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〃Shamus； how effective might Doyle's men be in Boston？〃
Connolly shrugged his shoulders。 〃Get enough liquor into them and they'll believe anything they're told； and toss their dollars into the hat as always。〃
Miller smiled for a moment。 He refilled his own glass this time as the other two talked on。 His own mind began assembling a plan。
Murray had had a number of assignments in the Bureau over his many years of service； ranging from junior agent involved in chasing down bank robbers to instructor in investigation procedures at the FBI Academy at Quantico； Virginia。 One thing he'd always told the youngsters in the classroom was the importance of intuition。 Law enforcement was still as much art as science。 The Bureau had immense scientific resources to process evidence； had written procedures for everything； but when you got down to it； there was never a substitute for the mind of an experienced agent。 It was mostly experience； Murray knew； the way you fitted evidence together； the way you got a feel for the mind of your target and tried to predict his next move。 But more than experience； there was intuition。 The two qualities worked together until you couldn't separate them in your own mind。
That's the hard part； Murray told himself on the drive home from the embassy。 Because intuition can run a little wild if there's not enough evidence to hold on to。
〃You will learn to trust your instincts；〃 Murray told the traffic； quoting from his memorized class notes。 〃Instinct is never a substitute for evidence and procedure； but it can be a very useful tool in adapting one to another oh； Dan； you would have made a hell of a Jesuit。〃 He chuckled to himself； oblivious of the stare he was getting from the car on his right。
If it's so damned funny； why does it bother you？
Murray's instinct was ringing a quiet but persistent bell。 Why had Jimmy said that？ Obviously it was bothering him； too but what the hell was it？
The problem was； it wasn't just one thing。 He saw that now。 It was several things； and they were interrelated like some kind of three…dimensional crossword puzzle。 He didn't know the number of blanks； and he didn't have any of the clues to the words； but he did know roughly the way they fitted together。 That was something。 Given time； it might even be enough； but
〃Damn！〃 His hands gripped tight on the steering wheel as good humor again gave way to renewed frustration。 He could talk it over with Owens tomorrow or the next day； but the bell told him that it was more urgent than that。
Why is it so damned urgent？ There is no evidence of anything to get excited about。
Murray reminded himself that the first case that he'd broken more or less on his own； ten months after hitting the street as a special agent； had begun with a feeling like this one。 In retrospect the evidence had seemed obvious enough once he'd put the right twist on it； but that twist hadn't occurred to anyone else。 And with Murray himself it had begun as nothing more than the same sort of intellectual headache he was suffering through in his car。 Now he was really mad at himself。
Fact： The ULA broke all the rules。 Fact： No Irish terrorist organization had ever run an operation in the U。S。 There were no more Facts。 If they ran an op in America 。 。 。 well； they were undoubtedly mad at Ryan； but they hadn't made a move against him over here； and that would have been a hell of a lot easier than staging one in the U。S。 What if Miller really was their chief of operations no； Murray told himself； terrorists don't usually take things personally。 It's unprofessional； and the bastards are professional。 They'd have to have a better reason than that。
Just because you don't know what the reason is doesn't mean they don't have one； Danny。 Murray found himself wondering if his intuition hadn't transformed itself into paranoia with increasing age。 What if there's more than one reason to do it？
〃There's a thought；〃 he said to himself。 One could be an excuse for the other but what's the it that they want to do？ Motive； all the police procedure manuals said； was the main thing to look for。 Murray didn't have a clue on their motive。 〃I could go crazy doing this。〃
Murray turned left off Kensington Road； into the upscale neighborhood of flats where he had his official residence。 Parking was the usual problem。 Even when he'd been assigned to the counterespionage section of the New York City Field Office； parking hadn't been this bad。 He found a space perhaps two feet longer than his car and spent nearly five minutes fitting the vehicle into it。
Murray hung his coat on the peg beside the door and walked right into the living room。 His wife found him dialing the phone； a ferocious scowl on his face。 She wondered what was wrong。
It took a few seconds for the overseas call to go into the proper office。
〃Bill； this is Dan Murray 。 。 。 we're fine；〃 his wife heard him say。 〃I want you to do something。 You know that guy Jack Ryan？ Yeah； that's the one。 Tell him hell； how do I say this？ Tell him that maybe he should watch his back 。 。 。 I know that。 Bill 。 。 。 I can't say； something's bothering me； and I can't something like that； yeah 。 。 。 I know they've never done it before。 Bill； but it's still bothering me 。 。 。 No； nothing specific that I can point to； but Jimmy Owens brought it up； and now he's got me worrying about it。 Oh； you got the report already？ Good； then you know what I mean。〃
Murray leaned back and stared at the ceiling for a moment。 〃Call it feeling； or instinct call it anything you want； it's bothering me。 I want somebody to act on it 。 。 。 Good man。 How's the family？ Oh； yeah？ Great！ Well； I guess it'll be a happy new year for you。 Okay。 Take care。 'Bye。〃 He set the phone down。 〃Well； that feels a little better；〃 he said quietly to himself。
〃The party starts at nine；〃 his wife said。 She was used to his bringing work home。 He was used to having her remind him of his social obligations。
〃I guess I better get dressed； then。〃 Murray rose and kissed his wife。 He did feel better now。 He'd done something probably no more than having people in the Bureau wonder what was happening to him over here； but he could live with that。 〃Bill's oldest is engaged。 He's going to marry her off to a young agent in the D。C。 Field Office。〃
〃Anyone we know？〃
〃New kid。〃
〃We have to leave soon。〃
〃Okay； okay。〃 He walked to the master bedroom and started to change for the big embassy party。
Chapter 11 Warnings
〃As you see； ladies and gentlemen； the decision Nelson made in this case had the long…term effect of finally putting an end to the stultifying influence of the Royal Navy's formal tactics。〃 Ryan closed his note folder。 〃There is nothing like a decisive victory to teach people a lesson。 Questions？〃
It was Jack's first day back at teaching class。 The room had forty students； all third classmen （that title included the six female mids in the class）； or sophomores in civilian terms； taking Ryan's introductory course in naval history。 There were no questions。 He was surprised。 Jack knew he was a pretty good teacher； but not that good。 After a moment； one of