Digital Fortress

"Not at all." Becker grabbed a pillow off a nearby cot and helped Cloucharde get comfortable.

The old man sighed contentedly. "Much better… thank you."

"Pas du tout," Becker replied.

"Ah!" The man smiled warmly. "So you do speak the language of the civilized world."

"That’s about the extent of it," Becker said sheepishly.

"Not a problem," Cloucharde declared proudly. "My column is syndicated in the U.S.; my English is first rate."

"So I’ve heard." Becker smiled. He sat down on the edge of Cloucharde’s cot. "Now, if you don’t mind my asking, Mr. Cloucharde, why would a man such as yourself come to a place like this? There are far better hospitals in Seville."

Cloucharde looked angry. "That police officer… he bucked me off his motorcycle and then left me bleeding in the street like a stuck pig. I had to walk over here."

"He didn’t offer to take you to a better facility?"

"On that godawful bike of his? No thanks!"

"What exactly happened this morning?"

"I told it all to the lieutenant."

"I’ve spoken to the officer and-"

"I hope you reprimanded him!" Cloucharde interrupted.

Becker nodded. "In the severest terms. My office will be following up."

"I should hope so."

"Monsieur Cloucharde." Becker smiled, pulling a pen out of his jacket pocket. "I’d like to make a formal complaint to the city. Would you help? A man of your reputation would be a valuable witness."

Cloucharde looked buoyed by the prospect of being quoted. He sat up. "Why, yes… of course. It would be my pleasure."

Becker took out a small note pad and looked up. "Okay, let’s start with this morning. Tell me about the accident."

The old man sighed. "It was sad really. The poor Asian fellow just collapsed. I tried to help him-but it was no use."

"You gave him CPR?"

Cloucharde looked ashamed. "I’m afraid I don’t know how. I called an ambulance."

Becker remembered the bluish bruises on Tankado’s chest. "Did the paramedics administer CPR?"

"Heavens, no!" Cloucharde laughed. "No reason to whip a dead horse-the fellow was long gone by the time the ambulance got there. They checked his pulse and carted him off, leaving me with that horrific policeman."

That’s strange, Becker thought, wondering where the bruise had come from. He pushed it from his mind and got to the matter at hand. "What about the ring?" he said as nonchalantly as possible.

Cloucharde looked surprised. "The lieutenant told you about the ring?"

"Yes, he did."

Cloucharde seemed amazed. "Really? I didn’t think he believed my story. He was so rude-as if he thought I were lying. But my story was accurate, of course. I pride myself on accuracy."

"Where is the ring?" Becker pressed.

Cloucharde didn’t seem to hear. He was glassy-eyed, staring into space. "Strange piece really, all those letters-looked like no language I’d ever seen."

"Japanese, maybe?" Becker offered.

"Definitely not."

"So you got a good look at it?"

"Heavens, yes! When I knelt down to help, the man kept pushing his fingers in my face. He wanted to give me the ring. It was most bizarre, horrible really-his hands were quite dreadful."

"And that’s when you took the ring?"

Cloucharde went wide-eyed. "That’s what the officer told you! That I took the ring?"

Becker shifted uneasily.

Cloucharde exploded. "I knew he wasn’t listening! That’s how rumors get started! I told him the Jap fellow gave away the ring-but not to me! There’s no way I would take anything from a dying man! My heavens! The thought of it!"

Becker sensed trouble. "So you don’t have the ring?"

"Heavens, no!"

A dull ache crept through the pit of his stomach. "Then who has it?"

Cloucharde glared at Becker indignantly. "The German! The German has it!"

Becker felt like the floor had been pulled out from under him. "German? What German?"

"The German in the park! I told the officer about him! I refused the ring but the fascist swine accepted it!"

Becker set down his pen and paper. The charade was over. This was trouble. "So a German has the ring?"

"Indeed."

"Where did he go?"

"No idea. I ran to call the police. When I got back, he was gone."

"Do you know who he was?"

"Some tourist."

"Are you sure?"

"My life is tourists," Cloucharde snapped. "I know one when I see one. He and his lady friend were out strolling the park."

Becker was more and more confused every moment. "Lady friend? There was somebody with the German?"

Cloucharde nodded. "An escort. Gorgeous redhead. Mon Dieu! Beautiful."

"An escort?" Becker was stunned. "As in… a prostitute?"

Cloucharde grimaced. "Yes, if you must use the vulgar term."

"But… the officer said nothing about-"

"Of course not! I never mentioned the escort." Cloucharde dismissed Becker with a patronizing wave of his good hand. "They aren’t criminals-it’s absurd that they’re harassed like common thieves."

Becker was still in a mild state of shock. "Was there anyone else there?"

"No, just the three of us. It was hot."

"And you’re positive the woman was a prostitute?"

"Absolutely. No woman that beautiful would be with a manlike that unless she were well paid! Mon Dieu! He was fat, fat, fat! A loudmouthed, overweight, obnoxious German!" Cloucharde winced momentarily as he shifted his weight, but he ignored the pain and plowed on. "This man was a beast-three hundred pounds at least. He locked onto that poor dear like she was about to run away-not that I’d blame her. I mean really! Hands all over her. Bragged that he had her all weekend for three hundred dollars! He’s the one who should have dropped dead, not that poor Asian fellow." Cloucharde came up for air, and Becker jumped in.

"Did you get his name?"

Cloucharde thought for a moment and then shook his head. "No idea." He winced in pain again and settled slowly back into his pillows.

Becker sighed. The ring had just evaporated before his eyes. Commander Strathmore was not going to be happy.

Cloucharde dabbed at his forehead. His burst of enthusiasm had taken its toll. He suddenly looked ill.

Becker tried another approach. "Mr. Cloucharde, I’d like to get a statement from the German and his escort as well. Do you have any idea where they’re staying?"

Cloucharde closed his eyes, his strength fading. His breathing grew shallow.

"Anything at all?" Becker pressed. "The escort’s name?

There was a long silence.

Cloucharde rubbed his right temple. He was suddenly looking pale. "Well… ah… no. I don’t believe…" His voice was shaky.

Becker leaned toward him. "Are you all right?"

Cloucharde nodded lightly. "Yes, fine… just a little… the excitement maybe…" He trailed off.

"Think, Mr. Cloucharde." Becker urged quietly. "It’s important."

Cloucharde winced. "I don’t know… the woman… the man kept calling her…" He closed his eyes and groaned.

"What was her name?"

"I really don’t recall…" Cloucharde was fading fast.