tc.patriotgames-第82部分

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　　　　〃Let's　see　the　graph。〃
　　　　Jack　unfolded　it　from　the　back　of　the　binder。　〃Every　three　months；　mostly；　the　occupancy　rate　picks　up。〃
　　　　Cantor　frowned　at　the　graph　for　a　moment。　Then　he　flipped　through　the　photographs。　On　only　one　of　the　dates　did　they　have　a　daylight　photo　that　showed　anything。　Each　of　the　camps　had　what　looked　like　a　shooting　range。　In　the　photo　Cantor　selected；　there　were　three　men　standing　near　it。　
　　　　〃You　might　have　something；　Jack。〃　
　　　　〃What？〃　Ryan　had　looked　at　the　photo　and　made　nothing　of　it。　
　　　　〃What's　the　distinguishing　feature　of　the　ULA？〃　
　　　　〃Their　professionalism；〃　Ryan　answered。
　　　　〃Your　last　paper　on　them　said　they　were　more　militarily　organized　than　some　of　the　others；　remember？　Every　one　of　them；　as　far　as　we　can　tell；　is　skilled　with　weapons。〃　
　　　　〃So？〃
　　　　〃Think！〃　Cantor　snapped。　Ryan　gave　him　a　blank　look。　〃Periodic　weapons…refresher　training；　maybe？〃　
　　　　〃Oh。　I　hadn't　thought　of　that。　How　e　nobody　ever　〃　
　　　　〃Do　you　know　how　many　satellite　photos　e　through　here？　I　can't　say　exactly；　but　you　may　safely　assume　that　it's　a　fairly　large　number；　thousands　per　month。　Figure　it　takes　a　minimum　of　five　minutes　to　examine　each　one。　Mostly　we're　interested　in　the　Russians　　missile　silos；　factories；　troop　movements；　tank　parks；　you　name　it。　That's　where　most　of　the　analytical　talent　goes；　and　they　can't　keep　up　with　what　es　in。　The　guys　we　have　on　this　stuff　here　are　technicians；　not　analysts。〃　Cantor　paused。　〃Camp　…18　looks　interesting　enough　that　we　might　try　to　figure　a　way　to　check　it　out；　see　who　really　lives　there。　Not　bad。〃

　　　　〃He's　violated　security；〃　Kevin　O'Donnell　said　by　way　of　greeting。　He　was　quiet　enough　that　no　one　in　the　noisy　pub　would　have　heard　him。
　　　　〃Perhaps　this　is　worth　it；〃　Cooley　replied。　〃Instructions？〃　
　　　　〃When　are　you　going　back？〃　
　　　　〃Tomorrow　morning；　the　early　flight。〃
　　　　O'Donnell　nodded；　finishing　off　his　drink。　He　left　the　pub　and　walked　directly　to　his　car。　Twenty　minutes　later　he　was　home。　Ten　minutes　after　that；　his　operations　and　intelligence　chiefs　were　in　his　study。
　　　　〃Sean；　how　did　you　like　working　with　Alex's　organization？〃　
　　　　〃They're　like　us；　small　but　professional。　Alex　is　a　very　thorough　technician；　but　an　arrogant　one。　He　hasn't　had　a　great　deal　of　formal　training。　He's　clever；　very　clever。　And　he's　hungry；　as　they　say　over　there。　He　wants　to　make　his　mark。〃　
　　　　〃Well；　he　may　just　have　his　chance　next　summer。〃　O'Donnell　paused；　holding　up　the　letter　Cooley　had　delivered。　〃It　would　seem　that　His　Royal　Highness　will　be　visiting　America　next　summer。　The　Treasure　Houses　exhibit　was　such　a　success　that　they　are　going　to　stage　another　one。　Nearly　ninety　percent　of　the　works　of　Leonardo　Da　Vinci　belong　to　the　Royal　Family；　and　they'll　be　sending　them　over　to　raise　money　for　some　favored　charities。　The　show　opens　in　Washington　on　August　the　first；　and　the　Prince　of　Wales　will　be　going　over　to　start　things　off。　This　will　not　be　announced　until　July；　but　here　is　his　itinerary；　including　the　proposed　security　arrangements。　It　is　as　yet　undecided　whether　or　not　his　lovely　bride　will　acpany　His　Highness；　but　we　will　proceed　on　the　assumption　that　she　will。〃　
　　　　〃The　child？〃　Miller　asked。
　　　　〃I　rather　suspect　not；　but　we　will　allow　for　that　possibility　also。〃　He　handed　the　letter　to　Michael　McKenney。　The　intelligence　officer　for　the　ULA　skimmed　over　the　data。
　　　　〃The　security　at　the　official　functions　will　be　airtight。　The　Americans　have　had　a　number　of　incidents；　and　they've　learned　from　each　of　them；〃　McKenney　said。　Like　all　intelligence　officers；　he　saw　his　potential　opponents　as　overwhelmingly　powerful。　〃But　if　they　go　forward　with　this　one　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　O'Donnell　said。　〃I　want　you　two　to　work　together　on　this。　We　have　plenty　of　time　and　we'll　use　all　of　it。〃　He　took　the　letter　back　and　reread　it　before　giving　it　to　Miller。　After　they　left；　he　wrote　his　instructions　for　their　agent　in　London。

　　　　At　the　airport　the　next　morning　Cooley　saw　his　contact　and　walked　into　the　coffee　shop。　He　was　early　for　his　flight；　seasoned　traveler　that　he　was；　and　had　a　cup　while　he　waited　for　it　to　be　announced。　Finished；　he　walked　outside。　His　contact　was　just　walking　in。　The　two　men　brushed　by　each　other；　and　the　message　was　passed；　just　as　was　taught　in　every　spy　school　in　the　world。

　　　　〃He　does　travel　about　a　good　deal；〃　Ashley　observed。　It　had　taken　Owens'　detectives　less　than　an　hour　to　find　Cooley's　travel　agent　and　to　get　a　record　of　his　trips　for　the　past　three　years。　Another　pair　was　assembling　a　biographical　file　on　the　man。　It　was　strictly　routine　work。　Owens　and　his　men　knew　better　than　to　get　excited　about　a　new　lead。　Enthusiasm　all　too　easily　got　in　the　way　of　objectivity。　His　car　　parked　at　Gatwick　Airport　　had　considerable　mileage　on　the　clock　for　its　age；　and　that　was　explained　by　his　motoring　about　buying　books。　This　was　the　extent　of　the　data　assembled　in　eighteen　hours。　They　would　patiently　wait　for　more。　
　　　　〃How　often　does　he　travel　to　Ireland？〃
　　　　〃Quite　frequently；　but　he　does　business　in　English…language　books；　and　we　are　the　only　two　countries　in　Europe　that　speak　English；　aren't　we？〃　Ashley；　too；　was　able　to　control　himself。　
　　　　〃America？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃Once　a　year；　looks　like。　I　rather　suspect　it's　to　an　annual　trade　show。　I　can　check　that　myself。〃　
　　　　〃They　speak　English；　too。〃
　　　　Ashley　grinned。　〃Shakespeare　didn't　live　or　print　books　there。　There　aren't　many　examples　of　American　publishing　old　enough　to　excite　a　person　like　Cooley。　What　he　might　do　is　buy　up　books　of　ours　that　have　found　their　way　across　the　water；　but　more　likely　he's　looking　for　buyers。　No；　Ireland　fits　beautifully　with　his　cover　　excuse　me；　if　it　is　that。　My　own　dealer；　Samuel　Pickett　and　Sons；　travel　there　often　also　。　。　。　but　not　as　much；　I　should　think；〃　he　added。
　　　　〃Perhaps　his　biography　will　tell　us　something；〃　Owens　noted。
　　　　〃One　can　hope。〃　Ashley　was　looking　for　a　light　at　the　end　of　this　tunnel；　but　saw　only　more　tunnel。

　　　　〃It's　okay；　Jack；〃　Cathy　said。
　　　　He　nodded。　Ryan　knew　that　his　wife　was　right。　The　nurse…practitioner　had　positively　beamed　at　the　news　she　gave　them　on　their　arrival。　Sally　was　bouncing　back　like　any　healthy　child　should。　The　healing　process　had　already　begun。
　　　　Yet　there　was　a　difference　between　the　knowledge　of　the　mind　and　the　knowledge　of　the　heart。　Sally　had　been　awake　this　time。　She　was　unable　to　speak；　of　course；　with　the　respirator　hose　in　her　mouth；　but　the　murmurs　that　tried　to　e　out　could　only　have　meant：　It　hurts。　The　injuries　inflicted　on　the　body　of　his　child　did　not　appear　any　less　horrific；　despite　his　knowledge　that　they　would　heal。　If　anything　they　seemed　worse　now　that　she　was　occasionally　conscious。　The　pain　would　eventually　go　away　　but　his　little　girl　was　in　pain　now。　Cathy　might　be　able　to　tell　herself　that　only　the　living　could　feel　pain；　that　it　was　a　positive　sign　for　all　the　disfort　it　gave。　Jack　could　not。　They　stayed　until　she　dozed　off　again。　He　took　his　wife　outside。　
　　　　〃How　are　you？〃　he　asked　her。
　　　　〃Better。　You　can　take　me　home　tomorrow　night。〃　
　　　　Jack　shook　his　head。　He　hadn't　thought　about　that。　Stupid；　Ryan　told　himself。　Somehow　he'd　assumed　that　Cathy　would　stay　here；　close　to　Sally。
　　　　〃The　house　is　pretty　empty　without　you；　babe；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。
　　　　〃It'll　be　empty　without　her；〃　his　wife　answered；　and　the　tears　started　again。　She　buried　her　face　in　her　husband's　shoulder。　〃She's　so　little　。　。　。　〃
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　Jack　thought　of　Sally's　face；　the　two　little　blue　eyes　surrounded　by　a　sea　of　bruises；　the　hurt　there；　the　pain　there。　〃She's　going　to　get　better；　honey；　and　I　don't　want　to　hear　any　more　of　that　'it's　my　fault'　crap。〃　
　　　　〃But　it　is！〃
　　　　〃No；　it　isn't。　Do　you　know　how　lucky　I　am　to　have　you　both　alive？　I　saw　the　FBI's　data　today。　If　you　hadn't　stomped　on　the　brakes　when　you　did；　you'd　both　be　dead。〃　The　supposition　was　that　this　had　thrown　off　Miller's　aim　by　a　few　inches。　At　least　two　rounds　had　missed　Cathy's　head　by　a　whisker；　the　forensic　experts　said。　Jack　could　close　his　eyes　and　recite　that　information　word　for　word。　〃You　saved　her　life　and　yours　by　being　smart。〃　
　　　　It　took　Cathy　a　moment　to　react。　〃How　did　you　find　that　out？〃　
　　　　〃CIA。　They're　cooperating　with　the　police。　I　asked　to　be　part　of　the　team　and　they　let　me　join　up。〃　
　　　　〃But　〃
　　　　〃A　lot　of　people　are　working　on　this；　babe。　I'm　one　of　them；〃　Jack　said　quietly。　〃The　only　thing　that　matters　now　is　finding　them。〃　
　　　　〃Do　you　think　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃Yeah；　I　do。〃　Sooner　or　later。

　　　　Bill　Shaw　had　no　such　hopes　at　the　moment。　The　best　potential　lead　they　had　was　the　identity　of　the　black　man　who'd　driven　the　van。　This　was　being　kept　out　of　the　media。　As　far　as　the　TV　and　newspapers　were　concerned；　all　the　suspects　were　white。　The　FBI　hadn't　so　much　lied　to　the　press　as　allowed　them　to　draw　a　false　conclusion　from　the　partial　data　that　had　been　released　　as　happened　frequently　enough。　It　might　keep　the　suspect　from　being　spooked。　The　only　person　who'd　seen　him　at　close　range　was　the　7…Eleven　clerk。　She　had　spent　several　hours　going　over　pictures　of　blacks　thought　to　be　members　of　revolutionary　groups　and　e　up　with　three　pos