alistairmaclean.seawitch-第16部分

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eway　hi　a　clump　of　bushes。　He　took　out　his　gun　and　went　to　investigate；　then　put　his　gun　away；　opened　his　clasp　knife　and　sliced　through　MacPherson's　bonds。　The　head　gardener；　after　forty　years　in　Florida；　had　never　lost　a　trace　of　a　very　pronounced　Scottish　accent；　an　accent　that　tended　to　thicken　according　to　the　degree　of　mental　stress　he　was　undergoing。…On　this　occasion；　with　the　adhesive　removed；　his　language　was　wholly　indecipherable…which；　in　view　of　what　he　was　almost　certainly　trying　to　say；　was　probably　just　as　well。
　They　went　through　the　front　doorway。　Jen…kins；　apparently　taking　his　ease　in　a　fortable　armchair；　greeted　them　with　a　baleful　glare。　The　glare　was　in　no　way　intended　for　them；　Jenkins　was　just　in　a　baleful　mood；　a　mood　scarcely　bettered　by　Mitchell's　swift　and　painful　yanking　away　of　the　adhesive　from　his　lips。　Jenkins　took　a　deep　breath；　preparatory　to。　lodging　some　form　of　protest；　but　Mitchell　cut　in　before　he　could　speak。
　〃Where　does　Jim　sleep？〃　Jim　was　the　radio　operator。
　Jenkins　stared　at　him　in　astonishment。　Was　this　the　way　to　greet　a　man　who　had　been　through　a　living　hell…snatched；　one　might　almost　say；　from　the　jaws　of　death？　Where　was　the　sympathy；　the　condolence；　the　anxious　questioning？　Mitchell　put　his　hands　on　his　shoulders　and　shook　him　violently。
　〃Are　you　deaf？　Jim's　room？〃
　Jenkins　looked　at　the　grim　face　less　than　a　foot　from　his　own　and　decided　against　remonstrating。　〃In　back；　first　floor；　first　right。〃
　Mitchell　left。　So；　after　a　second　or　two；　did　Roomer。　Jenkins　called　after　him　in　a　plaintive　voice：　〃You　aren't　leaving　me　too；　Mr。　Roomer？〃
　Roomer　turned　and　said　patiently：　'Tm　going　to　the　kitchen　to　get　a　nice　sharp　carver。　Mr。　Mitchell　has　taken　the　only　knife　we　have　between　us。〃
　Jim　Robertson　was　young；　fresh…faced　and　just　out　of　college；　a　graduate　in　electrical　engineering　in　no　hurry　to　proceed　with　his　profession。　He　sat　on　the　bed　massaging　his　now　unbound　wrists；　wincing　slightly　as　the　circulation　began　to　return。　As　tiers　of　knots；　Durand's　henchmen　had　been　nothing　if　not　enthusiastic。
　Mitchell　said：　〃How　do　you　feel？'*
　〃Mad。〃
　〃I　don't　blame　you。　Are　you　okay　to　operate　your　set？〃
　〃I'm　okay　for　anything　if　it　means　getting　hold　of　those　bastards。〃
　〃That's　the　general　idea。　Did　you　get　a　good　look　at　the　kidnapers？〃
　〃I　can　give　you　a　general　description。〃　He　broke　off　and　stared　at　Mitchell。　〃Kidnapers？〃
　〃Looks　as　though　Lord　Worth's　daughters　have　been　abducted。〃
　〃Holy　Christ！〃　The　assimilation　of　this　news　took　some　little　time。　〃There'll　be　all　hell　to　pay　for　this。〃
　〃It　should　cause　a　considerable　flap。　Do　you　know　where　Marina's　room　is？〃
　'Til　show　you。〃
　Her　room　showed　all　signs　of　a　hasty　and　unpremeditated　departure。　Cupboard　doors　were　open；　drawers　the　same；　and　some　spilled　clothing　lay　on　the　floor；　Mitchell　was　interested　in　none　of　this。　He　quickly　riffled　through　drawers　in　the　room　until　he　found　what　he　had　hoped　to　find…her　States　passport。　He　opened　it　and　it　was　valid。　He　made　a　mental　note　that　she　had　lied　about　her　age…she　was　two　years　older　than　she　claimed　to　be…returned　the　passport　and　hurried　down　to　the　radio　room　with　Robertson；　who　unlocked　the　door　to　let　them　in。　Robertson　looked　questioningly　at　Mitchell。
　〃The　county　police　chief。　His　name　is　McGar…rity。　I　don't　want　anyone　else。　Tell　him　you're　speaking　for　Lord　Worth；　That　should　work　wonders。　Then　let　me　take　over。〃
　Roomer　entered　while　Robertson　was　trying　to　make　contact。　〃Seven　more　of　the　staff；　all　suitably　immobilized。　Makes　nine　in　all。　I've　left　Jenkins　to　cut　them　loose。　His　hands　are　shaking　so　bad　he'll　probably　slice　an　artery　or　two；　but　for　me　freeing　elderly　cooks　and　young　housemaids　is　above　and　beyond　the　call　of　duty。〃
　〃They　must　have　been　carrying　a　mile　of　rope；〃　Mitchell　said　absently。　He　was　figuring　out　how　much　not　to　tell　the　police　chief。
　Roomer　nodded　to　the　operator。　〃Who's　he　trying　to　contact？〃
　〃McGarrity。〃
　〃That　hypocritical　old　brown…noser！〃
　〃Most　people　would　regard　that　as　a　charitable　description。　But　he　has　his　uses。〃
　Robertson　looked　up。　〃On　the　line；　Mr。　Mitchell。　That　phone。〃　He　made　discreetly　to　replace　his　own；　but　Roomer　took　it　from　him　and　listened　in。
　〃Chief　McGarrity？〃
　〃Speaking。〃
　〃Please　listen　very　carefully。　This　is　extremely　important　and　urgent；　and　the　biggest　thing　that's　ever　e　your　way。　Are　you　alone？〃
　〃Yes。　I'm　all　alone。〃　McGarrity's　tone　held　an　odd　mixture　of　suspicion　and　aroused　interest。
　〃Nobody　listening　in；　no　recorder？〃
　〃Goddam　it；　no。　Get　to　the　point。〃
　〃We're　speaking　from　Lord　Worth's　house。　You　know　of　him？〃
　〃Don't　be　a　damned　fool。　Who's　'we'？〃
　〃My　name　is　Michael　Mitchell。　My　partner　is　John　Roomer。　We're　licensed　private　investigators。〃
　'Tve　heard　of　you。　You're　the　guys　who　give　the　local　law　so　much　trouble。〃
　〃I'd　put　it　the　other　way　around；　but　that's　beside　the　point。　What　is　to　the　point　is　that　Lord　Worth's　two　daughters　have　been　kidnaped。〃
　〃Merciful　God　in　heaven！〃　There　ensued　what　could　fairly　have　been　described　as　a　stunned　silence　at　the　other　end　of　the　line。
　Roomer　smiled　sardonically　and　covered　the　mouthpiece。　〃Can't　you　see　the　old　phony　grabbing　his　seat；　with　his　eyes　popping　and　big　signs　saying　'Promotion'　flashing　in　front　of　him？〃
　〃Kidnapped；　you　said？〃　McGarrity's　voice　had　suddenly　developed　a　certain　hoarseness。
　〃Kidnapped。　Abducted。　Snatched。〃
　〃Sure　of　this？〃
　〃Sure　as　can　be。　The　girls'　rooms　have　all　the　signs　of　hurried　and　unplanned　departure。　Nine　of　the　staff　were　bound　and　gagged。　What　would　you　conclude　from　that？〃
　〃Kidnap。〃　McGarrity　made　it　sound　as　if　he'd　made　the　discovery　all　by　himself。
　〃Can　you　put　a　block　on　all　escape　routes？　They　haven't　taken　the　girls'　passports；　so　that　rules　out　international　flights。　I　hardly　think　the　kidnapers　would　have　taken　any　mercial　domestic　flight。　Can　you　see　Lord　Worth's　daughters　going　through　any　airline　terminal　without　being　recognized？　I'd　put　a　stop　order　and　guard　at　every　private　airfield　and　helicopter　pad　in　the　southern　part　of　the　state。　And　likewise　at　every　port；　big　and　small；　in　the　same　area。〃
　McGarrity　sounded　bemused；　befuddled。　〃That'd　call　for　hundreds　of　policemen。〃
　The　tone　of　anguished　protest　was　unmistakable。　Mitchell　sighed；　cupped　the　mouthpiece；　looked　at　Roomer　and　said：　〃Man's　out　of　his　depth。　Can　I　call　him　lunkhead？〃　He　removed　his　hand。　〃Look；　Chief　McGarrity；　I　don't　think　you　realize　what　you're　sitting　on。　We're　talking　about　the　daughters　of　Lord　Worth。　You　could　pick　up　your　phone　and　get　a　thousand　cops　for　the　asking。　You　could　call　out　the　National　Guard　if　you　wanted　to…I'm　sure　Lord　Worth　would　pick　up　the　tab　for　every　cent　of　expenses。　Good　God；　man；　there's　been　nothing　like　this　since　the　Lindbergh　kidnaping！〃
　〃That's　so；　that's　so。〃　It　wasn't　difficult　to　visualize　McGarrity　licking　his　lips。　〃Descriptions？〃
　〃Not　much　help　there；　I'm　afraid。　They　all　wore　stocking　masks。　The　leader　wore　gloves；　which　may　or　may　not　indicate　a　criminal　record。　All　were　big；　well…built　men　and　all　wore　dark　business　suits。　I　don't　have　to　give　you　a　description　of　the　girls；　I　guess。〃
　〃Marina　and　Melinda？〃　McGarrity　was　a　classic　snob　of　awesome　proportions；　who　followed　with　avid　interest　the　ings　and　goings　of　alleged　society；　of　the　internationally　famous　and　infamous。　〃Hell；　no。　Of　course　not。　They're　probably　the　most　photographed　pair　in　the　state。〃
　〃You'll　keep　this　under　wraps；　tight　as　possible；　for　the　moment？〃
　〃I　will；　I　will。〃　McGarrity　had　his　baby　clutched　close　to　his　heart；　and　nobody；　but　nobody　was　going　to　take　it　away　from　him。
　〃Lord　Worth　will　have　to　be　informed　first　of　all。　Til　refer　him　to　you。〃
　〃You　mean　you　haven't　told　him　yet？〃　McGarrity　could　hardly　believe　his　good　fortune。
　〃No。〃
　〃Tell　him　to　take　it　easy…well；　as　easy　as　he
　Scan　itch
　can；　that　is。　Tell　him　Tm　taking　plete　and　personal　charge　of　the　investigation。〃
　〃I'll　do　that；　Chief。〃
　Roomer　winced　and　screwed　his　eyes　shut。
　McGarrity　sounded　positively　brisk。　〃Now；　about　the　local　law。〃
　〃I　suppose　I've　got　to　call　them　in。　I'm　not　too　happ