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only a lone bored…looking reporter was on a telephone turning in a routine report。 A dozen empty cardboard coffee cups stuffed with drowned cigarette butts littered the desk； holding down sheafs of paper。
I said； 〃Hi； buddy；〃 and he turned around； his face seamed with fatigue lines； his eyes red…veined from lack of sleep。 〃You look beat。〃
〃Yeah。〃
I pulled a chair up； sat down and stretched my legs。 〃Since when does an operation this size involve homicide？〃
〃Ever since that guy died in the subway。〃
〃Anything new？〃
〃Not a damn thing。〃
〃Then why don't you try sleeping in a bed for a change？〃
〃We're not all private citizens；〃 Pat growled。
〃How's the general reaction so far？〃
〃We're managing。〃
〃Somebody's going to wonder about the Russians looking for a summit meeting and the bit going on in the U。N。〃
〃There's enough tension in the world to make it look plausible。 You have four shooting fracases going on right now and three of those involved have nuclear capabilities if they decide to use them。 There's reason enough for international concern。 Washington can handle it if certain parties who know just a little too damn much can keep quiet。〃
〃Don't look at me； buddy。 It's your problem。〃
Pat gave me a lopsided grin。 〃Oh no。 Some of it's yours。 Unless you're immune to certain deadly diseases。〃
〃They isolate it yet？〃
〃No。〃
〃Locate the agents that were planted here？〃
〃No。〃
〃You talk too much；〃 I said。
Pat leaned back and rubbed his eyes。 〃There's nothing to talk about。 For the first time the Reds are as bugged about it as we are。 They know we have a retaliation policy and damn well know its potential。 Nobody can afford to risk a C。B。 war。 They haven't been able to run down a single piece of written evidence on this business at all。 If there ever was any； it's been deliberately destroyed by that previous regime。 That bunch tried to keep a dead hand in office and they did a pretty good job。 We have to work on rumor and speculation。〃
〃Did the technicians at Fort Derrick e up with anything？〃
His eyes gave me an unrelenting stare。
〃e on； Pat。 There's nothing really new about our chemical…biological warfare program being centered there。〃
〃What could they e up with？〃 he asked me softly。
〃Like nuclear physics； problems and solutions seem to be arrived at simultaneously。 When that agent was planted here that bacteriological program would have been developed to a certain point。 Now it's twenty…some years later； so they should be able to guess at what he had as a destructive force。〃
〃Nice；〃 Pat said。 〃You're thinking。 They can make a few educated guesses； all right； but even back then； what was available was incredibly destructive。 Luckily； they worked on antibiotics； vaccines and the like at the same time so they could probably avoid total contamination with a crash immunization program。〃
I looked at him and grinned。 〃Except that there isn't enough time to go into mass production of the stuff。〃
Pat didn't answer me。
〃That means only a preselected group would be given immunization and who will that group consist of。。。the technicians who have it at hand； a power squad who can take it away from them； or selection by the democratic method of polls and votes？〃
〃You know what it means；〃 Pat said。
〃Sure。 Instant panic； revolution； everything gets smashed in the process and nobody gets a thing。〃
〃What would you do； Mike？〃
I grinned at him again。 〃Oh； round up a few hundred assorted styles of females； a couple of obstetricians； a few male friends to share the pleasure and to split the drinks； squirt up with antibiotics and move to a nice warm island someplace and start the world going again。〃
〃I never should have asked；〃 Pat said with a tired laugh。 〃At least now I'll be able to get some sleep knowing the problem has been solved。〃 He yawned elaborately； then stifled it。 〃Unless you got another one。〃
〃Just one。 Did ballistics get anything on those shots in Lippy's apartment？〃
Pat moved a coffee cup aside and tugged out a stained typewritten sheet of paper。 〃They dug a 。38 slug out of the floor。 The ejected cartridge was a few feet away。 The ring bands on the lead were well defined so it was either a new piece or an old gun with a fresh barrel。 My guess would be a Colt automatic。〃
〃You check the sales from local outlets？〃
〃Peterson did。 Everything turned up clean since the new law in the state went into effect； but prior to that there were thousands of sales made outside the state that would be almost impossible to run down。 Anybody intending to use a gun illegally is going to be pretty cagy about it； especially buying one through a legitimate source。 I wouldn't pin any hopes on tracking that job down unless you locate the gun itself。 Or have you？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃I wish I had the time or inclination to nail your pants to a chair；〃 Pat said。 〃Right now I couldn't care less。 Incidentally；〃 he added； 〃I might as well give you a little fatherly advice。 Although several people in rather high places who seem to know you pretty well have vouched for your so…called integrity； the skeptics from the bureaus in D。C。 decided a little surveillance wouldn't hurt。 They didn't like the contact between you and Eddie Dandy this morning。〃
〃I didn't have any tail on me。〃
〃Eddie did。 He works in a more sensitive area than you do。 It wouldn't surprise me a bit if he went into custody until this thing was over。〃
〃They wouldn't be that stupid。〃
〃Like hell they wouldn't。 He tell you about that business in Kansas City？〃
〃He mentioned it。〃
〃Plain luck we stopped it this time。〃
〃It'll get a lot stickier if anybody really wants to get Inquisitive；〃 I said。 〃How about some lunch？〃
〃Thanks； but I'm too bushed。 I'm grabbing some sleep。 Tonight I got a detail covering the reception at that new delegation building they just opened。 The Soviets and their satellite buddies are throwing a bash and everybody's got visions of fire bombs and bullets dancing through their heads。〃
〃Crazy；〃 I said。 〃Can I use your phone？〃
〃Go ahead。〃
I dialed my office number； waited for the automatic signal； held the tone gimmick up to the mouthpiece and triggered it。 Four faint musical bleeps came out； there was a pause and a voice with a laugh hidden in it said； 〃Please； Mr。 Tape Recorder； inform your master that his cultivator is available for an afternoon drink。 He has the office phone number。〃
I felt myself grinning and hung up。 〃Has to be a broad；〃 Pat said。 〃It has to。〃
〃It was；〃 I told him。
〃Just how many broads you figure you collect any given month； pal？〃
〃Let's put it this way；〃 I said。 〃I throw away more than most guys get to see。〃
Pat wrinkled his face and waved for me to get the hell away from him。 Some perennial bachelors are different from others。
The bar at Finero's Steak House was packed three deep with a noisy crowd fighting the martini…Manhattan war； the batants armed with stemmed glasses and resonant junior…executive voices。 A scattering of women held down the barstools； deliberately spaced out to give the stags room to ope