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xia。
〃Yeah。 Said he came in and bought some things； stood and chatted； said he was new in the neighborhood。 Spent about fifteen minutes in the store。 She says he never asked about Caplinger or anyone else； and she didn't volunteer。 She wants to know if you think he'll be back。〃
〃Tell her probably not。 I think Albright just wanted some tangible verification of my little tale。〃
〃Okay。 I'll call you back when he gets to wherever he's going and let you know。〃
〃Dreyfus； I meant what I said yesterday。 Under no circumstances； none； do I want him to burn the tail。 Lose him if you have to； but don't give him a chance to figure out we're watching。〃
〃Gotcha； boss。〃
Now Camacho sat in his backyard with the TV going。 He nursed the beer and paid no attention to the game。
Everything that could be done had been done。 Nothing had been rushed。 The situation had been allowed to ripen naturally； and now all was in readiness。 Including Dreyfus； he had sixty…five agents on this case。 They were in the main telephone exchange in case Albright used a pay phone； Albright's house was wired and continuously monitored； a fleet of unmarked cars was at this very minute preceding and following Albright as he drove the highways； two vans full of cameras and parabolic listening devices trailed the caravan； two helicopters were airborne； Dreyfus had a stack of signed John Doe warrants in the desk。 What else？ Oh yes； all the top lab technicians were on call。
He sipped his beer and tried to think of something else that should be done； some contingency that he had not foreseen。 He could think of nothing。 Well； that wasn't really true。 This whole operation could fizzle； any operation could； but it wouldn't be because he hadn't prepared as well as possible。 His worst handicap was the requirement to stay loose on Albright； to remain pletely hidden。 Well； that was the only way it could be； so no use worrying。
But he was worried。 When he could sit still no longer； he got the lawn rake from the garage and set to work on the grass clippings as the ball…park announcer chanted the summer myth yet again and the afternoon heat continued to build。
Smoke Judy was impressed。 The building wasn't much； but the prices on the menu were reasonable and the seafood heaped on the plates of the early diners looked scrumptious and smelled the same。 Didn't they call this decor 〃rustic〃？ Unfinished boards on the interior walls； with fishing nets and crab pots hanging from the ceiling。 Subdued lighting。 〃The food's great；〃 Albright assured him。 〃Deviled crab is the house specialty。〃
They had ordered their dinner and were sipping the foam off frosty glasses of beer when Albright said； 〃Got a little proposition for you； if you're interested。〃
Judy wiped off his foam mustache with a finger。 〃Depends。〃
〃Did you ever hear the term 'kilderkin'？〃
Smoke set the beer mug down and straightened in his chair。 He looked around at the other guests with interest。 Two or three looked like they could be the right age and level of fitness。 His eyes swung back to Albright。 〃Let's go to the John。〃
He rose and led the way。
It was a one…seater with a urinal and a sink。 Not the cleanest rest room he was ever in； but better than most。 And it was empty。 Judy turned and set his feet； the right slightly behind the left。 He got his weight up on the balls of his feet and bent his knees slightly。 〃Hands on the door； feet back and spread。 The position； man。〃
Albright stood with his hands on his hips a moment； then did as he was told。
〃I'm not wearing a wire。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃 He felt Albright all over； including his crotch。 He inspected his belt and his shoes and his pen。 He examined his sunglasses。 He looked at the patch on his jeans。 Then he removed Albright's wallet and moved back against the sink。 〃You can turn around now。〃
Albright watched him go through it。 He looked at the driver's license carefully； the library card； the automobile registration and insurance cards； the receipts from the food store and the laundry； the credit cards。 He counted the cash。 It was in hundreds； twenty of them。 〃Gonna play poker tonight？〃
〃I like to pay in cash。〃
〃Why the credit cards then？〃
〃You never know。〃
Judy passed the wallet back。 〃You want to talk to me； then you walk out there and cancel our dinner orders and pay the tab。 Leave a tip。 We'll go to a place I pick。 You drive； but I don't want you to say one word in the car。 Not a word。 Got it？〃
〃Okay。〃
In the car Judy pointed in the direction he wanted Albright to go。 Meanwhile he watched the other cars。 They weren't being followed。 He had Albright make a series of random turns； then take the road leading east。 Fifteen miles later they came to a big roadhouse at a crossroads。 Judy gestured and Albright drove into the tot and killed the engine。
They went to a booth in the back and Judy seated himself so that he could watch the door。
〃You were saying？〃
〃Kilderkin。〃
〃What about it？〃
〃Kilderkin is the access word for a file in the puter at the Pentagon。 It's a file held in the office where you work。 The Athena file。 I can supply you with the code words to get to it。 I want you to copy the Athena file onto a floppy disk and give it to me。〃
〃All of it？ All the documents？〃
〃Yes。 It might take more than one disk。〃
〃Might。 What do I get out of it？〃
〃A hundred grand。〃
mander Smoke Judy stared at him a while； then looked around the room thoughtfully。 In a moment the waiter came over。 They asked for beers and menus。
〃What do you know about that file？〃 Judy asked。
〃I'm not going to tell you。 Let's just say I want it。〃
〃Why？〃
〃All you need to know is I want it a hundred thousand dollars' worth。〃
〃You don't want it bad enough。〃
〃How badly do I have to want it？〃
〃If you ever decide you want it for a quarter million reasons； you e talk to me。 Half up front and half on delivery。 Cash。 Used twenties。〃
〃No。 That's not… No！〃
Judy picked up his menu。 〃I think I'll have the bacon cheeseburger。 What about you？〃
〃Maybe a plain hamburger。〃
Judy nodded and waited patiently for the waiter。
When they had finished their greaseburgers and were drinking a cup of coffee； Albright said； 〃If I pay you fifty tonight； fifty on Monday； when could you have the disks？〃
〃When will you have the rest of the money？〃
〃A week from Monday。〃
〃Then that's when you get the disks。〃
At seven o'clock Luis Camacho called his in…laws。 Sally answered。
〃Hey。 You made it。〃
〃Oh； Luis。 It's going to be a nice visit。 The folks are a little baffled； but they're delighted to have us。〃
〃Great。 It'll go okay。〃
〃What did you do this afternoon？ What did you have for dinner？〃
They discussed the condition of the larder for three or four minutes； then Camacho wished her good night。
An hour and a half later the phone rang。 〃He's headed home；〃 Dreyfus reported。
〃Who was with him？〃
〃Don't know。 We got an infrared photo as they crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge。 The photographer isn't very optimistic。 They came on into the metro area and stopped at a storage place in Bladensburg for a bit。 Then the subject dropped the passenger at a Metro station and he was gone by the time we co