cc.themediterraneancaper2-第49章

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　Von　Till　looked　at　Pitt　in　puzzled　suspicion。　〃Go　on；　Major。　I　find　your　assumptions　extremely　fascinating。〃
　〃You're　running　on　a　tight　time　schedule；　and　you're　running　scared。　Under　our　feet；　beneath　this　dock；　rests　a　hundred　and　thirty　tons　of　heroin…loaded　into　the　sub　at　Shanghai　and　carried　across　the　Indian　Ocean　and　through　the　Suez　Canal　by　a　Minerva　Lines　freighter。　I　have　to　hand　it　to　you；　anyone　else　would　have　tried　to　sneak　the　heroin　into　the　United　States　through　the　backdoor　without　fanfare。　Not　so　Bruno　von　Till。　BBD&O　together　with　J。　Walter　Thompson　and　all　the　other　agencies　on　Madison　Avenue　couldn't　have　created　a　more　professional　job　of　advertising　the　Queen　Artemisia's　illegal　cargo　and　final　destination。　It　was　shrewd　thinking。　Even　though　INTERPOL　agents　have　finally　unriddled　your　underwater　transportation；　it　makes　little　difference。　All　their　eyes　are　still　trained　on　the　Queen　Artenusia。　Do　you　follow　me？〃
　They　stood　mute　and　offered　no　affirmative　or　negative　reply。　〃As　Darius　has　undoubtedly　informed　you；〃　Pitt　went　on；　〃Inspector　Zacynthus　and　the　Bureau　of　Narcotics　are　currently　wasting　their　time　and　efforts　in　preparing　a　trap　for　the　ship　when　it　reaches　Chicago。　I　shudder　to　think　of　the　four　letter　words　that　will　fall　on　Lake　Michigan　when　they　discover　nothing　but　the　ship's　crew　wearing　their　best　actor's　smiles　and　the　holds　filled　with　nothing　but　the　cocoa　from　Ceylon。〃
　Pitt　paused　and　shifted　his　throbbing　leg　to　a　more　fortable　position。　He　noticed　that　Knight　and　Thomas　had　joined　Woodson　below　the　hatch。　Then　he　continued。
　〃It　must　be　a　great　source　of　satisfaction　to　know　that　INTERPOL　has　taken　your　bait；　hook；　line　and　sinker。　They're　totally　unaware　that　the　sub　and　the　heroin　were　dropped　here　last　night　in　order　to　be　transferred　to　the　next　Minerva　Line's　ship　that　happens　past；　which；　by　the　way；　should　be　the　Queen　Jocasta；　bound　for　New　Orleans　with　a　cargo　of　Turkish　tobacco　and　due　to　drop　anchor　a　mile　off　shore　in　approximately　ten　minutes。　That's　why　you're　running　scared；　von　Till。　Time　has　caught　up　with　you；　and　you　have　to　gamble　on　a　rendezvous　with　your　ship　in　broad　daylight；〃
　〃You　have　a　vivid　imagination；〃　von　Till　said　contemptuously。　But　Pitt　could　see　the　lines　of　concern　in　the　old　man's　face。　〃There　is　absolutely　no　way　you　can　prove　your　wild　theories。〃
　Pitt　ignored　his　words。　He　said：　〃Why　should　I　bother？　I'm　going　to　die　in　a　few　minutes　anyway。〃
　〃You　have　a　point。　Major；〃　von　Till　said　slowly。　〃I　pliment　you。　Your　perception　is　excellent。　I　see　no　harm　in　admitting　that　you　are　correct　in　everything　you　have　said。　with　one　exception：　The　Queen　Jocasta　will　not　dock　in　New　Orleans。　At　the　last　minute；　it　will　alter　course　for　Galveston；　Texas。〃
　The　three　men　on　the　other　sub　had　removed　the　guns　from　the　Albatros　and　mysteriously　dropped　out　of　sight。　Hersong　stepped　off　the　dock　and　passed　a　crate　through　the　hatch　to　Spencer。　who　had　now　vanished　into　the　hull　with　Thomas；　Knight　and　Woodson。　Pitt　spoke　quickly。　He　needed　every　second　now。
　〃One　question　before　Darius　gets　carried　away。　Out　of　old　world　courtesy。　you　can't　deny　me　that。〃
　Darius　stood　there。　his　evil　face　masked　with　murderous　intent。　He　looked　like　a　sadistic　kid　in　a　biology　class　who　could　hardly　wait　to　dissect　a　frog。
　〃Very　well；　Major；〃　von　Till　said　conversationally。
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃How　will　the　heroin　be　distributed　after　it's　unloaded　in　Galveston？〃
　Von　Till　smiled。　〃One　of　my　lesser　known　business　ventures　is　a　small　fleet　of　fishing　boats；　not　a　financially　rewarding　venture；　I　might　add；　but　one　that　bees　quite　useful　at　times。　At　the　moment；　my　boats　are　dropping　their　nets　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico；　awaiting　my　signal　When　it　es；　they　will　raise　their　nets　and　arrive　in　port　at　the　exact　same　moment　as　the　Queen　Jocarta。　The　rest　is　simple：　the　ship　releases　the　submarine；　which　is　in　turn　led　by　the　fishing　boats　to　a　cannery。　The　cargo　is　then　unloaded　under　the　building；　and　the　heroin　is　packed　into　cans　labeled　catfood。　I　must　say；　it　is　ironic；　all　that　powder　being　shipped　into　every　one　of　your　fifty　states　in　catfood　cans。　The　joke　is　on　the　Bureau　of　Narcotics。　By　the　time　their　suspicions　are　aroused；　it　will　be　too　late。　The　heroin　will　have　already　been　received　and　carefully　hidden。　Admit　it；　Major。　doesn't　the　prospect　of　all　that　heroin　being　smelled；　swallowed；　or　injected　by　millions　of　your　own　countrymen　shock　your　holier…than…thou　Yankee　moral　standards？〃
　Now　Pitt　was　smiling。　〃It　might；　if　it　ever　came　to　pass。〃
　Von　Till's　eyes　narrowed。　Pitt　wasn't　acting　like　a　doomed　man。　Something　very　definitely　was　off　key。　〃It　will　e　to　pass。　I　promise　you　that。〃
　〃Millions　of　people；〃　Pitt　said　wonderingly。　〃You　stand　there　with　a　smile　on　your　ugly　mouth　and　openly　boast　of　the　misery　you're　going　to　extract　from　millions　of　people　for　a　few　lousy　dollars。〃
　〃Hardly　a　few　dollars。　Major。　I　think　half　a　billion　dollars　would　be　a　closer　figure。
　〃You'll　never　live　to　count　it；　much　less　spend　it。〃
　〃And　who　is　going　to　stop　me？　You；　Major？　Inspector　Zacynthus？　Possibly　a　lightning　bolt　from　the　sky？〃
　〃Wishing　will　make　it　so。〃
　〃I've　had　enough　of　his　stupid　words；〃　Darius　said　bitterly。　〃Now…now　let　him　pay　for　his　arrogance。〃
　The　supremely　grotesque　face　was　a　cloud　of　black　malevolence。　Pitt　didn't　like　the　look　he　didn't　like　the　look　at　all。　He　could　almost　feel　Darius'　finger　tighten　around　the　trigger　of　the　Luger。
　〃e　now；〃　Pitt　said　slowly。　〃Killing　me　now　wouldn't　be　sporting。　My　eleven　minutes　aren't　up　yet。〃　Actually　to　Pitt；　it　seemed　he　had　been　talking　for　hours。
　Von　Till　stood　silent　for　several　seconds　and　toyed　with　his　cigarette　Then　he　said：　〃There　is　one　point　that　intrigues　me；　Major。　Why　did　you　kidnap　my　niece？〃
　Pitt's　lips　tightened　to　a　sly　grin。　〃To　begin　with；　she's　not　your　niece。〃
　Darius'　face　went　blank。　〃You…you　could　not　have　known。〃
　〃I　knew；〃　said　Pitt　evenly。　〃Unlike　you；　von　Till；　I　didn't　have　the　benefit　of　an　informer；　but　I　knew。　All　in　all；　Zacynthus　gave　it　a　good　try；　but　his　plan　was　headed　for　failure　right　from　the　start。　He　hid　the　genuine　niece　away　in　a　safe　place　in　England　and　found
　another　girl　who　resembled　her。　They　hardly　had　to　be
　exact　doubles　since　you　hadn't　laid　eyes　on　the　real　Teri　in　over　twenty　years。　Zacynthus　also　carefully　planned　his　Mata　Hari's　cross　country　vacation　to　look　like　nothing　more　than　an　innocent　surprise　holiday　visit　by　a　loving　relative。〃
　Darius　stared　at　von　Till；　his　massive　jaw　seeming　to　grind　Pitt's　revelation　to　pieces；　Von　Till's　expression　didn't　change。　He　just　slowly　nodded　in　apparent　understanding。
　〃Too　bad；〃　Pitt　said；　〃it　was　all　for　nothing。　You　weren't　the　least　bit　surprised。　Darius　had　seen　to　that。
　At　that　point；　you　had　two　choices；　you　could　either　expose　the　girl　as　an　impostor　and　throw　her　out；　or　you　could　play　along　and　feed　her　false　information。　Quite　naturally　your　devious　mind　chose　the　latter。　You　were　in　your　element。　You　felt　like　a　puppeteer　pulling　strings。　You　could　now　play　the　girl　and　Darius　on　the　ends　against　Zacynthus　and　Zeno　in　the　middle。〃
　〃An　irresistible　situation；〃　said　von　Till。　〃Do　you　agree？〃
　〃You　couldn't　miss；〃　Pitt　went　on　calmly　〃From　the　time　of　her　arrival　until　Giordino　and　I　grabbed　her　from　the　villa；　the　girl's　every　move　was　closely　watched　by　your　chauffeur。　Under　the　guise　of　a　sort　of　bodyguard；　Willie　stuck　with　her　like　a　leech。　It　must　have　been　entertaining　work；　especially　when　she　sunbathed　on　the　beach。　At　that；　her　passion　for　early　morning　swimming　was　nothing　but　a　means　of　making　contact　with　Zacynthus。　It　was　the　only　opportunity　you　gave　her　to　pass　him　information；　all　of　it　worthless。　How　you　must　have　laughed；　knowing　she　was　swallowing　every　bit　of　crap　you　fed　her。　Then　something　happened　and　Zacynthus　began　to　get　wise。　Arriving　late　for　their　rendezvous　one　morning；　he　probably　spotted　Willie　lurking　in　the　bushes；　both　eyes　unerringly　focused　on　the　girl　in　her　bikini。　Zacynthus　couldn't　help　wondering　if　Willie　had　been　there　observing　all　the　other　predawn　meetings。　Suddenly　he　saw　his　well…c