Liar's Market. Taylor Smith

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION

      CASE NO. 1786521-02

      CODE NAME: ACHILLES

      DATE OF INTERVIEW: August 14, 2002

      LEAD INTERROGATOR: FBI Special Agent S. V. Andrews

      (Special Agent Andrews) Okay, let’s get started. Today is Wednesday, August 14, 2002, and this is interview number two with Mrs. Drummond MacNeil, also known as Carrie MacNeil.

      I should note for the record that two witnesses are present: Mr. Frank Tucker, representing the office of the Director of Central Intelligence, and Mr. Mark Huxley, from MI-6, the British foreign intelligence service. They’re being allowed to observe this interview as part of their damage assessment on joint-intelligence operations resulting from the alleged activities of Mrs. MacNeil’s husband. As of right now, Drummond MacNeil, CIA Deputy Director for Operations, is still at large, whereabouts unknown.

      Okay, I think we’re ready to begin now. So, for the record, please, state your full name and date of birth.

      (Mrs. MacNeil) Didn’t we establish that in the first interview?

      We do it every time to keep the tapes properly identified for the transcribers.

      Oh. That makes sense, I guess. So, once again then, it’s Carrie Jane MacNeil. Originally Carolyn, but I’ve always been called Carrie. My maiden name was Morgan.

      And your date of birth?

      May 16, 1973.

      So you’re…um…twenty-nine years old, is that right?

      Yes. I’ll be thirty on my next birthday. The big three-oh. And don’t I have a lot to be proud of approaching that landmark.

      Such as?

      I was being sarcastic, Agent Andrews. Obviously, my accomplishments are pretty limited. In fact, all things considered, I’d say I’ve made a real mess of things, wouldn’t you?

      In what way?

      Take your pick. I’ve pretty much blown everything over the last decade—education, marriage, credibility. Abandoned my personal goals, so no career to speak of. And now, here I am, suspected of treason—and murder, too, if I understand correctly where you were heading when we talked yesterday. Good job, Carrie.

      I told you yesterday, Mrs. MacNeil, the Bureau’s official position is that you’re assisting our investigation into your husband’s activities and subsequent disappearance. No one has said you’re a suspect.

      Not yet they haven’t. You’ll be sure to tell me when I am, though, won’t you?

      You’ll be the first to know. But in the meantime, I want to confirm for the record that your participation in this debriefing is entirely voluntary. Is that right?

      You mean, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing?

      No, I mean you’re here of your own accord and we both understand that you’re free of leave at any time.

      Yes, fine, we both understand that. I can think of plenty of places I’d rather be, mind you. Having a root canal, for example.

      No doubt. But getting back to the subject of your accomplishments, what about your son? You’re proud of him, aren’t you?

      Oh, God, yes, I am. He’s the best part of my life. All right, fair enough. I’ve messed up the rest of it, but I wouldn’t have Jonah if it weren’t for everything else. Let’s just hope I haven’t completely ruined his life, too.

      That has to be a concern, for sure. But depending on the extent of your involvement in your husband’s activities—

      There was no involvement! I don’t even know for sure that he was doing anything illegal. It’s you people who keep insisting he sold state secrets and caused the deaths of I don’t know how many people. Even if that’s true, I had no idea anything was wrong until he vanished two days ago.

      And you say he’s gone into hiding, but what if you’re wrong? What if he’s been kidnapped? Isn’t it possible he’s innocent? That he’s being held hostage—or worse—by terrorists? And you’re just sitting here, wasting time, asking me questions I don’t know the answers to?

      We think it’s highly unlikely he’s been kidnapped, the evidence being what it is.

      I’m still waiting to see all this supposed evidence.

      All in good time. And if, in fact, it turns out you weren’t involved, you’ll be free to go home and raise your son and try to get past all this. But first, we have some information blanks to fill in and we think you can help.

      So, let’s just get back to the task at hand, shall we? State your address and place of employment once again for the record, if you don’t mind.

      What if I do?

      Do what?

      Mind.

      Are you saying you won’t cooperate with this investigation?

      I’m just—never mind. It doesn’t matter. My address—1221 Elcott Road, McLean, Virginia. At the moment, anyway.

      You’re planning to move?

      I’m not sure. It’s a little awkward there right now, and I’ve been offered the chance to house-sit for some family friends so…Well, I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do.

      Do you own the house in McLean?

      No. I think I mentioned yesterday that it belongs jointly to my husband and his mother. Actually, the house was left to Drum when his father died, but with the stipulation that my mother-in-law continue to live in it during her lifetime. Drum left her on the deed as co-owner because he was out of the country so much.

      But this information you’ve already verified, I’m sure.

      These are routine questions we have to ask. So, lastly, your employment.

      None, at the moment. My son just turned six. With him so young and with us living abroad during my husband’s last posting, I wasn’t really able to work. I’m thinking about looking for something part-time in the fall, though, once Jonah’s settled into first grade. Or, I was going to. But now that this has happened…

      Sure. Things are up in the air, I can see that. Anyway, Mrs. MacNeil, I want to go back now to a subject we touched on yesterday before we had to wrap up—the murder of Alexandra Kim Lee in Hong Kong last summer.

      I told you yesterday, I never met the woman.

      But you know who she is.

      Anyone who reads the papers or a newsmagazine would have heard of her. Her picture showed up there often enough, even before she died. I gather she was fairly well connected. Her murder was quite a little mystery back in the dog days of last summer. I seem to recall reading articles in Time—or Newsweek. Or both, I’m not sure. Weren’t her maid and butler killed, too?

      It СКАЧАТЬ