alistairmaclean.seawitch-第6节

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stance　of　about　three　hundred　yards。　Cleaned　oil　was　pumped　into　this　after　it　came　up　from　the　ocean　floor；　or；　more　precisely；　from　a　massive　limestone　reef　deep　down　below　the　ocean　floor；　a　reef　caused　by　tiny　marine　creatures　of　a　now　long…covered　shallow　sea　of　some　half　a　billion　years　ago。
　Once；　sometimes　twice；　a　day　a　50；000…ton…capacity　tanker　would　stop　by　and　empty　the　huge　tank。　There　were　three　of　those　tankers　employed　on　the　crisscross　run　to　the　southern　United　States。　The　North　Hudson　Oil　pany　did；　in　fact；　have　supertankers；　but　the　use　of　them　in　this　case　did　not　serve　Lord　Worth's　purpose。　Even　the　entire　contents　of　the　Sea…witch's　tank　would　not　have　filled　a　quarter　of　the　supertanker's　carrying　capacity；　and　the　possibility　of　a　supertanker　running　at　a　loss；　however　small；　would　have　been　the　source　of　waking　nightmares　for　the　North　Hudson：　equally　importantly；　the　more　isolated　ports　which　Lord　Worth　favored　for　the　delivery　of　his　oil　were　unable　to　offer　deep…water　berthside　facilities　for　anything　in　excess　of　fifty　thousand　tons。
　It　might　be　explained；　in　passing；　that　Lord　Worth's　choice　of　those　obscure　ports　was　not　entirely　fortuitous。　Among　the　parties　to　the　gentlemen's　agreement　against　offshore　drilling；　some　of　the　most　vociferous　of　those　who　roundly　condemned　North　Hudson's　nefarious　practices　were；　regrettably；　North　Hudson's　best　customers。　They　were　the　smaller　panies　who　operated　on　marginal　profits　and　lacked　the　resources　to　engage　in　research　and　exploration；　which　the　larger　panies　did；　investing　allegedly　vast　sums　in　those　projects　and　then；　to　the　continuous　fury　of　the　Internal　Revenue　Service　and　the　anger　of　numerous　Congressional　investigation　mittees；　claiming　even　vaster　tax　exemptions。　But　to　the　smaller　panies　the　lure　of　cheaper　oil　was　irresistible。　The　Seawitch；　which　probably　produced　as　much　oil　as　all　the　government　official　leasing　areas　bined；　seemed　a　sure　and　perpetual　source　of　cheap　oil…at　least　until　the　government　stepped　in；　which　might　or　might　not　happen　in　the　next　decade：　the　big　panies　had　already　demonstrated　their　capacity　to　deal　with　inept　Congressional　inquiries；　and　as　long　as　the　energy　crisis　continued　nobody　was　going　to　worry　very　much　about　where　oil　came　from；　as　long　as　it　came。　In　addition；　the　smaller　panies　felt；　if　the　OPEC…the　Organization　of　Petroleum　Exporting　Countries…　could　play　ducks　and　drakes　with　oil　prices　whenever　they　fe｝t　like　it；　why　couldn't　they？
　Less　than　two　miles　from　Lord　Worth's　estate　were　the　adjacent　homes　and　bined　office　of　Michael　Mitchell　and　John　Roomer。　It　was　Mitchell　who　answered　the　doorbell。 '
　The　visitor　was　of　medium　height；　slightly　tubby；　wore　wire…rimmed　glasses；　and　alopecia　had　hit　him　hard。　He　said：　〃May　I　e　in？〃　in　a　clipped　but　courteous　enough　voice。
　〃Sure。〃　Michael　Mitchell　let　him　in　to　their　apartment。　〃We　don't　usually　see　people　this　late。〃
　〃Thank　you。　I　e　on　unusual　business。　James　Bentley。〃　A　little　sleight　of　hand　and　a　card　appeared。　〃FBI。〃
　Mitchell　didn't　even　look　at　it。　〃You　can　have　those　things　made　at　any　joke　shop。　Where　you　from？〃
　〃Miami。〃
　〃Phone　number？〃
　Bentley　reversed　the　card；　which　Mitchell　handed　to　Roomer。　〃My　memory　man。　Saves　me　from　having　to　have　a　memory　of　my　own。〃
　Roomer　didn't　glance　at　the　card　either。　〃It's　okay；　Mike。　I　have　him。　You're　the　boss　man　up　there；　aren't　you？〃　A　nod。　〃Please　sit　down；　Mr。　Bentley。〃
　〃One　thing　clear；　first；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃Are　we　under　investigation？〃
　〃On　the　contrary。　The　State　Department　has　asked　us　to　ask　you　to　help　them。〃
　〃Status　at　last；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃We've　got　it　made；　John…except　for　one　thing：　the　State　Department　doesn't　know　who　the　hell　we　are。〃
　〃I　do。〃　Discussion　closed。　〃I　understand　you　gentlemen　are　friendly　with　Lord　Worth。〃
　Seawiteh
　Roomer　was　careful。　〃We　know　him　slightly；　socially…just　as　you　seem　to　know　a　little　about　us。〃
　〃I　know　a　lot　about　you；　including　the　fact　that　you　are　a　couple　of　ex…cops　who　never　learned　to　look　the　right　way　at　the　right　time　and　the　wrong　way　at　the　wrong　time。　Bars　the　ladder　to　promotion。　I　want　you　to　carry　out　a　little　investigation　of　Lord　Worth。〃
　〃No　deal；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃We　know　him　slightly　better　than　slightly。〃
　〃Hear　him　out；　Mike。〃　But　Roomer's　face；　too；　had　lost　whatever　little　friendliness　it　may　have　held。
　〃Lord　Worth　has　been　making　loud　noises…　over　the　phone…to　the　State　Department。　He　seems　to　be　suffering　from　a　persecution　plex。　This　interests　the　State　Department；　because　they　see　him　more　in　the　role　of　the　persecutor　than　persecuted。〃
　〃You　mean　the　FBI　does；〃　Roomer　said。　〃You've　had　him　in　your　files　for　years。　Lord　Worth　always　gives　the　impression　of　being　very　capable　of　looking　out　for　himself。〃
　　　〃Thaf　s　precisely　what　intrigues　the　State　Department。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃What　kind　of　noises？〃
　〃Nonsense　noises。　You　know　he　has　an　oil　rig　out　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico？〃
　〃The　Seawitch？　Yes。〃
　〃He　appears　to　be　under　the　impression　that　the　Seawitch　is　in　mortal　danger。　He　wants　protection。　Very　modest　in　his　demands；　as　bees　a　multimillionaire…a　missile　frigate　or　two；　some　missile　fighters　standing　by；　just　in　case。〃
　〃In　case　of　what？〃
　〃That's　the　question。　He　refused　to　say。　Just　said　he　had　secret　information…which；　in　fact；　wouldn't　surprise　me。　The　Lord　Worths　of　this　world　have　their　secret　agents　everywhere。〃
　〃You'd　better　level　with　us；〃　Mitchell　said。
　〃I've　told　you　all　I　know。　The　rest　is　surmise。　Calling　the　State　Department　means　that　there　are　foreign　countries　involved。　There　are　Soviet　naval　vessels　in　the　Caribbean　at　present。　The　State　Department　smells　an　international　incident　or　worse。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do？〃
　〃Not　much。　Just　to　find　out　Lord　Worth's　intended　movements　for　the　next　day　or　two：〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃And　if　we　refuse？　We　have　our　licenses　rescinded？〃
　〃I　am　not　a　corrupt　police　chief。　If　you　refuse；　you　can　just　forget　that　you　ever　saw　me。　But　I　thought　you　might　care　enough　about　Lord　Worth　to　help　protect　him　against　himself　or　the　consequences　of　any　rash　action　he　might　take。　I　thought　you　might　care　even　more　about　the　reactions　of　his　two　daughters　if　anything　were　to　happen　to　their　father。〃
　Mitchell　stood　up；　jerked　a　thumb；　〃The　door。　You　know　too　damn　much。〃
　〃Sit　down。〃　A　sudden…chill　asperity。　〃Don't　be　foolish：　it's　my　job　to　know　too　damn　much。　But　apart　from　Lord　Worth　and　his　family；　I　thought　you　might　have　some　little　concern　for　your　country's　welfare。〃
　Roomer　said：　〃Isn't　that　pitching　it　a　little　high？〃
　〃Very　possibly。　But　it　is　the　policy　of　the　State　Department；　the　Justice　Department　and　the　FBI　not　to　take　any　chances。〃
Roomer　said：　〃You're　putting　us　in　a　damned　awkward　situation。〃
　〃Don't　think　I　don't　appreciate　that。　I　know　Tve　put　you　on　a　spot　and　I'm　sorry；　but　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　resolve　that　particular　dilemma　yourselves。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃Thanks　for　dropping　this　little　problem　in　our　laps。　What　do　you　expect　us　to　do？　Go　to　Lord　Worth；　ask　him　why　he's　been　hollering　to　the　State　Department；　ask　him　what　he's　up　to　and　what　his　immediate　plans　are？〃
　Bentley　smiled。　〃Nothing　so　crude。　You　have　a　reputation…except；　of　course；　in　the　police　department…of　being；　in　the　street　phrase；　a　couple　of　slick　operators。　The　approach　is　up　to　you。〃　He　stood。　〃Keep　that　card　and　let　me　know　when　you　find　out　anything。　How　long　would　that　take；　do　you　think？〃
　Roomer　said：　〃A　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃A　couple　of　hours？〃　Even　Bentley　seemed　momentarily　taken　aback。　〃You　don't；　then；　require　an　invitation　to　visit　the　baronial　mansion？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Millionaires　do。〃
　〃We　aren't　even　thousandaires。〃
　〃It　makes　a　difference。　Well；　thank　you　very　much；　gentlemen。　Goodnight。〃
　After　Bentley's　departure　the　two　men　sat　for　a　couple　of　minutes　in　silence；　then　Mitchell　said：　〃We　play　it　both　ways？〃
　〃We　play　it　every　way。〃　Roomer　reached　for　a　phone；　dialed　a　number　and　asked　for　Lord　Worth。　He　had　to　identify　himself　before　he　was　put　through…Lord　Worth　was　a　man　who　respected　his　privacy。
　Roomer　said：　〃Lord　Worth？　Roomer。　Mitchell　and　I　have　something　to　discuss　with　you；　sir；　which　may　or　may　not　be　of　urgency　and　importance。　We　would　prefer　not　to　discuss　it　over　the　phone。〃　He　paused；　listened　for　a　few　moments；　murmured　a　thank　you　and　hung　up。
　〃He'll　see　us　right　away。　Says　to　park　the　car　in　the　lane。　Side　door。　Study。　Says　the　girls　have　gone　upstairs。〃
　〃Think　our　friend　Bentley　already　has　our　phone　tapped？〃
　〃Not　worth　his　FBI　salt　if　he　hasn't。〃
　Five　minutes　later；　car　parked　in　the　lane；　they　were　making　their　way　through　the　trees　to
　Sea　witch
　the　side　door。　Their　progress　was　observed　with　interest　by　Marina；　standing　by　the　window　in　。her　upstairs　bedroom。　She　looked　thoughtful　for　a　moment；　then　turned　and　unhurriedly　left　the　room。
　Lord　Worth　weled　the　two　men　in　his　study　and　securely　closed　the　padded　door　behind　them。　He　swung　open　the　doors　of　a　concealed　bar　and　poured　three　brandies。　There　were　times　when　one　rang　for　Jenkins　and　there　were　times　when　one　didn't。　He　lifted　his　glass。
　〃Health。　An　unexpected　pleasure。〃
　〃It'