cc.themediterraneancaper2-第33章

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　like　the　proverbial　sweet　smelling　rose；　fresh　out　of　the　excretion　barrel。　But　this　time　it's　going　to　be　different。〃　He　pounded　the　desk　for　effect　〃Our　governments　have　allowed　us　to　form　an　international　investigation　team　that　can　cross　any　border；　use　any　police　facilities；　and　have　at　their　mand；　men　and　equipment　of　the　military。〃　Zac　sighed　heavily；　then　went　on　apologetically。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Pitt；　I　didn't　mean　to　be　long　winded。　But　I　hope　I've　answered　your　question　as　to　why　I'm　on　Thasos。〃
　Pitt　studied　Zac　carefully。　The　Inspector　looked　like　a　man　who　was　not　used　to　failure。　Every　movement；　every　gesture　was　thoughtfully　planned　in　advance；　even　his　words　carried　an　air　of　confident　forethought。
　Yet；　Pitt　could　not　help　detecting　a　glimmer　of　fear　behind　Zac's　eyes；　a　fear　of　losing　the　game　to　von　Till。　Pitt　began　to　wish　more　than　ever　for　a　drink。
　〃Where　are　the　other　members　of　your　team？〃　Pitt　asked。　〃So　far　I've　only　seen　three　of　you。〃
　〃At　this　moment　a　British　inspector　is　on　board　a　Royal　Navy　destroyer；　trailing　Queen　Artemisia；　while　a　representative　from　the　Turkish　Police　Bureau　is　observing　her　from　the　air　in　an　antiquated；　unmarked　DC…3。〃　Zac　spoke　woodenly；　as　if　quoting　from　a　legal　document。　〃Two　detectives　of　the　French　Surete　Nationale　are　also　on　hand；　posing　as　Marseille　dockworkers；　awaiting　the　Queen's　arrival　for　refueling。〃
　A　feeling　of　detached　unreality　began　to　creep
　on　Pitt。　Zac's　words　were　being　dull　and　unmeaning；　Indifferently；　almost；　with　a　kind　of　hazy　academic　interest；　he　wondered　how　much　longer　he　could　stay　awake。　Ho　had　had　only　a　few　hours　sleep　in　the　last　two　days　and　it　was　catching　up。　Pitt　rubbed　his　eyes　and　shook　his　head　vigorously；　then　forced　his　mind　back　to　alertness。
　〃Zac；　old　buddy；〃　It　was　the　first　time　Pitt　had　called　him　by　name。　〃I　wonder　if　you　would　do　me　a　personal　favor。〃
　〃If　I　can；〃　Zac　grinned　hesitantly；　〃old　buddy。〃
　〃I　want　Teri　released　in　my　custody。〃
　〃Released　in　your　custody？〃　Zac　arched　his　eyebrows　in　acpaniment　to　wide　innocent　eyes。　Steve　McQueen　couldn't　have　done　it　any　better。　〃What　lecherous　scheme　do　you　have　up　your　sleeve？〃
　〃No　lechery；〃　Pitt　said　seriously。　〃You　have　no　choice　but　to　release　her。　Once　free；　it　will　take　Teri　all　of　twenty　minutes　to　storm　back　to　the　villa…hell　hath　no　fury　like　the　wrath　of　a　woman　humiliated　demanding　that　Uncle　Bruno　do　something　about　her　shameful　captivity。　The　old　boy　will　put　his　shrewd
　mind　into　gear　and；　within　the　hour；　your　little　underground　spy　network　will　be　blown　from　Thasos　back　to　the　States。〃
　〃You　underestimate　us；〃　Zac　said　urbanely。　〃I'm　well　aware　of　the　consequences。　Plans　have　been　made　for　just　such　an　emergency。　We　can　be　out　of　these　quarters　and　working　under　a　different　cover　by　morning；〃
　〃Too　late；〃　Pitt　countered　sharply。　〃The　damage　is　done。　Von　Till　will　be　wise　to　your　presence。　He's　sure　to　double　every　precaution。〃
　〃You　have　a　very　convincing　argument。〃
　〃You're　damn　right　I　have。〃
　〃And　if　I　turned　her　over　to　you？〃　Zac　asked　speculatively。
　〃As　soon　as　Teri　is　missed；　if　she　hasn't　been　already；　von　Till　will　turn　Thasos　upside　down　in　an　exhaustive　search。　The　safest　place　to　hide　her　now　is　on　board　the　First　Attempt。　He　won't　think　to　look　for　her　there；　at　least　not　until　he's　sure　she　isn't　on　the　island。〃
　Zac　stared　a　long　moment　at　Pitt；　examining　every　inch　of　the　man　as　if　he　were　seeing　him　for　the　first　time；　wondering　why　someone　with　an　excellent　position　and　influential　family　would　take　such　difficult　and　dangerous　risks；　never　knowing　when　a　miscalculation　might　spell　the　end　of　his　career　or　even　his　death。　Zac　idly　tapped　his　pipe　against　an　ashtray；　knocking　the　loose　ashes　from　the　round　briar　bowl。
　〃It　will　be　as　you　say；〃　Zac　murmured。　〃Providing；　of　course；　the　young　lady　will　cause　no　trouble。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Pitt　grinned。　〃She　has　other　things　on　her　mind　besides　international　drug　smuggling。　I'd　say　that　sneaking　off　to　the　boat　with　me　holds　more　interest　than　another　dull　evening　with　Uncle　Bruno。　Besides；　show　me　a　woman　who　doesn't　crave　a　little　taste　of　adventure；　now　and　then；　and　I'll　show　you　a…〃
　He　broke　off　as　the　door　opened　and　Giordino　walked　in；　followed　by　Zeno。　Giordino　had　a　wide　grin　stretched　across　his　cherub　face　and　he　clutched　a　bottle　of　Metaxa　Five　Star　brandy　in　one　hand。
　〃Look　what　Zeno　found；〃　Giordino　flicked　off　the　bottle　lid　and　sniffed　the　contents；　screwing　up　his　face　into　a　mock　look　of　ecstasy。　〃I've　decided　they're　not　such　bad　guys　after　all。〃
　Pitt　laughed　and　turned　to　Zeno。　〃You'll　have　to　excuse　Giordino。　He　always　es　unglued　at　the　mere　sight　of　booze。〃
　〃if　so；〃　Zeno　grinned　beneath　his　moustache；　〃We　have　much　in　mon。〃　He　stepped　around　Giordino　and　set　a　tray　with　four　glasses　on　the　desk。
　〃How's　Darius？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃He　is　on　his　feet；〃　Zeno　replied。　〃But　he　will　be　limping　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃Tell　him　I'm　sorry；〃　Pitt　said　sincerely。　〃I　regret…〃
　〃No　regrets　are　necessary；〃　Zeno　interrupted。　〃In　our　line　of　work　these　things　happen。〃　He　passed　a　glass　to　Pitt；　noticing　for　the　first　time　the　blood　stained　shirt。　〃You　seem　to　have　your　injuries　also。〃
　〃Courtesy　of　von　Till's　dog；〃　Pitt　said；　holding　the　glass　to　the　light。
　Zac　nodded　silently。　He　now　grasped　more　fully　Pitt's　hatred　for　von　Till。　He　relaxed；　hands　banging　limply　over　the　arms　of　the　swivel　chair；　secure　in　the　knowledge　that　Pitt　had　revenge　on　his　mind；　not　sex。
　〃After　you　get　back　to　your　ship；　we'll　keep　you　posted　by　radio　on　von　Till's　activities。〃
　〃Good；〃　Pitt　said　simply。　He　sipped　the　brandy；　enjoying　the　fiery　lava…like　liquid　that　trickled　down　his　throat　into　the　stomach。　〃One　more　favor；　Zac。　I'd　like　you　to　use　your　official　status　and　send　a　couple　of　messages　to　Germany。〃
　〃Of　course。　What　do　you　wish　to　say？〃
　Pitt　had　already　picked　up　a　pad　and　pencil　off　desk。　〃I'll　write　everything　down　including　names　addresses；　but　will　have　to　fake　my　German　spelling。
　When　Pitt　finished　he　passed　the　pad　to　Zac。　〃Ask　them　to　forward　their　reply　to　the　First　Attempt。　I've　add　NUMA's　radio　frequency。〃
　Zac　scanned　the　pad。　〃I　don't　understand　your　motives。〃
　〃Just　a　wild　hunch。〃　Pitt　poured　another　shot　Metaxa　in　his　glass。　〃By　the　way；　when　will　the　Queen　Artemisia　make　her　detour　by　Thasos？〃
　〃How　。　。　but　how　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃I'm　psychic；〃　Pitt　said　briefly。　〃When？〃
　〃Tomorrow　morning。〃　Zac　looked　at　Pitt　long　and　consideringly。　〃Sometime　between　four　and　five　A。M。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃No　reason；　just　curiosity。〃　Pitt　braced　himself　for　the　burn　and　downed　the　drink。　The　jolt　was　almost　too　much。　He　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side；　blinking　away　the　tears　that　burst　from　his　eyes。
　〃My　God；〃　he　whispered　hoarsely。　〃That　stuff　goes　down　like　battery　acid。〃
　　　13
　The　eerie；　phosphorescent　froth　gradually　diminished　and　fell　away　from　the　old　straight　up　and　down　bow　of　Queen　Artemisia　as　the　aging　ship　slowly　lost　way　and　came　to　a　stop。　Then　the　anchor　clattered　down　into　ten　fathoms　of　water；　and　the　navigation　lights　blinked　out；　leaving　a　black　silhouette　resting　on　an　even　blacker　sea。　It　was　as　though　the　Queen　Artemisia　had　never　been。
　Two　hundred　feet　away；　a　small　wooden　packing　crate　bobbed　lazily　on　the　swells。　It　was　a　mon　type　of　crate；　one　of　empty　thousands　that　float　in　cast　off　neglect　on　every　sea　and　waterway　of　the　world。　To　the　casual　eye；　at　least；　it　looked　like　ordinary　flotsam；　even　the　stenciled　letters　that　advertised　〃THIS　END　UP〃　pointed　incongruously　downward　toward　the　seabed。　There　was；　however；　one　thing　that　made　this　particular　crate　quite　different；　it　wasn't　empty。
　There　must　be　a　better　way；　Pitt　thought　wryly　from　inside　the　box　as　a　wave　bumped　it　against　the　top　of　his　head；　but　at　least　this　was　a　damn　sight　better　than　swimming　in　plain　view　when　the　morning　light　appeared。　He　took　a　mouthful　of　saltwater　and　coughed　it　out。　Then　he　puffed　lightly　into　the　mouthpiece　of　his　flotation　vest；　increasing　his　buoyancy；　and　returned　his　gaze　to　the　ship　through　a　jaggedly　cut　peephole。
　The　Queen　Artemisia　lay　silent；　only　the　faint　hum　of　her　genera