preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第67节

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ly　to　break　it　down。　The　hollow　thumps　echoed　through　the　room　and　down　the　hall。　When　the　door　still　refused　to　budge；　he　stopped　and　leaned　against　it　with　a　gasp　of　panic。
　As　the　last　echoes　died　away；　something　stirred　from　within　the　well　of　blackness　in　a　far　corner　of　the　room。　A　voice；　low　and　dry　as　mummy　dust；　spoke。
　〃My　dear　fellow；　leaving　so　soon？　You've　only　just　got　here。〃
　
　SIX
　　
　CUSTER　BURST　THROUGH　the　door　to　the　Archives　and　planted　himself　in　the　middle　of　the　entryway；　hands　on　his　hips。　He　could　hear　the　patter　of　heavy…shod　feet　as　his　officers　fanned　out　behind　him。　Fast　and　furious；　he　reminded　himself。　Don't　give　'em　time　to　think。　He　observed…with　more　than　a　little　satisfaction…the　consternation　of　the　two　staff　members　who　had　leapt　up　at　the　sight　of　a　dozen　uniformed　officers　bearing　down　on　them。
　〃This　area　is　to　be　searched；〃　Custer　barked　out。　Noyes；　stepping　forward　out　of　Custer's　shadow；　held　up　the　warrant　in　a　superfluous　gesture。　Custer　noted；　with　approval；　that　Noyes　was　glaring　almost　as　balefully　at　the　archivists　as　he　was　himself。
　〃But；　Captain；〃　he　heard　Manetti　protest；　〃the　place　has　already　been　searched。　Right　after　the　body　of　Puck　was　found；　the　NYPD　had　forensics　teams；　dogs；　fingerprint　sweepers；　photographers；　and…〃
　〃I've　seen　the　report；　Manetti。　But　that　was　then。　This　is　now。　We　have　new　evidence；　important　evidence。〃　Custer　looked　around　impatiently。　〃Let's　get　some　light　in　here；　for　chrissakes！〃
　One　of　the　staff　jumped　and；　passing　his　hand　over　a　vast　cluster　of　ancient…looking　switches；　turned　on　a　bank　of　lights　within。
　〃Is　that　the　best　you　can　do？　It's　as　dark　as　a　tomb　in　here。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃All　right。〃　Custer　turned　to　his　detectives。　〃You　know　what　to　do。　Work　row　by　row；　shelf　by　shelf。　Leave　no　stone　unturned。〃
　There　was　a　pause。
　〃Well？　Get　to　it；　gentlemen！〃
　The　men　exchanged　brief；　uncertain　glances。　But　without　a　questioning　word　they　dutifully　fanned　out　into　the　stacks。　In　a　moment　they　were　gone；　like　water　absorbed　into　a　sponge；　leaving　Manetti　and　Custer　and　the　two　frightened　staffers　alone　by　the　reference　desk。　The　sound　of　thumping；　banging；　and　rattling　began　to　echo　back　down　the　stacks　as　Custer's　men　started　to　pull　things　off　the　shelves。　It　was　a　satisfying　sound；　the　sound　of　progress。
　〃Have　a　seat；　Manetti；〃　said　Custer；　unable　now　to　keep　condescension　pletely　out　of　his　voice。　〃Let's　talk。〃
　Manetti　looked　around；　saw　no　available　chairs；　and　remained　standing。
　〃Okay。〃　Custer　removed　a　leather…covered　notebook　and　gold　pen…purchased　in　Macy's　just　after　the　missioner　gave　him　the　new　assignment…and　prepared　to　take　notes。　〃So；　what　we　got　here　in　these　Archives？　A　bunch　of　papers？　Newspapers？　Old　takeout　menus？　What？〃
　Manetti　sighed。　〃The　Archives　contain　documents；　as　well　as　specimens　not　considered　important　enough　for　the　main　collections。　These　materials　are　available　to　historians　and　others　with　a　professional　interest。　It's　a　low…security　area。〃
　〃Low　security　is　right；〃　Custer　replied。　〃Low　enough　to　get　this　man　Puck's　ass　hoisted　on　a　goddamned　petrified　antler。　So　where's　the　valuable　stuff　kept？〃
　〃What's　not　in　the　general　collection　is　kept　in　the　Secure　Area；　a　location　with　a　separate　security　system。〃
　〃What　about　signing　in　to　these　Archives；　and　all　that？〃
　〃There's　a　logbook。〃
　〃Where's　the　book？〃
　Manetti　nodded　at　a　massive　volume　on　the　desk。　〃It　was　photocopied　for　the　police　after　Puck's　death。〃
　〃And　what　does　it　record？〃
　〃Everybody　who　enters　or　leaves　the　Archives　area。　But　the　police　already　noticed　that　some　of　the　most　recent　pages　were　razored　out…〃
　〃Everybody？　Staff　as　well　as　visiting　researchers？〃
　〃Everybody。　But…〃
　Custer　turned　to　Noyes；　then　pointed　at　the　book。　〃Bag　it。〃
　Manetti　looked　at　him　quickly。　〃That's　Museum　property。〃
　〃It　was。　Now　it's　evidence。〃
　〃But　you've　already　taken　all　the　important　evidence；　like　the　typewriter　those　notes　were　written　on；　and　the…〃
　〃When　we're　done　here；　you'll　get　a　receipt　for　everything。〃　If　you　ask　nicely；　Custer　thought　to　himself。　〃So；　what　we　got　here？〃　he　repeated。
　〃Dead　files；　mostly；　from　other　Museum　departments。　Papers　of　historical　value；　memos；　letters；　reports。　Everything　but　the　personnel　files　and　some　departmental　files。　The　Museum　saves　everything；　naturally；　as　a　public　institution。〃
　〃What　about　that　letter　found　here？　The　one　reported　in　the　papers；　describing　those　killings。　How　was　that　found？〃
　〃You'll　have　to　ask　Special　Agent　Pendergast；　who　found　it　along　with　Nora　Kelly。　He　found　it　hidden　in　some　kind　of　box。　Made　out　of　an　elephant's　foot；　I　believe。〃
　That　Nora　Kelly　again。　Custer　made　a　mental　note　to　question　her　himself　once　he　was　done　here。　She'd　be　his　prime　suspect；　if　he　thought　her　capable　of　hoisting　a　heavyset　man　onto　a　dinosaur　horn。　Maybe　she　had　acplices。
　Custer　jotted　some　notes。　〃Has　anything　been　moved　in　or　out　of　here　in　the　past　month？〃
　〃There　may　have　been　some　routine　additions　to　the　collection。　I　believe　that　once　a　month　or　so　they　send　dead　files　down　here。〃　Manetti　paused。　〃And；　after　the　discovery　of　the　letter；　it　and　all　related　documents　were　sent　upstairs　for　curating。　Along　with　other　material。〃
　Custer　nodded。　〃And　Collopy　ordered　that；　did　he　not？〃
　〃Actually；　I　believe　it　was　done　at　the　order　of　the　Museum's　vice　president　and　general　counsel；　Roger　Brisbane。〃
　Brisbane：　he'd　heard　that　name　before；　too。　Custer　made　another　note。　〃And　what；　exactly；　did　the　related　documents　consist　of？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　You'll　have　to　ask　Mr。　Brisbane。〃
　Custer　turned　to　the　two　museum　employees　behind　the　desk。　〃This　guy；　Brisbane。　You　see　him　down　here　a　lot？〃
　〃Quite　a　bit；　recently；〃　said　one。
　〃What's　he　been　doing？〃
　The　man　shrugged。　〃Just　asking　a　lot　of　questions；　that's　all。〃
　〃What　kind　of　questions？〃
　〃Questions　about　Nora　Kelly；　that　FBI　guy　。　。　。　He　wanted　to　know　what　they'd　been　looking　at；　where　they　went；　that　kind　of　thing。　And　some　journalist。　He　wanted　to　know　if　a　journalist　had　been　in　here。　I　can't　remember　the　name。〃
　〃Smithbrick？〃
　〃No；　but　something　like　that。〃
　Custer　picked　up　his　notebook；　flipped　through　it。　There　it　was。　〃William　Smithback；　Junior。〃
　〃That's　it。〃
　Custer　nodded。　〃How　about　this　Agent　Pendergast？　Any　of　you　see　him？〃
　The　two　exchanged　glances。　〃Just　once；〃　the　first　man　said。
　〃Nora　Kelly？〃
　〃Yup；〃　said　the　same　man：　a　young　fellow　with　hair　so　short　he　looked　almost　bald。
　Custer　turned　toward　him。　〃Did　you　know　Puck？〃
　The　man　nodded。
　〃Your　name？〃
　〃Oscar。　Oscar　Gibbs。　I　was　his　assistant。〃
　〃Gibbs；　did　Puck　have　any　enemies？〃
　Custer　noticed　the　two　men　exchanging　another　glance；　more　significant　this　time。
　〃Well　。　。　。〃　Gibbs　hesitated；　then　began　again。　〃Once；　Brisbane　came　down　here　and　really　lit　into　Mr。　Puck。　Screaming　and　yelling；　threatening　to　bury　him；　to　have　him　fired。〃
　〃Is　that　right？　Why？〃
　〃Something　about　Mr。　Puck　leaking　damaging　information；　failing　to　respect　the　Museum's　intellectual　property　rights。　Things　like　that。　I　think　he　was　mad　because　Human　Resources　hadn't　backed　up　his　remendation　to　fire　Mr。　Puck。　Said　he　wasn't　through　with　him；　not　by　a　long　shot。　That's　really　all　I　remember。〃
　〃When　was　this；　exactly？〃
　Gibbs　thought　a　moment。　〃Let's　see。　That　would　have　been　the　thirteenth。　No；　the　twelfth。　October　twelfth。〃
　Custer　picked　up　his　notebook　again　and　made　another　notation；　longer　this　time。　He　heard　a　shattering　crash　from　the　bowels　of　the　Archives；　a　shout；　then　a　protracted　ripping　noise。　He　felt　a　warm　feeling　of　satisfaction。　There　would　be　no　more　letters　hidden　in　elephants'　feet　when　he　was　done。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Gibbs。
　〃Any　other　enemies？〃
　〃No。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Puck　was　one　of　the　nicest　people　in　the　whole　Museum。　It　was　a　big　shock　to　see　Brisbane　e　down　on　him　like　that。〃
　This　Brisbane's　not　a　popular　guy；　thought　Custer。　He　turned　to　Noyes。　〃Get　this　man　Brisbane　for　me；　will　you？　I　want　to　talk　to　him。〃
　Noyes　moved　toward　the　front　desk　just　as　the　Archives　door　burst　open。　Custer　turned　to　see　a　man　dressed　in　a　tuxedo；　his　black　tie　askew；　brilliantined　hair　hanging　across　his　outraged　face。
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on　here？〃　the　man　shouted　in　Custer's　direction。　〃You　just　can't　e　bursting　in　here　like　this；　turning　the　place　upside　down。　Let　me　see　your　warrant！〃
　Noyes　began　fumbling　for　the　warrant；　but　Custer　stayed　him　with　a　single　hand。　It　was　remarkable；　really；　how　steady　his　hand　felt；　how　calm　and　collected　he　was　during　all　this；　the　turning　point　of　his　entire　career。　〃And　who　might　you　be？〃　he　asked　in　his　coolest　voice。
　〃Roger　C。　Brisbane　III。　First　vice　president　and　general　counsel　of　the　Museum。〃
　Custer　nodded。　〃Ah；　Mr。　Brisbane。　You're　just　the　man　I　wanted　to　see。〃
　
　SEVEN
　　
　SMITHBACK　FROZE；　STARING　into　the　pool　of　darkness　that　lay　at　the　far　corner　of　the　room。　〃Who　is　that？〃　he　finally　managed　to　croak。
　There　was　no　response。
　〃Are　you　the　caretaker？〃　He　gave　a　strained　laugh。　〃Can　you　believe　it？　I've　locked　myself　in。〃
　Again；　silence。
　Perhaps　the　voice　h