johngardner.winloseordie-第28节

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Repeat　。　。　。'　Then　came　the　other　sounds：　the　cry；　the　thump　as　the　small　metal　recorder　hit　the　floor；　the　final　horrible　sounds　of　Morgan's　death；　followed　by　the　muflled　tape　still　running；　and　behind　it　other　noises。　A　woman's　voice；　then　another。　They　were　unclear；　but　he　also　thought　he　eould　hear　a　noise；　as　though　someone　were　trying　to　move　the　body。　There　was　the　muffled　sound　of　footsteps　on　the　tiles。　Then　silence。
The　problem　that　concerned　James　Bond　was　the　list　of　Royal　Navy　personnel　that　the　late　Ed　Morgan　was　trying　to　have　cleared　with　Washington。　It　was　quite　obvious　that　there　was　some　munications　arrangement　with　Invincible　…　probably　an　American　cipher　machine　had　been　installed。　The　whole　thing　would　have　been　automatic；　the　dictating…machine's　tape　would　be　fed　onto　a　cipher　tape　which　would　translate　it　into　whatever　random　jumble　they　were　using；　and　the　entire　message　would　be　squirted　to　Washington　in　a　fraction　of　a　second。　That　was　a　secondary　business；　though。　The　real　worry　lay　in　the　list　of　people　Morgan　wanted　checked　out。
　Bond　picked　up　the　'phone　and　dialled　the　bridge。　A　young　midshipman　came　on；　and；　in　a　few　seconds；　following　some　urgent　instructions；　Rear…Admiral　Sir　John　Walmsley　spoke；　'Be　quick　about　it。　Bond。　I'm　trying　to　get　this　force　through　the　Channel　without　Blue　Side〃s　submarines　blowing　us　all　to　hell。'
　Bond　took　less　than　a　minute。　There　was　a　long　silence；　then　Walmsley　said；　'Get　up　here。　You'd　best　break　the　bad　news　to　Admiral　Gudeon　himself。　Get　up　here　now。'
　〃Aye…Aye；　sir。'　Bond　stowed　away　the　late　Ed　Morgan's　ID　and　the　dictiiting…machine；　grabbed　his　cap　and　left　the　cabin　at　a　run。
'I　am　not　pulling　out　of　this　exercise。　Bond。　Not　for　you；　not　for　anyone。　It's　all　far　too　important。　Particularly　what's　due　to　happen　tomorrow　night　when　we　should　be　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay。　That's　too　important；　politically。'　Sir　John　Walmsley's　bearded　jaw　stuck　forward；　giving　him　an　awesomely　stubborn　look。　They　were　in　the　Rear…Admiral's　night　cabin。
　Bond　shrugged。　'A（　least　the　Stewards〃　Meeting　team　has　to　be　informed。'
　'As　security　liaison　are　you　telling　me　to　do　this？　Or　is　it　merely　a　suggestion'？'
'1　think　you　should　do　it；　sir。〃
　'I　wouldn't　need　to　make　any　fuss　if　you　nailed　whoever　did　this。'
'And。　with　respect；　sir。　I'm　not　Sherloek　Holmes。'
　'I　thought　you　people　could　be　all　things　to　all　men　…　and　women。'
　'Then　I'll　try　to　be　a　Sherlock。　sir。　I　suppose　I'd　better　break　the　news　to　Admiral　Gudeon；　and　his　man　。　。　。'
'Mr　Israel　。　。　。'　the　Rear…Admiral　filled　in　for　him。
'Yes。　Joe　Israel。　Both　of　them　together；　I　think；　sir。〃
　Walmsley　paused　by　the　door。　'Cantankerous　old　bugger；　Gudeon。　Even　tried　to　tefl　me　how　to　run　my　own　ship。'
'Doesn't　surprise　me　in　the　least；　sir。'　Bond　gave　him　a　bland　smile；　and　Walmsley　did　not　catch　on　to　the　fact　that　he　had　been　mildly　insulted　by　this　officer　who　was　a　'funny1。
　Five　minutes　later。　Admiral　Gudeon　and　Joe　Israel　arrived　at　Bond's　cabin。　Israel　was　tall；　somewhere　around　six…four。　Bond　guessed。　He　had　a　shock　of　greying　hair　and　that　lazy；　cultivaied　walk　and　stance　so　often　used　by　bullet…catchers　to　disguise　their　constant　alertness。　When　he　came　in；　leading　the　way　for　Admiral　Gudeon。　he　gave　one　of　his　special　smiles。　Joe　Israel　smiled　a　lot；　a　kind　of　overbite　smile　which　lit　up　his　eyes。　He　also　had　a　spontaneous　laugh：　loud；　open…mouthed　and　infectious。　Joe　Israel　did　not　laugh　during　the　first　part　of　the　interview。
　'John　Walmsley　said　you　needed　to　see　both　of　us。　Bond。'　Gudeon　sounded　disgruntled；　like　a　child　called　away　from　playing　with　his　train　set　…　which　in　some　ways　he　had　been　as　all　hell　was　breaking　loose　on　the　bridge　as　invincible　went　through　fas！　turns　and　changes　of　course。　The　submarines　were　still　positioning　themselves　around　the　Task　Force；　warning　but　not　firing。
　'I　suggest　you　sit　down；　sir。　I　have　some　pretty　serious；　and　bad；　news　for　both　of　you。'
　'Oh？'　Gudeon　sounded　as　though　all　news　to　him　was　bad　news。
'The　senior　officer　in　your　bodyguard　。　。　。'
　'Morgan？'　Gudeon　dropped　into　a　chair。　Joe　Israel　stood　directly　behind　him。
'Ed　Morgan；'　Bond　nodded；　'I'm　afraid　Ed　Morgan　is　dead。'
　He　noted　that　Joe　Israel　looked　shocked。　Gudeon's　mouth　opened。　'Oh。　my　God；'　he　said；　this　time　sounding　genuinely　concerned。　'How；　in　heaven's　name？'
'He　was　murdered。'
　'Murdered？'　They　both　spoke　together；　Israel　a　touch　before　his　boss。　Then　Gudeon　spoke　alone。　'How　murdered？　People　don't　get　murdered　on　one　of　Her　Majesty's　capital　ships。'
This　one　did。'
'How？'
〃He　got　his　throat　cut。　In　the　Wrens'　heads。　Very　unpleasant。'
Gudeon　just　stared　ahead。　Israel　made　a　sound　like　the　word　'But！'
　'I　have　a　couple　of　questions　for　Mr　Israel；　here。　Then　I'd　tike　to　talk　alone　with　you。　sir。'
　The　Admiral　just　nodded　an　okay。　He　suddenly　looked　older　and　shocked。
〃Joe？　1　can　call　you　Joe？'
'Sure；　sir。'
'Okay。　Had　you　ever　worked　with　Ed　Morgan　before？'
　'Never。　He　was　very　new　to　me。　Never　even　met　him　before　this　assignment。　But　he　was　sharp。'　The　way　he　said　it。　Israel　sounded　as　though　he　meant　Ed　Morgan　was　too　sharp。
'And　he　came　to　a　sharp　end。　I　fear。〃
　Israel　shook　his　head。　There　was　just　a　mite　of　sadness；　or　shock。　'It's　tough。'　Then　he　looked　down　at　the　Admiral；　'Who　takes　charge；　sir？'
　Gudeon　cleared　his　throat。　〃Well。　Well；　you're　senior　aren't　you？'
'It's　why　I　asked；　sir。'
　'Okay；　you　take　over　until　we　clear　it　all　with　Dancer's　people。'　His　eyes　flicked　up　to　Bond；　as　though　he　had　said　something　wrong。
　'It's　okay；　Admiral　Gudeon。　I　am　in　overall　charge　of　security。　I　know　who　Dancer　is；　and　I　know　he's　not　one　of　Santa's　reindeer。　Now。　I　just　want　to　check　times　wilh　Mr　Israel。'　He　looked　up　at　the　big　man。　'You　were　minding　the　Admiral　tonight。'
'Yep。〃
'With　him　all　the　time？'
　'Had　dinner　with　him；　sir。　Yes。　Then　we　both　changed　and　I　acpanied　him　to　the　bridge。'
'What　time　was　that？'
'23。40；　around　twenty　minutes　before　the　war　started。'
'And　you've　been　with　him　all　the　time；　since　then？'
'Up　there　until　we　were　asked　ro　get　down　here。'
　'Is　there　anything　we　should　do　about　getting　details　back　to　Washington？　You　have　special　procedures？'
'Yes。　I'll　deal　with　all　that。'
〃Okay。'　Bond　pretended　to　be　lost　in　thought　for　a　couple　of　seconds。　'Not　slraight　away；　though；　if　you　don't　mind。　I　want　you　to　wait　outside　with　the　marine　guard。　I　need　a　little　time　with　the　Admiral。　Then　we'll　get　the　whole　of　this　done　officially。
〃Excuse　me。〃　This　last　to　Gudeon　as　Bond　went　to　the　cabin　door　and　spoke　to　the　marine　guard；　telling　him　that　Mr　Israel　would　wait　outside；　and　go　nowhere　else　until　the　Admiral　came　out。
　'Ed　Morgan？'　Bond　phrased　it　as　a　question；　back　again　behind　his　desk。　Gudeon　looked　worried；　and　he　did　not　seem　to　be　ihe　kind　of　man　who　got　worried　easily。
'What　about　him？'
　　LI　need　some　answers；　т。　I'm　entitled　to　answers；　particularly　as　I'm　going　to　be　handling　all　this　security　for　Stewards'　Meeting。　I'm　not　altogether　happy　about　dealing　with　personal　bodyguards　on　an　international　scale。　Now；　Ed　Morgan　wasn't　a　Secret　Service　bodyguard　in　the　true　sense　of　the　word；　was　he？'
'How　in　hell　do　you　know　that？'
？It's　my　job　to　know　it；　sir。'
'Nobody　was　supposed　to　have　wind　of　it。'
　'I've　been　in　the　business　some　time。　You　like　to　tell　me　about　him？'
　Gudeon　sighed。　LGuess　so。'　He　now　looked　truly　older　and　greyer。　If　it　were　not　for　the　uniform　he　could　have　been　just　right　for　some　guy　sitting　in　a　rocker　on　the　stoop　of　a　house　in　a　Norman　Rockwell　illustration。
　'Ed　was　my　nominee。　We'd　worked　together　before；　and　I　figured　him　as　the　best　man　for　the　job。　He　was　a　mander；　by　the　way。　Navy　Intelligence　…　which　included　some　held　work。'
　'Okay。　Do　you　know　how　he　was　handling　munieations　with　Washington？'
'Yes。　I　do。〃'
'Was　it　directly　through　our　munications　staff　on　board？'
　A　lengthy　pause。　〃No。　I　have　a　closed　channel　micro　transmitter　in　my　cabin。　When　Ed　wanted　to　transmit　he　was　to　get　onto　me；　and　I'd　give　him　the　okay。'
'How　does　it　work？'
　〃How　docs　any　of　this　stuff　work？　All　damned　magic　to　me。　There's　a　place　for　a　small　tape　in　the　thing。　1　gather　he　simply　inserted　a　tape　with　his　message　en　clair；　locked　on　to　the　FLATS　we　used；　and　the　message　was　squirted　in　cipher　to　another　ship。　They　would　pass　it　on　to　Washington。　That's　the　basics　anyhow。'
　'FLATS　is　generic　for　US　Navy　satellite　munications；　right；　sir？'
Gudeon　gave　a　tiny　nod；　like　someone　bad　pricked　him　on
the　hack　of　the　neck。
'Did　he　use　il　when　you　came　aboard？'
　'No；'　a　little　tight…lipped。　'Look。　Captain　Bond；　I'm　trying　to　co…operate；　hut　I　have　quite　a　problem　on　my　hands。　Morgan　wanted　to　use　our　munications　link　around　dawn。　I　said　I'd　be　down　ю　unlock　it　and　put　the　keys　in。　He　didn't　confide　in　me；　but　he　was　concerned　about　something；　something　on　board。　Wanted　i（　checked　out　by　Washington　before　he　would　okay　Dancer　ing　in　for　Stewards'　Meeting。　Now　I'm　in　the　cold。　1　have　to　make　the　decision。　And　I　have　to　make　it　without　knowing　what　Morgan　wanted。'
　'I　really　shouldn't　worry　too　much　about　。　；　。'　The　telephone　buzzed　and　Bond　excused　himself　to　take　the　call。　I