cc.vixen03-第30部分

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tt　questioningly。　〃Why　all　the　hypothetical　questions？〃
　Pitt　smiled　a　pondering　smile。　〃You　never　know　when　we　might　have　to　bring　up　an　airplane。〃
　Folsom　shrugged。　〃So　much　for　fantasy。　Now　then；　getting　back　to　the　Chenago　。　。　。〃
　Pitt's　eyes　intently　followed　the　diagrams　Folsom　began　drawing　on　a　blackboard。　The　diving　program；　the　air　tanks；　the　ships　on　the　surface；　and　the　sunken　ironclad　all　took　shape　in　conjunction　with　Folsom's　running　mentary　on　the　planned　lift　operation。　To　all　appearances；　Pitt　seemed　keenly　interested；　but　nothing　he　saw　was　relayed　to　his　memory　cells；　his　mind　was　two　thousand　miles　away；　deep　in　a　Col…orado　lake。
　Just　as　Folsom　was　describing　the　proposed　towing　procedure　once　the　wreck　reached　sunlight　for　the　first　time　in　125　years；　a　Visalia　crewman　poked　his　head　through　the　hatchway　and　gestured　toward　Pitt。
　〃There's　a　shore…to…ship　call　for　you；　sir。〃
　Pitt　nodded；　reached　behind　him；　and　picked　up　a　phone　sitting　on　a　bulkhead　shelf。
　〃This　is　Pitt。〃
　〃You're　harder　to　track　down　than　the　abominable　snowman；〃　said　a　voice　through　the　background　static。
　〃Who　is　this？〃
　〃Talk　about　shabby　treatment；〃　said　the　voice　sarcastically；　〃I　slave　over　a　messy　desk　until　three　in　the　morning　doing　you　a　favor　and　you　don't　even　remember　my　name。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Paul；〃　Pitt　said；　laughing；　〃but　your　voice　sounds　about　two　octaves　higher　over　the　radiophone。〃
　Paul　Buckner；　a　longtime　pal　of　Pitt's　and　an　agent　of　the　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation；　lowered　his　pitch　to　his　belt　buckle。　〃There；　is　that　any　better？〃
　〃Much。　Got　any　answers　for　me？〃
　〃Everything　you　asked　for；　and　then　some。〃
　〃I'm　listening。〃
　〃Well；　to　start　with；　the　rank　of　the　man　you　think　authorized　the　flight　orders　for　Vixen　03　obviously　was　not　correct。〃
　〃But　'General'　was　the　only　title　that　fit。〃
　〃Ain't　necessarily　so。　The　title　was　a　seven…letter　word。　All　that　was　readable　was　the　fifth　character；　which　was　an^？。　Quite　naturally；　it　was　assumed　that　since　Vixen　03　was　an　Air　Force　plane　piloted　by　an　Air　Force　crew；　its　flight　orders　could　only　be　authorized　by　an　Air　Force　officer。〃
　〃So　tell　me　something　I　don't　know。〃
　〃Okay；　wiseass；　I　admit　it　threw　me；　too；　particularly　the　part　where　a　search　through　Air　Force　personnel　files　failed　to　find　any　name　that　matched　up　with　the　known　characters　of　our　mystery　officer's　name。　Then　it　occurred　to　me：　'admiral'　is　also　a　seven　letter　word；　and　its　fifth　character　is　also　an　R。〃
　Pitt　felt　as　though　the　reigning　heavyweight　champion　had　suddenly　rammed　a　right　hand　into　his　lower　gut。　〃Admiral〃…the　word　ricocheted　through　his　mind。　Nobody　had　thought　to　consider　that　an　Air　Force　plane　might　have　been　carrying　naval　hardware。　Then　a　sobering　thought　brought　Pitt　back　to　earth。
　〃A　name？〃　he　asked；　almost　afraid　of　the　answer。　〃Were　you　able　to　e　up　with　a　name？〃
　〃All　very　elementary　for　a　prying　mind　like　mine。　The　first　name　was　easy。　Six　letters　with　three　known；　two　blanks　with　LT　followed　by　another　blank　and　then　an　R。　That　gave　me　'Walter。'　Now　es　the　piece　de　resistance：　the　surname。　Four　letters　beginning　with　B　and　ending　with　5。　And；　since　'Bullshit'　didn't　fit　and　I　already　had　the　guy's　rank　and　first　name；　a　puter　search　through　Bureau　files　and　Navy　records　quickly　made　a　match：　'Admiral　Walter　Horatio　Bass。'　〃
　Pitt　probed　further。　〃If　Bass　was　an　admiral　back　in　1954；　he　must　be　either　past　eighty　years　old　or　dead…most　likely　dead。〃
　〃Pessimism　will　get　you　nowhere；〃　said　Buckner。　〃Bass　was　a　whiz　kid。　I　read　his　file。　It's　most　impressive。。　He　got　his　first　star　when　he　was　still　thirty…eight　years　old。　For　a　while　it　looked　like　he　was　headed　for　Naval　Chief　of　Staff。　But　then　he　must　have　pulled　a　no…no　or　mouthed　off　to　a　superior；　because　he　was　suddenly　transferred　and　placed　in　mand　of　a　minor　boondocks　fleet　base　in　the　Indian　Ocean；　which　is　like　being　exiled　to　the　Gobi　Desert　to　an　ambitious　naval　officer。　He　then　retired　in　October　of　1959。　He'll　be　seventy…seven　next　December。〃
　〃Are　you　telling　me　Bass　is　still　around？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃He's　listed　on　the　Navy's　retirement　rolls。〃
　〃How　about　an　address？〃
　〃Bass　owns　and　operates　a　country　inn　just　south　of　Lexington；　Virginia；　called　Anchorage　House。　You　know　the　kind…no　pets　or　kids　allowed。　Fifteen　rooms　plete　with　antique　plumbing　and　four…poster　beds；　all　slept　in　by　George　Washington。〃
　〃Paul；　I　owe　you　one。〃
　〃Care　to　let　me　in　on　it？〃
　〃Too　early。〃
　〃You　sure　it's　not　some　hanky…panky　the　Bureau　should　know　about？〃
　〃It's　not　in　your　jurisdiction。〃
　〃That　figures。〃
　〃Thanks　again。〃
　〃Okay；　buddy。　Write　when　you　find　work。〃
　Pitt　hung　up　the　receiver　and　took　a　slow　breath　and　grinned。　Another　veil　of　the　enigma　had　been　pulled　aside。　He　decided　not　to　contact　Abe　Steiger；　not　just　yet。　He　looked　up　at　Folsom。
　〃Can　you　cover　for　me　over　the　weekend？〃
　Folsom　grinned　back。　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　insinuate　the　boss　isn't　essential　to　the　operation；　but　what　the　hell；　I　think　we　can　muddle　through　the　next　forty…eight　hours　without　your　exalted　presence。　What　you　got　cooking？〃
　〃A　thirty…four…year…old　mystery；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I'm　going　to　dig　out　the　answers　while　relaxing　in　the　peace　and　quiet　of　a　quaint　country　inn。〃
　Folsom　peered　at　him　for　several　seconds；　and　then；　seeing　nothing　behind　Pitt's　green　eyes；　gave　up　and　turned　back　to　the　blackboard。
　
　31
　
　On　the　morning　flight　into　Richmond；　Pitt　looked　like　any　one　of　a　dozen　other　passengers　who　seemed　to　be　dozing。　His　eyes　were　closed；　but　his　mind　was　churning　over　the　enigma　of　the　plane　in　the　lake。　It　was　unlike　the　Air　Force　to　sweep　an　accident　under　the　rug；　he　thought。　Under　normal　circumstances；　a　full…scale　investigation　would　have　been　launched　to　determine　why　the　crew　had　strayed　so　far　off　the　charted　course。　Logical　answers　eluded　him；　and　he　opened　his　eyes　when　the　Eastern　Airlines　jet　touched　down　and　began　taxiing　up　to　the　terminal。
　Pitt　rented　a　car　and　drove　through　the　Virginia　countryside。　The　lovely；　rolling　landscape　imparted　mingled　aromas　of　pine　and　fall　rains。　Just　past　noon　he　turned　off　Interstate　Eighty…one　and　drove　into　Lexington。　Not　pausing　to　enjoy　the　quaint　architecture　of　the　town；　he　angled　south　on　a　narrow　state　highway。　He　soon　came　to　a　sign　pic…turesquely　out　of　place　with　the　rural　surroundings；　designed　with　a　〃。　nautical　anchor　weling　guests　and　pointing　up　a　gravel　road　toward　the　inn。
　There　was　no　one　behind　the　desk　and　Pitt　was　reluctant　to　break　the　silence　in　the　neat　and　meticulously　dusted　lobby。　He　was　about　to　say　the　hell　with　it　and　hit　the　bell　when　a　tall　woman；　almost　as　tall　as　he　in　her　riding　boots；　entered　carrying　a　high…backed　chair。　She　looked　to　be　in　her　early　thirties　and　wore　jeans　and　a　matching　denim　blouse　with　a　red　bandana　tied　over　her　ash…blond　hair。　Her　skin　displayed　almost　no　evidence　of　a　summer　tan　but　had　the　smoothness　of　a　fashion　model's。　Something　about　her　unruffled　expression　at　abruptly　noticing　a　stranger　suggested　to　him　a　woman　who　was　high　bred；　the　kind　who　is　taught　to　act　reserved　under　any　circumstances　short　of　fire　and　earthquake。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said；　setting　the　chair　down　beside　a　beautifully　proportioned　candle　stand。　〃I　didn't　hear　you　drive　up。〃
　〃That's　an　interesting　chair；〃　he　said。　〃Shaker；　isn't　it？〃
　She　looked　at　him　approvingly。　〃Yes；　made　by　Elder　Henry　Blinn；　of　Canterbury。〃
　〃You　have　many　valuable　pieces　here。〃
　〃Admiral　Bass；　the　owner；　〃gets　the　credit　for　what　you　see。〃　She　moved　behind　the　desk。　〃He's　quite　an　authority　on　antique　collecting；　you　know。〃
　〃I　wasn't　aware　of　that。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　a　room？〃
　〃Yes；　for　tonight　only。〃
　〃A　pity　you　can't　stay　longer。　A　local　stock　theater　opens　in　our　barn　the　evening　after　next。〃
　〃I've　a　knack　for　poor　timing；〃　Pitt　said；　smiling。
　Her　return　smile　was　thin　and　formal。　She　spun　the　register　around　for　him　and　he　signed　it。
　〃Room　fourteen。　Up　the　stairs　and　three　doors　to　your　left；　Mr。　Pitt。〃
　She　had　read　his　name　upside　down　as　he　signed　it。　〃I'm　Heidi　Milligan。　If　you　need　anything；　just　push　the　buzzer　by　your　door。　I'll　get　the　m