Goodbye California - Alistair [55]
‘Our three seismologists will swear to it.’
‘And our three bright boys place the epicentre in the Garlock Fault, not the White Wolf Fault?’
‘They should know. Not only are they highly experienced but we’re practically sitting on top of the Garlock Fault.’
‘The Seismology Field Survey, Caltech, the Geological Survey and God knows how many other scientific bodies – how could they all possibly – especially when they were all certainly working in collaboration – come up with the same mistake?’
‘They didn’t.’ Dubois was positive. ‘For earthquakes, this is the best monitored area in the world and those are among the world’s top experts.’
‘They lied?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why should they lie?’
Dubois was almost apologetic. ‘I’ve had a little time to think about this. I think there are two reasons. California is today obsessed with the fear, the certainty almost, that some day, maybe quite soon according to a few eminent earthquake researchers, the big one is going to strike, one that will make the San Francisco nineteen-o-six look like a firecracker: it’s more than possible that State officials are trying to allay this fear by stating that this ‘quake was man-made. Secondly, all those clever seismologists may be living with a brand-new fear which particularly affects themselves – that they may have been dabbling in murky waters, that they may not really know what they were doing, that by messing around with those various faults they may have inadvertently triggered off something they didn’t expect – a movement in the Garlock Fault where they don’t have a bore-hole. But they do have a drilling rig sitting fair and square in the middle of the Tejon Pass on the San Andreas Fault – and at Frazier Park, near Fort Tejon, the San Andreas and the Garlock Faults intersect.’
‘I suppose it is a possibility. And if that were correct it might happen again, perhaps even on a major scale, and I don’t think we’d like that at all.’ Morro compressed his lips then slowly smiled. ‘You have had more time to think about this than I have. I seem to recall your saying that we might just possibly turn this to our advantage.’ Dubois smiled in return and nodded. ‘Ten past three in the morning and what better time for a glass of that splendid Glenfiddich. Don’t you agree?’
‘For inspirational purposes.’
‘Indeed. You think perhaps we should relieve those prestigious seismological institutes of the fear that the public may come to associate unexpected earthquakes – ‘quakes in the wrong place, that is – with their indiscriminate tampering with seismic faults? If the public were to know the truth, that is?’
‘Something like that.’
Morro smiled again. ‘I look forward to writing this communiqué’
Ryder wasn’t smiling when he woke up. He cursed, quietly but with considerable feeling, as he reached out for his bedside phone. It was Dunne.
‘Sorry to wake you, Ryder.’
‘No worry. I’ve had almost three hours’ sleep.’
‘I’ve had none. Did you see that newscast shortly before three this morning?’
‘The one about the White Wolf Fault? Yes.’
‘There’ll be another and even more interesting newscast in less than five minutes. Any channel should do.’
‘What’s it this time?’
‘I think the impact will be greater if you watch for yourself. Call me afterwards.’
Ryder replaced the receiver, lifted it again, told a querulous Jeff that there was something worth watching on TV, cursed again and went through to his living-room. The newscaster – the same cheerful youngster whom he’d seen just over three hours previously – came to the point without preamble.
He said: ‘We have received a further communication from the same Mr Morro who claimed last night to have been responsible for the break-in at the San Ruffino nuclear power station and theft of nuclear fuel. We had no reason to doubt that claim as the amounts claimed as stolen corresponded precisely to the amounts that were stolen. This station cannot guarantee the authenticity of this communication, that