cc.vixen03-第31章

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　She　had　read　his　name　upside　down　as　he　signed　it。　〃I'm　Heidi　Milligan。　If　you　need　anything；　just　push　the　buzzer　by　your　door。　I'll　get　the　message　sooner　or　later。　I　hope　you　won't　mind　carrying　your　own　luggage　up。〃
　〃I'll　manage。　Is　the　admiral　handy？　I'd　like　to　talk　to　him　about　。　。　。　about　antiques。〃
　She　pointed　through　a　double　screen　door　at　the　end　of　the　lobby。　〃You'll　find　him　down　by　the　duck　pond；　clearing　away　lily　pads。〃
　Pitt　nodded　and　headed　in　the　direction　Heidi　Milligan　had　indicated。　The　door　opened　onto　a　footpath　that　meandered　down　a　gently　sloping　hill。　Admiral　Bass　had　wisely　chosen　not　to　landscape　Anchorage　House。　The　surrounding　grounds　had　been　left　to　nature　and　were　covered　with　pines　and　late…blooming　wildflowers。　For　a　moment　Pitt　forgot　his　mission　and　soaked　up　the　scenic　quiet　that　hemmed　in　the　trail　to　the　pond。
　He　found　an　elderly　man；　in　hip　boots　and　brandishing　a　pitchfork；　aggressively　attacking　a　circular　growth　of　water　lilies　about　eight　feet　from　shore。　The　admiral　was　a　big　man　and　he　threw　the　tangled　root　stocks　onto　the　bank　with　the　ease　of　someone　thirty　years　younger。　He　wore　no　hat　under　the　Virginia　sun　and　the　sweat　rolled　free　from　his　bald　head　and　trickled　off　the　ends　of　his　nose　and　chin。
　〃Admiral　Walter　Bass？〃　Pitt　said；　hailing　him。
　The　pitchfork　stopped　in　mid…throw。　〃Yes；　I'm　Walter　Bass。〃
　〃Sir；　my　name　is　Dirk　Pitt；　and　I　wonder　if　I　might　have　a　word　with　you？〃
　〃Sure；　go　right　ahead；〃　said　Bass；　finishing　the　toss。　〃Pardon　me　if　I　keep　after　these　damned　weeds；　but　I　want　to　clear　out　as　much　as　I　can　before　dinner。　If　I　didn't　do　this　at　least　twice　a　week　before　winter；　they'd　choke　off　the　whole　pond　e　spring。〃
　Pitt　stepped　back　as　a　flying　wad　of　tuberous　stems　and　heart…shaped　leaves　splattered　at　his　feet。　To　him；　at　least；　it　was　an　awkward　situa…tion；　and　he　wasn't　sure　how　to　handle　it。　The　admiral's　back　was　to　him；　and　Pitt　hesitated。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　plunged。　〃I'd　like　to　ask　you　several　questions　concerning　an　aircraft　with　the　code　designation　Vixen　03。〃
　Bass　kept　at　his　labor　without　a　pause；　but　the　whitened　knuckles　around　the　handle　of　the　pitchfork　did　not　go　unnoticed　by　Pitt。
　〃Vixen　03；〃　he　said；　and　shrugged。　〃Doesn't　ring　a　bell。　Should　it？〃
　〃It　was　a　Military　Air　Transport　Service　plane　that　vanished　back　in　1954。〃
　〃That　was　a　long　time　ago。〃　Bass　stared　vacantly　at　the　water。　〃No；　I　can't　recall　any　connection　with　a　MATS　aircraft；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Not　surprising；　though。　I　was　a　surface　officer　throughout　my　thirty　years　in　the　Navy。　Heavy　ordnance　was　my　specialty。〃
　〃Do　you　recall　ever　meeting　a　major　in　the　Air　Force　by　the　name　of　Vylander？〃
　〃Vylander？〃　Bass　shook　his　head。　〃Can't　say　as　I　have。〃　Then　he　looked　at　Pitt　speculatively。　〃What　was　your　name　again？　Why　are　you　asking　me　these　questions？〃
　〃My　name　is　Dirk　Pitt；〃　he　said　again。　〃I'm　with　the　National　Under…water　and　Marine　Agency。　I　found　some　old　papers　that　stated　you　were　the　officer　who　authorized　Vixen　03's　flight　orders。〃
　〃There　must　be　a　mistake。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Maybe　the　mystery　will　be　cleared　up　when　the　wreck　of　the　aircraft　is　raised　and　thoroughly　inspected。〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　it　vanished。〃
　〃I　discovered　the　wreckage；〃　Pitt　answered。
　Pitt　studied　Bass　closely　for　any　discernible　reaction。　There　was　none。　He　decided　to　leave　the　admiral　alone　to　collect　his　thoughts。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　have　troubled　you；　Admiral。　I　must　have　gotten　my　signals　mixed。〃
　Pitt　turned　and　began　walking　up　the　path　back　to　the　inn。　He'd　covered　nearly　fifty　feet　when　Bass　yelled　after　him。
　〃Mr。　Pitt！〃
　Pitt　turned。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Are　you　staying　at　the　inn？〃
　〃Until　tomorrow　morning。　Then　I　must　be　on　my　way。〃
　The　admiral　nodded。　When　Pitt　reached　the　pines　bordering　Anchor…age　House；　he　took　another　look　toward　the　pond。　Admiral　Bass　was　calmly　forking　the　lily　pads　onto　the　bank；　as　if　their　brief　conversation　had　simply　been　about　crops　and　the　weather。
　
　32
　
　Pitt　enjoyed　a　leisurely　dinner　with　the　other　guests　at　the　inn。　The　dining　room　had　been　designed　in　the　style　of　an　eighteenth…century　country　tavern；　with　old　flintlock　rifles；　pewter　drinking　cups；　and　weathered　farm　implements　hanging　on　the　walls　and　rafters。
　The　food　was　about　as　homemade　as　any　Pitt　had　ever　tasted。　He　ate　two　helpings　each　of　the　fried　chicken；　brandied　carrots；　baked　corn；　and　sweet　potatoes；　and　barely　had　room　for　the　three…inch…thick　wedge　of　apple　pie。
　Heidi　moved　about　the　tables；　serving　coffee　and　making　small　talk　with　the　guests。　Pitt　noted　that　most　were　of　social…security　age。　Younger　couples；　he　mused；　probably　found　the　peaceful　serenity　of　a　country　inn　boring。　He　finished　an　Irish　coffee　and　stepped　out　onto　the　porch。　A　full　moon　rose　in　the　east　and　turned　the　pines　to　silver。　He　eased　into　a　vacant　bentwood　rocker　and　propped　his　feet　on　the　porch　railing　and　waited　for　Admiral　Bass　to　make　the　next　move。
　The　moon　had　arched　overhead　nearly　twenty　degrees　when　Heidi　came　out　and　wandered　slowly　in　his　direction。　She　stood　in　back　of　him　for　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃There　is　no　moon　so　bright　as　a　Virginia　moon。〃
　〃You　won't　get　an　argument　from　me；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Did　you　enjoy　your　dinner？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　my　eyes　were　bigger　than　my　stomach。　I　gorged　myself。　My　pliments　to　your　chef。　His　down…home　cooking　style　is　poetry　to　the　palate。〃
　Heidi's　smile　went　from　friendly　to　beautiful　in　the　glow　of　the　moon。　〃She'll　be　happy　to　hear　it。〃
　Pitt　made　a　helpless　gesture。　〃A　lifetime　of　chauvinistic　tendencies　is　hard　to　suppress。〃
　She　settled　her　tightly　packed　bottom　on　the　railing　and　faced　him；　her　expression　suddenly　turning　serious。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Pitt；　why　did　you　e　to　Anchorage　House？〃
　Pitt　stopped　rocking　and　stared　squarely　into　her　eyes。　〃Is　this　a　survey　to　check　the　effectiveness　of　your　advertising　or　are　you　just　plain　inquisitive？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　didn't　mean　to　pry；　but　Walter　seemed　very　upset　when　he　returned　from　the　pond　this　evening。　I　thought　that　maybe…〃
　〃You　think　it　was　because　of　something　I　said；〃　Pitt　said；　finishing　for　her。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Are　you　related　to　the　admiral？〃
　It　was　the　magic　question；　for　she　began　talking　about　herself。　She　was　a　lieutenant　mander　in　the　Navy；　she　was　assigned　to　the　Norfolk　Navy　Yard；　she　had　enlisted　out　of　Wellesley　College　and　had　eleven　years　to　go　to　retirement；　her　ex…husband　had　been　a　colonel　in　the　Marines　and　had　ordered　her　about　like　a　recruit；　she'd　had　a　hysterec…tomy；　so　no　children；　no；　she　was　not　related　to　the　admiral；　she　had　met　him　when　he　was　a　guest　lecturer　at　a　Naval　College　seminar；　and　she　came　down　to　Anchorage　House　whenever　she　could　sneak　off　from　her　duties；　she　made　no　bones　about　the　fact　that　she　and　Bass　had　a　May…December　affair　going。　Just　when　it　was　getting　interesting；　she　stopped　and　peered　at　her　watch。
　〃I'd　better　run　along　and　see　to　the　other　guests。〃　She　smiled；　and　again　that　transformation。　〃If　you　get　tired　of　just　sitting；　I　suggest　you　take　a　stroll　to　the　top　of　the　rise　beside　the　inn。　You'll　find　a　lovely　view　of　the　lights　of　Lexington。〃
　Her　tone；　it　seemed　to　Pitt；　was　more　one　of　mand　than　of　suggestion。
　Heidi　had　been　only　half　right。　The　view　from　the　rise　was　not　only　lovely：　it　was　breathtaking。　The　moon　illuminated　the　entire　valley　and　the　streetlights　of　the　town　twinkled　like　a　distant　galaxy。　Pitt　had　been　standing　there　only　a　minute　when　he　became　aware　of　a　presence　behind　him。
　〃Admiral　Bass？〃　he　inquired　casually。
　〃Please　raise　your　hands　and　do　not　turn　around；〃　Bass　ordered　brusquely。
　Pitt　did　as　he　was　told。
　Bass　did　not　make　a　full　body　search　but　instead　slipped　out　Pitt's　wallet　and　beamed　a　flashlight　on　its　contents。　After　a　few　moments　he　clicked　off　the　light　and　returned　the　wallet　to　Pitt's　pocket。
　〃You　may　lower　your　hands；　Mr。　Pitt；　and　turn　around　if　you　wish。〃
　〃Any　reason　for　the　melodramatics？〃　Pitt　tilted　his　head　at　the　re…volver　poised　in　Bass's　left　hand。
　〃It　seems　you've　exhumed　an　excessive　amount　of　information　about　a　subject　that　belongs　buried。　I　had　to　be　certain　o