jg.thepelicanbrief-第7节

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　in　the　middle　of　a　hurricane。　Khamel　moved　like　a　cat　across　the　narrow　aisle　to　a　seat　three　rows　behind　the　Justice。　He　sipped　the　beer。　They　were　alone。　He　waited　for　one　minute；　and　quickly　moved　down　a　row。　Jensen　was　eight　feet　away。　
　　
　　As　the　hurricane　intensified；　so　did　the　orgy。　The　roar　of　the　wind　and　the　screams　of　the　partyers　deafened　the　small　theater。　Khamel　set　the　beer　and　popcorn　on　the　floor；　and　pulled　a　three…foot　strand　of　yellow　nylon　ski　rope　from　his　waist。　He　quickly　wrapped　the　ends　around　both　hands；　and　stepped　over　the　row　of　chairs　in　front　of　him。　His　prey　was　breathing　heavy。　The　popcorn　box　was　shaking。　
　　
　　The　attack　was　quick　and　brutal。　Khamel　looped　the　rope　just　under　the　larynx；　and　wrenched　it　violently。　He　yanked　the　rope　downward；　snapping　the　head　over　the　back　of　the　seat。　The　neck　broke　cleanly。　He　twisted　the　rope　and　tied　it　behind　the　neck。　He　slid　a　six…inch　steel　rod　through　a　loop　in　the　knot；　and　wound　the　tourniquet　until　the　flesh　tore　and　started　to　bleed。　It　was　over　in　ten　seconds。　
　　
　　Suddenly　the　hurricane　was　over　and　another　orgy　began　in　celebration。　Jensen　slumped　in　his　seat。　His　popcorn　was　scattered　around　his　shoes。　Khamel　was　not　one　to　admire　his　handiwork。　He　left　the　balcony；　walked　casually　through　the　racks　of　magazines　and　devices　in　the　lobby；　then　disappeared　onto　the　sidewalk。　
　　
　　He　drove　the　generic　white　Ford　with　Connecticut　plates　to　Dulles；　changed　clothes　in　a　rest　room；　and　waited　on　his　flight　to　Paris。　
　　
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　　THE　FIRST　LADY　was　on　the　West　Coast　attending　a　series　of　five…thousand…dollars…a…plate　breakfasts　where　the　rich　and　pretentious　gladly　shucked　out　the　money　for　cold　eggs　and　cheap　champagne；　and　the　chance　to　be　seen　and　maybe　photographed　with　the　Queen；　as　she　was　known。　So　the　President　was　sleeping　alone　when　the　phone　rang。　In　the　great　tradition　of　American　Presidents；　he　had　in　years　past　thought　of　keeping　a　mistress。　But　now　it　seemed　so　non…Republican。　Besides；　he　was　old　and　tired。　He　often　slept　alone　when　the　Queen　was　at　the　White　House。　
　　
　　He　was　a　heavy　sleeper。　It　rang　twelve　times　before　he　heard　it。　He　grabbed　it　and　stared　at　the　clock。　Four…thirty　A。M。　He　listened　to　the　voice；　jumped　to　his　feet；　and　eight　minutes　later　was　in　the　Oval　Office。　No　shower；　no　tie。　He　stared　at　Fletcher　Coal；　his　chief　of　staff；　and　sat　properly　behind　his　desk。　
　　
　　Coal　was　smiling。　His　perfect　teeth　and　bald　head　were　shining。　Only　thirty…seven；　he　was　the　boy　wonder　who　four　years　earlier　had　rescued　a　failing　campaign　and　placed　his　boss　in　the　White　House。　He　was　a　guileful　manipulator　and　a　nasty　henchman　who　had　cut　and　clawed　his　way　through　the　inner　circle　until　he　was　now　second　in　mand。　Many　viewed　him　as　the　real　boss。　The　mere　mention　of　his　name　terrified　lowly　staffers。
　　
　　〃What　happened？〃　the　President　asked　slowly。　
　　
　　Coal　paced　in　front　of　the　President's　desk。　〃Don't　know　much。　They're　both　dead。　Two　FBI　agents　found　Rosenberg　around　1　A。M。　Dead　in　bed。　His　nurse　and　a　Supreme　Court　policeman　were　also　murdered。　All　three　shot　in　the　head。　A　very　clean　job。　While　the　FBI　and　D。C。　police　were　investigating；　they　got　a　call　that　Jensen　had　been　found　dead　in　some　queer　club。　They　found　him　a　couple　of　hours　ago。　Voyles　called　me　at　four；　and　I　called　you。　He　and　Gminski　should　be　here　in　a　minute。〃
　　
　　〃Gminski？〃
　　
　　〃The　CIA　should　be　included；　at　least　for　now。〃　
　　
　　The　President　folded　his　hands　behind　his　head　and　stretched。　〃Rosenberg　is　dead。〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　Quite。　I　suggest　you　address　the　nation　in　a　couple　of　hours。　Mabry　is　working　on　a　rough　draft。　I'll　finish　it。　Let's　wait　until　daylight；　at　least　seven。　If　not；　it'll　be　too　early　and　we'll　lose　much　of　our　audience。〃
　　
　　〃The　press〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　It's　out。　They　filmed　the　ambulance　crew　rolling　Jensen　into　the　morgue。〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　gay。〃
　　
　　〃Not　much　doubt　about　it　now。　This　is　the　perfect　crisis；　Mr。　President。　Think　of　it。　We　didn't　create　it。　It's　not　our　fault。　No　one　can　blame　us。　And　the　nation　will　be　shocked　into　some　degree　of　solidarity。　It's　rally　around　the　leader　time。　It's　just　great。　No　downside。〃　
　　
　　The　President　sipped　a　cup　of　coffee　and　stared　at　the　papers　on　his　desk。　〃And　I'll　get　to　restructure　the　Court。〃
　　
　　〃That's　the　best　part。　It'll　be　your　legacy。　I've　already　called　Duvall　at　Justice　and　instructed　him　to　contact　Horton　and　begin　a　preliminary　list　of　nominees。　Horton　gave　a　speech　in　Omaha　last　night；　but　he's　flying　in　now。　I　suggest　we　meet　with　him　later　this　morning。〃　
　　
　　The　President　nodded　with　his　customary　approval　of　Coal's　suggestions。　He　allowed　Coal　to　sweat　the　details。　He　had　never　been　a　detail　man　himself。　〃Any　suspects？〃
　　
　　〃Not　yet。　I　don't　know；　really。　I　told　Voyles　that　you　would　expect　a　briefing　when　he　arrived。〃
　　
　　〃I　thought　someone　said　the　FBI　was　protecting　the　Supreme　Court。〃　
　　
　　Coal　smiled　wider　and　chuckled。　〃Exactly。　The　egg　is　on　Voyles'　face。　It's　quite　embarrassing；　really。〃
　　
　　〃Great。　I　want　Voyles　to　get　his　share　of　the　blame。　Take　care　of　the　press。　I　want　him　humiliated。　Then　maybe　we　can　run　his　ass　off。〃　
　　
　　Coal　loved　this　thought。　He　stopped　pacing　and　scribbled　a　note　on　his　legal　pad。　A　security　guard　knocked　on　the　door；　then　opened　it。　Directors　Voyles　and　Gminski　entered　together。　The　mood　was　suddenly　somber　as　all　four　shook　hands。　The　two　sat　before　the　President's　desk　as　Coal　took　his　customary　position　standing　near　a　window；　to　the　side　of　the　President。　He　hated　Voyles　and　Gminski；　and　they　hated　him。　Coal　thrived　on　hatred。　He　had　the　President's　ear；　and　that　was　all　that　mattered。　He　would　bee　quiet　for　a　few　minutes。　It　was　important　to　allow　the　President　to　take　charge　when　others　were　present。
　　
　　〃I'm　very　sorry　you're　here；　but　thanks　for　ing；〃　the　President　said。　They　nodded　grimly　and　acknowledged　this　obvious　lie。　〃What　happened？〃　
　　
　　Voyles　spoke　quickly　and　to　the　point。　He　described　the　scene　at　Rosenberg's　home　when　the　bodies　were　found。　At　1　A。M。　each　night；　Sergeant　Ferguson　routinely　checked　in　with　the　agents　sitting　in　the　street。　When　he　didn't　show；　they　investigated。　The　killings　were　very　clean　and　professional。　He　described　what　he　knew　about　Jensen。　Broken　neck。　Strangulation。　Found　by　another　character　in　the　balcony。　No　one　saw　anything；　evidently。　Voyles　was　not　as　gruff　and　blunt　as　usual。　It　was　a　dark　day　for　the　Bureau；　and　he　could　feel　the　heat　ing。　But　he'd　survived　five　Presidents；　and　he　could　certainly　outmaneuver　this　idiot。
　　
　　〃The　two　are　obviously　related；〃　the　President　said；　staring　at　Voyles。
　　
　　〃Maybe。　Certainly　looks　that　way；　but〃
　　
　　e　on；　Director。　In　two　hundred　and　twenty　years；　we've　assassinated　four　Presidents；　two　or　three　candidates；　a　handful　of　civil　rights　leaders；　couple　of　governors；　but　never　a　Supreme　Court　Justice。　And　now；　in　one　night；　within　two　hours；　two　are　assassinated。　And　you're　not　convinced　they're　related？〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　say　that。　There　must　be　a　link　somewhere。　It's　just　that　the　methods　were　so　different。　And　so　professional。　You　must　remember；　we've　had　thousands　of　threats　against　the　Court。〃
　　
　　〃Fine。　Then　who　are　your　suspects？〃　
　　
　　No　one　cross…examined　F。　Denton　Voyles。　He　glared　at　the　President。　〃It's　too　early　for　suspects。　We're　still　gathering　evidence。〃
　　
　　〃How'd　the　killer　get　into　Rosenberg's　place？〃
　　
　　〃No　one　knows。　We　didn't　watch　him　go　in；　you　understand？　Evidently；　he　was　there　for　some　time；　hiding　in　a　closet　or　an　attic；　maybe。　Again；　we　weren't　invited。　Rosenberg　refused　to　allow　us　into　his　home。　Ferguson　routinely　inspected　the　place　each　afternoon　when　the　Justice　arrived　from　work。　It's　still　too　early；　but　we've　found　no　evidence　of　the　murderer。　None；　except　three　bodies。　We'll　have　ballistics　and　autopsies　by　late　this　afternoon。〃
　　
　　〃I　want　to　see　them　here　as　soon　as　you　have　them。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Mr。　President。〃
　　
　　〃I　also　want　a　short　list　of　suspects　by　5　P。M。　today。　Is　that　clear？〃
　　
　　〃Certainly；　Mr。　President。〃
　　
　　〃And　I　would　like　a　report　on　your　security　and　where　it　broke　down。〃
　　
　　〃You're　assuming　it　broke　down。〃
　　
　　〃We　have　two　dead　judges；　both　of　whom　were　being　protected　by　the　FBI。　I　think　the　American　people　deserve　to　know　what　went　wrong；　Director。　Yes；　it　broke　down。〃
　　
　　〃Do　I　report　to　you；　or　the　American　people？〃
　　
　　〃You　report　to　me。〃
　　
　　〃And　then　you　call　a　press　conference　and　report　to　the　American　people；　right？〃
　　
　　〃Are　you　afraid　of　the　scrutiny；　Director？〃
　　
　　〃Not　one　bit。　Rosenberg　and　Jensen　are　dead　because　they　refused　to　cooperate　with　us。　They　were　very　much　aware　of　the　danger；　yet　they　couldn't　be　bothered。　The　other　seven　are　cooperating；　and　they're　still　alive。〃
　　
　　〃For　the　moment。　We'd　better　check。　They're　dropping　like　flies。〃　The　President　smiled　at　Coal；　who　snickered　and　almost　sneered　at　Voyles。　Coal　decided　it　was　time　to