preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第72节

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　〃There　will　be　some　pain；　I'm　afraid；〃　the　voice　said　as　straps　were　fixed　to　Smithback's　limbs。　〃Rather　a　lot　of　pain；　in　fact。　But　good　science　is　never　really　free　from　pain。　So　do　not　dispose　yourself。　And　if　I　may　offer　a　word　of　advice？〃
　Smithback　tried　to　struggle；　but　his　body　was　far　away。　The　whisper　continued；　soft　and　soothing：　〃Be　like　the　gazelle　in　the　jaws　of　the　lion：　limp；　accepting；　resigned。　Trust　me。　That　is　the　best　way。〃
　There　was　the　sound　of　water　rushing　in　a　sink；　the　clink　of　steel　on　steel；　instruments　sliding　in　a　metal　basin。　The　light　in　the　room　grew　abruptly　brighter。　Smithback's　pulse　began　to　race　wildly；　faster　and　faster；　until　the　table　beneath　him　seemed　almost　to　rock　in　time　with　the　frantic　beating　of　his　heart。
　
　SIX
　　
　NORA　SHIFTED　IN　the　unfortable　wooden　chair；　glanced　at　her　watch　for　what　had　to　be　the　fifth　time。　Ten…thirty。　This　was　like　the　questioning　she'd　endured　after　finding　Puck's　body；　only　worse…much　worse。　Though　she'd　deliberately　kept　her　story　brief；　reduced　her　answers　to　mere　one…liners；　the　questions　kept　ing　in　an　endless；　moronic　stream。　Questions　about　her　work　at　the　Museum。　Questions　about　being　chased　by　the　Surgeon　in　the　Archives。　Questions　about　the　typewritten　note　Puck…or　rather　the　murderer；　pretending　to　be　Puck…had　sent　her；　which　she'd　given　to　the　police　long　before。　All　questions　she　had　already　answered　two　or　three　times；　to　more　intelligent　and　thoughtful　police　officers　than　these。　Worse；　the　two　cops　sitting　opposite　her…one　a　beefed…up　little　troll；　the　other　decent…looking　but　full　of　himself…showed　no　signs　of　reaching　the　end　of　their　list。　They　kept　interrupting　each　other；　darting　angry　looks　back　and　forth；　peting　for　heaven　only　knew　what　reason。　If　there　was　bad　blood　between　these　two；　they　shouldn't　be　working　together。　God；　what　a　performance。
　〃Dr。　Kelly；〃　said　the　short　one；　Finester…looking　for　the　thousandth　time　at　his　notes…〃we're　almost　through　here。〃
　〃Praise　be　to　God。〃
　This　ment　was　met　with　a　short　silence。　Then　O'Grady　waded　in　once　again；　looking　at　a　freshly　scribbled　sheet　that　had　just　been　handed　to　him。
　〃You　are　familiar　with　a　Mr。　William　Smithback？〃
　Nora　felt　her　annoyance　giving　way　to　a　sudden　wariness。　〃Yes。〃
　〃What　is　your　relationship　to　Mr。　Smithback？〃
　〃Ex…boyfriend。〃
　O'Grady　turned　the　paper　over　in　his　hands。　〃We　have　a　report　here　that　earlier　today；　Mr。　Smithback　impersonated　a　security　officer　and　gained　unauthorized　clearance　to　some　high…security　files　in　the　Museum。　Would　you　know　why？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　spoke　to　Mr。　Smithback？〃
　Nora　sighed。　〃I　don't　remember。〃
　Finester　sat　back　in　his　seat；　folded　his　beefy　arms。　〃Take　your　time；　please。〃　He　had　a　shiny；　paste…colored　dome　of　a　head；　topped　by　a　tuft　of　hair　so　thick　and　coarse　it　looked　like　a　hairy　island　in　the　middle　of　his　bald　head。
　This　was　intolerable。　〃Maybe　a　week。〃
　〃Under　what　circumstances？〃
　〃He　was　harassing　me　in　my　office。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃He　wanted　to　tell　me　that　Agent　Pendergast　had　been　stabbed。　Museum　security　dragged　him　away。　They'll　have　a　record　of　it。〃　What　the　hell　was　Smithback　doing　back　in　the　Museum？　The　guy　was　incorrigible。
　〃You　have　no　idea　what　Mr。　Smithback　was　looking　for？〃
　〃I　believe　I　just　said　that。〃
　There　was　a　short　silence　while　O'Grady　checked　his　notes。　〃It　says　here　that　Mr。　Smithback…〃
　Nora　interrupted　impatiently。　〃Look；　why　aren't　you　pursuing　some　real　leads　here？　Like　those　typewritten　notes　of　the　killer's；　the　one　sent　to　me　and　the　one　left　on　Puck's　desk？　Obviously；　the　killer　is　somebody　with　access　to　the　Museum。　Why　all　these　questions　about　Smithback？　I　haven't　spoken　to　him　in　a　week。　I　don't　know　anything　about　what　he's　up　to　and；　frankly；　I　couldn't　care　less。〃
　〃We　have　to　ask　you　these　questions；　Dr。　Kelly；〃　O'Grady　replied。
　〃Why？〃
　〃They're　on　my　list。　It's　my　job。〃
　〃Jesus。〃　She　passed　a　hand　over　her　forehead。　This　whole　episode　was　Kafkaesque。　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃After　a　warrant　was　put　out　on　Mr。　Smithback；　we　found　his　rented　car　parked　on　upper　Riverside　Drive。　Would　you　know　why　he　rented　the　car？〃
　〃How　many　times　do　I　have　to　tell　you？　I　haven't　spoken　to　him　in　a　week。〃
　O'Grady　turned　over　the　sheet。　〃How　long　have　you　known　Mr。　Smithback？〃
　〃Almost　two　years。〃
　〃Where　did　you　meet　him？〃
　〃In　Utah。〃
　〃Under　what　circumstances？〃
　〃On　an　archaeological　expedition。〃　Nora　was　suddenly　having　trouble　paying　attention　to　the　questions。　Riverside　Drive？　What　the　hell　was　Smithback　doing　up　there？
　〃What　kind　of　an　archaeological　expedition？〃
　Nora　didn't　answer。
　〃Dr。　Kelly？〃
　Nora　looked　at　him。　〃Where　on　Riverside　Drive？〃
　O'Grady　looked　confused。　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　〃Where　was　Smithback's　car　found　on　Riverside　Drive？〃
　O'Grady　fumbled　with　the　paper。　〃It　says　here　upper　Riverside。　One　hundred　thirty…first　and　Riverside。〃
　〃One　hundred　thirty…first　Street？　What　was　he　doing　up　there？〃
　〃That's　just　what　we　were　hoping　you　could　tell　us。　Now；　about　that　archaeological　expedition…〃
　〃And　you　say　he　came　in　this　morning；　gained　access　to　some　files？　What　files？〃
　〃Old　security　files。〃
　〃Which　ones？〃
　O'Grady　flipped　through　some　other　sheets。　〃It　says　here　it　was　an　old　personnel　file。〃
　〃On　who？〃
　〃It　doesn't　say。〃
　〃How　did　he　do　it？〃
　〃Well；　it　doesn't　say；　and…〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　can't　you　find　out？〃
　Pink　anger　blossomed　across　O'Grady's　face。　〃May　we　get　back　to　the　questions；　please？〃
　〃I　know　something　about　this；〃　Finester　suddenly　broke　in。　〃I　was　on　duty　earlier　today。　When　you　were　out　getting　donuts　and　coffee；　O'Grady。　Remember？〃
　O'Grady　turned。　〃In　case　you've　forgotten；　Finester；　we're　supposed　to　be　the　ones　asking　the　questions。〃
　Nora　gave　O'Grady　her　coldest　stare。　〃How　can　I　answer　if　you　don't　give　me　the　information　I　need？〃
　O'Grady's　rose…colored　face　grew　redder。　〃I　don't　see　why…〃
　〃She's　right；　O'Grady。　She　has　a　right　to　know；〃　Finester　turned　to　Nora；　pug　face　lit　up　by　an　ingratiating　smile。　〃Mr。　Smithback　lured　one　of　the　security　guards　away　with　a　phony　telephone　call；　allegedly　from　the　Human　Resources　office。　Then　he　pretended　to　be　from　Human　Resources　himself　and　persuaded　the　remaining　guard　to　unlock　certain　filing　cabinets。　Said　he　was　conducting　some　kind　of　file　inspection。〃
　〃He　did？〃　Despite　her　concern；　Nora　couldn't　help　smiling　to　herself。　It　was　vintage　Smithback。　〃And　what　were　those　files；　exactly？〃
　〃Security　clearances；　dating　back　over　a　hundred　years。〃
　〃And　that's　why　he's　in　trouble？〃
　〃That's　the　least　of　it。　The　guard　thought　he　saw　him　take　some　papers　out　of　one　drawer。　So　you　can　add　theft　to…〃
　〃Which　file　drawer？〃
　〃It　was　the　1870　personnel　file　drawer；　I　believe；〃　Finester　recollected　with　obvious　pride。　〃And　after　the　guard's　suspicions　were　aroused；　they　cross…checked　the　files　and　found　that　one　of　them　was　missing　its　cover　sheets。　It　had　been　virtually　emptied。〃
　〃Which　one？〃
　〃It　was　that　one　on　the　nineteenth…century　serial　killer；　what's…his…name。　The　one　written　about　in　the　Times。　Clearly　that's　what　he　was　after；　more　information　on…〃
　〃Enoch　Leng？〃
　〃Yeah。　That's　the　guy。〃
　Nora　sat；　stunned。
　〃Now；　can　we　please　get　back　to　the　questions；　Dr。　Kelly？〃　O'Grady　interrupted。
　〃And　his　car　was　found　up　Riverside　Drive？　At　131st　Street？　How　long　had　it　been　there？〃
　Finester　shrugged。　〃He　rented　it　right　after　he　stole　the　file。　It's　staked　out。　As　soon　as　he　picks　it　up；　we'll　know。〃
　O'Grady　broke　in　again。　〃Finester；　now　that　you've　managed　to　reveal　all　the　confidential　details；　maybe　you　can　keep　quiet　for　a　minute。　Now；　Dr。　Kelly；　this　archaeological　expedition…〃
　Nora　reached　into　her　purse　for　her　cell　phone；　found　it；　pulled　it　out。
　〃No　cell　phones；　Dr。　Kelly；　until　we're　finished。〃　It　was　O'Grady　again；　his　voice　rising　in　anger。
　She　dropped　the　phone　back　into　her　purse。　〃Sorry。　I've　got　to　go。〃
　〃You　can　go　as　soon　as　we　finish　the　questions。〃　O'Grady　was　livid。　〃Now；　Doctor　Kelly；　about　that　archaeological　expedition　。　。　。〃
　Nora　didn't　hear　the　rest。　Her　mind　was　racing。
　〃Dr。　Kelly？〃
　〃But　can't　we；　ah；　finish　this　later？〃　She　tried　to　smile；　tried　to　put　on　her　most　pleading　look。　〃Something　really　important　has　just　e　up。〃
　O'Grady　didn't　return　the　smile。　〃This　is　a　criminal　investigation；　Dr。　Kelly。　We'll　be　done　when　we　get　to　the　end　of　the　questions…not　before。〃
　Nora　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　she　looked　O'Grady　in　the　eye。　〃I've　got　to　go。　Go；　go　to　the　bathroom；　I　mean。〃
　〃Now？〃
　She　nodded。
　〃I'm　sorry；　but　we'll　have　to　acpany　you；　then。　Those　are　the　rules。〃
　〃Into　the　bathroom？〃
　He　blushed。　〃Of　course　not；　but　to　the　facilities。　We'll　wait　outside。〃
　〃Then　you'd　better　hurry。　I've　really　got　to　go。　Bad　kidneys。〃
　O'Grady　and　Finester　exchanged　glances。
　〃Bacterial　infection。　From　a　dig　in　Guatemala。〃
　The　policemen　rose　with　alacrity。　They　crossed　the　Rockefeller　Great　Room；　past　the　dozens　of　tables　and　the　endless　overlapping　recitations　of　other　staff　members；　out　into　the　main　library。　Nora　waited；　biding　her　time；　as　they　made　their　way　toward　the　entrance。　No　point　in