Part 96 (1/2)
A few particles from the tip of his cigarette flicked onto the floor.
He toed them into the carpet, then grinned sheepishly.
”Not those ashes” he said.
Thomas felt his eyes becoming ”tired. He rubbed them for a moment with his thumb and forefinger and looked back up at Leslie and Hammond, odd allies in an odder struggle.
”So now,” asked Thomas, ”everyone conceded that Sandler is alive?”
”Yes' said Hammond.
”And we've traced the route of the counterfeits. A Romanian film company smuggles them in and out of the country in cans which are supposed to contain undeveloped exposed film. They finance U.S.
intelligence work this way. Several of their employees are Russian KGB operatives. That's who tried to kill you ” ”We've tended to them” said Leslie.
”An eye for an eye. Spies are jailed. Killers are killed..
”And Jacobus?” Thomas asked, still with in credulousness in his voice, wanting to disbelieve but unable to.
”A KGB man, waiting for his proper chance to eliminate you. He was in with the two others who tried and failed.”
Jacobus, thought Daniels, turning over the name in his mind, and envisioning the perennially cranky custodian. He recalled how surprised Jacobus had been when Thomas arrived safely on the night of the fire. Thomas shook his head.
”I find it incredible” he muttered.
”Don't” said Leslie.
”Who do you think set the fire.” She let him consider it for a moment, then concluded jauntily.
”Your dear custodian was the only one in the building. Of course he set it.”
”What was he trying to cover up in the file?”
”Nothing. He was trying to lure you into the street' Hammond said.
”Where your muscular neck could be perforated,” mused Leslie, the expert on throat and the severing thereof Confused, he looked back and forth between the two of them.
”But the Sandler file?” he asked.
”It was gone' Hammond looked at Leslie and the two of them shared a wide conspiratorial grin.
”You're a poor record keeper,” she admitted. We took it.”
”Your office was burglarized about a year ago,” Hammond said.
”Right after your father died. The next day, in fact.” He chuckled.
”For an Ivy League boy you ain't got all the smarts,” he mocked. aWe took six of your files. You never noticed.”
Thomas studied Hammond closely, trying to discern whatever truth or untruth was behind the ma.s.s eyes and words. Daniels's eyes moved a quarter inch and looked at Leslie.
She spoke, reading his questioning thoughts.