preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第73节

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rd　the　entrance。　No　point　in　sounding　more　of　an　alarm　than　was　necessary。
　The　library　itself　was　silent；　researchers　and　scientists　long　since　gone。　The　Great　Room　lay　behind　them　now；　the　back…and…forth　of　questions　and　answers　inaudible。　Ahead　were　the　double　doors　leading　out　into　the　hall　and　the　rest　rooms　beyond。　Nora　approached　the　doors；　the　two　cops　trailing　in　her　wake。
　Then；　with　a　sudden　burst　of　speed；　she　darted　through；　swinging　the　doors　behind　her；　back　into　the　faces　of　the　officers。　She　heard　the　thud　of　an　impact；　something　clattering　to　the　ground；　a　yelp　of　startled　surprise。　And　then　came　a　loud　barking　sound；　like　a　seal　giving　the　alarm；　followed　by　shouts　and　running　feet。　She　glanced　back。　Finester　and　O'Grady　were　through　the　doors　and　in　hot　pursuit。
　Nora　was　very　fit；　but　Finester　and　O'Grady　surprised　her。　They　were　fast；　too。　At　the　far　end　of　the　hall；　she　glanced　back　and　noticed　that　the　taller　sergeant；　O'Grady；　was　actually　gaining　ground。
　She　flung　open　a　stairwell　door　and　began　flying　down　the　stairs；　two　at　a　time。　Moments　later；　the　door　opened　again：　she　heard　loud　voices；　the　pounding　of　feet。
　She　plunged　downward　even　more　quickly。　Reaching　the　basement；　she　pushed　the　panic　bar　on　the　door　and　burst　into　the　paleontological　storage　area。　A　long　corridor　ran　ahead；　arrow…straight；　gray　and　institutional；　illuminated　by　bare　bulbs　in　wire　cages。　Doors　lined　both　sides：　Probiscidia；　Eohippii；　Bovidae；　Pongidae。
　The　thudding　of　approaching　feet　filled　the　stairwell　behind　her。　Was　it　possible　they　were　still　gaining？　Why　couldn't　she　have　gotten　the　two　porkers　at　the　table　to　her　left？
　She　sprinted　down　the　hallway；　veered　abruptly　around　a　corner；　and　ran　on；　thinking　fast。　The　vast　dinosaur　bone　storage　room　was　nearby。　If　she　was　going　to　lose　these　two；　her　best　chance　lay　in　there。　She　dug　into　her　purse　as　she　ran：　thank　God　she'd　remembered　to　bring　her　lab　and　storage　keys　along　that　morning。
　She　almost　flew　past　the　heavy　door；　fumbling　with　the　keys。　She　turned；　jammed　her　key　into　the　lock；　and　pushed　the　door　open　just　as　the　cops　came　into　view　around　the　corner。
　Shit。　They've　seen　me。　Nora　closed　the　door；　locked　it　behind　her；　turned　toward　the　long　rows　of　tall　metal　stacks；　preparing　to　run。
　Then　she　had　an　idea。
　She　unlocked　the　door　again；　then　took　off　down　the　closest　aisle；　turning　left　at　the　first　crossing；　then　right；　angling　away　from　the　door。　At　last　she　dropped　into　a　crouch；　pressing　herself　into　the　shadows；　trying　to　catch　her　breath。　She　heard　the　tramp　of　feet　in　the　corridor　beyond。　The　door　rattled　abruptly。
　〃Open　up！〃　came　O'Grady's　muffled　roar。
　Nora　glanced　around　quickly；　searching　for　a　better　place　to　hide。　The　room　was　lit　only　by　the　dim　glow　of　emergency　lighting；　high　up　in　the　ceiling。　Additional　lights　required　a　key…standard　procedure　in　Museum　storage　rooms；　where　light　could　harm　the　specimens…and　the　long　aisles　were　cloaked　in　darkness。　She　heard　a　grunt；　the　shiver　of　the　door　in　its　frame。　She　hoped　they　wouldn't　be　stupid　enough　to　break　down　an　unlocked　door…that　would　ruin　everything。
　The　door　shivered　under　the　weight　of　another　heavy　blow。　Then　they　figured　it　out：　it　was　almost　with　relief　that　she　heard　the　jiggling　of　the　handle；　the　creak　of　the　opening　door。　Warily；　silently；　she　retreated　farther　into　the　vast　forest　of　bones。
　The　Museum's　dinosaur　bone　collection　was　the　largest　in　the　world。　The　dinosaurs　were　stored　unmounted；　stacked　disarticulated　on　massive　steel　shelves。　The　shelves　themselves　were　constructed　of　steel　I…beams　and　angle　iron；　riveted　together　to　make　a　web　of　shelving　strong　enough　to　support　thousands　of　tons：　vast　piles　of　tree…trunk…thick　legbones；　skulls　the　size　of　cars；　massive　slabs　of　stone　matrix　with　bones　still　imbedded；　awaiting　the　preparator's　chisel。　The　room　smelled　like　the　interior　of　an　ancient　stone　cathedral。
　〃We　know　you're　in　here！〃　came　the　breathless　voice　of　Finester。
　Nora　receded　deeper　into　the　shadows。　A　rat　scurried　in　front　of　her；　scrambling　for　safety　within　a　gaping　allosaurus　eye　socket。　Bones　rose　on　both　sides　like　great　heaps　of　cordwood；　shelves　climbing　into　the　gloom。　Like　most　of　the　Museum　storage　rooms；　it　was　an　illogical　jumble　of　shelves　and　mismatched　rows；　growing　by　accretion　over　the　last　century　and　a　half。　A　good　place　to　get　lost　in。
　〃Running　away　from　the　police　never　did　anyone　any　good；　Dr。　Kelly！　Give　yourself　up　now　and　we'll　go　easy　on　you！〃
　She　shrank　behind　a　giant　turtle　almost　the　size　of　a　studio　apartment；　trying　to　reconstruct　the　layout　of　the　vault　in　her　head。　She　couldn't　remember　seeing　a　rear　door　in　previous　visits。　Most　storage　vaults；　for　security　purposes；　had　only　one。　There　was　only　one　way　out；　and　they　were　blocking　it。　She　had　to　get　them　to　move。
　〃Dr。　Kelly；　I'm　sure　we　can　work　something　out！　Please！〃
　Nora　smiled　to　herself。　What　a　pair　of　blunderers。　Smithback　would　have　had　fun　with　them。
　Her　smile　faded　at　the　thought　of　Smithback。　She　was　certain　now　of　what　he'd　done。　Smithback　had　gone　to　Leng's　house。　Perhaps　he　had　heard　Pendergast's　theory…that　Leng　was　alive　and　still　living　in　his　old　house。　Perhaps　he'd　wheedled　it　out　of　O'Shaughnessy。　The　guy　could　have　made　Helen　Keller　talk。
　On　top　of　that；　he　was　a　good　researcher。　He　knew　the　Museum's　files。　While　she　and　Pendergast　were　going　through　deeds；　he'd　gone　straight　to　the　Museum　and　hit　paydirt。　And　knowing　Smithback；　he'd　have　run　right　up　to　Leng's　house。　That's　why　he'd　rented　a　car；　driven　it　up　Riverside　Drive。　Just　to　check　out　the　house。　But　Smithback　could　never　merely　check　something　out。　The　fool；　the　damned　fool　。　。　。
　Cautiously；　Nora　tried　dialing　Smithback　on　her　cell　phone；　muffling　the　sound　with　the　leather　of　her　purse。　But　the　phone　was　dead：　she　was　surrounded　by　several　thousand　tons　of　steel　shelves　and　dinosaur　bones；　not　to　mention　the　Museum　overhead。　At　least　it　probably　meant　the　radios　of　the　cops　would　be　equally　useless。　If　her　plan　worked；　that　would　prove　useful。
　〃Dr。　Kelly！〃　The　voices　were　ing　from　her　left　now；　away　from　the　door。
　She　crept　forward　between　the　shelves；　strained　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　them；　but　she　could　see　nothing　but　the　beam　of　a　flashlight　stabbing　through　the　dark　piles　of　bone。
　There　was　no　more　time：　she　had　to　get　out。
　She　listened　closely　to　the　footsteps　of　the　cops。　Good：　they　seemed　to　still　be　together。　In　their　joint　eagerness　to　take　credit　for　the　collar；　they'd　been　too　stupid　to　leave　one　to　guard　the　door。
　〃All　right！〃　she　called。　〃I　give　up！　Sorry；　I　guess　I　just　lost　my　head。〃
　There　was　a　brief　flurry　of　whispers。
　〃We're　ing！〃　O'Grady　shouted。　〃Don't　go　anywhere！〃
　She　heard　them　moving　in　her　direction；　more　quickly　now；　the　flashlight　beam　wobbling　and　weaving　as　they　ran。　Watching　the　direction　of　the　beam；　she　scooted　away；　keeping　low；　angling　back　toward　the　front　of　the　storage　room；　moving　as　quickly　and　silently　as　she　could。
　〃Where　are　you？〃　she　heard　a　voice　cry；　fainter　now；　several　aisles　away。　〃Dr。　Kelly？〃
　〃She　was　over　there；　O'Grady。〃
　〃Damn　it；　Finester；　you　know　she　was　much　farther…〃
　In　a　flash　Nora　was　out　the　door。　She　turned；　slammed　it　shut；　turned　her　key　in　the　lock。　In　another　five　minutes　she　was　out　on　Museum　Drive。
　Panting　hard；　she　slipped　her　cell　phone　out　of　her　purse　again　and　dialed。
　
　SEVEN
　　
　THE　SILVER　WRAITH　glided　noiselessly　up　to　the　Seventy…second　Street　curb。　Pendergast　slid　out　and　stood　for　a　moment　in　the　shadow　of　the　Dakota；　deep　in　thought；　while　the　car　idled。
　The　interview　with　his　great…aunt　had　left　him　with　an　unfamiliar　feeling　of　dread。　Yet　it　was　a　dread　that　had　been　growing　within　him　since　he　first　heard　of　the　discovery　of　the　charnel　pit　beneath　Catherine　Street。
　For　many　years　he　had　kept　a　silent　vigil；　scanning　the　FBI　and　Interpol　services；　on　the　lookout　for　a　specific　modus　operandi。　He'd　hoped　it　would　never　surface…but　always；　in　the　back　of　his　mind；　had　feared　it　would。
　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Pendergast；〃　the　guard　said　at　his　approach；　stepping　out　of　the　sentry　box。　An　envelope　lay　in　his　white…gloved　hand。　The　sight　of　the　envelope　sent　Pendergast's　dread　soaring。
　〃Thank　you；　Johnson；〃　Pendergast　replied；　without　taking　the　envelope。　〃Did　Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy　e　by；　as　I　mentioned　he　would？〃
　〃No　sir。　He　hasn't　been　by　all　evening。〃
　Pendergast　grew　more　pensive；　and　there　was　a　long　moment　of　silence。　〃I　see。　Did　you　take　delivery　of　this　envelope？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃From　whom；　may　I　ask？〃
　〃A　nice；　old…fashioned　sort　of　gent；　sir。〃
　〃In　a　derby　hat？〃
　〃Precisely；　sir。〃
　Pendergast　scanned　the　crisp　copperplate　on　the　front　of　the　envelope：　For　A。　X。　L。　Pendergast；　Esq。；　D。　Phil。；　The　Dakota。　Personal　and　Confidential。　The　envelope　was　handmade　from　a　heavy；　old…fashioned　laid　paper；　with　a　deckle　edge。　It　was　precisely　the　sort　of　paper　made　by　the　Pendergast　family's　private　stationer。　Although　the　envelope　was　yellow　with　age；　the　writing　on　it　was　fresh。
　Pendergast　turned　to　the　guard。　〃Johnson；　may　I　borrow　your　gloves？〃
　The　doorman　was　too　well　trained　to　show　surpri