cyclops-第17章
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car。 He had the face of a greyhound； long； narrow nose； pale eyes whose color could not be determined from the black…and…white photograph。 His face was clean…shaven； the eyebrows arched； and he had slightly protruding teeth。
〃What sort of man was he？〃 asked Pitt。
〃His naval record was unblemished until Worley put him under ship's arrest for insubordination。〃
〃Reason？〃
〃Captain Worley altered course from one plotted by Lieutenant Forbes and almost wrecked the ship entering Rio。 When Forbes demanded to know why； Worley blew up and confined him to quarters。〃
〃Was Forbes still under arrest during the last voyage？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Who's next？〃
〃Lieutenant John Church； second officer。〃
The photo showed a small； almost frail…looking man in civilian clothes sitting at a table in a restaurant。 His face wore the tired look of a farmer after a long day in the fields； yet his dark eyes seemed to advertise a humorous disposition。 The graying hair above a large forehead was brushed back over small ears。
〃He seems older than the others；〃 observed Pitt。
〃Actually only twenty…nine；〃 said Hope。 〃Joined the Navy when he was sixteen and worked his way up through the ranks。〃
〃Did he have problems with Worley？〃
〃Nothing in the file。〃
The final photograph was of two men standing at attention in a courtroom。 There was no sign of apprehension in their faces if anything； they appeared sullen and defiant。 The one on the left was tall and rangy with heavily muscled arms。 The other one had the size and shape of a grizzly bear。
〃This picture was taken at the court…martial of Fireman First Class James Coker and Fireman Second Class Barney DeVoe for the murder of Fireman Third Class Oscar Stewart。 All three men were stationed aboard the U。S。 cruiser Pittsburgh。 Coker； on the left； was sentenced to death by hanging； which was carried out in Brazil。 DeVoe； on the right； was sentenced to fifty to ninety…nine years in the naval prison at Portsmouth； New Hampshire。〃
〃What's their connection with the Cyclops？〃 Pitt inquired。
〃The Pittsburgh was in Rio de Janeiro when the murder occurred。 When Captain Worley reached port； he was instructed to transport DeVoe and four other prisoners in the Cyclops' brig to the United States。〃
〃And they were on board at the end。〃
‘ Yes。'
〃No other pictures of the crew？〃
〃They are probably available in family albums and other private sources； but this is all I have in my library。〃
〃Tell me about the events leading to the disappearance。〃
〃Verbal or print？〃
〃Can you print it out and talk at the same time？〃
〃Sorry； I can only perform such functions in sequence。 Which do you prefer first？〃
〃Verbal。〃
〃Very well。 One moment while I assemble the data。〃
Pitt was beginning to feel drowsy。 It had been a long day。 He used the pause to dial Yaeger and ask for a cup of coffee。
〃How are you and Hope getting along？〃
〃I'm almost beginning to think she's real；〃 Pitt answered。
〃Just so long you don't start fantasizing about her nonexistent body。〃
〃I'm not at that stage yet。〃
〃To know her is to love her。〃
〃How are you doing on LeBaron？〃
〃What I was afraid of；〃 said Yaeger。 〃He pretty much buried his past。 No insight； only statistics up to the time he became the Wall Street whiz。〃
〃Anything interesting？〃
〃Not really。 He came from a fairly affluent family。 His father owned a chain of hardware stores。 I get the idea Raymond and his father didn't get along。 There's no mention of his family in any newspaper biographies after he became the financial whiz。〃
〃Did you find out how he made his first big bucks？〃
〃That area is pretty vague。 He and a partner by the name of Kronberg had a marine salvage pany in the middle nineteen…fifties。 Seems they scratched along for a few years and then went broke。 Two years later； Raymond launched his publication。〃
〃The Prosperteer。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Is there any mention of where his backing came from？〃
〃None；〃 replied Yaeger。 〃By the way； Jessie is his second wife。 His first was named Hillary。 She died a few years ago。 Nothing on her at all。〃
〃Keep hunting。〃
Pitt hung up as Hope said； 〃I'm ready with the data on the ill…fated final voyage of the Cyclops。〃
〃Let's hear it。〃
〃She put to sea from Rio de Janeiro on 16 February 1918； bound for Baltimore； Maryland。 On board were her regular crew of 15 officers and 231 men； 57 men from the cruiser Pittsburgh； who were being rotated to the Norfolk Naval Base for reassignment； the 5 prisoners including DeVoe； and the American consul general at Rio； Alfred L。 Morean Gottschalk； who was returning to Washington。 Her cargo was 11；000 tons of manganese ore。
〃After a brief call at the port of Bahia to pick up mail； the ship made an unscheduled stop on 4 March； when she entered Carlisle Bay on the island of Barbados and dropped anchor。 Here； Worley took on extra coal and provisions； which he claimed were necessary to continue the voyage to Baltimore； but was later considered to be quite excessive。 After the ship was lost at sea； the American consul in Barbados reported a number of suspicious rumors regarding Worley's unusual action； strange events on board； and a possible mutiny。 The last anyone saw of the Cyclops and the men on board was 4 March 1918； when she steamed away from Barbados。〃
〃There was no further contact？〃 asked Pitt。
〃Twenty…four hours later； a lumber freighter called the Crogan Castle reported her bow crushed by an immense freak wave。 Her radio signals for assistance were answered by the Cyclops。 The final words from the collier were her call number and the message； ‘We are fifty miles due south of you and ing at full steam。' 〃
〃Nothing else？〃
〃That was it。〃
〃Did the Crogan Castle give her position？〃
〃Yes； it was reported as latitude twenty…three degrees； thirty minutes north by longitude seventy…nine degrees； twenty…one minutes west； which put her about twenty miles southeast from a bank of shallow reefs called the Anguilla Cays。〃
〃Was the Crogan Castle lost also？〃
〃No； the records say she limped into Havana。〃
〃Any wreckage of the Cyclops turn up？〃
〃An extensive search by the Navy found nothing。〃
Pitt hesitated as Yaeger entered the viewing room； set a cup of coffee by the console； and silently retreated。 He took a few sips and asked Hope to reshow the photo of the Cyclops。 The ship materialized on the monitor's screen and he stared at it thoughtfully。
He picked up the phone； punched a number； and waited。 A digital clock on the console read 11：55； but the voice that answered sounded bright and cheerful。
〃Dirk！〃 boomed Dr。 Raphael O'Meara。 〃What the hell is going down？ You caught me at a good time。 I just came home this morning from a dig in Costa Rica。〃
〃Find another truckload of potsherds？〃
〃Only the richest cache of pre…Columbian art discovered to date。 Amazing pieces； some dating back to three hundred B。C。〃
〃Too bad you can't keep them。〃
〃All my finds go to the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica。〃
〃You're a generous man； Raphael。〃
〃I don't donate them； Dirk。 The governments where my finds are made preserve the artifacts as part of their national heritage。 But why bore an old waterlogged relic like you。 To what do I owe the pleasure of your call？〃
〃I need your expertise on a piece of treasure。〃
〃You know； of course；〃 O'Meara said； his tone edged with a touch of seriousness； 〃treasure is an unspeakable word to a respected archeologist。〃
〃We all carry an albatross；〃 said Pitt。 〃Can you meet me for a drink？〃
〃Now？ Do you realize what time it is？〃
〃I happen to know you're a night owl。 Make it easy on yourself。 Someplace close to your house。〃
〃How about the Old Angler's Inn on MacArthur Boulevard？ Say in half an hour。〃
〃Sounds good。〃
〃Can you tell me what treasure you're interested in？〃
〃The one everyone dreams about。〃
〃Oh？ And which one is that？〃
〃Tell you when I see you。〃
Pitt hung up and gazed at the Cyclops。 There was an eerie loneliness about her。 He could not help wondering what secrets she took with her to a w
