alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第45章

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　 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　take　a　couple　of　days　off；　gave　me　a　handful　of　pills　to　take；　said　a　weary　good　night；　and　climbed　up　the　ladder　leading　from　the　electronics　space；　where　he　had　been　fixing　my　hand。　Swanson　said　to　Henry：　〃You　can　go　now；　Baker〃the　first　time　I'd　ever　heard　anyone　address　Henry　by　his　surname；　a　sufficient　enough　token　of　what　Swanson　regarded　as　the　enormity　of　his　crime。　〃I'll　decide　what　to　do　about　this　in　the　morning。〃
　 〃I　don't　know　about　the　morning；〃　I　said　after　Henry　was　gone。　〃Maybe　the　next　morning。　Or　the　one　after　that。　Then　you　can　apologize　to　him。　You　and　me　both。　That　cover　was　locked　on　its　standing　latch。　〃I〃　checked　it　visually；　mander　Swanson。〃
　 Swanson　gave　me　his　cool；　impassive　look。　After　a　moment　he　said　quietly；　〃Are　you　suggesting　what　I　think　you　are　suggesting？〃
　 〃Someone　took　a　risk；〃　I　said。　〃Not　all　that　much　of　a　risk；　though。　Most　of　the　men　are　asleep　now；　and　the　control　room　was　deserted　at　the　moment　that　mattered。　Someone　in　the　wardroom　tonight　heard　me　ask　your　permission　to　go　down　to　the　medical　store　and　heard　you　giving　your　okay。　Shortly　after　that；　nearly　everyone　turned　in。　One　man　didn'the　kept　awake　and　hung　around　patiently　until　I　came　back　from　the　drift　station。　He　followed　me　down　belowhe　was　luckyLieutenant　Sims；　your　officer　on　deck；　was　taking　star　sights　up　on　the　bridge　and　the　control　room　was　emptyand　he　unhooked　the　latch　but　left　the　hatch　cover　in　a　standing　position。　There　was　a　slight　element　of　gambling　as　to　whether　I　would　e　up　first；　but　not　all　that　much；　it　would　have　been　a　matter　of　elementary　courtesy；　he　would　have　thought；　for　Henry　to　see　me　up　first。　Anyway；　he　won　his　gamble；　slight　though　it　was。　After　that；　our　unknown　friend　wasn't　quite　so　luckyI　think　he　expected　the　damage　to　be　a　bit　more　permanent。〃
　 〃I'll　get　inquiries　under　way　immediately；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Whoever　was　responsible；　someone　must　have　seen　him；　Someone　must　have　heard　him　leaving　his　cot〃
　 〃Don't　waste　your　time；　mander。　We're　up　against　a　highly　intelligent　character　who　doesn't　overlook　the　obvious。　Not　only　that；　but　word　of　your　inquiries　is　bound　to　get　around；　and　you'd　scare　him　under　cover　where　I'd　never　get　at　him。〃
　 〃Then　I'll　just　keep　the　whole　damned　bunch　under　lock　and　key　until　we　get　back　to　Scotland；〃　Swanson　said　grimly。　〃〃That〃　way　there'll　be　no　more　trouble。〃
　 〃That　way　we'll　〃never〃　find　out　who　the　murderer　of　my　brother　and　the　sixseven　nowothers　are。　Whoever　it　is　has　to　be　given　sufficient　rope　to　trip　himself　up。〃
　 〃Good　God；　man；　we　can't　just　sit　back　and　let　things　be　done　to　us。〃　There　was　a　hint　of　testiness　in　the　mander's　voice；　and　I　couldn't　blame　him。　〃What　do　we　what　do　〃you〃propose　to　do　now？〃
　 〃Start　at　the　beginning。　Tomorrow　morning　we'll　hold　a　court　of　inquiry　among　the　survivors。　Let's　find　out　all　we　can　about　that　fire。　Just　an　innocent；　above…board；　fact…finding　inquiry；　for　the　Ministry　of　Supply；　let　us　say。　I've　an　idea　we　might　turn　up　something　very　interesting　indeed。〃
　 〃You　think　so？〃　Swanson　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　believe　it。　I　don't　believe　it　for　a　moment。　Look　what's　happened　to　you。　It's　obvious；　man；　that　someone　knows　or　suspects　that　you're　on　to　them。　They'll　take　damned　good　care　to　give　nothing　away。〃
　 〃You　think　that's　why　I　was　clouted　tonight？〃
　 〃What　other　reason　could　there　be？〃
　 　〃Was　that　why　Benson　was　hurt？〃
　 〃We　don't　know　that　he　was。　Deliberately；　I　mean。　May　have　been　pure　coincidence。〃
　 〃Maybe　it　was；〃　I　agreed。　〃And　then　again；　maybe　it　wasn't。　My　guess；　for　what　it's　worth；　is　that　the　accident　or　accidents　have　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　any　suspicions　the　killer　may　have　that　we're　on　to　him。　Anyway；　let's　see　what　tomorrow　brings。〃
　 It　was　midnight　when　I　got　back　to　my　cabin。　The　engineer　officer　was　on　watch　and　Hansen　was　asleep；　so　I　didn't　put　on　any　light　lest　I　disturb　him。　I　didn't　undress；　just　removed　my　shoes；　lay　down　on　the　cot；　and　pulled　a　cover　over　me。
　 I　didn't　sleep。　I　couldn't　sleep。　My　left　arm　from　the　elbow　down　still　felt　as　if　it　were　caught　in　a　bear　trap。　Twice　I　pulled　from　my　pocket　the　pain　killers　and　sleeping　tablets　that　Jolly　had　given　me　and　twice　I　put　them　away。
　 Instead　I　just　lay　there　and　thought；　and　the　first　and　most　obvious　conclusion　I　came　up　with　was　that　there　was　someone　aboard　the　〃Dolphin〃　who　didn't　care　any　too　much　for　the　members　of　the　medical　profession。　Then　I　got　to　wondering　why　the　profession　was　so　unpopular；　and　after　half　an　hour　of　beating　my　weary　brain　cells　around；　I　got　silently　to　my　feet　and　made　my　way　in　my　socks　to　the　sick　bay。
　 I　passed　inside　and　closed　the　door　softly　behind　me。　A　red　night　light　burnt　dully　in　one　corner；　just　enough　to　let　me　see　Benson's　huddled　form　on　the　cot。　I　switched　on　the　overhead　light；　blinked　in　the　sudden　fierce　wash　of　light；　and　looked　at　the　curtain　at　the　other　end　of　the　bay。　Nothing　stirred　behind　it。　I　said；　〃Just　kind　of　take　your　itching　fingers　away　from　that　pipe　wrench；　Rawlings。　It's　me；　Carpenter。〃
　 The　curtain　was　pulled　to　one　side　and　Rawlings　appeared；　the　pipe　wrench；　with　its　bandage…wrapped　head；　dangling　from　one　hand。　He　had　a　disappointed　look　on　his　face。
　 〃I　was　expecting　someone　else；〃　he　said　reproachfully。　〃I　was　kinda　hoping　My　God；　Doc；　what's　happened　to　your　arm？〃
　 〃Well　may　you　ask；　Rawlings。　Our　little　pal　had　a　go　at　me　tonight。　I　think　he　wanted　me　out　of　the　way。　Whether　he　wanted　me　out　of　the　way　permanently　or　not　I　don't　know　but　he　near　as　a　toucher　succeeded。〃　I　told　him　what　had　happened；　then　asked；　〃Is　there　any　man　aboard　you　can　trust　absolutely？〃　I　knew　the　answer　before　I　had　asked　the　question。
　 〃Zabrinski；〃　he　said　unhesitatingly。
　 〃Do　you　think　you　could　pussy…foot　along　to　wherever　it　is　that　he's　sleeping　and　bring　him　here　without　waking　up　anyone？〃
　 He　didn't　ask　any　questions。　He　said；　〃He　can't　walk；　Doc；　you　know　that。〃
　 〃Carry　him。　You're　big　enough。〃
　 He　grinned　and　left。　He　was　back　with　Zabrinski　inside　three　minutes。　Three　quarters　of　an　hour　later；　after　telling　Rawlings　he　could　call　off　his　watch；　I　was　back　in　my　cabin。
　 Hansen　was　still　asleep。　He　didn't　wake　even　when　I　switched　on　a　side　light。　Slowly；　clumsily；　painfully；　I　dressed　myself　in　my　furs；　unlocked　my　case；　and　drew　out　the　Mauser；　the　two　rubber…covered　magazines　and　the　broken　knife　that　mander　Swanson　had　found　in　the　tractor's　gas　tank。　I　put　them　in　my　pocket　and　left。　On　my　way　through　the　control　room；　I　told　the　officer　on　deck　that　I　was　going　out　to　check　on　the　two　patients　still　left　out　in　the　camp。　As　I　had　pulled　a　fur　mitten　over　my　injured　hand；　he　didn't　raise　an　eyebrow；　doctors　were　a　law　unto　themselves；　and　I　was　just　the　good　healer　en　route　to　give　aid　and　fort　to　the　sick。　…
　 I　did　have　a　good　look　at　the　two　sick　men；　both　of　whom　seemed　to　me　to　be　picking　up　steadily；　then　said　good　night　to　the　two　〃Dolphin〃　crewmen　who　were　watching　over　them。　But　I　didn't　go　straight　back　to　the　ship。　First　I　went　to　the　tractor　shed　and　replaced　the　gun；　magazines　and　broken　knife　in　the　tractor　tank。　Then　I　went　back　to　the　ship。
　
　
　9
　
　 〃I'm　sorry　to　have　to　bother　you　with　all　these　questions；〃　I　said　pleasantly。　〃But　that's　the　way　it　is　with　all　government　departments。　A　thousand　questions　in　quadruplicate　and　each　of　them　more　pointlessly　irritating　than　the　rest。　But　I　have　this　job　to　do　and　the　report　to　be　radioed　off　as　soon　as　possible；　and　I　would　appreciate　all　the　information　and　cooperation　you　can　give　me。　First　of　all；　has　anyone　any　idea　at　all　how　this　damned　fire　started？〃
　 I　hoped　I　sounded　like　a　Ministry　of　Supply　official；　which　was　what　I'd　told　them　I　was；　making　a　Ministry　of　Supply　report。　I'd　further　told　them；　just　to　nip　any　eyebrow…raising　in　the　bud；　that　it　was　the　Ministry　of　Supply's　policy　to　send　a　doctor　to　report　on　any　accident　where　loss　of　life　was　involved。　Maybe　this　was　the　case。　I　didn't　know　and　I　didn't　care。
　 〃Well；　I　was　the