cc.floodtide-第72节

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f　recognition　no　matter　how　inconsequential。
　
　Once　the　crew　cleared　immigration；　they　came　down　for　their　evening　meal。　The　galley　was　located　between　the　officer's　wardroom　and　the　crew's　mess。　As　chief　cook；　Julia　served　the　ship's　officers　while　her　assistants　ladled　out　food　to　the　crew。　She　was　anxious　to　roam　about　the　ship；　but　until　the　crew　was　fed　she　had　to　play　out　her　role　to　avoid　suspicion。
　
　Julia　remained　quiet　throughout　the　meal；　scurrying　about　the　galley；　occasionally　flashing　a　smile　at　a　crewman　as　they　plimented　her　on　the　food　and　asked　for　seconds。　She　did　not　merely　act　like　Lin　Wan　Chu；　to　everyone　on　board　she　was　Lin　Wan　Chu。　There　was　no　scrutiny；　no　incredulity。　No　one　took　notice　of　the　negligible　differences　in　mannerisms；　appearance　or　speech。　To　them；　she　was　the　same　cook　who　prepared　their　meals　on　board　the　Sung　Lien　Star　since　the　night　they　cast　off　in　Qingdao。
　
　Item　by　item；　she　went　over　her　mission　in　her　mind。　So　far　things　had　gone　smoothly；　but　there　was　a　major　hang…up。　If　three　hundred　illegal　immigrants　were　on　board　the　ship；　how　were　they　being　fed？　Certainly　not　out　of　her　galley。　According　to　Lin　Wan　Chu's　menu　and　recipe　entries；　she　only　prepared　food　for　thirty　crewmen。　It　didn't　make　sense　for　mere　to　be　another　shipboard　galley　to　feed　passengers。　She　checked　out　the　storage　partment　and　lockers；　finding　the　correct　amount　of　food　supplies　to　feed　the　Sung　Lien　Star's　crew　for　the　voyage　from　China　to　Sungari。　She　began　to　wonder　if　Peter　Harper's　CIA　source　in　Qingdao　had　been　mistaken　and　somehow　gotten　the　name　of　the　ship　confused　with　another。
　
　Calmly；　she　sat　in　Lin　Wan　Chu's　little　office　and　acted　as　if　she　was　working　on　the　menu　for　the　following　day。　Out　of　the　corner　of　one　eye　she　watched　as　her　assistant　put　away　the　leftover　food　in　the　locker　and　the　cleanup　man　wiped　off　the　tables　before　attacking　the　dirty　dishes；　pots　and　pans。
　
　Casually；　she　left　the　office　and　walked　through　the　officer's　wardroom　and　into　the　passageway；　pleased　that　the　two　galley　men　took　no　notice　of　her　leaving。　She　climbed　a　panion…way　and　stepped　out　onto　the　deck　below　the　wheelhouse　and　bridge　wings。　Already　the　big　cranes　on　the　dock　were　swinging　into　position　to　unload　the　containers　stacked　on　the　cargo　decks。
　
　She　looked　over　the　side　and　watched　as　a　towboat　pushed　a　barge　alongside　the　hull　of　the　ship。　The　crew　looked　to　be　Chinese。　Two　of　them　began　throwing　plastic　bags　bloated　with　trash　through　a　cargo　hatch　into　the　barge。　The　procedure　was　conducted　under　the　scrutiny　of　a　drug…enforcement　agent　who　probed　and　examined　each　sack　before　it　was　dropped　overboard。
　
　The　entire　dockyard　scene　appeared　pletely　innocent　of　any　illegitimate　activity。　Julia　could　see　nothing　that　raised　questions。　The　ship　had　been　searched　by　the　Coast　Guard；　customs　and　immigration　officials　for　illegal　aliens　and　drugs；　and　nothing　illicit　had　been　found。　The　containers　were　filled　with　manufactured　trade　goods；　including　clothing；　rubber　and　plastic　shoes；　children's　toys　and　games；　radios　and　television　sets；　all　produced　by　cheap　Red　Chinese　labor　to　the　detriment　of　thousands　of　American　workers　who　had　lost　their　jobs。
　
　She　returned　to　the　galley　and　filled　a　bucket　with　the　sesame…seed　puffs　（scallions　and　sesame　seeds　in　a　dough　wrapper）　that　she　knew　were　a　favorite　of　Captain　Hung…chang。
　
　Then　she　began　moving　through　the　bowels　of　the　ship；　checking　out　the　partments　below　the　waterline。　Most　of　the　crew　were　working　above；　unloading　the　ship's　cargo　containers。　The　few　who　remained　below　appeared　pleased　when　she　wandered　past　and　offered　them　a　snack　from　her　bucket。　She　skirted　the　engine　room；　reasonably　assured　no　immigrants　were　hidden　there。　No　chief　engineer　worth　his　salt　would　have　permitted　passengers　near　his　precious　engines。
　
　The　only　sickening　moment　of　panic　occurred　when　she　became　lost　in　the　long　partment　that　held　the　ship's　fuel　tanks。　She　was　startled　by　a　crewman　who　came　up　behind　her　and　demanded　to　know　what　she　was　doing　there。　Julia　smiled；　offered　him　her　sesame…seed　puffs　and　told　him　that　it　was　the　captain's　birthday　and　he　wanted　everyone　to　celebrate。　The　ordinary　seaman；　having　no　reason　to　suspect　the　ship's　cook；　gratefully　accepted　a　handful　of　puffs　and　smiled　happily。
　
　After　a　fruitless　search　looking　into　any　partment　of　the　Sung　Lien　Star　capable　of　holding　and　feeding　scores　of　passengers　and　finding　nothing　suspicious；　she　made　her　way　back　to　the　open　starboard　deck。　Standing　at　the　railing　as　if　she　was　idly　wishing　she　could　go　ashore；　and　making　certain　no　one　was　within　earshot；　she　inserted　a　small　receiver　in　her　ear　and　began　talking　into　the　transmitter　between　her　breasts。
　
　〃I　regret　saying　this；　but　the　ship　appears　clean。　I　searched　every　deck　and　found　no　indication　of　illegal　immigrants。〃
　Captain　Lewis　on　board　the　Weehawken　replied　without　hesitation。　〃Are　you　secure？〃
　〃Yes；　I　was　accepted　without　reservation。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　to　disembark？〃
　〃Not　yet。　I'd　like　to　hang　around　a　bit　longer。〃
　〃Please　keep　me　advised；〃　said　Lewis；　〃and　be　careful。〃
　
　Lewis's　parting　words　came　muffled；　as　the　air　trembled　suddenly　with　a　thumping　sound　followed　by　the　exhaust　roar　of　the　Weehawken's　helicopter　sweeping　over　the　dock。　Julia　suppressed　an　urge　to　wave。　She　remained　leisurely　hunched　over　the　railing；　gazing　at　the　aircraft　with　detached　curiosity。　She　felt　a　wave　of　pleasure　just　knowing　that　she　was　watched　over　by　a　pair　of　U。S。　coast　guardsmen　who　were　acting　as　her　angels。
　
　She　was　relieved　that　her　job　was　done　and　angered　that　she　had　failed　to　discover　any　criminal　activity。　From　the　looks　of　it；　Qin　Shang　had　outsmarted　everyone　once　again。　If　her　mind
　
　ran　in　a　practical　vein；　she　could　call　Lewis　to　e　get　her　or　simply　jump　ship　into　the　arms　of　the　nearest　immigration　agent。　But　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　quit　by　default。　There　had　to　be　an　answer；　and　Julia　was　determined　to　find　it。
　
　She　moved　around　the　stern　to　the　lower　portside　deck　until　she　could　look　directly　down　into　the　barge　that　was　now　half　filled　with　plastic　trash　bags。　She　stood　at　the　railing　for　a　long　minute；　studying　the　barge　and　the　towboat　as　its　captain　engaged　the　powerful　engines　to　pull　away　from　the　Sung　Lien　Star。　The　wash　from　the　twin　propellers　began　beating　the　calm　brownish　water　into　foam。
　
　Julia　was　seized　with　frustration。　There　was　no　crowd　of　immigrants　huddled　in　sordid　conditions　on　board　the　Sung　Lien　Star。　Of　that　she　was　positive。　Nor　did　she　truly　doubt　the　CIA　agent's　veracity　who　reported　from　Qingdao。　Qin　Shang　was　a　shrewd　customer。　He　must　have　devised　a　method　that　had　fooled　the　best　government　investigators　in　the　business。
　
　There　were　no　hard　and　fast　answers。　If　there　was　a　solution；　perhaps　it　was　connected　with　the　towboat　and　barge　pulling　away　from　the　ship。　She　was　left　with　no　other　options。　Failure　was　staring　her　in　the　face　again。　She　felt　overwhelmed　by　a　sense　of　inadequacy　and　self…anger。　She　knew　then；　beyond　all　doubt；　that　she　had　to　act。
　
　One　swift　glance　told　her　that　the　cargo　door　had　been　closed　and　there　were　no　crewmen　to　be　seen　working　the　side　of　the　ship's　hull　that　faced　the　water　opposite　the　dock。　The　captain　of　the　towboat　was　standing　at　the　helm　while　one　crewman　acted　as　lookout　on　the　bridge　wing　and　another　stood　forward　on　the　bow　of　the　barge；　their　eyes　focused　on　the　waters　ahead。　None　were　looking　aft。
　
　As　the　towboat　passed　her　position　she　looked　down　on　its　stern　deck。　There　was　a　long　length　of　rope　coiled　aft　of　the　funnel。　She　estimated　the　drop　at　ten　feet；　and　climbed　over　the　railing。　There　was　no　time　to　call　Lewis　and　explain　her　action。　Any　hesitation　was　brushed　aside；　for　Julia　was　a　woman　of　quick　decision。　She　took　a　deep　breath　and　leaped。
　
　Julia's　dive　into　the　barge　was　observed；　not　by　any　of　the　Sung　Lien　Star's　crew；　but　by　Pitt　on　board　the　Marine　Denizen；　which　was　anchored　at　the　entrance　to　the　port。　For　the　past　hour　he　had　sat　in　the　captain's　chair　on　the　bridge　wing；　tolerant　of　the　sun　and　occasional　passing　rain　shower；　and　scrutinized　the　activity　swirling　around　the　container　ship　through　a　pair　of　powerful　binoculars。　He　was　especially　intrigued　by　the　barge　and　towboat　alongside。　He　watched　intently　as　the　trash　accumulated　on　the　long　voyage　from　China　was　tied　neatly　in　bags　and　dropped　from　a　hatch　in　the　ship's　hull　to　the　barge　below。　When　the　last　trash　bag　was　tossed　overboard　and　the　hatch　closed；　Pitt　was　about　to　turn　his　attention　to　the　containers　being　hoisted　onto　the　dock　by　the　cranes　when；　unpredictably；　he　saw　a　figure　climb　the　railing　along　the　deck　above　and　drop　onto　the　roof　of　the　towboat。　〃What　the　hell！〃　he　burst。
　
　Rudi　Gunn；　who　was　standing　near　Pitt；　stiffened。　〃See　something　interesting？〃
　〃Somebody　just　took　a　dive　off　the　ship　onto　the　towboat。〃
　〃Probably　a　crewman　jumping　ship。〃
　〃It　looked　like　the　ship's　cook；〃　Pitt　said；　keeping　the　glasses　fixed　on　the　boat。
　〃I　hope　he　didn't　injure　himself；〃　said　Gunn。
　〃I　think　a　coil　of　rope　broke　his　fall。　He　a