ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy-第16部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　
　Robert　hesitated。
　〃I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　pass　on　it；　sir。〃
　〃I　respect　your　decision；　Robert。　　You've　been　traveling　constantly　and　have　never　turned　down　an　assignment。　　I　know　it　hasn't　been　easy　on　your　marriage。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　take　on　this　job；　sir。　　It's　just　that〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　say　it；　Robert。　　My　opinion　of　your　work　and　dedication　will　always　remain　the　same。　　I　just　have　one　favor　to　ask　of　you。〃
　〃What's　that；　Admiral？〃
　〃The　deputy　director　e　of　the　CIA　asked　to　meet　with　you；　regardless　of　your　decision。　　As　a　courtesy。　　You　don't　mind　do　you？〃
　〃Of　course　not；　sir。〃
　
　The　next　day　Robert　drove　to　Langley　for　his　meeting　with　the　deputy　director。
　〃Sit　down；　mander；〃　the　deputy　director　said　after　Robert　entered　the　large　corner　office。
　〃I've　heard　a　lot　about　you。　　All　good　things；　of　course。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　
　The　deputy　director　was　a　man　in　his　early　sixties；　with　fine　white　hair　and　a　small　brush　mustache　that　moved　up　and　down　as　he　drew　on　his　pipe。　　A　Yale　graduate；　he　had　joined　the　OSS　during　World　War　II　and　then　moved　into　the　CIA　when　it　was　formed　after　the　conflict。　　He　rose　steadily　up　the　ranks　to　his　present　position　in　one　of　the　largest　and　most　powerful　intelligence　agencies　in　the　world。
　〃I　want　you　to　know；　mander；　that　I　respect　your　decision。〃
　
　Bellamy　nodded　toward　the　deputy　director。
　〃There　is　one　fact；　however；　that　I　feel　I　should　bring　to　your　attention。〃
　〃What's　that；　sir？〃
　〃The　President　is　personally　involved　in　the　operation　to　unmask　the　Fox。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　that；　sir。〃
　〃He　regards　it…as　I　do；　too…as　one　of　the　most　important　assignments　this　agency　has　had　since　its　inception。　　I　know　of　your　situation　at　home；　and　I'm　sure　the　President　is　sympathetic　too。　　He's　a　real　family　man。　　But　your　not　taking　on　this　assignment　might　throw…how　should　I　say　it…a　cloud　on　the　ONI　and　Admiral　Whittaker。〃
　〃The　admiral　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　decision；　sir；〃　Robert　said。　　〃I　understand　that；　mander；　but　will　the　President　understand　that？〃　The　honeymoon　will　have　to　be　postponed；　Robert　thought。
　
　*　*　*　When　Robert　broke　the　news　to　Susan；　he　said　gently；　〃This　is　my　last　overseas　assignment。　　After　this　I'll　be　home　so　much　you'll　get　sick　of　me。〃
　
　She　smiled　up　at　him。
　〃There　isn't　that　much　time　in　the　world。
　
　We're　going　to　be　together　forever。〃
　
　The　chase　after　the　Fox　was　the　most　frustrating　thing　Robert　had　ever　experienced。　　He　picked　up　his　trail　in　Argentina　but　missed　his　quarry　by　one　day。　　The　trail　led　to　Tokyo　and　China　and　then　Malaysia。
　
　Whoever　the　Fox　was；　he　left　just　enough　of　a　trail　to　lead　to　where　he　had　been　but　never　to　where　he　was。　　The　days　turned　into　weeks；　and　the　weeks　turned　into　months；　and　always　Robert　was　just　behind　the　Fox。　　He　called　Susan　almost　every　day。　　In　the　beginning；　it　was　〃I'll　be　home　in　a　few　days；　darling。〃　　And　then；　〃I　might　be　home　next　week。〃　　And　then；　finally；　〃I'm　not　sure　when　I'll　be　back。〃　　In　the　end；　Robert　had　to　give　up。　　He　had　been　on　the　Fox's　trail　for　two　and　a　half　months　with　no　success。
　
　When　he　returned　to　Susan；　she　seemed　changed。　　A　little　cooler。
　〃I'm　sorry；　darling；〃　Robert　apologized。
　〃I　had　no　idea　it　would　take　so　long。　　It　was　just…〃
　〃They'll　never　let　you　go；　will　they；　Robert？〃
　〃What？　　Of　course；　they　will。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head。
　〃I　don't　think　so。　　I've　taken　a　job　at　Washington　Memorial　Hospital。〃
　
　He　was　taken　aback。
　〃You've　what？〃
　〃I'm　going　to　be　a　nurse　again。　　I　can't　sit　around　waiting　for　you　to　e　home　to　me；　wondering　where　you　are　and　what　you're　doing；　wondering　whether　you're　dead　or　alive。〃
　〃Susan；　I…〃
　〃It's　all　right；　my　sweetheart。　　At　least　I'll　be　doing　something　useful　while　you're　gone。　　It　will　make　the　waiting　easier。〃　　And　Robert　had　no　answer　to　that。
　
　He　reported　his　failure　to　Admiral　Whittaker。　　The　admiral　was　sympathetic。
　〃It's　my　fault　for　agreeing　to　let　you　do　it。　　From　now　on；　we'll　let　the　CIA　handle　their　own　damned　problems。　　I'm　sorry；　Robert。〃　Robert　told　him　about　Susan　taking　a　job　as　a　nurse。
　〃That's　probably　a　good　idea；〃　the　Admiral　said　thoughtfully。
　〃It　will　take　the　pressure　off　your　marriage。　　If　you　took　on　some　overseas　caseloads　now　and　then；　I'm　sure　it　won't　matter　as　much。〃　　Now　and　then　turned　out　to　be　almost　constantly。　　That　was　when　the　marriage　really　began　to　disintegrate。
　
　Susan　worked　at　Washington　Memorial　Hospital　as　an　operating　room　nurse；　and　whenever　Robert　was　home；　she　tried　to　take　time　off　to　be　with　him；　but　she　was　caught　up　more　and　more　in　her　work。
　〃I'm　really　enjoying　it；　darling。　　I　feel　I'm　doing　something　useful。〃
　
　She　would　talk　to　Robert　about　her　patients；　and　he　remembered　how　caring　she　had　been　with　him；　how　she　had　nurtured　him　back　to　health；　back　to　life。　　He　was　pleased　that　she　was　doing　important　work　that　she　loved；　but　the　fact　was；　they　were　seeing　less　and　less　of　each　other。
　
　The　emotional　distance　between　them　was　widening。　　There　was　an　awkwardness　now　that　had　not　existed　before。　　They　were　like　two　strangers　trying　desperately　hard　to　make　conversation。
　
　When　Robert　returned　to　Washington　from　a　six…week　assignment　in　Turkey；　he　took　Susan　out　to　dinner　at　Sans　Souci。
　
　Susan　said；　〃We　have　a　new　patient　at　the　hospital。
　
　He　was　in　a　bad　plane　crash；　and　the　doctors　didn't　think　he　was　going　to　live；　but　I'm　going　to　see　to　it　that　he　does。〃　　Her　eyes　were　glowing。
　
　She　was　like　that　with　me；　Robert　thought。　　And　he　wondered　if　she　had　leaned　over　the　new　patient　and　said；　〃Get　well。　　I'm　waiting　for　you。〃　He　rejected　the　thought。
　〃He's　so　nice；　Robert。　　All　the　nurses　are　crazy　about　him。〃
　
　All　the　nurses？　　he　wondered。
　
　There　was　a　small；　nagging　doubt　at　the　back　of　his　mind；　but　he　managed　to　get　rid　of　it。
　
　They　ordered　dinner。
　
　The=following　Saturday；　Robert　left　for　Portugal；　and　when　he　returned　three　weeks　later；　Susan　greeted　him　excitedly。
　〃Monte　walked　today　for　the　first　time！〃　　Her　kiss　was　perfunctory。
　〃Monte？〃
　〃Monte　Banks。　　That's　his　name。　　He's　going　to　be　fine。
　
　The　doctors　couldn't　believe　it；　but　we　wouldn't　give　up。〃　　We。
　〃Tell　me　about　him。〃
　〃He's　really　darling。　　He's　always　giving　us　gifts。　　He's　very　wealthy。　He　flies　his　own　plane；　and　he　was　in　a　bad　crash；　and…〃
　〃What　kind　of　gifts？〃
　〃Oh；　you　know；　just　little　thing…candies　and　flowers　and　books　and　records。　　He　tried　to　give　all　of　us　expensive　watches　but　of　course　we　had　to　refuse。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃He　has　a　yacht；　polo　ponies　…　That　was　the　day　Robert　began　calling　him　Moneybags。
　
　Susan　talked　about　him　every　time　she　came　home　from　the　hospital。
　〃He's　really　dear；　Robert。〃　　Dear　is　dangerous。
　〃And　he's　so　thoughtful。　　Do　you　know　what　he　did　today？　　He　had　lunch　sent　from　the　Jockey　Club　for　all　the　nurses　on　the　floor。〃
　
　The　man　is　sickening。　　Ridiculously；　Robert　found　himself　getting　angry。
　〃Is　this　wonderful　patient　of　yours　married？〃
　〃No；　darling。　　Why？〃
　〃I　just　wondered。〃
　
　She　laughed。
　〃For　heaven's　sake；　you're　not　jealous；　are　you？〃
　〃Of　some　old　man　who's　just　learning　to　walk？　　Of　course　not。〃
　
　Like　hell　I'm　not。　　But　he　wouldn't　give　Susan　the　satisfaction　of　saying　so。　　When　Robert　was　at　home；　Susan　tried　not　to　talk　about　her　patient；　but　if　she　did　not　bring　up　the　subject；　Robert　would。
　〃How　is　old　Moneybags　doing？〃
　〃His　name　is　not　Moneybags；〃　she　chided。
　〃It's　Monte　Banks。〃
　〃Whatever。〃　　It's　too　bad　the　sonofabitch　couldn't　have　died　in　the　plane　crash。
　
　The　following　day　was　Susan's　birthday。
　〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　Robert　said；　enthusiastically；　〃we'Il　celebrate。　We'll　go　out　and　have　a　wonderful　dinner　somewhere　and…〃
　〃I　have　to　work　at　the　hospital　until　eight。〃
　〃All　right。　　I'll　pick　you　up　there。〃
　〃Fine。　　Monte　is　dying　to　meet　you。　　I've　told　him　all　about　you。〃
　〃I　look　forward　to　meeting　the　old　man；〃　Robert　assured　her。
　
　When　Robert　arrived　at　the　hospital；　the　receptionist　said；　〃Good　evening；　mander。　　Susan　is　working　in　the　orthopedic　ward　on　the　third　floor。　　5~~~5　expecting　y~~~~7　She　picked　up　the　telephone。　　When　Robert　got　off　the　elevator；　Susan　was　waiting　for　him；　wearing　her　white　starched　uniform；　and　his　heart　skipped　a　beat。　　She　was；　oh；　so　damned　beautiful。
　〃Hello；　gorgeous。〃
　
　Susan　smiled；　strangely　ill　at　ease。
　〃Hello；　Robert。　　I'll　be　off　duty　in　a　few　minutes。　　e　on。　　I'll　introduce　you　to　Monte。〃
　
　I　can't　wait。
　
　She　led　him　into　a　large　private　room　filled　with　books　and　flowers　and　baskets　of　fruit；　and　said；　〃Monte；　this　is　my　husband；　Robert。〃　Robert　stood　there　staring　at　the　man　in　the　bed。　　He　was　three　or　four　years　older　than　Robert　and　resembled　Paul　Newman。　　Robert　despised　him　on　sight。
　〃I'm　certainly　pleased　to　meet　you；　mander。　　Susan　has　been　telling　me　all　about　you。〃　　Is　that　what　they　talk　about　when　she　is　at　his　bedside　in　the　middle　of　the　night？
　
　〃She's　very　proud　of　you。〃
　
　That's　it；　buddy；　throw　me　a　few　crumbs。　　Susan　was　looking　at　Robert；　willing　him　to　be　polite。
　
　He　made　an　effort。
　〃I　understand　you'll　be　getting　out　of　here　soon。〃
　〃Yes；　thanks　mostly　to　your　wife。　　She's　a　miracle　worker。〃
　〃e　on；　sailor。　　Do　you　think　I'm　going　to　let　some　other　nurse　have　that　great　body？〃
　〃Yes；　that's　her　specialty。〃　　Robert　could　not　keep　the　bitterness　out　of　his　voice。
　
　The　birthday　dinner　was　a　fiasco。　　All　Susan　wanted　to　talk　about　was　her　patient。
　〃Did　he　remind　you　of　anyone；　darling？〃
　〃Boris　Karloff。〃
　〃Why　did　you　have　to　be　so　rude　to　him？〃
　
　He　said　coldly；　〃I　thought　I　was　very　civil。　　I　don't　happen　to　like　the　man。〃　　Susan　stared　at　him。
　〃You　don't　even　know　him。　　What　don't　you　like　about　him？〃
　
　I　don't　like　the　way　he　looks　at　you。　　I　don't　like　the　way　you　look　at　him。　　I　don't　like　the　way　our　marriage　is　going　to　hell。　　God；　I　don't　want　to　lose　you。
　〃Sorry。　　I　guess　I'm　just　tired。〃
　
　They　finished　their　dinner　in　silence。　　The　next　morning；　as　Robert　was　getting　ready　to　go　to　the　office；　Susan　said；　〃Robert；　I　ha