preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第31节

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irhaven　carefully　cultivated　his　public　image。
　The　guy　was　a　public　relations　pro　from　way　back。　Smithback　had　found　nothing。　Nothing。
　That　reminded　him：　he　turned；　grabbed　a　battered　dictionary　from　a　nearby　shelf；　flipped　through　the　pages　until　he　reached　〃n。〃　Nugatory：　of　no　importance；　trifling。
　Smithback　put　back　the　dictionary。
　What　was　needed　here　was　some　deeper　digging。　Before　the　time　when　Fairhaven　had　gone　pro　with　his　life。　Back　when　he　was　just　another　pimply　high　school　kid。　So　Fairhaven　thought　Smithback　was　just　another　run…of…the…mill　reporter；　doing　nugatory　work？　Well；　he'd　wouldn't　be　laughing　so　hard　when　he　opened　his　Monday　paper。
　All　it　took　was　ten　minutes　on　the　Web　to　hit　paydirt。　Fairhaven's　class　at　P。S。　1984；　up　on　Amsterdam　Avenue；　had　recently　celebrated　the　fifteenth　anniversary　of　their　graduation。　They　had　created　a　Web　page　reproducing　their　yearbook。　Fairhaven　hadn't　shown　up　for　the　reunion；　and　he　might　not　have　even　known　of　the　Web　page…but　all　the　information　about　him　from　his　old　yearbook　was　posted；　for　all　to　see：　photos；　nicknames；　clubs；　interests；　everything。
　There　he　was：　a　clean…cut；　all…around　kid；　smiling　cockily　out　of　a　blurry　graduation　photograph。　He　was　wearing　a　tennis　sweater　and　a　checked　shirt…a　typical　well…heeled　city　boy。　His　father　was　in　real　estate；　his　mother　a　homemaker。　Smithback　quickly　learned　all　kinds　of　things：　that　he　was　captain　of　the　swim　team；　that　he　was　born　under　the　sign　of　Gemini；　that　he　was　head　of　the　debating　club；　that　his　favorite　rock　group　was　the　Eagles；　that　he　played　the　guitar　badly；　that　he　wanted　to　be　a　doctor；　that　his　favorite　color　was　burgundy；　and　that　he　had　been　voted　most　likely　to　bee　a　millionaire。
　As　Smithback　scrolled　through　the　Web　site；　the　sinking　feeling　returned。　It　was　all　so　unspeakably　boring。　But　there　was　one　detail　that　caught　his　eye。　Every　student　had　been　given　a　nickname；　and　Fairhaven's　was　〃The　Slasher。〃　He　felt　his　disappointment　abate　just　slightly。　The　Slasher。　It　would　be　nice　if　the　nickname　turned　up　a　secret　interest　in　torturing　animals。　It　wasn't　much；　but　it　was　something。
　And　he'd　graduated　only　sixteen　years　ago。　There　would　be　people　who　remembered　him。　If　there　was　anything　unsavory；　Smithback　would　find　it。　Let　that　bastard　crack　his　paper　next　week　and　see　how　fast　that　smug　smile　got　wiped　off。
　P。S。　1984。　Luckily；　the　school　was　only　a　cab　ride　away。　Turning　his　back　on　the　puter；　Smithback　stood　up　and　reached　for　his　jacket。
　　
　The　school　stood　on　a　leafy　Upper　West　Side　block　between　Amsterdam　and　Columbus；　not　far　from　the　Museum；　a　long　building　of　yellow　brick；　surrounded　by　a　wrought　iron　fence。　As　far　as　New　York　City　schools　went；　it　was　rather　nice。　Smithback　strode　to　the　front　door；　found　it　locked…security；　of　course…and　buzzed。　A　policeman　answered。　Smithback　flashed　his　press　card　and　the　cop　let　him　in。
　It　was　amazing　how　the　place　smelled：　just　like　his　own　high　school；　far　away　and　long　ago。　And　there　was　the　same　taupe　paint　on　the　cinderblock　walls；　too。　All　school　principals　must've　read　the　same　how…to　manual；　Smithback　thought　as　the　cop　escorted　him　through　the　metal　detector　and　to　the　principal's　office。
　The　principal　referred　him　to　Miss　Kite。　Smithback　found　her　at　her　desk；　working　on　student　assignments　between　classes。　She　was　a　handsome；　gray…haired　woman；　and　when　Smithback　mentioned　Fairhaven's　name；　he　was　gratified　to　see　the　smile　of　memory　on　her　face。
　〃Oh　yes；〃　she　said。　Her　voice　was　kind；　but　there　was　a　no…nonsense　edge　to　it　that　told　Smithback　this　was　no　pushover　granny。　〃I　remember　Tony　Fairhaven　well；　because　he　was　in　my　first　twelfth…grade　class；　and　he　was　one　of　our　top　students。　He　was　a　National　Merit　Scholar　runner…up。〃
　Smithback　nodded　deferentially　and　jotted　a　few　notes。　He　wasn't　going　to　tape…record　this…that　was　a　good　way　to　shut　people　up。
　〃Tell　me　about　him。　Informally。　What　was　he　like？〃
　〃He　was　a　bright　boy；　quite　popular。　I　believe　he　was　the　head　of　the　swim　team。　A　good；　all…around；　hardworking　student。〃
　〃Did　he　ever　get　into　trouble？〃
　〃Sure。　They　all　did。〃
　Smithback　tried　to　look　casual。　〃Really？〃
　〃He　used　to　bring　his　guitar　to　school　and　play　in　the　halls；　which　was　against　regulations。　He　played　very　badly　and　it　was　mostly　to　make　the　other　students　laugh。〃　She　thought　for　a　moment。　〃One　day　he　caused　a　hall　jam。〃
　〃A　hall　jam。〃　Smithback　waited。　〃And　then？〃
　〃We　confiscated　the　guitar　and　that　ended　it。　We　gave　it　back　to　him　after　graduation。〃
　Smithback　nodded；　the　polite　smile　freezing　on　his　face。　〃Did　you　know　his　parents？〃
　〃His　father　was　in　real　estate；　though　of　course　it　was　Tony　who　really　made　such　a　success　in　the　business。　I　don't　remember　the　mother。〃
　〃Brothers？　Sisters？〃
　〃At　that　time　he　was　an　only　child。　Of　course；　there　was　the　family　tragedy。〃
　Smithback　involuntarily　leaned　forward。　〃Tragedy？〃
　〃His　older　brother；　Arthur；　died。　Some　rare　disease。〃
　Smithback　abruptly　made　the　connection。　〃Did　they　call　him　Little　Arthur；　by　any　chance？〃
　〃I　believe　they　did。　His　father　was　Big　Arthur。　It　hit　Tony　very　hard。〃
　〃When　did　it　happen？〃
　〃When　Tony　was　in　tenth　grade。〃
　〃So　it　was　his　older　brother？　Was　he　in　the　school；　too？〃
　〃No。　He'd　been　hospitalized　for　years。　Some　very　rare　and　disfiguring　disease。〃
　〃What　disease？〃
　〃I　really　don't　know。〃
　〃When　you　say　it　hit　Fairhaven　hard；　how　so？〃
　〃He　became　withdrawn；　antisocial。　But　he　came　out　of　it；　eventually。〃
　〃Yes；　yes。　Let　me　see　。　。　。〃　Smithback　checked　his　notes。　〃Let's　see。　Any　problems　with　alcohol；　drugs；　delinquency　。　。　。　？〃　Smithback　tried　to　make　it　sound　casual。
　〃No；　no；　just　the　opposite；〃　came　the　curt　reply。　The　look　on　the　teacher's　face　had　hardened。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Smithback；　exactly　why　are　you　writing　this　article？〃
　Smithback　put　on　his　most　innocent　face。　〃I'm　just　doing　a　little　biographical　feature　on　Mr。　Fairhaven。　You　understand；　we　want　to　get　a　well…rounded　picture；　the　good　and　the　bad。　I'm　not　fishing　for　anything　in　particular。〃　Right。
　〃I　see。　Well；　Tony　Fairhaven　was　a　good　boy；　and　he　was　very　anti…drug；　anti…drinking；　even　anti…smoking。　I　remember　he　wouldn't　even　drink　coffee。〃　She　hesitated。　〃I　don't　know；　if　anything；　he　might　have　been　a　little　too　good。　And　it　was　sometimes　hard　to　tell　what　he　was　thinking。　He　was　a　rather　closed　boy。〃
　Smithback　jotted　a　few　more　pro　forma　notes。
　〃Any　hobbies？〃
　〃He　talked　about　making　money　quite　a　bit。　He　worked　hard　after　school；　and　he　had　a　lot　of　spending　money　as　a　result。　I　don't　suppose　any　of　this　is　surprising；　considering　what　he's　done。　I've　read　from　time　to　time　articles　about　him；　how　he　pushed　through　this　development　or　that　over　a　neighborhood's　protests。　And　of　course　I　read　your　piece　on　the　Catherine　Street　discoveries。　Nothing　surprising。　The　boy　has　grown　into　the　man；　that's　all。〃
　Smithback　was　startled：　she'd　given　no　indication　she　even　knew　who　he　was；　let　alone　read　his　pieces。
　〃By　the　way；　I　thought　your　article　was　very　interesting。　And　disturbing。〃
　Smithback　felt　a　flush　of　pleasure。　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃I　imagine　that's　why　you're　interested　in　Tony。　Well；　rushing　in　and　digging　up　that　site　so　he　could　finish　his　building　was　just　like　him。　He　was　always　very　goal…oriented；　impatient　to　get　to　the　end；　to　finish；　to　succeed。　I　suppose　that's　why　he's　been　so　successful　as　a　developer。　And　he　could　be　rather　sarcastic　and　impatient　with　people　he　considered　his　inferiors。〃
　Right；　thought　Smithback。
　〃What　about　enemies。　Did　he　have　any？〃
　〃Let　me　see　。　。　。　I　just　can't　remember。　He　was　the　kind　of　boy　that　was　never　impulsive；　always　very　deliberate　in　his　actions。　Although　it　seems　to　me　there　was　something　about　a　girl　once。　He　got　into　a　shoving　match　and　was　suspended　for　the　afternoon。　No　blows　were　exchanged；　though。〃
　〃And　the　boy？〃
　〃That　would　have　been　Joel　Amberson。〃
　〃What　happened　to　Joel　Amberson？〃
　〃Why；　nothing。〃
　Smithback　nodded；　crossed　his　legs。　This　was　getting　nowhere。　Time　to　move　in　for　the　kill。　〃Did　he　have　any　nicknames？　You　know　how　kids　always　seem　to　have　a　nickname　in　high　school。〃
　〃I　don't　remember　any　other　names。〃
　〃I　took　a　look　at　the　yearbook；　posted　on　your　Web　site。〃
　The　teacher　smiled。　〃We　started　doing　that　a　few　years　ago。　It's　proven　to　be　quite　popular。〃
　〃No　doubt。　But　in　the　yearbook；　he　had　a　nickname。〃
　〃Really？　What　was　it？〃
　〃The　Slasher。〃
　Her　face　furrowed；　then　suddenly　cleared。　〃Ah；　yes。　That。〃
　Smithback　leaned　forward。　〃That？〃
　The　teacher　gave　a　little　laugh。　〃They　had　to　dissect　frogs　for　biology　class。〃
　〃And…？〃
　〃Tony　was　a　little　squeamish…for　two　days　he　tried　and　tried　but　he　couldn't　do　it。　The　kids　teased　him　about　it；　and　somebody　started　calling　him　that；　The　Slasher。　It　kind　of　stuck；　as　a　joke；　you　know。　He　did　eventually　overe　his　qualms…and　got　an　A　in　biology；　as　I　recall…but　you　know　how　it　is　once　they　start　calling　you　a　name。〃
　Smithback　didn't　move　a　muscle。　He　couldn't　believe　it。　It　got　worse　and　worse。　The　guy　was　a　candidate　for　beatification。
　〃Mr。　Smithback？〃
　Smithback　made　a　show　of　checking　his　not