cc.themediterraneancaper2-第56章

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on　Till's。〃
　〃what　about　fingerprints？〃
　〃Impossible　to　prove　anything。　There　were　no　known　records　of　von　Till's　prints；　and　Helbert　had　his　altered　by　surgery。〃
　Pitt　sat　back　puzzled。　〃Then　how　can　we　be　sure…〃
　〃The　uninvited　detail；〃　Zacynthus　said　slowly。　〃No　matter　how　exhaustingly　they　try　or　how　diligently　they　plan；　all　criminals　get　their　tails　pinned　to　the　wall　by　the　uninvited　detail。　In　Heibert's　case　it　was　von　Till's　scalp？〃
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　follow　you。〃
　〃When　von　Till　was　a　young　man；　he　contracted　a　skin　disease　called　Alpecia　areata　which　caused　plete　baldness　Heibert　didn't　know　this。　He　thought　von　Till　had　shaved　his　head　in　the　Prussian　tradition；　so　quite　naturally　he　took　to　the　razor。　It　didn't　take　the　War　Criminals　investigators　long　to　spot　the　growth。　There　was；　of　course；　later　evidence　that　confirmed　Admiral　Heibert's　identity；　but　the　hair　was　the　first　nail　in　the　coffin。〃
　Pitt　suddenly　felt　a　vague　mixture　of　relief　and　satisfaction。　〃Has　he　swung　yet？〃
　〃Four　days　ago；〃　Zacynthus　said　matter　of　factly。　〃You　saw　nothing　in　the　newspapers　because　there　was　nothing　The　Germans　kept　his　capture　and　death　quiet。　They're　sick　and　tired　of　having　the　mud　of　their　Nazi　past　rubbed　in　their　faces　every　time　an　old　war　criminal　is　ferreted　out。　Besides；　Heibert　didn't　have　the　same　notoriety　as　Bormann　and　a　few　others　of　Hitler's　personal　clique。〃
　〃Makes　you　wonder　how　many　more　are　scattered　around　the　world；〃　Pitt　murmured。
　The　telephone　on　the　desk　buzzed；　and　the　Director　picked　it　up。　〃Yes。。　。　yes；　I'll　pass　along　the　good　news；　thank　you。〃　He　replaced　the　telephone　in　its　cradle；　his　pitted　face　split　in　a　wide　grin；　and　he　turned　to　Sandecker。　〃That　was　your　office；　Admiral。　Allow　me　to　be　the　first　to　offer　my　congratulations。〃
　Sandecker　rolled　the　cigar　to　one　side　of　his　mouth。　〃What　in　hell　for？〃
　The　Director；　still　grinning；　stood　up　and　laid　his　hand　on　the　Admiral's　shoulder。　〃It　seems　that　your　marine　oddity　turned　out　to　be　a　viviparous　female。　Consequently；　you；　sir；　are　now　the　proud　papa　of　a　bouncing　baby　Teaser。〃
　　　　The　steaming　heat　was　beginning　to　fade；　and　the　lengthening　shadows　were　stretching　far　behind　the　late　afternoon　sun　when　Pitt　limped　out　onto　the　sidewalk　He　paused　a　moment　and　looked　at　the　city。　The　streets　were　busy　with　homeward　bound　traffic；　and　soon　all　the　surrounding　buildings　would　be　mute　and　deserted。
　He　looked　toward　the　Capitol　building　in　the　distance；　its　white　dome　transformed　into　a　blazing　gold　tint　from　the　falling　sun；　and　he　remembered　another　scene　on　a　faraway　beach　and　a　white　ship　and　a　vibrant　blue　sea。　It　seemed　so　long　ago；　nearly　an　eternity。
　Giordino　and　Zacynthus　came　down　the　steps　and　joined　him。
　Zacynthus　spoke　jovially。　〃Gentlemen；　I　suggest　that　since　we　are　all　single；　debonair　men…about…town　we　bine　forces　and　engage　in　a　bit　of　fun　and　frolic。〃
　〃I'll　buy　that；〃　Giordino　volunteered。
　Pitt　shrugged　in　mock　sadness。　〃It　wounds　me　deeply；　but　I　must　decline　your　intriguing　invitation。　I　already　have　a　previous　engagement。〃
　〃I　think　this　is　where　I　came　in；〃　Giordino　moaned。
　Zacynthus　laughed。　〃You're　making　a　big　mistake。　I　happen　to　possess　a　little　black　book　which　contains　the　phone　numbers　of　some　of　Washington's　fairest…〃
　Zacynthus　suddenly　stopped　in　midsentence　and　stared　at　the　Street；　his　eyes　wide　in　blank　astonishment。
　A　gargantuan　black…and…silver　car　rolled　silently
　up　to　the　curb　and　stopped。　Elegant　in　design；　majestic　in　appearance；　the　regal　coachwork　seemed　out　of　place　beside　the　more　modern　mechanized　traffic；　like　a
　queen　of　the　realm　amid　a　bustling　crowd　of　foul…smelling　rabble。　And　as　a　fitting　touch；　the　piece　de　resistance；　a　lovely　dark…haired　girl　graced　the　steering　wheel。
　〃Good　lord；〃　Zacynthus　gasped。　〃Von　Till's　Maybach。〃　He　turned　to　Pitt。　〃How　did　you　get　it？〃
　〃To　the　victor　belong　the　spoils；〃　Pitt　grinned　slyly。
　Giordino　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Now　I　see　what　you　meant　by　a　bulky　souvenir。　I　might　add　that　your　other　souvenir　isn't　half　bad　either。〃
　Pitt　opened　the　front　door　of　the　car。　〃I　think　you　both　know　my　ravishing　chauffeur。〃
　〃She　reminds　me　of　a　girl　I　once　met　in　the　Aegean；〃　Giordino　said　smiling。　〃But　this　one　is　much　better　looking。〃
　The　girl　laughed。　〃Just　to　show　that　flattery　has　its　reward；　I　forgive　you　for　that　rough　ride　through　the　labyrinth。　Only　next　time　give　me　warning　so　I　can　put　on　some　decent　clothes。〃
　Giordino　looked　genuinely　sheepish。　〃I　promise。〃
　Pitt　turned　to　Zacynthus。　There　was　a　faint　smile　in　Pitt's　eyes。　〃Do　me　a　favor；　will　you　Zac？〃
　〃if　I　can。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　borrow　the　services　of　one　of　your　agents　for　a　couple　of　weeks。　Do　you　think　you　can　arrange　it？〃
　Zacynthus　looked　down　at　the　girl　and　nodded。　〃I　think　so。　The　Bureau　owes　you　that　much。〃
　Pitt　climbed　Into　the　front　seat　and　closed　the　door。　Then　he　handed　his　cane　out　to　Giordino。　〃Here；　I　don't　think　I'll　be　needing　this　anymore。〃
　Before　Giordino　could　make　an　appropriate　reply；　the　girl　engaged　the　clutch；　and　the　big　town　car　slipped　into　the　moving　line　of　traffic。
　Giordino　watched　the　high…roofed　car　until　it　rounded　a　distant　corner　and　was　lost　from　sight。　Then　he　turned　and　looked　at　Zacynthus。
　〃How　are　you　at　whipping　up　scallops　with　mushrooms　in　white　wine　sauce？〃
　Zacynthus　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　afraid　I've　never　graduated　beyond　frozen　TV　dinners。〃
　〃In　that　case；　you　can　buy　me　a　drink。〃
　〃You　forget；　I'm　only　a　poor　civil　servant。〃
　〃Then　look　upon　me　as　an　item　on　your　expense　account。〃
　Zacynthus　tried　to　look　serious　but　tailed。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃Shall　we？〃
　〃Lets。〃
　So　arm　in　arm；　much　to　the　amusement　of　passerbys；　the　tall　Zacynthus　and　the　short　Giordino；　looking　all　the　world　like　Mutt　and　Jeff；　began　walking　down　the　sidewalk　In　the　direction　of　the　nearest　bar。