jamesclavell.noblehouse-第284节

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fully。　I　agree　with　Jason　it'll　be　good　to　shake　up　Hong　Kong。　Dunross's　kidnapping　will　create　all　sorts　of　waves。　With　the　bank　runs　and　the　stock　market　crash　…　yes　it　would　help　us　very　much。　I'm　rather　worried。　Sinders　is　sniffing　around　too　closely　and　asking　me　all　sorts　of　wrong　questions。　Then　there's　the　Metkin　affair；　Voranski；　the　AMG　papers；　you　…　too　many　mistakes。　Pressure　needs　to　be　taken　off　Sevrin。　Dunross'll　do　that　admirably。〃
　〃You're　sure？〃　Suslev　asked；　needing　reassurance。
　〃Yes。　Oh　yes；　Dunross　will　do　very　nicely　thank　you。　He's　the　decoy。　I'll　need　all　the　help　I　can　get。　You're　going　to　shop　Arthur。　Aren't　you？〃
　Suslev　saw　the　eyes　boring　into　him　and　his　heart　almost　stopped　but　he　kept　his　shock　off　his　face。　Just。　〃I'm　glad　Sinders　told　you　about　our　meeting。　That　saves　me　the　trouble。　How　can　I　get　out　of　his　trap？〃
　〃How're　you　going　to　avoid　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Roger。　Will　Sinders　do　what　he　threatened？〃
　Crosse　snapped；　〃e　on；　for　God's　sake！　Wouldn't　you？〃
　〃What　can　I　do？〃
　〃It's　your　neck　or　Arthur's。　If　it's　Arthur's；　then　the　next　neck　could　be　mine。〃　There　was　a　long；　violent　pause　and　Suslev　felt　the　hair　on　the　nape　of　his　neck　twist。　〃So　long　as　it's　not　mine　…　and　I　know　what's　going　on　in　advance　…　I　don't　care。〃
　Suslev　looked　back　at　him。　〃You　want　a　drink？〃
　〃You　know　I　don't　drink。〃
　〃I　meant　water　…　or　soda。〃　The　big　man　went　to　the　refrigerator　and　took　out　the　vodka　bottle　and　drank　from　the　bottle。　〃I'm　glad　Sinders　told　you。〃
　〃For　chrissake；　Gregor；　where've　your　brains　gone？　Of　course　he　didn't　tell　me　…　the　fool　still　thinks　it　was　a　secret；　private　deal；　just　you　and　him；　of　course　he　does！　Good　sweet　Christ；　this's　my　bailiwick！　I　maneuvered　him　into　a　room　that　I'd　bugged。　Am　I　a　simpleton？〃　The　eyes　hardened　even　more　and　Suslev　felt　his　chest　tighten　unbearably。　〃So　it's　a　simple　choice；　Gregor。　It's　you　or　Arthur。　If　you　shop　him　I'm　in　danger　and　so's　everyone　else。　If　you　don't　concede　to　Sinders　you're　finished。　Of　the　two　choices　I'd　prefer　you　dead　…　and　me；　Arthur　and　Sevrin　safe。〃
　〃The　best　solution's　that　I　betray　Arthur；〃　Suslev　said。　〃But　that　before　they　catch　him　he　flees。　He　can　e　aboard　the　Ivanov。　Eh？〃
　〃Sinders'll　be　ahead　of　you　and　he'll　stop　you　in　Hong　Kong　waters。〃
　〃That's　possible。　Not　probable。　I'd　resist　a　boarding　at　sea。〃　Suslev　watched　him；　the　bile　in　his　mouth。　〃It's　that　or　Arthur　mits　suicide　…　or　is　eliminated。〃
　Crosse　stared　at　him。　〃You　must　be　joking！　You　want　me　to　send　Jason　into　the　Great　Hereafter？〃
　〃You　said　yourself；　it's　someone's　neck。　Listen；　at　the　moment　we're　just　examining　possibilities。　But　it's　a　fact　you're　not　expendable。　Arthur　is。　The　others。　I　am；〃　Suslev　said；　meaning　it。　〃So　whatever　happens　it　mustn't　be　you　…　and　preferably　not　me。　I　never　did　like　the　idea　of　dying。〃　He　took　another　swig　of　the　vodka　and　felt　the　lovely；　stomach…warming　sensation；　then　turned　his　eyes　back　on　his　ally。　〃You　are　an　ally；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Yes。　Oh　yes。　So　long　as　the　money　keeps　up　and　I　enjoy　the　game。〃
　〃If　you　believed；　you　would　live　a　longer　and　better　life；　tovarich。〃
　〃The　only　thing　that　keeps　me　alive　is　that　I　don't。　You　and　your　KGB　friends　can　try　and　take　over　the　world；　infiltrate　capitalism　and　any　other　ism　you　like；　for　whatever　purpose　you　admit；　or　enjoy；　and　meanwhile；　I　shall　jolly　you　along。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃It's　an　old　English　expression　that　means　to　help；〃　Crosse　said　dryly。　〃So　you're　going　to　shop　Arthur？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Could　you　lay　a　false　trail　to　the　airport　to　give　us　time　to　escape　Hong　Kong　waters？〃
　〃Yes；　but　Sinders　has　already　doubled　surveillance　there。〃
　〃What　about　Macao？〃
　〃I　could　do　that。　I　don't　like　it。　What　about　the　others　of　Sevrin？〃
　〃Let　them　burrow　deeper；　we　close　everything　down。　You　take　over　Sevrin　and　we　activate　again　once　the　storm　subsides。　Could　deVille　bee　tai…pan　after　Dunross？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　think　it'll　be　Gavallan。　Incidentally；　two　more　Werewolf　victims　were　discovered　out　at　Sha　Tin　this　morning。〃
　Suslev's　hope　quickened　and　some　of　his　dread　left　him。　〃What　happened？〃
　Crosse　told　him　how　they　were　found。　〃We're　still　trying　to　identify　the　poor　buggers。　Gregor；　shopping　Arthur's　dicey；　whatever　happens。　It　might　spill　back　to　me。　Perhaps　with　the　stock　market　crashing；　the　banks　all　messed　up　and　Dunross　vanishing；　it　might　be　cover　enough。　It　might。〃
　Suslev　nodded。　His　nausea　increased。　The　decision　had　to　be　made。　〃Roger；　I'm　going　to　do　nothing。　I'm　just　going　to　leave　and　take　the　chance。　I'll；　I'll　make　a　private　report　to　forestall　Sinders　and　tell　Center　what　happened。　Whatever　Sinders　does；　well；　that's　up　to　the　future。　I've　got　friends　in　high　places　too。　Perhaps　the　Hong　Kong　disaster　and　having　Dunross　…　I'll　do　the　chemical　debrief　myself　anyway；　just　in　case　he's　cheating　us　and　is　as　clever　as　you　say　he　is　。。。　what　is　it？〃
　〃Nothing。　What　about　Koronski？〃
　〃He　left　this　morning　after　I　got　all　the　chemicals。　I　rescheduled　the　debrief　to　be　on　the　Ivanov；　not　ashore。　Why？〃
　〃Nothing。　Go　on。〃
　〃Perhaps　the　Hong　Kong　debacle'll　placate　my　superiors。〃　Now　that　Suslev　had　made　the　decision　he　felt　a　little　better。　〃Send　an　urgent　report　to　Center　through　the　usual　channels　to　Berlin。　Get　Arthur　to　do　the　same　by　radio　tonight。　Make　the　report　very　pro…me；　eh？　Blame　the　Metkin　affair　on　the　CIA　here；　the　carrier　leak；　Voranski。　Eh？　Blame　the　CIA　and　the　Kuomintang。〃
　〃Certainly。　For　a　double　fee。　By　the　way；　Gregor；　if　I　were　you　I'd　clean　my　prints　off　that　bottle。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　Sardonically　Crosse　told　him　about　Rosemont　filching　the　glass　in　the　raid　and　how；　months　ago；　to　protect　Suslev　he　had　extracted　his　prints　from　his　dossier。
　The　Russian　was　white。　〃The　CIA　have　my　prints　on　file？〃
　〃Only　if　they've　a　better　dossier　than　ours。　I　doubt　that。〃
　〃Roger；　I　expect　you　to　cover　my　back。〃
　〃Don't　worry；　I'll　make　the　report　so　lily…white　they'll　promote　you。　In　return　you　remend　my　bonus's　100；000　dol…　〃
　〃That's　too　much！〃
　〃That's　the　fee！　I'm　getting　you　out　of　one　helluva　mess。〃　The　mouth　smiled；　the　eyes　did　not。　〃It's　fortunate　we're　professionals。　Isn't　it？〃
　〃I'll　…　I'll　try。〃
　〃Good。　Wait　here。　Clinker's　phone's　bugged。　I'll　phone　from　Jason's　flat　the　moment　I　know　about　Dunross。〃　Crosse　put　out　his　hand。　〃Good　luck；　I'll　do　what　I　can　with　Sinders。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Suslev　gave　him　a　bear　hug。　〃Good　luck　to　you　too；　Roger。　Don't　fail　me　on　Dunross。〃
　〃We　won't　fail。〃
　〃And　keep　up　the　good　work；　eh？〃
　〃Tell　your　friends　to　keep　up　the　money。　Eh？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Suslev　closed　the　door　behind　Crosse；　then　wiped　the　palms　of　his　hands　on　his　trousers　and　took　out　the　roll　of　film。　Quietly　he　cursed　it　and　Dunross　and　Hong　Kong　and　Sinders；　the　specter　of　the　KGB　questioning　him　about　Metkin　swamping　him。　Somehow　I've　got　to　avoid　that；　he　told　himself；　the　cold　sweat　running　down　his　back。　Perhaps　I　should　shop　Arthur　after　all。　How　to　do　it；　and　keep　Roger　in　the　clear？　There　must　be　a　way。
　
　Outside　on　the　landing；　Roger　Crosse　got　into　the　elevator　and　pressed　the　ground…floor　button。　Alone　now　he　leaned　exhaustedly　against　the　rickety　walls　and　shook　his　head　to　try　to　get　the　fear　out。　〃Stop　it！〃　he　muttered。　With　an　effort　he　dominated　himself　and　lit　a　cigarette；　noticing　his　fingers　were　trembling。　If　that　bugger　chemical　debriefs　Dunross；　he　told　himself；　I'm　up　the　creek。　And　I'll　bet　fifty　dollars　to　a　pile　of　dung　Suslev　still　hasn't　ruled　out　the　possibility　of　shopping　Plumm。　And　if　he　does　that；　Christ　my　whole　pack　of　cards　can　e　tumbling　down　about　my　ears。　One　mistake；　one　tiny　slip　and　I'm　finished。
　The　elevator　stopped。　Some　Chinese　got　in　noisily　but　he　did　not　notice　them。
　On　the　ground　floor；　Rosemont　was　waiting。
　〃And？〃
　〃Nothing；　Stanley。〃
　〃You　and　your　hunches；　Rog。〃
　〃You　never　know；　Stanley；　there　might　have　been　something；〃　Crosse　said；　trying　to　get　his　mind　working。　He　had　invented　the　hunch　and　invited　Rosemont　along　…　to　wait　below　…　the　ruse　just　to　throw　off　Rosemont's　CIA　men　he　knew　were　still　watching　the　foyer。
　〃You　all　right；　Rog？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Yes；　thanks。　Why？〃
　Rosemont　shrugged。　〃You　want　a　coffee　or　a　beer？〃　They　walked　out　into　the　night。　Rosemont's　car　was　waiting　outside。
　〃No　thanks。　I'm　going　there。〃　Crosse　pointed　to　Rose　Court；　the　highrise　that　loomed　over　them　on　the　road　above。　〃It's　a　cocktail　party　obligation。〃　He　felt　his　fear　welling　again。　What　the　hell　do　I　do　now？
　〃What's　up；　Rog？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Rose　Court；　huh？　Maybe　I　should　get　me　an　apartment　there。　Rosemont　of　Rose　Court。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Crosse　mustered　his　strength。　〃Do　you　want　to　e　down　to　the　dock　to　see　the　Ivanov　off？〃
　〃Sure；　why　not？　I'm　glad　you　sent　that　mother　packing。〃　Rosemont　stifled　a　yawn。　〃We　broke　that　puter　bastard　tonight。　Seems　he　had　all　sorts　of　secrets　stacked　away。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Bits　and　pieces　about　the　Corregidor；　her　top　speed；　where　her　nukes　e　from；　their　arming　codes；　things　like　that。　I'll　give　you　a　rundown　tonight。　You　pick　me　up　at　midnight；　okay？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　all　right。〃　Crosse　turned　and　hurried　off。　Rosemont　frowned　after　him；　then　looked　up　at　Rose　Court。