璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第108部分

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‘I　spoke　to　the　young　lad　about　that　already；　‘　Oreza　assured　him。　He　held　out　his　hand。　‘Morning；　Kelly。‘
The　outstretched　hand　had　a　Styrofoam　cup　filled　with　coffee。　Kelly　took　it　and　laughed。
‘Apology　accepted；　sir。‘　Oreza　was　famous　for　his　coffee。
‘Long　night。　We‘re　all　tired；　and　it‘s　a　young　crew；‘　the　coastguardsman　explained　wearily。　Oreza　was　nearly　twenty…eight　himself；　and　by　far　the　oldest　man　of　his　boat　crew。
‘Trouble？‘　Kelly　asked。
Oreza　nodded；　looking　around　at　the　water。　‘Kinda。　Some　damned　fool　in　a　little　day…sailer　turned　up　missing　after　that　little　rainstorm　we　had　last　night；　and　we‘ve　been　looking　all　over　bejazzus　for　him。‘
‘Forty　knots　of　wind。　Fair　blow；　Portagee；‘　Kelly　pointed　out。　‘Came　in　right　fast；　too。‘
‘Yeah；　well；　we　rescued　six　boats　already；　just　this　one　still　missing。　You　see　anything　unusual　last　night？‘
‘No。　Came　outa　Baltimore　around　。。。　oh；　sixteen　hundred；　I　suppose。　Two　and　a　half　hours　to　get　here。　Anchored　right　after　the　storm　hit。　Visibility　was　ptetty　bad；　didn‘t　see　much　of　anything　before　we　went　below。‘
‘We；‘　Oreza　observed；　stretching。　He　walked　over　to　the　wheel；　picked　up　the　rain…soaked　halter；　and　tossed　it　to　Kelly。　The　look　on　his　face　was　neutral；　but　there　was　interest　behind　the　eyes。　He　hoped　his　friend　had　found　someone；　Life　hadn‘t　been　especially　fair　to　the　man。
Kelly　handed　the　cup　back　with　a　similarly　neutral　expression。
‘There　was　one　freighter　ing　out　behind　us；‘　he　went　on。　‘Italian　flag；　container　boat　about　half　full；　must　have　been　knocking　down　fifteen　knots。　Anybody　else　clear　the　harbor？‘
‘Yeah。‘　Oreza　nodded　and　spoke　with　professional　irritation。　‘I‘m　worried　about　that。　Fuckin‘　merchies　plowing　out　at　full　speed；　not　paying　attention。‘
‘Well；　hell；　you　stand　outside　the　wheelhouse；　you　might　get　wet。　Besides；　sea…and…anchor　detail　might　violate　some　union　rule；　right？　Maybe　your　guy　got　run　down；‘　Kelly　noted　darkly。　It　wouldn‘t　have　been　the　first　time；　even　on　a　body　of　water　as　civilized　as　the　Chesapeake：
‘Maybe；‘　Oreza　said；　surveying　the　horizon。　He　frowned；　not　believing　the　suggestion　and　too　tired　to　hide　it。　‘Anyway；　you　see　a　little　day…sailer　with　an　orange…and…white　candystripe　sail；　you　want　to　give　me　a　call？‘
‘No　problem。‘
Oreza　looked　forward　and　turned　back。　‘Two　anchors　for　that　little　puff　o‘　wind　we　had？　They‘re　not　far　enough　apart。　Thought　you　knew　better。‘
‘Chief　Bosun‘s　Mate；‘　Kelly　reminded　him。　‘Since　when　does　a　bookkeeper　get　that　snotty　with　a　real　seaman？‘　It　was　only　a　joke。　Kelly　knew　Portagee　was　the　better　man　in　a　small　boat。　Though　not　by　much　of　a　margin；　and　both　knew　that；　too。
Oreza　grinned　on　his　way　back　to　the　cutter。　After　jumping　back　aboard；　he　pointed　to　the　halter　in　Kelly‘s　hand。　‘Dont　forget　to　put　your　shirt　on；　Boats！　Looks　like　it　oughta　fit　just　fine。‘　A　laughing　Oreza　disappeared　inside　the　wheelhouse　before　Kelly　could　e　up　with　a　rejoinder。　There　appeared　to　be　someone　inside　who　was　not　in　uniform；　which　surprised　Kelly。　A　moment　later；　the　cutter‘s　engines　tumbled　anew　and　the　fotty…one…boat　moved　northwest。
‘Good　mornin‘。‘　It　was　Pam。　‘What　was　that？‘
Kelly　turned。　She　wasn‘t　wearing　any　more　now　than　when　he‘d　put　the　blanket　on　her；　but　Kelly　instantly　decided　that　the　only　time　she‘d　surprise　him　again　would　be　when　she　did　something　predictable。　Her　hair　was　a　medusalike　mass　of　tangles；　and　her　eyes　were　unfocused；　as　though　she‘d　not　slept　well　at　all。
‘Coast　Guard。　They‘re　looking　for　a　missing　boat。　How‘d　you　sleep？‘
‘Just　fine。‘　She　came　over　to　him。　Her　eyes　had　a　soft；　dreamlike　quality　that　seemed　strange　so　early　in　the　morning；　but　could　not　have　been　more　attractive　to　the　wide…awake　sailor。
‘Good　morning。‘　A　kiss。　A　hug。　Pam　held　her　arms　aloft　and　executed　something　like　a　pirouette。　Kelly　grabbed　her　slender　waist　and　hoisted　her　aloft。
‘What　do　you　want　for　breakfast？‘　he　asked。
‘I　don‘t　eat　breakfast；‘　Pam　replied；　reaching　down　for　him。
‘Oh。‘　Kelly　smiled。　‘Okay。‘
She　changed　her　mind　about　an　hour　later。　Kelly　fixed　eggs　and　bacon　on　the　galley　stove；　and　Pam　wolfed　it　down　so　speedily　that　he　fixed　seconds　despite　her　protests。　On　further　inspection；　the　girl　wasn‘t　merely　thin；　some　of　her　ribs　were　visible。　She　was　undernourished；　an　observation　that　prompted　yet　another　unasked　question。　But　whatever　the　cause；　he　could　remedy　it。　Once　she‘d　consumed　four　eggs；　eight　slices　of　bacon；　and　five　pieces　of　toast；　roughly　double　Kelly‘s　normal　morning　intake；　it　was　time　for　the　day　to　begin　properly。　He　showed　her　how　to　work　the　galley　appliances　while　he　saw　to　recovering　the　anchors。
They　got　back　under　way　just　shy　of　a　lazy　eight　o‘clock。　It　promised　to　be　a　hot；　sunny　Saturday。　Kelly　donned　his　sunglasses　and　relaxed　in　his　chair；　keeping　himself　alert　with　the　odd　sip　from　his　mug。　He　maneuvcred　west；　tracing　down　the　edge　of　the　main　ship　channel　to　avoid　the　hundreds　of　fishing　boats　he　fully　expected　to　sortie　from　their　various　harbors　today　in　pursuit　of　rockfish。
‘What　are　those　things？‘　Pam　asked；　pointing　to　the　floats　decorating　the　water　to　port。
‘Floats　for　crab　pots。　They‘re　really　more　like　cages。　Crabs　get　in　and　can‘t　get　out。　You　leave　floats　so　you　know　where　they　are。‘　Kelly　handed　Pam　his　glasses　and　pointed　to　a　Bay…build　workboat　about　three　miles　to　the　east。
‘They　trap　the　poor　things？‘　Kelly　laughed。
‘Pam；　the　bacon　you　had　for　breakfast？　The　hog　didn‘t　mit　suicide；　did　he？‘
She　gave　him　an　impish　took。　‘Well；　no。‘
‘Don‘t　get　too　excited。　A　crab　is　just　a　big　aquatic　spider；　even　though　it　tastes　good。‘
Kelly　altered　course　to　starboard　to　clear　a　red　nun…buoy。
‘Seems　kinda　cruel；　though。‘
‘Life　can　be　that　way。‘Kelly　said　too　quickly　and　then　regretted　it。
Pam‘s　response　was　as　heartfelt　as　Kelly‘s。　‘Yeah；　I　know。‘
Kelly　didn‘t　turn　to　took　at　her；　only　because　he　stopped　himself。　There‘d　been　emotional　content　in　her　reply；　something　to　remind　him　that　she；　too；　had　demons。　The　moment　passed　quickly；　however。　She　leaned　back　into　the　capacious　conning　chair；　leaning　against　him　and　making　things　right　again。　One　last　time　Kelly‘s　senses　warned　him　that　something　was　not　right　at　all。　But　there　were　no　demons　out　here；　were　there？
‘You‘d　better　go　below。‘
‘Why？‘
‘Sun‘s　going　to　be　hot　today。　There‘s　some　lotion　in　the　medicine　cabi；　main　head。‘
‘Head？‘
‘Bathroom！‘
‘Why　is　everything　different　on　a　boat？‘
Kelly　laughed。　‘That‘s　so　sailors　can　be　the　boss　out　here。　Now；　shoo！　Go　get　that　stuff　and　put　a　lot　on　or　you‘ll　look　like　a　french　fry　before　lunch。‘
Pam　made　a　face。　‘I　need　a　shower；　too。　Is　that　okay？‘
‘Good　idea；‘　Kelly　answered　without　looking。　‘No　sense　scaring　the　fish　away。‘
‘You！‘　She　swatted　him　on　the　arm　and　headed　below。
‘Vanished；　just　plain　vanished；‘　Oreza　growled。　He　was　hunched　over　a　chart　table　at　the　Thomas　Point　Coast　Guard　Station。
‘We　shoulda　got　some　air　cover；　helicopter　or　something；‘　the　civilian　observed。
‘Wouldn‘t　have　mattered；　not　last　night。　Hell；　the　gulls　rode　that　blow　out。‘
‘But　where‘d　he　go？‘
‘Beats　me；　maybe　the　storm　sank　his　ass。‘　Oreza　glowered　at　the　chart。　‘You　said　he　was　northbound。　We　covered　all　these　ports　and　Max　took　the　western　shore。　You　sure　the　description　of　the　boat　was　correct？‘
‘Sure？　Hell；　we　did　everything　but　buy　the　goddamned　boat　for　‘em！‘　The　civilian　was　as　short…tempered　as　twenty…eight　hours　of　caffeine…induced　wakefulness　could　explain；　even　worse　for　having　been　ill　on　the　patrol　boat；　much　to　the　amusement　of　the　enlisted　crew。　His　stomach　felt　like　it　was　coated　with　steel　wool。　‘Maybe　it　did　sink；‘　he　concluded　gruffly；　not　believing　it　for　a　moment。
‘Wouldn‘t　that　solve　your　problem？‘　His　attempt　at　levity　earned　him　a　growl；　and　Quartermaster　First　Class　Manuel　Oreza　caught　a　warning　look　from　the　station　mander；　a　gray…haired　warrant　officer　named　Paul　English。
‘You　know；‘　the　man　said　in　a　state　of　exhaustion；　‘I　don‘t　think　anything　is　going　to　solve　this　problem；　but　it‘s　my　job　to　try。‘
‘Sir；　we‘ve　all　had　a　long　night。　My　crew　is　racked　out；　and　unless　you　have　a　really　good　reason　to　stay　up；　I　suggest　you　find　a　bunk　and　get　a　few　Zs；　sir。‘
The　civilian　looked　up　with　a　tired　smile　to　mute　his　earlier　words。　‘Petty　Officer　Oreza；　smart　as　you　are；　you　ought　to　be　an　officer。‘
‘If　I‘m　so　smart；　how　e　we　missed　our　friend　last　night？‘
That　guy　we　saw　around　dawn？‘
‘Kelly？　Ex…Navy　chief；　solid　guy。‘
‘Kinda　young　for　a　chief；　isn‘t　he？‘　English　asked；　looking　at　a　not　very　good　photo　the　spotlight　had　made　possible　He　was　new　at　the　station。
‘It　came　along　with　a　Navy　Cross；‘　Oreza　explained。
The　civilian　looked　up。　‘So；　you　wouldn‘t　think　…‘
‘Not　a　chance　in　hell。‘
The　civilian　shook　his　head。　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　headed　off　to　the　bunk　room。　They‘d　be　going　out　again　before　sunset；　and　he‘d　need　the　sack　time。
‘So　how　was　it？‘　English　asked　after　the　man　left　the　room。
‘That　guy　is　shipping　a　lot　of　gear；　Cap‘n。‘　As　a　station　mander；　English　was　entitled　to　the　title；　all　the　more　so　t