preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　wall。　It　showed　a　little　cabin　in　a　swamp；　at　night；　under　a　full　moon；　its　windows　casting　a　yellow　glow　over　the　waters。　It　was　a　source　of　endless　amusement　to　the　7th　Precinct　that　their　captain；　with　all　his　mannerisms　and　his　pretensions　to　culture；　had　a　velvet　painting　proudly　displayed　in　his　office。　There　had　even　been　talk　of　getting　an　office　pool　together；　soliciting　donations　for　a　less　revolting　replacement。　O'Shaughnessy　used　to　laugh　along　with　them；　but　now　he　found　it　pathetic。　It　was　all　so　pathetic。
　The　rattle　of　the　phone　in　its　cradle　brought　him　out　of　his　reverie。　He　looked　up　as　Custer　pressed　his　inter　button。
　〃Sergeant　Noyes；　e　in　here；　please。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　looked　away。　This　wasn't　a　good　sign。　Herbert　Noyes；　recently　transferred　from　Internal　Affairs；　was　Custer's　new　personal　assistant　and　numero　uno　ass…kisser。　Something　unpleasant　was　definitely　up。
　Almost　instantly；　Noyes　entered　the　office；　the　usual　unctuous　smile　breaking　the　smooth　lines　of　his　ferret…like　head。　He　nodded　politely　to　Custer；　ignored　O'Shaughnessy；　and　took　the　seat　closest　to　the　captain's　desk；　chewing　gum；　as　usual。　His　skinny　form　barely　made　a　dent　in　the　burgundy…colored　leather。　He'd　e　in　so　fast　it　was　almost　as　if　he'd　been　hovering　outside。　O'Shaughnessy　realized　he　probably　had　been。
　And　now；　at　last；　Custer　turned　toward　O'Shaughnessy。　〃Paddy！〃　he　said　in　his　high；　thin　voice。　〃How's　the　last　Irish　cop　on　the　force　doing　these　days？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　waited　just　long　enough　to　be　insolent；　and　then　answered：　〃It's　Patrick；　sir。〃
　〃Patrick；　Patrick。　I　thought　they　called　you　Paddy；〃　Custer　went　on；　some　of　the　hearty　bluster　gone。
　〃There　are　still　plenty　of　Irish　on　the　force；　sir。〃
　〃Yeah；　yeah；　but　how　many　are　named　Patrick　Murphy　O'Shaughnessy？　I　mean；　is　that　Irish　or　what？　That's　like　Chaim　Moishe　Finkelstein；　or　Vinnie　Scarpetta　Gotti　della　Gambino。　Ethnic。　Very　ethnic。　But　hey；　don't　get　me　wrong。　Ethnic's　good。〃
　〃Very　good；〃　Noyes　said。
　〃I'm　always　saying　we　need　diversity　on　the　force。　Right？〃
　〃Sure；〃　O'Shaughnessy　replied。
　〃Anyway；　Patrick；　we've　got　a　little　problem　here。　A　few　days　ago；　thirty…six　skeletons　were　uncovered　at　a　construction　site　here　in　the　precinct。　You　may　have　heard　of　it。　I　supervised　the　investigation　myself。　It's　a　Moegen…Fairhaven　development。　You　know　them？〃
　〃Sure　I　do。〃　O'Shaughnessy　glanced　pointedly　at　the　oversized　Montblanc　fountain　pen　in　Custer's　shirt　pocket。　Mr。　Fairhaven　had　given　them　as　Christmas　presents　to　all　the　precinct　captains　in　Manhattan　the　year　before。
　〃Big　outfit。　Lots　of　money；　lots　of　friends。　Good　people。　Now　these　skeletons；　Patrick；　are　well　over　a　century　old。　It's　our　understanding　that　some　maniac　back　in　the　eighteen　hundreds　murdered　these　people　and　hid　them　in　a　basement。　With　me　so　far？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　nodded。
　〃Have　you　ever　had　any　experience　with　the　FBI？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃They　tend　to　think　working　cops　are　stupid。　They　like　to　keep　us　in　the　dark。　It's　fun　for　them。〃
　〃It's　a　little　game　they　play；〃　said　Noyes；　with　a　small　bob　of　his　shiny　head。　It　was　hard　to　make　a　crew　cut　look　oily；　but　somehow　Noyes　managed。
　〃That's　exactly　right；〃　Custer　said。　〃You　know　what　we're　saying；　Patrick？〃
　〃Sure。〃　They　were　saying　he　was　about　to　get　some　shit…stink　assignment　involving　the　FBI：　that's　what　he　knew。
　〃Good。　For　some　reason；　we've　got　an　FBI　agent　poking　around　the　site。　He　won't　say　why　he's　interested。　He's　not　even　local；　from　New　Orleans；　believe　it　or　not。　But　the　guy's　got　pull。　I'm　still　looking　into　it。　The　boys　in　the　New　York　office　don't　like　him　any　more　than　we　do。　They　told　me　some　stories　about　him；　and　I　didn't　like　what　I　heard。　Wherever　this　guy　goes；　trouble　follows。　You　with　me？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃This　guy's　been　calling　all　over　the　place。　Wants　to　see　the　bones。　Wants　to　see　the　pathologist's　report。　Wants　everything　under　the　sun。　He　doesn't　seem　to　get　that　the　crime's　ancient　history。　So　now；　Mr。　Fairhaven　is　concerned。　He　doesn't　want　this　getting　blown　out　of　proportion；　you　know？　He's　gonna　have　to　rent　those　apartments。　You　get　my　drift？　And　when　Mr。　Fairhaven　gets　concerned；　he　calls　the　mayor。　The　mayor　calls　missioner　Rocker。　The　missioner　calls　the　mander。　And　the　mander　calls　me。　Which　means　that　now　I'm　concerned。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　nodded。　Which　means　now　I'm　supposed　to　be　concerned；　which　I'm　not。
　〃Very　concerned；〃　said　Noyes。
　O'Shaughnessy　allowed　his　face　to　relax　into　the　most　unconcerned　of　looks。
　〃So　here's　what's　going　to　happen。　I'm　going　to　assign　you　to　be　this　guy's　NYPD　liaison。　You　stick　to　him　like　a　fly　to；　er；　honey。　I　want　to　know　what　he's　doing；　where　he　goes；　and　especially　what　he's　up　to。　But　don't　get　too　friendly　with　the　guy。〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃His　name　is　Pendergast。　Special　Agent　Pendergast。〃　Custer　turned　over　a　piece　of　paper。　〃Christ；　they　didn't　even　give　me　his　first　name　here。　No　matter。　I've　set　up　a　meeting　with　you　and　him　tomorrow；　two　P。M。　After　that；　you　stay　with　him。　You're　there　to　help　him；　that's　the　official　line。　But　don't　be　too　helpful。　This　guy's　ticked　off　a　lot　of　people。　Here；　read　for　yourself。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　took　the　proffered　file。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　remain　in　uniform；　sir？〃
　〃Hell；　that's　just　the　point！　Having　a　uniformed　cop　sticking　to　him　like　a　limpet　is　going　to　cramp　his　style。　You　get　me？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　The　captain　sat　back　in　his　chair；　looking　at　him　skeptically。　〃Think　you　can　do　this；　Patrick？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　stood　up。　〃Sure。〃
　〃Because　I've　been　noticing　your　attitude　recently。〃　Custer　put　a　finger　to　the　side　of　his　nose。　〃A　friendly　word　of　advice。　Save　it　for　Agent　Pendergast。　Last　thing　you；　of　all　people；　need　is　more　attitude。〃
　〃No　attitude；　sir。　I'm　just　here　to　protect　and　serve。〃　He　pronounced　sairve　in　his　best　Irish　brogue。　〃Top　of　the　mornin'　to　you；　Captain。〃
　As　O'Shaughnessy　turned　and　left　the　office；　he　heard　Custer　mutter　〃wise　ass〃　to　Noyes。
　
　THREE
　　
　〃A　PERFECT　AFTERNOON　to　take　in　a　museum；〃　said　Pendergast；　looking　up　at　a　lowering　sky。
　Patrick　Murphy　O'Shaughnessy　wondered　if　it　was　some　kind　of　joke。　He　stood　on　the　steps　of　the　Elizabeth　Street　precinct　house；　staring　off　into　nowhere。　The　whole　thing　was　a　joke。　The　FBI　agent　looked　more　like　an　undertaker　than　a　cop；　with　his　black　suit；　blond…white　hair；　and　movie…cliché　accent。　He　wondered　how　such　a　piece　of　work　ever　got　his　ass　through　Quantico。
　〃The　Metropolitan　Museum　of　Art　is　a　cultural　paradigm；　Sergeant。　One　of　the　great　art　museums　of　the　world。　But　of　course　you　knew　that。　Shall　we　go？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　shrugged。　Museums；　whatever；　he　was　supposed　to　stay　with　this　guy。　What　a　crappy　assignment。
　As　they　descended　the　steps；　a　long　gray　car　came　gliding　up　from　where　it　had　been　idling　at　the　corner。　For　a　second　O'Shaughnessy　could　hardly　believe　it。　A　Rolls。　Pendergast　opened　the　door。
　〃Drug　seizure？〃　O'Shaughnessy　asked。
　〃No。　Personal　vehicle。〃
　Figures。　New　Orleans。　They　were　all　on　the　take　down　there。　Now　he　had　the　guy　pegged。　Probably　up　here　on　some　kind　of　drug　business。　Maybe　Custer　wanted　in。　That's　why　he　put　him；　of　all　the　cops　in　the　precinct；　on　this　guy's　ass。　This　was　looking　worse　by　the　minute。
　Pendergast　continued　holding　the　door。　〃After　you。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　slid　in　the　back；　sinking　immediately　into　creamy　white　leather。
　Pendergast　ducked　in　beside　him。　〃To　the　Metropolitan　Museum；〃　he　told　the　driver。　As　the　Rolls　pulled　away　from　the　curb；　O'Shaughnessy　caught　a　glimpse　of　Captain　Custer　standing　on　the　steps；　staring　after　them。　He　resisted　the　impulse　to　flip　him　the　bird。
　O'Shaughnessy　turned　to　Pendergast　and　gave　him　a　good　look。　〃Here's　to　success；　Mister　FBI　Agent。〃
　He　turned　away　to　look　out　the　window。　There　was　a　silence　on　the　other　side。
　〃The　name　is　Pendergast；〃　came　the　soft　voice；　finally。
　〃Whatever。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　continued　to　look　out　the　window。　He　allowed　a　minute　to　pass；　and　then　he　said：　〃So　what's　at　the　museum？　Some　dead　mummies？〃
　〃I　have　yet　to　meet　a　live　mummy；　Sergeant。　However；　it　is　not　the　Egyptian　Department　we　are　going　to。〃
　A　wise　guy。　He　wondered　how　many　more　assignments　he'd　have　like　this。　Just　because　he　made　a　mistake　five　years　ago；　they　all　thought　he　was　Mister　Expendable。　Any　time　there　was　something　funny　ing　down　the　pike；　it　was　always：　We've　got　a　little　problem　here；　O'Shaughnessy；　and　you're　just　the　man　to　take　care　of　it。　But　it　was　usually　just　penny…ante　stuff。　This　guy　in　the　Rolls；　he　looked　big…time。　This　was　different。　This　looked　illegal。　O'Shaughnessy　thought　of　his　long…gone　father　and　felt　a　stab　of　shame。　Thank　God　the　man　wasn't　around　to　see　him　now。　Five　generations　of　O'Shaughnessys　in　the　force；　and　now　everything　gone　to　shit。　He　wondered　if　he　could　hack　the　eleven　more　years　required　before　an　early　severance　package　became　available。
　〃So　what's　the　game？〃　O'Shaughnessy　asked。　No　more　sucker　work：　he　was　going　to　keep　his　eyes　open　and　his　head　up　on　this　one。　He　didn't　want　any　stray　shit　to　fall　when　he　wasn't　looking　up。
　〃Sergeant？〃
　〃What。〃
　〃There　is　no　game。〃
　〃Of　course　not。〃　O'Shaughnessy　let　out　a　lit