alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第44章

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e　he　didn't　smile　a　greeting。　He　didn't　even　glance　at　Benson　on　his　cot。　His　face　was　still　and　posed；　without　any　expression。
　 〃You　sent　for　me；　sir？〃　〃Sir〃；　not　〃Doc〃。
　 〃Take　a　seat；　Rawlings。〃　He　sat；　and　as　he　did；　I　noticed　the　heavy　bulge　in　the　twelve…inch　thigh　pocket　on　the　side　of　his　overall　pants。　I　nodded　and　said；　〃What　have　you　got　there？　Doesn't　do　much　for　the　cut　of　your　natty　suiting；　does　it？〃
　 He　didn't　smile。　He　said：　〃I　always　carry　one　or　two　tools　around　with　me。　That's　what　the　pocket　is　for。〃
　 〃Let's　see　this　particular　tool；〃　I　said。
　 He　hesitated　briefly；　shrugged　and；　not　without　some　difficulty；　pulled　a　heavy；　gleaming　drop…forged　steel　pipe　wrench　from　the　pocket。　I　hefted　it　in　my　hand。
　 〃I'm　surprised　at　you；　Rawlings；〃　I　said。　〃What　do　you　think　the　average　human　skull　is　made　ofconcrete？　One　little　tap　with　this　thing　and　you're　up　on　a　murder　or　manslaughter　charge。〃　I　picked　up　a　roll　of　bandage。　〃Ten　yards　of　this　wrapped　around　the　business　end　will　automatically　reduce　the　charge　to　one　of　assault　and　battery。〃
　 〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　he　said　mechanically。
　 〃I'm　talking　about　the　fact　that　when　mander　Swanson；　Lieutenant　Hansen　and　I　were　inside　the　laboratory　this　afternoon　and　you　and　Murphy　were　outside；　you　must　have　kind　of　leaned　your　ear　against　the　door　and　heard　more　than　was　good　for　you。　You　know　there's　something　wrong；　and　though　you　don't　know　what；　your　motto　is　'Be　prepared。'　Hence　the　cosh。　Correct？〃
　 〃Correct。〃
　 〃Does　Murphy　know？〃
　 〃No。〃
　 〃I'm　a　naval…intelligence　officer。　Washington　knows　all　about　me。　Want　the　captain　to　vouch　for　me？〃
　 〃Well；　no。〃　The　first　faint　signs　of　a　grin。　〃I　heard　you　pull　a　gun　on　the　skipper；　but　you're　still　walking　around　loose。　You　must　be　in　the　clear。〃
　 〃You　heard　me　threaten　the　captain　and　Lieutenant　Hansen　with　a　gun。　But　then　you　were　sent　away。　You　heard　nothing　after　that？〃
　 〃Nothing。〃
　 〃Three　men　have　been　murdered　on　Zebra。　Two　shot；　one　knifed。　Their　bodies　were　burned　to　conceal　traces　of　the　crime。　Four　others　died　in　the　fire。　The　killer　is　aboard　this　ship。〃
　 Rawlings　said　nothing。　His　eyes　were　wide；　his　face　pale　and　shocked。　I　told　him　everything　I'd　told　Swanson　and　Hansen　and　emphasized　that　he　was　to　keep　it　all　to　himself。　Then　I　finished；　〃Dr。　Benson　here　has　been　seriously　hurt。　A　deliberate　attempt；　God　knows　for　what　reason；　may　have　been　made　on　his　life。　We　don't　know。　But　if　it　was　a　deliberate　attempt；　then　it's　failedso　far。〃
　 Rawlings　had　brought　himself　under　control。　He　said；　his　voice　as　empty　of　expression　as　his　face：　〃Our　little　pal　might　e　calling　again？〃
　 〃He　may。　No　member　of　the　crew　except　the　captain；　the　executive　officer　or　I　will　e　here。　Anyone　elsewell；　you　can　start　asking　him　questions　when　he　recovers　consciousness。〃
　 〃You　remended　ten　yards　of　this　bandage；　Doe？〃
　 〃It　should　be　enough。　And　only　a　gentle　tap；　for　God's　sake。　Above　and　behind　the　ear。　You　might　sit　behind　that　curtain　there　where　no　one　can　see　you。〃
　 〃I'm　feeling　lonesome　tonight；〃　Rawlings　murmured。　He　broke　open　the　bandage；　started　winding　it　around　the　head　of　the　wrench；　and　glanced　at　the　cartoon…decorated　bulkhead　beside　him。　〃Even　old　Yogi　Bear　ain't　no　fit　panion　for　me　tonight。　I　hope　I　have　some　other　pany　calling。〃
　 I　left　him　there。　I　felt　vaguely　sorry　for　anyone　who　should　e　calling；　killer　or　not。　I　felt；　too；　that　I　had　taken　every　possible　precaution。　But　when　I　left　Rawlings　there　guarding　Benson；　I　did　make　one　little　mistake。　Just　one。　I　left　him　guarding　the　wrong　man。
　 The　second　accident　of　the　day　happened　so　quickly；　so　easily；　so　inevitably　that　it　might　almost　have　been　just　that　an　accident。
　 At　supper　that　evening　I　suggested　that；　with　mander　Swanson's　permission；　I'd　have　a　surgery　at　nine　the　next　morning；　because　of　enforced　neglect；　most　of　the　burn　wounds　were　suppurating　pretty　badly；　requiring　constant　cleaning　and　changing　of　coverings。　I　also　thought　it　about　time　that　an　X…ray　inspection　be　made　of　Zabrinski's　broken　ankle。　Medical　supplies　in　the　sick　bay　were　running　short：　where　did　Benson　keep　his　main　supplies？　Swanson　told　me　and　detailed　Henry；　the　steward；　to　show　me　where　it　was。
　 About　ten　that　night；　after　I'd　returned　from　seeing　the　two　men　out　on　Zebra；　Henry　led　me　through　the　now　deserted　control　room　and　down　the　ladder　that　led　to　the　inertial…navigation　room　and　the　electronics　space；　which　abutted　on　it。　He　undid　the　strong…back　clamp　on　the　square；　heavy　steel　hatch　in　a　corner　of　the　electronics　room　and；　with　an　assist　from　methe　hatch　must　have　weighed　about　150　poundsswung　it　up　and　back　until　the　hatch　clicked　home　on　its　standing　latch。
　 Three　rungs　welded　onto　the　inside　of　the　hatch　cover　led　onto　the　vertical　steel　ladder　that　reached　down　to　the　deck　below。　Henry　went　down　first；　snapping　on　the　light　as　he　went；　and　I　followed。
　 The　medical　storage　room；　though　tiny；　was　equipped　on　the　same　superbly　lavish　scale　as　was　everything　else　on　the　Dolphin。　Benson；　as　thoroughly　meticulous　in　this　as　he　had　been　in　his　outlining　of　X…ray　procedure；　had　everything　neatly　and　logically　labeled；　so　that　it　took　me　less　than　three　minutes　to　find　everything　I　wanted。　I　went　up　the　ladder　first；　stopped　near　the　top；　stretched　down；　and　took　the　bag　of　supplies　from　Henry；　swung　it　up　on　the　deck　above；　then　reached　up　quickly　with　my　free　hand　to　grab　the　middle　of　the　three　rungs　welded　on　the　lower　side　of　the　hatch　cover　to　haul　myself　up　onto　the　deck　of　the　electronics　space。　But　I　didn't　haul　myself　up。　What　happened　was　that　I　hauled　the　hatch　cover　down。　The　retaining　latch　had　bee　disengaged；　and　the　150…pound　deadweight　of　that　massive　cover　was　swinging　down　on　top　of　me　before　I　could　even　begin　to　realize　what　was　happening。
　 I　fell　half　sideways；　half　backward；　pulling　the　hatch　cover　with　me。　My　head　struck　against　the　hatch　coaming。　Desperately　I　ducked　my　head　forwardif　it　had　been　crushed　between　the　coaming　and　the　falling　cover；　the　two　sides　of　my　skull　would　just　about　have　met　in　the　middleand　tried　to　snatch　my　left　arm　back　inside。　I　was　more　or　less　successful　with　my　headI　had　it　clear　of　the　coaming　and　was　ducking　so　quickly　that　the　impact　of　the　cover　was　no　more　than　enough　to　give　me　a　slight　headache　afterward　but　my　left　arm　was　a　different　matter　altogether。　I　almost　got　it　clearbut　only　almost。　If　my　left　hand　and　wrist　had　been　strapped　to　a　steel　block　and　a　gorilla　had　had　a　go　at　it　with　a　sledge　hammer；　the　effect　couldn't　have　been　more　agonizing。　For　a　moment　or　two　I　hung　there；　trapped；　dangling　by　my　left　wrist；　then　the　weight　of　my　body　tore　the　mangled　wrist　and　hand　through　the　gap　and　I　crashed　down　to　the　deck　beneath。　Then　the　gorilla　seemed　to　have　another　go　with　the　sledge　hammer；　and　consciousness　went。
　
　
　 〃I　won't　beat　about　the　bush；　old　lad；〃　Jolly　said。　〃No　point　in　it　with　a　fellow　pill　roller。　Your　wrist　is　a　mess。　I　had　to　dig　half　your　watch　out　of　it。　The　middle　and　little　fingers　are　broken；　the　middle　in　two　places。　But　the　permanent　danger；　I'm　afraid；　is　to　the　back　of　your　hand。　The　little…　and　ring…finger　tendons　have　been　sliced。〃
　 〃What　does　that　mean？〃　Swanson　asked。
　 〃It　means　that　in　his　left　hand　he'll　have　to　get　by　with　two　fingers　and　a　thumb　for　the　rest　of　his　life；〃　Jolly　said　bluntly。
　 Swanson　swore　softly　and　turned　to　Henry。　〃How　in　God's　name　could　you　have　been　so　damned　careless？　An　experienced　submariner　like　you？　You　know　perfectly　well　that　you're　required　to　make　a　visual　check　every　time　a　hatch　cover　engages　in　a　standing　latch。　Why　didn't　you？〃
　 〃I　didn't　need　to；　sir。〃　Henry　was　looking　more　dyspeptic　and　forlorn　than　ever。　〃I　heard　it　click　and　I　gave　a　tug。　It　was　engaged；　all　right。　I　can　swear　to　it；　sir。〃
　 〃How　could　it　have　been　engaged？　Look　at　Dr。　Carpenter's　hand。　Just　a　hair…line　engagement　and　the　slightest　extra　pressure　My　God；　why　can't　you　people　obey　regulations？〃
　 Henry　stared　at　the　desk　in　silence。　Jolly；　who　was　understandably　looking　about　as　washed…out　as　I　felt；　packed　away　the　tools　of　his　trade；　advised　me　to　t