cc.themediterraneancaper2-第49部分

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　smuggler　than　the　chief　administrator　of　several　thousand　federal　investigators。　The　Director　spoke　first。
　〃I've　looked　forward　to　meeting　you；　Major　Pitt　The　Bureau　is　deeply　grateful　for　your　assistance。〃　The　voice　was　low　and　very　precise。
　〃I　didn't　do　much。　Inspector　Zacynthus　and　Colonel　Zeno　carried　most　of　the　load。〃
　The　Director　met　his　eyes　evenly。　〃That　may　be；　but　you　carry　the　scars。〃　He　motioned　Pitt　to　a　chair　and　offered　him　a　cigarette。　〃Did　you　have　a　good　flight　from　Greece？〃
　Pitt　lit　the　cigarette　and　inhaled　deeply。　〃Air　Force　cargo　planes　aren't　exactly　famous　for　their　cuisine　and　royal　coachman　service；　but　I　must　admit　that　it　was　considerably　more　relaxing　than　the　flight　in。〃
　Admiral　Sandecker　gave　Pitt　a　puzzled　look。　〃Why　the　Air　Force？　You　could　have　flown　from　Athens　on　Pan　Am　or　TWA。〃
　〃Souvenirs；〃　Pitt　laughed。　〃One　of　my　mementos　of　Thasos　was　too　bulky　to　fit　in　the　luggage　partment　of　a　mercial　airliner。　Colonel　Lewis　came　to　my　rescue　and　helped　me　hitch　a　ride　on　a　half…empty　Air　Force　cargo　plane　that　was　headed　stateside。〃
　〃Your　wound；〃　Sandecker　nodded　at　Pitt's　leg。　〃Healing　all　right？〃
　〃It's　still　a　bit　stiff；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃Nothing　a　thirty　day　medical　leave　won't　cure。〃
　The　Admiral　eyed　Pitt　shrewdly　for　a　moment　through　a　blue　haze　of　cigar　smoke。　〃Two　weeks。〃　The　tone　reeked　of　cool　authority。　〃I　have　more　faith　in　your　recuperative　powers　than　you　have。〃
　The　Director　cleared　his　throat。　〃I've　read　Inspector　Zacynthus'　report　with　a　great　deal　of　interest。　There　is；　however；　one　point　he　didn't　cover。　It　isn't
　important。　but　out　of　personal　curiosity；　I　wonder　if　you
　could　tell　me。　Major　how　you　came　to　the　conclusion
　that　Minerva　Lines　ships　had　the　capacity　to　carry　submarines？〃
　Pitt　smiled　with　his　eyes。　〃I　guess　you　might　say；　sir；　the　secret　was　written　in　the　sand。〃
　The　Director's　lips　curled　in　a　humorless　smile。　He　wasn't　used　to　indirect　answers。。　〃Very　Homeric；　Major；　but　hardly　the　answer　I　had　in　mind。〃
　〃Strange　but　true；〃　Pitt　said。　〃After　finding　no　sign　of　the　heroin　on　board　the　Queen　Artemisia；　I　swam　to　the　beach　and　began　doodling　with　a　stick　in　the　sand。　A　detachable　submarine　seemed　like　an　abstract　idea　at　first。　but　the　more　
　I　doodled；　the　more　concrete　it　became。〃
　The　Director　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃Forty　years；　a　hundred　agents　from　twelve　different　nations　all　struggling　under　the　most　adverse　conditions　imaginable　to　break　von　Till's　smuggling　operation。　Three　of　those　agents　gave　up　their　lives　in　the　struggle〃　He　looked　gravely　across　the　desk　at　Pitt　〃Somehow　it　almost　seems　a　tragic　joke　that　our　efforts　overlooked　a　solution　that　was　so　apparent　to　someone　standing　on　the　outside　looking　in。〃
　Pitt　stared　at　him　in　silence。
　〃By　the　way；〃　the　Director　continued　suddenly　cheerful；　〃I　don't　suppose　you've　had　a　chance　to　hear　the　results　of　our　Galveston　stakeout？〃
　〃No　sir。〃　Pitt　carefully　tapped　an　ash　in　an　ashtray。　〃Until　five　minutes　ago　I　haven't　seen　or　talked　to　Inspector　Zacynthus　since　we　parted　on　Thasos。　nearly　three　weeks　ago　I've　had　no　way　of　knowing　whether　my　small　assist　paid　off　for　you　in　Galveston　or　not。〃
　Zacynthus　looked　at　the　Director。　〃May　I　fill　Major　Pitt　in；　sir？〃
　The　Director　nodded。
　Zacynthus　turned　to　Pitt。
　〃Everything　went　according　to　plan。　Five　miles　outside　the　harbor　we　were　met　by　a　small　fleet　of　von　Till's　fishing　boats…a　bit　tricky　at　this　point；　not　knowing　the　proper　identification　signals。　Luckily　I　persuaded　the　Queen　Jocasta's　captain…with　the　threat　of　castration　with　a　rusty　knifeto　desert　the　enemy　and　join　our　side。〃
　〃Did　anyone　e　aboard？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃There　was　no　danger　of　that；〃　Zacynthus　replied。
　〃A　boarding　party　would　have　looked　too　damned　suspicious　to　a　passing　patrol　boat。　The　fishermen　merely　stood　off　and　signaled　us　to　detach　the　sub。　Interesting　piece　of　machinery；　that　sub。　The　Navy　engineers　who　studied　it　ing　across　the　Atlantic　were　quite　impressed。〃
　〃What　made　it　so　unique？〃　〃It　was　fully　automatic。〃
　〃A　drone？〃　Pitt　asked　incredulously。
　〃Yes；　another　one　of　von　Till's　clever　innovations。　You　see；　if　the　sub　had　an　accident　or　was　detected　by　the　Harbor　Patrol　before　it　reached　the　cannery　there　was　no　way　in　hell　it　could　be　traced　or　connected　to　Minerva　Lines。　And　without　a　crew　there　would　be　no　one　to　interrogate。〃
　Pitt　was　intrigued。　〃Then　it　was　controlled　by　one　of　the　fishing　boats。〃
　Zacynthus　nodded。　〃Right　up　the　middle　of　the　harbor's　main　channel　and　under　the　pilings　of　the　cannery。　Only　this　trip　the　sub　carried　several　uninvited　stowaways：　myself　and　ten　marines　on　loan　from　the　Mediterranean　Tenth　Fleet　I　might　add　that　the　cannery　was　surrounded　by　thirty　of　the　Bureau's　best　agents。〃
　〃If　Galveston　had　more　than　one　cannery；〃　Giordino　said　thoughtfully；　〃you'd　have　been　in　big　trouble。〃
　Zacynthus　grinned　knowingly。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　Galveston　boasts　a　total　of　four　canneries；　all　located　on　pilings　over　the　water。〃
　Giordino　didn't　have　to　ask　the　obvious　question。　It　was　written　all　over　his　face。
　〃I'll　put　your　mind　at　ease；〃　Zacynthus　said。　〃The　Bureau's　Gulf　Ports　Department　had　each　cannery　under　surveillance　for　two　weeks　before　the　Queen　Jocasta's　arrival。　The　tip…off　came　when　one　of　them　received　a　shipment　of　sugar。〃
　Pitt　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Sugar？〃
　〃Sugar；〃　the　Director　offered；　〃is　often　used　to　adulterate　the　heroin　and　boost　the　quantity。　By　the　time　pure　heroin　is　cut　by　the　middle　man　and　cut　again　by　the　dealer；　the　original　supply　is　increased　by　a　substantial　amount。〃
　Pitt　thought　for　a　moment　〃So　the　one　hundred　and　thirty　tons　was　only　a　beginning？〃
　〃It　could　have　been　the　beginning；〃　Zacynthus　answered；　〃if　it　wasn't　for　you；　old　friend。　You're　the　only　one　who　saw　through　von　Till's　plan。　If　you　and　Giordino　hadn't　arrived　at　Thasos　when　you　did；　the　rest　of　us　would　be　sitting　up　in　Chicago　about　now；　forming　a　daisy　chain　and　kicking　each　other　into　Lake　Michigan。〃
　Pitt　grinned。　〃Write　it　off　to　luck。〃
　〃Call　it　what　you　will；〃　Zacynthus　retorted。　〃As　things　stand　at　the　moment；　we　have　over　thirty　of　the　biggest　illegal　drug　importers　in　the　country　waiting　for　indictment；　including　everyone　connected　with　the　trucking　pany　that　transported　the　goods。　And　that's　only　the　half　of　it。　When　we　searched　the　cannery　office　we　found　a　book　with　the　names　of　nearly　two　thousand　dealers　from　New　York　to　Los　Angeles。　For　the　Bureau　it　was　parable　to　a　prospector　discovering　the　mother　lode。〃
　Giordino　let　out　a　long　whistle。　〃It's　going　to　be　a　bad　year　for　the　addicts。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Zacynthus　said。　〃Now　that　their　main　source　is　dried　up；　and　the　local　law　enforcement　agencies　are　rounding　up　the　dealers；　the　users　are　about　to　face　the　worst　drug　famine　to　e　along　in　the　last　twenty　years。〃
　Pitt's　eyes　left　the　zoom　and　gazed　out　the　window；　seeing　nothing。　〃There　is　just　one　more　question。〃
　Zacynthus　looked　at　him。　〃Yes？'
　Pitt　didn't　reply　immediately。　He　fiddled　with　his　cane　a　moment。　〃What　became　of　our　old　friend？　I've　seen　no　mention　of　him　in　the　newspapers。〃
　〃Before　I　answer　you；　take　a　look　at　these。〃　Zacynthus　pulled　a　pair　of　photographs　from　a　briefcase　and　laid　them　in　front　of　Pitt　side　by　side　on　the　desk。
　Pitt　leaned　over　and　studied　them　carefully。　The　first　was　a　snapshot　of　a　light…haired　man　who　wore　the　uniform　of　a　German　naval　officer　He　was　caught　in　a　relaxed　pose；　standing　on　the　bridge　of　a　ship　and　peering　out　to　sea；　his　hands　resting　carelessly　on　a　pair　of　binoculars　that　hung　around　his　neck　The　face　in　the　second　photograph　stared　back　at　Pitt　with　the　familiar　leer　of　a　shaven…skulled　Erich　von　Stroheim。　A　huge　white　dog　stood　at　the　lower　half　of　the　picture；　crouched　as　if　ready　to　spring。　An　involuntary　chill　crept　through　Pitt's　body　as　he　remembered…　remembered　all　too　vividly。
　〃There　doesn't　seem　to　be　much　of　a　resemblance。〃
　Zacynthus　nodded。　〃Admiral　Heibert　did　a　remarkable　job…scars；　birthmarks；　even　his　dental　fillings　matched　von　Till's。〃
　〃what　about　fingerprints？〃
　〃Impossible　to　prove　anything。　There　were　no　known　records　of　von　Till's　prints；　and　Helbert　had　his　altered　by　surgery。〃
　Pitt　sat　back　puzzled。　〃Then　how　can　we　be　sure…〃
　〃The　uninvited　detail；〃　Zacynthus　said　slowly。　〃No　matter　how　exhaustingly　they　try　or　how　diligently　they　plan；　all　criminals　get　their　tails　pinned　to　the　wall　by　the　uninvited　detail。　In　Heibert's　case　it　was　von　Till's　scalp？〃
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　follow　you。〃
　〃When　von　Till　was　a　young　man；　he　contracted　a　skin　disease　called　Alpecia　areata　which　caused　plete　baldness　Heibert　didn't　know　this。　He　thought　von　Till　had　shaved　his　head　in　the　Prussian　tradition；　so　quite　naturally　he　took　to　the　razor。　It　didn't　take　the　War　Criminals　investigators　long　to　spot　the　growth。　There　was；　of　course；　later　evidence　that　confirmed　Admiral　Heibert's　identity；　but　the　hair　was　the　first　nail　in　the　coffin。〃
　Pitt　suddenly　felt　a　vague　mixture　of　relief　and　satisfaction。　〃Has　he　swung　yet？〃
　〃Four　days　ago；〃　Zacynthus　said　matter　of　factly。　〃You　saw　nothing　in　the　newspapers　be