jamesclavell.noblehouse-第142节

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rapdoor　steps　led　to　a　rough　tunnel　that　quickly　joined　the　large；　dry；　subterranean　culvert　storm　drain。　Suslev　picked　his　way　carefully；　using　the　flashlight　that　was　in　a　bracket　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps。　In　a　moment　he　heard　a　car　grinding　over　Sinclair　Road　just　above　his　head。　A　few　more　steps　and　he　was　below　Sinclair　Towers。　Another　trapdoor　led　to　a　janitor's　closet。　This　let　out　onto　some　disused　back　stairs。　He　began　to　climb。
　Roger　Crosse　was　still　listening　to　the　heavy　breathing；　mixed　with　opera。　The　van　was　cramped　and　close；　their　shirts　sweaty。　Crosse　was　smoking。　〃Sounds　like　he's　bedded　down　for　the　night；〃　he　said。　They　could　hear　Clinker　humming　and　his　movements　as　he　cleared　up　the　broken　glass。　A　red　warning　light　on　the　radio　panel　started　winking。　The　operator　clicked　on　the　sender。　〃Patrol　car　1423；　yes？〃
　〃Headquarters　for　Superintendent　Crosse。　Urgent。〃
　〃This's　Crosse。〃
　〃Duty　Office；　sir。　A　report's　just　e　in　that　the　Floating　Dragon　restaurant's　on　fire　。。。〃　Brian　Kwok　gasped。　〃。。。　Fire　engines're　already　there；　and　the　constable　said　that　as　many　as　twenty　may　be　dead　or　drowned。　It　seems　the　boat　caught　fire　from　the　kitchen；　sir。　There　were　several　explosions。　They　blew　out　most　of　the　hull　and　。。。　Just　a　moment　sir；　there's　another　report　ing　in　from　Marine。〃
　They　waited。　Brian　Kwok　broke　the　silence。　〃Dunross？〃
　〃The　party　was　on　the　top　deck？〃　Crosse　asked。
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃He's　much　too　smart　to　get　burned　to　death　…　or　drowned；〃　Crosse　said　softly。　〃Was　the　fire　an　accident；　or　deliberate？〃
　Brian　Kwok　did　not　answer。
　The　HQ　voice　came　in　again。　〃Marine　reports　that　the　boat's　capsized。　They　say　it's　a　proper　carve…up　and　it　looks　like　a　few　got　sucked　under。〃
　〃Was　our　agent　with　our　VIP？〃
　〃No　sir；　he　was　waiting　on　the　wharf　near　his　car。　There　was　no　time　to　get　to　him。〃
　〃What　about　the　people　caught　on　the　top　deck？〃
　〃Hang　on　a　moment；　I'll　ask。　。。。〃
　Again　a　silence。　Brian　Kwok　wiped　the　sweat　off。
　〃。。。　They　say；　twenty　or　thirty　up　there　jumped；　sir。　Unfortunately　most　of　them　abandoned　ship　a　bit　late；　just　before　the　boat　capsized。　Marine　doesn't　know　how　many　were　swamped。〃
　〃Stand　by。〃　Crosse　thought　a　moment。　Then　he　spoke　into　the　mike　again。　〃I'm　sending　Superintendent　Kwok　there　at　once　in　this　transport。　Send　a　team　of　frogmen　to　meet　him。　Ask　the　navy　to　assist；　Priority　One。　I'll　be　at　home　if　I'm　needed。〃　He　clicked　off　the　mike。　Then　to　Brian　Kwok；　〃I'll　walk　from　here。　Call　me　the　moment　you　know　about　Dunross。　If　he's　dead　we'll　visit　the　bank　vaults　at　once　and　to　hell　with　the　consequences。　Fast　as　you　can　now！〃
　He　got　out。　The　van　took　off　up　the　hill。　Aberdeen　was　over　the　spine　of　mountains　and　due　south。　He　glanced　at　Rose　Court　a　moment；　then　down　across　the　street　below　to　Sinclair　Towers。　One　of　his　teams　was　still　watching　the　entrance；　waiting　patiently　for　Tsu…yan's　return。　Where　is　that　bastard？　he　asked　himself　irritably。
　Very　concerned；　he　walked　off　down　the　hill。　Rain　began　to　splatter　him。　His　footsteps　quickened。
　
　Suslev　took　an　ice…cold　beer　from　the　modern　refrigerator　and　opened　it。　He　drank　gratefully。　32　Sinclair　Towers　was　spacious；　rich；　clean　and　well　furnished；　with　three　bedrooms　and　a　large　living　room。　It　was　on　the　eleventh　floor。　There　were　three　apartments　to　each　floor　around　two　cramped　elevators　and　exit　steps。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　John　Chen　owned　31。　33　belonged　to　a　Mr。　K。　V。　Lee。　Arthur　had　told　Suslev　that　K。　V。　Lee　was　a　cover　name　for　Ian　Dunross　who；　following　the　pattern　of　his　predecessors；　had　sole　access　to　three　or　four　private　apartments　spread　around　the　Colony。　Suslev　had　never　met　either　John　Chen　or　Dunross　though　he　had　seen　them　at　the　races　and　elsewhere　many　times。
　If　we　have　to　interview　the　tai…pan　what　could　be　more　convenient？　he　thought　grimly。　And　with　Travkin　as　an　alternate　bait。　。。。
　A　sudden　squall　whipped　the　curtains　that　were　drawn　over　open　windows　and　he　heard　the　rain。　He　shut　the　windows　carefully　and　looked　out。　Great　drops　were　streaking　the　windows。　Streets　and　rooftops　were　already　wet。　Lightning　went　across　the　sky。　The　rumble　of　thunder　followed。　Already　the　temperature　had　dropped　a　few　degrees。　This'll　be　a　good　storm；　he　told　himself　gratefully；　pleased　to　be　out　of　Ginny　Fu's　tiny；　sleazy　fifth…floor　walkup　in　Mong　Kok；　and　equally　happy　not　to　be　at　Clinker's。
　Arthur　had　arranged　everything：　Clinker；　Ginny　Fu；　this　safe　house；　the　tunnel；　certainly　as　well　as　he　himself　could　have　done　in　Vladivostok。　Clinker　was　a　submariner　and　cockney　and　everything　he　was　supposed　to　be　except　that　he　had　always　detested　the　officer　class。　Arthur　had　said　it　had　been　easy　to　subvert　Clinker　to　the　cause；　using　the　man's　built…in　suspicions；　hatreds　and　secretiveness。　〃Ugly　Ernie　knows　only　a　little　about　you；　Gregor　…　of　course　that　you're　Russian　and　captain　of　the　Ivanov。　As　to　the　tunnel；　I　told　him　you're　having　an　affair　with　a　married　woman　in　Sinclair　Towers；　the　wife　of　one　of　the　Establishment　tai…pans。　I　told　him　the　tape…recorded　snores　and　secrecy　are　because　the　rotten　Peelers　are　after　you　and　they've　sneaked　in　and　bugged　his　flat。〃
　〃Peelers？〃
　〃That's　the　cockney　nickname　for　police。　It　came　from　Sir　Robert　Peel；　Prime　Minister　of　England；　who　founded　the　first　police　force。　Cockneys've　always　hated　Peelers　and　Ugly　Ernie　would　delight　in　outwitting　them。　Just　be　pro…Royal　Navy　and　he's　your　dog　until　death。　。。。〃
　Suslev　smiled。　Clinker's　not　a　bad　man；　he　thought；　just　a　bore。
　He　sipped　his　beer　as　he　wandered　back　into　the　living　room。　The　afternoon　paper　was　there。　It　was　the　Guardian　Extra；　the　headlines　screaming；　MOB　MURDERS　FRAGRANT　FLOWER；　and　a　good　photograph　of　the　riot。　He　sat　in　an　armchair　and　read　quickly。
　Then　his　sharp　ears　heard　the　elevator　stop。　He　went　to　the　table　beside　the　door　and　slid　the　loaded　automatic　with　its　silencer　from　under　it。　He　pocketed　the　gun　and　peered　through　the　spy　hole。
　The　doorbell　was　muted。　He　opened　it　and　smiled。　〃e　in；　old　friend。〃　He　embraced　Jacques　deVille　warmly。　〃It's　been　a　long　time。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　it　has；　rade；〃　deVille　said　as　warmly。　The　last　time　he　had　seen　Suslev　was　in　Singapore；　five　years　before；　at　a　secret　meeting　arranged　by　Arthur　just　after　deVille　had　been　induced　to　join　Sevrin。　He　and　Suslev　had　met　just　as　secretly　the　first　time　in　the　great　port　of　Lyons　in　France　in　June　'41；　just　days　before　Nazi　Germany　invaded　Soviet　Russia　when　the　two　countries　were　outwardly　still　allies。　At　that　time　deVille　was　in　the　Maquis　and　Suslev　second…in…mand　and　secret　political　missar　of　a　Soviet　submarine　that　was　ostensibly　in　for　a　refit　from　patrol　in　the　Atlantic；　It　was　then　that　deVille　was　asked　if　he　would　like　to　carry　on　the　real　war；　the　war　against　the　capitalist　enemy　as　a　secret　agent　after　the　fascists　had　been　destroyed。
　He　had　agreed　with　all　his　heart。
　It　had　been　easy　for　Suslev　to　subvert　him。　Because　of　deVille's　potential　after　the　war；　the　KGB　had　secretly　had　him　betrayed　to　the　Gestapo；　then　rescued　from　a　Gestapo　prison　death　by　munist　guerrillas。　The　guerrillas　had　given　him　false　proof　that　he　had　been　betrayed　by　one　of　his　own　men　for　money。　DeVille　was　thirty…two　then　and；　like　many；　infatuated　with　socialism　and　with　some　of　the　teachings　of　Marx　and　Lenin。　He　had　never　joined　the　French　munist　Party　but　now；　because　of　Sevrin；　he　was　an　honorary　captain　in　the　KGB　Soviet　Security　Force。
　〃You　seem　tired；　Frederick；〃　Suslev　said；　using　deVille's　cover　name。　〃Tell　me　what's　wrong。〃
　〃Just　a　family　problem。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　Suslev　listened　intently　to　deVille's　sad　story　about　his　son…in…law　and　daughter。　Since　their　meeting　in　1941　Suslev　had　been　deVille's　controller。　In　1947　he　had　ordered　him　out　to　Hong　Kong　to　join　Struan's。　Before　the　war　deVille　and　his　father　had　owned　a　highly　successful　import…export　business　with　close　ties　to　Struan's　…　as　well　as　family　ties　…　so　the　change　had　been　easy　and　wele。　DeVille's　secret　assignment　was　to　bee　a　member　of　the　Inner　Court　and；　at　length；　tai…pan。
　〃Where's　your　daughter　now？〃　he　asked　passionately。
　DeVille　told　him。
　〃And　the　driver　of　the　other　car？〃　Suslev　mitted　the　name　and　address　to　memory。　〃I'll　see　that　he's　dealt　with。〃
　〃No；〃　deVille　said　at　once。　〃It　。。。　it　was　an　accident。　We　cannot　punish　a　man　for　an　accident。〃
　〃He　was　drunk。　There　is　no　excuse　for　drunk　driving。　In　any　event　you　are　important　to　us。　We　take　care　of　our　own。　I　will　deal　with　him。〃
　DeVille　knew　there　was　no　point　in　arguing。　A　gust　of　rain　battered　the　windows。　〃Merde；　but　the　rain's　good。　The　temperature　must　be　down　five　degrees。　Will　it　last？〃
　〃The　storm　front's　reported　to　be　big。〃
　DeVille　watched　globules　running　down　the　pane；　wondering　why　he　had　been　summoned。　〃How　are　things　with　you？〃
　〃Very　good。　Drink？〃　Suslev　went　to　the　mirrored　bar。　〃There's　good　vodka。〃
　〃Vodka's　fine；　please。　But　a　short　one。〃
　〃If　Dunross　retired　are　you　the　next　tai…pan？〃
　〃I　would　think　it's　between　four　of　us：　Gavallan；　David　Mac…Struan；　myself　and　Linbar　Struan。〃
　〃In　that　order？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Except　Linbar's　probably　last。　Thanks。〃　DeVille　accepted　his　drink。　Th