ss.iftomorrowcomes-第48部分

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　The　following　morning　Tracy　ran　into　Jeff　in　an　elevator　at　Harrods。　The　store　was　crowded　with　shoppers。　Tracy　got　off　at　the　second　floor。　As　she　left　the　elevator；　she　turned　to　Jeff　and　said　in　a　loud；　clear　voice；　〃By　the　way；　how　did　you　ever　e　out　on　that　morals　charge？〃　The　door　closed；　and　Jeff　was　trapped　in　an　elevator　filled　with　indignant　strangers。
　
　Tracy　lay　in　bed　that　night　thinking　about　Jeff；　and　she　had　to　laugh。　He　really　was　a　charmer。　A　scoundrel；　but　an　engaging　one。　She　wondered　what　his　relationship　with　Baroness　Howarth　was：　She　knew　very　well　what　his　relationship　with　Baroness　Howarth　was。　Jeff　and　I　are　two　of　a　kind；　Tracy　thought。　Neither　of　them　would　ever　settle　down。　The　life　they　led　was　too　exciting　and　stimulating　and　rewarding。
　
　She　turned　her　thoughts　toward　her　next　job。　It　was　going　to　take　place　in　the　South　of　France；　and　it　would　be　a　challenge。　Gunther　had　told　her　that　the　police　were　looking　for　a　gang。　She　fell　asleep　with　a　smile　on　her　lips。
　
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　In　his　hotel　room　in　Paris；　Daniel　Cooper　was　reading　the　reports　Inspector　Trignant　had　given　him。　It　was　4：00　A。M。；　and　Cooper　had　been　poring　over　the　papers　for　hours；　analyzing　the　imaginative　mix　of　robberies　and　swindles。　Some　of　the　scams　Cooper　was　familiar　with；　but　others　were　new　to　him。　As　Inspector　Trignant　had　mentioned；　all　the　victims　had　unsavory　reputations。　This　gang　apparently　thinks　they're　Robin　Hoods；　Cooper　reflected。
　
　He　had　nearly　finished。　There　were　only　three　reports　left。　The　one　on　top　was　headed　BRUSSELS。　Cooper　opened　the　cover　and　glanced　at　the　report。　Two　million　dollars'　worth　of　jewelry　had　been　stolen　from　the　wall　safe　of　a　Mr。　Van　Ruysen；　a　Belgian　stockbroker；　who　had　been　involved　in　some　questionable　financial　dealings。
　
　The　owners　were　away　on　vacation；　and　the　house　was　empty；　and…　Cooper　caught　something　on　the　page　that　made　his　heart　quicken。　He　went　back　to　the　first　sentence　and　began　rereading　the　report；　focusing　on　every　word。　This　one　varied　from　the　others　in　one　significant　respect：　The　burglar　had　set　off　an　alarm；　and　when　the　police　arrived；　they　were　greeted　at　the　door　by　a　woman　wearing　a　filmy　negligee。　Her　hair　was　tucked　into　a　curler　cap；　and　her　face　was　thickly　covered　with　cold　cream。　She　claimed　to　be　a　houseguest　of　the　Van　Ruysens'。　The　police　accepted　her　story；　and　by　the　time　they　were　able　to　check　it　out　with　the　absent　owners；　the　woman　and　the　jewelry　had　vanished。
　
　Cooper　laid　down　the　report。　Logic；　logic。
　
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　Inspector　Trignant　was　losing　his　patience。　〃You're　wrong。　I　tell　you　it　is　impossible　for　one　woman　to　be　responsible　for　all　these　crimes。〃
　
　〃There's　a　way　to　check　it　out；〃　Daniel　Cooper　said。
　
　〃How？〃
　
　〃I'd　like　to　see　a　puter　run　on　the　dates　and　locations　of　the　last　few　burglaries　and　swindles　that　fit　into　this　category。〃
　
　〃That's　simple　enough；　but　…〃
　
　〃Next；　I　would　like　to　get　an　immigration　report　on　every　female　American　tourist　who　was　in　those　same　cities　at　the　times　the　crimes　were　mitted。　It's　possible　that　she　uses　false　passports　some　of　the　time；　but　the　probabilities　are　that　she　also　uses　her　real　identity。〃
　
　Inspector　Trignant　was　thoughtful。　〃I　see　your　line　of　reasoning；　monsieur。〃　He　studied　the　little　man　before　him　and　found　himself　half　hoping　that　Cooper　was　mistaken。　He　was　much　too　sure　of　himself。　〃Very　well。　I　will　set　the　wheels　in　motion。〃
　
　The　first　burglary　in　the　series　had　been　mitted　in　Stockholm。　The　report　from　Interpol　Sektionen　Rikspolis　Styrelsen；　the　Interpol　branch　in　Sweden；　listed　the　American　tourists　in　Stockholm　that　week；　and　the　names　of　the　women　were　fed　into　a　puter。　The　next　city　checked　was　Milan。　When　the　names　of　American　women　tourists　in　Milan　at　the　time　of　the　burglary　was　cross…checked　with　the　names　of　women　who　had　been　in　Stockholm　during　that　burglary；　there　were　fifty…five　names　on　the　list。　That　list　was　checked　against　the　names　of　female　Americans　who　had　been　in　Ireland　during　a　swindle；　and　the　list　was　reduced　to　fifteen。　Inspector　Trignant　handed　the　printout　to　Daniel　Cooper。
　
　〃I'll　start　checking　these　names　against　the　Berlin　swindle；〃　Inspector　Trignant　said；　〃and…〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　looked　up。　〃Don't　bother。〃
　
　The　name　at　the　top　of　the　list　was　Tracy　Whitney。
　
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　With　something　concrete　finally　to　go　on；　Interpol　went　into　action。　Red　circulations；　which　meant　top　priority；　were　sent　to　each　member　nation；　advising　them　to　be　on　the　lookout　for　Tracy　Whitney。
　
　〃We're　also　Teletyping　green　notices；〃　Inspector　Trignant　told　Cooper。
　
　〃Green　notices？〃
　
　〃We　use　a　color…code　'system。　A　red　circulation　is　top　priority；　blue　is　an　inquiry　for　information　about　a　suspect；　a　green　notice　puts　police　departments　on　warning　that　an　individual　is　under　suspicion　and　should　be　watched；　black　is　an　inquiry　into　unidentified　bodies。　X…D　signals　that　a　message　is　very　urgent；　while　D　is　urgent。　No　matter　what　country　Miss　Whitney　goes　to；　from　the　moment　she　checks　through　customs；　she　will　be　under　observation。
　
　The　following　day　Telephoto　pictures　of　Tracy　Whitney　from　the　Southern　Louisiana　Penitentiary　for　Women　were　in　the　hands　of　Interpol。
　
　Daniel　Cooper　put　in　a　call　to　J。　J。　Reynolds's　home。　The　phone　rang　a　dozen　times　before　it　was　answered。
　
　〃Hello。。。〃
　
　〃I　need　some　information。〃
　
　〃Is　that　you；　Cooper？　For　Christ's　sake；　it's　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　here。　I　was　sound…〃
　
　〃I　want　you　to　send　me　everything　you　can　find　on　Tracy　Whitney。　Press　clippings；　videotapes…　everything。〃
　
　〃What's　happening　over…？〃
　
　Cooper　had　hung　up。
　
　One　day　I'll　kill　the　son　of　a　bitch；　Reynolds　swore。
　
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　Before；　Daniel　Cooper　had　been　only　casually　interested　in　Tracy　Whitney。　Now　she　was　his　assignment。　He　taped　her　photographs　on　the　walls　of　his　small　Paris　hotel　room　and　read　all　the　newspaper　accounts　about　her。　He　rented　a　video　cassette　player　and　ran　and　reran　the　television　news　shots　of　Tracy　after　her　sentencing；　and　after　her　release　from　prison。　Cooper　sat　in　his　darkened　room　hour　after　hour；　looking　at　the　film；　and　the　first　glimmering　of　suspicion　became　a　certainty。　〃You're　the　gang　of　women；　Miss　Whitney；〃　Danie　Cooper　said　aloud。　Then　he　flicked　the　rewind　button　of　the　cassette　player　once　more。
　
　
　
　BOOK　THREE
　Chapter　25
　
　
　
　Every　year；　on　the　first　Saturday　in　June；　the　Count　de　Matigny　sponsored　a　charity　ball　for　the　benefit　of　the　Children's　Hospital　in　Paris。　Tickets　for　the　white…tie　affair　were　a　thousand　dollars　apiece；　and　society's　elite　flew　in　from　all　over　the　world　to　attend。
　
　The　Chateau　de　Matigny；　at　Cap　d'Antibes；　was　one　of　the　showplaces　of　France。　The　carefully　manicured　grounds　were　superb；　and　the　chateau　itself　dated　back　to　the　fifteenth　century。　On　the　evening　of　the　fete；　the　grand　ballroom　and　the　petit　ballroom　were　filled　with　beautifully　dressed　guests　and　smartly　liveried　servants　offering　endless　glasses　of　champagne。　Huge　buffet　tables　were　set　up；　displaying　an　astonishing　array　of　hors　d'oeuvres　on　Georgian　silver　platters。
　
　Tracy；　looking　ravishing　in　a　white　lace　gown；　her　hair　dressed　high　and　held　in　place　by　a　diamond　tiara；　was　dancing　with　her　host；　Count　de　Matigny；　a　widower　in　his　late　sixties；　small　and　trim；　with　pale；　delicate　features。　The　benefit　ball　the　count　dives　each　year　for　the　Children's　Hospital　is　a　racket。　Gunther　Hartog　had　told　Tracy。　Ten　percent　of　the　money　goes　to　the　children…　ninety　percent　goes　into　his　pocket。
　
　〃You　are　a　superb　dancer；　Duchess；〃　the　count　said。
　
　Tracy　smiled。　〃That's　because　of　my　partner。〃
　
　〃How　is　it　that　you　and　I　have　not　met　before？〃
　
　〃I've　been　living　in　South　America；〃　Tracy　explained。　〃In　the　jungles；　I'm　afraid。〃
　
　〃Why　on　earth！〃
　
　〃My　husband　owns　a　few　mines　in　Brazil。〃
　
　〃Ah。　And　is　your　husband　here　this　evening？〃
　
　〃No。　Unfortunately；　he　had　to　stay　in　Brazil　and　take　care　of　business。〃
　
　〃Unlucky　for　him。　Lucky　for　me。〃　His　arm　tightened　around　her　waist。　〃I　look　forward　to　our　being　very　good　friends。〃
　
　〃And　I；　too；〃　Tracy　murmured。
　
　Over　the　count's　shoulder　Tracy　suddenly　caught　sight　of　Jeff　Stevens；　looking　suntanned　and　ridiculously　fit。　He　was　dancing　with　a　beautiful；　willowy　brunet　in　crimson　taffeta；　who　was　clinging　to　him　possessively。　Jeff　saw　Tracy　at　the　same　moment　and　smiled。
　
　The　bastard　has　every　reason　to　smile；　Tracy　thought　grimly。　During　the　previous　two　weeks　Tracy　had　meticulously　planned　two　burglaries。　She　had　broken　into　the　first　house　and　opened　the　safe；　only　to　find　it　empty。　Jeff　Stevens　had　been　there　first。　On　the　second　occasion　Tracy　was　moving　through　the　grounds　toward　the　targeted　house　when　she　heard　the　sudden　acceleration　of　a　car　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　Jeff　as　he　sped　away。　He　had　beaten　her　to　it　again。　He　was　infuriating。　Now　he's　here　at　the　house　I'm　planning　to　burgle　next；　Tracy　thought。
　
　Jeff　and　his　partner　danced　nearer。　Jeff　smiled　and　said；　〃Good　evening；　Count。〃
　
　The　Count　de　Matigny　smiled。　〃Ah；　Jeffrey。　Good　evening。　I'm　so　pleased　that　you　could　e。〃
　
　〃I　wouldn't　have　missed　it。〃　Jeff　indicated　the　voluptuous…looking　woman　in　his　arms。　〃This　is　Miss　Wallace。　The　Count　de　Matigny。〃
　
　〃Enchanté！〃　The　count　indicated　Tracy。　〃Duchess；　may　I　present　Miss　Wallace　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　Stevens？　The　Duchess　de　Larosa。〃
　
　Jeff's　eyebrows　raised　questioningly。　〃Sorry。　I　didn't　hear　the　name。〃
　
　〃De　Larosa；〃　Tracy　said　evenly。
　
　〃De　Larosa。。。　De　Larosa。〃　Jeff　was　studying　Tracy。　〃That　name　seems　so　familiar。　Of　course！　I　know　your　husband。　Is　the　dear　fellow　here　with　you？〃
　
　〃He's　in　Brazil。〃　Tracy　found　that　she　was　gritting　her　teeth。
　
　Jeff　smiled。　〃Ah；　too　bad。　We　used　to　go　hunting　together。　Before　he　had　his　accident；　of　course。〃
　
　〃Accident？〃　the　count　asked。
　
　〃Yes。〃　Jeff's　tone　was　rueful。　〃His　gun　went　off　and　shot　him　in　a　very　sensitive　area。　It　was　one　of　those　stupid　things。〃　He　turned　to　Tracy。　〃Is　there　any　hope　that　he'