alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第28章

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　 〃But　all　of　those　men　have　been　burned；　some　very　severely〃
　 〃What　the　hell　did　you　expect？　That　the　unknown　X　would　go　about　without　a　mark　on　him；　without　as　much　as　a　cigarette　burn；　proclaiming　to　the　world　that　he　had　been　the　one　who　had　been　throwing　matches　about　and　had　then　thoughtfully　stood　to　one　side？　Local　color。　He　〃had〃　to　get　himself　burned。〃　…
　 〃It　doesn't　necessarily　follow；〃　Hansen　said。　〃How　was　he　to　know　that　anyone　was　going　to　get　suspicious　and　start　investigating？〃
　 〃You'd　be　well　advised　to　join　your　captain　in　keeping　out　of　the　detecting　racket；〃　I　said　shortly。　〃The　men　behind　this　are　top…flight　experts　with　far…reaching　contactspart　of　a　criminal　octopus　with　tentacles　so　long　that　it　can　even　reach　out　and　sabotage　your　ship　in　the　Holy　Loch。　Why　they　did　that；　I　don't　know。　What　matters　is　that　top…flight　operators　like　those　〃never〃　take　chances。　They　always　operate　on　the　assumption　that　they　〃may〃　be　found　out。　They　take　every　possible　precaution　against　every　possible　eventuality。　Besides；　when　the　fire　was　at　its　heightwe　don't　know　the　story　of　that　yetthe　killer　would　have　had　to　pitch　in　and　rescue　those　trapped。　It　would　have　seemed　damned　odd　if　he　hadn't。　And　so　he　got　burned。〃
　 〃My　God。〃　Swanson's　teeth　were　beginning　to　chatter　with　the　cold　but　he　didn't　seem　to　notice　it。　〃What　a　hellish　set…up。〃
　 〃Isn't　it？　I　dare　say　there's　nothing　in　your　Navy　regulations　to　cover　this。〃
　 〃But　whatwhat　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　 〃We　call　the　cops。　That's　me。〃
　 〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　 〃What　I　say。　I　have　more　authority；　more　official　backing；　more　scope；　more　power　and　more　freedom　of　action　than　any　cop　you　ever　saw。　You　must　believe　me。　What　I　say　is　true。〃
　 〃I'm　beginning　to　believe　it　〃is〃　true；〃　Swanson　said　in　slow　thoughtfulness。　〃I've　been　wondering　more　and　more　about　you　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours。　I've　kept　telling　myself　I　was　wrong；　even　ten　minutes　before　I　kept　telling　myself。　You're　a　policeman？　Or　detective？〃
　 〃Naval　officer。　Intelligence。　I　have　credentials　in　my　suitcase　which　I　am　empowered　to　show　in　an　emergency。〃　It　didn't　seem　the　time　to　tell　him　just　how　wide　a　selection　of　credentials　I　did　have。　〃This　is　the　emergency。〃
　 〃Butbut　you　are　a　doctor。〃
　 〃Sure　I　am。　A　Navy　doctoron　the　side。　My　specialty　is　investigating　sabotage　in　the　U。K。　armed　forces。　The　cover…up　of　research　doctor　is　the　ideal　one。　My　duties　are　deliberately　vague；　and　I　have　the　power　to　poke　and　pry　into　all　sorts　of　corners　and　situations　and　talk　to　all　sorts　of　people　on　the　grounds　of　being　an　investigating　psychologist　which　would　be　impossible　for　the　average　officer。〃
　 There　was　a　long　silence；　then　Swanson　said　bitterly；　〃You　might　have　told　us　before　this。〃
　 〃I　might　have　broadcast　it　all　over　your　tannoy　system。　Why　the　hell　should　1？　I　don't　want　to　trip　over　blundering　amateurs　every　step　I　take。　Ask　any　cop。　The　biggest　menace　of　his　life　…　is　the　self…appointed　Sherlock。　Besides；　I　couldn't　trust　you；　and　before　you　start　getting　all　hot　and　bothered　about　that　I　might　add　that　I　don't　mean　you'd　deliberately　give　me　away　or　anything　like　that　but　that　you　may　inadvertently　give　me　away。　Now　I've　no　option　but　to　tell　you　what　I　can　and　chance　the　consequences。　Why　couldn't　you　just　have　accepted　that　directive　from　your　Chief　of　Naval　Operations　and　acted　accordingly？〃
　 〃Directive？〃　Hansen　looked　at　Swanson。　〃What　directive？〃
　 〃Order　from　Washington　to　give　Dr。　Carpenter　here　carte　blanche　for　practically　everything。　Be　reasonable；　Carpenter。　I　don't　like　operating　in　the　dark　and　I'm　naturally　suspicious。　You　came　aboard　in　highly　questionable　circumstances。　You　knew　too　damn　much　about　submarines。　You　were　as　evasive　as　hell。　You　had　this　sabotage　theory　all　cut　and　dried。　Damn　it；　man；　of　course　I　had　reservations。　Wouldn't　you　have　had；　in　my　place？〃
　 〃I　suppose　so。　I　don't　know。　Me；　I　obey　orders。〃
　 〃Uh…huh。　And　your　orders　in　this　case？〃
　 〃Meaning　what　exactly　is　all　this　about？〃　I　sighed。　〃It　would　have　to　e　to　this。　You　must　be　told　now；　and　you'll　understand　why　your　Chief　of　Naval　Operations　was　so　anxious　that　you　give　me　every　help　possible。〃
　 〃We　can　believe　this　one？〃　Swanson　asked。
　 〃You　can　believe　this　one。　The　story　I　spun　you　back　in　the　Holy　Loch　wasn't　all　malarkey。　I　just　dressed　it　up　a　bit　to　make　sure　you'd　take　me　along。　They　did　indeed　have　a　very　special　item　of　equipment　here…an　electronic　marvel　that　was　used　for　monitoring　the　count…down　of　Soviet　missiles　and　pinpointing　their　locations。　This　machine　was　kept　in　one　of　the　huts　now　destroyedthe　second　from　the　west　in　the　south　row。　Night　and　day　a　giant　captive　radio…sonde　balloon　reached　thirty　thousand　feet　up　into　the　skybut　it　had　no　radio　attached。　It　was　just　a　huge　aerial。　Incidentally；　I　should　think　that　this　is　the　reason　why　the　oil　fuel　appears　to　have　been　flung　over　so　large　an　areaan　explosion　caused　by　the　bursting　of　the　hydrogen　cylinders　used　to　inflate　the　balloons。　They　were　stored　in　the　fuel　hut。〃
　 〃Did　everybody　in　Zebra　know　about　this　monitoring　machine？〃
　 〃No。　Most　of　them　thought　it　a　device　for　investigating　cosmic　rays。　Only　four　people　knew　what　it　really　wasmy　brother　and　the　three　others　who　all　slept　in　the　hut　that　housed　this　machine。　Now　the　hut　is　destroyed。　The　free　world's　most　advanced　listening　post。　You　wonder　why　your　C。N。O。　was　so　anxious？〃
　 〃Four　men？〃　Swanson　looked　at　me；　a　faint　speculation　still　in　his　eye。　〃Which　four　men；　Dr。　Carpenter？〃
　 〃Do　you　have　to　ask？　Four　of　the　seven　men　you　see　lying　here；　mander。〃
　 He　stared　down　at　the　floor；　then　looked　quickly　away。　He　said：　〃You　mentioned　that　you　were　convinced　even　before　we　left　port　that　something　was　wrong。　Why？〃
　 〃My　brother　had　a　top…secret　code。　We　had　messages　sent　by　him：　he　was　an　expert　radio　operator。　One　said　that　there　had　been　two　separate　attempts　to　wreck　the　monitor。　He　didn't　go　into　details。　Another　said　that　he　had　been　attacked　and　left　unconscious　when　making　a　midnight　check　and　finding　someone　bleeding　off　the　gas　from　the　hydrogen　cylinders：　without　the　radio…sonde　aerial；　the　monitor　would　have　been　useless。　He　was　lucky；　he　was　out　for　only　a　few　minutes；　as　long　again　and　he　would　have　frozen　to　death。　In　the　circumstances　did　you　expect　me　to　believe　that　the　fire　was　unconnected　with　the　attempts　to　sabotage　the　monitor？〃
　 〃But　how　would　anyone　know　what　it　was？〃　Hansen　objected。　〃Apart　from　your　brother　and　the　other　three　men；　that　is？〃　Like　Swanson；　he　glanced　at　the　floor　and；　like　Swanson；　looked　as　hurriedly　away。　〃For　my　money；　this　is　the　work　of　a　psycho。　A　madman。　A　coldly　calculating　criminal　wouldwell；　he　wouldn't　go　in　for　wholesale　murder　like　this。　But　a　psycho　would。〃
　 〃Three　hours　ago；〃　I　said；　〃before　you　loaded　the　torpedo　into　number　3　tube；　you　checked　the　manually　controlled　levers　and　the　warning　lights　for　the　tube　bow　caps。　In　the　one　case；　you　found　that　the　levers　had　been　disconnected　in　the　open　position：　in　the　other；　you　found　that　the　wires　had　been　crossed　in　a　junction　box。　Do　you　think　that　was　the　work　of　a　psycho？　Another　psycho？〃
　 He　said　nothing。　Swanson　said；　〃What　can　I　do　to　help；　Dr。　Carpenter？〃
　 〃What　are　you　willing　to　do；　mander？〃
　 〃I　will　not　hand　over　mand　of　the　〃Dolphin〃。〃　He　smiled；　but　he　wasn't　feeling　like　smiling。　〃Short　of　that；　I　and　the　crew　of　the　〃Dolphin〃am　at　your　plete　disposal。　You　name　it；　Doctor；　that's　all。〃
　 〃This　time　you　believe　my　story？〃
　 〃This　time　I　believe　your　story。〃
　 I　was　pleased　about　that；　I　almost　believed　it　myself。
　
　
　8
　
　 The　hut　where　we'd　found　all　the　Zebra　survivors　huddled　together　was　almost　deserted　when　we　got　back　to　it；　only　Dr。　Benson　and　the　two　very　sick　men　remained。　The　hut　seemed　bigger　now；　somehow；　bigger　and　colder；　and　very　shabby　and　untidy；　like　the　remnants　of　a　church　rummage　sale　where　the　housewives　have　trained　for　a　couple　of　months　before　moving　up　to　battle　stations。　Pieces　of　clothing；　bedding；　frayed　and　shredded　blankets；　gloves；　plates；　cutlery；　and　dozens　of　odds　and　ends　of　personal　possessions　lay　scattered　all　over　the　floor。　The　sick　men　had　been　too　sickand　too　glad　to　be　on　their　wayto　worry　much　about　taking　too　many　of　their　various　knickknacks　out　of　there。　All　they　had　wanted　out　of　there　was　themselves。　I　didn't　blame　them。
　 The　two　unconscious　men　had　their　scarred　and　frost…bitten　faces　toward　us。　They　were　either　sleeping　or　in　a　a。　But　I　took　no　chances。　I　beckoned　to　Benson　and　he　came　and　stood　with　us　in　the　shelter　of　the　west　wall。
　 I　told　Benson　what　I'd　told　the　mander　and　Hansen。　He　had　to　know。　As　the　man　who　would　be　in　the　most　constant　and　closest　contact　with　the　sick　men；　he　had　to　know。　I　suppose　he　must　have　been　pretty　astonished　and　shaken；　but　he　didn't　show　it。　Doctors'　faces　behave　as　doctors　tell　them　to；　when　they　e　across　a　patient　in　a　pretty　critical　state　of　health；　they　don't　beat　their　breasts　and　break　into　loud　lamentations；　as　this　tends　to　discourage　the　patient。　This　now　made　three　men　from　the　〃Dolphin's〃　crew　who　knew　what　the　score　waswell；　half　the　score；　anyway。　Three　was　enough。　I　only　hoped　it　wasn't　too　much。
　 Thereafter　Swanson　did　the　talking；　Benson　would　take　it　better　from　him　than　he　would　from　me。　Swanson　said；　〃Where　were　you　thinking　of　putting　the　sick　men　we've　sent　back　aboard？〃
　 〃In　the　most　fortable　places　I　can　find。　Officers'　quarters；　crew's　quarters；　scattered　all　over　so　that　no　one　is　upset　too　mUch。　Spread　the　load；　so　to　speak。〃　He　paused。　〃I　didn't　know　of　the　latestum…development　at　the　time。　Things　are　somewhat　different　now。〃
　 〃They　are。　Half　of　them　in　the　wardroom；　the　other　half　in　the　crew's　mess　No；　the　crew's　quarters。　No　reason　why　they　shouldn't　be　made　fortable。　If　they　wonder　at　this；　you　can　say　it's　for　ease　of　medical　treatment　and　that　they　can　all　be　under　constant　medical　watch；　like　heart　patients　in　a　ward。　Get　Dr。　Jolly　behind　you　in　this。　He　seems　a　co…operative　type。　And　I've　no　doubt　he'll　support　you　in　your　next　movethat　all　patients　are　to　be　stripped；　bathed　and　provided　with　clean　pajamas。　If　they're　too　ill　to　move；　a　bed　bath。　Dr。　Carpenter　here　tells　me　that　prevention　of　infection　is　of　paramount　importance　in　cases　of　severe　burn　injuries。〃
　 〃And　their　clothes？〃
　 〃You　catch　on　more　quickly　than　I　did；〃　Swanson　grunted。　〃All　their　clothes　to　be　taken　away　and　labeled。　All　contents　to　be　removed　and　labeled。　The　clothes；　for　anyone's　information；　are　to　be　disinfected　and　laundered。〃
　 〃It　might　help　if　I　am　permitted　to　know　just　what　we　are　looking　for；〃　Benson　suggested。
　 Swanson　looked　at　me。
　 〃God　knows；〃　I　said。　〃Anything　and　everything。　One　thing　certainyou　won't　find　a　gun。　Be　especially　careful　in　labeling　gloveswhen　we　get　back　to　Britain；　we'll　have　the　experts　test　them　for　nitrates　from　the　gun　used。〃
　 〃If　anyone　has　brought　aboard　anything　bigger　than　a　postage　stamp；　I'll　find　it；〃　Benson　promised。
　 〃Are　you　sure？〃　I　asked。　〃Even　if　you　brought　it　aboard　yourself？〃
　 〃What？　Me？　What　the　devil　are　you　suggesting？〃
　 〃I'm　suggesting　that　something　may　have　been　shoved　inside　your　medical　k