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〃Let's see the graph。〃
Jack unfolded it from the back of the binder。 〃Every three months； mostly； the occupancy rate picks up。〃
Cantor frowned at the graph for a moment。 Then he flipped through the photographs。 On only one of the dates did they have a daylight photo that showed anything。 Each of the camps had what looked like a shooting range。 In the photo Cantor selected； there were three men standing near it。
〃You might have something； Jack。〃
〃What？〃 Ryan had looked at the photo and made nothing of it。
〃What's the distinguishing feature of the ULA？〃
〃Their professionalism；〃 Ryan answered。
〃Your last paper on them said they were more militarily organized than some of the others； remember？ Every one of them； as far as we can tell； is skilled with weapons。〃
〃So？〃
〃Think！〃 Cantor snapped。 Ryan gave him a blank look。 〃Periodic weapons…refresher training； maybe？〃
〃Oh。 I hadn't thought of that。 How e nobody ever 〃
〃Do you know how many satellite photos e through here？ I can't say exactly； but you may safely assume that it's a fairly large number； thousands per month。 Figure it takes a minimum of five minutes to examine each one。 Mostly we're interested in the Russians missile silos； factories； troop movements； tank parks； you name it。 That's where most of the analytical talent goes； and they can't keep up with what es in。 The guys we have on this stuff here are technicians； not analysts。〃 Cantor paused。 〃Camp …18 looks interesting enough that we might try to figure a way to check it out； see who really lives there。 Not bad。〃
〃He's violated security；〃 Kevin O'Donnell said by way of greeting。 He was quiet enough that no one in the noisy pub would have heard him。
〃Perhaps this is worth it；〃 Cooley replied。 〃Instructions？〃
〃When are you going back？〃
〃Tomorrow morning； the early flight。〃
O'Donnell nodded； finishing off his drink。 He left the pub and walked directly to his car。 Twenty minutes later he was home。 Ten minutes after that； his operations and intelligence chiefs were in his study。
〃Sean； how did you like working with Alex's organization？〃
〃They're like us； small but professional。 Alex is a very thorough technician； but an arrogant one。 He hasn't had a great deal of formal training。 He's clever； very clever。 And he's hungry； as they say over there。 He wants to make his mark。〃
〃Well； he may just have his chance next summer。〃 O'Donnell paused； holding up the letter Cooley had delivered。 〃It would seem that His Royal Highness will be visiting America next summer。 The Treasure Houses exhibit was such a success that they are going to stage another one。 Nearly ninety percent of the works of Leonardo Da Vinci belong to the Royal Family； and they'll be sending them over to raise money for some favored charities。 The show opens in Washington on August the first； and the Prince of Wales will be going over to start things off。 This will not be announced until July； but here is his itinerary； including the proposed security arrangements。 It is as yet undecided whether or not his lovely bride will acpany His Highness； but we will proceed on the assumption that she will。〃
〃The child？〃 Miller asked。
〃I rather suspect not； but we will allow for that possibility also。〃 He handed the letter to Michael McKenney。 The intelligence officer for the ULA skimmed over the data。
〃The security at the official functions will be airtight。 The Americans have had a number of incidents； and they've learned from each of them；〃 McKenney said。 Like all intelligence officers； he saw his potential opponents as overwhelmingly powerful。 〃But if they go forward with this one 。 。 。〃
〃Yes；〃 O'Donnell said。 〃I want you two to work together on this。 We have plenty of time and we'll use all of it。〃 He took the letter back and reread it before giving it to Miller。 After they left； he wrote his instructions for their agent in London。
At the airport the next morning Cooley saw his contact and walked into the coffee shop。 He was early for his flight； seasoned traveler that he was； and had a cup while he waited for it to be announced。 Finished； he walked outside。 His contact was just walking in。 The two men brushed by each other； and the message was passed； just as was taught in every spy school in the world。
〃He does travel about a good deal；〃 Ashley observed。 It had taken Owens' detectives less than an hour to find Cooley's travel agent and to get a record of his trips for the past three years。 Another pair was assembling a biographical file on the man。 It was strictly routine work。 Owens and his men knew better than to get excited about a new lead。 Enthusiasm all too easily got in the way of objectivity。 His car parked at Gatwick Airport had considerable mileage on the clock for its age； and that was explained by his motoring about buying books。 This was the extent of the data assembled in eighteen hours。 They would patiently wait for more。
〃How often does he travel to Ireland？〃
〃Quite frequently； but he does business in English…language books； and we are the only two countries in Europe that speak English； aren't we？〃 Ashley； too； was able to control himself。
〃America？〃 Owens asked。
〃Once a year； looks like。 I rather suspect it's to an annual trade show。 I can check that myself。〃
〃They speak English； too。〃
Ashley grinned。 〃Shakespeare didn't live or print books there。 There aren't many examples of American publishing old enough to excite a person like Cooley。 What he might do is buy up books of ours that have found their way across the water； but more likely he's looking for buyers。 No； Ireland fits beautifully with his cover excuse me； if it is that。 My own dealer； Samuel Pickett and Sons； travel there often also 。 。 。 but not as much； I should think；〃 he added。
〃Perhaps his biography will tell us something；〃 Owens noted。
〃One can hope。〃 Ashley was looking for a light at the end of this tunnel； but saw only more tunnel。
〃It's okay； Jack；〃 Cathy said。
He nodded。 Ryan knew that his wife was right。 The nurse…practitioner had positively beamed at the news she gave them on their arrival。 Sally was bouncing back like any healthy child should。 The healing process had already begun。
Yet there was a difference between the knowledge of the mind and the knowledge of the heart。 Sally had been awake this time。 She was unable to speak； of course； with the respirator hose in her mouth； but the murmurs that tried to e out could only have meant： It hurts。 The injuries inflicted on the body of his child did not appear any less horrific； despite his knowledge that they would heal。 If anything they seemed worse now that she was occasionally conscious。 The pain would eventually go away but his little girl was in pain now。 Cathy might be able to tell herself that only the living could feel pain； that it was a positive sign for all the disfort it gave。 Jack could not。 They stayed until she dozed off again。 He took his wife outside。
〃How are you？〃 he asked her。
〃Better。 You can take me home tomorrow night。〃
Jack shook his head。 He hadn't thought about that。 Stupid； Ryan told himself。 Somehow he'd assumed that Cathy would stay here； close to Sally。
〃The house is pretty empty without you； babe；〃 he said after a moment。
〃It'll be empty without her；〃 his wife answered； and the tears started again。 She buried her face in her husband's shoulder。 〃She's so little 。 。 。 〃
〃Yeah。〃 Jack thought of Sally's face； the two little blue eyes surrounded by a sea of bruises； the hurt there； the pain there。 〃She's going to get better； honey； and I don't want to hear any more of that 'it's my fault' crap。〃
〃But it is！〃
〃No； it isn't。 Do you know how lucky I am to have you both alive？ I saw the FBI's data today。 If you hadn't stomped on the brakes when you did； you'd both be dead。〃 The supposition was that this had thrown off Miller's aim by a few inches。 At least two rounds had missed Cathy's head by a whisker； the forensic experts said。 Jack could close his eyes and recite that information word for word。 〃You saved her life and yours by being smart。〃
It took Cathy a moment to react。 〃How did you find that out？〃
〃CIA。 They're cooperating with the police。 I asked to be part of the team and they let me join up。〃
〃But 〃
〃A lot of people are working on this； babe。 I'm one of them；〃 Jack said quietly。 〃The only thing that matters now is finding them。〃
〃Do you think 。 。 。〃
〃Yeah； I do。〃 Sooner or later。
Bill Shaw had no such hopes at the moment。 The best potential lead they had was the identity of the black man who'd driven the van。 This was being kept out of the media。 As far as the TV and newspapers were concerned； all the suspects were white。 The FBI hadn't so much lied to the press as allowed them to draw a false conclusion from the partial data that had been released as happened frequently enough。 It might keep the suspect from being spooked。 The only person who'd seen him at close range was the 7…Eleven clerk。 She had spent several hours going over pictures of blacks thought to be members of revolutionary groups and e up with three pos