cc.iceberg-第66部分

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　〃Pick　up　the　phone　and　call　Kelly；　Marks；　Von　Hummel；　or　your　friend　Rondheim。　Or　better　yet；　search　every　room　on　the　sixth　floor。〃
　〃And　what　do　you　expect　me　to　find？〃
　〃Nothing；　nothing　at　all。　They've　all　been　arrested。〃　Pitt　finished　the　drink　and　set　it　down。　〃You　and　I　are　the　only　ones　left。
　
　Courtesy　of　the　N。I。A。
　
　You're　my　bonus…a　little　side　gift…for　services　rendered。　Love　it　or　hate　it；　your　soul　has　passed　from　Rondheim　to　me。〃
　
　The　room　swayed　around　Kirsti　as　the　truth　of　Pitts　words　took　hold。　She　had　wondered　why　Rondheim　hael　not　contacted　her；　why　Kelly　had　not　visited　her　as　he　had　promised；　why　there　had　been　no　ring　of　the　phone；　no　knock　at　the　door　for　nearly　two　hours。
　
　She　steadied　herself；　quickly　accepting　the　realization　of　what　had　taken　place。
　〃But　。　。　。　what　of　me？　Am　I　to　be　arrested　also？〃
　〃No；　the　N。I。A。　knows　of　your　new　status。　They　put　two　and　two　together　and　figured　that　Rondheim　was　blackmailing　you。　They　considered　taking　you　in　as　an　acplice；　but　I　talked　them　out　of　it。〃
　
　The　gun　was　gently　laid　on　the　end　table。　An　awkward　silence　descended。　Finally　Kirsti　stared　at　Pitt　and　said；　〃There　is　a　price；　there　always　has　to　be　a　price。〃
　〃It's　cheap　enough　considering　your　past　mistakes　。　。　。　mistakes　you　can　never　buy　back　even　with　your　fortune。　But　you　can　clean　the　slate　and　make　a　new　life　without　outside　intrusion。　All　I　want　is　your　guarantee　for　close　and　continued　cooperation　between　Fyrie　Limited　and　NUMA。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃The　memory　banks　in　Kelly's　puters　contain　enough　data　to　build　a　new　undersea　probe。　I　speak　for　Aden　Sandecker　when　I　say　he　would　like　you　to　head　up　the　project。〃
　〃That's　all；　nothing　more？〃　she　asked　incredulously。
　〃I　said　the　price　was　cheap。〃
　
　She　gazed　levelly　at　him。　〃Tomorrow；　next　week；　the　ing　year；　how　can　I　be　sure　you　will　not　decide　to　raise　the　interest　rate？〃
　
　Pitts　eyes　turned　cold　and　his　voice　was　like　ice。
　〃Don't　put　me　in　the　same　league　with　your　other　playmates。　Mass　murder　and　extortion　have　never　turned　me　on。　Your　secret　is　safe　with　me；　and　it's　even　safer　with　the　N。I。A。…they'll　see　to　it　that　Rondheim；　Kelly　and　Ybirra　will　never　get　within　fifty　feet　of　a　press　reporter。〃
　
　She　hesitated。　〃I'm　sorry；　truly　sorry。　What　else　can　I　say。〃
　
　He　didn't　answer；　just　looked　at　her。
　
　She　turned　and　gazed　out　the　window　at　the　park。
　
　The　turrets　of　the　Magic　Castile　were　lit　lip　like　a　birthday　cake。
　
　The　lanilies　were　gone　now。　The　young　couples　had　taken　over　and　were　strolling　along　the　park　walkways　and　streets；　hand　in　hand；　breathing　in　the　make…believe　romantic　atmosphere。
　〃And　where　do　you　go　from　here？〃　she　asked。
　
　After　a　short　vacation；　I'll　go　back　to　NUMA　headquarters　in　Washington　and　begin　work　on　a　new　project。〃
　
　She　turned　to　look　at　him。　〃And　if　I　asked　you　to　e　to　Iceland　with　me　and　bee　a　member　of　my　board　of　directors？〃
　〃I'm　not　the　board…of…director　type。〃
　〃There　must　be　some　other　way　for　me　to　show　my　gratefulness。〃
　
　She　came　toward　Pitt　and　stood　in　front　of　him。　A　knowing　smile　curled　her　lips；　the　doelike　eyes　grew　soft　and　there　seemed　to　be　faint　signs　of　dampness　on　her　forehead。
　〃All　will　be　as　you　ask；〃　she　said　slowly。　She　raised　her　hand　and　her　fingers　lightly　touched　his　battered　face。　〃Tomorrow　I　will　see　Admiral　Sandecker　and　affirm　out　mutual　efforts。〃　She　hesitated　and　stood　back　from　him。　〃I　must；　however；　extract　a　small　cost　in　return。〃
　〃And　that　is？〃
　
　She　loosened　the　sash　and　shrugged　the　kimono　from　her　shoulders　to　the　floor；　standing　there　in　the　relaxed　classical　pose　of　the　nude。
　
　Under　the　light　from　the　lamp；　she　was　like　a　sun…bronzed　figure　crafted　to　exacting　satin　smoothness　by　the　patient　hands　of　a　master　sculptor。　The　full　rounded　lips　were　slightly　open　with　excitement　and　impatience。　The　soft　violet　eyes　gave　forth　a　silent　invitation。　Her　features　and　body　could　only　be　described　as　magnificent：　a　perfectly　constructed　monument　to　the　miracle　of　medical　science。
　〃If　it's　any　pliment；〃　she　said　in　a　throaty　voice；　〃I　never　for　a　minute　believed　your　gay　act；〃
　〃It　takes　one　to　know　one。〃
　
　She　turned　pale。　〃What　I　became　is　not　the　same。〃
　〃What　you　became　is　a　cold；　shrewd；　calculating　witch。〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Kristjan　Fyrie　was　a　warm；　honest　lover　of　humanity。　Your　change　was　emotional　as　well　as　physical。
　
　People　to　you　are　only　to　be　used；　to　be　thrown　away　when　their　usefulness　ends。　You're　cold　and　you're　sick。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No　。　。　。　no！　I've　changed。
　
　Yes。　But　I'm　not　cold　。　。　。　not　cold。〃　She　held　out　her　arms。　〃Let　me　prove　it。〃
　
　They　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room；　facing　each　other　silently。　And　then　she　saw　the　expression　forming　on　Pitts　face；　and　her　arms　slowly　dropped　to　her　sides。
　
　She　looked　dazed；　those　exotic　eyes　were　stricken。　She　stared　at　his　face　with　a　strange；　paralyzed　intentness。
　
　Pitts　features　were　coldly　menacing。　'The　purplish　bruises；　the　swollen　flesh；　the　jagged　cuts　all　worked　together　in　one　terrible　mask　of　disgust。　His　eyes　no　longer　saw　her　loveliness。　He　could　only　see　the　unidentifiable　ashes　of　what　had　once　been　men。　He　saw　Hunnewell　dying　on　a　lonely　beach。　He　remembered　the　face　of　the　captain　of　the　hydroplane　before　he　disappeared　in　flames。　He　knew　the　pain　of　Lillie；　Tidi；　and　Sam　Kelly；　And　he　knew　Kirsti　Fyrie　was　partly　responsible　for　their　suffering　and　for　some…their　deaths。
　
　Kirsti　paled　and　backed　away　a　step。　〃Dirk；　what's　the　matter？〃
　〃God　save　thee；〃　he　said。
　
　He　turned　and　opened　the　door。　The　first　few　steps　toward　the　elevator　were　the　hardest。　Then　it　got　easier。　By　the　time　he　reached　the　main　floor；　walked　to　the　curb　and　hailed　a　cab；　the　old　confident；　relaxed　posure　was　back。
　
　The　driver　opened　the　door　and　dropped　the　flag。
　〃Where　to；　sir？〃
　
　Pitt　sat　there　a　moment　in　silence。　Then　suddenly　he　knew　where　he　had　to　go。　He　had　no　choice。　He　was　what　he　was。
　〃The　Newport　Inn。　And　a　passionate　redhead　。　。　。　I　hope。〃
　



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