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！
'What things？ We love each other； we've found each other I We can go anywhere； be anyone I There's nothing to stop us； is there？'
Bourne could feel sweat breaking out on his forehead； and there was a hollowness in his throat。 'Nothing to stop us。' He could hardly hear his own voice。 'I have to think。'
'What's there to think about？' pressed Marie； taking another step； forcing him to look at her。 'There's only you and me； isn't there？'
'Only you and me；' he repeated softly； the mists now closing in； suffocating him。 'I know。 I know。 But I've got to think。 There's so much to learn； so much that has to e out。'
'Why is it so important？'
'It。。。 just is。'
'Don't you know？
'Yes。。。 No； I'm not sure。 Don't ask me now。'
'If not now； when！ When can I ask you？ When will it pass？ Or will it ever？！'
'Stop it！' he suddenly roared； slamming the glass down on the wooden tray。 'I can't run！ I won't！ I've got to stay here！ I've got to know！'
Marie rushed to him； putting her hands first on his shoulders then on his face； wiping away the perspiration。 'Now you've said it Can you hear yourself； darling？ You can't run because the closer you get； the more maddening it is for you。 And if you did run； it would only get worse。 You wouldn't have a life； you'd live a nightmare。 I know that。'
He reached for her face； touching it； looking at her。 'Do you？'
'Of course。 But you had to say it； not me。' She held him； her head against his chest 'I had to force you to。。。 The funny thing is that I could run。 I could get on a plane with you tonight and go wherever you wanted； disappear and not look back； happier than I've ever been in my life。 But you couldn't do that What is … or isn't … here in Paris would eat away at you until you couldn't stand it any more。 That's the crazy irony； my darling。 I could live with it； but you couldn't。'
'You'd just disappear？' asked Jason。 'What about your family； your job； all the people you know？'
'I'm neither a child nor a fool；' she answered quickly。 Td cover myself somehow； but I don't think I'd take it very seriously。 I'd request an extended leave for medical and personal reasons。 Emotional stress； a breakdown； I could always go back； the department would understand。'
'Peter？'
'Yes。' She was silent for a moment。 'We went from one relationship to another； the second more important to both of us； I think。 He was like an imperfect brother you want to succeed in spite of the Saws； because underneath there was such decency。'
I'm sorry。 I'm truly sorry。'
She looked up at him。 'You have the same decency。 When you do the kind of work I do decency bees very important It's not the meek who are inheriting the earth； Jason； it's the corrupters。 And I have an idea that the distance between corruption and killing is a very short step。'
Treadstone Seventy…one？'
'Yes。 We were both right I do want them exposed； I want them to pay for what they've done。。。 And you can't run away。'
He brushed his lips against her cheek and then her hair and held her。 'I should throw you out；' he said。 'I should tell you to get out of my life。 I can't do it； but I know damned well I should。'
'It wouldn't make any difference if you did。 I wouldn't go； my love。'
The lawyer's suite of offices was on the boulevard de la Chapelle； the book…lined conference room more a stage setting than an office； everything was a prop； and in its place。 Deals were made in that room； not contracts。 As for the lawyer himself； a dignified white goatee and silver pince…nez above an aquiline nose could not conceal the essential graft in the man。 He even insisted on conversing in poor English； for which； at a later date； he could claim to have been misunderstood。
Marie did most of the talking； Bourne deferring； client to advisor。 She made her points succinctly； altering the cashier's cheques to bearer bonds； payable in dollars； in denominations ranging from a maximum of twenty thousand to a minimum of five。 She instructed the lawyer to tell the bank that all series were to be broken up numerically in threes； international guarantees with every fifth lot of certificates。 Her objective was not lost on the attorney； she so plicated the issuing of the bonds that tracing them would be beyond the facilities of most banks or brokers。 Nor would such banks or brokers take on the added trouble or expense； payments were guaranteed。
When the irritated； goateed lawyer had nearly concluded his telephone conversation with an equally disturbed Antoine d'Amacourt； Marie held up her hand。
'Pardon me； but Monsieur Bourne insists that Monsieur d'Amacourt also include two hundred thousand francs in cash； one hundred thousand to be included with the bonds and one hundred to be held by Monsieur d'Amacourt。 He suggests that the second hundred thousand be divided as follows。 Seventy…five thousand for Monsieur d'Amacourt and twenty…five thousand for yourself。 He realizes that he is greatly in debt to both of you for your advice； and the additional trouble he has caused you。 Needless to say； no specific record of breakdown is required。'
Irritation and disturbance vanished with her words； replaced by an obsequiousness not seen since the court of Versailles。 The arrangements were made in accordance with the unusual … but pletely understandable … demands of Monsieur Bourne and his esteemed advisor。
A leather attaché case was provided by Monsieur Bourne for the bonds and the money； it would be carried by an armed courier who would leave the bank at 2：30 in the afternoon and meet Monsieur Bourne at 3：00 on the Pont Neuf。 The distinguished client would identify himself with a small piece of leather cut from the shell of the case which； when fitted in place； would prove to be the missing fragment。 Added to this would be the words： 'Herr Koenig sends greetings from Zurich。！
So much for the details。 Except for one； which was made clear by Monsieur Bourne's advisor。
'We recognize that the demands of the fiche must be carried out to the letter； and fully expect Monsieur d'Amacourt to do so；8 said Marie St Jacques。 'However； we also recognize that the timing can be advantageous to Monsieur Bourne； and would expect no less than that advantage。 Were he not to have it； I'm afraid that I； as a certified … if for the present； anonymous … member of the International Banking mission； would feel pelled to report certain aberrations of banking and legal procedures as I have witnessed them。 I'm sure that won't be necessary； we're all very well paid； n'est…ce pas； monsieur？'
'C'est vrai； madame！ In banking and law。。。 indeed； as in life itself。。。 timing is everything。 You have nothing to fear。'
'I know；' said Marie。
Bourne examined the grooves of the silencer； satisfied that he had removed the particles of dust and fluff that had gathered with non…use。 He gave it a final； wrenching turn； depressed the magazine release and checked the clip。 Six shells remained； he was ready。 He shoved the weapon into his belt and buttoned his jacket。
Marie had not seen him with the gun。 She was sitting on the bed； her back to him； talking on the telephone to the Canadian Embassy attaché； Dennis Corbelier。 Cigarette smoke curled up from an ashtray next to her notebook； she was writing down Corbelier's information。 When he had finished； she thanked him and hung up the phone。 She remained motionless for two or three seconds； the pencil still in her hand。
'He doesn't know about Peter；' she said； turning to Jason。 'That's odd。'
'Very；' agreed Bourne。 'I thought he'd be one of the first to
know。 You said they looked over Peter's telephone logs； he'd placed a call to Paris； to Corbelier。 You'd think someone would have followed up on it。'
'I hadn't even considered that。 I was thinking about the newspapers； the wire services。 Peter was。。。 was found eighteen hours ago； and regardless of how casual I may have sounded； he was an important man in the Canadian government。 His death would be news in itself； his murder infinitely more so。。。 It wasn't reported。'
'Call Ottawa tonight。 Find out why。'
'I will。'
'What did Corbelier tell you？'
'Oh； yes。' Marie shifted her eyes to the notebook。 'The licence plate in rue Madeleine was meaningless； a car rented at De Gaulle airport to a Jean…Pierre Larousse。。。'
'John Smith；' interrupted Jason。
'Exactly。 He had better luck with the telephone number d'Amacourt gave you but he can't see what it could possibly have to do with anything。 Neither can I； as a matter of fact〃
'It's that strange？'
'I think so。 It's a private line belonging to a fashion house on Saint…Honore。 Les Classiques。'
'A fashion house？ You mean a studio？'
'I'm sure it's got one； but it's essentially an elegant dress shop。 Like the House of Dior； or Givenchy。 Haute couture。 In the trade； Corbelier said； it's known as the 〃House of Ren！〃。 That's Bergeron。'
'Who？'
'Rene Bergeron； a designer。 He's been around for years； always on the fringes of a major success。 I know about him because my little lady back home copies his designs。'
'Did you get the address？〃
Marie nodded。 'Why didn't Corbelier know about Peter？ Why doesn't everybody？'
'Maybe you'll learn when you call。 It's probably as simple as time zones； too late for the m