ss.iftomorrowcomes-第47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！


d。。。。〃
　
　**********
　
　When　Daniel　Cooper's　plane　landed　in　Paris；　he　was　met　at　Roissy…Charles　de　Gaulle　Airport　by　one　of　Inspector　Trignant's　assistants；　and　driven　to　the　Prince　de　Galles；　next　door　to　its　more　illustrious　sister　hotel；　the　George　V。
　
　〃It　is　arranged　for　you　to　meet　Inspector　Trignant　tomorrow；〃　his　escort　told　Cooper。　〃I　will　pick　you　up　at　eight…fifteen。〃
　
　**********
　
　Daniel　Cooper　had　not　been　looking　forward　to　the　trip　to　Europe。　He　intended　to　finish　his　assignment　as　quickly　as　possible　and　return　home。　He　knew　about　the　fleshpots　of　Paris；　and　he　had　no　intention　of　being　involved。
　
　He　checked　into　his　room　and　went　directly　into　the　bathroom。　To　his　surprise；　the　bathtub　was　satisfactory。　In　fact；　he　admitted　to　himself；　it　was　much　larger　than　the　one　at　home。　He　ran　the　bath　water　and　went　into　the　bedroom　to　unpack。　Near　the　bottom　of　his　suitcase　was　the　small　locked　box；　safe　between　his　extra　suit　and　his　underwear。　He　picked　up　the　box　and　held　it　in　his　hands；　staring　at　it；　and　it　seemed　to　pulse　with　a　life　of　its　own。　He　carried　it　into　the　bathroom　and　placed　it　on　the　sink。　With　the　tiny　key　dangling　from　his　key　ring；　he　unlocked　the　box　and　opened　it；　and　the　words　screamed　up　at　him　from　the　yellowed　newspaper　clipping。
　
　BOY　TESTIFIES　IN　MURDER　TRIAL
　
　Twelve…year…old　Daniel　Cooper　today　testified　in　the　trial　of　Fred　Zimmer；　accused　of　the　rape…murder　of　the　young　boy's　mother。　According　to　his　testimony；　the　boy　returned　home　from　school　and　saw　Zimmer；　a　next…door　neighbor；　leaving　the　Cooper　home　with　blood　on　his　hands　and　face。　When　the　boy　entered　his　home；　he　discovered　the　body　of　his　mother　in　the　bathtub。　She　had　been　savagely　stabbed　to　death。　Zimmer　confessed　to　being　Mrs。　Cooper's　lover；　but　denied　that　he　had　killed　her。
　
　The　young　boy　has　been　placed　in　the　care　of　an　aunt。
　
　Daniel　Cooper's　trembling　hands　dropped　the　clipping　back　into　the　box　and　locked　it。　He　looked　around　wildly。　The　walls　and　ceiling　of　the　hotel　bathroom　were　spattered　with　blood。　He　saw　his　mother's　naked　body　floating　in　the　red　water。　He　felt　a　wave　of　vertigo　and　clutched　the　sink。　The　screams　inside　him　became　gutteral　moans；　and　he　frantically　tore　off　his　clothes　and　sank　down　into　the　blood…warm　bath。
　
　**********
　
　〃I　must　inform　you；　Mr。　Cooper；〃　Inspector　Trignant　said；　〃that　your　position　here　is　most　unusual。　You　are　not　a　member　of　any　police　force；　and　your　presence　here　is　unofficial。　However；　we　have　been　requested　by　the　police　departments　of　several　European　countries　to　extend　our　cooperation。〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　said　nothing。
　
　〃As　I　understand　it；　you　are　an　investigator　for　the　International　Insurance　Protective　Association；　a　consortium　of　insurance　panies。〃
　
　Some　of　our　European　clients　have　had　heave　losses　lately。　I　was　told　there　are　no　clues。〃
　
　Inspector　Trignant　sighed。　〃I'm　afraid　that　is　the　case。　We。　know　we　are　dealing　with　a　gang　of　very　clever　women；　but　beyond　that…〃
　
　〃No　information　from　informers？〃
　
　〃No。　Nothing。〃
　
　〃Doesn't　that　strike　you　as　odd？〃
　
　〃What　do　you　mean；　monsieur？〃
　
　It　seemed　so　obvious　to　Cooper　that　he　did　not　bother　to　keep　the　impatience　out　of　his　voice。　〃When　a　gang　is　involved；　there's　always　someone　who　talks　too　much；　drinks　too　much；　spends　too　much。　It's　impossible　for　a　large　group　of　people　to　keep　a　secret。　Would　you　mind　giving　me　your　files　on　this　gang？〃
　
　The　inspector　started　to　refuse。　He　thought　Daniel　Cooper　was　one　of　the　most　physically　unattractive　men　he　had　ever　met。　And　certainly　the　most　arrogant。　He　was　going　to　be　a　chierie；　〃a　pain　in　the　ass〃；　but　the　inspector　had　been　asked　to　cooperate　fully。
　
　Reluctantly；　he　said；　〃I　will　have　copies　made　for　you。〃　He　spoke　into　an　inter　and　gave　the　order。　To　make　conversation；　Inspector　Trignant　said；　〃An　interesting　report　just　crossed　my　desk。　Some　valuable　jewels　were　stolen　aboard　the　Orient　Express　while　it…〃
　
　〃I　read　about　it。　The　thief　made　a　fool　of　the　Italian　police。〃
　
　〃No　one　has　been　able　to　figure　out　how　the　robbery　was　acplished。〃
　
　〃It's　obvious；〃　Daniel　Cooper　said　rudely。　〃A　matter　of　simple　logic。〃
　
　Inspector　Trignant　looked　over　his　glasses　in　surprise。　Mon　Dieu；　he　has　the　manners　of　a　pig。　He　continued；　coolly；　〃In　this　case；　logic　does　not　help。　Every　inch　of　that　train　was　examined；　and　the　employees；　passengers；　and　all　the　luggage　searched。〃
　
　〃No；〃　Daniel　Cooper　contradicted。
　
　This　man　is　crazy；　Inspector　Trignant　decided。　〃No…　what？〃
　
　〃They　didn't　search　all　the　luggage。〃
　
　〃And　I　tell　you　they　did；〃　Inspector　Trignant　insisted。　〃I　have　seen　the　police　report。〃
　
　〃The　woman　from　whom　the　jewels　were　stolen…　Silvana　Luadi？〃
　
　〃Yes？〃
　
　〃She　had　placed　her　jewels　in　an　overnight　case　from　which　they　were　taken？〃
　
　〃That　is　correct。〃
　
　〃Did　the　police　search　Miss　Luadi's　luggage？〃
　
　〃Only　her　overnight　case。　She　was　the　victim。　Why　should　they　search　her　luggage？〃
　
　〃Because　that's　logically　the　only　place　the　thief　could　have　hidden　the　jewels…　in　the　bottom　of　one　of　her　other　suitcases。　He　probably　had　a　duplicate　case；　and　when　all　the　luggage　was　piled　on　the　platform　at　the　Venice　station；　all　he　had　to　do　was　exchange　suitcases　and　disappear。〃　Daniel　Cooper　rose。　〃If　those　reports　are　ready；　I'll　be　running　along。〃
　
　**********
　
　Thirty　minutes　later；　Inspector　Trignant　was　speaking　to　Alberto　Fornati　in　Venice。
　
　〃Monsieur；〃　the　inspector　said；　〃I　was　calling　to　inquire　whether　there　happened　to　be　any　problem　with　your　wife's　luggage　when　you　arrived　in　Venice。〃
　
　〃Sì；　sì；〃　Fornati　plained。　〃The　idiot　porter　got　her　suitcase　mixed　up　with　someone　else's。　When　my　wife　opened　her　bag　at　the　hotel；　it　contained　nothing　but　a　lot　of　old　magazines。　I　reported　it　to　the　office　of　the　Orient　Express。　Have　they　located　my　wife's　suitcase？〃　he　asked　hopefully。
　
　〃No；　monsieur；〃　the　inspector　said。　And　he　added　silently　to　himself；　Nor　would　I　expect　it；　if　I　were　you。
　
　When　he　pleted　the　telephone　call；　he　sat　back　in　his　chair　thinking；　This　Daniel　Cooper　is　très　formidable。　Very　formidable；　indeed。
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　24
　
　
　
　Tracy's　house　in　Eaton　Square　was　a　haven。　It　was　in　one　of　the　most　beautiful　areas　in　London；　with　the　old　Georgian　houses　facing　tree…filled　private　parks。　Nannies　in　stiffly　starched　uniforms　wheeled　their　small　charges　in　status…named　prams　along　the　graveled　paths；　and　children　played　their　games。　I　miss　Amy；　Tracy　thought。
　
　Tracy　walked　along　the　storied　old　streets　and　shopped　at　the　greengrocers　and　the　chemist　on　Elizabeth　Street；　she　marveled　at　the　variety　of　brilliantly　colored　flowers　sold　outside　the　little　shops。
　
　Gunther　Hartog　saw　to　it　that　Tracy　contributed　to　the　right　charities　and　met　the　right　people。　She　dated　wealthy　dukes　and　impoverished　earls　and　had　numerous　proposals　of　marriage。　She　was　young　and　beautiful　and　rich；　and　she　seemed　so　vulnerable。
　
　〃Everyone　thinks　you're　a　perfect　target；〃　Gunther　laughed。　〃You've　really　done　splendidly　for　yourself；　Tracy。　You're　set　now。　You　have　everything　you'll　ever　need。〃
　
　It　was　true。　She　had　money　in　safe…deposit　boxes　all　over　Europe；　the　house　in　London；　and　a　chalet　in　St。　Moritz。　Everything　she　would　ever　need。　Except　for　someone　to　share　it　with。　Tracy　thought　of　the　life　she　had　almost　had；　with　a　husband　and　a　baby。　Would　that　ever　be　possible　for　her　again？　She　could　never　reveal　to　any　man　who　she　really　was；　nor　could　she　live　a　lie　by　concealing　her　past。　She　had　played　so　many　parts；　she　was　no　longer　sure　who　she　really　was；　but　she　did　know　that　she　could　never　return　to　the　life　she　had　once　had。　It's　all　right；　Tracy　thought　defiantly。　A　lot　of　people　are　lonely。　Gunther　is　right。　I　have　everything。
　
　**********
　
　She　was　giving　a　cocktail　party　the　following　evening；　the　first　since　her　return　from　Venice。
　
　〃I'm　looking　forward　to　it；〃　Gunther　told　her。　〃Your　parties　are　the　hottest　ticket　in　London。〃
　
　Tracy　said　fondly；　〃Look　who　my　sponsor　is。〃
　
　〃Who's　going　to　be　there？〃
　
　〃Everybody；〃　Tracy　told　him。
　
　Everybody　turned　out　to　be　one　more　guest　than　Tracy　had　anticipated。　She　had　invited　the　Baroness　Howarth；　an　attractive　young　heiress；　and　when　Tracy　saw　the　baroness　arrive；　she　walked　over　to　greet　her。　The　greeting　died　on　Tracy's　lips。　With　the　baroness　was　Jeff　Stevens。
　
　〃Tracy；　darling；　I　don't　believe　you　know　Mr。　Stevens。　Jeff；　this　is　Mrs。　Tracy　Whitney；　your　hostess。〃
　
　Tracy　said　stiffly；　〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Stevens？〃
　
　Jeff　took　Tracy's　hand；　holding　it　a　fraction　longer　than　necessary。　〃Mrs。　Tracy　Whitney？〃　he　said。　〃Of　course！　I　was　a　friend　of　your　husband's。　We　were　together　in　India。〃
　
　〃Isn't　that　exciting！〃　Baroness　Howarth　exclaimed。
　
　〃Strange；　he　never　mentioned　you；〃　Tracy　said　coolly。
　
　〃Didn't　he；　really？　I'm　surprised。　Interesting　old　fella。　Pity　he　had　to　go　the　way　he　did。〃
　
　〃Oh；　what　happened？〃　Baroness　Howarth　asked。
　
　Tracy　glared　at　Jeff。　〃It　was　nothing；　really。〃
　
　〃Nothing！〃　Jeff　said　reproachfully。　〃If　I　remember　correctly；　he　was　hanged　in　India。〃
　
　〃Pakistan；〃　Tracy　said　tightly。　〃And　I　believe　I　do　remember　my　husband　mentioning　you。　How　is　your　wife？〃
　
　Baroness　Howarth　looked　at　Jeff。　〃You　never　mentioned　that　you　were　married；　Jeff。〃
　
　〃Cecily　and　I　are　divorced。〃
　
　Tracy　smiled　sweetly。　〃I　meant　Rose。〃
　
　〃Oh；　that　wife。〃
　
　Baroness　Howarth　was　astonished。　〃You've　been　married　twice？〃
　
　〃Once；〃　he　said　easily。　〃Rose　and　I　got　an　annulment。　We　were　very　young。〃　He　started　to　move　away。
　
　Tracy　asked；　〃But　weren't　there　twins？〃
　
　Baroness　Howarth　exclaimed；　〃Twins？〃
　
　〃They　live　with　their　mother；〃　Jeff　told　her。　He　looked　at　Tracy：　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　pleasant　it's　been　talking　to　you；　Mrs。　Whitney；　but　we　mustn't　monopolize　you。〃　And　he　took　the　baroness's　hand　and　walked　away。
　
　The　following　morning　Tracy　ran　into　Jeff　in　an　elevator　at　Harrods。　The　store　was　crowded　with　shopper