alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第44节
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and Grant to get out； not forgetting that he would also have to stop to pick up the Nife cells。 And there is one more point in his favoran apparent point； that is。 I still don't think that Benson's fall was an accident； and if it was no accident it is difficult to see how Jolly could have arranged it while he was at the foot of the sail and Benson at the top； and it's even more difficult to see why he should have stood at the foot of the sail and let Benson fall on top of him。〃
〃You're putting up a very good defense case for both Jolly and Kinnaird；〃 Swanson murmured。
〃No。 I'm only saying what a defense lawyer would say。〃
〃Hewson；〃 Swanson said slowly。 〃Or Naseby； the cook。 Or Hewson 〃and〃 Naseby。 Don't you think it damned funny that those two； who were sleeping at the back or east side of the cookhouse； which was the first part of the hut to catch fire； should have managed to escape while the other twoFlanders and Bryce； wasn't it？who slept in the middle should have suffocated in there？ Naseby said he shouted at them and shook them violently。 Maybe he could have shouted and shaken all night without result。 Maybe they were already unconsciousor dead。 Maybe they had seen Naseby or Hewson or both removing food supplies and had been silenced。 Or maybe they had been silenced 〃before〃 anything had been removed。 And don't forget the gun。 It was hidden in the gas tank of the tractor； a pretty damned funny place for a man to hide anything。 But nothing funny about the idea occurring to Hewson； was there？ He was the tractor driver。 And he seems to have taken his time about getting around to warning Captain Folsom。 He said he had to make a wide circuit to avoid the flames but apparently Naseby didn't find it so bad when he went to the radio room。 Another thinga pretty telling point； I think； he said that when he was on the way to the bunkhouse the oil drums in the fuel store started exploding。 If they only started exploding then； how e all the hutsthe five that were eventually destroyed； that iswere already uncontrollably on fire？ They were uncontrollably on fire because they were saturated by flying oil so the first explosions must have e a long time before then。 And； apart from warning Folsomwho had already been warnedHewson doesn't seem to have done very much after the fire started。〃
〃You'd make a pretty good prosecuting counsel yourself； mander。 But wouldn't you think there's just too much superficially against Hewson？ That a clever man wouldn't have allowed so much superficial evidence to accumulate against him？ You would have thought that at least he would have indulged in a little fire…fighting heroics to call attention to himself。〃
〃No。 You're overlooking the fact that he would never have had reason to expect that there would be any investigation into the causes of the fire。 That the situation would never arise where heor anyone else； for that matter…would have to justify his actions and behavior if accusations were to be leveled against him。〃
〃I've said it before and I say it again。 People like that 〃never〃 take a chance。 They always act on the assumption that they 〃may〃 be found out。〃
〃How could they be found out？〃 Swanson protested。 〃How could they possibly expect to have suspicion aroused？〃
〃You don't think it possible that they suspect we're on to them？〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃That wasn't what you were saying last night after that hatch fell on me；〃 I pointed out。 〃You said it was obvious that someone was on to me。〃
〃Thank God all I have to do is the nice； unplicated job of running a nuclear submarine；〃 Swanson said heavily。 〃The truth is； I don't know what to think any more。 How about this cook fellowNaseby？〃
〃You think he was in cahoots with Hewson？〃
〃If we accept the premise that the men in the cookhouse who were not in on this business had to be silenced； and Naseby wasn't； then he must have been； mustn't he？ But； damn it； how about his attempt to rescue Flanders and Bryce？〃
〃May just have been a calculated risk。 He saw how Jeremy flattened Kinnaird when he tried to go back into the radio room a second time and perhaps calculated that Jeremy would oblige again if he tried a similar but fake rescue act。〃
〃Maybe Kinnaird's second attempt was also fake；〃 Swanson said。 〃After all； Jeremy had already tried to stop him once。〃
〃Maybe it was；〃 I agreed。 〃But Naseby。 If he's your man； why should he have said that the radio…room door was jammed with ice and that he had to burst it open？ That gives Kinnaird and Jolly an outand a murderer wouldn't do anything to put any other potential suspect in the clear。〃
〃It's hopeless；〃 Swanson said calmly。 〃I say let's put the whole damned crowd of them under lock and key。〃
〃That would be clever；〃 I said。 〃Yes； let's do just that That way we'll never find out who the murderer is。 Anyway； before you start giving up； remember it's even more plicated than that。 Remember you're passing up the two most obvious suspects of allJeremy and Hassardtwo tough； intelligent birds who； if they were the killers； were clever enough to see that 〃nothing〃 pointed the finger against them。 Unless； of course； there might have been something about Flanders and Bryce that Jeremy didn't want anyone to see； so he stopped Naseby from going back into the cookhouse。 Or not。〃
Swanson almost glared at me。 Watching his submarine plummeting out of control beyond the 1；000…feet mark was something that rated； maybe the lift of an eyebrow； but this was something else again。 He said： 〃Very well； then； we'll let the killer run loose and wreck the 〃Dolphin〃 at his leisure。 I must have very considerable confidence in you； Dr。 Carpenter。 I feel sure my confidence will not be misplaced。 Tell me one last thing。 I assume you are a highly skilled investigator。 But I was puzzled by one omission in your questioning。 A vital question； I should have thought。〃
〃Who suggested moving the corpses into the lab； knowing that by doing so he would be making his hiding place for the cached material a hundred per cent fool…proof？〃
〃I apologize。〃 He smiled faintly。 〃You had your reasons； of course。〃
〃Of course。 You're not sure whether or not the killer is on to the fact that we are on to him。 I'm sure。 I know he's not。 But had I asked that question； he'd have known immediately that there could be only one reason for my asking it。 Then he would have known I was on to him。 Anyway； it's my guess that Captain Folsom gave the order； but the original suggestion； carefully camouflaged so that Folsom may no longer be able to pin it down； would have e from another quarter。〃
Had it been a few months earlier； with the summer Arctic sun riding in the sky； it would have been a brilliant day。 As it was； there was no sun； not in that latitude and so late in the year； but； for all that； the weather was about as perfect as it was possible for it to be。 Thirty…six hoursthe time that had elapsed since Hansen and I had made that。 savage trip back to the 〃Dolphin〃had brought about a change that seemed pretty close' to miraculous。 The knifing east wind had died pletely。 That flying sea of ice spicules was no more。 The temperature had risen at least twenty degrees； and the visibility Was as perfect as visibility on the winter ice pack ever is。
Swanson； sharing Benson's viewpoint on the crew's oversedentary mode of existence and taking advantage of the fine weather； had advised everyone not engaged in actual watch…keeping to take advantage of the opportunity offered to stretch their legs in the fresh air。 It said much for Swanson's powers of persuasion that by eleven that morning the 〃Dolphin〃 was practically deserted； and of course the crew； to whom Drift Ice Station Zebra was only so many words； were understandably curious to see the place； even the shell of the place； that had brought them to the top of the world。
I took my place at the end of the small line being treated by Dr。 Jolly。 It was close to noon 。before he got around to me。 He was making light of his own burns and frostbite and was in tremendous form； bustling happily about the sick bay as if it had been his own private domain for years。
'Well；〃 I said； 〃the pill…rolling petition wasn't so fierce after all； was it？ I'm damned glad there was a third doctor around。 How are things on the medical front？〃
〃ing along not too badly； old boy；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃Benson's picking up very nicely。 Pulse； respiration； blood pressure close to normal； level of unconsciousness very slight now； I should say。 Captain Folsom's still in considerable pain； but no actual danger； of course。 The rest have improved a hundred per cent； little thanks to the medical fraternity。 Excellent food； warm beds； and the knowledge that they're safe have done them more good than anything we could ever do。 Anyway； it's done me a lot of good； by Jove！〃
〃And them；〃 I agreed。 〃All your friends except Folsom and the Harrington twins have followed most of the crew on to the ice； and I'll wager that if you had suggested to them forty…eight hours ago that they'd willingly go out there again in so short a time； they'd have called for a straitjacket。〃
〃The physical and mental recuperative power of homo sapiens；〃 Jolly said jovially。 〃Beyond belief at ti
