cc.themediterraneancaper2-第45节
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elf。 He knew we were out to get your scalp； and； as much as he liked the idea； he still had to stop us。 Legally； he had no jurisdiction and couldn't detain us by force。 So be did the next best thing and asked us to cooperate with INTERPOL That way be could watch us like a hawk。〃
〃You are quite correct。 Major。〃 Von Till ran a hand over his hairless pate； wiping the moisture from the gleaming skin。 〃I had every intention of killing the girl。〃
Pitt nodded。 〃I wondered why Zacynthus was so insistent that I keep Teri on board the First Attempt。 She'd be safe from you； and could keep an eye on Giordino and me。 It didn't dawn on me until this morning what game the girl was playing and whose side she was on。〃
Darius stared at Pitt in bleak puzzlement。 〃What goes on here。 Major Pitt？ You could not possibly have known all this。〃
〃Nice girls don't carry twenty…five caliber automatic Mausers taped to their legs；〃 Pitt said。 〃That's a sure sign of a professional。 Teri wasn't carrying a gun when I met her on the beach…Giordino discovered it when he snatched her off the couch in the villa's study。
Obviously； she feared someone inside； not outside the villa。〃
〃You are even more perceptive than I gave you credit for；〃 von Till said bitterly。 〃I may have slightly underestimated you。 But it makes little or no difference on the oute。〃
〃Only slightly underestimated？〃 Pitt asked consideringly。 〃I wonder If I've been wise to the girl's deception； why do you think I'd stand by and allow her to drug the First Attempt's radio operator so that she could sneak off a message to Inspector Zacynthus； announcing my intention to explore the cavern？〃
〃The answer is simple；〃 von Till said smugly。 〃You didn't know Darius was working for me。 He received the girl's message。 but； unfortunately for you； neglected to pass it on to Inspector Zacynthus。 Face it； Major； you got involved with matters far above your head。〃
Pitt didn't reply immediately。 He sat quite still； absorbing the pain that burned in his leg； wondering if now was the right moment。 It would be impossible to go on much longer…his vision was beginning to blur around the edges…yet he couldn't overplay his hand。 He turned his head slightly and stared dully up at Darius。 The Luger still aimed at Pitt's navel。 This had to be it； he told himself…he hoped to God his timing was right。
〃I agree；〃 he said casually。 〃It just goes to prove； you can't win them all； can you； Admiral Heibert？'
At first von Till didn't respond。 He stood there； his face without expression。 Then the sheen incredibility of Pitt's words began to register。 He took a step toward Pitt； his mouth barely moving。
〃What…what did you call me？〃 he asked in a tight whisper。
〃Admiral Heibert；〃 Pitt repeated。 〃Admiral Erich
Heibert： mander of Nazi Germany's transportation fleet； fanatical follower of Adolph Hitler； and brother of Kurt Heibert； the World War II ace。〃
What little color was left drained from his face。 〃You…you have lost your senses。〃
〃The U…19； that was your final mistake。〃
〃Nonsense； utter nonsense。〃 The tight lips spoke low and unbelieving。
〃The model in your study。 It struck me as strange at the time； why would an ex…bat pilot display a replica of a submarine instead of the aircraft he flew during wartime？ Pilots are as sentimental about those things as sailors。 It didn't figure。 The ultimate irony is that Darius； not knowing your true identity； used Inspector Zacynthus' radio to contact the German naval archives in Berlin at my request。〃
〃So that was what you were after；〃 Darius said； his eyes still watchful。
〃It was handled as a routine inquiry。 I asked for a crew list of the U…19。 I also contacted an old friend in Munich…a World War I aviation buff…and asked him if he knew of any flyer by the name of Bruno von Till。 The replies were most interesting。 A von Till actually flew for the German Imperial Air Service all right But you claimed to have flown with Kurt Heibert in Jasta 73 out of the Xanthi aerodrome in Macedonia。 The real von Till flew with Jasta in France from the summer of 1917 until the Armistice in November of 1918； he never left the Western Front。 The next intriguing tid…bit was the first name on the U…19's crew roster…a mander Erich Heibert。 Being an Inquisitive cuss； I didn't stop there。 I radioed Berlin again； this time from the ship； and asked them to send all available information on Erich Heibert。 That did it…I couldn't have created a bigger stir with the German authorities If I'd resurrected Hider； Goering and Himmler all in one swoop。〃
〃Sheer babble…he's delirious。〃 The shrewd； Calculating Fu Manchu look had returned to the old German's face。 〃No one in their right mind would believe such a ridiculous fairytale。 A model submarine…hardly a valid connection between me and Heibert。〃
〃I don't have to prove anything。 The facts speak for themselves。 When Hitler took power you became his devoted follower。 In return for your loyalty； and in recognition of your previous valuable bat experience； he promoted you to Officer manding Transportation Fleet； a title you held throughout the war until just before Germany's surrender when you seem to have vanished。〃
〃That has nothing to do with me；〃 von Till said angrily。
〃You're wrong；〃 Pitt returned。 〃The real Bruno von Till married the daughter of a wealthy Bavarian businessman who； among other interests； owned a small fleet of merchant ships …ships that sailed under the flag of Greece。 Von Till knew a good thing when he saw it He took out Greek citizenship papers and became Managing Director of Minerva Lines。 Financially the pany was a loser； but he built it into a first class carrier fleet by smuggling arms and essential war materials into Germany in direct violation of the Versailles Treaty。
That's how you knew him； you helped engineer the operation。 You both had a good thing going； but von Till was no mental retard。 He figured the Axis powers would lose in the end。 So he threw his lot with the Allies early in the war。〃
〃You fail to make a connection；〃 Darius said。 Pitt had his interest； but it could just as easily fade at any moment。
〃Now es the good part。 Your boss； Darius； isn't a man to leave anything to chance。 A less clever man would have simply tried to vanish Not Admiral Erich Heibert He was much too cunning Somehow he made his way through the Allied line。 to England； where the bonafide von Till was living； murdered him and took his place。〃
〃How was it possible；〃 Darius demanded。
〃It wasn't only possible；〃 Pitt said to Darius； 〃it was acplished to the letter。 They were both roughly the same size and build。 A few alterations here and there by a skilled surgeon； a few gestures and speech mannerisms； practiced until perfect and the man who stands before you became a dead ringer for the original Bruno von Till。 Why not？ There were no close friends； von Till was sort of a loner； no one knew him well。 His wife had died childless。 There was。 however； a nephew who had been born and raised in Greece。 Even he didn't catch on to the switch till years later Then it cost him his life。 Mere child's play for a professional killer like Heibert The nephew and his wife were murdered in a faked boating accident Teri； their young daughter； was spared No benevolence on Heibert's part I assure you。 The public image of a considerate and protective grand uncle was too good to pass by。〃
Pitt stole another enpassing look at the guards； the tunnel and the Japanese I…Boat。 Then he turned back to von Till。
〃After the switch； smuggling was merely a sideline for you。 Heibert。 The inventive creation of a submarine attached to the keel of a ship came natural for an old U…Boat mander。 To the outside world； Heibert； alias von Till； had it made。 Minerva Lines was thriving； the money was rolling in。 But you were worried； things were going too well The more prominent you became； the better your chances of being exposed。 So you moved to Thasos； re…built the villa and played the role of an
eccentric millionaire recluse。 Business as usual was no problem。 A high…power short…wave radio was installed so you could operate Minerva Lines without ever setting foot on the mainland of Europe。 But your perverted past was too strong。 You let the pany fleet run down。 to a fourth rate freight hauler； and turned your talents almost entirely to smuggling…〃
〃Where is all this talk leading？〃 Darius interrupted。
〃The fait acpli…the pay…off；〃 Pitt explained。 〃It seems that Admiral Heibert here was conspicuous by his absence at the Nuremberg War Trials。 His name is right up there next to Martin Bormann on the wanted war criminals list。 A real sweetheart this one。 While Eichmann was burning the Jews； Heibert was emptying the POW camps by driving Allied prisoners into the holds of old merchant vessels and setting them adrift in the North Sea； trusting to British and American bombers to do the Nazi's own dirty work。 In spite of the fact that he had disappeared at the end of the war； he knew what was in store if he stayed in Germany。 He was convicted in absentia by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and sentenced to death。 It's a pity he wasn't hung before now； still it's better late than never。〃
Pitt had played his last car
