rl.thebourneidentity-第36部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
rry。'
She turned and walked rapidly back to the gate。 She had seen what she wanted to see; the last fragment of evidence。 A single button was lighted on d'Amacourt's telephone; he had bypassed his secretary and was making an outside call。 The account belonging to Jason Bourne had specific; confidential instructions attached to it which were not to be revealed to the account holder。
Bourne looked at his watch in the shade of the canopy; it was eleven minutes to three。 Marie would be back by the telephone at the front of the bank; a pair of eyes inside。 The next few minutes would give them the answer; perhaps she already knew it。
He edged his way to the left side of the shop window; keeping the bank's entrance in view。 A clerk inside smiled at him; reminding him that all attention should be avoided。 He pulled out a packet of cigarettes; lit one and looked at his watch again。 Eight minutes to three。
And then he saw them。 Him。 Three well…dressed men walking rapidly up rue Madeleine; talking to one another; their eyes; however; directed straight ahead。 They passed the slower pedestrians in front of them; excusing themselves with a courtesy that was not entirely Parisian。 Jason concentrated on the man in the middle。 It was him。 A man named Johann!
Signal Johann to go inside。 We'll e back for them。 A tall gaunt man wearing gold…rimmed spectacles had said the words in the Steppdeckstrasse。 Johann。 They had sent him here from Zurich; he had seen Jason Bourne。 And that told him something: There were no photographs。
The three men reached the entrance。 Johann and the man on his right went inside; the third man stayed by the door。 Bourne started back to the telephone box; he would wait four minutes and place his last call to Antoine d'Amacourt。
He dropped his cigarette outside the box; crushed it under his foot; and opened the door。
'Regarded' A voice came from behind。
Jason spun around; holding his breath。 A nondescript man with a stubble of a beard pointed at the box。 'Pardon?'
'Le telephone。 II n'opere pas。 La corde est en noeud。'
'Oh? Merci。 Maintenant; fessayerais。 Merci bien。'
The man shrugged and left Bourne stepped inside; the four minutes were up。 He took the coins from his pocket … enough for two calls … and dialled the first。
'La Banque de Valois。 Bonjaur。'
Ten seconds later d'Amacourt was on the phone; his voice strained。 'It is you; Monsieur Bourne? I thought you to say you were on your way to my office。'
'A change of plans; I'm afraid。 I'll have to call you tomorrow。' Suddenly; through the glass panel of the booth; Jason saw a car swing into a space across the street in front of the bank。 The third man who was standing by the entrance nodded to the driver。
'。。。 I can do?' d'Amacourt had asked a question。
'I beg your pardon?'
'I asked if there was anything I can do。 I have your account; everything is in readiness for you here。〃
I'm sure it is; Bourne thought; the ploy was worth a try。 'Look; I have to get over to London this afternoon。 I'm taking one of the shuttle flights; but I'll be back tomorrow。 Keep everything with you; all right?〃
To London; Monsieur?'
'I'll call you tomorrow。 I have to find a cab to Orly。' He hung up and watched the entrance of the bank。 In less than half a minute; Johann and his panion came running out; they spoke to the third man; then all three climbed into the waiting car。
The killers' escape car was still in the hunt; on its way now to Orly Airport。 Jason memorized the number on the licence plate; then dialled his second call。 If the pay phone in the bank was not in use; Marie would pick it up before the ring had barely started。 She did。
'Yes?'
'See anything?'
'A great deal。 D'Amacourt's your man。'
They moved about the shop; going from counter to counter。 Marie; however; remained near the wide front window keeping a perpetual eye on the entrance of the bank across rue Madeleine。
'I picked out two scarves for you;' said Bourne。
'You shouldn't have;' answered Marie。 〃The prices are far too high。'
'It's almost four o'clock。 If he hasn't e out by now; he won't until the end of office hours。'
'Probably not。 If he were going to meet someone; he would have done so by now。 But we had to know。'
Take my word for it; his friends are at Orly; running from shuttle to shuttle。 There's no way they can tell whether I'm on one or not; because they don't know what name I'm using。'
They'll depend on the man from Zurich to recognize you。'
'He's looking for a dark…haired man with a limp; not me。 e on; let's go into the bank。 You can point out d'Amacourt。'
'We can't do that;〃 said Marie; shaking her head。 'The cameras on the ceilings have wide…angle lenses。 If they ran the tapes they could spot you。'
'A blond…haired man with glasses?'
'Or me。 I was there; the receptionist or his secretary could identify me。〃
'You're saying it's a regular cabal in there。 I doubt it'
They could think up any number of reasons to run the tapes。' Marie stopped; she clutched Jason's arm; her eyes on the bank beyond the window。 'There he is! The one in the overcoat with the black velvet collar; d'Amacourt。'
'Pulling at his sleeves?'
'Yes。'
'I've got him。 I'll see you back at the hotel。'
'Be careful。 Be very careful。'
'Pay for the scarves; they're at the counter at the back。'
Jason left the store; wincing in the sunlight beyond the canopy; looking for a break in the traffic so he could cross the street; there was none。 D'Amacourt had turned right and was strolling casually; he was not a man in a rush to meet anyone。 Instead; there was the air of a slightly squashed peacock about him。
Bourne reached the corner and crossed with the light; falling behind the banker。 D'Amacourt stopped at a news…stand to buy an evening paper。 Jason held his place in front of a sporting goods shop; then followed as the banker continued down the block。
Ahead was a cafe; windows dark; entrance heavy wood; thick hardware on the door。 It took no imagination to picture the inside; it was a drinking place for men; and for women brought with men other men would not discuss。 It was as good a spot as any for a quiet discussion with Antoine d'Amacourt。 Jason walked faster; falling in stride beside the banker。 He spoke in the awkward; anglicised French he had used on the phone。
'Bonjour; monsieur。 Je。。。 pense que vous。。。 etes Monsieur d'Amacourt。 I'd say I was right; wouldn't you?'
The banker stopped。 His cold eyes were frightened; remembering。 The peacock shrivelled further into his tailored overcoat。 'Bourne?' he whispered。
'Your friends must be very confused by now。 I expect they're racing all over Orly Airport; wondering; perhaps; if you gave them the wrong information。 Perhaps on purpose。!
'What?' The frightened eyes bulged。
'Let's go inside here;' said Jason; taking d'Amacourt's arm; his grip firm。 'I think we should have a talk。'
'I know absolutely nothing! I merely followed the demands of the account。 I am not involved!'
'Sorry。 When I first talked to you; you said you wouldn't confirm the sort of bank account I was talking about on the phone; you wouldn't discuss business with someone you didn't know。 But twenty minutes later you said you had everything ready for me。 That's confirmation; isn't it? Let's go inside。'
The cafe was in some ways a miniature version of Zurich's Drei Alpenhauser。 The booths were deep; the partitions between them high and the light dim。 From there; however; the appearances veered; the cafe on rue Madeleine was totally French; carafes of wine replacing steins of beer。 Bourne asked for a booth in the corner; the waiter acmodated。 'Have a drink;' said Jason。 'You're going to need it。'
'You presume;' replied the banker coldly。 I'll have a whisky。〃
The drinks came quickly; the brief interim taken up with d'Amacourt nervously extracting a packet of cigarettes from under his form…fitting overcoat。 Bourne struck a match; holding it close to the banker's face。 Very close。
'Merci。' D'Amacourt inhaled; removed his cigarette; and swallowed half the small glass of whisky。 'I'm not the man you should talk with;' he said。
'Who is?'
'An owner of the bank; perhaps。 I don't know; but certainly not me。'
'Explain that。!
'Arrangements were made。 A privately held bank has more flexibility than a publicly owned institution with stockholders。!
'How?'
'There's greater latitude; shall we say; with regard to the demands of certain clients and sister banks。 Less scrutiny than might be applied to a pany listed on the Bourse。 The Gemeinschaft in Zurich is also a private institution。!
'The demands were made by the Gemeinschaft?'
'Requests。。。 demands。。。 yes。'
'Who owns the Valois?'
'Who? Many; a consortium。 Ten or twelve men and their families。'
Then I have to talk to you; don't I? I mean it'd be a little foolish my running all over Paris tracking them down。' 'I'm only an executive。 An employee。' D'Amacourt swallowed the rest of his drink; crushed out his cigarette and reached for another。 And the matches。
'What are the arrangements?'
'I could lose my position; Monsieur!'
'You could lose your life;' said Jason; disturbed that the words came so easily to him。
I'm not as pri