cc.themediterraneancaper2-第8部分

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　back　to　the　road；　　only　further　away　from　the　path　this　time。　A　branch　scraped　a　thorny　limb　across　　Pitt's　arm；　drawing　thin　lines　of　blood；　but　he　was　not　aware　of　it。　He　was　　beginning　to　sweat　when　he　stepped　back　on　the　road。　At　last　the　hobnailed　　prints　ended　and　heavy　tire　tracks　began。　The　tire's　tread　left　a　peculiar　set　　of　diamond…shaped　patterns　in　the　dirt　beside　the　pavement。　There　was　no　traffic　visible　in　either　direction　so　Pitt　calmly　laid　the　towel　　down　in　the　center　of　the　road；　sat　on　it　and　began　to　re…enact　the　scene　in　his　　mind。
　Whoever　shadowed　Teri　had　parked　here；　walked　back　to　her　car　and　then　followed　　her　down　the　path。　But　before　reaching　the　beach；　the　stalker　must　have　heard　　voices　so　he　turned　and　made　his　way　In　the　darkness　to　the　rocks　where　he　hid；　　spying　on　the　girl　and　Pitt。　After　it　became　light　from　the　dawn；　the　intruder　　returned　to　the　road；　using　the　rocks　to　conceal　his　movements；　It　was　an　elementary　puzzle；　and　it　fit　neatly　together；　except　for　the　fact　　that　three　pieces　were　missing。　Why　had　Teri　been　followed　and　by　whom？　A　　thought　occurred　to　Pitt　and　he　smiled　to　himself。　The　simple　answer　was　very　　likely　a　local　peeping　tom。　If　that　were　the　case　the　observer　got　more　than　he　　bargained　for。　A　knot　formed　in　Pitt's　stomach。　It　was　the　third　missing　piece　that　bothered　　him　the　most。　Something　in　his　logical　mind　would　not　jell。　He　looked　over　at　　the　tire　tracks　again。　They　were　too　large　for　an　ordinary　car。　They　could　only　　e　from　a　more　massive　vehicle；　say　a　truck。　His　eyes　narrowed；　and　his　brain　　began　to　churn。　He　wouldn't　have　heard　Teri　drive　up　because　he　was　asleep。　And　　the　truck　had　probably　coasted　to　a　stop；　noiselessly。
　Pitt's　intent　gaze　turned　from　the　diamond　tread　tire　tracks　to　the　beach。　The　　tide　was　creeping　over　the　sand　and　erasing　all　signs　of　recent　human　activity。　　He　gauged　the　distance　from　the　road　to　the　beach　and　began　to　term　the　problem　　in　the　manner　of　a　fifth　grade　school　teacher。
　If　a　truck　is　at　point　A；　and　two　people　are　on　the　beach　250　feet　away　at　point　　B；　why　wouldn't　the　two　people　on　the　beach　hear　the　truck　start　its　engine　in　　the　silence　of　early　morning？
　The　answer　eluded　him；　so　Pitt　shrugged　and　gave　up。　He　shook　out　the　towel　and　　wrapping　it　around　his　neck；　walked　back　along　the　deserted　road　toward　the　main　　gate；　whistling；　〃It's　a　Long　Road　to　Tipperary。〃
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　The　young　blond　crewman　cast　off　the　lines；　and　the　little　twenty…six　foot　　double…ended　whaleboat　surged　sluggishly　away　from　the　makeshift　dock　near　Brady　　Field。　setting　a　course　over　the　blue　carpet　of　water　toward　the　First　Attempt。　The　throbbing　four…cylinder　Buda　engine　pushed　the　sturdy　boat　along　at　eight　　knots　and　cast　the　familiar　nautical　stink　of　diesel　fumes　over　the　deck。　It　was　　a　few　minutes　to　nine　now；　and　the　sun　was　hotter　and　even　a　slight　breeze　from　　the　sea　offered　no　relief。
　Pitt　stood　and　watched　the　shore　recede　until　the　dock　became　a　dirty　speck　on　　the　surf　line。　Then　he　hoisted　his　one　hundred　and　ninety　pounds　onto　the　high　　tubular　railing　that　circled　the　stern　and　sat　with　his　buttocks　hanging　　precariously　over　the　boat's　frothing　white　wake。　From　his　unusual　position　he　　could　feel　the　pulsations　from　the　shaft；　and　by　looking　straight　down；　he　could　　see　the　propeller　drill　its　way　through　the　water。　The　whaleboat　was　only　a　　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　First　Attempt　when　Pitt　noticed　the　young　crewman　at　　the　helm　eyeing　him　with　a　mild　look　of　respect。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　but　you　look　like　you've　spent　some　time　in　a　double…ender。〃　The　blond　crewman　nodded　at　Pitt's　seat　on　the　railing。　The　young　man　had　an　　academic　air　about　him　that　implied　scientific　intelligence。　Well　tanned　from　　the　Aegean　sun；　he　wore　Bermuda　shorts　and　nothing　else　except　a　long；　sparse；　　yellow　beard。
　Pitt　wrapped　a　hand　around　the　stern　light　staff　for　support　and　groped　in　a　　breast　pocket　with　his　other　hand　for　a　cigarette。　〃I　used　to　have　one　when　I　　was　in　high　school；〃　he　said　casually。
　〃You　must　have　lived　near　the　water；〃　said　the　young　crewman。
　〃Newport　Beach；　California。〃
　〃That's　a　great　place。　I　used　to　drive　up　there　all　the　time　when　I　was　taking　　post　graduate　courses　at　Scripps　in　LaJolla。〃　The　young　crewman　cracked　a　　crooked　smile；　〃Man　oh　man；　was　that　ever　a　great　place　for　girls。　You　must　have　　had　a　ball　growing　up　there。〃
　〃I　could　think　of　worse　places　to　go　through　puberty。〃　As　long　as　the　young　man　　was　talking　freely；　Pitt　switched　the　subject。　〃Tell　me；　what　sort　of　trouble　　have　you　been　having　on　the　project？〃
　〃Everything　went　fine　for　the　first　couple　of　weeks；　but　as　soon　as　we　found　a　　promising　location　to　investigate；　things　turned　sour　and　we've　had　nothing　but　　rotten　luck　since。〃
　〃For　instance？〃
　〃Mostly　equipment　failure；　broken　cables；　missing　and　damaged　parts；　generator　　break…downs；　you　know；　things　like　that。〃
　They　were　nearing　the　First　Attempt　now　and　the　Young　crewman　turned　back　to　the　　helm　and　maneuvered　the　small　boat　along　side　of　the　boarding　ladder。
　Pitt　stood　and　looked　up　at　the　larger　vessel；　surveying　its　outward　appearance。　By　maritime　standards　she　was　a　small　ship；　eight　hundred　twenty　tons；　one　　hundred　fifty…two　feet　in　length　overall。　Her　keel　was　originally　laid　on　an　　ocean…going　tug　in　the　Dutch　shipyards　of　Rotterdam　before　World　War　II。　Immediately　after　the　Germans　invaded　the　lowlands；　her　crew　Slipped　her　away　to　　England　where　she　performed　outstanding　and　meritorious　service　throughout　the　　war；　towing　torpedoed　and　crippled　ships　into　the　British　port　of　Liverpool　　under　the　noses　of　Nazi　U…boats。　After　the　end　of　European　hostilities；　her　　tired　and　battered　hull　was　traded　by　the　Dutch　Government　to　the　U。S。　Navy；　who　　promptly　enlisted　her　in　the　mothball　fleet　at　Olympia；　Washington。　There　she　　sat　for　twenty…five　long　years；　sleeping　under　a　gray　plastic　cocoon。　Then　the　　newly　formed　National　Underwater　Marine　Agency　purchased　her　remains　from　the　　Navy　and　converted　her　to　a　modern　oceanographic　vessel；　rechristening　her　the　　First　Attempt。
　Pitt　squinted　from　the　bright　glare　of　the　white　paint；　coating　the　ship　from　　stem　to　stern　staff。　He　climbed　the　boarding　ladder　and　was　greeted　on　the　deck　　by　an　old　friend；　mander　Rudi　Gunn；　the　skipper　and　project　director　of　the　　ship。
　〃You　look　healthy；〃　said　Gunn　unsmilingly；　〃except　for　your　blood…shot　eyes。〃　He　　reached　for　a　cigarette。　Before　he　lit　it；　he　offered　one　to　Pitt；　who　shook　his　　head　and　held　up　one　in　his　hand。
　〃I　hear　you've　got　problems；〃　said　Pitt。
　Gunn's　face　turned　grim。　〃You're　damn　right　I　do；〃　he　snapped。　〃I　didn't　ask　　Admiral　Sandecker　to　send　you　all　the　way　from　Washington　just　for　fun　and　　games。〃
　Pitt's　eyebrows　went　up　in　surprise。　This　sudden　harshness　did　not　fit　Gunn。　Under　normal　circumstances　the　little　mander　was　a　warm　and　humorous　person。　〃Take　it　easy；　Rudi；〃　said　Pitt　softly。　〃Let's　get　out　of　the　sun；　and　you　can　　brief　me　on　what　this　mess　is　all　about〃
　Gunn　removed　his　horned　rimmed　glasses　and　rubbed　a　wrinkled　handkerchief　across　　his　forehead。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Dirk；　it's　just　that　I've　never　seen　so　many　things　go　wrong　at　one　　time。　It's　highly　frustrating　after　all　the　planning　that　went　into　this　　project。　I　guess　it's　beginning　to　make　me　irritable　as　hell。　Even　the　crew　has　　noticeably　avoided　me　the　last　three　days。〃
　Pitt　placed　an　arm　on　the　shorter　man's　shoulders　and　grinned。　〃I　promise　not　to　　avoid　you　even　if　you　are　a　nasty　little　bastard。〃
　Gunn　looked　blank　for　a　moment；　and　then　a　sense　of　relief　seemed　to　flood　his　　eyes；　and　he　flung　back　his　head　and　laughed。　〃Thank　God　you're　here；〃　be　　gripped　Pitt's　arm　tightly。　〃You　may　not　solve　any　mysteries；　but　at　least　I'll　　feel　a　hell　of　a　lot　better　just　having　you　around。〃　He　turned　and　pointed　　toward　the　bow。　〃e　along；　my　cabin　is　up　forward。〃
　Pitt　followed　Gunn　up　a　steep　ladder　to　the　next　deck　and　into　a　small　cabin　　that　must　have　been　designed　by　a　closet…maker。　The　only　fort；　and　it　was　a　　large　one；　was　a　cool　blast　of　air　that　emitted　from　an　overhead　ventilator。　He　stood　in　front　of　the　opening　for　a　moment　and　soaked