preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第75节

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　〃It's　my　job。〃
　〃I　know　that。　You're　a　very　dedicated　man。　I've　also　noticed　your　dedication　in　human　resources　matters。　Hiring；　firing　。　。　。〃
　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃Reinhart　Puck；　for　example。〃
　〃What　about　him？〃
　Custer　consulted　his　notebook　again。　〃Why　exactly　did　you　try　to　fire　Mr。　Puck；　just　two　days　before　his　murder？〃
　Brisbane　started　to　say　something；　then　hesitated。　A　new　thought　seemed　to　have　occurred　to　him。
　〃Strange　timing　there；　wouldn't　you　agree；　Mr。　Brisbane？〃
　The　man　smiled　thinly。　〃Captain；　I　felt　the　position　was　extraneous。　The　Museum　is　having　financial　difficulties。　And　Mr。　Puck　had　been　。　。　。　well；　he　had　not　been　cooperative。　Of　course；　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　murder。〃
　〃But　they　wouldn't　let　you　fire　him；　would　they？〃
　〃He'd　been　with　the　Museum　over　twenty…five　years。　They　felt　it　might　affect　morale。〃
　〃Must've　made　you　angry；　being　shot　down　like　that。〃
　Brisbane's　smile　froze　in　place。　〃Captain；　I　hope　you're　not　suggesting　I　had　anything　to　do　with　the　murder。〃
　Custer　raised　his　eyebrows　in　mock　astonishment。　〃Am　I？〃
　〃Since　I　assume　you're　asking　a　rhetorical　question；　I　won't　bother　to　answer　it。〃
　Custer　smiled。　He　didn't　know　what　a　rhetorical　question　was；　but　he　could　see　that　his　questions　were　finding　their　mark。　He　gave　the　gem　case　another　stroke；　then　glanced　around。　He'd　covered　the　office；　all　that　remained　was　the　closet。　He　strolled　over；　put　his　hand　on　the　handle；　paused。
　〃But　it　did　make　you　angry？　Being　contradicted　like　that；　I　mean。〃
　〃No　one　is　pleased　to　be　countermanded；〃　Brisbane　replied　icily。　〃The　man　was　an　anachronism；　his　work　habits　clearly　inefficient。　Look　at　that　typewriter　he　insisted　on　using　for　all　his　correspondence。〃
　〃Yes。　The　typewriter。　The　one　the　murderer　used　to　write　one…make　that　two…notes。　You　knew　about　that　typewriter；　I　take　it？〃
　〃Everybody　did。　The　man　was　infamous　for　refusing　to　allow　a　puter　terminal　on　his　desk；　refusing　to　use　e…mail。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Custer　nodded；　opened　the　closet。
　As　if　on　cue；　an　old…fashioned　black　derby　hat　fell　out；　bounced　across　the　floor；　and　rolled　in　circles　until　it　finally　came　to　rest　at　Custer's　feet。
　Custer　looked　down　at　it　in　astonishment。　It　couldn't　have　happened　more　perfectly　if　this　had　been　an　Agatha　Christie　murder　mystery。　This　kind　of　thing　just　didn't　happen　in　real　policework。　He　could　hardly　believe　it。
　He　looked　up　at　Brisbane；　his　eyebrows　arching　quizzically。
　Brisbane　looked　first　confounded；　then　flustered；　then　angry。
　〃It　was　for　a　costume　party　at　the　Museum；〃　the　lawyer　said。　〃You　can　check　for　yourself。　Everyone　saw　me　in　it。　I've　had　it　for　years。〃
　Custer　poked　his　head　into　the　closet；　rummaged　around；　and　removed　a　black　umbrella；　tightly　furled。　He　brought　it　out；　stood　it　up　on　its　point；　then　released　it。　The　umbrella　toppled　over　beside　the　hat。　He　looked　up　again　at　Brisbane。　The　seconds　ticked　on。
　〃This　is　absurd！〃　exploded　Brisbane。
　〃I　haven't　said　anything；〃　said　Custer。　He　looked　at　Noyes。　〃Did　you　say　anything？〃
　〃No；　sir；　I　didn't　say　anything。〃
　〃So　what　exactly；　Mr。　Brisbane；　is　absurd？〃
　〃What　you're　thinking…〃　The　man　could　hardly　get　out　the　words。　〃That　I'm　。　。　。　that；　you　know　。　。　。　Oh；　this　is　perfectly　ridiculous！〃
　Custer　placed　his　hands　behind　his　back。　He　came　forward　slowly；　one　step　after　another；　until　he　reached　the　desk。　And　then；　very　deliberately；　he　leaned　over　it。
　〃What　am　I　thinking；　Mr。　Brisbane？〃　he　asked　quietly。
　
　THREE
　　
　THE　ROLLS　ROCKETED　up　Riverside；　their　driver　weaving　expertly　through　the　lines　of　traffic；　threading　the　big　vehicle　through　impossibly　narrow　gaps；　sometimes　forcing　opposing　cars　onto　the　curb。　It　was　after　eleven　P。M。；　and　the　traffic　was　beginning　to　thin　out。　But　the　curbs　of　Riverside　and　the　side　streets　that　led　away　from　it　remained　pletely　jammed　with　parked　cars。
　The　car　swerved　onto　131st　Street；　slowing　abruptly。　And　almost　immediately…no　more　than　half　a　dozen　cars　in　from　Riverside…Nora　spotted　it：　a　silver　Ford　Taurus；　New　York　plate　ELI…7734。
　Pendergast　got　out；　walked　over　to　the　parked　car；　leaned　toward　the　dashboard　to　verify　the　VIN。　Then　he　moved　around　to　the　passenger　door　and　broke　the　glass　with　an　almost　invisible　jab。　The　alarm　shrieked　in　protest　while　he　searched　the　glove　partment　and　the　rest　of　the　interior。　In　a　moment　he　returned。
　〃The　car's　empty；〃　he　told　Nora。　〃He　must　have　taken　the　address　with　him。　We'll　have　to　hope　Leng's　house　is　close　by。〃
　Telling　Proctor　to　park　at　Grant's　Tomb　and　wait　for　their　call；　Pendergast　led　the　way　down　131st　in　long；　sweeping　strides。　Within　moments　they　reached　the　Drive　itself。　Riverside　Park　stretched　away　across　the　street；　its　trees　like　gaunt　sentinels　at　the　edge　of　a　vast；　unknown　tract　of　darkness。　Beyond　the　park　was　the　Hudson；　glimmering　in　the　vague　moonlight。
　Nora　looked　left　and　right；　at　the　countless　blocks　of　decrepit　apartment　buildings；　old　abandoned　mansions；　and　squalid　welfare　hotels　that　stretched　in　both　directions。　〃How　are　we　going　to　find　it？〃　she　asked。
　〃It　will　have　certain　characteristics；〃　Pendergast　replied。　〃It　will　be　a　private　house；　at　least　a　hundred　years　old；　not　broken　into　apartments。　It　will　probably　look　abandoned；　but　it　will　be　very　secure。　We'll　head　south　first。〃
　But　before　proceeding；　he　stopped　and　placed　a　hand　on　her　shoulder。　〃Normally；　I'd　never　allow　a　civilian　along　on　a　police　action。〃
　〃But　that's　my　boyfriend　caught…〃
　Pendergast　raised　his　hand。　〃We　have　no　time　for　discussion。　I　have　already　considered　carefully　what　it　is　we　face。　I'm　going　to　be　as　blunt　as　possible。　If　we　do　find　Leng's　house；　the　chances　of　my　succeeding　without　assistance　are　very　small。〃
　〃Good。　I　wouldn't　let　you　leave　me　behind；　anyway。〃
　〃I　know　that。　I　also　know　that；　given　Leng's　cunning；　two　people　have　a　better　chance　of　success　than　a　large…and　loud…official　response。　Even　if　we　could　get　such　a　response　in　time。　But　I　must　tell　you；　Dr。　Kelly；　I　am　bringing　you　into　a　situation　where　there　are　an　almost　infinite　number　of　unknown　variables。　In　short；　it　is　a　situation　in　which　it　is　very　possible　one　or　both　of　us　may　be　killed。〃
　〃I'm　willing　to　take　that　risk。〃
　〃One　final　ment；　then。　In　my　opinion；　Smithback　is　already　dead；　or　will　be　by　the　time　we　find　the　house；　get　inside；　and　secure　Leng。　This　rescue　operation　is　already；　therefore；　a　probable　failure。〃
　Nora　nodded；　unable　to　reply。
　Without　another　word；　Pendergast　turned　and　began　to　walk　south。
　They　passed　several　old　houses　clearly　broken　into　apartments；　then　a　welfare　hotel；　the　resident　alcoholics　watching　them　apathetically　from　the　steps。　Next　came　a　long　row　of　sordid　tenements。
　And　then；　at　Tiemann　Place；　Pendergast　paused　before　an　abandoned　building。　It　was　a　small　townhouse；　its　windows　boarded　over；　the　buzzer　missing。　He　stared　up　at　it　briefly；　then　went　quickly　around　to　the　side；　peered　over　a　broken　railing；　returned。
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　Nora　whispered。
　〃I　think　we　go　in。〃
　Two　heavy　pieces　of　plywood；　chained　shut；　covered　the　opening　where　the　door　had　been。　Pendergast　grasped　the　lock　on　the　chain。　A　white　hand　slid　into　his　suit　jacket　and　emerged；　holding　a　small　device　with　toothpick…like　metal　attachments　projecting　from　one　end。　It　gleamed　in　the　reflected　light　of　the　street　lamp。
　〃What's　that？〃　Nora　asked。
　〃Electronic　lockpick；〃　Pendergast　replied；　fitting　it　to　the　padlock。　The　latch　sprung　open　in　his　long　white　hands。　He　pulled　the　chain　away　from　the　plywood　and　ducked　inside；　Nora　following。
　A　noisome　stench　welled　out　of　the　darkness。　Pendergast　pulled　out　his　flashlight　and　shined　the　beam　over　a　blizzard　of　decay：　rotting　garbage；　dead　rats；　exposed　lath；　needles　and　crack　vials；　standing　puddles　of　rank　water。　Without　a　word　he　turned　and　exited；　Nora　following。
　They　worked　their　way　down　as　far　as　120th　Street。　Here；　the　neighborhood　improved　and　most　of　the　buildings　were　occupied。
　〃There's　no　point　in　going　farther；〃　Pendergast　said　tersely。　〃We'll　head　north　instead。〃
　They　hurried　back　to　131st　Street…the　point　where　their　search　had　begun…and　continued　north。　This　proved　much　slower　going。　The　neighborhood　deteriorated　until　it　seemed　as　if　most　of　the　buildings　were　abandoned。　Pendergast　dismissed　many　out　of　hand；　but　he　broke　into　one；　then　another；　then　a　third；　while　Nora　watched　the　street。
　At　136th　Street　they　stopped　before　yet　another　ruined　house。　Pendergast　looked　toward　it；　scrutinizing　the　facade；　then　turned　his　eyes　northward；　silent　and　withdrawn。　He　was　pale；　the　activity　had　clearly　taxed　his　weakened　frame。
　It　was　as　if　the　entire　Drive；　once　lined　with　elegant　townhouses；　was　now　one　long；　desolate　ruin。　It　seemed　to　Nora　that　Leng　could　be　in　any　one　of　those　houses。
　Pendergast　dropped　his　eyes　toward　the　ground。　〃It　appears；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃that　Mr。　Smithback　had　difficulty　finding　parking。〃
　Nora　nodded；　feeling　a　rising　despair。　The　Surgeon　now　had　Smithback　at　least　six　hours；　perhaps　several　more。　She　would　not　follow　that　train　of　thought　to　its　logical　conclusion。
　
　FOUR
　　
　CUSTER　ALLOWED　BRISBANE　t