cussler.blueandgold-第43部分

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　odd　feeling　that　she　wasn't　alone。
　
　She　turned　from　the　door　and　stared　with　unbelieving　eyes；　frozen　with　fear。
　
　The　man　with　the　metallic　teeth　was　standing　in　her　way。　Impossible。　He　was　out　in　the　hall。　Then　the　answer　came　to　her　in　a　flash
　
　　Twins。
　
　　The　epiphany　came　too　late。　As　she　backed　against　the　door　he　began　to　walk　slowly　toward　her；　his　eyes　glittering　like　black　pearls。　
　Cohen　sounded　frantic　on　the　phone。
　〃Joe；　for　Godsakes；　I've　been　trying　to　reach　you　for　an　hour！〃　〃Sorry；　I　was　out；〃　Zavala　apologized。　〃What's　wrong？〃　〃Sandy's　disappeared。　The　bastards　have　got　her。〃
　
　〃Calm　down　for　a　minute；〃　Zavala　said　evenly。　〃Tell　me　who　Sandy　is　and　these　bastards　you're　talking　about。　Start　from　the　beginning。〃
　
　〃Okay；　okay；〃　Cohen　replied。　There　was　a　pause　as　he　pulled　himself　together；　and　when　he　spoke　again　it　was　with　his　nor　mal　posure；　although　it　was　clear　from　the　tenseness　of　his　voice　that　panic　lurked　close　to　the　surface。
　
　〃I　went　back　to　the　paper。　I　just　had　a　funny　feeling。　All　our　source　material　is　missing。　We　kept　it　in　a　locked　file。　Empty。〃
　
　〃Who　had　access？〃
　
　〃Just　the　members　of　the　team。　They're　all　solid。　The　only　way　someone　could　get　them　to　open　the　files　is　if　they　had　a　gun　at　their　head。　Oh；　God；〃　Cohen　said　as　the　implication　of　his　statement　sank　in。
　
　Zavala　could　sense　that　he　was　losing　Cohen。　
　〃Tell　me　what　happened　next；〃　he　said。
　
　Cohen　took　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out。　〃Okay。　Sorry。　Next　I　checked　the　puter　disks。　Nothing。　You　needed　a　password　to　get　into　them。　Everybody　on　the　team　was　aware　of　it。　We　backed　everything　up　at　the　end　of　each　working　day。　We　took　turns。　Sandy　Wheeler；　one　of　the　reporters；　took　the　disks　home　with　her　today。　I　got　a　message　saying　some　guy　was　following　her。　She　was　in　a　parking　lot　near　her　condo。　We　were　supposed　to　have　dinner　tonight；　go　over　some　material　for　the　first　installment　of　the　story。　I　called　when　I　heard　her　message。　There　was　no　one　home。　I　came　over。　Sandy　had　given　me　a　key。　The　grocery　bag　was　on　the　table。　The　wine　was　still　in　it。　She　always　puts　her　wine　into　the　rack。　She's　pulsive　about　that。〃
　
　〃There's　no　sign　of　her？〃
　
　〃Nothing。　I　got　the　hell　out　of　there　as　soon　as　I　could。〃
　
　A　thought　came　to　Zavala。　〃What　about　the　other　reporters　on　your　team？〃
　
　〃I　tried　to　call　them。　No　answer。　What　should　I　do？〃
　
　Cohen　probably　saved　his　own　life　by　going　to　Sandy's　apartment　and　then　leaving　quickly。　Those　who　were　rolling　up　the　investigative　team　had　already　been　there；　but　they　might　check　back。
　
　〃Where　are　you　calling　from？　I　hear　music　in　the　back　ground。〃
　
　〃I'm　in　a　leather　bar　near　Sandy's　condo。〃　Cohen　nervously　laughed　through　his　fear。　〃I　ducked　in　here　when　I　thought　someone　was　following　me　and　wanted　to　be　in　a　public　place。〃
　
　'Anyone　follow　you　inside？〃
　
　〃I　don't　think　so。　This　is　pretty　much　a　biker　crowd。　They'd　stand　out。〃
　
　〃Can　you　call　me　back　in　five　minutes？〃　Joe　asked。
　
　〃Yeah；　but　make　it　fast。　There's　a　tall　transvestite　giving　me　the　eye。〃
　
　Zavala　looked　up　the　number　Gomez　had　given　him。　Gomez　answered　the　phone　on　the　third　try。　Zavala　brushed　off　the　usual　greetings。　
　
　　〃I'm　in　L。A。；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　someone　who　needs　to　be　out　of　circulation。　Can　you　help？　No　questions　now；　but　I　promise　to　fill　you　in　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　
　〃Does　this　happen　to　have　anything　to　do　with　the　business　you　were　involved　in　down　here？〃
　
　〃That　and　more。　Sorry　to　be　so　mysterious。　Can　you　help？〃
　
　Pause。　Then　Gomez's　voice　came　back；　all　business。　〃We　maintain　a　safe　house　in　Inglewood。　There's　a　caretaker　there。　I'll　call　and　let　him　know　to　expect　a　package。〃　He　gave　Zavala　directions　to　the　safe　house。
　
　〃Thanks。　Talk　to　you　later；〃　Joe　said。
　
　〃I　hope　so；〃　Gomez　replied。
　
　The　phone　rang　as　soon　as　he　put　it　down。　He　rattled　off　the　address　Gomez　had　given　him　and　told　Cohen　to　take　a　taxi　there。　〃Leave　your　car；〃　he　cautioned。　〃It　might　have　a　transmitter　on　it。〃
　
　〃Of　course。　I　never　thought　of　anything　like　that。　Oh；　jeez。　I　knew　this　thing　was　big。　Poor　Sandy　and　the　others。　I　feel　responsible　for　them。〃
　
　〃There　was　nothing　else　you　could　have　done；　Randy。　You　didn't　know　you　were　playing　well　out　of　your　league。〃
　
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on？〃
　
　〃You　had　it　right　the　first　time　we　talked；〃　Zavala　said。　〃Blue　gold。〃
　
　Chapter　27
　The　black　rubber　ball　was　only　a　meteor　blur；　but　Sandecker　had　anticipated　the　bounce；　and　his　light　wooden　racket　flicked　out　like　a　serpent's　tongue。　The　quick　backhand　sent　the　ball　speeding　with　a　sharp　thwack　against　the　right　wall。　LeGrand　lunged；　but　he　had　misjudged　the　spin　and　his　racket　swiped　clumsily　at　thin　air。
　
　〃That's　the　game；　I　believe；〃　said　Sandecker；　deftly　scooping　up　the　bouncing　ball。　Sandecker　was　a　fitness　and　nutrition　fanatic；　and　his　strict　regimen　of　jogging　and　weightlifting　gave　him　a　petitive　edge　over　men　much　younger　and　bigger。　He　stood　with　legs　wide　apart；　the　racket　resting　easily　in　the　crook　of　his　arm。　Not　one　drop　of　perspiration　beaded　his　forehead。　Nor　was　a　single　red　hair　out　of　place　on　his　head　or　the　precisely　trimmed　fiery　red　Van　Dyke　beard。
　
　By　contrast；　LeGrand　dripped　with　sweat。　As　he　removed　his　eye　protectors　and　toweled　his　face　dry　he　remembered　why　he　had　stopped　playing　with　Sandecker。　The　CIA　director　had　the　height　and　muscle　advantage　over　Sandecker；　who　stood　a　few　inches　over　five　feet；　but　as　he　learned　each　time　he　stepped　onto　the　court　with　Sandecker；　squash　was　a　game　of　strategy；　not　power。　Under　normal　circumstances　he　would　have　put　the　admiral　off　when　he　called　the　day　after　the　incident　in　New　York　State。
　
　〃I've　reserved　a　court　at　the　club；〃　Sandecker　said　cheer
　fully。　〃How'd　you　like　to　bat　the　little　black　ball　around　for　a　bit？〃
　
　Despite　the　genial　tone　there　was　no　doubt　in　LeGrand's　mind　that　this　was　a　mand　performance。　LeGrand　canceled　his　morning　appointments　and　stopped　at　the　Watergate　plex　to　pick　up　his　gear。　Sandecker　was　waiting　at　the　squash　club。　He　was　wearing　a　designer　sweatsuit　of　navy　blue　with　gold　piping。　But　even　in　his　casual　outfit　it　took　little　imagination　to　picture　Sandecker　pacing　the　deck　of　a　man　o'　war　in　a　bygone　day；　barking　mands　to　trim　sail　or　unleash　a　broadside　against　a　Barbary　pirate。　He　ran　NUMA　the　same　way；　keeping　one　eye　on　the　changes　in　the　wind　and　the　other　on　his　adversaries。　Like　any　good　mander　he　took　a　keen　interest　in　his　crew's　welfare。
　
　When　he　learned　Austin　had　been　put　in　harm's　way　by　a　cockeyed　intelligence　scheme　he　erupted　in　an　explosion　that　would　have　put　krakatoa　to　shame。　The　CIA's　involvement　added　to　the　violence　of　his　reaction。　He　was　fond　of　LeGrand；　but　in　Sandecker's　unpromising　view　the　pany　was　pampered　and　overfunded。

　
　While　he　relished　the　chance　to　put　the　CIA　director　in　the　hot　seat；　he　saw　it　as　more　than　an　opportunity　to　vent　his　spleen。　Sandecker　wasn't　above　political　chicanery。　He　was　quite　adept　at　it；　in　fact。　One　of　his　more　valuable　talents　was　the　ability　to　stay　ahead　of　his　anger　and　use　it　to　get　his　way。　Targets　of　his　rage　had　no　idea　that　behind　his　laser…hot　fury　he　was　often　serene；　even　joyful。　His　ability　served　him　well。　Presidents　of　both　parties　deferred　to　him。　Senators　and　congressmen　went　out　of　their　way　to　cultivate　his　acquaintance。　Cabinet　members　instructed　their　staff　to　put　through　his　phone　calls　without　question。
　
　LeGrand　had　readily　accepted　the　admiral's　invitation　for　a　match　because　he　was　drenched　with　guilt　over　the　incident　in　New　York　and　weled　the　opportunity　to　make　amends；　even　if　it　meant　being　humiliated　on　the　squash　court。　To　his　surprise；　Sandecker　had　greeted　him　with　a　smile　and　hadn't　mentioned　the　incident　throughout　their　play。　He　even　offered　to　buy　the　first　round　at　the　juice　bar。
　
　〃Thanks　for　the　match　on　such　short　notice；〃　Sandecker　said　with　his　famous　alligator　smile。
　
　LeGrand　sipped　his　papaya　juice　and　shook　his　head。　〃One　of　these　days　maybe　I'll　beat　you。〃
　
　〃Your　backhand　needs　some　work　first；〃　Sandecker　offered。　〃By　the　way；　while　I　have　your　ear；　I'd　like　to　thank　you　for　averting　a　potential　tragedy　involving　my　man　Austin。〃
　
　This　might　not　be　as　bad　as　he　expected；　LeGrand　thought。
　
　Sandecker　maintained　his　disconcerting　smile。　〃Pity　you　didn't　get　someone　to　respond　more　quickly；〃　he　said。　〃You　might　have　been　able　to　save　your　asset。〃　He　put　heavy　emphasis　on　the　first　syllable　of　the　last　word。
　
　LeGrand　groaned　inwardly。　It　was　obvious　Sandecker　was　going　to　worry　this　one　like　a　puppy　with　a　bone。
　
　Ignoring　the　play　on　words；　the　director　said；　〃I'm　sorry　about　that　regrettable　episode。　The　full　extent　of　this；　er；　problem　wasn't　apparent　at　first。　It　was　a　very　plex　situation。〃
　
　〃So　I　hear；〃　Sandecker　said　lightly。　〃Tell　you　what　I'm　going　to　do；　Erwin。　I　will　forget　for　the　time　being　that　a　screwball　scheme　hatched　by　the　OSS　and　carried　out　by　the　CIA　went　awry；　almost　killing　the　head　of　the　NUMA　Special　Assignments　Team　and　an　innocent　bystander　and　placing　the　speaker　of　the　House　in　jeopardy。〃
　
　〃You're　very　gracious；　James；〃　LeGrand　said。
　
　Sandecker　nodded。　〃No　details　of　this　schoolboy　spy　prank　will　ever　go　beyond　the　walls　of　NUMA。〃
　
　〃The　Agency　appreciates　your　discretion；〃　LeGrand　said。
　
　Sandecker　raised　a　red　eyebrow。　〃You're　not　entirely　off　the　hook；〃　he　said　archly。　〃In　exchange　I　want　a　full　accounting　of　this　sordid　affair。〃
　
　LeGrand　knew　there　would　be　a　quid　pro　quo。　There　always　was　with　Sandecker。　He　had　already　decided　to　lay　his　cards　out　on　the　table。　
　
　　〃You're　certainly　justified　in　demanding　an　accounting；〃　he　agreed。
　
　〃I　think　so；〃　Sandecker　said　agreeably。
　
　〃It　was　quite　a　task　to　piece　this　story　together；　especially　on　such　short　notice；　but　I'll　do　my　best　to　explain　what　happened。〃
　
　〃Or　thankfully　in　this　case；〃　Sandecker　said；　〃what　didn't　happen。〃
　
　LeGrand　smiled　wanly。　〃The　end　of　World　War　II　is　the　be　ginning　of　the　story。　With　Germany　defeated；　the　Allied　c