tc.patriotgames-第37部分

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　another　three。　No；　there　wouldn't　be　all　that　much　sympathy　for　Miss　Dwyer。　After　another　several　minutes；　a　detective　took　the　sheet　off　the　bed　and　draped　it　over　her；　covering　her　from　her　knees　to　her　shoulders。　Through　it　all；　the　suspect　didn't　move。　She　was　breathing　rapidly；　but　made　no　sound。
　　　　〃This　is　interesting；〃　one　man　said。　He　pulled　a　suitcase　from　under　the　bed。　After　checking　it　for　booby　traps；　he　opened　it　and　extracted　a　theatrical　makeup　case　plete　with　four　wigs。
　　　　〃Goodness；　I　could　use　one　of　those　myself。〃　The　female　detective　squeezed　past　Murray　and　approached　Owens。　〃I　came　as　fast　as　I　could。　mander。〃
　　　　〃Carry　on。〃　Owens　smiled。　He　was　too　happy　to　let　something　this　minor　annoy　him。
　　　　〃Spread　'em；　dearie。　You　know　the　drill。〃　The　detective　put　on　a　rubber　glove　for　her　search。　Murray　didn't　watch。　This　was　one　thing　he'd　always　been　squeamish　about。　A　few　seconds　later；　the　glove　came　off　with　a　snapping　sound。　A　detective　handed　Dwyer　some　clothes　to　put　on。　Murray　watched　the　suspect　dress　herself　as　unselfconsciously　as　if　she'd　been　alone　　no；　he　thought；　alone　she'd　show　more　emotion。　As　soon　as　her　clothes　were　on；　a　police　officer　snapped　steel　handcuffs　on　her　wrists。　The　same　man　informed　Dwyer　of　her　rights；　not　very　differently　from　the　way　American　cops　did　it。　She　did　not　acknowledge　the　words。　Maureen　Dwyer　looked　about　at　the　police；　no　expression　at　all　on　her　face；　not　even　anger；　and　was　taken　out　without　having　said　a　single　word。
　　　　That's　a　cold　piece　of　work；　Murray　told　himself。　Even　with　her　hair　wet；　with　no　makeup；　she　was　pretty　enough；　he　thought。　Nice　plexion。　It　wouldn't　hurt　her　to　knock　off　eight　or　ten　pounds；　but　in　nice　clothes　that　wouldn't　matter　very　much。　You　could　pass　her　on　the　street；　or　sit　next　to　her　in　a　bar　and　offer　to　buy　her　a　drink；　and　you'd　never　suspect　that　she　was　carrying　two　pounds　of　high　explosives　in　her　purse。　Thank　God　we　don't　have　anything　like　that　at　home　。　。　。　He　wondered　how　well　the　Bureau　would　do　against　such　a　threat。　Even　with　all　their　resources；　the　scientific　and　forensic　experts　who　back　up　the　special　agents　in　the　field；　this　was　no　easy　crime　to　deal　with。　For　any　police　force；　the　name　of　the　game　was　wait　for　the　bad　guys　to　make　a　mistake。　You　had　to　play　for　the　breaks；　just　like　a　football　team　waited　for　a　turnover。　The　problem　was；　the　crooks　kept　getting　better；　kept　learning　from　their　mistakes。　It　was　like　any　sort　of　petition。　Both　sides　became　increasingly　sophisticated。　But　the　criminals　always　had　the　initiative。　The　cops　were　always　playing　catchup　ball。
　　　　〃Well；　Dan；　any　critique？　Do　we　measure　up　to　FBI　standards？〃　Owens　inquired　with　the　slightest　amount　of　smugness。
　　　　〃Don't　give　me　that　crap；　Jimmy！〃　Murray　grinned。　Things　were　settled　down　now。　The　detectives　were　fully　engaged　in　cataloging　the　physical　evidence　in　the　confidence　that　they　already　had　a　solid　criminal　case。　〃I'd　say　you　have　this　one　pretty　cold。　You　know　how　lucky　you　are　not　to　have　our　illegal…search…and…seizure　rules？〃　Not　to　mention　some　of　our　judges。　
　　　　〃Finished；〃　the　photographer　said。
　　　　〃Excellent；〃　replied　Sergeant　Bob　Highland；　who　was　running　the　crime　scene。
　　　　〃How'd　you　get　here　so　fast；　Bob？〃　Murray　wanted　to　know。　〃You　take　the　tube；　or　what？〃
　　　　〃Why　didn't　I　think　of　that？〃　Highland　laughed。　〃Perhaps　we　caught　the　traffic　right。　We　were　here　within　eleven　minutes。　You　weren't　that　far　behind　us。　We　booted　the　door　and　had　Dwyer　in　custody　in　under　five　seconds。　Isn't　it　amazing　how　easy　it　can　be　　if　you　have　the　bloody　information　you　need！〃　
　　　　〃Can　I　e　in　now？〃　
　　　　〃Certainly。〃　Owens　waved　him　into　the　apartment。
　　　　Murray　went　right　to　the　bureau　drawer　with　the　explosives。　The　FBI　man　was　an　expert　on　explosive　devices。　He　and　Owens　crouched　over　the　collection。
　　　　〃Looks　like　Czech；〃　Murray　muttered。
　　　　〃It　is；〃　another　detective　said。　〃From　Skoda　works；　you　can　tell　from　the　wrapping。　These　are　American；　though。　California　Pyronetics；　model　thirty…one　electronic　detonator。〃　He　tossed　one　　in　a　plastic　bag　　to　Murray。
　　　　〃Damn！　They're　turning　up　all　over　the　place　　a　shipment　of　these　little　babies　got　hijacked　a　year　and　a　half　ago。　They　were　heading　for　an　oil　field　in　Venezuela；　and　got　taken　outside　Caracas；〃　Murray　explained。　He　gave　the　small　black　device　a　closer　look。　〃The　oil　field　guys　love　'em。　Safe；　reliable；　and　damned　near　foolproof。　This　is　as　good　as　the　stuff　the　Army　uses。　State　of　the　art。〃　
　　　　〃Where　else　have　they　turned　up？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃We're　sure　about　three　or　four。　The　problem　is；　they're　so　small　that　it's　not　always　possible　to　identify　what's　left。　A　bank　in　Puerto　Rico；　a　police　station　in　Peru　　those　were　political。　The　other　one　　maybe　two　　were　drug　related。　Until　now　they've　all　been　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic。　As　far　as　I　know；　this　is　the　first　time　they've　showed　up　here。　These　detonators　have　lot　numbers。　You'll　want　to　check　them　against　the　stolen　shipment。　I　can　get　a　telex　off　tonight；　have　you　an　answer　inside　an　hour。〃　
　　　　〃Thank　you；　Dan。〃
　　　　Murray　counted　five　one…kilo　blocks　of　explosive。　The　Czech　plastique　had　a　good　reputation　for　quality。　It　was　as　potent　as　the　stuff　Du　Pont　made　for　American　military　use。　One　block；　properly　placed；　could　take　a　building　down。　With　the　Pyronetics　timers；　Miss　Dwyer　could　have　placed　five　separate　bombs；　set　them　for　delayed　detonation　　as　much　as　a　month　　and　been　a　thousand　miles　away　when　they　went　off。
　　　　〃You　saved　some　lives　tonight；　gentlemen。　Good　one。〃　Murray　looked　up。　The　apartment　had　a　single　window　facing　to　the　rear。　The　window　had　a　pull…down　blind　that　was　all　the　way　down；　and　some　cheap；　dirty　curtains。　Murray　wondered　what　this　flat　cost　to　rent。　Not　much；　he　was　sure。　The　heat　was　turned　way　up；　and　the　room　was　getting　stuffy。　〃Anybody　mind　if　I　let　some　air　in　here？〃　
　　　　〃Excellent　idea；　Dan；〃　Owens　answered。
　　　　〃Let　me　do　it；　sir。〃　A　detective　with　gloves　on　put　up　the　blind　and　then　the　window。　Everything　in　the　room　would　be　dusted　for　fingerprints　also；　but　opening　the　window　wouldn't　harm　anything。　A　breeze　cooled　things　off　in　an　instant。
　　　　〃That's　better。〃　The　FBI　representative　took　a　deep　breath；　scarcely　noticing　the　smell　of　diesel　exhaust　from　the　London　cabs　。　。　。　
　　　　Something　was　wrong。
　　　　It　hit　Murray　as　a　surprise。　Something　was　wrong。　What？　He　looked　out　the　window。　To　the　left　was　a　　probably　a　warehouse；　a　blank　four…story　wall。　Past　it　on　the　right；　he　could　see　the　outline　of　the　Tower　of　London；　standing　over　the　River　Thames。　That　was　all。　He　turned　his　head　to　see　Owens；　also　staring　out　the　window。　The　mander　of　C…13　turned　his　head　and　looked　at　Murray；　a　question　on　his　face　also。　
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Owens　said。
　　　　〃What　was　it　that　guy　on　the　phone　said？〃　Murray　muttered。　
　　　　Owens'　head　bobbed。　〃Exactly。　Sergeant　Highland？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　mander？〃
　　　　〃The　voice　on　the　phone。　What　exactly　did　it　say；　and　what　exactly　did　it　sound　like？〃　Owens　kept　looking　out　the　window。
　　　　〃The　voice　had　。　。　。　a　Midlands　accent；　I　should　think。　A　man's　voice。　He　said　that　he　was　looking　in　the　window；　and　saw　explosives　and　some　wires。　We　have　it　all　on　tape；　of　course。〃　
　　　　Murray　reached　through　the　open　window　and　ran　a　finger　along　the　outside　surface　of　the　glass。　It　came　back　dirty。　〃It　sure　wasn't　a　window…washer　who　called　in。〃　He　leaned　out　the　window。　There　was　no　fire　escape。
　　　　〃Someone　atop　the　warehouse；　perhaps　　no；〃　Owens　said　at　once。　〃The　angle　isn't　right；　unless　she　had　the　material　spread　out　on　the　floor。　That　is　rather　odd。〃
　　　　〃Break…in？　Maybe　someone　got　in　here；　saw　the　stuff；　and　decided　to　call　in　like　a　good　citizen？〃　Murray　asked。　〃That　doesn't　sound　very　likely。〃
　　　　Owens　shrugged。　〃No　telling；　is　there？　A　boyfriend　she　dumped　　I　think　for　the　moment　we　can　be　content　with　counting　our　blessings；　Dan。　There　are　five　bombs　that　will　never　hurt　anyone。　Let's　get　out　of　everyone's　way　and　send　that　telex　off　to　Washington。　Sergeant　Highland；　gentlemen；　this　was　well　done！　Congratulations　to　you　all　for　some　splendid　police　work。　Carry　on。〃
　　　　Owens　and　Murray　left　the　building　quietly。　Outside　they　found　a　small　crowd　being　restrained　by　about　ten　uniformed　constables。　A　TV　news　crew　was　on　the　scene　with　its　bright　lights。　These　were　enough　to　keep　them　from　seeing　across　the　street。　This　block　had　three　small　pubs。　In　the　doorway　of　one　stood　a　soft…looking　man　with　a　pint　of　bitter　in　his　hand。　He　showed　no　emotion；　not　even　curiosity；　as　he　looked　across　the　street。　His　memory　recorded　the　faces　he　saw。　His　name　was　Dennis　Cooley。
　　　　Murray　and　Owens　drove　to　New　Scotland　Yard　headquarters；　where　the　FBI　agent　made　his　telex　to　Washington。　They　didn't　discuss　the　one　anomaly　that　the　case　had　unexpectedly　developed；　and　Murray　left　Owens　to　his　work。　C…13　had　broken　yet　another　bomb　case　　and　done　so　in　the　best　way；　without　a　single　casualty。　It　meant　that　Owens　and　his　people　would　have　a　sleepless　night　of　paperwork；　and　preparing　reports　for　the　Home　Office　bureaucracy；　and　press　releases　for　Fleet　Street；　but　that　was　something　they　would　gladly　accept。

　　　　Ryan's　fir