Chapter 26 Chapter Twenty-Five

By the time Sarah, Jacob, and Jack got together again to read the paper, the sun was already hanging on the west side of the hills of the Atlas Mountains.They sat down around the wooden table, nodded to each other, and began to read the newspaper.It has become the routine of the day: hopeful at breakfast, nervous at lunch, newspaper at 4 p.m., disappointment all afternoon and evening, dodging questions, distracting, and then a new round: the morning total. It was to give them a glimmer of hope, and that hope was always fading. For the next few days Sarah simply put the matter out of her mind.Every morning, she would ride the thoroughbred Arabian/Berber stallion in Jack's stable, and, under Angelo's guidance, would go round him in the mountains for a few hours.When she came back, she hid herself in the garden and took a long nap.The passage of time is marked by three meals a day and the arrival of newspapers.

But on Sunday night, after Jack went to bed, Sarah broke her days-long silence.She and Jacob didn't go to bed. They both drank some old French Armagnac wine, got a little tipsy, and talked until late at night. Jacob repeatedly said that he suspected MI5 was involved in the matter. Having said that, what are you?A secret agent.Who is responsible for such things?MI5. Jacob speaks slowly and unhurriedly, and they don't tell you anything.For example, there is the matter of the Mafia getting involved.They had the inside information from the beginning, but did they tell you?Doing this is dangerous, did they tell you that?No.They just make up some nonsense and you agree to work for them, a secret agent for the Governor of the Bank of England.Jacob raised his eyes and looked up, and raised his voice with excitement, who has seen such a thing!He took one look at Sara, and for whatever reason, they had tricked you, used you.However you look at it, I'd wager that this has nothing to do with the Governor of the Bank of England, it has to do with Secret Service.

Sarah sat there in silence for a while, Jacob, I don't know any of these things.I can call the governor tomorrow, but even if it is true, he won't tell me, will he? In the past few days, Sarah asked herself more than once why she was favored by the president.Why didn't he use defrauding the Criminal Bureau's office or more conventional means?He gave her the green light and never asked what method she was using.As long as she works well, he is satisfied. Self-discipline is certainly not a bad thing, but in the process of working for Barrington, she has had many deviant behaviors.To what extent is it unfair?What would happen if the millions she earned illegally were discovered?

Sarah had never doubted Barrington's office or Barrington himself before, but now she had doubts, and the doubts grew like cracks in the wall.She began to separate Barrington from his position. She had always thought she was protected by him, convinced that his office had legitimized what she was doing.But there is nothing to prove this connection.There is nothing written, nor any witnesses. She feels very alone.Without the governor's approval, her actions constituted a crime.Without his protection, she was in a bad place, almost in danger.She couldn't hide here forever with Jacob and Jack.The environment here is very beautiful, but it always feels a bit like a prison.She felt a claustrophobic feeling over her, gradually overpowering her fear.She wanted to forget about it all, go away, fly to the Himalayas, be with Eddie and Alex, because when they got there, no one would find her, and she wanted to go back to London and go straight to it Barrington, go and see what's going on.

In this transaction, she has completed her task: she has discovered a crime and provided conclusive evidence to the president, but the crime and the criminals are far more dangerous than Barrington originally thought. Said.He must have known it then, and now there was another murder.There have been two so far.He remained on hold.why is that?The question mark whizzed around her head like a missile. She recalled how excited she had been when the governor asked her to work for him as a cover.She was flattered by his position alone, and there was also the great allure of secret work.The results of it?It was death, and the life she had worked so hard to build was destroyed.

A feeling of being fooled, of being sidelined, of being kept in the dark permeated her like poison. She said good night to Jacob and went to bed.But she lay in bed all night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.After waking up in the morning, her trust and trust in Barrington had almost dropped to zero, and her patience was on the verge of breaking down.A wave of anger gradually formed in his heart. After having breakfast in her room, she paced back and forth in the garden, and then went to swim in the swimming pool for a while, but her mood could not be calm for a long time.She finally made up her mind and went to Jacob and Jack.She talked with them for half an hour, expressing her views uncompromisingly.

They all advised her to wait another two or three days.She reluctantly agreed. For two whole days, she put herself in the cold palace, tried not to think about anything, just lived in her own room, enjoying the beauty that the room provided her. As she expected, there was still no news in the newspaper. By the third day, Wednesday, the adrenaline started rushing through Sarah's veins.Distraught by the wait, she skipped breakfast, lunched in her room, and made final preparations for one last wait for the newspaper. At four o'clock, the slamming of the car door announced Angelo's return.Sarah, Jacob, and Jack came down from their respective rooms at the same time and gathered around the round table in the courtyard behind the house.Angelo placed newspapers in the middle of the white tablecloth: the Financial Times, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, Corriere de Corriere and "News".

Sarah looked at Jacob and Jack.They looked at her, meaning that's all right, and then they turned to the newspaper.They read one by one carefully, with less and less hope on their faces, more and more newspapers on the floor, and finally, there was no newspaper on the table. Sarah wiped the ink off her hands with a napkin, blackening one napkin.Newspapers were scattered around the table, and the floor was in a mess.Sarah's voice was very calm. Last chance, right? They nodded sullenly. Jack shouted instructions to Angelo.Angelo turned around, brought a mobile phone and put it on the table.He bought it in the South of France a few months ago.It was registered in the name of a small company started by a friend of Jack's near Liberty-sur-Saône.This mobile phone call is useful if Jack doesn't want the phone traced back to his Moroccan home.Connected to this phone is a small recording device that will record the conversation between the two parties and send the recording to a large tape recorder in the house.Jack took the mobile phone from Angelo and asked him to record the content of the upcoming call.Angelo nodded and hurried back to the house.

Jack handed the phone to Sarah.Sarah looked at her watch.It's three thirty in the afternoon London time.If only he could be there, she thought.You need to dial once and complete it once, so there is no time to think about it. She dialed the president's private phone.After the phone rang three times, he answered it.She really wanted to trust him, that would make things easier.With great restraint she asked him aggressive questions: President, I am Sarah.Jason.I think you should explain to me.Why haven't people been arrested yet?Her words were powerful and very serious. Listen to me Sarah, why don't you tell me where you are?We'll come and pick you up and take you to a safe place, and then I'll explain everything to you.

Sara snorted in disbelief: You think I'll believe it?You haven't been honest with me since the first day you hired me.You still expect me to believe you now? His voice seemed to grow stern: Listen to me, Sarah.That's a little too much, and Her voice was clear and serious: Yes, it was too much.Jeong-mi is dead, Dante is dead.If I'm not careful, it will be my turn next.You listen, President, answer my question.Why haven't people been arrested yet? He slowed down his voice and said in an official tone: things are not that simple.There are still a few issues with the evidence that we can't do anything about them yet.

Sarah couldn't bear it anymore: you said you didn't need any court testimony.What is the problem now? He laughed at her, well, if you must know, then you are a small problem yourself.You're in too deep now, you can't get out, don't you, Sarah?We found your three million dollars, and we found a thing or two more.You've only told me half the story, haven't you?I can't act without all the facts, and you can't expect me to act selectively if you don't want to tell me all about it.If I'm going to take action against Catania, I have to take action against everyone connected to him.Right now, it's about you.There is still a way, we need to discuss and discuss.You understand my difficult situation.If you don't tell me where you are and help me fill some vacancies, there's nothing I can do.As long as you don't want to be scrutinized yourself, I suggest you do it yourself.You are not an ideal, perfect witness. After hearing this, Sarah was speechless, so angry and frightened that she almost collapsed to the ground.Barrington went on, but his tone softened a lot, and he seemed to realize that his words were too harsh: I said, Sarah, it would be better if we got together and talked about everything calmly and openly .What do you say? I think this has gone too far, Governor. She hung up the phone and sat there, thinking about his deception.She forced herself to remain calm, recalling what he said just now, trying to find some clues from it.But she couldn't understand why he stood still.She couldn't figure out his true intentions, and she didn't know why he tried to avoid her questions.Now he was determined to play tricks.In her opinion, he must be the enemy. She knew how he would blackmail her.Let him try, then, she thought disdainfully.He couldn't catch any hard evidence.Shocked, she secretly smiled.What a fool, since he knew what he had done to her, he should now realize the futility of his threats.Now she has her own evidence, which she will use. With a serious expression on her face, she secretly said to herself: Goodbye, President, and good luck to you. Jacob and Jack noticed a slight change in the expression on Sarah's face.Sarah told them what the president said: I think he has one last chance, what do you think? Their silent nods made her mind up.There was a bittersweet taste in her mouth after engaging in conspiracy and tricks. Sara touched the box beside her, took out a large kraft paper envelope, and placed it face up on the table.What jumped into their eyes was the name and address written in blue and black soft pen in chic calligraphy: London E19BD One Virginia Avenue The Times Hilton.Mr Scudder Everything is prepared in advance.Inside the envelope was a letter written by Sarah yesterday.The letter talks about Catania's plot and her own role.Jacob brought all the tapes that would incriminate the conspirators.Sarah copied it all, and put it all on one tape.After speaking with Barrington, she added a few more words to the end of her letter.Then she took out her little phone book and turned to the letter S.Then dialed a thirteen-digit number.After the call was connected, she leaned back and waited for the other party to answer.The bell rang twelve times, Hilton.Scudder's sonorous voice came from the other end. Sarah and Hilton have been good friends for seven or eight years.They were classmates at Cambridge University.While at school, Hilton was actually working as an editor for the school newspaper under the cover of studying biochemistry.He was energetic, honest, and handsome, about six foot two tall and on the slender build.He thinks the muscular ones should be the truck drivers.He had greasy black hair, trimmed short in the back and sides, but hung long on the forehead. Sarah first reported herself, and then heard a barrage of accusations that she was neither this nor that.She's thankful she doesn't use a speakerphone.She giggled, and finally got a chance to cut to the chase. Hilton, stop talking nonsense.When you are free, you can think of some ways to punish.I'm busy now.I'm going to send you a package via FedEx.It will be delivered to your desk at eleven o'clock tomorrow morning.You will receive some recordings, and a letter from me to you.Maybe I have something more to give you, maybe in the next day or two.Never let others see it. Her face is very serious, have you heard of Matsumoto Masami?should know.You also published a report about her a week ago.He's my best friend and Dante.Scarpirato?He is my colleague and my lover.He also died.Whoever killed them is now looking for me everywhere.They want to kill people and keep their secrets.Yes, the big secret.You just wait to collect the tape.Sarah was growing impatient. Don't ask me why I didn't go to the relevant authorities.I've looked, and they know who's behind the scenes.They have evidence, but they stand still.Now only the press can help me.If you take the secret out of these people, they'll have nothing to kill but revenge.I can't tell you any more, Hilton.That package will explain everything.She can feel him holding his breath, you can't get in touch with me, but I can get in touch with you regularly, so don't worry.Just report this matter, make the article as big as possible, and don't mention me in it.Her tone was unusually sharp. And get out fast. Hilton.Scudder felt a tingle on his skin as he put the phone back.He rose from his metal desk and strode across the open plan to his editor, Clement E.Stamp's office.Stamp was a lean, stocky Anglo-Welsh with features of both races.His sensitivity to social news even Milk.Wood is admired, but he is sometimes cautious in his words and deeds.His most notable feature is his mottled hair.He looked like someone from a cartoon sticking two fingers into a power plug, all that was missing was a charred face.Sarah had met him twice and thought those claims were fantasies.His gray hair is the crystallization of his amazing talent.He's a charming guy: smart, honest, and very calculating. Stamp had a Piccolo ballpoint pen in his mouth when Scudder entered.He put down the pen in his mouth, looked at Scudder across the table, and saw him sitting down on an old chair. Do you remember when I was at Cambridge, there was a girl named Sarah.Jason's friend?She now works in the City of London. Stamp nodded: I can't forget it. She thinks someone is going to kill her. Stamp raised his eyebrows suspiciously. Do you remember the Dante that we covered last week?Are Scarpirato and Matsumoto Masami? Stamp lowered his eyebrows and leaned forward slightly. Matsumoto is her best friend.Scarpirato is her colleague as well as her lover. Stamp gets up from the table: What's the matter, Hilton? Sarah will send us a package and it will arrive tomorrow.She said it was to prove a big conspiracy and wanted us to shake it off. Sarah got up from the table, walked over to Jacob and Jack, and stood between them, putting her hands on each of their shoulders. Hilton, he's a nice guy.Let's see what he can do.The problem is, I need more evidence, Sarah said gloomily.The tape with the words of the president was useful, but not enough. Jacob looked at her in surprise: You wouldn't use that tape, would you?there is something in his words Sarah shrugged: Blackmail, all blackmail.Pretentiously scary.He didn't get anything against me.Yes, the three million, yes, but he can't sue me alone without suing those other people.Obviously he didn't intend to do that. But if your friend at The Times does post an article that blows the whole thing out, there could be a lawsuit.Then you'll go to jail with them. I believe it will not end that way.Besides, my conversation with the president can also provide me with some protection.I believe he is unwilling to confront me in court. But you can't kid yourself, there's no way a bombshell on the front page of The Times can't hurt you at all. Impossible, I know that.But I'm really at a loss.I don't trust Barrington.I thought about reconsidering the question, but she shrugged. Our last phone call shattered my illusions.Besides, I can't stay here all the time.My only chance is to get the whole thing out to the papers, so Catania and the Mafia hitmen, whoever they are, get caught and I'm safe. Jacob and Jack nodded sullenly.Sarah watched them with a sudden sense of despair.What if The Times doesn't publish it?What else can she do?She felt bewildered.What if the Secret Service got involved?Can they prevent that kind of article from being published?Will they issue a ban or something?But now there is nothing that is not leaked.She was thinking, what news has never been seen in the newspaper?What secret has not been leaked, or has escaped the newspapers, due to official interference?She used to ask herself again and again, who is she fighting with? She looked at the two men in front of her: Do you know what I actually need? what?they asked in unison. More evidence.All I have now is some fragmented evidence.I think the evidence I gave The Times was far from adequate. Jack looked up at her and asked: Like? the video What video? Videotape used to blackmail Catania.I think they're pretty telling.You know, Catania slept with Carla. Do you know where they are?asked Jack. Sarah caught the look in Jack's eyes and expressed some interest: They're in Kara's apartment, aren't they, Jacob?Arnott said it on the tape, right? Jacob looked at the faces of both of them, yes, he said so.The three of them smiled silently and knowingly. Where is her address?asked Jack. Jacob said it out of the blue because he had been there a few times before buying bugs from his friends. What does she look like?You'd better tell me all you know about her. After they talk for a few minutes, Jack stands up: Excuse me, I'm going to make some calls. Sara and Jacob smiled at each other. I never believed he was retired.Jacob said. Luckily he hasn't retired yet. Don't worry, he'd be happy to have an excuse.A crime with a cause, all right.Jacob said with a sly smile. Angelo suddenly appeared beside them.In his hand was the tape of the conversation between Sarah and the president just now.She handed the tapes to Angelou in a large manila envelope, and she watched him prepare to leave for the Marrakech post office.After putting in another tape, the envelope looked bulging.It wasn't evidence against an accomplice, and she wouldn't take it to court unless it was absolutely necessary, but it could work for conviction, too. Surveillance personnel distributed in Onslow Square saw Kara.Vjital left the apartment at 5:30.She carried a gym bag.They estimated that it would be an hour or two before she returned.Two or three people went to follow and monitor her, while the others stayed where they were. A few minutes after Carla left, the old man who lived downstairs returned.The old man went out for a long time, and went to drink in his own club.He was followed in by a gray-haired, apron-tied elderly woman of sixty-seven or eight, a cleaning lady with a large vacuum cleaner and a large tote bag.The old man graciously held the door for her, and when she went in, he followed her in. This is Carol.The cleaning lady at Abrahams walked slowly and stopped a few times on the stairs to hear if the old man had really entered her room, and to see if there were other people around.She stopped at the door of an apartment on the fourth floor. Just to be on the safe side, she knocked and rang the doorbell.No sound, no one inside.She took out a bunch of keys from her handbag, and carefully fiddled with the two locks a few times.In less than two minutes, she was in Kara's apartment. She entered the door quickly, with astonishing agility.She carried the vacuum so it wouldn't pick up the fluff on the carpet.She took a plastic bag from her bulging handbag, spread it on the floor, and placed the vacuum cleaner on it.It took her only five seconds to do this.She waited for a few minutes, her palms sweating, and prayed silently that she hoped there would be no alarms.Time passed by second by second, quietly, nothing happened. She took a few deep breaths, trying to ease her nervousness before doing it.Her instructions were terse and regrettable.She had to take out all the tapes and nothing else could be moved.Thank goodness there aren't many tapes yet.Four were tucked under the TV, and three were in the safe.It took her less than five minutes to open the safe.She gazed for a long time at the pile of dazzling jewels inside.She felt with rubber-gloved fingers on a dozen necklaces.She had bought the bright yellow rubber gloves at Safeway for £1.99 that morning. Her heart was itchy, but the instructions given to her were so clear.She knew it couldn't be violated.She put the jewelry back where it was, took out the videotape, stuffed it in the vacuum cleaner along with a few other tapes, and left Kara's apartment in no time. Resuming her role as the cleaning lady, she waddled down the stairs and onto the sidewalk outside.She saw a BT maintenance van close to the building, and one or two people in it were watching her.She grinned, showing her broken teeth, smiled at them, and walked hobbled all the way. After turning the corner, she opened her car and got in.She put the vacuum cleaner on the seat next to her, and after making sure no one was paying attention to her, she quickly turned it on, pulled out the videotapes, and put them in a small suitcase at her feet.Then she started the car and headed straight to Heathrow Airport.Two hours later, she boarded a Boeing 737 bound for Marrakech. Jack picks up Carol at the airport.He took her to his parking lot, they both sat in the back seat, and Carol smiled as she opened the small suitcase and handed Jack her prize. And a lot of jewellery.she said with a wink.Jack frowned, glanced at her, and then smiled.Carol had been working for him for twenty years, and she had been doing it for twenty years before he knew her.She could not help but want to tease him a few words. Don't worry, she said with a smile, I put them back where they belonged. Well done, Jack smiled, and Angelo will be here in two days.He'll settle the bill with you, okay? He'd better come soon, or I'm going back to get those jewels. They laughed and sat in the front of the car.Jack drove the car to Bab Jadid Avenue in the center of Marrakech, and sent Carol to the most luxurious Mamounia Hotel here. I might let you take a package with you tomorrow.Don't worry, it's not a smuggled product. Better fuck not.I have come all the way, and I have to go back tomorrow, so boring.People will think that I am a very awkward person. Jack laughed when he saw her half-authentic anger.Carol had planned to spend two days here, visit the open-air market and then go back. I'll call you when I get there tomorrow. You want me to wait in the restaurant, don't you?Carol stood there with her legs apart, her hands on her hips, and although she had a smile on her face, she showed a dissatisfied expression. You probably weren't up when I called.Just make sure you travel in good spirits tomorrow.Don't drink too much alcohol, that's all.Jack winked at her, closed the car door before she could speak, and drove away with a smile. Professionally underestimating people, even as a joke, made Carol spit on the ground in anger.Despite her modest appearance, she was a very careful and skilled thief.In more than forty years, she has never been planted.Like Jack, she is semi-retired now, but as long as the client is suitable and generous, she can occasionally be lured out of the mountain.As long as Jack is looking for her, she will never refuse, and each time it costs 250,000 pounds. It was one o'clock in the morning when Jack returned to Vegas.Jacob and Sara had been waiting for him.They came to his study and gathered around him.He opened the bag he had brought, quickly pulled out the videotape, and smiled at them both. I don't know if these are for family viewing, but let's take a look, huh?As if infected by Carol, he giggled mischievously. Sarah and Jacob laughed along. Well, let's see.Sara and Jacob knew what the other was thinking, and both rushed to grab a good spot in front of the video camera.Sarah snatched it, and Jacob had to give up. Young people of this generation are really not polite.That's the problem! They all felt very proud and laughed.They were still laughing when the footage from the first tape came out.Carla and Catania were filmed from many different angles.It was the best proof of blackmail they could find. Jack copied the videotape.Sarah wrote Hilton a note and put the note and videotape in a large padded envelope.She handed the big envelope to Angelo, and told him to give it to Carol in the morning.Abrahams.Carol brought it back to London, where it was handed over to The Times. Sarah turned her attention to the screen where the video was playing.On the screen, you can see Kara's beautiful figure, cold-faced beauty, scheming, and hypocrisy.Sara didn't like her, she just found her disgusting.It was the other one who repelled her.See Giancarlo.Catania, she couldn't help being angry.She saw his shining black eyes and knew that he would use anything when he was wrong.It's not that he gets his hands dirty, because he makes people kill people, and he does.Sara could easily visualize this. She said good night to Jacob and Jack and went back to her room.She went out on the terrace and breathed in the still, warm night air.She smelled the fragrance of jasmine and felt intoxicated.She raised her head and looked up at the stars in the night sky, feeling that they were so huge and so bright.Her face was haggard, and she hadn't thought about food and drink for several days, but she seemed very resolute and determined.Now that she has a specific purpose, the pain in her heart is starting to subside