cc.iceberg-第38章

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　Pitt　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　it　came　to　him。
　〃Lillie　Beer。　Of　course；　that's　it。　Lillie　Beer。　What's　the　slogan？　Brewed　for　the　gourmet's　table。〃
　〃Proof　that　it　pays　to　advertise；〃　Lillie　said。　〃I　take　it　you're　another　one　of　our　satisfied　customers？〃
　〃No。　I　prefer　Budweiser。〃
　〃I　can　see　you're　going　to　be　a　hard　man　to　get　along　with；〃　Lillie　moaned。
　〃Not　really。〃　Pitt　released　the　derringer's　hammer　and　threw　the　tiny　gun　to　Lillie。　〃Be　my　guest。　You　couldn't　possibly　be　one　of　the　bad　guys　and　e　up　with　a　story　that　wild。〃
　
　Lillie　fielded　the　gun。　〃Your　trust　is　warranted；　Major。　I　told　you　the　truth。〃
　〃You're　a　long　way　from　the　brewery；　or　is　that　another　story？〃
　〃Very　dull　and　very　time…consuming。　Some　other　time；　perhaps；　I'll　pour　out　my　biography　over　a　glass　of　Dad's　product。〃　He　calmly　retaped　the　gun　to　the　inside　of　his　cap　as　if　it　was　an　everyday　occurrence。　〃Now　then；　you　mentioned　a　third　attempt　on　your　life。〃
　〃You　offered　to　give　me　a　detailed；　hour…by…hour　account　of　my　actions　since　I　left　Washington。　You　tell　me。〃
　〃Nobody's　perfect；　Major。　I　lost　you　for　two　hours　today。〃
　
　Pitt　did　some　fast　mental　arithmetic。　〃Where　were　you　around　noon？〃
　〃On　the　southern　shore　of　the　island。〃
　〃Doing　what？〃
　
　Lillie　turned　away　and　looked　across　the　barren　fields；　his　face　empty　of　all　expression。　〃At　exactly　ten　minutes　after　twelve　this　afternoon　I　was　pushing　a　knife　into　another　man's　throat。〃
　〃Then　there　were　two　of　you　keeping　an　eye　on　The　Grimsi？〃
　〃The　Grimsi？　Ah；　of　course…the　name　of　your　old　boat。　Yes；　I　stumbled　into　the　other　guy　quite　by　accident。　After　you　and　the　admiral　and　Miss　Royal　took　off　toward　the　southeast；　I　had　a　hunch　your　anchor　would　drop　in　the　area　where　you　and　Dr。　Hunnewell　crashed。　I　drove　across　the　peninsula　and　arrived　too　late…that　damned　old　scow　was　faster　than　I　thought…you　were　already　sketching　up　a　storm　while　Admiral　Sandecker　was　playing　the　role　of　Izaak　Walton。　The　very　picture　of　your　contentment　had　me　fooled　pletely。〃
　〃But　not　your　petitor。　His　binoculars　were　stronger。〃
　
　Lillie　shook　his　head。　〃A　telescope。　One　hundred　and　seventy…five　power；　mounted　on　a　tripod；　no　less。〃
　〃Then　the　glint　I　saw　from　the　boat　was　from　the　reflecting　mirror。〃
　〃If　the　sun　caught　it　right；　a　visible　flash　would　be　the　obvious　giveaway。〃
　
　Pitt　was　silent　for　a　moment　as　he　lit　a　cigarette。
　
　The　click　of　the　lighter　seemed　strangely　loud　in　the　open　of　the　barren　landscape。　He　exhaled　and　looked　at　Lillie。
　〃You　say　you　knifed　him？〃
　〃Yes；　it　was　unfortunate；　but　he　left　me　no　choice。〃　Lillie　leaned　over　the　hood　of　the　Volvo　and　rubbed　a　palm　over　his　forehead；　seemingly　at　ease　with　his　inner　self。　〃He…I　don't　know　his　name；　as　there　was　no　identification…was　bent　over　the　telescope　talking　into　a　portable　transmitter　when　I　crept　around　an　outcropping　of　rock　and　literally　bumped　into　him。　His　attention　and　mine　had　been　focused　on　your　boat。　He　didn't　expect　me；　and　I　didn't　expect　him。　To　his　final　re；ret；　he　acted　first　；and　without　forethought。　Pulled　a　switchblade　knife　from　a　sleeve…rather　old…fashioned；　really…and　leaped。〃　Lillie　made　a　helpless　shrug。　〃The　poor　guy　tried　to　stab　instead　of　slash…the　sure　sign　of　an　amateur。　I　should　have　taken　him　alive　for　questioning；　but　I　got　carried　away　during　the　heat　of　the　moment　and　turned　his　knife　against　him。〃
　〃Too　bad　you　didn't　get　to　him　five　minutes　sooner；〃　Pitt　said。
　〃Why　is　that？〃
　〃He'd　already　radioed　our　position　so　his　buddies　could　close　in　for　the　kill。〃
　
　Lillie　stared　at　Pitt　questioningly。
　〃For　what　purpose？　Merely　to　steal　a　few　sketches　or　a　bucket　of　trash？〃
　〃Something　much　more　important。　A　jet　aircraft。〃
　〃I　know。　Your　mysterious　black　jet。　The　thought　had　occurred　that　you　might　go　looking　for　it　when　I　guessed　your　destination；　but　your　report　failed　to　pinpoint　the　exact…〃　Pitt　interrupted；　his　voice　deceptively　friendly。　〃I　know　for　certain　that　Admiral　Sandecker　has　had　no　contact　with　you　or　your　agency　since　he　left　Washington。　He　and　I　are　the　only　ones　who　know　what's　in　that　report　。　。　。〃　Pitt　paused；　suddenly　remembering。　〃Except…〃
　〃Except　the　secretary　at　the　consulate　who　typed　it；〃　Lillie　finished；　smiling。　〃My　pliments；　your　mentary　was　well　written。〃　Lillie　didn't　bother　to　explain　how　the　consulate　secretary　passed　him　a　copy　and　Pitt　didn't　bother　to　ask　him。　〃Tell　me；　Major；　how　do　you　go　about　dredging　for　a　sunken　aircraft　with　nothing　but　a　sketch　pad　and　a　fishing　pole？〃
　〃Your　victim　knew　the　answer。　He　detected　my　air　bubbles　through　his　telescope。〃
　
　Lillie's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　had　diving　equipment？〃　he　asked　flatly。　〃How？　I　watched　you　leave　the　dock　and　saw　nothing。　I　studied　you　and　the　admiral　from　the　shore　and　neither　of　you　left　the　deck　for　more　than　three　minutes。　After　that　I　lost　visibility　when　the　fog　rolled　in。〃
　〃The　N。I。A。　doesn't　have　a　monopoly　on　sneaky；　underhanded　plots；〃　Pitt　said；　shooting　Lillie　down　in　flames。　〃Let's　sit　in　the　car　and　make　ourselves　fortable　and　I'll　tetl　you　about　another　ordinary　garden　variety　day　in　the　life　of　Dirk　Pitt。〃
　
　So　Pitt　slouched　in　the　rear　seat　with　his　feet　propped　on　the　backrest　of　the　front　and　told　Lillie　what　had　happened　from　the　time　The　Grimsi　left　the　Fyrie　dock　until　it　had　returned。　He　told　what　he　knew　for　certain　and　what　he　didn't；　everything；　that　is；　except　for　one　little　indefinable　thought　that　kept　itching　in　his　mind…a　thought　that　concerned　Kirsti　Fyrie。
　
　Chapter　12
　
　〃So　you've　selected　Oskar　Rondheim　as　your　villain；〃　Lillie　murmured。　〃You　haven't　convinced　me　with　any　solid　proof。〃
　〃I　agree；　it's　all　circumstantial；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Rondheim　has　the　most　to　gain。　Therefore；　Rondheim　has　the　motive。　He　murdered　to　get　his　hands　on　the　undersea　probe　and　he's　murdered　to　cover　his　tracks。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　do　better　than　that。〃
　
　Pitt　looked　at　Lillie。　〃Okay；　e　up　with　a　better　one。〃
　〃As　an　agent　in　good　standing　with　the　N。I。A　I'm　embarrassed　to　admit　that　I'm　a　bit　confused。〃
　〃You're　confused。〃　Pitt　shook　his　head　in　mock　sadness。　〃I　can't　say　I　find　it　too　forting　knowing　our　nation's　security　rests　in　your　hands。〃
　
　Lillie　smiled　faintly。　〃It　is　you　who　has　provided　the　confusion；　Major。　It　is　you　who　has　broken　the　chain。〃
　〃What　chain？〃　Pitt　said。　〃Or　am　I　supposed　to　guess？〃
　
　Lillie　hesitated　a　moment　before　answering。　Finally　he　looked　directly　at　Pitt。
　〃During　the　last　eighteen　months　a　chain　of　strange　circumstances　has　been　forged　by　country　by　country；　from　the　southernmost　tip　of　Chile　to　the　northern　border　of　Guatemala。　Secretly；　through　a　plex　series　of　clandestine　maneuvers；　the　great　mining　panies　of　South　America　have　slowly　merged　into　one　giant　syndicate。　Outwardly　it's　business　as　usual；　but　behind　the　locked　and　barred　doors　of　their　respective　administrations；　the　policies　governing　their　operations　e　directly　from　a　single　unknown　voice。〃
　
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃Not　possible。　I　can　name　at　least　five　Countries　that　have　nationalized　their　mining　cartels。　There's　no　way　they　could　tie　in　with　a　private　pany　beyond　their　borders。〃
　〃None　the　less；　it's　a　documented　fact。　Where　the　mines　have　been　nationalized；　the　management　is　controlled　by　an　outside　organization。　The　Parnagus…janios　high…grade　iron　ore　pits　of　Brazil；　the　Domingo　bauxite　mines　of　the　Dominican　Republic；　the　government　silver　mines　of　Honduras；　they　all　take　their　directives　from　the…same　person　or　persons。〃
　〃How　did　you　gather　your　information？〃
　〃We　have　many　sources；〃　Lillie　said。　〃Some　within　the　mining　panies　themselves。　Unfortunately；　our　contacts　have　not　infiltrated　top…level　management。〃
　
　Pitt　mashed　his　cigarette　into　an　ashtray　recessed　within　the　car　door。　〃Nothing　mysterious　about　someone　attempting　to　gain　a　monopoly。
　
　If　they　have　the　guts　to　pull　it　off；　more　power　to　them。〃
　〃A　monopoly　is　bad　enough；〃　Lillie　said。　〃The　names　of　the　men　we've　been　able　to　uncover；　who　are　high　on　the　totem　pole；　include　twelve　of　the；　wealthiest　men　in　the　Western　World…all　possessing　vast　financial　Powers　in　mineral　exploita