p&c.brimstone-第80节

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e　hands　themselves；　which　were　black　and　twisted；　the　fingernails　curled　up　in　little　scrolls。　
　〃Hold　the　light；　please；　Vincent。〃　
　Pendergast　bent　over　the　body；　placed　a　knife　at　the　corpse's　throat；　and　in　one　motion　slit　the　clothes　from　neck　to　navel。　He　pulled　them　aside。　Paper　wadding；　used　to　bulk　up　the　suit；　filled　the　sunken　abdomen。　Pendergast　pulled　this　away　to　reveal　a　blackened　torso；　skin　peeling　away　in　dusty　burned　sheets。　Burned　ribs　sprang　from　the　rib　cage；　charred　ends　exposed。　
　D'Agosta　made　an　effort　to　keep　the　light　steady。　
　Pendergast　removed　a　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket　and　laid　it　beside　the　body。　D'Agosta　saw　it　was　the　copy　of　the　M。E。's　report；　a　photocopy　of　an　X…ray　showing　the　location　of　the　drops　of　metal。　Next；　he　fitted　a　jeweler's　loupe　to　his　eye；　bending　close　to　the　body　as　he　adjusted　the　objective。　With　the　knife　in　one　hand　and　a　pair　of　surgical　tweezers　in　the　other；　he　began　to　poke　into　the　abdomen。　Faint　crackling　sounds　rose　up。　
　〃Ah！〃　He　held　up　a　frozen　droplet　of　metal；　suspended　between　the　tweezers；　then　dropped　it　into　a　test　tube　and　reapplied　himself　to　the　corpse。　
　From　the　darkness　behind　them　came　a　sound。　
　D'Agosta　straightened　immediately；　turning　the　light　back　down　the　crypt。　〃You　hear　that？〃　
　〃A　rat。　The　light；　if　you　please？〃　
　D'Agosta　returned　the　light　to　Vanni；　heart　pounding。　There　was　a　lot　to　be　said　for　waiting　for　the　paperwork　to　e　through。　A　year？　Make　that　two。　
　There　was　another　sound　and　D'Agosta　swept　the　light　back。　A　rat　the　size　of　a　small　cat　crouched　and　blinked；　showing　its　teeth　with　a　little　hiss。　
　〃Shoo！〃　D'Agosta　kicked　some　dirt　at　it　and　it　slunk　away。　
　〃The　light？〃　
　D'Agosta　swung　the　light　back。　〃Nasty　buggers。〃　
　〃Here's　another。〃　Pendergast　put　a　long　dribble　of　frozen　metal　into　the　test　tube。　〃Interesting。　This　metal　penetrated　more　than　six　inches　of　flesh。　These　droplets　weren't　merely　splattered　on　the　corpse：　they　entered　the　body　at　high　velocity。　The　result；　I　would　guess；　of　a　small　explosion。〃　
　Pendergast　extracted　a　third　and　fourth　droplet；　stoppered　the　tube；　removed　the　loupe。　Everything　disappeared　back　into　his　suit。　〃I　think　we're　done　here；〃　he　said；　glancing　up　at　D'Agosta。　〃Let's　return　Mr。　Vanni　to　his　resting　place。〃　
　D'Agosta　bent　and；　once　again　taking　hold　of　the　corpse；　helped　shove　him　back　into　the　niche。　
　Pendergast　whisked　the　bits　and　pieces　of　the　body　that　had　broken　off　onto　the　M。E。's　report　and　tipped　them　into　the　niche。　He　then　removed　a　small　tube　of　construction　cement；　dabbed　it　around　the　edges　of　the　marble　plaque；　and　fitted　it　back　in　place；　tapping　here　and　there　to　seal　it。　
　He　stepped　back；　looked　at　his　handiwork。　〃Excellent。〃　
　They　exited　the　crypt　and　climbed　into　the　church。　The　door　was　still　closed　and　locked。　Pendergast　unlocked　it；　and　D'Agosta　covered　him　while　he　flitted　across　the　courtyard。　A　moment　later　he　heard　Pendergast's　voice。　〃It's　all　right。〃　
　D'Agosta　stepped　out　into　the　warm　night；　immeasurably　relieved　to　be　free　of　the　tomb。　He　brushed　at　his　arms　and　legs；　feeling　the　smell；　the　mold；　still　clinging　to　his　clothes。　Ahead；　Pendergast　was　pointing　toward　the　darkness　of　the　hill。　A　pair　of　taillights　could　be　seen　winding　down　the　mountainside　a　half　mile　below　them。　
　〃That's　our　man。〃　His　light　came　on；　revealing　unfamiliar　shoe　tracks　clearly　outlined　in　the　short；　dew…laden　grass。　
　〃What　was　he　doing？〃　
　〃It　seems　they　no　longer　want　to　kill　us。　Rather；　they　are　merely　anxious　to　keep　track　of　how　much　we　know。　Now；　why　do　you　think　that　is；　Vincent？〃　
　　　
　71　
　
　Hayward　never　liked　the　sensation　of　déjà　vu；　and　she　was　feeling　it　especially　strongly　this　afternoon；　sitting　in　the　same　room；　with　the　same　people；　listening　to　the　same　arguments　she'd　heard　twenty…four　hours　earlier。　Only　now　it　was　ass…covering　time。　It　reminded　her　of　musical　chairs：　as　soon　as　the　music　stopped　in　this　room；　some　poor　schmuck　would　no　doubt　be　left　standing；　ass　exposed　and　ready　to　be　kicked。　
　Grable　seemed　to　be　trying　hard　to　make　sure　that　exposed　ass　was　hers。　
　He　was　in　the　middle　of　a　long…winded　account　of　the　botched　arrest　attempt；　an　account　that　somehow　transformed　his　own　craven　and　erratic　behavior　into　restraint　and　heroism。　The　story　went　on　and　on；　the　climax　ing　when　he　was　obliged　to　fire　into　the　air　to　warn　the　savage　crowd。　As　a　result　they'd　been　able　to　depart　in　good　order；　upholding　the　dignity　of　the　New　York　City　Police　Department；　even　if　they　had　failed　in　their　objective　of　arresting　Buck。　Throughout　the　account；　there　was　the　faint　implication　that　he　had　done　all　the　work；　taken　all　the　risks；　while　Hayward　had　been　a　reluctant　participant　at　best。　He　even　managed　to　give　the　impression　of　refraining　from　criticism；　as　if　she'd　been　a　dead　weight　on　the　whole　operation。　
　If　he　was　as　good　in　the　field　as　he　is　at　ass…covering；　Hayward　thought　grimly；we　wouldn't　be　here　right　now。　She　considered　responding；　but　decided　she　didn't　want　to　play　that　particular　game。　If　she　pointed　out　that　Grable　had　run　like　a　cur　with　its　tail　tucked　between　its　legs；　that　he　had　fired　in　panic　and　lost　his　gun…well；　it　might　set　the　record　straight；　but　it　would　do　her　no　good。　Her　mind　wandered；　tuning　out　the　parade　of　half…truths。　
　One　bright　note　was　that　Pendergast　and　D'Agosta　seemed　to　be　making　progress　in　Italy。　And　Pendergast　was　out　of　her　hair；　no　doubt　making　some　Italian　police　officer's　life　miserable。　On　the　other　hand；　she　missed　D'Agosta。　Missed　him　even　more　than　she'd　thought　she　would。　
　It　was　Wentworth's　turn　next；　and　she　made　an　effort　to　concentrate。　He　expounded　at　length　on　the　psychology　of　crowds；　trotting　out　quotations　on　megalomania　from　file　cards　specially　prepared　for　the　occasion。　It　was　a　huge　smokescreen　of　words　and　theories；　piled　one　on　top　of　another；　signifying　nothing。　This　was　followed　by　some　neighborhood　honcho；　talking　about　how　upset　the　mayor　was；　how　everybody　was　up　in　arms；　how　all　the　important　people　of　the　city　were　beside　themselves　that　nothing　was　being　done。　
　No　one；　it　seemed；　had　any　ideas　on　how　to　get　Buck　out　of　Central　Park。　
　Rocker　heard　them　all　out　with　the　same　tired　expression　on　his　face；　an　expression　which　betrayed　nothing　of　his　inner　thoughts。　Finally；　the　tired　eyes　came　to　rest　on　her。　
　〃Captain　Hayward？〃　
　〃I　have　nothing　to　add。〃　She　said　it　perhaps　a　little　more　curtly　than　she　intended。　
　Rocker's　eyebrows　raised　just　slightly。　〃So　you　agree　with　the　gentlemen　here？〃　
　〃I　didn't　say　that。　I　said　I　had　nothing　to　add。〃　
　〃Did　you　find　out　anything　more　on　Buck's　record？　An　outstanding　warrant；　perhaps？〃　
　〃Yes；〃　said　Hayward；　having　spent　part　of　the　morning　on　the　phone。　〃But　it　isn't　much。　He's　wanted　in　Broken　Arrow；　Oklahoma；　for　violating　parole。〃　
　〃Violating　parole！〃　Grable　laughed。　〃What　a　joke。　The　laws　he's　broken　here　include　assaulting　a　police　officer；　resisting　arrest；　attempted　kidnapping…I　mean；　we　got　enough　here　to　put　him　away　for　years。〃　
　Hayward　said　nothing。　Fact　is；　the　parole　violation　was　the　only　charge　that　would　stick。　As　far　as　the　others　went；　there　were　dozens　of　witnesses　who　would　testify　truthfully　that　Grable　had　drawn　and　fired　his　gun　with　no　real　provocation；　that　Buck　had　not；　in　fact；　resisted　arrest；　that　the　crowd　had　parted　like　the　damn　Red　Sea　to　let　them　go；　and　that　Grable　had　run；　leaving　his　gun　in　the　dust。　
　Rocker　nodded。　〃What　now？〃　
　Silence。　
　Rocker　was　still　looking　at　Hayward。　〃Captain？〃　
　〃I'd　suggest　just　what　I　suggested　in　the　first　meeting。〃　
　〃Even　after　your；　ah；　unpleasant　experience　this　morning？〃　
　〃Nothing　happened　this　morning　to　change　my　mind。〃　
　That　produced　a　long；　leaden　silence。　Grable　was　shaking　his　head；　as　if　to　say；Some　people　never　learn。　
　〃I　see。　You　suggested　going　in　alone；　is　that　right？〃　
　〃Right。　I　go　in　there　and　ask　for　Buck's　cooperation　in　sending　his　people　home　for　a　shower　and　change　of　clothes。　We'll　promise　him　a　parade　permit　in　return。　Treat　him　with　respect。　Deliver　a　fair；　honest　warning。〃　
　There　was　a　snort　of　derision　from　Grable。　
　Rocker　turned。　〃Captain　Grable；　you　have　something　to　say？〃　
　〃I　wasthere　；　missioner。　Buck　is　crazy。　He's　a　dangerous　ex…murderer。　And　his　followers　are　like　Jonestown；　real　fanatics。　She　goes　in　there　alone；　without　a　large　force　to　protect　her；　they'll　take　her　hostage。　Or　worse。〃　
　〃missioner；　I　respectfully　disagree　with　Captain　Grable。　It's　been　almost　a　week　now；　and　Buck　and　his　followers　have　been　reasonably　well　behaved　and　orderly。　I　believe　it's　worth　a　try。〃　
　Wentworth　had　joined　in　the　head…shaking。　
　〃Dr。　Wentworth？〃　Rocker　said。　
　〃I　would　give　Captain　Hayward's　plan　a　very　low　probability　of　success。　Captain　Hayward　is　not　a　psychologist；　and　her　prognostications　of　human　behavior　are　simply　lay　opinion；　not　based　on　scientific　study　of　human　psychology。〃　
　Hayward　looked　at　the　missioner。　〃I'm　not　one　to　toot　my　own　horn；　sir；　but　the　fact　is；　I　do　have　an　M。S。　in　forensic　psychology　from　NYU。　Since　I　believe　Dr。　Wentworth　is　an　assistant　professor　at　the　College　of　Staten　Island…CU