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〃And I haven't slept since；〃 I said； unable to take my eyes off him； no matter how hard I tried。
〃Please。 If you'll e with me。〃
Marino gave me a look and wiggled his fingers behind Talley's back； the way he did when he decided on the spot that someone was gay。 Talley's shoulders were broad。 He had no waist。 His profile had the perfect slope of a Roman god； and his lips were full and his jaw was flared。
I concentrated on being puzzled by his age。 Usually； overseas posts were much coveted and were awarded to agents with seniority and rank； yet Talley looked barely thirty。 He led us into a marble atrium four stories high that was centered by a brilliant mosaic of the world and washed in light。 Even the elevators were glass。
After a series of electronic locks and buzzers and binations and cameras that cared about our every move； we got off on the third floor。 I felt as if I were inside cut crystal。 Talley seemed to blaze。 I felt dazed and resentful because it hadn't been my idea to e here； and I didn't feel in charge。
〃So what's up there？〃 Marino； the model of politeness； pointed。
‘17he fourth floor；〃 Talley impassively said。
〃Well； the button don't have a number and it looks like you have to key yourself up；〃 Marino went on； staring at the elevator ceiling。 〃I was just wondering if that's where you keep all your puters。〃
〃Ibe secretary…general lives up there；〃 Talley matteróf…factly stated； as if there were nothing unusual about this。
〃No shit？〃
〃For security reasons。 He and his family live in the building；〃 Talley said as we passed normal…looking offices with normal…looking people inside them。 〃We're meeting him now。〃
〃Good。 Maybe he won't mind telling us what the hell we're doing here；〃 Marino replied。
Talley opened another door； this one made of rich； dark wood； and we were politely greeted by a man with a British accent who identified himself as the director of munication。 He took orders for coffee and let Secretary…General George Mirot know we had arrived。 Minutes later he showed us into Mirot's private office； where we found an imposing gray…haired man seated behind a black leather desk amid walls of antique guns and medals and gifts from other countries。 Mirot got up and shook our hands。
〃Let's be fortable；〃 he said。
He showed us to …a sitting area before a window overlooking the Rh8ne while Talley collected a thick accordion file from a table。
〃I know this has been quite an ordeal and I'm sure you must be exhausted；〃 he said in precise English。 〃I can't thank you enough for ing。 Especially on such short notice。〃
His inscrutable face and military bearing revealed nothing； and his presence seemed to make everything around him smaller。 He settled into a wing chair and crossed his legs。 Marino and I chose the couch and Talley sat across from me； setting the file on the rug。
〃Agent Talley；〃 Mirot said； 〃I'll let you start。 You'll excuse me if I get right to the point？〃 He directed this at us。 〃We have very little time。〃
〃First； I want to explain why ATF's involved in your unidentified case；〃 Talley said to Marino and me。 〃You're familiar with HIDTA。 Because of your niece Lucy； perhaps？〃
〃This has nothing to do with her；〃 I assumed uneasily。
〃As you probably know； HIDTA has violent crimesfugitive task forces；〃 he said instead of answering my question。 〃FBI； DEA； local law enforcement； and of course ATF； bining resources in high priority； especially difficult cases。〃
He pulled up a chair and sat across from me。
〃About a year ago；〃 he went on； 〃we formed a squad to work murders in Paris we believed are being mitted by the same individual：'
〃I'm not aware of any serial murders in Paris；〃 I said。
〃In France； we control the media better than you do；〃 the secretary…general mented。 〃You must understand； the murders have been in the news； Dr。 Scarpetta； but in very little detail； no sensationalizing。 Parisians know there's a murderer out there； and women have been warned not to open their doors to strangers； and so on。 But that's all。 We believe it serves no good purpose to reveal the gore； the shattered bones； torn clothes； bite marks； sexual deviations。〃
〃Where did the name Loup…Garou e from？〃 I asked。
〃From him；〃 Talley said as his eyes almost touched my body and flew off like a bird。
〃From the killer？〃 I asked。 〃You mean； he calls himself a werewolf？〃
Yes。
〃How the hell can you know something like that？〃 Marino elbowed his way in； and I knew by his body language that he was about to cause trouble。
Talley hesitated and glanced at Mirot。
〃What's the son of a bitch been doing？〃 Marino continued。 〃Leaving his nickname on little notes at the scenes？ Maybe he pins them to the bodies like in the movies； huh？ That's what I hate about big organizations getting involved in crap like this。
〃The best people to work crimes is the schmucks like me out。there walking around getting our boots muddy。 Once you get these big…shot task forces and puter systems involved； the whole thing gets off in the ozone。 It gets too smart； when what started the whole ball rolling ain't smart in the college sense of the word 。 。 。〃
〃That's where you're quite mistaken；〃 Mirot cut him off。 〃Loup…Garou is very smart。 He had his self…serving reasons to let us know his name in a letter。〃
〃A letter to who？〃 Marino wanted to know。
〃To me；〃 Talley said。
〃When was this？〃 I asked。
〃About a year ago。 After his fourth murder。〃
He untied the file and pulled out a letter protected by plastic。 He handed it to me； his fingers brushing against mine。 The letter was in French。 I recognized the handwriting as the same strange boxlike style I'd found on the carton inside the container。 The stationery was engraved with a woman's name； the paper smeared with blood。
〃It says；〃 Talley translated； 〃For the sins of one shall they all die。 The werewolf。 The stationery belonged to the victim and it's her blood。 But what mystified me at the time was how he knew I was involved in the investigation。 And this all moves us closer to a theory that's the root of why you're here。 We have ample reason to believe the killer is from a powerful family； the son of people who know exactly what he's doing and have made certain he doesn't get caught。 Not necessarily because they give a damn about him； but because they must do whatever's necessary to protect themselves。〃
〃Including shipping him off in a container？〃 I asked。 〃Dead and unidentified； thousands of miles from Paris because they've had enough？〃
Mirot studied me； leather creaking as he shifted his position in his chair and stroked a silver pen。
〃Probably not；〃 Talley said to me。 〃At first； yes。 That's what we thought； because every indicator pointed to the dead man in Richmond as this killer： Loup…Garou written on the carton； the physical description as best you could tell； considering the state the body was in。 The expensive way he was dressed。 But when you supplied us with further information about the tattoo with； quote； yellow eyes that might have been altered in an attempt to make them smaller。 。 。〃
〃Whoa； whoa； whoa；〃 Marino cut in。