if.thunderball-第29节

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　〃While　you　get　our　munications　going；　I'm　going　to　check　with　the　oiling　wharf。　Then　we'll　call　up　this　Domino　girl　and　try　and　get　ourselves　asked　for　a　drink　and　have　a　quick　look　at　Largo's　shore　base…this　Palmyra。　Then　we　go　to　the　Casino　and　look　over　the　whole　of　Largo's　group。　And　then〃…Bond　looked　stubbornly　at　Leiter　…〃I'm　going　to　borrow　a　good　man　from　the　Police　mission　to　give　me　a　hand；　put　on　an　aqualung；　and　go　out　and　have　a　sniff　round　the　Disco　with　your　other　Geiger　machine。〃
　
　Leiter　said　laconically；　〃Destry　Rides　Again！　Well；　I'll　go　along　with　that；　James。　Just　for　old　times'　sake。　But　don't　go　and　stub　your　toe　on　a　sea　urchin　or　anything。　I　see　there　are　free　cha…cha　lessons　in　the　ballroom　of　the　Royal　Bahamian　tomorrow。　We've　got　to　keep　fit　for　those。　I　guess　there'll　be　nothing　else　in　this　trip　for　my　memory　book。〃
　
　Back　in　the　hotel；　a　dispatch　rider　from　Government　House　was　waiting　for　Bond。　He　saluted　smartly；　handed　over　an　O。H。M。S。　envelope；　and　got　Bond's　signed　receipt　in　exchange。　It　was　a　cable　from　the　Colonial　Office　〃Personal　to　the　Governor。〃　The　text　was　prefixed　PROBOND。　The　cable　read：　〃YOUR　1107　RECORDS　HAVE　NOTHING　REPEAT　NOTHING　ON　THESE　NAMES　STOP　INFORMATIVELY　ALL　STATIONS　REPORT　NEGATIVELY　ON　OPERATION　THUNDERBALL　STOP　WHAT　HAVE　you　QUERY。〃　The　message　was　signed　〃PRISM；〃　which　meant　that　M　had　approved　it。
　
　Bond　handed　the　cable　to　Leiter。
　
　Leiter　read　it。　He　said；　〃See　what　I　mean？　We're　on　a　bum　steer。　This　is　a　thumb…twiddler。　See　you　later　in　the　Pineapple　Bar　for　a　dry　martini　that's　half　a　jumbo　olive。　I'll　go　send　a　postcard　to　Washington　and　asked　them　to　send　down　a　couple　of　WAVES。　We're　going　to　have　time　on　our　hands。〃
　
　14。　Sour　Martinis
　
　As　it　turned　out；　the　first　half　of　Bond's　program　for　the　evening　went　by　the　board。　On　the　telephone　Domino　Vitali　said　that　it　would　not　be　convenient　for　them　to　see　the　house　that　evening。　Her　guardian　and　some　of　his　friends　were　ing　ashore。　Yet　it　was　indeed　possible　that　they　might　meet　at　the　Casino　that　evening。　She　would　be　dining　on　board　and　the　Disco　would　then　sail　round　and　anchor　off　the　Casino。　But　how　would　she　be　able　to　recognize　him　in　the　Casino？　She　had　a　very　poor　memory　for　faces。　Would　he　perhaps　wear　a　flower　in　his　buttonhole　or　something？
　
　Bond　had　laughed。　He　said　that　would　be　all　right。　He　would　remember　her　by　her　beautiful　blue　eyes。　They　were　unforgettable。　And　the　blue　rinse　that　matched　them。　He　had　put　the　receiver　down　halfway　through　the　amused；　sexy　chuckle。　He　suddenly　wanted　to　see　her　again　very　much。
　
　But　the　movement　of　the　ship　altered　his　plans　for　the　better。　It　would　be　much　easier　to　reconnoitre　her　in　the　harbor。　It　would　be　a　shorter　swim　and　he　would　be　able　to　go　into　the　water　under　cover　of　the　harbor　police　wharf。　Equally；　with　her　anchorage　empty；　it　would　be　all　the　easier　to　survey　the　area　where　she　had　been　lying。　But　if　Largo　moved　the　yacht　about　so　nonchalantly　was　it　likely　the　bombs；　if　there　were　any；　would　be　hidden　at　the　anchorage？　If　they　were；　surely　the　Disco　would　stand　watch　over　them。　Bond　decided　to　put　a　decision　aside　until　he　had　more　and　more　expert　information　about　the　ship's　hull。
　
　He　sat　in　his　room　and　wrote　his　negative　report　to　M。　He　read　it　through。　It　would　be　a　depressing　signal　to　get。　Should　he　say　anything　about　the　wisp　of　a　lead　he　was　working　on？　No。　Not　until　he　had　something　solid。　Wishful　intelligence；　the　desire　to　please　or　reassure　the　recipient；　was　the　most　dangerous　modity　in　the　whole　realm　of　secret　information。　Bond　could　imagine　the　reaction　in　Whitehall　where　the　Thunderball　war　room　would　be　ready；　anxious　to　grasp　at　straws。　M's　careful　〃I　think　we　may　conceivably　have　got　a　lead　in　the　Bahamas。　Absolutely　nothing　definite；　but　this　particular　man　doesn't　often　go　wrong　on　these　things。　Yes；　certainly　I'll　check　back　and　see　if　we　can　get　a　follow…up。〃　And　the　buzz　would　get　around：　〃M's　on　to　something。　Agent　of　his　thinks　he's　got　a　lead。　The　Bahamas。　Yes；　I　think　we'd　better　tell　the　P。M。〃　Bond　shuddered。　The　MOST　IMMEDIATES　would　pour　in　to　him：　〃Elucidate　your　1806。〃　〃Flash　fullest　details。〃　〃Premier　wants　detailed　grounds　for　your　1806。〃　There　would　be　no　end　to　the　flood。　Leiter　would　get　the　same　from　C。I。A。　The　whole　place　would　be　in　an　uproar。　Then；　in　answer　to　Bond's　tatty　little　fragments　of　gossip　and　speculation；　there　would　e　the　blistering：　〃Surprised　you　should　take　this　flimsy　evidence　seriously。〃　〃Futurely　confine　your　signals　to　facts；〃　and；　the　final　degradation；　〃View　speculative　nature　your　1806　and　subsequents　ma　future　signals　must　repeat　must　be　joint　and　countersigned　by　CIA　representative。〃
　
　Bond　wiped　his　forehead。　He　unlocked　the　case　containing　his　cipher　machine；　transposed　his　text；　checked　it　again；　and　went　off　to　Police　Headquarters；　where　Leiter　was　sitting　at　his　keyboard；　the　sweat　of　concentration　pouring　down　his　neck。　Ten　minutes　later　Leiter　took　off　his　earphones　and　handed　over　to　Bond。　He　mopped　his　face　with　an　already　drenched　handkerchief。　〃First　it's　sunspots；　and　I　had　to　swap　over　to　the　emergency　wavelength。　There　I　found　they'd　put　a　baboon　on　the　other　end…you　know；　one　of　the　ones　that　can　write　the　whole　of　Shakespeare　if　you　leave　him　at　it　long　enough。〃　He　angrily　waved　several　pages　of　cipher　groups。　〃Now　I've　got　to　unscramble　all　this。　Probably　from　Accounts　about　how　much　extra　ine　tax　this　sunshine　trip　will　cost　me。〃　He　sat　down　at　a　table　and　began　cranking　away　at　his　machine。
　
　Bond　put　his　short　message　over　quickly。　He　could　see　it　being　punched　out　on　the　tapes　in　one　of　those　busy　rooms　on　the　eighth　floor；　going　to　the　supervisor；　being　marked　〃Personal　for　M；　copy　to　OO　Section　and　Records；〃　then　another　girl　hurrying　off　down　the　passage　with　the　flimsy　yellow　forms　on　a　clip　file。　He　queried　whether　there　was　anything　for　him　and　signed　off。　He　left　Leiter　and　went　down　to　the　missioner's　room。
　
　Harling　was　sitting　at　his　desk　with　his　coat　off；　dictating　to　a　police　sergeant。　He　dismissed　him；　pushed　a　box　of　cigarettes　over　his　desk　to　Bond；　and　lit　one　himself。　He　smiled　quizzically。　〃Any　progress？〃
　
　Bond　told　him　that　the　Trace　on　the　Largo　group　had　been　negative　and　that　they　had　called　on　Largo　and　gone　over　the　Disco　with　a　Geiger　counter。　This　also　had　been　negative。　Bond　still　wasn't　satisfied。　He　told　the　missioner　what　he　wanted　to　know　about　the　fuel　capacity　of　the　Disco　and　the　exact　location　of　the　fuel　tanks。　The　missioner　nodded　amiably　and　picked　up　the　telephone。　He　asked　for　a　Sergeant　Molony　of　the　Harbor　Police。　He　cradled　the　receiver　and　explained；　〃We　check　all　fueling。　This　is　a　narrow　harbor　crammed　with　small　craft；　deep…sea　fishing　boats；　and　so　on。　Quite　a　fire　hazard　if　something　went　wrong。　We　like　to　know　what　everyone　is　carrying　and　whereabouts　in　the　ship。　Just　in　case　there's　some　fire…fighting　to　be　done　or　we　want　a　particular　ship　to　get　out　of　range　in　a　hurry。〃　He　went　back　to　the　telephone。　〃Sergeant　Molony？〃　He　repeated　Bond's　questions；　listened；　said　thank…you；　and　put　the　receiver　down。　〃She　carries　a　maximum　of　five　hundred　gallons　of　Diesel。　Took　that　amount　on　on　the　afternoon　of　June　2nd。　She　also　carries　about　forty　gallons　of　lubricating　oil　and　a　hundred　gallons　of　drinking　water…all　carried　amidships　just　forrard　of　the　engine　room。　That　what　you　want？〃
　
　This　made　nonsense　of　Largo's　talk　of　lateral　tanks　and　the　difficult　ballast　problem　and　so　forth。　Of　course　he　could　have　wanted　to　keep　some　secret　treasure…hunting　gear　out　of　sight　of　the　visitors；　but　at　least　there　was　something　on　board　he　wanted　to　hide；　and；　for　all　his　show　of　openness；　it　was　now　established　that　Mr。　Largo　might　be　a　rich　treasure　hunter；　but　he　was　also　an　unreliable　witness。　Now　Bond's　mind　was　made　up。　It　was　the　hull　of　the　ship　he　wanted　to　have　a　look　at。　Leiter's　mention　of　the　Olterra　had　been　a　long　shot；　but　it　just　might　pay　off。
　
　Bond　passed　on　a　guarded　version　of　his　thoughts　to　the　missioner。　He　told　him　where　the　Disco　would　be　lying　that　night。　Was　there　on　the　force　a　totally　reliable　man　who　could　give　him　a　hand　with　his　underwater　recce；　and　was　there　a　sound　aqualung；　fully　charged；　available？
　
　Harling　gently　asked　if　this　was　wise。　He　didn't　exactly　know　the　laws　of　trespass；　but　these　seemed　to　be　good　citizens　and　they　were　certainly　good　spenders。　Largo　was　very　popular　with　everyone。　Any　kind　of　scandal；　particularly　if　the　police　were　involved；　would　create　the　hell　of　a　stink　in　the　Colony。
　
　Bond　said　firmly；　〃I'm　sorry；　missioner。　I　quite　see　your　point。　But　these　risks　have　to　be　run　and　I've　got　a　job　to　do。　Surely　the　Secretary　of　State's　instructions　are　sufficient　authority；〃　Bond　fired　his　broadside。　〃I　could　get　specific　orders　from　him；　or　from　the　Prime　Minister　for　the　matter　of　that；　in　about　an　hour　if　you　feel　it's　necessary。〃
　
　The　missioner　shook　his　head。　He　smiled。　〃No　need　to　use　the　big　guns；　mander。　Of　course　you　shall　have　what　you　want。　I　was　just　giving　you　the　local　reaction。　I'm　sure　the　Governor　would　have　given　you　the　same　warning。　This　is　a　small