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ld himself； that's one place to start looking。 The number of people who had this information was known to Owens。 Somehow it had been leaked。 He remembered the report Ashley had brought back from Dublin。 〃So good； you would not believe it；〃 that PIRA bastard had said of O'Donnell's intelligence source。 Murphy was wrong； the detective thought。 Everyone will believe it now。
〃Back to London；〃 he told the driver。
〃Great day。 Jack；〃 Robby observed on the couch。
〃Not bad at all；〃 Ryan agreed。 Of course the house looks like a Toys 'R Us that got nuked 。 。 。
In front of them； Sally was playing with her new toys。 She particularly liked the doll house。 Jack was gratified to see。 His daughter was winding down； having gotten her parents up at seven that morning。 Jack and Cathy were winding down also after only five hours of sleep。 That was a little tough on a pregnant wife； Jack had thought an hour earlier； and he and Robby had cleared away the dishes； now being processed by the dishwasher in the kitchen。 Now their wives were on the other couch talking while the menfolk sipped at some brandy。
〃Not flying tomorrow？〃
Jackson shook his head。 〃The bird went tits…up； take another day or so to fix。 Besides； what's Christmas without a good brandy？ I'll be back in the simulator tomorrow； and regs don't prevent me from drinking before I do that。 I don't strap in until three tomorrow； I ought to be fairly sober by then。〃 Robby'd had one glass of wine with dinner； and had limited himself to only one Hennessy。
〃God； I need a stretch。〃 Jack stood up and beckoned his friend to the stairs。
〃How late were you up last night； sport？〃
〃I think we hit the sack a little after two。〃
Robby checked to see that Sally was out of earshot。 〃Being Santa is a bitch； isn't it？ If you can put all those toys together； maybe I ought to turn you loose on my broke airplane。〃
〃Wait till I have both arms back。〃 Jack pulled his arm out of the sling and moved it around as they went down to the library level。
〃What's Cathy say about that？〃
〃What docs always say hell； if you get well too soon； they lose money！〃 He moved his wrist around。 〃This thing knots up like you wouldn't believe。〃
〃How's it feel？〃
〃Pretty good。 I think I might get full use back。 At least I haven't had it quit on me yet。〃 Jack checked his watch。 〃Want to catch the news？〃
〃Sure。〃
Ryan flipped on the small TV on his deck。 Cable had finally made it down his road； and he was already hooked on CNN。 It was so nice to get the national and world news whenever you wanted。 Jack dropped into his swivel chair while Robby selected another in the corner。 It was a few minutes short of the hourly headlines。 Jack left the sound down。
〃How's the book ing？〃
〃Getting there。 I have all the information in line； finally。 Four more chapters to write； and two I have to change around some； and it's done。〃
〃What did you change？〃 〃Turned out that I got bum data。 You were right about that deck…spotting problem on the Japanese carriers。〃
〃I didn't think that sounded right；〃 Robby replied。 〃They were pretty good； but they weren't that good I mean； we took 'em at Midway； didn't we？〃
〃What about today？〃
〃The Russians？ Hey； Jack； anybody wants to fool with me and my Tomcat better have his will fixed up。 They don't pay me to lose； son。〃 Jackson grinned like a sleepy lion。
〃Nice to see such confidence。〃
〃There's better pilots than me；〃 Robby admitted。 〃Three； as a matter of fact。 Ask me again in a year； when I'm back in the groove。〃
〃Oh； yeah！〃 Jack laughed。 The laugh died when he saw the picture on the TV screen。 〃That's him I wonder why 〃 He turned the sound up。
〃 。 。 。 killed； including five police officers。 An intensive land； sea； and air search is under way for the terrorists who snatched their convicted rade while en route to a British prison on the Isle of Wight。 Sean Miller was convicted only three weeks before in the daring attack on the Prince and Princess of Wales within sight of Buckingham Palace。 Two police officers and one of the terrorists were killed before the attack was broken up by American tourist Jack Ryan of Annapolis； Maryland。〃
The picture changed to show the weather on the Channel and a Royal Navy helicopter； evidently searching for something。 It changed again to a file tape of Miller being taken out of the Old Bailey。 Just before he was put in the police van。 Miller turned to face the camera； and now weeks later his eyes stared again into those of John Patrick Ryan。
〃Oh； my God 。 。 。〃 Jack muttered。
Chapter 10 Plans and Threats
〃You shouldn't blame yourself； Jimmy；〃 Murray said。 〃And Bob's going to make it。 That's something。〃
〃Certainly；〃 Owens replied sardonically。 〃There's even a fifty…percent chance that he'll learn to walk again。 What of the others； Dan？ Five good men gone； and four civilians along with them。〃
〃And maybe the terrorists； too；〃 Murray pointed out。
〃You don't believe that any more than I do！〃
It had e as a piece of blind luck。 A Royal Navy mine…hunter ship conducting an ongoing sonar survey of the English Channel had found a new object on the bottom and immediately sent a camera sled down to classify it。 The videotape showed the remains of a ten…meter zodiac…type inflatable boat； with two hundred…horse outboard motors。 It had clearly sunk as the result of an explosion near the gas tanks； but there was no evidence of the men who'd been aboard； or their weapons。 The vessel's skipper had immediately grasped the importance of the discovery and informed his superiors。 A salvage crew was preparing now to go out and raise the wreck。
〃It's a possibility。 One of them might have screwed up； the boat blew； the bad guys get dumped in the drink 。 。 。 〃
〃And the bodies？〃
〃Fish food。〃 Murray smirked。 〃Makes a nice image； doesn't it？〃
〃You are so fond of punting； Dan。 Just what percentage of your salary would you wager on that hypothesis？〃 Owens wasn't in the mood for humor。 Murray could see that the head of C…13 still looked on this as a very personal defeat。
〃Not very much；〃 the FBI representative conceded。 〃So you think a ship picked them up。〃
〃It's the only thing that makes the least bit of sense。 Nine merchant vessels were close enough to have been involved。 We have the list。〃
So did Murray。 It had already been forwarded to Washington； where the FBI and CIA would both work on it。 〃But why not recover the boat； too？〃
〃Obvious； isn't it？ What if one of our helicopters saw them doing it？ Or it might have been too difficult for the weather conditions。 Or they might just not have wished to trouble themselves。 They do have ample financial resources； don't they？〃
〃When will the Navy raise the wreck？〃
〃If the weather holds； day after tomorrow；〃 Owens said。 That was the one thing to be happy about。 Then they'd have physical evidence。 Everything made in the world carried trademarks and serial numbers。 Somewhere there would be records of sale。 That was how many successful investigations had started a single sales slip in a single shop had often led to the conviction of the most dangerous criminals。 From the videotape； the outboards on the boat looked like American Mercury motors。 The Bureau had already been alerted to run that lead down as soon as the engine numbers were in。 Murray had already learned that Mercury motors were a favorite all over the world。 It would make matters harder； but it was still something； and something was always better than nothing。 The resources of the Metropolitan Police and the Bureau were designed for precisely such a task。
〃Any breaks on the leak？〃 Murray asked。 This touched the rawest nerve of all。
〃He'd better pray we don't find him；〃 Owens said quietly。 There was as yet no danger that this would happen。 There had been a total of thirty…one people who'd known the time and route for the prisoner transfer； and five of them were dead even the driver of the van hadn't known beforehand。 That left twenty…six； ranging from a few members of C…13； two more high officials in the Metropolitan Police； ten in the Home Office； a few more in MI…5； the Securi