if.liveandletdie-第25节

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　'Mr。　Bryce？　Mound　Park　Hospital　speaking；'　said　a　voice。　'Emergency　ward。　Doctor　Roberts。　We　have　a　Mr。　Leiter　here　who's　asking　for　you。　Can　you　e　right　over？'
　'God　Almighty；'　said　Bond；　gripped　with　fear。　'What's　the　matter　with　him。　Is　he　bad？'
　'Nothing　to　worry　about；'　said　the　voice。　'Automobile　accident。　Looks　like　a　hit…and…run　job。　Slight　concussion。　Can　you　e　over？　He　seems　to　want　you。'
　'Of　course；'　said　Bond；　relieved。　'Be　there　right　away。'
　Now　what　the　hell；　he　wondered　as　he　hurried　across　the　lawn。　Must　have　been　beaten　up　and　left　in　the　road。　On　the　whole；　Bond　was　glad　it　was　no　worse。
　As　they　turned　across　Treasure　Island　Causeway　an　ambulance　passed　them；　its　bell　clanging。
　More　trouble；　thought　Bond。　Don't　seem　to　be　able　to　move　without　running　into　it。
　They　crossed　St。　Petersburg　by　Central　Avenue　and　turned　right　down　the　road　he　and　Leiter　had　taken　the　day　before。　Bond's　suspicions　seemed　to　be　confirmed　when　he　found　the　hospital　was　only　a　couple　of　blocks　from　Ourobouros　Inc。
　Bond　paid　off　the　cab　and　ran　up　the　steps　of　the　impressive　building。　There　was　a　reception　desk　in　the　spacious　entrance　hall。　A　pretty　nurse　sat　at　the　desk　reading　the　ads　in　the　St。　Petersburg　Times。
　'Dr。　Roberts？'　inquired　Bond。
　'Dr。　which？'　asked　the　girl　looking　at　him　with　approval。
　'Dr。　Roberts；　Emergency　ward；'　said　Bond　impatiently。　'Patient　called　Leiter；　Felix　Leiter。　Brought　in　this　morning。'
　'No　doctor　called　Roberts　here；'　said　the　girl。　She　ran　a　finger　down　a　list　on　the　desk。　'And　no　patient　called　Leiter。　Just　a　moment　and　I'll　call　the　ward。　What　did　you　say　your　name　was？'
　'Bryce；'　said　Bond。　'John　Bryce。'　He　started　to　sweat　profusely　although　it　was　quite　cool　in　the　hall。　He　wiped　his　wet　hands　on　his　trousers；　fighting　to　keep　from　panic。　The　damn　girl　just　didn't　know　her　job。　Too　pretty　to　be　a　nurse。　Ought　to　have　someone　petent　on　the　desk。　He　ground　his　teeth　as　she　talked　cheerfully　into　the　telephone。
　She　put　down　the　receiver。　'I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Bryce。　Must　be　some　mistake。　No　cases　during　the　night　and　they've　never　heard　of　a　Dr。　Roberts　or　a　Mr。　Leiter。　Sure　you've　got　the　right　hospital？'
　Bond　turned　away　without　answering　her。　Wiping　the　sweat　from　his　forehead；　he　made　for　the　exit。
　The　girl　made　a　face　at　his　back　and　picked　up　her　paper。
　Mercifully；　a　cab　was　just　drawing　up　with　some　other　visitors。　Bond　took　it　and　told　the　driver　to　get　him　back　quick　to　The　Everglades。　All　he　knew　was　that　they　had　got　Leiter　and　had　wanted　to　draw　Bond　away　from　the　cottage。　Bond　couldn't　make　it　out；　but　he　knew　that　suddenly　everything　was　going　bad　on　them　and　that　the　initiative　was　back　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Big　and　his　machine。
　Mrs。　Stuyvesant　hurried　out　when　she　saw　him　leave　the　cab。
　'Your　poor　friend；'　she　said　without　sympathy。　'Really　he　should　be　more　careful。'
　'Yes；　Mrs。　Stuyvesant。　What　is　it？'　said　Bond　impatiently。
　'The　ambulance　came　just　after　you　left。'　The　woman's　eyes　were　gleaming　with　the　bad　news。　'Seems　Mr。　Leiter　was　in　an　accident　with　his　car。　They　had　to　carry　him　to　the　cottage　on　a　stretcher。　Such　a　nice　coloured　man　was　in　charge。　He　said　Mr。　Leiter　would　be　quite　all　right　but　he　mustn't　be　disturbed　on　any　account。　Poor　boy！　Face　all　covered　with　bandages。　They　said　they'd　make　him　fortable　and　a　doctor　would　be　ing　later。　If　there's　anything　I　can。。。'
　Bond　didn't　wait　for　more。　He　ran　down　the　lawn　to　the　cottage　and　dashed　through　the　lobby　into　Leiter's　room。
　There　was　the　shape　of　a　body　on　Leiter's　bed。　It　was　covered　with　a　sheet。　Over　the　face；　the　sheet　seemed　to　be　motionless。
　Bond　gritted　his　teeth　as　he　leant　over　the　bed。　Was　there　a　tiny　flutter　of　movement？
　Bond　snatched　the　shroud　down　from　the　face。　There　was　no　face。　Just　something　wrapped　round　and　round　with　dirty　bandages；　like　a　white　wasps'　nest。
　He　softly　pulled　the　sheet　down　further。　More　bandages；　still　more　roughly　wound；　with　wet　blood　seeping　through。　Then　the　top　of　a　sack　which　covered　the　lower　half　of　the　body。　Everything　soaked　in　blood。
　There　was　a　piece　of　paper　protruding　from　a　gap　in　the　bandages　where　the　mouth　should　have　been。
　Bond　pulled　it　away　and　leant　down。　There　was　the　faintest　whisper　of　breath　against　his　cheek。　He　snatched　up　the　bedside　telephone。　It　took　minutes　before　he　could　make　Tampa　understand。　Then　the　urgency　in　his　voice　got　through。　They　would　get　to　him　in　twenty　minutes。
　He　put　down　the　receiver　and　looked　vaguely　at　the　paper　in　his　hand。　It　was　a　rough　piece　of　white　wrapping　paper。　Scrawled　in　pencil　in　ragged　block　letters　were　the　words：
　HE　DISAGREED　WITH　SOMETHING　THAT　ATE　HIM
　And　underneath　in　brackets　：
　（P。S。　WE　HAVE　PLENTY　MORE　JOKES　AS　GOOD　AS　THIS）
　With　the　movements　of　a　sleep…walker；　Bond　put　the　piece　of　paper　down　on　the　bedside　table。　Then　he　turned　back　to　the　body　on　the　bed。　He　hardly　dared　touch　it　for　fear　that　the　tiny　fluttering　breath　would　suddenly　cease。　But　he　had　to　find　out　something。　His　fingers　worked　softly　at　the　bandages　on　top　of　the　head。　Soon　he　uncovered　some　of　the　strands　of　hair。　The　hair　was　wet　and　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　mouth。　There　was　a　salt　taste。　He　pulled　out　some　strands　of　hair　and　looked　closely　at　them。　There　was　no　more　doubt。
　He　saw　again　the　pale　straw…coloured　mop　that　used　to　hang　down　in　disarray　over　the　right　eye；　grey　and　humorous；　and　below　it　the　wry；　hawk…like　face　of　the　Texan　with　whom　he　had　shared　so　many　adventures。　He　thought　of　him　for　a　moment；　as　he　had　been。　Then　he　tucked　the　lock　of　hair　back　into　the　bandages　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　other　bed　and　quietly　watched　over　the　body　of　his　friend　and　wondered　how　much　of　it　could　be　saved。
　When　the　two　detectives　and　the　police　surgeon　arrived　he　told　them　all　he　knew　in　a　quiet　flat　voice。　Acting　on　what　Bond　had　already　told　them　on　the　telephone　they　had　sent　a　squad　car　down　to　The　Robber's　place　and　they　waited　for　a　report　while　the　surgeon　worked　next　door。
　He　was　finished　first。　He　came　back　into　the　sitting…room　looking　anxious。　Bond　jumped　to　his　feet。　The　police　surgeon　slumped　into　a　chair　and　looked　up　at　him。
　'I　think　he'll　live；'　he　said。　'But　it's　fifty…fifty。　They　certainly　did　a　job　on　the　poor　guy。　One　arm　gone。　Half　the　left　leg。　Face　in　a　mess；　but　only　superficial。　Darned　if　I　know　what　did　it。　Only　thing　I　can　think　of　is　an　animal　or　a　big　fish。　Something's　been　tearing　at　him。　Know　a　bit　more　when　I　can　get　him　to　the　hospital。　There'll　be　traces　left　from　the　teeth　of　whatever　it　was。　Ambulance　should　be　along　any　time。'
　They　sat　in　gloomy　silence。　The　telephone　rang　intermittently。　New　York；　Washington。　The　St。　Petersburg　Police　Department　wanted　to　know　what　the　hell　was　going　on　down　at　the　wharf　and　were　told　to　keep　out　of　the　case。　It　was　a　Federal　job。　Finally；　from　a　call…box；　there　was　the　lieutenant　in　charge　of　the　squad　car　reporting。
　They　had　been　over　The　Robber's　place　with　a　tooth…b。　Nothing　but　tanks　of　fish　and　bait　and　cases　of　coral　and　shells。　The　Robber　and　two　men　who　were　down　there　in　charge　of　the　pumps　and　the　water…heating　had　been　taken　in　custody　and　grilled　for　an　hour。　Their　alibis　had　been　checked　and　found　to　be　solid　as　the　Empire　State。　The　Robber　had　angrily　demanded　his　mouthpiece　and　when　the　lawyer　had　finally　been　allowed　to　get　to　them　they　had　been　automatically　sprung。　No　charge　and　no　evidence　to　base　one　on。　Dead…ends　everywhere　except　that　Leiter's　car　had　been　found　the　other　side　of　the　yacht　basin；　a　mile　away　from　the　wharf。　A　mass　of　fingerprints；　but　none　that　fitted　the　three　men。　Any　suggestions？
　'Keep　with　it；'　said　the　senior　man　in　the　cottage　who　had　introduced　himself　as　Captain　Franks。　'Be　along　presently。　Washington　says　we've　got　to　get　these　men　if　it's　the　last　thing　we　do。　Two　top　operatives　flying　down　tonight。　Time　to　get　co…operation　from　the　Police。　I'll　tell　'em　to　get　their　stoolies　working　in　Tampa。　This　isn't　only　a　St。　Petersburg　job。　'Bye　now。'
　It　was　three　o'clock。　The　police　ambulance　came　and　left　again　with　the　surgeon　and　the　body　that　was　so　near　to　death。　The　two　men　left。　They　promised　to　keep　in　touch。　They　were　anxious　to　know　Bond's　plans。　Bond　was　evasive。　Said　he'd　have　to　talk　to　Washington。　Meanwhile；　could　he　have　Leiter's　car？　Yes；　it　would　be　brought　round　directly　Records　had　finished　with　it。
　When　they　had　gone；　Bond　sat　lost　in　thought。　They　had　made　sandwiches　from　the　well…stocked　pantry　and　Bond　now　finished　these　and　had　a　stiff　drink。
　The　telephone　rang。　Long…distance。　Bond　found　himself　speaking　to　the　head　of　Leiter's　Section　of　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency。　The　gist　of　it　was　that　they'd　be　very　glad　if　Bond　would　move　on　to　Jamaica　at　once。　All　very　polite。　They　had　spoken　to　London；　who　had　agreed。　When　should　they　tell　London　that　Bond　would　arrive　in　Jamaica？
　Bond　knew　there　was　a　Transcarib　plane　via　Nassau　due　out　next　day。　He　said　he'd　be　taking　it。　Any　other　news？　Oh　yes；　said　the　CIA。　The　gentleman　from　Harlem　and　his　girl　friend　had　left　by　plane　for　Havana；　Cuba；　during　the　night。　Private　charter　from　a　little　place　up　the　East　coast　called　Vero　Beach。　Papers　were