按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
‘All the same； we'd like to hear it again。
‘I'm pretty certain he was planning to kill Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on the stage of La Scala； then go on and do away with Arafat in Athens。
He came here to set it up。 Another day and he would have gone on to Athens。〃 ‘How do you think he chose his victims？〃 ‘Publicity。 Most were famous politicians； terrorists。 Now he was out for one of the great sopranos of our time； and the leader of the PLO。 I think he chose at random； or when a good idea for a target presented itself。 As simple as that。〃 ‘Then what？ Then what was he going to do after the dry run in Athens？〃 Daniel stalled。 You could see it。 He was so like his brother； but this was real life； not acting。 You could see almost into his brain； as if he were asking himself if they really knew； or if they were guessing。
‘After Athens。 ‘ M prompted。
‘There wouldn't have been an after Athens。 I had him pinned down this time。〃 ‘He didn't know that。 Tell us about what was to happen this ing Sunday； outside Paris。〃 Again； a sigh of capitulation； followed by a deep breath。 Then he jibbed again and remained silent。
‘His notes；' Bond said。 ‘His notes indicate Paris with the initials PD； W and H。 Does that jog your memory？〃 Daniel Dragonpol gave a tight…lipped nod。
‘Okay。 Right。 Yes； I think it was probably his idea of a big coup。 What do the terrorists call it？ A spectacular？ A royal princess； together with her two children； who are direct heirs to the British throne； are to be entertained at the Euro Disney plex outside Paris on Sunday。 I think he planned to kill them as a kind of public spectacle。
In his mind it would be the ultimate irony； for a princess and two little princes to die at Disneyland。〃 ‘And I wonder how you know all that？〃 M questioned； almost to himself。 ‘I wonder how you both knew that she was taking her children to Euro Disney on Sunday？ It hasn't exactly been advertised。〃
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE DRAGONS ARE LOOSE
It went on until after five in the morning； with everybody but M getting more and more exhausted。 The Old Man seemed to thrive on the long and hard question and answer routine。 His interrogation techniques were a copybook lesson to everyone present； and he dragged every last piece of information； and then more； from the cowed Daniel Dragonpol。
Brother David； it seemed； had carefully kept up all his old contacts； in government as well as the Arts。 According to Daniel； he had informers everywhere in financial areas； big business and highly regarded social groups； as well as among his old colleagues in the theatre。 He knew many friends of friends； and even had the ear of insiders within royal circles。 So information regarding the schedule of the princess and the two young princes would be no problem。
‘David set great store by the telephone；' Daniel told them。 ‘We tried all kinds of tricks； but in the end there was no way we could keep him from a phone。〃 He made a gesture of hopelessness。 ‘Nor could we keep him under lock and key。 We knew when he was brewing up for some kind of expedition； just as we knew when he became deflected from his preoccupation with the museum。
‘Did he make those silly little errors when his mind moved to other things？〃 Bond asked。
‘What little errors？〃 ‘Well； he's got a Greek actor； four hundred years BC； putting on a Kabuki mask。 Then there's the watch on。。
‘I haven't noticed anything like that！〃 A shade sharp。
‘Well； the mistakes are there。
‘Then they'll have to be put right before the museum is opened to the public。〃 Daniel seemed to stop； as though realizing his predicament for the first time。 ‘If it is ever opened；' he added。
‘But you found it impossible to keep him confined； or away from telephones？ That what you're telling us？〃 M sounded alert and relaxed； his mind razor sharp。
‘That's exactly what I'm saying。
Bond recalled the conversation about telephones which Fredericka had overheard between Maeve and the nurse Charles…who was more than a nurse； though Daniel never mentioned that side of things。
‘Let's go over it again；' M prodded。 ‘You tried to catch up with him during the terrible killing spree which included the death of your former fiancee？〃 ‘I've told you。 Yes。 I tracked him down； but on each occasion I was too late。〃 ‘How do you think he knew where to find Laura March？〃 ‘He listened at doors a lot： in the castle。 I mean it was creepy。 He moved around the place like a ghost； when we didn't have him locked in the Tower Room。 When Laura was there for the last time； she told me she'd try to get to Interlaken to rest and 。。。 well； put herself straight。 We were both in a very emotional state。 David knew we had spent time in Interlaken。 I have photographs； and I talked to him about it。 He knew we liked going up to First and sit looking at the view。〃 ‘So； you followed him on that last occasion； and tried to catch up with him。 What of his other little trips？〃 ‘I didn't really find out what was happening until ninety…one。 I found some notes which indicated what he'd been up to during the previous year。 I did try and catch him in April ninety…one； when he did the London； New York and Dublin ones。 In fact I almost got him in Dublin。 He was staying at the Gresham and I really thought I had him； but that was the occasion he disguised himself as a woman。 He walked right past me in the foyer of the hotel； and it wasn't until he came back that I realized what had happened。
Around four…thirty they came to the question of the flowers and the notes left at each funeral。
Daniel seemed bewildered at first。 When he started to talk； it was about Maeve's attempts to create her perfect hybrid rose。 Bond stopped him。
‘Daniel； we know what Maeve was doing with her roses； and we're all aware that she has only recently managed； to produce the perfect Bleeding Heart。 What we re asking is did David do the business with flowers from the start？〃 ‘Yes。〃 ‘Then what did he use before the last outing； when he was able to get his hands on Maeve's Bleeding Heart？〃 ‘She had e quite close。 He used what was available at least he did on the April ninety…one sortie。〃 ‘And how did he manage that trick？
First； how did he keep the roses fresh； second； how did he set up delivery？〃 ‘He had a small cooler： like a miniature version of the ones you take on picnics。 He always took buds with him roses that were a few days from being ready。 You know； Maeve。。。〃 He was off again； telling them how Maeve had roses in varied conditions； how she had her greenhouse set up with the flowers in different stages of development； rambling on until they stopped him。
‘Yes； but how did he get them to the funerals？
He was always long gone by the time his victims were buried。〃 ‘I think he anticipated the funerals。 I'm not sure； but I'm pretty certain he left a rosebud； with a suitable message； in the hands of someone else。
Someone he paid to deliver them when the time came。 Children； I suspect。 To be honest； I'm not absolutely certain。〃 ‘But you knew he took Maeve's roses？〃 ‘Of course。 ‘And she knew as well？〃 ‘Naturally。〃 Bond stepped in again。 ‘On this； the final trip； did you know what he had taken？ I mean