“It was necessary.” Matlock saw the old man~s face wince in pain. And then
he recalled his own reaction to Adam Williams’ description of the
“unpleasant necessity” of sending Sam Kressel the false report of his
actions at Lumumba Hall. The parallel hurt.
“The boy’s in trouble. He’s sick. It’s a disease and he!s trying to cure
himself. That takes courage. . . . This is no time for campus Gestapo
tactics.” Herron took a long drink from his glass while his free hand
gripped the arm of the chair.
“How did you know about it?”
“That might be privileged information. Let’s say I heard from a respected
co-worker of ours-in the medical line–who ran across the symptoms and
be-
130 Robert Ludlum
came concerned. What difference does it make? I tried to help the boy and
I’d do it again.”
“I’d like to believe that. It’s what I wanted to believe.”
“Why is that difficult for you?”
“I don1 know…. Something at the front door a few minutes ago. Perhaps
this house. I canI put my finger on ft. . . . I’m being completely honest
with you.”
Herron laughed but still avoided Matlock’s eyes. ‘You~re too wound up in
the Elizabethans. The plots and counterplots of The Spanish Tragedy. . . .
You young faculty crusaders should stop trying to be an amateur Scotland
Yard. Not too long ago it was fashionable around here to have Red Dogs for
breakfast. You7re just magnifying the situation out of proportion.”
“That!s not true. I’m not a faculty crusader. Im no part of that growd, and
I think you know ft.”
“What was it then? Personal interest? In the boy. Or his wife? … I’m
sorry, I shouldn’t have said that”
“I’m glad you did. I have no interest in Virginia Beeson-sexual or
otherwise. Although I cadt imagine what else there would be.~
“Then you put on quite an act,”
“I certainly did. I took extreme measures to keep Beeson from knowing why
I was there. It was that important.-
“To whom?” Herron slowly put his glass down with his right hand, his left
still gripped the arm of the chair.
“To people beyond this campus. Washington people. The federal
authorities.
Lucas Herron took a sudden, sustained intake of breath through his nostrils.
In front of Matlock’s eyes,
THE MATLOCK PAPER 131
Herron’s face began to drain itself of color. When he spoke, he did so
barely above a whisper.
“What are you saying?”
‘That I was approached by a man from the justice Department The information
he showed me was frightening. Nothing was trumped up, nothing over-
dramatized. It was straight data. I was given a free choice whether to
cooperate or not”
‘And you accepted?” Herroes words were uttered softly in disbelief.
“I didn’t feel there was an alternative. My younger brother. . .”
‘You di(&t feel there was an alternative?’ Herron rose from his chair, his
hands began to shake, his voice grew in intensity. “You didnt feel there
was an altertwtiveF”
“No, I didn!t,” Matlock remained calm. “Thaes why I came out here. To warn
you, old friend. Ies much deeper-far more dangerous . . .”
“You came out here to warn me?f What have you &mP What in the name of
everything sacred have you doneP … Now, you listen to met You listen to
what I sayl” Herron backed off, bumping into the small side table. In one
whip of his left arm, he sent it crushing onto the flagstones. “You let it
go, do you hear met You go back and tell them nothing/ Nothing existd It’s
all … all in their imaginationsl Doet touch itl Let it gor
I cant do that,- said Matlock gently, suddenly
afraid for the old man. “Even Sealfont will have to
agree. He caiYt fight it any longer. Ies there, Lu
cas …. 7
“Adrianf AdriaZs been told? … Oh, my God, do you know what you’re doing?
Yotell destroy so much.
132 Robeit Ludlum
So many, many … Get out of herel Get oud I don!t know youl Oh, Jeswl
lesusl”
Lucas, what is it?- Matlock got up and took several steps toward the old
man. Herron continued backing away, an old man in panic.
‘Don1 come near mel Don’t you touch nwl*
Herron turned and started running as well as his ancient legs could carry
him across the lawn. He stumbled, falling to the ground, and picked himself
up. He didn’t look back. Instead he ran with all his might toward the rear
of the yard, toward the overgrown woods. And then he disappeared through
his huge green wall.
‘Lucasl For Chrises sakel” Matlock raced after the old man, reaching the
edge of the woods only seconds behind him. Yet he was nowhere in sight
Matlock whipped at the overgrowth in front of him and stepped into the
tangled mass of foliage. Branches slashed back at him, and the intricate
webbings of giant weeds ensnared his feet as he kicked his way into the
dense woods.
Herron was gone.
“Lucasl Where are you?1”
There was no answer, only the rustling of the dis~-turbed growth behind
him. Matlock went farther into the forest, ducking, crouching, sidling by
the green barriers in front of him. Th~re was no sign of Lucas Herron, no
sound.
“Lucasl For God’s sake, Lucas, answer mel”
Still no reply, no hint of presence.
Matlock tried to look around him, tried to spot a break in the patterns of
foliage, a route to follow. He could see none. It was as if Lucas were
matter one momen% vapor the next.
THE MAnAXX P”ER 133
And then he heard it. Indistinct, from all sides of him, echoing softly
from some unknown place. It was a deep-throated moan, a wail. Near, yet far
in the dense distance. And then the wail diminished and became a plaintive
sob. A single sob, punctuated by a single word-clear, and spoken in hatred.
Ile word was
ONimrod . – ”
12
“Goddamn it, Matlockl I told you to stay put until I contacted youl”
“Goddamn it~ Greenbergl How did you get into my apartment?1-
You didn’t get your window fixed.”
“You haveet offered to pay for it.”
“We’re even. Where have you been?”
Matlock threw his car keys on the coffee table and looked at his broken
stereo set in the comer. “It’s an involved story and I suspect …
pathetic. III tell you all about it after I’ve had a drink. My last one was
interrupted.”
“Get me one, too. Ive also got a story and mines definitely pathetic.*
“What do you drink?”
‘Very little, so whatever you’re having is fine.*
Matlock looked out his front window. The curtains were strewn on the floor
where he had tc)m them in front of Adam Williams. The sun was almost down
now. The spring day was over. “I’m going to squeeze some lemons and have a
fresh fruit Tom Collins.*
“Your Me says you drink bourbon. Sour mash.”
Matlock looked at the federal agent “Does it?”
Greenberg followed Matlock into the kitchen and watched In silence as he
fixed their drinks. Matlock
THE MAU4XX PAPM 135
handed the federal man his glass.
-Looks fancy.-
“Ifs not … Whose pathetic story gets first telling?’
“IT want to hear yours, of course, but under the circumstances, mine has
priority.”
“You sound ominous.*
“No. just pathetic. . . . rU start by asking you if you’d care to know
where I’ve been since I dropped you off.” Greenberg leaned against the
counter.
“Not particularly, but you’ll tell me anyway.”
‘Yes, I will. It’s part of the pathos. I was out at your local
airport-Bradley Field-waiting for a jet dispatched by justice a few hours
ago from Dulles. There was a man on the plane who brought me two sealed
envelopes which T had to sign for. Here they are.* Greenberg reached into
his jacket pocket and took out two long business envelopes. He put one on
the counter and began to open the second.
“They look very official,” said Matlock, edging himself up so that he sat
next to the sink, his long legs dangling over the side in front of the
cabinets.
“Ibey couldn’t be more official…. This envelope contains the summary of
our conclusions based on information you gave us-gave me. it ends with a
specific recommendation. I’m allowed to convey this information in my own
words as long as I cover all the facts …. 0
‘Jason Greenberg gets two points.”
OHowever,” continued the federal man without ac
knowledging Matlock’s interruption, “the contents of
the second envelope must be delivered verbatim. You
are to read it thoroughly — should it be necessary
and if ifs acceptable, you’ve got to acknowledge that
by your signature-”
136 Robert Ludlum
’11& gets better and better. Am I running for the Senate?”
“No, yoere just running…. I’ll start as instructect” Greenberg glanced at
the unfolded paper and then looked across at Matlock “The man at Lumumba