preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第5部分

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has　changed　alarmingly　in　just　the　last　few　hours。　Moegen…Fairhaven　is　one　of　the　most　energetic　developers　in　the　city。　And　they　have　a　remarkable　amount　of；　ah；　pull。　Notice　there　are　no　members　of　the　press　on　hand？　The　police　were　called　very　quietly　to　the　scene。〃　He　steered　her　toward　a　chained　gate　in　the　fence；　manned　by　a　cop　from　whose　belt　dangled　cuffs；　radio；　nightstick；　gun；　and　ammunition。　The　bined　weight　of　the　accoutrements　pulled　the　belt　down；　allowing　a　blue…shirted　belly　to　hang　fortably　out。
　Pendergast　stopped　at　the　gate。
　〃Move　on；〃　said　the　cop。　〃Nothing　to　see　here；　pal。〃
　〃On　the　contrary。〃　Pendergast　smiled　and　displayed　his　identification。　The　cop　leaned　over；　scowling。　He　looked　back　up　into　the　agent's　face；　then　back　down；　several　times。
　〃FBI？〃　He　hiked　up　his　belt　with　a　metallic　jangle。
　〃Those　are　the　three　letters；　yes。〃　And　Pendergast　placed　the　wallet　back　in　his　suit。
　〃And　who's　your　panion？〃
　〃An　archaeologist。　She's　been　assigned　to　investigate　the　site。〃
　〃Archaeologist？　Hold　on。〃
　The　cop　ambled　across　the　lot；　stopping　at　the　knot　of　policemen。　A　few　words　were　exchanged；　then　one　of　the　cops　broke　away　from　the　group。　A　brown…suited　man　followed　at　a　trot。　He　was　short　and　heavyset；　and　his　pulpy　neck　bulged　over　a　tight　collar。　He　took　steps　that　were　too　big　for　his　stubby　legs；　giving　his　walk　an　exaggerated　bounce。
　〃What　the　hell's　this？〃　he　panted　as　he　approached　the　gate；　turning　to　the　newly　arrived　cop。　〃You　didn't　say　anything　about　the　FBI。〃
　Nora　noticed　that　the　new　cop　had　gold　captain's　bars　on　his　shoulders。　He　had　thinning　hair；　a　sallow　plexion；　and　narrow　black　eyes。　He　was　almost　as　fat　as　the　man　in　the　brown　suit。
　The　captain　looked　at　Pendergast。　〃May　I　see　your　identification？〃　His　voice　was　small　and　tight　and　high。
　Pendergast　once　again　removed　his　wallet。　The　captain　took　it；　examined　it；　and　handed　it　back　through　the　gate。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Pendergast；　the　FBI　has　no　jurisdiction　here；　particularly　the　New　Orleans　office。　You　know　the　procedure。〃
　〃Captain…？〃
　〃Custer。〃
　〃Captain　Custer；　I　am　here　with　Dr。　Nora　Kelly；　of　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History；　who　has　been　placed　in　charge　of　the　archaeological　survey。　Now；　if　you'll　let　us　in…〃
　〃This　is　a　construction　site；〃　broke　in　the　brown…suited　man。　〃We're　trying　to　build　a　building　here；　in　case　you　hadn't　noticed。　They've　already　got　a　man　looking　at　the　bones。　Christ　Almighty；　we're　losing　forty　thousand　dollars　a　day　here；　and　now　the　FBI？〃
　〃And　who　might　you　be？〃　Pendergast　asked　the　man；　in　a　pleasant　voice。
　His　eyes　flickered　from　side　to　side。　〃Ed　Shenk。〃
　〃Ah；　Mr。　Shenk。〃　In　Pendergast's　mouth；　the　name　sounded　like　some　kind　of　crude　implement。　〃And　your　position　with　Moegen…Fairhaven？〃
　〃Construction　manager。〃
　Pendergast　nodded。　〃Of　course　you　are。　Pleased　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Shenk。〃　Immediately；　he　turned　back　to　the　captain；　ignoring　Shenk　pletely。
　〃Now；　Captain　Custer；〃　he　continued　in　the　same　mild　voice；　〃am　I　to　understand　that　you　will　not　open　the　gate　and　allow　us　to　proceed　with　our　work？〃
　〃This　is　a　very　important　project　for　the　Moegen…Fairhaven　Group；　and　for　this　munity。　Progress　has　been　slower　than　it　should　be；　and　there's　concern　at　the　very　highest　levels。　Mr。　Fairhaven　visited　the　site　himself　yesterday　evening。　The　last　thing　they　want　is　more　delays。　I've　had　no　word　about　FBI　involvement；　and　I　don't　know　anything　about　any　archaeological　business…〃　He　stopped。　Pendergast　had　taken　out　his　cell　phone。
　〃Who're　you　calling？〃　Custer　demanded。
　Pendergast　said　nothing；　the　smile　still　on　his　face。　His　fingers　flew　over　the　tiny　buttons　with　amazing　speed。
　The　captain's　eyes　darted　toward　Shenk；　then　away　again。
　〃Sally？〃　Pendergast　spoke　into　the　phone。　〃Agent　Pendergast　here。　May　I　speak　with　missioner　Rocker？〃
　〃Now；　look…〃　began　the　captain。
　〃Yes；　please；　Sally。　You're　a　treasure。〃
　〃Perhaps　we　could　discuss　this　inside。〃　There　was　a　rattling　of　keys。　Captain　Custer　began　to　unlock　the　gate。
　〃If　you　could　kindly　interrupt　him　for　me；　I'd　be　so　grateful。〃
　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　there's　no　need　for　this；〃　said　Custer。　The　gate　swung　open。
　〃Sally？　I'll　call　back；〃　said　Pendergast；　snapping　the　phone　shut。
　He　stepped　past　the　gate；　Nora　at　his　side。　Without　pausing　or　speaking；　the　FBI　agent　took　off　across　the　rubbled　ground；　trotting　directly　toward　the　hole　in　the　brick　wall。　The　others；　taken　by　surprise；　began　to　follow。　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　you　have　to　understand…〃　the　captain　said　as　he　struggled　to　keep　up。　Shenk　followed　angrily；　like　a　bull。　He　stumbled；　cursed；　kept　ing。
　As　they　approached　the　hole；　Nora　could　see　a　faint　glow　within；　and　a　flash　of　light。　A　pause；　another　flash。　Someone　was　taking　pictures。
　〃Mr。　Pendergast…〃　Captain　Custer　called。
　But　the　lithe　FBI　agent　was　bounding　up　the　pile　of　rubble。　The　others　halted　at　the　base；　breathing　heavily。　Nora　followed　Pendergast；　who　had　already　vanished　into　the　dark　hole。　She　paused　on　the　broken　wall　and　peered　down。
　〃Do　e　in；〃　said　Pendergast；　in　his　most　inviting　southern　voice。
　She　scrambled　down　the　fallen　bricks；　ing　to　a　stop　on　the　damp　floor。　There　was　another　flash　of　light。　A　man　in　a　white　labcoat　was　bent　over；　examining　something　in　a　small　arched　niche。　A　photographer　stood　at　another　niche　with　a　four…by…five　camera；　bracketed　by　two　slave　flash　units。
　The　man　in　the　white　coat　straightened　up；　peering　at　them　through　the　dust。　He　had　a　thick　shock　of　gray　hair　that；　bined　with　his　round　black…framed　glasses；　made　him　look　faintly　like　an　old　Bolshevik　revolutionary。
　〃Who　the　devil　are　you；　barging　in　like　this？〃　he　cried；　his　voice　echoing　down　the　barrow。　〃I　was　not　to　be　disturbed！〃
　〃FBI；〃　rapped　out　Pendergast。　His　voice　was　now　totally　different：　sharp；　stern；　officious。　With　a　snap　of　leather；　he　shoved　his　badge　toward　the　man's　face。
　〃Oh；〃　the　man　said；　faltering。　〃I　see。〃
　Nora　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　surprised　at　Pendergast's　apparent　ability　to　read　people　instantly；　then　manipulate　them　accordingly。
　〃May　I　ask　you　to　please　vacate　the　site　while　my　colleague；　Dr。　Kelly；　and　I　make　an　examination？〃
　〃Look　here；　I'm　in　the　middle　of　my　work。〃
　〃Have　you　touched　anything？〃　It　came　out　as　a　threat。
　〃No　。　。　。　not　really。　Of　course；　I've　handled　some　of　the　bones…〃
　〃You　handled　some　of　the　bones？〃
　〃Consistent　with　my　responsibility　to　determine　cause　of　death…〃
　〃You　handled　some　of　the　bones？〃　Pendergast　pulled　a　thin　pad　and　a　gold　pen　from　his　jacket　pocket　and　made　a　note；　shaking　his　head　in　disgust。　〃Your　name；　Doctor？〃
　〃Van　Bronck。〃
　〃I'll　make　a　note　of　it　for　the　hearing。　And　now；　Dr。　Van　Bronck；　if　you'll　kindly　let　us　proceed。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Pendergast　watched　as　the　ME　and　the　photographer　climbed　laboriously　out　of　the　tunnel。　Then　he　turned　to　Nora　and　spoke　in　a　low；　rapid　voice。　〃It's　your　site　now。　I've　bought　us　an　hour；　maybe　less；　so　make　the　best　of　it。〃
　〃The　best　of　what？〃　Nora　asked　in　a　panic。　〃Just　what　am　I　supposed　to　be　doing？　I've　never…〃
　〃You're　trained　in　ways　that　I'm　not。　Survey　the　site。　I　want　to　know　what　happened　here。　Help　me　understand　it。〃
　〃In　an　hour？　I　don't　have　any　tools；　anything　to　store　samples…〃
　〃We're　almost　too　late　as　it　is。　Did　you　notice　they　had　the　precinct　captain　on　the　site？　As　I　said；　Moegen…Fairhaven　pulls　an　enormous　amount　of　weight。　This　will　be　our　only　chance。　I　need　the　maximum　amount　of　information　in　the　minimum　amount　of　time。　It's　extremely　important。〃　He　handed　her　the　pen　and　pad；　then　withdrew　two　slender　penlights　from　his　coat　and　passed　one　to　her。
　Nora　switched　it　on。　For　its　size；　the　penlight　was　very　powerful。　She　looked　around；　taking　note　of　her　surroundings　for　the　first　time。　It　was　cool　and　silent。　Motes　drifted　in　the　single　banner　of　light　streaming　through　the　broken　hole。　The　air　smelled　corrupt；　a　mixture　of　fungus；　old　meat；　and　mold。　She　breathed　it　in　deeply　nevertheless；　trying　to　focus。　Archaeology　was　a　slow；　methodical　business。　Here；　faced　with　a　ticking　clock；　she　barely　knew　where　to　begin。
　She　hesitated　another　moment。　Then　she　began　to