rl.thebourneultimatum-第61部分

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　〃Turn　that　goddamned　thing　off！〃　shouted　Marie；　lurching　out　of　the　chair　and　heading　for　the　telephone　as　her　brother　switched　off　the　set。　〃Where's　Conklin's　number？　I　wrote　it　down　here　on　your　desk　somewhere。　。。。　Here　it　is；　on　the　blotter。　Saint　Alex　has　a　hell　of　a　lot　to　explain；　that　son　of　a　bitch！〃　She　dialed　angrily　but　accurately；　sitting　in　St。　Jacques's　chair；　tapping　her　clenched　fist　as　the　tears　continued　to　roll　down　her　cheeks。　Tears　of　sorrow　and　fury。　〃It's　me；　you　bastard！　。。。　You've　killed　him！　You　let　him　go…helped　him　to　go…and　you've　killed　him！〃
　〃I　can't　talk　to　you　now；　Marie；〃　said　a　cold；　controlled　Alexander　Conklin。　〃I've　got　Paris　on　the　other　line。〃
　〃Screw　Paris！　Where　is　he？　Get　him　out！〃
　〃Believe　me；　we're　trying　to　find　him。　All　fucking　hell　has　broken　out　here。　The　British　want　Peter　Holland's　ass　for　even　hinting　at　a　Far　East　connection；　and　the　French　are　in　an　up　roar　over　something　they　can't　figure　out　but　suspect；　like　special　Deuxième　cargo　on　a　plane　from　Martinique；　which　was　originally　rejected。　I'll　call　you　back；　I　swear　it！〃
　The　line　was　disconnected；　and　Marie　slammed　down　the　phone。　〃I'm　flying　to　Paris；　Johnny；〃　she　said；　breathing　deeply　and　wiping　the　tears　from　her　face。
　〃You're　what？〃
　〃You　heard　me。　Bring　Mrs。　Cooper　over　here。　Jamie　loves　her　and　she's　better　with　Alison　than　I　could　ever　be…and　why　not？　She's　had　seven　children；　all　grown　up　who　still　e　back　to　her　every　Sunday。〃
　〃You're　crazy！　I　won't　let　you！〃
　〃Somehow；〃　said　Marie；　giving　her　brother　a　withering　look；　〃I　have　an　idea　you　probably　said　something　like　that　to　David　when　he　told　you　he　was　going　to　Paris。〃
　〃Yes；　I　did！〃
　〃And　you　couldn't　stop　him　any　more　than　you　can　stop　me。〃
　〃But　why？〃
　〃Because　I　know　every　place　he　knows　in　Paris；　every　street；　every　café；　every　alley；　from　Sacré…Coeur　to　Montmartre。　He　has　to　use　them；　and　I'll　find　him　long　before　the　Deuxième　or　the　Sыreté。〃　The　telephone　rang；　Marie　picked　it　up。
　〃I　told　you　I'd　call　you　right　back；〃　said　the　voice　of　Alex　Conklin。　〃Bernardine　has　an　idea　that　might　work。〃
　〃Who's　Bernardine？〃
　〃An　old　Deuxième　colleague　and　a　good　friend　who's　helping　David。〃
　〃What's　his　idea？〃
　〃He　got　Jason…David…a　rental　car。　He　knows　the　license…plate　number　and　is　having　it　radioed　to　all　the　Paris　police　patrols　to　report　it　if　seen；　but　not　to　stop　the　car　or　harass　the　driver。　Simply　keep　it　in　sight　and　report　directly　to　him。〃
　〃And　you　think　David…Jason…won't　spot　something　like　that？　You've　got　a　terrible　memory；　worse　than　my　husband's。〃
　〃It's　only　one　possibility；　there　are　others。〃
　〃Such　as？〃
　〃Well　。。。　well；　he's　bound　to　call　me。　When　he　hears　the　news　about　Teagarten；　he's　got　to　call　me。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Like　you　say；　to　get　him　out！〃
　〃With　Carlos　in　the　offing？　Fat　chance；　fathead。　I've　got　a　better　idea。　I'm　flying　to　Paris。〃
　〃You　can't！〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　that　anymore；　I　won't　hear　that　anymore。　Are　you　going　to　help　me　or　do　I　do　it　by　myself？〃
　〃I　couldn't　get　a　postage　stamp　from　a　dispensing　machine　in　France；　and　Holland　couldn't　get　the　address　of　the　Eiffel　Tower。〃
　〃Then　I'm　on　my　own；　which；　frankly；　under　the　circumstances；　makes　me　feel　a　lot　safer。〃
　〃What　can　you　do；　Marie？〃
　〃I　won't　give　you　a　litany；　but　I　can　go　to　all　those　places　he　and　I　went　to；　used　when　we　were　running。　He'll　use　them　again；　somehow；　some　way。　He　has　to　because　in　your　crazy　jargon　they　were　'secure；'　and　in　his　crazy　frame　of　mind　he'll　return　to　them　because　he　knows　they're　secure。〃
　〃God　bless；　favorite　lady。〃
　〃He　abandoned　us；　Alex。　God　doesn't　exist。〃
　Prefontaine　walked　through　the　terminal　at　Boston's　Logan　Airport　to　the　crowded　platform　and　raised　his　hand　to　hail　a　cab。　But　after　looking　around；　he　lowered　his　hand　and　stood　in　line；　things　had　changed　in　thirty　years。　Everything；　including　airports；　had　bee　cafeterias；　one　stood　in　line　for　a　plate　of　third…rate　mulligan　stew；　as　well　as　for　a　taxi。
　〃The　Ritz…Carlton；〃　said　the　judge　to　the　driver。
　〃You　h'ain'd　got　no　luggage？〃　asked　the　man。　〃Nudding　but　d'liddle　bag？〃
　〃No；　I　do　not；〃　replied　Prefontaine　and；　unable　to　resist　a　follow…up　added；　〃I　keep　wardrobes　wherever　I　go。〃
　〃Tutti…fruitee；〃　said　the　driver；　removing　an　outsized；　wide…toothed　b　from　his　hair　as　he　swung　out　into　the　traffic。
　〃You　have　a　reservation；　sir？〃　asked　the　tuxedoed　clerk　behind　the　counter　at　the　Ritz。
　〃I　trust　one　of　my　law　clerks　made　it　for　me。　The　name's　Scofield；　Justice　William　Scofield　of　the　Supreme　Court。　I'd　hate　to　think　that　the　Ritz　had　lost　a　reservation；　especially　these　days　when　everyone's　screaming　for　consumer　protection。〃
　〃Justice　Scofield　。。。　？　I'm　sure　it's　here　somewhere；　sir。〃
　〃I　specifically　requested　Suite　Three…C；　I'm　sure　it's　in　your　puter。〃
　〃Three…C　。。。　it's　booked…〃
　〃What？〃
　〃No；　no；　I'm　wrong；　Mr。　Justice。　They　haven't　arrived　。。。　I　mean　it's　an　error　。。。　they're　in　another　suite。〃　The　clerk　pounded　his　bell　with　ferocity。　〃Bellboy；　bellboy！〃
　〃No　need　for　that；　young　fella；　I　travel　light。　Just　give　me　the　key　and　point　me　in　the　right　direction。〃
　〃Yes；　sir！〃
　〃I　trust　you've　got　a　few　bottles　of　decent　whisky　up　there；　as　usual？〃
　〃If　they're　not；　they　will　be；　Mr。　Justice。　Any　particular　brands？〃
　〃Good　rye；　good　bourbon　and　good　brandy。　The　white　stuff　is　for　sissies；　right？〃
　〃Right；　sir。　Right　away；　sir！〃
　Twenty　minutes　later；　his　face　washed　and　a　drink　in　his　hand；　Prefontaine　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　Dr。　Randolph　Gates。
　〃The　Gates　residence；〃　said　the　woman　on　the　line。
　〃Oh；　e　on；　Edie；　I'd　know　your　voice　under　water　and　it's　been　almost　thirty　years。〃
　〃I　know　yours；　too；　but　I　simply　can't　place　it。〃
　〃Try　a　rough　adjunct　professor　at　the　law　school　who　kept　beating　the　hell　out　of　your　husband；　which　made　no　impression　upon　him　and　he　was　probably　right　because　I　ended　up　in　jail。　The　first　of　the　local　judges　to　be　put　away；　and　rightfully　so。〃
　〃Brendan？　Dear　God；　it's　you！　I　never　believed　all　those　things　they　said　about　you。〃
　〃Believe；　my　sweet；　they　were　true。　But　right　now　I　have　to　speak　to　the　lord　of　the　Gates。　Is　he　there？〃
　〃I　suppose　he　is；　I　don't　really　know。　He　doesn't　speak　to　me　very　much　anymore。〃
　〃Things　are　not　well；　my　dear？〃
　〃I'd　love　to　talk　to　you；　Brendan。　He's　got　a　problem；　a　problem　I　never　knew　about。〃
　〃I　suspect　he　has；　Edie；　and　of　course　we'll　talk。　But　at　the　moment　I　have　to　speak　with　him。　Right　now。〃
　〃I'll　call　him　on　the　inter。〃
　〃Don't　tell　him　it's　me；　Edith。　Tell　him　it's　a　man　named　Blackburne　from　the　island　of　Montserrat　in　the　Caribbean。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Do　as　I　say；　dear　Edie。　It's　for　his　sake　as　well　as　yours…perhaps　more　for　you；　if　truth　were　told。〃
　〃He's　sick；　Brendan。〃
　〃Yes；　he　is。　Let's　try　to　make　him　well。　Get　him　on　the　line　for　me。〃
　〃I'll　put　you　on　hold。〃
　The　silence　was　interminable；　the　two　minutes　more　like　two　hours　until　the　graveled　voice　of　Randolph　Gates　exploded　on　the　line。　〃Who　are　you？〃　whispered　the　celebrated　attorney。
　〃Relax；　Randy；　it's　Brendan。　Edith　didn't　recognize　my　voice；　but　I　sure　remembered　hers。　You're　one　lucky　fellow。〃
　〃What　do　you　want？　What's　this　about　Montserrat？〃
　〃Well；　I　just　came　back　from　there…〃
　〃You　what？〃
　〃I　decided　I　needed　a　vacation。〃
　〃You　didn't　。。。　！〃　Gates's　whisper　was　now　essentially　a　cry　of　panic。
　〃Oh；　but　I　did；　and　because　I　did　your　whole　life　is　going　to　change。　You　see；　I　ran　into　the　woman　and　her　two　children　that　you　were　so　interested　in；　remember　them？　It's　quite　a　story　and　I　want　to　tell　it　to　you　in　all　its　fascinating　detail。　。。。　You　set　them　up　to　be　killed；　Dandy　Randy；　and　that's　a　no…no。　A　dreadful　no…no。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about！　I've　never　heard　of　Montserrat　or　any　woman　with　two　children。　You're　a　desperate　sniveling　drunk　and　I'll　deny　your　insane　allegations　as　the　alcoholic　fantasies　of　a　convicted　felon！〃
　〃Well　done；　Counselor。　But　denying　any　allegations　made　by　me　isn't　the　core　of　your　dilemma。　No；　that's　in　Paris。〃
　〃Paris　。。。　？〃
　〃A　certain　man　in　Paris；　someone　I　didn't　realize　was　a　living　person；　but　I　learned　otherwise。　It's　somewhat　murky　how　it　came　about；　but　a　strange　thing　happened　in　Montserrat。　I　was　mistaken　for　you。〃
　〃You　were　。。。　what？〃　Gates　was　barely　audible；　his　thin　voice　tremulous。
　〃Yes。　Odd；　isn't　it？　I　imagine　that　when　this　man　in　Paris　tried　to　reach　you　here　in　Boston；　someone　told　him　your　imperial　presence　was　out　or　away　and　that's　how　the　mix…up　began。　Two　brilliant　legal　minds；　both　with　an　elusive　connection　to　a　woman　and　her　two　children；　and　Paris　thought　I　was　you。〃
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃Calm　down；　Randy。　At　the　moment　he　probably　thinks　you're　dead。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃He　tried　to　have　me　killed…you　killed。　For　transgression；〃
　〃Oh；　my　God！〃
　〃And　when　he　finds　out　you're　very　much　alive　and　eating　well　in　Boston；　he　won't　permit　a　second　attempt　to　fail。〃
　〃Jesus　Christ　。。。　！〃
　〃There　may　be　a　way　out；　Dandy　Boy；　which　is　why　you　must　e　and　see　me。　Incidentally；　I'm　in　the　same　suite　at　the　Ritz　that　you　were　in　when　I　came　to　see　you。　Three…C；　just　take　the　elevator。　Be　here　in　thirty　minutes；　and　remember；　I　have　little　patience　with　clients　who　abuse　schedules；　for　I'm　a　very　busy　man。　By　the　way；　my　fee　is　twenty　thousand　dollars　an　hour　or　any　part　thereof；　so　bring　money；　Randy。　Lots　of　it。　In　cash。〃
　He　was　ready；　thought　Bourne；　studying　himself　in　the　mirror；　satisfied　with　what　he　saw。　He　had　spent　the　last　three　hours　getting　ready　for　his　drive　to　Argenteuil；　to　a　restaurant　named　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat；　the　message　center　for　a　〃blackbird；〃　for　Carlos　the　Jackal。　The　Chameleon　had　dressed　for　the　environment　he　was　about　to　enter；　the　clothes　were　simple；　the　body　and　the　face　less　so。　The　first　required　a　trip　to　the　secondhand　stores　and　pawn　shops　in　Montmartre；　where　he　found　faded　trousers　and　a　surplus　French　army　shirt；　and　an　equally　faded　small　bat　ribbon　that　denoted　a　wounded　veteran。　The　second；　somewhat　more　plex；　demanded　hair　coloring；　a　day's　growth　of　beard；　and　another　constricting　bandage；　this　bound　around　his　right　knee　so　tight　he