rl.thebourneultimatum-第36节

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Casset　run　the　names　through　the　puters　behind　DeSole's　back。〃
　〃What　about　Swayne？　We've　got　to　keep　the　suicide　quiet　for　a　while。〃
　〃How　long？〃
　〃How　the　hell　do　I　know？〃　replied　Jason；　exasperated。　〃Until　we　find　out　who　they　all　are　and　I　can　reach　them…or　you　can　reach　them…and　together　we　can　start　the　wave　of　panic　rolling。　That's　when　we　plant　the　Carlos　solution。〃
　〃Words；〃　said　Conklin；　his　tone　not　flattering。　〃You　could　be　talking　about　days；　maybe　a　week　or　even　longer。〃
　〃Then　that's　what　I'm　talking　about。〃
　〃Then　we'd　better　damn　well　bring　in　Peter　Holland…〃
　〃No；　not　yet。　We　don't　know　what　he'd　do　and　I'm　not　giving　him　the　chance　to　get　in　my　way。〃
　〃You've　got　to　trust　someone　besides　me；　Jason。　I　can　fool　the　doctor　perhaps　for　twenty…four　or　forty…eight　hours…perhaps…but　I　doubt　much　longer　than　that。　He'll　want　higher　authorization。　And　don't　forget；　I've　got　Casset　breathing　down　my　neck　over　DeSole…〃
　〃Give　me　two　days；　get　me　two　days！〃
　〃While　tracking　down　all　this　information　and　stalling　Charlie；　and　lying　through　my　teeth　to　Peter；　telling　them　that　we're　making　progress　running　down　the　Jackal's　possible　couriers　at　the　Mayflower　hotel…we　think　。。。　Of　course；　we're　doing　nothing　of　the　sort　because　we're　up　to　our　credentials　in　some　off…the…wall；　twenty…year…old　Saigon　conspiracy　involving　who　knows　what；　damned　if　we　know；　except　that　the　who　is　terribly　impressive。　Without　going　into　statuses…or　is　it　statae…we're　now　told　they　have　their　own　private　cemetery　on　the　grounds　of　the　general　officer　in　charge　of　Pentagon　procurements；　who　just　happened　to　blow　his　head　off；　a　minor　incident　we're　sitting　on。　。。。　Jesus；　Delta；　back　up！　The　missiles　are　colliding！〃
　Though　he　was　standing　in　front　of　Swayne's　desk；　the　general's　corpse　in　the　chair　beside　him；　Bourne　managed　a　tentative；　slow　smile。　〃That's　what　we're　counting　on；　isn't　it？　It's　a　scenario　that　could　have　been　written　by　our　beloved　Saint　Alex　himself。〃
　〃I'm　only　along　for　the　ride；　I'm　not　steering…〃
　〃What　about　the　doctor？〃　interrupted　Jason。　〃You've　been　out　of　operation　for　almost　five　years。　How　do　you　know　he's　still　in　business？〃
　〃I　run　into　him　now　and　then；　we're　both　museum　mavens。　A　couple　of　months　ago　at　the　Corcoran　Gallery　he　plained　that　he　wasn't　given　much　to　do　these　days。〃
　〃Change　that　tonight。〃
　〃I'll　try。　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃Delicately　pull　apart　everything　in　this　room。〃
　〃Gloves？〃
　〃Surgical；　of　course。〃
　〃Don't　touch　the　body。〃
　〃Only　the　pockets…very　delicately。　。。。　Swayne's　wife　is　ing　down　the　stairs。　I'll　call　you　back　when　they're　gone。　Get　hold　of　that　doctor！〃
　Ivan　Jax；　M。D。　by　way　of　Yale　Medical　School；　surgical　training　and　residency　at　Massachusetts　General；　College　of　Surgeons　by　appointment；　Jamaican　by　birth；　and　erstwhile　〃consultant〃　to　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　courtesy　of　a　fellow　black　man　with　the　improbable　name　of　Cactus；　drove　through　the　gates　of　General　Swayne's　estate　in　Manassas；　Virginia。　There　were　times；　thought　Ivan；　when　he　wished　he　had　never　met　old　Cactus　and　this　was　one　of　them；　but　tonight　notwithstanding；　he　never　regretted　that　Cactus　had　e　into　his　life。　Thanks　to　the　old　man's　〃magic　papers；〃　Jax　had　gotten　his　brother　and　sister　out　of　Jamaica　during　the　repressive　Manley　years　when　established　professionals　were　all　but　prohibited　from　emigrating　and　certainly　not　with　personal　funds。
　Cactus；　however；　using　plex　mock…ups　of　government　permits　had　sprung　both　young　adults　out　of　the　country　along　with　bank　transfers　honored　in　Lisbon。　All　the　aged　forger　re　quested　were　stolen　blank　copies　of　various　official　documents；　including　import/export　bills　of　lading；　the　two　people's　passports；　separate　photographs　and　copies　of　several　signatures　belonging　to　certain　men　in　positions　of　authority…easily　obtainable　through　the　hundreds　of　bureaucratic　edicts　published　in　the　government…controlled　press。　Ivan's　brother　was　currently　a　wealthy　barrister　in　London　and　his　sister　a　research　fellow　at　Cambridge。
　Yes；　he　owed　Cactus；　thought　Dr。　Jax　as　he　swung　his　station　wagon　around　the　curve　to　the　front　of　the　house；　and　when　the　old　man　had　asked　him　to　〃consult〃　with　a　few　〃friends　over　in　Langley〃　seven　years　ago；　he　had　obliged。　Some　consultation！　Still；　there　were　further　perks　forthing　in　Ivan's　silent　association　with　the　intelligence　agency。　When　his　island　home　threw　out　Manley；　and　Seaga　came　to　power；　among　the　first　of　the　〃appropriated〃　properties　to　be　returned　to　their　rightful　owners　were　the　Jax　family's　holdings　in　Montego　Bay　and　Port　Antonio。　That　had　been　Alex　Conklin's　doing；　but　without　Cactus　there　would　have　been　no　Conklin；　not　in　Ivan's　circle　of　friends。　。。。　But　why　did　Alex　have　to　call　tonight？　Tonight　was　his　twelfth　wedding　anniversary；　and　he　had　sent　the　kids　on　an　overnight　with　the　neighbors'　children　so　that　he　and　his　wife　could　be　alone；　alone　with　grilled　Jamaic'　ribs　on　the　patio…prepared　by　the　only　one　who　knew　how；　namely；　Chef　Ivan…a　lot　of　good　dark　Overton　rum；　and　some　highly　erotic　skinny…dipping　in　the　pool。　Damn　Alex！　Double　damn　the　son…of…a…bitch　bachelor　who　could　only　respond　to　the　event　of　a　wedding　anniversary　by　saying；　〃What　the　hell？　You　made　the　year；　so　what's　a　day　count？　Get　your　jollies　tomorrow；　I　need　you　tonight。〃
　So　he　had　lied　to　his　wife；　the　former　head　nurse　at　Mass。　General。　He　told　her　that　a　patient's　life　was　in　the　balance…it　was；　but　it　had　already　tipped　the　wrong　way。　She　had　replied　that　perhaps　her　next　husband　would　be　more　considerate　of　her　life；　but　her　sad　smile　and　her　understanding　eyes　denied　her　words。　She　knew　death。　Hurry；　my　darling！
　Jax　turned　off　the　engine；　grabbed　his　medical　bag　and　got　out　of　the　car。　He　walked　around　the　hood　as　the　front　door　opened　and　a　tall　man　in　what　appeared　to　be　dark　skintight　clothing　stood　silhouetted　in　the　frame。　〃I'm　your　doctor；〃　said　Ivan；　walking　up　the　steps。　〃Our　mutual　friend　didn't　give　me　your　name；　but　I　guess　I'm　not　supposed　to　have　it。〃
　〃I　guess　not；〃　agreed　Bourne；　extending　a　hand　in　a　surgical　glove　as　Jax　approached。
　〃And　I　guess　we're　both　right；〃　said　Jax；　shaking　hands　with　the　stranger。　〃The　mitt　you're　wearing　is　pretty　familiar　to　me。〃
　〃Our　mutual　friend　didn't　tell　me　you　were　black。〃
　〃Is　that　a　problem　for　you？〃
　〃Good　Christ；　no。　I　like　our　friend　even　more。　It　probably　never　occurred　to　him　to　say　anything。〃
　〃I　think　we'll　get　along。　Let's　go；　no…name。〃
　Bourne　stood　ten　feet　to　the　right　of　the　desk　as　Jax　swiftly；　expertly　tended　to　the　corpse；　mercifully　wrapping　the　head　in　gauze。　Without　explaining；　he　had　cut　away　sections　of　the　general's　clothing；　examining　those　parts　of　the　body　beneath　the　fabric。　Finally；　he　carefully　rolled　the　hooded　body　off　the　chair　and　onto　the　floor。　〃Are　you　finished　in　here？〃　he　asked；　looking　over　at　Jason。
　〃I've　swept　it　clean；　Doctor；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃
　〃It　usually　is。　。。。　I　want　this　room　sealed。　No　one's　to　enter　it　after　we　leave　until　our　mutual　friend　gives　the　word。〃
　〃I　certainly　can't　guarantee　that；〃　said　Bourne。
　〃Then　he'll　have　to。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Your　general　didn't　mit　suicide；　no…name。　He　was　murdered。〃
　
　12
　〃The　woman；〃　said　Alex　Conklin　over　the　line。　〃From　everything　you　told　me　it　had　to　be　Swayne's　wife。　Jesus！〃
　〃It　doesn't　change　anything；　but　it　looks　that　way；〃　agreed　Bourne　halfheartedly。　〃She　had　reason　enough　to　do　it；　God　knows…still；　if　she　did；　she　didn't　tell　Flannagan；　and　that　doesn't　make　sense。〃
　〃No；　it　doesn't。　。。。　Conklin　paused；　then　spoke　quickly。　〃Let　me　talk　to　Ivan。〃
　〃Ivan？　Your　doctor？　His　name　is　Ivan？〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Nothing。　He's　outside。　。。。　'packing　the　merchandise'　was　the　way　he　put　it。〃
　〃In　his　wagon？〃
　〃That's　right。　We　carried　the　body…〃
　〃What　makes　him　so　sure　it　wasn't　suicide？〃　broke　in　Alex。
　〃Swayne　was　drugged。　He　said　he'd　call　you　later　and　explain。　He　wants　to　get　out　of　here　and　no　one's　to　e　into　this　room　after　we　leave…after　I　leave…until　you　give　the　word　for　the　police。　He'll　tell　you　that；　too。〃
　〃Christ；　it　must　be　a　mess　in　there。〃
　〃It's　not　pretty。　What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Pull　the　curtains；　if　there　are　any；　check　the　windows　and；　if　possible；　lock　the　door。　If　there's　no　way　to　lock　it；　look　around　for…〃
　〃I　found　a　set　of　keys　in　Swayne's　pocket；〃　interrupted　Jason。　〃I　checked；　one　of　them　fits。〃
　〃Good。　When　you　leave；　wipe　the　door　down　clean。　Find　some　furniture　polish　or　a　dusting　spray。〃
　〃That's　not　going　to　keep　out　anyone　who　wants　to　get　in。〃
　〃No；　but　if　someone　does；　we　might　pick　up　a　print。〃
　〃You're　reaching…〃
　〃I　certainly　am；〃　concurred　the　former　intelligence　officer。　〃I've　also　got　to　figure　out　a　way　to　seal　up　the　whole　place　without　using　anybody　from　Langley；　and；　not　incidentally；　keep　the　Pentagon　at　bay　just　in　case　someone　among　those　twenty…odd　thousand　people　wants　to　reach　Swayne；　and　that　includes　his　office　and　probably　a　couple　of　hundred　buyers　and　sellers　a　day　in　procurements。。。。　Christ；　it's　impossible！〃
　〃It's　perfect；〃　contradicted　Bourne　as　Dr。　Ivan　Jax　suddenly　appeared　in　the　doorway。　〃Our　little　game　of　destabil