preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第27节

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ess　beyond；　under　the　thick　undergrowth；　lay　the　rest　of　it。
　
　TWO
　　
　DR。　BILL　DOWSON　lounged　against　the　sink；　examining　his　precisely　trimmed　fingernails　without　interest。　One　more；　then　lunch。　Thank　God。　A　cup　of　coffee　and　a　BLT　at　the　corner　deli　would　hit　the　spot。　He　wasn't　sure　why　he　wanted　a　BLT；　exactly：　maybe　it　was　the　lividity　of　the　last　stiff　that　started　him　thinking　about　bacon。　Anyway；　that　Dominican　behind　the　deli　counter　had　elevated　the　sandwich　into　an　art　form。　Dowson　could　practically　taste　the　crisp　lettuce；　the　tang　of　tomato　against　the　mayonnaise　。　。　。
　The　nurse　brought　in　the　clipboard　and　he　glanced　up。　She　had　short　black　hair　and　a　trim　body。　He　glanced　at　the　clipboard　without　picking　it　up　and　smiled　at　her。
　〃What　have　we　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃Homicide。〃
　He　gave　an　exaggerated　sigh；　rolled　his　eyes。　〃What　is　that；　the　fourth　today？　It　must　be　hunting　season。　Gunshot？〃
　〃No。　Some　kind　of　multiple　stabbing。　They　found　it　in　Central　Park；　in　the　Ramble。〃
　He　nodded。　〃The　dumping　ground；　eh？　Figures。〃　Great。　Another　piece…of…shit　killing。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Bring　it　in；　please。〃
　He　watched　the　nurse　walk　out。　Nice；　very　nice。　She　returned　a　moment　later　with　a　gurney；　covered　by　a　green　sheet。
　He　made　no　move　toward　the　body。　〃So；　how　about　that　dinner　tonight？〃
　The　nurse　smiled。　〃I　don't　think　it's　a　good　idea；　Doctor。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I've　told　you　before。　I　don't　date　doctors。　Especially　ones　I　work　with。〃
　He　nodded；　pushed　down　his　glasses；　and　grinned。　〃But　I'm　your　soul　mate；　remember？〃
　She　smiled。　〃Hardly。〃
　But　he　could　tell　she　was　flattered　by　his　interest。　Better　not　push　it；　though；　not　these　days。　Sexual　harassment　and　all　that。
　He　sighed；　eased　himself　off　the　sink。　Then　he　pulled　on　a　fresh　pair　of　gloves。　〃Turn　on　the　videocams；〃　he　said　to　the　nurse　as　he　prepped。
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃
　He　picked　up　the　clipboard。　〃Says　here　we　have　a　Caucasian　woman；　identified　as　Doreen　Hollander；　age　27；　of　Pine　Creek；　Oklahoma。　Identified　by　her　husband。〃　He　scanned　the　rest　of　the　top　sheet。　Then　he　hung　the　clipboard　on　the　gurney；　drew　on　his　surgical　mask；　and　with　the　nurse's　help　lifted　the　sheeted　corpse　onto　the　stainless　steel　examining　table。
　He　sensed　a　presence　behind　him　and　turned。　In　the　doorway　was　a　tall；　slender　man。　His　face　and　hands　looked　remarkably　pale　against　the　black　of　his　suit。　Behind　the　man　stood　a　uniformed　cop。
　〃Yes？〃　Dowson　asked。
　The　man　approached；　opening　his　wallet。　〃I'm　Special　Agent　Pendergast；　Dr。　Dowson。　And　this　is　Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy　of　the　NYPD。〃
　Dowson　looked　him　over。　This　was　very　irregular。　And　there　was　something　strange　about　the　man：　hair　so　very　blond；　eyes　so　very　pale；　accent　so　very；　very　southern。　〃And？〃
　〃May　I　observe？〃
　〃This　an　FBI　case？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Where's　your　clearance？〃
　〃I　don't　have　one。〃
　Dowson　sighed　with　irritation。　〃You　know　the　rules。　You　can't　just　watch　for　the　hell　of　it。〃
　The　FBI　agent　took　a　step　closer　to　him；　closer　than　he　liked；　invading　his　personal　space。　He　controlled　an　impulse　to　step　backward。
　〃Look；　Mr。　Pendergast；　get　the　necessary　paperwork　and　e　back。　Okay？〃
　〃That　will　be　time…consuming；〃　said　the　man　named　Pendergast。　〃It　will　hold　you　up　considerably。　I　would　appreciate　your　courtesy　in　letting　us　observe。〃
　There　was　something　in　the　man's　tone　that　sounded　a　lot　harder　than　the　mellifluous　accent　and　genteel　words　suggested。　Dowson　hesitated。　〃Look；　with　all　due　respect…〃
　〃With　all　due　respect；　Dr。　Dowson；　I'm　in　no　mood　to　bandy　civilities　with　you。　Proceed　with　the　autopsy。〃
　The　voice　was　now　cold　as　dry　ice。　Dowson　remembered　the　videocam　was　on。　He　glanced　covertly　at　the　nurse。　He　had　a　strong　sense　that　a　humiliation　at　the　hands　of　this　man　might　be　just　around　the　corner。　This　would　not　look　good　and　it　might　cause　trouble　later。　The　guy　was　FBI；　after　all。　Anyway；　his　own　ass　was　covered：　he　was　on　record　stating　the　man　needed　clearance。
　Dowson　sighed。　〃All　right；　Pendergast。　You　and　the　sergeant；　don　scrubs。〃
　He　waited　until　they　returned；　then　pulled　back　the　sheet　with　a　single　motion。　The　cadaver　lay　on　its　back：　blonde　hair；　young；　fresh。　The　chill　of　the　previous　night　had　kept　it　from　deposing。　Dowson　leaned　toward　the　mike　and　began　a　description。　The　FBI　man　was　looking　at　the　corpse　with　interest。　But　Dowson　could　see　that　the　uniformed　cop　was　beginning　to　look　uneasy；　shifting　from　one　foot　to　another；　lips　pressed　tight　together。　The　last　thing　he　needed　was　a　puker。
　〃Is　he　going　to　be　all　right？〃　Dowson　asked　Pendergast　in　an　undertone；　nodding　to　the　cop。
　Pendergast　turned。　〃You　don't　have　to　see　this；　Sergeant。〃
　The　cop　swallowed；　glancing　from　the　corpse　to　Pendergast　and　back　again。　〃I'll　be　in　the　lounge。〃
　〃Drop　your　scrubs　in　the　bin　on　your　way　out；〃　said　Dowson　with　sarcastic　satisfaction。
　Pendergast　watched　the　cop　leave。　Then　he　turned　to　Dowson。　〃I　suggest　you　turn　the　body　over　before　making　your　Y…incision。〃
　〃And　why　is　that？〃
　Pendergast　nodded　toward　the　clipboard。　〃Page　two。〃
　Dowson　picked　it　up；　flipped　over　the　top　page。　Extensive　lacerations　。　。　。　deep　knife　wounds　。　。　。　Looked　like　the　girl　had　been　stabbed　repeatedly　in　the　lower　back。　Or　worse。　As　usual；　it　was　hard　to　make　out　from　the　police　report　what　had　actually　taken　place；　from　a　medical　standpoint。　There　had　been　no　investigating　ME。　It　had　been　given　a　low　priority。　This　Doreen　Hollander　didn't　count　for　much；　it　seemed。
　Dowson　returned　the　clipboard。　〃Sue；　help　me　turn　her　over。〃
　They　turned　the　body；　exposing　the　back。　The　nurse　gasped　and　stepped　away。
　Dowson　stared　in　surprise。　〃Looks　like　she　died　on　the　operating　table；　in　the　middle　of　an　operation　to　remove　a　spinal　tumor。〃　Had　they　screwed　up　again　downstairs？　Just　last　week…twice…they　had　sent　him　the　wrong　paperwork　with　the　wrong　corpse。　But　immediately　Dowson　realized　this　was　no　hospital　stiff。　Not　with　dirt　and　leaves　sticking　to　the　raw　wound　that　covered　the　entire　lower　back　and　sacrum　area。
　This　was　weird。　Seriously　weird。
　He　peered　closer　and　began　describing　the　wound　for　the　benefit　of　the　camera；　trying　to　keep　the　surprise　out　of　his　voice。
　〃Superficially；　this　does　not　resemble　the　random　knife　slashing；　stabbing；　or　cutting　described　in　the　report。　It　has　the　appearance　of…of　a　dissection。　The　incision…if　it　is　one…begins　about　ten　inches　below　the　scapula　and　seven　inches　above　the　belt　line。　It　appears　as　if　the　entire　cauda　equina　has　been　dissected　out；　starting　at　L1　and　terminating　at　the　sacrum。〃
　At　this；　the　FBI　agent　looked　at　him　abruptly。
　〃The　dissection　includes　the　filum　terminale。〃　Dowson　bent　closer。　〃Nurse；　sponge　along　here。〃
　The　nurse　removed　some　of　the　debris　around　the　wound。　The　room　had　fallen　silent　except　for　the　whirr　of　the　camera；　and　there　was　a　clattering　sound　as　twigs　and　leaves　slid　into　the　table's　drainage　channel。
　〃The　spinal　cord…more　precisely；　the　cauda　equina…is　missing。　It　has　been　removed。　The　dissection　extends　peripherally　to　the　neuroforamen　and　out　to　the　transverse　processes。　Nurse；　irrigate　L1　to　L5。〃
　The　nurse　quickly　irrigated　the　requested　area。
　〃The；　er；　dissection　has　stripped　off　the　skin；　the　subcutaneous　tissue；　and　paraspinous　musculature。　It　appears　as　if　a　self…retaining　retractor　was　used。　I　can　see　the　marks　of　it　here；　and　here；　and　here。〃　He　carefully　indicated　the　areas　for　the　benefit　of　the　video。
　〃The　spinous　processes　and　laminae　have　been　removed；　along　with　the　ligamentum　flavum。　The　dura　is　still　present。　There　is　a　longitudinal　incision　in　the　dura　from　L1　to　the　sacrum；　allowing　full　removal　of　the　cord。　It　has　the　appearance　of　a　。　。　。　of　a　very　professional　incision。　Nurse；　the　stereozoom。〃
　The　nurse　rolled　over　a　large　microscope。　Quickly；　Dowson　inspected　the　spinous　processes。　〃It　looks　as　if　a　rongeur　has　been　used　to　remove　the　processes　and　laminae　from　the　dura。〃
　He　straightened　up；　running　a　gowned　arm　across　his　forehead。　This　was　not　a　standard　dissection　one　would　do　in　medical　school。　It　was　more　like　the　kind　of　thing　neurosurgeons　practiced　in　advanced　neuroanatomy　classes。　Then　he　remembered　the　FBI　agent；　Pendergast。　He　glanced　at　him；　to　see　how　he　was　taking　it。　He　had　seen　a　lot　of　shocked　people　at　autopsies；　but　nothing　like　this：　the　man　looked；　not　shocked　exactly；　so　much　as　grim　Death　himself。
　The　man　spoke。　〃Doctor；　may　I　interrupt　with　a　few　questions？〃
　Dowson　nodded。
　〃Was　this　dissection　the　cause　of　death？〃
　This　was　a　new　thought　to　Dowson。　He　shuddered。　〃If　the　subject　were　alive　when　this　was　done；　yes；　it　would　have　caused　death。〃
　〃At　what　point？〃
　〃As　soon　as　the　incision　was　made　in　the　dura；　the　cerebrospinal　fluid　would　have　drained。　That　alone　would　have　been　enough　to　cause　death。〃　He　examined　the　wound　again。　It　looked　as　if　the　operation　had　caused　a　great　deal　of　bleeding　from　the　epidural　veins；　and　some　of　them　had　retracted…an　indication　of　live　trauma。　Yet　the　dissector　had　not　worked　around　the　veins；　as　a　surgeon　on　a　live　patient　would　have　done；　but　had　cut　right　through　them。　The　operation；　while　done　with　great　skill；　had　also