| 3:07a |
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“How could this be done? How could I be
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“How could this be done? How could I be satisfied?”
“Invent some high position for yourself and reach the American ambassador in London—the
name is AtkinsonTell him you’ve received confidential instructions from Snake LadyAsk him if
you should carry them out
“Snake Lady? What’s that?”
“MedusaThey call themselves Medusa
Mo Panov excused himself and slid out of the boothHe made his way through the crowded
highway diner toward the men’s room, frantically scanning the wall at the far end for a pay phone
There was none! The only goddamned phone was ten feet from the booth and in clear sight of the
wild-eyed platinum blonde whose paranoia was as deeply embedded as the dark roots of her hair
He had casually mentioned that he thought he should call his office and tell his staff about the
accident and where he was, and was instantly met with invective
“And have a swarm of cops coming out to pick you up! Not on your fuckin’ life, Medicine Man
Your office calls the fuzz, they call my devoted Chief Fork-in-Mouth, and my ass is bouncing into
every barbed-wire fence in the countyHe’s in with every cop on the roadsI think he tells ’em
where to get laid
“There’d be no reason for me to mention you and I certainly wouldn’tIf you recall, you said he
might resent me
“Resent don’t countHe’d just cut your cute little nose offI’m not takin’ any chances—you
don’t look like you’re too with-itYou’d blurt out about your accident—next thing the cops
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
231
“You know, you’re not really making sense
“All right, I’ll make senseI’ll yell ‘Rape!’ and tell these not-so-pansy truckers I picked you up
on the road two days ago and I’ve been a sex slave ever sinceHow does that grab you?”
“Very firmlyMay I at least go to the men’s room? It’s urgent that I doThey don’t put phones in the can in these places |