Effective control among the ‘iron’ and ‘bronze! then frees the ‘gol&–to
borrow from The Republic. If the intellectually superior were continually
kept from thinking, experimenting, because their thought processes were
beyond the comprehension of their fellow citizens, there’d be no great
works-artistically, technically, politically. We’d still be in the Dark
Ages-”
Matlock inhaled his cigarette and closed his eyes. Had he been too strong,
too positive? Had he sounded too much the false proselytizer? He waited,
and the wait was not long. Archie spoke quietly, but urgently nevertheless.
“Progress is being made every day, old man. Believe that. Ifs the truth.’
Matlock half opened his eyes in relief and looked at Beeson through the
cigarette smoke. He held his
66 Robert Ludlum
gaze steady without blinking and then shifted his stare to Beeson~s wife. He
spoke only two words.
“You’re children.”
‘flaes a relative supposition under the circum. stances,” answered Beeson,
still keeping his voice low, his speech precise.
“And that’s talk”
“Oh, don’t be so sure about thatt” Ginny Beeson had had enough alcohol in
her to be careless. Her husband reached for her arm and held it. It was a
warning. He spoke again, taking his eyes off Matlock, looking at nothing.
“I’m not at all sure we’re on the same wavelength … ”
“No, probably not. Forget it… III finish this and shove off. Be in touch
with you about the seminar.” Matlock made sure his reference to the seminar
was offfianded, almost disinterested.
Archie Beeson, the young man in an academic hur. ry, could not stand that
disinterest.
‘Would you mind if I had one of those?”
‘If ies your first, yes, I would…. DoA try to impress me. It doesn’t
really matter.”
“My first? . . . Of what?” Beeson rose from the couch and walked to the
table where the cigarette case lay open. He reached down, picked it up, and
held it to his nostrils. “That’s passable grass. I might add, just
passable. I’ll try one. . . for openers.”
“For openers?”
“You seem to be very sincere but, if you’ll forgive me, you!re a bit out of
touch.”
“From what?”
“From where ies at.” Beeson withdrew two ciga. rettes and lit them in Now,
Voyager fashion. He inhaled deeply, nodding and shrugging a reserved ap.
TER MATLOCK PAPER 67 proval, and handed one to his wife.
*Iees call this an hors croeuvre. An appetizer.”
He went into his study and returned with a Chinese lacquered box, then
showed Matlock the tiny peg which, when pushed, enabled the holder to flip
up a thin layer of wood on the floor of the box, revealing a false bottom.
Beneath were two dozen or so white tablets wrapped in transparent plastic.
‘This is the main course … the entr6e, if you!re up to %0
Matlock was grateful for what knowledge he possessed and the intensive
homework hed undertaken during the past forty-eight hours. He smiled but
his tone of voice was firm.
‘I only take white trips under two conditions. Ile first Is at my home with
very good, very old friends. The second is with very good, very old friends
at their homes. I don’t know you well enough, Archie. Selfdiscretion…. rm
not averse to a small red journey, however. Only I didn’t come prepare&’
‘Say no more. I just may be.” Beeson took the Chinese box back into his
study and returned with a small leather pouch, the sort pipe smokers use
for tobaoco, and approached Matlock’s chair. Ginny BeesoiYs eyes grew wide;
she undid a button on her halfunbuttoned blouse and stretched her legs.
‘Dunhill!s best.” Beeson opened the top flap and bald the pouch down for
Matlock to see inside. Again there was the clear plastic wrapped around
tablets. However, these were deep red and slightly larger than the white pa
in the Chinese box. There were at least fifty to sixty doses of Seconal.
Ginny jumped out of the chair and squealed. “I love it! lies the
pinky-groovyl”
“Beats the hell out of brandy,” added Matlock- 68 Robert Ludlum
‘Well trip. Not too much, old man. Limit’s five. That’s the house rules for
new old friends.”
The next two hours were blurred for James Matlock, but not as blurred as
they were for the Beesons. The history instructor and his wife quickly
reached their “highs” with the five pflls–,as would have Matlock had he,
not been able to pocket the final three while pretending to have swallowed
them. Once on the first plateau, it waset too hard for Matlock to imitate
his companions and then convince Beeson to go for another dosage.
“Where’s the almighty discretion, Doctor?’ chuckled Beeson, sitting on the
floor in front of the couch, reaching occasionally for one of his wifes
legs.
“You’re better friends than I thought you were.”
just the beginning of a beautiful, beautiftd friendship.” The young wife
slowly reclined on the couch and giggled. She seemed to writhe and put her
right hand on her husban&s head, pushing his hair forward.
Beeson laughed with less control than he had shown earlier and rose from
the floor. T11 get the magic then.”
When Beeson walked into his study, Matlock watched his wife. There was no
mistaking her action. She looked at Matlock, opened her mouth slowly, and
pushed her tongue out at him. Matlock realized that one of Seconars side
effects was showing. As was most of Virginia Beeson.
The second dosage was agreed to be three, and Matlock was now easily able
to fake it. Beeson turned on his stereo and played a recording of “Carmina
Burana.” In fifteen minutes Ginny Beeson was sitting on Matlocles lap,
intermittently rubbing herself
TBx mATLocK PAPEa 69
against his groin. Her husband was spread out in front of the stereo
speakers, which were on either side of the turntable- Matlock spoke as
though exhaling, Just loud enough to be heard over the music.
Mese are some of the best rve had, Archie… Where? Wheres the supply fromr
‘Probably the same as yours, old man.- Beeson tUrDed over and looked at
Matlock and his wife. He laughed. ‘Now, I don’t know what you mean. The
magic or the girl on your lap. Watch her, Doctor. Shes a minx.”
‘No kidding. Your pills are a better grade than mme and my grass barely
passed mspection- Where? Be a good friend.-
‘Yotere funny, man. You keep asking. Do I ask you? No…. les not
polite…. Play with Ginny. Let me listen.’ Beeson rolled back over face
down on the floor.
The girl on Matlocks lap suddenly put her arms around his neck and pressed
her breasts against his chest She put her head to the side of his face and
began kissing his ears. Matlock wondered what would happen if he lifted her
out of the chair and carried her Into the bedroom. He wondered, but he
didn’t want to find out. Not then. Ralph Loring had not been murdered to
increase his, Matlock’s, sex life.
*IA me try one of your joints. Let me see just how advanced your taste is.
You may be a phony, Archie.”
Suddenly Beeson sat up and stared at Matlock. He waat concerned with his
wife. Something in Matlock’s voice seemed to trigger an instinctive doubt.
Or was it the words? Or was it the too normal pattern of speech Matlock
used? The English professor thought of all these things as he returned
Beesoes look over the girrs shoulder. Archie Beeson was suddenly a
7o Robert Ludkm
man warned, and Matlock wasn’t sure why. Beeson spoke haltingly.
“Certainly, old Ginny, doet annoy Jim.0
He began to rise.
“Pinky groovy … 7
Orve got several in the kitchen. rm not sure where but rU look Ginny, I
told you not to tense Jim. . . Be nice to him, be good to him.- Beeson kept
staring at Matlock, his eyes wide firom the Seconat his lips parted, the
muscles of his face beyond relaxation. He backed away toward the kitchen
door, which was open. Once inside, Archie Beeson did a stnmge thing. Or so
it appeared to James Matlock-
He slowly dosed the swing-hinged door and held ft shut
Matlock quickly eased the drugged girl off hig lap and she quietly
stretched out on the floor. She smiled angelically and reached her arms up
for him. He smiled down, stepping over her.
‘Be right back,* he whispered. “I want to ask Archie something.’ The girl
rolled over on her stomach as Matlock walked cautiously toward the Idtchen
door. He ruffled his hair and purposely, silently, lurched, holding onto
the dining room table as he neared the entrance. If Beeson suddenly came
out, he wanted to appear irrational, drugged. The stereo was a little
louder now, but through it Matlock could hear the sound of ArchWs voice
talking quietly, excitedly on the kitchen telephone.
He leaned against the wall next to the kitchen door and tried to analyze
the disjointed moments that caused Archie Beeson to panic, to find it so