scoonts.theminotaur-第14节

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！


　He　used　one　of　the　black　government　pens　from　Strong's　hoard　to　write　a　note　for　the　senior　secretary's　desk。　What　was　her　name？　Mrs。　Pulliam。　There　were　just　two　secretaries；　both　civilians。
　The　note　informed　all　and　sundry　he　would　be　in　late　tomorrow；　after　lunch。　He　had　a　moment　of　doubt。　There　was　so　much　to　be　done　here。　Yet　they　had　gotten　along　without　a　project　manager　for　two　months　now；　they　could　suffer　through　another　day。
　
　5
　
　Toad　Tarkington　lowered　himself　into　a　seat　against　the　window　on　the　left　side　of　the　airplane；　Boeing　727。　Three　engines；　he　noted　with　satisfaction。　Airliners　made　him　nervous　these　days。　He　couldn't　see　the　guys　flying　or　monitor　the　instruments　and　he　had　no　ejection　seat；　so　he　couldn't　boogy　on　out　if　the　clowns　up　front　hamtmrgered　it；　which；　from　what　he　read　in　the　newspapers；　they　had　been　doing　lately　with　distressing　frequency。　Luckily　this　flight　to　Seattle　was　almost　empty；　so　after　the　crash　there　wouldn't　be　any　unsightly　mob　ripping　out　hair　and　eyeballs　scrambling　for　the　emergency　exits。
　He　glanced　across　the　four　empty　seats　and　the　aisle　at　Rita　Moravia　sitting　against　the　window　on　the　right　side。　Now　there　was　one　cold；　cold　woman。　She　hadn't　yet　smiled　in　his　presence　or　given　any　indication　she　ever　would。　The　old　Tarkington　charm　rolled　right　over　her　as　if　it　had　gone　bad　in　the　winter　of　'85；　turned　sour　and　rotten　and　gave　off　an　evil　odor。
　The　plane　began　to　move。　Backwards。　They　were　pushing　it　out。　Toad　glanced　at　his　watch。　Twenty　minutes　late。　They　were　always　late。　He　tried　to　get　fortable　in　his　seat。　Reluctantly　he　picked　up　the　copy　of　The　Washington　Post　he　had　purchased　at　a　news　counter　and　scanned　the　headlines。　Same　old　crap…it's　absolutely　uncanny　how　politicians　can　be　relied　upon　to　do　or　say　something　every　single　day　that　even　Charlie　Manson　would　think　bizarre。
　He　sneaked　a　glance　at　Moravia。　She　was　reading　a　paperback。
　He　squinted。　My　God…it's　a　Jackie　Collins　novel！　How　about　that？　The　ice　queen　deep　into　sex　among　the　rich　and　stupid。　Maybe　her　hormones　are　okay　after　all。
　Toad　leaned　back　and　closed　his　eyes。　He　needed　to　work　out　some　kind　of　approach；　a　line。　First　he　needed　to　know　more　about　her。　This　was　going　to　take　some　time；　but　she　looked　like　she'd　be　worth　it　and　Jake　Grafton　had　implied　that　they　were　going　to　be　spending　plenty　of　time　together。　That　Grafton；　he　didn't　just　fall　off　a　turnip　truck。　He　knew　the　score。
　Toad　opened　one　eye　and　aimed　it　her　way。　Yep；　a　nice　tight　unit。　Reading　a　romance　novel。　Who'd　have　guessed？
　When　the　plane　was　safely　airborne　he　reclined　his　seat　and　drifted　off　to　sleep　wearing　a　satisfied　little　smile。
　Jake　Grafton　found　a　place　to　park　the　Chevy　right　on　Main　Street　a　block　from　the　courthouse　intersection；　which　sported　the　only　stoplights　in　town。　Actually　there　were　three　empty　parking　places　all　in　a　row　and　he　took　one　on　the　end。　Romney；　West　Virginia；　was　not　a　bustling　place　on　a　cold；　breezy　March　morning。
　The　interior　of　the　courthouse　was　massive　and　calm。　The　ceilings　were　at　least　fifteen　high。　Even　the　interior　walls　were　thick；　substantial；　built　to　last。　He　examined　the　signs　on　the　wooden　doors　and　settled　on　the　circuit　clerk's　office。　Inside　he　asked；　〃Where　do　I　find　the　prosecuting　attorney？〃
　〃Across　the　street　on　the　left　end　of　the　block。　He　has　an　office　above　the　liquor　store。　Cookman's　his　name。〃　The　lady　smiled。
　〃And　the　state　police？〃
　〃Out　of　the　courthouse；　turn　right　and　go　three　blocks；　then　another　right　and　down　about　a　half　mile。　The　barracks　is　a　nice　little　brick　building。　You　can't　miss　it。〃
　Standing　in　front　of　the　courthouse　beside　the　statue　of　a　World　War　I　doughboy；　Jake　decided　to　walk　to　the　state　police　barracks　first。　The　first　three　blocks　were　along　the　main　drag；　by　stores　and　empty　display　windows。　The　decay　of　the　American　Main　Street　had　reached　this　little　munity　too。　When　he　turned　right　he　left　the　mercial　district　and　found　himself　in　a　quiet　residential　area。　As　he　passed　modest　houses　with　trees　in　the　lawns　and　pickups　and　motorcycles　in　the　drive；　he　could　hear　dogs　barking　and　occasionally　a　snatch　of　talk　show　from　an　open　door。
　The　police　barracks　had　American　and　West　Virginia　flags　flying　on　large　poles　in　front；　beside　an　empty　parking　area　festooned　with　signs　and　plastic　barriers　for　driving　tests。　Inside　there　wasn't　a　cop　in　sight。　The　girl　behind　the　desk　looked　like　she　was　barely　out　of　high　school。
　〃Hi；　I'd　like　to　get　a　copy　of　an　accident　report　from　a　couple　months　ago。〃
　〃Did　it　happen　in　the　city　or　out　in　the　county？〃
　〃Outside　the　city。〃
　〃You've　e　to　the　right　place。〃　She　smiled。　〃I　need　the　names　of　the　parties　involved；　or　at　least　one　of　them。〃
　〃Harold　Strong。〃
　〃Just　a　moment。〃　She　selected　a　drawer　in　a　large　file　cabinet　and　began　looking。　〃All　we　have　are　copies；　of　course。　The　originals　go　to　DMV　in　Charleston。　We're　not　even　required　to　keep　copies　but　we　do　because　the　lawyers　and　insurance　adjusters　always　want　to　see　them。　Are　you　a　lawyer？〃
　〃Uh；　no。　I　was　a　friend　of　Captain　Strong's。〃
　〃Here　it　is。〃　She　looked　at　it　as　she　walked　toward　the　counter。　〃He　was　in　the　navy；　wasn't　he。〃
　Her　ment　was　a　statement；　not　a　question；　but　he　responded　anyway。　〃Yes；　he　was。〃
　She　laid　the　report　on　the　counter　in　front　of　him。　〃That's　our　office　copy　and　our　copy　machine　is　out　of　order。　There's　one　up　in　the　county　clerk's　office；　where　they　keep　the　deeds　and　all？〃　He　nodded。　〃But　you　need　to　leave　your　driver's　license　with　me。〃　She　smiled　apologetically。　〃So　many　people　forget　to　bring　our　copy　back。〃
　He　dug　out　his　wallet　and　extracted　his　license。　She　didn't　even　look　at　it。　〃Thanks。　I'll　be　back　in　a　bit。〃
　Very　nicely　done；　he　thought　as　he　walked　the　half　mile　back　toward　the　main　street。　No　doubt　before　he　got　out　of　Romney　he　would　be　talking　to　a　state　trooper。　He　looked　at　the　name　on　the　report。　Trooper　Keadle。
　There　was　an　unpadded　bench　in　the　corridor　outside　the　county　clerk's　office　and　he　settled　there。　The　report　consisted　of　three　pages。　The　first　was　a　form　with　blanks　to　be　filled　in　and　a　diagram　where　the　investigating　officer　drew　little　cars　and　arrows　to　show　what　he　believed　happened。　The　next　two　pages　were　merely　handwritten　ments　of　the　investigating　office。　Keadle　had　a　neat　hand…he　obviously　hadn't　ruined　his　penmanship　with　years　of　furious　note…taking。
　The　report　was　straightforward；　devoid　of　bureaucratese。　Jake　read　it　a　second　time　slowly；　studying　the　words。　According　to　Admiral　Henry　the　prosecuting　attorney　had　had　a　hand　in　this　report；　which　〃would　not　preclude　a　homicide　prosecution。〃　That　could　only　mean　that　none　of　the　critical　facts　were　omitted。　A　half…smart　defense　lawyer　would　raise　holy　hell　if　the　prosecutor　asked　the　trooper　to　testify　about　facts　that　he　had　〃forgotten〃　to　put　in　the　official　report。
　What　was　in　the　report？　Marks　on　the　highway　where　it　appeared　tires　may　have　broken　their　regular　grip　with　the　pavement　and　spun　under　power。　No　skid　marks：　wet　pavement　prevented　that　Deep　trenches　in　the　gravel；　some　of　which　went　all　the　way　to　the　edge；　presumably　from　skidding　tires。　Marks　in　the　earth　where　the　Corolla　went　over　the　edge。　Wooden　guardrails　had　been　chain…sawed　several　days　before　the　accident；　presumably　by　vandals　or　parties　unknown；　see　previous　report　of　sheriff's　deputy。　Fire　in　Corolla　passenger　partment　very　intense；　body　burned　beyond　recognition　and　identified　with　help　of　FBI　forensic　lab。　No　mention　of　why　or　when　the　FBI　was　notified。　Dents　and　scrape　marks　all　over　the　vehicle。　Finally；　Corolla　still　structurally　intact　but　gutted　by　fire。
　No　mention　of　the　Corolla's　fuel　tank。　But　the　trooper　could　certainly　testify　that　the　fuel　tank；　like　the　car's　frame；　was　intact。　No　speculation　on　or　estimate　of　how　fast　the　Corolla　would　have　had　to　be　going　up　that　mountain　to　slide　all　the　way　across　the　overlook　area。　Did　he　explain　that　the　Corolla　was　ascending　the　grade？　Yes；　on　page　one。
　No　speculation　about　the　cause　of　this　single…car　accident　and　no　speculation　anywhere　that　another　vehicle　might　be　involved。
　He　took　the　report　into　the　office　beside　him　and　had　it　copied。　They　charged　him　thirty　cents。　He　was　tempted　to　use　the　car　to　return　the　original　report　but　decided　the　exercise　would　be　good　for　him。　As　he　approached　the　police　building；　a　trooper　was　parking　his　car　in　a　reserved　spot。
　〃Thanks；〃　he　told　the　girl　at　the　desk。　She　handed　him　his　driver's　license；　which　had　been　lying　on　the　counter　beside　the　police　radio　microphone。
　The　door　behind　Jake　opened。　〃Hi；　Susie。〃　Jake　turned。　The　trooper　was　clad　in　a　green　uniform　and　wore　a　short　green　nylon　jacket。　He　was　somewhere　between　thirty　and　thirty…five　years　of　age；　with　a　tanned；　clean…shaven　face　and　short　military　haircut。　He　stood　several　inches　taller　than　Jake　and　was　built　heavier。　On　the　left　breast　of　his　coat　was　a　silver　name　tag：　Keadle。　〃Hello；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　greeting　to　Jake。
　〃Hi。〃
　〃This　is　Mr。　Jacob　L。　Grafton　of　Arlington；　Virginia；〃　the　girl　said。　〃He　was　a　friend　of　Captain　Strong's。〃
　〃Izzatso？〃　The　trooper's　eyes　s