rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第13节

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　〃Now　you　see　his　source：　Danko；〃　Bauer　continued。　〃A　month　ago；　I　began　receiving　reports　that　Danko　was　sniffing　around　Bioaparat　as　part　of　his　security　rotation。　As　the　day　approached　for　our　courier　to　depart；　Danko　bolted。　But　he　was　in　such　a　hurry　to　get　out　that　he　became　sloppy。　The　Russians　discovered　that　he　was　on　the　run　and　passed　that　information　to　me。〃
　〃At　which　point　you　arranged　for　the　triggermen；〃　Richardson　said。　〃You　should　have　paid　for　better　talent。〃
　〃The　executioners　were　top　grade；〃　Bauer　said　coldly。　〃I　had　used　them　before　and　the　results　had　always　been　satisfactory。〃
　〃Not　this　time。〃
　〃It　would　have　been　better　to　get　Danko　while　he　was　still　in　Eastern　Europe；〃　Bauer　admitted。　〃However；　that　was　not　an　option。　He　was　moving　too　quickly；　covering　his　tracks　very　well。　Venice　was　our　best　chance。　When　my　people　reported　seeing　Danko　with　a　contact；　I　knew　immediately　that　this　man　would　have　to　be　disposed　of　as　well。〃
　〃But　he　wasn't；〃　Price　said。
　〃A　mistake　that　will　be　rectified；〃　Bauer　replied。　〃At　the　time　we　had　no　idea　who　Danko　would　contact。　The　key　thing　is　that　Danko；　who　was　last　stationed　at　Bioaparat；　is　dead。　Whatever　he　knew　died　with　him。〃
　〃Unless　he　managed　to　tell　Smith；〃　Richardson　cut　in。
　〃Study　the　footage；〃　Bauer　suggested。　〃Check　the　time。〃
　He　played　back　the　disk。　Richardson　and　Price　stared　intently　at　the　screen。　The　carnage　at　St。　Mark's　lasted　only　seconds。
　〃Play　it　again；〃　Price　said。
　This　time；　the　two　men　concentrated　on　Danko's　actual　meeting　with　Smith。　Richardson　had　produced　a　stopwatch　and　was　timing　the　brief　encounter　as　he　focused　on　Danko's　hands。　Nothing　passed　between　the　Russian　and　Smith。
　〃You're　right；〃　Price　said　at　last。　〃Danko　es　up；　sits　down；　orders　a　coffee；　he　and　Smith　talk。。。〃
　Bauer　pulled　out　two　copies　of　a　transcript　and　handed　one　to　each　man。　〃I　had　a　lip…reader　prepare　this。　Small　talk　is　all　it　was。　Nothing　more。〃
　Richardson　scanned　the　page。　〃Looks　like　you　were　right：　Danko　didn't　have　a　chance　to　say　anything。　But　you　can　be　sure　that　Smith　won't　fold　up　his　tent　and　disappear　into　the　night。　He's　going　to　dig　hard　and　deep。〃　The　general　paused。　〃Who　knows　what　other　contacts　he　has　in　the　Russian　military。〃
　〃I　realize　that；〃　Bauer　replied。　〃Believe　me；　I　do　not　intend　to　underestimate　Dr。　Jon　Smith。　That　is　part　of　the　reason　I　asked　you　here；　so　that　we　can　decide　how　to　proceed　with　him。〃
　Price；　who　had　been　using　the　remote　control　to　jog　the　images　on　the　screen；　froze　a　particular　frame。
　〃This　guy　here；　the　Good　Samaritan。　He　looks　familiar。〃
　〃According　to　my　sources；　he　identified　himself　as　an　Italian　doctor。〃
　〃Did　the　police　interview　him？〃
　〃No。　He　disappeared　into　the　crowd。〃
　〃What's　wrong；　Tony？〃　Richardson　asked。
　Price's　cell　phone　trilled。　Flipping　it　open；　he　identified　himself；　then；　looking　at　the　others；　held　up　his　finger。
　〃Hello；　Inspector　Dionetti。　I'm　glad　you　called。　I　have　a　few　questions　for　you　about　the　second　man　at　the　shooting。。。。〃
　Sitting　in　his　elegant；　book…lined　study；　Dionetti　contemplated　an　Etruscan　bust。　〃You　said　that　you　wanted　to　know　if　anyone　came　around　asking　about　the　Rocca　brothers；〃　he　said。
　〃And？〃
　〃An　old　friend　of　mine…　Peter　Howell；　the　former　SAS…〃
　〃I　know　who　he　is；〃　Price　interrupted。　〃What　did　he　want？〃
　Dionetti　described　his　meeting　with　the　Englishman　and　finished　by　saying：　〃I　regret　I　won't　be　able　to　get　more　information。　But　to　ask　too　many　questions。。。〃
　〃What　did　you　tell　Howell？〃
　Dionetti　licked　his　lips。　〃Howell　asked　if　we　had　identified　the　bodies。　I　told　him　they　were　the　Rocca　brothers。　I　had　no　choice。　Howell　has　other　contacts　in　Venice。　If　I　hadn't　told　him；　they　would　have。〃
　〃What　else？〃　Price　demanded。
　〃He　saw　the　results　of　the　explosion…〃
　〃And　you　volunteered　that　it　was　a　C…twelve。〃
　〃What　else　could　I　do。　Howell　was　a　soldier。　He　knows　about　these　things。　Listen　to　me；　Antonio。　Howell　is　on　his　way　to　Palermo；　where　the　Roccas　came　from。　He　is　traveling　alone；　an　easy　target。〃
　Price　thought　about　that。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　finally。　〃But　if　Howell　contacts　you　from　Palermo　I　want　to　know　about　it。〃
　After　hanging　up；　Price　looked　at　the　face　on　the　screen。　〃It's　Peter　Howell；〃　he　announced　to　the　others。
　He　encapsulated　what　Dionetti　had　told　him　and　gave　an　overview　of　Howell's　career。
　〃What　would　such　a　man　be　doing　with　Jon　Smith？〃　Bauer　demanded。
　〃Covering　his　back；〃　Richardson　said　grimly。　〃Smith's　no　fool。　He　wasn't　about　to　go　meet　Danko　alone。〃　He　turned　to　Price。　〃That　bastard　Dionetti　has　a　big　mouth。　Can　we　still　trust　him？〃
　〃As　long　as　we　pay　him；〃　Price　replied。　〃Without　us　Dionetti's　one　step　away　from　bankruptcy。　Five　hundred　years　of　family　tradition…〃　He　snapped　his　fingers。　〃…gone！　Just　like　that。　And　he　was　right：　Howell　would　have　found　out　about　the　Roccas　and　the　C…twelve；　one　way　or　another。〃
　〃It　seems　that　Smith　is　not　the　only　loose　end；〃　Bauer　observed。
　〃True；〃　Richardson　agreed。　〃But　Palermo　is　a　dangerous　place…　even　for　a　man　like　Peter　Howell。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　　
　Upon　arriving　from　Houston；　Jon　Smith　drove　directly　from　Andrews　to　his　Bethesda　home。　He　showered；　packed　a　change　of　clothes　for　a　week；　and　called　a　car　service　to　take　him　to　Dulles　Airport。
　He　was　arming　the　security　system　when　the　secure　phone　rang。
　〃Klein　here；　Jon。　Have　you　made　the　necessary　arrangements？〃
　〃I'm　booked　on　the　Delta　flight　to　Moscow；　sir。　It　leaves　in　three　hours。〃
　〃Good。　I've　spoken　with　the　president。　He's　given　Covert…One　the　green　light　to　proceed　as　it　sees　fit…　but　fast。〃
　〃Understood；　sir。〃
　〃Here's　the　information　you'll　need。〃　After　Klein　gave　him　the　details；　he　added：　〃I　know　there's　history　between　you　and　Randi　Russell；　Jon。　Don't　let　it　get　in　the　way　of　what　you　need　to　find　out。〃
　Smith　reined　in　his　anger。　Tact　wasn't　one　of　Klein's　strong　suits。
　〃I'll　report　in　every　twelve　hours；　sir。〃
　〃Good　luck　then。　Let's　hope　that　whatever　the　problem　is；　the　Russians　have　a　handle　on　it。〃
　
　As　the　Delta　L…1011　lumbered　into　the　night　sky；　Smith　settled　himself　in　the　fortable　business…class　seat。　He　ate　sparingly；　then　slept　all　the　way　to　London。　After　refueling；　the　aircraft　continued　its　easterly　journey；　landing　at　Sheremetevo　early　in　the　morning。　Traveling　on　his　military　ID；　Smith　had　no　problem　at　customs　and　immigration。　After　a　forty…minute　cab　ride　he　arrived　at　the　new　Sheraton　hotel　near　Red　Square。
　Smith　placed　a　DO　NOT　DISTURB　sign　on　his　door；　washed　away　the　travel　grit；　and　slept　another　four　hours。　Like　most　soldiers；　he　had　long　ago　mastered　the　art　of　getting　rest　when　he　could。
　A　little　after　noon；　he　stepped　out　into　the　raw　Moscow　spring　and　walked　the　six　blocks　to　a　covered　arcade　fronting　a　nineteenth…century　building。　The　shops　were　upscale；　offering　everything　from　furs　and　perfumes　to　precious　icons　and　Siberian　〃blue〃　diamonds。　Smith　threaded　his　way　past　prosperous…looking　shoppers；　wondering　which　belonged　to　Russia's　new　business　elite　and　which　were　outright　criminals。　In　the　new　Russia　the　distinction　blurred。
　He　walked　almost　to　the　end　of　the　arcade　before　he　saw　the　address　Klein　had　given　him。　The　gold　lettering…　in　Cyrillic　and　English…　read：　BAY　DIGITAL　CORPORATION。
　Through　the　plate…glass　window　Smith　saw　a　reception　desk；　and　behind　it；　a　series　of　workstations　as　modern　as　any　found　on　Wall　Street。　Elegantly　dressed　men　and　women　went　about　their　business　with　brisk　efficiency；　but　a　particular　one　caught　his　eye。　She　was　in　her　mid…thirties；　tall；　with　gold　hair　cut　short。　She　had　the　same　straight　nose　and　firm　chin　that　belonged　to　another　woman　he'd　known；　the　same　dark　eyes。。。　as　Sophia　had　had。
　Smith　took　a　deep　breath　and　entered。　He　was　about　to　introduce　himself　to　the　receptionist　when　the　blond　woman　looked　up。　For　an　instant　Smith　couldn't　breathe。　It　was　as　if　his　Sophia　had　suddenly　e　back　to　life。
　〃Jon？〃
　Randi　Russell　could　not　hide　her　surprise；　which　drew　curious　looks　from　the　rest　of　the　staff。　She　hurried　over　to　the　receptionist's　desk。
　〃Why　don't　we　talk　in　my　office；〃　she　said；　trying　to　keep　her　tone　businesslike。
　Smith　followed　her　to　a　small　but　pleasantly　decorated　office；　filled　with　framed　watercolors　of　the　Santa　Barbara　coastline。　Randi　Russell　closed　the　door　and　looked　him　up　and　down。
　〃I　can't　believe　it；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃When？　How。。。？〃
　〃It's　good　to　see　you　again；　Randi；〃　Smith　said　quietly。　〃I'm　sorry　I　didn't　let　you　know　I　was　ing。　It　was　a　last…minute　trip。〃
　Randi's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Nothing　is　last…minute　with　you；　Jon。　How　did　you　know　where　to　find　me？〃
　Smith　knew　that　in　the　aftermath　of　the　Hades　tragedy　Randi　had　been　stationed　as　a　CIA　field　operative　in　Moscow。　But　it　had　taken　Klein　to　ferret　out　the　exact　nature　of　her　cover　and　where　Smith　could　locate　her。
　Smith　looked　around　the　room。　〃Is　it　safe　to　talk　here？〃
　Randi　pointed　to　what　looked　like　a　DVD　player。　〃The　latest　in　bug　detection。　Besides；　our　cleaners　‘sweep'　the　place　every　night。〃
　Smith　nodded。　〃All　right。　First；　I　knew　you　were　in　Moscow　but　not　where　to　find　you。　Others　help