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！
a member of the Congressional Oversight mittee； and as such to be treated with deference； but not seriously。 'If we don't move NOW；' continued Manning； 'even at the risk of exposing everything we've learned； he could slip through the nets again。 As of eleven days ago； he was in Zurich。 We're convinced he's still there。 And； gentlemen； it is Cain。'
'That's quite a statement；' said the balding； bird…like academic from the National Security Council as he read the summary page concerning Zurich given to each delegate at the table。 His name was Alfred Gillette； an expert in Personnel Screening and Evaluation； and he was considered by the Pentagon to be bright； vindictive； and with friends in high places。
'I find it extraordinary；' added Peter Knowlton； an associate director of the Central Intelligence Agency； a man in his middle fifties who perpetuated the dress； the appearance； and the attitude of an Ivy League of thirty years ago。 'Our sources have Cain in Brussels； not Zurich； at the same time … eleven days ago。 Our sources are rarely in error。'
'That's quite a statement；' said the third civilian； the only one at that table Manning really respected。 He was the oldest there； a man named David Abbott； a former Olympic swimmer whose intellect had matched his physical prowess。 He was in his late sixties now； but his bearing was still erect； his mind as sharp as it had ever been； his age； however； betrayed by a face lined from the tensions of a Lifetime he would never reveal。 He knew what he was talking about； thought the colonel。 Although he was currently a member of the omnipotent Forty mittee； he had been with the C。I。A。 since its origin in the OSS。 The Silent Monk of Covert Operations had been the sobriquet given him by his colleagues in the intelligence munity。 'In my days at the agency；' continued Abbott； chuckling； 'the sources were as often in conflict as in agreement。'
'We have different methods of verification；' pressed the associate director。 'No disrespect； Mr。 Abbott； but our transmissions equipment is literally instantaneous。'
'That's equipment； not verification。 But I won't argue； it seems we have a disagreement Brussels or Zurich。'
'The case for Brussels is airtight；' insisted Knowlton firmly。
'Let's hear it；' said the balding Gillette； adjusting his glasses。 'We can return to the Zurich summary； it's right in front of us。 Also； our sources have some input to offer； although it's not in conflict with Brussels or Zurich。 It happened over six months ago。'
The silver…haired Abbott glanced over at Gillette。 'Six months ago？ I don't recall N。S。C。 having delivered anything about Cain six months ago。'
'It wasn't totally confirmed；' replied Gillette。 'We try not to burden the mittee with unsubstantiated data。'
〃That's also quite a statement；' said Abbott； not needing to clarify；
'Congressman Walters；' interrupted the colonel； looking at the man from Oversight； 'do you have any questions before we goon？'
'Hell； yes；' drawled the congressional watchdog from the state of Tennessee； his intelligent eyes roaming the faces； 'but since I'm new at this； you go ahead so I'll know where to begin。'
'Very well； sir；' said Manning； nodding at the C。I。A。's Knowlton。 'What's this about Brussels eleven days ago？'
'A man was killed in the Place Fontainas； a covert dealer in diamonds between Moscow and the West。 He operated through a branch of Russolmaz； the Soviet firm in Geneva that brokers all such 〃purchases。 We know it's one way Cain converts his funds。〃
'What ties the killing to Cain？' asked the dubious Gillette。
'Method； first。 The weapon was a long needle； implanted in a crowded square at noontime with surgical precision。 Cain's used it before。'
That's quite true；' agreed Abbott。 〃There was a Rumanian in London somewhat over a year ago； another only weeks before him。 Both were narrowed to Cain。'
'Narrowed but not confirmed；' objected Colonel Manning。 'They were high…level political defectors； they could have been taken by the K。G。B。'
'Or by Cain with far less risk to the Soviets；' argued the C。I。A。 man。
'Or by Carlos；' added Gillette； his voice rising。 'Neither Carlos nor Cain is concerned about ideology； they're both for hire。 Why is it every time there's a killing of consequence； we ascribe it to Cain？'
'Whenever we do；' replied Knowlton。； his condescension obvious； 'it's because informed sources unknown to each other have reported the same information。 Since the informants have no knowledge of each other there could hardly be collusion。'
'It's all too pat；' said Gillette disagreeably。
'Back to Brussels；' interrupted the colonel。 'If it was Cain； why would he kill a broker from Russolmaz？ He used him。'
'A covert broker；' corrected the C。I。A。 director。 'And for any number of reasons according to our informants。 The man was a thief； and why not？ Most of his clients were too； they couldn't very well file charges。 He might have cheated Cain； and if he did； it'd be his last transaction。 Or he could have been foolish enough to speculate on Cain's identity； even a hint of that would call for the needle。 Or perhaps Cain simply wanted to bury his current traces。 Regardless； the circumstances plus the sources leave little doubt that it was Cain。'
There'll be a lot more when I clarify Zurich；' said Manning。 'May we proceed to the summary？'
'A moment； please。' David Abbott spoke casually while lighting his pipe。 'I believe our colleague from the Security Council mentioned the occurrence related to Cain that took place six months ago。 Perhaps we should hear about it。'
'Why？' asked Gillette； his eyes owl…like beyond the lenses of his rimless glasses。 The time factor removes it from having any bearing on Brussels or Zurich。 I mentioned that； too。'
'Yes； you did；' agreed the once…formidable Monk of Covert Services； I thought； however； any background might be helpful。 As you also said； we can return to the summary； it's right in front of us。 But if it's not relevant； let's get on with Zurich。'
Thank you； Mr。 Abbott；' said the colonel。 'You'll note that eleven days ago； on the night of February twenty…seventh； four men were killed in Zurich。 One of them was a watchman in a parking area by the Limmat River； it can be presumed that he was not involved in Cain's activities； but caught in them。 Two others were found in an alley on the west bank of the city； on the surface unrelated murders； except for the fourth victim。 He's tied in with the dead men in the alley … all three part of the Zurich…Munich underworld … and is； without question； connected to Cain。'
That's this Chernak；' said Gillette； reading the summary。 'At least； I assume it's Chernak。 I recognize the name； and associate it with the Cain file somewhere。'
'You should；' replied Manning。 'It first appeared in a G…Two report eighteen months ago； and cropped up again a year later。'
'Which would make it six months ago；' interjected Abbott； softly； looking at Gillette。
'Yes； sir；〃 continued the colonel。 'If there was ever an example of what's called the scum…of…the…earth； it was Chernak。 During the war be was a Czechoslovakia！！ recruit at Dachau； a trilingual interrogator as brutal as any guard in the camp