if.liveandletdie-第7章

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ll　sewn　up。　Must　be　a　leak　the　size　of　the　Grand　Canyon　somewhere。'
　'Why　should　it　be　Washington？'　asked　Dexter　testily。　'Anyway；'　he　controlled　himself　with　a　forced　laugh；　'Hell　and　damnation。　Have　to　make　a　report　to　Headquarters　on　this。　So　long；　Mr。　Bond。　Glad　you　came　to　no　harm。'
　'Thanks；'　said　Bond。　'It　was　just　a　visiting…card。　I　must　return　the　pliment。'
　
　CHAPTER　IV
　THE　BIG　SWITCHBOARD
　
　WHEN　Dexter　and　his　colleague　had　gone；　taking　the　remains　of　the　bomb　with　them；　Bond　took　a　damp　towel　and　rubbed　the　smoke…mark　off　the　wall。　Then　he　rang　for　the　waiter　and；　without　explanation；　told　him　to　put　the　broken　glass　on　his　check　and　clear　away　the　breakfast　things。　Then　he　took　his　hat　and　coat　and　went　out　on　the　street。
　He　spent　the　morning　on　Fifth　Avenue　and　on　Broadway；　wandering　aimlessly；　gazing　into　the　shop　windows　and　watching　the　passing　crowds。　He　gradually　assimilated　the　casual　gait　and　manners　of　a　visitor　from　out　of　town；　and　when　he　tested　himself　out　in　a　few　shops　and　asked　the　way　of　several　people　he　found　that　nobody　looked　at　him　twice。
　He　had　a　typical　American　meal　at　an　eating　house　called　'Gloryfried　Ham…N…Eggs'　（'The　Eggs　We　Serve　Tomorrow　Are　Still　in　the　Hens'）　on　Lexington　Avenue　and　then　took　a　cab　downtown　to　police　headquarters；　where　he　was　due　to　meet　Leiter　and　Dexter　at　2。30。
　A　Lieutenant　Binswanger　of　Homicide；　a　suspicious　and　crusty　officer　in　his　late　forties；　announced　that　missioner　Monahan　had　said　that　they　were　to　have　plete　co…operation　from　the　Police　Department。　What　could　he　do　for　them？　They　examined　Mr。　Big's　police　record；　which　more　or　less　duplicated　Dexter's　information；　and　they　were　shown　the　records　and　photographs　of　most　of　his　known　associates。
　They　went　over　the　reports　of　the　US　Coastguard　Service　on　the　ings　and　goings　of　the　yacht　Secatur　and　also　the　ments　of　the　US　Customs　Service；　who　had　kept　a　close　watch　on　the　boat　each　time　she　had　docked　at　St。　Petersburg。
　These　confirmed　that　the　yacht　had　put　in　at　irregular　intervals　over　the　previous　six　months　and　that　she　always　tied　up　in　the　Port　of　St。　Petersburg　at　the　wharf　of　the　'Ourobouros　Worm　and　Bait　Shippers　Inc。'；　an　apparently　innocent　concern　whose　main　business　was　to　sell　live　bait　to　fishing　clubs　throughout　Florida；　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　and　further　afield。　The　pany　also　had　a　profitable　sideline　in　sea…shells　and　coral　for　interior　decoration；　and　a　further　sideline　in　tropical　aquarium　fish…particularly　rare　poisonous　species　for　the　research　departments　of　medical　and　chemical　foundations。
　According　to　the　proprietor；　a　Greek　sponge…fisher　from　the　neighbouring　Tarpon　Springs；　the　Secatur　did　big　business　with　his　pany；　bringing　in　cargoes　of　queen　conchs　and　other　shells　from　Jamaica　and　also　highly　prized　varieties　of　tropical　fish。　These　were　purchased　by　Ourobouros　Inc。；　stored　in　their　warehouse　and　sold　in　bulk　to　wholesalers　and　retailers　up　and　down　the　coast。　The　name　of　the　Greek　was　Papagos。　No　criminal　record。
　The　FBI；　with　the　help　of　Naval　Intelligence；　had　tried　listening　in　to　the　Secatur's　wireless。　But　she　kept　off　the　air　except　for　short　messages　before　she　sailed　from　Cuba　or　Jamaica　and　then　transmitted　en　clair　in　a　language　which　was　unknown　and　pletely　indecipherable。　The　last　notation　on　the　file　was　to　the　effect　that　the　operator　was　talking　in　'Language'；　the　secret　Voodoo　speech　only　used　by　initiates；　and　that　every　effort　would　be　made　to　hire　an　expert　from　Haiti　before　the　next　sailing。
　'More　gold　been　turning　up　lately；'　announced　Lieutenant　Binswanger　as　they　walked　back　to　his　office　from　the　Identification　Bureau　across　the　street。　'
　'Bout　a　hundred　coins　a　week　in　Harlem　and　New　York　alone。　Want　us　to　do　anything　about　it？　If　you're　right　and　these　are　mie　funds；　they　must　be　pulling　it　in　pretty　fast　while　we　sit　on　our　asses　doin'　nothing。'
　'Chief　says　to　lay　off；'　said　Dexter。　'Hope　we'll　see　some　action　before　long。'
　'Well；　the　case　is　all　yours；'　said　Binswanger　grudgingly。　'But　the　missioner　sure　don't　like　having　this　bastard　crappin'　away　on　his　own　front　doorstep　while　Mr。　Hoover　sits　down　in　Washington　well　to　leeward　of　the　stink。　Why　don't　we　pull　him　in　on　tax　evasion　or　misuse　of　the　mails　or　parkin'　in　front　of　a　hydrant　or　sumpn？　Take　him　down　to　the　Tombs　and　give'em　the　works？　If　the　Feds　won't　do　it；　we'd　be　glad　to　oblige。'
　'D'you　want　a　race　riot？'　objected　Dexter　sourly。　'There's　nothing　against　him　and　you　know　it；　and　we　know　it。　If　he　wasn't　sprung　in　half　an　hour　by　that　black　mouthpiece　of　his；　those　Voodoo　drums　would　start　beating　from　here　to　the　Deep　South。　When　they're　full　of　that　stuff　we　all　know　what　happens。　Remember　'35　and　'43？　You'd　have　to　call　out　the　Militia。　We　didn't　ask　for　the　case。　The　President　gave　it　us　and　we've　got　to　stick　with　it。'
　They　were　back　in　Binswanger's　drab　office。　They　picked　up　their　coats　and　hats。
　'Anyway；　thanks　for　the　help；　Lootenant；'　said　Dexter　with　forced　cordiality；　as　they　made　their　farewells。　'Been　most　valuable。'
　'You're　wele；'　said　Binswanger　stonily。　'Elevator's　to　your　right。'　He　closed　the　door　firmly　behind　them。
　Leiter　winked　at　Bond　behind　Dexter's　back。　They　rode　down　to　the　main　entrance　on　Centre　Street　in　silence。
　On　the　sidewalk；　Dexter　turned　to　them。
　'Had　some　instructions　from　Washington　this　morning；'　he　said　unemotionally。　'Seems　I'm　to　look　after　the　Harlem　end；　and　you　two　are　to　go　down　to　St。　Petersburg　tomorrow。　Leiter's　to　find　out　what　he　can　there　and　then　move　right　on　to　Jamaica　with　you；　Mr。　Bond。　That　is；'　he　added；　'if　you'd　care　to　have　him　along。　It's　your　territory。'
　'Of　course；'　said　Bond。　'I　was　going　to　ask　if　he　could　e　anyway。'
　'Fine；'　said　Dexter。　Then　I'll　tell　Washington　everything's　fixed。　Anything　else　I　can　do　for　you？　All　munications　with　FBI；　Washington；　of　course。　Leiter's　got　the　names　of　our　men　in　Florida；　knows　the　Signals　routine　and　so　forth。'
　'If　Leiter's　interested　and　if　you　don't　mind；'　said　Bond；　'I'd　like　very　much　to　get　up　to　Harlem　this　evening　and　have　a　look　round。　Might　help　to　have　some　idea　of　what　it　looks　like　in　Mr。　Big's　back　yard。'
　Dexter　reflected。
　'Okay；'　he　said　finally。　'Probably　no　harm。　But　don't　show　yourselves　too　much。　And　don't　get　hurt；'　lie　added。　'There's　no　one　to　help　you　up　there。　And　don't　go　stirring　up　a　lot　of　trouble　for　us。　This　case　isn't　ripe　yet。　Until　it　is；　our　policy　with　Mr。　Big　is　〃live　and　let　live〃。'
　Bond　looked　quizzically　at　Captain　Dexter。
　'In　my　job；'　he　said；　'when　I　e　up　against　a　man　like　this　one；　I　have　another　motto。　It's　〃live　and　let　die〃。'
　Dexter　shrugged　his　shoulders。　'Maybe；'　he　said；　'but　you're　under　my　orders　here；　Mr。　Bond；　and　I'd　be　glad　if　you'd　accept　them。'
　'Of　course；'　said　Bond；　'and　thanks　for　all　your　help。　Hope　you　have　luck　with　your　end　of　the　job。'
　Dexter　flagged　a　cab。　They　shook　hands。
　'Bye；　fellers；'　said　Dexter　briefly。　'Stay　alive。'　His　cab　pulled　out　into　the　uptown　traffic。
　Bond　and　Leiter　smiled　at　each　other。
　'Able　guy；　I　should　say；'　said　Bond。
　They're　all　that　in　his　show；'　said　Leiter。　'Bit　inclined　to　be　stuffed　shirts。　Very　touchy　about　their　rights。　Always　bickering　with　us　or　with　the　police。　But　I　guess　you　have　much　the　same　problem　in　England。'
　'Oh　of　course；'　said　Bond。　'We're　always　rubbing　MI　5　up　the　wrong　way。　And　they're　always　stepping　on　the　corns　of　the　Special　Branch。　Scotland　Yard；'　he　explained。　'Well；　how　about　going　up　to　Harlem　tonight？'
　'Suits　me；'　said　Leiter。　'I'll　drop　you　at　the　St。　Regis　and　pick　you　up　again　about　six…thirty。　Meet　you　in　the　King　Cole　Bar；　on　the　ground　floor。　Guess　you　want　to　take　a　look　at　Mr。　Big；'　he　grinned。　'Well；　so　do　I；　but　it　wouldn't　have　done　to　tell　Dexter　so。'　He　flagged　a　Yellow　Cab。
　'St。　Regis　Hotel。　Fifth　at　55th。'
　They　climbed　into　the　overheated　tin　box　reeking　of　last　week's　cigar…smoke。
　Leiter　wound　down　a　window。
　'Whaddya　want　ter　do？'　asked　the　driver　over　his　shoulder。　'Gimme　pneumony？'
　'Just　that；'　said　Leiter；　'if　it　means　saving　us　from　this　gas　chamber。'
　'Wise　guy；　hn？'　said　the　driver；　crashing　tinnily　through　his　ge