p&c.brimstone-第92节

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　〃Traitor！〃　he　barked　at　her。　
　And　now；　right　on　cue；　a　phalanx　of　cops　came　running　through　the　distant　trees　toward　them。　Rockerhad　understood；　after　all：　he'd　e　through。　They　waded　into　the　outer　fringes　of　the　crowd；　shoving　and　pushing　with　their　riot　shields。　But　already；　with　Buck's　exhortations；　the　people　were　falling　back。　
　〃Let　them　pass！〃　Buck　was　crying；　arms　spread。　
　Now　the　cops　were　barreling　down　the　open　lane；　trampling　tents；　shoving　aside　stragglers。　As　they　broke　into　the　open　area　before　Buck's　tent；　there　was　a　moment　of　panic　and　struggle。　Todd　raised　his　rock；　fury　twisting　his　features。　〃You　did　this；　youbitch　…！〃　
　And　the　rock　came　flying；　striking　a　glancing　blow　to　Hayward's　temple。　She　staggered　back；　fell　to　her　knees；　feeling　the　hot　trickle　of　blood。　
　Suddenly　Buck　was　there；　his　strong　arms　around　her；　raising　her　up　and　staying　the　crowd　with　his　hand。　〃Put　up　thy　swords！　They　have　e　to　arrest　me；　and　I　will　go　with　them　peacefully！　This　is　the　will　of　God！〃　
　Dazed；　Hayward　looked　at　Buck。　He　dabbed　at　her　wound　with　a　snowy　handkerchief。　〃Suffer　ye　thus　far；〃　he　murmured。　His　face　was　radiant；　suffused　with　light。　
　Of　course；she　thought。Even　this　is　part　of　the　script。　
　There　was　more　confusion。　Someone　embraced　Buck…the　shill　at　last…she　heard　Buck　saying；　〃Judas；　betrayest　thou　me　with　a　kiss？〃…and　then　the　cops　were　all　around；　and　he　was　pulled　away　from　her。　The　cut　on　her　head　was　bleeding　freely；　and　she　felt　woozy。　
　〃Captain　Hayward？〃　she　heard　somebody　call　out。　〃Captain　Hayward's　been　hurt！〃　
　〃Officer　down！　We　need　a　medic！〃　
　〃Captain　Hayward；　you　all　right？　Did　he　assault　you？〃　
　〃I'm　all　right；〃　she　said；　shaking　away　the　wooziness　as　cops　crowded　around　her；　everyone　trying　to　help。　〃It's　nothing；　just　a　scratch。　It　wasn't　Buck。〃　
　〃She's　bleeding！〃　
　〃Forget　it；　it's　nothing。　Let　me　go。〃　They　released　her　reluctantly。　
　〃Who　was　it？　Who　assaulted　you？〃　
　Todd　was　staring；　humanity　shocked　back　into　him；　horrified　at　what　he'd　done。　
　Hayward　looked　away。　Another　arrest　right　now　could　be　disastrous。　〃Don't　know。　Came　out　of　nowhere。　It　doesn't　matter。〃　
　〃Let's　get　you　to　an　ambulance。〃　
　〃I'll　walk　by　myself；〃　she　said；　brushing　off　yet　another　proffered　arm。　She　felt　embarrassed。　Itwas　nothing：　scalp　wounds　always　bled　a　great　deal。　She　looked　around；　blinking　her　eyes。　An　immense　silence　seemed　to　have　settled　on　the　crowd。　The　police　had　the　cuffs　on　Buck　and　had　formed　a　semicircle　around　him；　already　moving　him　out。　The　crowd　looked　on；　stunned；　while　Buck　exhorted　them　to　remain　calm；　be　peaceful；　hurt　no　one。　
　〃Forgive　them；〃　he　said。　
　All　the　momentum　was　gone。　Buck　had　ordered　them　to　stand　down；　and　they　had　obeyed。　
　It　was　over。　
　　　
　79　
　
　Immediately；　D'Agosta　pulled　out　his　service　piece　and　drewdown　on　the　count。　〃No　fucking　way；〃　he　said。　
　The　count　stared　at　the　gun；　sighing　condescendingly。　〃Put　away　that　gun；　you　fool。　Pinketts？〃　
　The　manservant；　who　had　left　the　room；　now　returned；　carrying　a　large　pumpkin　in　both　arms。　He　set　it　down　on　the　hearth　before　the　fireplace。　
　〃It　is　true；　Sergeant　D'Agosta；　you　would　have　been　a　much　more　effective　demonstration。　But　it　would　have　caused　such　amess。　〃　Fosco　went　back　to　assembling　the　device。　
　D'Agosta　moved　slowly　backward；　slipping　his　gun　back　into　his　holster　as　he　did　so。　Somehow；　the　act　of　drawing　his　weapon　brought　fresh　resolve。　He　and　Pendergast　were　both　armed。　At　the　first　indication　of　trouble；　he　would　have　no　hesitation　about　taking　out　both　the　count　and　Pinketts。　Except　for　some　kitchen　help；　there　didn't　seem　to　be　any　other　servants　around…but　he　knew　that；　with　the　count；　appearances　were　deceptive。　
　〃There　we　go。〃　Fosco　hefted　the　assembled　machine；　which　looked　something　like　a　large　rifle；　made　primarily　of　stainless　steel；　with　a　bulbous　dish　at　one　end　and　a　barrel　sporting　half　a　dozen　buttons　and　dials　at　the　other。　〃As　I　said；　I　knew　I　had　to　kill　Grove　and　Cutforth　in　such　a　way　that　the　police　would　be　utterly　baffled。　It　had　to　be　done　with　heat；　of　course。　But　how？　Burning；　arson；　boiling…much　too　mon。　It　had　to　be　mysterious；　unexplainable。　That　was　when　I　recalled　the　phenomenon　known　as　spontaneous　human　bustion。　You　know　the　first　documented　case　of　it　was　here　in　Italy？〃　
　Pendergast　nodded。　〃The　countess　Cornelia。〃　
　〃Countess　Cornelia　Zangari　de'　Bandi　di　Cesena。　Most　dramatic。　How；　I　wondered；　could　a　similarly　devilish　effect　be　duplicated？　Then　I　thought　ofmicrowaves　。〃　
　〃Microwaves？〃　D'Agosta　repeated。　
　The　count　smiled　patronizingly　at　him。　〃Yes；　Sergeant。　Just　like　your　own　microwave　oven。　They　seemed　perfect　for　my　needs。　Microwaves　heat　from　the　inside　out。　They　can　be　focused；　just　like　light；　to…say…burn　a　body　while　leaving　the　rest　of　the　environment　intact。　Microwaves　heat　water　far　more　selectively　than　dry　materials；　fats；　or　oils；　so　they　would　burn　a　wet　body　before　heating　the　rugs　or　furnishings。　And　they　have　an　ionizing　and　heating　effect　on　metals　with　a　certain　number　of　valence　electrons。〃　
　Fosco　ran　a　hand　over　his　device；　then　laid　it　on　the　table　next　to　him。　〃As　you　know；　Mr。　Pendergast；　I'm　a　tinkerer。　I　love　a　challenge。　It's　quite　simple　to　build　a　microwave　transmitter　that　would　deliver　the　necessary　wattage。　The　problem　was　the　power　supply。　But　I。　G。　Farben；　a　German　pany　which　my　family　was　connected　with　during　the　War；　makes　a　marvelous　bination　of　capacitor　and　battery　capable　of　delivering　the　requisite　charge。〃　
　D'Agosta　glanced　at　the　microwave　device。　It　looked　almost　silly；　like　a　cheap　prop　to　an　old　science　fiction　movie。　
　〃It　would　never　work　as　a　weapon　of　war：　the　top　theoretical　range　is　less　than　twenty　feet；　and　it　takes　time　to　do　its　work。　But　it　suited　my　purposes　perfectly。　I　had　quite　a　time　working　out　the　kinks。　Many　pumpkins　were　sacrificed；　Sergeant　D'Agosta。　At　last；　I　tested　it　on　that　old　pedophile　in　Pistoia…the　one　whose　tomb　you　examined。　There　was　a　bit　of　a　meltdown…the　human　body　takes　a　lot　more　heating　than　a　pumpkin。　I　rebuilt　the　device　with　improvements　and　used　it　more　successfully　on　the　terrorized　Grove。　It　wasn't　quite　enough　to　set　the　man　on　fire；　but　it　did　the　job。　Then　I　arranged　the　scene　to　my　satisfaction；　packed　up；　and　left；　locking　everything　and　turning　the　alarm　back　on。　With　Cutforth　it　was　even　simpler。　As　I　said；　my　man　Pinketts　had　rented　the　apartment　next　door　and　was　undertaking　'renovations。'　He　made　a　marvelous　elderly　English　gentleman；　poor　man；　all　bent　over　and　muffled　up　against　the　chill。〃　
　〃That　explains　why　they　couldn't　identify　a　suspect　from　the　security　video　cams；〃　D'Agosta　said。　
　〃Pinketts　used　to　be　in　the　theater；　which　frequently　es　in　handy　for　my　purposes。　In　any　case；　the　weapon　works　beautifully　through　walls　made　of　drywall　and　wooden　studs。　Microwaves；　my　dear　Pendergast；　have　the　marvelous　property　of　penetrating　drywall　like　light　through　glass；　as　long　as　there　is　no　moisture　or　metal。　There　could　of　course　be　no　metal　nails　in　the　wall　between　the　two　apartments；　because　metal　absorbs　microwaves　and　would　heat　up　and　cause　a　fire。　So　Pinketts　opened　our　side　of　the　wall；　removed　the　nails；　and　replaced　them　with　wooden　dowels。　When　it　was　all　over；　he　put　our　side　of　the　wall　back　up。　The　whole　operation　was　disguised　as　part　of　the　remodeling　job。　Pinketts　himself　did　the　honors　on　Cutforth　while　I　was　at　the　opera　with　you。　What　better　alibi　than　to　contrive　to　spend　the　evening　of　the　murder　with　the　detective　himself！〃　Fosco　heaved　in　silent　mirth。　
　〃And　the　smell　of　sulfur？〃　
　〃Sulfur　burned　with　phosphorus　in　a　censer；　injected　through　the　wall　at　cracks　around　the　molding。〃　
　〃How　did　you　burn　the　images　into　the　wall？〃　
　〃The　hoofprint　in　Grove's　house　was　done　directly；　focusing　the　microwave。　The　image　in　Cutforth's　apartment　had　to　be　done　indirectly…Pinketts　couldn't　get　into　the　apartment…by　focusing　the　device　against　a　mask。　That　was　a　little　trickier；　but　it　worked。　Burned　the　image　right　through　the　wall。　Brilliant；　don't　you　think？〃　
　〃You're　sick；〃　said　D'Agosta。　
　〃I　am　a　tinkerer。　I　like　nothing　more　than　solving　tricky　little　problems。〃　He　grinned　horribly　and　picked　up　the　device。　〃Now　please　stand　back。　I　need　to　adjust　the　range　of　the　beam。　It　wouldn't　do　to　scorch　us　as　well　as　the　pumpkin。〃　
　Fosco　raised　the　ungainly　thing；　slid　its　leather　strap　over　his　shoulder；　aimed　it　at　the　pumpkin；　adjusted　some　knobs。　Then　he　pressed　a　rudimentary　kind　of　trigger。　D'Agosta　stared　in　horrified　fascination。　There　was　a　humming　noise　in　the　capacitor…that　was　all。　
　〃Right　now　the　device　is　working　up　from　its　lowest　setting。　If　that　pumpkin　were　our　victim；　he　would　begin　to　experience　a　most　awful　crawling　sensation　in　his　guts　and　over　his　skin　about　now。〃　
　The　pumpkin　remained　unaffected。　Fosco　turned　a　knob；　and　the　humming　went　up　a　notch。　
　〃Now　our　victim　is　screaming。　The　crawling　sensation　has　gotten　unbearable。　I　imagine　it's　like　a　stomach　full　of　wasps；　stinging　endlessly。　His　skin；　too；　would　start　to　dry　and　blister。　The　rising　heat　within　his　muscles　would　soon　cause　the　neurons　to　begin　firing；　jer