JК
The English Assassin :: Silva Daniel
Страница: 52 из 209”
“Just who are you?”
“In this matter, I’m a representative of the government of Israel.”
“And which matter is that?”
“The death of your father.”
“And why is the death of my father of interest to the government of Israel?”
“Because I was the one to discover your father’s body.”
“The detectives in Zurich said my father’s body was discovered by the art restorer who came to clean the Raphael.”
“That’s true.”
“ You’re the art restorer?”
“Yes.”
“And you work for the government of Israel?”
“In this matter.”
He could see her mind struggling to make the connections.
“Forgive me, Mr. Allon, but I’ve just finished an eight-hour practice session. Maybe my mind isn’t what it should be. Perhaps you should start from the beginning.”
GABRIEL told her the story Shamron had relayed to him in Zurich. That her father had contacted the Israeli government and requested a secret meeting. That he had given no details of why he wanted to meet. That Gabriel had been sent to Zurich to see him and that her father was dead by the time he arrived. Anna Rolfe listened to this account impassively, her hands toying with her hair.
“And what do you want from me, Mr. Allon?” she asked when Gabriel had finished.
“I want to know whether you have any idea why your father would want to meet with us.”
“My father was a banker, Mr. Allon. A Swiss banker. There were many things about his life, personal and professional, that he did not share with me. If you’ve read that newspaper account, then you know we were not particularly close, and that he never spoke to me about his work.”
“Nothing at all?”
She ignored this and asked: “Who’s us? ”
“What do you mean?”
“You said my father wanted to meet with ‘us.’ Who’s us? Who do you work for?”
“I work for a small agency connected to the Ministry of Defense.”
“The Ministry of Defense?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re a spy?”
“No, I’m not a spy.”
“Did you murder my father?”
“Miss Rolfe, please. I came here looking for your help, not to play games.”
“Let the record show that the defendant failed to answer the question.”
“I didn’t murder your father, but I’d like to know who did. And if I knew why he wanted to meet with us in the first place, it might provide some answers.”
She turned her face toward the sea.
“Just who are you?”
“In this matter, I’m a representative of the government of Israel.”
“And which matter is that?”
“The death of your father.”
“And why is the death of my father of interest to the government of Israel?”
“Because I was the one to discover your father’s body.”
“The detectives in Zurich said my father’s body was discovered by the art restorer who came to clean the Raphael.”
“That’s true.”
“ You’re the art restorer?”
“Yes.”
“And you work for the government of Israel?”
“In this matter.”
He could see her mind struggling to make the connections.
“Forgive me, Mr. Allon, but I’ve just finished an eight-hour practice session. Maybe my mind isn’t what it should be. Perhaps you should start from the beginning.”
GABRIEL told her the story Shamron had relayed to him in Zurich. That her father had contacted the Israeli government and requested a secret meeting. That he had given no details of why he wanted to meet. That Gabriel had been sent to Zurich to see him and that her father was dead by the time he arrived. Anna Rolfe listened to this account impassively, her hands toying with her hair.
“And what do you want from me, Mr. Allon?” she asked when Gabriel had finished.
“I want to know whether you have any idea why your father would want to meet with us.”
“My father was a banker, Mr. Allon. A Swiss banker. There were many things about his life, personal and professional, that he did not share with me. If you’ve read that newspaper account, then you know we were not particularly close, and that he never spoke to me about his work.”
“Nothing at all?”
She ignored this and asked: “Who’s us? ”
“What do you mean?”
“You said my father wanted to meet with ‘us.’ Who’s us? Who do you work for?”
“I work for a small agency connected to the Ministry of Defense.”
“The Ministry of Defense?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re a spy?”
“No, I’m not a spy.”
“Did you murder my father?”
“Miss Rolfe, please. I came here looking for your help, not to play games.”
“Let the record show that the defendant failed to answer the question.”
“I didn’t murder your father, but I’d like to know who did. And if I knew why he wanted to meet with us in the first place, it might provide some answers.”
She turned her face toward the sea.