cc.floodtide-第114部分

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　Then；　to　cover　all　bases；　Yaeger　programmed　his　vast　puter　plex　to　conduct　a　search　of　all　worldwide　records　pertaining　to　mercial　engineering　officers。　This　would　take　some　time；　so　he　wandered　down　to　the　NUMA　building's　cafeteria　and　had　a　light　breakfast。　Upon　his　return；　he　worked　on　two　other　marine　geological　projects　for　the　agency　before　finally　returning　to　see　if　anything　turned　up　on　his　monitor。
　
　He　stared　fascinated　at　what　he　saw；　not　willing　to　accept　it。　For　several　seconds　the　information　did　not　register　in　his　brain。　Now　suddenly　out　of　the　blue　he　had　a　hard　hit。　He　spread　the　search　in　several　different　directions。　Several　hours　later；　he　finally　sat　back　in　his　chair；　shaking　his　head。　Feeling　supremely　self…satisfied；　he　called　Perlmutter。
　
　〃St。　Julien　Perlmutter　here；〃　came　the　familiar　voice。
　〃Hiram　Yaeger　here；〃　the　puter　genius　mimicked。
　〃Did　you　find　anything　of　interest？〃
　〃Nothing　you　can　use　on　Captain　Hunt。〃
　〃What　about　his　chief　engineer？
　〃Are　you　sitting　down？〃
　〃Why？〃　Perlmutter　asked　cautiously。
　〃Ian　'Hong　Kong'　Gallagher　did　not　go　down　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　demanded　Perlmutter。
　〃Ian　Gallagher　became　a　citizen　of　the　United　States　in　nineteen　fifty。〃
　〃Not　possible。　It　must　be　another　lan　Gallagher。〃
　〃It's　a　fact；〃　said　Yaeger；　enjoying　his　triumph。　〃As　we　speak；　I'm　looking　at　a　copy　of　his　engineering　papers；　which　he　renewed　with　the　Maritime　Administration　of　the　U。S。　Department　of　Transportation　shortly　after　he　became　a　citizen。　He　then　hired　on　for　the　next　twenty…seven　years　as　chief　engineer　with　the　Ingram　Line　out　of　New　York。　He　married　one　Katrina　Garin　in　nineteen　forty…nine　and　raised　five　kids。〃
　〃Is　he　still　alive？〃　asked　a　dazed　Perlmutter。
　〃According　to　the　records；　he　draws　his　pension　and　Social　Security　checks。〃
　〃Can　it　be　he　survived　the　sinking　of　the　Princess？〃
　〃Providing　Gallagher　was　on　it　when　she　went　down；〃　replied　Yaeger。　〃Do　you　still　want　me　to　see　if　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　arrived　in　an　eastern　seaboard　port　during　the　dates　you　gave　me？〃
　〃By　all　means；〃　answered　Perlmutter。　〃And　scan　the　shipping…port　arrival　records　for　a　ship　called　the　Princess　Yung　Tai；　also　owned　by　the　Canton　Lines。〃
　〃You　got　something　going？〃
　〃Crazy　intuition；〃　replied　Perlmutter。　〃Nothing　more。〃
　
　The　border　of　the　puzzle　is　in　place；　thought　Perlmutter。　Now　he　had　to　fit　the　inside　pieces。　Exhaustion　finally　caught　up　with　him；　and　he　allowed　himself　the　extravagance　of　a　short　two…hour　sleep。　He　awoke　to　the　sound　of　his　phone　ringing。　He　allowed　it　to　ring　five　times　while　his　mind　came　back　on　track　before　answering。
　
　〃St。　Julien；　Juan　Mercado　from　Panama。〃
　〃Juan；　thank　you　for　calling。　Did　you　turn　up　anything？〃
　〃Nothing；　I'm　afraid；　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　it。　I'd　hoped　by　chance　she　might　have　made　passage　through　the　canal。〃
　〃I　did；　however；　find　an　interesting　coincidence。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃A　Canton　Lines　ship；　the　Princess　Yung　Tai；　passed　through　on　December　first；　nineteen　forty…eight。〃
　Perlmutter's　fingers　and　hands　tightened　around　the　receiver。　〃What　direction　was　her　passage？〃
　〃West　to　east；〃　answered　Mercado。　〃From　the　Pacific　into　the　Caribbean。〃
　
　Perlmutter　said　nothing；　soaking　up　a　wave　of　jubilation。　Several　pieces　were　still　missing　in　the　puzzle；　but　a　visible　pattern　was　slowly　emerging。　〃I　owe　you　a　great　debt；　Juan。　You've　just　made　my　day。〃
　〃Happy　to　have　been　of　service；〃　said　Mercado。　〃But　do　me　a　favor　next　time；　will　you？〃
　〃Anything。〃
　〃Call　me　during　daylight　hours。　Any　time　my　wife　thinks　I'm　awake　after　we've　gone　to　bed；　she　gets　amorous。〃
　
　WHEN　PITT　RETURNED　TO　HIS　HANGAR　IN　WASHINGTON；　HE　was　pleasantly　surprised　to　find　Julia　waiting　in　his　apartment　above　the　car　collection。　After　a　hug　and　a　kiss；　she　presented　him　with　a　margarita　on　the　rocks　made　the　right　way…without　the　sweet　mix　and　crushed　ice　popular　in　most　restaurants。
　
　〃You　are　so　nice　to　e　home　to；〃　he　said　happily。
　〃I　couldn't　think　of　a　more　fortable　and　secure　place　to　stay；〃　she　said；　smiling　seductively。　She　was　wearing　a　blue　leather　miniskirt　with　a　tan　nylon　mesh　one…shoulder　top。
　〃I　can　see　why。　The　grounds　outside　are　crawling　with　security　guards。〃
　〃Courtesy　of　the　INS。〃
　〃I　hope　they're　more　alert　than　the　last　group；〃　he　said；　sipping　the　margarita　and　giving　an　approving　nod。
　〃Did　you　fly　in　from　Louisiana　alone？〃
　
　Pitt　nodded。　〃Al　is　in　a　local　hospital　having　a　cast　put　on　his　broken　leg。　Admiral　Sandecker　and　Rudi　Gunn　came　in　earlier　to　make　a　report　directly　to　the　President。〃
　〃Peter　Harper　filled　me　in　about　your　heroics　on　the　Mississippi。　You　prevented　a　national　disaster　and　saved　countless　lives。　The　newspapers　and　TV　news　programs　are　filled　with　stories　of　terrorists　blowing　up　the　levee　and　the　battle　between　the　United　States　and　the　National　Guard。　The　whole　country　was　rocked　by　the　event。　Strangely；　there　was　no　mention　of　you　or　Al。〃
　〃Just　the　way　we　like　it。〃　He　raised　his　head　and　sniffed　the　air。　〃What's　that　appetizing　aroma　I　smell？〃
　〃My　Chinese　dinner　for　the　party　tonight。〃
　〃What's　the　occasion？〃
　〃St。　Julien　Perlmutter　called　just　before　you　returned　and　said　he　thinks　he　and　Hiram　Yaeger　have　the　inside　track　on　a　solution　to　the　disappearance　of　Qin　Shang's　treasure　ship。　He　said　he　intensely　dislikes　meeting　hi　government　buildings；　so　I　invited　him　for　dinner　to　hear　his　revelations。　Peter　Harper　is　ing；　and　I　also　sent　invitations　to　Admiral　Sandecker　and　Rudi　Gunn。　I　hope　they　can　find　time　to　e。〃
　〃They're　fans　of　St。　Julien；〃　said　Pitt；　smiling。　〃They'll　be　here。〃
　〃They'd　better；　or　you'll　be　eating　leftovers　for　two　weeks。〃
　〃I　couldn't　have　had　a　nicer　homeing；〃　said　Pitt；　embracing　Julia　and　squeezing　the　breath　out　of　her。
　〃Phew！〃　she　said；　wrinkling　her　nose。　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　bathed？〃
　〃It's　been　a　few　days。　Except　for　diving　in　swamp　water　I　haven't　had　the　opportunity　to　jump　in　a　shower　since　I　last　saw　you　on　the　Weehawken。〃
　
　Julia　rubbed　the　reddish　blush　on　one　of　her　cheeks。　〃Your　beard　is　like　sandpaper。　Hurry　and　pretty　up。　Everyone　will　be　showing　up　in　another　hour。〃
　
　〃Your　presentation　is　magnificent；〃　said　Perlmutter；　eyeing　the　array　of　delectable　dishes　Julia　had　prepared　buffet…style　and　set　out　on　an　antique　credenza　in　Pitt's　dining　room。
　〃It　looks　absolutely　scrumptious；〃　said　Sandecker。
　〃I　couldn't　have　described　it　better；〃　added　Gunn。
　〃My　mother　took　special　pains　to　teach　me　to　cook；　and　my　father　was　a　lover　of　fine　Chinese　food　prepared　with　a　French　influence；〃　said　Julia；　basking　in　the　flattery。　She　had　changed　into　a　red　Lycra　jersey　tube　dress　and　looked　stunning　amid　the　room　full　of　five　men。
　〃I　hope　you　don't　leave　INS　to　open　a　restaurant；〃　joked　Harper。
　〃Not　much　chance　of　that。　I　have　a　sister　who　owns　a　restaurant　in　San　Francisco；　and　it's　a　hard　job　with　long　hours　in　a　small；　hot　kitchen。　I'd　rather　have　freedom　of　movement。〃　Helping　themselves　and　gathering　around　a　table　built　from　a　cabin　roof　off　a　nineteenth…century　sailing　ship；　they　dug　into　Julia's　feast　with　great　anticipation。　She　didn't　disappoint　them。　The　pliments　flowed　and　bubbled　like　fine　champagne。
　
　During　dinner；　the　talk　purposely　skirted　Perlmutter's　findings　and　centered　instead　around　the　events　on　the　Mystic　Canal　levee　and　the　Army　Corps　efforts　to　repair　the　damage；　All　hated　the　idea　of　the　United　States　being　scrapped　as　she　lay；　and　expressed　the　hope　that　necessary　funding　would　be　found　to　save　and　refit　her；　if　not　for　voyaging　then　as　a　floating　hotel　and　casino；　as　originally　proposed。　Harper　filled　them　in　on　the　indictments　being　handed　down　against　Qin　Shang。　Despite　his　influence　and　the　reluctance　of　the　President　and　some　congressmen；　the　charges　of　criminal　conduct　rolled　over　any　opposition。
　
　For　dessert；　Julia　served　fried　apples　with　syrup。　After　dinner　was　finished　and　Pitt　had　helped　Julia　clear　the　dishes　and　load　them　in　the　dishwasher；　everyone　settled　in　his　living　room　filled　with　nautical　antiques；　maritime　paintings　and　ship　models。　S