tc.patriotgames-第61部分

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ep　the　Porsche　in　sight。　Miller　joined　him　in　the　right…side　seat。
　　　　〃She　takes　this　road　south　to　Route　50；　across　the　Severn　River　bridge；　then　gets　off　50　onto　Route　2。　We　want　to　hit　her　before　she　does　that。　We'll　proceed；　take　the　same　exit；　and　switch　cars　where　I　showed　you。　Too　bad；〃　Alex　said。　〃I　was　beginning　to　like　this　here　van。〃　
　　　　〃You　can　buy　another　with　what　we're　paying　you。〃　
　　　　A　grin　split　the　black　face。　〃Yeah；　I　'spect　so。　Have　a　better　interior　on　the　next　one；　too。〃　He　turned　right；　taking　the　exit　onto　Route　50。　It　was　a　divided；　multilane　highway。　Traffic　was　moderate　to　heavy。　Alex　explained　that　this　was　normal。　
　　　　〃No　problem　getting　the　job　done；〃　he　assured　Miller。
　　　　〃Excellent；〃　Miller　agreed。　〃Good　work；　Alex。〃　Even　if　you　do　have　a　big　mouth。

　　　　Cathy　always　drove　more　sedately　with　Sally　aboard。　The　little　girl　craned　her　neck　to　see　over　the　dashboard；　her　left　hand　fiddling　with　the　seat　belt　buckle　as　it　usually　did。　Her　mother　was　relaxing　now。　It　generally　took　her　about　this　length　of　time　to　settle　down　from　a　hard　day　　there　were　few　easy　ones　　at　the　Wilmer　Eye　Institute。　It　wasn't　stress　so　much。　She'd　had　two　procedures　today　and　would　have　two　more　the　next　day。　She　loved　her　work。　There　were　a　lot　of　people　now　who　could　see　only　because　of　her　professional　skill；　and　the　satisfaction　of　that　was　not　something　easily　municated；　even　to　Jack。　The　price　of　it　was　that　her　days　were　rarely　easy　ones。　The　minute　precision　demanded　by　ophthalmic　surgery　denied　her　coffee　　she　couldn't　risk　the　slight　tremor　in　her　hands　that　might　e　from　caffeine　　and　imposed　a　degree　of　concentration　on　her　that　few　professions　demanded。　There　were　more　difficult　medical　skills；　but　not　many。　This　was　the　main　reason　she　drove　her　911。　It　was　as　though　in　pushing　through　the　air；　or　taking　a　tight　corner　at　twenty…five　in　second　gear；　the　car　drained　the　excess　energy　from　the　driver　and　spread　it　into　the　environment。　She　almost　always　got　home　in　a　good　mood。　Tonight　would　be　better　still　since　it　was　Jack's　turn　to　fix　dinner。　If　the　car　had　been　built　with　a　brain；　it　would　have　noticed　the　reduced　pressure　on　accelerator　and　brakes　as　they　took　the　Route　2　exit。　It　was　being　pampered　now；　like　a　faithful　horse　that　had　jumped　all　the　fences　properly。

　　　　〃Okay？〃　Alex　asked；　keeping　west　on　Route　50　toward　Washington。
　　　　The　other　man　in　the　back　handed　Miller　the　clipboard　with　the　new　time　notation。　There　was　a　total　of　seven　entries；　all　but　the　last　plete　with　photographs。　Scan　looked　at　the　numbers。　The　target　was　on　a　beautifully　regular　schedule。　
　　　　〃Fine；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。
　　　　〃I　can't　give　you　a　precise　spot　for　the　hit　　traffic　can　make　things　go　a　little　funny。　I'd　say　we　should　try　on　the　east　side　of　the　bridge。〃　
　　　　〃Agreed。〃

　　　　Cathy　Ryan　walked　into　her　house　fifteen　minutes　later。　She　unzipped　Sally's　coat　and　watched　her　little　　〃big〃　　girl　struggle　out　of　the　sleeves；　a　skill　she　was　just　beginning　to　acquire。　Cathy　took　it　and　hung　it　up　before　getting　out　of　her　coat。　Mother　and　daughter　then　proceeded　to　the　kitchen；　where　they　heard　the　unmistakable　noise　of　a　husband　trying　to　fix　dinner　and　a　television　tuned　to　the　MacNeil…Lehrer　Report。　
　　　　〃Daddy；　look　what　I　did！〃　Sally　said　first。
　　　　〃Oh；　great！〃　Jack　took　the　picture　and　examined　it　with　great　care。　〃I　think　we'll　hang　this　one　up。〃　All　of　them　got　hung　up。　The　art　gallery　in　question　was　the　front　of　the　family　refrigerator。　A　magnetized　holder　gave　the　finger　painting　a　semi…permanent　place　over　the　ice　and　cold…water　dispenser。　Sally　never　noticed　that　there　was　a　new　hanging　spot　every　day。　Nor　did　she　know　that　every　such　painting　was　saved；　tucked　away　in　a　box　in　the　foyer　closet。
　　　　〃Hi；　babe。〃　Jack　kissed　his　wife　next。　〃How　were　things　today？〃
　　　　〃Two　cornea　replacements。　Bernie　assisted　on　the　second　one　　it　was　a　bear。　Tomorrow；　I'm　scheduled　for　a　vitrectomy。　Bernie　says　hi；　by　the　way。〃　
　　　　〃How's　his　kid？〃　Jack　asked。
　　　　〃Just　an　appendectomy；　she'll　be　climbing　the　monkey　bars　next　week；〃　Cathy　replied；　surveying　the　kitchen。　She　often　wondered　if　having　Jack　fix　dinner　was　worth　the　wreckage　he　made　of　her　room。　It　appeared　that　he　was　fixing　pot　roast；　but　she　wasn't　sure。　It　wasn't　that　Jack　was　a　bad　cook　　with　some　things　he　was　pretty　good　　he　was　just　so　damned　sloppy　about　it。　Never　kept　his　utensils　neat。　Cathy　always　had　her　knives；　forks；　and　everything　else　arranged　like　a　surgical　instrument　tray。　Jack　would　just　set　them　anywhere　and　spent　half　of　his　time　looking　for　where　they　were。
　　　　Sally　left　the　room　and　found　a　TV　that　didn't　have　a　news　show　on。
　　　　〃Good　news；〃　Jack　said。　
　　　　〃Oh？〃　
　　　　〃I　finished　up　at　CIA　today。〃　
　　　　〃So　what　are　you　smiling　about？〃
　　　　〃There　just　isn't　anything　I　see　to　make　me　suspect　that　we　have　anything　to　worry　about。〃　Jack　explained　for　several　minutes；　keeping　within　the　bounds　of　classification　　mostly。　〃They've　never　operated　over　here。　They　don't　have　any　contacts　over　here　that　we　know　of。　The　real　thing　is　that　we're　not　good　targets　for　them。〃　
　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　〃We're　not　political。　The　people　they　go　after　are　soldiers；　police；　judges；　mayors；　stuff　like　that　〃　
　　　　〃Not　to　mention　the　odd　prince；〃　Cathy　observed。
　　　　〃Yeah；　well；　we're　not　one　of　those　either；　are　we？〃　
　　　　〃So　what　are　you　telling　me？〃
　　　　〃They're　a　scary　bunch。　That　Miller　kid　　well；　we've　talked　about　that。　I'll　feel　a　little　better　when　they　have　him　back　in　the　can。　But　these　guys　are　pros。　They're　not　going　to　mount　an　op　three　thousand　miles　from　home　for　revenge。〃　
　　　　Cathy　took　his　hand。　〃You're　sure？〃
　　　　〃Sure　as　I　can　be。　The　intelligence　biz　isn't　like　mathematics；　but　you　get　a　feel　for　the　other　guy；　the　way　his　head　works。　A　terrorist　kills　to　make　a　political　point。　We　ain't　political　fodder。〃　
　　　　Cathy　gave　her　husband　a　gentle　smile。　〃So　I　can　relax　now？〃　
　　　　〃I　think　so。　Still；　keep　an　eye　on　the　mirror。〃　
　　　　〃And　you're　not　going　to　carry　that　gun　anymore；〃　she　said　hopefully。
　　　　〃Babe；　I　like　shooting。　I　forgot　what　fun　a　pistol　can　be。　I'm　going　to　keep　shooting　at　the　Academy；　but；　no；　I　won't　be　wearing　it　anymore。〃　
　　　　〃And　the　shotgun？〃　
　　　　〃It　hasn't　hurt　anybody。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　like　it；　Jack。　At　least　unload　it；　okay？〃　She　walked　off　to　the　bedroom　to　change。
　　　　〃Okay。〃　It　wasn't　that　important。　He'd　keep　the　box　of　shells　right　next　to　the　gun；　on　the　top　shelf　of　the　closet。　Sally　couldn't　reach　it。　Even　Cathy　had　to　stretch。　It　would　be　safe　there。　Jack　reconsidered　all　his　actions　over　the　past　three　and　a　half　weeks　and　decided　that　they　had　been　worthwhile；　really。　The　alarm　system　on　the　house　wasn't　such　a　bad　idea；　and　he　liked　his　new　9mm　Browning。　He　was　getting　pretty　good　scores。　If　he　kept　at　it　for　a　year；　maybe　he　could　give　Breckenridge　a　run　for　his　money。
　　　　He　checked　the　oven。　Another　ten　minutes。　Next　he　turned　up　the　TV。　The　current　segment　on　the　MacNeil…Lehrer　News　Hour　was　　I'll　be　damned。
　　　　〃Joining　us　from　our　affiliate　WGBH　in　Boston　is　Padraig　　did　I　pronounce　that　right？　　O'Neil；　a　spokesman　for　Sinn　Fein　and　an　elected　member　of　the　British　Parliament。　Mr。　O'Neil；　why　are　you　visiting　America　at　this　time？〃
　　　　〃I　and　many　of　my　colleagues　have　visited　America　many　times；　to　inform　the　American　people　of　the　oppression　inflicted　upon　the　Irish　people　by　the　British　government；　the　systematic　denial　of　economic　opportunity　and　basic　civil　rights；　the　total　abrogation　of　the　judicial　process；　and　the　continuing　brutality　of　the　British　army　of　occupation　against　the　people　of　Ireland；〃　O'Neil　said　in　a　smooth　and　reasonable　voice。　He　had　done　all　this　before。
　　　　〃Mr。　O'Neil；〃　said　someone　from　the　British　Embassy　in　Washington；　〃is　the　political　front…man　for　the　Provisional　Wing　of　the　so…called　Irish　Republican　Army。　This　is　a　terrorist　organization　that　is　illegal　both　in　Northern　Ireland　and　in　the　Irish　Republic。　His　mission　in　the　United　States　is；　as　always；　to　raise　money　so　that　his　organization　can　buy　arms　and　explosives。　This　source　of　ine　for　the　IRA　was　damaged　by　the　cowardly　attack　against　the　Royal　Family　in　London　last　year；　and　his　reason　for　being　here　is　to　persuade　Irish…Americans　that　the　IRA　had　no　part　in　that。〃　
　　　　〃Mr。　O'Neil；〃　MacNeil　said；　〃how　do　you　respond　to　that？〃　
　　　　The　Irishman　smiled　at　the　camera　as　benignly　as　Bob　Keeshan's　Captain　Kangaroo。　〃Mr。　Bennett；　as　usual；　skirts　over　the　legitimate　political　issues　here。　Are　Northern　Ireland's　Catholics　denied　economic　and　political　opportunity　　yes；　they　are。　Have　the　legal　processes　in　Northern　Ireland　been　subverted　for　political　reasons　by　the　British　government　　yes；　they　have。　Are　we　any　closer　to　a　political　settlement　of　this　dispute　that　goes　back；　in　its　modern　phase；　to　1969　　no；　I　regret　to　say　we　are　not。　If　I　am　a　terrorist；　why　have　I　been　allowed　into　your　country？　I　am；　in　fact；　a　member　of　the　British　Parliament；　elected　by　the　people　of　my　parliamentary　district。〃
　　　　〃But　you　don't　take　your　seat　in　Parliament；〃　MacNeil　objected。
　　　　〃And　join　the　government　that　is　killing　my　constituents？〃　
　　　　〃Jesus；〃　Ryan　said；　〃what　a　me