alistairmaclean.seawitch-第21节

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g　fingerprint　experts　along　had　never　occurred　to　McGarrity。
　The　dogs　were　released　from　the　van。　Roomer　and　Mitchell　opened　up　their　plastic　bags　and　allowed　the　dogs　to　sniff　the　dressing　gowns。　McGarrity　said：　〃What　you　got　there？〃
　〃The　girls'　dressing　gowns。　To　give　your　hounds　a　scent。　We　knew　you'd　want　something。〃
　〃Of　course。　But　dressing　gowns！〃　McGarrity　was　a　past　master　in　covering　up。　Something　else；　clearly；　that　had　not　occurred　to　him。
　The　dogs　caught　the　scents　at　once　and　strained　at　their　leashes　as　they　nosed　their　way　down　a　rutted　path；　for　the　road　had　e　to　an　abrupt　end。　Inside　a　hundred　yards；　their　path　was　blocked　by　water。　It　wasn't　a　true　part　of　the　swamp　but　a　slow；　meandering；　mud…brown　creek；　perhaps　twenty　feet　across；　if　that。　There　was　a　mooring　post　nearby；　with　a　similar　one　at　the　far　bank。　Also　by　the　far　bank　was　a　warped　and　aged　craft　which　not　even　the　charitable　could　have　called　a　boat。　It　was　built　along　the　lines　of　an　oversized　coffin；　with　a　squared…off　end　where　the　bow　should　have　been。　The　ferry…probably　the　most　kindly　name　for　it…　was　attached　to　the　two　posts　by　an　endless　pulley　line。
　The　two　dog　handlers　hauled　the　boat　across；　got　into　it　with　understandable　caution；　and　were　joined　by　their　dogs；　who　kept　on　？　disolaying　considerable　signs　of　animation；　an　animation　which　rapidly　diminished；　then　vanished　shortly　after　they　had　landed　on　the　far　bank。　After　making　a　few　fruitless　circles；　they　lay　down　dejectedly　on　the　ground。
　〃Well；　ain't　that　a　shame；〃　a　voice　said；　'Trail　gone　cold；　I　guess。〃
　The　four　men　on　the　near　bank　turned　to　look　at　the　source　of　the　voice。　He　was　a　bizarre　character；　wearing　a　new　panama　hat　with　a　tartan　band；　gleaming　thigh…length　leather　boots　（presumably　as　a　protection　against　snakebites）；　and　
　clothes　discarded　by　a　scarecrow。　〃You　folks　chasin'　someone？〃
　〃We're　looking　for　someone；〃　McGarrity　said　cautiously。
　〃Lawmen；　yes？〃
　〃Chief　of　Police　McGarrity。〃
　〃Honored；　I'm　sure。　Well；　Chief；　you're　wasting　your　time。　Hot　trail　here；　cold　on　the　other　side。　So　the　party　you're　looking　for　got　off　halfway　across。〃
　〃You　saw　them？〃　McGarrity　asked　suspiciously。
　〃Hah！　More　than　one；　eh？　No；　sir。　Just　happened　by　right　now。　But　if　I　was　on　the　run　from　the　law　that's　what　I'd　do；　because　it's　been　done　hundreds　of　times。　You　can　get　out　midway；　walk　half　a　mile；　even　a　mile；　upstream　or　downstream。　Dozens　of　little　rivulets　e　into　this　creek。　You　could　turn　up　any　of　those；　go　a　mile　into　the　swamp　without　setting　foot　on　dry　land。　Wouldn't　find　them　this　side　of　Christmas；　Chief。〃
　〃How　deep　is　the　creek？〃
　〃Fifteen　inches。　If　that。〃
　〃Then；　why　the　boat？　I　mean；　with　those　boots　you　could　walk　across　without　getting　your　feet　wet。〃
　The　stranger　looked　almost　shocked。　〃No　sirree。　Takes　me　an　hour　every　morning　to　polish　up　them　critters。〃　It　was　assumed　that　he　was　referring　to　his　boots。　〃Besides；　there're　the　water　moccasins。〃　He　seemed　to　have　a　rooted　aversion　to　snakes。　〃The　boat？　e　the　rains；　the　creek's　up　to　here。〃　He　touched　his　chest。
　McGarrity　called　the　dog　handlers　to　return。　Mitchell　said　to　the　stranger：　〃Anyplace　in　the　swamp　where　a　helicopter　could　land？〃
　〃Sure。　More　firm　land　out　there　than　there　is　swampland。　Never　seen　any　helicopters；　though。　Yes；　lots　of　clearings。〃
　The　dog　handlers　and　dogs　disembarked。　Leaving　the　stranger　to　flick　some　invisible　dust　off　his　boots　they　made　their　way　back　to　the　station　wagon。　Mitchell　said：　〃Wait　a　minute。　I've　got　an　idea。〃　He　opened　the　two　plastic　bags　containing　the　dressing　gowns　and　presented　them　to　the　dogs　again。　He　then　walked　back　up　the　rutted　lane；　past　the　two　cars　and　vans；　beckoning　the　dog　handlers　to　follow　him；　which　they　did；　almost　having　to　drag　the　reluctant　dogs　behind　them。
　After　about　twenty　yards　the　reluctance　vanished。　The　dogs　yelped　and　strained　at　their　leashes。　For　another　twenty　yards　they　towed　their　handlers　along　behind　them；　then　abruptly　stopped　and　circled　a　few　times　before　sitting　down　dispiritedly。　Mitchell　crouched　and　examined　the　surface　of　the　lane。　The　others　caught　up　with　him。
　McGarritty　said：　〃What　gives；　then？〃
　〃This。〃　Mitchell　pointed　to　the　ground。　'There　was　another　vehicle　here。　You　can　see　where　its　back　wheels　spun　when　it　started　to　reverse。　The　kidnapers　guessed　we'd　be　Using　dogs…it　wasn't　all　that　hard　a　guess。　So　they　carried　the　girls　twenty　yards　or　so；　to　break　the　scent；　before　setting　them　down　again。〃
　〃Right　smart　of　you；　Mr。　Mitchell；　right　smart。〃　McGarrity　didn't　look　as　pleased　as　his　words　suggested。　〃So　the　birds　have　flown；　eh？　And　now　we　haven't　the　faintest　idea　what　the　getaway　vehicle　looks　like。〃
　Roomer　said：　〃Somebody's　flown；　that's　for　sure。　But　maybe　only　one　or　two。　Maybe　they've　gone　to　borrow　a　helicopter。〃
　〃A　helicopter？〃　The　waters　didn't　have　to　be　very　deep　for　Chief　McGarrity　to　start　floundering。
　With　a　trace　of　weary　impatience　Mitchell　said：　〃It　could　be　a　double　bluff。　Maybe　they　reversed　the　procedure　and　took　the　girls　back　to　the　station　wagon　again。　Maybe　they're　still　in　the　swamp；　waiting　for　a　helicopter　to　e　arid　pick　them　up。　You　heard　the　old　boy　back　there…he　said　there　were　plenty　of　places　in　the　swamp　where　a　helicopter　could　set　down。〃
　McGarrity　nodded　sagely　and　appeared　to　ponder　the　matter　deeply。　The　time　had　e；　he　felt；　for　him　to　make　a　positive　contribution。　〃The　swamp's　out。　Hopeless。　So　I'll　have　to　concentrate　on　the　helicopter　angle。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃How　do　you　propose　to　do　that？〃
　〃Just　you　leave　that　to　me。〃　Roomer　said：　〃That's　hardly　fair；　Chief。　We've　given　you　our　plete　confidence。　Don't　you　think　we're　entitled　to　some　in　return？〃
　〃Well；　now。〃　McGarrity　appeared　to　ruminate；　although　he　was　secretly　pleased　to　be　asked　the　question；　as　Roomer　had　known　he　would　be。　〃If　the　chopper　doesn't　get　in　there；　it　can't　very　well　lift　them　out；　can　it？〃
　〃That's　a　fact；〃　Roomer　said　solemnly。　〃So　I　station　marksmen　round　this　side　of　the　swamp。　It's　no　big　deal　to　bring　down　a　low…flyine　chopper。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃I　wouldn't　do　that　if　I　were　you。〃
　〃No；　indeed。〃　Roomer　shook　his　head。　〃The　law　frowns　on　murder。〃
　〃Murder？〃　McGarrity　stared　at　them。　〃Who's　talking　about　murder？〃
　'We　are；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃Rifle　or　machine…gun　fire　could　kill　someone　inside　the　helicopter。　If　it　brings　down　the　helicopter　they'd　all　probably　die。　Maybe　there　are　criminals　aboard；　but　they're　entitled　to　a　fair　trial。　And　has　it　occurred　to　you　that　the　pilot　will　almost　certainly　be　an　innocent　party　with　a　pistol　pointed　at　his　head？〃　McGarrity；　clearly；　had　not　thought　of　that。　〃Not　going　to　make　us　very　popular；　is　it？〃
　
　McGarrity　winced。　Even　the　thought　of　unpopularity　and　the　forthing　election　made　him　feel　weak　inside。
　〃So　what　the　devil　do　we　do？〃
　Roomer　was　frank。　〃I'll　be　damned　if　I　know。　You　can　post　observers。　You　can　even　have　a　grounded　helicopter　standing　by　to　chase　the　other　one　when　it　takes　off。　//　it　ever　es　in　the　first　place。　We're　only　guessing。〃
　〃No　more　we　can　do　here；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃We've　already　missed　too　many　appointments　today。　We'll　be　in　touch。〃
　Back　on　the　highway　Roomer　said：　〃How　do　you　think　he'd　do　as　a　dogcatcher？〃
　〃Place　would　be　overrun　by　stray　dogs　in　a　few　months。　How　much　faith　have　you　got　in　this　idea　that　they　might　use　a　helicopter？〃
　〃A　lot。　If　they　just　wanted　to　change　cars　they　wouldn't　have　gone　through　this　elaborate　rigmarole。　They　could　have　parked　their　station　wagon　out　of　sight　almost　anyplace。　By　apparently　going　into　hiding　in　the　swamp　they　wanted　to　make　it　look　as　though　they　were　preparing　to　hole　up　in　there　for　some　time。　They　hadn't　figured　on　our　backing…your　backtracking…up　the　lane。〃
　〃We're　pretty　sure　their　destination　is　the　Seawitch。　We're　pretty　sure　they'll　use　a　helicopter。　Which　helicopter　and　pilot　would　you　use？〃
　
　〃Lord　Worth's。　Not　only　are　his　pilots　almost　certainly　the　only　　ones　who　know　the　exact　co…ordinates　of　the　Seawitch；　but　those　distinctly　marked　North　Hudson　helicopters　are　the　only　ones　that　could　approach　the　Seawitch　without　raising　　　suspicion。〃　　　Roomer　　　reached　　　for　　　the　phone；　fiddled　with　the　wave…band　control　and　raised　Lord　Worth's　house。　〃Jim？〃　〃Go　ahead；　Mr。　Roomer。〃　〃We're　ing　back　there。　Look　for　Lord　Worth's　address　book。　Probably　right　by　you　in　your　radio　room。　Make　us　a　list　of　the　names　and　addresses　of　his　helicopter　pilots。　Is　the　gatekeeper　at　the　heliport　on　the　radio…phone；　too？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Get　that　for　us　too；　please。〃
　〃Roger；〃
　Roomer　　said　　to　Mitchell：　　　〃Still　　think　　we　shouldn't　warn　Larsen　about　our　suspicions？〃
　〃That's　for　sure。〃　Mitchell　was　very　definite。　'The　Seawitch　is　Larsen's　baby；　and　the　kind　of　reception　he'd　prepare　for　them　might　be　a　bit　overenthusiastic。　How'd　you　like　to　explain　to　Lord　Worth　how　e　his　daughters　got　caught　in　the　crossfire？〃
　〃No　way！〃　Roomer　spoke　with　some　feeling。　〃Or　even　explain　to　yourself　how　Melinda　got　shot　through　the　lung？〃
　Roomer　ignored　him。　〃What　if　we're　wrong　about　Worth's　pilots？〃
　Seawitch
　'Then　we　turn　the　whole　thing　over　to　that　ace　detective；　McGarrity。〃　〃So　w