jg.thepelicanbrief-第9节

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　　〃They　have　to　be　confirmed　first。〃
　　
　　〃We　won't　recognize　the　Constitution　in　ten　years。　This　is　sick。〃
　　
　　That's　why　they　were　killed；　Thomas。　Someone　or　some　group　wants　a　different　Court；　one　with　an　absolute　conservative　majority。　The　election　is　next　year。　Rosenberg　is；　or　was；　ninety…one。　Manning　is　eighty…four。　Yount　is　early　eighties。　They　could　die　soon；　or　live　ten　more　years。　A　Democrat　may　be　elected　President。　Why　take　a　chance？　Kill　them　now；　a　year　before　the　election。　Makes　perfect　sense；　if　one　was　so　inclined。〃
　　
　　〃But　why　Jensen？〃
　　
　　〃He　was　an　embarrassment。　And；　obviously；　he　was　an　easier　target。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　but　he　was　basically　a　moderate　with　an　occasional　leftward　impulse。　And　he　was　nominated　by　a　Republican。〃
　　
　　〃You　want　a　Bloody　Mary？〃
　　
　　〃Good　idea。　In　a　minute。　I'm　trying　to　think。〃　
　　
　　Darby　reclined　on　the　bed；　sipped　the　coffee；　and　watched　the　sunlight　filter　across　the　balcony。　〃Think　of　it；　Thomas。　The　timing　is　beautiful。　Reelection；　nominations；　politics；　all　that。　But　think　of　the　violence　and　the　radicals；　the　zealots；　the　pro…lifers　and　gay　haters；　the　Aryans　and　Nazis；　think　of　all　the　groups　capable　of　killing；　and　all　the　threats　against　the　Court；　and　the　timing　is　perfect　for　an　unknown；　inconspicuous　group　to　knock　them　off。　It's　morbid；　but　the　timing　is　great。〃
　　
　　〃And　who　is　such　a　group？〃
　　
　　〃Who　knows？〃
　　
　　〃The　Underground　Army？〃
　　
　　〃They're　not　exactly　inconspicuous。　They　killed　Judge　Fernandez　in　Texas。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　they　use　bombs？〃
　　
　　〃Yeah；　experts　with　plastic　explosives。〃
　　
　　〃Scratch　them。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　scratching　anybody　right　now。〃　Darby　stood　and　retied　the　robe。　〃e　on。　I'll　fix　you　a　Bloody　Mary。〃
　　
　　〃Only　if　you　drink　with　me。〃
　　
　　〃Thomas；　you're　a　professor。　You　can　cancel　your　classes　if　you　want　to。　I　am　a　student　and。。。〃
　　
　　〃I　understand　the　relationship。〃
　　
　　〃I　cannot　cut　any　more　classes。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　flunk　you　in　con　law　if　you　don't　cut　classes　and　get　drunk　with　me。　I've　got　a　book　of　Rosenberg　opinions。　Let's　read　them；　sip　Bloody　Marys；　then　wine；　then　whatever。　I　miss　him　already。〃
　　
　　〃I　have　Federal　Procedure　at　nine；　and　I　can't　miss　it。〃
　　
　　〃I　intend　to　call　the　dean　and　have　all　classes　canceled。　Then　will　you　drink　with　me？〃
　　
　　〃No。　e　on；　Thomas。〃　He　followed　her　down　the　stairs　to　the　kitchen　and　the　coffee　and　the　liquor。　
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　WTHOUT　REMOVING　the　receiver　from　his　shoulder；　Fletcher　Coal　punched　another　button　on　the　phone　on　the　desk　in　the　Oval　Office。　Three　lines　were　blinking；　holding。　He　paced　slowly　in　front　of　the　desk　and　listened　while　scanning　a　two…page　report　from　Horton　at　Justice。　He　ignored　the　President；　who　was　crouched　in　front　of　the　windows；　gripping　his　putter　with　gloved　hands；　staring　fiercely　first　at　the　yellow　ball；　then　slowly　across　the　blue　carpet　to　the　brass　putting　cup　ten　feet　away。　Coal　growled　something　into　the　receiver。　His　words　were　unheard　by　the　President；　who　lightly　tapped　the　ball　and　watched　it　roll　precisely　into　the　cup。　The　cup　clicked；　cleared　itself；　and　the　ball　rolled　three　feet　to　the　side。　The　President　inched　forward　in　his　socks　to　the　next　ball；　and　breathed　downward　at　it。　It　was　an　orange　one。　He　tapped　it　just　so；　and　it　rolled　straight　into　the　cup。　Eight　in　a　row。　Twenty…seven　out　of　thirty。
　　
　　〃That　was　Chief　Runyan；〃　Coal　said；　slamming　the　receiver　down。　〃He's　quite　upset。　He　wanted　to　meet　with　you　this　afternoon。〃
　　
　　〃Tell　him　to　take　a　number。〃
　　
　　〃I　told　him　to　be　here　at　ten　tomorrow　morning。　You　have　the　Cabinet　at　ten…thirty；　and　National　Security　at　eleven…thirty。〃　
　　
　　Without　looking　up；　the　President　gripped　the　putter　and　studied　the　next　ball。　〃I　can't　wait。　What　about　the　polls？〃　He　swung　carefully　and　followed　the　ball。
　　
　　〃I　just　talked　to　Nellson。　He　ran　two；　beginning　at　noon。　The　puter　is　digesting　it　now；　but　he　thinks　the　approval　rating　will　be　somewhere　around　fifty…two　or　fifty…three。〃　
　　
　　〃The　golfer　looked　up　briefly　and　smiled；　then　returned　to　his　game。What　was　it　last　week？〃
　　
　　〃Forty…four。　It　was　the　cardigan　without　the　tie。　Just　like　I　said。〃
　　
　　〃I　thought　it　was　forty…five；〃　he　said　as　he　tapped　a　yellow　one　and　watched　it　roll　perfectly　into　the　cup。
　　
　　〃You're　right。　Forty…five。〃
　　
　　〃That's　the　highest　in〃
　　
　　〃Eleven　months。　We　haven't　been　above　fifty　since　Flight　402　in　November　of　last　year。　This　is　a　wonderful　crisis；　Chief。　The　people　are　shocked；　yet　many　of　them　are　happy　Rosenberg　is　gone。　And　you're　the　man　in　the　middle。　Just　wonderful。〃　Coal　punched　a　blinking　button　and　picked　up　the　receiver。　He　slammed　it　down　without　a　word。　He　straightened　his　tie　and　buttoned　his　jacket。
　　
　　〃It's　five…thirty；　Chief。　Voyles　and　Gminski　are　waiting。〃　
　　
　　He　putted　and　watched　the　ball。　It　was　an　inch　to　the　right；　and　he　grimaced。　〃Let　them　wait。　Let's　do　a　press　conference　at　nine　in　the　morning。　I'll　take　Voyles　with　me；　but　I'll　keep　his　mouth　shut。　Make　him　stand　behind　me。　I'll　give　some　more　details　and　answer　a　few　questions。　Networks'll　carry　it　live；　don't　you　think？〃
　　
　　〃Of　course。　Good　idea。　I'll　get　it　started。〃　
　　
　　He　picked　off　his　gloves　and　threw　them　in　a　corner。　〃Show　them　in。〃　He　carefully　leaned　his　putter　against　the　wall　and　slid　into　his　Bally　loafers。　As　usual；　he　had　changed　clothes　six　times　since　breakfast；　and　now　wore　a　glen　plaid　double…breasted　suit　with　a　red　and　navy　polka…dot　tie。　Office　attire。　The　jacket　hung　on　a　rack　by　the　door。　He　sat　at　his　desk　and　scowled　at　some　papers。　He　nodded　at　Voyles　and　Gminski；　but　neither　stood　nor　offered　to　shake　hands。　They　sat　across　the　desk；　and　Coal　took　his　usual　standing　position　like　a　sentry　who　couldn't　wait　to　fire。　The　President　pinched　the　bridge　of　his　nose　as　if　the　stress　of　the　day　had　delivered　a　migraine。
　　
　　〃It's　been　a　long　day；　Mr。　President；〃　Bob　Gminski　said　to　break　the　ice。　Voyles　looked　at　the　windows。　
　　
　　Coal　nodded；　and　the　President　said：　〃Yes；　Bob。　A　very　long　day。　And　I　have　a　bunch　of　Ethiopians　invited　for　dinner　tonight；　so　let's　be　brief。　Let's　start　with　you；　Bob。　Who　killed　them？〃
　　
　　〃I　do　not　know；　Mr。　President。　But　I　assure　you　we　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃
　　
　　〃Do　you　promise　me；　Bob？〃　He　was　almost　prayerful。　
　　
　　Gminski　raised　his　right　hand　with　the　palm　facing　the　desk。　〃I　swear。　On　my　mother's　grave；　I　swear。〃　
　　
　　Coal　nodded　smugly　as　if　he　believed　him；　and　as　if　his　approval　meant　everything。　
　　
　　The　President　glared　at　Voyles；　whose　stocky　figure　filled　the　chair　and　was　still　draped　with　a　bulky　trench　coat。　The　Director　chewed　his　gum　slowly　and　sneered　at　the　President。
　　
　　〃Ballistics？　Autopsies？〃
　　
　　〃Got　'em；〃　Voyles　said　as　he　opened　his　briefcase。
　　
　　〃Just　tell　me。　I'll　read　it　later。〃
　　
　　〃The　gun　was　small…caliber；　probably　a　。22。　Point…blank　range　for　Rosenberg　and　his　nurse；　powder　burns　indicate。　Hard　to　tell　for　Ferguson；　but　the　shots　were　fired　from　no　farther　than　twelve　inches　away。　We　didn't　see　the　shooting；　you　understand？　Three　bullets　into　each　head。　They　picked　two　out　of　Rosenberg；　found　another　in　his　pillow。　Looks　like　he　and　the　nurse　were　asleep。　Same　type　slugs；　same　gun；　same　gunman；　evidently。　plete　autopsy　summaries　are　being　prepared；　but　there　were　no　surprises。　Causes　of　deaths　are　quite　obvious。〃
　　
　　〃Fingerprints？〃
　　
　　〃None。　We're　still　looking；　but　it　was　a　very　clean　job。　Appears　as　if　he　left　nothing　but　the　slugs　and　the　bodies。〃
　　
　　〃How'd　he　get　into　the　house？〃
　　
　　〃No　apparent　signs　of　entry。　Ferguson　searched　the　place　when　Rosenberg　arrived　around　four。　Routine　procedure。　He　filed　his　written　report　two　hours　later；　and　it　says　he　inspected　two　bedrooms；　a　bath；　and　three　closets　upstairs；　and　each　room　downstairs；　and　of　course　found　nothing。　Says　he　checked　all　windows　and　doors。　Pursuant　to　Rosenberg's　instructions；　our　agents　were　outside；　and　they　estimate　Ferguson's　four　o'clock　inspection　took　from　three　to　four　minutes。　I　suspect　the　killer　was　waiting　and　hiding　when　the　Justice　returned　and　Ferguson　walked　through。〃
　　
　　〃Why？〃　Coal　insisted。　
　　
　　Voyles'　red　eyes　watched　the　President　and　ignored　his　hatchet　man。　〃This　man　is　obviously　very　talented。　He　killed　a　Supreme　Court　Justice　maybe　two　and　left　virtually　no　trail。　A　professional　assassin；　I　would　guess。　Entry　would　not　be　a　problem　for　him。　Eluding　a　cursory　inspection　by　Ferguson　would　be　no　problem　for　him。　He's　probably　very　patient。　He　wouldn't　risk　an　entry　when　the　house　was　occupied　and　cops　around。　I　think　he　entered　sometime　in　the　afternoon　and　simply　waited；　probably　in　a　closet　upstairs；　or　perhaps　in　the　attic。　We　found　two　small　pieces　of　attic　insulation　on　the　floor　under　the　retractable　stairs；　suggests　they　had　recently　been　used。〃
　　
　　〃Really　doesn't　matter　where　he　was　hiding；〃　the　President　said。　〃He　wasn't　discovered。〃
　　
　　〃That's