agents of the justice Department. However, there are no charges leveled
against you, no warrants for your arrest. You have certain rights which the
federal men often overlook in their zealousness-ies one of the reasons were
in business. However, again, we want you to know that should your status
change, should there be charges or a warrant for your arrest, our services
are terminated immediately, and we won’t hesitate to cooperate with the
authorities regarding your whereabouts. Whatever information we possess
will be held for your attorneys-ies privileged-but not your whereabouts.
Capicher
“I do. That’s fair.”
“We’re more than fair. Thaes why Im going to de- 228 Robert Ludlum
mand ten days’ advance payment from you-unused portion returnable. . . . In
the event the situation changes and the federal men get a court order for
you, you will receive-only once-the following message on the telephone
recorder. just these words.’
Blackstone paused for emphasis.
‘What are they?”
“Charger Three-zero is cancele&`
Out on Bond Street Matlock felt a sensation he knew wouldn’t leave him
until his journey, his race was over. He thought people were staring at
him. He began to think strangers were watching him. He found himself
involuntarily turning around, trying to find the unseen, observing eyes.
Yet there were none.
None that he could distinguish.
The Corsican paper now had to be gotten out of his apartment And
considering Blackstone’s statements, there was no point in his attempting
to get it himself. His apartment would be under surveillance-from both
camps, the seekers and the quarry.
He would use the Blackstone tearn, one of thern, putting to the test the
sartorial Blackstone’s guarantee of privileged information. He would reach
them-him soon as he placed one prior telephone call. A call that would make
it clear whether the silver Corsican invitation was really necessary or
not. A call to Samuel Sharpe, attorney at law, Windsor Shoals, Connecticut.
Matlock decided to show Sharpe a temporary, more compassionate side of his
acquired personality. Sharpe himself had displayed a momentary lapse of
control. Matlock thought it was the moment to indicate that even such men
as himself-men who had influential friends in San Juan and London-had
feelings beyond personal survival.
TnE MATLOCK PAPER 229
He walked into the lobby of the Americana Hotel and called him. Sharpe’s
secretary answered.
“Are you in an office where Mr. Sharpe can return your call momentarily?”
“No, Im in a telephone booth. rm also in a hurry.*
There was silence, preceded by the click of a hold button. The wait was
less than ten seconds.
“May I have the number you7re calling from, Mr. Matlock? Mr. Sharpe will
get back to you within five minutes.”
Matlock gave the girl the number and hung up.
As he sat in the plastic seat, his memory wandered back to another
telephone booth and another plastic 16eat And a black sedan which raced
past the dead man slouched in that booth, on that seat, with a bullet hole
in his forehead.
The bell sounded, Matlock lifted the receiver.
“Matlock?”
-Sharpe?-
“You shouldnt call me at the office. You should know better. I had to go
down to the lobby here, to a pay phone.”
“I didnI think a respected attorney’s telephone would be any risk. I’m
sorry.”
There was a pause at the other end of the line. Sharpe obviously never
expected an apology. “I’m a cautious man, I told you. What is it?”
“I just wanted to know how you were. How every.. thing went It was a
terrible thing, last night.”
“I havenI had time for a reaction. Theres so much to do. Police, funeral
arrangements, reporters.*
“What are you saying? How are you handling it?*
“There won1 be any major mistakes. In a nutshell-if it comes to that-I’m an
innocent victim. Frank’s a victim, top, only Vs dead. . . . I’m going to
min
2m Robert Ludium
Frank. He was a verv zood fellow. IT close down the upstairs, of course.
11~e’ state police have been paid. By you people, I assume. ItT be what the
papers say it was. A bunch of Italian hoodlums shot up in a nice country
restaurant.”
‘You~re a cool operator.”
‘I told you,” replied Sharpe sadly, Tin a cautious man. rm prepared for
contingencies.’
“Who did it?”
Sharpe did not answer the question. He did not speak at all.
“I asked you, who do you think did it?’
‘I expect you people will find out before I do…. Bartolozz! had enemies;
he was an unpleasant person. Rocco, too, I suppose…. But why Frank? You
tell me~ ”
“I dont know. I haven’t been in touch with anyone
‘Find out for me. Please. It wasn’t right.*
M try. Thaes a promise. . . . And, Sammy, make those calls to Stockton and
Cantor, donI forget.”
“I won’t. I’ve got them fisted on my afternoon calendar. I told YOU. Fm a
methodical man.-
“rhanks. My sympathies about Frank He seemed like a nice guy.”
‘He was a prince,”
Tm sure he was. IT be in touch, Sammy. I haven’t forgotten what I said I’d
do for you. You’ve really impressed me. III . . .”
The sound of coins dropping into the telephone receptacle at Windsor Shoals
interrupted Matlock. The Ume limit was up, and there was no point in
prolonging the conversation. He had found out what he needed to know. He
had to have the Corsican paper now. The horror of the dawn massacre had not
caused the methodical Sharpe to forget the telephone calls
TBE MATLOCK PAFER 231
hed promised to make. Why it hadn~t was a miracle to Matlock, but there it
was. The cautious man had not panicked. He was ice.
The telephone booth was stuffy, close, uncomfortable, filled with smoke. He
opened the door and walked rapidly across the hotel lobby to the front
exit.
He rounded the comer of Asylum Street looking for an appropriate
restaurant. One in which he could have lunch while awaiting the return can
from Charger Three-zero. Blackstone had said that he should leave a number;
what better than a restaurant?
He saw the sign: The Lobster House. The kind of Place frequented by
business executives.
He was given a booth to himself, not a table. It was nearly three; the
luncheon crowd had thinned. He sat down and ordered a bourbon on the rocks,
asking the waitress the whereabouts of the nearest telephone. He was about
to get out of the booth to make his can to 555-6868 when he heard the
muted, sharp, terrifying sound of the Tel-electronic from within his
jacket. At first it paralyzed him. It was as if some part of his person, an
hysterical organ perhaps, had gone mad and was trying to signal its
distress. His hand shook as he reached inside his coat and withdrew the
small metal device. He found the shut-off button and pressed it as hard as
he could. He looked around, wondering if the sound had attracted attention.
It had not No one returned his looks. No one had heard a thing.
He got out of his seat and walked quickly toward
the telephone. His only thought was Pat — something
had happened, something serious enough for Charger
Three-zero to activate the terrible, insidious machine
which had panicked him.
232 Robmt Ludlum
Matlock pulled the door shut and dialed s55-M.
“Charger Three-zero reporting.’ The voice had the once-removed quality of
a taped recording. “Please telephone five, five~ five; one, nine, five,
one. There is no need for alarm, sir. Theres no emergency. We’ll be at this
number for the next hour. The number again Is five~ five, five; one, nine,
five, one. Out”
Matlock realized that Charger Three-zero took pains to allay his fears
Immediately, perhaps because ft was his first experience with the
Tel-electronic. He had the feeling that even if the town of Carlyle had
gone up in thermonuclear smoke Charger Three zero’s words would have a
palliative quality about them. The other reasoning, perhaps, was that a man
thought more clearly when unafraid. Whatever, Matlock knew that the method
worked. He was calmer now. He reached Into his pocket and took out some
change, making a mental note as he did so to convert some dollar bills into
coins for future use. The pay telephone had become an important part of his
life.
“Is this five, five, five; nineteen fifty-one?”
‘Ybs,” said the same voice he had heard on the re. cording. “Mr. Matlock?”
Yes. Is Miss Ballantyne all right?-
‘Doing very well, sir. Thaes a good doctor you’ve got She sat up this
morning. A lot of the swelling’s gone down. The doctoes quite pleased…
She’s asked for you a number of times.”
“What are you telling her?”
‘Ile truth. That weve been hired by you to make sure she’s not bothered.~
“I mean about where I am~”
‘Weve simply said you had to be away for several days. It might be a good
idea to telephone her. She