cc.iceberg-第12节

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I　know。　After　that　you'll　have　to　draw　your　own　conclusions。〃
　〃You　could　have　leveled　with　me　sooner。〃
　〃Hardly；〃　Pitt　said。　〃As　captain　of　your　ship　you　have　full　authority。　You　even　have　the　power　to　disregard　or　challenge　orders　from　your　mandant　if　you　feel　they　endanger　your　crew　and　ship。　I　couldn't　take　a　chance。　We　had　to　give　you　a　snow　job　so　you'd　cooperate　fully。　Besides；　we　were　not　to　confide　in　anyone。　I'm　going　against　those　orders　right　now。〃
　〃Could　be　another　snow　job？〃
　〃Could　be；〃　Pitt　said；　grinning；　〃but　what's　the　percentage？　Hunnewell　and　I　have　nothing　more　to　gain。　We're　washing　our　hands　of　this　mess　and　heading　for　Iceland。〃
　〃You're　dropping　all　this　in　my　lap？〃
　〃Why　not？　Abandoned　and　drifting　derelicts　are　your　bag。　Remember　your　motto；　Semper　paratus；　always　prepared；　Coast　Guard　to　the　rescue　and　all　that。〃
　
　The　twisted　look　on　Koski's　face　was　priceless。　〃I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　just　stuck　to　the　facts　without　benefit　of　tawdry　remarks。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Pitt　said　calmly。　〃The　story　I　concocted　on　the　Catawaba　was　true　up　to　a　point…the　point　where　I　substituted　the　Novgorod　for　the　Lax。　Fyrie's　yacht；　of　course；　wasnt　carrying　classified　electronic　equipment；　or　any　other　clandestine　mechanical　devices　for　that　matter。　The　cargo　actually　consisted　of　eight　major…league　engineers　and　scientists　from　Fyrie　Mining　Limited；　who　were　on　their　way　to　New　York　to　open　secret　negotiations　with　two　of　our　government's　largest　defense　contractors。　Somewhere　on　board…probably　in　this　room…was　a　file　of　documents　containing　a　geological　survey　of　the　ocean　floor。　What　Fyrie's　research　team　bad　discovered　under　the　sea　or　where　remains　a　mystery。　This　information　was　vitally　important　to　a　great　number　of　people；　our　own　defense　department　desperately　yearned　to　get　their　hands　on　it。
　
　And　so　did　the　Russians；　they　pulled　out　all　stops　to　grab　it。〃
　〃The　last　statement　explains　a　great　deal；〃　said　Koski。
　〃Meaning？〃
　Koski　exchanged　knowing　looks　with　Dover。　〃We　were　one　of　the　ships　that　searched　for　the　Lax…it　was　the　Catawaba's　first　patrol。　Every　time　we　blinked　our　eyes；　we　found　ourselves　crossing　the　wake　of　a　Russian　vessel。　We　were　just　egotistical　enough　to　think　they　were　observing　our　search　patterns。　Now　it　turns　out　that　they　were　nosing　after　the　Lax　too。〃
　〃It　also　neatly　ties　in　with　the　reason　we　butted　in　on　your　show〃　said　Dover。　〃Ten　minutes　after　you　and　Dr。　Hunnewell　left　the　flight　pad；　we　received　a　message　from　Coast　Guard　Headquarters　warning　of　a　Russian　sub　patrolling　around　the　ice　pack。　We　tried　but　couldn't　raise　you…〃
　〃Small　wonder；〃　Pitt　interrupted。　〃It　was　essential　that　we　maintain　strict　radio　silence　once　we　headed　for　the　derelict。　I　took　the　precaution　of　switching　the　radio　off。　We　couldn't　transmit；　much　less　receive。〃
　〃After　mander　Koski　notified　headquarters　of　our　failure　to　contact　your　helicopter；〃　Dover　continued；　〃a　signal　came　through　hot　and　heavy　ordering　us　to　hightail　it　after　you　and　act　as　escort　in　case　the　sub　got　pushy。〃
　〃How　did　you　find　us？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃We　hadn't　passed　two　icebergs　before　we　snotted　that　yellow　copter　of　yours。　it　stood　out　like　a　canary　on　a　bedsheet。〃
　Pitt　and　Hunnewell　looked　at　each　other　and　began　laughing。
　〃What's　the　joke？〃　Koski　asked　curiously。
　〃Luck；　plain；　simple；　paradoxical　luck；〃　said　Pitt；　his　face　twisted　in　mirth。　〃We　flew　all　over　hell　for　three　hours　before　we　found　this　floating　ice　palace；　and　you　found　it　five　minutes　after　you　began　searching。〃　Pitt　then　briefly　told　Koski　and　Dover　about　the　iceberg　decoy　and　meeting　with　the　Russian　submarine。
　〃Good　Lord；〃　Dover　muttered。　〃Are　you　suggesting　that　we're　not　the　first　to　set　foot　on　the　iceberg？〃
　〃The　evidence　is　plain；〃　Pitt　said。　〃The　Ice　Patrol's　dyed　stain　has　been　chipped　away；　and　Hunnewell　and　I　found　footprints　in　nearly　every　cabin　of　the　ship。
　And　there's　more；　something　that　takes　the　whole　situation　out　of　the　mysterious　and　puts　it　in　the　category　of　the　macabre。〃
　〃The　fire？〃
　〃The　fire。〃
　〃Undoubtedly　accidental。　Fires　have　been　happening　on　ships　since　the　first　reed　boats　floated　down　the　Nile　thousand　of　years　ago。〃
　〃Murder　has　been　going　on　for　much　longer　than　that。〃
　〃Murder！〃　Koski　repeated　flatly。　〃You　did　say　murder？〃
　〃With　a　capital　M。〃
　〃Except　for　the　excessive　degree；　I've　observed　nothing　I　haven't　already　seen　On　at　least　eight　other　burned…out　ships　during　my　service　on　the　Coast　Guard…bodies；　stench；　devastation；　the　works。　In　your　honored　opinion　as　an　Air　Force　officer　what　makes　You　think　this　one　is　any　different？〃
　
　Pitt　ignored　Koski's　testy　remark　〃It's　all　too　perfect。　The　radio　operator　in　the　radio　room；　two　engineers　in　the　engine　room；　the　captain　and　a　mate　on　the　bridge；　the　passengers　in　either　their　staterooms　or　salon；　even　a　cook　in　the　galley；　everybody　exactly　where　he　should　be。　You　tell　me；　mander；　you're　the　expert。　What　in　hell　kind　of　a　fire　would　sweep　through　the　entire　ship；　roasting　everyone　to　a　crisp　without　their　making　the　slightest　attempt　at　selfpreservation？〃
　
　Koski　tugged　at　an　ear　thoughtfully。　〃No　hoses　are　scattered　in　the　passageways。　It's　apparent　no　one　tried　to　save　the　ship。〃
　〃The　nearest　body　to　the　fire　extinguisher　lies　twenty　feet　away。　The　crew　went　against　all　laws　of　human　nature　if　they　decided　at　the　last　minute　to　run　and　die　at　their　routine　duty　stations。　I　can't　imagine　a　cook　who　perferred　dying　in　his　galley　to　saving　his　life。〃
　〃That　still　proves　nothing。　Panic　could　have…〃
　〃What　does　it　take　to　convince　you；　mander…a　belt　in　the　bicuspids　with　a　baseball　bat？
　
　Explain　the　radio　operator。　He　died　at　his　set；　yet　it's　a　known　fact　that　a　Mayday　signal　was　never　received　from　the　Lax　or　any'other　ship　in　the　North　Atlantic　at　the　time。　Seems　a　bit　odd　that　he　couldn't　have　gotten　off　at　least　three　or　four　words　of　a　distress　call。〃
　〃Keep　going；〃　Koski　said　quietly。　His　piercing　eyes　had　an　interested　glint。
　
　Pitt　lit　a　cigarette　and　blew　a　long　cloud　of　blue　smoke　into　the　refrigerated　air；　and　he　seemed　to　deliberate　for　a　moment。　〃Let's　talk　about　the　condition　of　the　derelict。　You　said　it；　mander；　you've　never　seen　a　ship　gutted　as　badly　as　this　one。　Why？　It　was　carrying　no　explosives　or　flammable　cargo；　and　we　can　rule　out　the　fuel　tanks…they　caused　the　blaze　to　spread；　yes；　but　not　to　this　degree　on　the　opposite　end　of　the　ship。　Why　would　every　square　inch　burn　with　such　a　high　intensity？　The　hull　and　superstructure　are　steel。　And　besides　hoses　and　extinguishers；　the　Lax　had　a　sprinkler　system。〃　He　paused　and　pointed　at　two　misshapen　metal　fixtures　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　〃A　fire　at　sea　usually　starts　at　one　location；　the　engine　room；　or　a　cargo　hold；　or　a　storage　area；　and　then　spreads　from　partment　to　partment；　taking　hours　and　sometimes　days　to　fully　consume　a　ship。　I'll　bet　you　any　amount　you　care　to　cover　that　a　fire　investigator　would　scratch　his　head　and　cross　this　one　off　as　a　flash　fire；　one　that　totaled　out　the　entire　ship　within　a　matter　Of　minutes；　setting　a　new　record；　ignited　by　causes　or　persons　unknown。〃
　〃What　do　you　have　in　mind　for　the　cause？〃
　Pitt　said；　〃A　flamethrower。〃
　There　was　a　minute　of　appalled　silence。
　〃Do　you　realize　what　you're　suggesting？〃
　〃You're　damned　right　I　do；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Right　down　to　the　violent　blast　of　searing　flame；　the　hideous　swish　of　the　jets；　the　terrible　smoke　from　melted　flesh。
　〃Like　it　or　not；　a　flamethrower　is　the　logical　answer。〃
　They　were　all　listening　now　with　horrified　interest。
　Hunnewell　made　a　choking　noise　in　his　throat　as　if　he　were　going　to　be　sick　again。
　〃It's　outlandish；　unthinkable；〃　Koski　murmured。
　〃This　entire　setup　is　outlandish；〃　Pitt　said　evenly。
　
　Hunnewell　stared　at　Pitt　blankly。　〃I　can't　believe　that　everyone　stood　like　sheep　and　let　themselves　be　turned　into　human　torches。　〃Don't　you　see？〃　Pitt　said。　〃Our　fiendish　friend　somehow　either　drugged　or　poisoned　the　passengers　and　crew。　Probably　slipped　a　massive　dose　of　chloral　hydrate　into　their　food　or　drinks。〃
　〃They　all　could　have　been　shot；〃　Dover　ventured。
　〃I　studied　several　of　the　remains。〃　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃There　were　no　signs　of　bullets　or　shattered　bones。〃
　〃And　if　he　waited　until　they　were　all　knocked　out　by　the　POison…I　prefer　to　they　died　outrightscattered　them　around　the　ship；　and　then　went　from　partment　to　partment　with　a　flame　thrower。　。
　Koski　left　the　surmise　unplumbed。　〃But　what　then？　Where　did　the　killer　go　from　there？〃
　〃Before　attempting　to　answer　that　one；〃　Hunnewell　said　wearily；　〃I　wish　someone　would　kindly　explain　where　the　murderer　materialized　from　in　the　first　place。
　
　He　obviously　wasn't　one　of　the　passengers　or　crew。　…ne　Lax　sailed　with　fifteen　men；　and　it　burned　with　fifteen　men。　Logic　dictates　that　this　was　the　work　of　a　team　who　boarded　from　another　ship。〃
　〃Won't　work；〃　said　Koski…　〃Any　boarding　of　one　ship　by　another　requires　some　sort　of　radio　contact。
　Even　if　the　Lax　had　picked　up　survivors　from　a　phony　shipwreck；　the　captain　would　have　immediately　reported　it。〃　Koski　suddenly　smiled。　〃As　I　recall；　Fyrie's　last　message　asked　for　the　reserva