rl.thebourneultimatum-第43部分

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headed；　and　I'm　told　a　lot　of　crumbs　wouldn't　have　gone　court…free　and　others　would　be　doing　longer　jail　terms　if　he　hadn't　given　shrewd　advice　to　their　attorneys　of　record。　You　might　say　he's　a　behind…the…scenes　storefront　lawyer；　the　'stores'　in　his　case　being　saloons；　pool　halls　and　probably　warehouses。。。。　Since　I've　been　where　he's　at　in　the　booze　terrain；　he　sounds　straight　arrow　to　me。　He's　handling　it　better　than　I　ever　did。〃
　〃You　quit。〃
　〃If　I　could　have　managed　better　in　that　twilight　zone；　I　might　not　have。　There's　something　to　be　said　for　the　grape　on　many　occasions。〃
　〃What　about　his　client？〃
　〃Awesome；　and　our　once　and　former　judge　was　an　adjunct　professor　at　Harvard　Law；　where　Gates　was　a　student　in　two　of　his　classes。　No　question　about　it；　Prefontaine　knows　the　man。　。。。　Trust　him；　Jason。　There's　no　reason　for　him　to　lie。　He　was　simply　after　a　score。〃
　〃You're　following　up　on　the　client？〃
　〃With　all　the　quiet　ammunition　I　can　pull　out　of　my　personal　woodwork。　He's　our　link　to　Carlos。。　。　。　The　Medusa　connection　was　a　false　lead；　a　stupid　attempt　by　a　stupid　general　in　the　Pentagon　to　put　someone　inside　Gates's　inner　legal　circle。〃
　〃You're　sure　of　that？〃
　〃I　am　now。　Gates　is　a　highly　paid　consultant　to　a　law　firm　representing　a　megadefense　contractor　under　antitrust　scrutiny。　He　wouldn't　even　return　Swayne's　calls；　which；　if　he　did；　would　make　him　more　stupid　than　Swayne；　which　he　isn't。〃
　〃That's　your　problem；　friend；　not　mine。　If　everything　goes　the　way　I　intend　it　to　go　here；　I　don't　even　want　to　hear　about　Snake　Lady。　In　fact；　I　can't　remember　ever　having　heard　of　it。〃
　〃Thanks　for　dumping　it　in　my　lap…and　in　a　way　I　guess　I　mean　that。　Incidentally；　the　grammar…school　notebook　you　grabbed　from　the　gunslinger　in　Manassas　has　some　interesting　things　in　it。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Do　you　remember　those　three　frequent　fliers　from　the　Mayflower's　registry　who　flew　into　Philadelphia　eight　months　ago　and　just　happened　to　be　at　the　hotel　at　the　same　time　eight　months　later？〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃Their　names　are　in　Swayne's　Mickey　Mouse　loose…leaf。　They　had　nothing　to　do　with　Carlos；　they're　part　of　Medusa。　It's　a　mother　lode　of　disconnected　information。〃
　〃I'm　not　interested。　Use　it　in　good　health。〃
　〃We　will；　and　very　quietly。　That　notebook'll　be　on　the　most　wanted　list　in　a　matter　of　days。〃
　〃I'm　happy　for　you；　but　I've　got　work　to　do。〃
　〃And　you　refuse　any　help？〃
　〃Absolutely。　This　is　what　I've　been　waiting　thirteen　years　for。　It's　what　I　said　at　the　beginning；　it's　one　on　one。〃
　〃High　Noon；　you　goddamn　fool？〃
　〃No；　the　logical　extension　of　a　very　intellectual　chess　game；　the　player　with　the　better　trap　wins；　and　I've　got　that　trap　because　I'm　using　his。　He'd　smell　out　any　deviation。〃
　〃We　trained　you　too　well；　scholar。〃
　〃Thank　you　for　that。〃
　〃Good　hunting；　Delta。〃
　〃Good…bye。〃　Bourne　hung　up　the　phone　and　looked　over　at　the　two　pathetically　curious　old　men　on　the　couch。　〃You　passed　a　sleaze…factored　muster；　Judge；〃　he　said　to　Prefontaine。　〃And　you；　'Jean　Pierre；'　what　can　I　say？　My　own　wife；　who　admits　to　me　that　you　might　very　well　have　killed　her　without　the　slightest　punction；　tells　me　that　I　have　to　trust　you。　Nothing　makes　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　sense；　does　it？〃
　〃I　am　what　I　am；　and　I　did　what　I　did；〃　said　the　disgraced　attorney　with　dignity。　〃But　my　client　has　gone　too　far。　His　magisterial　persona　must　e　to　an　end　in　ashes。〃
　〃My　words　are　not　so　well　phrased　as　those　of　my　learned；　newfound　relative；〃　added　the　aged　hero　of　France。　〃But　I　know　the　killing　must　stop；　it's　what　my　woman　tried　to　tell　me。　I　am　a　hypocrite；　of　course；　for　I　am　no　stranger　to　killing；　so　I　shall　only　say　that　this　kind　of　killing　must　stop。　There　is　no　business　arrangement　here；　no　profit　in　the　kill；　only　a　sick　madman's　vengeance　that　demands　the　unnecessary　death　of　a　mother　and　her　children。　Where　is　the　profit　there？　。。。　No；　the　Jackal　has　gone　too　far。　He；　too；　must　now　be　stopped。〃
　〃That's　the　most　cold…blooded　fucking　reasoning　I've　ever　heard！〃　cried　John　St。　Jacques　by　the　window。
　〃I　thought　your　words　were　very　well　chosen；〃　said　the　former　judge　to　the　felon　from　Paris。　〃Très　bien。〃
　〃D'accord。〃
　〃And　I　think　I'm　out　of　my　mind　to　have　anything　to　do　with　either　of　you；〃　broke　in　Jason　Bourne。　〃But　right　now　I　don't　have　a　choice。　。。。　It's　eleven…thirty…five；　gentlemen。　The　clock　is　running。〃
　〃The　what？〃　asked　Prefontaine。
　〃Whatever's　going　to　happen　will　happen　during　the　next　two；　five；　ten　or　twenty…four　hours。　I'm　flying　back　to　Blackburne　Airport；　where　I'll　create　a　scene；　the　bereaved　husband　and　father　who's　gone　crazy　over　the　killing　of　his　wife　and　children。　It　won't　be　difficult　for　me；　I　assure　you；　I'll　make　a　hell　of　a　ruckus。　。。。　I'll　demand　an　immediate　flight　to　Tranquility；　and　when　I　get　here　there'll　be　three　pine　coffins　on　the　pier；　supposedly　containing　my　wife　and　children。〃
　〃Everything　as　it　should　be；〃　interrupted　the　Frenchman。　〃Bien。〃
　〃Very　bien；〃　agreed　Bourne。　〃I'll　insist　that　one　be　opened；　and　then　I'll　scream　or　collapse　or　both；　whatever　es　to　mind；　so　that　whoever's　watching　won't　forget　what　they've　seen。　St。　Jacques　here　will　have　to　control　me…be　rough；　Johnny；　be　convincing…and　finally　I'll　be　taken　up　to　another　villa；　the　one　nearest　the　steps　to　the　beach　on　the　east　path。　。。。　Then　the　waiting　begins。〃
　〃For　this　Jackal？〃　asked　the　Bostonian。　〃He'll　know　where　you　are？〃
　〃Of　course　he　will。　A　lot　of　people；　including　the　staff；　will　have　seen　where　I　was　taken。　He'll　find　out；　that's　child's　play　for　him。〃
　〃So　you　wait　for　him；　monsieur？　You　think　the　monseigneur　will　walk　into　such　a　trap？　Ridicule！'
　〃Not　at　all；　monsieur；〃　replied　Jason　calmly。　〃To　begin　with；　I　won't　be　there；　and　by　the　time　he　finds　that　out；　I'll　have　found　him。〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；　how？〃　half　shouted　St。　Jacques。
　〃Because　I'm　better　than　he　is；〃　answered　Jason　Bourne。　〃I　always　was。〃
　The　scenario　went　as　planned；　the　personnel　at　Montserrat's　Blackburne　Airport　still　smoldering　from　the　abuse　hurled　at　them　by　the　tall　hysterical　American　who　accused　them　all　of　murder；　of　allowing　his　wife　and　children　to　be　killed　by　terrorists…of　being　willing　nigger　acplices　of　filthy　killers！　Not　only　were　the　people　of　the　island　quietly　furious；　but　they　were　also　hurt。　Quiet　because　they　understood　his　anguish；　hurt　because　they　could　not　understand　how　he　could　blame　them　and　use　such　vicious　words；　words　he　had　never　used　before。　Was　this　good　mon；　this　wealthy　brother　of　the　gregarious　Johnny　Saint　Jay；　this　rich…rich　friend　who　had　put　so　much　money　into　Tranquility　Isle　not　a　friend　at　all　but；　instead；　white　garbage　who　blamed　them　for　terrible　things　they　had　nothing　to　do　with　because　their　skins　were　dark？　It　was　an　evil　puzzle；　mon。　It　was　part　of　the　madness；　the　obeah　that　had　crossed　the　waters　from　the　mountains　of　Jamaic'　and　put　a　curse　on　their　islands。　Watch　him；　brothers。　Watch　his　every　move。　Perhaps　he　is　another　sort　of　storm；　one　not　born　in　the　south　or　the　east；　but　whose　winds　are　more　destructive。　Watch　him；　mon。　His　anger　is　dangerous。
　So　he　was　watched。　By　many…the　uninformed；　civilians　and　authorities　alike…as　a　nervous　Henry　Sykes　at　Government　House　kept　his　word。　The　official　investigation　was　solely　under　his　mand。　It　was　quiet；　thorough…and　nonexistent。
　Bourne　behaved　far　worse　on　the　pier　of　Tranquility　Inn；　striking　his　own　brother；　the　amiable　Saint　Jay；　until　the　younger　man　subdued　him　and　had　him　carried　up　the　steps　to　the　nearest　villa。　Servants　came　and　went　bringing　trays　of　food　and　drink　to　the　porch。　Selected　visitors　were　permitted　to　pay　their　condolences；　including　the　chief　aide　to　the　Crown　governor　who　wore　his　full　military　regalia；　a　symbol　of　the　Crown's　concern。　And　an　old　man　who　knew　death　from　the　brutalities　of　war　and　who　insisted　on　seeing　the　bereaved　husband　and　father…he　was　acpanied　by　a　woman　in　a　nurse's　uniform；　properly　topped　by　a　hat　and　a　dark　mourning　veil。　And　two　Canadian　guests　of　the　hotel；　close　friends　of　the　owner；　both　of　whom　had　met　the　disconsolate　man　when　Tranquility　Inn　opened　with　great　fireworks　several　years　ago…they　asked　to　pay　their　respects　and　offer　whatever　support　or　fort　they　could。　John　St。　Jacques　agreed；　suggesting　that　their　visit　be　brief　and　to　understand　that　his　brother…in…law　remained　in　a　corner　of　the　darkened　living　room；　the　drapes　having　been　drawn。
　〃It's　all　so　horrible；　so　meaningless！〃　said　the　visitor　from　Toronto　softly　to　the　shadowed　figure　in　a　chair　across　the　room。　〃I　hope　you're　a　religious　man；　David。　I　am。　Faith　helps　in　such　times　as　these。　Your　loved　ones　are　in　the　arms　of　Christ　now。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　A　momentary　breeze　off　the　water　rustled　the　drapes；　permitting　a　narrow　shaft　of　sunlight　to　flash　across　the　room。　It　was　enough。
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　the　second　Canadian。　〃You're　not…good　Lord；　you're　not　Dave　Webb！　Dave　has…〃
　〃Be　quiet；〃　ordered　St。　Jacques；　standing　at　the　door　behind　the　two　visitors。
　〃Johnny；　I　spent　seven　hours　in　a　fishing　boat　with　Dave　and　I　damn　well　know　him　when　I　see　him！〃
　〃Shut　up；〃　said　the　owner　of　Tranquility　Inn。
　〃Oh；　dear　God！〃　cried　the　aide　to　the　Crown　governor　of　Montserrat　in　a　clipped　British　accent。
　〃Listen　to　me；　both　of　you；〃　said　St。　Jacques；　rushing　forward　between　the　two　Canadians　and　turning　to　stand　in　front　of　the　armchair。　〃I　wish　I'd　never　let　you　in　here；　but　there's　nothing　we　can　do　about　that　now。　。。。　I　thought　you'd　add　weight；　two　more　observers；　if　anyone　asked　you　questions；　which　they　will；　and　that's　exactly　what　you're　going　to　do。　You've　been　talking　to　David　Webb；　consoling　David　Webb。　Do　you　understand　that？〃
　〃I　don't　understand　a　damn　thing；〃　objected　the　bewildered　visitor　who　had　spoken　of　the　fort　of　faith。　〃Who　the　hell　is　he？〃
　〃He's　the　senior　aide　to　the　Crown　governor；〃　answered　St。　Jacques。　〃I'm　telling　you　this　so　you　will　understand…〃
　〃You　mean　the　army　brass　who　showed　up　in　full　uniform　with　a　squad　of　black　soldiers？〃　asked　the　guest　who　had　fished　with　David　Webb。
　〃Among　his　duties　is　chief　military　aide…de…camp。　He's　a　brigadier…〃
　〃We　saw　the　bastard　leave；〃　protested　the　fisherman。　〃From　the　dini