dk.watchers-第70部分

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nywhere。　Except　maybe　to　bed。　They　sure　do　seem　to　be　a　randy　old　pair。〃
　〃Stay　with　them；〃　Lem　said。　〃I　don't　trust　him。〃
　Another　call　came　through　from　the　search　team　that　had　secretly　entered　Dilworth's　house　minutes　after　he　had　left。　They　had　found　nothing　related　to　the　Cornells　or　the　dog。
　Dilworth's　office　had　been　carefully　searched　last　night；　and　nothing　had　been　found　there；　either。　Likewise；　a　study　of　his　phone　records　did　not　produce　a　number　for　the　Cornells；　if　he　had　called　them　in　the　past；　he　always　did　so　from　a　pay　phone。　An　examination　of　his　AT&T　credit…card　records　showed　no　such　calls；　so　if　he　had　used　a　pay　phone；　he　had　not　billed　it　to　himself　but　had　reversed　the　charges　to　the　Cornells；　leaving　nothing　to　be　traced。　Which　was　not　a　good　sign。　Obviously；　Dilworth　had　been　exceedingly　cautious　even　before　he　had　known　he　was　being　watched。
　　
　　
　Saturday；　afraid　the　dog　might　be　ing　down　with　a　cold；　Travis　kept　an　eye　on　Einstein。　But　the　retriever　sneezed　only　a　couple　of　times　and　did　not　cough　at　all；　and　he　seemed　to　be　fit。
　A　freight　pany　delivered　ten　large　cartons　containing　all　of　Nora's　finished　canvases　that　had　been　left　behind　in　Santa　Barbara。　A　couple　of　weeks　ago；　using　a　friend's　return　address　to　insure　that　no　link　would　exist　between　him　and　Nora　〃Aimes；〃　Garrison　Dilworth　had　shipped　the　paintings　to　their　new　house。
　Now；　unpacking　and　unwrapping　the　canvases；　creating　piles　of　paper　padding　in　the　living　room；　Nora　was　transported。　Travis　knew　that；　for　many　years；　this　work　was　what　she　had　lived　for；　and　he　could　see　that　having　the　paintings　with　her　again　was　not　only　a　great　joy　to　her　but　would　probably　spur　her　to　return　to　her　new　canvases；　in　the　spare　bedroom；　with　greater　enthusiasm。
　〃You　want　to　call　Garrison　and　thank　him？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yes；　absolutely！〃　she　said。　〃But　first；　let's　unpack　them　all　and　make　sure　none　of　them　is　damaged。〃
　　
　　
　Posted　around　the　harbor；　posing　as　yacht　owners　and　fishermen；　Cliff　Soames　and　the　other　NSA　agents　watched　Dilworth　and　Della　Colby　and　eavesdropped　on　them　electronically　as　the　day　waned。　Twilight　descended　without　any　indication　that　Dilworth　intended　to　put　to　sea。　Soon　night　fell；　yet　the　attorney　and　his　woman　made　no　move。
　Half　an　hour　after　dark；　Cliff　Soames　got　weary　of　pretending　to　fish　off　the　stern　of　a　Cheoy　Lee　sixty…six…foot　sport　yacht　docked　four　slips　away　from　Dilworth's。　He　climbed　the　steps；　went　into　the　pilot's　cabin；　and　pulled　the　headphones　off　Hank　Gorner；　the　agent　who　was　monitoring　the　old　couple's　conversation　through　a　directional　mike。　He　listened　for　himself。
　〃。　。　。　the　time　in　Acapulco　when　Jack　hired　that　fishing　boat。　。
　〃。　。　。　yes；　the　whole　crew　looked　like　pirates！〃
　〃。　。　。　we　thought　we'd　have　our　throats　cut；　be　dumped　at　sea。　。
　but　then　it　turned　out　they　were　all　divinity　students　。　。　studying　to　be　missionaries。　。　。　and　Jack　said。　。
　Returning　the　headphones；　Cliff　said；　〃Still　reminiscing！〃
　The　other　agent　nodded。　The　cabin　light　was　out；　and　Hank　was　illuminated　only　by　a　small；　hooded；　built…in　work　lamp　above　the　chart　table；　so　his　features　looked　elongated　and　strange。　〃That's　the　way　it's　been　all　day。　At　least　they　have　some　great　stories。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　the　john；〃　Cliff　said　wearily。　〃Be　right　back。〃
　〃Take　ten　hours　if　you　want。　They're　not　going　anywhere。〃
　A　few　minutes　later；　when　Cliff　returned；　Hank　Gorner　pulled　off　his　headphones　and　said；　〃They　went　below　decks。〃
　〃Something　up？〃
　〃Not　what　we'd　hope。　They're　gonna　jump　each　other's　bones。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃Cliff；　jeez；　I　don't　want　to　listen　to　this。〃
　〃Listen；〃　Cliff　insisted。
　Hank　put　one　earphone　to　his　head。　〃Jeez；　they're　undressing　each　other；　and　they're　as　old　as　my　grandparents。　This　is　embarrassing。〃
　Cliff　sighed。
　〃Now　they're　quiet；〃　Hank　said；　a　frown　of　distaste　creeping　over　his　face。　〃Any　second　they're　gonna　start　moaning；　Cliff。〃
　〃Listen；〃　Cliff　insisted。　He　snatched　a　light　jacket　off　the　table　and　went　outside　again　so　he　wouldn't　have　to　listen。
　He　took　up　his　position　in　a　chair　on　the　stern　deck；　lifting　the　fishing　pole　once　more。
　The　night　was　cool　enough　for　the　jacket；　but　otherwise　it　could　not　have　been　better。　The　air　was　clear　and　sweet；　scented　with　just　a　slight　tang　of　the　sea。　The　moonless　sky　was　full　of　stars。　The　water　slapped　lullingly　against　the　dock　pilings　and　against　the　hulls　of　the　moored　boats。　Somewhere　across　the　harbor；　on　another　craft；　someone　was　playing　love　songs　from　the　forties。　An　engine　turned　over…whump…whump…whump…and　there　was　something　romantic　about　the　sound。　Cliff　thought　how　nice　it　would　be　to　own　a　boat　and　set　out　on　a　long　trip　through　the　South　Pacific；　toward　palm…shaded　islands…　Suddenly　that　idling　engine　roared；　and　Cliff　realized　it　was　the　Amazing
　Grace。　As　he　rose　from　his　chair；　dropping　the　fishing　pole；　he　saw　Dilworth's　boat　reversing　out　of　its　slip　recklessly　fast。　It　was　a　sailboat；　and　subconsciously　Cliff　had　not　expected　it　to　move　with　sails　furled；　but　it　had　auxiliary　engines；　they　knew　this；　were　prepared　for　this；　but　still　it　startled　him。　He　hurried　back　to　the　cabin；　〃Hank；　get　Harbor　Patrol。　Dilworth's　on　the　move。〃
　〃But　they're　in　the　sack。〃
　〃Like　hell　they　are！〃　Cliff　ran　out　to　the　bow　deck　and　saw　that　Dilworth　had　already　swung　the　Amazing　Grace　around　and　was　headed　toward　the　mouth　of　the　harbor。　No　lights　at　the　aft　end　of　the　boat；　the　area　around
　the　wheel；　just　one　small　light　forward。　Jesus；　he　was　really　making　a　break　for　it。
　　
　　
　By　the　time　they　unpacked　all　one　hundred　canvases；　hung　a　few；　and　carried　the　rest　into　the　unused　bedroom；　they　were　starving。
　〃Garrison's　probably　having　dinner　now；　too；〃　Nora　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　interrupt　him。　Let's　call　him　after　we've　eaten。〃
　In　the　pantry；　Einstein　released　letters　from　the　Lucite　tubes　and　spelled　out　a　message：　IT'S　DARK。　CLOSE　THE　SHUTTERS　FIRST。
　Surprised　and　unsettled　by　his　own　uncharacteristic　inattention　to　security；　Travis　hurried　from　room　to　room；　closing　the　interior　shutters　and　slipping　the　bolt…type　latches　in　place。　Fascinated　by　Nora's　paintings　and　delighted　by　the　pleasure　she　exhibited　in　their　arrival；　he　had　not　even　noticed　that　night　had　arrived。
　　
　　
　Halfway　toward　the　mouth　of　the　harbor；　confident　that　distance　and　the　engine's　roar　now　protected　them　from　electronic　eavesdroppers；　Garrison　said；　〃Take　me　close　to　the　outer　point　of　the　north　breakwater；　along　the　channel's　edge。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　about　this？〃　Della　asked　worriedly。　〃You're　not　a　teenager。〃
　He　patted　her　bottom　and　said；　〃I'm　better。〃
　〃Dreamer。〃
　He　kissed　her　on　the　cheek　and　edged　forward　along　the　starboard　railing；　where　he　got　into　position　for　his　jump。　He　was　wearing　dark　blue　swim　trunks。　He　should　have　had　a　wetsuit　because　the　water　would　be　chilly。　But　he　thought　he　ought　to　be　able　to　swim　to　the　breakwater；　around　the　point　of　it；　and　haul　himself　out　on　the　north　side；　out　of　sight　of　the　harbor；　all　in　a　few　minutes；　long　before　the　water　temperature　leached　too　much　body　heat　from　him。
　〃pany！〃　Della　called　from　the　wheel。
　He　looked　back　and　saw　a　Harbor　Patrol　boat　leaving　the　docks　to　the　south；　ing　toward　them　on　their　port　side。
　They　won't　stop　us；　he　thought。　They　have　no　legal　right。
　But　he　had　to　go　over　the　side　before　the　Patrol　swung　in　and　took　up　a　position　astern。　From　behind；　they　would　see　him　vault　the　railing。　As　long　as　they　were　to　port；　the　Amazing　Grace　would　conceal　his　departure；　and　the　boat's　phosphorescent　wake　would　cover　the　first　few　seconds　of　his　swim　around　the　point　of　the　breakwater；　long　enough　for　the　Patrol's　attention　to　have　moved　on　with　Della。
　They　were　heading　out　at　the　highest　speed　with　which　Della　felt　fortable。　The　Hinckley　Sou'wester　jolted　through　the　slightly　choppy　waters
　with　enough　force　to　make　it　necessary　for　Garrison　to　hold　fast　to　the　railing。　Still；　they　seemed　to　move　past　the　stone　wall　of　the　breakwater　at　a　frustratingly　slow　pace；　and　the　Harbor　Patrol　drew　nearer；　but　Garrison　waited；　waited；　because　he　didn't　want　to　go　into　the　harbor　a　hundred　yards　short　of　its　end。　If　he　went　in　too　soon；　he　would　not　be　able　to　swim　all　the　way　out　to　the　point　and　around　it；　instead；　he　would　have　to　swim　straight　to　the　breakwater　and　climb　its　flank；　within　full　sight　of　all　observers。　Now　the　patrol　closed　to　within　a　hundred　yards…he　could　see　them　when　he　rose　from　a　crouch　and　looked　across　the　Hinckley's　cabin　roof…and　began　to　swing　around　behind　them；　and　Garrison　could　not　wait　much　longer；　could　not…　〃The　point！〃　Della　called　from　the　wheel。
　He　threw　himself　over　the　railing；　into　the　dark　water；　away　from　the　boat。
　The　sea　was　cold。　It　shocked　the　breath　out　of　him。　He　sank；　could　not　find　the　surface；　was　seized　by　panic；　flailed；　thrashed；　but　then　broke　through　to　the　air；　gasping。
　The　Amazing　Grace　was　surprisingly　close。　He　felt　as　if　he　had　been　thrashing　in　confusion　beneath　the　surface　for　a　minute　or　more；　but　it　must　have　been　only　a　second　or　two　because　his　boat　was　not　yet　far　away。　The　Harbor　Patrol　was　close；　too；　and　he　decided　that　even　the　churning　wake　of　the　Amazing　Grace　did　not　give　him　enough　cover；　so　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　under　again；　staying　down　as　long　as　he　could。　When　he　came　up；　both　Della　and　her　shadowers　were　well　past　the　mouth　of　the　harbor；　turning　south；　and　he　was　safe　from　observation。
　The　outgoing　tide　was　swiftly　carrying　him　past　the　point　of　the　northern　breakwater；　which　was　a　wall　of　loose　boulders　and　rocks　that　rose　more　than　twenty　feet　above　the　waterline；　mottled　gray　and　black　ramparts　in　the　night。　He　not　only　had　to　swim　around　the　end　of　that　barrier　but　had　to　move　toward　land　against　the　resistant　current。　Without　further　delay；　he　began　to　swim；　wondering　why　on　earth　he　had　thought　this　would　be　a　snap。
　You're　almost　seventy…one；　he　told　himself　as　he　stroked　past　the　rocky　point；　which　was　illuminated　by　a　navigation…warning　light。　What　ever　possessed　you　to　play　hero？
　But　he　knew　what　possessed　him：　a　deep…seated　belief　that　the　dog　must　remain　free；　that　it　m