[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
elderly lady in the blue scarf was standing nearby, sucking nervously at her
dentures.
162
Tengu
"All right, El Krusho," said Skrolnik. "I'm going to release you now, and I
want you to come peacefully with me to the police precinct, where you will
have the opportunity to call your lawyer. You understand me?"
Maurice Needs nodded. He was very big bigger than Skrolnik had imagined he
would be, from his photograph. Six foot six, at least, and built like Arnold
Schwar-zenegger's older brother, all trapezoids and deltoids and overdeveloped
triceps. He had dark curly hair, and he was dressed in jeans and a
slim-fitting black shirt that probably would have flapped around Skrolnik like
a bedouin tent.
Maurice Needs painfully stood up. There was a large red bruise on his
forehead, and he had the beginnings of a black eye; but he was a good-looking
boy, a mixture of Clark Kent and a young Elvis Presley, with a hint of Clint
Walker around the eyes. He hopped a little, and then bent over to massage his
ankle.
"Sorry I hurt you," said Skrolnik. "Had to keep you tied down somehow."
El Krusho shrugged. "You needn't have bothered, you know? If I'd wanted to,
Page 78
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I'd have torn that newel post out by the roots."
Pullet, coming down the stairs, gave Skrolnik a sick little smile. "Seems
we've got our man, sergeant."
Skrolnik said, "Let's go. We can talk about this down at the precinct."
Pullet frowned, and began to say, "You don't think that ?"
"I've charged him now, fuckhead," snarled Skrolnik. "But, no, I don't."
Tengu CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
163
Over Inca's aji de galliha and anticuchos, Mr. Esmeralda carefully explained
to Gerard Crowley about Admiral Thorson.
"He was in Japan during the war, and became very friendly with some of the
doctors who later worked on the Tengu program for the Tokyo Olympics. He found
out about the research simply by accident. He may suspect nothing, but we
cannot risk him blowing the whistle on
us.
"What I really want to know is this," Gerard said. "When do we stop killing
people, and when do we start getting on with building up this team of
bodyguards?"
' 'We have to take everything by orderly steps," said Mr. Esmeralda. He forked
up some of his barbecued beef and chewed it assiduously.
"Nancy Shirariuka is getting distinctly restless," Gerard remarked. "She
doesn't like this killing any more than I do. If you were intending to create
a hit squad of homicidal maniacs, you should have told us. At least we would
have known what we were letting ourselves in for. I'm no angel, Esmeralda, and
neither is Nancy Shiranuka; and we all know about the good Commander Ouvarov.
But the only reason any of us agreed to submit to your rotten blackmail was
because we thought we were in on a shady but highly profitable bit of
merchandising. Hired thugs for the protection of the wealthy. Now what's
happened? We've taken an innocent young actress to pieces, as well as a cop,
for no reason at all; and two days later you're asking me to take a Tengu out
to Rancho Encino Hospital and rip some poor old retired admiral to shreds."
Mr. Esmeralda pushed his plate away, then changed his mind and drew it back
again, so that he could fork up a last piece of beef. He kept his eyes on his
food and spoke to Gerard lightly, almost absent-mindedly.
164
Tengu
"The very first day I approached you, Mr. Crowley, I warned you that you had
very little option but to do as you were told. I also warned you not to
question my instructions."
"Maybe you did. But now I'm questioning."
"My clients will not be happy about that," smiled Mr. Esmeralda. "They're very
particular people when it comes to secrecy and security."
Gerard snapped his fingers at the waiter and said, "Scotch." Then he folded
his arms and leaned forward across the table. "Death comes at a pretty high
price in California, Mr. Esmeralda, and I'm beginning to think that perhaps
you're not paying enough for it."
"You know what your reward will be when the Tengu program is completed."
"A million six? I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth it. I'm also
beginning to wonder if you've really been giving me the whole picture about
these so-called bodyguards."
Mr. Esmeralda watched Gerard caiefully. "It does not pay, in your business,
Mr. Crowley, to be too curious."
"Is that a statement or a warning?"
"What do you think?"
"I think it sounds like a warning, Mr. Esmeralda, and I also think that I'm
beginning to get a hook into you the same way you've got a hook into me.
There's such a thing as plea bargaining, you know; and if I were to make a
clean breast of everything I happen to know about Sherry Cantor's death to the
police . . . well, there's a good chance that I wouldn't get more than
one-to-three."
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"You are not deceiving me for one instant, Mr. Crowley." Mr. Esmeralda smiled.
"Go out to the ranch tomorrow with Kemo and pick up the Tengu. Doctor Gempaku
will be waiting for you. Oh and by the way, we are expecting a new consignment
of volunteers on Monday from Kyoto. I will let you know the details tomorrow
morning. Fifteen of them. So you can see that the bodyguard program is
actually getting under way."
Tengu
165
"I think I'm dreaming this," said Gerard.
"No," said Mr. Esmeralda, and nodded to the waiter as his dessert platanos
fritos was set in front of him. "It's not a dream. It's simply a manifestation
of the peculiar violence inherent in modern living. The world is in imbalance.
Mr. Crowley, between those who have and those who want; and the greater the
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]