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g in any specialists。 In any case。 sir。 I would suspect that the killer knows very little。 BAST appears to be well drilled。 If so。 they'll work in the usual manner of terrorist groups： cells； cut…outs； all that kind of thing。 It'll all be very much need…to…know。'
Walmsley stood up and paced the small cabin。 'Will you； won't you； will you； won't you； will you join the dance？ I'll tell you。 Bond。 Unless something es up … hard intelligence； I mean … I shall go ahead with Stewards' Meeting once you have the killer under lock and key。 I can't afford to abort。'
'As you say。 sir。 But； if I might suggest that all parties are given some kind of warning 。 ； 。'
'They've already had the main warning。 Bond。 They already know these BAST elowns might just make some kind of attempt to promise the operation。 All three parties have stated that the risk is calculated。 In other words； they all want Stewards' Meeting to go ahead as arranged。'
'They know about Morgan？'
Walmsley gave an unspoken 'No'； shaking his head and pursing his lips。
'Then on their own heads be it。'
'Easy to say。 Bond。 But people like that tend to lash out if something does happen。 And if your worst fears are realised； then it will be our balls they'll cut off。 We both know that/
Bond grunted。
'We're on a hiding to nothing。 Captain Bond。 Whatever steps we take； they'll have us for breakfast … fried； with a little tomato and bacon； I suspect。'
〃Then I'd best get on with putting my one suspect away； then doing some grilling of my own … without bacon and tomato。'
'Let me know。' Walmsley's tone became belligerent again。 Must let me know the results。 But； after five； local； this afternoon all bets are off。 We go ahead。'
'Aye…Aye； sir。' Bond left the cabin。 Time to see the lovely Nikki Ratnikov； and the Wren who was not a Wren； Sarah Deeley。
'James； can call you James； yes？' Nikki Ratnikov shook her head。 The shining ash…blonde hair swirled and settled naturally； with not a strand out of place。 Bond coutd see why other women would take a natural dislike to Nikki。
'Yes。' he said。 'Yes； call me James。'
'I am a Hide … detresse 。 。 。 distraite。 Oh； that is French。 How you say it in English？'
'Distressed？ Upset？'
'Yes； ihis is so。 1； James； have seen many bad things in my time。 Many； you cannot do my kind of work and avoid these things。 But this was like maniac。 This was like your old English Jim the Ripper； is right？'
？Jack。' Bond corrected。 'Jack the Ripper。'
'Unnecessary violence。 That poor man。 He looked as though head had been removed； decapitalised？ Yes？'
'Decapitated。'
'So。 Decapitated。 And the blood； it was all so sudden。 Frightening。'
'Right； Nikki。 Tell me。 Tell me exactly what happened。'
In spite of ihe protestations of being upset and distressed； Nikki Ratnikov was very lucid： matter…of…fact。 'So。 Yes。 I wake up。 I do not look at the lime。 I just wake up。 Not much sleep I am getting with the noise。 But I wake up and realise I need to go to 。。。 I need the bathroom； yes？'
'Yes。'
'Good。 I put on my robe and leave my cabin。 I am a little asleep still； James； you understand？'
'Yes； Nikki。 Right； Nikki。 I understand/
'I get to the bathrooms。 I am looking at my feet to climb over the little step。'
'To climb over the bulkhead； yes。'
'My foot is lifted even； then I look up and there is red water on the floor。 Then I see the Navy girl and the body。 My God； it is shock。 I move back and scream。〃
'You screamed a lot； Nikki。'
'It was so sudden； the horrible wound and all the blood on the floor。 Then ihe Navy girl start to also scream。'
Bond had collected the clues as they were presented to him。 'Tell me exactly what you saw； Nikki。' The body had been face down when he had arrived with the marine and Clover Pennington。 'Exactly。'
The Navy girl … what do you call them the Jenny Wren。 yes？〃
'Wren will do。'
'Okay。 The Wren was leaning over this poor man。 She had one hand on his shoulder pushing him back； as if she had just found him。 His head was back and I could see the terrible gash。 Red。 and the throat slashed … is that so； slashed？'
Bond nodded her on。
'It was horrible。 She saw me and let go of the man's shoulder。 He fell on his face； then I think she began screaming。'
'What was she wearing； the Wren？'
'She had the sleeping clothes on； and a white robe。 Like made from towels； yes？'
'Did she not get blood on the robe？ If she was leaning 。 。 。？'
'She was like； how you say； squatting。 She had the robe pulled up so it would not gel in the blood。'
'And what happened next？'
'We were both screaming； and a man came； then the Wren officer。 She was telling me to go to my cabin； and the other girl to e out quickly。'
'You saw her ing out？'
'Yes。'
？Remember anything in particular？'
？No。 Then I left。'
Think。 Nikki。 Did you notice anything else at all？ How did she e out？ Did she lift up her robe so that it wouldn't trail in the blood？'
'Yes。 that I remember。 She came oat with it lifted up； but it was strange 。 。 。 There was blood on it。 She had blood on the chest。 On the front of the robe。 High up。'
'Ah。 Good。 You would recognise this girl again； Nikki？'
'Of course。 Anywhere I would recognise her。'
'Right。 Just wait one moment； please。'
'For you。 James； much more than one moment。〃
He ignored the obvious pass； went over to the cabin door and beckoned the marine on duty outside。
'I want you to take Miss Ratnikov into the passage。 Then go and find Leading Wren Deeley。'
？Sir。'
'Nikki；' he turned back to the Russian girl。 'I want you to wait outside until you see （his marine ing back down the passage with the Wren。 If it is the girl you saw last night； you will smile at her。 If not； look away。 You understand？'
〃Is not difficult。 Smile if I recognise。 Ignore if I don't recognise？'
'Right；' he turned to the marine。 'When you bring Leading Wren Deeley in here you either say 〃Yes' or 〃No〃。 〃Yes' if Miss Ratnikov smiles。 〃No' if she doesn't。 Get it？'
'Yes； sir。 No difficulty。'
'Go ahead； then。'
Bond laid a hand on Nikki's shoulder。 'Go now； and please； Nikki。 get it right。'
'Is no problem。 I smile or look away。 Thank you； James。' Before he could stop her。 Nikki had reached up and kissed his cheek before leaving the cabin。 For some reason he thought of Beatrice and the kiss she had first given him。 How it had seemed to burn his cheek。 A tiny black cloud of depression came into his mind； and he shook his head； as though trying to rid himself of the last picture he had of Beatrice da Ricci。 The smoke； flash and explosion that had left very little of her alive。
The picture would not go away； even when he picked up the telephone and asked for the Master…ai…Anns … the 'Jaundy' as they called him： the senior non…missioned officer who had ulmost the power of God over ihe ratings； for； in some ways； he was the ship's chief of police。 Bond gave him some quick； crisp orders and put the telephone down。
It was not until he heard the knock on his cabin door （hat Bond realised that he should really have had Clover present； but it was loo late now。
The marine opened the door to Bond's 〃e。〃
'Yes。 sir。' he said。 So Nikki had identified the girl as being the Wren who was with the body in the heads。
'Leading Wren Deeley。 sir。' The marine announced； and the gir！ came through the cabin door which closed behind her。
'You wanted to see me； sir？' She was on the short side。 Stocky and obviously h't。 Her face remained placid and her eyes centred on Bond in full contact。 He took in the face； not pretty： slightly angular； oddly masculine。
'Yes。 Leading Wren Sarah Deeley。' He paused。 〃That is your name and rank？'
〃Yes sir。' She showed no trace of fear。
'And your division and number？'
'Plymouth。 762845。 sir。'
'Right。 Can you tell me； Deeley； why there is no record of you as a member of the Women's Royal Naval Service？1
'I don't understand； sir。'
'Well you'd best understand； and quickly。 Deeley。 There is no record of you。 Further 。 。 。' He rose and began to walk around the small desk。 'I have seni for the Master…at…Arms。 You will regard yourself as under arrest。'
Her face did not allcr； 'Under arrest for what； sir？'
'For the murder of Edgar Morgan； a member of the United States Seerel Service/
He did not even see her hand move。 He was aware only of the quick glint； and the knife flicking upwards； raised above her。 Even then； all that registered was the hatred in her eyes。
13
Desperate Dan
For Bond it was pure instinct and training。 Deeley's movement had been so fast that the flash of the blade just registered。 Then he moved automatically。 The girl's arm had passed across her body； the knife； blade outwards； ready to slash across his throat。 As his left arm came up to block the stroke； he even registered that the knife was a US Marines K…Bar with a seven…inch razor…sharp blade。
Who would have thought a small woman like this would have so much strength？ Their forearms met as he blocked the slash； and it was like banginj》 his own arm against a steel rod。 She was closing now。 stepping right forward into his body； twisting her arm to free herself。
If she managed it； the next knife stroke would e fast； and from another direction。 For a second her eyes； blazing with a fanatical anger； locked with Bond's。 She pushed in hard； then stepped away； leaving herself free for the second slroke： it was the old close…bat trick； using her opponent's body for leverage； and Bond should not have fallen for it。 This time she had turned the blade； so that the knife protruded from the thumb end of her fist； ready to e from below in the classic knife…fighting manner。
She came slowly； weaving in the confined space of the cabin； side…stepping and whipping in from Bond's open left flank。
He blocked her again； with his left forearm； bringing his right hand across to grasp her wrist； pushing down； twisting the wrist； in an attempt to force her to drop the weapon； but she pulled down on his thumb； her strength so great that his right hand slipped away as though it had been smeared with butter。
Now she was weaving again。 Two steps back； a feint with a third step； changing to a jump to her right； then another feint to the left and straight in； bending her knees and springing up。
Bond saw the knife ing in from below and he turned his body to the left … right around； like a matador performing a rebolera。 The blade must have missed by inches。 Deeley's hand slamming the point against the steel cabin wall。
But the girl whirled back before Bond even had a chance to grab； and she was ing for him again； the knife still low in her strong balled fist。 Once more Bond blocked； and； this time caught her firmly by the wrist with his right hand； pushing solidly with his left forearm。
With every ounce of strength he could muster he pulled up。 and then down； felt her arm move and heard the gasp of pain as he slammed her hand into the metal wall。 The knife dropped； but she was still panting and fighting： her knee ing up to his groin。
He felt the crushing flash of pure pain as she connected； and heard himself cry out； doubling over； grabbing at himself and seeing her hand snake down； fingers reaching for the knife on the cabin floor。
His cry must have been loud； and sharp enough to save him。 The cabin door was flung open and the young marine； dropping his rifle； ihrew himself on the Wren's back； taking her in an arm…lock around her neck。 A split second later； a pair of burly sailors had （he spitting and struggling girl by both arms and were leading her out。
'You okay； sir？'The young marine helped Bond into his chair。 He was still bent double and the area around his manhood seemed to be on fire。
'I think I'll have a short word with the quack；' he breathed heavily； then looked up and saw the Master…at…Arms standing in the doorway。
'You'll have to restrain her。' Bond panted。 'Just put her in the cells； under restraint。' The Royal Navy did not use the term 'brig'； so popular with the United States Navy。 'Get the Chief Regulating Officer to charge her。'
'With attacking a senior officer sir？' The Master…at…Arms raised his eyebrows at the end of the query； in a manner that suggested this was a facial expression he used habitually when asking questions。
'Murder。' Bond corrected。 His voice seemed a long