alistairmaclean.seawitch-第29节

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　〃In　a　minute。　Doctor？〃
　〃Melinda's　left　shoulder　is　bad；　Tve　extracted　the　bullet　but　she　needs　immediate　surgery。　I'm　a　surgeon；　but　I'm　not　an　orthopedic　surgeon；　and　that's　what　she　must　have。　Roomer　hasn't　been　quite　so　lucky。　He　got　hit　twice。　The　one　through　the　neck　missed　his　carotid　artery　by　a　whisker；　but　the　bullet　passed　straight　through　and　there's　no　worry　there。　The　chest　wound　is　serious。　Not　fatal　but　very　serious。　The　bullet　struck　the　left　lung；　no　doubt　about　that；　but　the　internal　bleeding　isn't　that　much；　so　I　think　it's　a　nick；　no　more。　The　trouble　is；　I　think　the　bullet　is　lodged　against　the　spine。〃
　〃Can　he　wiggle　his　toes？〃
　Roomer　moaned。　〃My　God；　what　sympathy。〃
　〃He　can。　But　the　bullet　should　be　removed　as　soon　as　possible。　I　could　do　it　but　I　have　no　X…ray　equipment　here。　I'll　give　them　both　blood　transfusions　in　a　moment。〃
　〃Shouldn't　they　be　flown　to　a　hospital　as　soon　as　possible？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Mitchell　looked　at　Durand。　〃Well？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃But　it　wasn't　their　fault　They　didn't　hear　the　warning。'*
　〃Tough。　There's　no　way　I'll　fly　them　ashore。　Think　I　want　a　battalion　of　U。　S。　Marines　out　here　in　a　few　hours？〃
　〃If　they　die　it'll　be　your　fault。〃
　〃Everybody's　got　to　die　sometime。〃　Durand　left；　slamming　the　door　behind　him。
　〃Dear；　dear。〃　Roomer　tried　to　shake　his　head；　then　winced　at　the　pain　in　his　neck。　〃He　shouldn't　have　said　that。〃
　Mitchell　turned　to　Lord　Worth。　〃You　can　be
　Seawitch
　of　great　help；　sir。　Your　suite　is　in　direct　contact　with　the　radio　room；　can　you　hear　what　is　being　said　in　the　radio　room？〃
　〃That's　no　problem。　Two　switches　and　I　can　hear　both　sides　of　any　conversation；　either　on　the　telephone；　earphones　or　wall　receivers。〃
　〃All　right…go；　and　don't　stop　listening　for　a　second。'*　He　looked　at　the　two　patients　on　the　cots。　〃We'll　have　them　airborne　for　the　hospital　within　a　half　hour。〃
　〃How　can　that　be　possible？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Mitchell　sounded　vague。　〃But　we'll　think　of　something。〃
　Lord　Worth　left。　Mitchell　pulled　out　a　slender　pencil　flashlight　and　started　to　flick　it　on　and　off　in　apparent　aimlessness。　His　plexion　had　gone　pale　and　the　hands　that　held　the　pencil　light　trembled　slightly。　Marina　looked　at　him　first　unprehendingly；　then　in　dismay；　finally　in　something　approaching　contempt。　Incredulously；　she　said：　〃You're　frightened。〃
　〃Your　gun？〃　Mitchell　said　to　Roomer。
　〃When　they　went　off　for　help　I　managed　to　drag　myself　a　bit　nearer　the　edge。　I　unclipped　the　belt　and　threw　the　whole　thing　over　the　side。〃
　〃Good。　We're　still　in　the　clear。〃　He　seemed　to　bee　aware　of　the　tremor　in　his　hands；　put　away　his　flash　and　thrust　his　hands　into　his　pockets。　He　said　to　Melinda：　〃Who　shot　you？〃
　〃A　pair　of　very　unpleasant　characters　named　Kowenski　　and　Rindler。　　We　had　trouble　with　them　before。〃
　〃Kowenski　and　Rindler；〃　Mitchell　repeated。　He　left　the　sick　bay。
　Marina　said；　half　in　sadness；　hah*　in　bitterness：　〃My　idol　with　the　feet　of　clay。〃
　Roomer　said　huskily：　〃Put　out　the　light　and　then　put　out　the　light。〃
　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　didn't　say　it。　Man　named　Othello。　That's　the　trouble　with　you　millionaires*　daughters。　Illiterate。　First　Mitchell　puts　out　the　lights。　He's　got　cat's　eyes。　He　can　see　in　almost　total　darkness　where　an　ordinary　man　is　blind。　Did　you　know　that？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Gives　him　a　tremendous　advantage。　And　then　he　puts　out　other　lights。〃
　〃I　know　what　you　mean　and　I　don't　believe　you。　I　saw　him　shaking。〃
　〃Ahh　。。。　you　don't　deserve　him。〃
　She　stared　at　him　hi　disbelief。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃You　heard　me。〃　Roomer　sounded　tired　and　the　doctor　was　looking　at　him　in　disapproval。　He　went　on　in　a　somber　voice：　〃Kowenski　and　Rindler　are　dead　men。　They　have　just　minutes　to　live。　He　loves　Melinda　almost　as　much　as　he　does　you；　and　I've　been　his　closest　friend　and　partner　since　we　were　kids。　Mitchell　looks　after　his　own。〃　He　smiled　faintly。　〃I'm　afraid　he　takes　care　of　things　in　a　sort　of　final　way。〃
　〃But　he　was　shaking　。　。　。〃　Her　voice　was　now　lacking　in　conviction。
　〃He　isn't　afraid　of　anything　that　lives。　As　for　the　shaking…he's　a　throwback　to　the　old　Scandinavian　berserkers：　he's　just　trying　to　hold　in　his　rage。　He　usually　smiles。〃　He　smiled。　〃You're　shaking　now。〃
　She　said　nothing。
　Roomer　said：　〃There's　a　cupboard　in　the　vestibule。　If　there's　anything　in　it；　bring　it　to　me。〃
　She　looked　at　him　uncertainly；　left　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes；　carrying　a　pair　of　shoes。　She　held　them　at　arm's　length　and　from　the　look　of　horror　on　her　face　might　have　been　holding　a　cobra。
　Roomer　said：　〃Mitchell's？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Okay。　Better　return　them。　He'll　be　needing　them　pretty　soon。〃
　When　she　came　back；　Melinda　said　to　her：　〃Do　you　really　think　you　could　marry　a　man　who　kills　people？〃
　Marina　shivered　and　said　nothing。　Roomer　said　sardonically：　〃Better　than　marrying　a　coward；　I'd　say。〃
　In　the　generator　room；　Mitchell　found　what　he　wanted　right　away…a　circuit　breaker　marked　〃Deck　Lights。〃　He　pulled　the　lever　and　stepped　out　onto　the　now　darkened　platform。　He　waited　a。　half　minute　until　his　eyes　adjusted　themselves　to　the　darkness；　then　moved　in　the　direction　of　the　derrick　crane　where　he　could　hear　two　men　cursing　in　far　from　muted　voices。　He　approached　on　soundless　stockinged　feet　until　he　was　less　than　two　yards　away。　Still　soundlessly；　he　held　his　pencil　flash　on　top　of　the　barrel　of　the　Smith　&　Wesson　and　slid　forward　the　flash　switch。
　The　two　men　swung　round　in　remarkably　swift　unison；　hands　reaching　for　their　guns。
　Mitchell　said：　〃You　know　what　this　is；　don't　you？〃
　They　knew。　The　deep…bluish　sheen　of　a　silencer…equipped　。38　is　not　readily　mistakable　for　a　popgun。　Their　hands　stopped　reaching　for　their　guns。　It　was；　to　say　the　least；　rather　unnerving　to　see　an　illuminated　silenced　gun　and　nothing　but　blackness　beyond　it。
　〃Clasp　your　hands　behind　your　necks；　turn　round　and　start　walking。〃
　They　walked　until　they　could　walk　no　more；　for　the　good　reason　that　they　had　reached　the　end　of　the　platform。　Beyond　that　lay　nothing　but　the　200…foot　drop　to　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。
　Mitchell　said：　〃Keep　your　hands　clasped　and　turn　round。〃
　They　did　so。　〃You're　Kowenski　and　Rindler？〃
　There　was　no　reply。
　〃You're　the　two　who　gunned　down　Melinda　and　Mr。　Roomer？〃
　
　Again　there　was　no　reply。　Vocal　cords　can　bee　paralyzed　when　the　mind　is　possessed　of　the　irrevocable　certainty　that　one　is　but　one　step；　one　second；　removed　from　eternity。　Mitchell　squeezed　the　trigger　twice　and　was　walking　away　before　the　dead　men　had　hit　the　waters　of　the　Gulf。　He　had　taken　only　four　steps　when　a　flashlight　beam　struck　him　in　the　face。
　〃Well；　well；　if　it　isn't　smart…ass　Mitchell；　the　scared　scientist。〃　Mitchell　couldn't　see　the　man…　and　the　gun　undoubtedly　behind　the　flashlight…　but　he　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　the　voice　of　Heifer；　the　one　with　the　sharp　nose　and　ratlike　teeth。　〃And　carrying　a　silenced　gun。　Whatcha　up　to；　Mr。　Mitchell？〃
　Heffer　had　made　the　classic　blunder　of　all　inpetent　would…be　assassins。　He　should　have　shot　Mitchell　on　sight　and　then　asked　the　questions。　Mitchell　flicked　on　his　pencil　torch　and　spun　it　upward；　where　it　spiraled　around　like　a　demented　firefly。　Heifer　would　have　been　less　than　human　not　to　have　had　the　instinctive　reaction　of　glancing　upward　as　his　subconscious　mind　speculated　as　to　what　the　hell　Mitchell　was　up　to：　a　speculation　of　very　brief　duration　indeed；　because　Heifer　was　dead　before　the　flash　fell　back　onto　the　platform。
　Mitchell　picked　up　the　flash；　still　surprisingly　working；　pocketed　it；　then　dragged　Heffer　by　the　heels　and　rolled　him　off　to　join　his　friends　at　the　bottom　of　the　Gulf。　He　returned　to　the　sick…bay　vestibule；　donned　his　shoes　and　entered　the　sick　bay　itself。　Dr。　Greenshaw　had　both　his　patients　on　blood　transfusion。
　Roomer　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Six　minutes。　What　took　you　so　long？〃
　A　plainly　unnerved　Marina　looked　at　Roomer；　half　in　disbelief；　half　in　stupefaction。
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry。〃　Mitchell　actually　managed　to　sound　apologetic。　〃I　had　the　misfortune　to　run　into　Heifer　on　the　way　back。〃
　〃You　mean　he　had　the　misfortune　to　run　into　you。　And　where　are　our　friends？'*
　〃I'm　not　rightly　sure；〃
　〃I　understand。〃　Roomer　sounded　sympathetic。　〃It's　hard　to　estimate　the　depth　of　the　water　out　here。〃
　〃I　could　find　out。　But　it　hardly　seems　to　matter。　Dr。　Greenshaw；　you　have　stretchers？　plete　with　straps　and　so　forth？〃　Greenshaw　nodded。　〃Get　them　ready。　Let　them　stay　where　they　are　meantime。　Can　you　carry　on　the　blood　transfusions　in　flight？〃
　〃That's　no　problem。　I　assume　you　want　me　to　acpany　them？〃
　〃Yes；　please。　I　know　it's　asking　an　awful　lot；　but　after　you've　handed　them　over　to　the　petent　medical　authorities；　Fd　like　you　to　return。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　pleasure。　I　am　now　in　my　seventieth　year　and　I　thought　there　was　nothing　fresh　left　in　life　for　me　to　experience。　I　was　wrong。〃　Marina　stared　at　them　in　disbelief。　All　three　men　seemed　calm　and　relaxed。　Melinda　appeared　to　have　dropped　off　into　a　a…like　stupor；　but　she　was　merely；　in　fact；　under　heavy　sedation。　Marina　said　with　conviction：　〃You're　all　mad。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃That's　what　a　lunatic　asylum　inmate　says　about　the　outside　world…and　he　may　well　be　right。　However；　th