if.liveandletdie-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ced　them　tight。
　'Hey；　Limey；'　called　The　Robber　patiently。　'e　on　out　or　I　start　using　pineapples。　I　been　expectin'　you　an'　I　got　plenty　ammo。'
　'Guess　I　got　to　give　up；'　answered　Bond　through　cupped　hands。　'But　only　because　you　smashed　one　of　my　ankles。'
　'I'll　not　shoot；'　called　The　Robber。　'Drop　your　gun　on　the　floor　and　e　down　the　central　passage　with　your　hands　up。　We'll　have　a　quiet　little　talk。'
　'Guess　I　got　no　option；'　said　Bond；　putting　hopelessness　into　his　voice。　He　dropped　his　Beretta　with　a　clatter　on　to　the　cement　floor。　He　took　the　gold　coin　out　of　his　pocket　and　clenched　it　in　his　bandaged　left　hand。
　Bond　groaned　as　he　put　his　feet　to　the　floor。　He　dragged　his　left　leg　behind　him　as　he　limped　heavily　up　the　central　passage；　his　hands　held　level　with　his　shoulders。　He　stopped　half　way　up　the　passage。
　The　Robber　came　slowly　towards　him；　half…crouching；　his　rifle　pointed　at　Bond's　stomach。　Bond　was　glad　to　see　that　his　shirt　was　soaked　and　that　he　had　a　cut　over　the　left　eye。
　The　Robber　walked　well　to　the　left　of　the　passage…way。　When　he　was　about　ten　yards　away　from　Bond　he　paused　with　one　stockinged　foot　casually　resting　on　a　small　obstruction　in　the　cement　floor。
　He　gestured　with　his　rifle。　'Higher；'　he　said　harshly。
　Bond　groaned　and　lifted　his　hands　a　few　inches　so　that　they　were　almost　across　his　face；　as　if　in　defence。
　Between　the　fingers　he　saw　The　Robber's　toes　kick　something　sharply　sideways　and　there　was　a　faint　clang　as　if　a　bolt　had　been　drawn。　Bond's　eyes　glinted　behind　his　hands　and　his　jaw　tightened。　He　knew　now　what　had　happened　to　Leiter。
　The　Robber　came　on；　his　hard；　thin　frame　obscuring　the　spot　where　he　had　paused。
　'Christ；'　said　Bond；　'I　gotta　sit　down。　My　leg　won't　hold　me。'
　The　Robber　stopped　a　few　feet　away。　'Go　ahead　and　stand　while　I　ask　you　a　few　questions；　Limey。'　He　bared　his　tobacco…stained　teeth。　'You'll　soon　be　lying　down；　and　for　keeps。'　The　Robber　stood　and　looked　him　over。　Bond　sagged。　Behind　the　defeat　in　his　face　his　brain　was　measuring　in　inches。
　'Nosey　bastard；'　said　The　Robber。。。
　At　that　moment　Bond　dropped　the　gold　coin　out　of　his　left　hand。　It　clanged　on　the　cement　floor　and　started　to　roll。
　In　the　fraction　of　a　second　that　The　Robber's　eyes　flickered　down；　Bond's　right　foot　in　its　steel…capped　shoe　lashed　out　to　its　full　length。　It　kicked　the　rifle　almost　out　of　The　Robber's　hands。　At　the　same　moment　that　The　Robber　pulled　the　trigger　and　the　bullet　crashed　harmlessly　through　the　glass　ceiling；　Bond　launched　himself　in　a　dive　at　the　man's　stomach；　his　two　arms　flailing。
　Both　hands　connected　with　something　soft　and　brought　a　grunt　of　agony。　Pain　shot　through　Bond's　left　hand　and　he　winced　as　the　rifle　crashed　down　across　his　back。　He　bore　on　into　the　man；　blind　to　pain；　hitting　with　both　hands；　his　head　down　between　hunched　shoulders；　forcing　the　man　back　and　off　his　balance。　As　he　felt　the　balance　yield　he　straightened　himself　slightly　and　lashed　out　again　with　his　steel…capped　foot。　It　connected　with　The　Robber's　kneecap。　There　was　a　scream　of　agony　and　the　rifle　clattered　to　the　ground　as　The　Robber　tried　to　save　himself。　He　was　half　way　to　the　floor　when　Bond's　uppercut　hit　him　and　projected　the　body　another　few　feet。
　The　Robber　fell　in　the　centre　of　the　passage　just　opposite　what　Bond　could　now　see　was　a　drawn　bolt　in　the　floor。
　As　the　body　hit　the　ground　a　section　of　the　floor　turned　swiftly　on　a　central　pivot　and　the　body　almost　disappeared　down　the　black　opening　of　a　wide　trap…door　in　the　concrete。
　As　he　felt　the　floor　give　under　his　weight　The　Robber　gave　a　shrill　scream　of　terror　and　his　hands　scrabbled　for　a　hold。　They　caught　the　edge　of　the　floor　and　clutched　it　just　as　his　whole　body　slid　into　space　and　the　six…foot　panels　of　reinforced　concrete　revolved　smoothly　until　it　rested　upright　on　its　pivot；　a　black　rectangle　yawning　on　either　side。
　Bond　gasped　for　air。　He　put　his　hands　on　his　hips　and　got　back　some　of　his　breath。　Then　he　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　right…hand　hole　and　looked　down。
　The　Robber's　terrified　face；　the　lips　drawn　back　from　the　teeth　and　the　eyes　madly　distended；　jabbered　up　at　him。
　Looking　beyond　him；　Bond　could　see　nothing；　but　he　heard　the　lapping　of　water　against　the　foundations　of　the　building　and　there　was　a　faint　luminescence　on　the　seaward　side。　Bond　guessed　that　there　was　access　to　the　sea　through　wire　or　narrow　bars。
　As　The　Robber's　voice　died　down　to　a　whimper；　Bond　could　hear　something　stirring　down　there；　awoken　by　the　light。　A　Hammerhead　or　a　Tiger　Shark；　he　guessed；　with　their　sharper　reactions。
　'Pull　me　out；　friend。　Give　me　a　break。　Pull　me　out。　I　can't　hold　much　longer。　I'll　do　anything　you　want。　Tell　you　anything。'　The　Robber's　voice　was　a　hoarse　whisper　of　supplication。
　'What　happened　to　Solitaire？'　Bond　stared　down　into　the　frenzied　eyes。
　'The　Big　Man　did　it。　Told　me　to　fix　a　snatch。　Two　men　in　Tampa。　Ask　for　Butch　and　The　Lifer。　Poolroom　behind　the　〃Oasis〃。　She　came　to　no　harm。　Lemme　out；　pal。'
　'And　the　American；　Leiter？'
　The　agonized　face　pleaded。　'It　was　his　fault。　Called　me　out　early　this　mornin'。　Said　the　place　was　on　fire。　Seen　it　passing　in　his　car。　Held　me　up　and　brought　me　back　in　here。　Wanted　to　search　the　place。　Just　fell　through　the　trap。　Accident。　I　swear　it　was　his　fault。　We　pulled　him　out　before　he　was　finished。　He'll　be　okay。'
　Bond　looked　down　coldly　at　the　white　fingers　desperately　clinging　to　the　sharp　edge　of　concrete。　He　knew　that　The　Robber　must　have　got　the　bolt　back　and　somehow　engineered　Leiter　over　the　trap。　He　could　hear　the　man's　laugh　of　triumph　as　the　floor　swung　open；　could　see　the　cruel　smile　as　he　pencilled　the　note　and　stuck　it　into　the　bandages　when　they　had　fished　the　half…eaten　body　out。
　For　a　moment　blind　rage　seized　him。
　He　kicked　out　sharply；　twice。
　One　short　scream　came　up　out　of　the　depths。　There　was　a　splash　and　then　a　great　motion　in　the　water。
　Bond　walked　to　the　side　of　the　trap…door　and　pushed　the　upright　concrete　slab。　It　revolved　easily　on　its　central　pivot。
　Just　before　its　edges　shut　out　the　blackness　below；　Bond　heard　one　terrible　snuffling　grunt　as　if　a　great　pig　was　getting　its　mouth　full。　He　knew　it　for　the　grunt　that　a　shark　makes　as　its　hideous　flat　nose　es　up　out　of　the　water　and　its　sickle…shaped　mouth　closes　on　a　floating　carcase。　He　shuddered　and　kicked　the　bolt　home　with　his　foot。
　Bond　collected　the　gold　coin　off　the　floor　and　picked　up　his　Beretta。　He　went　to　the　main　entrance　and　looked　back　for　a　moment　at　the　shambles　of　the　battlefield。
　He　reflected　that　there　was　nothing　to　show　that　the　secret　of　the　treasure　had　been　discovered。　The　top　had　been　shot　off　the　Scorpion　Fish　tank　under　which　Bond　had　dived；　and　when　the　other　men　came　in　the　morning　they　would　not　be　surprised　to　find　the　fish　dead　in　the　tank。　They　would　get　the　remains　of　The　Robber　out　of　the　Shark　tank　and　report　to　Mr。　Big　that　he'd　been　worstei　in　a　gun　battle　and　that　there　were　X　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　damage　which　would　have　to　be　repaired　before　the　Secatur　could　bring　over　its　next　cargo。　They　would　find　some　of　Bond's　bullets　and　soon　guess　that　it　was　his　work。。。
　Bond　grimly　shut　his　mind　to　the　horror　beneath　the　floor　of　the　warehouse。　He　turned　off　the　lights　and　let　himself　out　by　the　main　entrance。
　A　small　payment　had　been　made　on　account　of　Solitaire　and　Leiter。
　
　CHAPTER　XVI
　THE　JAMAICA　VERSION
　
　IT　was　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Bond　eased　his　car　away　from　the　sea…wall　and　moyed　off　through　the　town　on　to　4th　Street；　the　highway　to　Tampa。
　He　dawdled　along　down　the　four…lane　concrete　highway　through　the　endless　gauntlet　of　motels；　trailer　camps　and　roadside　emporia　selling　beach　furniture；　sea…shells　and　concrete　gnomes。
　He　stopped　at　the　'Gulf　Winds　Bar　and　Snacks'　and　ordered　a　double　Old　Grandad　on　the　rocks。　While　the　barman　poured　it　he　went　into　the　washroom　and　cleaned　himself　up。　The　bandages　on　his　left　hand　were　covered　with　dirt　and　the　hand　throbbed　painfully。　The　splint　had　broken　on　The　Robber's　stomach。　There　was　nothing　Bond　could　do　about　it。　His　eyes　were　red　with　strain　and　lack　of　sleep。　He　went　back　to　the　bar；　drank　down　th