the diary.
The identity of Nimrod.
“Herron states explicitly that he would not write the name intimated by the
messengers. Not that he couldift His feeling obviously was that he could
not implicate that man if the information was incorrecL Guilt by innuendo
would be abhorrent to him. Like yourself, Matlock; you refused to offer up
Herron on the basis of an hysterical phone can. He knew that he might die
at any given moment; his body had taken about as much abuse as it could
endure…. He had to be positive.” Dunois, by now, was drawing meaningless
geometric shapes on a blank page of yellow paper.
“And then he was murdered,” said Matlock “Made to look like suicide.”
“Yes. If nothing else, the diaries confirm that. Once Herron had proved to
himself who Nimrod was, he would have moved heaven and earth to include it
in the notebook. our enemy cannot know that he did not. That is our
Damocletian sword.”
Matlock’s first line of protection was to let the chief
TBE MATLOCK PAP= 353
of the Carlyle police understand that he, Matlool; knew the identity of
Nimrod. He would reach an accommodation solely with Nimrod. This accommoda-
tion was the lesser of two evils. He was a hunted
There was a warrant out for his arrest of which the Carlyle police surely
were aware. He might conceivably be exonerated from the lesser indictments,
but he would not escape the charge of murder. Possibly, two murders. For he
had killed, the evidence was overwhebxiing, and he had no tangible alibis.
He did not know the men he had killed. There were no witnesses to
corroborate self-defense; the manner of each killing was grotesque to the
point of removing the killer from society. The best he could hope for was a
number of years in prison.
And then he would spell out his terms for an aocommodation with Nimrod.
Lucas Herron7s diaries for his life-and the life of the girl. Certainly the
diaries were worth a sum of money sufficient for both of them to start
again somewhere.
Nimrod could do this. Nimrod had to do it.
“The key to this … lees call it phase one … Is the wriount of
conviction you display.” Dunois spoke carefully. ‘Remember, you are in
panic. You have taken lives, killed other human beings. You are not a
violent man but yoteve been forced, coerced into frightening crimes.”
“It!s the truth. More than you know.”
“Good. Convey that feeling. All a panicked man wants is to get away from
the scene of his panic. Nimrod must believe this. It guarantees your
immediate safety~”
A second telephone call would then be made by Matlock-to confirm Nirnro&s
acceptance of a meeting. The location, at this point, could be chosen by
,W Robert LucUum
Nimrod. Matlock would call again to learn where. But the meeting must take
place before ten o’clock in the morning.*
‘By now, you, the fugitive, seeing freedom in sight, suddenly possess
doubts,” said Dunois. “In your gathering hysteria, you need a guaran
factor.’
“Which isr
A third party; a mythical third party. .. .7
Matlock was to inform the contact at the Carye Police Headquarters that he
had written up a complete statement about the Nimrod operation. Herron~s
diaries, identities, everything. This statement had been sealed in an
envelope and given to a friend. It would be mailed to the justice
Department at ten in the morning unless Matlock instructed otherwise.
“Here, phase two depends again on conviction, but of another sorL Watch a
caged animal whose captors suddenly open the gate. Hes wary, suspicious; he
approaches his escape with caution. So, too, must our fugitive. It will be
expected. You have been most resourceful during the past week. By logic you
should have been dead by now, but you survived. You must continue that
cunning.*
“I understand.”
The last phase was created by Julian Dunois to guaruntee–as much as was
possible in a I)est-efforts situation7-the reclaiming of the girl and the
safety of Matlock. It would be engineered by a third and final telephone
call to Nimrod’s contact. The object of the call was to ascertain the
specific location of the meeting and the precise time.
When informed of both, Matlock was to accept without hesitation.
At first.
Then moments later-seemingly with no other rea- THE MATLOCK PAPER M
son than the last extremity of panic and suspicionhe was to reject Nimrod’s
choice.
Not the time-the location.
He was to hesitate, to stutter, to behave as close to irrationality as he
could muster. And then, suddenly, he was to blurt out a second location of
his own choice. As if it had just come to mind with no thoughts of it
before that moment. He was then to restate the existence of the nonexistent
statement which a mythical friend would mail to Washington at ten in the
morning. He was then to hang up without listening further.
‘Ile most important factor in phase three is the recognizable consistency
of your panic. Nimrod must see that your reactions are now primitive. The
act itself is about to happen. You lash out, recoil, set up barriers to
avoid his net, should that net exist In your hysteria, you are as dangerous
to him as a wounded cobra Is deadly to the tiger. For rationality doesn1
exist, only survival. He now must meet you himself, he now must bring the
girl. He will, of course, arrive with his palace guard. His intentions
won7t change. He’ll take the diaries, perhaps discuss elaborate plans for
your accommodation, and when he learns that there is no written statement,
no friend about to mail it hell expect to IdU you both…. However, none of
his intentions will be carried out. For we’ll be waiting for him.’
“How? How will you be waiting for himP”
“With my own palace guard…. We shall now, you and I, decide on that
hysterically arrived at second location. It should be in an area you know
well, perhaps frequent often. Not too far away, for it is presumed you have
no automobile. Secluded, because you are hunted by the law. Yet accessible,
for you
356 Robert Ludlum
must travel fast, most likely on back roads.”
“You’re describing Herron’s Nest. Herron~s house.’
“I may be, but we can’t use it. It’s psychologically inconsistent It would
be a break in our fugitive’s pattern of behavior. Herroes Nest is the root
of his fear. He wouldn1 go back there…. Someplace else.”
Williams started to speak. He was still unsure, still wary of joining
Dunois’s world. “I think, perhaps …
“What, Brother Williams? What do you think?”
‘Professor Matlock often dines at a restaurant called the Cheshire Cat.”
Matlock snapped his head up at the black radical. “You too? You’ve had me
followed.”
“Quite often. We don’t enter such places. We’d be conspicuous.”
“Go on, brother,” broke in Dunois.
“The Cheshire Cat is about four miles outside Carlyle. ies set back from
the highway, which is the normal way to get there, about half a mile, but
it also can be reached by taking several back roads. Behind and to the
sides of the restaurant are patios and gardens used in the summer for
dining. Beyond these are woods.”
“Anyone on the premises?”
“A single night watchman, I believe. It doesn’t open until one. I don’t
imagine cleanup crews or kitchen help get there before nine thirty or ten.”
“Excellent.” Dunois looked at his wristwatch. “It’s now ten past five. Say
we allow fifteen minutes b4~,tween phases one, two, and three and an
additional twenty minutes for traveling between stations, that would make
it approximately six fifteen. Say six thirty for contingencies. Well set
the rendezvous for seven. Behind the Cheshire Cat. Get the notebook,
brother. III alert the men.”
TER WATIOX PAPER 3V
Williams rose from his chair and walked to the door. He turned and
addressed Dunois. -You won t change your mind? You wonI let me come with
the rest of you?”
Dunob didn!t bother to look up. He answered curtly. “Don!t annoy me. rve a
great deal to think aboue
Williams left the room quickly.
Matlock watched Dunois. He was still sketching his meaningless figures on
the yellow pad, only now he bore down on the pencil, causing deep ridges on
the paper. Matlock saw the diagram emerging. It was a series of lagged
lines, all converging.
They were bolts of lightning.
“Listen to me,” he said. “Ifs not too late. Call. In the authorities.
Please, for Christs sake, you cadt risk the lives of these kids.’
From behind his glasses, surrounded by the gauze bandages, Dunois’s eyes
bore into Matlock. He spoke with contempt. “Do you for one minute think I
would allow these children to tread in waters I dodt even know I can
survive? Were not your joint Chiefs of Staff, Matlock. We have greater
respect greater love for our young.’
Matlock recalled Adam Wilhand protestations at the door. “Thafs what