cc.iceberg-第53节

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　〃Another　hour　and　forty　minutes　to　go　before　Kelly's　deadline。〃
　〃Don't　you　think　I　should　be　sent　in　the　game　now？　You're　not　leaving　me　much　time　to　spot　the　killers　。　。　。　if　I　can　spot　them。〃
　〃Between　my　men；　the　park　security　staff　and　agents　from　the　F。B。I　there　must　be　close　to　forty　people　concentrating　every　effort　on　stopping　the　assassination。　I'm　saving　you　for　when　we　e　down　to　the　wire。〃
　〃Scraping　the　bottom　of　the　barrel　for　a　last…ditch　attempt。〃　Pitt　leaned　back　and　relaxed。　〃I　can't　say　I　agree　with　your　tactics。〃
　〃You're　not　working　with　amateurs；　Major。　Every　one　of　those　people　out　there　are　pros。　Some　are　dressed　in　costumes　like　you；　some　are　walking　hand　in　hand　like　lovers　on　a　holiday；　some　are　playing　the　part　of　families　enjoying　the　rides；　others　have　taken　over　as　attendants。　We　even　have　men　stationed　on　roofs　and　in　the　dummy　second…story　offices　with　telescopes　and　binoculars。〃　Kippmann's　voice　was　soft；　but　it　carried　total　conviction。　〃The　killers　will　be　found　and　stopped　before　they　do　their　dirty　work。　The　odds　we've　stacked　against　Kelly　meeting　his　goal　and　deade　are　staggering。〃
　〃Tell　that　to　Oskar　Rondheim；〃　Pitt　said。　〃There's　the　flaw　that　knocks　the　hell　out　of　your　good　intentions…you　don't　know　your　adversary。〃
　
　The　silence　lay　heavy　in　the　small　room。　Kippmann　rubbed　his　palms　across　his　face；　then　shook　his　head　slowly；　as　if　he　were　about　to　do　something　he　intensely　disliked。　He　picked　up　the　ever…present　briefcase　and　handed　Pitt　a　folder　marked　simply　078…34。
　〃Granted；　I　haven't　met　him　face　to　face；　but　he　is　no　stranger　to　me。〃　Kippmann　read　from　the　folder。
　〃'Oskar　Rondheim；　alias　Max　Rolland；　alias　Hugo　von　Klausen；　alias　Chatford　Marazan；　real　name　Carzo　Butera；　born　in　Brooklyn；　New　York；　July　15；　1940。　I　could　go　on　for　hours　about　his　arrests；　his　convictions。
　
　He　was　pretty　big　along　the　New　York　waterfront。　Organized　the　fishermen's　union。　Got　muscled　out　by　the　syndicate　and　dropped　from　sight。　Over　the　past　few　years　we　kept　close　tabs　on　Mr。　Rondheim　and　his　albatross　industries。　We　finally　put　two　and　two　together　and　came　up　with　Carzo　Butera。〃
　
　A　sly　grin　crept　across　Pitts　face。　〃You've　made　your　point。　It　would　be　interesting　to　see　what　your　scandal　sheet　has　to　say　about　me。〃
　〃I　have　it　right　here；〃　Kippmann　said；　matching　Pitts　grin。　〃Care　to　see　it？〃
　〃No；　thanks。　It　couldn't　tell　me　anything　that　I　don't　already　know；〃　Pitt　said　flatly。　〃I　would　be　interested　though　in　seeing　what　you　have　on　Kirsti　Fyrie。〃
　
　Kippmann's　expression　went　blank　and　he　looked　as　if　he　had　been　shot。　〃I　was　hoping　you　wouldn't　get　around　to　her。〃
　〃You　have　her　file　also。〃　It　was　more　statement　than　question。
　〃Yes；〃　Kippmann　answered　briefly。　He　saw　there　was　no　way　out；　no　argument　that　would　stand。　He　sighed　with　uneasiness　and　handed　Pitt　rUe　number　883…57。
　
　Pitt　reached　out　and　took　the　folder。　For　ten　minutes　he　examined　the　contents；　leafing　very　slowly；　almost　reluctantly　from　documents　to　photos；　from　reports　to　letters。　Then　finally；　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　he　closed　the　folder　and　gave　it　back　to　Kippmann。
　〃I　can't　believe　it。　It's　ridiculous。　I　won't　believe　it。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　what　you　read　is　true；　all　of　it。〃　Kippmann's　voice　was　quiet；　even。
　
　Pitt　pulled　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　eyes。
　〃Never；　never　in　a　thousand　years　would　I　have　His　voice　faded　away。
　〃It　threw　us　out　of　gear　too。　Our　first　hint　came　when　we　could　find　no　trace　of　her　on　New　Guinea。〃
　〃I　know。　I'd　already　pegged　her　for　a　phony　on　that　score。〃
　〃You　knew？　But　how？〃
　〃When　we　had　dinner　together　in　Reykjavik；　I　described　a　recipe　that　called　for　shark　meat　wrapped　in　a　seaweed　known　as　echidna。　Miss　Fyrie　accepted　it。
　
　Rather　strange　behavior　from　a　missionary　who　spent　years　in　the　jungles　of　New　Guinea；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃How　the　hell　should　I　know。〃　Kippmann　shrugged。　〃I　don't　have　the　vaguest　notion　as　to　what　an　echidna　is。〃
　〃An　echidna；〃　Pitt　said；　〃is　an　egg…laying　spiny　anteater。　A　mammal　very　mon　to　the　landscape　of　New　Guinea。〃
　〃I　can't　say　I　blame　her　for　missing　the　catch。〃
　〃How　would　you　react　if　I　said　I　was　going　to　barbecue　a　New　York　cut　steak　wrapped　in　porcupine　quills？〃
　〃I'd　say　something。〃
　〃You've　got　the　idea。〃
　
　Kippmann　stared　at　Pitt　with　an　admiring　look。
　〃What　put　you　on　to　her　in　the　first　place？　You　wouldn't　have　tricked　her　without　a　nudge；　without　a　suspicious　hint。〃
　〃Her　tan；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃It　was　shallow…not　burned　deep　like　one　acquired　after　years　and　months　spent　in　a　tropic　jungle。〃
　〃You；　sir；　are　very　observant；〃　Kippmann　murmured　thoughtfully。　〃But　why　。　。　。　why　bother　to　trip　up　someone　you　barely　knew？〃
　〃Partly　for　the　same　reason　I'm　standing　here　in　this　ridiculous　wolf　suit；〃　Pitt　said　grimly。　〃I　volunteered　for　your　little　manhunt　for　two　reasons。　One；　I've　got　a　score　to　even　with　Rondheim　and　Kelly；　no　more；　no　less。
　
　Second；　I'm　still　Special　Projects　Director　for　NUMA；　and　as　such；　my　primary　duty　is　to　obtain　the　plans　for　Fyrie's　undersea　mineral　probe。　That's　why　I　conned　Kirsti…she　knows　where　the　blueprints　are　hidden。　Boy　something　I　shouldn't　have；　it　gave　me　a　wedge；　to　her。〃
　
　Kippmann　nodded。　〃Now　I　understand。〃　He　sat　on　a　desk　and　toyed　with　a　letter　opener。
　
　I　have　Kelly　and　his　group　in　custody；　I'll　r　to　you　and　Admiral　Sandecker　for　quesgood　enough；〃　Pitt　snapped。　〃If　you　want　my　cooperation　as　an　identifying　witness；　then　promise　me　a　few　minutes　alone　with　Rondheim…And　full　and　plete　custody　of　Kirsti　Fyrie。〃
　〃Impossible！〃
　〃What　does　Rondheim's　future　physical　condition　mean　to　you？〃
　〃If　I　turned　my　back　so　you　could　kick　him　in　the　teeth；　I　couldn't　let　you　have　Kirsti　Fyrie。〃
　〃You　could；〃　Pitt　said　positively。　〃Mostly　because　she　isn't　yours　to　give。　If　you're　lucky；　you　might　pin　an　acplice　charge　on　her。　But　that　might　strain　our　relations　with　Iceland；　in　event　that　wouldn't　make　our　State　Department　exactly　jump　for　joy。〃
　〃You're　wasting　your　breath；〃　Kippmann　said　impatiently。　〃She　will　be　convicted　of　murder　along　with　all　the　rest。〃
　〃Yours　is　not　to　convict；　yours　is　to　apprehend　and　arrest。〃　Kippmann　shook　his　head。　〃You　don't　understand…〃　He　broke　off　as　the　door　opened　wide。　Lazard　stood　framed　in　the　doorway；　his　face　ashen。
　
　Kippmann　stared　at　him　curiously。　〃Dan；　what　is　it？〃　Lazard　wiped　his　brow　and　slumped　into　an　empty　chair。　〃De　Croix　and　Castile　have　suddenly　changed　their　planned　excursion。　They've　shaken　their　escort　and　disappeared　somewhere　in　the　park。　God　only　knows　what　can　happen　before　we　find　them。〃
　
　Frowning；　baffled；　Kippmann's　face　expressed　a　moment　of　utter　unprehension。　〃Christ！〃　he　exploded。　〃How　could　it　happen？　How　could　you　lose　them　with　half　the　federal　agents　in　the　state　guarding　their　party？〃
　〃There　are　twenty　thousand　people　out　there　in　the　park　right　this　minute；〃　Lazard　tone。　〃It　doesn't　take　any　great　magician　to　replace　two　of　them。　feat　of　cleverness　to　Croix　and　Castile　bitched。　He　shrugged　helplessly。　〃Deal　about　our　heavy　security　precautions　from　the　second　they　stepped　through　the　main　gate。　They　went　to　the　john　together　and　gave　us　the　slip　by　ducking　out　a　side　window；　just　like　a　pair　of　kids。〃
　
　Pitt　stood　up。　〃Quickly；　do　you　have　their　tour　and　scheduled　stops？〃
　
　Lazard　stared　at　him　for　a　moment。　〃Yes；　here；　each　amusement　and　exhibit　and　their　time　schedules。〃　He　handed　Pitt　a　Xeroxed　sheet　of　paper。
　
　Pitt　rapidly　glanced　at　the　schedule。　Then　a　slow　grin　cut　his　face　as　he　turned　to　Kippmann。　〃You'd　better　send　me　into　the　game；　coach。〃y　'Major；〃　Kippmann　said　unhappily。　〃I　have　the　feeling　I'm　about　to　be　blackmailed。
　〃As　they　say　during　campus　riots；　why　won't　you　meet　our　demands？〃
　
　The　slump　of　Kippmann's　shoulders　displayed　as　sure　a　sign　of　defeat　as　if　he'd　waved　a　white　flag。　He　stared　at　Pitt。　The　eyes　that　stared　back　were　disconcertingly　steady。
　
　Kippmann　nodded。　〃Rondheim　and　Miss　Fyrie　are　yours…　They're　staying　in　the　Disneyland　Hotel　across　the　street。　Adjoining　rooms；　605　and　607。〃
　〃And　Kelly；　Marks；　Von　Hummel　and　the　rest？〃
　〃They're　all　there…　Hermit　Limited　reserved　the　entire　sixth　floor。〃　Kippmann　rubbed　his　face　unfortably。　〃Just　what　do　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃Rest　easy。　Five　minutes　with　Rondheim。　Then　You　can　have　him。　Kirsti　Fyrie　I　keep。　Call　her　a　little　bonus　from　the　N。I。A。　too。　Kippmann　gave　up　pletely。　〃You　win。　Now　where　are　De　Croix　and　Castile？〃
　〃The　obvious。〃　Pitt　smiled　at　Kippmann　and　Lazard。
　
　The　most　obvious　place　where　any　two　men　who　passed　their　childhood　near　the　Spanish　Main　would　head。〃
　〃God；　you've　hit　it；〃　Lazard　said　almost　bitterly。
　〃The　last　stop　on　the　schedule…The　Pirates　of　the　Caribbean。〃
　
　Next　to　the　cleverly　engineered　apparitions　in　the　Disneyland　Haunted　House；　The　Pirates　of　the　Caribbean　is　the　most　popular　attraction　in　the　world…famous　park。　Constructed　on　two　underground　levels　that　occupy　nearly　two　acres'。　the　quarter…of…a…mile　boat　ride　carries　awed　passengers　through　a　maze　of　tunnels　and　vast　rooms　decorated　as　roving　pirate　ships　and　pillaged　seaside　towns；　manned　by　al