danbrown.deceptionpoint-第65部分

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　〃Mike；　for　God's　sake；〃　Corky　said。　〃That's　disgusting。〃
　Tolland　tossed　the　bloody　fish　overboard　and　it　fell　thirty　feet。　The　instant　it　hit　the　water；　six　or　seven　sharks　darted　in　a　tumbling　ferocious　brawl；　their　rows　of　silvery　teeth　gnashing　wildly　at　the　bloody　fish。　In　an　instant；　the　fish　was　gone。
　Aghast；　Rachel　turned　and　stared　at　Tolland；　who　was　already　holding　another　fish。　Same　kind。　Same　size。
　〃This　time；　no　blood；〃　Tolland　said。　Without　cutting　the　fish；　he　threw　it　in　the　water。　The　fish　splashed　down；　but　nothing　happened。　The　hammerheads　seemed　not　to　notice。　The　bait　carried　away　on　the　current；　having　drawn　no　interest　whatsoever。
　〃They　attack　only　on　sense　of　smell；〃　Tolland　said；　leading　them　away　from　the　railing。　〃In　fact；　you　could　swim　out　here　in　total　safety…provided　you　didn't　have　any　open　wounds。〃
　Corky　pointed　to　the　stitches　on　his　cheek。
　Tolland　frowned。　〃Right。　No　swimming　for　you。〃
　
　　
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　Gabrielle　Ashe's　taxi　was　not　moving。
　Sitting　at　a　roadblock　near　the　FDR　Memorial；　Gabrielle　looked　out　at　the　emergency　vehicles　in　the　distance　and　felt　as　if　a　surrealistic　fog　bank　had　settled　over　the　city。　Radio　reports　were　ing　in　now　that　the　exploded　car　might　have　contained　a　high…level　government　official。
　Pulling　out　her　cellphone；　she　dialed　the　senator。　He　was　no　doubt　starting　to　wonder　what　was　taking　Gabrielle　so　long。
　The　line　was　busy。
　Gabrielle　looked　at　the　taxi's　clicking　meter　and　frowned。　Some　of　the　other　cars　stuck　here　were　pulling　up　onto　the　curbs　and　turning　around　to　find　alternative　routes。
　The　driver　looked　over　his　shoulder。　〃You　wanna　wait？　Your　dime。〃
　Gabrielle　saw　more　official　vehicles　arriving　now。　〃No。　Let's　go　around。〃
　The　driver　grunted　in　the　affirmative　and　began　maneuvering　the　awkward　multipoint　turn。　As　they　bounced　over　the　curbs；　Gabrielle　tried　Sexton　again。
　Still　busy。
　Several　minutes　later；　having　made　a　wide　loop；　the　taxi　was　traveling　up　C　Street。　Gabrielle　saw　the　Philip　A。　Hart　Office　Building　looming。　She　had　intended　to　go　straight　to　the　senator's　apartment；　but　with　her　office　this　close。。。　
　〃Pull　over；〃　she　blurted　to　the　driver。　〃Right　there。　Thanks。〃　She　pointed。
　The　cab　stopped。
　Gabrielle　paid　the　amount　on　the　meter　and　added　ten　dollars。　〃Can　you　wait　ten　minutes？〃
　The　cabbie　looked　at　the　money　and　then　at　his　watch。　〃Not　a　minute　longer。〃
　Gabrielle　hurried　off。　I'll　be　out　in　five。
　The　deserted　marble　corridors　of　the　Senate　office　building　felt　almost　sepulchral　at　this　hour。　Gabrielle's　muscles　were　tense　as　she　hurried　through　the　gauntlet　of　austere　statues　lining　the　third…floor　entryway。　Their　stony　eyes　seemed　to　follow　her　like　silent　sentinels。
　Arriving　at　the　main　door　of　Senator　Sexton's　five…room　office　suite；　Gabrielle　used　her　key　card　to　enter。　The　secretarial　lobby　was　dimly　lit。　Crossing　through　the　foyer；　she　went　down　a　hallway　to　her　office。　She　entered；　flicked　on　the　fluorescent　lights；　and　strode　directly　to　her　file　cabinets。
　She　had　an　entire　file　on　the　budgeting　of　NASA's　Earth　Observing　System；　including　plenty　of　information　on　PODS。　Sexton　would　certainly　want　all　the　data　he　could　possibly　get　on　PODS　as　soon　as　she　told　him　about　Harper。
　NASA　lied　about　PODS。
　As　Gabrielle　fingered　her　way　through　her　files；　her　cellphone　rang。
　〃Senator？〃　she　answered。
　〃No；　Gabs。　It's　Yolanda。〃　Her　friend's　voice　had　an　unusual　edge　to　it。　〃You　still　at　NASA？〃
　〃No。　At　the　office。〃
　〃Find　anything　at　NASA？〃
　You　have　no　idea。　Gabrielle　knew　she　couldn't　tell　Yolanda　anything　until　she'd　talked　to　Sexton；　the　senator　would　have　very　specific　ideas　about　how　best　to　handle　the　information。　〃I'll　tell　you　all　about　it　after　I　talk　to　Sexton。　Heading　over　to　his　place　now。〃
　Yolanda　paused。　〃Gabs；　you　know　this　thing　you　were　saying　about　Sexton's　campaign　finance　and　the　SFF？〃
　〃I　told　you　I　was　wrong　and…〃
　〃I　just　found　out　two　of　our　reporters　who　cover　the　aerospace　industry　have　been　working　on　a　similar　story。〃
　Gabrielle　was　surprised。　〃Meaning？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　these　guys　are　good；　and　they　seem　pretty　convinced　that　Sexton　is　taking　kickbacks　from　the　Space　Frontier　Foundation。　I　just　figured　I　should　call　you。　I　know　I　told　you　earlier　that　the　idea　was　insane。　Marjorie　Tench　as　a　source　seemed　spotty；　but　these　guys　of　ours。。。　I　don't　know；　you　might　want　to　talk　to　them　before　you　see　the　senator。〃
　〃If　they're　so　convinced；　why　haven't　they　gone　to　press？〃　Gabrielle　sounded　more　defensive　than　she　wanted　to。
　〃They　have　no　solid　evidence。　The　senator　apparently　is　good　at　covering　his　tracks。〃
　Most　politicians　are。　〃There's　nothing　there；　Yolanda。　I　told　you　the　senator　admitted　taking　SFF　donations；　but　the　gifts　are　all　under　the　cap。〃
　〃I　know　that's　what　he　told　you；　Gabs；　and　I'm　not　claiming　to　know　what's　true　or　false　here。　I　just　felt　obliged　to　call　because　I　told　you　not　to　trust　Marjorie　Tench；　and　now　I　find　out　people　other　than　Tench　think　the　senator　may　be　on　the　dole。　That's　all。〃
　〃Who　were　these　reporters？〃　Gabrielle　felt　an　unexpected　anger　simmering　now。
　〃No　names。　I　can　set　up　a　meeting。　They're　smart。　They　understand　campaign　finance　law。。。　〃　Yolanda　hesitated。　〃You　know；　these　guy　actually　believe　Sexton　is　hurting　for　cash…bankrupt　even。〃
　In　the　silence　of　her　office；　Gabrielle　could　hear　Tench's　raspy　accusations　echoing。　After　Katherine　died；　the　senator　squandered　the　vast　majority　of　her　legacy　on　bad　investments；　personal　forts；　and　buying　himself　what　appears　to　be　certain　victory　in　the　primaries。　As　of　six　months　ago；　your　candidate　was　broke。
　〃Our　men　would　love　to　talk　to　you；〃　Yolanda　said。
　I　bet　they　would；　Gabrielle　thought。　〃I'll　call　you　back。〃
　〃You　sound　pissed。〃
　〃Never　at　you；　Yolanda。　Never　at　you。　Thanks。〃
　Gabrielle　hung　up。
　　
　Dozing　on　a　chair　in　the　hallway　outside　Senator　Sexton's　Westbrooke　apartment；　a　security　guard　awoke　with　a　start　at　the　sound　of　his　cellular　phone。　Bolting　up　in　his　chair；　he　rubbed　his　eyes　and　pulled　his　phone　from　his　blazer　pocket。
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃Owen；　this　is　Gabrielle。〃
　Sexton's　guard　recognized　her　voice。　〃Oh；　hi。〃
　〃I　need　to　talk　to　the　senator。　Would　you　knock　on　his　door　for　me？　His　line　is　busy。〃
　〃It's　kind　of　late。〃
　〃He's　awake。　I'm　sure　of　it。〃　Gabrielle　sounded　anxious。　〃It's　an　emergency。〃
　〃Another　one？〃
　〃Same　one。　Just　get　him　on　the　phone；　Owen。　There's　something　I　really　need　to　ask　him。〃
　The　guard　sighed；　standing　up。　〃Okay；　okay。　I'll　knock。〃　He　stretched　and　made　his　way　toward　Sexton's　door。　〃But　I'm　only　doing　it　because　he　was　glad　I　let　you　in　earlier。〃　Reluctantly；　he　raised　his　fist　to　knock。
　〃What　did　you　just　say？〃　Gabrielle　demanded。
　The　guard's　fist　stopped　in　midair。　〃I　said　the　senator　was　glad　I　let　you　in　earlier。　You　were　right。　It　was　no　problem　at　all。〃
　〃You　and　the　senator　talked　about　that？〃　Gabrielle　sounded　surprised。
　〃Yeah。　So　what？〃
　〃No；　I　just　didn't　think。。。　〃
　〃Actually；　it　was　kind　of　weird。　The　senator　needed　a　couple　of　seconds　to　even　remember　you'd　been　in　there。　I　think　the　boys　were　tossing　back　a　few。〃
　〃When　did　you　two　talk；　Owen？〃
　〃Right　after　you　left。　Is　something　wrong？〃
　A　momentary　silence。　〃No。。。　no。　Nothing。　Look；　now　that　I　think　of　it；　let's　not　bother　the　senator　this　instant。　I'll　keep　trying　his　house　line；　and　if　I　don't　have　any　luck；　I'll　call　you　back　and　you　can　knock。〃
　The　guard　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Whatever　you　say；　Ms。　Ashe。〃
　〃Thanks；　Owen。　Sorry　to　bother　you。〃
　〃No　problem。〃　The　guard　hung　up；　flopped　back　in　his　chair；　and　went　to　sleep。
　Alone　in　her　office；　Gabrielle　stood　motionless　for　several　seconds　before　hanging　up　the　phone。　Sexton　knows　I　was　inside　his　apartment。。。　and　he　never　mentioned　it　to　me？
　Tonight's　ethereal　strangeness　was　getting　murkier。　Gabrielle　flashed　on　the　senator's　phone　call　to　her　while　she　was　at　ABC。　The　senator　had　stunned　her　with　his　unprovoked　admission　that　he　was　meeting　with　space　panies　and　accepting　money。　His　honesty　had　brought　her　back　to　him。　Shamed　her　even。　His　confession　now　seemed　one　hell　of　a　lot　less　noble。
　Soft　money；　Sexton　had　said。　Perfectly　legal。
　Suddenly；　all　the　vague　misgivings　Gabrielle　had　ever　felt　about　Senator　Sexton　seemed　to　resurface　all　at　once。
　Outside；　the　taxi　was　honking。
　
　　
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　The　bridge　of　the　Goya　was　a　Plexiglas　cube　situated　two　levels　above　the　main　deck。　From　here　Rachel　had　a　360…degree　view　of　the　surrounding　darkened　sea；　an　unnerving　vista　she　looked　at　only　once　before　blocking　it　out　and　turning　her　attention　to　the　matter　at　hand。
　Having　sent　Tolland　and　Corky　to　find　Xavia；　Rachel　prepared　to　contact　Pickering。　She'd　promised　the　director　she　would　call　him　when　they　arrived；　and　she　was　eager　to　know　what　he　had　learned　in　his　meeting　with　Marjorie　Tench。
　The　Goya's　SHIN　2100　digital　munications　system　was　a　platform　with　which　Rachel　was　familiar　enough。　She　knew　if　she　kept　her　call　short；　her　munication　should　be　secure。
　Dialing　Pickering's　private　number；　she　waited；　clutching　the　SHIN　2100　receiver　to　her　ear　and　waiting。　She　expected　Pickering　to　pick　up　on　the　first　ring。　But　the　line　just　kept　ringing。
　Six　rings。　Seven。　Eight。。。　
　Rachel　gazed　out　at　the　darkened　ocean；　her　inability　to　reach　the　director　doing　nothing　to　quell　her　uneasiness　about　being　at　sea。
　Nine　rings。　Ten　rings。　Pick　up！
　She　paced；　waiting。　What　was　going　on？　Pickering　carried　his　phone　with　him　at　all　times；　and　he　had　expressly　told　Rachel　to　call　him。
　After　fifteen　rings；　she　hung　up。
　With　growing　apprehension；　she　picked　up　the　SHIN　receiver　and　dialed　again。
　Four　rings。　Five　rings。
　Where　is　he？
　Finally；　the　connection　clicked　open。　Rachel　felt　a　surge　of　relief；　but　it　was　short…lived。　There　was　no　one　on　the　line。　Only　silence。
　〃Hello；〃　she　prompted。　〃Director？〃
　Three　quick　clicks。
　〃Hello？〃　Rachel　said。
　A　burst　of　electronic　static　shattered　the　line；　blasting　in　Rachel's　ear。　She　yanked　the　receiver　away　from　her　head　in　pain。　The　static　abruptly　stopped。　Now　she　could　hear　a　series　of　rapidly　oscillating　tones　that　pulsed　in　ha