alistairmaclean.bearisland-第75章

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al　Haggerty；　instead　of　consigning　this　clearly　untouched　plate　to　the　gash　bucket；　put　it　back　in　the　casserole　from　which　the　two　stewards；　Scott　and　Moxen；　were　served　later　that　night…and　from　which　the　Duke　stole　a　few　surreptitious　mouthfuls。　Three　became　very　ill；　two　died　…all　through　ill　luck。〃　
　〃Aren't　you　overlooking　the　fact　that　Otto　himself　was　poisoned？〃　the　Count　said。　〃Sure　he　was。　By　his　own　band。　To　obviate　any　suspicion　that　might　fall　on　him。　He　didn't　use　aconite　though…all　that　was　required　was　some　relatively　harmless　emetic　and　some　acting。　This；　incidentally；　was　why　Otto　sent　me　off。　on　a　tour　of　the　Morning　Rose…not　to　check　on　seasickness　but　to　see　who　else　he　might　have　poisoned　by　accident。　His　reaction　when　he　heard　of　Antonio's　death　was　unnaturally　violent…though　I　didn't　get　the　significance　at　the　time。　〃Matters　took　another　tragic　turn　later　that　evening。　Two　people　came　to　check　my　cabin　in　my　absence…one　was　either　Jungbeck　or　Heyter　and　the　other　was　Halliday。〃　I　looked　at　Heissman。　〃He　was　your　man；　wasn't　he？〃　Heissman　nodded　silently。　〃Heissman　was　suspicious　of　me。　He　wanted　to　check　on　my　bona　fides　and　examined　my　cases…had　them　examined；　rather；　by　Halliday。　Otto　was　suspicious　and　one　of　his　hired　men　discovered　that　I'd　been　reading　an　article　about　aconite。　One　death　more　or　less　wasn't　going　to　mean　much　to　Otto　now；　so　he　planned　to　eliminate　me；　using　his　favourite　eliminator　poison。　In　a　bottle　of　Scotch。　Unfortunately　for　Halliday；　who　had　e　to　see　if　he　could　lay　hands　on　the　medical　case　that　I'd　taken　up　to　the　saloon；　he　drank　the　nightcap　intended　for　me。　〃The　other　deaths　are　easy　to　explain。　When　the　party　was　searching　for　Smithy；　Jungbeck　and　Heyter　clobbered　Allen　and　killed　Stryker　in　this　clumsy　attempt　to　frame　Allen。　And；　during　the　night；　Otto　arranged　for　the　execution　of　his　own　daughter。　He　was　on　watch　with　Jungbeck　and　the　murder　could　only　have　occurred　during　that　time。〃　I　looked　at　Otto。　〃You　should　have　checked　on　your　daughter's　window…I'd　screwed　it　shut　so　that　it　was　impossible　for　anyone　to　have　entered　from　the　outside。　I'd　also　found　that　a　hypodermic　and　a　phial　of　morphine　had　been　stolen。　You　don't　have　to　admit　any　of　this…both　Jungbeck　and　Heyter　will　sing　like　canaries。〃
　〃I　admit　everything。〃　Otto　spoke　with　a　massive　calm。　〃You　are　correct　in　every　detail。　Not　that　I　see　that　any　Of　it　is　going　to　do　you　any　good。〃　I'd　said　that　he　was　an　artist　in　palming　things　and　he　proceeded　to　prove　it。　The　very　unpleasant…looking　little　black　automatic　that　he　held　in　his　hand　just　seemed　to　have　materialised　there。　〃I　don't　see　that　that's　going　to　do　you　any　good　either；〃　I　said。　〃After　all；　you've　just　admitted　that　you're　guilty　of　everything　I　claimed　you　were。〃
　I　was　standing　directly　under　the　conning　tower　hatchway；　where　I'd　deliberately　and　advisedly　positioned　myself　as　soon　as　we'd　arrived；　and　I　could　see　things　that　Otto　couldn't。　〃Where　do　you　think　the　Morning　Rose　is　now？〃
　〃What　was　that？〃　I　didn't　much　like　the　way　his　pudgy　little　hand　tightened　round　the　butt　of　his　gun。　〃She　never　went　farther　than　Tunbeim　where　there　have　been　people　up　there　waiting　to　hear　from　me。　True；　they　couldn't　hear　by　direct　radio　contact；　because　you'd　had　one　of　your　hard　men　smash　the　trawler's　transceiver；　hadn't　you？　But　before　the　Morning　Rose　left　here　I'd　left　aboard　a　radio　device　that　tunes　into　a　radio　homer。　They　bad　clear　instructions　as　to　what　to　do　the　moment　that　device　was　actuated　by　the　homer　transmitter。　It's　been　transmitting　for　almost　ninety　minutes　now。　There　are　armed　soldiers　and　police　officers　of　both　Norway　and　Britain　aboard　that　trawler。　Rather；　they　were。　They're　aboard　this　vessel　now。　Please　take　my　word　for　it。　Otherwise　we　have　useless　bloodshed。〃
　Otto　didn't　take　my　word　for　it。　He　stepped　forward　quickly；　raising　his　gun　as　he　peered　up　towards　the　conning　tower。　Unfortunately　for　Otto；　he　was　standing　in　a　brightly　lit　spot　while　peering　up　into　the　darkness。　The　sound　of　a　shot；　hurtful　to　the　ears　in　that　enclosed　space；　came　at　the　same　instant　as　his　scream　of　pain　followed　by　a　metallic　clunk　as　the　gun　falling　from　his　bloodied　hand　struck　a　bar　of　bullion。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　said。　〃You　didn't　give　me　time　to　tell　you　that　they　were　specially　picked　soldiers。〃
　Four　men　descended　into　the　body　of　the　vessel。　Two　were　in　civilian　clothes；　two　in　Norwegian　army　uniforms。　One　of　the　civilians　said　to　me：　〃Dr。　Marlowe？〃　I　nodded；　and　he　went　on：　〃Inspector　Matthewson。　This　is　Inspector　Nielsen。　It　looks　as　if　we　were　on　time？〃
　〃Yes；　thank　you。〃　They　weren't　in　time　to　save　Antonio　and　Halliday　the　two　stewards；　Judith　Haynes　and　her　husband。　But　that　was　entirely　my　fault。　〃You　were　very　prompt　indeed。〃
　〃We've　been　here　for　some　time。　We　actually　saw　you　go　below。　We　came　ashore　by　rubber　dinghy　from　the　outside；　north　of　Makehl。　Captain　Imrie　didn't　much　fancy　ing　up　the　Sor…Hamna　at　night。　I　don't　think　he　sees　too　well。〃
　'But　I　do。〃　The　harsh　voice　came　from　above。　〃Drop　that　gun！　Drop　it　or　I'll　kill　you。〃　Heyter's　voice　carried　utter　conviction。　There　was　only　one　person　carrying　a　gun；　the　soldier　who　had　shot　Otto；　and　he　dropped　it　without　hesitation　at　a　sharp　word　from　the　Norwegian　inspector。　Heyter　climbed　down　into　the　hull；　his　eyes　watchful；　his　gun　moving　in　a　slight　arc。　〃Well　done；　Heyter；　well　done；〃　Otto　moaned　from　the　pain　of　his　shattered　hand。　〃Well　done？〃　I　said。　〃You　want　to　be　responsible　for　another　death？　You　want　this　to　be　the　last　thing　Heyter　ever　does；　well　or　not？〃
　〃Too　late　for　words。〃　Otto's　puce　face　had　turned　grey；　the　blood　was　dripping　steadily　on　to　the　gold。　〃Too　late。〃
　〃Too　late？　You　fool；　I　knew　that　Heyter　was　mobile。　You'd　forgotten　I　was　a　doctor；　even　if　not　much　of　a　one。　He'd　a　badly　cut　ankle　inside　a　thick　leather　boot。　That　could　only　have　been　caused　by　a　pound　fracture。　There　was　no　such　fracture。　A　sprained　ankle　doesn't　cut　the　skin　open。　A　self…inflicted　injury。　As　in　killing　Stryker；　so　in　killing　Smith　…a　crude　and　total　lack　of　imagination。　You　did　kill　him；　didn't　you；　Heyter？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　turned　his　gun　on　me。　〃I　like　killing　people。〃
　〃Put　that　gun　down　or　you're　a　dead　man。〃
　He　swore　at　me；　viciously　and　in　contempt；　and　was　still　swearing　when　the　red　rose　bloomed　in　the　centre　of　his　forehead。　The　Count　lowered　his　Beretta；　dark　smoke　still　wisping　from　its　muzzle　and　said　apologetically：　〃Well；　I　was　a　Polish　count。　But　we　do　get　out　of　practice；　you　know。〃
　〃I　can　see　that；〃　I　said。　〃A　rotten　shot　but　I　guess　it's　worth　a　royal　pardon　at　that。〃
　On　the　jetty；　the　police　inspectors　insisted　on　handcuffing　Goin；　Heissman；　and　even　the　wounded　Otto。　I　persuaded　them　that　the　Count　was　not　a　danger　and　further　persuaded　them　to　let　me　have　a　word　with　Heissman　while　they　made　their　way　up　to　the　cabin。　When　we　were　alone　I　said：　〃The　water　in　the　harbour　there　is　below　the　normally　accepted　freezing　point。　With　those　heavy　clothes　and　your　wrists　handcuffed　behind　your　back　you'll　be　dead　in　thirty　seconds。　That's　the　advantage　of　being　a　doctor；　one　can　be　fairly　definite　about　those　things。〃　I　took　him　by　the　arm　and　pushed　him　towards　the　edge　of　the　jetty。
　He　said　in　a　big…strained　voice：　〃You　had　Heyter　deliberately　killed；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Of　course。　Didn't　you　know…there's　no　death　penalty　in　England　now。　Up　here；　there's　no　problem。　Goodbye；　Heissman。〃
　〃I　swear　it！　I　swear　it！〃　His　voice　was　now　close　to　a　scream。　〃I'll　have　Mary　Stuart's　parents　released　and　safely　reunited。　I　swear　it！　I　swear　it！〃
　It's　your　life；　Heissman。〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　shivered　violently　and　it　wasn't　because　of　the　bitter　wind。
　〃Yes；　I　know　that。〃
　The　atmosphere　in　the　cabin　was　extraordinarily　quiet　and　subdued。　It　stemmed；　I　suppose；　from　that　reaction　which　is　the　inevitable　conitant　of　profound　and　still　as　yet　unbelieving　relief。
　Matthewson；　clearly；　had　been　explaining　things。
　Jungbeck　was　lying　on　the　floor；　his　right　hand　clutching　his　left　shoulder　and　moaning　as　in　great　pain。　I　looked　at　Conrad　who　looked　at　the　fallen　man　and　then　pointed　to　the　broken　shards　of　glass　on　the　floor。　〃I　did　as　you　as