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The Doomsday Conspiracy :: Sheldon Sidney
Страница: 185 из 213Robert made his way past the railroad yards and stepped into a small trattoria filled with pungent cooking odours and ordered breakfast.
The Halcyon would be waiting for him at the appointed place, Elba. He was grateful that Susan had remembered it. On their honeymoon, they had stayed in their room there for three days and nights, making love. Susan had said, “Would you like to go for a swim, darling?”
Robert had shaken his head. “No. I can’t move. ‘Able was I, ere I saw Elba.’” And Susan had laughed and they had made love again. And bless her, she had remembered the palindrome.
Now all he had to do was to find a boat to take him to Elba. He walked down the streets leading to the harbour. It was bustling with maritime activity, crowded with freighters, small motor boats and private yachts. There was a landing for a ferry boat. Robert’s eyes lit up when he saw it. That would be the safest way to get over to Elba. He would be able to lose himself in the crowds.
As Robert started toward the ferry landing, he noticed a dark, unmarked sedan parked half a block away, and he stopped. It had official licence plates. There were two men seated inside the car watching the docks. Robert turned and walked in the other direction.
Scattered among the dockworkers and tourists, he spotted plain-clothes detectives trying to look unobtrusive. They stood out like beacons. Robert’s heart began to pound. How could they possibly have tracked him here? And then he realized what had happened. My God, I told the truck driver where I was going! Stupid! I must be very tired.
He had fallen asleep in the truck, and the absence of movement had awakened him. He had got up to look out, and had seen Giuseppe go into the gas station and make a phone call. Robert had slipped out of the truck and climbed into the back of another truck headed north toward Civitavecchia.
He had trapped himself. They were looking for him here. A few hundred yards away were dozens of boats that could have afforded him an escape. Not any longer.
Robert turned away from the harbour and walked toward town. He passed a building with a huge colourful poster on the wall. It read: “Come to the Fairgrounds. Fun for All! Food! Games! Rides! See the Big Race!” He stopped and stared.
He had found his escape.
At the fairgrounds, five miles outside of Civitavecchia, were a dozen large, colourful balloons spread across the field, looking like round rainbows. They were moored to trucks while ground crews were busily filling their envelopes with cold air.
The Halcyon would be waiting for him at the appointed place, Elba. He was grateful that Susan had remembered it. On their honeymoon, they had stayed in their room there for three days and nights, making love. Susan had said, “Would you like to go for a swim, darling?”
Robert had shaken his head. “No. I can’t move. ‘Able was I, ere I saw Elba.’” And Susan had laughed and they had made love again. And bless her, she had remembered the palindrome.
Now all he had to do was to find a boat to take him to Elba. He walked down the streets leading to the harbour. It was bustling with maritime activity, crowded with freighters, small motor boats and private yachts. There was a landing for a ferry boat. Robert’s eyes lit up when he saw it. That would be the safest way to get over to Elba. He would be able to lose himself in the crowds.
As Robert started toward the ferry landing, he noticed a dark, unmarked sedan parked half a block away, and he stopped. It had official licence plates. There were two men seated inside the car watching the docks. Robert turned and walked in the other direction.
Scattered among the dockworkers and tourists, he spotted plain-clothes detectives trying to look unobtrusive. They stood out like beacons. Robert’s heart began to pound. How could they possibly have tracked him here? And then he realized what had happened. My God, I told the truck driver where I was going! Stupid! I must be very tired.
He had fallen asleep in the truck, and the absence of movement had awakened him. He had got up to look out, and had seen Giuseppe go into the gas station and make a phone call. Robert had slipped out of the truck and climbed into the back of another truck headed north toward Civitavecchia.
He had trapped himself. They were looking for him here. A few hundred yards away were dozens of boats that could have afforded him an escape. Not any longer.
Robert turned away from the harbour and walked toward town. He passed a building with a huge colourful poster on the wall. It read: “Come to the Fairgrounds. Fun for All! Food! Games! Rides! See the Big Race!” He stopped and stared.
He had found his escape.
At the fairgrounds, five miles outside of Civitavecchia, were a dozen large, colourful balloons spread across the field, looking like round rainbows. They were moored to trucks while ground crews were busily filling their envelopes with cold air.