5 AM
THE snowplow was a Mercedes truck with a blade hooked to its front attachment2 plate. It had "Inverburn Plant Hire" on its side and flashing orange lights on its roof, but to Toni it looked like a winged chariot from heaven.
The blade was angled to push the snow to the side of the road. The plow1 quickly cleared the drive from the gatehouse to the main entrance of the Kremlin, its blade lifting automatically to clear speed bumps. By the time it stopped at the main entrance, Toni had her coat on, ready to go. It was four hours since the thieves had left—but if they had got stuck in the snow, they could still be caught.
The plow was followed by three police cars and an ambulance. The ambulance crew came in first. They took Susan out on a stretcher, though she said she could walk. Don refused to go. "If a Scotsman went to hospital every time he got a kick in the head, the doctors could never cope," he said.
Frank came in wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and a tie. He had even found time to shave, probably in the car. Toni saw the grim expression on his face and realized with dismay that he was spoiling for a fight. No doubt he resented being forced by his superiors to do what Toni wanted. She told herself to be patient and avoid a showdown.
Toni's mother looked up from petting the puppy and said, "Hello, Frank! This is a surprise. Are you and Toni getting back together?"
"Not today," he muttered.
"Shame."
Frank was followed by two detectives carrying large briefcases—a crime-scene team, Toni presumed. Frank nodded to Toni and shook hands with Carl Osborne, but spoke3 to Steve. "You're the guard supervisor4?"
"Aye. Steve Tremlett. You're Frank Hackett, I've met you before."
"I gather four guards were assaulted."
"Me and three others, aye."
"Did all the assaults take place in the same location?"
What was Frank doing? Toni wondered impatiently. Why was he asking trivial questions when they needed to get going right away?
Steve answered, "Susan was attacked in the corridor. I was tripped up in about the same place. Don and Stu were held at gunpoint and tied up in the control room."
"Show me both places, please."
Toni was astonished. "We need to go after these people, Frank. Why don't you leave this to your team?"
"Don't tell me how to do the job," he replied. He looked pleased that she had given him an opportunity to put her down. She groaned5 inwardly. This was not the time to rerun their marital6 conflicts. He turned back to Steve and said, "Lead the way."
Toni suppressed a curse and followed along. So did Carl Osborne.
The detectives put crime-scene tape across the corridor where Steve had been tripped up and Susan had been blackjacked. Then they went to the control room, where Stu was watching the monitors. Frank taped the doorway7.
Steve said, "All four of us were tied up and taken inside the BSL4 facility. Not the laboratory itself, just the lobby."
"Which is where I found them," Toni added. "But that was four hours ago—and the perpetrators are getting farther away every minute."
"We'll take a look at that location."
"No, you won't," Toni said. "It's a restricted area. You can see it on monitor nineteen."
"If it's not the actual laboratory, I presume there's no danger."
He was right, but Toni was not going to let him waste more time. "No one is allowed past the door without biohazard training. That's the protocol8."
"Hell with your protocol, I'm in charge here."
Toni realized she had inadvertently done what she had vowed9 to avoid: gone head-to-head with Frank. She tried to sidestep the issue. "I'll take you to the door,"
They went to the entrance. Frank looked at the card reader, then said to Steve, "I'm ordering you to give me your pass."
Steve said, "I don't have a pass. Security guards aren't allowed in."
Frank turned to Toni. "Do you have a pass?"
"I've done biohazard training."
"Give me your pass."
She handed it over. Frank waved it at the scanner then pushed the door. It remained locked. He pointed10 at the small screen on the wall. "What's that?"
"A fingerprint11 reader. The pass won't work without the correct fingerprint. It's a system we installed to prevent foolish people getting in with stolen cards."
"It didn't stop the thieves tonight, did it?" Having scored a point, Frank turned on his heel.
Toni followed him. Back in the Great Hall there were two men in yellow high-visibility jackets and rubber boots, smoking. Toni thought at first that they were snowplow operators, but when Frank began to brief them she realized they were police officers. "You check every vehicle you pass," he said. "Radio in the registration12 number, and we'll find out whether it's stolen or rented. Tell us if there's anyone in the cars. You know what we're looking for—three men and a woman. Whatever you do, don't approach the occupants. These laddies have guns, and you don't, so you're strictly13 reconnaissance. There's an armed response unit on its way. If we can locate the perpetrators, we'll send them in. Is that clear?"
The two men nodded.
"Go north and take the first turnoff. I think they headed east."
Toni knew that was wrong. She was reluctant to confront Frank again, but she could not let the reconnaissance team go the wrong way. He would be furious, but she had to do it. She said, "The thieves didn't head east."
Frank ignored her. "That takes you to the main road for Glasgow."
Toni said again, "The perpetrators didn't go that way."
The two constables15 watched the exchange with interest, looking from Frank to Toni and back like spectators at a tennis match.
Frank reddened. "No one asked your opinion, Toni."
"They didn't take that route," she persisted. "They continued north."
"I suppose you reached that conclusion by feminine intuition?"
One of the constables laughed.
Why do you lead with your chin? Toni thought. She said calmly, "The getaway vehicle is in the car park of the Dew Drop Inn, on this road five miles north."
Frank turned redder, embarrassed because she knew something he did not. "And how did you acquire this information?"
"Detective work." I was a better cop than you, and I still am, she thought; but she kept the thought to herself. "I phoned around. Better than intuition." You asked for that, you bastard16.
The constable14 laughed again, then smothered17 it when Frank glared at him.
Toni added, "The thieves might be at the motel, but more likely they switched cars there and drove on."
Frank suppressed his fury. "Go to the motel," he said to the two constables. "I'll give you further orders when you're on the road. On your way."
They hurried out. At last, Toni thought.
Frank summoned a plainclothes detective from one of the cars and told him to follow the snowplow to the motel, check out the van, and find out whether anyone there had seen anything.
Toni turned her mind to the next step. She wanted to stay in close touch with the police operation. But she had no car. And Mother was still here.
She saw Carl Osborne talking quietly to Frank. Carl pointed at his Jaguar18, still stuck halfway19 up the drive. Frank nodded, and said something to a uniformed officer, who went outside and spoke to the snowplow driver. They were going to free Carl's car, Toni guessed.
Toni addressed Carl. "You're going with the snowplow."
He looked smug. "It's a free country."
"Don't forget to take the puppy."
"I was planning to leave him with you."
"I'm coming with you."
"You're out of your mind."
"I need to get to Stanley's house. It's on this road, five miles beyond the Dew Drop Inn. You can leave me and Mother there." After she had briefed Stanley, she could borrow a car from him, leave Mother at Steepfall, and follow the snowplow.
"You want me to take your mother, too?" Carl said incredulously.
"Yes."
"Forget it."
Toni nodded. "Let me know if you change your mind."
He frowned, suspicious of her ready acceptance of his refusal; but he said no more, and put on his coat.
Steve Tremlett opened his mouth to speak, but Toni discreetly20 flapped her hand at him in a "Keep quiet" gesture.
Carl went to the door.
Toni said, "Don't forget the puppy."
He picked up the dog and went out to his car.
Toni watched through the windows as the convoy21 moved off. The snowplow cleared the pile in front of Carl's Jaguar, then climbed the slope to the gatehouse. One police car followed. Carl sat in his car for a moment, then got out again and returned to the Great Hall.
"Where are my keys?" he said angrily.
Toni smiled sweetly. "Have you changed your mind about taking me?"
Steve jingled22 the bunch of keys in his pocket.
Carl made a sour face. "Get in the damn car," he said.
收听单词发音 |
1
plow
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| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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supervisor
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| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
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5
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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6
marital
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| adj.婚姻的，夫妻的 | |
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7
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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8
protocol
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| n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节 | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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fingerprint
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| n.指纹；vt.取...的指纹 | |
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registration
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| n.登记，注册，挂号 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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14
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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16
bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
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17
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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jaguar
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| n.美洲虎 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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20
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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jingled
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| 喝醉的 | |
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