cc.iceberg-第34章

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e　final　accounting　was　a　long　way　off。　Strange；　he　thought；　how　easy　it　was　to　kill　men　you　didn't　know；　whose　lives　you　knew　nothing　about。　〃Your　concern　for　life；　I　fear；　will　be　your　defeat；〃　Dr。　Jonsson　had　said。
　〃I　beg　you；　my　friend；　do　not　hesitate　when　the　moment　arrives。〃　Pitt　felt　a　grim　satisfaction。　The　moment　had　arrived　and　he　hadn't　hesitated。　He'd　had　no　time　even　to　think　about　the　pain　and　death　he　was　inflicting。　He　wondered　to　himself　if　this　subconscious　toleration　of　killing　a　total　stranger　was　the　factor　that　made　wars　acceptable　to　the　human　race。
　
　Tidi's　hushed　voice　broke　his　thoughts。　〃They're　dead；　they're　all　dead。〃　She　began　to　sob；　her　hands　pressed　tightly　to　her　face；　her　body　shaking　from　side　to　side。　〃You　murdered　them；　burned　them　to　death　in　cold　blood。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　lady；〃　Pitt　said　coldly。　〃Open　your　eyes！　Take　a　good　look　around　you。　These　holes　in　the　woodwork　weren't　caused　by　woodpeckers。　To　quote　from　appropriate　cliches　from　every　western　movie　ever　made…they　drew　first；　or　we　had　no　choice；　marshal；　it　was　them　or　us。　You've　got　the　script　all　wrong；　dearheart。　We're　the　good　guys。　It　was　their　intention　to　coldbloodedly　murder　us。〃
　
　She　looked　up　into　the　lean；　determined　face；　saw　the　green　eyes　full　of　understanding；　and　suddenly　she　felt　ashamed。　〃You　two　were　warned。　I　told　you　to　gag　me　the　next　time　I　went　hysterical　and　shot　off　my　mouth。〃
　
　Pitt　met　her　gaze。　〃The　admiral　and　I　have　tolerated　you　this　far。　As　long　as　you　keep　us　in　coffee；　we　won't　plain　to　the　management。〃
　
　She　reached　up　and　kissed　Pitt　gently；　her　face　wet　With　tears　and　mist。　〃Two　coffees　ing　up。〃　She　brushed　her。eyes　with　her　fingers。
　〃And　go　rinse　your　face；〃　he　said；　grinning。　〃Your　eye　makeup　goo　is　halfway　to　your　chin。〃
　
　Obediently　she　turned　and　climbed　down　into　the　galley。　Pitt　looked　at　Sandecker　and　winked。　The　admiral　nodded　back　in　masculine　understanding　and　turned　back　to　the　blazing　boat。
　
　The　hydroplane　was　going　down　by　the　stern；　sinking　rapidly。　The　sea　crowded　over　the　gunwales　and　swamped　the　flames；　hissing　in　a　cloud　of　steam；　and　the　hydroplane　was　gone。　In　seconds；　only　a　swirling　welter　of　oily　bubbles；　unidentifiable　bits　of　flotsam；　and　dirty；　creaming　foam　remained　to　mark　the　grave。
　
　It　was　as　though　the　boat　had　been　nothing　but　a　nebulous　nightmare　that　vanished　with　the　passing　of　night。
　
　With　an　extra　effort　of　willpower；　Pitt　pulled　his　mind　back　to　practical　reality。　〃No　sense　in　hanging　around。　I　suggest　we　head　back　to　Reykjavik　as　fast　as　we　dare　through　this　fog。　The　quicker　and　the　farther　we　high　tail　it　out　of　this　area　before　the　weather　clears；　the　better　for　all　concerned。〃
　
　Sandecker　glanced　at　his　watch。　It　was　now　one　forty…five。　The　entire　action　had　barely　lasted　fifteen　minutes。　〃A　hot　toddy　is　looking　better　all　the　time；〃　he　said。　〃Stand　by　the　fathometer。　When　the　bottom　rises　above　a　hundred　feet；　we'll　at　least　know　we're　running　too　close　to　shore。〃
　
　Three　hours　later　and　twenty　miles　southwest　of　Reykjavik　they　rounded　the　tip　of　the　Keflavik　peninsula　and　broke　out　of　the　fog。　Iceland's　seemingly　eternal　sun　greeted　them　in　a　dazzling　brilliance。　A　Pan　American　jet；　arising　from　the　runway　of　the　Keflavik　International　Airport；　soared　over　them；　its　polished　aluminum　skin　reflecting　the　solar　glare；　before　making　a　great　circle　toward　the　east　and　London。　Pitt　watched　it　wistfully　and　idly　wished　he　were　at　the　controls　chasing　the　clouds　instead　of　standing　on　the　deck　of　a　rolling　old　scow。　His　thoughts　were　interrupted　by　Sandecker。
　〃I　can't　begin　to　tell　you　how　sad　I　feel　about　returning　Rondheim's　boat　in　such　shabby　condition。〃　A　sly；　devilish　smile　cut　a　swath　across　Sandecker's　face。
　〃Your　solicitude　is　touching；〃　Pitt　returned　sarcastically。
　〃What　the　hell；　Rondheim　can　afford　it。〃　Sandecker　took　a　hand　off　the　wheel　and　waved　it　around　the　shattered　wheelhouse。　〃A　little　wood　putty；　a　little　paint；　new　glass　and　it'll　be　good　as　new。〃
　〃Rondheim　might　well　laugh　away　the　damage　to　The　Grimsi；　but　he　won't　exactly　roll　in　the　aisle　laughing　when　he　learns　the　fate　of　his　hydroplane　and　crew。〃
　
　Sandecker　faced　Pitt。　〃How　can　you　possibly　connect　Rondheim　with　the　hydroplane？〃
　〃The　connection　is　the　boat　we're　standing　on。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　do　better　than　that；〃　Sandecker　said　impatiently。
　
　Pitt　sat　down　on　a　bench　over　a　life　preserver　locker　and　lit　a　cigarette。　〃The　best　plans　of　mice　and　men。　Rondheim　planned　well；　but　he　overlooked　the　thousand…to…one　chance　that　we　would　swipe　his　boat。
　
　We　wondered　why　The　Grimsi　was　tied　to　the　Fyrie　dock　。　。　。　It　was　there　to　follow　us。　Shortly　after　we　were　to　cast　off　and　begin　cruising　the　harbor　in　the　luxury　of　the　cabin　cruiser；　his　crew　would　have　appeared　on　the　dock　and　eased　this　nondescript　fishing　boat　into　our　wake　to　keep　an　eye　on　us。　If　we　had　acted　suspiciously　once　we　were　at　sea；　there'd　have　been　no　way　to　shake　them。　The　cabin　cruiser's　top　speed　probably　stands　near　twenty　knots。　We　know　The　Grimsi's　to　be　closer　to　forty。〃
　〃The　expressions　on　a　few　faces　must　have　been　priceless；〃　Sandecker　said；　smiling。
　〃Panic　undoubtedly　reigned　for　a　while；〃　Pitt　agreed；　〃until　Rondheim　could　figure　out　an　alternate　plan。　I　give　him　credit；　he's　a　smart　bastard。　He's　been　more　suspicious　of　our　actions　than　we　thought。　Still；　he　wasn't　pletely　sure　of　what　we　were　up　to。　The　clincher　came　when　we　borrowed　the　wrong　boat　quite　by　accident。　After　the　shock　wore　off；　he　guessed；　mistakenly；　that　we　were　wise　to　him　and　took　it　on　purpose　to　screw　him　up。　But　he　now　knew　where　we　were　headed。〃
　〃The　black　jet；〃　Sandecker　said　positively。　〃Feed　us　to　the　fish　after　we　pinpointed　its　exact　position。
　
　That　was　the　idea？〃
　
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　it　was　his　original　intention　to　eliminate　us。　We　had　him　fooled　on　the　diving　equipment。　He　assumed　we　would　try　to　find　the　wreck　from　the　surface　and　then　e　back　later　for　the　underwater　recovery。〃
　〃What　changed　his　mind？〃
　〃The　lookout　on　the　beach。〃
　〃But　where　did　he　pop　from？〃
　〃Reykjavik　by　car。〃　Pitt　inhaled　and　held　the　smoke　before　letting　it　out　and　continuing。　〃Having　us　tailed　by　air　was　no　problem　except　that　eventually　losing　us　in　an　Icelandic　fog　bank　was　a　foregone　conclusion。　He　simply　ordered　one　of　his　men　to　drive　across　the　Keflavik　peninsula　and　wait　for　us　to　show。　When　we　obliged；　the　lookout　followed　us　along　the　coast　road　and　stopped　when　we　anchored。　Everything　looked　innocent　enough　through　his　binoculars；　but　like　Rondheim；　we　took　too　much　for　granted　and　overlooked　one　minor　point。〃
　〃We　couldn't　have；〃　Sandecker　protested。　〃Every　precaution　was　considered。　Whoever　was　watching　would　have　needed　the　Mount　Palomar　telescope　to　tell　Tidi　was　masquerading　in　your　clothes。〃
　〃True。　But　if　the　sun　caught　them　where　they　broke　surface；　any　Japanese　seven　by　fifty　glasses　could　have　picked　up　my　air　bubbles。〃
　〃Damn！〃　Sandecker　snapped。　〃They're　hardly　noticeable　close　up；　but　at　a　distance　in　a　calm　sea　with　the　sun　just　right…〃　He　hesitated。
　〃The　lookout　then　contacted　Rondheim　by　radiophone　in　his　car；　most　likely…and　told　him　we　were　diving　on　the　wreck。　Rondheim's　back　was　to　the　wall　now。　We　had　to　be　stopped　before　we　discovered　something　vital　to　his　game。　He　had　to　lay　his　hands　on　a　boat　capable　of　matching　The　Grimsi's　speed　and　then　some。　Enter　the　hydroplane。〃
　〃And　the　something　vital　to　his　game？〃　Sandecker　probed。
　〃We　know　now　it　wasn't　the　aircraft　or　its　crew。
　
　All　trace　of　identity　was　erased。　That　leaves　the　cargo。〃
　〃The　models？〃
　〃The　models；〃　Pitt　repeated。　〃They　represent　more　than　just　a　hobby。　They　have　a　definite　purpose。〃
　〃And　how　do　you　intend　to　find　out　what　in　hell　they're　good　for？〃
　〃Simple。〃　Pitt　grinned　cunningly。　〃Rondheim　will　tell　us。　We　drop　them　off　with　the　consulate　boys　on　the　bait　boat　and　then　we　sail　right　up　to　the　Fyrie　dock　as　if　nothing　happened。　Rondheim　will　be　so　hungry　to　know　if　we've　discovered　anything。　I'm　counting　on　him　to　make　a　careless　move。　Then　we'll　shove　it　to　him　where　it　hurts　most。