cc.floodtide-第31部分

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　〃CIA　informants　in　Sevastopol　report　that　the　ship's　destination　is　Hong　Kong；　where　the　final　interiors　and　furnishings　will　be　fitted　before　she　takes　on　passengers　for　voyages　in　and　around　port　cities　of　the　United　States。〃
　〃The　CIA　is　in　on　this？〃
　〃Every　investigative　agency　in　the　government　is　cooperating　with　INS　until　they　can　work　together　to　bring　the　situation　under　control。〃
　〃The　intercoastal　freighter；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Who　owns　and　operates　it？〃
　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking；〃　Sandecker　replied。　〃You　can　forget　any　connection　with　an　intelligence　agency。　The　vessel　is　privately　owned。　That's　all　I　can　tell　you。〃
　Giordino　exhaled　a　large　blue　cloud　of　cigar　smoke　toward　a　tank　full　of　fish。　〃There　must　be　over　a　thousand　miles　of　water　between　Manila　and　Hong　Kong。　Any　old　tramp　steamer　I've　ever　seen　seldom　made　more　than　eight　or　nine　knots。　We're　looking　at　a　voyage　of　almost　five　days。　Do　we　have　the　luxury　of　that　much　time？〃
　〃You'll　be　docked　in　Hong　Kong　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　United　States　and　staring　up　at　her　keel　within　forty…eight　hours　after　leaving　the　Philippines；〃　answered　San…decker。
　
　〃That；〃　said　Giordino；　his　eyebrows　raised　in　skepticism；　〃should　prove　interesting。〃
　
　
　IT　WAS　ELEVEN　O'CLOCK　IN　THE　EVENING；　PHILIPPINES　TIME；　when　Pitt　and　Giordino　stepped　off　a　mercial　flight　from　Seattle；　passed　through　customs　and　entered　the　main　terminal　lobby　of　the　Ninoy　Aquino　International　Airport。　Off　to　the　side　of　a　milling　crowd　they　found　a　man　holding　a　crudely　lettered　cardboard　sign。　Placards　in　the　hands　of　greeters　usually　advertised　the　names　of　arriving　passengers。　This　one　simply　said　SMITH。
　
　He　was　a　great　slob　of　a　man。　He　might　have　been　an　Olympic　weight　lifter　at　one　time；　but　his　body　had　gone　to　seed　and　his　stomach　had　grown　into　an　immense　watermelon。　It　sagged　and　hung　over　a　pair　of　soiled　pants　and　an　over…stressed　leather　belt　three　sizes　too　small。　The　face　appeared　scarred　from　dozens　of　fights；　and　his　great　hooked　nose　had　been　broken　so　often　it　veered　to　one　side　across　the　left　cheek。　Stubble　covered　the　lips　and　chin。　It　was　difficult　to　tell　whether　his　eyes　looked　bloodshot　from　too　much　booze　or　too　little　sleep。　The　black　hair　was　plastered　over　his　head　like　some　kind　of　greasy　skullcap；　and　the　teeth　were　irregular　and　yellow。　His　biceps　and　forearms　seemed　remarkably　taut　and　muscled　in　parison　with　the　rest　of　him；　and　were　laden　with　tattoos。　He　wore　a　grimy　yachtsman's　cap　and　dingy　coveralls。　〃Shiver　me　timbers；〃　muttered　Giordino；　〃if　it　isn't　old　Blackboard　hisself。〃
　
　Pitt　walked　up　to　the　mangy　derelict　and　said；　〃Good　of　you　to　meet　us；　Mr。　Smith。〃
　
　〃Happy　to　have　you　aboard；〃　Smith　said　with　a　cheerful　smile。　〃The　captain's　expecting　you。〃
　
　Carrying　only　a　few　articles　of　underwear；　toiletries　and　work　shirts　and　pants　picked　up　at　a　surplus　store　on　the　way　to　the　Seattle　airport；　and　all　stuffed　in　a　pair　of　small　carry…on　tote　bags；　Pitt　and　Giordino　had　no　reason　to　wait　at　the　baggage　carousel。　They　fell　in　behind　Smith　and　walked　out　of　the　terminal　into　the　airport　parking　lot。　Smith　stopped　at　a　Toyota　van　that　looked　as　if　it　spent　its　life　in　endurance　runs　around　the　Himalayan　Mountains。　Half　the　windows　were　broken　out　and　taped　closed　with　plywood　boards。　The　body　paint　was　faded　to　the　primer；　and　the　rocker　panels　were　rusted　away。　Pitt　observed　the　deeply　treaded　off…road　tires　and　listened　with　interest　to　the　throaty　roar　of　a　powerful　engine　as　it　immediately　kicked　to　life　when　Smith　pressed　the　starter。
　
　The　van　moved　off　with　Pitt　and　Giordino　sitting　on　the　torn　and　worn　vinyl　upholstery。　Pitt　lightly　prodded　his　friend　with　his　elbow　to　get　his　attention　and　spoke　loud　enough　for　the　driver　to　hear。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Giordino；　is　it　true　you're　a　very　observant　person？〃
　
　〃That　I　am；〃　Giordino　came　back；　picking　up　Pitt's　intent　instantly。　〃Nothing　escapes　me。　And　let　us　not　forget　you；　Mr。　Pitt。　Your　powers　of　prognostication　are　also　world…renowned。　Would　you　like　to　demonstrate　your　talents？〃　〃I　would　indeed。〃
　〃Let　me　begin　by　asking；　what　do　you　make　of　this　vehicle？〃
　〃I　have　to　say　it　looks　like　a　prop　out　of　a　Hollywood　movie　that　no　self…respecting　hippie　would　be　caught　dead　in；　and　yet　it　sports　expensive　tires　and　an　engine　that　puts　out　around　four　hundred　horsepower。　Most　peculiar；　wouldn't　you　say？〃　〃Very　astute；　Mr。　Pitt。　My　vision　exactly。〃　〃And　you；　Mr。　Giordino。　What　does　your　remarkable　insight　see　in　our　bon　vivant　driver？〃
　〃A　man　obsessed　with　chicanery；　skulduggery　and　connivery；　in　short；　a　rip…off　artist。〃　Giordino　was　in　his　element　and　on　the　verge　of　getting　carried　away。　〃Have　you　noticed　his　bulging　stomach？〃
　〃A　poorly　positioned　pillow？〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Giordino　exclaimed　as　if　it　were　a　revelation。　〃Then　there　are　the　scars　on　the　face　and　the　flattened　nose。〃
　〃Poorly　applied　makeup？〃　Pitt　asked　innocently。
　〃There's　no　fooling　you；　is　there？〃　The　driver's　ugly　face　twisted　in　a　scowl　through　the　rearview　mirror；　but　there　was　no　stopping　Giordino。　〃Of　course　you　caught　the　hairpiece　floating　in　pomade。〃
　〃I　most　certainly　did。〃
　〃How　do　you　read　his　tattoos？〃
　〃Inscribed　by　pen　and　ink？〃　offered　Pitt。
　Giordino　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　disappointed　in　you；　Mr。　Pitt。　Stencils。　Any　apprentice　remote　viewer　would　envision　them　being　stenciled　on　the　skin。〃
　〃I　stand　rebuked。〃
　Unable　to　remain　quiet；　the　driver　snapped　over　his　shoulder。　〃You　two　pretty　boys　think　you're　smart。〃
　〃We　do　what　we　can；〃　said　Pitt　lightly。
　
　Having　done　their　dirty　work　and　advertised　the　fact　that　they　had　not　fallen　off　a　pumpkin　wagon；　Pitt　and　Giordino　remained　silent　as　the　van　drove　onto　a　pier　of　a　shipping　terminal。　Smith　dodged　around　huge　overhead　cranes　and　stacked　freight；　finally　stopping　opposite　an　opening　in　a　railing　along　the　pier's　edge。　Without　a　word　of　instruction；　he　stepped　from　the　vehicle　and　walked　toward　a　ramp　leading　to　a　launch　that　was　tied　to　a　small　floating　dock。　The　two　NUMA　men　obediently　followed　and　climbed　into　the　launch。　The　sailor　standing　at　the　helm　in　the　stern　of　the　boat　was　a　concert　in　black…black　pants；　black　T…shirt　and　black　stocking　cap　pulled　down　over　the　ears　despite　the　tropical　heat　and　humidity。
　
　The　launch　eased　away　from　the　wooden　pilings　and　turned　her　bow　toward　a　ship　that　lay　anchored　about　two…thirds　of　a　mile　from　the　terminal。　Around　her　were　the　lights　from　other　ships　waiting　for　their　turn　to　load　or　unload　cargo　under　the　great　cranes。　The　atmosphere　was　as　clear　as　cut　glass；　and　far　across　Manila　Bay　the　colored　lights　of　fishing　boats　sparkled　like　gemstones　against　the　black　sky。
　
　The　shape　of　the　ship　began　to　rise　in　the　night；　and　Pitt　could　see　that　she　was　not　the　typical　tramp　steamer　that　plowed　the　South　Seas　from　island　to　island。　He　correctly　identified　her　as　a　Pacific　Coast　lumber　hauler　with　clean；　unencumbered　holds　and　no　amidships　superstructure。　Her　engine　room　was　in　the　stern　below　the　crew's　quarters。　A　single　stack　rose　just　aft　of　the　wheelhouse　and　behind　it；　a　tall　mast。　A　second；　smaller　mast　rose　from　the　forecastle　on　the　bow。　Pitt　guessed　her　at　somewhere　between　four　and　five　thousand　tons　with　a　length　of　just　under　three　hundred　feet　and　a　forty…five…foot　beam。　A　vessel　her　size　could　have　carried　nearly　three　million　board　feet　of　lumber。　Her　time　had　long　e　and　gone。　Her　sister　ships；　which　had　carried　the　product　of　saw　mills；　had　settled　into　the　silt　of　the　boneyard　almost　fifty　years　earlier；　having　been　replaced　by　more　modern　towboats　and　barges。
　
　〃What's　her　name？〃　Pitt　asked　Smith。
　〃The　Oregon。〃
　〃I　imagine　she　carried　a　goodly　amount　of　lumber　in　her　day。〃
　Smith　looked　at　Pitt　across　the　launch；　inspecting　him　closely。　〃How　could　a　pretty　boy　like　you　know　that？〃
　〃When　my　father　was　a　young　man；　he　crewed　on　a　lumber　ship。　He　made　ten　runs　between　San　Diego　and　Portland　before　finishing　college。　He　has　a　picture　of　the　ship　on　his　office　wall。〃
　〃The　Oregon　sailed　from　Vancouver　to　San　Francisco　for　close　to　twenty…five　years　before　she　was　retired。〃
　〃I　wonder　when　she　was　built。〃
　〃Long　before　you　or　I　were　born；〃　said　Smith。
　The　helmsman　swung　the　launch　alongside　the　hull；　once　painted　a　dark　orange　but　now　discolored　by　rust；　as　revealed　by　the　running　lights　on　the　masts　and　the　glow　from　the　starboard　navigation　light。　There　was　no　gangway；　only　a　rope　boarding　ladder　with　wood　rungs。
　
　〃After　you；　pretty　boy；〃　said　Smith；　gesturing　topside。
　
　Pitt　went　first；　trailed　by　Giordino。　On　the　way　up；　Pitt　wiped　his　fingers　across　a　large　scale　of　rust。　The　patch　felt　smooth；　and　no　smudge　dirtied　his　fingertips。　The　hatches　on　the　deck　were　closed　and　the　cargo　booms　sloppily　stowed。　Several　large　wooden　crates　stacked　on　the　deck　looked　like　they　had　been　secured　by　untrained　chimpanzees。　To　all　appearances　the　crew　ran　what　was　often　called　〃a　loose　ship。〃　None　of　them　were　seen；　and　the　decks　seemed　deserted。　The　only　indication　of　life　was　a　radio　playing　a　Strauss　waltz。　The　music　was　inconsistent　with　the　ship's　overall　appearance。　Pitt　thought　an　ode　to　a　trash　dump　would　have　been　more　appropriate。　He　saw　no　sign　of　the　Sea　Dog　II。　〃Did　our　submersible　arrive？〃　Pitt　asked　Smith。　〃She's　stowed　in　that　large　crate　just　behind　the　forecastle。〃　〃Which　way　to　the　captain's　cabin？〃　The　mangy　escort　lifted　a　plate　in　the　deck　that　revealed　a　ladder　leading　into　what　seemed　a　cargo　partment。　〃You'll　find　him　down　there。〃
　
　〃Ship　captains　aren't　generally　quartered　in　concealed　partments。〃　Pitt　looked　up　at　the　superstructure　on　the　stern。　〃On　any　ship　I've　known　the　captain's　cabin　is　below　the　wheelhouse。〃
　
　〃Down　there；　pretty　boy；〃　Smith　repeated。　〃What　in　hell　has　Sandecker　gotten　us　into；〃　murmured　Giordino　suspiciously　as　he　turned　his　back　to　Pitt's　and　instinctively　went　into　a　fighting　crouch。
　
　Calmly；　as　if　it　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world；　Pitt　laid　his　tote　bag　on　the　deck；　unzipped　a　pocket　and　retrieved　his　old　。45　Colt。　Before　Smith　knew　what　was　happening　the　muzzle　was　jammed　under　his　chin。　〃Forgive　me　for　not　mentioning　it；　b