p&c.brimstone-第47部分
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〃No； Jimmy…not again today。 We've got the Fingermans ing by this afternoon； remember？ About the winter rental in Kissimmee？〃
〃Fuck that。 You don't need me for that shit。〃
〃Go ahead； take that tone with me。 You're right； Idon't need you for thatshit 。 What Ineed is for you to stop by DePasquale's and pick up a few trays of sausage and peppers。 I don't have a thing to serve。〃
〃Then get your ass in the kitchen and cook something。〃
〃Look； you…〃
〃I'll be home when I get home。 Now get the fuck off； I'm expecting a call。〃 And the line went dead。
There was a brief silence broken only by the click of keys as Agent Sanborne pleted the transcription。
〃Delightful couple；〃 said D'Agosta。 He motioned Pendergast aside。 〃How'd you find Beckmann； anyway？〃
〃With the help of an acquaintance of mine…an invalid； actually…who happens to be extremely good at tracking down troublesome nuggets of information。〃
〃'Extremely good' sounds like an understatement。 Nobody's been able to locate this guy。 So where's this Beckmann at？〃
But they were again interrupted by another beep from the puter。 〃We've got another one；〃 said Sanborne。
〃Ining or outgoing？〃 asked Mandrell。
〃Ining。 But the number must be blocked； I'm not getting any data on it。〃
There was a brief squeal over the speaker。 〃Yeah？〃 said Chait。
〃Chait；〃 a voice responded。
D'Agosta immediately recognized the gruff tone： it sent a thrill of hatred coursing through him。
Chait recognized it； too。 〃Yes； Mr。 Bullard； sir；〃 he said； his tone abruptly growing servile。
〃Bullard will be using a satellite phone；〃 D'Agosta said。 〃That's why you can't get a fix。〃
〃Doesn't matter。〃 Mandrell pointed to a string of numbers on the screen。 〃See that？ It's the cell site of Chait's phone。 It's the cellular node his phone signal's ing from； lets us determine his present location。〃 He reached into the credenza； pulled out a thick manual； began leafing through it。
〃Everything set？〃 Bullard asked。
〃Yes； sir。 The men have all been briefed。〃
〃Remember what I said。 I don't want any apologizing。 Just do as I say。 Walk it through； by the numbers。〃
〃You got it； Mr。 Bullard。〃
Mandrell looked up from the cell site manual。 〃Chait's in Hoboken； New Jersey。〃
〃Everything's go；〃 Bullard said。 〃The Chinese will be there on time。〃
〃Location？〃 Chait asked。
〃The primary； as discussed。 The park。〃
Mandrell grasped D'Agosta by the arm。 〃Chait just changed cell sites；〃 he said。
〃What's that mean？〃
〃He's moving。〃 Mandrell thumbed through the manual； looking up the new site。 〃Now he's in the middle of Union City。〃
〃Mass transit wouldn't move that quickly；〃 said Pendergast。 〃He must be in a car。〃
Bullard was speaking again。 〃Remember。 They'll be expecting a progress report in exchange for the payment。 You know what to give them； right？〃
〃Right。〃
Pendergast pulled out his own phone； dialing quickly。 〃Chait's on his way to a meeting。 We've got to get a unit dispatched； triangulate on his location。〃
〃I'll be expecting a report immediately after the meeting；〃 said Bullard。
〃I'll be back to you within ninety minutes。〃
〃And Chait？ No fuckups； you hear？〃
〃No； sir。〃
There was a click； a hiss of static； and the puter beeped once again to signal the connection had been broken。
〃Cell site's changed again；〃 Mandrell said； looking at the screen。
D'Agosta turned to Pendergast。 〃Within ninety minutes； he said？ What the hell does that mean？〃
Pendergast closed his phone； slipped it back into his pocket。 〃It means their meeting will take place before then。 e on； Vincent…we haven't a moment to lose。〃
35
D'Agosta blew past the exit helixes of the George WashingtonBridge and merged onto the express lanes； driving like hell。 As the New Jersey Turnpike divided and the traffic began to thin a little； he seated the emergency bubble onto the dash； turned on its flasher； and began cranking the siren。 Veering west onto I…80； he stomped hard on the pedal。 The big engine of the pool sedan responded and they were soon rocketing along at a hundred miles an hour。
〃Refreshing；〃 murmured Pendergast。
The secure car…to…car frequency crackled into life。 〃This is 602。 We've got a visual on the target。 It's a TV van with a satellite dish； call letters WPMP； Hackensack； moving west on 80 near exit 65。〃
D'Agosta pushed his speed to one twenty。
Pendergast unhooked the mike。 〃We're just a few miles behind you。 Hang back in another lane and keep out of sight。 Over。〃
Everything had e together with remarkable speed。 Pendergast had initiated a federal tail on Chait's cell signal； requisitioned a government vehicle； and put D'Agosta behind its wheel。 The West Side Highway had been mercifully free of traffic； and it had taken them only ten minutes to clear Manhattan。
〃Where do you think we're headed？〃 D'Agosta asked。
〃Bullard mentioned a park。 For now； that's all we know。〃
Out of the corner of his eye； D'Agosta noticed that； despite the speed； Pendergast had unbuckled his seat belt and was crouching forward。 Now the agent was scratching his nails on the floor mat； rubbing his palms rapidly against it。 D'Agosta had seen the man do strange things before； but this beat all。 He wondered if he should ask； decided against it。
〃Target leaving freeway at exit 60；〃 the radio squawked。 〃Following。〃
D'Agosta slowed。 Another minute； and he peeled off at the same exit。
〃Target proceeding north on McLean。〃
〃They're heading into Paterson；〃 D'Agosta said。 He'd never actually set foot in the city； though he'd passed it on the freeway countless times： a red…brick working town whose best days were probably about a hundred years gone。 It seemed like a strange destination。
〃Paterson；〃 Pendergast repeated speculatively； wiping his dirty hands on his face and neck。 〃Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution。〃
〃Birthplace？ Looks more like death's door to me。〃
〃It's a city with a vigorous history； Vincent。 Some of the historical neighborhoods are still quite beautiful。 However； I'm banking on the fact that those are not where we're headed。〃
〃Target leaving McLean；〃 the voice on the radio said。 〃Heading left onto Broadway。〃
D'Agosta tore up McLean Highway； using the siren to punch his way through two red lights。 To their right lay the Passaic River； brown and sullen in the autumn light。 As he turned onto Broadway； shabby…looking and decrepit； he killed the siren and snapped off the flasher。 They were close now： very close。
〃Sergeant；〃 Pendergast said abruptly； 〃head into this strip mall on our right； please。 We need to make a quick stop。〃
D'Agosta glanced at him in surprise。 〃We don't have time。〃
〃Trust me； we do。〃
D'Agosta shrugged。 The operation was nominally FBI and Pendergast was in charge： Hayward had made sure of that。 The lead car was FBI and he himself was Southampton P。D。； which would offend nobody。 Interstate police rivalries would be kept at a minimum。 At the appropriate moment…when it was too late for a bunch of unbriefed town cops to screw things up…Pendergast would call in the locals。
The mall was a collection of dingy； glass…fronted stores set back from a parking lot heaved and cracked by time。 It was half abandoned； and D'Agosta wondered just what the hell Pendergast was up to。 Here he'd made good time； and now the agent was squandering it。
〃There；〃 Pendergast said。 〃At the far end。〃
D'Agosta sped up to the last storefront。 A yellow Dumpster stood out front； pitted and scarred with age。 Even before the car had stopped； Pendergast was out； running into the store。 D'Agosta swore； punched the steering wheel。 They were going to lose five minutes at least。 He was used to Pendergast's inexplicable behavior； but this was too much。
〃Target heading into East Side Park；〃 came the cool voice from the lead car。 〃There's some kind of event going on。 Looks like model rockets or something。〃
D'Agosta heard shouting and saw Pendergast trotting out of the shop； a bundle of clothes slung over one arm and a couple of pairs of shoes clutched in the other。 Moments later a fat woman came bursting out。
〃Help！〃 she bellowed。 〃Police！ I hope yo
