“old country” had the strangest diversions, it was rumored. Houses in
shadows, lighted by candies, where the bored could become aroused by ob-
servation. Voyeurs of the sickest scenes. Female, maleanimal-an types, all
combinations.
THE MATLOCK PAP= 173
Matlock knew that in this world Nimrod could be found. It had to be. For
although narcotics were but one aspect of the services rendered within this
network, they were available-as was everythmg else.
And of all these games of indulgence, none had the fire and ice, none had
the magnetism, of the gambling houses. For those thousands who coul(Wt find
time for the junkets to San Juan, London, or Paradise Island, there were
the temporary excursions into the manic moments where daily boredom could
be forgotten–a stones throw from home. Reputations were made quickly over
the green felt tables-with the roll of the dice or a turn of a card. It was
here that Matlock would find his point of departure. It was in these places
where a young man of thirty-three years was prepared to lose
thousands-until someone asked who he was.
At twelve thirty Matlock walked across the quadrangle toward his apartment.
The time had come to initiate his first move. The vague outline of a plan
was coming into focus.
He should have heard the footsteps, but he didet. He only heard the cough,
a smoker’s cough, the cough of a man who’d been running.
“Mr. Matlock?”
Matlock turned and saw a man in his middle thirties, like himself, perhaps
a bit older and, indeed, out of breath.
“Yes?”
“Sorry, I keep missing you. I got to the hospital just as yoied left, then
waited in the wrong damn building for you, after your class. Theros a very
confused biology teacher with a name similar to yours. Even looks a little
like you. Same height, build, hair.. :’
3L74 Robert Ludium
‘Mes Murdock. Elliott Murdock Whafs the matter?”
“He couldnt understand why I kept insisting that when ‘old men kill
themselves, the cities are dyingl’
“Yoere from Greenbergl”
‘lUes it Morbid code, if you don’t mind my saying so. Keep walking. Well
separate at the end of the path. Meet me in twenty minutes at Bills Bar &
Grill by the freight depot It7s six blocks south of the railroad station.
O.K.?”
“Never heard of it~’
‘I was going to suggest you remove your necktie. IM be in a leather jacket’
‘You pick classy spots.”
*Old habit. I cheat on the expense account’
‘Greenberg said I was to work with you.”
‘You better believe itl He’s up to his Kosher ass in boiling oil for you.
I think the)ere shipping him out to a job in Cairo. . . . He’s one bell of
a guy. We field men like him. Don’t louse him up.”
“All I wanted to ask was your name. I didn’t expect a sermon.”
“It’s Houston. Fred Houston. See you in twenty minutes. Get rid of the
tie.”
17
Bill’s Bar & Grill was a part of Carlyle Matlock had never seen before.
Railroad laborers and freight-yard drifters were its predominant clientele.
He scanned the filthy room; Houston sat in a back booth.
“ies cocktail hour, Matlock. A little early by campus standards, but the
effects aredt much different. Not even the clothes these days.”
“ies quite a place.”
“It serves the purpose. Go up to the bar and get yourself a drink. The
bunnies don1 come on till sundown.
Matlock did as Houston instructed and brought back the best bourbon he
could find. It was a brand he had given up when he reached a living wage.
“I think I should tell you right away. Someone using your name telephoned
me at the hospital.”
It was as if Houston had been hit in the stomach. “My God,” he said
quietly. “What did he say? How did you handle it?”
“I waited for him to identify himself … with Greenberes proverb. I gave
him a couple of chances but he didxA. . . . So I told him to call me later
and hung up.”
“He used my name?l Houston. Yoxfre sure?”
176 Robert Ludlum
-Absolutely.
“nat doesnt make sense. He couldr~tr
‘Believe me. He did.”
“No one knew I was the replacementI didn7t
know it until three this mornin&”
“Someone found out”
Houston took several swallows of his beer. “If what you say is true, I’ll
be out of here within a couple of hours. Incidentally, that was good
thinking…. Let me give you an extra hint, though. Never accept a contact
made by telephone.”
‘Why not?”
“If that had been me calling-how would I know ft was you I was talking to?”
“I see what you mean. . . .”
‘Common sense. Most everything we do is common sense…. We’ll keep the
same code. The ‘old men’ and ‘the cities.’ Your next contact will be made
to-
nighto
“You’re sure youT be leaving?’
*Tve been spotted. I’m not about to stick around. Maybe you forgot Ralph
Loring. . . . We gave big at the office.”
‘All right Have you talked to Jason? Did he brief you?’
‘For two hours. From four till six this morning. My wife said he drank
thirteen cups of coffee.”
‘What can you tell me about Pat? Patricia Ballantyne. What happened?”
‘You know the medical facts …. 7
‘Not all of them.”
‘I don’t know all of them, either.’
“You’re lying.”
Houston looked at Matlock without offense. When he replied, he did so
compassionately. “All right.
TBE MAnDM P”ER 177
There was evidence of rape. Thafs what you want to know, isn’t it?”
Matlock gripped his glass. ‘Yes,” he said softly.
“However, you should know this, too. The girl doeset know it. Not at this
stage of her recovery. I understand the mind plays tricks. It rejects
things until it thinks-or something tells it-that the remembering can be
handled.”
“Thanks for the lesson in psychology. Animals. Filthy animals . . .”
Matlock pushed his glass away. The liquor was intolerable to him now. The
thought of dulling his senses even slightly was abhorrent.
“I’m supposed to play this by ear, so if I read you wrong, all I can do is
apologize…. Be around when the puzzle gets put together for her. Shes
going to need YOU.
Matlock looked up from the table, from the sight of his tensed hands. “It
was that bad?” be asked almost inaudibly.
“Preliminary lab tests-fingernails, hair, what have you-indicate that the
assault was carried out by more than one person.”
Matlock’s hatred could find only one expression. He closed his eyes and
lashed out at the glass, sending it across the floor, where it smashed in
front of the bar. The bartender dropped his soiled rag and started toward
his latch, looking over at the man who threw the glass. Then he stopped.
Houston held up a bill quickly, gesturing the man to stay away.
“Get hold of yourselfl” Houston said. ‘You~re not going to do anyone any
good like that. You’re just calling attention to us…. Now, listen. YoiYre
cleared to make further inquiries, but there are two stipulations. The
first is to check with our man–it was supposed to be me-before approaching
anyone. The
iL78 Robert LucUum
second–keep your subjects to students and only students. No faculty, no
staff, no one outside-just students. . . . Make your reports every night
between ten and eleven. Your contact will reach you daily as to where. Have
you got that?”
Matlock stared at the agent in disbelief. He understood what the man was
saying-even why he said it -but he couldn1 believe that anyone who’d been
briefed by Jason Greenberg would think he could deliver such instructions.
“Are you seriousP”
‘Me orders are explicit. No deviations. That’s holy writ.”
It was there again for Matlock. Another sign, another compromise. Another
plastic order from the unseen plastic leaders.
“I’m there but I’m not there, is that the idea? Im consigned to the outer
limits and that fulfills the bargain?”
“Frig that.”
Matlock’s eyes wandered upward, at nothing. He was trying to buy a few
seconds of sweet reason. “Frigga is the Norse goddess of the sky. She
shares the heavens with Odin. Doet insult the lady, Houston.”
“You’re a nutl” said the agent. Tnt not sorry Im getting out of here….
Look, ies for the best, take my word for it And one last thing. I’ve got to
take back the paper Loring gave you. Thats a must do.”
“Is it, really?” Matlock slid across the filthy leatherette seat and
started to get up. “I don’t see it that way. You go back to Washington and
tell them I see it as a must doi*. Take care of yourself, holy writ.”
“You’re playing around with preventive custodyl-
‘Well see who’s playing,” said Matlock as he pushed himself away from the
table, angling it to
TEE MAIIA= P”ER 179
block the agenes exit, and started for the door. He could hear the screech
of the table’s legs as Houston moved it out of his way. He heard Houston