johngardner.winloseordie-第35章

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he　little　cupboard　which　stowed　away　a　small　handbasin　and　mirror。　He　looked　unshaven；　but　that　could　be　dealt　with　later。　For　now。　he　sloshed　cold　water　over　his　face；　cleaned　his　teeth　and　ran　a　b　through　his　hair。
？You　look　dog…rough。　Bond；　if　1　may　say　so。'　Rear…Admiral　Sir　John　Walmsley　did　not　look　too　hot　himself；　but　you　don't　tell　Rear…Admirab　thai　kind　of　thing　…　unless　you're　a　Vice…Admiral　or　above。　Walmsley　was　obviously　in　a　foul　mood。　'Well；　you　got　anything　to　tell　me？'
　Bond　wondered　why　a　man　of　Walmsley's　station　could　so　easily　murder　the　English　language。　'Such　as　what；　sir？'　He　bordered　on　that　armed　forces'　crime　called　dumb　insolence。
　〃Such　as　your　detective　work：　your　gumshoeing。　Such　as　｜r　whether　we　can　all　sleep　safely　in　our　bunks。　Whether　we　have　a　band　of　Thugees　aboard。　or　a　crew　of　cut…throat　pirates。　Have　you　caught　the　bastard　who　cut　the　American's　throat？'
　'Not　yet。　sir。　But　it　shouldn't　be　too　long。　Within　the　next　half…hour　or　so。　unless　I'm　being　led　up　the　garden　path。'
　'And；　when　you've　caught　this　fellow；　do　you　think　it's　safe　to　continue　with　Stewards'　Meeting？　Last　night；　early　this　morning　anyhow；　you　were　all　for　chucking　it　away。'
　'1　needed　to　lalk　to　you　about　that；　sir。　Might　I　ask　you　what　arrangements　were　made　with　the　US　Navy　about　munications？'
　The　Rear…Admiral　nodded；　and　repeated；　almost　word　for　word；　what　Admiral　Gudeon　had　told　him。
'And　the　Russians？'
　'Not　quite　as　cryptic。'　Walmsley　was　down　to　giving　shorthand　answers。
'Can　you　expand　on　that？'
　'Yes。　They　can　use　our　main　munications　Room；　but　not　with　much　freedom。　The　Americans　had　iheir　own　gear　on　board；　as　you　know。　The　Russians've　been　okayed　to　pass　en　clair　signals　through　our　transmitters。　I　suspect　their　signals　aren't　quite　as　straightforward　as　they　appear。　I　should　tell　you　they've　reported　Morgan's　death。'
　'What　Т　really　need　to　know；　sir；　is　how　long　have　we　got　before　there's　any　question　of　an　abort？'
　'At　the　moment　we're　in　a　readiness　state　for　Stewards'　Meeting；　Bond。　Things　are　going　ahead　exactly　as　planned。　It　all　starts　to　happen　at　around　ten　tonight；　if　I　remend　an　abort　after　six。　then　I'll　gel　a　right　old　rollicking　from　the　powers　that　be。　What's　worrying　you1。'　The　ihreat　by　these　BAST　hooligans？　There's　no　way　they　can　possibly　have　information　on　Stewards'　Meeting。'
　Bond　took　in　a　deep　breath。　'Surely；　sir；　you　must　know　they　have　some　intelligence。　I　was　nearly　taken　out；　there　was　some　loose　talk　at　the　RNAS　Yeovilton。　We've　had　a　very　serious　incidem　aboard。　I　rsally　don't　know　the　security　risks　。　。　。'
　Walmsley　ran　a　hand　across　his　brow。　'I　let　fly　at　you　after　the　incident。　Bond。　I'm　sorry　about　that；　but　1　don't　want　to　abort。　As　I　said　to　you　before；　this　is　of　great　political　importance。'　He　repeated　himself　with　a　stronger　accent。　〃Of　great　political　importance。　Now。　give　me　your　Sunday　punch。　If　you　gel　the　fellow　who　killed　Morgan；　do　you　reckon　we're　in　the　clear？'
　'It　might　be　just　that　little　bit　safer。〃　Bond　said；　allowing　his　tone　to　take　on　a　grave…side　seriousness。　'But　we　cannot　be　one　hundred　per　cent　sure。'
'Give　me　the　odds。'
　That　an　attempt　will　be　made　to　promise　Stewards'　Meeting？'
Walmsley　nodded。
　'Fifty…fifty。　If　I　get　the　killer　or　not。　sir；　it's　always　been　fifty…fifty。　We　don't　know　enough　about　this　damned　group　BAST。　We　never　have。　The　seriousness　of　a　threat　has　always　been　high。　I　mean；　if　our　people　arc　right；　BAST　lost　men；　and　spent　a　great　deal　of　money　organising　some　form　of　assault。　We've　assumed　it　was　aimed　at　Stewards〃　Meeting；　but　we　can't　be　sure。〃
　Sir　John　Walmsley　waited　for　a　minute　or　so。　'If　you　get　the　person　who　killed　Morgan；　and　if　he　can　be　interrogated；　it　will　help？'
　'If　it's　who　I　think；　then　I　would　imagine　interrogation　isn't　going　to　be　of　much　assistance。　If。　as　i　suspect；　it's　a　BAST　job；　done　to　protect　their　own；　on　board　this　ship；　then　the　culprit　will　be　highly　trained。　Won't　break　under　any　normal　interrogation。　。And　there　will　just　not　be　time　to　bring　in　any　specialists。　In　any　case。　sir。　I　would　suspect　that　the　killer　knows　very　little。　BAST　appears　to　be　well　drilled。　If　so。　they'll　work　in　the　usual　manner　of　terrorist　groups：　cells；　cut…outs；　all　that　kind　of　thing。　It'll　all　be　very　much　need…to…know。'
　Walmsley　stood　up　and　paced　the　small　cabin。　'Will　you；　won't　you；　will　you；　won't　you；　will　you　join　the　dance？　I'll　tell　you。　Bond。　Unless　something　es　up　…　hard　intelligence；　I　mean　…　I　shall　go　ahead　with　Stewards'　Meeting　once　you　have　the　killer　under　lock　and　key。　I　can't　afford　to　abort。'
　'As　you　say。　sir。　But；　if　I　might　suggest　that　all　parties　are　given　some　kind　of　warning　。　；　。'
　'They've　already　had　the　main　warning。　Bond。　They　already　know　these　BAST　elowns　might　just　make　some　kind　of　attempt　to　promise　the　operation。　All　three　parties　have　stated　that　the　risk　is　calculated。　In　other　words；　they　all　want　Stewards'　Meeting　to　go　ahead　as　arranged。'
'They　know　about　Morgan？'
　Walmsley　gave　an　unspoken　'No'；　shaking　his　head　and　pursing　his　lips。
'Then　on　their　own　heads　be　it。'
　'Easy　to　say。　Bond。　But　people　like　that　tend　to　lash　out　if　something　does　happen。　And　if　your　worst　fears　are　realised；　then　it　will　be　our　balls　they'll　cut　off。　We　both　know　that/
Bond　grunted。
　'We're　on　a　hiding　to　nothing。　Captain　Bond。　Whatever　steps　we　take；　they'll　have　us　for　breakfast　…　fried；　with　a　little　tomato　and　bacon；　I　suspect。'
　〃Then　I'd　best　get　on　with　putting　my　one　suspect　away；　then　doing　some　grilling　of　my　own　…　without　bacon　and　tomato。'
　'Let　me　know。'　Walmsley's　tone　became　belligerent　again。　Must　let　me　know　the　results。　But；　after　five；　local；　this　afternoon　all　bets　are　off。　We　go　ahead。'
　'Aye…Aye；　sir。'　Bond　left　the　cabin。　Time　to　see　the　lovely　Nikki　Ratnikov；　and　the　Wren　who　was　not　a　Wren；　Sarah　Deeley。
'James；　can　call　you　James；　yes？'　Nikki　Ratnikov　shook　her　head。　The　shining　ash…blonde　hair　swirled　and　settled　naturally；　with　not　a　strand　out　of　place。　Bond　coutd　see　why　other　women　would　take　a　natural　dislike　to　Nikki。
'Yes。'　he　said。　'Yes；　call　me　James。'
　'I　am　a　Hide　…　detresse　。　。　。　distraite。　Oh；　that　is　French。　How　you　say　it　in　English？'
'Distressed？　Upset？'
　'Yes；　ihis　is　so。　1；　James；　have　seen　many　bad　things　in　my　time。　Many；　you　cannot　do　my　kind　of　work　and　avoid　these　things。　But　this　was　like　maniac。　This　was　like　your　old　English　Jim　the　Ripper；　is　right？'
？Jack。'　Bond　corrected。　'Jack　the　Ripper。'
　'Unnecessary　violence。　That　poor　man。　He　looked　as　though　head　had　been　removed；　decapitalised？　Yes？'
'Decapitated。'
　'So。　Decapitated。　And　the　blood；　it　was　all　so　sudden。　Frightening。'
'Right；　Nikki。　Tell　me。　Tell　me　exactly　what　happened。'
　In　spite　of　ihe　protestations　of　being　upset　and　distressed；　Nikki　Ratnikov　was　very　lucid：　matter…of…fact。　'So。　Yes。　I　wake　up。　I　do　not　look　at　the　lime。　I　just　wake　up。　Not　much　sleep　I　am　getting　with　the　noise。　But　I　wake　up　and　realise　I　need　to　go　to　。。。　I　need　the　bathroom；　yes？'
'Yes。'
　'Good。　I　put　on　my　robe　and　leave　my　cabin。　I　am　a　little　asleep　still；　James；　you　understand？'
'Yes；　Nikki。　Right；　Nikki。　I　understand/
　'I　get　to　the　bathrooms。　I　am　looking　at　my　feet　to　climb　over　the　little　step。'
'To　climb　over　the　bulkhead；　yes。'
　'My　foot　is　lifted　even；　then　I　look　up　and　there　is　red　water　on　the　floor。　Then　I　see　the　Navy　girl　and　the　body。　My　God；　it　is　shock。　I　move　back　and　scream。〃
'You　screamed　a　lot；　Nikki。'
　'It　was　so　sudden；　the　horrible　wound　and　all　the　blood　on　the　floor。　Then　ihe　Navy　girl　start　to　also　scream。'
　Bond　had　collected　the　clues　as　they　were　presented　to　him。　'Tell　me　exactly　what　you　saw；　Nikki。'　The　body　had　been　face　down　when　he　had　arrived　with　the　marine　and　Clover　Pennington。　'Exactly。'
　The　Navy　girl　…　what　do　you　call　them　the　Jenny　Wren。　yes？〃
'Wren　will　do。'
　'Okay。　The　Wren　was　leaning　over　this　poor　man。　She　had　one　hand　on　his　shoulder　pushing　him　back；　as　if　she　had　just　found　him。　His　head　was　back　and　I　could　see　the　terrible　gash。　Red。　and　the　throat　slashed　…　is　that　so；　slashed？'
Bond　nodded　her　on。
　'It　was　horrible。　She　saw　me　and　let　go　of　the　man