preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第51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！


　〃That　is　not　entirely　correct；〃　Rocker　answered。　〃An　FBI　agent　has　taken　an　unofficial　interest　in　the　nineteenth…century　serial　killings。　But　he　has　no　connection　to　this　case。〃
　〃Is　it　true　that　the　third　body　was　impaled　on　the　horns　of　a　dinosaur？〃
　The　missioner　winced　slightly。　〃Yes；　the　body　was　found　affixed　to　a　triceratops　skull。　Clearly；　we　are　dealing　with　a　seriously　deranged　individual。〃
　〃About　the　mutilation　of　the　bodies。　Is　it　true　that　only　a　surgeon　could　have　done　it？〃
　〃It　is　one　lead　we　are　following　up。〃
　〃I　just　want　to　clarify　one　point；〃　another　reporter　said。　〃Are　you　saying　that　the　Smithback　piece　in　the　Times　caused　these　murders？〃
　Smithback　turned。　It　was　Bryce　Harriman；　the　shit。
　missioner　Rocker　frowned。　〃What　Mayor　Montefiori　said　was…〃
　Once　again；　the　mayor　intervened。　〃I　was　merely　calling　for　restraint。　To　be　sure；　we　wish　that　article　had　never　appeared。　Three　people　might　be　alive　today。　And　the　methods　the　reporter　used　to　acquire　his　information　bear　some　ethical　scrutiny；　to　my　mind。　But　no；　I've　not　said　the　article　caused　the　killings。〃
　Another　reporter：　〃Isn't　it　a　bit　of　a　diversion；　Your　Honor；　to　blame　a　reporter　who　was　only　doing　his　job？〃
　Smithback　craned　his　neck。　Who　said　that？　He　was　going　to　buy　that　man　a　drink。
　〃That　is　not　what　I　said。　I　merely　said…〃
　〃But　you　clearly　implied　that　the　article　triggered　the　killings。〃
　He　was　going　to　buy　that　man　drinks　and　dinner。　As　Smithback　looked　around；　he　could　see　many　of　the　returning　glances　were　sympathetic。　The　mayor；　in　attacking　him；　had　indirectly　attacked　the　entire　press　corps。　Harriman　had　shot　himself　in　the　foot　by　bringing　up　the　subject。　He　felt　emboldened：　now　they　would　have　to　call　on　him。　They　would　have　to。
　〃May　I　have　the　next　question；　please？〃　Mary　Hill　asked。
　〃Do　you　have　any　suspects？〃
　〃We've　been　given　a　very　clear　description　of　the　suspect's　attire；〃　missioner　Rocker　said。　〃A　tall　slender　Caucasian　male；　between　six　foot　and　six　foot　two；　wearing　an　old…fashioned　black　coat　and　a　derby　hat；　was　seen　in　the　Archives　around　the　time　Mr。　Puck's　body　was　found。　A　similarly　dressed　man；　with　a　rolled　umbrella　or　cane；　was　also　seen　in　the　vicinity　of　the　second　crime　scene。　I'm　not　at　liberty　to　give　any　details　beyond　that。〃
　Smithback　stood　up；　waved。　Mary　Hill　ignored　him。
　〃Ms。　Perez　of　New　York　magazine。　Your　question；　please。〃
　〃I　have　a　question　for　Dr。　Collopy　of　the　Museum。　Sir；　do　you　think　the　killer　known　as　the　Surgeon　is　a　Museum　employee？　Given　that　the　most　recent　victim　seems　to　have　been　killed　and　dissected　in　the　Museum；　I　mean。〃
　Collopy　cleared　his　throat　and　stepped　forward。　〃I　believe　the　police　are　looking　into　that；〃　he　said　in　a　well…modulated　voice。　〃It　seems　highly　unlikely。　All　our　employees　now　go　through　criminal　background　checks；　are　psychologically　profiled；　and　are　thoroughly　drug…tested。　And　it　hasn't　been　proven　that　the　killing　actually　took　place　in　the　Museum；　I　might　add。〃
　There　was　another　roar　as　Hill　looked　for　more　questions。　Smithback　shouted　and　waved　his　hands　along　with　the　rest。　Christ；　they　weren't　really　going　to　ignore　him？
　〃Mr。　Diller　of　Newsday；　your　question　please。〃
　She　was　avoiding　him；　the　witch。
　〃I'd　like　to　address　my　question　to　the　mayor。　Mr。　Mayor；　how　is　it　that　the　site　on　Catherine　Street　was　'inadvertently'　destroyed？　Wasn't　this　a　site　of　major　historical　importance？〃
　The　mayor　stepped　forward。　〃No。　It　was　not　of　historical　significance…〃
　〃No　historical　significance？　The　largest　serial　killing　in　the　nation's　history？〃
　〃Mr。　Diller；　this　press　conference　is　about　the　present…day　homicides。　Please；　let's　not　conflate　the　two。　We　had　no　legal　reason　to　stop　construction　of　a　hundred…million…dollar　building。　The　bones　and　effects　were　photographed；　studied　by　the　medical　examiner；　and　removed　for　further　analysis。　Nothing　more　could　be　done。〃
　〃Is　it　perhaps　because　Moegen…Fairhaven　is　a　major　donor　to　your　campaign…〃
　〃Next　question；〃　rapped　out　Hill。
　Smithback　stood　up　and　shouted；　〃Mr。　Mayor；　since　aspersions　have　been　cast…〃
　〃Ms。　Epstein　of　WNBC；〃　cried　Mary　Hill；　her　powerful　voice　drowning　him　out。　A　slender　newswoman　stood　up；　holding　a　mike；　a　camera　turned　on　her。
　〃Excuse　ME！〃　Smithback　quickly　took　advantage　of　the　temporary　lull。　〃Ms。　Epstein；　since　I　have　been　personally　attacked；　may　I　respond？〃
　The　famous　anchorwoman　didn't　pause　for　a　second。　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　graciously；　and　turned　to　her　cameraman　to　make　sure　he　got　it　on　tape。
　〃I'd　like　to　address　my　question　to　Mr。　Brisbane；〃　Smithback　continued；　not　pausing　for　a　second。　〃Mr。　Brisbane；　why　has　the　letter　that　started　all　this　been　put　off　limits；　along　with　all　the　items　from　the　Shottum　collection？　The　Museum　isn't　trying　to　hide　something；　is　it？〃
　Brisbane　rose　with　an　easy　smile。　〃Not　at　all。　Those　materials　have　merely　been　temporarily　removed　for　conservation。　It's　standard　Museum　procedure。　In　any　case；　the　letter　has　already　inflamed　one　copycat　murderer　into　action…to　release　it　now　would　be　irresponsible。　The　materials　are　still　available　to　qualified　researchers。〃
　〃Is　it　not　true　that　you　tried　to　prevent　employees　from　working　on　the　case？〃
　〃Not　at　all。　We've　cooperated　all　along。　The　record　speaks　for　itself。〃
　Shit。　Smithback　thought　fast。　〃Mr。　Brisbane…〃
　〃Mr。　Smithback；　care　to　give　someone　else　a　turn？〃　Mary　Hill's　voice　once　again　sliced　through　the　air。
　〃No！〃　Smithback　cried；　to　scattered　laughter。　〃Mr。　Brisbane；　isn't　it　true　that　Moegen…Fairhaven；　which　gave　the　Museum　two　million　dollars　last　year…not　to　mention　the　fact　that　Fairhaven　himself　sits　on　your　board…has　put　pressure　on　the　Museum　to　stop　this　investigation？〃
　Brisbane　colored　and　Smithback　knew　his　question　had　hit　home。　〃That　is　an　irresponsible　allegation。　As　I　said；　we've　cooperated　all　along…〃
　〃So　you　deny　threatening　your　employee；　Dr。　Nora　Kelly；　forbidding　her　to　work　on　the　case？　Keep　in　mind；　Mr。　Brisbane；　that　we　have　yet　to　hear　from　Nora　Kelly　herself。　The　one　who　found　the　third　victim's　body；　I　might　add…and　who　was　chased　by　the　Surgeon　and　almost　killed　in　turn。〃
　The　clear　implication　was　that　Nora　Kelly　might　have　something　to　say　that　would　not　agree　with　Brisbane's　account。　Brisbane's　face　darkened　as　he　realized　he'd　been　backed　into　a　corner。　〃I　will　not　answer　these　hectoring　questions。〃　Beside　him；　Collopy　looked　grim。
　Smithback　felt　a　swell　of　triumph。
　〃Mister　Smithback；〃　said　Mary　Hill　acidly；　〃are　you　quite　done　monopolizing　this　press　conference？　Clearly　the　nineteenth…century　homicides　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　current　serial　killings；　except　as　inspiration。〃
　〃And　how　do　you　know　that？〃　Smithback　cried　out；　his　triumph　now　secure。
　The　mayor　now　turned　to　him。　〃Are　you　suggesting；　sir；〃　he　said　facetiously；　〃that　Dr。　Leng　is　still　alive　and　continuing　his　business？〃
　There　was　a　solid　round　of　laughter　in　the　hall。
　〃Not　at　all…〃
　〃Then　I　suggest　you　sit　down；　my　friend。〃
　Smithback　sat　down；　amid　more　laughter；　his　feelings　of　triumph　squashed。　He　had　scored　a　hit；　but　they　knew　how　to　hit　back。
　As　the　questions　droned　on；　it　slowly　dawned　on　him　just　what　he　had　done；　dragging　Nora's　name　into　the　press　conference。　It　didn't　take　him　nearly　as　long　to　figure　out　how　she　would　feel　about　it。
　
　TWO
　　
　DOYERS　STREET　WAS　a　short；　narrow　doglet　of　a　lane　at　the　southeastern　edge　of　Chinatown。　A　cluster　of　tea　shops　and　grocery　stores　stood　at　the　far　end；　festooned　with　bright　neon　signs　in　Chinese。　Dark　clouds　scudded　across　the　sky；　whipping　scraps　of　paper　and　leaves　off　the　sidewalk。　There　was　a　distant　roll　of　thunder。　A　storm　was　ing。
　O'Shaughnessy　paused　at　the　entrance　of　the　deserted　lane；　and　Nora　stopped　beside　him。　She　shivered；　with　both　fear　and　cold。　She　could　see　him　peering　up　and　down　the　sidewalk；　eyes　alert　for　any　sign　of　danger；　any　possibility　that　they　had　been　followed。
　〃Number　ninety…nine　is　in　the　middle　of　the　block；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃That　brownstone；　there。〃
　Nora　followed　the　indicated　direction　with　her　eyes。　It　was　a　narrow　building　like　all　the　others：　a　three…story　struc