alistairmaclean.seawitch-第33部分

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　〃He　isn't　afraid　of　anything　that　lives。　As　for　the　shaking…he's　a　throwback　to　the　old　Scandinavian　berserkers：　he's　just　trying　to　hold　in　his　rage。　He　usually　smiles。〃　He　smiled。　〃You're　shaking　now。〃
　She　said　nothing。
　Roomer　said：　〃There's　a　cupboard　in　the　vestibule。　If　there's　anything　in　it；　bring　it　to　me。〃
　She　looked　at　him　uncertainly；　left　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes；　carrying　a　pair　of　shoes。　She　held　them　at　arm's　length　and　from　the　look　of　horror　on　her　face　might　have　been　holding　a　cobra。
　Roomer　said：　〃Mitchell's？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Okay。　Better　return　them。　He'll　be　needing　them　pretty　soon。〃
　When　she　came　back；　Melinda　said　to　her：　〃Do　you　really　think　you　could　marry　a　man　who　kills　people？〃
　Marina　shivered　and　said　nothing。　Roomer　said　sardonically：　〃Better　than　marrying　a　coward；　I'd　say。〃
　In　the　generator　room；　Mitchell　found　what　he　wanted　right　away…a　circuit　breaker　marked　〃Deck　Lights。〃　He　pulled　the　lever　and　stepped　out　onto　the　now　darkened　platform。　He　waited　a。　half　minute　until　his　eyes　adjusted　themselves　to　the　darkness；　then　moved　in　the　direction　of　the　derrick　crane　where　he　could　hear　two　men　cursing　in　far　from　muted　voices。　He　approached　on　soundless　stockinged　feet　until　he　was　less　than　two　yards　away。　Still　soundlessly；　he　held　his　pencil　flash　on　top　of　the　barrel　of　the　Smith　&　Wesson　and　slid　forward　the　flash　switch。
　The　two　men　swung　round　in　remarkably　swift　unison；　hands　reaching　for　their　guns。
　Mitchell　said：　〃You　know　what　this　is；　don't　you？〃
　They　knew。　The　deep…bluish　sheen　of　a　silencer…equipped　。38　is　not　readily　mistakable　for　a　popgun。　Their　hands　stopped　reaching　for　their　guns。　It　was；　to　say　the　least；　rather　unnerving　to　see　an　illuminated　silenced　gun　and　nothing　but　blackness　beyond　it。
　〃Clasp　your　hands　behind　your　necks；　turn　round　and　start　walking。〃
　They　walked　until　they　could　walk　no　more；　for　the　good　reason　that　they　had　reached　the　end　of　the　platform。　Beyond　that　lay　nothing　but　the　200…foot　drop　to　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。
　Mitchell　said：　〃Keep　your　hands　clasped　and　turn　round。〃
　They　did　so。　〃You're　Kowenski　and　Rindler？〃
　There　was　no　reply。
　〃You're　the　two　who　gunned　down　Melinda　and　Mr。　Roomer？〃
　
　Again　there　was　no　reply。　Vocal　cords　can　bee　paralyzed　when　the　mind　is　possessed　of　the　irrevocable　certainty　that　one　is　but　one　step；　one　second；　removed　from　eternity。　Mitchell　squeezed　the　trigger　twice　and　was　walking　away　before　the　dead　men　had　hit　the　waters　of　the　Gulf。　He　had　taken　only　four　steps　when　a　flashlight　beam　struck　him　in　the　face。
　〃Well；　well；　if　it　isn't　smart…ass　Mitchell；　the　scared　scientist。〃　Mitchell　couldn't　see　the　man…　and　the　gun　undoubtedly　behind　the　flashlight…　but　he　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　the　voice　of　Heifer；　the　one　with　the　sharp　nose　and　ratlike　teeth。　〃And　carrying　a　silenced　gun。　Whatcha　up　to；　Mr。　Mitchell？〃
　Heffer　had　made　the　classic　blunder　of　all　inpetent　would…be　assassins。　He　should　have　shot　Mitchell　on　sight　and　then　asked　the　questions。　Mitchell　flicked　on　his　pencil　torch　and　spun　it　upward；　where　it　spiraled　around　like　a　demented　firefly。　Heifer　would　have　been　less　than　human　not　to　have　had　the　instinctive　reaction　of　glancing　upward　as　his　subconscious　mind　speculated　as　to　what　the　hell　Mitchell　was　up　to：　a　speculation　of　very　brief　duration　indeed；　because　Heifer　was　dead　before　the　flash　fell　back　onto　the　platform。
　Mitchell　picked　up　the　flash；　still　surprisingly　working；　pocketed　it；　then　dragged　Heffer　by　the　heels　and　rolled　him　off　to　join　his　friends　at　the　bottom　of　the　Gulf。　He　returned　to　the　sick…bay　vestibule；　donned　his　shoes　and　entered　the　sick　bay　itself。　Dr。　Greenshaw　had　both　his　patients　on　blood　transfusion。
　Roomer　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Six　minutes。　What　took　you　so　long？〃
　A　plainly　unnerved　Marina　looked　at　Roomer；　half　in　disbelief；　half　in　stupefaction。
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry。〃　Mitchell　actually　managed　to　sound　apologetic。　〃I　had　the　misfortune　to　run　into　Heifer　on　the　way　back。〃
　〃You　mean　he　had　the　misfortune　to　run　into　you。　And　where　are　our　friends？'*
　〃I'm　not　rightly　sure；〃
　〃I　understand。〃　Roomer　sounded　sympathetic。　〃It's　hard　to　estimate　the　depth　of　the　water　out　here。〃
　〃I　could　find　out。　But　it　hardly　seems　to　matter。　Dr。　Greenshaw；　you　have　stretchers？　plete　with　straps　and　so　forth？〃　Greenshaw　nodded。　〃Get　them　ready。　Let　them　stay　where　they　are　meantime。　Can　you　carry　on　the　blood　transfusions　in　flight？〃
　〃That's　no　problem。　I　assume　you　want　me　to　acpany　them？〃
　〃Yes；　please。　I　know　it's　asking　an　awful　lot；　but　after　you've　handed　them　over　to　the　petent　medical　authorities；　Fd　like　you　to　return。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　pleasure。　I　am　now　in　my　seventieth　year　and　I　thought　there　was　nothing　fresh　left　in　life　for　me　to　experience。　I　was　wrong。〃　Marina　stared　at　them　in　disbelief。　All　three　men　seemed　calm　and　relaxed。　Melinda　appeared　to　have　dropped　off　into　a　a…like　stupor；　but　she　was　merely；　in　fact；　under　heavy　sedation。　Marina　said　with　conviction：　〃You're　all　mad。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃That's　what　a　lunatic　asylum　inmate　says　about　the　outside　world…and　he　may　well　be　right。　However；　that's　hardly　the　point　at　issue。　You；　Marina；　will　be　acpanying　the　others　on　the　trip　back　to　Florida。　You　will　be　perfectly　safe　there…your　father　will　see　that　the　most　massive　security　guard　ever　mounted　will　be　there。〃
　〃How　splendid。　I　love　being　made　a　fuss　over；　being　the　center　of　attraction。　However；　mastermind；　there's　just　one　small　flaw　in　your　reasoning。　I'm　not　going。　I'm　staying　with　my　father。〃
　〃That's　exactly　the　point　I'm　going　to　discuss　with　him　now。〃
　〃You　mean　you're　going　out　to　kill　someone　else？〃
　Mitchell　held　out　his　hands；　fingers　splayed。　They　could　have　been　carved　from　marble。
　〃Later；〃　Roomer　said。　〃He　appears　to　have　some　other　things　on　his　mind　at　the　moment。〃
　Mitchell　left。　Marina　turned　furiously　on　Roomer。　〃You're　just　as　bad　as　he　is。〃
　〃I'm　a　sick　man。　You　mustn't　upset　me。〃
　〃You　and　his　berserker　moods。　He's　just　a　killer。〃
　Roomer's　face　went　very　still。　〃You　know；　I　don't　look　forward　to　the　prospect　of　having　a　mentally　retarded　person　as　a　sister…in…law。〃
　She　was　shocked　and　the　shock　showed。　Her　voice　was　a　whisper。　〃I　don't　really　know　you；　do　I？〃
　〃No。　We're　the　men　who　walk　down　the　dark　side　of　the　streets。　Somebody　has　to　look　after　the　people　on　the　dark　side。　We　do　it。　Do　you　know　how　much　your　father　offered　us　to　take　you　home？〃　Roomer　smiled。　'Tm　afraid　I'm　not　much　good　in　that　department　at　the　moment；　but　Mike　will　take　care　of　it。〃
　〃How　much　did　he　offer　you？〃
　〃Whatever　we　wanted　in　the　world。　A　million　dollars　to　take　you　home？　A　hundred　million　if　we'd　asked　for　it？　Sure。〃
　〃How　much　did　you　ask　for？'*　Her　face　wasn't　registering　much　in　the　way　of　expression。
　Roomer　sighed；　〃Poor　Mike。　To　think　that　he　regards　you　as　the　pot　of　gold　at　the　foot　of　the　rainbow。　Poor　me；　too。　Fm　going　to　have　to　live　with　you　too；　even　at　second　hand。　Let's　be　corny。　Your　father　loves　you。　We　love　you。　To　pile　cliche　on　cliche；　there　are　some　things　that　can't　be　bought。　Pearls　beyond　price。　Don't　make　yourself　an　artificial　pearl；　Marina。　And　don't　ever　insult　us　again　that　way。　But　we　have　to　live　on　something；　so　we'll　send　him　a　bill。〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃Ammunition　expended。〃
　She　crossed　to　his　cotside；　knelt　and　kissed　him。　　Roomer　seemed　too　weak　to　resist。　Dr。
　Greenshaw　was　severe。　〃Marina；　he's　not　only　having　a　blood　transfusion；　there's　also　the　factor　of　blood　pressure。〃
　Roomer　said：　〃My　blood　pressure　is　registering　no　plaints。〃
　She　kissed　him　again。　〃Is　that　apology　enough？〃　Roomer　smiled　and　said　nothing。　〃　'Berserker*　you　said。　Can　anyone　stop　him　when　he's　like　that？　Can　I？〃
　〃No。　Someday；　yes。〃
　〃The　one　person　is　you。　Yes？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　didn't。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃They　carried　guns。〃
　〃You　carry　guns。〃
　〃Yes。　But　we're　not　evil　people　who　carry　evil　guns　to　do　evil　things。〃
　〃That's　all？〃
　〃No。〃　He　looked　across　at　Melinda。　〃You　see？〃
　〃Please。〃
　〃If　Kowenski　and　Rindler　hadn't　been　such　damned　lousy　shots；　she'd　be　dead。〃
　〃So　you　let　Michael　loose？〃
　〃Yes