alistairmaclean.seawitch-第28部分

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　〃Giuseppe　Palermo。〃
　〃That　mobster！　So　the　noble　Lord；　along　with　his　grand　larceny；　is　an　associate　of　convicted　felons。〃
　〃You　know　him；　then？〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Durand　saw　no　point　in　elaborating　upon　the　fact　that　he　and　Palermo　had　spent　two　prison　terms　together。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　him。〃
　The　talk　was　brief　and　one…sided。　Durand　said：　〃We've　got　Lord　Worth's　daughters　prisoner。　We're　going　to　bring　them　toward　the　living　quarters　here；　but　we　don't　want　you　taking　our　two　aces　away　from　us。　You'll　stay　inside　in　your　quarters。　If　you　don't　you're　gonna　hear　a　lot　of　screaming　and　see　pieces　of　fingers　or　ears　dropped　through　your　windows。　I　hope　you　believe　me。〃
　Palermo　believed　him。　Palermo　had　a　reputation　for　ruthlessness　that　matched　Durand's；　but　it　couldn't　begin　to　match　Durand's　unholy　joy　in　sadism。　Durand　was　perfectly　capable　of　not　only　doing　what　he　threatened　but　of　deriving　immense　satisfaction　in　so　doing。
　Palermo　returned　to　his　Oriental　quarters。　Durand　called　up　Rindler　on　the　walkie…talkie　and　told　them　all　to　e　across；　including　Campbell；　the　pilot。　Campbell　was　tough　and　resourceful　and　it　was　just　possible　that；　by　standing　up；　he　could　slip　his　manacled　arms　over　the　back　of　his　seat；　step　through　them　and　take　off。　Whether　he　would　have　enough　fuel　for　the　return　flight　would　be　a　problem　for　him；　even　though　he　would　almost　certainly　head　not　for　Florida　but　for　the　nearest　spot　on　the　mainland；　which　would　be　due　south　of　New　Orleans。
　As　the　prisoners　and　guards　disembarked　from　the　helicopter　Durand　said：　〃Acmodations？〃
　〃Plenty。　There　are　spare　rooms　in　the　oriental　quarters。　There's　Lord　Worth's　private　suite。〃
　〃Lockups？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？　This　isn't　a　prison。〃
　〃Storerooms？　Ones　that　can　be　locked　from　the　outside？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Durand　looked　at　Larsen　consideringly。　〃You're　being　very　co…operative；　Larsen。　Your　reputation　says　otherwise。〃
　〃Two　minutes'　walk　around　and　you　could　confirm　all　I'm　saying　for　yourself。〃
　〃You'd　like　to　kill　me；　wouldn't　you；　Larsen？〃
　〃When　the　time　is　ripe；　yes。　But　it's　not　yet　ripe。〃
　〃Even　so。〃　Durand　produced　a　pistol。　〃Stay　about　ten　feet　away。　You　might　be　tempted　to　grab　me　and　try　to　make　the　men　let　the　girls　go。　A　tempting　thought；　no？〃
　Larsen　looked　at　him　yearningly　and　said　nothing。
　The　girls；　the　pilots　and　their　four　escorts　arrived。　Durand　said：　〃Well；　now；　we　gotta　find　some　suitable　overnight　acmodation　for　you。〃　He　led　the　way　to　the　first　of　several　storehouses　and　opened　the　door　to　reveal　a　room　packed　roof…high　with　canned　goods。　He　shoved　Campbell　inside；　locked　the　door　and　pocketed　the　key。　The　next　storehouse　contained　coils　of　rope；　a　powerful　smell　of　crude　oil　and　an　active；　scuttling　population　of　those　indestructible　creatures；　cockroaches。　Durand　said　to　the　two　girls：　〃Inside。〃
　The　girls　took　one　shuddering　look；　then　turned　away。　Marina　said：　〃We　will　not　go　inside　that　disgusting　place。〃
　Kowenski　said　in　a　gently　chiding　voice　which　accorded　ill　with　the　Colt　he　held　in　his　hand：　〃Do　you　know　what　this　is？〃　Rindler　had　a　similar　weapon　trained　on　Melinda。
　Both　girls　glanced　briefly　at　each　other　and　then；　in　what　was　obviously　a　prepared　and　rehearsed　movement；　walked　toward　the　men　with　the　guns；　seized　the　barrels　with　their　right　hands　and　hooked　their　right　thumbs　behind　their　trigger　forefingers；　pulling　the　guns　hard　against　themselves。
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　Durand　was　badly　shaken；　he　had　run　up　against　many　situations　in　his　life；　but　this　one　lay　far　beyond　his　most　remote　conception。　〃You　trying　to　mit　suicide？〃
　Melinda　said：　〃Precisely。〃　Her　eyes　never　left　Rindler's。　〃You're　lower　than　those　horrible　cockroaches　in　there。　You　are　vermin　who　are　trying　to　destroy　our　father。　With　us　dead；　you　won't　have　a　single　card　left　to　play。〃
　〃You're　crazy！　Simple　plain　crazy！〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Marina　said。　〃But　for　crazy　people　our　logic　is　pretty　good。　With　nothing　to　tie　his　hands　you　can　imagine　how　our　father　will　reactespecially　since　he　and　everyone　else　will　believe　that　you　murdered　us。　He　won't　have　to　go　to　the　law；　of　course…you　simply　have　no　idea　what　power　a　few　billion　dollars　can　bring　to　bear。　He'll　destroy　you　and　all　your　people　to　the　last　man。〃　She　looked　at　Kowenski　with　contempt。　〃Why　don't　you　press　the　trigger？　No？　Then　let　go　your　gun。〃　Kowenski　released　his　gun　and　Rindler　did　the　same；　and　the　girls　dropped　them　to　the　deck。
　Melinda　said：　〃My　sister　and　I　are　taking　a　walk。　We　will　return　when　you　have　quarters　prepared　fitting　for　Lord　Worth's　daughters。〃
　Durand's　face　had　definitely　lost　color　and　his　voice　was　hoarse　and　not　quite　steady　as　he　tried　to　regain　a　measure　of　authority。　〃So　take　your　walk。　Heffer；　go　with　them。　Any　trouble；　shoot　them　in　the　legs。〃
　Marina　stooped；　picked　up　Kowenski's　Colt；　walked　up　to　Heffer　and　rammed　the　muzzle　into　his　left　eye。　Heffer　recoiled；　ho　wring　in　agony。　Marina　said：　〃Fair　deal。　You　shoot　me　through　the　leg…now；　I　mean…and　Til　blow　your　brains　out。〃
　〃God's　sake！〃　Durand's　voice　was　almost　imploring。　He　was　one　step　removed　from　wringing　his　hands。　〃Somebody's　got　to　go　with　you。　If　you're　out　there　on　your　own　and　in　no　danger；　Palermo's　men　will　cut　us　to　pieces。〃
　〃What　a　perfectly　splendid　idea。〃　Marina　lowered　the　pistol　and　looked　in　distaste　at　Heffer；　a　rodent…faced　creature　of　indeterminate　age　and　nationality。　〃We　see　your　point。　But　this…this　animal　is　not　to　approach　within　ten　yards　of　us　at　any　time。　That　is　understood？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　of　course。〃　If　they　asked　him　for　the　moon；　Durand　would　have　somehow　levitated　himself　and　got　it　for　them。　Having　overwhelmingly　displayed　what　it　was　to　have　seventeen　generations　of　highland　aristocratic　ancestry　behind　them；　the　two　girls　walked　away　toward　one　of　the　triangular　perimeters。　It　was　fully　twenty　yards　before　they　both　began；　at　the　same　instant；　to　tremble　violently。　Once　started；　they　could　not　control　the　trembling　and　they　prayed　that　the　following　Heffer　could　not　notice　it。
　Marina…whispered　shakily：　〃Would　you　do　that　again？〃
　〃Never；　never；　never。　Fd　die。〃
　〃I　think　we　came　pretty　close　to　it。　Do　you　think　that　Michael　and　John　would　be　shaking　like　us　after　an　experience　like　that？〃
　〃No。　If　there's　any　truth　in　what　Daddy　hints；　they'd　already　be　planning　what　to　do　next。　And　Durand　and　his　obnoxious　friends　wouldn't　be　shaking　either。　Dead　men　don't　shake　very　much。〃
　Marina's　　trembling　　turned　　into　　a　　genuine　shiver。　〃I　only　wish　to　God　they　were　here　right　now。〃
　They　stopped　ten　feet　short　of　the　platform　perimeter。　Neither　girl　had　a　head　for　heights。　They　turned　and　looked　northeastward　as　the　distant　and　muted　roar　of　an　aircraft　engine　came　to　their　ears。
　Durand　and　Larsen　heard　it　at　the　same　time。　They　could　see　nothing　because　dusk　had　already　fallen；　but　neither　man　had　any　doubt　as　to　the　identity　of　the　approaching　helicopter　and　its　occupants。　With　some　satisfaction　Durand　said：　〃pany。　This　has　to　be　Lord　Worth。　Where　will　they　land？〃
　〃The　southeast　helipad。〃
　Durand　glanced　across　the　platform　to　where　the　two　girls　were　standing　with　Heffer；　gun　carried　loosely　in　his　right　hand；　less　than　the　regulation　ten　yards　away。　Satisfied；　Durand　picked　up　his　machine　pistol　and　said：　〃Let's　go　and　wele　his　lordship　aboard。　Aaron；　e　with　us。〃
　Larsen　said：　〃You'd　better　hope　Lord　Worth　proves　more　tractable　than　his　daughters。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　Larsen　smiled　in　sardonic　satisfaction。　〃You　caught　a　couple　of　tigresses　by　the　tails；　didn't　you？〃
　Durand　scowled　and　walked　away；　followed　by　Larsen　and　Aaron；　the　latter　armed　similarly　to　Durand。　They　reached　the　southeast　helipad　just　as　the　North　Hudson　helicopter　touched　down。　Lord　Worth　himself　was　the　first　out。　He　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　and　stared　in　disbelief　at　the　armed　men。　He　said　to　Larsen：　〃What　in　God's　name　goes　on　here？〃
　Durand　said：　〃Wele　aboard　the　Seawitch；　Lord　Worth。　You　can　regard　me　as　your　host　and　yourself　as　a　guest…an　honored　guest；　of　course。　There　has　been　a　slight　change　of　ownership。〃
　Tm　afraid　that　this　man　here…his　name　is　Durand　and　I　assume　that　he　is　one　of　Cronkite's　lieutenants…〃
　〃Cronk