cc.themediterraneancaper2-第45部分

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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