alistairmaclean.seawitch-第17节

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eir　own；　faceless　and　empty　people　who　are　consistently　bypassed　in　state…to…state　negotiations。　Even　their　second　chauffeurs；　who　are　customarily　trained　espionage　agents；　wield　vastly　more　power　than　the　ambassadors　themselves。
　〃Alternatively；　we　can　make　a　direct　approach　to　the　governments　concerned。　But　for　that　we　would　have　to　have　proof。　Your　word　doesn't　e　into　question；　but　it's　not　enough。　We　must　be　able　to　adduce　positive　proof　of；　shall　we　say；　nefarious　intent。〃
　Lord　Worth　replied　immediately。　〃Such　proof　I　can　adduce　and　can　give　you　the　outline　now。　I　am　extremely　reluctant　to　name　names　because　it　will　mean　the　end　of　a　professional　career　of　a　friend　of　mine。　But　if　I　have　to；　that　I　will　do。　Whether　I　release　those　names　to　you　or　to　the　public　will　depend　entirely　upon　the　department's　reaction。　If　I　can't　receive　a　promise　of　action　after　I　have　given　you　this　outline；　then　I　have　？　no　recourse　other　than　to　approach　the　public。　This　is　not　blackmail。　Tin　in　a　corner　and　the　only　solution　is　to　fight　my　way　out　of　it。　If　you　will；　as　I　hope　you　will；　give　me　a　favorable　reaction；　I　shall；　of　course；　give　you　a　list　of　names；　which；　I　would　hope；　will　not　be　published　by　your　department。　Secrecy；　in　other　words。　Not；　of　course；　that　this　will　prevent　you　from　letting…loose　the　FBI　the　moment　I　board　my　helicopter　out　there。〃
　〃The　great　warm　heart　of　the　American　public　versus　the　inpetent　bumbling　of　the　State　Department。〃　Benton　smiled。　〃One　begins　to　understand　why　you　are　a　millionaire…I　do　apologize；　billionaire。〃
　〃Earlier　this　week　a　highly　secret　meeting　was　held　in　a　lakeside　resort　out　west。　Ten　people；　all　of　them　very　senior　oilmen；　attended　this　meeting。　Four　were　Americans；　representing　many　of　the　major　oil　panies　in　the　States。　A　fifth　was　from　Honduras。　A　sixth　was　from　Venezuela；　a　seventh　from　Nigeria。　Numbers　eight　and　nine　were　oil　sheikhs　from　the　Gulf。　The　last　was　from　the　Soviet　Union。　As　he　was　the　only　one　there　who　had　no　interest　whatsoever　hi　the　flow　of　oil　into　the　United　States；　one　can　only　presume　that　he　was　there　to　stir　up　as　much　trouble　as　possible。〃
　Lord　Worth　looked　around　at　the　five　people　in　the　room。　That　he　had　their　collective　ear　was　beyond　dispute。　Satisfied；　he　continued。
　〃The　meeting　had　one　purpose　and　one　only　in　mind。　To　stop　me　and　to　stop　me　at　all　costs。　More　precisely；　they　wanted　to　stop　the　flow　of　oil　from　the　Seawitch…that　is　the　name　of　my　oil　rig…because　I　was　considerably　undercutting　them　in　price　and　thereby　raising　all　sorts　of　fiscal　problems。　If　there　are　any　rules　or　ethics　in　the　oil　business　I　have　as　yet　to　detect　any。　I　believe　your　congressional　investigative　mittees　agree　one　hundred　per　cent　with　me　on　that。　Incidentally；　North　Hudson…that's　the　official　name　of　my　pany…has　never　been　investigated。
　〃The　only　permanent　way　to　stop　the　flow　of　oil　is　to　destroy　the　Seawitch。　Halfway　through　the　meeting　they　called　in　a　professional　trouble…shooter；　a　man　whom　I　know　well；　and　a　highly　dangerous　man　at　that。　For　reasons　I　won't　explain　until　I　get　some　sort　of　guarantee　of　help；　he　has　a　deep　and　bitter　grudge　against　me。　He　also　happens…just　coincidentally；　of　course…to　be　one　of　the　world's　top　experts；　if　not　the　very　top；　on　the　use　of　high　explosives。
　〃After　the　meeting　this　troubleshooter　called　aside　the　Venezuelan　and　Soviet　delegates　and　asked　for　naval　cooperation。　This　he　was　guaranteed。'*　Lord　Worth　looked　at　the　pany　with　a　singular　lack　of　enthusiasm。　〃Now　perhaps　you　people　will　believe　me。
　〃I　would　add　that　this　man　so　hates　me　that　he　would　probably　do　the　job　for　nothing。　However；　he　has　asked　for…and　got…a　fee　of　a　million　dollars。　He　also　asked　for…and　got…　ten　million　dollars'　'operating　expenses。'　What　does　ten　million　dollars　mean　to　you…except　the　unlimited　use　of　violence？〃
　〃Preposterous！　Incredible！〃　The　Secretary　shook　his　head。　〃It　has；　of　course；　to　be　true。　You　are　singularly　well…informed；　Lord　Worth。　You　would　appear　to　have　an　intelligence　service　to　rival　our　own。〃
　〃Better。　I　pay　them　more。　This　oil　business　is　a　jungle　and　it's　a　case　of　survival　of　the　most　devious。〃
　〃Industrial　espionage？〃
　〃Most　certainly　not。〃　It　was　just　possible　that　Lord　Worth　actually　believed　this。
　〃This　friend　who　may　be　ing　to　the　end　of　his…〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Give　me　all　the　details；　including　a　list　of　the　names。　Put　a　cross　against　the　name　of　your　friend。　I　shall　see　to　it　that　he　is　not　implicated　and　that　only　I　will　see　that　list。〃
　〃You　are　very　considerate；　Mr。　Secretary。〃
　〃In　return　I　shall　consult　with　Defense　and　the　Pentagon。〃　He　paused。　〃Even　that　will　not　be　necessary。　In　return　I　can　personally　guarantee　you　a　sufficiency　of　air　and　sea　cover　against　any　normal　or　even　considerable　hazard。〃
　Lord　Worth　didn't　doubt　him。　Benton　had　the　reputation　of　being　a　man　of　unshakable　integrity。　More　important；　he　had　the　justly　deserved　reputation　of　being　the　President's　indispensable　right…hand　man。　Benton　delivered。　Lord　Worth　decided　against　showing　too　much　relief。
　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　deeply　grateful　I　am。〃　He　looked　at　the　stenographer　and　then　at　Howell。　〃If　I　could　borrow　this　lady's　services…〃
　〃Of　course。〃　The　stenographer　turned　a　fresh　page　in　her　notebook　and　waited　expectantly。
　Lord　Worth　said：　〃The　place…Lake　Tahoe；　California。　The　address…〃
　The　telephone　jangled。　The　stenographer　gave　Lord　Worth　an　〃excuse　me〃　smile　and　picked　up　the　handset。　Howell　said　to　the　Secretary：　〃Dammit；　I　gave　the　strictest　instructions…〃
　〃It's　for　Lord　Worth。〃　She　was　looking　at　Benton。　〃A　Mr。　Mitchell　from　Florida。　Extremely　urgent。〃　The　Secretary　nodded　and　the　stenographer　rose　and　handed　the　phone　to　Lord　Worth。
　〃Michael？　How　did　you　know　I　was　here　。　。　。　Yes；　I'm　listening。〃
　He　listened　without　interruption。　As　he　did　so；　to　the　considerable　consternation　of　those　watching　him；　the　color　drained　from　his　tanned　cheeks　and　left　them　an　unhealthy　sallow　color。　It　was　Benton　himself　who　rose；　poured　out　a　brandy　and　brought　it　across　to　Lord　Worth；　who　took　it　blindly　and　drained　the　not　inconsiderable　contents　at　a　gulp。　Benton　took　the　glass　from　him　and　went　for　a　refill。　When　he　came　back　Lord　Worth　took　the　drink　but　left　it　untouched。　Instead　he　handed　the　instrument　to　Benton　and　held　his　left　hand　over　Ms　now　screwed…shut　eyes。
　Benton　spoke　into　the　phone。　〃State　Department。　Who's　speaking？〃
　Mitchell's　voice　was　faint　but　clear。　〃Michael　Mitchell；　from　Lord　Worth's　home。　Is　that…is　that　Dr。　Benton？〃
　〃Yes。　Lord　Worth　seems　to　have　received　a　severe　shock。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　His　two　daughters　have　been　kidnaped。〃
　〃Good　God　above！〃　Benton's　habitual　imperturbability　had　received　a　severe　dent。　No　one　had　even　seen　him　register　shock　before。　Perhaps　it　was　the　bluntness　of　the　announcement。　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃I　wish　to　hell　I　wasn't；　sir。〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　〃We…my　partner　John　Roomer　and　I…are　private　investigators。　We　are　not　here　in　an　investigative　capacity。　We　are　here　because　we　are　neighbors　and　friends　of　Lord　Worth　and　his　daughters。〃
　〃Called　the　police？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃What's　been　done？〃
　〃We　have　arranged　for　the　blocking　of　all　air　and　sea　escape　routes。〃
　〃You　have　descriptions？〃
　〃Poor。　Five　men；　heavily　armed；　wearing　stocking　masks。〃
　〃What's　your　opinion　of　the　local　law？〃
　〃Low。〃
　〃I'll　call　in　the　FBI。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　But　as　the　criminals　haven't　been　traced；　there's　no　evidence　that　they've　crossed　the　state　line。〃
　〃Hell　with　state　lines　and　regulations。　If　I　say　they're　called　in；　that's　it。　Hold　on。　I　think　Lord　Worth　would　like　another　word。〃　Lord　Worth　took　the　receiver。　Some　color　had　returned　to　his　cheeks。
　〃I'm　leaving　now。　Less　than　three　hours；　I　should　say。　I'll　radio　from　the　Boeing　half　an　hour　out。　Meet　me　at　the　airport。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　mander　Larsen　would　like　to　know…〃
　〃Tell　him。〃　Lord　Worth　replaced　the　phone；　took　another　sip　of　his　brandy。　〃There's　no　fool　like　an　old　fool；　and　only　a　blind　fool　would　have　overlooked　so　obvious　a　move。　This　is　war；　even　if　undeclared　war；　and　in　war　no　holds　are　barred。　To　think　that　it　should　e　to　this　before　you　had　incontrovertible　proof　that　I　am　indeed　under　siege。　Unforgivable。　To　have　left　my　daughters　unguarded　was　wholly　unforgivable。　Why　didn't　I　have　the　sense　to　leave　Mitchell　and　Roomer　on　guard？〃　He　looked　at　his　now…empty　glass　and　the　stenographer　took　it　away。
　Benton　was　faintly　skeptical。　〃But　against　five　armed　men？〃
　Lord　Worth　looked　at　him　morosely。　〃I　had　forgotten　that　you　don't　know　those　men。　Mitchell；　for　example；　could　have　taken　care　of　them　all　by　himself。　He's　lethal。〃
　〃So　they're　your　friends；　and　you　respect　them。　Don't　take　offense；　Lord　Worth；　but　is　there　any　way　that　they　could　be　implicated　in　this？〃
　〃You　must　be　out　of　your　mind。〃　Lord　Worth；　still　morose；　sipped　his　third　brandy。　〃Sorry；　I'm　not　myself。　Sure；　they'd　like　to　kidnap　my　daughters；　almost　as　much　as　my　daughters　would　like　to　be　kidnaped　by　them。〃
　〃That　the　way　it　is？〃　Benton　seemed　mildly　astonished。　In　his　experience；　billionaires'　daughters　did　not　normally　associate　with　the　likes　of　private　investigators。
　〃That's　the　way。　And　hi　answe