cyclops-第9节

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　morbid　eeriness　and　the　sickening　stench　of　human　decay。
　　　　One　of　the　crewmen　was　slouched　over　a　small　table；　head　resting　on　arms　as　if　he　were　asleep。　His　clothes　were　damp　and　stained。　Pitt　placed　his　hand　on　a　shoulder　and　gave　a　slight　shake。　There　was　no　firmness　to　the　flesh。　It　felt　soft　and　pulpy。　An　icy　shroud　fell　over　him　that　lifted　goose　bumps　on　every　inch　of　his　skin；　yet　the　sweat　was　trickling　down　his　body　in　streams。
　　　　He　turned　his　attention　to　the　ghastly　apparitions　seated　at　the　controls。　Their　faces　were　covered　by　a　blanket　of　flies；　and　deposition　was　eating　away　all　traces　of　life。　The　skin　was　slipping　from　the　flesh　like　broken　blisters　on　burns。　Jaws　hung　slack　with　mouths　agape；　the　lips　and　tongues　swollen　and　parched。　Eyes　were　open　and　staring　into　nothingness；　eyeballs　opaque　and　clouded　over。　Hands　still　hung　on　the　controls；　their　fingernails　turned　blue。　Unchecked　by　enzymes；　bacteria　had　formed　gases　that　grotesquely　bloated　the　stomachs。　The　damp　air　and　the　high　temperatures　of　the　tropics　were　greatly　speeding　the　process　of　putrefaction。
　　　　The　rotting　corpses　inside　the　Prosperteer　had　flown　from　some　unknown　grave；　a　macabre　crew　in　a　charnel　airship　on　a　ghostly　mission。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



　　　　The　naked　corpse　of　an　adult　black　woman　lay　stretched　on　an　examining　table　under　the　glaring　lights　of　the　autopsy　room。　Preservation　was　excellent；　no　visible　injuries　due　to　violence。　To　the　trained　eye　the　state　of　rigor　mortis　indicated　she　had　been　dead　less　than　seven　hours。　Her　age　appeared　to　be　somewhere　between　twenty…five　and　thirty。　The　body　might　have　drawn　male　stares　once；　but　now　it　lay　undernourished；　wasted；　and　ravaged　by　a　decade　of　drug　intake。
　　　　The　Dade　County　coroner；　Dr。　Calvin　Rooney；　wasn't　too　pleased　about　doing　the　autopsy。　There　were　enough　deaths　in　Miami　to　keep　his　staff　working　around　the　clock；　and　he　preferred　to　spend　his　time　on　the　more　dramatic　and　puzzling　postmortem　examinations。　A　garden…variety　drug　overdose　held　little　interest　for　him。　But　this　one　was　found　dumped　on　a　county　missioner's　front　lawn；　and　it　wouldn't　do　to　send　in　a　third…string　quarterback。
　　　　Wearing　a　blue　lab　coat　because　he　detested　the　standard　white　issue；　Rooney；　a　home…grown　Floridian；　U。S。　Army　veteran；　and　Harvard　Medical　School　graduate；　slipped　a　new　cassette　in　a　portable　tape　recorder　and　dryly　mented　on　the　general　condition　of　the　body。
　　　　He　picked　up　a　scalpel　and　bent　over　for　the　dissection；　starting　a　few　inches　under　the　chin　and　slicing　downward　toward　the　pubic　bone。　Suddenly　Rooney　halted　the　incision　over　the　chest　cavity　and　leaned　closer；　squinting　through　a　pair　of　wide…lensed；　horn…rimmed　glasses。　In　the　next　fifteen　minutes；　he　removed　and　examined　the　heart　while　delivering　a　running　monologue　into　the　tape　recorder。
　　　　Rooney　was　in　the　midst　of　making　a　last…minute　observation　when　Sheriff　Tyler　Sweat　entered　the　autopsy　room。　He　was　a　medium…built；　brooding　man；　slightly　round…shouldered；　his　face　a　blend　of　melancholy　and　brutish　determination。　Methodical　and　shrewdly　earnest；　he　enjoyed　great　respect　from　the　men　and　women　under　him。
　　　　He　threw　an　expressionless　glance　at　the　opened　cadaver　and　then　nodded　a　greeting　to　Rooney。　〃New　piece　of　meat？〃
　　　　〃The　woman　from　the　missioner's　yard；〃　answered　Rooney。
　　　　〃Another　OD？〃
　　　　〃No　such　luck。　More　work　for　homicide。　She　was　murdered。　I　found　three　punctures　in　the　heart。〃
　　　　〃Ice　pick？〃
　　　　〃From　all　indications。〃
　　　　Sweat　peered　at　the　balding　little　chief　medical　examiner；　whose　benign　appearance　seemed　better　suited　to　a　parish　priest。　〃They　can't　fool　you；　Doc。〃
　　　　〃What　brings　the　master　scourge　of　evildoers　to　the　forensic　palace？〃　Rooney　asked　amiably。　〃You　slumming？〃
　　　　〃No；　an　identification　by　VIPs。　I'd　like　you　in　on　it。〃
　　　　〃The　bodies　from　the　blimp；〃　Rooney　deduced。
　　　　Sweat　nodded。　〃Mrs。　LeBaron　is　here　to　view　the　remains。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　remend　it。　What's　left　of　her　husband　isn't　a　pretty　sight　to　someone　who　doesn't　see　death　every　day。〃
　　　　〃I　tried　to　tell　her　that　identification　of　his　effects　would　satisfy　legal　requirements；　but　she　persisted。　Even　brought　along　an　aide　from　the　governor's　office　to　grease　the　way〃
　　　　〃Where　are　they？〃
　　　　〃Waiting　in　the　morgue　office。〃
　　　　〃News　media？〃
　　　　〃An　entire　regiment　of　TV　and　press　reporters　running　around　like　crazy　people。　I've　ordered　my　deputies　to　keep　them　confined　to　the　lobby。〃
　　　　〃Strange　how　the　world　works；〃　said　Rooney　in　one　of　his　philosophical　moods。　〃The　renowned　Raymond　LeBaron　gets　front…page　headlines　while　this　poor　baggage　gets　a　column　inch　next　to　classified　advertising。〃　Then　he　sighed；　removed　his　lab　coat；　and　threw　it　over　a　chair。　〃Let's　get　it　over　with。　I've　got　two　more　postmortems　to　conduct　this　afternoon。〃
　　　　As　he　spoke　a　tropical　storm　passed　over　and　the　sound　of　thunder　rumbled　through　the　walls。　Rooney　slipped　on　a　sports　jacket　and　straightened　his　tie。　They　fell　into　step；　Sweat　staring　down　pensively　at　the　design　in　the　hallway　carpet。
　　　　〃Any　idea　on　the　cause　of　LeBaron's　death？〃　asked　the　sheriff。
　　　　〃Too　soon　to　tell。　The　lab　results　were　inconclusive。　I　want　to　run　some　more　tests。　Too　many　things　don't　add　up。　I　don't　mind　admitting；　this　one　is　a　puzzler。〃
　　　　〃No　guesses？〃
　　　　〃Nothing　I'd　put　on　paper。　Problem　is　the　incredibly　rapid　rate　of　deposition。　I've　seldom　seen　tissue　disintegrate　so　fast；　except　maybe　once　back　in　1974。〃
　　　　Before　Sweat　could　prod　Rooney's　recollection；　they　reached　the　morgue　office　and　entered。　The　governor's　aide；　a　slippery　type　in　a　three…piece　suit；　jumped　up。　Even　before　he　opened　his　mouth；　Rooney　classified　him　as　a　jerk。
　　　　〃Can　we　please　get　the　show　on　the　road；　Sheriff。　Mrs。　LeBaron　is　most　unfortable　and　would　like　to　return　to　her　hotel　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　　　　〃I　sympathize　with　her；〃　the　sheriff　drawled。　〃But　I　shouldn't　have　to　remind　a　public　servant　that　there　are　certain　laws　we　must　follow。〃
　　　　〃And　I　needn't　remind　you；　the　governor　expects　your　department　to　extend　every　courtesy　to　ease　her　grief。〃
　　　　Rooney　marveled　at　Sweat's　stony　patience。　The　sheriff　simply　brushed　by　the　aide　as　though　he　were　walking　past　trash　on　a　sidewalk。
　　　　〃This　is　our　chief　medical　examiner；　Dr。　Rooney。　He　will　assist　with　the　identification。〃
　　　　Jessie　LeBaron　didn't　look　the　least　bit　unfortable。　She　sat　in　an　orange　plastic　contour　chair；　poised；　cool；　head　held　high。　And　yet　Rooney　sensed　a　fragility　that　was　held　together　by　discipline　and　nerve。　He　was　an　old　hand　at　presiding　over　corpse　identification　by　relatives。　He'd　suffered　through　the　ordeal　hundreds　of　times　in　his　career　and　instinctively　spoke　softly　and　in　a　gentle　manner。
　　　　〃Mrs。　LeBaron；　I　understand　what　you're　going　through　and　will　make　this　as　painless　as　possible。　But　first；　I　wish　to　make　it　clear　that　by　simply　identifying　the　effects　found　on　the　bodies　you　will　satisfy　the　laws　set　down　by　the　state　and　county。　Second；　any　physical　characteristics　you　can　recall；　such　as　scars；　dental　work；　bone　fractures；　or　surgical　incisions；　will　be　of　great　help　in　my　own　identification。　And　third；　I　respectfully　beg　you　not　to　view　the　remains。　Though　facial　features　are　still　recognizable；　deposition　has　done　its　work。　I　think　you'd　be　happier　remembering　Mr。　LeBaron　as　he　was　in　life　rather　than　how　he　looks　in　a　morgue。〃
　　　　〃Thank　you；　Dr。　Rooney；〃　said　Jessie。　〃I'm　grateful　for　your　concern。　But　I　must　be　certain　my　husband　is　truly　dead。〃
　　　　Rooney　nodded　miserably；　and　then　gestured　at　a　worktable　containing　several　pieces　of　clothing；　wallets；　wristwatches；　and　other　personal　articles。　〃You've　identified　Mr。　LeBaron's　effects？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　I　have　sorted　through　them。〃
　　　　〃And　you're　satisfied　they　belonged　to　him？〃
　　　　〃There　can　be　no　doubt　about　the　wallet　and　its　contents。　The　watch　was　a　gift　from　me　on　our　first　anniversary。〃
　　　　Rooney　walked　over　and　held　it　up。　〃A　gold　Cartier　with　matching　band　and　roman　numerals　marked　in。　。　。　am　I　correct　in　saying　they're　diamonds？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　a　rare　form　of　black　diamond。　It　was　his　birthstone。〃
　　　　〃April；　I　believe。〃
　　　　She　merely　nodded。
　　　　〃Besides　your　husband's　personal　articles；　Mrs。　LeBaron；　do　you　recognize　anything　belonging　to　Buck　Caesar　or　Joseph　Cavilla？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　recall　the　jewelry　they　wore；　but　I'm　certain　the　other　clothing　items　are　what　Buck　and　Joe　were　wearing　when　I　last　saw　them。〃
　　　　〃Our　investigators　can　find　no　next　of　kin　of　Caesar　and　Cavilla；〃　said　Sweat。　〃It　would　be　most　helpful　if　you　can　point　out　which　articles　of　clothing　belonged　to　whom。〃
　　　　For　the　first　time　Jessie　LeBaron　faltered。　〃I'm　not　sure。　。　。　I　think　the　denim　shorts　and　flowered　shirt　are　Buck's。　The　other　things　probably　belonged　to　Joe　Cavilla。〃　She　paused。　〃May　we　view　my　husband's　body　now？〃
　　　　〃I　can't　change　your　mind？〃　Rooney　asked　in　a　sympathetic　voice。
　　　　〃No；　I　must　insist。〃
　　　　〃You'd　best　do　what　Mrs。　LeBaron　asks；〃　said　the　governor's　aide；　who　had　yet　to　introduce　himself。
　　　　Rooney　looked　at　Sweat　and　shrugged　in　resignation。　〃If　you　will　please　follow　me。　The　remains　are　kept　in　the