Binary - Michael Crichton [8]
The slides changed again several times in rapid succession, showing smooth-faced businessmen. 'Robert "Trigger" Cannino. Sal Martucci. Benny Flick. Gerald "Tiny" Margolin. These are some of the men he saw during that period.'
The slides now showed Wright in restaurants, at taxi stands, and in Central Park with these men.
'Active surveillance began in June 1972, when Wright left New York for San Diego. He was clearly making plans for the Republican Convention, but their nature was not clear, and he was giving himself much too much time. I ran the surveillance from the start. During the surveillance period his contacts with organized crime have substantially decreased. He has been seeing only one person consistently - this man.'
The screen showed a bald, glowering face.
'Eddie "The Key" Trasker, fifty-three, a resident of Las Vegas who lives mostly in San Diego. He is reputed to be the power behind the Teamsters, and his influence over all forms of interstate transportation is enormous. Wright has seen him nearly every week, often during the early hours of the morning.
'He has also come in contact with this man, Timothy Drew, an ex-Army officer with a background in computers. The meaning of that association was unclear to me until this morning. Drew clearly represents Sigma Station; Drew tapped out classified Defence information for Wright. We do not know what kind of information, or why it was stolen.'
Graves sat down and looked at the faces. Phelps said, 'Questions, gentlemen?'
McPherson, from the President's staff, cleared his throat. 'I gather from Mr Graves' excellent but rather psychologically oriented presentation that we have no damned idea what Wright is up to. Is that substantially correct?'
'Yes, it is,' Graves said.
'Well then,' McPherson said, 'I'm afraid we can do nothing. Wright has acted suspiciously and is quite probably deranged. Neither is a crime in this country.'
'I disagree,' Corey said, sitting back in his chair. Corey was Defence liaison; a heavyset man with thick eyebrows that joined over his nose. 'I think we have plenty of reason to apprehend Wright at this time.'
'Plenty of reason,' McPherson said, 'but no evidence, no charges...'
Whitlock, from the justice Department, straightened his tie and said, 'I'm sure we all agree this is an unpleasant sort of meeting. Mr Wright is a private citizen and he is entitled to do as he pleases so long as he does not commit a crime. I've seen and heard nothing that suggests a crime has been or will be committed, and -'
'What about the underworld contacts?' Corey said. Whitlock smiled. 'What about them?'
'I think that's very suggestive -'
'But he has broken no law,' Whitlock said. 'And until he does...' He shrugged.
Corey frowned, pushing his eyebrows into a black, ominous V. 'An interrogation would be useful, even without a criminal act,' he said. 'I think we have a basis for interrogation here - Wright's association with Timothy Drew, who has stolen classified information, probably for Wright. Can't we pick him up on that?'
'I feel we should,' Phelps said, speaking for the first time.
Graves spun around to look at Phelps.
'I disagree,' McPherson said.
Whitlock made some notes on the pad in front of him. Finally he said, 'Perhaps an interrogation is the safest route. I think we need to know what was tapped out by Sigma Station. Mr Corey?'
'Pick him up.'
'Mr Phelps?'
'Pick him up.'
'Mr McPherson?'
'Opposed.'
Whitlock spread his hands. Graves said nothing. The meeting was over. 'If there are no further questions,' Phelps said, 'we can adjourn.'
'You didn't like that, did you?' Phelps said, as they walked back through the travel agency.
'No,' Graves said. 'I didn't.'
'Still,' Phelps said, 'I think it's best. Arrest him today, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grand larceny involving classified information.'
'Isn't it robbery?'
Phelps sighed patiently. 'Robbery and larceny are different crimes.'
Graves