按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
t we're professionals。 We did our job。〃
〃They got the films； all right；〃 I acknowledged。 〃And I'd give a year's salary to see the faces of the men who develop them。 Listen carefully； Jolly。 Your main reason in trying to cripple Benson and myself was not so much that you could have the say…so on Bolton's health and so delay us： your main reason； your overriding reason； was that you wanted to be the only doctor on the ship so that it could be only you who would carry out the X…ray on Zabrinski's ankle and remove the plaster cast。 Literally； everything hinged on that： basically； nothing else mattered。 That was why you took such a desperate chance in crippling me when you heard me say I intended to X…ray Zabrinski's ankle the following morning。 That was the one move you made that lacked the hallmark of classof a professionalbut； then； I think you were close to panic。 You were lucky。
〃Anyway； you removed the plaster cast two mornings ago and also the films that you had hidden there in oilskin paper when you applied the plaster to Zabrinski's leg the first night we arrived in Zebra。 A perfect hiding place。 You could always； of course； have wrapped them in bandages covering survivors' burns； but that would be too risky。 The cast was brilliant。
〃Unfortunately for you and your friends； I had removed the original plaster during the previous night； extracted the films from the oiled paper； and replaced them with others。 That； incidentally； is the second piece of evidence I have on you。 There are two perfect sets of prints on the leaders of the satellite films： yours and Kinnaird's。 Along with the saltcovered aluminum foil and the confession freely made in front of witnesses； that guarantees you both the eight o'clock walk to the gallows。 The gallows and failure； Jolly。 You weren't even a professional。 Your friends will never see those films。〃
Mouthing soundless words through smashed lips； his face masked in madness； and pletely oblivious to the two guns； Jolly flung himself at me。 He had taken two steps and two only when Rawlings' gun caught him； not lightly； on the side of the head。 He crashed to the floor as if the Brooklyn bridge had fallen in on top of him。 Rawlings surveyed him dispassionately。
〃Never did a day's work that gave me profounder satisfaction；〃 he said conversationally。 〃Except； perhaps； those pictures I took with Dr。 Benson's camera to give Dr。 Carpenter here some negatives to shove inside that oiled paper。〃
〃Pictures of what？〃 Swanson asked curiously。
Rawlings grinned happily。 〃All those pin…ups in Doc Benson's sick bay。 Yogi Bear； Donald Duck； Pluto； Popeye； Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsyou name it； I got it。 The works。 Each a guaranteed work of artand in glorious technicolor。〃 He smiled a beatific smile。 〃Like Doc Carpenter here； I'd give a year's pay to see their faces when they get around to developing those negatives。〃
1