alistairmaclean.seawitch-第6部分

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　〃The　Seawitch？　Yes。〃
　〃He　appears　to　be　under　the　impression　that　the　Seawitch　is　in　mortal　danger。　He　wants　protection。　Very　modest　in　his　demands；　as　bees　a　multimillionaire…a　missile　frigate　or　two；　some　missile　fighters　standing　by；　just　in　case。〃
　〃In　case　of　what？〃
　〃That's　the　question。　He　refused　to　say。　Just　said　he　had　secret　information…which；　in　fact；　wouldn't　surprise　me。　The　Lord　Worths　of　this　world　have　their　secret　agents　everywhere。〃
　〃You'd　better　level　with　us；〃　Mitchell　said。
　〃I've　told　you　all　I　know。　The　rest　is　surmise。　Calling　the　State　Department　means　that　there　are　foreign　countries　involved。　There　are　Soviet　naval　vessels　in　the　Caribbean　at　present。　The　State　Department　smells　an　international　incident　or　worse。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do？〃
　〃Not　much。　Just　to　find　out　Lord　Worth's　intended　movements　for　the　next　day　or　two：〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃And　if　we　refuse？　We　have　our　licenses　rescinded？〃
　〃I　am　not　a　corrupt　police　chief。　If　you　refuse；　you　can　just　forget　that　you　ever　saw　me。　But　I　thought　you　might　care　enough　about　Lord　Worth　to　help　protect　him　against　himself　or　the　consequences　of　any　rash　action　he　might　take。　I　thought　you　might　care　even　more　about　the　reactions　of　his　two　daughters　if　anything　were　to　happen　to　their　father。〃
　Mitchell　stood　up；　jerked　a　thumb；　〃The　door。　You　know　too　damn　much。〃
　〃Sit　down。〃　A　sudden…chill　asperity。　〃Don't　be　foolish：　it's　my　job　to　know　too　damn　much。　But　apart　from　Lord　Worth　and　his　family；　I　thought　you　might　have　some　little　concern　for　your　country's　welfare。〃
　Roomer　said：　〃Isn't　that　pitching　it　a　little　high？〃
　〃Very　possibly。　But　it　is　the　policy　of　the　State　Department；　the　Justice　Department　and　the　FBI　not　to　take　any　chances。〃
Roomer　said：　〃You're　putting　us　in　a　damned　awkward　situation。〃
　〃Don't　think　I　don't　appreciate　that。　I　know　Tve　put　you　on　a　spot　and　I'm　sorry；　but　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　resolve　that　particular　dilemma　yourselves。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃Thanks　for　dropping　this　little　problem　in　our　laps。　What　do　you　expect　us　to　do？　Go　to　Lord　Worth；　ask　him　why　he's　been　hollering　to　the　State　Department；　ask　him　what　he's　up　to　and　what　his　immediate　plans　are？〃
　Bentley　smiled。　〃Nothing　so　crude。　You　have　a　reputation…except；　of　course；　in　the　police　department…of　being；　in　the　street　phrase；　a　couple　of　slick　operators。　The　approach　is　up　to　you。〃　He　stood。　〃Keep　that　card　and　let　me　know　when　you　find　out　anything。　How　long　would　that　take；　do　you　think？〃
　Roomer　said：　〃A　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃A　couple　of　hours？〃　Even　Bentley　seemed　momentarily　taken　aback。　〃You　don't；　then；　require　an　invitation　to　visit　the　baronial　mansion？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Millionaires　do。〃
　〃We　aren't　even　thousandaires。〃
　〃It　makes　a　difference。　Well；　thank　you　very　much；　gentlemen。　Goodnight。〃
　After　Bentley's　departure　the　two　men　sat　for　a　couple　of　minutes　in　silence；　then　Mitchell　said：　〃We　play　it　both　ways？〃
　〃We　play　it　every　way。〃　Roomer　reached　for　a　phone；　dialed　a　number　and　asked　for　Lord　Worth。　He　had　to　identify　himself　before　he　was　put　through…Lord　Worth　was　a　man　who　respected　his　privacy。
　Roomer　said：　〃Lord　Worth？　Roomer。　Mitchell　and　I　have　something　to　discuss　with　you；　sir；　which　may　or　may　not　be　of　urgency　and　importance。　We　would　prefer　not　to　discuss　it　over　the　phone。〃　He　paused；　listened　for　a　few　moments；　murmured　a　thank　you　and　hung　up。
　〃He'll　see　us　right　away。　Says　to　park　the　car　in　the　lane。　Side　door。　Study。　Says　the　girls　have　gone　upstairs。〃
　〃Think　our　friend　Bentley　already　has　our　phone　tapped？〃
　〃Not　worth　his　FBI　salt　if　he　hasn't。〃
　Five　minutes　later；　car　parked　in　the　lane；　they　were　making　their　way　through　the　trees　to
　Sea　witch
　the　side　door。　Their　progress　was　observed　with　interest　by　Marina；　standing　by　the　window　in　。her　upstairs　bedroom。　She　looked　thoughtful　for　a　moment；　then　turned　and　unhurriedly　left　the　room。
　Lord　Worth　weled　the　two　men　in　his　study　and　securely　closed　the　padded　door　behind　them。　He　swung　open　the　doors　of　a　concealed　bar　and　poured　three　brandies。　There　were　times　when　one　rang　for　Jenkins　and　there　were　times　when　one　didn't。　He　lifted　his　glass。
　〃Health。　An　unexpected　pleasure。〃
　〃It's　no　pleasure　for　us；〃　Roomer　said　gloom…ay。
　〃Then　you　haven't　e　to　ask　me　for　my　daughters'　hands　in　marriage？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃No　such　luck。　John　here　is　better　at　explaining　these　things。〃
　〃What　things？〃
　〃We've　just　had　a　visit　from　a　senior　FBI　agent。〃　Roomer　handed　over　Bentley's　card。　〃There's　a　number　on　the　back　that　we're　to　ring　when　we've　extracted　some　information　from　you。〃
　〃How　very　interesting。〃　There　was　a　long　pause；　then　Lord　Worth　looked　at　each　man　in　turn。　〃What　kind　of　information？〃
　〃In　Bentley's　words；　you　have　been　making　'loud　noises'　to　the　State　Department。　According　to　them；　you　seem　to　think　that　the　　is　under　threat。　They　want　to　know　where　you　got　this　secret　information；　and　what　your　proposed　movements　are。〃
　〃Why　didn't　the　FBI　e　directly　to　me？'*
　〃Because　you　wouldn't　have　told　them　any　more　than　you　told　the　State　Department。　If；　that　is　to　say；　you'd　even　let　them　over　the　threshold　of　your　house。　But　they　know…Bentley　told　us　this…that　we　e　across　here　now　and　again；　so　I　suppose　they　figured　you'd　be　less　off　your　guard　with　us。〃
　〃So　Bentley　figures　that　you'd　craftily　wring　some　careless　talk　from　me　without　my　being　aware　that　I　was　talking　carelessly。〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃But　doesn't　this　put　you　in　a　somewhat　invidious　position？〃
　〃Not　really。〃
　〃But　you're　supposed　to　uphold　the　law；　no？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Mitchell　spoke　with　some　feeling。　〃But　not　organized　law。　Or　have　you　forgotten；　Lord　Worth；　that　we're　a　couple　of　ex…cops　because　we　wouldn't　go　along　with　your　so…called　organized　law？　Our　only　responsibility　is　to　our　clients。〃
　Tm　not　your　client。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Would　you　like　me　to　be　your　client？〃
　Roomer　said：　〃What　on　earth　for？〃
　〃It's　never　something　for　nothing　in　this　world；　John。　Services　have　to　be　rewarded。〃
　〃Failure　of　a　mission。〃　Mitchell　was　on　his　feet。　〃Nice　of　you　to　see　us；　Lord　Worth。〃
　〃I　apologize。〃　Lord　Worth　sounded　genuinely　contrite。　'Tm　afraid　I　rather　stepped　out　of　line　there。〃　He　paused　ruminatively；　then　smiled。　〃Just　trying　to　recall　when　last　I　apologized　to　anybody。　I　seem　to　have　a　short　memory。　BJess　my　lovely　daughters。　Information　for　our　friends　of　the　FBI？　First；　I　received　my　information　in　context　of　several　anonymous　threats…telephone　calls…on　the　lives　of　my　daughters。　A　double…barreled　threat；　if　you　will；　against　the　girls　if　I　didn't　stop　the　flow　of　oil。　As　they　pointed　out；　I　can't　hide　them　forever　and　there's　nothing　one　can　do　against　a　sniper's　bullet…and　if　I　were　too　difficult　they'd　have　the　Seawitch　blown　out　of　the　water。　As　for　my　future　movements；　I'm　going　out　to　the　Seawitch　tomorrow　afternoon　and　will　remain　there　for　twenty…four　hours；　perhaps　forty…eight。〃
　Roomer　said：　〃Any　truth　in　either　of　those　two　statements？〃
　〃Don't　be　preposterous。；　Of　course　not。　I　am　going　out　to　the　rig…but　before　dawn。　I　don't　want　those　beady…eyed　bandits　watching　me　from　the　undergrowth　at　my　heliport　as　I　take　off。〃
　〃You　are　referring　to　the　FBI；　sir？〃
　〃Who　else？　Will　that　do　for　the　moment？〃
　〃Splendidly。〃
　They　walked　back　to　　the　lane　in　silence。
　Roomer　got　in　behind　the　wheel　of　the　car；　Mitchell　beside　him。
　Roomer　said：　〃Well；　well；　well。〃
　〃Well；　as　you　say；　well；　well；　well。　Crafty　old　devil。〃
　Marina's　voice　came　from　the　back。　〃Crafty　he　may　be；　but…〃
　She　broke　off　in　a　gasp　as　Mitchell　whirled　hi　his　seat　and　Roomer　switched　on　his　interior　lights。　The　barrel　of　MitchelFs　。38　was　lined　up　between　her　eyes；　eyes　at　the　moment　wide　with　shock　and　fear。
　Mitchell　said　in　a　soft　voice：　〃Don't　ever　do　that　to　me　again。　Next　time　it　may　be　too　late。〃
　She　licked　her　lips。　She　was　normally　as　high…spirited　and　independent　as　she　was　beautiful；　but　it　is　a　rather　disconcerting　thing　to　look　down　the　muzzle　of　a　pistol　for　the　first　time　in　your　life。　〃I　was　just　going　to　say　that　he　may　be　crafty　but　he's　neither　old　nor　a　devil。　Will　you　please　put　that　gun　away？　You　don't　point　guns　at　people　you　love。〃
　MitchelTs　gun　disappeared。　He　said：　〃You　shouldn't　fall　in　love　with　crazy　young　fools。〃
　〃Or　spies。〃　Roomer　was　looking　at　Melinda。　〃What　are　you　two　doing　here？〃
　Melinda　was　more　posed　than　her　sister。　After　all；　she　hadn't　had　to　look　down　the　barrel　of　a　pistol。　She　said：　〃And　you；　John　Roomer；　are　a　crafty　young　devil。　You're　just　stalling　for　time。〃　Which　was　quite　true。
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means　you're　thinking　furiously　of　the　answer　to　the　same　question　we're　about　to　ask　you。　What　are　you　two　doing　here？〃
　〃That's　none　of　your　business。〃　Roomer's　normally　soft…spoken　voice　was　unaccustomedly　and　deliberately　harsh。
　There　was　a　silence　from　the　back　seat；　both　girls　realizing　that　there　was　more　to　the　men　than　they　had　thought；　and　the　gap　between　their　social　and　professional　lives　wider　than　they　had　thought。
　Mitchell　sighed。　〃Let's　cool　it；　John。　An　ungrateful　child　is　sharper　than　a　serpent's　tooth。〃
　〃Jesus！〃　Roomer　shook　his　head。　〃You　can　say　that　again。〃　He　hadn't　the　faintest　idea　what　Mitchell　was　talking　about。
　Mitchell　said：　〃Why　don't　you　go　to　your　father　and　ask　him？　I'm　sure　he'll　tell　you…　along　with　the　roughest　chewing…out　you've　ever　had　for　interfering　in　his　private　business。〃　He　got　out；　opened　the　rear　door；　waited　until　the　sisters　got　out；　closed　the　rear　door；　said　'Goodnight'　and　returned　to　his　seat；　leaving　the　girls　standing　uncertainly　at　the　side　of　the　road。
　Roomer　drove　off。　He　said：　〃Very　masterful；　though　I　didn't　like　our　doing　it。　God　knows；　they　meant　no　harm。　In　any　case；　it　may　stand　us　in　good　stead　in　the　future。〃
　〃It'll　stand　us　in　even　better　stead　if　we　get　to　the　phone　booth　right　around　the　corner　as　soon　as　we　can。〃
　They　reached　the　booth　in　fifteen　seconds；　and　one　minute　later　Mitchell　emerged　from　it。　As　he　took　his　seat　Roomer　said：　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃
　〃Sorry；　private　matter。〃　Mitchell　handed　Roomer　a　piece　of　paper。　Roomer　switc