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〃What the hell are you talking about？〃 asked Flannagan gruffly。
〃Better a simple if messy domestic tragedy than a far wider investigation； wouldn't you say？ I gather it's no secret that you two have an arrangement that's…well； no secret。〃
〃He didn't give a shit about our； 'arrangement；' and that was no secret； either。〃
〃He encouraged us at every opportunity；〃 added Rachel Swayne； hesitantly smoothing her skirt； oddly； swiftly regaining her posure。 She spoke to Bourne but her eyes strayed to her lover。 〃He consistently threw us together； often for days at a time。 。。。 Do we have to stay in here？ My God； I was married to that man for twenty…six years！ I'm sure you can understand 。。。 this is horrible for me！〃
〃We have things to discuss；〃 said Bourne。
〃Not in here； if you please。 The living room； it's across the hall。 We'll talk there。〃 Mrs。 Swayne； suddenly under control； walked out of the study； the general's aide glanced over at the blood…drenched corpse； grimaced； and followed her。
Jason watched them。 〃Stay in the hallway where I can see you and don't move！〃 he shouted； crossing to the desk； his eyes darting from one object to another； taking in the last items Norman Swayne saw before placing the automatic in his mouth。 Something was wrong。 On the right side of the wide green blotter was a Pentagon memorandum pad； Swayne's rank and name printed below the insignia of the United States Army。 Next to the pad； to the left of the blotter's leather border； was a gold ballpoint pen； its sharp silver point protruding； as if recently used； the writer forgetting to twist it back into its recess。 Bourne leaned over the desk within inches of the dead body； the acrid smell of the exploded shell and burnt flesh still pungent； and studied the memo pad。 It was blank； but Jason carefully tore off the top pages； folded them； and put them into his trousers pocket。 He stepped back still bothered。 。。。 What was it？ He looked around the room； and as his eyes roamed over the furniture Master Sergeant Flannagan appeared in the doorway。
〃What are you doing？〃 Flannagan asked suspiciously。 〃We're waiting for you。〃
〃Your friend may find it too difficult to stay in here； but I don't。 I can't afford to； there's too much to learn。〃
〃I thought you said we shouldn't touch anything。〃
〃Looking isn't touching； Sergeant。 Unless you remove something； then no one knows it's been touched because it isn't here。〃 Bourne suddenly walked over to an ornate brass…topped coffee table； the sort so mon in the bazaars of India and the Middle East。 It was between two armchairs in front of the study's small fireplace； off center was a fluted glass ashtray partially filled with the remains of half…smoked cigarettes。 Jason reached down and picked it up； he held it in his hand and turned to Flannagan。 〃For instance； Sergeant； this ashtray。 I've touched it； my fingerprints are on it； but no one will know that because I'm taking it away。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Because I smelled something…I mean I really smelled it； with my nose； nothing to do with instincts。〃
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃
〃Cigarette smoke； that's what I'm talking about。 It hangs around a lot longer than you might think。 Ask someone who's given them up more times than he can remember。〃
〃So what？〃
〃So let's have a talk with the general's wife。 Let's all have a talk。 e on； Flannagan； we'll play show and tell。〃
〃That weapon in your pocket makes you pretty fuckin' brave； doesn't it？〃
〃Move； Sergeant！〃
Rachel Swayne swung her head to her left； throwing back her long； dark streaked hair over her shoulder as she stiffened her posture in the chair。 〃That's offensive in the extreme；〃 she pronounced with wide accusatory eyes； staring at Bourne。
〃It certainly is；〃 agreed Jason； nodding。 〃It also happens to be true。 There are five cigarette butts in this ashtray and each has lipstick on it。〃 Bourne sat down across from her； putting the ashtray on the small table next to the chair。 〃You were there when he did it； when he put his gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger。 Perhaps you didn't think he'd go through with it； maybe you thought it was just another one of his hysterical threats…whatever； you didn't raise a word to stop him。 Why should you have？ For you and Eddie it was a logical and reasonable solution。〃
〃Preposterous！〃
〃You know； Mrs。 Swayne； to put it bluntly； that's not a word you should use。 You can't carry it off； any more than you're convincing when you say something's 'offensive in the extreme。' 。。。 Neither expression is you； Rachel。 You're imitating other people…probably rich； vacuous customers a young hairdresser heard repeating such phrases years ago in Honolulu。〃
〃How dare you。。。？〃
〃Oh； e on； that's ridiculous； Rachel。 Don't even try the 'How dare you' bit； it doesn't work at all。 Are you； in your nasal twang； going to have my head chopped off by royal decree？〃
〃Lay off her！〃 shouted Flannagan； standing beside Mrs。 Swayne。 〃You got the iron but you don't have to do this！ 。。。 She's a good woman； a damn good woman； and she was shit on by all the crap artists in this town。〃
〃How could she be？ She was the general's wife； the mistress of the manor； wasn't she？ Isn't she？〃
〃She was used…〃
〃I was laughed at； always laughed at； Mr。 Delta！〃 cried Rachel Swayne； gripping the arms of her chair。 〃When they weren't leering or drooling。 How'd you like to be the special piece of meat passed out like a special dessert to very special people when the dinner and the drinks are over？〃
〃I don't think I'd like it at all。 I might even refuse。〃
〃I couldn't！ He made me do it！〃
〃Nobody can make anybody do anything like that。〃
〃Sure； they can； Mr。 Delta；〃 said the general's wife； leaning forward； her large breasts pressing the sheer fabric of her blouse； her long hair partially obscuring her aging but still sensual soft…featured face。 〃Try an uneducated grammar school dropout from the coal basins in West Virginia when the panies shut down the mines and nobody had no food…excuse me； any food。 You take what you got and you run with it and that's what I did。 I got laid from Aliquippa to Hawaii； but I got there and I learned a trade。 That's where I met the Big Boy and I married him； but I didn't have no illusions from day one。 'Specially when he got back from 'Nam； y'know what I mean？〃
〃I'm not sure I do； Rachel。〃
〃You don't have to explain nothin' kiddo！〃 roared Flannagan。
〃No； I wanna； Eddie！ I'm sick of the whole shit； okay？〃
〃You watch your tongue！〃
〃The point is； I don't know nothin'； Mr。 Delta。 But I can figure things； y'know what I mean？〃
〃Stop it； Rachel！〃 cried the dead general's aide。
〃Fuck off； Eddie！ You're not too bright either。 This Mr。 Delta could be our way out。 。。。 Back to the islands； right？〃
〃Absolutely right； Mrs。 Swayne。〃
〃You know what this place is…？〃
〃Shut up！〃 yelled Flannagan； awkwardly plodding forward； stopped by the sudden ear…shattering explosion of Bourne's gun； the bullet searing into the floor between the sergeant's legs。
The woman screamed。 When she stopped； Jason continued： 〃What is this place； Mrs。 Swayne？〃
〃Hold it；〃 the master sergeant again interrupted； but his objection was