Part 2 (2/2)
Mike Guthrie had a big autoht hand An old-fashi+oned naval 45, a killer's weapon, one which would blow a hole in a h which you could drive a London cab
TWO things saved Guthrie froheavy blade of the baitknife Firstly, the fact that the 45 was not pointed at me and, secondly, the expression of comical amazement on thethe knife, breaking the instinctive action by a major effort of will, and we stared at each other He knew then how close he had corin he forced to his swollen sunburned lips was shaky and unconvincing I stood up and pegged the knife into the bait chopping board
”Do yourself a favour,” I told hi behind ain He swivelled the seat and ai out loudly above the run of Dancer's engines and the brief smell of cordite hipped away on the wind
Two of the rotesque bursts of blood and feathers blown to shreds by the heavy bullets, and the rest of the flock scattered with shrieks of panic The manner in which the birds were torn up told me that Guthrie had loaded with explosive bullets, a un
He swivelled the chair back to face me and blew into thewith that heavy calibre weapon
”Tough cooky,” I applauded hi in the doorway of the cabin with the gin in his hand and as I stepped past him he spoke quietly
”Now I knoho you are,” he said, in that soft putty voice
”It's been worrying us, we thought we knew you”
I stared at him, and he called past me to Guthrie
”You knoho he is now, don't you?” and Guthrie shook his head
I don't think he could trust his voice ”He had a beard then, think about it - a raph”
”Jesus,” said Guthrie ”Harry Bruce!” I felt a little shock at hearing the naain after all these years I had hoped it was forgotten for ever
”Roold heist”
”He set it up” Guthrie snapped his fingers ”I was sure I knew hientle address,” I said with a desperate atteh this fresh knowledge They had seen a shot - where? When? Were they law men of from the other side of the fence? I needed tie
”Sorry,” muttered Jimmy, as I took the wheel froun” ”Yeah,” I said ”itit took was along the left-hand path They would have to go They had blown my elaborate cover, they had sniffed me out and there was only one sure way I looked back into the cockpit but both Materson and Guthrie had gone below
An accident, take them both out at one stroke, aboard a set hurt in the worst possible way They had to go
Then I looked at Jirinned at me
”You ht he was going to get that knife through his gizzard”
The kid also? I asked o as well Then suddenly I felt the sao in the Biaftan village
”You okay, skipper?” Jimmy asked quickly, it had shown on o fetch us a can of beer”
While he was below I reached my decision I would do a deal I was certain that they didn't want their business shouted in the streets I'd trade secrecy for secrecy Probably they were co to the same conclusion in the cabin below
I locked the wheel and crossed quietly to the corner of the bridge,sure my footsteps were not picked up in the cabin below
The ventilator there funnels fresh air into the inlet above the saloon table I had found that the ventilator made a reasonably effective voice tube, that sound was carried through it to the bridge
However, the effectiveness of this listening device depends on a nuth of the wind and the precise position of the speaker in the cabin below
The as on our bea out patches of the conversation in the cabin However, Ji directly below the vent for his voice caly when the wind roar did not smother it
”Why don't you ask hiusted and when it cleared, Jiht, where will you-2 and the wind roared, ” - to get the dawn light then ill have to Then entire discussion seemed to be on tiain by leaving harbour at dawn, he said it again ”If the dawn light is where-” I strained for the next words but the wind killed them for ten seconds, then ” - I dont see e can't--2 Ji and suddenly Mike Guthrie's voice caone to stand close beside Ji attitude
”Listen, Jimmy boy, you let us handle that side of it Your job is to find the bloody thing, and you aren't doing so good this far”
They ain for their voices beca door into the cockpit opening and I turned quickly to the wheel and freed the retaining handle just as Jie of the deck as he came up the ladder
He handed me the beer and he seeone fro
”Mr Materson says that's enough for today We are to head for ho Dancer across the current and we came in from the west, past the st the pal premonition of loss The fates had called for a new deck of cards, and the gaer, the stakes were too rich for my blood but there was no way I could pull out now
However, I suppressed the chill of despair, and turned to Jie of his new attitude of trust and try for what inforhtly on the run down the channel into Grand Harbour
They had obviously told hiely the fact that I had a criminal past made les now They had found a lever, so now they could handle h I was pretty sure they had not explained the whole proposition to young James
It was obviously a relief for him to act naturally with uile An exauarded like a military secret from me, and yet around his neck he wore a silver chain and a Medic-alert tag that warned that JA NORTH, the wearer, was allergic to penicillin
Now he forgot all his forently I drew sht have use for in the- future In my experience it's what you don't know that can really hurt you, I chose the subject that I guessed would open him up completely
”See that reef across the channel, there where she's breaking now?
That's Devil Fish Reef and there is twenty fathoout of sorouper I shot one there last year that weighed in at over two hundred kilos”
”Two hundred-” he exclaimed ”My God, that's almost four hundred and fifty pounds”