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！
Guy and Osmar took a long drive and vowed to grab him if he ever returned。 Osmar was confident he would be back。 Probably just out of town on business； whatever his business was。 They'd snatch him； identify him； and if he happened to be the wrong man they'd simply throw him in a ditch and run。 It had happened before。
He returned on the fifth day。 They trailed him back to Rua Tiradentes； and everybody was happy。
ON THE EIGHTH DAY； the dirty cottage emptied as all the Brazilians and all the Americans took their positions。
The course was a six…miler。 He had covered it each day he'd been home； leaving at almost the same time； wearing the same blue and orange runner's shorts； well…worn Nikes； ankle socks； no shirt。
The perfect spot was two and a half miles from his house； over a small hill on a gravel road； not far from his turning…around point。 Danilo topped the hill twenty minutes into his run； a few seconds ahead of schedule。 He ran harder； for some reason。 Probably the clouds。
A small car with a flat tire was just over the hill； blocking the road； trunk opened； its rear jacked up。 Its driver was a burly young man who pretended to be startled at the sight of the skinny racer sweating and panting as he topped the hill。 Danilo slowed for a second。 There was more room to the right。
〃Bom dia；〃 the burly young man said as he took a step toward Danilo。
〃Bom dia；〃 Danilo said； approaching the car。
The driver suddenly pulled a large shiny pistol from the trunk and shoved it into Danilo's face。 He froze； his eyes locked onto the gun； his mouth open with heavy breathing。 The driver had thick hands and long； stout arms。 He grabbed Danilo by the neck and yanked him roughly toward the car； then down to the bumper。 He stuck the pistol in a pocket and with both hands folded Danilo into the trunk。 Danny Boy struggled and kicked； but was no match。
The driver slammed the trunk shut； lowered the car； tossed the jack into the ditch； and drove off。 A mile away； he turned onto a narrow dirt path where his pals were anxiously waiting。
They tied nylon ropes around Danny Boy's wrists and a black cloth over his eyes； then shoved him into the back of a van。 Osmar sat to his right； another Brazilian to his left。 Someone removed his keys from the Velcro runner's pouch stuck to his waist。 Danilo said nothing as the van started and began moving。 He was still sweating and breathing even harder。
When the van stopped on a dusty road near a farm field； Danilo uttered his first words。 〃What do you want？〃 he asked； in Portuguese。
〃Don't speak；〃 came the reply from Osmar； in English。 The Brazilian to Danilo's left removed a syringe from a small metal box and deftly filled it with a potent liquid。 Osmar pulled Danilo's wrists tightly toward him while the other man jabbed the needle into his upper arm。 He stiffened and jerked； then realized it was hopeless。 He actually relaxed as the last of the drug entered his body。 His breathing slowed； his head began to wobble。 When his chin hit his chest； Osmar gently； with his right index finger； raised the shorts on Danilo's right leg； and found exactly what he expected to find。 Pale skin。
The running kept him thin； and it also kept him brown。
Kidnappings were all too mon in the Frontier。 Americans were easy targets。 But why him？ Danilo asked himself this as his head wobbled and his eyes closed。 He smiled as he fell through space； dodging ets and meteors； grabbing at moons and grinning through entire galaxies。
THEY STUFFED HIM under some cardboard boxes filled with melons and berries。 The border guards nodded without leaving their chairs； and Danny Boy was now in Paraguay； though he couldn't have cared less at the moment。 He bounced happily along on the floor of the van as the roads grew worse and the terrain steeper。 Osmar chain…smoked and occasionally pointed this way and that。 An hour after they grabbed him； they found the last turn。 The cabin was in a crevice between two pointed hills； barely visible from the narrow dirt road。 They carried him like a sack of meal and poured him onto a table in the den where Guy and the fingerprint man went to work。
Danny Boy snored heavily as prints were made of all eight fingers and both thumbs。 The Americans and the Brazilians crowded around； watching every move。 There was unopened whiskey in a box by the door； just in case this was the real Danny Boy。
The print man left abruptly and went to a room in the back where he locked the door and spread the fresh prints before him。 He adjusted his lighting。 He removed the master set； those freely given by Danny Boy when he was much younger； back when he was Patrick and seeking admission to the State Bar of Louisiana。 Odd； this fingerprinting of lawyers。
Both sets were in fine shape； and it was immediately obvious they were a perfect match。 But he meticulously checked all ten。 There was no hurry。 Let them wait out there。 He rather enjoyed the moment。 He finally opened the door and frowned hard at the dozen faces searching his。 Then he smiled。 〃It's him；〃 he said； in English； and they actually clapped。
Guy approved the whiskey； but only in moderation。 There was more work to do。 Danny Boy； still atose； was given another shot and carried to a small bedroom with no window and a heavy door which locked from the outside。 It was here that he would be interrogated； and tortured； if necessary。
THE BAREFOOT BOYS playing soccer in the street were too involved in their game to look up。 Danny Boy's key ring had only four keys on it； and so the small front gate was unlocked quickly； and left open。 An acplice in a rented car came to a stop near a large tree four houses down。 Another； on a motorbike； parked himself at the other end of the street and began tinkering with his brakes。
If a security system started howling upon entry； the intruder would simply run and never be seen again。 If not； then he would lock himself in and take inventory。
The door opened without sirens。 The security panel on the wall informed whoever might be looking that the system was disarmed。 He breathed lightly and stood perfectly still for a full minute； then began to move around。 He removed the hard drive from Danny Boy's PC； and collected all the disks。 He rummaged through files on his desk； but found nothing but routine bills； some paid； others waiting。 The fax was cheap and featureless； and declared itself to be out of order。 He took photos of clothing； food； furniture； bookshelves； magazine racks。
Five minutes after the door opened； a silent signal was activated in Danilo's attic and a phone call was placed to a private security firm eleven blocks away； in downtown Ponta Pora。 The call went unanswered because the security consultant on duty was swaying gently in a hammock out back。 A recorded message from Danilo's house informed whoever was supposed to be listening that there was a break…in。 Fifteen minutes passed before human ears heard the message。 By the time the consultant raced to Danilo's house； the intruder was gone。 So was Mr。 Silva。 Everything appeared to be in order； including the Beetle under the carport。 The house and gate were locked。
The directions in the file were specific。 On such alarms； do not ca