cpike.thelastvampire-第11部分

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ng。　Nowhere　in　the　file　are　copies　of　Mr。　Slim's　faxes；　just　ments　on　them。
　Aug。　8th
　This　morning　I　received　a　fax　from　a　gentleman　named　Mr。　Slim。　He　introduces　himself　as　an　attorney　for　a　variety　of　wealthy　European　clients。　He　wants　me　to　investigate　a　young　woman　named　Alisa　Perne；　who　lives　here　in　Mayfair。　He　has　little　information　on　the　woman…I　have　the　impression　that　she　is　but　one　of　many　people　he　or　his　group　is　investigating。　He　also　mentioned　a　couple　of　other　women　that　he　might　have　me　look　into　in　this　part　of　the　country；　but　he　did　not　give　me　their　names。　He　is　particularly　interested　in　Miss　Perne's　financial　situation；　her　family　situation；　and　also…and　this　is　surprising…whether　anyone　she　has　been　associated　with　has　died　violently　recently。　When　I　faxed　back　and　asked　if　this　woman　was　dangerous；　he　indicated　that　she　was　far　more　dangerous　than　she　appeared；　and　that　I　was　not　to　contact　her　directly　under　any　circumstances。　He　said　she　appears　to　be　only　eighteen　to　twenty　years　of　age。
　I　am　intrigued；　especially　since　Mr。　Slim　has　agreed　to　deposit　ten　thousand　dollars　in　my　account　to　start　me　on　my　investigation。　I　have　already　faxed　back　that　I　will　take　the　case。　I　have　the　young　woman's　address　and　Social　Security　number。　I　do　not　have　a　picture　but　intend　to　take　one　for　my　records；　even　though　I　have　been　warned　to　keep　my　distance。　How　dangerous　can　she　be；　at　that　age？
　There　followed　an　account　of　Riley's　preliminary　investigation　into　me。　Apparently　he　had　a　contact　at　TRW　that　gave　him　access　to　information　not　usually　available　to　a　mon　investigator。　I　suspect　Mr。　Slim　knew　of　this　contact　and　hired　Riley　for　that　reason。　Almost　immediately　Riley　discovered　that　I　was　rich；　and　that　apparently　I　had　no　family。　The　more　he　found　out；　the　more　eager　he　was　to　pursue　the　investigation；　and　the　less　information　he　faxed　back　to　Mr。　Slim。　At　one　point　Riley　made　what　to　him　was　a　major　decision；　to　use　a　contact　on　the　New　York　Stock　Exchange。　By　going　to　the　man　he　was　using　up　a　valuable　favor。　But　I　suppose　he　thought　I　was　worth　it。
　Sept。　21st
　Miss　Perne　has　gone　to　extremes　to　hide　her　financial　holdings；　and　not　just　from　the　IRS。　She　has　numerous　accounts　at　various　brokerage　houses　set　up　under　different　corporations；　some　off　shore。　Yet　they　appear　to　be　coordinated　by　a　single　law　firm　in　New　York　City…Benson　and　Sons。　I　tried　to　contact　the　firm　directly；　speaking　as　a　rich　investor；　but　they　rebuffed　my　inquiries；　making　me　suspect　they　handle　Perne's　account　and　no　other。　If　that　is　true　it　is　another　example　of　this　woman's　wealth；　for　Benson　and　Sons　has　investments　in　the　range　of　half　a　billion　dollars。
　Yet　I　have　seen　her…this　girl…and　she　is　as　young　as　Mr。　Slim　says　and　very　attractive。　But　her　age　confuses　me；　and　I　wonder　if　she　has　a　mother　somewhere　who　has　the　same　name。　Because　many　of　her　business　dealings　go　back　two　decades；　and　they　can　all　be　traced　to　the　name　Alisa　Perne。　I　am　tempted　to　talk　to　her　directly；　despite　Mr。　Slim's　warning。
　Mr。　Slim　is　not　happy　with　me；　and　the　feeling　is　mutual。　He　has　the　impression　I　have　been　withholding　information　from　him　and　he's　correct。　But　he　has　done　the　same　with　me。　He　still　refuses　to　tell　me　the　reason　for　his　interest　in　this　young　lady；　although　I　can　imagine　several　scenarios。　But　his　initial　ment　about　her　dangerous　nature　keeps　ing　back　to　me。　Who　is　Alisa　Perne？　One　of　the　richest　people　in　the　world　obviously。　But　where　did　she　get　her　wealth？　By　violent　means？　From　her　nonexistent　family？　I　must；　before　I　give　up　this　case；　ask　her　these　questions　myself。
　I　have　been　thinking　that　Mr。　Slim　has　been　paying　me　well；　but　that　Alisa　Perne　may　want　to　pay　me　more。　I　see　already；　though；　that　it　would　be　unwise　to　let　Mr。　Slim　know　I　have　gone　behind　his　back。　There　is　a　certain　ruthless　tone　to　his　faxes。　I　don't　think　I　ever　want　to　meet　the　man。　Yet　I　find　myself　looking　forward　to　talking　to　Alisa。
　Late　September　and　he　is　on　a　first…name　basis　with　me。　But　he　did　not　contact　me　till　November。　What　did　he　do　during　that　time？　I　read　farther　and　learned　that　he　investigated　my　international　dealings。　He　discovered　I　have　property　in　Europe　and　Asia；　and　passports　from　France　and　India。　This　last　fact　was　a　revelation　for　him；　as　well　it　should　have　been。　Because　it　appeared；　accurately；　that　I　had　held　the　passports　for　more　than　thirty　years。　No　wonder；　I　think；　he　asked　me　my　age　so　quickly。
　Finally；　though；　he　found　a　violent　act　connected　to　my　past。　Five　years　earlier；　in　Los　Angeles。　The　brutal　slaying　of　a　Mr。　Samuel　Barber。　The　man　had　been　my　gardener。　I　killed　him；　of　course；　because　he　had　a　bad　habit　of　peering　into　my　windows。　He　had　seen　things　I　didn't　want　talked　about。
　Oct。　25th
　According　to　the　police　report；　this　man　worked　for　her　for　three　years。　Then　one　morning　he　was　found　floating　facedown　in　the　ocean　not　far　from　the　Santa　Monica　pier。　His　throat　had　been　ripped　out。　The　coroner…I　spoke　to　him　myself…was　never　able　to　determine　the　type　of　weapon。　The　last　person　to　see　him　alive　was　Miss　Perne。
　I　don't　think　she　killed　him。　I　like　to　think　she　didn't…the　more　I　have　studied　her；　the　more　I　have　e　to　admire　her　cunning　and　stealth。　But　perhaps　this　man　learned　things　about　her　she　didn't　want　known；　and　she　had　him　killed。　Certainly；　she　has　the　resources　to　hire　whomever　she　pleases。　When　I　meet　with　her　I　must　ask　her　about　her　gardener。　It　will　be　another　thing　I　can　use　as　a　bargaining　chip。　And　I　have　decided　I　will　see　her　soon。　I　have　broken　off　all　contact　with　Mr。　Slim。　In　my　last　fax　I　told　him　that　I　was　not　able　to　verify　any　of　my　earlier　claims　about　Miss　Perne's　personal　wealth。　I　have　since　changed　my　fax　number；　so　I　do　not　know　if　Mr。　Slim　has　tried　to　contact　me　again。　I　imagine　he　is　not　happy　with　me；　but　I　am　not　going　to　lose　any　sleep　over　it。
　How　much　should　I　ask　from　Miss　Perne？　A　million　sounds　like　a　nice　round　number。　I　have　no　doubt　she'll　pay　it　to　keep　me　quiet。　What　I　could　do　with　that　much　money。　But　in　truth；　I　don't　think　I'll　touch　it。　I'll　just　give　it　to　Ray　when　he's　old　enough。
　I　will　arm　myself　when　I　meet　with　her；　just　in　case。　But　I　am　not　worried。
　That　was　his　last　entry。　I　am　happy　I　have　deleted　the　file　in　the　puter。　If　the　police　had　such　information　on　me；　they　wouldn't　leave　me　alone。　It　might　not　be　a　bad　idea　to　burn　down　the　entire　office　building；　I　muse。　It　wouldn't　be　hard　to　arrange。　Yet　such　an　act　might　draw　Mr。　Slim's　attention　to　peaceful　Mayfair。　To　young　and　pretty　Alisa　Perne。
　Yet　Mr。　Riley　was　a　fool　to　think　Mr。　Slim　stopped　watching　him　just　because　he　changed　his　fax　number。　I　am　quite　sure　Slim　observed　him　all　the　closer；　and　now　that　the　detective　has　disappeared；　Slim　and　pany　might　even　be　in　the　neighborhood。　Slim　clearly　has　a　lot　of　money　at　his　disposal；　and　therefore　a　lot　of　power。
　Yet　I　am　confident　in　my　own　power；　and　I　resent　this　unseen　person　shadowing　me。　I　hold　the　Swiss　fax　number　in　my　memory；　and　I　contemplate　what　I　would　say　to　this　fellow　should　I　meet　him　face　to　face。　I　know　that　my　message　would　be　short　because　I　do　not　think　I　would　let　him　live　long。
　But　I　do　not　forget　that　Slim　knows　how　dangerous　I　am。
　That　does　not　necessarily　mean　he　knows　I　am　a　vampire；　but　it　is　worrisome。
　I　turn　to　my　fax　machine　and　press　the　On　button。
　Dear　Mr。　Slim；
　This　is　Alisa　Perne。　I　understand　you　have　hired　a　certain　Mr。　Michael　Riley　to　investigate　me。　I　know　you　haven't　heard　from　him　in　a　while…I　don't　know　what　could　have　happened　to　him…so　I　thought　I　would　contact　you　directly。　I　am　prepared　to　meet　with　you；　Mr。　Slim；　in　person；　and　discuss　whatever　is　on　your　mind。
　Yours　Truly；　Alisa
　I　attach　my　personal　fax　number　and　send　the　message。　Then　I　wait。
　I　do　not　have　to　wait　long。　Ten　minutes　later　a　brief；　and　to　the　point；　fax　rolls　out　of　my　machine。
　Dear　Alisa；　Where　would　you　like　to　meet　and　when？　I　am　available　tonight。
　Sincerely；　Mr。　Slim
　Yes；　I　think；　as　I　read　the　message；　Slim　and　pany　are　probably　close　by；　the　Swiss　number　notwithstanding。　I　figure　the　message　went　to　Europe　and　was　then　sent　back　here…nearby。　I　type　in　my　return　message。
　Dear　Mr。　Slim；
　Meet　me　at　the　end　of　Water　Cove　Pier　in　one　hour。　e　alone。　Agreed？
　Again；　ten　minutes　later。
　Dear　Alisa；　Agreed。
　
　
　6
　
　
　The　pier　is　a　half　hour　from　my　house；　in　the　town　of　Water　Cove；　twenty　miles　south　of　Mayfair。　I　arm　myself　before　I　leave　the　house：　a　snub…nosed　forty…five　in　the　pocket　of　my　black　leather　coat；　another　smaller　pistol　in　my　right　boot；　a　razor…sharp　knife　strapped　inside　my　left　boot。　I　am　handy　with　a　knife；　I　can　hit　a　moving　target　a　hundred　yards　away　with　a　flick　of　my　wrist。　I　do　not　believe　Slim　will　e　alone；　knowing　how　dangerous　I　am。　Yet　he　will　have　to　bring　a　small　army　to　contend　with　me。
　I　leave　immediately。　I　want　to　arrive　before　Slim　does。　And　I　do。　The　pier　is　deserted　as　I　cruise　by　in　my　black　Ferrari。　I　park　two　blocks　down　from　the　pier　and　climb　out。　My　hearing　is　alert。　I　can　hear　the　bolt　of　a　rifle　being　pulled　back　from　over　a　mile　away。　Slim　would　have　to　e　at　least　that　close　to　try　to　assassinate　me　outright；　and　that　is　a　possibility　I　consider。　But　all　is　calm；　all　is　quiet。　I　walk　briskly　toward　the　end　of　the　pier。　I　have　chosen　the　meeting　place　for　two　reasons。　Slim　will　only　be　able　to　approach　me　from　one　direction。　Also；　if　he　does　arrive　with　overwhelming　odds；　then　I　should　be　able　to　escape　by　diving　into　the　water。　I　can　swim　out　a　mile　along　the　bottom　of　the　ocean　before　having　to　surface。　My　confidence　is　high。　And　why　shouldn't　it　be？　In　five　thousand　years　I　have　never　met　my　match。
　Almost　to　the　hour　of　our　agreement　to　meet；　a　long　white　limousine　pulls　up　to　the　entrance　to　the　pier。　A　man　and　a　woman　climb　out　of　the　back。　The　man　wears　a　black　leather　coat；　a　dark　tie；　a　white　shirt；　smart　black　trousers。　He　is　approximately　forty…five　and　has　the　look　of　a　hardened　Navy　Seal　or　CIA　agent：　the　short　crew　cut；　the　bulging　muscles；　the　quick　shifting　eyes。　I　see　that　his　eyes　are　green　even　from　two　hundred　yards　away。　His　face　is　tan；　deeply　lined