johngardner.winloseordie-第34节

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　〃Good；　because　we're　still　very　much　a　part　of　Landsea　'89；　and　we've　still　got　three　nuclear　subs　shadowing　us。　I　have　to　get　back　to　work。　Can't　leave　it　all　to　Jimmy　the　One/
　Afler　leaving　ihe　Rear…Admiral。　Bond　sought　out　Joe　Israel；　who　was　resting　in　the　cabin　occupied　by　the　three　US　Secret　Service　men。　В　nice　Trimble　was　with　him；　while　Stan　Hare　had　taken　over　normal　b'odyguard　duties　to　Admiral　Gudeon。
　'You　know　who's　taking　Ed　Morgan's　place'。〃'　he　asked　the　pair　of　them。
　'Another　guy　from　Naval　Int；'　Israel　said；　sounding　none　too　pleased。
　'Name　of　Woodward。　Dan　Woodward。'　Trimble　grinned。　'They　call　him　Desperate　Dan；　we　hear。'
〃You　hear？'
　'The　Admiral　sent　a　signal　to　Washington　last　night　…　after　Ed's　death。　The　reply　was　very　fast。　1　guess　Desperate　Dan　must　be　in　London。　He's　close　by　anyhow；　because　they're　expecting　him　by　early　evening。'
'You　know　him1？1　Bond　asked。
The　name　only。　Never　worked　with　him；〃　from　Israel。
'You？'　to　Trimble　who　shook　his　head。
'What　about　Stan？'
'What　about　Stan？'　Israel　laughed。
'Does　he　know　the　Woodward　fellow？'
'No。　None　of　us　know　him。'
'Okay；'　Bond　pinched　the　top　of　his　nose　between　thumb　and　forefinger。　'I　would　suggest；　when　he　does　e　aboard；　that　you　do　a　little　verbal　check　on　him。　Usual　kind　of　things。　Americana；　people　in　Washington；　people　any　of　you　know　in　Naval　Intelligence。'
'You　don't　think　he's　clean？'
　'I've　no　idea；'　Bond　shrugged。　'I　just　think　we　should　take　precautions；　that's　all。'
In　his　room　at　The　Rock　Hotel；　Gibraltar；　Bassam　Baradj　was　receiving　blow…by…blow　accounts　of　what　was　going　on　in　Invincible。　His　short…wave　radio；　with　a　recording　device　attached；　picked　up　signals　from　his　main　source　aboard　the　ship；　though　the　final　news；　which　had　e　through　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning；　made　him　wonder　if　this　flow　of　intelligence　would　last　out　much　longer。　He　knew　of　（he　death　of　the　American　N1　officer；　and　of　the　possible　consequences。　He　also　knew　that　the　Americans　had　signalled　to　Washington　and　that　Washington's　return　signal　referred　them　to　the　Embassy　in　London。　Since　then　there　had　been　no　other　signal　and　he　feared　the　worst。　The　only　other　source　connected　with　BAST　was　one　Engineer　Petty　Officer；　and　Barad）　knew　that　everything　really　lay　with　this　one　blackmailed　man。
　Immediately　he　hud　listened　in　to　the　message　concerning　the　American　Embassy　in　Grosvenor　Square。　London。　Baradj　had　taken　the　only　course　of　action　available　to　him。　A　long　telephone　call　to　London　was　followed　by　a　lengthy　meeting　with　his　colleague；　Abou　Hamarik。　Together　they　decided　the　risk　was　worth　the　final　reward；　even　though　Hamarik　had　no　idea　thai　Baradj　had　no　plans　to　cut　him。　or　any　other　member　of　BAST；　in　on　the　eventual　riches。
　It　would　not　have　mattered　either　way；　for　Baradj　had　already　set　the　plan　in　motion；　and　it　was　essential　for　him　to　use　Hamarik。　He　thought　it　was　a　lucky　decision　that　had　made　him　choose　'The　Man'　…　Abou　Hamarik　…　for　the　work　in　Gibraltar。　Ali　Al　Adwan。　his　only　other　possible　choice；　had　been　seen　already　by　the　man　Bond；　at　the　camp　they　had　called　Northanger。　In　all；　Baradj　was　happy。　The　two　men　he　had　in　London　were　both　good；　and　well　equipped　to　carry　out　what　had　to　be　done。
Daniel　Woodward　had　a　pleasant　flat　in　Knightsbridge。　Nothing　luxurious；　but。　with　his　pay　as　Assistant　Naval　Attache　（Intelligence）　to　the　Embassy；　he　could　afford　it。　He　also　found　it　was　an　address　which　stood　well　with　the　ladies　he　dated　regularly。　It　was　as　though　they　felt　quite　safe　going　back　with　him　to　the　Knightsbridge　address。
　The　one　beside　him　in　bed　at　three　in　the　morning；　only　grumbled　in　her　sleep　when　the　telephone　rang。　She　grumbled　even　more　when　he　woke　her　to　say　he　had　to　report　to　the　Embassy　immediately。
　〃Oh；　God。　what's　the　time；　darling。'　She　was　a　stunning　redhead　who　worked　in　Ihe　Embassy　Secretariat。
　'It's　fifteen　after　three。　I'm　sorry；　honey；　but　I'm　gonna　have　to　take　you　home。　I　don't　know　how　long　I'm　gonna　be　away。　They　said　I　should　bring　a　bag　with　me；　which　means　I'm　probably　going　Stateside。　Sorry；　but　I　just　can't　leave　you　here。　You　know　what　Embassy　instructions〃re　like　about　people　leaving　their　property　with　all　the　alarms　on　if　they're　out　of　the　country。'　He　was　dashing　about；　filling　a　small　case　wilh　clothes。
　She　was　still　half　asleep　when　he　drove　her　back　to　her　own　fiat　off　Great　Russetl　Street。　The　whole　business　meant　that；　Ihough　he　had　been　alerted　at　three…hfteen　in　the　morning；　he　did　not　get　to　the　Embassy　until　almost　four…thirty。
　The　Naval　Attache　（Intelligence）　was　already　waiting　for　him；　and　that　gentleman　did　not　like　being　kept　waiting　so　he　expected　a　full　broadside　when　he　walked　into　the　office。　Instead；　the　Attache　was　mild。　'It's　okay。　Dan。〃　The　Naval　Intelligence　Attache　was　a　ramrod　straight；　tall　and　silver…grey　man。　'You've　plenty　of　lime。　We've　already　dealt　with　the　documents。　All　I　have　to　do　is　brie！〃　you。　Your　flight　doesn't　leave　London　Gatwick　until　ten　o'clock；　so　we　have　time。'
　The　slow　response　Dan　Woodward　had　been　forced　into；　by　the　presence　of　the　redhead　at　his　apartment；　had　caused　troubles　nobody　else　knew　about。　A　taxi；　with　its　For　Hire　sign　unlit；　had　already　been　in　one　of　the　parking　slots；　which　run　around　the　cenlre　of　Grosvenor　Square；　for　fifteen　minutes　by　the　time　Woodward　arrived。　The　driver　appeared　to　be　taking　a　quiet　nap。　Nobody　was　visible　in　the　back。
　'That　must　be　him。　Unless　his　boss　is　going　with　him。　Got　a　case　and　all；'　the　driver　said。
　The　other　occupant；　on　the　floor　in　the　rear　of　the　cab；　muttered　something　about　the　passport　photograph。
　'If　we're　lucky　we'll　have　time　to　take　care　of　that。　First　sign　of　movement　in　the　Embassy　lobby；　my　light　goes　on　and　we　pick　him　up。　If　they've　laid　on　a　cab　for　him。　we　know　his　name　and　we'll　probably　beat　their　cab。　If　it's　an　Embassy　car；　then　we'll　just　have　to　do　something　embarrassingly　naughty。'
　Woodward；　having　been　given　the　most　exciting　briefing　of　his　career；　came　out　onto　the　steps　of　the　Embassy　at　six…forty…five。　clutching　a　suitcase　and　looking　for　ihe　cab　they　had　obviously　called　for　him。
　The　cab　that　had　been　parked　since　the　early　hours　backed　out　quickly　and　turned　in　front　of　the　Embassy；　its　driver　peering　out　and　calling；　'Mr　Woodward？'
　Dan　Woodward　responded　with　a　wave　and　a　smile　and　came　hurrying　down　the　steps。　There　were　few　people　about；　and　nobody　had　seen　the　second　man　slide　from　the　back　of　the　cab；　just　as　it　pulled　out；　and　make　his　way　around　the　cornet　into　Upper　Grosvenor　Street。
　The　driver　was　very　fast；　taking　Dan　Woodward's　bag　and　stowing　it　away　in　the　front　section。　'Where's　it　to；　guv〃？'　the　cabbie　asked。　'Nobody　tells　me　nothing。'
'Gatwick。　Departures。　North　Terminal。'
　'How　lung　we　got；　then？'　The　taxi　moved　away　quickly；　circling　the　Square；　preparing　to　head　along　Upper　Grosvenor　Street。
'My　flight　leaves　at　ten。　So。　nine…thirty　at　the　latest。'
　'All　the　time　in　the　world。'　said　the　cabbie；　sashaying　to　the　left；　where　his　colleague　was　walking　slowly　up　towards　Park　Lane。　'〃Scuse　me。　guv'nor。'　The　cabbie　leaned　back　with　the　little　sliding　window　open。　'There's　a　mate　of　mine。　I'd　like　to　give　him　a　message。'
'Be　my　guest。'
　The　taxi　pulled　over　in　front　of　the　pedestrian；　and　the　cabbie　leaned　out　and　called；　'Nobby；　can　you　give　Di　a　message　for　me。　I've　got　to　go　out　to　G'atwick。　I'll　give　her　a　bell　from　there。'
The　man　came　abreast　of　the　cab；　as　though　straining　to　hear　the　driver。　Then；　as　he　reached　the　passenger　door；　he　yanked　it　open；　and　Dan　Woodward　found　himself　staring　into　the　wrong　end　of　a　Heckler　and　Koch　nine　millimetre；　modified　to　take　a　noise　reduction　assembly。
　'One　wrong　move　and　you're　dead。'　the　pedestrian　smiled　and　gol　into　the　cab　next　to　the　startled　Woodward；　and　the　cab　drew　smoothly　away。　By　the　time　they　reached　the　T…junction　which　led　them　onto　Park　Lane；　Woodward　was　unconscious。　He　had　not　even　felt　the　hypo　go　through　his　coat　and　into　his　arm。
　The　cab　headed　towards　Notting　Hill；　where　it　would　need　to　make　a　detour　to　get　onto　the　M25　and　on　to　Gatwick。　In　the　Bayswater　Road　it　turned　right　into　a　cul…de…sac；　and　pulled　up　in　front　of　one　of　those　quiet　little　mews　houses　that　now　cost　an　arm　and　two　legs　in　London。　The　cab　parked　very　close　to　the　door　and　the　driver　and　his　panion　got　out。　A　woman　in　the　uniform　of　a　nurse　was　already　waiting；　the　door　of　the　house　open。　Within　two　minutes　they　had　the　unconscious　Woodward　inside；　the　driver　ing　out　to　get　his　case　and　carry　it　indoors。
They　dumped　the　unconscious　man　on　a　sofa。
　〃He'll　be　out　for　twenty…four　hours。'　the　driver　said　to　the　woman；　as　he　went　through　Woodward's　pockets；　while　his　partner　worked　the　locks　on　the　case。　'We'll　help　you　get　him　into　the　secure　room。　I　need　him　quiet　for　around　four　or　five　days。　Ah　。　。　。'He　removed　a　hunch　of　papers　which　included　a　passport；　and　an　official…looking　batch　of　documents。
　He　sat　down　ai　ihe　foot　of　the　sofa　and　began　going　through　the　papers。　Frowning；　he　got　up；　went　to　the　telephone　and　dialled　the　Gibraltar　code　and　The　Rock　Hotel；　asking　to　be　put　through　to　Mr　Underwood's　room。　'Very　urgent；'