jg.thepelicanbrief-第41节

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tudent　hangouts　in　the　city。　That　was　all；　so　he　says。　Carlton　says　that　he；　Carlton；　was　a　bit　worried　about　Gavin　throwing　his　FBI　weight　around。　Said　he　thought　he　was　sort　of　a　klutz。〃
　　
　　〃Has　anyone　seen　the　girl？〃
　　
　　〃She's　probably　dead。　I've　instructed　New　Orleans　to　find　her；　if　possible。〃
　　
　　〃Her　little　brief　is　getting　folks　killed　right　and　left。　When　do　we　take　it　seriously？〃　
　　
　　Voyles　nodded　at　the　door；　and　Lewis　got　up　and　closed　it。　The　Director　was　standing　again；　cracking　his　knuckles　and　thinking　aloud。　〃We　have　to　cover　our　asses。　I　think　we　should　assign　at　least　two　hundred　agents　to　pelican；　but　try　like　hell　to　keep　it　quiet。　There's　something　there；　K。O。；　something　really　nasty。　But　at　the　same　time；　I　promised　the　President　we　would　back　off。　He　personally　asked　me　to　back　off　the　pelican　brief；　remember；　and　I　said　we　would；　in　part　because　we　thought　it　was　a　joke。〃　Voyles　managed　a　tight　smile。　〃Well；　I　taped　our　little　conversation　when　he　asked　me　to　back　off。　I　figure　he　and　Coal　tape　everything　within　a　half　mile　of　the　White　House；　so　why　can't　I？　I　had　my　best　body　mike；　and　I've　listened　to　the　tape。　Clear　as　a　bell。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　following。〃
　　
　　〃Simple。　We　go　in　and　investigate　like　mad。　If　this　is　it；　we　crack　the　case；　get　the　indictments；　and　everyone's　happy。　But　it'll　be　a　bitch　to　do　in　a　hurry。　Meanwhile；　idiot　and　Coal　over　there　know　nothing　about　the　investigation。　If　the　press　gets　wind　of　it；　and　if　the　pelican　brief　is　on　target；　then　I'll　make　damned　sure　the　country　knows　the　President　asked　us　to　back　off　because　it's　one　of　his　pals。〃　
　　
　　Lewis　was　smiling。　〃It'll　kill　him。〃
　　
　　〃Yes！　Coal　will　hemorrhage；　and　the　President　will　never　recover。　The　election　is　next　year；　K。O。〃
　　
　　〃I　like　it；　Denton；　but　we　have　to　solve　this　thing。〃　
　　
　　Denton　walked　slowly　behind　his　chair；　and　slid　out　of　his　shoes。　He　was　even　shorter　now。　〃We'll　look　under　every　stone；　K。O。；　but　it　won't　be　easy。　If　it's　Mattiece；　then　we've　got　a　very　wealthy　man　in　a　very　elaborate　plot　to　use　very　talented　killers　to　take　out　two　justices。　These　people　don't　talk；　and　they　don't　leave　trails。　Look　at　our　friend　Gavin。　We'll　spend　two　thousand　hours　digging　around　that　hotel；　and　I'll　bet　you　there　won't　be　a　shred　of　useful　evidence。　Just　like　Rosenberg　and　Jensen。〃
　　
　　〃And　Callahan。〃
　　
　　〃And　Callahan。　And　probably　the　girl；　if　we　ever　find　her　body。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　somewhat　responsible；　Denton。　Gavin　came　to　me　Thursday　morning　after　he　learned　of　Callahan；　and　I　didn't　listen。　I　knew　he　was　going　down　there；　but　I　just　didn't　listen。〃
　　
　　〃Look；　I'm　sorry　he's　dead。　He　was　a　fine　lawyer　and　he　was　loyal　to　me。　I　value　that。　I　trusted　Gavin。　But　he　got　himself　killed　because　he　stepped　out　of　bounds。　He　had　no　business　playing　cop　and　trying　to　find　the　girl。〃　
　　
　　〃Lewis　stood　and　stretched。I'd　better　go　see　Mrs。　Verheek。　How　much　do　I　tell　her？〃
　　
　　〃Let's　say　it　looks　like　a　burglary；　cops　ain't　sure　down　there；　still　investigating；　we'll　know　more　tomorrow；　etc。　Tell　her　I'm　devastated；　and　we'll　do　whatever　she　wants。〃　
　　
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　　COAL'S　HMO　stopped　abruptly　at　the　curb　so　an　ambulance　could　scream　by。　The　limo　was　wandering　aimlessly　through　the　city；　a　ritual　not　unusual　when　Coal　and　Matthew　Barr　met　to　talk　about　really　dirty　business。　They　sat　deep　in　the　back　of　it；　sipping　drinks。　Coal　was　indulging　in　a　spring　water。　Barr　had　a　sixteen…ounce　Bud　purchased　from　a　convenience　store。　
　　
　　They　ignored　the　ambulance。
　　
　　〃I　must　know　what　Grantham　knows；〃　Coal　was　saying。　〃Today　he　called　Zikman；　Zikman's　aide　Trandell；　Nelson　DeVan；　one　of　my　many　former　assistants　who's　now　with　the　mittee　to　Reelect。　And　these　are　just　the　ones　I　know　of。　All　in　one　day。　He's　hot　on　this　pelican　brief。〃
　　
　　〃You　think　he's　seen　it？〃　The　limo　was　moving　again。
　　
　　〃No。　Not　at　all。　If　he　knew　what　was　in　it；　he　wouldn't　be　fishing　for　it。　But　dammit；　he　knows　about　it。〃
　　
　　〃He's　good。　I've　watched　him　for　years。　He　seems　to　move　in　the　shadows　and　keeps　in　touch　with　an　odd　network　of　sources。　He's　written　some　crazy　stuff；　but　it's　usually　accurate　as　hell。〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　worries　me。　He's　tenacious；　and　he　smells　blood　with　this　story。〃　
　　
　　Barr　sipped　from　the　can。　〃Of　course；　it　would　be　asking　too　much　if　I　wanted　to　know　what　was　in　the　brief。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　ask。　It's　so　damned　confidential　it's　frightening。〃
　　
　　〃Then　how　does　Grantham　know　about　it？〃
　　
　　〃Perfect　question。　And　that's　what　I　want　to　know。　How'd　he　find　out；　and　how　much　does　he　know？　Where　are　his　sources？〃
　　
　　〃We　got　his　car　phone；　but　we　haven't　been　inside　the　apartment　yet。〃
　　
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　
　　〃We　almost　got　caught　this　morning　by　his　cleaning　lady。　We'll　try　again　tomorrow。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　get　caught；　Barr。　Remember　Watergate。〃
　　
　　〃They　were　morons；　Fletcher。　We；　on　the　other　hand；　are　quite　talented。〃
　　
　　〃That's　right。　So　tell　me；　can　you　and　your　quite　talented　associates　bug　Grantham's　phone　at　the　Post？〃　
　　
　　〃Barr　turned　and　frowned　at　Coal。Have　you　lost　your　mind？　Impossible。　That　place　is　busy　at　all　hours。　They　have　security　guards。　The　works。〃
　　
　　〃It　could　be　done。〃
　　
　　〃Then　do　it；　Coal。　If　you　know　so　damned　much；　you　do　it。〃
　　
　　〃Start　thinking　about　ways　to　do　it；　okay。　Just　give　it　some　thought。〃
　　
　　〃Okay。　I've　thought　about　it。　It's　impossible。〃　Coal　was　amused　by　this　thought；　and　his　amusement　irritated　Barr。　The　limo　eased　into　downtown。
　　
　　〃Tap　his　apartment；〃　Coal　instructed。I　want　a　report　twice　a　day　on　all　his　calls。〃　The　limo　stopped；　and　Barr　climbed　out。　
　　
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　　BREAKFAST　at　Dupont　Circle。　It　was　quite　chilly；　but　at　least　the　addicts　and　transvestites　were　still　unconscious　somewhere　in　their　sick　little　worlds。　A　few　winos　lay　about　like　driftwood。　But　the　sun　was　up　and　he　felt　safe；　and　anyway　he　was　still　an　FBI　agent　with　a　shoulder　harness　and　a　piece　under　his　arm。　Who　was　he　to　fear？　He　hadn't　used　it　in　fifteen　years；　and　he　seldom　left　the　office；　but　he'd　love　to　yank　it　out　and　blast　away。　
　　
　　His　name　was　Trope；　a　very　special　assistant　to　Mr。　Voyles。　He　was　so　special　that　no　one　except　he　and　Mr。　Voyles　knew　about　these　secret　little　chats　with　Booker　from　Langley。　He　sat　on　a　circular　bench　with　his　back　to　New　Hampshire；　and　unpacked　a　store…bought　breakfast　of　banana　and　muffin。　He　checked　his　watch。　Booker　was　never　late。　Trope　always　arrived　first；　then　Booker　five　minutes　later；　and　they　always　talked　quickly　and　Trope　left　first；　then　Booker。　They　were　both　office　boys　now；　far　into　their　twilights　but　very　close　to　their　bosses；　who　from　time　to　time　grew　weary　of　trying　to　figure　out　what　the　hell　the　other　was　doing；　or　perhaps　just　needed　to　know　something　quick。　
　　
　　His　real　name　was　Trope；　and　he　wondered　if　Booker　was　a　real　name。　Probably　not。　Booker　was　from　Langley；　and　they　were　so　paranoid　even　the　pencil　pushers　probably　had　fakes。　
　　
　　He　took　an　inch　off　the　banana。　Hell；　the　secretaries　over　there　probably　had　three　or　four　names。　
　　
　　Booker　strolled　near　the　fountain　with　a　tall　white　cup　of　coffee。　He　glanced　around；　then　sat　down　next　to　his　friend。　Voyles　wanted　this　meeting；　so　Trope　would　speak　first。
　　
　　〃We　lost　a　man　in　New　Orleans；〃　he　said。　
　　
　　Booker　cuddled　the　hot　cup　and　sipped。　〃He　got　himself　killed。〃
　　
　　〃Yeah；　but　he's　still　dead。　Were　you　there？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　but　we　didn't　know　he　was　there。　We　were　close；　but　watching　others。　What　was　he　doing？〃　
　　
　　Trope　unwrapped　the　cold　muffin。　〃We　don't　know。　Went　down　for　the　funeral；　tried　to　find　the　girl；　found　someone　else；　and　here　we　are。〃　He　took　a　long　bite　and　the　banana　was　finished。　Now　to　the　muffin。It　was　a　clean　job；　wasn't　it？〃　
　　
　　Booker　shrugged。　What　did　the　FBI　know　about　killing　people？　〃It　was　okay。　Pretty　weak　effort　at　suicide；　from　what　we　hear。〃　He　sipped　the　hot　coffee。
　　
　　〃Where's　the　girl？〃　Trope　asked。
　　
　　〃We　lost　her　at　O'Hare。　Maybe　she's　in　Manhattan；　but　we're　not　certain。　We're　looking。〃
　　
　　〃And　they're　looking。〃　Trope　sipped　cold　coffee。
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　they　are。〃　
　　
　　They　watched　a　wino　stagger　from　his　bench　and　fall。　His　head　hit　first　with　a　thud；　but　he　probably　felt　nothing。　He　rolled　over　and　his　forehead　was　bleeding。　
　　
　　Booker　checked　his　watch。　These　meetings　were　extremely　brief。　〃What　are　Mr。　Voyles'　plans？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　he's　going　in。　He　sent　fifty　troops　last　night；　with　more　today。　He　doesn't　like　losing　people；　especially　someone　he　knows。〃
　　
　　〃What　about　the　White　House？〃
　　
　　〃Not　going　to　tell　them；　and　maybe　they　won't　find　out。　What　do　they　know？〃
　　
　　〃They　know　Mattiece。〃　
　　
　　Trope　managed　a　slight　smile　at　this　thought。　〃Where　is　Mr。　Mattiece？〃
　　
　　〃Who　knows。　In　the　past　three　years；　he's　been　seen　little　in　this　country。　He　owns　at　least　a　half…dozen　homes　in　as　many　countries；　and　he's　got　j