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！
There were a dozen questions Sir Geoffrey would like to have asked but he asked none of them。 From long experience he knew he was not a good liar； so the less he knew the better。 〃Very well。 Now； what's the second piece of 'good' news。 I trust this will be better。〃
〃We've caught the mole； sir。〃
〃Ah！ Good。 Excellent！ Very good。 Who？〃
〃Senior Superintendent Kwok。〃
〃Impossible！〃
Crosse kept the pleasure off his face。 〃I agree； sir。 Even so； Superintendent Kwok's a munist mole and spy for the PRC。〃 Crosse related how Brian Kwok's cover had been penetrated。 〃I suggest Superintendent Armstrong should get a mendation … also Spectacles Wu。 I'm taking him into SI； sir。〃
Sir Geoffrey was staring out of the window； stunned。 〃Bless my soul！ Young Brian！ Why？ He would have been an assistant missioner in a year or two。 。。。 I suppose there's no mistake？〃
〃No sir。 As I said； the proof is irrefutable。 Of course； we don't know the how or the why yet but we soon will。〃
Sir Geoffrey heard the finality and he saw the thin； hard face and cold eyes and he felt very sorry for Brian Kwok； whom he had liked for many years。 〃Keep me advised about him。 Perhaps we can discover what makes a man like that do such a thing。 Good God； such a charming chap and a first…class cricketer too。 Yes； keep me advised。〃
〃Certainly； sir。〃 Crosse got up。 〃Interesting。 I could never understand why he was always so anti…American … it was his only flaw。 Now it's obvious。 I should have spotted that。 Sorry sir； and sorry to interrupt your evening。〃
〃You're to be congratulated； Roger。 If the Soviet agent's being sent to London perhaps Brian Kwok should go too？ The same reasons would apply to him？〃
〃No sir。 No I don't think so。 We can deal with Kwok here much quicker and better。 We're the ones who need to know what he knows … London wouldn't understand。 Kwok's a threat to Hong Kong； not to Britain。 He's a PRC asset … the other man's Soviet。 The two don't parallel。〃
Sir Geoffrey sighed heavily； knowing Crosse was right。 〃I agree。 This has really been a quite dreadful day； Roger。 First the bank runs； then the stock market 。。。 the deaths last night； poor Sir Charles Pennyworth and Toxe's wife 。。。 and this morning the Aberdeen mud…slide deaths 。。。 the Noble House's tottering 。。。 it looks as though this storm front's developing into a blasted typhoon which will probably wreck Saturday's racing 。。。 and now all your news； an American sailor betrays his country and ship and honor for a paltry 2；000？〃
Crosse smiled his thin smile again。 〃Perhaps 2；000 wasn't paltry to him。〃
We live in terrible times； Sir Geoffrey was going to say； but he knew it was not the times。 It was merely that people were people； that greed pride lust avarice jealousy gluttony anger and the bigger lust for power or money ruled people and would rule them forever。 Most of them。
〃Thank you for ing； Roger。 Again； you're to be congratulated。 I will so inform the minister。 Good night。〃
He watched Crosse walk off； tall； confident and deadly。 When the iron door in the high wall had been bolted behind him by his aide； Sir Geoffrey Allison allowed the real unasked question to surface once more。
Who's the mole in my police？
AMG's paper was quite clear。 The traitor's a Soviet asset； not from the PRC。 Brian Kwok has been flushed out by chance。 Why didn't Roger point out the obvious？
Sir Geoffrey shuddered。 If Brian could be a mole anyone could。 Anyone。
50
8：17 P。M。：
Almost before he took his finger off the bell the door swung open。
〃Oh； Linc；〃 Orlanda said breathlessly； her happiness spilling over； 〃I'd given you up。 Please e in！〃
〃Sorry to be late；〃 Bartlett said； taken aback by her beauty and marvelous warmth。 〃The traffic's snarled to hell and the ferries jammed and I couldn't get to a phone。〃
〃You're here so you're not late； not at all。 I was just afraid that 。。。〃 Then she added in a rush； 〃I was afraid you wouldn't e back tonight and then I'd've been shattered。 There； I've said it and all my defenses are down but I'm so happy to see you I don't care。〃 She stood on tiptoe and kissed him a swift happy kiss； took his arm and shut the door behind them。
Her perfume was delicate and barely there but he felt it as a physical presence。 The dress she wore was knee…length white chiffon that sighed as she moved； close at the wrists and neck。 It showed but somehow didn't quite show her golden skin。 〃I'm so happy you're here；〃 she said again and took his umbrella and put it into a rack。
〃So am I。〃
The room was prettier by night； mostly candlelit； the tall glass doors of the terrace open to the air。 They were just below the overcast and the city sprawled down the mountain to the sea； the lights misting from time to time as whiskers of the low clouds passed by。 Sea level was seven hundred feet below。 Kowloon was dim and the harbor dim but he knew the ships were there and he could see the huge carrier at the wharf； her great angled deck floodlit； the needle…nosed jets floodlit； her battle…gray bridge reaching for the sky … the Stars and Stripes hanging damp and listless。
〃Hey；〃 he said； leaning on the terrace railing； 〃what a great night； Orlanda。〃
〃Oh yes； yes it is。 e and sit down。〃
〃I'd rather look at the view； if it's okay。〃
〃Of course； anything you want's fine； anything。 That suit's great on you； Linc； and I love your tie。〃 She said it happily； wanting to pliment him even though she did not think the tie matched too well。 Never mind； she thought； he's just not color conscious like Quillan； and needs helping。 I'll do what Quillan taught me to do； not criticize but go out and buy one I like and give it to him。 If he likes it； marvelous； if not never mind； for what does it matter … he's the one who's wearing it。 Blue； blue would match Linc's eyes and go better with that shirt。 〃You dress very well。〃
〃Thanks； so do you。〃 He was remembering what Casey had said about his tie and how furious he had been with her tonight all the way across the ferry； all the time waiting for a cab； and the old woman who had trod on his foot shoving past to usurp his cab but he had foiled her and cursed her back。
It was only now that his rage…temperature had vanished。 It was Orlanda's pleasure at seeing me that did it； he told himself。 It's years since Casey lit up like a Christmas tree or said anything when I 。。。 the hell with that。 I'm not going to worry about Casey tonight。 〃The view's fantastic and you're as pretty as a picture！〃
She laughed。 〃So're you and 。。。 oh your drink； sorry 。。。〃 She whirled away for the kitchen； her skirt flying。 〃I don't know why but you make me feel like a schoolgirl；〃 she called out。 In a moment she came back。 On the tray was an earthenware pot of paté and rounds of fresh toast and a bottle of iced beer。 〃I hope this's right。〃
It was Anweiser。 〃How did you know my brand？〃
〃You told me this morning； don't you remember？〃 Her warmth flooded over again at his obvious pleasure。 〃Also that you like drinking it out of the bottle。〃
He took it and grinned at her。 〃Is that going to be in the article too？〃
〃No。 No； I've decided not to write about you。〃
He saw her sudden seriousness。 〃Why？〃
She was pouring herself a glass of white wine。 〃I decided I could never do you justice in an article so I won't write one。 Besides； I don't think you'd like that hanging over you。〃 Her hand went to her heart。 〃Cross my heart and hope to die； no article； everything private。 No article； no journalism； I swear by the Madonna；〃 she added； meaning it。
〃Hey； no need to be dramatic！〃
She was leaning with her back against the railing； an eighty…foot drop to the concrete below。 He saw the sincerity in her face and he believed her pletely。 He was relieved。 The article had been the only flaw； the only danger point for him … that and her being a journalist。 He leaned forward and kissed her lightly； deliberately lightly。 〃Sealed with a kiss。 Thanks。〃
〃Yes。〃
They watched the view for a moment。
〃Is the rain over for good？〃
〃I hope not； Linc。 We need a good series of storms to fill the reservoirs。 Keeping clean's so hard and we still only get water one day in four。〃 She smiled mischievously as a child would。 〃Last night during the torrent I stripped and bathed here。 It was fantastic。 The rain was even heavy enough to wash my hair。〃
The thought of her naked； here； in the night； touched him。 〃You'd better be careful；〃 he said。 〃The railing's not that high。 I wouldn't want you to slip。〃
〃Strange； I'm frightened to death of the sea but heights don't bother me a bit。 You certainly saved my life。〃
〃C'mon！ You would have made it without me。〃
〃Perhaps； but you certainly saved my face。 Without you there I would surely have disgraced myself。 So thanks for my face。〃
〃And that's more important than life out here； isn't it？〃
〃Sometimes； yes； yes it is。 Why do you say that？〃
〃I was just thinking about Dunross and Quillan Gornt。 Those two're having at each other； mostly over face。〃
〃Yes。 You're right； of course。〃 She added thoughtfully； 〃They're both fine men； in one way； both devils in another。〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃They're both ruthless； both very very strong； very hard； adept and 。。。 and well conversed with life。