alistairmaclean.seawitch-第14章

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　said　in　a　conversational　voice：　〃I　think　you　better　get　up；　ma'am。〃　Durand　was　not　normally　given　to　gentleness；　but　he　did　not　want　a　case　of　screaming　hysterics　on　his　hands。
　A　case　of　hysterics　he　did　not　have。　Marina　turned　round　in　bed　and　looked　at　him　with　drowsy　eyes。　The　drowsiness　did　not　last　long。　The　eyes　opened　wide；　either　in　fear　or　shock；　then　returned　to　normal。　She　reached　for　a　robe；　arranged　it　strategically　on　the　bed　cover；　then　sat　bolt　upright；　wrapping　the　robe　round　her。
　〃Who　are　you　and　what　do　you　want？〃　Her　voice　was　not　quite　as　steady　as　she　might　have　wished。
　〃Well；　would　you　look　at　that；　now？〃　Durand　said　admiringly。　〃You'd　think　she　was　used　to　being　kidnaped　every　morning　of　her　life。〃
　〃This　is　a　kidnap？〃
　'Tin　afraid　so。〃　Durand　sounded　genuinely　apologetic。
　〃Where　are　you　taking　me？〃
　〃Vacation。　Little　island　hi　the　sun。〃　Durand　smiled。　〃You　won't　be　needing　any　swimsuit　though。　Please　get　up　and　get　dressed。〃
　〃And　if　I　refuse？〃
　〃We'll　dress　you。〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　get　dressed　with　you　two　watching　me。〃
　Durand　was　soothing。　〃My　friend　will　stand　out　in　the　corridor。　I'll　go　into　the　bathroom　there　and　leave　the　door　open　just　a　crack…not　to　watch　you；　but　to　watch　the　window；　to　make　sure　that　you　don't　leave　by　it。　Call　me　when　you're　ready　and　be　quick　about　it。〃
　She　was　quick　about　it。　She　called　him　within　three　minutes。　Blue　blouse；　blue　slacks　and　her　hair　bed。　Durand　nodded　his　approval。
　〃Pack　a　traveling　bag。　Enough　for　a　few　days。〃
　He　watched　her　while　she　packed。　She　zipped　the　bag　shut　and　picked　up　her　purse。　〃I'm　ready。〃
　He　took　the　purse　from　her；　undid　the　clasp　and　upended　the　contents　on　the　bed。　From　the　jumble　on　the　bed　he　selected　a　small　pearl…handled　pistol；　which　he　slipped　into　his　pocket
　〃Let's　pack　the　purse　again；　shall　we？〃
　Marina　did　so；　her　face　flushed　with　mortification。
　A　somewhat　similar　scene　had　just　taken　place　in　Melinda's　bedroom。
　Twenty…five　minutes　had　elapsed　since　the　arrival　of　Durand　and　his　men　and　their　departure　with　the　two　girls。　No　one　had　been　hurt；　except　in　pride；　and　the　intruders　had　even　been　considerate　to　the　extent　of　seating　Jenkins　in　a　deep　armchair　in　the　front　hall。　Jenkins；　as　he　was　now　securely　bound　hand　and　foot；　did　not　appreciate　this　courtesy　as　much　as　he　might　have　done。
　About　ten　minutes　after　their　departure；　Lord　Worth's　helicopter　touched　down　beside　his　Boeing　in　the　city　airport。　There　were　no　customs；　no　clearance　formalities。　Lord　Worth　had　made　it　plain　some　years　previously　that　he　did　not　much　care　for　that　sort　of　thing；　and　when　Lord　Worth　made　things　plain　they　tended　to　remain　that　way。
　It　was　during　the　second　leg　of　this　flight　that　the　second　unfortunate　occurrence　happened。　Again；　Lord　Worth　was　happily　unaware　of　what　was　taking　place。
　The　Tiburon's　（now　the　Georgia's）　helicopter　had　located　the　Torbello。　The　pilot　reported　that　he　had　sighted　the　vessel　two　minutes　previously　and　gave　her　latitude　and　longitude　as　accurately　as　he　could　judge。　More　importantly；　he　gave　her　course　as　approximately　315　degrees；　which　was　virtually　on　a　collision　course　with　the　Georgia。　They　were　approximately　forty…five　miles　apart。　Cronkite　gave　his　congratulations　to　the　pilot　and　asked　him　to　return　to　the　Georgia。
　On　the　bridge　of　the　Georgia　Cronkite　and　Mulhooney　looked　at　each　other　with　satisfaction。　Between　planning　and　execution　there　often　exists　an　unbridgeable　gap。　In　this　case；　however；　things　appeared　to　be　going　exactly　according　to　plan。
　Cronkite　said　to　Mulhooney：　〃Time；　I　think；　to　change　into　more　respectable　clothes。　And　don't　forget　to　powder　your　nose。〃
　Mulhooney　smiled　and　left　the　bridge。　Cronkite　paused　only　to　give　a　few　instructions　to　the　helmsman；　then　left　the　bridge　also。
　Less　than　an　hour　later　the　Torbello　stood　clear　over　the　horizon。　The　Georgia　headed　straight　for　it；　then　at　about　three　miles　distance　made　a　thirty…degree　alteration　to　starboard；　judged　the　timing　to　a　nicety　and　came　round　in　a　wide　sweeping　turn　to　port。　Two　minutes　later　the　Georgia　was　on　a　parallel　course　to　the　Torbello；　alongside　its　port　quarter…the　bridge　of　a　tanker　lies　very　far　aft…paralleling　its　course　at　the　same　speed　and　not　more　than　thirty　yards　away。　Cronkite　moved　out　onto　the　wing　of　the　Georgia's　bridge　and　lifted　his　loud…hailer。
　〃Coast　Guard。　Please　stop。　This　is　a　request；　not　an　order。　We　think　your　vessel's　in　great　danger。　Your　permission；　please；　to　bring　a　trained　research　party　aboard。　For　the　safety　of　your　men　and　the　ship；　don't　break　radio　silence　on　any　account！〃
　Captain　Thompson；　an　honest　sailor　with　no　criminal　propensities　whatsoever；　used　his　own　loud…hailer。
　〃What's　wrong？　Why　is　this　boarding　necessary？〃
　〃It's　not　a　boarding。　I　am　making　a　request　for　your　own　good。　Believe　me；　I'd　rather　not　be　within　five　miles　of　you。　It　is　necessary。　I'd　rather　e　aboard　with　my　lieutenant　and　explain　privately。　Don't　forget　what　happened　to　your　sister　ship；　the　Crusader；　in　Galveston　harbor　last　night。〃
　Captain　Thompson；　clearly；　had　not　forgotten　and　was；　of　course；　pletely　unaware　that　Cronkite　was　the　man　responsible　for　what　had　happened　to　his　sister　ship：　a　ringing　of　bells　from　the　bridge　was　indication　enough　of　that。　Three　minutes　later　the　Torbello　lay　stopped　in　the　calm　waters。　The　Georgia　edged　up　alongside　the　Torbello　until　its　midships　were　just　ahead　of　the　bulk　of　the　tanker's　superstructure。　At　this　point　it　was　possible　to　step　from　the　Georgia's　deck　straight　onto　the　deck　of　the　deep…laden　tanker；　which　was　what　Cronkite　and　Mulhooney　proceeded　to　do。　They　paused　there　until　they　had　made　sure　that　the　Georgia　was　securely　moored　fore　and　aft　to　the　tanker；　then　climbed　a　series　of　panionways　and　ladders　up　to　the　bridge。
　Both　men　were　quite　unrecognizable。　Cronkite　had　acquired　a　splendidly　bushy　black　beard；　a　neatly　trimmed　mustache　and　dark　glasses　and；　with　his　smartly　tailored　uniform　and　slightly　rakish　peaked　cap；　looked　the　epitome　of　the　petent　and　dashing　coast…guard…cutter　captain　which　he　was　not。　Mulhooney　was　similarly　disguised。
　There　was　only　Captain　Thompson　and　an　idle　helmsman　on　the　bridge。　Cronkite　shook　the　captain's　hand。
　〃Good　morning。　Sorry　to　disturb　you　when　you　are　proceeding　about　your　lawful　business　and　all　that；　but　you　may　be　glad　we　stopped　you。　First；　where　is　your　radio　room？〃　Captain　Thompson　nodded　to　a　door　set　in　back　of　the　bridge。　〃Fd　like　my　lieutenant　to　check　on　the　radio　silence。　This　is　imperative。〃　Again；　Captain　Thompson；　now　feeling　distinctly　uneasy；　nodded。　Cronkite　looked　at　Mulhooney。　〃Go　check；　Dixon；　will　you？〃
　Mulhooney　passed　through　into　the　radio　room；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　The　radio　operator　looked　up　from　his　transceiver　with　an　air　of　mild　surprise。
　〃Sorry　to　disturb。〃　Mulhooney　sounded　almost　genial；　a　remarkable　feat　for　a　man　totally　devoid　of　geniality。　〃I'm　from　the　Coast　Guard　cutter　alongside。　The　captain　told　you　to　keep　radio　silence？〃
　〃That's　just　what　I'm　doing。〃
　〃Made　any　radio　calls　since　leaving　the　Sea…witch？〃
　〃Only　the　routine　half…hourly　on…course；　on…time　calls。'*
　〃Do　they　acknowledge　those？　I　have　my　reasons　for　asking。〃　Mulhooney　carefully　refrained　from　saying　what　his　reasons　were。
　〃No。　Well；　just　the　usual　'roger　and　out'　business。〃
　Allstair　
　〃What's　the　call…up　frequency？〃
　The　operator　pointed　to　the　console。　〃Preset。〃
　Mulhooney　nodded　and　walked　casually　behind　the　operator。　Just　to　make　sure　that　the　operator　kept　on　maintaining　radio　silence；　Mulhooney　clipped　him　over　the　right　ear　with　his　pistol。　He　then　returned　to　the　bridge；　where　he　found　Captain　Thompson　in　a　state　of　considerable　and　understandable　perturbation。
　Captain　Thompson；　a　deep　anxiety　pounded　by　a　self…defensive　disbelief；　said：　〃What　you're　telling　me　in　effect　is　that　the　Torbello　is　a　floating　time　bomb。〃
　〃A　bomb；　certainly。　Maybe　lots　of　bombs。　Not　only　possible　but　almost　certain。　Our　sources　of　information…sorry；　Fm　not　at　liberty　to　divulge　those…are　as　nearly　perfect　as　can　be。〃
　〃God's　sake；　man；　no　one　would　be　so　crazy　as　to　cause　a　huge　oil　slick