cc.vixen03-第38节

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hat　did　you　expect　to　find　inside　the　canisters？　Old　atomic　bombs；　perhaps？　I　can　only　envision　the　backbreaking　work　it　took　for　two　men　nearing　seventy　to　dive　in　frigid　waters　and　wrench　weights　of　two　thousand　pounds　from　the　lake　depths　to　shore。　I　give　you　both　credit　for　guts。　I　can　only　hope　I'm　in　half　the　physical　shape　when　I　reach　your　age。〃
　〃Not　so　tough。〃　Lee　smiled；　he　seemed　to　have　no　fear　of　Pitt　at　all。　〃Once　Charlie　devised　a　small　explosive　charge　to　enlarge　the　already　cracked　opening　on　the　fuselage；　it　was　a　simple　matter　for　me　to　attach　a　cable　to　a　canister　while　he　towed　it　to　shore　with　the　four…wheel…drive。〃
　〃Where　there's　a　will；〃　Pitt　said。　〃What　then；　Lee？　Once　the　canister　was　removed；　it　was　obvious　to　an　ex…Navy　man　and　a　former　de…molitions　expert　that　you　were　looking　at　a　prize　that　could　have　only　warmed　the　cockles　of　an　old　battleship　admiral's　heart。　But　what　was　the　value　at　today's　prices？　What　was　the　demand　for　an　outdated　naval　shell；　except　for　scrap？〃
　Lee　Raferty　casually　resumed　filing　the　rough　edges　of　the　pipe。　〃Pretty　slick　guesswork；　Mr。　Pitt。　I　admit　it。　Not　one　hundred　percent；　mind　you；　but　a　passing　grade。　You　underestimated　a　pair　of　foxy　veterans；　though。　Hell；　we　knew　them　things　in　the　canisters　weren't　armor…piercing　projectiles　the　minute　we　laid　eyes　on　one。　Took　Charlie　all　of　ten　minutes　to　peg　it　as　a　poison…gas　carrier。〃
　Pitt　was　stunned。　Two　old　men　had　made　fools　of　them　all。　〃How？〃　he　asked　tersely。
　〃Outwardly　it　looked　like　standard　naval　ordnance；　but　we　saw　it　was　rigged　the　same　as　a　star　shell。　You　know　the　kind：　after　reaching　a　preset　altitude；　a　parachute　is　released　while　a　small　explosive　charge　splits　the　head；　igniting　a　wad　of　phosphorus。　Except　this　devil　was　set　to　unleash　a　bundle　of　tiny　bomblets　filled　with　lethal　gas　instead。〃
　〃Charlie　figured　they　contained　gas　merely　by　looking　at　it？〃
　〃He　discovered　the　parachute…escape…hatch　cover。　That　gave　him　his　first　clue。　Then　he　came　around　front；　dismantled　the　head；　discon…nected　the　charge；　and　peeked　inside。〃
　〃Dear　God！〃　Pitt　murmured　in　near　despair。　〃Charlie　opened　the　warhead？〃
　〃So　what's　the　big　deal？　Charlie　was　a　master　at　demolitions。〃
　Pitt　took　a　deep　breath　and　pitched　the　obvious　question。　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　warheads？〃
　〃The　way　I　saw　it；　it　was　finders；　keepers。〃
　〃Where　are　they？〃　Pitt　demanded。
　〃We　sold　them。〃
　〃You　what？〃　he　gasped。　〃To　whom？〃
　〃The　Phalanx　Arms　Corporation；　in　Newark；　New　Jersey。　They　buy　and　sell　weapons　on　an　international　front。　I　contacted　the　vice…president；　a　screwy　sort　of　duck；　looks　more　like　a　hardware　peddler　than　a　death　merchant。　Name's　Orville　Mapes。　Anyway；　he　flew　out　to　Colorado；　checked　over　the　projectile；　and　offered　us　five　thousand　bucks　for　every　one　we　could　ship　to　his　warehouse。　No　questions　asked。〃
　〃I　can　guess　the　rest；〃　Pitt　said。　〃It　occurred　to　Charlie　that　if　those　shells　were　detonated；　he　would　be　responsible　for　thousands；　possibly　hundreds　of　thousands　of　deaths。　You　were　more　callous；　Lee。　The　money　meant　more　to　you　than　conscience。　You　two　argued；　then　fought；　and　Charlie　lost。　You　hid　his　body　in　the　sunken　aircraft。　Then　you　set　off　a　few　sticks　of　dynamite；　tossed　a　boot　and　his　thumb　in　the　debris；　and　cried　all　the　way　to　his　funeral。〃
　Raferty　displayed　no　reaction　to　Pitt's　accusation。　His　mellow　eyes　never　left　the　pipe。　His　hands　slowly；　placidly　filed　away　at　the　threaded　ends。　He　was　far　too　nonchalant；　Pitt　thought。　Raferty　wasn't　acting　like　a　man　about　to　be　turned　in　for　murder。　The　look　of　a　cornered　rat　was　nowhere　apparent。
　〃A　shame　Charlie　didn't　see　things　my　way。〃　Raferty　shrugged　almost　sadly。　〃Contrary　to　what　you　may　think；　Mr。　Pitt；　I　am　not　a　greedy　man。　I　did　not　attempt　to　sell　off　the　projectiles　in　one　swoop。　You　might　say　I　looked　upon　them　as　a　sort　of　savings　account。　When　Max　and　I　needed　a　few　dollars；　I'd　make　a　one…at…a…time　withdrawal；　you　might　say；　and　call　Mapes。　He'd　send　a　truck　to　pick　up　the　merchandise　and　pay　me　in　cash。　A　clean…cut；　nontaxable　transaction。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　hear　how　you　murdered　Charlie　Smith。〃
　〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you；　Mr。　Pitt；　but　I　don't　have　it　in　me　to　take　a　human　life。〃　Raferty　leaned　forward　and　his　wrinkled　face　seemed　to　leer。　〃Max　is　the　stronger　one。　She　handles　the　killing。　Shot　old　Charlie　in　the　heart　as　neat　as　can　be。〃
　〃Maxine？〃　The　shock　that　swelled　within　Pitt　did　not　e　so　much　from　the　sudden　disclosure　as　it　did　from　the　realization　that　he　had　mitted　a　sad　mistake。
　〃Throw　a　dime　in　the　air　at　twenty　paces　and　Max　will　make　change；〃　Raferty　continued；　nodding　over　Pitt's　shoulder。　〃Let　Mr。　Pitt　know　you're　there；　honey。〃
　Two　metallic　clicking　sounds　answered　Raferty；　followed　by　a　gentle　thud。
　〃The　cartridge　striking　the　floor　should　tell　you　Max's　old　lever…action　Winchester　is　loaded　and　cocked；〃　said　Raferty。　〃Any　doubts？〃
　Pitt　braced　both　feet　squarely　on　the　floor　and　flexed　his　hand　under　the　Windbreaker　jacket。　〃Nice　try；　Lee。〃
　〃Then　see　for　yourself。　But　I　warn　you…no　sudden　moves。〃
　Pitt　gradually　turned　to　face　Maxine　Raferty；　whose　kindly　blue　eyes　were　staring　over　the　sights　of　a　repeating　rifle。　The　barrel　was　pointed；　rock　steady；　at　Pitt's　head。
　〃Sorry；　Mr。　Pitt；〃　she　said　sadly。　〃But　Lee　and　I　ain't　of　a　mind　to　spend　our　few　remaining　years　in　jail。〃
　〃Another　murder　on　your　hands　won't　save　you；〃　said　Pitt。　He　tight…ened　his　leg　muscles　as　he　gauged　the　distance　between　himself　and　Maxine。　It　was　five　feet。　〃I　brought　my　own　witnesses。〃
　〃Did　you　see　anybody；　honey？〃　asked　Lee。
　Maxine　shook　her　head。　〃He　came　up　the　road　alone。　I　kept　watch　after　he　entered　the　house。　No　one　followed　him。〃
　〃I　figured　as　much；〃　Lee　Raferty　said；　and　sighed。　〃You've　been　playing　a　bluffing　hand；　Mr。　Pitt。　If　you　had　any　solid　evidence　against　Maxine　and　me；　you'd　have　brought　the　sheriff。〃
　〃Oh；　but　I　did。〃　Pitt　smiled　and　appeared　to　relax。　〃He's　sitting　in　a　car　about　half　a　mile　away；　with　two　deputies　hanging　on　our　every　word。〃
　Raferty　tensed。　〃Damn　you；　you're　lying！〃
　〃He　taped　a　transmitter　to　my　chest；〃　Pitt　said；　his　left　hand　loosening　the　top　button　of　his　shirt。　〃Right　here；　under　my…〃
　Maxine　had　dipped　the　rifle　no　more　than　a　fraction　of　an　inch　as　Pitt　launched　himself　sideways　and　pulled　the　trigger　of　the　Colt　automatic　he　held　under　the　folds　of　his　jacket。
　The　Winchester　and　the　Colt　seemed　to　explode　at　the　same　instant。
　Al　Giordino　and　Abe　Steiger　had　arrived　minutes　before　Pitt　and　taken　up　a　prone　position　beneath　a　stand　of　blue…spruce　trees。　Through　field　glasses　Steiger　observed　Maxine　hanging　out　the　wash。　〃Any　sign　of　the　husband？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃Must　be　in　the　house。〃　The　glasses　angled　slightly　in　Steiger's　hands。　〃Pitt　is　approaching　her　now。〃
　〃That　Colt　forty…five　must　stick　out　like　a　third　arm。〃
　〃He's　got　his　Windbreaker　draped　over　it。〃　Steiger　bent　a　branch　out　of　the　way　to　clear　his　field　of　vision。　〃Pitt's　going　inside　the　house　now。〃
　〃Time　to　move　closer；〃　said　Giordino。　He　was　in　the　act　of　raising　up　on　his　knees　when　Steiger's　trunklike　arm　pinned　him　back　down。
　〃Hold　it！　The　old　broad　is　hanging　back　to　see　if　he　was　followed。〃
　They　stayed　quiet　and　motionless　for　several　minutes　while　Maxine　walked　around　the　yard；　her　eyes　probing　the　surrounding　trees。　She　took　a　final　look　up　the　road　and　lumbered　around　a　corner　of　the　house　and　out　of　Steiger's　view。
　〃Give　me　time　to　make　my　way　around　back　before　you　move　on　the　front　door；〃　said　Steiger。
　Giordino　nodded。　〃Watch　out　for　bears。〃
　Steiger　threw　him　a　tight　grin　and　slipped　off　into　a　small　ravine。　He　was　still　a　good　fifty　yards　short　of　his　goal　when　he　heard　the　shots。
　Giordino　had　been　marking　time　when　the　roar　echoed　through　the　windows　of　the　house。　He　leaped　to　his　feet　and　sprinted　down　a　small　hill；　hurdling　a　lean…to　fence　into　the　yard。　At　that　moment；　Maxine　Raferty　burst　backward　through　the　front　door　like　an　out…of…control　Patton　tank；　tumbled　down　the　porch　steps；　and　crashed　to　the　ground。
　Giordino　halted　in　his　tracks；　surprised　by　the　sight　of　her　bloodstained　dress。　He　stood　rooted　as　the　elderly　woman　scrambled　back　to　her　feet　as　agilely　as　a　gymnast。　Not　until　it　was　too　late　did　Giordino　notice　what　looked　like　a　battered　rifle　clutched　in　her　hand。
　Maxine；　ready　to　charge　back　in　the　house；　spotted　Giordino　standing　dumbly　in　the　yard。　She　gripped　the　Winchester　awkwardly；　with　one　hand　under　the　breech；　the　other　over　the　barrel；　and　snapped　off　a　shot　from　the　hip。
　The　force　of　the　bullet　spun　Giordino　through　the　air　in　a　half　turn　and　smashed　him　to　the　grass；　his　left　thigh　exploding　in　a　spray　of　red　through　the　cloth　of　his　pants。
　To　Pitt；　everything　had　seemed　to　grind　into　slow　motion。　The　muzzle　of　the　Winchester　flashed　in　his　face。　At　first　he　thought　he　had　been　hit；　but　when　he　collided　with　the　floor；　he　found　himself　still　able　to　move　his　limbs　and　body。　Maxine's　shot　had　nicked　his　ear　while　his　bullet　smashed　the　stock　on　her　Winchester；　ricocheting　into　an　antique　kerosene　lamp；　shattering　its　glass　shade。
　Lee　Raferty　growled　like　an　animal　and　swung