Deep Six (Dirk Pitt 7)

"Yes," said Suvorov with an icy calm. "Two of the most important leaders in the United States government."

"I'm not sure I heard you correctly."

"Their names do not matter. One is a congressman, the other a senator."

Pokofsky's eyes burned with sudden belligerence. "Do you have any idea of the jeopardy you've placed my ship in?"

"We're in international waters, Suvorov said placinly. "What can happen?"

"Wars have started for less," Pokofsky said sharply. "If the Americans are alerted, international waters or not, they wouldn't hesitate for one instant to send their Navy and Coast Guard to stop and board this vessel."

Suvorov came to his feet and stared directly into Pokofsky's eyes.

"Your precious ship is in no danger, Captain."

Pokofsky stared back. "What are you saying?"

" The ocean is a big dumping ground," Suvorov said steadily. "If the situation requires, my friends in the brig will simply be committed to the deep."

TALK AROUND THE CAPTAIN'S TABLE was dull and inane, as could be expected. Loren's dining companions bored her with long-drawnout descriptions of their previous travels. Pokofsky had heard such travelogues a thousand times before. He smiled politely and listened with feigned courtesy. When asked, he told how he had joined the Russian Navy at seventeen, worked up through the officers' ranks until he commanded a troop transport, and after twenty years' service transferred to the Soviet state-subsinized passenger line.

He described the Leonin Andreyev as a 14,000-ton vessel, built in Finland, with a capacity of 478 passengers with two crew members for every three of them. The modern white-hulled liner had indoor and outdoor swimming pools, five cocktail bars, two nightclubs, ten shops featuring Russian merchandise and liquor, a movie and stage theater, and a well-stocked library. She cruised from Miami on ten-day sailings during the summer months to several resort islands in the West Indies.

During a lull in the conversation, Loren casually mentioned the helicopter landing. Captain Pokofsky lit a cigarette with a wooden match and waved out the flame.

"You Americans and your affluence," he said easily. "Two wealthy Texans missed the boat in Miami and hired a helicopter to fly them to the Andreyev. Very few of my countrymen can afford such luxury."

"Not many of mine can either," Loren assured him. The captain was not only congenial and charming, she thought, he was an accomplished liar as well. She dropped the subject and nibbled on her salad.

Before dessert, Loren excused herself and went to her suite on the sun deck, She kicked off her shoes, removed and hung up her skirt and jacket, and sprawled on the soft king-size bed. She ran the picture of Alan Moran's terrified face through her mind, telling herself it must have been someone who resembled the congressman, and perhaps the beam of the flashlight outlined similar features. Reason dictated that it was merely a trick of imagination.

Then Pitts inquiry at the restaurant returned to her. He'd asked if she had heard any rumors of a missing party high in government.

Now her gut instinct said she was right.

She lain out a ship's directory and deck diagram on the bed and flattened out the creases. To look for Moran in a floating city with 230 staterooms, quarters for a crew of over 300, cargo holds and engine room, all spread over eleven decks nearly 500 feet in length was a lost cause. She also had to consider that she was a representative of the American government on Russian property. Obtain permission from Captain Pokofsky to search every nook and cranny of his ship? She'd stand a better chance of persuading him to give up vodka for Kentucky bourbon.

She decided the logical move would be to establish Alan Moran's whereabouts. If he was at home in Washington watching TV, she could forget the whole madness and get a good night's sleep. She put her dress back on and went to the communications room.

Thankfully it wasn't crowded and she didn't have to wait in line.

A pretty Russian girl in a trim uniform asked Loren where she wished to call.

"Washington, D.C" she replied. "Person to person to a Ms. Sally Lindemann. I'll write out the number."

"If you will please wait in booth five, I'll arrange your satellite transmission," the communications girl said in near flawless English.

Loren sat patiently, hoping her secretary was at home. She was.

A sleepy voice answered the operator and acknowledged her name was Sally Lindemann.

" That you, boss?" Sally asked when Loren was put through. "I bet you're dancing up a s

torm under Caribbean stars with some handsome playboy. Am I right?"

'YOU're not even close."

'I should have known this was a business call."