alistairmaclean.seawitch-第23节

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　〃Lord　Worth's　daughters！〃
　〃It's　all　this　routine　police　work；〃　Roomer　said。　〃Atrophies　the　brain。　Who　the　hell　do　you　think　that　helicopter　has　gone　to　pick　up？〃
　Once　clear　of　the　heliport；　Roomer　extended　an　arm。　〃　'Thataway；'　the　man　said。　'Thataway'　is　northwest。　The　Wyanee　Swamp。〃
　〃Even　if　they'd　taken　off　to　the　southeast　they'd　still　have　finished　up　in　Wyanee。〃　Mitchell　pulled　up　by　a　public　booth。　〃How　are　you　with　McGarrity's　voice？〃　Roomer　was　an　acplished　mimic。
　〃It's　not　the　voice　that's　hard。　It's　the　thought　processes。　Til　give　it　a　try。〃　He　didn't　say　what　he　was　going　to　try　because　he　didn't　have　to。　He　left　for　the　booth　and　was　back　inside　two　minutes。
　〃Campbell　filed　a　flight　plan　for　the　Seawitch〃
　〃Any　questions　asked？〃
　〃Not　really。　Told　them　that　some　fool　had　made　a　mistake。　Anyone　who　knows　McGarrity　would　know　who　the　fool　was　that　made　the　mistake。〃
　Mitchell　started　the　engine；　then　switched　off　as　the　phone　rang。　Mitchell　lifted　the　receiver。
　〃Jim　here。　Tried　to　ring　you　a　couple　of　times；　fifteen　minutes　ago；　five　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Figures。　Out　of　the　car　both　times。　More　bad　news？〃
　〃Not　unless　you　consider　Lord　Worth　bad　news。　Touchdown　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
　〃We　got　time。〃
　〃Says　he's　ing　up　to　the　house。〃
　〃Sent　for　the　Rolls？〃
　〃No。　Probably　wants　to　talk　private。　And　it　looks　as　if　he's　planning　to　stay　away　some　time。　Ordered　a　bag　packed　for　a　week。〃
　〃Seven　white　suits。〃　Mitchell　hung　up。
　Roomer　said：　〃Looks　as　if　we're　going　to　have　to　do　some　bag…packing　ourselves。〃　Mitchell　nodded　and　started　up　again。
　Lord　Worth　was　looking　his　old　self　when　he　settled　in　the　back　seat　of　their　car。　Not　quite　radiating　his　old　bonhomie；　to　be　sure；　but　calm　and　lucid　and；　to　all　appearances；　relaxed。　He　told　of　his　success　in　Washington；　for　which　he　was　duly　and　politely　congratulated。　Roomer　then　told　him　in　detail　what　had　happened　in　his　absence：　this　time　the　absence　of　congratulations　was　marked。
　〃You've　notified　mander　Larsen　of　your　suspicions；　of　course？〃
　〃Not　suspicions；〃　Mitchell　said。　〃Certainties。　And　there's　no　'of　course'　and　no；　we　didn't　notify　him。　Tm　primarily　responsible　for　that。〃
　〃Taking　the　law　into　your　own　hands；　eh？　Mind　telling　me　why？〃
　〃You're　the　person　who　knows　Larsen　best。　You　know　how　possessive　he　is　about　the　Sea…witch。　You　yourself　have　told　us　about　his　anger　and　violence。　Do　you　think　a　man　like　that；　duly　forewarned；　wouldn't　have　a　very　warm　reception　waiting　for　the　kidnapers？　Stray　bullets；　ricocheting　bullets；　are　no　respecter　of　persons；　Lord　Worth。　You　want　a　daughter　crippled　for　life？　We　prefer　that　the　kidnapers　establish　a　bloodless　beachhead。〃
　〃Well；　all　right。〃　The　words　came　grudgingly。　〃But　from　now　on　keep　me　fully　informed　of　your　intentions　and　decisions。〃　Lord　Worth；　Roomer　noted　with　sardonic　amusement；　had　no　intention　of　dispensing　with　their　unpaid　services。　〃But　no　more　taking　the　law　into　your　own　hands；　do　you　hear？〃
　Mitchell　stopped　car　and　engine。　Roomer's　amusement　changed　to　apprehension。　Mitchell　twisted　in　his　seat　and　looked　at　Lord　Worth　in　cool　speculation。
　〃You're　a　fine　one　to　talk。〃　〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃　There　were　fifteen　generations　of　highland　aristocracy　in　the　glacial
　voice。
　Mitchell　remained　unmoved。　〃For　taking　the　law　into　your　own　hands　by　breaking　into　and　robbing　that　arsenal　last　night。　If　Roomer　and　I　were　decent　citizens　and　law…abiding　detectives；　we'd　have　had　you　behind　bars　last　night。　Not　even　a　billionaire　can　get　away　with　that　sort　of　thing；　especially　when　it　involves　the　assault　and　locking　up　of　the　arsenal　guards。　John　and　I　were　there。〃　Mitchell　was　not　above　a　little　prevarication　when　the　need　arose。
　〃You　were　there。〃　Most　rarely　for　him；　Lord　Worth　was　at　a　loss　for　words。　He　recovered　quickly。　〃But　/　wasn't　there；〃
　〃We　know　that。　We　also　know　you　sanctioned　the　break…in。　Ordered　it；　rather。〃
　〃Balderdash。　And　if　you　actually　witnessed　this；　why　did　you　not　stop　it？〃
　〃John　and　I　take　our　chances。　But　not　against　nine　men　armed　with　machine　guns。〃
　This　gave　Lord　Worth　pause。　They　had　their　figures　and　facts　right。　Clearly　they　had　been　there。　He　said：　〃Supposing　any　of　this　rigmarole　were　true；　how　in　God's　name　do　you　tie　me　up　with　it？〃
　〃Now　you're　being　a　fool。　We　were　also　at　your　heliport。　We　saw　the　truck　arrive。　We　saw　nine　men　unload　a　fairly　massive　quantity　of　more　than　fairly　lethal　weaponry　into　one　helicopter。　Then　a　man　drove　the　truck　away…an　army　truck；　of　course…back　to　the　arsenal　from　where　it　had　been　stolen。　The　other　eight　men　boarded　another　helicopter。　Then　a　minibus　arrived；　carrying　twelve　heavily　armed　thugs　who　joined　the　other　eight。　John　and　I　recognized　no　fewer　than　five　of　them…two　of　them　we've　personally　put　behind　bars。〃　Roomer　looked　at　him　admiringly；　but　Mitchell　wasn't　looking　at　Roomer；　he　was　looking　at　Lord　Worth；　and　both　voice　and　tone　were　devoid　of　any　form　of　encouragement。　〃It　came　as　a　shock　to　both　of　us　to　find　that　Lord　Worth　was　consorting　with　mon　criminals。　You're　sweating　a　little；　Lord　Worth。　Why　are　you　sweating？'*
　Lord　Worth　didn't　enlighten　them　as　to　why　he　was　sweating。
　〃And　then；　of　course；　you　came　along　in　the　Rolls。　One　of　the　very　best　sequences　we　got　on　our　infrared　movie　camera　last　night。〃　Roomer　blinked；　but　that　Lord　Worth　believed　Mitchell　Roomer　did　not　for　a　moment　doubt：　everything　that　Mitchell　had　said；　even　the　slight　embellishments；　Lord　Worth　knew　or　believed　to　be　true；　so　he　had　no　reason　to　doubt　the　truth　of　the　camera　fiction。
　〃We　actually　considered　phoning　the　nearest　army　HQ　and　having　them　send　along　some　armored　cars　and　a　trailered　tank。　Even　your　thugs　wouldn't　have　stood　a　chance。　We　thought　of　going　down　the　road；　blocking　the　Rolls　and　holding　you　until　the　army　arrived…it　was　perfectly　obvious　that　the　helicopters　had　no　intention　of　leaving　until　you　turned　up。　Once　captured；　God　knows　how　many　of　them…especially　those　who　had　already　served　prison　terms…would　have　jumped　at　the　chance　of　turning　state's　evidence　and　incriminating　you。　It's　quite　true；　you　know…there　is　no　honor　among　thieves。〃　If　Lord　Worth　had　any　objections　to　being　categorized　as　a　thief；　it　didn't　register　in　his　face。　〃But　after　the　standard　bit　of　soul…searching　we　decided　against　it。〃
　〃Why；　in　God's　name？〃
　〃So　you　admit　it。〃　Mitchell　sighed。　〃Why　couldn't　you　do　that　at　the　beginning　and　save　me　all　this　trouble？〃
　〃Why？〃　Lord　Worth　repeated　his　question。

　It　was　Roomer　who　answered。　〃Partly　because　even　though　you're　a　confessed　lawbreaker；　we　still　have　a　regard　for　you。　But　mainly　because　w。e　didn't　want　to　see　your　daughters　confronted　with　seeing　their　father　behind　bars。　In　hindsight；　of　course；　we're　glad　we　didn't。　In　parison　with　the　kidnaping　of　your　daughters；　your　own　capers　outside　the　law　fade　into　a　peccadillo。〃
　Mitchell　started　the　motor　again　and　said：　〃It　is　understood　that　there　will　be　no　more　peccadilloes。　It　is　also　understood　that　there　will　be　no　more　talk　about　our　taking　the　law　into　our　own　hands。〃
　Lord　Worth　lay　back　in　his　study　armchair；　His　second　brandy　tasted　just　as　good　as　his　first…it　seemed　to　be　his　day　for　brandies。　He　hadn't　spoken　a　word　for　the　rest　of　the　trip…　which；　fortunately；　had　been　mercifully　short；　for　Lord　Worth　had　felt　urgently　in　need　of　restoratives。　Not　for　the　first　time；　he　found　himself　silently　blessing　his　kidnapped　daughters。
　He　cleared　his　throat　and　said：　〃I　assume　you　are　still　willing　to　e　out　to　the　rig　with　me？〃
　Mitchell　contemplated　his　glass。　〃We　never　expressed　our　intentions　one　way　or　another　about　that。　But　I　suppose　someone　has　to　look　after　you　and　your　daughters。〃
　Lord　Worth　frowned。　There　had；　he　felt；　been　more　than　a　subtle　change　in　their　relationship。　Perhaps　the　establishment　of　an　employer…employee　status　would　help　redress　the　balance。　He　said：　〃I　feel　it's　time　we　put　your　co…operation　on　a　businesslike　footing。　I　propose　to　retain　you　in　your　professional　capacities　as　investigators…in　other　words；　bee　your　client。　I　shall　not　quibble　at　your　demanded　fees。〃　He　had　no　sooner　finished　than　he　realized　that　he　had　made　a　mistake。
　Roomer's　voice　was　coldly　unenthusiastic。　〃Money　doesn't　buy　everything；　Lord　Worth。
　Particularly；　it　doesn't　buy　us。　We　have　no　intention　of　being　shackled；　of　having　our　freedom　of　action　curtailed。　And　as　far　as　the　fees　and　your　skyVthe…limit　implication　are　concerned；　the　hell　with　it。　How　often　do　we　have　to　tell　you　we　don't　trade　money　for　your　daughters*　lives？〃
　Lord　Worth　didn't　even　bother　frowning。　The　change　in　relationship；　he　reflected　sadly；　had　been　even　greater　than　he　had　realized。　〃As　you　will。　One　assumes　that　you　will　be　suitably　disguised？〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃Why？〃
　Lord　Worth　was　impatient。　〃You　said　you　saw　some　ex…convicts　boarding　the　helicopter。　People　you　recognized。　They'll　surely　recognize　you？〃
　〃We　never　saw　'em　before　in　our　lives。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　properly　shocked。　〃But　you　told　me…〃
　〃You　told　us　big　black　lies。　What's　a　little　white　lie？　We'll　go　aboard　as…say…your　technological　advisers。　Geologists；　seismologists…　it's　all　the　same　to　us；　we　know　n