Read Online Assignment Unicorn by Edward S. Aarons - Free Book Online Page A

arranged, by the way,
through Joshua Strawbridge, our Finance officer. As you undoubtedly know. I
have no doubt in my mind now that the men involved in these affairs are under
some extraordinary influence, as you suggested, either hypnotized or
drugged. And no doubt that it’s a vendetta against K Section. Aimed at
disrupting our financial affairs, so to speak. As head of Internal
Security, it comes under my province, Sam. There were two previous episodes you
don’t know about. They were   minor and
did not involve any killings. One was in Santiago. The other was in Helsinki.
In both cases, extraordinary acrobatics took place. In Chile, they came in from
the roof, atop a new skyscraper, and it required a high-wire act from the
adjacent building. In Finland, they swam through near-freezing water to reach a
villa where your K Section people had some money for transfer into the Soviet
Union. In both cases, they took sizable sums of money.”
    “Nothing else?” Durell asked.
    “Nothing else.” Meecham shrugged his thick shoulders. “It’s
a worldwide thing, it seems. But then, the world is a small place these days.”
    “But you knew that George Donatti was being flown in here to
Rome with a bundle of laundered cash, right? And you came on ahead to greet him
and make sure that nothing happened this time?”
    “Yes, Sam. But Security hasn’t done much good, it seems.”
    “But you know about these transfers in advance, don’t you?”
Durell insisted.
    “Naturally.”
    “And you’ve traced for a leak somewhere?”
    “We’re looking,” Meecham agreed. He eyed Durell curiously.
“No luck, so far.”
    “And where is the next transfer of funds to take place?”
    “That’s not for you to know.”
    “I’ve been told to check out Hugh Donaldson’s murder,”
Durell persisted. “If it’s tied to these events—and you know it is—I ought to
be informed.”
    “I may have to take you off this thing.”
    Durell leaned forward over the round metal table.
    “Why is that?”
    Meecham looked at Wolfe, seated across the small trattoria from
them, detached and remote and somehow sullen, yet intimately aware of them and
everything around them.
    Meecham said, “This thing is about to break into the news
media like shit hitting the fan. You work in a different field, Cajun.
This is an internal problem. It’s a job for Internal Security. Your attitude
toward us is only too well known. I can understand it, but it’s not helpful to
us. Witness what you did to Charley Lee in Palingpon. If it breaks in the
press, and you’re in it, your usefulness in your branch as field agent
comes to an end. General Dickinson McFee suggested the risk isn‘t worth it.”
    “I’m just getting my teeth into this thing,” Durell
protested. He was angry now. “Hugh Donaldson was an old friend.”
    “I’m sorry.” Meecham’s gravelly voice was sincere.
    “You’re going home.”
    “No, sir.”
    “What is it? Is it that girl, Maggie Donaldson, you’ve got
up in your room?”
    “She’s part of it,” Durell said.
    Meecham was silent. His thick dark hair, salted with gray, gleamed
with droplets of the rain they had walked through. His wide mouth opened and
closed twice before he finally replied. “I’ll tell you what. Go see
Wilderman.”
    “That son of a bitch,” Durell said.
    “Speak politely about my Assistant Director. He’s my right-hand
man.”
    “He’s a potbellied old tomcat,“ Durell said.
    “If you want to stay on the job, see Enoch. He‘s at Station
Four. You know it?”
    Durell nodded reluctantly. “Yes. Over at Ostia.”
    “Staying with his third wife for a few days. They have an
arrangement, you know, even if they’re divorced. What are you going to do about
the girl?”
    “Maggie? She’s no problem,” Durell said.
    “See that she stays that way," Meecham said.
    When Durell got up to go, Wolfe quietly followed him.
     
    17
    DURELL paused at the hotel desk to order the delivery of a
rental car, and