rl.thebourneultimatum-第72节
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！
〃I go on； Mr。 Attorney。 。。。 So each time the Jew shrink is shot up to that moon my specialist talks about； he's in pretty good shape； right？〃
〃I see the periodic remissions to normalcy； but then I'm not a doctor。〃
〃I don't know what the fuck you're talking about； but then I'm not a doctor； either； so I'll take my specialist's word for it。 You see； every time he's shot up； his mind is pretty clear inside； and then he's fed name after name after name。 A lot； maybe most； won't mean a thing； but every now and then one will； and then another； and another。 With each； they start what they call a probe； finding out bits and pieces of information； just enough to get a sketch of the patient he's talking about…just enough to scare the shit out of that lasagna when he's reached。 Remember； these are stressful times and this Hebe doctor treats some of the fattest cats in Washington； in and outside the government。 How does that grab you； Mr。 Attorney？〃
〃It's certainly unique；〃 replied the guest slowly； studying the capo supremo。 〃His files； of course； would be infinitely preferable。〃
〃Yeah； well； like I say； we're working on that； but it'll take time。 This is now； immediato。 He'll be in Pennsylvania in a couple of hours。 You want to deal？ You and me？〃
〃Over what？ Something you don't have and may never get？〃
〃Hey； e on； what do you think I am？〃
〃I'm sure you don't want to hear that…〃
〃Cut the crap。 Say in a day or so； maybe a week； we meet； and I give you a list of names I think you might be interested in； all of which we got information on…let's say information not readily available。 You pick one or two or maybe none； what can you lose？ We're talkin' spitballs anyway； 'cause the deal's between you and me only。 No one else is involved except my specialist and his assistant who don't know you and you don't know them。〃
〃A side arrangement； as it were？〃
〃Not as it were； like it is。 Depending on the information； I'll figure out the charge。 It may only be a thou or two； or it may go to twenty； or it may be gratis； who knows？ I'd be fair because I want your business； capisce？〃
〃It's very interesting。〃
〃You know what my specialist says？ He says we could start our own cottage industry； he called it。 Snatch a dozen shrinks； all with heavy government connections； like in the Senate or even the White House…〃
〃I understand fully；〃 interrupted the attorney； getting to his feet； 〃but my time's up。 。。。 Bring me a list； Louis。〃 The guest walked toward the short marble foyer。
〃No fancy attaché case； Signor Avvocato？〃 said the capo； rising from the couch。
〃And upset the not so delicate mechanisms in your doorway？〃
〃Hey； it's a violent world out there。〃
〃I wouldn't know about that。〃
The Wall Street attorney left； and at the sound of the closing door； Louis rushed across the room to the inlaid Queen Anne desk and virtually pounced on the ivory French telephone…as usual； tipping over the tall thin instrument twice before securing the stem with one hand while dialing with the other。 〃Fucking swish horn！〃 he mumbled。 〃Goddamned fairy decorator！ 。。。 Mario？〃
〃Hello； Lou；〃 said the pleasant voice in New Rochelle。 〃I'll bet you called to wish Anthony a happy birthday； huh？〃
〃Who？〃
〃My kid； Anthony。 He's fifteen today； did you forget？ The whole family's out in the garden and we miss you； Cousin。 And hey； Lou； what a garden this year。 I'm a real artist。〃
〃You also may be something else。〃
〃What？〃
〃Buy Anthony a present and send me the bill。 At fifteen； maybe a broad。 He's ready for manhood。〃
〃Lou； you're too much。 There are other things…〃
〃There's only one thing now； Mario； and I want the truth from your lips or I'll carve them out of your face！〃
There was a brief pause from New Rochelle before the pleasant…sounding executioner spoke。 〃I don't deserve to be talked to that way； cugino。〃
〃Maybe； maybe not。 There was a book taken from that general's place in Manassas； a very valuable book。〃
〃They found out it was missing； huh？〃
〃Holy shit！ You got it？〃
〃I had it； Lou。 It was going to be a present to you； but I lost it。〃
〃You lost it？ What the fuck did you do； leave it in a 'taxi'？〃
〃No； I was running for my life； that maniac with the flares； what's his name； Webb； unloading at me in the driveway。 He grazed me and I fell and the lousy book flew out of my hand…just as the police car arrived。 He picked it up and I ran like hell for the fence。〃
〃Webb's got it？〃
〃I guess so。〃
〃Christ on a trampoline 。。。 ！〃
〃Anything else； Lou？ We're about to light the candles on the cake。〃
〃Yeah； Mario； I may need you in Washington…a big cannoli without a foot but with a book。〃
〃Hey； wait a minute； cugino； you know my rules。 Always a month between business trips。 What did Manassas take？ Six weeks？ And last May in Key West； three； almost four weeks？ I can't call； I can't write a postcard…no； Lou； always a month。 I got responsibilities to Angie and the children。 I'm not going to be an absentee parent； they've got to have a role model； you know what I mean？〃
〃I got Ozzie Nelson for a fuckin' cousin！〃 Louis slammed down the phone； and instantly grabbed it as it crashed over on the desk； its delicate ivory stem displaying a crack。 〃The best hit man in the business and he's a freak；〃 mumbled the capo supremo as he dialed frantically。 When the line was picked up； the anxiety and the anger disappeared from his voice； it was not apparent but it had not gone away。 〃Hello； Frankie baby； how's my closest friend？〃
〃Oh； hi； Lou；〃 came the floating； but hesitant； languorous tones from an expensive apartment in Greenwich Village。 〃Can I call you back in two minutes？ I'm just putting my mother into a cab to take her back to Jersey。 Okay？〃
〃Sure； kid。 Two minutes。〃 Mother？ The whore！ Il pinguino！ Louis walked to his mirrored marble bar with the pink angels flying over the Lalique inset above the whisky bottles。 He poured himself a drink and took several calming swallows。 The bar phone rang。 〃Yeah？〃 he said； carefully picking up the fragile crystal instrument。
〃It's me； Lou。 Frankie。 I said good…bye to Mama。〃
〃That's a good boy； Frankie。 Never forget your mama。〃
〃Oh； I never do； Lou。 You taught me that。 You told me you gave your mama the biggest funeral they ever saw in East Hartford。〃
〃Yeah； I bought the fuckin' church； man。〃
〃Real nice； real nice。〃
〃Now let's get to something else real nice； okay？ It's been one of those days； Frankie； lots of turmoil； you know what I mean？〃
〃Sure； Lou。〃
〃So I got an itch。 I gotta get some relief。 e on over here； Frankie。〃
〃As fast as a cab can take me； Lou。〃
Prostituto！ It would be Frankie the Big Mouth's last service for him。
Out on the street the well…dressed attorney walked two blocks south and a block east to his waiting limousine parked beneath the canopy of another impressive residence in Brooklyn Heights。 His stocky chauffeur of middle years was talking pleasantly with the uniformed doorman； whom he had generously tipped by now。 Spotting his employer； the driver walked rapidly to the limousine's rear door and opened it。 Several minutes later they were in traffic heading for the bridge。
In the quiet of the backseat； the lawyer undid his alligator belt； pressed the upper and lower rims of the buckle； and a small cartridge fell out between his legs。 He picked it up and refastened the belt。
Holding the cartridge up to the filtered light from the window； he studied the miniaturized voice…activated recording device。 It was an extraordinary machine； tiny enough and with an acrylic mechanism that permitted it to fly through the most sophisticated detectors。 The attorney leaned forward in his seat and spoke to the driver。 〃William？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 The chauffeur glanced up at his rearview mirror and saw his employer's outstretched hand； he reached back。
〃Take this over to the house and put it on a cassette； will you； please？〃
〃Right； Major。〃
The Manhattan lawyer reclined in the seat； smiling to himself。 Louis would give him anything he wanted from now on。 A capo did not make side arrangements where the family was concerned； to say nothing of acknowledging certain sexual preferences。
Morris Panov sat blindfolded in the front seat of the sedan with his guard； his hands loosely； almost courteously bound； as if the capo subordinato felt he was following unnecessary orders。 They had been driving for about thirty minutes in silence when the guard spoke。
〃What's a perry…oh…dentist？〃 he asked。
〃An oral surgeon； a doctor trained to operate inside patients' mouths on problems relating to teeth and gum tissue。〃 Silence。 Then seven minutes later： 〃What kind of problems？〃
〃Any number of them； from infections to scraping the roots to more plicated surgery usually in tandem with an oncologist。〃
Silence。 Four minutes later： 〃What was that last…the tandy…uncle stuff？〃
〃Oral cancer。 If it's caught in time； it can be arrested with minor bone removal。 。。。 If not； the entire jaw might have to go。〃 Panov could feel the car briefly swerve as the driver momentarily lost control。
Silence。 A minute and a half later： 〃The whole fuckin' jaw？ Half the face？〃
〃It's either that or the whole of the patient's life。〃 Thirty second
