cc.themediterraneancaper2-第43章

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　Pitt　said　nothing。　He　merely　extended　his　hand　and　took　the　messages。
　〃The　one　from　Munich　came　in　at　6：00。〃　The　black　man's　tone　was　hesitating　and　unsteady。　〃It　was　followed　at　7：00　by　two　transmissions　from　Berlin。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Pitt　murmured　woodenly。　〃Anything　else？〃
　〃This　last　one；　sir；　it's　。　。　。　well　It's　really　weird。
　No　call　sign。　no　repeat；　no　sign　off；　just　the　message。〃
　Pitt　stared　down　'at　the　top　paper。　A　grim　smile　slowly　moved　his　lips。
　'Major　Dirk　Pitt；　NUMA　ship　First　Attempt。　One　hour　down；　nine　to　go。　H。Z。'
　〃Any。。。　any　reply；　Major？〃　the　voice　stammered　unevenly。
　Suddenly　Pitt　became　aware　of　the　sickly　expression　on　the　radio　operator's　face。　〃You　feel　all　tight？〃
　〃To　tell　the　truth；　Major。　no。　Ever　since　breakfast　I've　had　the　worst　case　of　bowel　drizzlies　in　my　life；　and　I've　barfed　twice。〃
　Pitt　could　not　help　grinning　〃pliments　of　the　ship's　cook。　Is　that　it？〃
　The　radioman　shook　his　head　and　rubbed　his　eyes　in　one　easy　movement。　〃Can't　be。　Cocky's　the　greatest…strictly　gourmetsville　Nah；　it's　probably　the　local　version　of　the　flu。　Could　even　be　a　skunky　bottle　of　beer　or　something。〃
　〃Stay　with　it；〃　Pitt　said。　〃We　need　a　good　man　on　the　radio　for　the　next　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃You　can　count　on　me。〃　The　radioman　forced　a　faint　smile。　〃Besides；　that　chick　you　brought　on　board　has　been　clucking　over　me　like　a　mother　hen。　With　that　kind　of　attention；　how　much　could　I　suffer？〃
　Pitt　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃You　must　see　something　in　her　I　don't〃
　〃She's　not　bad。　Not　my　usual　fancy；　but　not　bad。
　Anyway；　she's　been　bringing　tea　all　morning…a　regular　Florence　Nightingale。〃
　The　young　black　suddenly　broke　off。　His　eyes　went　wide　and　he　threw　a　hand　to　his　mouth。　Then　he　jumped　to　his　feet；　knocking　over　the　chair；　ran　outside　and　hung　like　a　dead　man　over　the　railing。　Animal…like　grunts　carried　back　into　the　cabin；　acpanied　by　low；　agonizing　moans。
　Pitt　walked　out　and　lightly　patted　the　ailing　radioman　on　the　back。
　〃I　need　you　by　the　radio　my　friend。　Hang　in　there　while　I　send　for　the　ship's　doctor。〃
　The　radioman　slowly　nodded　his　head　and　said　nothing　Then　Pitt　turned　and　left；　making　sure　he　walked　upwind。
　After　a　few　minutes　spent　looking　for　the　ship's　physician　and　asking　him　to　look　in　on　the　radio　operator；　Pitt　entered　Gunn's　cabin　and　found　it　dark；　the　curtains　drawn。　Cool　air　flowed　from　the　ventilator；　giving　the　steel　cubicle　a　fortable；　inviting　atmosphere；　a　vast　improvement　over　the　intolerable　heat　of　yesterday。　In　the　dim　light　he　made　out　Teri　sitting　on　the　desk。　Her　chin　was　resting　on　a　drawn　up　knee。　She　looked　up　at　him　and　smiled。
　〃What　kept　you？〃
　〃Business；〃　he　replied。
　〃Monkey　business　I'll　bet。〃　Her　face　bore　a　distinct　feminine　pout。　〃Where　is　the　big　adventure　you　promised　me？　Everytime　I　turn　around　you've　disappeared。〃
　〃When　duty　calls；　dearheart；　I　must　answer。〃　Pitt　straddled　a　chair　and　leaned　over　the　backrest。　〃A　very　intriguing　bit　of　apparel　you're　wearing。　Where　did　you　get　it？〃
　〃Nothing　to　it　really…〃
　〃I　can　see　that〃
　She　smiled　at　his　remark　and　went　on。　〃I　simply　snipped　out　a　pattern　from　some　pillow　ticking。　The　halter　is　tied　in　the　back　with　a　bow　and　the　pants　are　knotted　on　each　side。　See！〃　She　stood　and　undid　the　knot　over　her　left　hip；　letting　the　diminutive　cloth　dangle　teasingly。
　〃Very；　very　clever。　What　do　you　do　for　an　encore？〃
　〃How　much　is　it　worth　to　you？〃　she　asked　seductively。
　〃How　about　an　old　Milwaukee　streetcar　token？〃
　〃You're　impossible；〃　she　pouted。　〃I'm　beginning　to　think　you're　daft。〃
　He　had　to　force　his　eyes　to　ignore　her　body。　〃Right　now　I've　got　some　details　that　need　clearing　up。〃
　She　stared　at　him　blankly　for　a　few　seconds；　started　to　say　something；　then　thought　better　of　it；　his　face　was　unsmiling　and　serious。　She　shrugged；　slowly　retied　the　bikini　and　settled　into　a　vacant　chair。
　〃You're　acting　terribly　mysterious。〃
　〃I'll　revert　to　my　old　sweet；　lovable　self　after　you've　answered　a　few　simple　questions。〃
　She　scratched　at　an　imaginary　itch　above　her　left　breast。　〃Ask　away　then。〃
　〃Question　number　one：　what　do　you　know　about　your　uncle's　smuggling　operations？〃
　Her　eyes　went　wide。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about〃
　〃I　think　you　do。〃
　〃You're　insane；〃　she　said；　glaring　at　him。　〃Uncle　Bruno　owns　a　steamship　line。　Why　should　a　man　of　his　wealth　and　social　standing　stoop　to　petty　smuggling？〃
　〃Nothing　he　does　can　be　considered　petty；〃　Pitt　said。　He　paused　a　moment　monitoring　her　expression；　and　then　continued。　〃Question　number　two：　before　you　came　to　Thasos；　when　was　the　last　time　you　saw　von　Till？〃
　Not　since　I　was　a　little　girl；〃　she　answered　vaguely。　〃My　mum　and　dad　were　drowned　when　their　sailboat　overturned　in　a　sudden　storm　off　the　Isle　of　Man。　Uncle　Bruno　was　with　them　at　the　time。　So　was　I。　He　saved　my　life。　Since　that　awful　accident　he　has　been　very　good　to　me；　the　best　boarding　schools；　money　when　I　needed　it。　He　always　remembers　my　birthday。〃
　〃Yes；　he's　all　heart；〃　Pitt　said　sarcastically。　〃Isn't　he　a　bit　old　to　be　your　uncle？〃
　〃Actually；　he　was　my　grandmother's　brother。〃
　〃Question　three：　how　e　you　never　paid　him　a　visit　before　now？〃
　〃Whenever　I　wrote　and　begged　him　to　let　me　e　to　Thasos；　he　always　wrote　back　and　said　he　was　too　busy；　involved　with　some　vast　shipping　transaction　or　something。〃　She　giggled　softly。　〃I　fooled　him　this　time　though。　I　simply　popped　in　and　surprised　him。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　about　his　past？〃
　〃Nothing　really。　He　talks　very　little　about　himself。　But　I　do　know　he's　not　a　smuggler。〃
　〃You　beloved　uncle　is　the　worst　scum　that　a　mother　ever　dropped。〃　Pitt's　voice　was　tired。　He　didn't　want　to　hurt　her；　but　he　was　certain　she　was　lying。
　〃God　only　knows　how　many　rotting　corpses　owe　their　present　condition　to　him；　hundreds；　thousands　more　likely。　And　you're　in　it　with　him　right　up　to　your　lovely　little　neck。　Every　rotten　dollar　you've　spent　in　the　last　twenty　years　was　soaked　in　blood。　In　some　cases　with　the　blood　of；　and　yes　tears；　especially　tears；　of　innocent　children。　Young　girls　who　were　stolen　from　their　parents　arms　and　who　finished　their　adolescence　on　a　filthy；　lice　ridden　pile　of　straw　in　a　North　African　whorehouse。〃
　She　jumped　to　her　feet　〃Things　like　that　don't　happen　any　more。　You're　lying；　you're　lying。　you're　making　this　up。〃　She　was　scared　now；　but　playing　a　magnificent　scene；　Pitt　thought。　〃I　told　you　the　truth。　I　know　nothing。　Nothing！〃
　〃Nothing？　You　knew　von　Till　was　planning　to　murder　me　at　the　villa。　Your　tearful　little　act　on　the　terrace；　I　admit；　had　me　fooled。　But　not　for　long。　You　missed　your　calling…you　should　have　been　an　actress。〃
　〃I　didn't　know。〃　Her　voice　was　low　and　desperate。　〃I　swear　I　didn't…〃
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　buy　it。　You　gave　yourself　away　outside　the　labyrinth　when　we　were　arrested　by　the　tourist　guide。　You　weren't　just　surprised　to　see　me；　you　were　goddamned　shocked　to　see　me　in　one　piece。〃
　She　came　over　and　knelt　beside　him　and　held　his　hands　in　hers。　〃Please；　please。　。　。　Oh　God！　What　must　I　do　to　make　you　believe　me？〃
　〃You　might　begin　by　offering　me　facts。〃　He　raised　up　from　the　chair　and　stood　directly　over　her。　Then　he　tore　the　soggy　bandages　from　his　chest　and　dropped　them　in　her　lap。　〃Look　at　me。　This　is　what　I　got　for　accepting　your　invitation　to　dinner。　I　was　set　up　as　the　main　course　for　your　uncle's　man…eating　dog。　Look　at　me！〃
　She　looked。　〃I　think　I'm　going　to　be　sick。〃
　Pitt　ached　to　take　her　in　his　arms　and　kiss　away　the　tears　that　welled　in　her　eyes；　and　to　softly；　gently　tell　her　how　sorry　he　was。　Instead；　he　fought　to　keep　his　voice　firm　and　even。
　She　turned　and　gazed　blankly　at　the　metal　sink　in　the　head；　wondering　if　she　were　going　to　be　sick　or　not；　then　she　forced　her　tear…brimmed　eyes　back　on　Pitt　and　spoke　in　a　whisper。　〃You're　a　devil。　You　talk　about　Uncle　Bruno。　You're　worse；　much　worse。　I　wish　you　would　have　been　killed。〃
　The　hate　should　have　been　there；　but　Pitt　could　only　feel　a　touch　of　sadness。　〃Until　I　say　otherwise　you'll　remain　on　this　ship。〃
　〃You　can't　keep　me　here；　you　have　no　right〃
　〃I　have　no　right；　true；　but　I　can　keep　you　here。　And　while　we're　on　the　subject；　don'