rm.thenightboat-第18部分

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hey　listened；　eyes　moving　from　Kip　to　Moore。　Kip　greeted　them　politely　and　then　said　to　Moore；　〃Anything　I　can　help　you　with？〃
　　〃That　should　do　it；　except　for　paying　my　bill。　If　you　really　want　to　help　you　can　talk　Yarling　into　extending　my　credit。〃
　　Kip　tried　to　smile　but　found　it　difficult　because　he　couldn't　shake　the　image　of　Turk's　dead　face；　the　eyes　of　the　old　men　were　on　him　and　he　felt　uneasy。　〃Sorry。　No　favoritism。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　was　afraid　of。〃　Moore　dug　for　his　wallet　and　then　turned　to　go　back　into　the　hardware　supply。
　　〃Constable；〃　said　one　of　the　three　on　the　porch；　a　lanky　man　with　snowy　hair　and　teeth　clamped　around　the　bit　of　a　pipe。　〃What　happen'　to　that　boy　las'　night？〃　He　leaned　forward　in　his　chair；　and　Moore　stopped　where　he　was。
　　〃Never　you　mind　about　that；〃　Kip　told　him。
　　〃Is　it　true　what　they　say？〃　one　of　the　others　asked。　〃About　his　neck　bein'　broke　and　all　the　blood　gone　out　his　veins？〃
　　〃Whoever　told　you　that　has　got　one　hell　of　an　imagination。　I'd　have　to　go　far　to　think　up　a　better　one。〃　Kip　kept　his　voice　light　and　easy；　but　he　was　fooling　no　one；　the　old　men's　eyes　were　sharp　and　direct。　Moore　was　watching　him；　his　mouth　half…open　in　astonishment。
　　〃Dan　Miles　saw　the　body；〃　the　man　in　the　straw　hat　said。　〃He　say　somethin'　got　hold　o'　that　throat　an'。。。〃
　　〃Dan　Miles　drinks　too　much；　too；〃　Kip　said；　more　sharply　than　he'd　intended。　〃If　listening　to　lies　was　a　crime　I'd　throw　all　of　you　in　jail。〃
　　〃They　say　somethin'　e　out　the　jungle；〃　the　man　continued。　〃Mebbe　be　somethin'　nobody　got　the　right　to　see。　I　seen　a　jumbie　back　in　there　when　I　was　a　boy。　Him　a　mean　thin'；　a　tall　white　thin'　moved　so　fast　you　could　hardly　see。　Moved　with　the　wind；　and　the　wind　around　him　go　wheeooooo。。。　wheeooooo；　like　that。　I'd　seen　that　face　and　I　ain't　never　forgot。　Ugly　thin'；　with　bright　red　eyes　and　teeth　hangin'　out　the　mouth。　I　run　and　I　run　and　I　run　'cause　I　wasn't　s'posed　to　be　out　there　at　night；　you　know？　But　I　seen　that　face　and　I　ain't　never　forgot。〃
　　Kip　leaned　a　hand　against　a　porch　slat；　keeping　his　movements　casual。　〃No　such　things　as　jumbies。〃
　　〃I　seen　the　ghost　of　the　Ritter　woman　long　time　back；〃　the　first　man　who'd　spoken　added；　his　eyes　wider　and　brighter。　〃Damn　me　if　I　didn't　see　her　over　on　the　fishin'　wharf　where　her　man's　boat　used　to　lie。　She　wave　her　arms　at　me；　and　I　seen　the　stars　shinin'　through　her；　and　she　say　'Follow　me。　Follow　me。'　And　then　when　I　step　back；　she　walk　right　on　off　the　wharf　into　the　sea　and　she　gone。〃　He　looked　at　the　other　two　men；　and　they　nodded　appreciatively。
　　〃Kip；〃　Moore　said；　〃what　happened　last　night？〃
　　〃You'd　best　go　pay　your　bill；〃　the　constable　told　him。　〃Yarling's　been　known　to　get　mean。〃
　　〃Young　buck　name　o'　Turk　got　hisself　killed；〃　the　one　in　the　straw　hat　told　Moore；　sharing　the　secret。　〃It　happen'　over　in　the　yard　where　that　dam'　boat　be。　Thass　a　bad　thin'；　constable。　Unlucky　as　all　hell。　That　dead　boat　draw　the　jumbies　out　from　the　jungle；　and　they　all　flock　around　in　there　when　everybody　sleepin'　and　they　have　a　hell　of　a　party；　all　them　dead　thin's　together。　And　they　laugh　and　scream　and　roll　them　eyes　up　and　they　look　for　the　livin'　man　'cause　they　jealous；　and　they　hate　the　livin'　man　and　want　his　soul。　And　thass　what　happen'　to　that　young　Turk。〃
　　The　other　old　men　had　settled　back　in　their　chairs；　saying　nothing；　pipe　smoke　swirling　about　their　heads。
　　〃What　happened　last　night？〃　Moore　asked　again。
　　Kip　said；　〃e　over　to　my　office　when　you're　finished　here。　We've　got　things　to　talk　about。〃　He　glanced　again　at　the　men　on　the　porch　and　then　turned　away；　crossing　the　Square　toward　his　office。　Kip　went　inside；　drew　the　blinds；　and　brought　the　dead　man's　belongings　out　of　his　back　pocket；　laying　them　together　on　the　blotter　on　his　desk。　He　sat　down；　rolling　himself　a　cigarette；　and　then　snapped　on　his　desk　lamp。　Picking　up　each　item　in　turn；　he　examined　them　under　the　light；　when　he　came　to　the　rotten　cloth　he　felt　a　dull　throbbing　start　somewhere　inside　him；　at　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　He　traced　a　finger　along　the　ridges　of　yellow　fungus。　This　is　important；　he　told　himself；　but　I　don't　know　why。　This　is　important　and　I　can't　yet　understand　it。　And　deep　within　him；　in　the　hidden　recesses；　he　felt　the　brick　wall　tremble；　as　if　something　were　pushing　against　it　from　the　dark　side。
　　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　〃It's　open；　David；〃　Kip　said。
　　Moore　came　in　looking　puzzled　by　the　secrecy　and　intrigued　by　what　the　old　men　had　been　saying。　He　stepped　toward　Kip's　desk；　seeing　the　items　there　on　the　blotter。　〃What's　going　on？〃　he　asked　quietly；　noting　the　strained；　tired　look　in　his　friend's　eyes。
　　〃The　submarine　was　torched　open　early　this　morning；〃　Kip　said。　〃A　welder　for　Langstree　did　it；　a　crazy　fool　by　the　name　of　Turk。〃
　　〃Did　he　say　why？〃
　　Kip　gazed　at　Moore　through　a　blue　haze　of　cigarette　smoke　and　shook　his　head。　〃No。　Someone　beat　him　to　death　over　at　the　boatyard。　I　know　what　he　was　looking　for；　though；　because　just　yesterday　afternoon　he　was　rambling　on　about　gold　bars　and　a　wrecked　German　ship。　I　tell　you；　David；　someone　did　a　hell　of　a　job　on　him；　and　when　they　were　finished　the　rats　took　the　rest。　It's　possible　he　got　into　the　hulk；　found　something；　and　whoever　killed　him　took　it　away　from　him。〃　He　waved　at　the　items　on　the　blotter。　〃This　was　all　we　found　in　his　pockets；　and　this　scrap　of　filthy　cloth　was　gripped　in　his　hand。　Could　be　he　ripped　at　something　before　he　went　down。〃
　　Moore　was　speechless。　A　murder　on　Coquina　was　unbelievable；　there　had　never　been　a　murder　while　he'd　been　operating　the　Indigo　Inn。　Hell；　he'd　e　to　this　island　because　he'd　believed　it　was　set　apart　from　all　the　bitter　cruelties　of　men。　Now　he　realized　his　fantasy　was　just　that…a　ridiculous　dream。　〃How'd　he　get　into　the　boat？〃　he　asked　after　another　moment。
　　〃Torched　through　a　hatch　on　the　forward　deck；　just　in　front　of　the　main　gun。〃　Kip　put　the　items　into　a　plastic　bag；　he　sealed　it　and　put　the　bag　away　in　a　lower　drawer。　〃He　was　a　drifter；　maybe　he　had　enemies；　and　one　of　them　caught　up　with　him。　I　don't　know。〃　He　pulled　on　the　cigarette；　then　crushed　it　out　in　his　ashtray。　〃Anyway；　dead　men　tell　no　tales；　as　they　say。〃　He　pushed　his　chair　back　and　went　over　to　the　storage　cabinet；　unlocking　and　opening　it。　From　its　recesses　Kip　withdrew　a　flashlight　and　a　bull's…eye　lantern；　he　tossed　the　flashlight　to　Moore。　〃I'm　going　to　have　a　look　inside　the　U…boat。　Want　to　e　along？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Moore　said；　taking　a　deep　breath。　〃I'd　like　to　see　what's　in　there。〃
　　〃All　right；　then。　We'll　be　taking　a　chance　if　there're　live　explosives　in　it；　but　if　a　cutting　torch　didn't　blow　anything　to　hell　I　figure　it's　pretty　safe。〃　He　glanced　over　toward　the　gun　cabinet；　but　he　quickly　dismissed　the　idea。　What　was　there　to　arm　himself　against？　The　rats？　He　was　certain　the　shelter　was　filled　with　them；　but　they　certainly　weren't　man…killers。　For　God's　sake；　he　told　himself；　settle　down。　He　clicked　the　lantern　on　and　off　a　couple　of　times　to　check　the　battery　and　then　motioned　toward　Moore。　〃Let's　see　what　the　old　relic's　carrying；〃　he　said；　and　stepped　toward　the　doorway。
　　〃God　only　knows；〃　Moore　said。
　　Yes；　Kip　told　himself；　as　they　stepped　out　into　the　harsh　white　glare　of　the　sun's　eye　and　Kip　climbed　into　the　driver's　seat　of　the　jeep。
　　God　and　perhaps　one　other。
　　　
　　　Nine
　　
　　MOORE　COULD　FEEL　the　tension　radiating　from　Kip　as　they　passed　through　the　boatyard　gates'　broken　slats　and　drove　across　the　yard。　Kip　was　chewing　nervously　on　a　match　he'd　taken　from　his　breast　pocket。　When　they　came　around　a　lumber　pile　Moore　saw　the　other　man's　eyes　narrow　a　fraction。　There　was　the　shelter　and　the　delapidated　wharfs　just　ahead。　As　Kip　pulled　the　jeep　to　a　halt　alongside　the　shelter　Moore　himself　began　to　feel　uneasy；　he　stared　at　the　weathered　wall；　knowing　that　behind　it　was　the　thing　that　had　lured　him　down　to　the　depths。　It　had　broken　free　by　his　hand。　Violence　had　followed　it；　marring　forever　the　naive；　pure　pattern　of　life　on　Coquina。　Moore　thought　that　the　thing's　purpose…giving　death…had　somehow；　horribly；　been　revitalized。　And　he　had　brought　it　here。
　　Kip　climbed　out；　waving　a　hand　to　a　few　of　the　men　working　some　distance　away　on　a　storm…beaten　trawler　at　the　wharf's　end。
　　Turk's　frozen；　horrified　face　burned　at　the　back　of　his　brain。　He　could　see　every　detail；　and　for　the　first　time　in　a　very　long　while　he　realized　that　a　strange　and　vague　fear　crawled　inside　him。　What　was　it？　he　asked　himself。　There's　nothing　to　fear。　It's　irrational；　stupid；　childish。　But　something　bothered　him；　something　terrible；　something　he　did　not　want　to　think　about。　When　he　realized　Moore　was　standing　beside　him；　he　clicked　on　his　lantern　and　pushed　against　the　door。
　　It　swung　open　hesitantly；　on　rusted；　whining　hinges。　A　foul　darkness　lay　beyond　the　doorway；　as　if　they　stood　on　the　rim　of　day　and　were　about　to　cast　themselves　on　the　mercy　of　the　night　beyond。　The　Night　Boat；　Boniface　had　called　it；　Kip　thought　suddenly。　A　creature　of　the　night；　a　thing　that　used　the　darkness　as　a　defense。　They　stepped　through　into　the　shelter；　Moore　following　the　constable；　their　lights　leading　the　way。　A　wall　of　overpowering　stench　hit　them。
　　〃Jesus；〃　Kip　said。　〃This　bastard's　rotting　from　the　inside　out。〃　He　motioned　with　the　light　into　the　sheen　of　water　beneath　the　gangplank。　〃That's　where　I　found　the　man。　You'll　see　the　dried　blood　up　around　the　hatch　opening。〃
　　Moore　scanned　the　length　of　the　U…boat。　It　lay　entirely　in　the　darkness　except　for　the　stream　of　murky　light　that　flowed　down　from　the　roof　holes。　The　water　around　the　hull　was　oily　and　thick；　a　deep　emerald　green　in　which　a　few　bloated　fish　had　met　their　death。　Their　carcasses；　white　bellies　up；　bumped　against　the　iron；　and　each　slow　movement　scattered　flies　that　were　exploring　the　decaying　flesh。　A　chill　ran　up　Moore's　back；　he　could　imagine　the　terrible　rumble　of　the　boat's　diesels。　God；　he　thought；　what　a　machine　that　must　have　been；　gliding　through　the　deep　canyons　like　some　kind　of　sea　predator。
　　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Kip　said　quietly；　moving　his　light　past　Moore。　He　focused　the　beam　on　a　pile　of　timbers　that　lay　on　the　forwar