tc.patriotgames-第34节

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　　　　〃Well；　why　not？〃　Cathy　grinned。　〃I　can　pay　for　it　out　of　my　money；　can't　I？〃　
　　　　〃Sure；　babe。〃
　　　　〃And　that's　three　suits　for　you；　too。　Jack；〃　his　wife　informed　him。
　　　　〃What？　How　did　you　〃
　　　　〃When　the　tailor　set　you　up　for　the　tux；　I　had　him　do　three　suits。　Your　arms　are　the　same　length；　Jack。　They'll　fit；　as　soon　as　we　get　that　damned　cast　off　you；　that　is。〃
　　　　Another　nice　thing　about　the　Concorde：　the　airliner　carried　so　few　people；　pared　to　a　wide…body；　that　getting　the　luggage　back　was　a　snap。　Cathy　got　a　wheeled　cart　　which　Sally　insisted　on　pushing　　while　Jack　retrieved　their　bags。　The　last　obstacle　was　customs；　where　they　paid　over　three　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　penance　for　Cathy's　purchases。　Less　than　thirty　minutes　after　leaving　the　aircraft。　Jack　proceeded　to　his　left　out　the　door；　helping　Sally　with　the　luggage　cart。
　　　　〃Jack！〃　It　was　a　big　man；　taller　than　Jack's　six…one；　and　broader　across　the　shoulders。　He　walked　badly　due　to　a　prosthetic　leg　that　extended　above　where　he　had　once　had　a　left　knee；　a　gift　from　a　drunken　driver。　His　artificial　left　foot　was　a　squared…off　aluminum　band　instead　of　something　that　looked　human。　Oliver　Wendell　Tyler　found　it　easier　to　walk　on。　But　his　hand　was　pletely　normal；　if　rather　large。　He　grabbed　Ryan's　and　squeezed。　〃Wele　home；　buddy！〃
　　　　〃How's　it　goin'；　Skip？〃　Jack　disengaged　his　hand　from　the　grip　of　a　former　offensive　tackle　and　mentally　counted　his　fingers。　Skip　Tyler　was　a　close　friend　who　never　fully　appreciated　his　strength。
　　　　〃Good。　Hi；　Cathy。〃　His　wife　got　a　kiss。　〃And　how's　Sally？〃　
　　　　〃Fine。〃　She　held　up　her　arms；　and　got　herself　picked　up　as　desired。　Only　briefly；　though；　Sally　wriggled　free　to　get　back　to　the　luggage　cart。
　　　　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Jack　asked。　Oh；　Cathy　must　have　called　。　。　。　
　　　　〃Don't　worry　about　the　car；〃　Dr。　Tyler　said。　〃Jean　and　I　retrieved　it　for　you；　and　dropped　it　off　home。　We　decided　we'd　pick　you　up　in　ours　　more　room。　She's　getting　it　now。〃　
　　　　〃Taking　a　day　off；　eh？〃
　　　　〃Something　like　that。　Hell；　Jack；　Billings　has　been　covering　your　classes　for　a　couple　of　weeks。　Why　can't　I　take　an　afternoon　off？〃　A　skycap　approached　them；　but　Tyler　waved　him　off。　
　　　　〃How's　Jean？〃　Cathy　asked。　
　　　　〃Six　more　weeks。〃　
　　　　〃It'll　be　a　little　longer　for　us；〃　Cathy　announced。　
　　　　〃Really？〃　Tyler's　face　lit　up。　〃Outstanding！〃　
　　　　It　was　cool；　with　a　bright　autumn　sun；　as　they　left　the　terminal。　Jean　Tyler　was　already　pulling　up　with　the　Tyler　family's　full…size　Chevy　wagon。　Dark…haired；　tall；　and　willowy；　Jean　was　pregnant　with　their　third　and　fourth　children。　The　sonogram　had　confirmed　the　twins　right　before　the　Ryans　had　left　for　England。　Her　otherwise　slender　frame　would　have　seemed　grotesque　with　the　bulge　of　the　babies　except　for　the　glow　on　her　face。　Cathy　went　right　to　her　as　she　got　out　of　the　car　and　said　something。　Jack　knew　what　it　was　immediately　　their　wives　immediately　hugged：　Me；　too。　Skip　wrenched　the　tailgate　open　and　tossed　the　luggage　inside　like　so　many　sheets　of　paper。
　　　　〃I　gotta　admire　your　timing。　Jack。　You　made　it　back　almost　in　time　for　Christmas　break；〃　Skip　observed　as　everyone　got　in　the　car。
　　　　〃I　didn't　exactly　plan　it　that　way；〃　Jack　objected。　
　　　　〃How's　the　shoulder？〃　
　　　　〃Better'n　it　was；　guy。〃
　　　　〃I　believe　it；〃　Tyler　laughed　as　he　pulled　away　from　the　terminal。　〃I　was　surprised　they　got　you　on　the　Concorde。　How'd　you　like　it？〃　
　　　　〃It's　over　a　lot　faster。〃　
　　　　〃Yeah；　that's　what　they　say。〃
　　　　〃How　are　things　going　at　school？〃
　　　　〃Ah；　nothing　ever　changes。　You　heard　about　The　Game？〃　Tyler's　head　came　around。
　　　　〃No；　as　a　matter　of　fact。〃　How　did　I　ever　forget　about　that？
　　　　〃Absolutely　great。　Five　points　down　with　three　minutes　left；　we　recover　a　fumble　on　our　twelve。　Thompson　finally　gets　it　untracked　and　starts　hitting　sideline　patterns　　boom；　boom；　boom；　eight…ten　yards　a　pop。　Then　he　pulls　a　draw　play　that　gets　us　to　the　thirty。　Army　changes　its　defense；　right？　So　we　go　to　a　spread。　I'm　up　in　the　press　box；　and　I　see　their　strong…side　safety　is　favoring　the　outside　　figures　we　gotta　stop　the　clock　　and　we　call　a　post　for　the　tight　end。　Like　a　charm！　Thompson　couldn't　have　handed　him　the　ball　any　better！　Twenty…one　to　nineteen。　What　a　way　to　end　the　season。〃
　　　　Tyler　was　an　Annapolis　graduate　who'd　made　second…string　All…American　at　offensive　tackle　before　entering　the　submarine　service。　Three　years　before；　when　he'd　been　on　the　threshold　of　his　own　mand　a　drunk　driver　had　left　him　without　half　his　leg。　Amazingly；　Skip　hadn't　looked　back。　After　taking　his　doctorate　in　engineering　from　MIT；　he'd　joined　the　faculty　at　Annapolis；　where　he　was　also　able　to　scout　and　do　a　little　coaching　in　the　football　program。　Jack　wondered　how　much　happier　Jean　was　now。　A　lovely　girl　who　had　once　worked　as　a　legal　secretary；　she　must　have　resented　Skip's　enforced　absences　on　submarine　duty。　Now　she　had　him　home　　surely　he　wasn't　straying　far；　it　seemed　that　Jean　was　always　pregnant　　and　they　were　rarely　separated。　Even　when　they　walked　in　the　shopping　malls。　Skip　and　Jean　held　hands。　If　anyone　found　it　humorous；　he　kept　his　peace　about　it。　
　　　　〃What　are　you　doing　about　a　Christmas　tree。　Jack？〃　
　　　　〃I　haven't　thought　about　it；〃　Ryan　admitted。
　　　　〃I　found　a　place　where　we　can　cut　'em　fresh。　I'm　going　over　tomorrow。　Wanna　e？〃　
　　　　〃Sure。　We　have　some　shopping　to　do；　too；〃　he　added　quietly。
　　　　〃Boy；　you've　really　been　out　of　it。　Cathy　called　last　week。　Jean　and　I　finished　up　the；　uh；　the　important　part。　Didn't　she　tell　you？〃　
　　　　〃No。〃　Ryan　turned　to　see　his　wife　smile　at　him。　Gotcha！　〃Thanks；　Skip。〃
　　　　〃Ah。〃　Tyler　waved　his　hand　as　they　pulled　onto　the　D。C。　beltway。　〃We're　going　up　to　Jean's　family's　place　　last　chance　for　her　to　travel　before　the　twins　arrive。　And　Professor　Billings　says　you　have　a　little　work　waiting　for　you。〃　
　　　　A　little；　Ryan　thought。　More　like　two　months'　worth。　
　　　　〃When　are　you　going　to　be　able　to　start　back　to　work？〃
　　　　〃It'll　have　to　wait　until　he　gets　the　cast　off；〃　Cathy　answered　for　Jack。　〃I'll　be　taking　Jack　to　Baltimore　tomorrow　to　see　about　that。　We'll　get　Professor　Hawley　to　check　him　out。〃　
　　　　〃No　sense　hurrying　with　that　kind　of　injury；〃　Skip　acknowledged。　He　had　ample　personal　experience　with　that　sort　of　thing。　〃Robby　says　hi。　He　couldn't　make　it。　He's　down　at　Pax　River　today　on　a　flight　simulator；　learning　to　be　an　airedale　again。　Rob　and　Sissy　are　doing　fine；　they　were　just　over　the　house　night　before　last。　You　picked　a　good　weather　day；　too。　Rained　most　of　last　week。〃
　　　　Home；　Jack　told　himself　as　he　listened。　Back　to　the　mundane；　day…to…day　crap　that　grates　on　you　so　much　　until　somebody　takes　it　away　from　you。　It　was　so　nice　to　be　back　to　a　situation　where　rain　was　a　major　annoyance；　and　one's　day　was　marked　by　waking　up；　working；　eating；　and　going　back　to　bed。　Catching　things　on　television；　and　football　games。　The　ics　in　the　daily　paper。　Helping　his　wife　with　the　wash。　Curling　up　with　a　book　and　a　glass　of　wine　after　Sally　was　put　to　bed。　Jack　promised　himself　that　he'd　never　find　this　a　dull　existence　again。　He'd　just　spent　over　a　month　on　the　fast　track；　and　was　grateful　that　he'd　left　it　three　thousand　miles　behind　him。

　　　　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Cooley。〃　Kevin　O'Donnell　looked　up　from　his　menu。
　　　　〃Hello；　Mr。　Jameson。　How　nice　to　see　you；〃　the　book　dealer　replied　with　well…acted　surprise。　
　　　　〃Won't　you　join　me？〃　
　　　　〃Why；　yes。　Thank　you。〃　
　　　　〃What　brings　you　into　town？〃
　　　　〃Business。　I'm　staying　overnight　with　friends　at　Cobh。〃　This　was　true；　it　also　told　O'Donnell　　known　locally　as　Michael　Jameson　　that　he　had　the　latest　message　with　him。
　　　　〃Care　to　look　at　the　menu？〃　O'Donnell　handed　it　over。　Cooley　inspected　it　briefly；　closed　it；　and　handed　it　back。　No　one　could　have　seen　the　transfer。　〃Jameson〃　let　the　small　envelope　inside　the　folder　drop　to　his　lap。　The　conversation　which　ensued　over　the　next　hour　drifted　through　various　pleasantries。　There　were　four　Gardai　in　the　next　booth；　and　in　any　case　Mr。　Cooley　did　not　concern　himself　with　operational　matters。　His　job　was　that　of　contact　agent　and　cutout。　A　weak　man；　O'Donnell　thought；　though　he'd　never　told　this　to　anyone。　Cooley　didn't　have　the　right　qualities　for　real　operations；　he　was　better　suited　to　the　role　of　intelligence。　Not　that　he'd　ever　asked；　and　surely　the　smaller　man　had　passed　through　training　well　enough。　His　ideology　was　sound；　but　O'Donnell　had　always　sensed　within　him　a　weakness　of　character　that　acpanied　his　cleverness。　No　matter。　Cooley　was　a　man　with　no　record　in　any　police　station。　He'd　never　even　thrown　a　rock；　much　less　a　cocktail；　at　a　Saracen。　He'd　preferred　to　watch　and　let　his　hate　fester　without　an　emotional　release。　Quiet；　bookish；　and　unobtrusive；　Dennis　was　perfect　for　his　job。　If　Cooley　was　unable　to　shed　blood；　O'Donnell　knew；　he　was　also　unlikely　to　shed　tears。　You　bland　little　fellow；　you　can　organize　a　superb　intelligence…gathering　operation；　and　so　long　as　you　don't　have　to　do　any　of　the　wet…work　yourself；　you　can　　you　have　helped　cause　the　death　of　。　。　。　ten　or　twelve；　wasn't　it？　Did　the　man　have　any　emotions　at　all？　Probably　not；　the　leader　judged。　Perfect。　He　had　his　own　little　Himmler；　O'Donnell　told　himse