cc.iceberg-第25节

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　〃What　do　the　gauges　read？〃
　〃About　two…thirds　full。〃
　Sandecker's　mind　clicked　like　a　Burroughs　adding　machine。　〃Ample　for　our　purpose。　No　reason　to　conserve；　particularly　since　Rondheim　is　footing　the　bill。〃
　
　With　a　smug；　satisfied　expression　on　his　face；　he　jammed　the　throttles　against　their　stops。
　
　The　Grimsi　sat　down　on　her　stern　and　took　off　across　the　blue　wrinkled　sea；　her　bow　splitting　two　giant　sheets　of　spray。　Sandecker's　timing　left　something　to　be　desired。　Tidi　was　cautiously　climbing　the　ladder　from　the　galley；　balancing　a　tray　laden　with　three　cups　of　coffee　when　the　admiral　opened　up　the　Sterlings。　The　sudden　acceleration　caught　her　totally　off　guard　and　the　tray　flew　into　the　air　and　she　vanished　into　the　galley　as　though　jerked　backward　by　an　invisible　hand。　Neither　Pitt　nor　Sandecker　caught　the　vaudevillian　fall。
　
　Thirty　seconds　later　she　reappeared　in　the　wheelhouse；　her　head　thrown　back　in　anger。　her　hair　stringy　with　dampness；　her　blouse　stained　brown　by　coffee。
　〃Admiral　James　Sandecker；〃　she　shouted；　the　highpitched　voice　drowning　out　the　roar　of　the　Sterlings。
　〃When　we　get　back　to　our　hotel；　you　can　just　add　the　cost　of　a　new　blouse　and　a　trip　to　the　hairdresser　on　your　expense　account。〃
　
　Sandecker　and　Pitt　stared　at　Tidi　and　then　at　each　other　in　utter　unprehension。　〃I　could　have　scalded　myself　into　a　hospital；〃　Tidi　continued。　〃If　you　want　me　to　act　as　your　stewardess　on　this　voyage；　I　suggest　you　show　a　little　more　consideration。〃　With　that；　she　whirled　and　disappeared　into　the　galley。
　
　Sandecker's　eyebrows　came　together。　〃What　in　hell　was　that　all　about？〃
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃Women　rarely　offer　an　explanation。〃
　〃She's　too　young　for　menopause；〃　Sandecker　mumbled。　〃Must　be　on　her　period。〃
　
　Mentally　applauding；　Pitt　said；　〃Either　way；　it's　going　to　cost　you　a　blouse　and　a　'　Tidi's　hairdo。〃
　
　It　took　Tidi　ten　minutes　to　make　another　small　pot　of　coffee。　Considering　the　dip　of　The　Grimsi's　keel　as　it　soared　over　and　smacked　the　crests　of　the　swells；　it　was　a　professional　feat　of　dexterity　that　she　managed　to　climb　into　the　wheelhouse　without　spilling　a　drop　from　the　three　cups　she　clutched　with　dogged　determination。
　
　Pitt　couldn't　help　smiling　as　he　sipped　the　coffee　and　watched　the　indigo　blue　water　pass　under　the　old　boat。
　
　Then　he　thought　of　Hunnewell；　of　Fyrie；　of　Matajic；　of　O'Riley；　and　he　wasn't　smiting　any　longer。
　
　He　still　wasn't　smiling　as　he　watched　the　stylus　the　fathometer's　graph　zigzag　across　the　paper；　measuring　the　sea　floor。　The　bottom　showed　at　one　hundred　and　thirty　feet。　He　wasn't　smiling　now　because　somewhere　down　there　in　the　depths　was　an　airplane　with　a　dead　crew；　and　he　had　to　find　it。　If　luck　played　into　his　hands；　the　fathometer　would　register　an　irregular　hump　on　its　chart。
　
　He　took　his　cross　bearings　on　the　cliffs　and　hoped　for　the　best。
　〃Are　you　sure　of　your　search　pattern？〃　Sandecker　asked。
　〃Twenty　percent　certain；　eighty　percent　guesswork；〃　Pitt　answered。
　〃I　could　have　lowered　the　odds　if　I　had　the　Ulysses　as　a　checkpoint。〃
　〃Sorry；　I　didn't　know　yesterday　what　you　had　in　mind。　My　formal　request　for　salvage　was　acted　upon　only　a　few　hours　after　you　crashed。　The　Air　Force　airsea　rescue　squadron　on　Keflavik　picked　your　craft　out　of　the　surf　with　one　of　their　giant　helicopters。　You　have　to　give　them　credit。　They're　an　efficient　lot。〃
　〃Their　eagerness　is　going　to　cost　us；〃　Pitt　said。
　Sandecker　paused　to　make　a　course　change。　〃Have　you　checked　the　diving　gear？〃
　〃Yes；　it's　all　accounted　for。　Remind　me　to　buy　those　State　Department　people　at　the　consulate　a　drink　when　we　get　back。　Dressing　up　and　playing　bait　fishermen　took　a　bit　of　doing　on　such　short　notice。
　
　To　anyone　gawking　through　a　pair　of　navy　binoculars　it　could　have　only　looked　like　an　innocent　encounter。　The　diving　gear　was　slipped　on　board　so　smoothly　and　inconspicuously　while　you　were　going　through　the　routine　of　bait　buying　that　I　almost　missed　detecting　the　transfer　from　ten　feet　away。〃
　〃I　don't　like　the　action。　Diving　alone　invites　danger；　and　danger　invites　death。　I'll　have　you　know　I'm　not　in　the　habit　of　going　against　my　own　orders　and　allowing　one　of　my　men　to　dive　in　unknown　waters　without　the　proper　precautions。〃　Sandecker　shifted　from　one　foot　to　the　other。　He　was　going　against　his　better　judgment；　and　the　disfort　showed　clearly　in　his　expression。　〃What　do　you　hope　to　find　down　there　besides　a　broken　airplane　and　bloated　bodies？　How　do　you　know　someone　hasn't　already　beaten　us　to　it？〃
　〃There　is　an　outside　chance　that　the　bodies　may　carry　identification　that　might　point　to　the　man　behind　this　screwed…up　enigma。　This　factor　alone　makes　it　worth　an　attempt　to　find　the　remains。　What's　more　important　is　the　aircraft　itself。　All　identifying　numbers　and　insignia　were　hidden　under　black　paint；　leaving　nothing　recognizable　at　a　distance　except　a　silhouette。　That　plane；　Admiral；　is　the　only　positive　lead　we　have　to　Hunnewell's　and　Matajic's　murderer。　The　one　thing　black　paint　can't　cover　is　the　serial　number　of　an　engine；　at　least　not　on　the　turbine　casing　under　the　cowling。　If　we　find　the　plane；　and　if　I　can　retrieve　the　digits；　it　then　bees　a　simple　matter　to　contact　the　manufacturer；　trace　the　engine　to　the　plane；　and　from　there　to　the　owner。〃
　Pitt　hesitated　a　moment　to　make　an　adjustment　on　the　fathometer。　〃The　answer　to　your　second　question；〃　he　went　on；　〃is　no　way。〃
　〃You　seem　damned　sure　of　yourself；〃　Sandecker　said　mechanically。　〃As　much　as　I　hate　the　murderous　son…of…a…bitch；　I　still　give　him　credit　for　brains。　He'd　have　already　searched　for　his　missing　plane；　knowing　that　the　wreckage　could　give　him　away。〃
　〃True；　he　would　have　made　a　surface　search；　but　this　time…for　the　first　time…we　have　the　advantage。
　
　Nobody　witnessed　the　fight。　The　children　who　found　Hunnewell　and　me　on　the　beach　said　they　investigated　only　after　they　noticed　the　Ulysses　laying　in　the　surf…not　before。　And　the　fact　that　our　friendly　assassins　didn't　kill　us　when　they　had　an　ideal　opportunity　instead　of　arriving　at　the　doctor's　house　much　later；　proves　they　weren't　ground　observers。　To　sum　up；　I'm　the　only　survivor　who　knows　where　to　look…〃　Pitt　broke　off　suddenly；　his　eyes　concentrating　on　the　graph　and　stylus。　The　black　lines　began　widening　from　a　thin　waver　back　and　forth　across　the　paper　to　a　small　mountainlike　sweep　that　indicated　a　sudden　rise　of　eight　to　ten　feet　above　the　flat；　sandy　sea　floor。
　〃I　think　we've　found　it；〃　Pitt　said　calmly。　〃Circle　to　port　and　cross　our　wake　on　course　one…eight…five；　Admiral。〃
　
　Sandecker　spun　the　helm　and　made　a　two…hundred…and…seventy…degree　swing　to　the　south；　causing　The　Grimsi　to　rock　gently　as　it　passed　over　the　waves　of　its　own　wake。　This　time　the　stylus　took　lonszer　to　sweep　to　a　height　of　ten　feet　before　tapering　back　to…zero。
　〃What　depth？〃　Sandecker　asked。
　〃One　hundred　and　forty…five　feet；〃　Pitt　replied。
　〃Judging　from　the　indication；　we　just　passed　over　her　from　wing　tip　to　wing　tip。〃
　
　Minutes　later；　The　Grimsi　was　moored　over　the　reading　on　the　fathometer。　The　shore　was　nearly　a　mile　away；　the　great　cliffs　showing　off　their　gray　vertical　rock　more　distinctly　than　ever　under　the　northern　sun。
　
　At　the　same　time；　a　slight　breeze　sprang　up　and　began　to　ruffle　the　surface　of　the　rolling　water。　It　was　a　mild　warning；　a　signal　foretelling　the　beginning　of　rougher　weather　to　e。　With　the　breeze　a　state　of　chilling　apprehension　raised　the　hairs　on　Pitts　neck。　For　the　first　time　he　began　to　wonder　what　he　would　find　beneath　the　cold　Atlantic　waters。
　
　Chapter　10
　
　The　brilliant　blue　sky；　free　of　clouds；　allowed　the　sun　to　beat　down　and　turn　Pitts　black　neoprene　wet　suit　into　a　skintight　sauna　bath　as　he　checked　the　old　single…hose　U。S。　Diver's　Deepstar　regulator。　He　would　have　preferred　a　newer　model；　but　beggars　couldn't　be　choosy。
　
　He　considered　himself　lucky　that　one　of　the　young　consulate　members　made　a　sport　of　diving　and　had　the　equipment　on　hand。　He　attached　the　regulator　to　the　valve　of　an　air　bottle。　Two　single　tanks　were　all　he　could　scrounge。　Enough　for　fifteen　minutes'　diving；　and　even　that　was　stretching　precious　time　for　dives　to　one　hundred　and　forty　feet。　His　only　consolation　was　that　he　wouldn't　be　down　long　enough　to　worry　about　depression。
　
　His　last　look　of　The　Grimsi's　deck　before　the　bluegreen　water　closed　over　his　face　mask　was　of　Admiral　Sandecker　sitting　sleepily　with　fishing　pole　gripped　in　both　hands　and　Tidi；　dressed　in　Pitts　outlandish　clothes；　brown　hair　encased　in　the　knit　cap；　studiously　sketching　the　Icelandic　shoreline。　Shielded　from　anyone　watching　from　the　cliffs；　Pitt　slipped　over　the　side　behind　the　wheelhouse　and　became　a　part　of　the　sea's　vastness。　His　body　was　tense。　Without　a　diving　panion　there　was　no　margin　for　error。
　
　The　shock　of　the　icy　water　against　his　sweaty　body　nearly；　made　him　pass　out。　Using　the　anchor　line　as　a　guide；　he　followed　along　its　vanishing　outline；　leaving　his　air　bubbles　to　swirl　and　rise　lazily　to　the　surface。
　
　As　he　sank　deeper　and　deeper；　the　light　diminished　and　the　visibility　shortened。　He　checked　his　two　vital　references。　The　depth　gauge　read　ninety　feet　and