Ход королевы
Chapter 13
“Whatwehavecomesmostlyfromthemagazine.Thefourhundreddollarsisallwecanpossiblyspare.”
Itwasn’tuntilthenextmorningthatshegothercallreturnedfromWashington.ItwassomebodynamedO’Malley,fromCulturalAffairs.Whenshetoldhimtheproblem,hewentonabouthowexcitedtheywere,thereatState,overher“givingtheRussiansajoltattheirowngame.”Heaskedherhowhecouldhelp.
“Ineedthreethousanddollarsrightaway.”
“I’llseewhatIcando,”O’Malleysaid.“I’llgetbacktoyouinanhour.”
Butitwasfourhourslaterthathecalledback.ShepacedaroundthekitchenandthegardenandmadeaquickcalltoAnneReardon,whowastobethechaperonerequiredbyChristianCrusade.AnneReardonhadawoman’sratingof1900orsoandatleastknewthegame.BethhadwipedheroutoncesomewhereoutWest,practicallyblastingherpiecesofftheboard.Nooneansweredthephone.BethmadeherselfcoffeeandleafedthroughsomecopiesofDeutscheSchachzeitung,waitingforthecall.ShefeltalmostnauseatedatthewayshehadlettheChristianCrusademoneygo.Fourthousanddollars—foragesture.Finallythephonerang.
ItwasO’Malleyagain.Nodice.Hewasterriblysorry,buttherewasnowaygovernmentfundscouldbehandedouttoherwithoutmoretimeandapproval.“We’llbesendingoneofourmenwithyou,though.”
“Don’tyouhavepettycashorsomething?”Bethasked.“Idon’tneedfundstounderminethegovernmentinMoscow.Ijustneedtotakesomepeopletohelpme.”
“I’msorry,”O’Malleysaid.“I’mreallysorry
