tz.theicarushunt-第7部分
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Which explained the big search out in the wasteland last night。 〃Well； best of luck in finding him；〃 I said； eyeing the photo again。 〃But if you ask me； he's long gone by now。 Probably took off under cover of that sensor scramble you mentioned。〃
〃That may indeed be the case；〃 Aymi…Mastr conceded。 〃There was an unconfirmed report that something may have lifted out through the cloud of debris。〃 She waved a pair of antennae at the photo。 〃But on the other palm is the statement that you were seen with him last night。 Look closely； Captain。 Are you certain you didn't exchange even a few words？〃
She was making it so easy for me。 All I had to do was say； yes； he'd hired me for a job； but that that was before I knew he was a murderer。 Aymi…Mastr would ask what I knew； I would hand over the tag Cameron had given me； they would pick him up at the Icarus's landing ramp； and I could walk away free and clear。
And best of all； I wouldn't have to face Brother John about this disruption in his precious schedule。
With a sigh； I shook my head。 〃I'm sorry； Director Aymi…Mastr；〃 I said； laying the photo back on the desk。 〃I wish I could help。 I really do…I don't much care for murderers myself。 But I didn't talk to him； and I don't even remember seeing him go by on the street。 Whoever your anonymous witness thinks he saw； it wasn't me。〃
For a four…pack of heartbeats she just gazed at me。 Then； with a shrug as human and as ridiculous…looking on her as the finger…steepling thing； she nodded。 〃Very well； Captain； if that's your final word。〃
〃It is；〃 I said； deciding to ignore the sarcasm of that last ment as I stood up。 〃May I go now？ I do have a schedule to keep。〃
〃I understand；〃 she said； standing up to face me。 〃Unfortunately； before you leave Meima we will have to perform a plete search of your ship。〃 She held out a hand。 〃Your guidance tag； please。〃
I frowned； suddenly acutely conscious of the Icarus tag sitting there in plain sight in my collar slot。 〃Excuse me？〃
〃Your guidance tag； please；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； and though all the genial trappings were still in place； I could sense the sudden hardening of her tone。 〃Please don't require me to use force。 I know you humans consider Ihmisits to be laughable creatures； but I assure you we are stronger than we look。〃
For a long second I continued the face…off。 Then； muttering under my breath； I reached up and slid both tags from the slot。 〃Fine；〃 I growled； palming Cameron's tag and slapping the Stormy Banks's onto the desk。 Brother John's cargo； I knew； would be well enough disguised to weather even a serious Ihmisit customs search。 〃Help yourselves。 Just don't leave a mess。〃
〃We shall be quick and neat；〃 she promised。 〃In the meantime； if you'd like； you can wait in the guest room behind the striped door。〃
〃I'd rather wait in the hospitality center；〃 I said stiffly； snagging the handle of my bag and pulling it over to me。 〃If you're going to waste my time this way； you can at least let me get some breakfast。〃
〃As you wish；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； giving me the Ihmis gesture of farewell。 Her phone warbled； and she reached over to pick it up。 〃We should be finished within the hour；〃 she added as she held the handset to her neck slits。
I spun on my heel and stalked across the room toward the door； trying to put as much righteous indignation into my posture as I could。 They were letting me go； and they hadn't taken my phone。 Either they didn't seriously suspect me； Aymi…Mastr's accusations to the contrary； or they did seriously suspect me and were hoping to follow me to wherever I was hiding Cameron。
〃Captain McKell？〃 Aymi…Mastr called from behind me。
For a flickering half second； I considered making a run for it。 But the door was too far away； and there were too many Ihmisits between me and it。 Bracing myself； I turned back around。 〃What？〃 I demanded。
Aymi…Mastr was still on the phone； beckoning me back。 I thought again about running； decided it made no more sense now than it had five seconds ago； and headed back。
By the time I reached the desk she had finished the conversation。 〃My apologies； Captain；〃 she said； putting down the phone and holding out the tag she'd taken from me。 〃You may go。〃
I frowned suspiciously at the tag like it was some sort of kid's practical joke that would snap a spring against my finger if I took it。 〃Just like that？〃
〃Just like that；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； sounding midway between embarrassed and disgusted。 〃My superiors just informed me they've heard from our mysterious informant again。 It seems the charge has now changed： that you were seen instead in the pany of the notorious armed robber Belgai Romss。 He attacked a storage depot over in Tropstick three days ago。〃
I frowned。 What the hell sort of game were they playing？ 〃And； what； you want me to take a look at his photo now？〃
〃That won't be necessary；〃 Aymi…Mastr said； her disgust deepening。 〃Apparently； our friend missed the follow…up story of Romss's capture early yesterday morning； before your ship arrived。〃
She pushed the tag toward me。 〃Obviously merely a troublemaker； as you suggested。 Again； my apologies。〃
〃That's all right；〃 I said； cautiously taking the tag。 No spring snapped out to sting my fingers。 〃Maybe next time you won't be so quick to jump on something like this without proof。〃
〃With a murder investigation； we must always investigate every lead；〃 she said； drumming her fingers thoughtfully on the top of my file。 〃A safe journey to you； Captain。〃
I turned again and headed for the door； sliding the Stormy Banks tag back into my collar slot but continuing to palm the Icarus one。 No one tried to stop me； no one called me back； and two minutes later I was once again out in the open air。 It was all over； and I was free to go。
I didn't believe it for a minute。 It was all too pat； too convenient。 The Ihmisits were still looking for Cameron； and they still thought I was the one who was going to lead them to him。 And they'd turned me loose hoping I'd do exactly that。
And unless they planned to tail me all the way to the Icarus…which was； I supposed； an option…that meant they'd planted a tracker on me。
The question was how。 Molecular…chain echo transponders were useless in the radio cacophony inside a major port； so it had to be one of the larger； needle…sized trackers。 But I'd watched Aymi…Mastr's flunky as he searched my bag； and would have been willing to swear in court that he hadn't planted anything。
Which meant it had to have been planted after the search。 And then； of course； it was obvious。
Carefully； I eased the tag out of my collar and took a good look； and there it was； slid neatly and nearly invisibly lengthwise through the bottom edge of the tag。 Getting hold of the end with finger and thumbnail； I managed to pull it free of the plastic。
Now came the problem of how to get rid of it without the telltale motionlessness that would occur if I simply tossed it in the nearest trash bin。 Fortunately； the opportunity was already close at hand。 ing rapidly through the crowd； three seconds away from intersecting my path； was a short Bunkre with one of those glittering； high…collared landing jackets that always remind me of something you'd see at an Elvis revival。 Adjusting my step slightly； I turned my head partially away to make it look accidental； and slammed full tilt into him。
〃Sorry；〃 I apologized； grabbing his shoulders to help him regain his balance。 I straightened his collar where the impact of my shoulder had bent it； at the same time pulling a five…mark piece out of my pocket。 〃My personal fault entirely；〃 I gave the proper Bunkrel apology as I offered him the coin。 〃In partial pensation； please have a meal or drink on the labor of my arms。〃
He snatched the coin； grunted the proper Bunkrel wheeze of acceptance and forgiveness； and immediately changed course toward the hospitality building。 Five marks was about ten times the pensation the accident warranted； and he was clearly bent on spending the money before the clumsy human realized his mistake and came looking for change。
With luck； he'd also be so busy spending it he wouldn't notice that while I was straightening his collar I'd left him a small present。 I let him g
