pdouglas.thecodex-第5部分
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〃None of that's true；〃 said Vernon。 〃He loved us。〃
Philip gave a little snort of derision。
〃You say he was divorced from your mother？〃
〃You mean our mothers？ He was divorced from two of them； widowed by the other。 There were also two other wives he didn't breed with and any number of girlfriends。〃
Any fights over alimony？〃 Fenton asked。
〃Naturally；〃 said Philip。 〃Alimony； palimony； it never ended。〃
〃But he raised you kids himself？〃
Philip paused； then said； 〃In his own unique way； yes。〃
The words hung in the air。 Barnaby wondered just what kind of father he might have been。 Better stick to the main thread： He was running out of time。 The SOC boys would be here any moment； and then he'd be lucky ever to set foot on the crime scene again。
〃Any woman in his life now？〃
〃Only for purposes of mild physical activity in the evening；〃 said Philip。 〃She will get nothing； I assure you。〃
Tom broke in。 〃Do you think our father is okay？〃
〃To be honest； I haven't seen any evidence of a murder here。 We didn't find a body in the house。〃
〃Could they have kidnapped him？〃
Barnaby shook his head。 〃Not likely。 Why deal with a hostage？〃 He glanced at his watch。 Five； maybe seven minutes left。 Time to ask the question。 〃Insured？〃 He made it sound as casual as possible。
A dark look passed over Philip's face。 〃No。〃
Even Barnaby couldn't hide his surprise。 〃No？〃
〃Last year I tried to arrange for insurance。 No one would cover the collection as long as it was kept in this house with this security environment。 You can see for yourself how vulnerable the place is。〃
〃Why didn't your father upgrade his security？〃
〃Our father was a very difficult man。 No one could tell him what to do。 He had a lot of guns in the house。 I guess he thought he could fight 'em off； Wild West style。〃
Barnaby shuffled through his notes and checked his watch again。 He was disturbed。 The pieces were not fitting together。 He was sure it wasn't a simple robbery； but without insurance； why rob yourself？ Then there was the coincidence of the letter to the sons； calling them in for this meeting at just this moment。 He recalled the letter 。。。 a very important matter affecting your future 。。。 very disappointed if you do not e 。。。 There was something suggestive about the wording。
〃What was in the vault？〃
〃Don't tell me they got into the vault； too！〃 Philip dabbed at his sweating face with a trembling hand。 His suit had wilted； and the devastation on his face looked genuine。
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； God。 It held gemstones； jewelry； South and Central American gold； rare coins and stamps； all extremely valuable。〃
〃The burglars seem to have had the bination to the vault as well as keys to everything。 Any idea how？〃
〃No。〃
〃Did your father have anyone he trusted…a lawyer； for example…who might have kept a second set of keys or had the bination to the vault？〃
〃He trusted nobody。〃
This was an important point。 Barnaby looked at Vernon and Tom。 〃You agree？〃
They both nodded。
〃Did he have a maid？〃
〃He had a woman who came daily。〃
〃Gardener？〃
〃A full…time man。〃
〃Any others？〃
〃He employed a full…time cook and a nurse who looked in three days a week。〃
Fenton now interrupted； leaning forward and smiling in that feral way of his。 〃Mind if I ask you a question； Philip？〃
〃If you must。〃
〃How e you're talking about your father in the past tense？ You know something we don't？〃
〃Oh； for God's sake！〃 Philip exploded。 〃Who will rid me of this Sherlock Holmes manqué？〃
〃Fenton？〃 murmured Barnaby； casting him a warning glance。
Fenton looked over and saw Barnaby's look； and his face fell。 〃Sorry。〃
Barnaby asked； 〃Where are they now？〃
〃Where are who？〃
〃Maid； gardener； cook。 This robbery took place two weeks ago。 Somebody dismissed the help。〃
Tom said； 〃The robbery occurred two weeks ago？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃But I only got my letter by Federal Express three days ago。〃
This was interesting。 〃Did any of you notice the sender's address？〃
〃It was some kind of drop…shipping place； like Mail Boxes Etc。；〃 said Tom。
Barnaby thought for a moment。 〃I have to tell you；〃 he said； 〃that this so…called robbery has insurance fraud written all over it。〃
〃I already explained to you the collection wasn't insured；〃 said Philip。
〃You explained it； but I don't believe it。〃
〃I know the art insurance market； Lieutenant…I'm an art historian。 This collection was worth about half a billion dollars； and it was just sitting in a house in the country protected by an off…the…shelf security system。 Father didn't even have a dog。 I'm telling you； the collection wasn't insurable。〃
Barnaby looked at Philip for a long time； and then he looked at the other two brothers。
Philip let out a hiss of air and looked at his watch。 〃Lieutenant； don't you think this case is a little big for the Santa Fe Police Department？〃
If it wasn't insurance fraud； then what was it？ This was no damn robbery。 A crazy idea began to form； still vague。 A truly nutty idea。 But it was starting to take shape almost against his will； assembling itself into something like a theory。 He glanced at Fenton。 Fenton didn't see it。 For all his gifts； Fenton lacked a sense of humor。
Barnaby then remembered the big…screen television； the VCR； and the videotape lying on the floor。 No； not lying： placed on the floor； next to the remote。 What was the hand…lettered title？ WATCH ME。
That was it。 Like water freezing； it all locked into place。 He knew exactly what had happened。 Barnaby cleared his throat。 〃e with me。 The three sons followed him back into the house； into the living room。
〃Have a seat。〃
〃What's this all about？〃 Philip was getting agitated。 Even Fenton was looking at Barnaby quizzically。
Barnaby picked up the tape and the remote。 〃We're going to watch a video。〃 He flicked on the television set and slid the tape into the VCR。
〃Is this some kind of joke？〃 Philip asked； refusing to sit； his face flushed。 The other two stood nearby； confused。
〃You're blocking the screen；〃 said Barnaby； settling himself on the sofa。 〃Have a seat。〃
〃This is outrageous…〃
A sudden burst of sound from the video silenced Philip； and then the face of Maxwell Broadbent； larger than life； materialized on the screen。 All three sat down。
His voice； deep and booming； reverberated in the empty room。
〃Greetings from the dead。〃
4
Tom Broadbent stared at the life…size image of his father slowly ing into focus on the screen。 The camera gradually panned back； revealing Maxwell Broadbent seated at the giant desk in his study； holding a few sheets of paper in his large hands。 The room had not yet been stripped； the Lippi painting of the Madonna was still on the wall behind him； the bookshelves were still filled with books； and the other paintings and statues were all in their places。 Tom shivered： Even his father's electronic image intimidated him。
After the greeting his father paused； cleared his throat； and focused his intense blue eyes on the camera。 The sheets shook slightly in his hands。 He seemed to be laboring under a strong emotion。
Maxwell Broadbent's eyes dropped back to the papers； and he began to read：
Dear Philip； Vernon； and Tom；
The long and short of it is this： I've taken my wealth with me to the grave。 I've sealed myself and my collection in a tomb。 This tomb is hidden somewhere in the world； in a place that only I know of。
He paused； cleared his throat again； looked up briefly with a flash of blue； looked down； and continued reading。 His voice took on that slightly pedantic tone that Tom remembered so well from the dinner table。
For more than a hundred thousand years； human beings have buried themselves with their most valuable possessions。 Burying the dead with treasure has a venerable history； starting with the Neanderthals and running through the ancient Egyptians and on down almost to the present day。 People buried themselves with their gold； silver； art； books； medicine； furniture； food； slaves； horses； and sometimes even their concubines and wives…anything they thought might he useful in the afterlife。 It's only in the last century or two that human beings stopped interring their rema
