alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第35节

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ore　waswell；　half　the　score；　anyway。　Three　was　enough。　I　only　hoped　it　wasn't　too　much。
　 Thereafter　Swanson　did　the　talking；　Benson　would　take　it　better　from　him　than　he　would　from　me。　Swanson　said；　〃Where　were　you　thinking　of　putting　the　sick　men　we've　sent　back　aboard？〃
　 〃In　the　most　fortable　places　I　can　find。　Officers'　quarters；　crew's　quarters；　scattered　all　over　so　that　no　one　is　upset　too　mUch。　Spread　the　load；　so　to　speak。〃　He　paused。　〃I　didn't　know　of　the　latestum…development　at　the　time。　Things　are　somewhat　different　now。〃
　 〃They　are。　Half　of　them　in　the　wardroom；　the　other　half　in　the　crew's　mess　No；　the　crew's　quarters。　No　reason　why　they　shouldn't　be　made　fortable。　If　they　wonder　at　this；　you　can　say　it's　for　ease　of　medical　treatment　and　that　they　can　all　be　under　constant　medical　watch；　like　heart　patients　in　a　ward。　Get　Dr。　Jolly　behind　you　in　this。　He　seems　a　co…operative　type。　And　I've　no　doubt　he'll　support　you　in　your　next　movethat　all　patients　are　to　be　stripped；　bathed　and　provided　with　clean　pajamas。　If　they're　too　ill　to　move；　a　bed　bath。　Dr。　Carpenter　here　tells　me　that　prevention　of　infection　is　of　paramount　importance　in　cases　of　severe　burn　injuries。〃
　 〃And　their　clothes？〃
　 〃You　catch　on　more　quickly　than　I　did；〃　Swanson　grunted。　〃All　their　clothes　to　be　taken　away　and　labeled。　All　contents　to　be　removed　and　labeled。　The　clothes；　for　anyone's　information；　are　to　be　disinfected　and　laundered。〃
　 〃It　might　help　if　I　am　permitted　to　know　just　what　we　are　looking　for；〃　Benson　suggested。
　 Swanson　looked　at　me。
　 〃God　knows；〃　I　said。　〃Anything　and　everything。　One　thing　certainyou　won't　find　a　gun。　Be　especially　careful　in　labeling　gloveswhen　we　get　back　to　Britain；　we'll　have　the　experts　test　them　for　nitrates　from　the　gun　used。〃
　 〃If　anyone　has　brought　aboard　anything　bigger　than　a　postage　stamp；　I'll　find　it；〃　Benson　promised。
　 〃Are　you　sure？〃　I　asked。　〃Even　if　you　brought　it　aboard　yourself？〃
　 〃What？　Me？　What　the　devil　are　you　suggesting？〃
　 〃I'm　suggesting　that　something　may　have　been　shoved　inside　your　medical　kit；　even　your　pockets；　when　you　weren't　looking。〃
　 〃Good　Lord。〃　He　dug　feverishly　into　his　pockets。　〃The　idea　never　even　occurred　to　me。〃
　 〃You　haven't　the　right　type　of　nasty；　suspicious　mind；〃　Swanson　said　dryly。　〃Off　you　go。　You　too；　John。〃
　 They　left；　and　Swanson　and　I　went　inside。　Once　I'd　checked　that　the　two　men　really　were　unconscious；　we　went　to　work。　It　must　have　been　many　years　since　Swanson　had　policed　a　deck　or　parade　ground；　much　less　doubled　as　scavenger；　but　he　took　to　it　in　the　manner　born。　He　was　assiduous；　painstaking　and　missed　nothing。　Neither　did　I。　We　cleared　a　corner　of　the　hut　and　brought　over　there　every　single　article　that　was　either　lying　on　the　floor　or　attached　to　the　still　ice…covered　walls。　Nothing　was　missed。　It　was　either　shaken；　turned　over；　opened　or　emptied　according　to　what　it　was。　Fifteen　minutes　and　we　were　all　through。　If　there　was　anything　bigger　than　a　match　stick　to　be　found　in　that　room；　we　would　have　found　it。　But　we　found　nothing。　Then　we　scattered　everything　back　over　the　floor　again　until　the　hut　looked　more　or　less　as　it　had　before　our　search。　If　either　of　the　two　unconscious　men　came　to；　I　didn't　want　him　knowing　that　we　had　been　looking　for　anything。
　 〃We're　no　great　shakes　in　the　detecting　business；〃　Swanson　said。　He　looked　slightly　discouraged。
　 〃We　can't　find　what　isn't　here　to　be　found。　And　it　doesn't　help　that　we　don't　know　what　we're　looking　for。　Let's　try　for　the　gun　now。　May　be　anywhere；　he　may　even　have　thrown　it　away　on　the　ice　cap；　though　I　think　that　unlikely。　A　killer　never　likes　to　lose　his　means　of　killingand　he　couldn't　have　been　sure　that　he　wouldn't　require　it　again。　There　aren't　so　very　many　places　to　search。　He　wouldn't　have　left　it　here；　for　this　is　the　main　bunkhouse　and　in　constant　use。　That　leaves　only　the　met　office　and　the　lab　where　the　dead　men　are　lying。〃
　 〃He　could　have　hidden　it　among　the　ruins　of　one　of　the　burnt…out　huts；〃　Swanson　objected。
　 〃Not　a　chance。　Our　friend　has　been　here　for　some　months　now；　and　he　must　know　exactly　the　effect　those　ice　storms　have。　The　spicules　silt　up　against　any　object　that　lies　in　their　path。　The　metal　frameworks　at　the　bases　of　the　destroyed　buildings　are　still　in　position；　and　the　floors　of　the　hutsor　where　the　wooden　floors　used　to　beare　covered　with　solid　ice　to　a　depth　of　from　four　to　six　inches。　He　would　have　done　as　well　to　bury　his　gun　in　quick…setting　concrete。〃
　 We　started　on　the　meteorological　hut。　We　looked　in　every　shelf；　every　box；　every　cupboard；　and　had　just　started　ripping　the　backs　off　the　metal　cabinets　that　housed　the　meteorological　equipment　when　Swanson　said　abruptly；　〃I　have　an　idea。　Back　in　a　couple　of　minutes。〃
　 He　was　better　than　his　word。　He　was　back　in　a　minute　flat；　carrying　in　his　hands　four　objects　that　glittered　wetly　in　the　lamplight　and　smelled　strongly　of　petrol。　A　guna　Mauser　automaticthe　halt　and　broken…off　blade　of　a　knife；　and　two　rubber…wrapped　packages　that　turned　out　to　be　spare　magazines　for　the　Mauser。　He　said：　〃I　guess　this　was　what　you　were　looking　for。〃
　 〃Where　did　you　find　them？〃
　 〃The　tractor。　In　the　gas　tank。〃
　 〃What　made　you　think　of　looking　there？〃
　 〃Just　luck。　I　got　to　thinking　about　your　remark　that　the　man　who　had　used　this　gun　might　want　to　use　it　again。　But　if　he　was　to　hide　it　anywhere　where　it　was　exposed　to　the　weather；　it　might　have　bee　jammed　up　with　ice。　Even　if　it　didn't；　he　might　have　figured　that　the　metal　would　contract；　so　that　the　shells　wouldn't　fit；　or　that　the　firing　mechanism　and　lubricating　oil　would　freeze　solid。　Only　two　things　don't　freeze　solid　in　those　sub…zero　temperaturesalcohol　and　gasoline。　You　can't　hide　a　gun　in　a　bottle　of　gin。〃
　 〃It　wouldn't　have　worked；〃　I　said。　〃Metal　would　still　contractthe　petrol　is　as　cold　as　the　surrounding　air。〃
　 〃Maybe　he　didn't　know　that。　Or　if　he　did；　maybe　he　just　thought　it　was　a　good　place　to　hide　it；　quick　and　handy。〃　He　looked　consideringly　at　me　as　I　broke　the　butt　and　looked　at　the　empty　magazine；　then　said　sharply：　〃You're　smearing　that　gun　a　little；　aren't　you？〃
　 〃Finger　prints？　Not　after　being　in　petrol。　He　was　probably　Wearing　gloves；　anyway。〃
　 〃So　why　did　you　want　it？〃
　 〃Serial　number。　May　be　able　to　trace　it。　It's　even　possible　that　the　killer　had　a　police　permit　for　it。　It's　happened　before；　believe　it　or　not。　And　you　must　remember　that　the　killer　believed　there　would　be　no　suspicion　of　foul　play；　much　less　that　a　search　would　be　carried　out　for　the　gun。
　 〃Anyway；　this　knife　explains　the　gun。　Firing　guns　is　a　noisy　business；　and　I'm　surprisedI　was　surprisedthat　the　killer　risked　it。　He　might　have　waked　the　whole　camp。　But　he　had　to　take　the　risk　because　he'd　gone　and　snapped　off　the　business　end　of　this　little　sticker　here。　This　is　a　very　slender　blade；　the　kind　it's　very　easy　to　snap　unless　you　know　exactly　what　you're　doing；　especially　when　extreme　cold　makes　the　metal　brittle。　He　probably　struck　a　rib　or　broke　the　blade　trying　to　haul　it　out：　a　knife　slides　in　easily　enough　but　it　can　jam　against　cartilage　or　bone　when　you　try　to　remove　it。〃
　 〃You　meanyou　mean　the　killer　murdered　a　〃third〃　man？〃　Swanson　asked　carefully。　〃With　this　knife？〃
　 〃The　third　man　but　the　first　victim；〃　I　nodded。　〃The　missing　half　of　the　blade　will　be　stuck　inside　someone's　chest。　But　I'm　not　going　to　look　for　it：　it　would　be　pointless　and　take　far　too　long。〃
　 〃I'm　not　sure　that　I　don't　agree　with　Hansen；〃　Swanson　said　slowly。　〃I　know　it's　impossible　to　explain　away　the　sabotage　on　the　boatbut；　my　God；　this　looks　like　the　work　of　a　maniac。　All　thisall　this　senseless　killing。〃
　 〃All　this　killing；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　not　senseless…not　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　killer。　No；　don't　ask　me；　I　don't　know　what　his　…point　of　view　wasor　is。　I　knowyou　knowwhy　he　started　the　fire：　what　we　don't　know　is　why　he　killed　those　men　in　the　first　place。〃
　 Swanson　shook　his　head；　then　said：　〃Let's　get　back　to　the　other　hut。　I'll　phone　for　someone　to　keep　a　watch　over　those　sick　men。　I　don't　know　about　you；　but　I'm　frozen　stiff。　And　you　had　no　sleep　last　night。〃
　 〃I'll　watchthem　meantime；〃　I　said。　〃For　an　hour　or　so。　And　I've　some　thinking　to　do；　some　very　hard　thinking。〃
　 〃You　haven't　much　to　go　on；　have　you？〃
　 〃That's　what　makes　it　so　hard。〃
　
　
　 I'd　said　to　Swanson　that　I　didn't　have　much　to　go　on；　a　less　than　accurate　statement；　for　I　didn't　have　anything　to　go　on　at　all。　So　I　didn't　waste　any　time　thinking。　Instead　I　took　a　flashlight　and　went　once　again　to　the　lab　where　the　dead　men　lay。　I　was　cold　and　tired　and　alone；　and　darkness　was　falling　and　I　didn't　very　much　fancy　going　there。　Nobody　would　have　fancied　going　there；　a　place　of　dreadful　death　which　any　sane　person　would　have　avoided　like　the　plague。　And　that　was　why　I　was　going　there；　not　because　I　wasn't　sane；　but　because　it　was　a　place　that　no　man　would　ever　voluntarily　visitunless　he　had　an　extremely　powerful　motivation；　such　as　the　intention　of　picking　up　some　essential　thing　he　had　hidden　there　in　the　near　certainty　that　no　one　else　would　ever　go　near　the　place。　It　sounded　plicated；　even　to　me。　I　was　very　tired。　I　made　a　fuzzy