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Imadenoimmediatereply,andafterapausehesaid,"Ididn'ttellheryou wouldn'tmakeit.Thatifyoudid,itwouldbeamiracle."
"Theyhappen,"Isaid;andhenodded.
"Onceinawhile."
WelookedbackalongtheroadtowhereI'descapedfrom.
"Thehousebackthereisthreeandahalfmilesinaprettydirectroutefrom theRitzCarlton,"hesaid."And...didyounotice?Nopumpkins."Hewa.s.smiling inthesemidarkness,histeethgleaminglikeHalloween.
Hecheckedthingsprettythoroughly,however,whenhiscarscame,climbinginto thebackofoneofthem,withmebesidehim,andflickingthroughsheetsand sheetsofcomputerprint-out.Theprint-out,Idiscovered,wasofproperties offeredforrental,orrented,duringthepasteightweeks,notonlyinthe DistrictofColumbiaitselfbutinadjacentArlingtonandpartsofMarylandand Virginia.Itseemedtometohaveentailedaprodigiousamountofwork:and again,likeEagler'sefforts,itproducedresults.
Kentgrowledadeepsyllableofsatisfactionandshowedmeoneparticularsheet, pointingtothelines: #5270CherrytreeStreet,20016, RentedOctober16,period26weeks,fullrentalprepaid.
Hepickedupamapalreadyfoldedtotherightpageandshowedmewherewewere.
"There'sthehouseyoucalledfrom,onDavenportStreet.Wewalkedablockup diagonallythroughthewoodstoCherrytree,whichisparallelwithDavenport.
ThewoodsarepartofAmericanUniversityPark."
Inodded.
Heheavedhimselfoutofthecartotalktohismen,andpresentlywewere ridingbackinthedirectionof5270,drivingslowlywithsidelightsonly.
KentandLieutenantStavoski,who'dcomeinthesecondcar,wereinfull agreementwitheachotherthatasuddenall-outraidwasbest,butaraidon theirownwell-preparedterms.Theysenttwopolicementhroughthewoodsto approachfromtherearbutstayoutofsight,andpositionedthecarsalsoout ofsightofthehouse,butready.
"Youstayouthere,"Kentsaidtome."Youkeepout,understand?"
"No,"Isaid."I'llfindFreemantle."
Heopenedhismouthandcloseditagain,andIknewthatlikeallpolicemenhe'd beenconcentratingalmostexclusivelyoncapturingthevillains.Helooked a.s.sessinglyatmeforamomentandIsaid,"I'mgoingin,don'targue."
Heshookhisheadinresignationanddidn'ttryanyfurthertostopme,andit washeandI,asbefore,whomadethefirstapproach,quietascobwebs,tothe housewithnopumpkins.
IntheshadowofalaurelItouchedhisarmandpointed,andhestiffenedwhen hesawwhatIwa.s.showinghim:amanstandinginanupstairsunlitwindow, smokingacigarette.
Westayedquiet,watching.Sodidtheman,unalarmed.
"s.h.i.t,"Kentsaid.
"There'salwaystheback."
Behindbushesweslitheredourway.Thewindowsfacingrearwardstothewoodland lookedmerelyblank.
"Whatdoyouthink?"Iasked.
"Gottobedone."Thegunwasbackinhishand,andtherewasbothapprehension andresolutioninhisvoice."Ready?"
"Yes."
Ready,ifthatincludedanoisyheartanddifficultyinbreathing.
Weleftth.e.s.h.elterofthebushesatthenearestpointtothehouseandcrept fromshadowtoshadowtowhatwasevidentlythekitchendoor.Thedoorwas double;anouterscreenagainstinsects,aninnerdoormadehalfofgla.s.s.Kent puthishandonthescreendoorlatchandpulleditopen,andtriedthehandle ofthemaindoorbeneath.
Unsurprisingly,locked.
Kentpulledtheradiofromhisbelt,extendedtheaerial,andsaidonesingle word,"Go."
Beforehe'dfinishedreturningtheradiotohisbelttherewasasudden skin-crawlingcrescendoofsirensfrominfrontofthehouse,andevenatthe rearonecouldseethereflectionsoftherevolvinglightsracingforwards.Then thereweresearchlightsfloodingandvoicesshoutingincomprehensiblythrough megaphones:andbythattimeKenthadsmashedthegla.s.spanelofthedoorand putahandinsidetoundothelock.
Therewaspandemoniuminthehouseaswellasout.KentandIwiththetworear patrolmenonourheelsracedthroughthekitchenandmadestraightforthe stairs,sensingasmucha.s.seeingtwomenpullinggunstoopposetheinvasion.
Stavoski'smenseemedtohaveshotthelockoffthefrontdoor:inahalf glimpseafterthestaccatoracketIsawtheblueuniformscomingintothehall andthenIwasroundthebendofthestairs,headingfortheupperlevel.
Stillquietupthere,comparatively.Alldoors.e.xceptonewereopen.Imadefor it,running,andKentbehindmecriedagonizedly,"Andrew,don'tdothat."
Ilookedbackforhim.Hecame,stoodoutofthelineoffireofthedoorfora second,thenleapedat.i.t,givingitaheavykick.Thedoorcrashedopen,and Kentwithgunreadyjumpedthroughandtooneside,withmefollowing.
Thelightinsidewasdim,likeachild'snightlight,shadowyafterthebright pa.s.sageoutside.Therewasatentintheroom,grayish-white,guyropestiedto piecesoffurniture:andstandingbythetent,hurryingtounfastenthe entrance,togoforhishostage,stoodGiuseppe-Peter.
Hewhirledroundaswewentin.
Hetooheldagun.
Heaimedstraightinourdirection,andfiredtwice.Ifeltafiercesharpsting asonebulletsearedacrosstheskinhighonmyleftarm,andheardthesecond onefizzpastmyear...andKentwithouthesitationshothim.
Hefellflatonhisbackfromtheforceofit,andIwentovertohim,dropping tomyknees.
ItwasKentwhoopenedthetentandwentinforMorganFreemantle.Iheardthe seniorsteward'sslowsleepyvoice,andKentcomingandsayingthevictimwas dopedtotheeyeb.a.l.l.sandtotallyunclothed,butotherwiseunharmed.
Iwastryingwithnosuccessatalltowadahandfuloffoldedtentagainstmy enemy'sneck,tostopthescarletfountainspurtingthere.Thebullethadtorn toomuchaway;leftnothingtobedone.
Hiseyeswereopen,butunfocused.
HesaidinItalian,"Isityou?"
"Yes,"Isaid,inhistongue.
Thepupilsslowlysharpened,thegazesteadyingonmyface.
"Icouldn'tknow,"hesaid,"howcouldIhaveknown...whatyouwere..."
Iknelttheretryingtosavehislife.
Hesaid,"Ishouldhavekilledyouthen...inBologna...whenyousawme...Ishould haveputmyknife...into...thatSpanish...chauffeur."
"Yes,"Isaidagain,"youshould."
Hegavemealastdarklook,notadmittingdefeat,notgivinganinch.Iwatched himwithunexpectedregret.Watchedhimuntiltheconsciousnesswentoutofhis eyes,andtheyweresimplyopenbutseeingnothing.
