I subsequently described the three of you and...
I subsequently
described the three of you and requested no conversation, merely access to Madame Lavier’s flatIt will make a better impression on the doorman
“Sometimes simplicity backed by authority is best in deception,” observed Krupkin as the
Citro?n was maneuvered between the sparse, erratic traffic across the wide avenue to the entrance
of the white-stone apartment complex“Take the car around the corner out of sight, Sergei,”
ordered the KGB officer, reaching for the door handle“And my radio, if you please?”
“Yes, sir,” replied the aide, handing Krupkin a miniaturized electronic intercom over the seat
“I’ll signal you when I’m in position
“I can reach all of you with this?”
“Yes, comradeBeyond a hundred and fifty meters the frequency is undetectable
“Come along, gentlemen
Inside the marble lobby, Krupkin nodded at the formally dressed concierge behind the gucci watch uk counter,
Jason and Alex on the Soviet’s right“La porte est ouverte,” said the concierge, his gaze
downward, avoiding direct eye contact“I shall not be in evidence when madame arrives,” he
continued in French“How you got in is unknown to me; however, there is a service entrance at the
rear of the building
“But for official courtesy it is the one we would have used,” said Krupkin, looking straight
ahead as he and his companions walked to the elevator
Lavier’s flat was a testament to the world of haute couture chicThe walls were dotted with
photographs of fashion notables attending important showings and events, as well as with framed
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
334
original sketches by celebrated designersLike a Mondrian, the furniture was stark in its simplicity,
the colors bold and predominantly red, black and deep green; the chairs, sofas and tables black and white chanel handbag only
vaguely resembled chairs, sofas and tables—they seemed more suitable for use in spacecraft
As if by rote, both Conklin and the Russian immediately began examining the tables, ferreting
out handwritten notes, a number of which were beside a mother-of-pearl telephone on top of a
curved, thick dark green table of sorts
“If this is a desk,” said Alex, “where the hell are the drawers or the handles?”
“It’s the newest thing from Leconte,” replied Krupkin
“The tennis player?” interrupted Conklin
“No, Aleksei, the furniture designerYou press in and they shoot out
Conklin did so and a barely discernible drawer sprang loose from an all but invisible crack“I’ll
be damned—”
Krupkin’s miniaturized radio suddenly erupted with two sharp beeps from inside his breast
pocket“It must be Sergei checking in,” said Dimitri, removing the instrument“You’re in place,
comrade?” he continued, chanel flap bag in canvas speaking into the base of the radio
“More than that,” came the aide’s quiet voice accompanied by minor static“The Lavier woman
has just entered the building
“The concierge?”
“Nowhere in sightAleksei, get away from thereLavier is on her way up
“You want to hide?” asked Conklin facetiously, turning the pages of a telephone notebook
“I’d rather not start off with instant hostility, which will be the case if she sees you riffling
through her personal effects
“All right, all right Alex returned the notebook to the drawer and closed it“But if she isn’t
going to cooperate, I’m taking that little black book
“She’ll cooperate,” said Bourne“I told you, she wants out, and the only way out for her is with
a dead JackalThe money’s secondary—not inconsequential, but getting out comes first
“Money?” asked Krupkin“What money?”
“I offered to pay her and I will
“And I can assure you, cartier watches money is not secondary to Madame Lavier,” added the Russian
The sound of a key being inserted into a latch echoed throughout the living roomThe three men
turned to the door as a startled Dominique Lavier walked insideHer astonishment, however, was
so brief as to be fleeting; there were no cracks whatsoever in her composureBrows arched in the
manner of a regal mannequin, she calmly replaced the key in her beaded purse, looked over at the
intruders and spoke in English
“Well, Kruppie, I might have known you were somewhere in this bouillabaisse
“Ah, the charming Jacqueline, or may we drop the pretense, Domie?”
“Kruppie?” cried AlexIs this old home week?”
“Comrade Krupkin is one of the more advertised KGB officers in Paris,” said Lavier, walking to
the long, cubed red table behind the white silk sofa and putting down her purse“Knowing him is
de rigueur in certain louis vuitton pochette circles