\376\377\000T\000h\000e\000 \000M\000a\000t\000l\000o\000c\000k\000 \000P\000a\000p\000e\000r by \376\377\000s\000s\000i\000n\000e\000w

Author:\376\377\000s\000s\000i\000n\000e\000w
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

194 Robert Ludlum

'San Juan?"

San Juan.-

Matlock leaned against the white marble counter and saw the man behind the wrought-iron gate watching him. If the San Juan story worked and he got through the gate, he realized that he would have to part with another large-sized bill. The San Juan story should work thought Matlock. It was logical to the point of innocence. He had spent a winter vacation In Puerto Rico two years ago, and although no gambler, he'd traveled with a Page 79

The Matlock Paper

crowd--and a girl-who made the nightly rounds of the casinos. Hed met a number of people from the Hartford vicinity, although he couldWt for the life of hini remember a single name.

A foursome emerged from inside the grilled entrance, the girls giggling, the men laughing resignedly. The women had probably won twenty or thirty dollars, thought Matlock, while the men had probably lost several hundred.

Fair exchange for the evening. The gate closed behind them; Matlock could hear the electric click of the latch. It was a very welllocked iron gate.

'Excuse me, sir?" It was the paunchy desk clerk, and Matlock turned around.

"Yes?"

'If youT step inside, Mr. Bartolozzi will see you.'

'Where? How?' There was no door except the wrought-iron gate and the clerk had gestured with his left hand, away from the gate.

*~Over here, sir."

Suddenly a knobless, frameless panel to the right of the counter swung open. The outline was barely discermble when the panel was Rush against the damask wall, when shu4 no border was in evidence. Mat—

THE MATLOCK PAPER 195

lock walked In and was taken by the clerk to the office of Jacopo Bartolozzi.

'We got mutual friends?" The obese Italian spoke hoarsely as he leaned back in his chair behind the desk. He made no attempt to rise, gave no gesture of welcome. Jacopo Bartolozz! was a short; squat caricature of himself.

Matlock couldn't be sure, but he had the feeling that Bartolozzfs feet wereet touching the floor beneath his chair.

"It amounts to the same thing, Mr. BartolozZi."

"What amounts? Who's in San Juan?"

'Several people. One fellow's a dentist in West Hartford. Anothees got an accounting firm in Constitution Plaza."

"Yeah.... Yeah?" Bartolozzi was trying to associate people with the professions and locations Matlock described. "Whats the names? They members here?"

"I guess they are. They gave me your name."

"This is a swim club. Private membership.... Who are they?"

"Look Mr. Bartolozzi, it was a crazy night at the Condado casino. We all had a lot to drink and..."

ney don7t drink in the Puerto Rican casinos. les a lawl" The Italian spoke sharply, proud of his incisive knowledge. He was pointing his fat finger at Matlock.

"More honored in the breach, believe me."

"What?"

'We dmr& Take my word for it. rm just telling you I don't remember their names.... Look, I can go downtown on Monday and stand all day outside the Plaza and IT find the CPA. I could also go out to West Hartford and ring every dentises doorbell. What difference does it make? I like to play and I've got the money.

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