preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第45节

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　He　stepped　back　and　Rocker　took　the　microphone。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Mayor。〃　His　low；　intelligent　voice；　dry　as　parchment；　filled　the　room。　〃Last　Thursday；　the　body　of　a　young　woman；　Doreen　Hollander；　was　discovered　in　Central　Park。　She　had　been　murdered；　and　a　peculiar　kind　of　dissection　or　surgical　operation　performed　on　her　lower　back。　While　the　official　autopsy　was　in　progress　and　the　results　were　being　evaluated；　a　second　killing　took　place。　Another　young　woman；　Mandy　Eklund；　was　found　in　Tompkins　Square　Park。　Forensic　analysis　indicated　that　her　manner　of　death；　and　the　violence　done　to　her　person；　matched　the　killing　of　Doreen　Hollander。　And　yesterday；　the　body　of　a　fifty…four…year…old　man；　Reinhart　Puck；　was　discovered　in　the　Archives　of　the　New　York　Museum。　He　was　the　Museum's　head　archivist。　The　body　showed　mutilations　identical　to　Ms。　Eklund's　and　Ms。　Hollander's。〃
　There　was　a　flurry　of　raised　hands；　shouts；　gestures。　The　missioner　quelled　them　by　holding　up　both　hands。　〃As　you　know；　a　letter　was　discovered　in　these　same　Archives；　referring　to　a　nineteenth…century　serial　killer。　This　letter　described　similar　mutilations；　conducted　as　a　scientific　experiment　by　a　doctor　named　Leng；　in　lower　Manhattan；　one　hundred　and　twenty　years　ago。　The　remains　of　thirty…six　individuals　were　discovered　at　a　building　site　on　Catherine　Street；　presumably　the　spot　where　Dr。　Leng　did　his　depraved　work。〃
　There　was　another　flurry　of　shouts。
　Now；　the　mayor　broke　in　again。　〃An　article　about　the　letter　appeared　in　last　week's　New　York　Times。　It　described；　in　detail；　the　kind　of　mutilations　Leng　had　performed　on　his　victims　more　than　a　century　ago；　as　well　as　the　reason　why　he　had　carried　them　out。〃
　The　mayor's　eyes　roved　the　crowd　and　paused　momentarily　on　Smithback。　The　journalist　felt　a　shiver　of　pride　at　the　implied　recognition。　His　article。
　〃That　article　appears　to　have　had　an　unfortunate　effect：　it　appears　to　have　stimulated　a　copycat　killer。　A　modern　psychopath。〃
　What　was　this？　Smithback's　smugness　vanished　before　a　quickly　rising　sense　of　outrage。
　〃I　am　told　by　police　psychiatrists　this　killer　believes；　in　some　twisted　way；　that　by　killing　these　people　he　will　acplish　what　Leng　tried　to　acplish　a　century　ago…that　is；　extend　his　life　span。　The；　er；　sensationalistic　approach　of　the　Times　article　we　believe　inflamed　the　killer　and　stimulated　him　to　act。〃
　This　was　outrageous。　The　mayor　was　blaming　him。
　Smithback　looked　around　and　saw　that　many　eyes　in　the　room　were　on　him。　He　stifled　his　first　impulse　to　stand　up　and　protest。　He　had　been　doing　his　job　as　a　reporter。　It　was　just　a　story。　How　dare　the　mayor　make　him　the　scapegoat？
　〃I　am　not　blaming　anyone　in　particular；〃　Montefiori　droned　on；　〃but　I　would　ask　you；　ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　press；　to　please　show　restraint　in　your　coverage。　We　already　have　three　brutal　killings　on　our　hands。　We　are　determined　not　to　allow　any　more。　All　leads　are　being　followed　up　vigorously。　Let　us　not　inflame　the　situation　further。　Thank　you。〃
　Mary　Hill　stepped　forward　to　take　questions。　There　was　a　roar；　an　instant　outcry；　as　everyone　stood　up；　gesturing　madly。　Smithback　remained　seated；　flushing　deeply。　He　felt　violated。　He　tried　to　collect　his　thoughts；　but　his　shock　and　outrage　made　him　unable　to　think。
　Mary　Hill　was　taking　the　first　question。
　〃You　said　the　murderer　performed　an　operation　on　his　victims；〃　somebody　asked。　〃Can　you　elaborate？〃
　〃Basically；　the　lower　portion　of　the　spinal　cord　had　been　removed　in　all　three　victims；〃　the　missioner　himself　answered。
　〃It's　being　said　that　the　latest　operation　was　actually　performed　in　the　Museum；〃　shouted　another　reporter。　〃Is　that　so？〃
　〃It　is　true　that　a　large　pool　of　blood　was　discovered　in　the　Archives；　not　far　from　the　victim。　It　appears　the　blood　was；　in　fact；　from　the　victim；　but　more　forensic　tests　are　underway。　Whether　the；　er；　operation　was　actually　performed　there　must　await　further　lab　work。〃
　〃I　understand　that　the　FBI　have　been　on　the　scene；〃　a　young　woman　shouted。　〃Could　you　tell　us　the　nature　of　their　involvement？〃
　〃That　is　not　entirely　correct；〃　Rocker　answered。　〃An　FBI　agent　has　taken　an　unofficial　interest　in　the　nineteenth…century　serial　killings。　But　he　has　no　connection　to　this　case。〃
　〃Is　it　true　that　the　third　body　was　impaled　on　the　horns　of　a　dinosaur？〃
　The　missioner　winced　slightly。　〃Yes；　the　body　was　found　affixed　to　a　triceratops　skull。　Clearly；　we　are　dealing　with　a　seriously　deranged　individual。〃
　〃About　the　mutilation　of　the　bodies。　Is　it　true　that　only　a　surgeon　could　have　done　it？〃
　〃It　is　one　lead　we　are　following　up。〃
　〃I　just　want　to　clarify　one　point；〃　another　reporter　said。　〃Are　you　saying　that　the　Smithback　piece　in　the　Times　caused　these　murders？〃
　Smithback　turned。　It　was　Bryce　Harriman；　the　shit。
　missioner　Rocker　frowned。　〃What　Mayor　Montefiori　said　was…〃
　Once　again；　the　mayor　intervened。　〃I　was　merely　calling　for　restraint。　To　be　sure；　we　wish　that　article　had　never　appeared。　Three　people　might　be　alive　today。　And　the　methods　the　reporter　used　to　acquire　his　information　bear　some　ethical　scrutiny；　to　my　mind。　But　no；　I've　not　said　the　article　caused　the　killings。〃
　Another　reporter：　〃Isn't　it　a　bit　of　a　diversion；　Your　Honor；　to　blame　a　reporter　who　was　only　doing　his　job？〃
　Smithback　craned　his　neck。　Who　said　that？　He　was　going　to　buy　that　man　a　drink。
　〃That　is　not　what　I　said。　I　merely　said…〃
　〃But　you　clearly　implied　that　the　article　triggered　the　killings。〃
　He　was　going　to　buy　that　man　drinks　and　dinner。　As　Smithback　looked　around；　he　could　see　many　of　the　returning　glances　were　sympathetic。　The　mayor；　in　attacking　him；　had　indirectly　attacked　the　entire　press　corps。　Harriman　had　shot　himself　in　the　foot　by　bringing　up　the　subject。　He　felt　emboldened：　now　they　would　have　to　call　on　him。　They　would　have　to。
　〃May　I　have　the　next　question；　please？〃　Mary　Hill　asked。
　〃Do　you　have　any　suspects？〃
　〃We've　been　given　a　very　clear　description　of　the　suspect's　attire；〃　missioner　Rocker　said。　〃A　tall　slender　Caucasian　male；　between　six　foot　and　six　foot　two；　wearing　an　old…fashioned　black　coat　and　a　derby　hat；　was　seen　in　the　Archives　around　the　time　Mr。　Puck's　body　was　found。　A　similarly　dressed　man；　with　a　rolled　umbrella　or　cane；　was　also　seen　in　the　vicinity　of　the　second　crime　scene。　I'm　not　at　liberty　to　give　any　details　beyond　that。〃
　Smithback　stood　up；　waved。　Mary　Hill　ignored　him。
　〃Ms。　Perez　of　New　York　magazine。　Your　question；　please。〃
　〃I　have　a　question　for　Dr。　Collopy　of　the　Museum。　Sir；　do　you　think　the　killer　known　as　the　Surgeon　is　a　Museum　employee？　Given　that　the　most　recent　victim　seems　to　have　been　killed　and　dissected　in　the　Museum；　I　mean。〃
　Collopy　cleared　his　throat　and　stepped　forward。　〃I　believe　the　police　are　looking　into　that；〃　he　said　in　a　well…modulated　voice。　〃It　seems　highly　unlikely。　All　our　employees　now　go　through　criminal　background　checks；　are　psychologically　profiled；　and　are　thoroughly　drug…tested。　And　it　hasn't　been　proven　that　the　killing　actually　took　place　in　the　Museum；　I　might　add。〃
　There　was　another　roar　as　Hill　looked　for　more　questions。　Smithback　shouted　and　waved　his　hands　along　with　the　rest。　Christ；　they　weren't　really　going　to　ignore　him？
　〃Mr。　Diller　of　Newsday；　your　question　please。〃
　She　was　avoiding　him；　the　witch。
　〃I'd　like　to　address　my　question　to　the　mayor。　Mr。　Mayor；　how　is　it　that　the　site　on　Catherine　Street　was　'inadvertently'　destroyed？　Wasn't　this　a　site　of　major　historical　importance？〃
　The　mayor　stepped　forward。　〃No。　It　was　not　of　historical　significance…〃
　〃No　historical　significance？　The　largest　serial　killing　in　the　nation's　history？〃
　〃Mr。　Diller；　this　press　conference　is　about　the　present…day　homicides。　Please；　let's　not　conflate　the　two。　We　had　no　legal　reason　to　stop　construction　of　a　hundred…million…dollar　building。　The　bones　and　effects　were　photographed；　studied　by　the　medical　examiner；　and　removed　for　further　analysis。　Nothing　more　could　be　done。〃
　〃Is　it　perhaps　because　Moegen…Fairhaven　is　a　major　donor　to　your　campaign…〃
　〃Next　question；〃　rapped　out　Hill。
　Smithback　stood　up　and　shouted；　〃Mr。　Mayor；　since　aspersions　have　been　cast…〃
　〃Ms。　Epstein　of　WNBC；〃　cried　Mary　Hill；　her　powerful　voice　drowning　him　out。　A　slender　newswoman　stood　up；　holding　a　mike；　a　camera　turned　on　her。
　〃Excuse　ME！〃　Smithback　quickly　took　advantage　of　the　temporary　lull。　〃Ms。　Epstein；　since　I　have　been　personally　attacked；　may　I　respond？〃
　The　famous　anchorwoman　didn't　pause　for　a　second。　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　graciously；　and　turned　to　her　cameraman　to　make　sure　he　got　it　on　tape。
　〃I'd　like　to　address　my　question　to　Mr。　Brisbane；〃　Smithback　continued；　not　pausing　for　a　second。　〃Mr。　Brisbane；　why　has　the　letter　that　started　all　this　been　put　off　limits；　along　with　all　the　items　from　the　Shottum　collection？　The　Museum　isn't　trying　to　hide　something；　is　it？〃
　Brisbane　rose　with　an　easy　smile。　〃Not　at　all。　Those　materials　have　merely　been　temporarily　removed　for　conservation。　It's　standard　Museum　procedure。　In　any　case；　the　letter　has　already　inflamed　one　copycat　murderer　into　action…to　release　it　now　would　be　irresponsible。　The　materials　are　still　ava