tc.patriotgames-第65部分

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　　　　〃Oh；　yes；　he's　a　charming　one；　Paddy　is。〃　Owens　flipped　a　page　and　looked　up。　〃Let　me　see　that　thing　your　Ryan　fellow　did　again。〃
　　　　〃The　guys　at　Five　glommed　your　copy。　I　expect　they'll　give　it　to　you　tomorrow。〃
　　　　Owens　grunted　as　he　flipped　to　the　summary　at　the　back　of　the　document。　〃Here　it　is　。　。　。　Good　God　above！〃　
　　　　〃What？〃　Murray　snapped　forward　in　his　chair。　
　　　　〃The　link；　the　bloody　link。　It's　right　here！〃
　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Jimmy？　I've　read　the　thing　twice　myself。〃
　　　　〃　'The　fact　that　ULA　personnel　seem　to　have　been　drawn　almost　entirely　from　〃extreme〃　elements　within　the　PIRA　itself；'　〃　he　read　aloud；　〃　'must　have　a　significance　beyond　that　established　by　existing　evidence。　It　seems　likely　that　since　the　ULA　membership　has　been　so　recruited；　some　ULA　〃defectors…in…place〃　remain　within　the　PIRA；　serving　as　information　sources　to　their　actual　parent　organization。　It　follows　that　such　information　may　be　of　an　operational　nature　in　addition　to　its　obvious　counterintelligence　value。'　Operational；〃　Owens　said　quietly。　〃We've　always　assumed　that　O'Donnell　was　simply　trying　to　protect　himself　。　。　。　but　he　could　be　playing　another　game　entirely。〃
　　　　〃I　still　haven't　caught　up　with　you；　Jimmy。〃　Murray　set　his　glass　down　and　frowned　for　a　moment。　〃Oh。　Maureen　Dwyer。　You　never　did　figure　out　that　tip；　did　you？〃
　　　　Owens　was　thinking　about　another　case；　but　Murray's　remark　exploded　like　a　flashbulb　in　front　of　his　eyes。　The　detective　just　stared　at　his　American　colleague　for　a　moment　while　his　brain　raced　down　a　host　of　ideas。
　　　　〃But　why？〃　Murray　asked。　〃What　do　they　gain？〃　
　　　　〃They　can　do　great　embarrassment　to　the　leadership；　inhibit　operations。〃
　　　　〃But　what　material　good　does　that　do　for　the　ULA？　O'Donnell's　too　professional　to　screw　his　old　friends　just　for　the　hell　of　it。　The　INLA　might；　but　they're　just　a　bunch　of　damned…fool　cowboys。　The　ULA　is　too　sophisticated　for　that　sort　of　crap。〃　
　　　　〃Yes。　We've　just　surmounted　one　wall　to　find　another　before　us。　Still；　that's　one　more　wall　behind　us。　It　gives　us　something　to　question　young　Miss　Dwyer　about；　doesn't　it？〃
　　　　〃Well；　it's　an　idea　to　run　down。　The　ULA　has　the　PIRA　penetrated；　and　sometimes　they　feed　information　to　you　to　make　the　Provos　look　bad。〃　Murray　shook　his　head。　Did　I　just　say　that　one　terrorist　outfit　was　trying　to　make　another　one　look　bad？　〃Do　you　have　enough　evidence　to　back　that　idea　up？〃
　　　　〃I　can　name　you　three　cases　in　the　last　year　where　anonymous　tips　gave　us　Provos　who　were　at　the　top　of　our　list。　In　none　of　the　three　did　we　ever　learn　who　the　source　was。〃
　　　　〃But　if　the　Provos　suspect　it　　oh；　scratch　that　idea。　They　want　O'Donnell　anyway；　and　that's　straight　revenge　for　all　the　people　he　did　away　with　within　the　organization。　Okay；　embarrassing　the　PIRA　leadership　may　be　an　objective　in　itself　　if　O'Donnell　was　trying　to　recruit　some　new　members。　But　you've　already　discarded　that　idea。〃
　　　　Owens　swore　under　his　breath。　Criminal　investigation；　he　often　said；　was　like　doing　a　jigsaw　puzzle　when　you　didn't　have　all　the　pieces　and　never　really　knew　their　shapes。　But　telling　that　to　his　subordinates　wasn't　the　same　thing　as　experiencing　it　himself。　If　only　they　hadn't　lost　Sean　Miller。　Maybe　they　might　have　gotten　something　from　him　by　now。　His　instinct　told　him　that　one　small；　crucial　fact　would　make　a　plete　picture　of　all　the　rubbish　he　was　sorting　through。　Without　that　fact；　his　reason　told　Owens；　everything　he　thought　he　knew　was　nothing　more　than　speculation。　But　one　thought　kept　repeating　itself　in　his　mind：
　　　　〃Dan；　if　you　wanted　to　embarrass　the　Provisionals'　leadership　politically；　how　and　where　would　you　do　it？〃

　　　　〃Hello；　this　is　Doctor　Ryan。〃
　　　　〃This　is　Bernice　Wilson　at　Johns　Hopkins。　Your　wife　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　she's　in　an　emergency　procedure　and　she'll　be　about　a　half　hour　late　tonight。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　thank　you。〃　Jack　replaced　the　phone。　Mondays；　he　told　himself。　He　went　back　to　discussing　the　term　paper　projects　with　his　two　mids。　His　desk　clock　said　four　in　the　afternoon。　Well；　there　was　no　hurry；　was　there？

　　　　The　watch　changed　at　Gate　Three。　The　civilian　guard　was　named　Bob　Riggs。　He　was　a　retired　Navy　chief　master　at　arms；　past　fifty；　with　a　beer　belly　that　made　it　hard　for　him　to　see　his　shoes。　The　cold　affected　him　badly；　and　he　spent　as　much　time　as　possible　in　the　guardhouse。　He　didn't　see　a　man　in　his　late　twenties　approach　the　opposite　corner　and　disappear　into　a　doorway。　Neither　did　Sergeant　Tom　Cummings　of　the　Marine　guard　force；　who　was　checking　some　paperwork　just　after　relieving　the　previous　watch…stander。　The　Academy　was　good　duty　for　the　young　Marine　NCO。　There　were　a　score　of　good　saloons　within　easy　walking　distance；　and　plenty　of　unattached　womenfolk　to　be　sampled；　but　the　duty　at　Annapolis　was　pretty　boring　when　you　got　down　to　it；　and　Cummings　was　young　enough　to　crave　some　action。　It　had　been　a　typical　Monday。　The　previous　guard　had　issued　three　parking　citations。　He　was　already　yawning。
　　　　Fifty　feet　away；　an　elderly　lady　approached　the　entrance　to　the　apartment　building。　She　was　surprised　to　see　a　handsome　young　man　there　and　dropped　her　shopping　bag　while　fumbling　for　her　key。
　　　　〃Can　I　help　you　with　that；　now？〃　he　asked　politely。　His　accent　made　him　sound　different；　but　rather　kind；　the　lady　thought。　He　held　the　bag　while　she　unlocked　the　door。
　　　　〃I'm　afraid　I'm　a　little　early　　waiting　to　meet　my　young　lady；　you　see；〃　he　explained　with　a　charming　smile。　〃I'm　sorry　if　I　startled　you；　ma'am　　just　trying　to　keep　out　of　this　bitter　wind。〃　
　　　　〃Would　you　like　to　wait　inside　the　door？〃　she　offered。
　　　　〃That's　very　kind　indeed；　ma'am；　but　no。　I　might　miss　her　and　it's　a　bit　of　a　surprise；　you　see。　Good　day　to　you。〃　His　hand　relaxed　around　the　knife　in　his　coat　pocket。

　　　　Sergeant　Cummings　finished　going　over　the　papers　and　walked　outside。　He　noticed　the　man　in　the　doorway　for　the　first　time。　Looked　like　he　was　waiting　for　someone；　the　Sergeant　judged；　and　trying　to　keep　out　of　the　cold　north　wind。　That　seemed　sensible　enough。　The　Sergeant　checked　his　watch。　Four…fifteen。

　　　　〃I　think　that　does　it；〃　Bernie　Katz　said。
　　　　〃We　did　it；〃　Cathy　Ryan　agreed。　There　were　smiles　all　around　the　OR。　It　had　taken　over　five　hours；　but　the　youngster's　eye　was　back　together。　He　might　need　another　operation；　and　certainly　he'd　wear　glasses　for　the　rest　of　his　life；　but　that　was　better　than　having　only　one　eye。
　　　　〃For　somebody　who　hasn't　done　one　of　these　in　four　months；　not　bad；　Cath。　This　kid　will　have　both　his　eyes。　You　want　to　tell　the　family？　I　have　to　go　to　the　john。〃
　　　　The　boy's　mother　was　waiting　exactly　where　the　Jeffers　family　had　been；　the　same　look　of　anxiety　on　her　face。　Beside　her　was　someone　with　a　camera。
　　　　〃We　saved　the　eye；〃　Cathy　said　at　once。　After　she　sat　down　beside　the　woman；　the　photographer　　he　said　he　was　from　the　Baltimore　Sun　　fired　away　with　his　Nikon　for　several　minutes。　The　surgeon　explained　the　procedure　to　the　mother　for　several　minutes；　trying　to　calm　her　down。　It　wasn't　easy；　but　Cathy'd　had　lots　of　practice。
　　　　Finally　someone　from　Social　Services　arrived；　and　Cathy　was　able　to　head　for　the　locker　room。　She　pulled　off　her　greens；　tossing　them　in　the　hamper。　Bernie　Katz　was　sitting　on　the　bench；　rubbing　his　neck。
　　　　〃I　could　use　some　of　that　myself；〃　Cathy　observed。　She　stood　there　in　her　Gucci　underwear　and　stretched。　Katz　turned　to　admire　the　view。
　　　　〃Getting　pretty　big；　Cath。　How's　the　back？〃
　　　　〃Stiff。　Just　like　it　was　with　Sally。　Avert　your　gaze。　Doctor；　you're　a　married　man。〃　
　　　　〃Can　I　help　it　if　pregnant　women　look　sexy？〃　
　　　　〃I'm　glad　I　look　it；　'cause　I　sure　as　hell　don't　feel　like　it　at　the　moment。〃　She　dropped　to　the　bench　in　front　of　her　locker。　〃I　didn't　think　we　could　do　that　one；　Bernie。〃　　　　　〃We　were　lucky；〃　Katz　admitted。　〃Fortunately　the　dear　Lord　looks　after　fools；　drunks；　and　little　children。　Some　of　the　time；　anyway。〃
　　　　Cathy　pulled　open　the　locker。　In　the　mirror　she　had　inside；　she　saw　that　her　hair　did　indeed　look　like　the　Medusa's。　She　made　a　face　at　herself。　〃I　need　another　vacation。〃　
　　　　〃But　you　just　had　one；〃　Katz　observed。
　　　　〃Right；〃　Dr。　Ryan　snorted。　She　slid　her　legs　into　her　pants　and　reached　for　her　blouse。
　　　　〃And　when　that　fetus　decides　to　bee　a　baby；　you'll　have　another。〃
　　　　The　jacket　came；　next。　〃Bernie；　if　you　were　in　OB；　your　patients　would　kill　you　for　that　sort　of　crap。〃　
　　　　〃What　a　loss　to　medicine　that　would　be；〃　Katz　thought　aloud。　
　　　　Cathy　laughed。　〃Nice　job；　Bern。　Kiss　Annie　for　me。〃　
　　　　〃Sure；　and　you　take　it　a　little　easy；　eh；　or　I'll　tell　Madge　North　to　e　after　you。〃
　　　　〃I　see　her　Friday；　Bernie。　She　says　I'm　doing　fine。〃　Cathy　breezed　out　the　door。　She　waved　to　her　nurses；　plimenting　them　yet　again　for　a　superb　job　in　the　OR。　The　elevator　was　next。　Already　she　had　her　car　keys　in　her　hand。
　　　　The　green　Porsche　was　waiting　for　her。　Cathy　unlocked　the　door　and　tossed　her　bag　in　the　back　before　settling　in　the　driver's　seat。　The　six…cylinder　engine　started　in　an　instant。　The　tachymeter　needle　swung　upward　to　the　idle　setting。　She　let　the　engine　warm　up　for　a　minute　while　she　buckled　her　seat　belt　and　slipped　off　the　parking　brake。