cyclops-第24章
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ive million dollars have been spent by military search and rescue teams without a sighting； without a hint of where he might have disappeared。 Budget…conscious congressmen will howl for scalps if more government money is spent on another fruitless effort。〃
〃What about the private sector and LeBaron's own business associates？〃
〃Many business leaders respected LeBaron； but at one time or another most of them were burned by him in his editorials。 They won't spend a dime or go out of their way to look for him。 As to the men around him； they have more to gain by his death。〃
〃So does Jessie here；〃 said Pitt； gazing at her。
She smiled thinly。 〃I can't deny it。 But the bulk of his estate goes to charities and other family members。 I do； however； receive a substantial inheritance。〃
〃You must own a yacht； Mrs。 LeBaron。 Why don't you assemble your own crew of investigators and look for your husband？〃
〃There are reasons； Dirk； why I can't conduct a large publicized effort。 Reasons you needn't know。 The admiral and I think there is a chance； a very slight chance； that three people can quietly retrace the flight of the Prosperteer under the same conditions and discover what happened to Raymond。〃
〃Why bother？〃 asked Pitt。 〃All islands and reefs within the blimp's fuel range were covered by the initial search。 I'd only be covering the same trail。〃
〃They might have missed something。〃
〃Like maybe Cuba？〃
Sandecker shook his head。 〃Castro would have claimed LeBaron overflew Cuban territory under instructions from the CIA and flaunted the blimp's capture to the world。 No； there has to be another answer。〃
Pitt walked over to the corner windows and gazed longingly down at a fleet of small sailboats that were holding a regatta on the Anacostia River。 The white sails gleamed against the dark green water as they raced toward the buoy markers。
〃How do we know where to concentrate？〃 he asked without turning。 〃We're looking at a search grid as large as a thousand square miles。 It would take weeks to cover it properly。〃
〃I have all my husband's records and charts；〃 said Jessie。
〃He left them behind？〃
〃No； they were found in the blimp。〃
Pitt silently watched the sailboats； his arms crossed in front of him。 He tried to probe the motives； penetrate the intrigue； lay out the safeguards。 He tried to segregate each into an orderly niche。
〃When do we go？〃 he asked finally。
〃Sunrise tomorrow morning；〃 Sandecker replied。
〃You both still insist I lead the fishing expedition？〃
〃We do；〃 Jessie said flatly。
〃I want two old hands for my crew。 They're both on NUMAs payroll。 Either I get them or I'll walk。〃
Sandecker's face clouded。 〃I've already explained=
〃You've got the moon； Admiral； and you're asking for Mars。 We've been friends long enough for you to know I don't operate on a halfassed basis。 Put the two men I need on leaves of absence too。 I don't care how you do it。〃
Sandecker wasn't angry； wasn't even annoyed。 If there was one man in the country who could pull off the unthinkable； it was Pitt。 The admiral had no more cards to play； so he folded。
〃All right；〃 he said quietly。 〃You've got them。〃
〃There's one more thing。〃
〃Which is？〃 Sandecker demanded。
Pitt turned around with a bleak smile。 His gaze went from Jessie to the admiral。 Then he shrugged and said； 〃I've never flown a blimp。〃
〃Appears to me you're making an end run behind my back；〃 said Sam Emmett； the outspoken chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation。
The President looked across his desk in the Oval Office and smiled benignly。 〃You're absolutely right； Sam。 I'm doing exactly that。〃
〃I give you credit for laying it on the line。〃
〃Don't get upset； Sam。 This in no way reflects any displeasure with you or the FBI。〃
〃Then why can't you tell me what this is all about？〃 Emmett asked； holding his indignation in check。
〃In the first place； it's primarily a foreign affairs matter。〃
〃Has Martin Brogan at CIA been consulted？〃
〃Martin has not been called in。 You have my word on it。〃
〃And in the second place？〃
The President was not about to be pushed。 〃That's my business。〃
Emmett stiffened。 〃If the President wishes my resignation〃
〃I don't wish anything of the sort；〃 the President cut in。 〃You're the ablest and best…qualified man to head up the bureau。 You've done a magnificent job； and I've always been one of your biggest boosters。 However； if you want to pick up your marbles and go home because you think your vanity has been dented； then go right ahead。 Prove me wrong about you。〃
〃But if you don't trust=
〃Wait just a damned minute； Sam。 Let's not say anything we'll be sorry about tomorrow。 I'm not questioning your loyalty or integrity。 No one is stabbing you in the back。 We aren't talking crime or espionage。 This matter doesn't directly concern the FBI or any of the intelligence agencies。 The bottom line is that it's you who has to trust me； at least for the next week。 Will you do that？〃
Emmett's ego was temporarily soothed。 He shrugged and then relented。 〃You win； Mr。 President。 Status quo。 I'll follow your lead。〃
The President sighed heavily。 〃I promise I won't let you down； Sam。〃
〃I appreciate that。〃
〃Good。 Now let's start at the beginning。 What have you got on the dead bodies from Florida？〃
The tight uneasiness went out of Emmett's expression； and he noticeably relaxed。 He opened his attaché case and handed the President a leather…bound folder。
〃Here is a detailed report from the Walter Reed pathology lab。 Their examination was most helpful in giving us a lead for identification。〃
The President looked at him in surprise。 〃You identified them？〃
〃It was the analysis of the borscht paste that opened the door。〃
〃Borscht what？〃
〃You recall that the Dade County coroner fixed death by hypothermia； or freezing？〃
〃Yes。〃
Yes。〃
〃Well； borscht paste is a god…awful food supplement given to Russian cosmonauts。 The stomachs of the three corpses were loaded with the stuff。〃
〃You're telling me that Raymond LeBaron and his crew were exchanged for three dead Soviet cosmonauts？〃
Emmett nodded。 〃We were even able to put a name on them through a defector； a former flight surgeon with the Russian space program。 He'd examined each of them on several occasions。〃
〃When did he defect？〃
〃He came over to our side in August of '87。〃
〃A little over two years ago。〃
〃That's correct；〃 Emmett acknowledged。 〃The names of the cosmonauts found in LeBaron's blimp are Sergei Zochenko； Alexander Yudenich； and Ivan Ronsky。 Yudenich was a rookie； but Zochenko and Ronsky were both veterans with two space flights apiece。〃
〃I'd give my next year's salary to know how they came to be inside that damned blimp。〃
〃Regrettably； we turned up nothing concerning that part of the mystery。 At the moment； the only Russians circling the earth are four cosmonauts on board the Salyut 9 space station。 But the NASA people； who are monitoring the flight； say they're all in good health。〃
The President nodded。 〃So that eliminates any Soviet cosmonaut on a space flight and leaves only those on the ground。〃
〃That's the odd twist；〃 Emmett continued。 〃According to the forensic pathology people at Walter Reed； the three men they examined probably froze to death while in space。〃
The President's eyebrows raised。 〃Can they prove it？〃
〃No； but they say several factors point in that direction； starting with the borscht paste and the analysis of other condensed foods the Soviets are known to consume during space travel。 Also evident were physiological signs the men had breathed air of a high oxygen constant and spent considerable time in a weightless environment。〃
〃Wouldn't be the first time the Soviets have launched men into space and failed to retrieve them。 They could have been up there for years； and fell to earth only a few weeks ago after their orbit decayed。〃
〃I'm only aware of two instances where the Soviets suffered fatalities；〃 said Emmett。 〃The cosmonaut whose craft became tangled in the
