el.angeleyes-第29部分
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〃All right；〃 Tori nodded。 But the tiny hairs at the back of her neck were stirring。 This mission had bee a two…edged sword； as perilous a situation as was possible。 She might be helping out a woman in distress； but she knew that she had also just made a deal with a demon。
〃You two girls have a good time in there？〃 Cruz laughed。 ''What is it you do together？ Men don't want to see each other's pricks； so what is it you girls want to see？〃 He was being deliberately crude； baiting them； still feeling good after the kill。 Blood did that to some men。
〃Actually；〃 Tori said； 〃Sonia discussed something important in there。〃
〃Yeah？〃 The contempt was plain on his face。 〃What could that be？ The name of a more effective douche？'' Cruz guffawed； and his lieutenants grinned like trained animals。
Tori stood in front of him； said； 〃Sonia saw one of your trusted lieutenants signal the Orola assassin at the corrida。〃
〃What？ You're a liar。〃 He yelled this with such vehemence that Sonia jumped。 ''Why didn't you say this to me right away？''
〃She didn't really understand what she saw；〃 Tori said； intervening。 〃But when I began to question her； it came out。〃
〃This is impossible！〃 Cruz shouted。
〃On the contrary；〃 Tori said。 〃That's how the assassin was able to get so close to you。 Close enough to use the handgun。〃
Cruz said nothing。
〃Think。 It's the only way the assassination attempt makes sense；〃 Tori said。 〃The Orolas have someone inside your organization。〃
Cruz whirled on Tori。 〃Nevertheless；〃 he said with a great deal of menace； 〃why should I trust you？〃
〃Besides the fact that I saved your life at the corrida； I can't think of a single reason。''
Cruz leered at her。 〃Perhaps you saved me for a reason； eh； chica？〃 He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together。
〃That makes no difference；〃 Tori pointed out。 〃You've still got a lieutenant on the Orola payroll。〃
〃So you say。〃
Tori made a show of considering his challenge。 She said； 〃I think I have a way of proving to you that we can help you further。〃 She nodded toward Russell。 〃Senor Slade here is our resident expert in moles。〃
〃In what？〃 Cruz asked。
〃Moles；〃 Russell repeated。 〃Enemy agents placed within your cartel。〃
〃Ah； yes； burrowing underground；〃 Cruz said。 〃I see。〃 He scowled at Russell。 〃What do you do？〃
Russell remembered what Tori had said to him。 Are you good at improvisation？ I hope so。 〃I find moles；〃 he said。 He got off the couch； passed by each of Cruz's lieutenants in turn。 He looked them straight in the eye。 Some looked back curiously； others were overtly hostile。 No one looked away。
Cruz came over beside Russell。 〃This is interesting；〃 he said。
Tori said； 〃I will whisper to you the name of the lieutenant Sonia saw signal the Orola hit man at the bull ring。 Without knowing what I have said； Senor Slade will find your mole。〃
〃Is that so？〃 Cruz grunted。 〃Tell me； Senor Slade； what do you do when you find these moles？〃
Russell felt an overwhelming desire to look at Tori； but instinctively knew that even making eye contact with her now would make the paranoid Cruz suspect they were working some kind of scam on him。 his mind was racing。 〃There was a Soviet agent。 I interrogated him until he dropped。 That took nearly thirty straight hours； but in the end the mole broke and gave us everything we wanted to know。〃
〃Like what？〃 Cruz said suspiciously。
〃Like everything he knew about the operations of his own organization。〃
Cruz shrugged。 〃I already know much of what is happening inside the Orola cartel。 But it would be beneficial to know everything。〃 Now it was Cruz who was parading in front of his lieutenants； scowling； fingering an enormous hunting knife。 〃And just how did you discover this mole； Senor Slade？〃
〃Not any one thing；〃 Russell said； 〃but many tiny mistakes。 They build up； especially during an interrogation。 There are signs I am trained to see。〃
Cruz nodded。 〃It is now almost four months since I executed Ruben Orola。 Since then； his brothers have tried three times to kill me； the last one being today。〃 He turned to Russell。 〃Therefore； I need you； the mole hunter； to track mine down for me。 Here。 Now。〃
Tori stood beside Cruz； whispered in his ear。
Russell went down me line of Cruz's lieutenants。 He hadn't the slightest idea what to look for； but he found it peculiarly exciting to pretend this expertise。 Moment by moment he could feel the power slipping into his hands； just as he could feel the tension and anxiety mounting as he spoke to each lieutenant in turn； watched the cast of his eye； the tic of a facial muscle； the thin sheen of sweat on upper lip or forehead。
He came at length to the last lieutenant and knew that he would soon have to give Cruz a name。 Further； it had to be the same name that Tori had whispered in Cruz's ear。 How was he to do that？
Russell stood at an angle to the last lieutenant； ostensibly to observe him better。 But at the same time he could now see Tori out of the corner of his eye。 Russell saw her left hand down by her side。 Then he saw it move marginally。 Her forefinger and middle fingers were extended； the others curled into her palm。 Like a baseball catcher calling for a curveball； Russell thought。 The second lieutenant。
Russell pleted his interrogation； moved back up the line until he was behind the second lieutenant。 〃This is the mole；〃 he said without hesitation。 〃Jorge；〃 Tori said。 〃You see？〃
〃Lavaperro！〃 Dogwasher！ Cruz screamed； and grabbing the man both Tori and Russell had indicted； slammed him back against the wall。 Jorge was babbling his innocence； but Cruz was clearly not listening。 Cocaine； whether as an addiction or a product in which to traffic； bred paranoia。
〃Knife；〃 Cruz said； holding out his hand。 Another lieutenant stepped forward； slipped him a U。S。 Marine KA…BAR。 Cruz took it； slashed the blade laterally across Jorge's throat。 While the blood gushed onto him； Cruz pried open Jorge's jaws； cut out his tongue。 The body slid to the floor。
Cruz held up the tongue like a trophy。 Tori could see that he felt like the matador in the corrida as he withdrew the killing sword from the bull's heart。 He said； 〃Send this to the Orolas。 And make sure you pack it good in dry ice。 I want them to get it fresh； like at the best restaurant。〃 He erupted in a savage laugh。 〃I'm only sorry I won't be there to see their faces when they get it。〃
He turned to Estilo。 〃You feel more secure now？〃 He had begun to strut again； his old bravado returning。 He turned to Russell and grinned。 〃I am grateful for your assistance。 What would you consider proper payment？ Money？ Cocaine？ A boat？ Helicopter？ A plane； perhaps？ This is Medellin； gringo。 Nothing is impossible here。〃 His grin widened。 〃You are about to learn； Senor Slade； that here in Machine…Gun City our shopping malls are open twenty…four hours a day。 And the price is always right。〃
〃We want none of these things；〃 Russell said； 〃though we are grateful for the offer。 We need； instead； some information。〃
〃Oh？〃 Cruz's expression showed that he was not pleased with the sudden turn in the conversation。 〃What kind of information？ I am not an informer。 I don't deal information。〃
Before his face darkened too much； Sonia stepped between the two men。 She stood very close to Cruz； and reaching between her breasts； she drew out a stone on a gold chain。 She took his hand gently in hers； squeezed it into a fist around the stone。 〃Listen to me； согаzoп；〃 she said。 〃These people are lucky for us。 I can feel it。 Can you feel it； too； now？ The stench of the Orolas is gone。 And the sour taste of business since you sent Rega to Buenos Aires； since he was murdered； is about to end。 These people are a sign of that change。 Can you feel it； согагoп？ Feel it now。 The rich taste of money is ing； ing back。〃
Tori； who was the only one close enough to Cruz and Sonia to hear this exchange； was both fascinated and repelled。 The tone of Sonia's voice； the look in her eyes as they searched his； was so intimate； so blatantly sexual； that Tori could almost imagine they were making love right here in front of everyone。
But now she had one piece of the puzzle。 Rega had been working for Cruz。 Then why did the Yakuza kill him？ What had one of them said？ His use was at an end。
〃When the Orolas killed Rega；〃 Cruz said； 〃the war began in earnest。 And war is profitable only for the armament suppliers。〃
〃Cruz；〃 Tori said； 〃the Orolas did not kill Rega。〃 He scowled at her。 〃What could you know of it？〃 〃I ran into Rega's killers in Buenos Aires。 In fact； they almost killed me； as well。 They were Japanese gangsters。〃
〃Japanese？〃 Cruz laughed in her face； then his scowl got deeper。 〃Are you trying to make a fool of me？〃
〃I'm sure she isn't；〃 Sonia said； keeping his hand around her amulet。 〃Think。 Rega had a rich source； a buyer flooding us with money。 That's why you sent him…a lieutenant； not a mule…to Buenos Aires。 She's telling the truth； corazon。 Don't you see how it makes sense？〃
〃But the Japanese？〃 Cruz said。 〃Why would they want so much coke？〃
〃That's what we've e here to find out；〃 Tori said。
〃You see； соrazoп；〃 Sonia said excitedly to Cruz； 〃they are good luck for you。''
Russell said； 〃The question now is to find out why the Japanese killed Rega。 He was their connection。〃
Cruz considered this。 〃Only two answers are possible；〃 he said。 〃One； they don't need supply anymore； two； they found a better connection。〃
〃They still need the cocaine；〃 Russell said。 〃We're certain of that。〃
〃Could the Orolas be giving the Japanese a better deal？〃 Tori asked。
〃All that product？〃 Cruz shook his head。 〃I'd know about it right away。 If they have a new connection； it's not the Cali cartel。〃
〃Then who？〃 Russell asked。
Cruz shrugged。 〃It may be nothing； you know how rumors are； especially here。 But 。 。 。 over the last several months there has been talk of a major new cocaine factory establishing itself in the llanos of Meta Province； east of here； just past the Manacacias River。 It's very wild there； difficult to track even rumors。 Like I said； we had all dismissed the stories。〃
〃Whose territory is that？〃 Russell asked。 Cruz shrugged。 〃Not Orola's； not mine。 The Colombian army is in and out of there al
