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n about gold bars and a wrecked German ship。 I tell you； David； someone did a hell of a job on him； and when they were finished the rats took the rest。 It's possible he got into the hulk； found something； and whoever killed him took it away from him。〃 He waved at the items on the blotter。 〃This was all we found in his pockets； and this scrap of filthy cloth was gripped in his hand。 Could be he ripped at something before he went down。〃
Moore was speechless。 A murder on Coquina was unbelievable； there had never been a murder while he'd been operating the Indigo Inn。 Hell； he'd e to this island because he'd believed it was set apart from all the bitter cruelties of men。 Now he realized his fantasy was just that…a ridiculous dream。 〃How'd he get into the boat？〃 he asked after another moment。
〃Torched through a hatch on the forward deck； just in front of the main gun。〃 Kip put the items into a plastic bag； he sealed it and put the bag away in a lower drawer。 〃He was a drifter； maybe he had enemies； and one of them caught up with him。 I don't know。〃 He pulled on the cigarette； then crushed it out in his ashtray。 〃Anyway； dead men tell no tales； as they say。〃 He pushed his chair back and went over to the storage cabinet； unlocking and opening it。 From its recesses Kip withdrew a flashlight and a bull's…eye lantern； he tossed the flashlight to Moore。 〃I'm going to have a look inside the U…boat。 Want to e along？〃
〃Yes；〃 Moore said； taking a deep breath。 〃I'd like to see what's in there。〃
〃All right； then。 We'll be taking a chance if there're live explosives in it； but if a cutting torch didn't blow anything to hell I figure it's pretty safe。〃 He glanced over toward the gun cabinet； but he quickly dismissed the idea。 What was there to arm himself against？ The rats？ He was certain the shelter was filled with them； but they certainly weren't man…killers。 For God's sake； he told himself； settle down。 He clicked the lantern on and off a couple of times to check the battery and then motioned toward Moore。 〃Let's see what the old relic's carrying；〃 he said； and stepped toward the doorway。
〃God only knows；〃 Moore said。
Yes； Kip told himself； as they stepped out into the harsh white glare of the sun's eye and Kip climbed into the driver's seat of the jeep。
God and perhaps one other。
Nine
MOORE COULD FEEL the tension radiating from Kip as they passed through the boatyard gates' broken slats and drove across the yard。 Kip was chewing nervously on a match he'd taken from his breast pocket。 When they came around a lumber pile Moore saw the other man's eyes narrow a fraction。 There was the shelter and the delapidated wharfs just ahead。 As Kip pulled the jeep to a halt alongside the shelter Moore himself began to feel uneasy； he stared at the weathered wall； knowing that behind it was the thing that had lured him down to the depths。 It had broken free by his hand。 Violence had followed it； marring forever the naive； pure pattern of life on Coquina。 Moore thought that the thing's purpose…giving death…had somehow； horribly； been revitalized。 And he had brought it here。
Kip climbed out； waving a hand to a few of the men working some distance away on a storm…beaten trawler at the wharf's end。
Turk's frozen； horrified face burned at the back of his brain。 He could see every detail； and for the first time in a very long while he realized that a strange and vague fear crawled inside him。 What was it？ he asked himself。 There's nothing to fear。 It's irrational； stupid； childish。 But something bothered him； something terrible； something he did not want to think about。 When he realized Moore was standing beside him； he clicked on his lantern and pushed against the door。
It swung open hesitantly； on rusted； whining hinges。 A foul darkness lay beyond the doorway； as if they stood on the rim of day and were about to cast themselves on the mercy of the night beyond。 The Night Boat； Boniface had called it； Kip thought suddenly。 A creature of the night； a thing that used the darkness as a defense。 They stepped through into the shelter； Moore following the constable； their lights leading the way。 A wall of overpowering stench hit them。
〃Jesus；〃 Kip said。 〃This bastard's rotting from the inside out。〃 He motioned with the light into the sheen of water beneath the gangplank。 〃That's where I found the man。 You'll see the dried blood up around the hatch opening。〃
Moore scanned the length of the U…boat。 It lay entirely in the darkness except for the stream of murky light that flowed down from the roof holes。 The water around the hull was oily and thick； a deep emerald green in which a few bloated fish had met their death。 Their carcasses； white bellies up； bumped against the iron； and each slow movement scattered flies that were exploring the decaying flesh。 A chill ran up Moore's back； he could imagine the terrible rumble of the boat's diesels。 God； he thought； what a machine that must have been； gliding through the deep canyons like some kind of sea predator。
〃Just a minute；〃 Kip said quietly； moving his light past Moore。 He focused the beam on a pile of timbers that lay on the forward deck near the hatch。 A coil of cable sat against the conning tower； on the port…side deck。 He didn't recall seeing either the cable or the timbers earlier that morning； but then； he couldn't remember anything very clearly except the dead man's face breaking water。 He moved his light over the cable； then back to the wood。 The timbers looked as though they'd been stacked there； haphazardly。 Kip probed with the light back in the far shadows； where the carpentry section had been。 The timber had been over there the last time he'd seen it。 Or had it been？ He couldn't remember。 As his light brushed the mound of crates and rags red eyes glittered and they heard the sound of high； panicked squealing。
〃What's wrong？〃 Moore asked him。
Kip shook his head。 〃Nothing。〃 He stepped into the darkness； away from the warm sunlight； and Moore followed him across the gangplank onto the U…boat's deck。 Moore stepped into something； and drawing back with his flashlight he saw a little heap under the looming bulk of the tower。 There were small shattered bones； grisly whiskered heads； curled black tails。 A mound of offal； of mangled things that had been fat wharf rats。 Glassy gelatinous eyes caught the light and Moore quickly looked away； stepping over them。 A cat must somehow have gotten in and out of the shelter。
Clots of blood marked the area where the young man had been killed at the yawning circular hole。 Kip played his light across them； the splatters looked like brown paint flung wildly from a brush。 Beneath them the plankings creaked softly； and the rustling of the rats filled the shelter with echoes。
And then the two men aimed their lights down into the hole。
A ladder descended into the boat； but there seemed no room to move around in there。 Moore bent lower and shined his light in at varying angles。 Pipes； bare bulkheads； thick bundles of cables； all illuminated briefly and then reclaimed by the dark。 Beneath the opening he could see rusted floor platings and a sheen of water perhaps three inches deep。