Chapter 17 Chapter Sixteen

Anthony.Barrington sat in his office, the morning sun streaming in through the open windows.What broke the tranquility was the deep ticking sound of the grand grandfather clock standing in the corner of the door.He was going to give a speech to the board of directors at lunch next Monday, and he was halfway through the speech when the phone rang.He finished the sentence he was reading, and picked up the phone receiver impatiently. It's James.Bartrop.The secretary reported. OK, I'll take it now.said the governor. Bartrop cut to the chase. I got word from my Swiss friend this morning.Five thousand three hundred and seventy-six X two hundred accounts became active again.Twenty minutes after the G7 meeting ended, it bought 50 million pounds and sold them all before the market closed, making a big profit.

Barrington frowned. Fifty million pounds is just change for the mafia. I don't think it's worth it for them to do so. That's just an account, President.There might be ten other accounts operating on the same information. This possibility is always there. How is our girl?Has she discovered anything so far? Barrington said unhappy: give her time.She's only been gone for two weeks. Bartrop wouldn't budge, but she'd probably been sitting in it yesterday.If there is any movement in the Intercontinental Bank, I think there will be movement. She should have noticed it by now, or at least she should have doubts.

I'm sure I'll have news as soon as she gets to know.But for now we'll just have to wait patiently, don't you think? Sarah sat listlessly at the trading desk.Work is a nightmare.Only alcohol stimulated her concentration.The proprietary trading department did not conduct any trading, and was still intoxicated with the joy of making huge profits yesterday.Today is a day off for them, the so-called bank holiday.Wilson was flipping through Life of the Hunt, Arnott was out for a four-hour lunch, and Scarpirato was mostly in meetings or out of the office.He hadn't met her eyes yet.She walked past him once, saw his face, and thought he looked like an accomplice, that's all.

Sarah went to the gym.She took an aerobics class and her energy returned.She took a swim to relax aching muscles, followed by a sauna, a whirlpool, a steam bath, and finally a massage.Emma the beautician chatted with her out of courtesy, but rarely out of compassion.It was four-thirty when Sara returned to the office, and Scarpirato had left.While Wilson was about to leave, Arnott was drunk on the phone.Sarah waved goodbye to her colleagues hastily, and turned away with a sense of relief. She came home half an hour later.The quiet apartment made her feel overwhelmed.All day long, her mind was full of buzzing, different people's voices, different emotions, disorganized and unable to vent, it was the intertwining of guilt, excitement, regret and fear.While on the job, she didn't have the opportunity to analyze the mess Scarpirato had left in her mind and body.She sat and looked out the window, feeling out of control for the first time in years.She was shocked by the indifference to every warning light that was blinking, when it had come on the night before.As she and Scarpirato sat at the bar, she felt as if the decision had been made without her knowing it, and suddenly it all became clear.Sarah couldn't remember what caused it, and there wasn't any particular look or word in particular.Her desire for him was fierce, unshakable, irresistible.Her face turned from the window to the whiskey bottle.

She walked by the answering phone and saw the indicator light on it flashing continuously.She hurried across the room in the morning, showered, changed, and went out in ten minutes, with no time to think about it.Then she stood down, stretched out on the couch, and stared at the phone.She pressed the button, and the tape whizzed backwards, clicked into place, and began to play the recorded message. Jacob called four times, his tone increasingly tense, and the last message sounded very worried.Sarah lit a cigarette and dialed Jacob's number.He seemed out of breath when he answered the phone, as if he had come running.

Did you hear my message? Got it, Jacob, four in total.I am answering now. No, I called your workplace, once in the morning and twice in the afternoon, and left messages.His voice was tinged with concern, anxiety and excitement. That's weird.Nobody forwarded the call to me, but today is a weird day. I think so.Jacob's voice is stern, look, I think you should come over, I have something for you. Sara suddenly felt a burst of excitement, sat up straight, the soreness and fatigue were gone, I'm coming. Are you coming to eat? Sarah suddenly felt hungry.She hasn't had a serious meal for twenty-four hours, which is exactly what I want.

Oh, by the way, I took yesterday's tapes off your dictaphone when I came over and put some new tapes on.I don't think you'll have time for these things. Oh thank you, Jacob.I'm afraid I really don't have time.Stop talking, see you later.She put down the phone, walked into the bedroom, changed into jeans and a T-shirt, grabbed her handbag and keys, and headed for the door.Beside the door was a light yellow envelope, a fee bill, which she ignored all the time, and a brightly colored triangle peeked out from under it.She pushed aside the bill and picked up the postcard. The postcards showed towering, precipitous mountains, gray granite peaks piercing into the blue sky, and the peaks were surrounded by clouds and mist.Sarah turned the postcard over.This is Kanchenjunga, the first peak on Alex and Eddie's expedition to the Himalayas.Eddie wrote that they had presumably returned to camp when she received the postcard.Sarah turned the postcard over again and looked at the view again.It is so simple and peaceful.She suddenly felt a heart-wrenching sense of guilt.

She slammed the door behind her, unlocked the BMW parked a few feet away, got in, turned the key, turned the ignition, and sped off.In half an hour she was in Rotherwick Road. Jacob met her at the door.He looked uneasy.He led her into the study room, where there was a digital tape recorder on an old rosewood desk. Would you like some tea, dear?Frowning anxiously, he studied her face.Only then did Sarah realize that her face was gray, and there was a light bruise on her lips, like a trace of ink. Well, okay. Jacob walked slowly toward the kitchen.Sarah stared at the tape recorder, then forced her attention to Ruby the cat.It had just come in through the door and was wrapping itself around Sara's leg to make a show of affection.She picked up the cat, sat down on a large painted flower armchair, and stroked its shiny black fur.Ruby quickly grunted contentedly, curled her paw, and fondled Sarah's thigh with her paw happily.

It seemed a long time before Jacob came in with a teapot, cups, sugar, and milk, all of fine bone-white china, laid flat on a silver platter.He placed the tray next to the tape recorder and poured out the tea with great delicacy.Sarah couldn't help thinking back to a long-forgotten childhood, when Jacob would make tea for her and Alex every afternoon after school. She told Jacob about the postcard.They talked about Alex and Eddie and said they didn't know where they were.Every time they said a word, she felt the condemnation of conscience.Then they put down their teacups and turned to the recorder together.

My friend sent tapes of yesterday and today.There is a lot of oil and water in it.Jacobs said most of the content was irrelevant.I've made notes of what works, writing down the numbers on the tape counters. Sara smiled back, and she remembered how efficient and orderly he was about things. Jacob nodded at her as the tape recorder started playing.It was taped from Kara's bug on Sunday night.The recording effect is very good.He smiled and pressed the play button. Matthew came out of the tape recorder.Arnott's voice. Does that mean there is another meeting tomorrow?Then there was a pleasant clang of knives and forks, and it looked as if he was about to sit down to eat.

Well.Carla still had something in her mouth. I always find it weird that it hasn't been announced publicly until now.Arnott asked again: Are you sure he didn't say anything about the reason for the meeting? Oops, Matthew, Carla is fuming and self-willed, I don't know how many times I've told you.He called last Friday, saying that a meeting would be held this Monday, convened by the Germans, but he did not tell him the topic of the meeting, and Herr.Miller, whatever his name, said he didn't want to talk about it on the phone, but made sure he showed up.That's all he said, without missing a single word, are you satisfied? There was a moment's silence, save for the clink of knives and forks, and then Arnott said, chewing: "You must admit, however, that there is something strange about this.Except when something catastrophic happened and they had to call an emergency meeting, they usually made a public announcement of each meeting, many days in advance.There was another pause, and Arnott continued.What is his tone of voice?Does it seem uneasy or something?Karahaha laughed. His tone is still the same as before: it seems that he doesn't like me very much.What do you think it should look like? This question is left unanswered.Sarah could picture Arnott doing an exaggerated shoulder shrug.After a long time, he spoke again.More like a love-hate relationship.His tone was cheerful, half teasing, half jealous, but anyway, I was just a little worried.Hope it has nothing to do with us.There was worry and question in his voice.Even from the tape Sarah could feel a sudden tension.It was Carla's voice again, suspicious. What do you mean? Another pause.Then Arnott answered calmly and unhurriedly, as if carefully deliberating on his words, well, I hope no one doubts him.If anyone doubted him, it would involve us directly, wouldn't it? Carla expresses contempt, heck, he's not going to say anything, is he?If it is said, everything will be exposed, the relationship between him and me.His wife will divorce him.He is very concerned about all this.Her tone became more and more contemptuous, and she exclaimed viciously: "None of us will tell, so is it worthwhile for you to be so excited?" You are excited.Arnott interrupted her, listen, I don't want to fight, it's just that a few things have happened recently. Carla seemed dubious, what's the matter? Arnott seemed hesitant, perhaps out of fear of being ridiculed again.Uh, that's Sarah.Jason's girl, started working with us a few weeks ago.She's alert, and I can almost feel she's watching me.There was something about her that made me feel uneasy. So you think she watched you for two weeks, found out everything, and called her friend H.miller.Absurd! Arnott coughed awkwardly, followed by another silence.In the end Arnott spoke, hey, I have to go to the office.See you later. Jacob hit the stop button and turned to Sarah.The two of them seemed to be in agreement, and both raised their eyebrows.Jacob stared at the tape counter and pressed the shortcut key. This was recorded at twelve noon yesterday.After that, he pressed the play button. They heard a short hello.Reassured that someone was looking for Carla, the man spoke quickly and briefly, in Italian.Jacob looked at Sarah puzzled. I think this passage may be important.Did you learn a little Italian in Perugia or somewhere? Sarah nodded. I was twenty, but I still remember a lot. She listened to the low, angry-sounding man's voice on the tape.She turned to Jacob. is very important.The Italian told Carla to buy pounds and sell dollars, as fast as she could. They looked at each other in silence, and then Jacob turned to the tape recorder and played a recording.It was Carla calling Intercontinental Bank.Sarah jumped up, embarrassed, because she heard her own voice on the tape, and she was transferring Carla's call to Arnott.Carla said only one sentence: I have something to tell you.Arnott said hello and hung up the phone.Two minutes later, Carla made another call.It only rang once and the phone was connected, but whoever answered the phone didn't say a word, just listening to Carla's instructions.Buy sterling, she said.immediately. According to the records, the call was made at seven past twelve.Then, at 12:15, a bug in Scarpirato's office recorded a conversation between him and Arnott, Jacob said.He pressed the play button.Arnott declared that he thought they should increase their positions in sterling.Scarpirato asked him if he was sure.Arnott replied that he was very sure. Jacob's last call was recorded at nine o'clock that night.Arnott and Kara are celebrating.There was constant laughter and clinking of glasses.Arnott announced that they had made five million dollars.Kara happily said that each of them could get 1.25 million US dollars. Jacob turned off the tape recorder and turned to look at Sarah. Well, that's all for now.We were fishing for small minnows and we caught a big shark. Sarah nodded.They were silent for a while.Sarah looked around the room, then at Jacob. I can't quite get it all, she said with a nervous smile, what are we going to do with this shark? Jacob looked at Sarah and shrugged. He reached under the table and took out a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses from a drawer.He filled the glass almost to the brim and handed Sarah a glass.They sipped their wine, lost in thought.Sarah broke the silence. Yes, it all makes sense.Yesterday at about twelve o'clock I got a call for Arnott.It must have been Carla. Arnott put on his coat and stood up without saying anything.An argument ensued, and Scarpirato wanted to know where he was going.He said to go to the bathroom.Scarpirato made a comment about him wearing a coat, as if to say that it was an anomaly for him to wear a coat indoors, when in fact the traders didn't wear it, they usually only wore shirts.I'm pretty sure he hid his mobile phone in his coat.Receiving insider information on a mobile phone is much safer than using an Intercontinental Bank phone, because every call on the InterContinental Bank phone is recorded.It was odd that Scarpirato had dragged him out for questioning, but maybe it was me that Arnott decided to take extra precautions.Maybe before I went, he'd been strutting to the bathroom with his mobile phone in hand, even answering calls on the Intercontinental Bank line.Anyway, Arnott went into the bathroom.Around this time, according to your tape recording, Carla called someone and told them to buy pounds.Maybe it was Arnott's mobile phone in the bathroom.Later I saw Arnott walk into a conference room and make a phone call.It was obvious he didn't want me to hear what was on the phone.It can be surmised that whoever that fourth person was was doing an illegal deal with Arnott, Carla and Scarpirato, since your last recording tells us that the profit is divided into four.Later Arnott and Scarpirato talked in Scarpirato's office, Arnott told him to buy pounds, they came to the trading desk together, and Scarpirato told us to increase our holdings of pounds position. She paused for a while and said with a half smile: After lunch, my old friend Manfred.Abingen called and told me there was a G7 meeting at the Deutsche Bundesbank.The Italian-language recording was made fifteen minutes after Abingen's phone call telling me the G-7 meeting was over.Isn't all this quite clear?Sarah looked down at her hands.What a brilliant fraud.Insider trading at the top is almost unthinkable.Just to test my hypothesis, I also opened a position myself and bought 3 million pounds.Then I sat there and waited and, as expected, the pound went up and I liquidated my position.I made thirty-seven, five hundred dollars.The proprietary trading desk made $6.8 million, and Scarpirato and his gang made $5 million.She took a long sip of whiskey.I saw it happen, I was there, but it still seemed unreal.I still can't believe it's real. Jacob leaned back in the armchair, staring at her. I can't believe it either.But the money was actually earned.That's all the evidence you need.Besides, you made nearly forty thousand extra dollars, which is interesting enough.That should make you happier.He grinned and did a good job, blue out of blue and better than blue. She laughed: I'll never catch up with you, Jacob. For a moment, their uneasiness subsided with laughter.Jacob refilled his glass. It seems that we already know who is receiving the inside information, but we don't know who is the mysterious fourth person.But who is the source? Sarah put down her glass. It could be the Italian finance minister, or the governor of the Italian central bank, or someone they leaked information to.Maybe it was a French or Japanese leak whose contact happened to be an Italian, but I doubt it.If I had to place my bets on anyone, I'd say the leaker was either the Italian finance minister or the head of the Italian central bank. The safest thing to do, Jacobs said, is to get some TV coverage of the Italians and compare the voices.He was silent for a while, then smiled at Sara, a friend of mine in Milan.I could have him tape a news report or something and see if we can identify it. Sara shook her head and said with a smile: "Whoever this person is, it seems that Kara once had an affair with him."It sounded like she was blackmailing him.Do you look like it? Yes, it does sound like extortion. So he leaked the news to her; she told Matthew.Arnott; Arnott told Scarpirato again, so they entered the market together to build a position and made five million dollars in one go.Sarah frowned, and then they divided the spoils into four: Carla, Arnott, Scarpirato.Who is the fourth person? Jacob shook his head, really stumping me. Sarah's interest came up, could it be a mastermind who was far away and did not stain his hands?We must find out, get some real evidence against Scarpirato, find out the identity of the Italian.The evidence is very favorable, if it is a little too close to circumstantial evidence.Our theories rely heavily on speculation.I have no way of confirming that the tip was leaked, or that Scarpirato was involved.What we have is not definitive yet, but it's a good start.I'm going to print out a report tomorrow, but I can't think logically tonight, and I'll call Barrington after I print it out. Jacob nodded.He saw Sarah lost in thought by herself.She sat motionless, staring out of the window, staring at the roses outside the window in a daze.She had made a mistake with Scarpirato last night.She won't let this happen again.She knew that continuing to associate with him would do more harm than good.Sarah knew that he wouldn't care if she reported on him in her current position.He would laugh it off. Jacob unplugged the tape recorder and went into the kitchen.Sarah followed in.Dinner is ready.They were both sitting at the dinner table in a state of shock.In order to avoid talking about the major crimes they uncovered, Jacob relives his wrongdoing by talking about the bygone years.Sara was happily distracted and laughed until her face turned sour.Before leaving, she asked if he could still get an adapter bug.He looked at her long and suspiciously, and said he could get it.Sarah drove home wearily and went to bed at ten o'clock