cc.vixen03-第24部分

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s　in　the　vodka。〃
　〃Sounds　like　an　old…wives'　tale。　Besides；　why　bother？　You　don't　have　an　ounce　of　fat　on　you　anywhere。〃
　〃See；〃　Pitt　laughed。　〃They　really　work。〃
　The　humor　was　contagious。　For　the　first　time　that　day　Steiger　felt　like　laughing。　But　soon　after　the　drinks　arrived　his　expression　clouded　again；　and　he　sat　there　silently；　toying　with　his　glass　without　touching　its　contents。
　〃Don't　tell　me；〃　said　Pitt；　reading　the　colonel's　dour　thoughts；　〃your　friends　at　the　Pentagon　shot　you　down？〃
　Steiger　nodded　slowly。　〃They　dissected　every　sentence　of　my　report　and　flushed　the　pieces　into　the　Washington　sewer　system。〃
　〃Are　you　serious？〃
　〃They　wanted　none　of　it。〃
　〃What　about　the　canisters　and　the　fifth　skeleton？〃
　〃They　claim　the　canisters　are　empty。　As　to　your　theory　on　Loren　Smith's　father；　I　didn't　even　bring　it　up。　I　saw　little　reason　to　stoke　the　fires　of　their　already　flaming　skepticism。〃
　〃Then　you're　off　the　investigation。〃
　〃I　am　if　I　wish　to　retire　a　general。〃
　〃They　leaned　on　you？〃
　〃They　didn't　have　to。　It　was　written　in　their　eyes。〃
　〃What　happens　now？〃
　Steiger　looked　at　Pitt　steadily。　〃I　was　hoping　you　might　go　it　alone。〃
　Their　eyes　locked。
　〃You　want　me　to　raise　the　aircraft　from　Table　Lake？〃
　〃Why　not？　My　God；　you　salvaged　the　Titanic　from　thirteen　thousand　feet　in　the　middle　of　the　Atlantic。　A　Stratocruiser　in　a　landlocked　lake　should　be　child's　play　for　a　man　of　your　talents。〃
　〃Very　flattering。　But　you　forget；　I'm　not　my　own　boss。　Raising　Vixen　03　will　take　a　crew　of　twenty　men；　several　truckloads　of　equipment；　a　minimum　of　two　weeks；　and　a　budget　of　nearly　four　hundred　thousand　dollars。　I　can't　swing　that　on　my　own；　and　Admiral　San　decker　would　never　give　NUMA's　blessing　to　a　project　that　size　without　solid　assur…ance　of　additional　government　funding。〃
　〃Then　what　about　simply　bringing　up　one　of　the　canisters　and　Smith's　remains　for　positive　identification？〃
　〃And　find　ourselves　holding　the　proverbial　bag？〃
　〃It's　worth　a　try；〃　Steiger　said；　excitement　rising　in　his　tone。　〃You　can　fly　back　to　Colorado　tomorrow。　In　the　meantime　I'll　authorize　a　contract　to　retrieve　the　crew's　bodies。　That　will　get　you　off　the　hook　with　the　Pentagon　and　NUMA。〃
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃Sorry；　but　you'll　have　to　take　a　rain　check。　Sandecker　assigned　me　to　oversee　the　raising　of　a　Union　ironclad　that　sank　off　the　Georgia　coast　during　the　Civil　War。〃　He　paused　to　check　his　watch。　〃I'm　scheduled　to　board　a　flight　for　Savannah　in　six　hours。〃
　Steiger　sighed　and　his　shoulders　sagged。　〃Perhaps　you　can　give　it　a　go　at　a　later　date。〃
　〃Wrap　up　the　contract　and　keep　it　on　ice。　I'll　sneak　off　to　Colorado　the　first　chance　I　get。　That's　a　promise。〃
　〃Have　you　told　Congresswoman　Smith　about　her　father　yet？〃
　〃Truthfully；　I　haven't　had　the　guts。〃
　〃A　nagging　doubt　you　could　be　wrong？〃
　〃That's　part　of　it。〃
　A　vacant　expression　clouded　Abe　Steiger's　face。　〃Jesus；　what　a　mess。〃　He　downed　the　double　martini　in　one　throw　and　then　stared　at　the　glass　sadly。
　The　waitress　returned　with　menus　and　they　ordered。　Steiger　absently　watched　her　backside　as　she　swayed　into　the　kitchen。　〃Instead　of　sitting　here；　beating　out　my　brains　over　an　old　mystery　nobody　cares　about；　I　should　be　concentrating　on　getting　back　to　California　and　the　wife　and　kids。〃
　〃How　many？〃
　〃Kids？　Eight；　all　told。　Five　boys　and　three　girls。〃
　〃You　must　be　Catholic。〃
　Steiger　smiled。　〃With　a　name　like　Abraham　Levi　Steiger？　You've　got　to　be　kidding。〃
　〃By　the　way；　you　neglected　to　mention　how　the　brass　explained　away　Vixen　03's　flight　plan。〃
　〃General　O'Keefe　found　the　original。　It　didn't　jibe　with　our　analysis　of　the　one　from　the　wreck。〃
　Pitt　pondered　a　moment　and　then　asked；　〃Do　you　have　a　Xerox　copy　I　might　borrow？〃
　〃Of　the　flight　plan？〃　　
　〃Just　the　sixth　page。〃　
　〃Outside；　locked　in　the　trunk　of　my　car。　Why？〃
　〃A　shot　in　the　dark；〃　Pitt　said。　〃I　have　this　friend　over　at　FBI　who　can't　resist　a　good　crossword　puzzle。〃
　〃Must　you　really　leave　tonight？〃　Loren　asked　Pitt。
　〃I'm　expected　at　a　morning　meeting　to　discuss　salvage　operations；〃　he　said　from　the　bathroom；　where　he　was　loading　his　shaving　kit。
　〃Damn；〃　she　said；　pouting。　〃I　might　as　well　have　an　affair　with　a　traveling　salesman。〃
　He　entered　the　bedroom。　〃e　now；　to　you　I'm　nothing　but　a　current　toy。〃
　〃That'snot　so。〃　She　flung　her　arms　around　him。　〃Next　to　Phil　Sawyer；　you're　my　very　favorite　person。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　her。　〃Since　when　have　you　been　seeing　the　President's　press　secretary？〃
　〃When　the　stud　is　away；　Loren　will　play。〃
　〃But　good　God！　Phil　Sawyer。　He　wears　white　shirts　and　talks　like　a　thesaurus。〃
　〃He　asked　me　to　marry　him。〃
　〃I　may　vomit。〃
　She　held　him　tightly。　〃Pease；　no　sarcasm　tonight。〃
　〃I　regret　I　can't　be　more　of　an　adoring　lover　to　you；　but　I'm　too　damned　selfish　to　mit　myself。　I'm　not　capable　of　giving　the　one　hundred　percent　a　woman　like　you　needs。〃
　〃I'll　settle　for　any　percentage　I　can　get。〃
　He　leaned　down　and　kissed　her　on　the　throat。　〃You'd　make　Phil　Sawyer　a　rotten　wife。〃
　
　27
　
　Thomas　Machita　paid　his　admission　and　entered　the　grounds　of　the　traveling　amusement　fair；　one　of　many　that　sprang　up　on　holidays　around　the　South　African　countryside。　It　was　Sunday　and　large　groups　of　Bantu　and　their　families　lined　up　at　the　Ferris　wheel；　merry…go…round；　and　booth　games。　Machita　made　his　way　over　to　the　ghost　ride；　according　to　Emma's　telephone　instructions。
　He　was　undecided　as　to　which　tool　he　would　employ　to　kill　Emma。　The　razor　blade　taped　to　his　left　forearm　left　much　to　be　desired。　The　tiny　bit　of　steel　was　a　close…in　weapon；　lethal　only　if　he　sliced　his　victim's　jugular　vein　in　an　unguarded；　discreet　moment；　an　opportunity　Machita　consid…ered　quite　remote　in　view　of　the　sizable　crowd　around　him。
　Machita　finally　decided　on　the　ice　pick。　He　let　out　a　satisfied　sigh；　as　though　he　had　solved　a　great　scientific　riddle。　The　pick　was　unobtru…sively　threaded　among　the　strands　of　a　basket　clutched　in　his　hands。　The　wooden　handle　had　been　removed；　and　in　its　place　electrical　tape　had　been　wound　several　times　around　the　needlelike　shaft。　A　quick　thrust　between　the　ribs　to　the　heart；　or　into　an　eye　or　an　ear；　if　he　could　somehow　ram　the　shaft　into　one　of　Emma's　eustachian　tubes；　there　would　be　little　if　any　body　fluid　to　tell　the　tale。
　Machita　tightened　his　grip　on　the　basket　that　held　both　the　ice　pick　and　the　two　million　dollars　for　the　payoff。　His　turn　came　and　he　paid　for　a　ticket　and　mounted　the　platform　of　the　ghost　ride。　The　couple　ahead　of　him；　a　giggling　man　and　his　obese　wife；　snuggled　their　way　into　a　small　car　that　seated　two。　The　attendant；　an　old；　haggard…looking　derelict　who　constantly　sniffed　at　a　runny　nose；　lowered　a　safety　bar　over　their　legs　and　shoved　a　large　lever　protruding　from　the　floor。　The　car　bounced　forward　on　a　track　and　rolled　through　two　swinging　doors。　Soon；　wom…en's　screams　could　be　heard　escaping　from　the　darkened　interior。
　Machita　entered　the　next　car。　He　relaxed　and　became　amused　at　the　thought　of　the　ride。　Images　of　his　childhood　returned　and　he　remem…bered　cringing　in　a　similar　car　during　another　ghost　ride　long　ago　as　phosphorescent　banshees　lurched　out　of　the　blackness　at　him。
　He　did　not　observe　the　attendant　as　the　lever　was　pushed；　nor　did　he　react　immediately　when　the　old　man　leaped　agilely　into　the　car　with　him　and　lowered　the　safety　bar。
　〃I　hope　you　enjoy　the　ride；〃　said　a　voice　that　Machita　knew　to　be　Emma's。
　Once　again　the　mysterious　informer　had　shrewdly　capitalized　on　Machita's　laxity。　The　odds　favoring　a　clean　kill　had　suddenly　evapo…rated。
　Emma's　hands　expertly　frisked　his　clothing。　〃How　very　wise　of　you　to　e　unarmed；　my　dear　Major。〃
　A　score　for　our　side；　thought　Machita；　his　hands　casually　holding　the　basket　and　shielding　the　ice　pick。　〃Do　you　have　Operation　Wild　Rose？〃　''he　asked；　his　tone　official。
　〃Do　you　have　two　million　American　dollars？〃　the　shadowy　figure　beside　him　retorted。
　Machita　hesitated　and　unconsciously　ducked　as　the　car　swung　be…neath　a　tall　stack　of　barrels　that　fell　over　toward　them；　jerking　to　a　stop　bare　inches　from　their　heads。
　〃Here　。。。　in　the　basket。〃
　Emma　pulled　an　envelope　from　inside　a　dirty　jacket。　〃Your　boss　will　find　this　most　interesting　reading。〃
　〃If　not　vastly　overpriced。〃
　Machita　was　glancing　through　the　documents　in　the　envelope　when　a　pair　of　grotesquely　painted　witches；　fluoresced　by　ultraviolet　light；　leaped　at　the　car　and　shrieked　through　hidden　loudspeakers。　Emma　ignored　the　wax　figures　and　opened　the　basket；　studying　the　print　on　the　currency　under　the　purple　illumination。　The　car　rolled　onward　as　the　witches　were　pulled　back　into　their　recess　by　hidden　springs　and　the　tunnel　plunged　into　darkness　again。
　Now！　Machita　thought。　He　snatched　the　ice　pick　from　its　hiding　place　and　lunged　at　where　he　guessed　Emma's　right　eye　socket　should　be。　But　in　that　split　second　the　car　snapped　into　a　sharp　turn　and　an　orange　floodlight　burst　on　a　bearded　Satan　who　menacingly　brandished　a　pitch…fork。　It　was　enough　to　deflect　Machita's　aim。　The　pick　missed　Emma's　eye　and　its　tip　became　embedded　in　the　skull；　above　the　brow。
　The　stunned　informer　cried　out；　chopped　Machita's