Read Online Red Alert by Alistair MacLean - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alistair MacLean
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from his cigare into the glass ashtray on his desk. 'You've been trying I link one, or more, of my management team to Wiser ever since you took charge of this case instead of gettii
62.
out there and finding the vial. Well, this time you've gone too far. You've broken the law and I'll see to it that you're taken off the case and replaced with someone who's prepared to get his priorities right.'
'Before you do that, Lieutenant Marco has something = to show you.'
Marco took the papers he had found in the senior sales \ manager's wallsafe and handed them to Chidenko. I 'They're bank statements,' Chidenko said.
'They're also evidence linking Vittore Dragotti to ; Wiseman and the virus,' Marco said.
'Show me,' Chidenko said, holding up the papers. 'These payments have been traced to Nikki Karos,' I^Marco said, pointing out the relevant entries on each of |die bank statements.
'And who's Nikki Karos?'
'An arms dealer with powerful connections in the fiddle East,' Paluzzi replied.
'So Vittore did some business with him,' Chidenko lid, hands outstretched. 'What does that prove?' 'The money was deposited in his private account,' irco stressed.
'A gift. It happens all the time in this business.' 'We think it was a payoff.'
'So arrest him,' Chidenko challenged. 'Then let's see jrhat a court will make of your "evidence".'
'No one's going to be arrested yet. AH we want to do i talk to him,' Paluzzi said. 'Fine, I'll have one of our lawyers come over.' 'No lawyers,' Paluzzi replied.
|;Chidenko's hand rested lightly on the receiver. 'You ainly believe in flouting the law, Major. First your men ak in here without a search warrant and now you want nterrogate one of my managers but refuse to allow him
63
access to a lawyer. I know his rights, and that means having a lawyer present when you confront him with this flimsy evidence of yours.'
Paluzzi crossed to the desk. 'Get him a lawyer, but I promise you every national paper will carry a front-page story tomorrow morning linking a senior manager at Neo-Chem Industries to an arms dealer whose past deals involving Sarin and Tabun have left hundreds of thousands dead in the Gulf War. It won't look very good coming so soon after the breakin, will it?'
Chidenko sat back in his chair. 'Is Vittore here yet?'
'Not yet, but one of my men is waiting for him in his office.'
The telephone rang.
Chidenko grabbed the receiver, listened momentarily, then held it out towards Graham. 'It's for you.'
'Graham speaking.'
'Mike, it's Sabrina. Calvieri's got word from one of his contacts that Ubrino's been seen in Venice. We're going up there to check it out. I'll see you back at the hotel.'
'Okay. But Sabrina -- ' Graham struggled to find the words to express himself. Take every precaution,' he said finally in a gruff voice. 'I don't trust that bastard an inch.'
'I will. See you later. Bye.'
Graham replaced the receiver and almost immediately the telephone rang again.
Chidenko picked up the receiver again, his eyes darting around the room as he listened in silence. He put his hand over the mouthpiece. 'Vittore's here.'
'We're on our way,' Paluzzi said.
Chidenko passed on the message and had to restrain himself from slamming the handset back into the cradle. He stood up and brushed an imaginary fleck of dust from his jacket. 'Let's get this over with, shall we? Then I'm going to make sure you're kicked off the case.'
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'You're not coming with us, if that's what you think,' Paluzzi shot back.
'I've had about all I can take from you, Paluzzi -- '
'I don't like pulling rank, but you're forcing my hand,' Paluzzi cut in sharply. He took an envelope from his pocket and slapped it down on the desk. 'Read that.'
'What is it?' Chidenko demanded.
'Read it and you'll find out.'
Chidenko removed a sheet of paper from the envelope and read it. He looked up once, then sank slowly into his chair.
'There's a telephone number at the top of the page if you want to take the matter any further. If
62.
out there and finding the vial. Well, this time you've gone too far. You've broken the law and I'll see to it that you're taken off the case and replaced with someone who's prepared to get his priorities right.'
'Before you do that, Lieutenant Marco has something = to show you.'
Marco took the papers he had found in the senior sales \ manager's wallsafe and handed them to Chidenko. I 'They're bank statements,' Chidenko said.
'They're also evidence linking Vittore Dragotti to ; Wiseman and the virus,' Marco said.
'Show me,' Chidenko said, holding up the papers. 'These payments have been traced to Nikki Karos,' I^Marco said, pointing out the relevant entries on each of |die bank statements.
'And who's Nikki Karos?'
'An arms dealer with powerful connections in the fiddle East,' Paluzzi replied.
'So Vittore did some business with him,' Chidenko lid, hands outstretched. 'What does that prove?' 'The money was deposited in his private account,' irco stressed.
'A gift. It happens all the time in this business.' 'We think it was a payoff.'
'So arrest him,' Chidenko challenged. 'Then let's see jrhat a court will make of your "evidence".'
'No one's going to be arrested yet. AH we want to do i talk to him,' Paluzzi said. 'Fine, I'll have one of our lawyers come over.' 'No lawyers,' Paluzzi replied.
|;Chidenko's hand rested lightly on the receiver. 'You ainly believe in flouting the law, Major. First your men ak in here without a search warrant and now you want nterrogate one of my managers but refuse to allow him
63
access to a lawyer. I know his rights, and that means having a lawyer present when you confront him with this flimsy evidence of yours.'
Paluzzi crossed to the desk. 'Get him a lawyer, but I promise you every national paper will carry a front-page story tomorrow morning linking a senior manager at Neo-Chem Industries to an arms dealer whose past deals involving Sarin and Tabun have left hundreds of thousands dead in the Gulf War. It won't look very good coming so soon after the breakin, will it?'
Chidenko sat back in his chair. 'Is Vittore here yet?'
'Not yet, but one of my men is waiting for him in his office.'
The telephone rang.
Chidenko grabbed the receiver, listened momentarily, then held it out towards Graham. 'It's for you.'
'Graham speaking.'
'Mike, it's Sabrina. Calvieri's got word from one of his contacts that Ubrino's been seen in Venice. We're going up there to check it out. I'll see you back at the hotel.'
'Okay. But Sabrina -- ' Graham struggled to find the words to express himself. Take every precaution,' he said finally in a gruff voice. 'I don't trust that bastard an inch.'
'I will. See you later. Bye.'
Graham replaced the receiver and almost immediately the telephone rang again.
Chidenko picked up the receiver again, his eyes darting around the room as he listened in silence. He put his hand over the mouthpiece. 'Vittore's here.'
'We're on our way,' Paluzzi said.
Chidenko passed on the message and had to restrain himself from slamming the handset back into the cradle. He stood up and brushed an imaginary fleck of dust from his jacket. 'Let's get this over with, shall we? Then I'm going to make sure you're kicked off the case.'
64
'You're not coming with us, if that's what you think,' Paluzzi shot back.
'I've had about all I can take from you, Paluzzi -- '
'I don't like pulling rank, but you're forcing my hand,' Paluzzi cut in sharply. He took an envelope from his pocket and slapped it down on the desk. 'Read that.'
'What is it?' Chidenko demanded.
'Read it and you'll find out.'
Chidenko removed a sheet of paper from the envelope and read it. He looked up once, then sank slowly into his chair.
'There's a telephone number at the top of the page if you want to take the matter any further. If
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