preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　With　renewed　urgency；　he　pressed　closer　to　her；　undid　some　buttons。
　〃Don't　push　so　hard；〃　she　whispered；　squirming。　〃The　ground　is　bumpy。〃
　〃Sorry。〃　They　wriggled　on　the　thick　myrtle；　searching　for　a　more　fortable　spot。
　〃Now　there's　a　branch　digging　into　my　back。〃
　Suddenly　she　stopped。
　〃What？〃
　〃I　heard　a　rustle。〃
　〃It's　just　the　wind。〃　Paul　shifted　some　more　and　they　embraced　again。　His　fingers　felt　thick　and　awkward　as　he　unzipped　her　pants；　unbuttoned　the　rest　of　her　shirt。　Her　breasts　swung　free　and　at　the　sight　he　felt　himself　grow　even　harder。　He　put　his　hand　on　her　bare　midriff；　sliding　it　downward。　Her　much　more　expert　hand　reached　him　first。　As　she　took　him　in　her　cool　gentle　grasp；　he　gasped　and　thrust　forward。
　〃Ouch。　Wait。　There's　still　a　branch　underneath　me。〃　She　sat　up；　breathing　hard；　her　blond　hair　falling　over　her　shoulders。　Paul　sat　up；　too；　frustration　mingling　with　desire。　He　could　see　the　flattened　area　where　they　had　been　lying。　The　myrtle　was　crushed　and　beneath　he　could　see　the　outline　of　the　light…colored　branch。　He　stuck　his　hand　through　the　myrtle　and　grabbed　it；　yanking　at　it　angrily；　struggling　to　wrest　it　free。　Goddamn　branch。
　But　something　was　very　wrong：　it　felt　strange；　cold；　rubbery；　and　as　it　came　up　out　of　the　myrtle　he　saw　it　wasn't　a　branch　at　all；　but　an　arm。　Leaves　slid　away　exposing　the　rest　of　the　body；　languorously；　unwillingly。　As　his　fingers　went　slack　the　arm　fell　away　again；　flopping　back　into　the　greenery。
　The　girl　screamed　first；　scrambling　backward；　standing；　tripping；　standing　up　again　and　running；　jeans　unzipped　and　shirt　flapping　around　her。　Paul　was　on　his　feet　but　all　he　seemed　able　to　hear　was　her　crashing　through　the　undergrowth。　It　had　all　happened　so　fast　it　seemed　like　some　sort　of　dream。　He　could　feel　the　lust　dying　away　within　him；　horror　flooding　in　to　take　its　place。　He　turned　to　run。　Then　he　paused　and　glanced　wildly　back；　driven　by　some　impulse　to　see　if　it　were　actually　real。　The　fingers　were　partly　curled；　white　skin　smeared　with　mud。　And　in　the　dimness　beyond；　under　the　thick　undergrowth；　lay　the　rest　of　it。
　
　TWO
　　
　DR。　BILL　DOWSON　lounged　against　the　sink；　examining　his　precisely　trimmed　fingernails　without　interest。　One　more；　then　lunch。　Thank　God。　A　cup　of　coffee　and　a　BLT　at　the　corner　deli　would　hit　the　spot。　He　wasn't　sure　why　he　wanted　a　BLT；　exactly：　maybe　it　was　the　lividity　of　the　last　stiff　that　started　him　thinking　about　bacon。　Anyway；　that　Dominican　behind　the　deli　counter　had　elevated　the　sandwich　into　an　art　form。　Dowson　could　practically　taste　the　crisp　lettuce；　the　tang　of　tomato　against　the　mayonnaise　。　。　。
　The　nurse　brought　in　the　clipboard　and　he　glanced　up。　She　had　short　black　hair　and　a　trim　body。　He　glanced　at　the　clipboard　without　picking　it　up　and　smiled　at　her。
　〃What　have　we　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃Homicide。〃
　He　gave　an　exaggerated　sigh；　rolled　his　eyes。　〃What　is　that；　the　fourth　today？　It　must　be　hunting　season。　Gunshot？〃
　〃No。　Some　kind　of　multiple　stabbing。　They　found　it　in　Central　Park；　in　the　Ramble。〃
　He　nodded。　〃The　dumping　ground；　eh？　Figures。〃　Great。　Another　piece…of…shit　killing。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Bring　it　in；　please。〃
　He　watched　the　nurse　walk　out。　Nice；　very　nice。　She　returned　a　moment　later　with　a　gurney；　covered　by　a　green　sheet。
　He　made　no　move　toward　the　body。　〃So；　how　about　that　dinner　tonight？〃
　The　nurse　smiled。　〃I　don't　think　it's　a　good　idea；　Doctor。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I've　told　you　before。　I　don't　date　doctors。　Especially　ones　I　work　with。〃
　He　nodded；　pushed　down　his　glasses；　and　grinned。　〃But　I'm　your　soul　mate；　remember？〃
　She　smiled。　〃Hardly。〃
　But　he　could　tell　she　was　flattered　by　his　interest。　Better　not　push　it；　though；　not　these　days。　Sexual　harassment　and　all　that。
　He　sighed；　eased　himself　off　the　sink。　Then　he　pulled　on　a　fresh　pair　of　gloves。　〃Turn　on　the　videocams；〃　he　said　to　the　nurse　as　he　prepped。
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃
　He　picked　up　the　clipboard。　〃Says　here　we　have　a　Caucasian　woman；　identified　as　Doreen　Hollander；　age　27；　of　Pine　Creek；　Oklahoma。　Identified　by　her　husband。〃　He　scanned　the　rest　of　the　top　sheet。　Then　he　hung　the　clipboard　on　the　gurney；　drew　on　his　surgical　mask；　and　with　the　nurse's　help　lifted　the　sheeted　corpse　onto　the　stainless　steel　examining　table。
　He　sensed　a　presence　behind　him　and　turned。　In　the　doorway　was　a　tall；　slender　man。　His　face　and　hands　looked　remarkably　pale　against　the　black　of　his　suit。　Behind　the　man　stood　a　uniformed　cop。
　〃Yes？〃　Dowson　asked。
　The　man　approached；　opening　his　wallet。　〃I'm　Special　Agent　Pendergast；　Dr。　Dowson。　And　this　is　Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy　of　the　NYPD。〃
　Dowson　looked　him　over。　This　was　very　irregular。　And　there　was　something　strange　about　the　man：　hair　so　very　blond；　eyes　so　very　pale；　accent　so　very；　very　southern。　〃And？〃
　〃May　I　observe？〃
　〃This　an　FBI　case？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Where's　your　clearance？〃
　〃I　don't　have　one。〃
　Dowson　sighed　with　irritation。　〃You　know　the　rules。　You　can't　just　watch　for　the　hell　of　it。〃
　The　FBI　agent　took　a　step　closer　to　him；　closer　than　he　liked；　invading　his　personal　space。　He　controlled　an　impulse　to　step　backward。
　〃Look；　Mr。　Pendergast；　get　the　necessary　paperwork　and　e　back。　Okay？〃
　〃That　will　be　time…consuming；〃　said　the　man　named　Pendergast。　〃It　will　hold　you　up　considerably。　I　would　appreciate　your　courtesy　in　letting　us　observe。〃
　There　was　something　in　the　man's　tone　that　sounded　a　lot　harder　than　the　mellifluous　accent　and　genteel　words　suggested。　Dowson　hesitated。　〃Look；　with　all　due　respect…〃
　〃With　all　due　respect；　Dr。　Dowson；　I'm　in　no　mood　to　bandy　civilities　with　you。　Proceed　with　the　autopsy。〃
　The　voice　was　now　cold　as　dry　ice。　Dowson　remembered　the　videocam　was　on。　He　glanced　covertly　at　the　nurse。　He　had　a　strong　sense　that　a　humiliation　at　the　hands　of　this　man　might　be　just　around　the　corner。　This　would　not　look　good　and　it　might　cause　trouble　later。　The　guy　was　FBI；　after　all。　Anyway；　his　own　ass　was　covered：　he　was　on　record　stating　the　man　needed　clearance。
　Dowson　sighed。　〃All　right；　Pendergast。　You　and　the　sergeant；　don　scrubs。〃
　He　waited　until　they　returned；　then　pulled　back　the　sheet　with　a　single　motion。　The　cadaver　lay　on　its　back：　blonde　hair；　young；　fresh。　The　chill　of　the　previous　night　had　kept　it　from　deposing。　Dowson　leaned　toward　the　mike　and　began　a　description。　The　FBI　man　was　looking　at　the　corpse　with　interest。　But　Dowson　could　see　that　the　uniformed　cop　was　beginning　to　look　uneasy；　shifting　from　one　foot　to　another；　lips　pressed　tight　together。　The　last　thing　he　needed　was　a　puker。
　〃Is　he　going　to　be　all　right？〃　Dowson　asked　Pendergast　in　an　undertone；　nodding　to　the　cop。
　Pendergast　turned。　〃You　don't　have　to　see　this；　Sergeant。〃
　The　cop　swallowed；　glancing　from　the　corpse　to　Pendergast　and　back　again。　〃I'll　be　in　the　lounge。〃
　〃Drop　your　scrubs　in　the　bin　on　your　way　out；〃　said　Dowson　with　sarcastic　satisfaction。
　Pendergast　watched　the　cop　leave。　Then　he　turned　to　Dowson。　〃I　suggest　you　turn　the　body　over　before　making　your　Y…incision。〃
　〃And　why　is　that？〃
　Pendergast　nodded　toward　the　clipboard。　〃Page　two。〃
　Dowson　picked　it　up；　flipped　over　the　top　page。　Extensive　lacerations　。　。　。　deep　knife　wounds　。　。　。　Looked　like　the　girl　had　been　stabbed　repeatedly　in　the　lower　back。　Or　worse。　As　usual；　it　was　hard　to　make　out　from　the　police　report　what　had　actually　taken　place；　from　a　medical　standpoint。　There　had　been　no　investigating　ME。　It　had　been　given　a　low　priority。　This　Doreen　Hollander　didn't　count　for　much；　it　seemed。
　Dowson　returned　the　clipboard。　〃Sue；　help　me　turn　her　over。〃
　They　turned　the　body；　exposing　the　back。　The　nurse　gasped　and　stepped　away。
　Dowson　stared　in　surprise。　〃Looks　like　she　died　on　the　operating　table；　in　the　middle　of　an　operation　to　remove　a　spinal　tumor。〃　Had　they　screwed　up　again　downstairs？　Just　last　week…twice…they　had　sent　him　the　wrong　paperwork　with　the　wrong　corpse。　But　immediately　Dowson　realized　this　was　no　hospital　stiff。　Not　with　dirt　and　leaves　sticking　to　the　raw　wound　that　covered　the　entire　lower　back　and　sacrum　area。
　This　was　weird。　Seriously　weird。
　He　peered　closer　and　began　describin