alistairmaclean.seawitch-第31节

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hildren　who　want　to　play　games。〃　The　door　closed　behind　him。
　〃Well！〃　Marina　sat　down　and　gripped　her　hands　together。　〃What　kind　of　husband　do　you　think　fie　would　make？〃
　〃A　perfectly　splendid　one；　I　should　imagine。　Look；　my　dear；　one　of　Mitchelts　outstanding　assets　is　a　hair…trigger　reaction。　You　blunt　it。　And　you　know　damn　well　how　he　feels　about　you…　your　presence　just　constitutes　an　additional　worry　at　a　time　when　he　can　least　afford　either。　A　wife　doesn't　acpany　her　husband　down　a　coal　mine　or　on　a　wartime　bombing　mission。　And　Mitchell　is　much　more　of　a　loner　than　such　people　are。〃
　She　attempted　something　between　a　glower　and　a　scowl；　but　her　beautiful　face　really　wasn't　made　for　it；　so　she　settled　for　a　rueful　smile；　rose　and　replenished　his　glass　of　malt　whisky。
　Mitchell　removed　the　gun　and　two　large　keys　from　the　pockets　of　an　unconscious　Durand；　made　his　way　to　the　main　entrance　to　the　oriental　quarters；　opened　the　door　and　switched　on　the　corridor　lights。
　
　''mander　Larsen；〃　he　called　out。　〃Palermo。〃
　Doors　opened　and　the　two　men　were　with　him　in　a　few　seconds。　Larsen　said：　〃Mitchell！　What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Just　a　harmless　seismologist　taking　a　stroll。〃
　〃But　didn't　you　hear　the　broadcast　warning…　anyone　on　the　platform　will　be　shot　on　sight？〃
　〃That's　past。　One　piece　of　bad　news；　two　of　good。　Bad　news　first　Roomer　and　Miss　Melinda　didn't　hear　the　warning…those　quarters　are　sound…insulated。　So　they　took　a　walk。　Both　were　hurt　badly。　Melinda　has　a　shattered　left　shoulder。　Roomer　was　shot　through　the　neck　and　chest　The　doctor　thinks　the　bullet　is　lodged　against　his　spine。　We've　got　to　get　them　to　the　hospital　and　quick。　Who's　Lord　Worth's　personal　pilot？〃
　〃Chambers；〃　Larsen　said。
　〃Get　one　of　your　men　to　have　him　refuel　his　machine。　Now　the　good　news。　Durand　is　in　the　radio　room；　his　number　two；　guy　named　Aaron；　is　in　the　radar　room。　Both　are　unconscious。〃　He　looked　at　Palermo。　〃When　they　e　to…it'll　be　some　time　yet…can　you　have　them　looked　after　with　loving　care　and　attention？〃
　〃Our　pleasure。〃
　Larsen　said：　〃Durand　had　three　other　men。〃
　〃They're　dead。〃
　〃You？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃We　didn't　hear　any　shooting。〃
　Mitchell　gave　them　a　brief　sight　of　his　silenced　。38。　Larsen　looked　thoughtful。　〃Lord　Worth　has　talked　about　you：　I　used　to　think　he　was　exaggerating。〃
　〃The　other　bit　of　good　news。　Cronkite　is　sending　some　reinforcements　by　helicopter…not　many；　I　believe；　eight　or　nine…and　they　should　be　taking　off　about　now。　A　fifteen…minute　flight；　I　gather；　so　I　think　Cronkite's　boat　is　somewhere　just　below　the　horizon；　below　our　radar　sweep。〃
　Palermo　brightened。　〃We　blast　this　chopper　out　of　the　sky？〃
　〃My　first　thought；　I　must　admit。　But　let's　try　to　play　it　smart　and　put　him　off　his　guard。…Let's　let　them　land；　then　take　them。　We'll　make　their　leader　report　to　Cronkite　that　everything's　okay。〃
　〃What　if　he　won't？　Or　tries　to　warn　him？〃
　〃We'll　write　out　his　script。　If　he　changes　one　word　Fll　shoot　him。　Silencer。　Cronkite　won't　hear　it。〃
　〃He　might　hear　the　guy　scream。〃
　〃When　a　。38　slug　enters　the　base　of　your　skull　and　travels　upward　at　forty…five　degrees；　you　don't　scream　very　much。〃
　〃You　mean　you'd　kill　him？〃　While　not　exactly　incredulous；　Larsen　was　obviously　taken　aback。
　〃Yes。　Then　we'd　line　up　number　two。　We　shouldn't　have　too　much　trouble　with　him。〃
　Larsen　said　with　some　feeling：　〃When　Lord　Worth　talked　about　you　he　didn't　tell　me　the　half　of　it〃
　〃Another　thing。　I　want　that　helicopter。　Well　fake　a　story　that　the　engine　failed　above　the　pad　and　it　crash…landed；　and　will　take　several　hours　to　repair。　It's　always　handy　to　have　another　helicopter　around　but；　more　important；　I　want　to　deprive　Cronkite　of　the　use　of　his。〃　He　looked　at　Palermo。　〃I　take　it　that　the　reception　mittee　can　be　safely　left　in　your　hands？〃
　〃It　sure　can。　Any　suggestions？〃
　〃Well；　I　doubt　that　I　need　to　lecture　an　expert　like　you。〃
　〃You　know　me？〃
　〃I　used　to　be　a　cop。　In　any　case；　the　rig　is　loaded　with　portable　searchlights。　They'll　head　for　the　administration　buildings。　I'd　stay　in　hiding；　switch　off　the　deck　lights　and　then　turn　on　the　searchlights　when　they're；　say；　thirty　yards　away。　They'll　be　blinded　and　won't　be　able　to　see　you。〃
　〃You　can't　count　on　what　nutcases　like　that'll　do。〃
　'Til　bet　you　can。〃　Mitchell　smiled　briefly　at　him；　cop　to　crook。　He　said　to　Larsen：　〃I　have　a　feeling　that　Lord　Worth　would　like　to　confer　with　his　rig　boss。〃
　〃Yes。〃　They　walked　away　as　Palermo　was　already　giving　rapid　instructions　to　his　men。　〃Lord　Worth　know　what　you're　up　to？〃
　
　IT　haven't　had　time。　Anyway；　I　wouldn't　tell　Lord　Worth　how　to　make　a　billion　out　of　oil。〃
　〃Good　point。〃　They　stopped　briefly　by　the　radio　room。　Larsen　gazed　at　the　crumpled　form　of　Durand；　half　in　appreciation；　half　in　regret。　〃What　a　beautiful　sight　Wish　it　had　been　me；　though。〃
　〃I'll　bet　Durand…when　he　wakes　up…doesn't　Plastic　surgeons　e　high。〃
　They　made　their　next　brief　stop　at　the　sick　bay。　Larsen　looked　at　a　still　atose　Melinda　and　a　wide…awake　Roomer　and　his　massive　fists　clenched。　Roomer　smiled。　〃I　know。　But　you're　too　late。　How　deep's　the　water　here？〃
　〃Nine　hundred　feet。〃
　〃Then　you'd　need　a　diving　bell　to　get　your　hands　round　the　throats　of　those　responsible。　And　how　are　things　with　you；　mander　Larsen？　You　can　see　how　things　are　with　us。〃
　〃I've　been　resting。　Mitchell　has　been　more　active。　Besides　the　three　men　at　the　bottom　of　the　Gulf；　he's　also　deprived　me　of　the　pleasure　of　beating　the　hell　out　of　Durand。　Aaron　isn't　feeling　too　well　either。〃
　Roomer　said　apologetically：　〃He　doesn't　go　in　much　for　diplomacy。　So　the　Seawitch　is　in　our　hands？〃
　〃For　the　moment〃
　〃For　the　moment？〃
　〃Do　you　expect　a　man　like　Cronkite　to　give　up？　So　ke's　lost　five　men　and　is　probably　about　to　lose　another　eight　or　nine。　What's　that　for　a　man　with　ten　million　to　play　around　with？　And　he's　got　his　personal　vendetta　against　Lord　Worth。　If　he　has　to　cripple　or　even　destroy　the　Seawitch；　including　everybody　aboard…well；　it　isn't　going　to　bother　Cronkite's　conscience　for　long。〃　He　turned　to　Dr。　Greenshaw。　〃I　think　it's　time　you　got　busy　with　the　stretchers。　Can　you　spare　four　of　your　drilling　crew；　mander；　to　help　transfer　them　to　the　stretchers　and　then　across　to　the　helicopter？　I'm　afraid；　John；　you're　going　to　have　some　unpleasant　pany　on　the　trip。　Durand　and　Aaron。　Tied　up　like　chickens；　of　course。〃
　〃Well；　thank　you　very　much。〃
　〃I　can…occasionally…be　as　leery　as　you。　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　Cronkite　to　get　aboard　the　Seawitch。　How；　I　haven't　the　faintest　idea；　but　with　a　highly　devious　mind　a　driven　man　can　acplish　most　anything。　If　he　succeeded　I　don't　want　Durand　and　Aaron　blowing　the　whistle　on　me。　I　want　to　stay　an　inconspicuous　and　harmless　seismologist。〃
　Larsen　gave　a　few　orders　on　the　phone；　then　he　and　Mitchell　went　through　to　Lord　Worth's　room。　Lord　Worth　was　on　the　phone；　listening　and　scowling。　Marina　looked　at　Mitchell　with　an　expression　as　forbidding　as　her　father's。
　〃I　suppose　you've　been　Uttering　the　platform　with　a　few　more　dead　men？〃
　〃You　do　me　a　grave　injustice。　There's　no　one　left　to　kill。〃　She　gave　what　might　have　been　a　tiny　shudder　and　looked　away。
　Larsen　said：　〃The　ship　is　in　our　hands；　Miss　Marina。　We're　expecting　a　little　more　trouble　in　about　ten　minutes；　but　we　can　take　care　of　that。〃
　Lord　Worth　replaced　his　receiver。　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Cronkite　is　sending　some　reinforcements　by　helicopter。　Not　many…eight　or　nine。　They　won't　have　a　chance。　He's　under　the　Impression　that　Durand　is　still　in　charge　here。〃
　〃I　take　it　he's　not。〃
　〃He's　unconscious　and　tied　up。　So　is　Aaron。〃
　A　yearning　look　came　over　Lord　Worth's　face。　〃Is　Cronkite　ing　with　them？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃How　very　unfortunate。　And　I've　just　had　some　more　bad　news。　The　Torbello　has　broken　down。〃
　〃Sabotage？〃
　〃No。　The　main　fuel…supply　line　to　its　engine　has　fractured。　Just　a　temporary　stop；　though　it　may　take　some　hours　to　repair。　But　there's　no　cause　for　worry；　and　half…hourly　reports　on　the　state　of　repairs　should　be　forthing。〃
　Another　disturbing　point　had　arisen：　Lord　Worth　disclosed　that　no　major　marine…insurance　panies　or　Lloyd's　of　London　had　ever　heard　of　the　existence　of　the　Tiburon；　The　fact　was　less　than　surprising　if　one　knew　of　Mulhooney's　renaming　exploits…Hammond　to　Tiburon　to　Georgia。　The　vessel　had　virtually　ceased　to　exist　Even　more　disturbing；　however；　was　the　fact　that　the　Marine　Gulf　Corporation　had　reported　the　disappearance　of　its　seismological　survey　vessel　from　Freeport。　It　was　called　the　Hammond。
　The　U。　S。　Navy　had　two　points　of　cold　fort　to　offer。　What　the　United　States　did　with　its　obsolete　submarines　was　to　scrap　them　or　sell　them　to　foreign　governments：　none　had　ever　fallen　into　the　hands　of　mercial　panies　or　private　individuals。　Nor　were　there　any　Cous…teau…type　submersibles　along　the　Gulf　Coast
　The　telephone　bell　jangled。　Lord　Worth　switched　on　the　wall　receivers。　The　radio　officer　was　succinct
　〃Helicopter；　flying　low；　due　northwest；　five　miles　out。〃
　〃Well；　now；〃　Larsen　said；　〃this　should　provide　a　diversion。　ing；　Mitchell？〃
　〃In　a　minute。　I　have　a　little　note　to　write。　Remember？〃
　〃The　note；　of　course。〃　Larsen　left。　Mitchell　penned