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py for them。 Sure。 But before we ordered him out of the States; we frightened him enough to blow the cover on the other four。 One of them tipped us that Philby wasn't kingpin; that there was a fourth man。〃
Sinders coughed and lit another cigarette from the stub of the other。 〃What did he say。 Exactly?〃
〃Only that Philby's cell was four。 The fourth's the guy who inducted the others; the controller of the cell and the main link to the Soviets。 Rumor was he's up there。 VVIP。〃
〃What sort? Political? Foreign Office? Gentry?〃
Rosemont shrugged。 〃Just VVIP。〃
Sinders stared at him; then went back into his shell。 Crosse swung into Sinclair Road; and stopped at his own apartment to let Sinders off; then drove to the consulate that was near Government House。 Rosemont got a copy of the fingerprints then guided Crosse to his office。 The office was large and well stocked with liquor。 〃Scotch?〃
〃Vodka with a dash of Rose's lime juice;〃 Crosse said; eyeing the AMG files that Rosemont had put carelessly on his desk。
〃Health。〃 They touched glasses。 Rosemont drank his Scotch deeply。 〃What's on your mind; Rog? You've been like a cat on a hot tin roof all day。〃
Crosse nodded at the files。 〃It's them。 I want that mole。 I want Sevrin smashed。〃
Rosemont frowned。 〃Okay;〃 he said after a pause; 〃let's see what we got。〃
He picked up the first file; put his feet on the desk and began reading。 It took him barely a couple of minutes to finish; then he passed it over to Crosse who read equally fast。 Quickly they went through the files one by one。 Crosse closed the last page of the last one and handed it back。 He lit a cigarette。
〃Too much to ment on now;〃 Rosemont muttered absently。
Crosse caught an undercurrent in the American's voice and wondered if he was being tested。 〃One thing jumps out;〃 he said; watching Rosemont。 〃These don't pare in quality with the other one; the one we intercepted。〃
Rosemont nodded。 〃I got that too; Rog。 How do you figure it?〃
〃These seem flat。 All sorts of questions are unanswered。 Sevrin's skirted; so's the mole。〃 Crosse toyed with his vodka then finished it。 〃I'm disappointed。〃
Rosemont broke the silence。 〃So either the one we got was unique and different; written differently; or these're phonies or phonied up?〃
〃Yes。〃
Rosemont exhaled。 〃Which leads back to Ian Dunross。 If these're phony; he's still got the real ones。〃
〃Either actually; or in his head。〃
〃What do you mean?〃
〃He's supposed to have a photographic memory。 He could have destroyed the real ones and prepared these; but still remember the others。〃
〃Ah; so he could be debriefed if he 。。。 if he's cheated us。〃
Crosse lit another cigarette。 〃Yes。 If the powers…that…be decided it was necessary。〃 He looked up at Rosemont。 〃Of course; any such debriefing would be highly dangerous and would have to be ordered solely under the Official Secrets Act。〃
Rosemont's used face became even grimmer。 〃Should I take the ball and run?〃
〃No。 First we have to be sure。 That should be relatively easy。〃 Crosse glanced at the liquor cabinet。 〃May I?〃
〃Sure。 I'll take another shot of whiskey。〃
Crosse handed him the refill。 〃I'll make a deal with you: You really cooperate; pletely; you don't do anything without telling me in advance; no secrets; no jumping the gun 。。。〃
〃In return for?〃
Crosse smiled his thin smile and took out some photocopies。 〃How would you like to influence; perhaps even control; certain presidential hopefuls … perhaps even an election?〃
〃I don't follow you。〃
Crosse passed over the letters of Thomas K。 K。 Lim that Armstrong and his team had acquired in the raid on Bucktooth Lo two days before。 〃It seems that certain very rich; very well…connected U。S。 families are in league with certain U。S。 generals to build several large but unnecessary airfields in Vietnam; for personal gain。 This documents the how; when and who。〃 Crosse told him where and how the papers had been found and added; 〃Isn't Senator Wilf Tillman; the one that's here now; a presidential hopeful? I imagine he'd make you head of the CIA for these goodies … if you wanted to give them to him。 These two're even juicier。〃 Crosse put them on the desk。 〃These document how certain rather well…connected politicians and the same well…connected families have got congressional approval to channel millions into a totally fraudulent aid program in Vietnam。 8 millions have already been paid over。〃
Rosemont read the letters。 His face went chalky。 He picked up the phone。 〃Get me Ed Langan。〃 He waited a moment; then his face went suddenly purple。 〃I don't give a goddamn!〃 he rasped。 〃Get off your goddamn butt and get Ed here right now。〃 He slammed the phone back onto its hook; cursing obscenely; opened his desk; found a bottle of antacid pills and took three。 〃I'll never make fifty at this rate;〃 he muttered。 〃Rog; this joker; Thomas K。 K。 Lim; can we have him?〃
〃If you can find him; be my guest。 He's somewhere in South America。〃 Crosse put down another paper。 〃This's Anti…Corruption's confidential report。 You shouldn't have any trouble tracking him。〃
Rosemont read it。 〃Jesus。〃 After a pause he said; 〃Can we keep this between us? It's liable to blow the roof off a couple of our national monuments。〃
〃Of course。 We have a deal? Nothing hidden on either side?〃
〃Okay。〃 Rosemont went to the safe and unlocked it。 〃One good turn deserves another。〃 He found the file he was looking for; took out some papers; put the file back and relocked the safe。 〃Here; these're photocopies。 You can have 'em。〃
The photocopies were headed 〃Freedom Fighter〃 dated this month and last month。 Crosse went through them quickly and whistled from time to time。 They were espionage reports; their quality excellent。 All the items dealt with Canton; happenings in and around that vital capital city of Kwantung Province: troop movements; promotions; appointments to the local presidiums and munist Party; floods; food shortages; the military; numbers and types of East German and Czechoslovak goods available in the stores。 〃Where'd you get these?〃 he asked。
〃We've a cell operating in Canton。 This's one of their reports; we get them monthly。 Shall I give you a copy?〃
〃Yes。 Yes thank you。 I'll check it out through our sources for accuracy。〃
〃They're accurate; Rog。 Of course top secret; yes? I don't want my guys blown like Fong…fong。 We'll keep this between you'n me; okay?〃
〃All right。〃
The American got up and put out his hand。 〃And Rog; I'm sorry about the raid。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Good。 As to this joker; Lim; we'll find him。〃 Rosemont stretched wearily then went and poured himself another drink。 〃Rog?〃
〃No thanks; I'll be off;〃 Crosse said。
Rosemont stabbed a blunt finger at the letters。 〃About those; thanks。 Yeah; thanks but 。。。〃 He stopped a moment; near tears of rage。 〃Sometimes I'm so sick to my stomach what our own guys'll do for goddamn dough even if it's a goddamn pile of goddamn gold I'd like to die。 You know what I mean?〃
〃Oh yes!〃 Crosse kept his voice kind and gentle but he was thinking; How naive you are; Stanley!
In a moment he left and went to police HQ and checked out the fingerprints in his private files; then got back into his car a