cc.vixen03-第12章

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　An　alarm　began　to　go　off　in　his　head。　His　arms　and　legs　were　losing　all　feeling　and　turning　stiff　from　the　relentless　cold；　and　his　movements　came　as　though　he　were　immersed　in　syrup。　If　he　did　not　get　some　warmth　to　his　body　soon；　the　ancient　aircraft　would　claim　another　victim。　His　mind　was　fogged　and　for　a　brief　moment　he　felt　the　sharp　knife　of　panic　as　he　became　confused　and　lost　his　sense　of　direction。　Then　he　spotted　his　air　bubbles；　trailing　from　the　cargo　cabin　and　ascending　toward　the　surface。
　With　great　relief　he　turned　from　the　skeleton　and　followed　the　bubbles　into　open　water。　Ten　feet　from　the　surface　he　could　see　the　bottom　of　the　boat　as　it　wavered　in　the　refracted　light　like　an　object　in　a　surrealistic　film。　He　could　even　make　out　Giordino's　seemingly　disembodied　head　peering　over　one　side。
　He　barely　had　the　strength　to　reach　out　and　grasp　an　oar。　The　…bined　muscles　of　Giordino　and　Steiger　then　hoisted　him　into　the　boat　as　effortlessly　as　if　he　were　a　small　child。
　〃Help　me　get　this　wet　suit　off　him；〃　Giordino　ordered。
　〃My　God；　he's　turned　blue。〃
　〃Another　five　minutes　down　there　and　he　would　have　entered　hypothermia。〃
　〃Hypothermia？〃　asked　Steiger；　stripping　off　Pitt's　jacket。
　〃Profound　body…heat　loss；〃　explained　Giordino。　〃I've　known　divers　who　died　from　it。〃
　〃I　am　not　。　。　。　repeat　。　。　。　am　not　ready　for　a　coroner's　slab；〃　Pitt　managed　between　shivers。
　The　wet　suit　was　peeled　off　and　they　rubbed　Pitt　vigorously　with　towels　and　wrapped　him　in　heavy　wool　blankets。　The　feeling　slowly　came　back　to　his　limbs　and　the　warm　sun　added　to　his　sensual　fort　by　penetrating　his　skin。　He　sipped　hot　coffee　from　a　Thermos　jug；　knowing　its　rejuvenating　benefits　were　more　psychological　than　physiological。
　〃You　were　a　fool；〃　Giordino　said；　more　out　of　concern　than　anger。　〃You　damned　near　killed　yourself　by　staying　down　too　long。　The　water　must　be　near　freezing　at　that　depth。〃
　〃What　did　you　find　down　there？〃　Steiger　asked　anxiously。
　Pitt　sat　up；　pushing　the　last　of　the　fog　from　his　head。　〃A　folder。　I　had　a　folder。〃
　Giordino　held　it　up。　〃You　still　do。　It　was　clutched　in　your　left　hand　like　a　vise。〃
　〃And　a　small　metal　plate？〃
　〃I　have　it；〃　said　Steiger。　〃It　fell　out　of　your　sleeve。〃
　Pitt　relaxed　against　the　side　of　the　boat　and　took　another　swallow　of　the　steaming　coffee。　〃The　cargo　cabin　is　filled　with　large　canisters…　stainless　steel；　judging　by　the　negligible　degree　of　corrosion。　What　they　contain　is　anybody's　guess。　There　were　no　markings　on　them。〃
　〃How　are　they　shaped？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃Cylindrical。〃
　Steiger　looked　thoughtful。　〃I　can't　imagine　what　kind　of　military　cargo　would　call　for　the　protection　of　stainless…steel　canisters。〃　Then　his　mind　shifted　gear　and　he　looked　at　Pitt　piercingly。　〃What　of　the　crew？　Was　there　any　sign　of　the　crew？〃
　〃What's　left　of　them　is　still　strapped　in　their　seats。〃
　Giordino　gently　pried　open　one　end　of　the　vinyl　folder。　〃The　papers　may　be　readable。　I　think　I　can　separate　and　dry　them　back　at　the　cabin。〃
　〃Probably　the　flight　plan；〃　said　Steiger。　〃A　few　of　the　old　die…hard　Air　Force　pilots　still　prefer　that　particular　type　of　folder　to　the　newer；　plastic　ones　for　holding　their　paperwork。〃
　〃Maybe　it　will　tell　us　what　the　crew　was　doing　that　far　off　course。〃
　〃I　for　one　hope　so；〃　said　Steiger。　〃I　want　all　the　facts　in　hand　and　the　mystery　neatly　gift　wrapped　before　I　drop　it　on　a　desk　at　the　Pentagon。〃
　〃Ah　。　。　。　Steiger。〃
　The　colonel　looked　at　Pitt　questioningly。
　〃I　hate　to　bear　tidings　that　will　screw　up　your　well…laid　plans；　but　there's　more　than　meets　the　eye　concerning　the　enigma　of　Air　Force　03…much　more。〃
　〃We've　found　the　wreck　intact；　haven't　we？〃　Steiger　fought　to　keep　his　voice　down。　He　was　not　to　be　denied　a　moment　of　triumph。　〃The　answers　lie　only　afew　yards　away。　Now　it's　only　a　matter　of　salvaging　the　remains　from　the　lake。　What　else　is　there？〃
　〃A　rather　unpleasant　dilemma　none　of　us　counted　on。〃
　〃What　dilemma？〃
　〃I'm　afraid；〃　Pitt　said　quietly；　〃that　we　also　have　a　murder　on　our　hands。〃
　
　10
　
　Giordino　spread　the　contents　of　the　folder　on　the　kitchen　table。　There　were　six　sheets　in　all。　The　small　aluminum　plate　Pitt　had　found　in　the　pocket　of　the　pilot　was　simmering　in　a　solution　Giordino　had　concocted　to　bring　out　the　traces　of　etching　in　the　metal。
　Pitt　and　Steiger　stood　before　a　crackling　fire　and　sipped　coffee。　The　fireplace　was　built　of　native　rock；　its　heat　warmed　the　entire　room。
　〃You　realize　the　enormous　consequences　of　what　you're　suggesting？〃　Steiger　asked。　〃You're　conjuring　up　a　serious　crime　out　of　thin　air；　without　a　shred　of　evidence。　。　。　。〃
　〃Stick　it　in　your　ear；〃　Pitt　said。　〃You　act　as　though　I'm　accusing　the　entire　United　States　Air　Force　of　murder。　I　am　accusing　no　one。　Granted；　the　evidence　is　circumstantial；　but　I'll　stake　my　life's　savings　that　a　forensic　pathologist　will　bear　me　out。　The　skeleton　in　the　cargo　hold　did　not　die　thirty…four　years　ago　with　the　original　crew。〃
　〃How　can　you　be　sure？〃
　〃Several　items　don't　jibe。　To　begin　with；　our　unaccounted…for　pas…senger　still　has　flesh　on　his　bones。　The　others　were　stripped　clean　decades　ago。　This　indicates；　to　me　at　least；　that　he　died　long　after　the　crash。　Also；　he　was　tied　hand　and　foot　to　the　cargo　tie…down　rings。　With　a　little　imagination　you　could　almost　envision　the　earmarks　of　an　old…fashioned　gangland　slaying。〃
　〃You're　beginning　to　wax　melodramatic。〃
　〃The　whole　scene　reeks　of　it。　One　mystery　ties　illogically　to　another。〃
　〃Okay；　let's　take　what　we　know　to　be　true；〃　said　Steiger。　〃The　aircraft　with　serial　number　75403　exists　not　where　it　is　supposed　to。　But　nonethe…less　it　exists。
　〃And　I　think　we　can　safely　assume　the　original　crew　sits　down　there　in　the　wreck；〃　Steiger　continued。　〃As　to　the　extra　body；　perhaps　the　report　neglected　to　mention　his　status。　He　might　have　been　a　last…minute　assignment：　a　backup　engineer　or　even　a　mechanic'who　strapped　himself　to　the　cargo　rings　just　before　the　crash。〃
　〃Then　how　do　you　justify　a　difference　in　uniform？　He　was　wearing　khakis；　not　Air　Force　blues。〃
　〃I　can't　answer　that　any　more　than　you　can　say　for　certain　that　he　was　murdered　long　after　the　crash。〃
　〃There　lies　the　catch；〃　Pitt　said　evenly。　〃I've　got　a　solid　idea　who　our　uninvited　guest　is。　And　if　I'm　right；　his　demise　by　person　or　persons　unknown　bees　a　fundamental　certainty。〃
　Steiger's　eyebrows　raised。　〃I'm　listening；〃　he　murmured。　〃Who　do　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃The　man　who　built　this　cabin。　His　name　was　Charlie　Smith；　Con…gresswoman　Loren　Smith's　father。〃
　Steiger　sat　there　silently　for　a　few　moments；　digesting　the　enormity　of　Pitt's　statement。　Finally　he　said；　〃What　proof　can　you　offer？〃
　〃　Quite　literally　bits　and　pieces。　I　have　it　on　good　authority　that　Charlie　Smith's　obituary　says　that　he　was　blown　to　smithereens　in　an　explosion　of　his　own　making。　All　that　was　ever　found　were　a　boot　and　one　thumb。　A　nice　touch；　don't　you　think？　Very　neat　and　precise。　I　must　keep　it　in　mind　the　next　time　I　want　to　do　somebody　in。　Set　off　a　blast；　then　as　soon　as　the　dust　settles　throw　a　recognizable　piece　of　footwear　and　a　slice　of　the　victim's　most　identifiable　anatomy　at　the　edge　of　the　smoking　crater。　Friends　later　identify　the　boot　and　the　sheriff's　department　can't　miss　with　a　positive　ID　once　they　pull　a　print　from　the　thumb。　In　the　meantime　I've　buried　the　rest　of　the　body　where　hopefully　it　will　never　be　found…My　victim's　death　goes　down　as　an　accident　and　I　go　merrily　on　my　way。〃
　〃You're　telling　me　the　skeleton　in　the　aircraft　was　missing　a　boot　and　a　thumb？〃
　Pitt　merely　nodded　an　affirmative。
　At　half　past　nine　Giordino　was　ready。　He　started　by　lecturing　Pitt　and　Steiger　as　he　would　a　class　of　high…school　chemistry　students。　〃As　you　can　see；　after　more　than　three　decades　of　submersion；　the　vinyl　cover；　because　it's　organic；　is　virtually　as　good　as　new；　but　the　paper　inside　has　nearly　returned　to　pulp。　Originally　the　contents　were　mimeographed…a　mon　process　prior　to　the　miracle　of　Xerox。　The　ink；　I'm　sorry　to　say；　has　all　but　disappeared；　and　no　laboratory　on　earth　can　bring　it　back；　even　under　supermagnification。　Three　of　the　sheets　are　hopeless　cases。　Nothing　vaguely　legible　re