cc.floodtide-第117章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　an　American　line　before　retiring。〃
　〃Is　he　still　living？〃
　〃My　very　same　question　to　Yaeger；〃　answered　Perlmutter　with　a　smile　wide　with　teeth。　〃He　and　his　wife　retired　to　a　lakefront　town　called　Manitowoc　on　the　Wisconsin　side　of　Lake　Michigan。　I　have　Gallagher's　address　and　phone　number　right　here。　If　he　can't　point　the　way　to　the　wreck；　nobody　can。〃
　Pitt　came　over　and　shook　Perlmutter's　hand　and　said　warmly；　〃You　do　good　work；　St。　Julien。　My　congratulations　on　an　extraordinary　piece　of　research。〃
　〃I'll　drink　to　that；〃　said　a　happy　Perlmutter；　ignoring　the　tea　and　pouring　another　glass　of　the　forty…year…old　port。
　〃Now；　Peter；〃　Pitt　said；　focusing　his　eyes　on　Harper。　〃My　question　to　you　is　what　if　Qin　Shang　should　return　to　the　United　States？〃
　〃Unless　he　goes　pletely　insane；　he　would　never　e　back。〃
　〃But　if　he　does？〃
　〃He'd　be　arrested　the　minute　he　stepped　off　the　plane　and　placed　in　a　federal　prison　until　his　trial　on　at　least　forty　different　charges；　including　mass　murder。〃
　Pitt　turned　back　to　Perlmutter。　〃St。　Julien；　you　once　mentioned　a　respected　Chinese　researcher　you've　worked　with　in　the　past　who　was　interested　in　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃Zhu　Kwan。　China's　most　renowned　historian　and　the　author　of　several　classic　books　on　the　different　dynasties。　I'll　have　you　know　I　followed　your　instructions　and　did　not　contact　him　for　fear　he　might　alert　Qin　Shang。〃
　〃Well；　now　you　can　feed　him　everything　you've　got　except　lan　Gallagher。　And　if　Gallagher　puts　us　in　the　ballpark；　you　can　give　that　to　Zhu　Kwan　too。〃
　〃None　of　this　makes　sense；〃　said　Julia；　puzzled。　〃Why　give　away　the　art　treasures　by　leading　Qin　Shang　to　them？〃
　〃You　and　Peter；　the　INS；　FBI　and　the　entire　Justice　Department　want　Qin　Shang。　And　Qin　Shang　wants　what　is　on　board　the　wreck　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃I　catch　your　drift；〃　said　Harper。　〃There　is　method　to　your　madness。　What　you're　saying　is　that　Qin　Shang　is　obsessed　and　will　move　heaven　and　earth　to　lay　his　hands　on　the　missing　art　treasures；　even　risking　arrest　and　exposure　by　sneaking　back　into　the　United　States。〃
　〃Why　should　he　risk　everything　when　he　could　just　as　well　direct　a　salvage　expedition　from　his　headquarters　in　Hong　Kong？〃　questioned　Gunn。
　〃I'd　bet　the　bank　the　wreck　haunts　his　dreams　and　he　wouldn't　trust　his　mother　to　run　the　operation。　I　checked　the　shipping　registry。　Qin　Shang　Maritime　owns　a　salvage　vessel。　The　minute　he　sniffs　the　Princess　Dou　Wan's　location；　he'll　send　the　ship　and　board　it　from　Canada　when　it　es　down　the　St。　Lawrence　River　into　the　Great　Lakes。〃
　〃Aren't　you　afraid　of　him　finding　it　first？〃　asked　Julia。
　〃Not　to　fear。　We　won't　show　our　hand　until　we've　salvaged　the　treasure　first。〃
　〃Finding　it　is　only　the　first　step。　Salvaging　the　treasure　will　take　a　year；　maybe　more。〃
　
　Sandecker　looked　doubtful。　〃You　may　be　placing　too　much　confidence　in　Gallagher　to　lead　you　to　the　wreck。　He　might　have　jumped　ship　before　it　vanished。〃
　〃The　admiral　has　a　point；〃　said　Gunn。　〃If　Gallagher　knew　the　position　of　the　sinking；　he'd　have　tried　to　salvage　it　himself。〃
　〃But　he　hasn't；〃　Pitt　said　firmly；　〃simply　because　the　artifacts　have　never　surfaced。　St。　Julien　can　tell　you；　no　one　can　cover　up　a　treasure　find。　Whatever　his　reason；　Gallagher　has　kept　the　location　to　himself　or　St。　Julien　would　have　found　a　record　of　his　attempt。〃
　Sandecker　looked　mildly　through　the　smoke　of　his　cigar　at　Pitt。　〃How　soon　can　you　leave　for　Manitowoc？〃
　〃I　have　your　permission　to　go？〃
　The　admiral　winked　at　Harper。　〃I　think　the　INS　will　let　NUMA　carry　the　ball　until　Qin　Shang　puts　in　an　appearance。〃
　〃You'll　get　no　argument　out　of　me；　Admiral；〃　said　Harper　cheerfully。　He　smiled　at　Julia。　〃You're　due　for　a　long　rest；　Julia；　but　I　suspect　you'll　be　happy　to　act　as　liaison　between　our　two　agencies　during　the　search　and　salvage。〃
　〃If　you're　asking　me　to　volunteer；〃　she　said；　restraining　feelings　of　eagerness；　〃the　answer　is　an　unqualified　yes。〃
　〃Any　hint　on　what　kind　of　guy　Gallagher　is？〃　Pitt　asked　Perlmutter。
　〃He　must　have　been　tough　in　his　early　days。　His　nickname　of　'Hong　Kong'　came　from　all　the　bars　he　wiped　butt　in　while　his　ship　was　in　port。〃
　〃Then　he's　no　pussycat？〃
　Perlmutter　chuckled。　〃No；　I　don't　guess　he　is。〃
　
　DARK　CLOUDS　THREATENED　BUT　NO　RAIN　FELL　AS　PITT　AND　Julia　turned　off　Highway　43　and　took　a　well…graded　dirt　road　through　fruit　orchards　mon　to　the　shore　of　Lake　Michigan　before　entering　a　forest　of　pine　and　birch　trees。　Keeping　one　eye　on　the　mailboxes　perched　beside　the　road；　Pitt　finally　spotted　the　one　he　was　looking　for；　a　box　built　in　the　shape　of　an　old　steamship　and　elevated　by　welded　anchor　chain。　The　name　GALLAGHER　was　lettered　on　the　hull。
　
　〃This　must　be　the　place；〃　said　Pitt　as　he　turned　into　the　little　grassy　lane　leading　to　a　picturesque　two…story　log　house。
　
　He　and　Julia　had　flown　into　Green　Bay；　Wisconsin；　where　they　rented　a　car　for　the　thirty…mile　drive　south　to　Manitowoc；　a　port　for　the　big　ships　sailing　the　Lakes。　The　Gallagher　residence　sat　on　the　lakefront　ten　miles　below　the　port。
　
　Perlmutter　had　offered　to　call　ahead　and　alert　the　Gallaghers　to　their　ing；　but　Sandecker　thought　it　best　to　arrive　unexpected　in　case　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　was　not　a　subject　the　old　ship's　engineer　wished　to　discuss　and　conveniently　found　a　reason　not　to　be　at　home。
　
　The　front　of　the　Gallagher　house　faced　the　trees　while　the　rear　opened　onto　Lake　Michigan。　The　logs　had　been　roughhewn　into　squared　beams　before　they　were　fitted　together　and　chinked。　The　entire　lower　third　of　the　house　was　mortared　river　rock　that　gave　it　a　rustic　look。　The　peaked　roof　was　sheathed　in　copper　that　had　patinated　to　a　dark　turquoise　green。　The　windows　were　high　and　trimmed　with　vertical　shutters。　The　exterior　wood　was　stained　a　partridge　brown　with　a　tint　of　gray　to　make　it　blend　perfectly　with　the　surrounding　forest。
　
　Pitt　stopped　the　car　on　a　lawn　that　ran　around　the　house　and　parked　next　to　a　roofed…over　carport　that　housed　a　Jeep　Grand　Cherokee　and　a　small；　eighteen…foot　cabin　cruiser　with　a　big　outboard　motor　on　the　transom。　He　and　Julia　walked　up　the　steps　to　a　narrow　front　porch　where　Pitt　raised　a　door　knocker　and　rapped　three　times。
　
　Suddenly；　they　could　hear　the　yapping　of　small　dogs　inside。　After　a　few　moments　the　door　was　opened　by　a　tall；　older　woman　with　long　gray　hair　tied　in　a　bow。　Her　eyes　were　star…tlingly　blue　and　her　face　untouched　by　the　advance　of　wrinkles。　Her　body　had　rounded　during　the　years；　but　she　still　carried　herself　like　a　woman　forty　years　younger。　It　was　obvious　to　Julia　that　she　had　once　been　very　beautiful。　She　paused　to　shoo　a　pair　of　short…haired　dachshunds　into　silence。
　〃Hello；〃　she　said　sweetly。　〃The　skies　look　like　they　might　send　us　some　rain。〃
　〃Perhaps　not；〃　replied　Pitt。　〃The　clouds　appear　to　be　passing　to　the　west。〃
　〃Can　I　help　you　with　anything？〃
　〃My　name　is　Dirk　Pitt　and　this　is　Julia　Lee。　We're　looking　for　Mr。　lan　Gallagher。〃
　〃You　found　him；〃　the　lady　said；　smiling。　〃I'm　Mrs。　Gallagher。　Won't　you　e　in？〃
　〃Yes；　thank　you；〃　said　Julia；　passing　through　the　doorway　as　Pitt　stood　aside。　The　dachshunds　ran　and　sat　obediently　on　the　stairway　leading　up　to　the　second　floor　of　the　house。　Julia　stopped　and　gazed　in　mild　surprise　through　the　entryway　into　the　rooms　beyond。　She　had　expected　to　see　the　interior　of　the　house　decorated　in　Early　American　with　a　sprinkling　of　antiques。　But　this　house　was　filled　with　exquisitely　carved　Chinese　furniture　and　art　objects。　The　wall　hangings　were　embroidered　with　silk　designs。　Beautifully　glazed　vases　stood　in　corners　with　dried　floral　arrangements　rising　from　them。　Delicate　porcelain　figurines　perched　on　high　shelves。　One　glass…enclosed　cabinet　held　nearly　thirty　jade　sculptures。　The　carpets　lying　on　the　wooden　floors　were　all　woven　with　Chinese　designs。
　〃Oh　my；〃　Julia　gasped。　〃I　feel　like　I've　just　walked　into　my　mother　and　father's　house　in　San　Francisco。〃
　Mrs。　Gallagher　suddenly　began　speaking　to　Julia　in　Mandarin　Chinese。　〃I　thought　you　might　appreciate　things　from　the　Orient。〃
　〃May　I　ask　if　your　things　are　very　old；　Mrs。　Gallagher？〃　inquired　Julia；　replying　in　Mandarin。
　〃Please　call　me　Katie。　Ev