el.the miko-第58部分

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　〃You　threw　up　all　over　my　boat。〃　And　then　as　if　it　were　an　afterthought；　〃You　killed　a　man。〃
　He　looked　at　her　as　if　she　were　crazy。　〃He　would　have　killed　me　first　if　I'd　given　him　the　chance。〃　He　pointed　at　a　spot　on　the　deck　somewhere　between　them。　The　Red　Monster's　pistol　lay　there　like　a　gleaming　fish。　〃He　wanted　to　blow　my　brains　out。〃
　〃The　smell's　terrible；〃　she　said；　turning　away。
　〃Death's　like　that；〃　Croaker　said　archly；　but　he　reached　for　the　bailing　bucket　and　washed　his　vomit　down　the　scuppers　with　sea　water。　Then　he　picked　up　the　。357　Magnum　and　studied　it。　There　were　no　markings　and　the　serial　number　had　been　filed　off。　It　was　virgin　and　therefore　untraceable。
　She　began　to　shiver　now；　her　arms　crossed　over　her　breasts；　her　fingers　clutching　her　shoulders　with　such　force　they　turned　white。　Her　lips　were　working　as　if　she　might　be　praying。
　He　dropped　his　mask　and　flippers　on　deck；　got　out　of　his　gear；　resting　the　heavy　air　tank　against　the　railing。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now　that　you're　free？〃　he　said　softly。
　Alix　was　still　shivering。　〃What…〃　She　seemed　to　choke　on　her　words　and；　swallowing　hard；　had　to　begin　again。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　him？〃　She　inclined　her　head　but　did　not　look　at　the　corpse。
　〃He's　going　down　with　the　boat。〃　And　when　she　gave　him　a　sharp　look；　he　nodded。　〃The　boat's　a　write…off　now；　there's　no　other　way。〃
　〃There's　still　the　other　one。〃　Her　voice　was　very　small。
　Croaker　knew　she　was　talking　about　the　Blue　Monster。　〃The　sinking'll　throw　him　off　long　enough　for　you　to　get　out　of　the　state。〃
　It　was　obvious　that　she　had　been　listening　closely　because　she　turned　around　now　and　looked　him　full　in　the　face。
　　〃You　said　'me'　not　'we。'〃　He　nodded。　〃How　e？〃
　〃You've　already　been　in　prison　long　enough。　I'm　not　going　to　extend　your　stay。〃
　〃But　you　want　something　from　me；　that's　simple　enough　to　figure　out。　It's　why　I'm　here　with。。。　them。　It's　why　you　came　after　me。〃　Her　eyes　watched　his　face。
　Croaker　looked　away。　〃You　know　who　these　two　are？〃　She　shook　her　head　silently。　〃Where　they're　from？〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Who's　protecting　you？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃But　you　do　know　what　it　is　you're　not　supposed　to　divulge。〃　There　was　that　acid　tone　again。　He　grunted　when　he　got　no　response；　and　went　through　the　boat　very　methodically。　When　he　came　back　on　deck；　she　had　not　moved。
　He　pointed　to　the　Red　Monster。　〃This　guy's　got　no　name；　no　ID；　no　nothing。　He's　as　clean　as　a　pig　in　shit。〃　He　looked　at　her　for　any　kind　of　reaction。　Then；　reaching　down　for　one　of　the　Red　Monster's　hands；　said；　〃Except　for　this。〃
　Alix　gave　a　little　scream　as　he　peeled　what　looked　like　an　oval　of　skin　from　the　man's　fingertip。　He　repeated　this　process　nine　more　times　then　held　the　small　pile　in　his　palm。
　〃Know　what　these　are；　Alix？〃　She　shook　her　head　wildly。　〃They're　Idiots。　Idiots　are　print　changers。　Very　sophisticated　stuff。　I　mean　your　average　hood　on　the　street's　light…years　away　from　this　kind　of　equipment。〃　He　did　not　show　it　but　his　stomach　had　contracted　painfully　when　his　keen　eye　had　spotted　the　one　Idiot　beginning　to　flake　off。　At　first　he　could　not　believe　it；　but　now　he　was　ing　to　understand　that　that　was　because　he　had　not　wanted　to　believe　it。
　Entering　into　a　red　sector　with　preconceived　notions　was　just　about　the　worst　of　the　cardinal　sins　a　detective　could　mit。　And　Croaker　had　to　admit　that　that　was　what　he　had　done　from　the　outset。　His　mind　had　been　so　set　on　Tomkin　being　the　villain　that　no　other　possibility　had　entered　his　mind。
　But　now　with　the　evidence　of　the　Idiots；　the　lack　of　other　ID；　added　to　the　methodology　these　two　jailers　had　been　using；　Croaker　saw　another　possibility　forming　and　he　did　not　like　the　look　of　it　at　all。
　〃They're　disgusting；〃　Alix　said。　〃Take　them　away；　they　look　like　slugs。〃
　He　folded　the　Idiots　away；　came　across　the　deck　toward　her。　〃Alix；　who　the　hell　are　these　guys？〃
　〃I…I　don't　know。　I'm　not…〃　She　turned　her　head。　〃I'm　confused。　I　don't　know　what's　right　and　what's　wrong　anymore。〃
　He　saw　the　fear　and　shock　in　her　eyes　and　he　decided　not　to　pursue　it　at　once。　It　wasn't　doing　her　much　good　to　be　so　close　to　the　stiff。　He　weighed　anchor；　started　up　the　engine；　and　swung　the　boat　to　starboard；　heading　in　a　flat　arc　back　toward　his　own　craft。
　Once　there；　he　set　the　engine　in　neutral；　slung　the　anchor　onto　his　boat　to　keep　the　two　craft　linked；　and　climbed　over　the　rail　after　it。　He　turned　and　offered　Alix　his　hand。
　Slowly　she　unwound　and　as　if　in　a　trance　came　aboard　his　own　boat。　〃Why　don't　you　go　below　and　lie　down；〃　he　said；　gently　guiding　her　to　the　panionway。　〃Just　relax　for　a　bit。〃
　After　she　had　disappeared　he　went　to　work；　transferring　the　half…gallon　plastic　container　of　gas　to　Alix's　boat；　going　below…decks　with　it。　When　he　returned；　he　took　the　Red　Monster's　corpse　and；　using　his　fishing　knife；　cut　out　the　barbed　flechette　of　the　spear。　This　he　threw　overboard。　Then；　manhandling　the　body；　he　draped　it　over　the　wheel。
　Lastly；　he　took　the　fallen　Magnum　and　returned　belowdecks。　There　he　fired　three　shots　downward　through　the　hull。　Sea　water　began　to　ooze　up　through　the　rents。　Then　he　uncapped　the　plastic　container　and　drenched　the　cabin。　He　went　back　to　the　panionway　and　lit　a　match；　barely　escaping　the　sudden　whoosh　of　the　flames　greedily　eating　up　the　oxygen。
　Quickly　he　scrambled　up　onto　the　deck　and　drew　the　anchor　back　on　board；　wound　the　chain　around　the　Red　Monster's　ankles。　He　set　the　engine　at　full　throttle；　the　rudder　at　a　straight　course；　and；　the　container　in　one　hand；　jumped　overboard。
　It　was　an　easy　swim　back　to　his　own　boat　and；　climbing　on　board；　he　stowed　his　scuba　outfit　along　with　the　empty　plastic　container。　Then　he　went　belowdecks。
　Alix　was　lying　on　one　narrow　berth；　her　right　arm　flung　across　her　eyes。　She　heard　his　approach　and　her　lips　moved　slightly。　〃I　heard　noises。　They　sounded　a　little　like　shots。〃
　〃Your　engine　was　backfiring。〃　There　was　no　point　in　telling　her　any　of　it；　and　some　danger　in　it　as　well。
　〃It's　gone。〃　She　said　it　like　a　little　girl　of　her　favorite　Teddy　bear。
　〃It　was　part　of　the　price　of　your　freedom。〃
　Her　arm　came　away　from　her　face　and　she　looked　up　at　him。　〃Well；　I　never　paid　for　it。　It　wasn't　mine　anyway；　I　suppose。〃
　Croaker　nodded　and　came　to　sit　down　beside　her　on　the　opposing　bunk。　〃It's　about　your　friend；　Angela　Didion。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Alix　seemed　to　sigh。　〃It's　always　about　Angela。〃
　〃I　caught　the　squeal；〃　Croaker　said。　〃I　found　her　dead。　And　I　want　her　killer。〃
　Alix's　eyes　blinked。　〃Is　that　all　there　is　to　it？〃
　〃Someone　doesn't　want　me　to　find　the　murderer。　Bad。〃　He　hesitated　now；　on　the　brink　of　the　question　that　had　haunted　him　for　over　a　year；　the　question　that　had　sent　him　to　Matty　the　Mouth　for　information；　the　question　that　had　led　him　down　to　Key　West　when　he　had　been　warned　off　the　case　by　his　captain。
　His　throat　was　dry　and　he　felt　as　if　his　vocal　chords　were　in　spasm。　So　long　a　time　on　this　one；　such　a　dogged　determination。　And　now　the　answers　staring　at　him　out　of　jade　green　eyes　right　in　front　of　his　face。
　〃Was　it　Raphael　Tomkin　who　killed　her？〃　It　sounded　like　another's　voice　but　he　knew　it　was　his。
　〃Tomkin　was　there。〃
　〃That's　not　an　answer。〃
　For　a　long　time　she　stared　at　him；　trying　to　make　up　her　mind。　The　boat　rocked　gently　beneath　them　in　the　swells　and　the　vague　scent　of　dried　fish；　weeks　old；　still　lingered　over　the　swabbed　decks。　At　last　she　stirred；　moving　to　a　sitting　position。　〃We'll　make　a　deal；〃　she　whispered。　〃You　get　me　out　of　Florida；　you　get　me　to　a　place　where　I　know　I'll　be　safe…〃　She　paused　as　if　quivering　on　the　last　threshold。　〃And　I'll　tell　you　everything　I　know　about　Angela　Didion's　death。〃
　If　Minck　expected　a　reaction　from　his　guest；　he　was　sorely　disappointed。　Instead；　Nicholas　said；　〃This　department　is　concerned　with　Soviet　Russia。　How　does　it　e　to　be　entangled　with　the　Japanese？〃
　〃It　will　e　as　no　surprise　to　you　that　Japan　has　been　our　major　bulwark　against　munism　in　the　Far　East　ever　since　the　end　of　the　war。　We　have　been　putting　enormous　amounts　of　pressure　on　them　for　years　to　increase　their　defense　budget；　which；　I　might　add；　they　have　been　doing　slowly　but　surely。〃　He　shrugged。　〃That's　something。　And　this　year　they　have　agreed　to　allow　us　to　install　a　hundred　and　fifty　of　our　newest　supersonic　F…20　Tiger…shark　jet　fighters　at　the　naval　base　at　Misawa。〃
　This　conversation　had　begun　to　have　echoes　of　the　one　Nicholas　had　had　with　Tomkin　last　week。
　〃Our　latest　intelligence　puts　each　of　the　Kuriles　in　the　hands　of　a　minimum　of　two　divisions　of　mechanized　Soviet　infantry　apiece。　Twenty…eight　thousand　troops。　And　on　one　of　them　lies　a　Soviet　mand　post　capable　of　coordinating　the　activity　of　an　entire　army　corps。〃
　Minck　sat　forward。　〃There's　been　a　great　deal　of　coordinated　activity　going　on　there　ever　since　the　new　MIGs　arrived。　But；　personally；　I　don't　think　it's　related　to　the　supersonics。　Those　were　merely　brought　in　as　defense　against　our　F…20s。
　〃No；　if　our　growing　file　of　intelligence　is　correct；　it's　far　more　serious　than　that。　What　our　probing　suggests　is　a　confirmation　of　what　a　number　of　the　more　militant　Joint　Chiefs　have　been　concerned　about　for　a　while。〃
　Minck　took　a　sip　of　his　drink。　〃We　now　feel　that　this　troop　buildup　is　part　of　a　specific　program　to　create　a　military　curtain　in　that　part　of　the　globe　behind　which　Russian　submarines　carrying　long…range　ballistic　missiles　with　nuclear　warheads　capable　of　reaching　the　American　mainland　can　operate　without　fear　of　intervention。〃
　Nicholas　felt　chilled　despite　himself。　〃What　you're　talking　about　is　madness。　Global　madness。　We　would　all　die　in　an　instant　without　any　recognition。　Three…fourths　of　the　human　race　gone。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　believe　it。　Even　the　dinosaurs　did　better　than　that。〃
　〃The　dinosaurs　weren't　smart　enough　to　split　the　atom；〃　Minck　said　ironically。　〃So　you'd　better　begin　believing　it。〃　Nicholas　could　discern　a　spark　of　fire　in　his　eyes　now。　〃Because　that's　precisely　what　our　information　indicates　is　happening。〃
　For　a　time　Nicholas　said　nothing。　The　whir　of　the　automatic　sprinklers　could　be　heard；　doing　the　rain's　work。
　〃Surely　this　is　'Eyes　Only'　material；〃　he　said；　after　a　t