limo　squealed　to　a　halt　in　front　of　CIA　headquarters。　LeGrand　got　out；　striding　through　the　lobby　on　his　long　legs。　An　assistant　met　him　inside　the　door。　He　snatched　the　folder　from　his　aide's　hand　and　scanned　the　material　in　the　elevator。　Moments　later　he　stepped　into　his　office。　John　Rowland　was　waiting　with　a　nervous　young　man　he　introduced　as　a　fellow　analyst　named　Browning。
　
　Rowland　and　the　director　shook　hands　like　the　old　friends　they　were。　Years　before；　both　were　at　the　same　level　in　the　agency。　But　LeGrand　had　political　ambition　and　the　drive　to　climb　to　the　top　of　the　ladder。　Rowland　was　content　to　stay　in　his　post　where　he　was　known　as　a　mentor　for　the　young　analysts　ing　through　the　ranks。　LeGrand　put　unquestioning　faith　in　Rowland；　who　on　more　than　one　occasion　had　saved　his　boss　from　stepping　into　a　cow　flap。
　
　〃I　just　read　the　material　you　got　off　the　database。　What's　your　take　on　it？〃
　
　Rowland　lost　no　time　outlining　his　analysis。
　
　〃This　thing　can't　be　stopped？〃　LeGrand　said。
　
　〃The　protocol　has　been　activated。　The　sanction　will　be　carried　out　to　the　end。〃
　
　〃Damn！　Heads　are　going　to　roll　when　I'm　through。　Who's　the　target？〃
　
　Rowland　handed　him　a　sheet　of　paper。　LeGrand　read　the　name　on　it；　and　the　color　drained　from　his　face。
　
　〃Call　the　Secret　Service。　Tell　them　we've　learned　of　an　assassination　plot　against　the　speaker　of　the　House。　He　needs　protection　immediately。　Dear　God；〃　he　said。　〃Can　anyone　tell　me　how　something　like　this　happens？〃
　
　〃We're　going　to　have　to　do　some　digging　to　get　all　the　de　tails；〃　Rowland　said。　〃We　only　know　that　the　protocol　was　triggered　by　simultaneous　queries　to　the　intelligence…gathering　munity　that　came　from　the　National　Underwater　&　Marine　Agency。〃
　
　〃NUMA？〃　The　air　over　LeGrand's　head　crackled　blue　as　he　gave　an　impressive　demonstration　of　his　renowned　skill　for　inventive　expletive。　He　slammed　his　big　hand　down　on　the　desk　with　enough　force　to　topple　the　pen　from　its　holder　and　yelled　at　the　nearest　assistant。　〃Get　James　Sandecker　on　the　phone。〃
　
　Chapter　24
　〃Were　about　twenty　minutes　from　Albany；〃　Buzz　Martin　said。
　
　　Austin　looked　out　the　window　of　Martin's　two…engine　Piper　Seneca。　The　visibility　was　as　unlimited　as　when　they　had　left　Baltimore　earlier　that　afternoon。　Austin　could　practically　read　the　names　on　the　boats　dotting　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Hudson　River。
　
　〃Thanks　again　for　the　lift。　My　partner　Joe　Zavala　usually　chauffeurs　me　around　on　these　junkets；　but　he's　still　in　California。〃
　
　Martin　gave　Austin　a　thumbs…up　sign。　〃Hell；　I'm　the　one　who　should　be　thanking　you。　I'm　sure　you　could　have　got　up　here　on　your　own。〃
　
　〃Probably；　but　my　motives　are　not　unselfish。　I　need　you　to　identify　your　father。〃
　
　Martin　glanced　off　at　the　Catskill　Mountains　to　the　west。　〃I　wonder　if　I'll　even　recognize　him　after　all　these　years。　It's　been　a　long　time。　He　could　have　changed　a　lot。〃　A　cloud　passed　over　his　sunny　features。　〃Damn；　ever　since　you　called　and　asked　me　to　fly　you　up　here；　I've　been　trying　to　figure　out　what　I'm　going　to　say　to　him。　I　don't　know　whether　to　hug　him　or　hit　the　old　bastard。〃
　
　〃You　might　shake　his　hand　for　starters。　Taking　a　swing　at　your　long…lost　father　is　no　way　to　start　a　family　reunion。〃　
　
　　Martin　chuckled。　〃Yeah；　you're　right。　But　I　can't　stop　being　angry　with　him。　I　want　him　to　tell　me　why　he　left　my　mother　and　me　and　why　he　stayed　hidden　all　these　years；　making　us　think　he　was　dead。　Good　thing　my　mother　is　gone。　She　was　an　old…fashioned　girl；　and　it　would　have　killed　her　to　think　she　had　married　while　her　first　husband　was　still　alive。　Hell；〃　he　said　with　a　catch　in　his　voice；　〃I　just　hope　I　don't　start　bawling。〃
　
　He　picked　up　the　microphone　and　called　the　Albany　control　tower　for　landing　instructions。　Within　minutes　they　were　on　the　ground。
　
　The　car　rental　counter　had　no　lines；　and　before　long　they　were　driving　out　of　the　city　in　a　four…wheel…drive　Pathfinder。　Austin　headed　southwest　on　Route　88　toward　Binghamton　through　rolling　hills　and　small　farms。　About　an　hour　from　Albany　he　left　the　main　highway　and　drove　north　to　Cooperstown；　an　idyllic　village　whose　neat　main　street　looked　like　a　set　from　a　Frank　Capra　movie。　From　Cooperstown　they　headed　west　on　a　winding　two…lane　country　road。　This　was　James　Fenimore　Cooper's　Leatherstocking　country；　and　with　a　little　imagination　Austin　could　picture　Hawkeye　skulking　through　the　wooded　valleys　with　his　Indian　panions。　Towns　and　houses　grew　even　farther　apart。　In　this　part　of　the　world　the　cows　outnumbered　the　people。
　
　Even　with　a　map　it　was　hard　to　find　the　place　they　were　looking　for。　Austin　stopped　at　a　gas　station…general　store；　and　Buzz　went　in　for　directions。　When　he　came　out　he　was　clearly　excited。
　
　〃The　old…timer　in　there　says　he's　known　Bucky　Martin　for　years。　'Nice　fella。　Pretty　much　keeps　to　himself。'　Go　up　this　road　a　half　a　mile　and　turn　left。　The　farm　is　about　five　miles　from　there。〃
　
　The　road　became　narrow　and　bumpy；　the　tarmac　almost　an　afterthought。　The　farms　alternated　with　thick　patches　of　woods；　and　they　almost　missed　the　turnoff。　The　only　marker　was　an　aluminum　mailbox　with　no　name　or　number　on　it。　A　dirt　driveway；　past　the　mailbox　into　the　woods。　They　turned　onto　the　driveway。　
　and　passed　through　a　copse　of　trees　that　shielded　the　house　from　the　highway。　Eventually　the　trees　gave　way　to　pastures　where　small　herds　of　cows　grazed。　Finally；　at　least　a　half　a　mile　from　the　road；　they　came　upon　the　farmhouse。
　
　The　big　two…story　building　was　built　in　an　era　when　three　generations　lived　together　to　work　a　farm。　The　decorative　windows　and　stained　glass　indicated　that　the　owner　had　been　successful　enough　to　afford　extra　touches。　A　porch　ran　across　the　front。　Behind　the　house　was　a　red　barn　and　silo。　Next　to　the　barn　was　a　corral　with　two　horses　in　it。　A　fairly　new　pickup　truck　was　parked　in　the　yard。
　
　Austin　swung　into　the　circular　driveway　and　parked　in　front　of　the　house。　No　one　came　out　to　greet　them。　There　was　no　curious　face　in　the　windows。
　
　〃Maybe　you　should　let　me　go　first；〃　Austin　suggested。　〃It　might　help　if　I　do　a　little　prep　work　before　you　meet　face…to　face。〃
　
　〃That's　fine；〃　Buzz　said。　〃I'm　losing　courage　fast。〃
　
　Austin　squeezed　Martin's　arm。　〃You'll　be　fine。〃　He　didn't　know　what　he　would　have　done　in　the　man's　place。　He　doubted　he　would　have　been　as　calm。　〃I'll　check　him　out　and　break　it　to　him　gradually。〃
　
　〃I　appreciate　that；〃　Martin　said。
　
　Austin　left　the　car；　went　up　to　the　front　door；　and　knocked　several　times。　No　one　answered。　Nor　was　there　a　response　when　he　twisted　the　knob　of　the　old　doorbell。　He　turned　around　and　threw　his　hands　apart　so　Martin　could　see。　He　descended　the　porch　and　walked　behind　the　house　to　the　barn。　The　only　sound　was　the　soft　clucking　of　chickens　and　the　occasional　grunt　from　a　rooting　pig。
　
　The　barn　door　was　open。　He　walked　inside；　thinking　that　barns　smelled　the　same　the　world　over；　an　unmistakable　bination　of　manure；　hay；　and　big　animals。　A　horse　snorted　as　he　walked　by　its　stall；　maybe　thinking　he　was　bringing　it　sugar；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Martin。　He　called　out　a　hello　and　when　there　was　no　response　walked　out　the　back　door。　The　chickens　under　Wild　Bill　Donovan。　I　was　what　they'd　call　a　hit　man　today。　I　pulled　a　few　assignments　after　the　war；　then　told　them　I　wanted　to　retire。　The　boss　said　there　was　no　way　they　could　let　me　do　that。　I　knew　too　much。　So　we　worked　out　a　deal。　They'd　keep　me　active　for　one　more　job。　The　only　problem　was；　they　didn't　know　when　the　order　would　be　carried　out。　It　could　be　five　months　or　five　years。〃　He　chuckled。　〃No　one　figured　it　would　go　on　this　long；　especially　me。〃　Austin　no