preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第102部分

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　beam　of　light。
　And　then　she　screamed。
　
　THIRTEEN
　　
　CUSTER　STOOD　ATOP　the　great　flight　of　steps　rising　above　Museum　Drive；　looking　out　over　the　sea　of　press　with　an　indescribable　feeling　of　satisfaction。　To　his　left　was　the　mayor　of　the　City　of　New　York；　just　arriving　with　a　gaggle　of　aides；　to　his　right；　the　missioner　of　police。　Just　behind　stood　his　two　top　detectives　and　his　man；　Noyes。　It　was　an　extraordinary　assemblage。　There　were　so　many　onlookers；　they'd　been　forced　to　close　Central　Park　West　to　traffic。　Press　helicopters　hovered　above　them；　cameras　dangling；　brilliant　spotlights　swiveling　back　and　forth。　The　capture　of　the　Surgeon；　aka　Roger　C。　Brisbane　III…the　Museum's　respected　general　counsel　and　first　vice　president…had　riveted　the　media's　attention。　The　copycat　killer　who　had　terrorized　the　city　hadn't　been　some　crazy　homeless　man；　living　in　Central　Park　on　a　piece　of　cardboard。　It　had　instead　been　one　of　the　pillars　of　Manhattan　society；　the　smiling；　cordial　fixture　at　so　many　glittering　fund…raisers　and　openings。　Here　was　a　man　whose　face　and　impeccably　tailored　figure　was　often　seen　in　the　society　pages　of　Avenue　and　Vanity　Fair。　And　now　he　stood　revealed　as　one　of　New　York's　most　notorious　serial　killers。　What　a　story。　And　he；　Custer；　had　cracked　the　case　single…handedly。
　The　mayor　was　conferring　sotto　voce　with　the　missioner　and　the　Museum's　director；　Collopy；　who　had　at　last　been　tracked　down　to　his　own　West　End　residence。　Custer's　gaze　lingered　on　Collopy。　The　man　had　the　gaunt；　pinched　look　of　a　fire…and…brimstone　preacher；　and　he　wore　clothes　straight　out　of　an　old　Bela　Lugosi　movie。　The　police　had　finally　broken　down　his　front　door；　suspecting　foul　play　when　they　observed　figures　moving　against　the　drawn　shades。　The　scuttlebutt　was　that　the　police　found　him　in　a　pink　lace　teddy；　tied　to　his　bed；　with　his　wife　and　a　second　female　dressed　in　dominatrix　uniforms。　Staring　at　the　man；　Custer　refused　to　believe　such　a　rumor。　True；　the　man's　somber　clothes　looked　just　a　tad　disheveled。　Still；　it　was　impossible　to　believe　such　a　pillar　of　propriety　could　ever　have　donned　a　teddy。　Wasn't　it？
　Now；　Custer　saw　Mayor　Montefiori's　eyes　dart　toward　him。　They　were　talking　about　him。　Although　he　maintained　his　stolid　expression；　arranging　his　face　into　a　mask　of　duty　and　obedience；　he　was　unable　to　prevent　a　flush　of　pleasure　from　suffusing　his　limbs。
　missioner　Rocker　broke　away　from　the　mayor　and　Collopy　and　came　over。　To　Custer's　surprise；　he　did　not　look　altogether　happy。
　〃Captain。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　The　missioner　stood　there　a　moment；　indecisive；　face　full　of　anxiety。　Finally　he　leaned　closer。　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Sure；　sir？〃
　〃Sure　that　it's　Brisbane。〃
　Custer　felt　a　twinge　of　doubt；　but　quickly　stepped　down　on　it。　The　evidence　was　overwhelming。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Did　he　confess？〃
　〃No；　not　confess…exactly…but　he　made　a　number　of　self…incriminating　statements。　I　expect　he'll　confess　when　he's　formally　questioned。　They　always　do。　Serial　killers；　I　mean。　And　we　found　incriminating　evidence　in　his　Museum　office…〃
　〃No　mistake　about　it？　Mr。　Brisbane　is　a　very　prominent　person。〃
　〃No　mistake　about　it；　sir。〃
　Rocker　scrutinized　his　face　a　moment　longer。　Custer　stirred　uneasily。　He　had　been　expecting　congratulations；　not　the　third　degree。
　Then　the　missioner　leaned　still　closer　and　lowered　his　voice　to　a　slow；　deliberate　whisper。　〃Custer；　all　I　can　say　is；　you'd　better　be　right。〃
　〃I　am　right；　sir。〃
　The　missioner　nodded；　a　look　of　guarded　relief；　still　mixed　with　anxiety；　settling　on　his　face。
　Now　Custer　stepped　respectfully　into　the　background；　letting　the　mayor；　his　aides；　Collopy；　and　the　missioner　arrange　themselves　before　the　throngs　of　press。　A　feeling　like　electricity；　an　anticipatory　tingling；　filled　the　air。
　The　mayor　raised　his　hand；　and　a　hush　fell　on　the　crowd。　Custer　realized　the　man　wasn't　even　permitting　his　aides　to　introduce　him。　He　was　going　to　handle　this　personally。　With　the　election　so　near；　he　wasn't　going　to　let　even　a　crumb　of　glory　escape。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　press；〃　the　mayor　began。　〃We　have　made　an　arrest　in　the　case　of　the　serial　killer　popularly　known　as　the　Surgeon。　The　suspect　taken　into　custody　has　been　identified　as　Roger　C。　Brisbane　III；　first　vice　president　and　general　counsel　of　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History。〃
　There　was　a　collective　gasp。　Although　everyone　in　the　crowd　already　knew　this；　hearing　it　from　the　mayor　made　it　official。
　〃Although　it's　important　to　state　that　Mr。　Brisbane　must　naturally　be　presumed　innocent　at　this　time；　the　evidence　against　him　is　substantial。〃
　There　was　a　brief　hush。
　〃As　mayor；　I　made　this　case　a　top　priority。　All　available　resources　were　brought　to　bear。　I　therefore　want　to　thank；　first　of　all；　the　fine　officers　of　the　NYPD；　missioner　Rocker；　and　the　men　and　women　of　the　homicide　division；　for　their　tireless　work　on　this　difficult　case。　And　I　would　especially　like　to　single　out　Captain　Sherwood　Custer。　As　I　understand　it；　Captain　Custer　not　only　headed　the　investigation；　but　personally　solved　the　case。　I　am　shocked；　as　many　of　you　must　be；　at　the　most　unusual　twist　this　tragic　case　has　taken。　Many　of　us　know　Mr。　Brisbane　personally。　Nevertheless；　the　missioner　has　assured　me　in　no　uncertain　terms　that　they　have　the　right　man；　and　I　am　satisfied　to　rely　on　his　assurances。〃
　He　paused。
　〃Dr。　Collopy　of　the　Museum　would　like　to　say　a　few　words。〃
　Hearing　this；　Custer　tensed。　The　director　would　no　doubt　put　up　a　dogged　defense　of　his　own　right…hand　man；　he'd　question　Custer's　police　work　and　investigative　technique；　make　him　look　bad。
　Collopy　stood　before　the　microphone；　rigid　and　correct；　his　arms　clasped　behind　his　back。　He　spoke　in　cool；　stately；　and　measured　tones。
　〃First；　I　wish　to　add　my　thanks　to　the　fine　men　and　women　of　the　New　York　Police　Department；　the　missioner；　and　the　mayor；　for　their　tireless　work　on　this　tragic　case。　This　is　a　sad　day　for　the　Museum；　and　for　me　personally。　I　wish　to　extend　my　deepest　apologies　to　the　City　of　New　York　and　to　the　families　of　the　victims　for　the　heinous　actions　of　our　trusted　employee。〃
　Custer　listened　with　growing　relief。　Here；　Brisbane's　own　boss　was　practically　throwing　him　to　the　wolves。　So　much　the　better。　And　he　felt　a　twinge　of　resentment　at　missioner　Rocker's　excessive　concern　about　Brisbane；　which；　it　seemed；　even　his　own　boss　didn't　share。
　Collopy　stepped　back；　and　the　mayor　returned　to　the　microphone。　〃I　will　now　take　questions；〃　he　said。
　There　was　a　roar；　a　rippling　flurry　of　hands　through　the　crowd。　The　mayor's　spokesperson；　Mary　Hill；　stepped　forward　to　manage　the　questioning。
　Custer　looked　toward　the　crowd。　The　unpleasant　memory　of　Smithback's　hangdog　visage　flitted　across　his　mind；　and　he　was　glad　not　to　see　it　among　the　sea　of　faces。
　Mary　Hill　had　called　on　someone；　and　Custer　heard　the　shouted　question。　〃Why　did　he　do　it？　Was　he　really　trying　to　prolong　his　life？〃
　The　mayor　shook　his　head。　〃I　cannot　speculate　on　motive　at　this　time。〃
　〃This　is　a　question　for　Captain　Custer！〃　a　voice　shouted。　〃How　did　you　know　it　was　Brisbane？　What　was　the　smoking　gun？〃
　Custer　stepped　forward；　once　again　gathering　his　face　into　a　mask　of　stolidity。　〃A　derby　hat；　umbrella；　and　black　suit；〃　he　said；　significantly；　and　paused。　〃The　so…called　Surgeon；　when　he　went　out　to　stalk　his　victims；　was　seen　to　wear　just　such　an　outfit。　I　discovered　the　disguise　myself　in　Mr。　Brisbane's　office。〃
　〃Did　you　find　the　murder　weapon？〃
　〃We　are　continuing　to　search　the　office；　and　we　have　dispatched　teams　to　search　Mr。　Brisbane's　apartment　and　summer　house　on　Long　Island。　The　Long　Island　search；〃　he　added　significantly；　〃will　include　cadaver…trained　tracking　dogs。〃
　〃What　was　the　role　of　the　FBI　in　this　case？〃　a　television　reporter　shouted。
　〃Nothing；〃　the　missioner　answered　hastily。　〃There　was　no　role。　All　the　work　was　done　by　local　law　enforcement。　An　FBI　agent　did　take　an　unofficial　interest　early　on；　but　those　leads　led　nowhere　and　as　far　as　we　know　he　has　abandoned　the　case。〃
　〃Another　question　for　Captain　Custer；　please！　How　does　it　feel；　sir；　to　have　cracked　the　biggest　case　since　Son　of　Sam？〃
　It　was　that　p