p&c.brimstone-第41节

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of　her　bra；　and　as　he　saw　her　breasts　swing　free　he　felt　himself　grow　even　harder。　Her　hands　dropped　from　his　shoulders；　tracing　lines　down　his　torso；　his　stomach；　then　to　the　waistband　of　his　pants；　unbuckling　his　belt　and　loosening　his　zipper　and　slowly　easing　him　free。　Now　the　hand　began　to　stroke　him；　slowly；　and　he　gasped　involuntarily　as　he　reached　for　the　hem　of　her　skirt；　slid　his　hand　beneath　it；　and　teased　her　panties　free。　She　staggered　a　little　as　he　entered　her；　thrusting　her　hips　forward　while　arching　her　back；　bringing　him　deep　inside　her。　For　a　moment　they　remained　like　that；　eyes　locked。　Hayward's　lips　parted；　then　her　head　sank　backward；　exposing　her　neck；　and　she　let　out　a　groan　of　desire。　He　wrapped　his　arms　around　her　thighs　and　began　sliding　into　her；　again　and　again　and　again；　gently；　deliberately；　the　papers　spilling　to　the　floor　。　。　。　
　。　。　。　And　then；　in　a　sudden　flood　of　pleasure；　it　was　over。　She　held　him；　her　dark　hair　wild；　breathing　hard；　her　limbs　around　his；　contracting　and　relaxing　in　slowing　spasms。　They　embraced　each　other　for　what　seemed　a　very　long　time。　And　yet　it　was　all　too　soon　when　she　kissed　him　and　gently　pulled　away。　Only　then　did　D'Agosta　realize　he　still　didn't　understand　what　had　just　happened。　He　covered　his　confusion　by　turning　from　her；　putting　his　clothes　into　some　semblance　of　order。　As　he　did　so；　he　realized　he　couldn't　even　remember　what　had　led　to　their　sudden　embrace。　They　had　just　e　together　like　magnets。　Nothing　like　this　had　ever　happened　to　him　before。　He　wasn't　sure　if　he　should　feel　elated；　embarrassed；　or　nervous。　
　Behind　him；　he　could　hear　her　slow　laugh。　〃Not　bad；〃　she　said；　her　voice　a　little　husky。　〃For　a　broken…down；　washed…up　loser；　I　mean。　Next　time；　though；　we　should　probably　shut　the　door。〃　She　smiled　at　him　from　under　a　wild　mop　of　black　hair；　a　mottled　flush　fading　below　her　neck；　her　breasts　rising　and　falling　heavily　as　she　smoothed　down　her　skirt。　〃You　know　what　I　like　about　you；　Vincent？〃　
　〃No。〃　
　〃You　really　care…about　your　work；　about　the　case；　and　most　of　all；　about　justice。　Youcare。　〃　
　D'Agosta　still　felt　out　there；　almost　dizzy　with　what　had　happened。　He　ran　his　hand　over　his　hair；　adjusted　his　pants。　He　wasn't　sure　what　she　meant。　
　〃I　guess　you　earned　that　Title　3。　With　a　little　thought；　I　should　be　able　to　make　something　up。〃　
　He　paused。　〃That　wasn't　why…〃　
　She　sat　up；　laid　a　finger　on　his　lips。　〃Yourintegrity　just　earned　you　the　Title　3。　Not　the…the　other　thing。〃　Then　she　smiled　again。　〃I'll　tell　you　what。　We　kind　of　got　things　backwards　here。　Do　what　you　have　to　do。　Then　you　can　take　me　out　for　a　nice；　long；　romantic；　candlelight　dinner。〃　
　　　
　34　
　
　The　wire　room　of　the　lower　Manhattan　Federal　Building　was　anondescript　space　on　the　tower's　fourteenth　floor。　To　D'Agosta；　it　looked　just　like　a　typical　office：　fluorescent　ceiling；　neutral　carpeting；　countless　identical　cubicles　forming　a　human　ant　farm。　Depressing　as　shit。　
　He　looked　around　guardedly；　half　hoping；　half　afraid　he'd　find　Laura　Hayward　waiting　for　him。　But　there　was　only　one　of　her　detectives；　Mandrell：　the　same　guy　who　had　called　at　lunchtime　with　news　they'd　obtained　a　Title　3　order　from　the　U。S。　Attorney's　Office。　The　FBI；　with　its　superior　equipment；　would　execute　the　Title　3；　in　a　joint　operation　with　the　NYPD。　ing　through　the　NYPD　had　made　it　somehow　politically　acceptable。　
　〃Sergeant；〃　Mandrell　said；　shaking　his　hand。　〃Everything's　set　up。　Is　Agent；　ah；　Pendergast…〃　
　〃Here；〃　said　Pendergast；　striding　into　the　room。　His　beautifully　cut　black　suit；　pressed　to　perfection；　shimmered　under　the　artificial　light。　D'Agosta　wondered　just　how　many　identical　black　suits　the　guy　owned。　Probably　had　rooms　at　the　Dakota　and　the　Riverside　Drive　mansion　devoted　to　them。　
　〃Agent　Pendergast；〃　D'Agosta　said；　〃this　is　Detective　Sergeant　Mandrell　of　the　Twenty…first　Precinct。〃　
　〃Delighted。〃　Pendergast　briefly　shook　the　proffered　hand。　〃Forgive　me　for　not　arriving　earlier。　I　fear　I　took　a　wrong　turn。　This　building　is　most　confusing。〃　
　The　Federal　Building？　Most　confusing？Pendergast　was　a　fed　himself；　he　had　to　have　an　office　in　here　somewhere。　Didn't　he？　It　occurred　to　D'Agosta　that　he'd　never　once　seen；　or　been　asked　to　visit；　Pendergast's　office。　
　〃It's　this　way；〃　Mandrell　said；　leading　the　way　through　a　maze　of　cubicles。　
　〃Excellent；〃　Pendergast　murmured　to　D'Agosta　as　they　fell　into　step　behind　the　detective。　〃I'll　have　to　thank　Captain　Hayward　personally。　She　really　came　through　for　us。〃　
　She　came　through；　all　right；D'Agosta　thought　with　a　private　smile。　The　whole　of　the　night　before…Pendergast　spirited　away　by　the　mysterious　caller；　his　own　totally　unexpected　encounter　with　Laura　Hayward…seemed　dreamlike；　unreal。　He　had　fought　the　temptation　to　call　her　all　morning。　He　hoped　she'd　still　want　that　long；　candlelight　dinner。　He　wondered　if　this　would　plicate　their　working　relationship；　decided　it　would；　realized　he　didn't　much　care。　
　〃Here　we　are；〃　Mandrell　said；　stepping　into　one　of　the　cubicles。　It　looked　just　like　all　the　others：　a　desk　with　an　overhanging　credenza；　a　puter　workstation　with　attached　speakers；　a　few　chairs。　A　young　woman　with　short　blonde　hair　sat　at　the　workstation；　typing。　
　〃This　is　Agent　Sanborne；〃　Mandrell　said。　〃She's　monitoring　the　phone　of　Jimmy　Chait；　Bullard's　right…hand　boy　here　in　the　States。　We　have　agents　in　adjoining　cubicles　logging　the　phones　of　another　half　dozen　of　Bullard's　associates。　Agent　Sanborne；　this　is　Sergeant　D'Agosta　of　the　Southampton　P。D。　and　Special　Agent　Pendergast。〃　
　Sanborne　nodded　at　them　in　turn；　her　eyes　widening　at　the　name　of　Pendergast。　
　〃Anything？〃　Mandrell　asked　her。　
　〃Nothing　important；〃　she　replied。　〃There　was　some　traffic　a　few　minutes　ago　between　Chait　and　another　associate。　Seems　they're　expecting　a　call　from　Bullard　any　time　now。〃　
　Mandrell　nodded；　turned　back　to　D'Agosta。　〃When　was　your　last　tap；　Sergeant？〃　
　〃It's　been　a　while。〃　
　〃Then　let　me　get　you　up　to　speed。　Everything's　done　by　puter　these　days；　one　workstation　per　phone　number　being　monitored。　The　phone　line　goes　right　through　this　interface；　and　the　conversation's　recorded　digitally。　No　more　tapes。　Agent　Sanborne；　who'll　be　transcribing　the　line　sheets；　can　work　the　transport　controls　either　by　keyboard　or　foot　pedal。〃　
　D'Agosta　shook　his　head。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　the　low…tech　setups　he'd　worked　as　a　new　jack　cop　in　the　mid…eighties。　
　〃You　mentioned　Chinese？〃　Mandrell　said。　〃Are　we　going　to　need　a　translator？〃　
　〃Unlikely；〃　Pendergast　replied。　
　〃Well；　we've　got　a　man　standing　by；　just　in　case。〃　
　The　cubicle　fell　silent　as　Mandrell　and　Sanborne　hovered　over　the　screen。　
　〃Vincent；〃　Pendergast　murmured；　taking　him　aside。　〃I've　been　wanting　to　tell　you。　We've　made　a　very　important　discovery。〃　
　〃What's　that？〃　
　〃Beckmann。〃　
　D'Agosta　looked　at　him　sharply。〃Beckmann？〃　
　〃His　present　whereabouts。〃　
　〃No　shit。　When　did　you　find　out？〃　
　〃Late　last　night。　After　I　called　you　to　request　this　wiretap。〃　
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　before？〃　
　〃I　tried　calling　you　as　soon　as　I　heard。　There　was　no　answer　at　your　hotel。　And　your　cell　phone　appeared　to　have　been　turned　off。〃　
　〃Oh。　Yes；　it　was。　Sorry　about　that。〃　D'Agosta　turned　away；　feeling　a　flush　begin　to　spread　over　his　face。　
　He　was　spared　further　questioning　by　a　sudden　beeping　from　the　workstation。　
　〃Call's　ing　in；〃　said　Agent　Sanborne。　
　A　small　window　appeared　on　her　screen；　filled　with　lines　of　data。　〃Chait's　getting　an　ining；〃　she　said；　pointing　at　the　window。　〃See？〃　
　〃Who's　it　from？〃　D'Agosta　asked。　
　〃The　number's　ing　up　now。　I'll　put　it　on　vox。〃　
　〃Jimmy？〃　came　a　high…pitched　voice　over　the　puter　speaker。　〃Jimmy；　you　there？〃　
　Sanborne　began　typing　quickly；　transcribing　the　call　verbatim。　〃It's　his　home　number；〃　she　said。　〃Probably　his　wife。〃　
　〃Yeah；〃　answered　a　deep　voice　with　a　thick　New　Jersey　accent。　〃What　you　want？〃　
　〃When　you　ing　home？〃　
　〃Something's　e　up。〃　There　was　a　faint　roar　in　the　background；　like　the　rush　of　wind。　
　〃No；　Jimmy…not　again　today。　We've　got　the　Fingermans　ing　by　this　afternoon；　remember？　About　the　winter　rental　in　Kissimmee？〃　
　〃Fuck　that。　You　don't　need　me　for　that　shit。〃　
　〃Go　ahead；　take　that　tone　with　me。　You're　right；　Idon't　need　you　for　thatshit　。　What　Ineed　is　for　you　to　stop　by　DePasquale's　and　pick　up　a　few　trays　of　sausage　and　peppers。　I　don't　have　a　thing　to　serve。〃　
　〃Then　get　your　ass　in　the　kitchen　and　cook　something。〃　
　〃Look；　you…〃　
　〃I'll　be　home　when　I　get　home。　Now　get　the　fuck　off；　I'm　expecting　a　call。〃　And　the　line　went　dead。　
　There　was　a　brief　silence　broken　only　by　the　click　of　keys　as　Agent　Sanborne　pleted　the　transcription。　
　〃Delightful　couple；〃　said　D'Agosta。　He　motioned　Pendergast　aside。　〃How'd　you　find　Beckmann；　anyway？〃　
　〃With　the　help　of　an　acquaintance　of　mine…an　invalid；　actually…who　happens　to　be　extremely　good　at　tracking　down　troublesome　nuggets　of　information。〃　
　〃'Extremely　good'　sounds　like　an　understatement。　Nobody's　been　able　to　locate　this　guy。　So　where's　this　Beckmann　at？〃　
　But　they　were　again　interrupted　by　another　beep　from　the　puter。　〃We've　got　another　one；〃　said　Sanborne。　
　〃Ining　or　outgo