alistairmaclean.bearisland-第34章

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least　a　couple　of　buttons　missing　from　your　coat。　And　he　had　to　be　standing　in　front　of　you　when　he　did　this　to　you。　Surely　you　must　have　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　at　least。〃
　〃It　was　dark；〃　Allen　mumbled。　〃I　didn't　see　anything。　I　didn't　feel　anything；　all　I　knew　was　that　I　woke　up　kind　of　groggy　like　in　the　snow　with　the　back　of　my　head　hurting。　I　knew　I　was　bleeding　and…please；　I　don't　know　what　happened。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；　yes；　you　Do〃　Judith　Haynes　had　pushed　her　way　to　the　front。　The　transformation　that　had　taken〃　place　in　her　face　was　as　astonishing　as　it　was　ugly　and　although　her　morning　performance　had　partially　prepared　me　for　something　of　this　kind　and　though　this　expression　was　different　from　the　one　that　had　disfigure　her　face　that　time；　it　was　still　an　almost　frightening　thing　to　watch。　The　red　gash　of　the　mouth　had　vanished；　the　lips　drawn　in　and　back　over　hared　teeth；　the　green　eyes　were　no　more　than　slits　and；　as　had　happened　that　morning；　the　skin　was　stretched　back　over　her　cheekbones　until　it　appeared　far　too　tight　for　her　face。　She　screamed　at　him：　〃You　damned　liar！　Wanted　your　own　back；　didn't　you？　You　dirty　little　bastard；　what　have　you　done　with　my　husband？　Do　you　hear　me？　Do　you　hear　me？　What　have　you　done　with　him；　damn　you？　Where　is　he？　Where　did　you　leave　him？〃
　Allen　looked　up　at　her　in　a　half…scared　astonishment；　then　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃I'm　sorry；　Miss　Haynes；　I　don't　know　what…〃
　She　hooked　her　long…nailed　fingers　into　talons　and　lunged　for　him　but　I'd　been　waiting　for　it。　So　had　both　Goin　and　Conrad。　She　struggled　like　a　trapped　wildcat；　screaming　invective　at　Allen；　then　suddenly　relaxed；　her　breath　ing　in　harsh；　rasping　sobs。
　〃Now　then；　now　then；　Judith；〃　Otto　said。　〃There's　no…〃
　〃Don't　you　〃now　then〃　me；　you　silly　old　bastard！〃　she　screamed。　Filial　respect　was　clearly　not　Judith　Haynes's　strong　point　but　Otto；　though　clearly　nervous；　accepted　his　daughter's　abuse　as　if　it　were　a　matter　of　course。　〃Why　don't　you　find　out　instead　what　this　young　swine's　done　to　my　husband？　Why　don't　you？　Why　don't　you！〃　She　struggled　to　free　her　arms　and　as　she　was　trying　to　move　away　we　let　her　go。　She　picked　up　a　torch　and　ran　for　the　door。
　〃Stop　her；〃　I　said。
　Heyter　and　Jungbeck；　big　men　both；　blocked　her　flight。
　〃Let　me　go；　let　me　out！〃　she　shouted。　Neither　Heyter　nor　Jungbeck　moved　and　she　whirled　round　on　me。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you　to…I　want　to　go　out　and　find　Michael！〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Miss　Haynes；〃　I　said。　〃You're　in　no　condition　to　go　to　look　for　anyone。　You'd　just　run　wild；　no　trace　of　where　you'd　been；　and　in　five　minutes〃　time　you'd　be　lost　too　and　perhaps　lost　for　good。　We're　leaving　in　just　a　moment。〃
　She　took　three　quick　steps　towards　Otto；　her　fists　clenched。　her　teeth　showing　again。
　〃You　let　him　push　me　around　like　this？〃　This　with　an　incinerating　glare　in　my　direction。　〃Spineless；　that's　you；　absolutely　spineless！　Anybody　can　walk　over　you！〃　Otto　blinked　nervously　at　this　latest　tirade　but　said　nothing。　〃Aren't　I　supposed　to　be　your　bloody　daughter？　Aren't　you　supposed　to　be　the　bloody　boss？　God's　sake；　who　gives　the　orders　about　here？　You　or　Marlowe？〃
　〃Your　father　does；〃　Goin　said。　〃Naturally。　But；　without　any　disrespect　to　Dr。　Marlowe；　we　don't　hire　a　dog　just　to　bark　ourselves。　He's　a　medical　man　and　we'd　be　fools　not　to　defer　to　him　in　medical　matters。〃
　〃Are　you　suggesting　I'm　a　medical　case？〃　All　the　colour　had　drained　from　her　cheeks　and　she　looked　uglier　than　ever。　〃Are　you？　Are　you；　then？
　A　mental　case；　perhaps？〃
　Heaven　knows　I　wouldn't　have　blamed　Goin　if　he'd　said　〃yes〃　straight　out　and　left　it　at　that　but　Goin　was　far　too　balanced　and　diplomatic　to　say　any　such　thing　and；　besides；　he'd　clearly　been　through　this　sort　of　crisis　before。　He　said；　quietly　but　not　condescendingly：　〃I'm　suggesting　no　such　thing。　Of　course　you're　distressed；　of　course　you're　overwrought；　after　all　it　is　your　husband　that's　missing。　But　I　agree　with　Dr。　Marlowe　that　you're　not　the　person　to　go　looking　for　him。　We'll　have　him　back　here　all　the　quicker　if　you　co…operate　with　us；　Judith。〃
　She　hesitated；　still　halfway　between　hysteria　and　rage；　then　swung　away。　I　taped　the　gash　on　Allen's　head　and　said：　〃That'll　do　till　I　e　back。　Afraid　I'll　have　to　shave　off。　a　few　locks　and　stitch　it。〃　On　the　way　to　the　door　I　stopped　and　said　quietly　to　Goin：　〃Keep　her　away　from　Allen；　will　you？〃
　Goin　nodded。
　〃And　for　heaven's　sake　keep　her　away　from　Mary　darling。〃
　He　looked　at　me　in　what　was　as　close　to　astonishment　as　he　was　capable　of　achieving。　〃That　kid？〃
　〃That　kid。　She's　next　on　the　list　for　Miss　Haynes's　attentions。　When　Miss　Haynes　gets　around　to　thinking　about　it；　that　is。〃
　I　left　with　the　same　four　as　previously。　Conrad；　the　last　out；　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　said：　〃Jesus！　My　charming　leading　lady。　What　a　virago　she　is！〃
　〃She's　a　little　upset；〃　I　said　mildly。
　〃A　little　upset！　Heaven　send　I'm　in　the　next　county　if　she　ever　gets　really　mad。　What　the　hell　do　you　think　can　have　happened　to　Stryker？〃
　I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said；　and　because　it　was　dark　I　didn't　have　to　assume　an　honest　expression　to　go　with　the　words。　I　moved　closer　to　him　so　that　the　others；　already　fanned　out　in　line　of　search；　couldn't　hear　me。
　〃Seeing　we're　such　a　bunch　of　odd…balls　anyway；　I　hope　an　odd　request　from　another　odd…ball　won't　e　amiss。〃
　〃You　disappoint　me；　Doctor。　I　thought　you　and　I　were　two　of　the　very　few　halfway　normal　people　around　here。〃
　〃By　the　prevailing　standards；　any　moderate　odd…ball　is　normal。　You　know　anything　of　Lonnie's　past？〃
　He　was　silent　for　a　moment　then　said：　〃I've　has　a　past？〃
　〃We　all　have　a　past。　If　you　think　I　mean　a　criminal　past；　no。　Lonnie　hasn't　got　one。　I　just　want　to　find　out　if　he　was　married　or　had　any　family。　That's　all。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　ask　him　yourself？〃
　〃If　I　felt　free　to　ask　him　myself；　would　I　be　asking　you？〃
　Another　silence。　〃Your　name　really　Marlowe；　Doe？〃
　〃Marlowe；　as　ever　was。　Christopher　Marlowe。　Passport；　birth　certificate；　driving　licence…they're　all　agreed　on　it。〃
　〃Christopher　Marlowe？　just　like　the　playwright；　eh？〃
　〃My　parents　had　literary　inclinations。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　He　paused　again。　〃Remember　what　happened　to　your　namesake…stabbed　in　the　back　by　a　friend　before　his　thirtieth　birthday？〃
　〃Rest　easy。　My　thirtieth　birthday　is　lost　in　the　mists　of　time。〃
　〃And　you're　really　a　doctor？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　you're　really　something　else；　too？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Lonnie。　Marital　status。　Children　or　no。　You　may　rely　on　Conrad's　discretion。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said。　We　moved　apart。　We　were　walking　to　the　north　for　two　reasons…the　wind；　and　hence　the　snow；　were　to　our　backs　and　so　progress　was　easier　in　that　direction；　and　Allen　had　e　stumbling　from　that　direction。　In　spite　of　Allen's　professed　total　lack　of　recall　of　what　had　happened；　it　seemed　likely　to　me　that　we　might　find　Stryker　also　somewhere　in　that　direction。　And　so　it　proved。
　〃Over　here！　Over　here！〃　In　spite　of　the　muffling　effects　of　the　snow　Hendriks's　shout　sounded　curiously　high…pitched　and　cracked。　〃I've　found　him；　I've　found　him！〃
　He'd　found　him；　all　right。　Michael　Stryker　was　lying　face　down　in　the　snow；　arms　and　legs　outspread　in　an　almost　perfectly　symmetrical　fashion。　Both　fists　were　clenched　tight。　On　the　snow；　beside　his　left　shoulder；　lay　a　smooth　elliptical　stone　which　from　its　size…it　must　have　weighed　between　sixty　and　seventy　pounds…better　qualified　for　the　name　of　boulder。　I　stooped　low　over　this　boulder；　bringing　the　torch　close；　and　at　once　saw　the　few　dark　hairs　imbedded　in　the　dark　and　encrusted　stain。　Proof　if　proof　were　required　but　I　hadn't　doubted　anyway　that　this　was　what　had　been　used　to　smash　in　the　back　of　Stryker's　skull。　Death　would　have　been　instantaneous；
　〃He's　dead！　Jungbeck　said　incredulously。
　〃He's　all　that；〃　I　said。
　〃And　murdered！〃
　〃That；　too。〃　I　tried　to　turn　him　over　on　his　back　but　Conrad　and　Jungbeck　had　to　lend　their　not　inconsiderable　weights　before　this　was　done。
　His　upper　lip　was　viciously　split　all　the　way　down　from　the　nostril；　a　tooth　was　missing　and　he　had　a　peculiar　red　and　raw　looking　mark　on　his　right　temple。
　〃By　God；　there　must　have　been　a　fight；〃　Jungbeck　said　huskily。　〃I　wouldn't　have　thought　that　kid　Allen　had　had　it　in　him。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　have　thought　so　either；〃　I　said。
　〃Allen？〃　Conrad　said。　〃I'd　have　sworn　he　was　telling　the　truth。　Could　he…well；　do　you　think　it　could　have　happened　when　he　was　suffering　from　amnesia？〃
　〃All　sorts　of　funny　things　can　happen　when　you've　had　a　bump　on　the　head；〃　I　said。　I　looked　at　the　ground　around　the　dead　man；　there　were　footprints　there；　not　many；　already　faint　and　blurred　from　the　driving　snow：　there　was　no　help　to　be　gained　from　that　quarter。　I　said：　〃Let's　get　him　back。〃
　So　we　carried　the　dead　man　back　to　the　camp　and　it　wasn't；　in　spite　of　the　uneven　terrain　and　the　snow　in　our　faces；　as　difficult　a　task　as　it　might　have　been　for　the　same　reason　that　I'd　found　it　so　difficult　to　turn　him　over…the　limbs　had　already　begun　to　stiffen；　not　from　the　onset　of　rigor　mortis；　for　it　was　too　soon　for　that　yet；　but　from　the　effects　of　the　intense　cold。　We　laid　him　in　the　snow　outside　the　main　cabin。　I　said　to　Hendriks：　〃Go　inside　and　ask　Goin　for　a　bottle　of　brandy…say　that　I　sent　you　back　for　it；　that　we　need　it　to　keep　us　going。〃　It　was　the　last　thing　I　would　ever　have　remended　to　keep　anyone　warm　in　bitter　outdoor　cold；　but　it　was　all　I　could　think　of　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　〃Tell　Goin　…quietly…to　e　here。〃
　Goin；　clearly　aware　that　there　was　something　far　amiss；　walked　out　casually　and　casually　shut　the　door　behind　him；　but　there　was　nothing　casual　about　his　reaction　when　he　saw　Stryker　lying　there；　his　gashed　and　marble…white　face　a　death's　head　in　the　harsh　light　of　several　torches。　Goin's　own　face　was　clear　enough　in　the　backwash　of　light　reflected　from　the　snow。　The　shocked　expression　on　his　face　he　could　have　arranged　for：　the　draining　of　blood　that　left　it　almost　as　white　as　Stryker's　he　couldn't。
　Jesus　Christ！〃　he　whispered。　〃Dead？〃
　I　said　nothing；　just　turned　the　dead　man　over　with　Conrad's　and　Jung　beck's　help　again。　This　time　it　was　more　difficult。　Goin　made　a　strange　noise　in　his　throat　but　otherwise　didn't　react　at　all；　I　suppose　he'd　nothing　left　to　react　with；　he　just　stood　there　and　stared　as　the　driving　snow　whitened　the　dead　man's　anorak　and；　mercifully；　the　fearful　wound　in　the　occiput。　For　what　seemed　quite　a　long　time　we　stood　there　in　silence；　gazing　down　at　the　dead　man：　I　was　aware；　almost　subconsciously；　that　the　wind；　now　veering　beyond　south；　was　strengthening；　for　the　thickening　snow　was　driving　along　now　almost　parallel　to　the　ground：　I　do　not　know　what　the　temperature　was　but　it　must　have　been　close　on　thirty　degrees　below　freezing。　I　was　dimly　aware　that　I　was　shaking　with　the　cold：　looking　around；　I　could　see　that　the　others　were　also。　Our　breaths　froze　as　they　struck　the　icy　Mr。　but　the　wind　whipped　them　away　before　the　vapour　had　time　to　form。
　〃Accident？〃　Goin　said　hoarsely。　〃It　could　have　been　an　accident？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　I　saw　the　boulder　that　was　used　to　crush　his　skull　in。〃
　Goin　made　the　same　curious　noise　in　his　throat　again　and　I　went　on：　〃We　can't　leave　him　here　and　we　can't　take　him　inside。