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He saw the fear and shock in her eyes and he decided not to pursue it at once。 It wasn't doing her much good to be so close to the stiff。 He weighed anchor； started up the engine； and swung the boat to starboard； heading in a flat arc back toward his own craft。
Once there； he set the engine in neutral； slung the anchor onto his boat to keep the two craft linked； and climbed over the rail after it。 He turned and offered Alix his hand。
Slowly she unwound and as if in a trance came aboard his own boat。 〃Why don't you go below and lie down；〃 he said； gently guiding her to the panionway。 〃Just relax for a bit。〃
After she had disappeared he went to work； transferring the half…gallon plastic container of gas to Alix's boat； going below…decks with it。 When he returned； he took the Red Monster's corpse and； using his fishing knife； cut out the barbed flechette of the spear。 This he threw overboard。 Then； manhandling the body； he draped it over the wheel。
Lastly； he took the fallen Magnum and returned belowdecks。 There he fired three shots downward through the hull。 Sea water began to ooze up through the rents。 Then he uncapped the plastic container and drenched the cabin。 He went back to the panionway and lit a match； barely escaping the sudden whoosh of the flames greedily eating up the oxygen。
Quickly he scrambled up onto the deck and drew the anchor back on board； wound the chain around the Red Monster's ankles。 He set the engine at full throttle； the rudder at a straight course； and； the container in one hand； jumped overboard。
It was an easy swim back to his own boat and； climbing on board； he stowed his scuba outfit along with the empty plastic container。 Then he went belowdecks。
Alix was lying on one narrow berth； her right arm flung across her eyes。 She heard his approach and her lips moved slightly。 〃I heard noises。 They sounded a little like shots。〃
〃Your engine was backfiring。〃 There was no point in telling her any of it； and some danger in it as well。
〃It's gone。〃 She said it like a little girl of her favorite Teddy bear。
〃It was part of the price of your freedom。〃
Her arm came away from her face and she looked up at him。 〃Well； I never paid for it。 It wasn't mine anyway； I suppose。〃
Croaker nodded and came to sit down beside her on the opposing bunk。 〃It's about your friend； Angela Didion。〃
〃Yes。〃 Alix seemed to sigh。 〃It's always about Angela。〃
〃I caught the squeal；〃 Croaker said。 〃I found her dead。 And I want her killer。〃
Alix's eyes blinked。 〃Is that all there is to it？〃
〃Someone doesn't want me to find the murderer。 Bad。〃 He hesitated now； on the brink of the question that had haunted him for over a year； the question that had sent him to Matty the Mouth for information； the question that had led him down to Key West when he had been warned off the case by his captain。
His throat was dry and he felt as if his vocal chords were in spasm。 So long a time on this one； such a dogged determination。 And now the answers staring at him out of jade green eyes right in front of his face。
〃Was it Raphael Tomkin who killed her？〃 It sounded like another's voice but he knew it was his。
〃Tomkin was there。〃
〃That's not an answer。〃
For a long time she stared at him； trying to make up her mind。 The boat rocked gently beneath them in the swells and the vague scent of dried fish； weeks old； still lingered over the swabbed decks。 At last she stirred； moving to a sitting position。 〃We'll make a deal；〃 she whispered。 〃You get me out of Florida； you get me to a place where I know I'll be safe…〃 She paused as if quivering on the last threshold。 〃And I'll tell you everything I know about Angela Didion's death。〃
If Minck expected a reaction from his guest； he was sorely disappointed。 Instead； Nicholas said； 〃This department is concerned with Soviet Russia。 How does it e to be entangled with the Japanese？〃
〃It will e as no surprise to you that Japan has been our major bulwark against munism in the Far East ever since the end of the war。 We have been putting enormous amounts of pressure on them for years to increase their defense budget； which； I might add； they have been doing slowly but surely。〃 He shrugged。 〃That's something。 And this year they have agreed to allow us to install a hundred and fifty of our newest supersonic F…20 Tiger…shark jet fighters at the naval base at Misawa。〃
This conversation had begun to have echoes of the one Nicholas had had with Tomkin last week。
〃Our latest intelligence puts each of the Kuriles in the hands of a minimum of two divisions of mechanized Soviet infantry apiece。 Twenty…eight thousand troops。 And on one of them lies a Soviet mand post capable of coordinating the activity of an entire army corps。〃
Minck sat forward。 〃There's been a great deal of coordinated activity going on there ever since the new MIGs arrived。 But； personally； I don't think it's related to the supersonics。 Those were merely brought in as defense against our F…20s。
〃No； if our growing file of intelligence is correct； it's far more serious than that。 What our probing suggests is a confirmation of what a number of the more militant Joint Chiefs have been concerned about for a while。〃
Minck took a sip of his drink。 〃We now feel that this troop buildup is part of a specific program to create a military curtain in that part of the globe behind which Russian submarines carrying long…range ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads capable of reaching the American mainland can operate without fear of intervention。〃
Nicholas felt chilled despite himself。 〃What you're talking about is madness。 Global madness。 We would all die in an instant without any recognition。 Three…fourths of the human race gone。〃 He shook his head。 〃I can't believe it。 Even the dinosaurs did better than that。〃
〃The dinosaurs weren't smart enough to split the atom；〃 Minck said ironically。 〃So you'd better begin believing it。〃 Nicholas could discern a spark of fire in his eyes now。 〃Because that's precisely what our information indicates is happening。〃
For a time Nicholas said nothing。 The whir of the automatic sprinklers could be heard； doing the rain's work。
〃Surely this is 'Eyes Only' material；〃 he said； after a time。 〃Yet you've revealed it all to me； a civilian。 Why？〃
Minck rose； his legs unfolding like a crane's。 He stood next to a pair of the window doors； his hand on the white wood pillar separating them。 His concentration seemed lost in the foliage。
〃The Soviet Union's mittee for State Security； known familiarly as the RGB； is prised of nine directorates；〃 he began。 His voice had changed timbre and Nicholas had the impression that his thoughts were still far away。 〃Each directorate serves its own purpose in the overall schemata。 For instance； the First Directorate is in charge of internal affairs。 If you're ever inside Russia and picked up； it is to members of this directorate that you will be turned over once you reach the yellow brick building on Dzer…zhinsky Square。〃 Here Minck paused as if he were a captive of his own thoughts。 With an obvious effort； he continued。
〃On the other hand； the Fourth Directorate handles all operations in Western Europe； the Sixth； North