if.liveandletdie-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Bond　raised　his　head　above　the　back　of　the　chair　and　watched　the　parcel。
　'Tongtongtongtongtong。。。'
　The　muffled　gonging　went　on　for　half　a　minute；　then　it　started　to　slow　down。
　'tong　。　。　tong。。。　tong。。。　tong。。。tong。。。
　'C…R…A…C…K。。。'
　It　was　not　louder　than　a　12…bore　cartridge；　but　in　the　confined　space　it　was　an　impressive　explosion。
　The　parcel；　in　tatters；　had　fallen　to　the　ground。　The　glasses　and　bottles　on　the　sideboard　were　smashed　and　there　was　a　black　smudge　of　smoke　on　the　grey　wall　behind　them。　Some　pieces　of　glass　tinkled　on　to　the　floor。　There　was　a　strong　smell　of　gunpowder　in　the　room。
　Bond　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　He　went　to　the　window　and　opened　it。　Then　he　dialled　Dexter's　number。　He　spoke　levelly。
　'Pineapple。。。　No；　a　small　one。。。　only　some　glasses。。。　okay；　thanks。。。　of　course　not。。。　'bye。'
　He　skirted　the　debris；　walked　through　the　small　lobby　to　the　door　leading　into　the　passage；　opened　it；　hung　the　DON'T　DISTURB　sign　outside；　locked　it；　and　went　through　into　his　bedroom。
　By　the　time　he　had　finished　dressing　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door。
　'Who　is　it？〃　he　called。
　'Okay。　Dexter。'
　Dexter　hustled　in；　followed　by　a　sallow　young　man　with　a　black　box　under　his　arm。
　'Trippe；　from　Sabotage；'　announced　Dexter。
　They　shook　hands　and　the　young　man　at　once　went　on　his　knees　beside　the　charred　remnants　of　the　parcel。
　He　opened　his　box　and　took　out　some　rubber　gloves　and　a　handful　of　dentist's　forceps。　With　his　tools　he　painstakingly　extracted　small　bits　of　metal　and　glass　from　the　charred　parcel　and　laid　them　out　on　a　broad　sheet　of　blotting　paper　from　the　writing…desk。
　While　he　worked；　he　asked　Bond　what　had　happened。
　'About　a　half…minute　alarm？　I　see。　Hullo；　what's　this？'　He　delicately　extracted　a　small　aluminium　container　such　as　is　used　for　exposed　film。　He　put　it　aside。
　After　a　few　minutes　he　sat　up　on　his　haunches。
　'Half…minute　acid　capsule；'　he　announced。　'Broken　by　the　first　hammer…stroke　of　the　alarm。　Acid　eats　through　thin　copper　wire。　Thirty　seconds　later　wire　breaks；　releases　plunger　on　to　cap　of　this。'　He　held　up　the　base　of　a　cartridge。　'4…bore　elephant　gun。　Black　powder。　Blank。　No　shot。　Lucky　it　wasn't　a　grenade。　Plenty　of　room　in　the　parcel。　You'd　have　been　damaged。　Now　let's　have　a　look　at　this。'　He　picked　up　the　aluminium　cylinder；　unscrewed　it；　extracted　a　small　roll　of　paper；　and　unravelled　it　with　his　forceps。
　He　carefully　flattened　it　out　on　the　carpet；　holding　its　corners　down　with　four　tools　from　his　black　box。　It　contained　three　typewritten　sentences。　Bond　and　Dexter　bent　forward。
　'THE　HEART　OF　THIS　CLOCK　HAS　STOPPED　TICKING；'　they　read。　'THE　BEATS　OF　YOUR　OWN　HEART　ARE　NUMBERED；　I　KNOW　THAT　NUMBER　AND　I　HAVE　STARTED　TO　COUNT。'
　The　message　was　signed　'1234567。。。？'　They　stood　up。
　'Hm；'　said　Bond。　'Bogeyman　stuff。'
　'But　how　the　hell　did　he　know　you　were　here？'　asked　Dexter。
　Bond　told　him　of　the　black　sedan　on　55th　Street。
　'But　the　point　is；'　said　Bond；　'how　did　he　know　what　I　was　here　for？　Shows　he's　got　Washington　pretty　well　sewn　up。　Must　be　a　leak　the　size　of　the　Grand　Canyon　somewhere。'
　'Why　should　it　be　Washington？'　asked　Dexter　testily。　'Anyway；'　he　controlled　himself　with　a　forced　laugh；　'Hell　and　damnation。　Have　to　make　a　report　to　Headquarters　on　this。　So　long；　Mr。　Bond。　Glad　you　came　to　no　harm。'
　'Thanks；'　said　Bond。　'It　was　just　a　visiting…card。　I　must　return　the　pliment。'
　
　CHAPTER　IV
　THE　BIG　SWITCHBOARD
　
　WHEN　Dexter　and　his　colleague　had　gone；　taking　the　remains　of　the　bomb　with　them；　Bond　took　a　damp　towel　and　rubbed　the　smoke…mark　off　the　wall。　Then　he　rang　for　the　waiter　and；　without　explanation；　told　him　to　put　the　broken　glass　on　his　check　and　clear　away　the　breakfast　things。　Then　he　took　his　hat　and　coat　and　went　out　on　the　street。
　He　spent　the　morning　on　Fifth　Avenue　and　on　Broadway；　wandering　aimlessly；　gazing　into　the　shop　windows　and　watching　the　passing　crowds。　He　gradually　assimilated　the　casual　gait　and　manners　of　a　visitor　from　out　of　town；　and　when　he　tested　himself　out　in　a　few　shops　and　asked　the　way　of　several　people　he　found　that　nobody　looked　at　him　twice。
　He　had　a　typical　American　meal　at　an　eating　house　called　'Gloryfried　Ham…N…Eggs'　（'The　Eggs　We　Serve　Tomorrow　Are　Still　in　the　Hens'）　on　Lexington　Avenue　and　then　took　a　cab　downtown　to　police　headquarters；　where　he　was　due　to　meet　Leiter　and　Dexter　at　2。30。
　A　Lieutenant　Binswanger　of　Homicide；　a　suspicious　and　crusty　officer　in　his　late　forties；　announced　that　missioner　Monahan　had　said　that　they　were　to　have　plete　co…operation　from　the　Police　Department。　What　could　he　do　for　them？　They　examined　Mr。　Big's　police　record；　which　more　or　less　duplicated　Dexter's　information；　and　they　were　shown　the　records　and　photographs　of　most　of　his　known　associates。
　They　went　over　the　reports　of　the　US　Coastguard　Service　on　the　ings　and　goings　of　the　yacht　Secatur　and　also　the　ments　of　the　US　Customs　Service；　who　had　kept　a　close　watch　on　the　boat　each　time　she　had　docked　at　St。　Petersburg。
　These　confirmed　that　the　yacht　had　put　in　at　irregular　intervals　over　the　previous　six　months　and　that　she　always　tied　up　in　the　Port　of　St。　Petersburg　at　the　wharf　of　the　'Ourobouros　Worm　and　Bait　Shippers　Inc。'；　an　apparently　innocent　concern　whose　main　business　was　to　sell　live　bait　to　fishing　clubs　throughout　Florida；　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　and　further　afield。　The　pany　also　had　a　profitable　sideline　in　sea…shells　and　coral　for　interior　decoration；　and　a　further　sideline　in　tropical　aquarium　fish…particularly　rare　poisonous　species　for　the　research　departments　of　medical　and　chemical　foundations。
　According　to　the　proprietor；　a　Greek　sponge…fisher　from　the　neighbouring　Tarpon　Springs；　the　Secatur　did　big　business　with　his　pany；　bringing　in　cargoes　of　queen　conchs　and　other　shells　from　Jamaica　and　also　highly　prized　varieties　of　tropical　fish。　These　were　purchased　by　Ourobouros　Inc。；　stored　in　their　warehouse　and　sold　in　bulk　to　wholesalers　and　retailers　up　and　down　the　coast。　The　name　of　the　Greek　was　Papagos。　No　criminal　record。
　The　FBI；　with　the　help　of　Naval　Intelligence；　had　tried　listening　in　to　the　Secatur's　wireless。　But　she　kept　off　the　air　except　for　short　messages　before　she　sailed　from　Cuba　or　Jamaica　and　then　transmitted　en　clair　in　a　language　which　was　unknown　and　pletely　indecipherable。　The　last　notation　on　the　file　was　to　the　effect　that　the　operator　was　talking　in　'Language'；　the　secret　Voodoo　speech　only　used　by　initiates；　and　that　every　effort　would　be　made　to　hire　an　expert　from　Haiti　before　the　next　sailing。
　'More　gold　been　turning　up　lately；'　announced　Lieutenant　Binswanger　as　they　walked　back　to　his　office　from　the　Identification　Bureau　across　the　street。　'
　'Bout　a　hundred　coins　a　week　in　Harlem　and　New　York　alone。　Want　us　to　do　anything　about　it？　If　you're　right　and　these　are　mie　funds；　they　must　be　pulling　it　in　pretty　fast　while　we　sit　on　our　asses　doin'　nothing。'
　'Chief　says　to　lay　off；'　said　Dexter。　'Hope　we'll　see　some　action　before　long。'
　'Well；　the　case　is　all　yours；'　said　Binswanger　grudgingly。　'But　the　missioner　sure　don't　like　having　this　bastard　crappin'　away　on　his　own　front　doorstep　while　Mr。　Hoover　sits　down　in　Washington　well　to　leeward　of　the　stink。　Why　don't　we　pull　him　in　on　tax　evasion　or　misuse　of　the　mails　or　parkin'　in　front　of　a　hydrant　or　sumpn？　Take　him　down　to　the　Tombs　and　give'em　the　works？　If　the　Feds　won't　do　it；　we'd　be　glad　to　oblige。'
　'D'you　want　a　race　riot？'　objected　Dexter　sourly。　'There's　nothing　against　him　and　you　know　it；　and　we　know　it。　If　he　wasn't　sprung　in　half　an　hour　by　that　black　mouthpiece　of　his；　those　Voodoo　drums　would　start　beating　from　here　to　the　Deep　South。　When　they're　full　of　that　stuff　we　all　know　what　happens。　Remember　'35　and　'43？　You'd　have　to　call　out　the　Militia。　We　didn't　ask　for　the　case。　The　President　gave　it　us　and　we've　got　to　stick　with　it。'
　They　were　back　in　Binswanger's　drab　office。　They　picked　up　their　coats　and　hats。
　'Anyway；　thanks　for　the　help；　Lootenant；'　said　Dexter　with　forced　cordiality；　as　they　made　their　farewells。　'Been　most　valuable。'
　'You're　wele；'　said　Binswanger　stonily。　'Elevator's　to　your　right。'　He　closed　the　door　firmly　behind　them。
　Leiter　winked　at　Bond　behind　Dexter's　back。　They　rode　down　to　the　main　entrance　on　Centre　Street　in　silence。
　On　the　sidewalk；　Dexter　turned　to　them。
　'Had　some　instructions　from　Washington　this　morning；'　he　said　unemotionally。　'Seems　I'm　to　look　after　the　Harlem　end；　and　you　two　are　to　go　down　to　St。　Petersburg　tomorrow。　Leiter's　to　find　out　what　he　can　there　and　then　move　right　on　to　Jamaica　with　you；　Mr。　Bond。　That　is；'　he　added；　'if　you'd　care　to　have　him　along。　It's　your　territory。'
　'Of　course；'　said　Bond。　'I　was　going　to　ask　if　he　could　e　anyway。'
　'Fine；'　said　Dexter。　Then　I'll　tell　Washington　everything's　fixed。　Anything　else　I　can　do　for　you？　All　munications　with　FBI；　Washington；　of　course。　Leiter's　got　the　names　of　our　men　in　Florida；　knows　the　Signals　routine　and　so　forth。'
　'If　Leiter's　interested　and　if　you　don't　mind；'　said　Bond；　'I'd　like　very　much　to　get　up　to　Harlem　this　evening　and　have　a　look　round。　Might　help　to　have　some　idea　of　what　it　looks　li