cc.floodtide-第6部分

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　the　fee　onto　your　groceries。〃　To　Colburn's　practiced　ear　the　accent　was　vaguely　southwestern。　〃The　eggs　are　fresh。　Laid　right　here　hi　town。　There's　a　sale　on　cans　of　Shamus　O'Malley's　stew。　And　the　smoked　salmon　and　the　elk　steaks　taste　like　they　came　from　heaven。〃
　
　For　the　first　time　a　hint　of　a　smile　crossed　the　stranger's　lips。　〃The　elk　steaks　and　the　salmon　sound　good；　but　I　think　I'll　pass　on　Mr。　O'Malley's　stew。〃
　
　After　nearly　fifteen　minutes　the　basket　was　full　and　set　on　the　counter　beside　an　antique　brass　cash　register。　Instead　of　the　usual　selection　of　canned　goods　picked　by　most　fishermen；　this　basket　was　filled　with　mostly　fruits　and　vegetables。
　
　〃You　must　be　planning　on　staying　awhile；〃　said　Colburn。　〃An　old　family　friend　loaned　me　his　cabin　on　the　lake。　You　probably　know　him。　His　name　is　Sam　Foley。〃
　〃I've　known　Sam　for　twenty　years。　His　cabin　is　the　only　one　that　damned　Chinaman　hasn't　bought　up；〃　Colburn　grumbled。
　〃Good　thing　too。　If　Sam　sells　out；　there　won't　be　an　access　for　fishermen　to　launch　their　boats　on　the　lake。〃
　〃I　wondered　why　most　of　the　cabins　looked　run…down　and　abandoned；　all　except　that　odd…looking　building。　The　one　on　the　north　side　of　the　lake　opposite　the　mouth　of　that　small　river　flowing　west。〃
　
　Colburn　spoke　as　he　rang　up　the　groceries。　〃Used　to　be　a　fish　cannery　back　in　the　forties　until　the　pany　went　broke。　The　Chinaman　picked　it　up　for　a　song　and　men　remodeled　it　into　a　fancy　mansion。　Even　built　a　nine…hole　golf　course。　Then　he　began　buying　every　piece　of　property　that　fronted　on　the　lake。　Your　friend；　Sam　Foley；　is　the　only　holdout。〃
　〃It　seems　half　the　population　of　Washington　and　British　Columbia　is　Chinese；〃　mented　the　stranger。
　〃The　Chinese　have　poured　into　the　Pacific　Northwest　like　a　flood　tide　since　the　munist　government　took　over　Hong　Kong。　They　already　own　half　of　downtown　Seattle　and　most　of　Vancouver。　No　telling　what　the　population　will　look　like　in　another　fifty　years。〃　Colburn　paused　and　punched　the　TOTAL　lever　on　the　cash　register。　〃With　the　fishing　permit；　that'll　be　seventy…nine…thirty…five。〃
　
　The　stranger　pulled　his　wallet　from　a　hip　pocket；　handed　Colburn　a　hundred…dollar　bill　and　waited　for　the　change。　〃The　Chinaman　you　mentioned…what　sort　of　business　is　he　in？〃
　〃All　I　heard　is　that　he's　a　wealthy　shipping　tycoon　from　Hong　Kong。〃　Colburn　began　sacking　the　groceries　while　gossiping　away。　〃Nobody　has　ever　seen　him。　Never　es　through　town。　Except　for　drivers　of　big　delivery　trucks；　nobody　goes　in　or　out。　Strange　goings…on；　if　you　ask　most　of　the　folks　around　here。　He　and　his　cronies　don't　fish　in　the　daytime。　You　can　only　hear　boat　motors　at　night；　and　they　don't　run　lights。　Harry　Daniels；　who　hunts　and　camps　along　the　river；　claims　he's　seen　an　odd…looking　work　boat　traveling　the　lake　after　midnight；　and　never　under　a　moon。〃
　
　〃Everybody　loves　a　good　mystery。〃
　〃If　I　can　do　anything　for　you　while　you're　in　the　neighborhood；　just　ask。　My　name's　Dick　Colburn。〃
　The　stranger　showed　white；　even　teeth　in　a　broad　grin。　〃Dirk　Pitt。〃
　〃You　be　from　California；　Mr。　Pitt？〃
　〃You'd　do　Professor　Henry　Higgins　proud；〃　said　Pitt　light…heartedly。　〃I　was　bom　and　grew　up　in　Southern　California；　but　for　the　past　fifteen　years　I've　lived　in　Washington。〃
　Colbum　began　to　smell　new　ground。　〃You　must　work　with　the　U。S。　government。〃
　〃The　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。　And　before　you　misreckon；　I　came　to　Orion　Lake　strictly　to　relax　and　unwind。　Nothing　more。〃
　〃If　you'll　pardon　me　for　saying　so；〃　said　Colburn　sympathetically；　〃you　look　like　a　man　who　could　use　some　rest。〃
　Pitt　grinned。　〃What　I　really　need　is　a　good　back　rub。〃
　〃Cindy　Elder。　She　tends　bar　over　at　the　Sockeye　Saloon　and　gives　a　great　massage。〃
　〃I'll　keep　her　in　mind。〃　Pitt　took　the　grocery　sacks　in　both　arms　and　headed　for　the　door。　Just　before　stepping　outside；　he　stopped　and　turned。　〃Out　of　curiosity；　Mr。　Colburn；　what　is　the　Chinaman's　name？〃
　Colburn　looked　at　Pitt；　trying　to　read　something　in　the　eyes　that　wasn't　there。　〃He　calls　himself　Shang；　Qin　Shang。〃
　〃Did　he　ever　say　why　he　purchased　the　old　canning　factory？〃
　〃Norman　Selby；　the　real…estate　agent　who　handled　the　trans…action；　said　Shang　wanted　a　secluded　area　on　water　to　build　a　fancy　retreat　where　he　could　entertain　affluent　clients。〃　Col…burn　paused　and　looked　positively　belligerent。　〃You　must　have　seen　what　he　did　to　a　perfectly　good　cannery。　Only　a　matter　of　time　before　the　State　Historical　mission　would　have　named　it　as　a　historic　site。　Shang　turned　it　into　a　cross　between　a　modern　office　building　and　a　pagoda。　An　abortion；　I　say；　a　damned　abortion。〃
　〃It　does　have　a　novel　look　about　it；〃　Pitt　agreed。　〃No　doubt　Shang；　as　a　neighborly　gesture；　invites　the　town　citizens　to　parties　and　golf　tournaments？〃
　〃Are　you　kidding？〃　said　Colburn；　venting　his　anger。　〃Shang　won't　even　allow　the　mayor　and　city　council　within　a　mile　of　his　property。　Would　you　believe　he　even　erected　a　ten…foot　chain…link　fence　with　barbwire　on　the　top　around　most　of　the　lake？〃
　〃Can　he　get　away　with　that？〃
　〃He　can　and　did；　by　buying　off　politicians。　He　can't　keep　people　off　the　lake。　It　belongs　to　the　state。　But　he　can　make　it　hard　for　them　to　get　on。〃
　〃Some　people　have　a　fetish　for　privacy；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Shang's　got　more　than　a　fetish。　Security　cameras　am　armed　goons　crawl　through　the　woods　all　around　the　place　Hunters　and　fishermen　who　accidentally　wander　too　close　art　hustled　off　the　land　and　treated　like　mon　criminals。〃
　〃I　must　remember　to　stay　on　my　side　of　the　lake。〃
　〃Probably　wouldn't　be　a　bad　idea。〃
　〃See　you　in　a　few　days；　Mr。　Colburn。〃
　〃e　again；　Mr。　Pitt。　Have　a　nice　day。〃
　
　Pitt　looked　up　at　the　sky。　Not　much　of　the　day　was　left。　The　late…afternoon　sun　was　partially　shaded　by　the　tops　of　the　fit　trees　rising　behind　Colburn's　store。　He　set　the　grocery　bags　on　the　rear　passenger　seat　of　his　rental　car　and　climbed　behind　the　wheel。　He　turned　the　ignition　key；　shifted　into　drive　and　pressed　the　accelerator。　Five　minutes　later；　he　turned　off　the　asphalt　highway　onto　a　dirt　road　leading　to　the　Foley　cabin　on　Orion　Lake。　For　two　miles　the　road　meandered　through　a　forest　of　cedar；　spruce　and　hemlock。
　
　At　the　end　of　a　quarter…mile　straight；　he　came　to　a　fork；　each　road　skirting　the　shore　of　the　lake　in　opposite　directions　until　meeting　up　again　on　the　far　side；　which　happened　to　be　Qin　Shang's　extravagant　retreat。　Pitt　could　not　help　but　agree　with　the　grocer's　description。　The　former　cannery　had　truly　been　transformed　into　an　architectural　miscarriage；　totally　inappropriate　for　a　beautiful　setting　on　an　alpine　lake。　It　was　as　though　the　builder　had　begun　a　modern　structure　of　copper…tinted　solar　glass　intermingled　with　exposed　steel　beams；　then　changed　his　mind　and　turned　it　over　to　a　fifteenth…century　Ming…dynasty　contractor　who　topped　the　building　with　a　golden　tile　roof　straight　off　the　majestic　Hall　of　Supreme　Harmony　in　the　Forbidden　City　at　Beijing。
　
　After　being　told　that　the　owner　was　cloistered　by　an　elaborate　security　system；　Pitt；　while　enjoying　the　solitude　of　the　lake；　now　assumed　his　movements　were　being　observed。　He　turned　onto　the　road　bearing　left　and　continued　for　another　half…mile　before　stopping　beside　a　wooden　stairway　leading　to　a　porch　that　ran　around　an　attractive　log　cabin　overlooking　the　lake。　He　remained　sitting　in　the　car　for　a　minute；　gazing　at　a　pair　of　deer　that　were　feeding　in　the　woods。
　
　The　soreness　had　gone　out　of　his　injuries；　and　he　could　exercise　movement　almost　as　well　as　he　could　before　the　tragedy。　The　cuts　and　burns　had　for　the　most　part　healed。　It　was　his　mind　and　emotions　that　were　taking　longer。
　
　He　was　ten　pounds　lighter　and　not　making　a　concerted　effort　at　putting　the　lost　weight　back　on。　He　felt　as　if　he　had　lost　all　sense　of　purpose。　It　was　a　case　of　actually　feeling　worse　than　he　looked。　But　deep　down　there　was　a　spark　that　was　fanned　by　an　inherent　urge　to　peer　into　the　unknown。　The　spark　burst　into　flame　soon　after　he　carried　the　groceries　inside　the　cabin　and　set　them　on　the　kitchen　sink。
　
　Something　did　not　seem　right。　He　couldn't　put　his　finger　on　it；　but　it　quietly　gnawed　at　his　mind；　some　unfathomable　sixth　sense　that　told　him　something　was　wrong。　He　stepped　into　the　living　room。　Nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　there。　He　cautiously　entered　the　bedroom；　glanced　around；　checked　the　closet　and　moved　into　the　bathroom。　And　then　he　had　it。　The　toiletry　items　from　his　shaving　kit…razor；　cologne；　toothbrush；　hairbrush…were　always　placed　in　neat　order　on　the　sink　after　he　arrived　at　his　destination。　They　were　right　where　he　had　set　them；　all　except　the　shaving　kit　itself。　He　distinctly　recalled　holding　it　by　the　outside　strap　and　pushing　it　onto　a　shelf。　Now　the　strap　was　facing　the　rear　wall。
　
　He　went　through　the　rooms　now；　carefully　studying　every　loose　object。　Somebody；　probably　more　than　one　person；　had　been　over　every　inch　of　the　cabin。　They　had　to　be　professionals　but　became　indifferent　when　they　concluded　that　the　resident　was　not　a　secret　agent　or　a　hired　assassin　but　merely　a　guest　of　the　cabin's　owner　enjoying　a　few　peaceful　days　of　relaxation。　From　the　time　Pitt　left　for　town　until　he　returned；　they　had　a　good　forty…five　minutes　to　do　the　job。　At　first　the　reason　behind　the　search　escaped　Pitt；　but　then　a　light　began　to　glow　in　the　dim　reaches　of　his　brain。
　
　There　had　to　be　something　else。　To　an　expert　spy　or　gold…badge　detective；　the　answer　would　be　immediately　transparent。　But　Pitt　was　neither。　A　former　Air　Force　pilot　and　longtime　special　projects　director　for　NUMA；　his　specialty　was　troubleshooting　the　agency's　underwater　projects；　not　undercover　investigation。　It　took　him　a　good　sixty　seconds　to　solve　the　dilemma。
　
　He　realized　that　the　search　was　secondary。　The　real　purpose　was　to　install　listening　devices　or　miniature　cameras。　Someone　doesn't　trust　me；　Pitt　thought。　And　that　someone　must　be　the　chief　of　Qin　Shang's　security　network。
　
　Because　listening　bugs　were　no　larger　than　pinheads　they　would　be　difficult　to　find　without　an　electronic　snooping　device。　But　since　Pitt　had　only　himself　to　talk　to；　he　decided　to　concentrate　on　the　cameras。　Assuming　he　was　under　surveillance　and　his