rl.thebourneultimatum-第33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！


ton　rum；　and　some　highly　erotic　skinny…dipping　in　the　pool。　Damn　Alex！　Double　damn　the　son…of…a…bitch　bachelor　who　could　only　respond　to　the　event　of　a　wedding　anniversary　by　saying；　〃What　the　hell？　You　made　the　year；　so　what's　a　day　count？　Get　your　jollies　tomorrow；　I　need　you　tonight。〃
　So　he　had　lied　to　his　wife；　the　former　head　nurse　at　Mass。　General。　He　told　her　that　a　patient's　life　was　in　the　balance…it　was；　but　it　had　already　tipped　the　wrong　way。　She　had　replied　that　perhaps　her　next　husband　would　be　more　considerate　of　her　life；　but　her　sad　smile　and　her　understanding　eyes　denied　her　words。　She　knew　death。　Hurry；　my　darling！
　Jax　turned　off　the　engine；　grabbed　his　medical　bag　and　got　out　of　the　car。　He　walked　around　the　hood　as　the　front　door　opened　and　a　tall　man　in　what　appeared　to　be　dark　skintight　clothing　stood　silhouetted　in　the　frame。　〃I'm　your　doctor；〃　said　Ivan；　walking　up　the　steps。　〃Our　mutual　friend　didn't　give　me　your　name；　but　I　guess　I'm　not　supposed　to　have　it。〃
　〃I　guess　not；〃　agreed　Bourne；　extending　a　hand　in　a　surgical　glove　as　Jax　approached。
　〃And　I　guess　we're　both　right；〃　said　Jax；　shaking　hands　with　the　stranger。　〃The　mitt　you're　wearing　is　pretty　familiar　to　me。〃
　〃Our　mutual　friend　didn't　tell　me　you　were　black。〃
　〃Is　that　a　problem　for　you？〃
　〃Good　Christ；　no。　I　like　our　friend　even　more。　It　probably　never　occurred　to　him　to　say　anything。〃
　〃I　think　we'll　get　along。　Let's　go；　no…name。〃
　Bourne　stood　ten　feet　to　the　right　of　the　desk　as　Jax　swiftly；　expertly　tended　to　the　corpse；　mercifully　wrapping　the　head　in　gauze。　Without　explaining；　he　had　cut　away　sections　of　the　general's　clothing；　examining　those　parts　of　the　body　beneath　the　fabric。　Finally；　he　carefully　rolled　the　hooded　body　off　the　chair　and　onto　the　floor。　〃Are　you　finished　in　here？〃　he　asked；　looking　over　at　Jason。
　〃I've　swept　it　clean；　Doctor；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃
　〃It　usually　is。　。。。　I　want　this　room　sealed。　No　one's　to　enter　it　after　we　leave　until　our　mutual　friend　gives　the　word。〃
　〃I　certainly　can't　guarantee　that；〃　said　Bourne。
　〃Then　he'll　have　to。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Your　general　didn't　mit　suicide；　no…name。　He　was　murdered。〃
　
　12
　〃The　woman；〃　said　Alex　Conklin　over　the　line。　〃From　everything　you　told　me　it　had　to　be　Swayne's　wife。　Jesus！〃
　〃It　doesn't　change　anything；　but　it　looks　that　way；〃　agreed　Bourne　halfheartedly。　〃She　had　reason　enough　to　do　it；　God　knows…still；　if　she　did；　she　didn't　tell　Flannagan；　and　that　doesn't　make　sense。〃
　〃No；　it　doesn't。　。。。　Conklin　paused；　then　spoke　quickly。　〃Let　me　talk　to　Ivan。〃
　〃Ivan？　Your　doctor？　His　name　is　Ivan？〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Nothing。　He's　outside。　。。。　'packing　the　merchandise'　was　the　way　he　put　it。〃
　〃In　his　wagon？〃
　〃That's　right。　We　carried　the　body…〃
　〃What　makes　him　so　sure　it　wasn't　suicide？〃　broke　in　Alex。
　〃Swayne　was　drugged。　He　said　he'd　call　you　later　and　explain。　He　wants　to　get　out　of　here　and　no　one's　to　e　into　this　room　after　we　leave…after　I　leave…until　you　give　the　word　for　the　police。　He'll　tell　you　that；　too。〃
　〃Christ；　it　must　be　a　mess　in　there。〃
　〃It's　not　pretty。　What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Pull　the　curtains；　if　there　are　any；　check　the　windows　and；　if　possible；　lock　the　door。　If　there's　no　way　to　lock　it；　look　around　for…〃
　〃I　found　a　set　of　keys　in　Swayne's　pocket；〃　interrupted　Jason。　〃I　checked；　one　of　them　fits。〃
　〃Good。　When　you　leave；　wipe　the　door　down　clean。　Find　some　furniture　polish　or　a　dusting　spray。〃
　〃That's　not　going　to　keep　out　anyone　who　wants　to　get　in。〃
　〃No；　but　if　someone　does；　we　might　pick　up　a　print。〃
　〃You're　reaching…〃
　〃I　certainly　am；〃　concurred　the　former　intelligence　officer。　〃I've　also　got　to　figure　out　a　way　to　seal　up　the　whole　place　without　using　anybody　from　Langley；　and；　not　incidentally；　keep　the　Pentagon　at　bay　just　in　case　someone　among　those　twenty…odd　thousand　people　wants　to　reach　Swayne；　and　that　includes　his　office　and　probably　a　couple　of　hundred　buyers　and　sellers　a　day　in　procurements。。。。　Christ；　it's　impossible！〃
　〃It's　perfect；〃　contradicted　Bourne　as　Dr。　Ivan　Jax　suddenly　appeared　in　the　doorway。　〃Our　little　game　of　destabilization　will　start　right　here　on　the　'farm。'　Do　you　have　Cactus's　number？〃
　〃Not　with　me。　I　think　it's　probably　in　a　shoebox　at　home。〃
　〃Call　Mo　Panov；　he's　got　it。　Then　reach　Cactus　and　tell　him　to　get　to　a　pay　phone　and　call　me　here。〃
　〃What　the　hell　have　you　got　in　mind？　I　hear　that　old　man's　name；　I　get　nervous。〃
　〃You　told　me　I　had　to　find　someone　else　to　trust　besides　you。　I　just　did。　Reach　him；　Alex。〃　Jason　hung　up　the　telephone。　〃I'm　sorry；　Doctor　。。。　or　maybe　under　the　circumstances　I　can　use　your　name。　Hello；　Ivan。〃
　〃Hello；　no…name；　which　is　the　way　I'd　like　to　keep　it　on　my　end。　Especially　when　I　just　heard　you　say　another　name。〃
　〃Alex？　。。。　No；　of　course　it　wasn't　Alex；　not　our　mutual　friend。〃　Bourne　laughed　quietly；　knowingly；　as　he　walked　away　from　the　desk。　〃It　was　Cactus；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃I　just　came　in　to　ask　you　if　you　wanted　me　to　close　the　gates；〃　said　Jax；　bypassing　the　question。
　〃Would　you　be　offended　if　I　told　you　that　I　didn't　think　of　him　until　I　saw　you　just　now？〃
　〃Certain　associations　are　fairly　obvious。　The　gates；　please？〃
　〃Do　you　owe　Cactus　as　much　as　I　do；　Doctor？〃　Jason　held　his　place；　looking　at　the　Jamaican。
　〃I　owe　him　so　much　that　I　could　never　think　of　promising　him　in　a　situation　like　tonight。　For　God's　sake；　he's　an　old　man；　and　no　matter　what　deviant　conclusions　Langley　wants　to　e　up　with；　tonight　was　murder；　a　particularly　brutal　killing。　No；　I　wouldn't　involve　him。〃
　〃You're　not　me。　You　see；　I　have　to。　He'd　never　forgive　me　if　I　didn't。〃
　〃You　don't　think　much　of　yourself；　do　you？〃
　〃Please　close　the　gates；　Doctor。　There's　an　alarm　panel　in　the　hallway　I　can　activate　when　they're　shut。〃
　Jax　hesitated；　as　if　unsure　of　what　he　wanted　to　say。　〃Listen；〃　he　began　haltingly；　〃most　sane　people　have　reasons　for　saying　things…doing　things。　My　guess　is　you're　sane。　Call　Alex　if　you　need　me…if　old　Cactus　needs　me。〃　The　doctor　left；　rushing　out　the　door。
　Bourne　turned　and　glanced　around　the　room。　Since　Flannagan　and　Rachel　Swayne　had　left　nearly　three　hours　ago；　he　had　searched　every　foot　of　the　general's　study；　as　well　as　the　dead　soldier's　separate　bedroom　on　the　second　floor。　He　had　placed　the　items　he　intended　to　take　on　the　brass　coffee　table；　he　studied　them　now。　There　were　three　brown　leather…bound　covers；　each　equal　in　size；　each　holding　inserted　spiral…bound　pages；　they　were　a　desk　set。　The　first　was　an　appointments　calendar；　the　second；　a　personal　telephone　book　in　which　the　names　and　numbers　were　entered　in　ink；　the　last　was　an　expense　diary；　barely　touched。　Along　with　these　were　eleven　office　messages　of　the　telephone　notepad　variety；　which　Jason　found　in　Swayne's　pockets；　a　golf…club　scorecard　and　several　memoranda　written　at　the　Pentagon。　Finally；　there　was　the　general's　wallet　containing　a　profusion　of　impressive　credentials　and　very　little　money。　Bourne　would　turn　everything　over　to　Alex　and　hope　further　leads　would　be　found；　but　as　far　as　he　could　determine；　he　had　turned　up　nothing　startling；　nothing　dramatically　relevant　to　the　modern　Medusa。　And　that　bothered　him；　there　had　to　be　something。　This　was　the　old　soldier's　home；　his　sanctum　sanctorum　inside　that　home…something！　He　knew　it；　he　felt　it；　but　he　could　not　find　it。　So　he　started　again；　not　foot　by　foot　now；　instead；　inch　by　inch。
　Fourteen　minutes　later；　as　he　was　removing　and　turning　over　the　photographs　on　the　wall　behind　the　desk；　the　wall　to　the　right　of　the　cushioned　bay　window　that　overlooked　the　lawn　outside；　he　recalled　Conklin's　words　about　checking　the　windows　and　the　curtains　so　that　no　one　could　enter　or　observe　the　scene　inside。
　Christ；　it　must　be　a　mess　in　there。
　It's　not　very　pleasant。
　It　wasn't。　The　panes　of　the　central　bay　window　frame　were　splattered　with　blood　and　membrane。　And　the　。。。　the　small　brass　latch？　Not　only　was　it　free　from　its　catch；　the　window　itself　was　open…barely　open；　but　nevertheless　it　was　open。　Bourne　knelt　on　the　cushioned　seat　and　looked　closely　at　the　shiny　brass　fixture　and　the　surrounding　panes　of　glass。　There　were　smudges　among　the　rivulets　of　dried　blood　and　tissue；　coarse　pressings　on　the　stains　that　appeared　to　widen　and　thin　them　out　into　irregular　shapes。　Then　below　the　sill　he　saw　what　kept　the　window　from　closing。　The　end　of　the　left　drape　had　been　drawn　out；　a　small　piece　of　its　tasseled　fabric　wedged　beneath　the　lower　window　frame。　Jason　stepped　back　bewildered　but　not　really　surprised。　This　was　what　he　had　been　looking　for；　the　missing　piece　in　the　plex　puzzle　that　was　the　death　of　Norman　Swayne。
　Someone　had　climbed　out　that　window　after　the　shot　that　blew　the　general's　skull　apart。　Someone　who　could　not　risk　being　seen　going　through　the　front　hall　or　out；　the　front　door。　Someone　who　knew　the　house　and　the　grounds　。。。　and　the　dogs。　A　brutal　killer　from　Medusa。　Goddamn　it！
　Who？　Who　had　been　here？　Flannagan　。。。　Swayne's　wife！　They　would　know；　they　had　to　know！　Bourne　lurched　for　the　telephone　on　the　desk；　it　began　ringing　before　his　hand　touched　it。
　〃Alex？〃
　〃No；　Br'er　Rabbit；　it's　just　an　old　friend；　and　I　didn't　realize　we　were　so　free　with　names。〃
　〃We're　not；　we　shouldn't　be；〃　said　Jason　rapidly；　imposing　a　control　on　himself　he　could　barely　exercise。　〃Something　happened　a　moment　ago…I　found　something。〃
　〃Calm　down；　boy。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　〃I　need　you…out　here　where　I　am。　Are　you　free？〃
　〃Well；　let's　see。〃　Cactus　chuckled　as　he　spoke。　〃There　are　several　board　meetings　I　should　rightfully　attend；　and　the　White　House　wants　me　for　a　power　breakfast。　。。。　When　and　where；　Br'er　Rabbit？〃
　〃Not　alone；　old　friend。　I　want　three　or　four　others　with　you。　Is　that　possible？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　What　did　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃That　fellow　who　drove　me　into　town　after　I　saw　you。　Are　there　any　other　like…minded　citizens　in　the　neighborhood？〃
　〃Most　are　doin'　time；　frankly；　but　I　suppose　I　could　dig　around　the　refuse　and　pull　up　a　few。　What　for？〃
　〃Guard　duty。　It's　pretty　simple　really。　You'll　be　on　the　phone　and　they'll　be　behind　locked　gates　telling　people　that　it's　private　property；　that　visitors　aren't　wele。　E