could deal with watching Grady being tortured. There was a con spiracy of feminine minds in the bowels of his company. They believed in women in combat and he couldn't quite admit that he did not, so he flirted with it, allowing female fighters when he was reasonably certain there would be no fight. So far, he had been right more than he had been wrong, but there was a dead woman to commemorate the oc casion when he had misfigured. It had left a hole in his soul that would never be filled and no amount of ethical reasoning would change that for him. It didn't feel like normal war, if there was such a thing, when a woman was being abused.
'We could travel with the spotlights and be to Bowden's in an hour. We'd have to go slower in the pitch dark.'
Jill stayed quiet and Sam thought.
'I'm gonna go. As you say, they should be at least a couple days getting there. We'll figure out a reception.'
'Okay. We'll be sitting here with our fingers crossed.'
It took only forty-five minutes to get to the landing, but finding the house was tougher. It was set back a bit in the jun gle and the palm thatch roof came down low over the porch, so at night it blended with the jungle. Sam led the way up to the porch and found a note written in Spanish. Javier ex plained that Mr. Bowden had gone off with a Matses girl to locate a group of criminal intruders headed to the Galvez from the Tapiche. They went into the house and found hand made furnishings and a shortwave radio. Sam found a sheet of paper on the floor. It was another note in Spanish and he handed it to Javier. According to the note, trunks containing notes or papers from Bowden's work had filled part of this room. The note asked a fellow called Ramos to take the trunks and to use Bowden's boat in order to deliver them to the scientific group at Pacaya-Samiria and then to have them sent to a professor at Cornell University. It listed a Professor Richard Lyman and his address.
'Obviously, he suspects the men are after his work. Now he's going after them? Unbelievable,' Sam muttered. Grady and Yodo were standing at his elbow, just behind Javier. 'Bowden can't know what he's getting into. We'll put Figgy on the Cornell professor, so we can get to the journals.'
'What now?' Javier asked.
'Go after them. Fast. If it's Gaudet, Bowden's a dead man. Unless Gaudet needs him alive.'
'If he's with a Matses girl,' Javier said, 'things may go better than you think.'
A day after the last debacle, Baptiste had another meeting planned with Benoit Moreau that he hoped would go better than the prior. He had just spent a half hour talking to his doctor about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Benoit had had a test recently and was clean, but according to the doctor, the results would not be accurate as to AIDS for any recent sexual activity. The woman was a terrible risk for more reasons than AIDS, but the logic of the situation was not taking any toll on his loins, only his brain. Even though it was more dangerous than trying to strangle a Paris whore, he couldn't abate his desire nor could he reason with it. He had never even really considered being unfaithful to his wife because in the area of intimacy he was paranoid. And he was a Catholic from a Catholic family, even if it was more in name than in deed.
For the paranoid, such as Baptiste, sleeping with Benoit would be a terrifying dance with chance. He pondered whether she might claim rape and retain some of his semen to prove it, and he obsessed over that one. Other problems in life did not have this effect on him. Figuring all this out took an incredibly large chunk of time and a bigger chunk of emotional energy. Asking the questions made him feel de meaned. He supposed that is what Benoit Moreau had in mind.
If he didn't obtain Benoit's help, he was placing all of his hopes in Rene's race against the Americans to find Bowden first. That wasn't a good enough bet.
Before he went to see Benoit, he had a meeting with the admiral. Waiting outside the office at the end of the line was agonizing. He wanted nothing more than to get it over with and get on with Benoit. It took about five minutes to get his turn. Sitting in front of the admiral, he concentrated on remaining calm and unflappable.
'How are we doing with Benoit?'
'I think I'm getting closer.'
''Closer' is not your assignment. The minister is on my tail, and the prime minister is calling me every day. I'm making things up to say-things that sound like real pro gress. We need success, and we need it now.'
'Our man is in with the Americans. Rene's in the field. We have good men in New York. We're in a good position,' Baptiste confirmed.
'So the Americans have to wipe our ass. Don't misunderstand, it was smart to get in with them. But we have to beat them, not catch their crumbs. As for Rene… you know my feelings about him.'
'Yes, sir.'
The admiral took a drink of his very black coffee. 'I know that this American, Sam, is well connected.' Baptiste wondered if his boss was nervous. They both were familiar with the rumors surrounding Sam. Few knew him, but nobody claimed he was anything less than shrewd. 'Do you really think Newton or Rene can outmaneuver him?'
'So far, we are clean. I'm waiting for a full report from both.'
The admiral nodded, his eyes distant. 'I wish we could play rough with Benoit Moreau, but she knows too many politicians. Carnal knowledge, I mean. Even in prison she gets more favors than a round-heeled laundress.'
'I did not know this. She has it good?'
'She's behind bars-but aside from that, they treat her like someone would be treated if there were a steady stream of discreet inquiries from parliament. If you get my mean ing.'
'No wonder it is hard to bribe her,' Baptiste affirmed.
'You're talking about the job offer?'
'Yes. She has not bitten.'
'On the job or your cock?'
'I would never-'
'Of course you wouldn't. Make sure you don't. Maybe I should talk to her. Discreet inquiries or no, she's still in a cell. The work deal should appeal. Go see her again, and if she says no, then I will see her. If you have to promise her a possible pardon, then do it. It won't be possible anytime soon, but she won't know that. Whatever it takes to get her cooperation is what you should do,' the admiral stated.
Baptiste swallowed and nodded. Indeed.
'The admiral wants to come and see me, doesn't he? He's looking for excuses.' Benoit Moreau gave Baptiste a level stare when she said it, and for some strange reason he wanted with all his soul to give in. He wanted to be in league with her, to be her partner and confidant, even her subject. There was a strange titillation to it. Somehow she knew what he wanted better than he did. So strange. But he was not ready to accede to her demand for sex. Not yet.
'My boss wants the job done.'
She smirked. 'I'm so grateful you don't actually believe that. Okay, let's do a test. You pick up the phone and call Admiral Larive and ask him if he would like to see me. Just a simple question with me listening. We can share an ear piece.'
'I can return you to your cell. I can find an excuse to throw you against the wall. Break your ribs, knock your teeth out-and you just don't get it.'
'Knock my teeth out. Go ahead. Great career move.'
'What the hell do you want?'
'I will deal either with you or your boss. Which will it be?' Benoit challenged.
'Let's talk about the deal. You go to work. You get out of here for the day, every day. You help us and we make your life a lot better.'
'Okay. It will be your boss. I will make your deal and take care of the admiral myself. When I am in my new office, I will ask him to come and see me. I will tell him all my secrets and you will be rewarded because you made the deal.'
'You will never seduce him.'
'Then that is not your concern. Besides, I said nothing about seducing him. Let's make the deal.'
'The deal is, you go to the lab starting tomorrow. As long as we like your cooperation, you keep going. That's the deal. And on your first day there you will tell me everything you know about Chaperone,' Baptiste explained.
