alistairmaclean.seawitch-第25部分

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　more　than　passing　attention。
　Mitchell　glanced　briefly　at　the　list　of　names　and　addresses　Robertson　had　given　them。　〃Fine。　But　what　are　these　checks　opposite　five　of　the　names？〃
　Robertson　sounded　apologetic。　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind…I　don't　want　to　butt　in…but　I　took　the　liberty　of　phoning　those　gentlemen　to　see　if　they　would　be　at　home　when　you　came　around。　I　assumed　you'd　be　seeing　them　because　you　asked　for　the　addresses。〃
　Mitchell　looked　at　Roomer。　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you　think　of　that？〃
　Roomer　bestowed　a　cold　glance　on　him　and　said　to　Robertson：　〃Maybe　I　should　have　you　as　a　partner。　What　did　you　find　out？〃
　〃One　pilot　is　standing　by　at　the　airport。　Four　of　the　others　are　at　home。　The　one　whose　name　I　haven't　checked…John　Campbell…isn't　home。
　
　I　asked　one　of　the　other　pilots　about　this　and　he　seemed　a　bit　surprised。　Said　that　Campbell　usually　spends　his　afternoons　fishing　outside　the　back　of　his　house。　He's　a　bachelor　and　lives　in　a　pretty　isolated　place。〃
　〃It　figures；〃　Roomer　said。　〃A　bachelor　in　isolation。　The　kidnapers　seem　to　have　an　excellent　intelligence　system。　The　fact　that　he　doesn't　answer　the　phone　may　mean　nothing…he　could　have　gone　for　a　walk；　shopping；　visiting　friends。　On　the　other…　hand…〃
　〃Yes。　Especially　on　the　other　hand。〃　Mitchell　turned　to　leave；　then　said　to　Robertson：　〃Does　the　gatekeeper　have　a　listed　phone　number　as　well　as　the　radiophone？〃
　〃I've　typed　it　on　that　list。〃
　〃Maybe　we　should　both　have　you　as　a　partner。〃
　Mitchell　and　Roomer　stood　on　Campbell's　back　lawn　and　surveyed　the　scene　unemotionally。　The　canvas　chair；　on　its　side；　had　a　broken　leg。　The　parasol　was　upturned　on　the　grass；　over　an　opened　book。　The　fishing　rod　was　in　the　water　up　to　its　handle　and　would　have　floated　away　had　not　the　reel　snagged　on　a　shrub　root　Roomer　retrieved　the　rod　while　Mitchell　hurried　through　the　back　doorway…the　back　door　was　wide　open；　as　was　the　front。　He　dialed　a　phone　number；　and　got　an　answer　on　the　first　ring。
　〃Lord　Worth's　heliport。　Gorrie　here。〃
　〃My　name's　Mitchell。　You　have　a　police　guard？〃
　〃Mr。　Mitchell？　You　Lord　Worth's　friend？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Sergeant　Roper　is　here。〃
　〃That　all？　Let　me　speak　to　him。〃　There　was　hardly　a　pause　before　Roper　came　on　the　phone。
　〃Mike？　Nice　to　hear　from　you　again。〃
　〃Listen；　Sergeant；　this　is　urgent。　I'm　speaking　from　the　house　of　John　Campbell；　one　of　Lord　Worth's　pilots。　He　has　been　forcibly　abducted；　almost　certainly　by　some　of　the　kidnapers　of　Lord　Worth's　daughters。　I　have　every　reason　to　believe…no　tune　for　explanations　now…that　they're　heading　in　your　direction　with　the　intention　of　hijacking　one　of　Lord　Worth's　helicopters　and　forcing　Campbell　to　fly　it。　There'll　be　two　of　them　at　least；　maybe　three；　armed　and　dangerous。　I　suggest　you　call　up　reinforcements　immediately。　If　we　get　them　we'll　break　them…　at　least　Roomer　and　I　will；　you　can't；　you're　a　law　officer　and　your　hands　are　tied…and　we'll　find　where　the　girls　are　and　get　them　back；〃
　〃Reinforcements　ing　up。　Then　I'll　look　the　other　way。〃
　Mitchell　hung　up。　Roomer　was　by　his　side。　Roomer　said：　〃You　prepared　to　go　as　far　as　back…room　persuasion　to　get　the　information　we　want？〃
　Mitchell　looked　at　him　bleakly。　〃I　look　forward　to　it。　Don't　you？〃
　〃No。　But　Til　go　along　with　you。〃　Once　again　Mitchell　and　Roomer　had　guessed　correctly。　And　once　again　they　were　too　late。
　Mitchell　had　driven　to　Lord　Worth's　heliport　with　a　minimum　regard　for　traffic　and　speed　regulations；　and　now；　having　arrived　there；　he　realized　bitterly　that　his　haste　had　been　wholly　unnecessary。
　Five　men　greeted　their　arrival；　although　it　was　hardly　a　cheerful　meeting：　Gorrie；　the　gateman；　and　four　policemen。　Gome　and　Sergeant　Roper　were　tenderly　massaging　their　wrists。　Mitchell　looked　at　Roper。
　〃Don't　tell　me。〃　Mitchell　sounded　weary。　〃They　jumped　you　before　the　reinforcements　were　to　hand。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Roper's　face　was　dark　with　anger。　〃I　know　it　sounds　like　the　old　lame　excuse；　but　we　never　had　a　chance。　This　car　es　along　and　stops　outside　the　gatehouse；　right　here。　The　driver…he　was　alone　in　the　car…seemed　to　be　having　a　sneezing　fit　and　was　holding　a　big　wad　of　Kleenex　to　his　face。〃
　Roomer　said：　〃So　you　wouldn't　recognize　him　again？〃
　〃Exactly。　Well；　we　were　watching　this　dude　when　a　voice　from　the　back…the　back　window　was　open…told　us　to　freeze。　I　didn't　even　have　my　hand　on　my　gun。　We　froze。　Then　he　told　me　to　drop　my　gun。　Well；　this　guy　was　no　more　than
　Seawlteh
　five　feet　away　。　。　；　I　dropped　my　gun。　Dead　heroes　are　no　good　to　anyone。　Then　he　told　us　to　turn　around。　He　was　wearing　a　stocking　mask。　Then　the　driver　came　and　tied　our　wrists　behind　our　backs。　When　we　turned　around　he　was　wearing　a　stocking　mask　too。〃
　〃Then　they　tied　your　feet　and　tied　you　together　so　that　you　wouldn't　have　any　funny　ideas　about　using　a　telephone？〃
　〃That's　how　it　was。　But　they　weren't　worried　about　the　phones。　They　cut　the　lines　before　they　took　off。〃
　〃They　took　off　immediately？〃
　Gome　said：　〃No。　Five　minutes　later。　The　pilots　always　radio…file　a　flight　plan　before　take…off。　I　suppose　these　guys　forced　Campbell　to　do　the　same。　To　make　it　look　kosher。〃
　Mitchell　shrugged　his　indifference。　〃Means　nothing。　You　can　file　a　flight　plan　to　anyplace。　Doesn't　mean　you　have　to　keep　it。　How　about　fuel…for　the　helicopters；　I　mean？〃
　〃Fuel's　always　kept　topped　up。　My　job。　Lord　Worth's　orders。〃
　〃What　direction　did　they　go？〃
　'Thataway。〃　Gorrie　indicated　with　an　outstretched　arm。
　〃Well；　the　birds　have　flown。　Might　as　well　be　on　our　way。〃
　〃Just　like　that？〃　Roper　registered　surprise。
　〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　do　that　the　police　can't？〃
　　〃Well；　for　starters；　we　could　call　in　the　Air　Force。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃They　could　force　it　down。〃
　Mitchell　sighed。　〃There's　a　great　deal　of　crap　being　talked　about　forcing　planes　down。　What　if　they　refuse　to　be　forced　down？〃
　〃Then　shoot　it　down。〃
　〃With　Lord　Worth's　daughters　aboard？　Lord　Worth　wouldn't　be　very　pleased。　Neither　would　you。　Think　of　all　the　cops　that　would　be　out　of　a　job。〃
　〃Lord　Worth's　daughters！〃
　〃It's　all　this　routine　police　work；〃　Roomer　said。　〃Atrophies　the　brain。　Who　the　hell　do　you　think　that　helicopter　has　gone　to　pick　up？〃
　Once　clear　of　the　heliport；　Roomer　extended　an　arm。　〃　'Thataway；'　the　man　said。　'Thataway'　is　northwest。　The　Wyanee　Swamp。〃
　〃Even　if　they'd　taken　off　to　the　southeast　they'd　still　have　finished　up　in　Wyanee。〃　Mitchell　pulled　up　by　a　public　booth。　〃How　are　you　with　McGarrity's　voice？〃　Roomer　was　an　acplished　mimic。
　〃It's　not　the　voice　that's　hard。　It's　the　thought　processes。　Til　give　it　a　try。〃　He　didn't　say　what　he　was　going　to　try　because　he　didn't　have　to。　He　left　for　the　booth　and　was　back　inside　two　minutes。
　〃Campbell　filed　a　flight　plan　for　the　Seawitch〃
　〃Any　questions　asked？〃
　〃Not　really。　Told　them　that　some　fool　had　made　a　mistake。　Anyone　who　knows　McGarrity　would　know　who　the　fool　was　that　made　the　mistake。〃
　Mitchell　started　the　engine；　then　switched　off　as　the　phone　rang。　Mitchell　lifted　the　receiver。
　〃Jim　here。　Tried　to　ring　you　a　couple　of　times；　fifteen　minutes　ago；　five　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Figures。　Out　of　the　car　both　times。　More　bad　news？〃
　〃Not　unless　you　consider　Lord　Worth　bad　news。　Touchdown　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
　〃We　got　time。〃
　〃Says　he's　ing　up　to　the　house。〃
　〃Sent　for　the　Rolls？〃
　〃No。　Probably　wants　to　talk　private。　And　it　looks　as　if　he's　planning　to　stay　away　some　time。　Ordered　a　bag　packed　for　a　week。〃
　〃Seven　white　suits。〃　Mitchell　hung　up。
　Roomer　said：　〃Looks　as　if　we're　going　to　have　to　do　some　bag…packing　ourselves。〃　Mitchell　nodded　and　started　up　again。
　Lord　Worth　was　looking　his　old　self　when　he　settled　in　the　back　seat　of　their　car。　Not　quite　radiating　his　old　bonhomie；　to　be　sure；　but　calm　and　lucid　and；　to　all　appearances；　relaxed。　He　told　of　his　success　in　Washington；　for　which　he　was　duly　and　politely　congratulated。　Roomer　then　told　him　in　detail　what　had　happened　in　his　absence：　this　time　the　absence　of　congratulations　was　marked。
　〃You've　notified　mander　Larsen　of　your　suspicions；　of　course？〃
　〃Not　suspicions；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃Certainties。　And　there's　no　'of　course'　and　no；　we　didn't　notify　him。　Tm　primarily　re