p&c.brimstone-第3节

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　〃I'll　be　going…〃　
　〃No；　you　won't。〃　The　sergeant　took　out　his　notebook；　flipped　back　a　wad　of　pages；　licked　his　pencil。　〃You　live　around　here？〃　
　〃I've　taken　a　house　in　Amagansett　for　a　week。〃　
　〃Address？〃　
　〃The　Brickman　House；　Windmill　Lane。〃　
　Another　rich　asshole。　〃And　your　permanent　address？〃　
　〃That　would　be　the　Dakota；　Central　Park　West。〃　
　The　sergeant　paused。Now；　that's　a　coincidence。　Aloud；　he　said；　〃Name？〃　
　〃Look；　Sergeant；　honestly；　if　it's　a　problem；　I'll　just　go　on　back…〃　
　〃Your　first　name；sir　？〃　he　said　more　sharply。　
　〃Is　that　really　necessary？　It's　difficult　to　spell；　even　more　difficult　to　pronounce。　I　often　wonder　what　my　mother　was　thinking…〃　
　The　sergeant　gave　him　a　look　that　shut　him　up　quick。　One　more　quip　from　this　asshole；　and　it　would　be　the　cuffs。　
　〃Let's　try　again。　First　name？〃　
　〃Aloysius。〃　
　〃Spell　it。〃　
　The　man　spelled　it。　
　〃Last？〃　
　〃Pendergast。〃　
　The　pencil　in　the　sergeant's　hand　began　writing　this　down；　too。　Then　it　paused。　Slowly　the　sergeant　looked　up。　The　Oakleys　had　e　off；　and　he　found　himself　staring　into　that　face　he　knew　so　well；　with　the　blond…white　hair；　gray　eyes；　finely　chiseled　features；　skin　as　pale　and　translucent　as　Carrara　marble。　
　〃Pendergast？〃　
　〃In　the　very　flesh；　my　dear　Vincent。〃　The　New　York　accent　was　gone；　replaced　by　the　cultured　southern　drawl　he　remembered　vividly。　
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　
　〃The　same　might　be　asked　of　you。〃　
　Vincent　D'Agosta　felt　himself　coloring。　The　last　time　he　had　seen　Pendergast　he　had　been　a　proud　New　York　City　police　lieutenant。　And　now　here　he　was　in　Shithampton；　a　lowly　sergeant　decorating　hedges　with　police　tape。　
　〃I　was　in　Amagansett　when　the　news　arrived　that　Jeremy　Grove　had　met　an　untimely　end。　How　could　I　resist？　I　apologize　for　the　outfit；　but　I　was　hard…pressed　to　get　here　as　soon　as　possible。〃　
　〃You're　on　the　case？〃　
　〃Until　I'm　officiallyassigned　to　the　case；　I　can　do　nothing　but　feed　the　ducks。　I　worked　on　my　last　case　without　full　authorization；　and　it；　shall　we　say；　strained　some　high…level　nerves。　I　must　say；　Vincent；　running　into　you　is　a　most　wele　surprise。〃　
　〃For　me；　too；〃　said　D'Agosta；　coloring　again。　〃Sorry；　I'm　really　not　at　my　best　here…〃　
　Pendergast　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm。　〃We　shall　have　plenty　of　time　to　talk　later。　For　now；　I　see　a　large　individual　approaching　who　appears　to　be　suffering　from　emphraxis。〃　
　A　low…pitched；　menacing　voice　intruded　from　behind。　〃I　hate　to　break　up　this　little　conversation。〃　D'Agosta　turned　to　see　Lieutenant　Braskie。　
　Braskie　stopped；　stared　at　Pendergast；　then　turned　back　to　D'Agosta。　〃Perhaps　I'm　a　little　confused　here；　Sergeant；　but　isn't　this　individualtrespassing　at　the　scene　of　a　crime　？〃　
　〃Well；　uh；　Lieutenant；　we　were…〃　D'Agosta　looked　at　Pendergast。　
　〃This　man　isn't　afriend　of　yours；　now；　is　he？〃　
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact…〃　
　〃The　sergeant　was　just　telling　me　to　leave；〃　interjected　Pendergast　smoothly。　
　〃Oh；　he　was；　was　he？　And　if　I　may　be　so　bold　as　to　inquire　what　you　were　doing　here　in　the　first　place；　sir？〃　
　〃Feeding　the　ducks。〃　
　〃Feeding　the　ducks。〃　D'Agosta　could　see　Braskie's　face　flushing。　He　wished　Pendergast　would　hurry　up　and　pull　out　his　shield。　
　〃Well；　sir；〃　Braskie　went　on；　〃that's　a　beautiful　thing　to　do。　Let's　see　some　ID。〃　
　D'Agosta　waited　smugly。　This　was　going　to　be　good。　
　〃As　I　was　just　explaining　to　the　officer　here；　I　left　my　wallet　back　at　the　house…〃　
　Braskie　turned　on　D'Agosta；　saw　the　notebook　in　his　hand。　〃You　got　this　man's　information？〃　
　〃Yes。〃　D'Agosta　looked　at　Pendergast　almost　pleadingly；　but　the　FBI　agent's　face　had　shut　down　pletely。　
　〃Did　you　ask　him　how　he　got　through　the　police　cordon？〃　
　〃No…〃　
　〃Don't　you　think　maybe　you　should？〃　
　〃I　came　through　the　side　gate　in　Little　Dune　Road；〃　Pendergast　said。　
　〃Not　possible。　It's　locked。　I　checked　it　myself。〃　
　〃Perhaps　the　lock　is　defective。　At　least；　it　seemed　to　fall　open　in　my　hands。〃　
　Braskie　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃Now；　at　last；　there's　something　useful　you　can　do。　Go　plug　that　hole；　Sergeant。　And　report　back　to　me　at　eleven　o'clocksharp　。　We　need　to　talk。　And　as　for　you；　sir；　I　will　escort　you　off　the　premises。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Lieutenant。〃　
　D'Agosta　looked　with　dismay　at　the　retreating　form　of　Lieutenant　Braskie；　with　Pendergast　strolling　along　behind　him；　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　baggy　surfer　shorts；　head　tilted　back　as　if　taking　the　air。　
　　　
　3　
　
　Lieutenant　L。　P。　Braskie　Jr。　of　the　Southampton　PoliceDepartment　stood　beneath　the　trellis　of　the　mansion's　grape　arbor；　watching　the　SOC　team　b　the　endless　acreage　of　lawn　for　clues。　His　face　wore　a　stolid　mask　of　professionalism　as　he　thought　of　Chief　MacCready　playing　golf　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland。　He　pictured　in　his　mind　the　links　of　St。　Andrews　in　autumn：　the　narrow　doglegs　of　greensward；　the　grim　castle；　the　barren　moors　beyond。　He'd　wait　until　tomorrow　to　give　the　chief　a　call；　let　him　know　what　was　going　on。　MacCready　had　been　chief　for　twenty　years；　and　this　golf　trip　was　one　more　reason　why　Southampton　needed　fresh　blood。　Braskie　was　a　local　boy　with　roots　in　the　town　and　friends　in　City　Hall；　and　he'd　also　managed　to　build　up　some　powerful　relationships　among　the　summer　people。　A　favor　here　and　a　favor　there　worked　wonders。　A　foot　in　both　worlds。　He'd　played　his　cards　well。　
　And　now　this。　They'd　have　the　perp　in　the　bag　in　a　week　or　two；　and　e　November　and　the　elections；　he'd　be　a　shoo…in。　Maybe　he'd　call　MacCready　the　dayafter　tomorrow：Gee；　Chief；　I　really　hesitated　to　interrupt　your　hard…earned　vacation　。　。　。　
　Braskie　knew；　from　long　experience　in　South　Fork　homicide；　that　the　first　twenty…four　hours　of　a　murder　investigation　were　often　the　most　crucial。　Fact　was；　if　you　didn't　get　on　the　trail　and　follow　it　right　away；　you　might　as　well　hang　up　your　hat。　Find　ingress　and　egress；　and　everything　that　followed…forensic　evidence；　murder　weapon；　witnesses；　motive…would　form　a　chain　leading　to　the　perp。　Braskie's　job　wasn't　to　do　the　work　himself　but　to　make　sure　everyone　else　did　theirs。　And　there　was　little　question　in　his　mind　that　the　weak　link　in　this　chain　was　Sergeant　Vincent　D'Agosta。　He　didn't　do　what　he　was　told。　He　knew　better。　Story　was；　D'Agosta　had　once　been　a　homicide　lieutenant　himself　in　the　NYPD；　and　a　good　one。　Quit　to　write　mystery　novels；　moved　to　Canada；　went　broke；　and　had　to　e　back　with　his　tail　tucked　firmly　between　his　butt　cheeks。　Couldn't　get　a　job　in　the　city　and　ended　up　out　here。　If　Braskie　were　chief；　he'd　never　have　hired　someone　like　that　in　the　first　place…the　guy　might　know　his　stuff；　but　he　was　guaranteed　trouble。　Not　a　team　player。　Had　a　chip　on　his　shoulder　the　size　of　Manhattan。　
　Braskie　checked　his　watch。　Eleven　o'clock；　and　speak　of　the　devil。　He　watched　D'Agosta　approach　the　trellis…a　real　type；　fringe　of　black　hair　hanging　over　his　collar；　growing　gut；　attitude　oozing　from　his　pores　like　B。O。　Here　in　Southampton；　he　stuck　out　like　a　bunion。　No　great　surprise　the　man's　wife　had　decided　to　stay　behind　in　Canada　with　their　only　kid。　
　〃Sir；〃　said　D'Agosta；　able　to　make　even　that　single　word　a　trifle　insolent。　
　Braskie　shifted　his　gaze　back　to　the　SOC　team　bing　the　lawn。　〃We've　got　an　important　case　here；　Sergeant。〃　
　The　man　nodded。　
　Braskie　narrowed　his　eyes；　looked　toward　the　mansion；　toward　the　sea。　〃We　don't　have　the　luxury　of　screwing　it　up。〃　
　〃No；　sir。〃　
　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　you　say　that。　I　have　to　tell　you；　D'Agosta；　that　ever　since　you　came　on　the　force；　you've　made　it　pretty　clear　that　Southampton　isn't　where　you　want　to　be。〃　
　D'Agosta　said　nothing。　
　He　sighed　and　looked　straight　at　D'Agosta；　only　to　find　the　pugnacious　face　staring　back　at　him。　His　〃go　ahead；　make　my　day〃　face。　〃Sergeant　D'Agosta；　do　I　really　need　to　spell　it　out？　You'rehere　。　You're　a　sergeant　in　the　Southampton　Police　Department。　Get　over　it。〃　
　〃I　don't　understand　what　you　mean；　sir。〃　
　This　was　getting　irritating。　〃D'Agosta；　I　can　read　your　mind　like　a　book。　I　don't　give　a　shit　what　happened　before　in　your　life。　What　I　need　is　for　you　to　get　with　the　program。〃　
　D'Agosta　didn't　answer。　
　〃Take　this　morning。　I　saw　you　talking　to　that　intruder　for　a　good　five　minutes；　which　is　why　I　had　to　intervene。　I　don'twant　to　be　riding　your　ass；　but　I　can't　have　one　of　my　sergeants　eating　up　his　time　explaining　to　some　shitcake　why　he　has　to　leave。　That　man　should've　been　ejected　immediately；　no　discussion。　You　think　you　can　do　things　your　way。　I　can't　have　that。〃　
　He　paused；　scrutinizing　Sergeant　D'Agosta　carefully；　thinking　he　might　have　detected　a　smirk。　This　guy　really　had　a　problem。　
　The　lieutenant　caught　the　glimpse　of　a　loudly　dressed　presence　to　his　right。　It　was　that　same　scumbag　in　the　Hawaiian　shirt；　baggy　shorts；　and　expensive　sculpted　shades；　approaching　the　grape　arbor　as　cool　as　could　be；　once　againinside　the　police　cordon。　
　Braskie　turned　to　D'Agosta；　speaking　calmly。　〃Sergeant；　arrest　that　man　and　read　him　his　rights。〃　
　〃Wait；　Lieutenant…〃　
　He　couldn't　believe　it：　D'Agosta　was　going　to　argue　with　him。　After　everything　he'd　just　told　him。　His　voice　became　even　quieter。　〃Sergeant；　I　believe　I　just　gave　you　an　order。〃　He　turned　to　the　m