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！
before 9：30 Monday。 Oh God； I wish we'd never e here。
The patter of rain splashed the stadium and someone said； 〃Christ； I hope it doesn't get any worse！〃 The track was already scarred and muddy and very slippery。 Outside the main entrance the road was slicked； puddled； traffic heavy and many late…ing people still hurried through the turnstiles。
Roger Crosse； Sinders and Robert Armstrong got out of the police car and went through the barriers and the checkpoints to the members' elevator； their blue lapel badges fluttering。 Crosse had been a voting member for five years； Armstrong for one。 Crosse was also a steward this year。 Every year the missioner of police suggested to the stewards that the police should have their own box and each year the stewards agreed enthusiastically and nothing happened。
In the members' stand Armstrong lit a cigarette。 His face was lined； his eyes tired。 The huge； crowded room went half the length of the stands。 They went to the bar and ordered drinks； greeting other members。 〃Who's that？〃 Sinders asked。
Armstrong followed his glance。 〃That's a little of our local color； Mr。 Sinders。〃 His voice was sardonic。 〃Her name's Venus Poon and she's our top TV starlet。〃
Venus Poon was wearing a full…length mink and surrounded by an admiring group of Chinese。 〃The fellow on her left's Charles Wang … he's a film producer； multimillionaire； cinemas； dance halls； nightclubs； bars； girls and a couple of banks in Thailand。 The small old man who looks like a bamboo and's just as tough is Four Finger Wu； one of our local pirates … smuggling's his life's work and he's very good。〃
〃Yes；〃 Crosse said。 〃We almost caught him a couple of days ago。 We think he's into heroin now … of course gold。〃
〃Who's the nervous one in the gray suit？ The fellow on the outside？〃
〃That's Richard Kwang of the Ho…Pak disaster；〃 Armstrong said。 〃The banker。 He's her current； or was her current … what's the word … patron？〃
〃Interesting。〃 Sinders concentrated on Venus Poon。 Her dress was low…cut and saucy。 〃Yes； very。 And who's that？ Over there … the one with the European。〃
〃Where？ Oh。 That's Orlanda Ramos； Portuguese which usually means Eurasian here。 Once she was Quillan Gornt's mistress。 Now； now I don't know。 The man's Linc Bartlett； the 'gun…runner。' 〃
〃Ah！ She's unattached？〃
〃Perhaps。〃
〃She looks expensive。〃 Sinders sipped his drink and sighed。 〃Delectable； but expensive。〃
〃I'd say very；〃 Crosse told him distastefully。 Orlanda Ramos was with several middle…aged women； all couturier dressed； around Bartlett。 〃Rather overdone for my taste。〃
Sinders glanced at him； surprised。 〃I haven't seen so many smashers in years … or so many jewels。 Have you ever had a raid here？〃
Crosse's eyes soared。 〃In the Turf Club？ Good God； surely no one'd dare。〃
Armstrong smiled his hard smile。 〃Every copper who does duty here； from the high to the low； spends most of the time trying to work out the perfect heist。 The final day's take must be 15 million at least。 It's baffled us all。 Security's too tight； too clever … Mr。 Crosse set it up。〃
〃Ah！〃
Crosse smiled。 〃Would you like a snack； Edward？ Perhaps a sandwich？〃
〃Good idea。 Thank you。〃
〃Robert？〃
〃No thank you； sir。 If you don't mind I'll study the form and see you later。〃 Armstrong was achingly aware that after the seventh race； they were due to return to HQ where Brian Kwok was scheduled for another session。
〃Robert's a serious punter； Edward。 Robert； do me a favor； show Mr。 Sinders the ropes； where to bet； and order him a sandwich。 I'd better see if the governor's free for a moment … I'll be back in a few minutes。〃
〃Glad to；〃 Armstrong said； hating the idea； the envelope with 40；000 h'eung yau dollars that he had taken from his desk on an impulse now a never…ending fire in his pocket。 Christ； do I or don't I？ he asked himself over and over； grimly trying to decide and all the while trying to push away the horror of his friend Brian and the next session … no； no longer his friend but a mitted； highly trained foreign asset and enormously valuable catch that they had by a miracle uncovered。
〃Robert；〃 Crosse said； keeping his voice deliberately kind； 〃you've done a very good job today。 Very good。〃
〃Yes；〃 Sinders agreed。 〃I'll see the minister's aware of your help； and of course the CP。〃
Crosse went for the elevator。 Wherever he went nervous Chinese eyes followed him。 On the top floor he bypassed the governor's box and went into Plumm's。
〃Hello； Roger！〃 Plumm greeted him affably。 〃Drink？〃
〃Coffee would be fine。 How're things？〃
〃Lost my shirt so far； though a number of us have the first leg of the quinella。 You？〃
〃I've just arrived。〃
〃Oh； then you missed the drama！〃 Plumm told Crosse about Dunross's takeover bid。 〃Ian's thrown a monkey wrench into Pug。〃
〃Or given him a great offer；〃 someone volunteered。
〃True； true。〃
Plumm's box was as packed as all the others。 Lots of chatter and laughter； drinks and good food。 〃Tea'll be up in half an hour。 I'm just going along to the stewards' mittee room； Roger。 Would you like to stroll with me？〃
The mittee room was at the end of the corridor； through guarded swing doors。 It was small with a table and twelve chairs； a phone； good windows over the track and a tiny balcony。 And empty。 At once Plumm's easygoing facade vanished。 〃I talked to Suslev。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃He's furious about the raid on the Ivanov last night。〃
〃I can imagine。 That was ordered by London。 I wasn't even told till this morning。 Bloody Sinders！〃
Plumm became even grimmer。 〃They couldn't be on to you； could they？〃
〃Oh no。 It's routine。 Just Special Branch； MI…6 and Sinders flexing their wings。 They're a secretive lot and quite right； nothing to do with SI。 Go on。〃
〃He said if you came that he'd be by a phone booth。〃 Plumm handed him a slip of paper。 〃Here's the number。 He'll be there exactly at the off of the next three races。 Please call him … he said it was urgent。 What the hell was the raid for？〃
〃Just to frighten all the KGB aboard； to frighten them enough to flush out Sevrin。 Pressure。 Same as the order for Suslev and the new missar to appear at HQ on Sunday。 It was just to frighten。〃
〃Suslev's frightened all right。〃 A sardonic smile flickered over Plumm's handsome face。 〃His sphincter's out of joint for ten years at least。 They'll all have some explaining to do。 When Armstrong 'happened' to bust open the radio room； Red One operated and they dutifully and unnecessarily wrecked all their scramble and decoding equipment； along with their classified radar scanners。〃
Crosse shrugged。 〃The Ivanov's leaving and they've got plenty to replace them with。 It wasn't Suslev's fault； or ours。 We can send a report telling Center what happened。 If we want。〃
Plumm's eyes narrowed。 〃If？〃
〃Rosemont and his CIA thugs picked up a glass in their raid on Sinclair Towers。 Suslev's prints are all over it。〃
Plumm went white。 〃Christ！ Now he's on file？〃
〃Has to be。 He's in our files as you know； not as KGB； and I think I've the only copies of his fingerprints existing。 I removed them from his dossier years ago。 I'd say it's only a matter of time before the CIA are on to him； so the sooner he leaves Hong Kong the better。〃
〃You think we should tell Center？〃 Plumm asked uneasily。 〃They'll throw their book at him for being so careless。〃
〃We can decide over the weekend。 We knew Voranski over a number of years； knew he was to be trusted。 But this man？〃 Crosse left the word hanging； keeping up the pretense that his contact with Suslev was recent； the same as Plumm's。 〃After all； isn't he only a minor KGB officer； a jumped…up courier。 He's not even Voranski's official replacement and we've ourselves to think of。〃
〃True！〃 Plumm hardened。 〃Maybe he's a real berk。 I know I wasn't followed to Sinclair Towers。 And as to the decoded cable … God stone the crows！〃
〃What？〃
〃The decoded cable … the one he dropped and Armstrong picked off the Ivanov's deck。 We've got to decide about that。〃
Crosse turned away to hide his shock and fought for control； appalled that neither Armstrong nor Sinders had mentioned any cable。 He pretended to stifle a yawn to cover。 〃Sorry； I was up most of the night；〃 he said； making a major effort to keep his voice matter…of…fact。 〃Did he tell you what was in it？〃
〃Of course。 I insisted。〃
Crosse saw Plumm watching him。 〃Exactly what did he tell you was in it？〃
〃Oh？ You mean he might be lying？〃 Plumm's anxiety showed。 〃It went something like： 'Inform Arthur that following his request for a Priority One on the traitor Metkin an immediate intercept was ordered for Bombay。 Second； the meeting with the American is brought forward to Sunday。 Third and final： The AMG files continue to be Priority One。 Maximum effort must be made by Sevrin to achieve success。 Center。' 〃 Plumm licked his lips； 〃Is it correct？〃
〃Yes；〃 Crosse said； gambling； almost wet with relief。 He began weighing odds on Armstrong and Sinders。 Now why； deliberately； why didn't they tell me that？
〃Terrible； eh？〃 Plumm said。
〃Yes； but not serious。〃
〃I don't agree；〃 Plumm said irritably。 〃It absolutely ties the KGB to Sevrin； absolutely confirms Arthur's existence and Sevrin's existence。〃
〃Yes； but the AMG files have already done that。 Calm down； Jason； we're quite safe。〃
〃Are we？ There've been too many leaks for my liking。 Far too many。 Perhaps we should close down for a time。〃
〃We are closed down。 It's only those bloody AMG files that are causing us any grief。〃
〃Yes。 At least that bugger Grant wasn't pletely accurate。〃
〃You mean about Banastasio？〃
〃Yes。 I still wonder where the hell he fits in。〃
〃Yes。〃 In AMG's intercepted file Banastasio had been named erroneously as Sevrin's American connection。 It was only after the file that Crosse had learned from Rosemont who Banastasio actually was。
〃The fellow who met him was Vee Cee Ng；〃 Crosse said。
Plumm's eyebrows soared。 〃Photographer Ng？ How does he connect？〃
〃I don't know。 Shipping； ships； smuggling。 He's into all kinds of shady deals。〃 Crosse shrugged。
〃Could that writer fellow's theory work？ What's his name？ Marlowe。 Could the KGB be doing an op in our territory without telling us？〃
〃Possible。 Or it could be an utterly different department； perhaps GRU； instigated in America by the KGB or GRU there。 Or just a coincidence。〃 Crosse was back in control now； the fright of the cable wearing off。 He was thinking much clearer。 〃What's Suslev want that's so urgent？〃
〃Our cooperation。 Koronski arrives by the afternoon plane。〃
Crosse whistled。 〃Center？〃
〃Yes。 There was a message this morning。 Now that the Ivanov's equipment is wrecked I'm the go…between。〃
〃Good。 What's his cover name？〃
〃Hans Meikker； West German。 He's to stay at the Seven Dragons。〃 Plumm's anxiety increased。 〃Listen； Suslev said Center's ordered us to prepare to snatch Ian an… 〃
〃They've gone mad！〃 Crosse exploded。
〃I agree but Suslev says it's the only way to find out quickly if the files are counterfeit or not； and if so； where they're hidden。 He claims Koronski can do it。 In a chemical debriefing； well； Ian's memory can be 。。。 can be emptied。〃
〃That's madness；〃 Crosse said。 〃We're not even sure if the files are counterfeit。 That's a plete supposition for God's sake！〃
〃Suslev says Center told him we can blame it on the Werewolves … those buggers snatched John Chen so why wouldn't they go after the big money； the tai…pan？〃
〃No。 Too dangerous。〃
Plumm wiped his hands。 〃To snatch Ian now'd put the tai…pans and Hong Kong into a furor。 It could be a perfect time； Roger。〃
〃Why？〃
〃The Noble House would be in total disarray and with all the bank runs and the stock market disaster； Hong Kong'd be down the sewer and that'd send all China into shock。 We'd jump the Cause forward ten years and immeasurably assist international munism and the workers of the world。 Christ； Roger； aren't you sick of just sitting and being a messenger？ Now we can fulfill Sevrin with hardly any risk。 Then we close everything down for a time。〃
Crosse lit a cigarette。 He had heard the tension in Plumm's voice。 〃I'll think about it；〃 he said at length。 〃Leave it for the moment。 I'll call you tonight。 Did Suslev say who the American in the cable was？〃
〃No。 He j