alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第64章

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o；　three〃
　 Swanson　half　raised　a　hand　in　acknowledgment　of　defeat；　crossed　to　the　wall　phone；　gave　the　necessary　orders；　hung　up　and　came　back　to　stand　beside　me。　He　looked　at　me　without　either　respect　or　admiration。　I　looked　around　at　all　the　other　people　in　the　room。　Jolly；　Hansen　and　Rawlings　standing；　Zabrinski　sitting　on　a　chair　by　himself　with　the　now　disregarded　copy　of　the　〃Dolphin　Daze〃　on　his　knees；　all　the　others　sitting　around　the　table；　Kinnaird　well　clear　of　them；　the　gun　very　steady　in　his　hands。　So　very　steady。　No　one　seemed　to　be　contemplating　any　heroics。　For　the　most　part；　everyone　was　too　shocked；　too　dazed；　to　think　of　anything。
　 〃Hijacking　a　nuclear　submarine　is　an　intriguing　prospect；　and　no　doubt　would　be　a　highly　profitable　one；　mander　Swanson；〃　Jolly　said。　〃But　I　know　my　limitations；　No；　old　top；　we　shall　simply　be　leaving　you。　Not　very　many　miles　from　here　is　a　naval　vessel　with　a　helicopter　on　its　after　deck。　In　a　little　while；　mander；　you　will　send　a　wireless　message　on　a　certain　frequency　giving　our　position：　the　helicopter　will　pick　us　up。　And　even　if　your　crippled　engine　would　stand　the　strain；　I　wouldn't　advise　you　to　e　chasing　after　that　ship　with　ideas　about　torpedoing　it　or　anything　of　that　dramatic　sort。　Apart　from　the　fact　that　you　wouldn't　like　to　be　responsible　for　triggering　off　a　nuclear　war；　you　couldn't　catch　it　anyway。　You　won't　even　be　able　to　see　the　ship；　manderand　if　you　did；　it　wouldn't　matter；　anyway。　It　has　no　nationality　markings。〃
　 〃Where　are　the　films？〃　I　asked。
　 〃They're　already　aboard　that　naval　vessel。〃
　 〃They're　〃what？〃〃　Swanson　demanded。　〃How　in　hell's　name　can　they　be？〃
　 〃Sorry　and　all　that；　old　boy。　I　repeat　that；　unlike　Carpenter　here；　I　don't　go　around　shooting　off　my　mouth。　A　professional；　my　dear　captain；　〃never〃　gives　information　about　his　methods。〃
　 〃So　you　get　off　with　it；〃　I　said　bitterly。　My　mouth　felt　thick　and　swollen。
　 〃Don't　see　what's　to　stop　us。　Crimes　don't　always　e　home　to　roost；　you　know。〃
　 〃Eight　men　murdered；〃　I　said　wonderingly。　〃Eight　men。　You　can　stand　there　and　cheerfully　admit　that　you　are　responsible　for　the　deaths　of　eight　men。〃
　 〃Cheerfully？〃　he　said　consideringly。　〃No；　not　cheerfully。　Fm　a　professional；　and　a　professional　never　kills　unnecessarily。　But　this　time　it　was　necessary。　That's　all。〃
　 〃That's　the　second　time　you've　used　the　word　'professional；'〃　I　said　slowly。　〃I　was　wrong　on　one　theory。　You　weren't　just　suborned　after　the　Zebra　team　had　been　picked。　You've　been　at　this　game　a　long　timeyou're。　too　good　not　to　have　been。〃
　 〃Fifteen　years；　old　lad；〃　Jolly　said　calmly。　〃Kinnaird　and　Iwe　were　the　best　team　in　Britain。　Our　usefulness　in　that　country；；　unfortunately；　is　over。　I　should　imagine　that　our　uhexceptional　talents　can　be　employed　elsewhere。〃
　 〃You　admit　to　all　those　murders？〃　I　asked。
　 He　looked　at　me　in　sudden　cold　speculation。　〃A　damned　funny　question；　Carpenter。　Of　course。　I've　told　you。　Why？〃
　 〃And　do　you；　Kinnaird？〃
　 He　looked　at　me　in　bleak　suspicion。　〃Why　ask？〃
　 〃You　answer　my　question　and　I'll　answer　yours。〃　At　the　corner　of　my　range　of　vision　I　could　see　Jolly　looking　at　me　with　narrowed　eyes。　He　was　very　sensitive　to　atmosphere；　he　knew　there　was　something　off…key。
　 〃You　know　damn　well　what　I　did；　mate；〃　Kinnaird　said　coldly。
　 〃So　there　we　have　it。　In　the　presence　of　no　less　than　twelve　witnesses；　you　both　confess　to　murder。　You　shouldn't　have　done　that；　you　know。　I'll　answer　your　question；　Kinnaird。　I　wanted　to　have　an　oral　confession　from　you　because；　apart　from　the　sheet　of　aluminum　foil　and　something　I'll　mention　in　a　minute；　we　have　no　actual　proof　at　all　against　either　of　you。　But　now　we　have　your　confessions。　Your　great　talents　are　not　going　to　be　used　in　any　other　sphere；　I'm　afraid。　You'll　never　see　that　helicopter　or　that　naval　vessel。　You'll　both　die　jerking　on　the　end　of　a　rope。〃
　 〃What　rubbish　is　this？〃　Jolly　asked　contemptuously。　But　there　was　worry　under　the　contempt。　〃What　last…minute　despairing　bluff　are　you　trying　to　pull；　Carpenter？〃
　 I　ignored　his　question。　I　said：　〃I've　been　on　to　Kinnaird　for　some　sixty　hours　also；　Jolly。　But　I　had　to　play　it　this　way。　Without　letting　you　gain　what　appeared　to　be　the　upper　hand　you　would　never　have　admitted　to　the　crimes。　But　now　you　have。〃
　 〃Don't　fall　for　it；　old　lad；〃　Jolly　said　to　Kinnaird。　〃It's　just　some　desperate　bluff。　He　never　had　any　idea　that　you　were　in　on　this。〃
　 〃When　I　knew　you　were　one　of　the　killers；〃　I　said　to　Jolly；　I　was　almost　certain　Kinnaird　had　to　be　another。　You　shared　the　same　cabin　and　unless　Kinnaird　had　been　sapped　or　drugged　he　had　to　be　in　on　it。　He　was　neither。　He　was　in　on　it。　That　door　wasn't　jammed　when　Naseby　ran　to　the　radio　room　to　warn　youthe　two　of　you　were　leaning　all　your　weight　against　it　to　give　the　impression　that　it　had　been　closed　for　hours　and　that　ice　had　formed。
　 〃By　the　same　token；　young　Grant；　the　assistant　radio　operator；　was　in　cahoots　with　youor　he　wasn't。　If　he　wasn't；　he　would　have　。to　be　silenced。　He　wasn't。　So　you　silenced　him。　After　I'd　caught　on　to　the　two　of　you；　I　had　a　good　look　at　Grant。　I　went　out　and　dug　him　up　from　where　we'd　buried　him。　Rawlings　and　I。　I　found　a　great　big　bruise　at　the　base　of　his　neck。　He　surprised　you　in　something；　or　he　woke　when　you　knifed　or　shot　one　of　Major　Halliwell's　men；　and　you　laid　him　out。　You　didn't　bother　killing　him：　you　were　about　to　set　the　hut　on　fire　and　incinerate　him；　so　killing　would　have　been　pointless。　But　you　didn't　reckon　on　Captain　Folsom　here　going　in　and　bringing　him　outalive。
　 〃That　was　most　damnably　awkward　for　you；　wasn't　it；　Jolly？　He　was　unconscious；　but　when　and　if　he　recovered　consciousness；　he　could　blow　the　whole　works　on　you。　But　you　couldn't　get　at　him　to　finish　him　off；　could　you？　The　bunkhouse　was　full　of　people；　most　of　them　suffering　so　severely　that　sleep　was　impossible　for　them。　When　we　arrived　on　the　scene　you　got　desperate。　Grant　was　showing　signs　of　regaining　consciousness。　You　took　a　chance；　but　not　all　that　much　of　a　chance。　Remember　how　surprised　I　was　to　find　that　you　had　used　up　all　my　morphine？　Well；　I　〃was〃　surprised　then。　But　not　now。　I　know　now　where　it　went。　You　gave　him　an　injection　of　morphineand　you　made　damn　sure　the　hypodermic　held　a　lethal　dose。　Am　I　correct？〃
　 〃You're　cleverer　than　I　thought　you　were；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃Maybe　I　have　misjudged　you　a　little。　But　it　still　makes　no　difference；　old　boy。〃
　 〃I　wonder。　If　I'd　known　about　Kinnaird　so　long；　why　do　you　think　I　allowed　a　situation　to　develop　where　you　could　apparently　turn　the　tables？〃
　 〃'Apparently'　is　not　the　word　you　want。　And　the　answer　to　your　question　is　easy。　You　didn't　know　Kinnaird　〃had〃　a　gun。〃
　 〃No？〃　I　looked　at　Kinnaird。　〃Are　you　sure　that　thing　works？〃
　 〃Don't　e　that　old　stuff　with　me；　mate；〃　Kinnaird　said　in　contempt。
　 〃I　just　wondered；〃　I　said　mildly。　〃I　thought　perhaps　the　petrol　in　the　tractor's　tank　might　have　removed　all　the　lubricating　oil。〃
　 Jolly　came　close　to　me；　his　face　tight　and　cold。　〃You　〃knew〃　about　this？　What　goes　on；　Carpenter？〃
　 〃It　was　actually　mander　Swanson　here　who　found　the　gun　in　the　tank；〃　I　said。　〃You　had　to　leave　it　there　because　you　knew　you'd　all　be　getting　a　good　clean…up　and　medical　examination　when　we　got　you　on　board；　and　it　would　have　been　bound　to　be　discovered。　But　a　murderera　professional；　Jollywill　never　part　with　his　gun　unless　he　is　pelled　to。　I　knew　if　you　got　the　slightest　chance　you　would　go　back　for　it。　So　I　put　it　back　in　the　tank。〃
　 〃The　hell　you　did！〃　Swanson　was　as　nearly　angry　as　I'd　ever　seen　him。　〃Forgot　to　tell　me；　didn't　you7'
　 〃I　must　have。　That　was　after　I'd　cottoned　on　to　you；　Jolly。　I　wasn't　〃absolutely〃　sure　you　had　a　partner；　but　I　knew　if　you　had；　it　must　be　Kinnaird。　So　I　put　the　gun　back　there　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　I　made　good　and　certain　that　you；　Jolly；　didn't　get　the　chance　to　go　anywhere　near　the　tractor　shed　at　any　time。　But　the　gun　vanished　that　following　morning　when　everyone　was　out　sampling　the　fresh　air。　So　then　I　knew　you　had　an　acplice。　But　the　real　reason　for　planting　that　gun；　of　course；　is　that　without　it　you'd　never　have　talked。　But　now　you　have　talked　and　it's　a