The telephone rang. It coul(Wt be Greenber& he thought Bed just left him at
the curb. He hoped it wasiet Pat; he wasn’t ready to talk to her yet Re-
luctantly he lifted the instrument to his ear. “Hellol”
“Jim] Where have you beenl? I’ve been calling since eight this mornmg1 I
was so goddamn worried I
iL:L8 Robed Ludium
went over there twice. Got your key from mabiW nanm* It was Sam Kressel. He
sounded as though Carlyle had lost its accreditation.
“Ies too involved to go into now, Sam. Lees get together later. rU come
over to your place after dinner~”
‘I don!t know if it can wait that long. jesust What the hell got wo your
“I don!t understane
At Lumumba, last nightl-
‘What are you talking about? What have you heardr
‘rhat black bastard, Adam Williams, handed in a report to my office
accusing you of just about everything short of advocating slaveryl He clai
the only reason Ws not filing police charges is that you were blind drunk!
Of course, the alcohol stripped you of your pretenses and showed clearly
what a racist you arel”
“What?1″
‘You broke up furniture, slapped around some Inds, smashed windows. . . .”
~You know damned well thaes bullshitl’p
‘I figured as much.” Kressel lowered his voice. He was calming down. ‘But
my knowing it doeset help, can’t you see that? This is the kind of thing
weve got to avokL Polarizationi The government walks Onto a campus,
polarization follows.*
“Listen to me. Williams’ statement is a decayL.-If thaes the word. les
camouflage. They drugged me last night. If it hadn’t been for Greenberg, I
doet know where rd be right now.”
“Oh, Godl . . . LumumWs on your list, IsnI it? Thaes all we nee& The
blacksll scream persecution. Christ knows what’ll happen.”
Matlock tried to speak calmly “I% come over
THE MATU= PAP= 119
around seven. Don’t do anythmig, dodt say anything rve got to get off the
phone. Greenbergs supposed to cav
‘Wait a minute, jiml One thing. This Greenberg
. I don’t trust him. I don’t trust any of them. just remember. Your
loyalt3es to Carlyle. . . ~- Kressel s”43ed, but he had not finished.
Matlock realized he was at a loss for words.
’11aes a strazige thing to say~’
‘I think you know what I mean.*
Tin not sure I do. I thought the idea was to work
together … 0
Not at the expense of ripping this oampus apardThe dean of colleges sounded
nearly hysterical.
DonI worry,- Matlock said. -It won!t: tear. r1l see you later.” Matlock
hung up the phone before Kresad could speak agam. His mind needed a short
rest, and Kressel never let anyone rest where his domain was concerned. Sam
Kressel, in his own way, was as militant as any extremist and, perhaps,
quicker to Cry Obw
These thoughts led Matlock to another consideraflon-two considerations.
Four days ago, he had told Pat that he didnI want to change their plans for
St 7bomas. Carlyles midteim holiday, a short ten days at the end of April,
would start after classes on Saturday, in three days. Under the
circumstances, St Thomas was out-unless Washington decided to retire him,
and he doubted that. Hed use his parents as the excuse. Pat would
understand, even be sympathetic. The other thought was his own classes. He
had fallen behind. His desk was piled with papers-mostly themes and essay
exams. He had also missed his two classes earlier in the day. He was not so
much concerned for his students.-his method was to accelerate
iw Robert LUAM
In the fall and winter and relax in the spring-but be didn1 want to add any
fuel to such fires as Williamd’ false complaint An absentee associate
professor was a target for gossip. His class load for the next three days
was medium–~ two, and two. He’d organize the work later. Between now and
seven o’clock, however, he had to find Lucas Herron. If Greenberg called
while he was out, hed blame it on a forgotten gradaate conference.
He decided to shower, shave, and change clothes. Once in the bathroom, he
checked the litter boiL The Corsican paper was there-he knew it would be.
The shave and shower completed, Madock walked into his bedroom, selecting
clothes and a course of action. He didn’t know Herroes daily schedule, al-
though it would be a simple matter to find out If Lucas had any late
afternoon classes or seminars. If he &W% Matlock knew HerroiYs house-, it
would take about fifteen minutes to get there by car Herron lived eight
miles from the campus, on a rarely traveled back road in a section once a
part of the old Carlyle fiunfly estate. Herron7s home had been a carriage
house. It was out of the way, but as Lucas kept sayin& “Once there,
iesworth it”
The rapid tapping of the door knocker broke his concentration. It also
frightened him–he felt himself gasping for breath; that was disturbing.
“Be right there,” he yelled, slipping a white sport shut over his head. He
walked barefoot to the hont door and opened it It was impossible for him to
conceal his shock. In the doorframe stood Adgm Williams –alone.
“Afternooe
“Jesust … I doet know whether to hit you in the
THE MATL4DCK PAPER 222
mouth right now or first call the police! What the hell do you want?
Kressers ah-eady called me~ if thaes what you’re checking on.”
^Please let me talk to you. rU be quick.” The black spoke with urgency,
trying, thought Matlock, to conceal his fear.
“Come on in. And make it quick.” Matlock slammed the door as Williams
passed by hun into the foyer The black turned and tried to smile, but them
was no humor in his eyes.
Tin sorry about that report. Truly sorry. It was an unpleasant
necessity.-
“I don’t buy that and you can’t sell itl What did you want Kressel to do?
Bring me up before the board and bum me out of here? Did you think rd just
sit down and play doormat? Yoere a goddamn maniacl’
“We didn’t think anything would happen. Thaes precisely why we did it . .
. We couldn’t be sure where you went You disappeared, you know You might
say we had to take the offensive and then later agree that it was all a
disagreeable misunderstandin* … les not a new tactic. rH send Kressel
another report, backing off-but not entirely. In a couple of weeks, iell be
forgotten.-
Matlock raged, as much against Williarris’ attitude as his conscienceless
pragmatism. But when he spoke he did not raise his voice. “Get out You
disgust me.”
“Oh, come off it, manI Haven7t we aluwjs disgwW you?l’ Matlock had hit a
nerve and William responded in kind. But just as suddenly, he took hold of
himself. “Lees not argue theoretical practicalities. Let me get to the
point and leave.”
‘By all means.
^A11 right Listen to me. Whatever Dunois wanted
in Robert Ludlum
from you, give it to himi … That is, give it to me and rlI send it on. No
forked tongue; ifs last-extremity Janguager
“roo pat a phrase. No sale. Why would I have anything Brother Julian
wanted? Did he say so? Why doesn’t he come over himselfr
‘Brother Julian doesn’t stay long in any one place. His talents are in
great demand.”
“Staging Mau Mau puberty rituals?”
‘Ile really does that, you know. Its a hobW
*SeDd him to me.” Matlock crossed in front of WilHam and went to the coffee
table. He reached down and picked up a half-empty pack of cigarettes. “Well
oompm notes on associative body movements. rve a hell of a collection of
sixteenth-century folk dances.*
‘Talk seriously. Theres no timer
Matlock lit a cigarette. “rve got all the time in the workL I just want to
see Brother Julian again; I want W put him in jail.-
‘No chancel No chance. rm. here for your benefid If I leave without it, I
can’t control itl”
“rwo pronouns signifying the same or different objects?-
“Oh, yot*e too muchl You’re really too muchl Do yorn know who Julian Dunois
isr
“Part of the Borgia family? Ethiopian branch?”
‘Stop it, Matlockf Do what he saysl People could be hurL Nobody wants thae
‘I doWt know who Dunois is and I don7t much give a dilmn I just know he
drugged me and assaulted me and is exercising a dangerous influence on a
bunch of children. Beyond this, I suspect he had my apartment broken Into
and many of my personal belongings destroyeclL I want hun put away. From
you and from Ine
TEE MATLOCK PAPER IM
‘Be reasonable, pleawr
Matlock walked swiftly to the curtains in front of his casement window and
with a flourish, yanked them down, displaying the shattered glass and
twisted lead.
“Is this one of Brother julian~s calling cards?”
Adam Williams stared, obviously shocked, at the mass of destruction. “No,