alistairmaclean.seawitch-第19节

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　Roomer　said：　〃Neither　did　I。　I'm　not　sure　that　I　even　think　so　now。〃
　〃You　mean　Uncle　Sam's　not　going　to　let　any　foreign　naval　powers　play　games　in　our　own　backyard？〃
　〃Something　like　that。　I　don't　think　the　Soviets　would　go　so　far　as　to　risk　a　confrontation。　Could　be　a　bluff；　a　diversionary　move。　Maybe　the　real　attack　is　ing　from　elsewhere。〃
　〃Maybe　anything。　Could　be　a　double　blwff。　One　thing's　sure：　Larsen's　right　in　saying　that　Lord　Worth's　cup　of　woes　is　fairly　full。　In　fact；　I'd　say　it　was　running　over。〃
　〃Looks　that　way；〃　Roomer　said　absently。　His　thoughts　were　clearly　elsewhere。
　Mitchell　said：　〃Don't　tell　me　you're　in　the　throes　of　intuition　again？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。　When　you　were　talking　to　Larsen　just　now　you　mentioned　'terra　firma。'　Firm　land；　dry　land。　What　if　it　weren't　dry　land？　What　if　it　were　Unfirm　land？〃
　Mitchell　waited　patiently。
　Roomer　said：　〃If　you　wanted　to　hole　up；　really　get　lost　hi　Florida；　where　would　you　go？〃
　Mitchell　hardly　had　to　think。　〃You're　right！　Unfirm　laud；　infirm　land；　whatever　you　want　to　call　it。　The　Everglades；　of　course。　Where　else？〃
　〃Man　could　hide　out　for　a　month　there；　and　a　battalion　of　troops　couldn't　find　him。　Which　explains　why　the　cops　have　been　unable　to　find　the　station　wagon。〃　Between　them；　MacPherson　and　Jenkins　had　been　able　to　give　a　fairly　accurate　description　of　the　kidnapers'　wagon。　〃They've　been　checking　the　highways　and　byways。　I'll　bet　they　never　even　thought　of　checking　the　roads　into　the　swamps。〃
　〃Did　we？〃
　〃Right。　We　blew　it。　There　are　dozens　of　those　roads　into　the　glades；　but　most　of　them　are　very　short　and　right　away　you　reach　a　point　where　a　wheeled　vehicle　can't　go　any　further。　A　few　dozen　police　cars　could　b　the　nearest　swamps　in　an　hour。〃
　Mitchell　said　to　Robertson：　〃Get　Chief　Mc…Garrity。〃

　A　knock　came　on　the　half…open　door　and　Louise；　one　of　the　young　housemaids；　entered。　She　held　a　card　in　her　hand。　She　said：　〃I　was　just　making　up　Miss　Marina's　bed　when　I　found　this　between　the　sheets。〃
　Mitchell　took　the　card。　It　was　a　plain　calling　card　giving　Marina's　name　and　address。
　Louise　said：　〃Other　side。〃
　Mitchell　reversed　the　card；　holding　it　so　that　Roomer　could　see。　Handwritten　with　a　ballpoint　were　the　words：　〃Vacation。　Little　island　in　the　sun。　No　swimsuit。〃
　〃You　know　Marina's　handwriting；　Louise？〃　Mitchell　had　suddenly　realized　that　he　didn't。
　The　girl　looked　at　the　card。　〃Yes；　sir。　I'm　sure。〃
　〃Thanks；　Louise。　This　could　be　very　useful。〃　Louise　smiled　and　left。　Mitchell　said　to　Roomer：　〃What　kind　of　lousy　detective　are　you？　Why　didn't　you　think　of　searching　the　bedrooms？〃　。　〃Hmm。　She　must　have　asked　them　to　leave　while　she　dressed。〃
　〃You'd　have　thought　she'd　have　been　too　scared　to　think　of　this。〃
　〃The　handwriting's　steady　enough。　Besides；　she　doesn't　scare　easily。　Except；　that　is；　when　you　point　a　gun　between　her　eyes。〃
　〃I　wish；　right　here　and　now；　that　I　was　pointing　a　gun　between　someone　else's　eyes。　Little　island　in　the　sun　where　you　can't　go　bathing。　An　overconfident　kidnaper　can　talk　too　much。　You　thinking　what　I'm　thinking？〃
　Roomer　nodded。　〃The　Seawitch。〃
　At　thirty…three　thousand　feet；　Lord　Worth　had　just　pleted　a　light　but　delicious　lunch　acpanied　by　a　splendid　Bordeaux　wine；　specially　laid　down　for　him　in　a　Rothschild　winery。　He　had　regained　his　habitual　calm。　He　had；　he　reckoned；　touched　his　nadir。　All　that　could　happen　had　happened。　In　mon　with　Larsen；　Mitchell　and　Roomer；　he　was　convinced　that　the　fates　could　touch　him　no　more。　AH　four　were　pletely　and　terribly　wrong。　The　worst　was　yet　to　e。　It　was；　in　fact；　happening　right　then。
　Colonel　Farquharson；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Dewings；　and　Major　Breckley　were　not　in　fact　the　people　their　ID　cards　claimed　they　were；　for　the　sufficient　reason　that　there　were　no　officers　of　that　rank　with　corresponding　names　in　the　U。　S。　Army。　But　then；　it　was　a　very　big　army；　and　nobody；　not　even　the　officers；　could　possibly　be　expected　to　know　the　names　of　more　than　a　tiny　fraction　of　their　fellow　officers。　Nor　were　their　faces　their　normal　faces；　although　they　could　hardly　be　described　as　being　heavily　disguised。　The　man　responsible　had　been　a　Hollywood　make…up　artist　who　preferred　subtlety　to　false　beards。　All　three　men　were　dressed　in　sober　and　well…cut　business　suits。
　Farquharson　presented　his　card　to　the　corporal　at　the　outer　reception　desk。　〃Colonel　Farquharson　to　see　Colonel　Pryce。〃　〃I'm　afraid　he's　not　here；　sir。〃　〃Then　the　officer　in　charge；　soldier。〃　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　A　minute　later　they　were　seated　before　a　young　and　apprehensive　Captain　Martin；　who　had　just　finished　a　rather　reluctant　and　very　perfunctory　scrutiny　of　the　ID　cards。
　Farquharson　said：　〃So　Colonel　Pryce　has　been　called　to　Washington。　I　can　guess　why。〃
　He　didn't　have　to　guess。　He　himself　had　put　through　the　fake　call　that　had　led　to　Pryce's　abrupt　departure。　〃And　his　second　in　mand？〃　〃Flu；　sir。〃　Martin　sounded　apologetic。　〃At　this　time　of　year？　How　inconvenient。　Especially　today。　You　can　guess　why　we're　here。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Martin　looked　slightly　unhappy。　〃Security　check。　I　had　a　phone　call　telling　me　of　the　break…ins　into　the　Florida　and　Louisiana　depots。〃　Dewings　had　put　through　that　one。　〃I'm　sure　you'll　find　everything　in　order；　sir。〃
　〃Doubtless。　I　have　already　discovered　something　that　is　not　in　order。〃
　〃Sir？〃　There　was　a　definite　apprehension　now　in　Martin's　voice　and　appearance。
　〃Security…consciousness。　Do　you　know　that　there　are　literally　dozens　of　shops　where　I　cpuld　buy；　perfectly　legally；　a　general's　uniform。　Those　are　the　specialty　shops　that　cater　primarily　to　the　film　and　stage　industries。　If　I　walked　in　dressed　in　such　a　uniform；　would　you　accept　me　for　what　my　uniform　proclaimed　me　to　be？〃
　〃I　suppose　I　would；　sir。〃
　〃Well；　don't。　Not　ever　again。〃　He　glanced　at　his　identity　card　lying　on　the　desk。　〃Forging　one　of　those　presents　no　problems。　When　a　stranger　makes　an　appearance　in　a　top　security　place　like　this；　always；　always；　check　his　identity　with　Area　mand。　And　always　talk　only　to　the　manding　officer。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Do　you　happen　to　know　his　name？　Fm　new　here。〃
　〃Major…General　Harsworth。〃
　Martin　had　the　corporal　at　the　front　desk　put　him　through。　On　the　first　ring　a　voice　answered。　〃Area　mand。〃
　The　voice　did　not　in　fact　e　from　Area　mand。　It　came　from　a　man　less　than　half　a　mile　away；　seated　at　the　base　of　a　telephone　pole。　He　had　with　him　a　battery…powered　transceiver。　An　insulated　copper　line　from　that　led　up　to　an　alligator　clip　attached　to　one　of　the　telephone　wires。
　Martin　said：　〃Netley　Rowan　Arsenal。　Captain　Martin。　I'd　like　to　speak　to　General　Harsworth。〃
　〃Hold　on；　please。〃　There　was　a　series　of　clicks；　a　pause　of　some　seconds；　then　the　same　voice　said：　〃On　the　line；　Captain。〃
　Martin　said：　〃General　Harsworth。〃
　〃Speaking。〃　The　man　by　the　telephone　pole　had　deepened　his　voice　by　an　octave。　〃Problems；　Captain　Martin？〃
　〃I　have　Colonel　Farquharson　with　me。　He　insists　that　I　check　out　his　identity　with　you。〃
　The　voice　at　the　other　end　was　sympathetic。　〃Been　getting　a　security　lecture？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　have；　sir。〃
　〃The　colonel's　very　hot　on　security。　He's　with　Lieutenant…Colonel　Dewings　and　Major　Breck…ley？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Well；　it's　hardly　the　end　of　your　professional　career。　But　he's　right；　you　know。〃
　Farquharson　himself　took　the　wheel　of　the　car　on　the　three…mile　journey；　a　chastened；　pliant　Martin　sitting　up　front　beside　him。　A　fifteen…foot…high　electrical…warning　barbed…wire　fence　surrounded　the　arsenal；　a　squat；　gray；　windowless　building　covering　almost　half　an　acre　of　land。　A　sentry　with　a　machine　carbine　barred　the　entrance　to　the　pound。　He　recognized　Captain　Martin；　stepped　back　and　saluted。　Farquharson　drove　up　to　the　one　and　only　door　of　the　building　and　halted。　The　four　men　got　out。　Farquharson　said　to　Martin：　〃Major　Breckley　has　never　been　inside　a　TNW　installation　before。　A　few　illuminating　ments；　perhaps？〃　It　would　be　illuminating　for　Farquharson　also。　He　had　never　been　inside　an　arsenal　of　any　description　in　his　life。
　〃Yes；　sir；　TNW…Tactical　Nuclear　Warfare；　Walls　thirty…three　inches　thick；　alternating　steel　and　ferroconcrete。　Door　ten　inches　tungsten　steels。　Both　walls　and　door　capable　of　resisting　the　equivalent　of　a　fourteen…inch　armor…piercing　naval　shell。　This　glass　panel　is　recording　us　on　TV　videotape。　This　meshed　grill　is　a　two…way　speaker　which　also　records　our　voices。〃　He　pressed　a　button　sunk　in　the　concrete。
　A　voice　came　through　the　grill。　〃Identification；　please？〃
　〃Captain　Martin　with　Colonel　Farquharson　and　security　inspection。〃　〃Code？〃
　〃Geronimo。〃　The　massive　door　began　to　slide　open　and　they　could　hear　the　hum　of　a　powerful　electrical　motor。　It　took　all　of　ten　seconds　for　the　door　to　open　to　its　fullest　extent。　Martin　led　them　inside。
　A　corporal　saluted　their　entrance。　Martin　said：　〃Security　inspection　tour。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　corporal　didn't　seem　too　happy。
　Farquharson　said：　〃You　worried　about　something；　soldier？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Then　you　should　be。〃
　Martin　said：　〃Something　wrong；　sir？〃　He　was　patently　nervous。
　〃Four　things。〃　Martin　dipped　his　head　so　that　Farquharson　couldn't　see　his　nervous　swallowing。　One　thing　would　have　been　bad　enough。
　〃In　the