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Page 5

 

  And if he would, why not Wright?

  `Hes deviating, Lewis said, nodding at the limousine. Graves saw that it was true. Normally on Wednesday mornings Wright went to Balboa Park, where he walked in the gardens, fed the pigeons, and relaxed. But he wasnt doing that today.

  He was going downtown.

  `Wheres our other car? Graves said.

  Lewis picked up the car radio receiver. `701 to 702. Where are you?

  There was a hiss of static. "701, were at Third and B, going downtown.

  Lewis glanced at Graves, who nodded.

  `Very good, 702, Lewis said, and clicked off.

  The second car, the dry cleaning van, was running in advance of the limousine. That was standard procedure - one car tailing from the front, one from behind. In cities on really big jobs, they sometimes used four cars, working all around the suspect car. That made it impossible to lose the suspect. But Graves didnt want a four-car tail, and in any case Phelps would never have approved the expense.

  The limousine went down Third to Avenue A, then turned left going west.

  `702, you have him?F

  We still have him.

  Lewis followed the limousine as it went crosstown on A and stopped, pulling up in front of a warehouse. Lewis pulled to the kerb half a block behind. They watched as Wright got out and went inside.

  Graves lit a cigarette, and they waited. But after only a minute or so, Wright reappeared and got back into his car. The limousine started off.

  `Wonder what that was about? Lewis said.

  As they passed the warehouse, Graves read the lettering. He was surprised to find it wasnt a warehouse at all.

  BURNS BROS PLASTICS

  VACUUM MOULDING

  Containers of all sons

  `Damned if I know, Graves said. He made a note of the name and address in his notebook and then looked up at the street. The limousine was going north now. It went two blocks and turned left, then left again. It pulled up in front of another warehouse.

  `It seems hes doing some shopping, Lewis said.

  `Hes in the wrong part of town.

  `Ill drive past, Lewis said, and continued smoothly past the warehouse and the parked limousine. Graves looked out of the corner of his eye. He saw George, the chauffeur, lighting a cigarette. He saw the large glass windows of the warehouse, which was also a salesroom of some kind. Inside he saw Wright standing at the counter receiving a package. In the window were displayed various shining pieces of laboratory equipment.

  SANDERSON SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY

  Serving Hospitals and Laboratories

  Since 1953

  Graves had to smile. Only in California would a date like 1953 seem proof of ageless service to the consumer. `Well wait for him here, he said, and Lewis pulled over at the end of the block and cut the engine.

  Graves checked his watch. It was 8:39. A moment later the limousine sped past them while he was making a note of the scientific supply company and its address. Lewis followed a short distance behind.

  The limo again went uptown and pulled over in front of a machine shop. Wright got out and was met at the door by a man carrying a small paper bag. Wright shook hands with the man, who was dressed in dungarees and a blue work shirt. Then Wright opened the paper bag to look inside. He removed one small, shiny metal object, nodded, exchanged a few more words with the man, and got back into his car.

  The limousine drove off.

  As they passed the machine shop, Graves noted the address and the name. He stared at his list. `A plastics manufacturer, a scientific supply house, and now a machine shop.

  `He isnt buying presents for his girls, Lewis said, and laughed.

  `Did you check out that purchase last week? The week before, Wright had also visited several small industrial manufacturers.

  `Yeah, Lewis said. `It was two twelve-foot lengths of flexible hosing. Very unusual.

  `Whats unusual about that?

  `It was stainless steel.

  `Meaning?

  Lewis shrugged. `The guy I talked to said that nobody bought flexible stainless steel hosing any more. People use either plastic or something like aluminium. Stainless is only used for piping very corrosive materials.

  `Such as?

  `Concentrated dyes, corrosive gases, that kind of thing. The guy said it was pretty uncommon. Most highly corrosive stuff is pumped through glass piping. But of course, glass isnt flexible.

  `And Wright bought two lengths of flexible steel?

  `Right. Twelve-foot lengths. At eighty-three dollars a foot.

  Graves nodded and watched the car. `Hes buying a lot of specialized equipment. Why?

  `You mean, why is he doing it?

  `No, Graves said. `I mean, why is he doing it himself, in person?

  `I dont follow you. Why shouldnt he do it himself?

  `Because hes too smart for that, Graves said.

  The limousine went uptown twenty blocks and pulled over in front of another building. The sign said HARRELSON GARMENTS AND CUSTOM GOODS. They watched Wright get out of the limo and go inside.

  `Ill be goddamned, Graves said.

  `What is it? Lewis said.

  Harrelson was in the papers a year ago. They made rubber suits and whips and things like that; there was a minor scandal.

  Lewis shook his head: `It really is true, then.

  `What?

  `About your memory.

  Graves shook his head. Hed been through all this before. `I dont have a photographic memory, he said. `I have a better than average memory, thats all.

  `Are you trying to convince me?

  `No, just telling you.

  `You sound sore.

  `You better understand, Graves said, `that I dont have any special powers. None at all. I just plod along, doing a job.

  `Here he comes, Lewis said. He pointed to Wright emerging from the store with an armful of packages wrapped in brown paper. George, the chauffeur, jumped out and came around to help carry the packages. Wright indicated that they were to go into the trunk of the car. George locked them there, then came around, shut Wrights door, and drove off.

  `Id like to know what was in those packages, Graves said, making notes in his book.

  `Bet you anything its kinky rubber clothing, Lewis said.

  `What will you bet?

  At that, Lewis laughed. He knew you didnt bet with Graves. Nobody bet with Graves. He might deny special skills until he was blue in the face, but the fact was that Graves was the best gambler, bettor, poker player that any of them had ever seen.

  They followed the car for another five minutes. Then it pulled up in front of a sporting goods store. Wright again got out. He said something to George, who nodded and went across the street to a coffee shop. The car was left alone. It could not be seen easily from either the sports store or the coffee shop.

  `Looks like we have our chance, Graves said. `Pull over.

  As Lewis pulled the sedan over, Graves opened the glove compartment and took out a large, circular key ring. On it were keys to Wrights apartment in New York, his apartment in San Diego, his limousine, his Alfa sportscar, his summer house in Southampton, his winter house irr Jamaica. And several others as well. They were all neatly tagged.

  Lewis said, `Isnt this a little risky

  `Were going to arrest him today, Graves said. `It doesnt matter now. He got out of the car, feeling the heat of the morning air. He walked forward to the limousine. It took just a moment to insert his key in the trunk and open it. He raised the trunk lid partway and looked at the brown paper packages. There were three, closed with strips of tape. He opened a c. -aer of one and peered inside.

  The package contained black rubber belts, about six inches wide, formed into loops of varying diameters. He closed the package and squeezed the others. They all seemed to contain belts.

  Frowning, he shut the trunk. And then, because he was in a gambling mood, he walked into t
he sporting goods store. As he went through the door he glanced back at Lewis. Lewis looked horrified.

  The store was large and spacious; he did not see Wright immediately. Walking among the aisles of equipment, he finally spotted him in the water sports department. Wright was gesturing with his hands, forming a shape in the air.

  Graves walked over and stood beside him at the counter. To do so gave Graves an immediate burst of excitement. He had never been so close to his subject before. Wright was smaller than he had thought -several inches shorter than Graves himself. And much finer-boned. A delicate man in an English-cut suit, dapper as Phelps, but without the vanity that made Phelps unbearable.

  The salesman said, `Ill be right with you, sir, and Graves nodded.

  Wright glanced over at him and smiled vaguely. There was no recognition in the glance. None at all: Graves was sure of it. They were just two customers at the same counter.

  Graves bent over, peering down at the glass case, which contained depth gauges and underwater watches. He could see Wrights face reflected in the glass surface.

  `Is this the one you mean, sir? the salesman asked.

  Graves glanced up and saw the salesman holding a small air tank, painted yellow.

  `Thats the one, Wright said.

  `Now, do you understand about this tank? the salesman said. `Its not the standard seventy-two cubic foot model. This one only has twenty-five minutes of air at -

  `Thats the one I want. Wright said it quietly, but his voice cut the salesman off. Graves was impressed by the understated authority in the voice - and presumably in the man.

  `Yes, sir. How many was that?

  `Three.

  `I think we have three in the storeroom, the salesman said. He turned to Graves: `Was there anything in particular?

  It seemed to Graves that the salesman was much less deferential to him than he was to Wright. But perhaps he was being paranoid.

  `I need a depth gauge, Graves said.

  `Theyre all down there, the salesman said, pointing to the case. `Be with you in a minute. Three, was it, sir? Ill get them.

  The salesman walked off.

  After a moment Graves said, `I dont know anything about this.

  There was a short, ambiguous pause. Finally Wright said, `Diving?

  `Yes. Its a present for my son.

  `He does a lot of diving? Wright was being formal, polite, barely interested.

  Wait until 1 put the handcuffs on, Graves thought. `Oh, hes a nut about it, but he doesnt really get much chance. Twice a year during school vacations we go down to Mexico. Thats really all.

  Wright said, `That one there is a good one. He pointed to a gauge in the case.

  Graves nodded. `I really dont know anything about this, he repeated.

  `You dont dive yourself?

  `No, Graves said. `It always seemed too dangerous to me.

  `Theres a certain thrill in danger, though.

  `Not for me. Not at my age.

  `You prefer golf?

  `Poker, Graves said, and looked directly at Wright for the first time.

  Wright smiled. `Poker can be very challenging, he said. `But its like any other game. If you get too good, youre limited in your opponents.

  `Yes, Ive found that.

  `Youre good? There was just the slightest taunt in the voice, the slightest goading.

  `Yes, Im good, Graves found himself saying.

  For a moment the two men exchanged a level, appraising look. Wright broke it; he looked down at the counter. `Still, he said, `I admire the young, with their exuberance in physical sports. It raises the stakes. You can be hurt, you can be injured. You can even be killed.

  `But when youre young, you dont think of that. It doesnt matter.

  `Oh, Wright said, `I think it always matters. Dying always matters.

  The salesman came back. `Youre in luck, Mr Johnson, he said cheerfully. `You got the last three tanks. Shall I have them put in your car?

  `That will be fine, Wright said, smiling.

  `You must be out of your mind, Lewis said. They were back in the car, following the limousine.

  `Not at all.

  `I suppose you went up and talked to him.

  `As a matter of fact, I did.

  Lewis smiled. `I know youve been doing this a long time, but still. . .

  `Look, Graves said, `were picking him up later today.

  `But youre teasing him, playing a game. . .

  `Of course, Graves said.

  The limousine went up Avenue D and pulled to a stop in front of a large hotel. A man came out, bent over the limo, and talked to Wright in the back seat. The conversation lasted several minutes. Finally the man turned and went inside. The limousine pulled away from the kerb.

  Graves snatched up the microphone. `701 to 702.

  `702 here.

  `Hes all yours from now on. Stick to him. Out. Lewis looked stunned. `What the -

  Graves pointed to the figure of the man going back into the hotel. `Follow that man and see where he goes. His name is Timothy Drew.

  HOUR 8

  SAN DIEGO

  9 AM PDT

  `Hold out your hands.

  Peters held out his hands and waited while the supervisor ran the Geiger counter over them. It made a soft clicking sound in the cavernous warehouse garage.

  `Stand still.

  He stood and watched as the counter probe was passed over his chest, his abdomen, his legs. It was a little like being frisked.

  `Turn around.

  He turned. He heard the counter clicking as it was passed down his spine to his feet.

  `Okay. Next.

  Peters stepped aside, and the driver moved forward. As the driver was being checked by the Geiger counter, the dispatcher said to Peters, `First run?

  `Yes, Peters said.

  `Ever done a DC before?

  Peters pointed to the counter. `Not like this.

  `Whatve you done, explosives?

  `Yes.

  `This is easier than explosives or flammables, the dispatcher said. `Weve got a regulation for two men in the cab, and another for staying under forty-five miles an hour. Thats it. We can take all the roads, all the tunnels and bridges. Much easier than explosives.

  Peters nodded. `What exactly is it?

  The dispatcher consulted his clipboard. `Mostly hospital supplies. Cases of intravenous saline, twelve quarts to the case, thirty cases in all. Cases of pennicillin G, forty-eight ampoules to the case, fifteen cases in all. And two rad cartridges.

  `Rad cartridges?

  `Two bars of plutonium-238 oxide. Thats a radioactive isotope. One thousand grammes each - theyre packed in lead cylinders.

  `Thats our dangerous cargo? Peters asked.

  `You bet, the dispatcher said.

  The driver finished his check and came over to join them. `What was that all about?

  `Insurance, the dispatcher said. `You have to be cleared before exposure to the cargo. , in order for our coverage to be effective. We should also do a blood test, but we dont bother. He turned to Peters. `Reeves, this is your rider, Peters. Peters, Reeves.