p&c.brimstone-第4节

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oice　became　even　quieter。　〃Sergeant；　I　believe　I　just　gave　you　an　order。〃　He　turned　to　the　man。　〃I　hope　you　brought　your　wallet　with　you　this　time。〃　
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　did。〃　The　man　reached　into　his　pocket。　
　〃No；　I　don't　want　to　see　it；　for　chrissakes。　Save　it　for　the　booking　sergeant　down　at　the　station。〃　
　But　the　man　had　already　extracted　the　wallet　in　one　smooth　movement；　and　as　it　fell　open；　Braskie　caught　the　flash　of　gold。　
　〃What　the…？〃　The　lieutenant　stared。　
　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast；　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation。〃　
　The　lieutenant　felt　the　blood　rush　to　his　face。　The　man　had　set　him　up。　And　there　was　no　reason；　none；　for　the　FBI　to　justify　their　involvement。　Or　was　there？　He　swallowed。　This　needed　to　be　dealt　with　carefully。　〃I　see。〃　
　The　wallet　shut　with　a　slap　and　disappeared。　
　〃Any　particular　reason　for　the　federal　interest？〃　asked　Braskie；　trying　to　control　his　voice。　〃We've　been　treating　it　as　a　simple　murder。〃　
　〃There's　a　possibility　that　the　killer　or　killers　might　have　e　and　left　by　boat　from　across　the　sound。　Perhaps　Connecticut。〃　
　〃And？〃　
　〃Interstate　flight。〃　
　〃That's　a　bit　of　a　stretch；　isn't　it？〃　
　〃It's　a　reason。〃　
　Yeah；　right。Grove　had　probably　been　laundering　money　or　dealing　drugs。　Or　maybe　he　was　even　involved　in　terrorism。　These　days；　with　all　the　shit　going　down　in　the　world；　you　couldn't　break　wind　without　a　phalanx　of　feds　dropping　down　on　you　like　a　ton　of　manure。　Whatever　the　case；　this　put　a　whole　new　spin　on　things；　and　he　had　to　make　the　best　of　it。　
　The　lieutenant　swallowed；　held　out　his　hand。　〃Wele　to　Southampton；　Agent　Pendergast。　If　there's　anything　I　or　the　Southampton　P。D。　can　do　for　you；　just　let　me　know。　While　the　chief　is　on　vacation；　I'm　acting　chief；　so　you　just　e　to　me　for　anything。　We're　here　to　serve。〃　
　The　man's　handshake　was　cool　and　dry。　Just　like　the　man　himself。　Braskie　hadn't　seen　a　fed　quite　like　him　before。　He　looked　even　paler　than　that　artist　who　used　to　e　out　here…what　was　his　name？…the　weird　blond　guy　who　did　the　Marilyn　Monroes。　Autumn　or　not；　by　the　end　of　the　day；　this　guy　was　going　to　need　a　quart　of　Solarcaine　and　a　pitcher　of　martinis　before　he　could　even　sit　down。　
　〃And　now　that　we've　straightened　things　out；〃　the　man　named　Pendergast　said　pleasantly；　〃may　I　ask　you　for　the　courtesy　of　a　tour？　I　trust　the　immediate　workups　have　been　pleted；　clearing　the　way　for　us。〃　He　looked　at　D'Agosta。　〃You　will　acpany　us；　Sergeant？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　Braskie　sighed。　When　the　FBI　arrived；　it　was　like　getting　the　flu：　nothing　you　could　do　about　it　but　wait　for　the　headache；　fever；　and　diarrhea　to　go　away。　
　　　
　4　
　
　Vincent　D'Agosta　followed　Pendergast　and　Braskie　across　thelawn。　Over　in　the　shade　of　a　vast　patio；　the　South　Fork　homicide　squad　had　set　up　an　impromptu　interrogation　center　with　a　video　camera。　There　weren't　too　many　people　to　interview　beyond　the　domestic　who'd　found　the　body；　but　it　was　toward　this　shady　spot　that　Pendergast　directed　his　footsteps；　walking　so　swiftly　that　D'Agosta　and　Braskie　almost　had　to　jog　to　keep　up。　
　The　chief　detective　from　East　Hampton　rose。　He　was　a　guy　D'Agosta　had　never　seen　before；　small　and　dark；　with　large　black　eyes　and　long　lashes。　
　〃Detective　Tony　Innocente；〃　said　Braskie。　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast；　FBI。〃　
　Innocente　rose；　held　out　his　hand。　
　The　domestic　sat　at　the　table；　a　short；　stolid…looking　woman。　For　someone　who　had　just　discovered　a　stiff；　she　looked　pretty　posed；　except　for　a　certain　unsettled　gleam　in　the　eyes。　
　Pendergast　bowed　to　her；　held　out　his　hand。　〃Agent　Pendergast。〃　
　〃Agnes　Torres；〃　she　said。　
　〃May　I？〃　Pendergast　looked　inquisitively　at　Innocente。　
　〃Be　my　guest。　Videotape's　rolling；　FYI。〃　
　〃Mrs。　Torres…〃　
　〃Miss。〃　
　〃Thank　you。　Miss　Torres；　do　you　believe　in　God？〃　
　Innocente　exchanged　a　glance　with　the　other　detectives。　There　was　an　awkward　silence。　
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　
　〃You　are　a　devout　Catholic？〃　
　〃Yes；　I　am。〃　
　〃Do　you　believe　in　the　devil？〃　
　Another　long　pause。　
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃　
　〃And　you　have　drawn　your　own　conclusions　from　what　you　saw　upstairs　in　the　house；　have　you　not？〃　
　〃Yes；　I　have；〃　said　the　woman；　so　matter…of…factly　it　sent　an　odd　shudder　through　D'Agosta。　
　〃Do　you　really　think　the　lady's　beliefs　are　relevant？〃　Braskie　interjected。　
　Pendergast　turned　his　pale　eyes　on　the　man。　〃What　we　believe；　Lieutenant；　shapes　what　we　see。〃　He　turned　back　to　her。　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Torres。〃　
　They　continued　to　the　side　door　of　the　house。　A　policeman　opened　it　for　them；　nodding　at　the　lieutenant。　They　gathered　in　the　foyer；　where　Braskie　paused。　
　〃We're　still　trying　to　get　a　handle　on　ingress　and　egress；〃　he　said。　〃The　gate　was　locked　and　the　grounds　were　alarmed。　Circuit　breakers　and　motion　sensors；　activated　by　keypad。　We're　checking　out　who　had　the　codes。　The　doors　and　windows　to　the　house　were　also　locked　and　alarmed。　There　are　motion　detectors　throughout　the　house　as　well　as　infrared　sensors　and　lasers。　We've　tested　the　alarm　system　and　it's　working　perfectly。　As　you　can　see；　Mr。　Grove　had　a　rather　valuable　collection　of　art；　but　nothing　seems　to　be　missing。〃　
　Pendergast　cast　an　admiring　glance　toward　one　of　the　nearby　paintings。　To　D'Agosta；　it　looked　like　a　cross　between　a　pig；　a　pair　of　dice；　and　a　naked　woman。　
　〃Mr。　Grove　had　a　party　last　night。　It　was　a　small　party；　five　in　all。〃　
　〃Do　you　have　the　guest　list？〃　
　Braskie　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃Get　the　list　from　Innocente。〃　
　Pendergast　stayed　D'Agosta　with　a　hand。　〃I　should　prefer　that　the　sergeant　stay　here　and　listen；　Lieutenant；　if　you　could　spare　another　officer。〃　
　Braskie　paused　long　enough　to　cast　a　suspicious　glance　at　D'Agosta；　then　gestured　to　another　cop　in　the　room。　
　〃Pray　continue。〃　
　〃By　all　accounts；　the　last　guest　was　gone　by　12：30。　They　all　pretty　much　left　together。　From　that　point　until　7：30　this　morning；　Grove　was　alone。〃　
　〃Do　you　have　a　time　of　death？〃　
　〃Not　yet。　The　M。E。　is　still　upstairs。　We　know　he　was　alive　at　3：10A。M。　because　that's　when　he　called　a　Father　Cappi。〃　
　〃Grove　called　a　priest？〃　Pendergast　seemed　surprised。　
　〃It　seems　Cappi　had　been　an　old　friend；　but　he　hadn't　seen　Grove　in　thirty；　forty　years。　They　had　some　kind　of　falling…out。　Anyway；　it　didn't　matter：　all　Grove　got　was　the　answering　machine。〃　
　〃I'll　need　a　copy　of　the　message。〃　
　〃Certainly。　Grove　was　hysterical。　He　wanted　Father　Cappi　to　e　over　right　away。〃　
　〃With　a　Bible；　cross；　and　holy　water；　by　chance？〃　Pendergast　asked。　
　〃I　see　you've　already　heard　about　the　call。〃　
　〃No；　it　was　just　a　guess。〃　
　〃Father　Cappi　arrived　at　eight　this　morning。　He　came　straight　after　getting　the　message。　But；　of　course；　by　then　it　was　too　late；　and　all　he　could　do　was　give　the　body　the　last　rites。〃　
　〃Have　the　guests　been　questioned？〃　
　〃Preliminary　statements。　That's　how　we　know　when　the　party　broke　up。　It　seems　Grove　was　not　in　good　form　last　night。　He　was　excited；　garrulous；　some　say　frightened。〃　
　〃Could　anyone　have　stayed　behind；　or　perhaps　slipped　back　inside　after　the　guests　had　left？〃　
　〃That's　a　theory　we're　working　on。　Mr。　Grove　had；　ah；　perverse　sexual　tastes。〃　
　Pendergast　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃How　so？〃　
　〃He　liked　men　and　women。〃　
　〃And　the　perverse　sexual　tastes？〃　
　〃Just　what　I　said。　Men　and　women。〃　
　〃You　mean　he　was　bisexual？　As　I　understand　it；　thirty　percent　of　all　men　have　such　tendencies。〃　
　〃Not　in　Southampton　they　don't。〃　
　D'Agosta　stifled　a　laugh　with　a　burst　of　coughing。　
　〃Excellent　work　so　far；　Lieutenant。　Shall　we　move　on　to　the　scene　of　the　crime？〃　
　Braskie　turned；　and　they　followed　him　through　the　house。　The　peculiar　smell　that　D'Agosta　had　caught　a　whiff　of　out　on　the　lawn　was　much　stronger　here。　Matches；　fireworks；　gunpowder…what　exactly　was　that？　It　mingled　with　a　smell　of　burned　wood　and　a　gamy　roast　of　some　kind。　It　reminded　D'Agosta　of　the　bear　meat　he　had　once　tried　roasting　at　his　house　outside　Invermere；　British　Columbia；　brought　to　him　by　a　friend。　His　wife　had　walked　out　in　disgust。　They'd　ended　up　ordering　pizza。　
　They　mounted　one　set　of　stairs；　threaded　a　winding　hallway；　came　to　a　second　staircase。　
　〃This　door　was　locked；〃　said　Braskie。　〃The　housekeeper　opened　it。〃　
　They　climbed　the　narrow；　creaking　staircase　to　the　attic　floor。　At　the　top　was　a　long　hall　with　doors　left　and　right。　At　the　far　end；　one　door　was　open　and　a　bright　light　shone　out。　D'Agosta　breathed　through　his　mouth。　
　〃The　door　to　that　far　room　and　its　window　were　also　locked；〃　Braskie　continued。　〃The　deceased；　it　appears；　piled　furniture　up　against　it　from　the　inside。〃　He　stepped　across　the　threshold；　Pendergast　and　D'Agosta　following。　The　stench　was　now　overpowering。　
　It　was　a　small　bedroom　tucked　beneath　the　eaves　of　the　house；　with　a　single　dormer　window　looking　out　toward　Dune　Road。　Jeremy　Grove　lay　on　the　bed　at　the　far　side　of　the　room。　He　was　fully　dressed；　although　the　clothes　had　been　slit　in　places　to　acmodate　the　M。E。's　investigations。　The　M。E。　was　standing　beside　the　bed；　back　turned；　writing　on　a　clipboard。　
　D'Agosta　dabbed　his　brow。　Maybe　it　was　the　sun　on　the　roof；　maybe　the　bright　lights　in　the　room；　but　it　was　stifling。　The　smell　of　badly　baked　mea