tc.patriotgames-第59部分

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；　there　was　no　hurry；　was　there？

　　　　The　watch　changed　at　Gate　Three。　The　civilian　guard　was　named　Bob　Riggs。　He　was　a　retired　Navy　chief　master　at　arms；　past　fifty；　with　a　beer　belly　that　made　it　hard　for　him　to　see　his　shoes。　The　cold　affected　him　badly；　and　he　spent　as　much　time　as　possible　in　the　guardhouse。　He　didn't　see　a　man　in　his　late　twenties　approach　the　opposite　corner　and　disappear　into　a　doorway。　Neither　did　Sergeant　Tom　Cummings　of　the　Marine　guard　force；　who　was　checking　some　paperwork　just　after　relieving　the　previous　watch…stander。　The　Academy　was　good　duty　for　the　young　Marine　NCO。　There　were　a　score　of　good　saloons　within　easy　walking　distance；　and　plenty　of　unattached　womenfolk　to　be　sampled；　but　the　duty　at　Annapolis　was　pretty　boring　when　you　got　down　to　it；　and　Cummings　was　young　enough　to　crave　some　action。　It　had　been　a　typical　Monday。　The　previous　guard　had　issued　three　parking　citations。　He　was　already　yawning。
　　　　Fifty　feet　away；　an　elderly　lady　approached　the　entrance　to　the　apartment　building。　She　was　surprised　to　see　a　handsome　young　man　there　and　dropped　her　shopping　bag　while　fumbling　for　her　key。
　　　　〃Can　I　help　you　with　that；　now？〃　he　asked　politely。　His　accent　made　him　sound　different；　but　rather　kind；　the　lady　thought。　He　held　the　bag　while　she　unlocked　the　door。
　　　　〃I'm　afraid　I'm　a　little　early　　waiting　to　meet　my　young　lady；　you　see；〃　he　explained　with　a　charming　smile。　〃I'm　sorry　if　I　startled　you；　ma'am　　just　trying　to　keep　out　of　this　bitter　wind。〃　
　　　　〃Would　you　like　to　wait　inside　the　door？〃　she　offered。
　　　　〃That's　very　kind　indeed；　ma'am；　but　no。　I　might　miss　her　and　it's　a　bit　of　a　surprise；　you　see。　Good　day　to　you。〃　His　hand　relaxed　around　the　knife　in　his　coat　pocket。

　　　　Sergeant　Cummings　finished　going　over　the　papers　and　walked　outside。　He　noticed　the　man　in　the　doorway　for　the　first　time。　Looked　like　he　was　waiting　for　someone；　the　Sergeant　judged；　and　trying　to　keep　out　of　the　cold　north　wind。　That　seemed　sensible　enough。　The　Sergeant　checked　his　watch。　Four…fifteen。

　　　　〃I　think　that　does　it；〃　Bernie　Katz　said。
　　　　〃We　did　it；〃　Cathy　Ryan　agreed。　There　were　smiles　all　around　the　OR。　It　had　taken　over　five　hours；　but　the　youngster's　eye　was　back　together。　He　might　need　another　operation；　and　certainly　he'd　wear　glasses　for　the　rest　of　his　life；　but　that　was　better　than　having　only　one　eye。
　　　　〃For　somebody　who　hasn't　done　one　of　these　in　four　months；　not　bad；　Cath。　This　kid　will　have　both　his　eyes。　You　want　to　tell　the　family？　I　have　to　go　to　the　john。〃
　　　　The　boy's　mother　was　waiting　exactly　where　the　Jeffers　family　had　been；　the　same　look　of　anxiety　on　her　face。　Beside　her　was　someone　with　a　camera。
　　　　〃We　saved　the　eye；〃　Cathy　said　at　once。　After　she　sat　down　beside　the　woman；　the　photographer　　he　said　he　was　from　the　Baltimore　Sun　　fired　away　with　his　Nikon　for　several　minutes。　The　surgeon　explained　the　procedure　to　the　mother　for　several　minutes；　trying　to　calm　her　down。　It　wasn't　easy；　but　Cathy'd　had　lots　of　practice。
　　　　Finally　someone　from　Social　Services　arrived；　and　Cathy　was　able　to　head　for　the　locker　room。　She　pulled　off　her　greens；　tossing　them　in　the　hamper。　Bernie　Katz　was　sitting　on　the　bench；　rubbing　his　neck。
　　　　〃I　could　use　some　of　that　myself；〃　Cathy　observed。　She　stood　there　in　her　Gucci　underwear　and　stretched。　Katz　turned　to　admire　the　view。
　　　　〃Getting　pretty　big；　Cath。　How's　the　back？〃
　　　　〃Stiff。　Just　like　it　was　with　Sally。　Avert　your　gaze。　Doctor；　you're　a　married　man。〃　
　　　　〃Can　I　help　it　if　pregnant　women　look　sexy？〃　
　　　　〃I'm　glad　I　look　it；　'cause　I　sure　as　hell　don't　feel　like　it　at　the　moment。〃　She　dropped　to　the　bench　in　front　of　her　locker。　〃I　didn't　think　we　could　do　that　one；　Bernie。〃　　　　　〃We　were　lucky；〃　Katz　admitted。　〃Fortunately　the　dear　Lord　looks　after　fools；　drunks；　and　little　children。　Some　of　the　time；　anyway。〃
　　　　Cathy　pulled　open　the　locker。　In　the　mirror　she　had　inside；　she　saw　that　her　hair　did　indeed　look　like　the　Medusa's。　She　made　a　face　at　herself。　〃I　need　another　vacation。〃　
　　　　〃But　you　just　had　one；〃　Katz　observed。
　　　　〃Right；〃　Dr。　Ryan　snorted。　She　slid　her　legs　into　her　pants　and　reached　for　her　blouse。
　　　　〃And　when　that　fetus　decides　to　bee　a　baby；　you'll　have　another。〃
　　　　The　jacket　came；　next。　〃Bernie；　if　you　were　in　OB；　your　patients　would　kill　you　for　that　sort　of　crap。〃　
　　　　〃What　a　loss　to　medicine　that　would　be；〃　Katz　thought　aloud。　
　　　　Cathy　laughed。　〃Nice　job；　Bern。　Kiss　Annie　for　me。〃　
　　　　〃Sure；　and　you　take　it　a　little　easy；　eh；　or　I'll　tell　Madge　North　to　e　after　you。〃
　　　　〃I　see　her　Friday；　Bernie。　She　says　I'm　doing　fine。〃　Cathy　breezed　out　the　door。　She　waved　to　her　nurses；　plimenting　them　yet　again　for　a　superb　job　in　the　OR。　The　elevator　was　next。　Already　she　had　her　car　keys　in　her　hand。
　　　　The　green　Porsche　was　waiting　for　her。　Cathy　unlocked　the　door　and　tossed　her　bag　in　the　back　before　settling　in　the　driver's　seat。　The　six…cylinder　engine　started　in　an　instant。　The　tachymeter　needle　swung　upward　to　the　idle　setting。　She　let　the　engine　warm　up　for　a　minute　while　she　buckled　her　seat　belt　and　slipped　off　the　parking　brake。　The　throaty　rumble　of　the　engine　echoed　down　the　concrete　walls　of　the　parking　garage。　When　the　temperature　needle　started　to　move；　she　shifted　into　reverse。　A　moment　later　she　dropped　the　gear　lever　into　first　and　moved　toward　Broadway。　She　checked　the　clock　on　the　dashboard　and　winced　　worse；　she　had　to　make　a　stop　at　the　store　on　the　way　home。　Well；　she　did　have　her　911　to　play　catch…up　with。
　　　　〃The　target　is　moving；〃　a　voice　said　into　a　radio　three　levels　up。　The　message　was　relayed　by　telephone　to　Alex's　safehouse；　then　by　radio　again。

　　　　〃About　bloody　time；〃　Miller　growled　a　few　minutes　later。　〃Why　the　hell　is　she　late？〃　The　last　hour　had　been　infuriating　for　bin。　First　thirty　minutes　of　waiting　for　her　to　be　on　time；　then　another　thirty　minutes　while　she　wasn't。　He　told　himself　to　relax。　She　had　to　be　at　the　day…care　center　to　pick　up　the　kid。　
　　　　〃She's　a　doc。　It　happens；　man；〃　Alex　said。　〃Let's　roll。〃　
　　　　The　pickup　car　led　off　first；　followed　by　the　van。　The　Ford　would　be　at　the　7…Eleven　across　from　Giant　Steps　in　exactly　thirty　minutes。

　　　　〃He　must　be　waiting　for　somebody　pretty；〃　Riggs　said　when　he　got　back　into　the　guard　shack。
　　　　〃Still　there？〃　Cummings　was　surprised。　Three　weeks　before；　Breckenridge　had　briefed　the　guard　force　about　the　possible　threat　to　Dr。　Ryan。　Cummings　knew　that　the　history　teacher　always　went　out　this　gate　　he　was　late　today；　though。　The　Sergeant　could　see　that　the　light　in　his　office　was　still　on。　Though　the　duty　here　was　dull；　Cummings　was　serious　about　it。　Three　months　in　Beirut　had　taught　him　everything　he　would　ever　need　to　know　about　that。　He　walked　outside　and　took　a　place　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。
　　　　Cummings　watched　the　cars　leaving。　Mostly　they　were　driven　by　civilians；　but　those　driven　by　naval　officers　got　a　regulation　Marine　salute。　The　wind　only　got　colder。　He　wore　a　sweater　under　his　blouse。　This　kept　his　torso　warm；　but　the　white　kid　gloves　that　went　with　the　dress…blue　uniform　were　the　next　thing　to　useless。　He　made　a　great　show　of　clapping　his　hands　together　as　he　turned　around　periodically。　He　never　stared　at　the　apartment　building；　never　acted　as　though　he　knew　anybody　were　there。　It　was　getting　dark　now；　and　it　wasn't　all　that　easy　to　see　him　anyway。　But　somebody　was　there。

　　　　〃That　was　fast；〃　the　man　in　the　pickup　car　said。　He　checked　his　watch。　She'd　just　knocked　five　minutes　off　her　fastest　time。　Damn；　he　thought；　must　be　nice　to　have　one　of　those　little　Porsches。　He　checked　the　tag：　CR…SRGN。　Yep；　that　was　the　one。　He　grabbed　the　radio。
　　　　〃Hi；　Mom；　I'm　home；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃It's　about　time；〃　a　male　voice　answered。　The　van　was　half　a　mile　away；　sitting　on　Joyce　Lane；　west　of　Ritchie　Highway。
　　　　He　saw　the　lady　e　out　of　the　day…care　center　less　than　two　minutes　later。　She　was　in　a　hurry。　
　　　　〃Rolling。〃　
　　　　〃Okay；〃　came　the　answer。

　　　　〃e　on；　Sally；　we're　late。　Buckle　up。〃　Cathy　Ryan　hated　to　be　late。　She　restarted　the　engine。　She　hadn't　been　this　late　in　over　a　month；　but　she　could　still　make　it　home　before　Jack　if　she　hustled。
　　　　The　rush　hour　was　under　way　in　earnest；　but　the　Porsche　was　small；　fast；　and　agile。　In　a　minute　from　sitting　in　the　parking　lot　she　was　doing　sixty…five；　weaving　through　traffic　like　a　race　driver　at　Daytona。

　　　　For　all　their　preparation；　Alex　almost　missed　her。　An　eighteen…wheeler　was　laboring　up　the　hill　in　the　right　lane　when　the　distinctive　shape　of　the　Porsche　appeared　next　to　it。　Alex　floored　the　van　and　darted　out　onto　the　road；　causing　the　semi　to　jam　his　brakes　and　horn　at　the　same　time。　Alex　didn't　look　back。　Miller　got　out　of　the　right…front　seat　and　went　back　to　the　window　on　the　sliding　door。
　　　　〃Whooee；　this　lady's　in　a　hurry　tonight！〃　
　　　　〃Can　you　catch　her？〃　Miller　asked。　
　　　　Alex　just　smiled。　〃Watch。〃

　　　　〃Damn；　look　at　that　Porsche！〃　Trooper　First　Class　Sam　Waverly　was　driving　J…30；　a　State　Police　car　ing　off　an　afternoon　of　pursuit…radar　work　on　U。S。　Route　50。　He　and　Larry　Fontana　of　J…19　were　heading　back　to　the　Annapolis　police　barracks　off　Rowe　Boulevard　after　a　long　day's　work　when　they　saw　the　green　sports　car　take　the　entrance　ramp　off　Ritchie　Highway。　Both　troopers　were　driving　about　sixty…five　miles　per　hour；　a　privilege　that　accrued　only　to　police　officers。　Their　cars　were　unmarked。　This　made　them　and　their　radar　guns　impossible　to　spot　until　it　was　too　late。　They　usually　worked　in　pairs；　and　took　turns；　with　one　working　his　radar　gun　and　the　other　a　quarter　mile　down　the　road　to　wave　the　speeders　over　for　their　tickets。
　　　　〃Another　one！〃　Fontana　said　over　the　radio。　A　van　swerved　into　the　highway's　left　lane；　forcing　somebody　in　a　Pontiac　to　jam　on　his　brakes。　〃Let's　get　'em。〃　They　were　both　young　officers　and　while；　contrary　to　legend；　the　State　Police　didn't　assign　ticket　quotas　to　its　officers；　everyone　knew　that　one　sure　way　to　promotion　was　to　write　a　lot　of　them。　It　also　made　the　roads　safer；　and　that　was　their　mission　as　state　troopers。　Neither　officer　really　enjoyed　giving　out　traffic　citations；　but　they　enjoyed　responding　to　major　accidents　far　less。　
　　　　〃O