preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第53部分

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　and　displeasure。　Her　crossed　arms　looked　like　balsa…colored　hams。
　The　man　sat　down　unhappily。
　〃So；〃　said　Nora；　〃let's　get　this　over　with。　I　want　to　rent　the　apartment。　I　need　it　immediately。　Today。　Right　now。〃
　〃Have　to　check　reference；〃　Lee　replied　feebly。
　〃There's　no　time　and　I'm　prepared　to　pay　cash。　I　need　the　apartment　tonight；　or　I　won't　have　a　place　to　sleep。〃　As　she　spoke；　she　removed　Pendergast's　envelope。　She　reached　in　and　took　out　a　brick　of　hundred…dollar　bills。
　The　appearance　of　the　money　brought　a　loud　expostulation　from　the　wife。　Lee　did　not　respond。　His　eyes　were　on　the　cash。
　〃I　have　here　first　month's　rent；　last　month's　rent；　and　a　month's　deposit。〃　Nora　thumped　the　roll　on　the　tabletop。　〃Six　thousand　six　hundred　dollars。　Cash。　Bring　out　the　lease。〃
　The　apartment　was　dismal　and　the　rent　bordered　on　outrageous；　which　was　probably　why　it　wasn't　gone　already。　She　hoped　that　hard　cash　was　something　Lee　could　not　afford　to　ignore。
　There　was　another　sharp　ment　from　the　wife。　Lee　ignored　her。　He　went　into　the　back；　and　returned　a　few　minutes　later；　laying　two　leases　in　front　of　her。　They　were　in　Chinese。　There　was　a　silence。
　〃Need　reference；〃　said　the　wife　stolidly；　switching　to　English　for　Nora's　benefit。　〃Need　credit　check。〃
　Nora　ignored　her。　〃Where　do　I　sign？〃
　〃There；〃　the　man　pointed。
　Nora　signed　Betsy　Winchell　with　a　flourish　on　both　leases；　and　then　handwrote　on　each　lease　a　crude　receipt：　6；600　received　by　Mr。　Ling　Lee。　〃My　Uncle　Huang　will　translate　it　for　me。　I　hope　for　your　sake　there's　nothing　illegal　in　it。　Now　you　sign。　Initial　the　receipt。〃
　There　was　a　sharp　noise　from　the　wife。
　Lee　signed　his　name　in　Chinese；　emboldened；　it　seemed；　by　the　opposition　of　his　wife。
　〃Now　give　me　the　keys　and　we're　done。〃
　〃Have　to　make　copy　of　keys。〃
　〃You　give　me　those　keys。　It's　my　apartment　now。　I'll　make　the　copies　for　you　at　my　own　expense。　I　need　to　start　moving　in　right　away。〃
　Lee　reluctantly　handed　her　the　keys。　Nora　took　them；　folded　one　of　the　leases　into　her　pocket；　and　stood　up。　〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said　cheerfully；　holding　out　her　hand。
　Lee　shook　it　limply。　As　the　door　closed；　Nora　heard　another　sharp　irruption　of　displeasure　from　the　wife。　This　one　sounded　as　if　it　might　go　on　for　a　long　time。
　
　THREE
　　
　NORA　IMMEDIATELY　RETURNED　to　the　apartment　below。　O'Shaugnessy　appeared　by　her　side　as　she　unlocked　the　door。　Together；　they　slipped　into　the　living　room；　and　Nora　secured　the　door　with　deadbolts　and　chains。　Then　she　moved　to　the　barred　window。　Two　nails　stuck　out　from　either　side　of　the　lintel；　on　which　someone　had　once　hung　a　makeshift　curtain。　She　removed　her　coat　and　hung　it　across　the　nails；　blocking　the　view　from　outside。
　〃Cozy　place；〃　O'Shaughnessy　said；　sniffing。　〃Smells　like　a　crime　scene。〃
　Nora　didn't　answer。　She　was　staring　at　the　floor；　already　working　out　the　dig　in　her　mind。
　While　O'Shaughnessy　cased　the　apartment；　Nora　made　a　circuit　of　the　living　room；　examining　the　floor；　gridding　it　off；　plotting　her　lines　of　attack。　Then　she　knelt　and；　taking　a　penknife　from　her　pocket…a　knife　her　brother；　Skip；　had　given　her　for　her　sixteenth　birthday　and　which　she　never　traveled　without…eased　it　between　the　edges　of　two　bricks。　Slowly；　deliberately；　she　cut　her　way　through　the　crust　of　grime　and　old　floor　wax。　She　rocked　the　knife　back　and　forth　between　the　bricks；　gently　loosening　the　stonework。　Then；　bit　by　bit；　she　began　to　work　the　closest　brick　from　its　socket。　In　a　moment　it　was　free。　She　pulled　it　out。
　Earth。　The　damp　smell　rose　toward　her　nostrils。　She　poked　her　finger　into　it：　cool；　moist；　a　little　slimy。　She　probed　with　the　penknife；　found　it　pact　but　yielding；　with　little　gravel　or　rocks。　Perfect。
　She　straightened　up；　looked　around。　O'Shaughnessy　was　standing　behind　her；　looking　down　curiously。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　asked。
　〃Checking　the　subflooring。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃It's　old　fill；　not　cement。〃
　〃Is　that　good？〃
　〃It's　outstanding。〃
　〃If　you　say　so。〃
　She　tapped　the　brick　back　into　place；　then　stood。　She　checked　her　watch。　Three　o'clock；　Friday　afternoon。　The　Museum　would　close　in　two　hours。
　She　turned　to　O'Shaughnessy。　〃Look；　Patrick；　I　need　you　to　get　up　to　my　office　at　the　Museum；　plunder　my　field　locker　for　some　tools　and　equipment　I'll　need。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　shook　his　head。　〃Nothing　doing。　Pendergast　said　I　was　to　stay　with　you。〃
　〃I　remember。　But　I'm　here　now；　safe。　There　must　be　five　locks　on　that　door；　I　won't　be　going　anywhere。　I'll　be　a　lot　safer　here　than　walking　the　streets。　Besides；　the　killer　knows　where　I　work。　Would　you　rather　I　went　uptown　and　you　waited　here？〃
　〃Why　go　anywhere？　What's　the　hurry？　Can't　we　wait　until　Pendergast　is　out　of　the　hospital？〃
　She　stared　at　him。　〃The　clock's　ticking；　Patrick。　There's　a　killer　out　there。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　looked　at　her。　Hesitated。
　〃We　can't　afford　to　just　sit　around。　I　hope　you're　not　going　to　give　me　a　hard　time。　I　need　those　tools；　and　I　need　them　now。〃
　Still；　hesitation。
　Nora　felt　her　anger　rise。　〃Just　do　it。　Okay？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　sighed。　〃Double…lock　the　door　behind　me；　and　don't　open　it　for　anybody。　Not　the　landlord；　not　the　fire　department；　not　Santa　Claus。　Only　me。　Promise？〃
　Nora　nodded。　〃I　promise。〃
　〃Good；　I'll　be　back　ASAP。〃
　She　drew　up　a　quick　list　of　items；　gave　O'Shaughnessy　directions；　and　locked　the　door　carefully　behind　him；　shutting　out　the　sound　of　the　growing　storm。　Slowly；　she　stepped　away　from　the　door；　her　eyes　swiveling　around　the　room；　ing　to　rest　at　last　on　the　brickwork　beneath　her　feet。　One　hundred　years　before；　Leng；　for　all　his　genius；　could　not　have　anticipated　the　reach　of　modern　archaeology。　She　would　excavate　this　site　with　the　greatest　care；　sifting　through　his　old　laboratory　layer　by　layer；　bringing　all　her　skills　to　bear　in　order　to　capture　even　the　smallest　piece　of　evidence。　And　there　would　be　evidence；　she　knew　that。　There　was　no　such　thing　as　a　barren　archaeological　site。　People…wherever　they　went；　whatever　they　did…always　left　a　record。
　Taking　out　her　penknife；　she　knelt　and；　once　again；　began　easing　the　blade　between　the　old　bricks。　There　was　a　sudden　peal　of　thunder；　louder　than　any　that　had　e　before；　she　paused；　heart　beating　wildly　with　terror。　She　forced　her　feelings　back　under　control；　shaking　her　head　ruefully。　No　killer　was　going　to　stop　her　from　finding　out　what　was　beneath　this　floor。　She　wondered　briefly　what　Brisbane　would　say　to　this　work。　The　hell　with　him；　she　thought。
　She　turned　the　penknife　over　in　her　hands；　closed　it　with　a　sigh。　All　her　professional　life；　she　had　unearthed　and　catalogued　human　bones　without　emotion…with　no　connection　to　the　ancient　skeletons　beyond　a　shared　humanity。　But　Mary　Greene　had　proven　utterly　different。　There；　outside　the　girl's　house；　Pendergast　had　thrown　Mary　Greene's　short　life　and　awful　death　into　sharp　relief。　For　the　first　time；　Nora　realized　she　had　excavated；　handled；　the　bones　of　someone　that　she　could　understand；　grieve　for。　More　and　more；　Pendergast's　tale　of　Mary　Greene　was　sinking　in；　despite　her　attempts　to　keep　a　professional　distance。　And　now；　she　had　almost　bee　another　Mary　Greene。
　That　made　it　personal。　Very　personal。
　Her　thoughts　were　interrupted　by　the　rattle　of　wind　at　the　door；　and　another；　fainter；　rumble　of　thunder。　Nora　rose　to　her　knees；　opened　the　penknife　again；　and　began　scraping　vigorously　at　the　brickwork　beneath　her　feet。　It　was　going　to　be　a　long　night。
　
　FOUR
　　
　THE　WIND　SHOOK　the　barred　door；　and　occasional　flickers　of　lightning　and　grumblings　of　thunder　penetrated　the　room。　Now　that　O'Shaughnessy　had　returned；　the　two　worked　together；　the　policeman　moving　the　dirt；　Nora　focusing　on　uncovering　the　details。　They　labored　by　the　light　of　a　single　yellow　bulb。　The　room　smelled　strongly　of　decaying　earth。　The　air　was　close；　humid；　and　stifling。
　She　had　opened　a　four…square…meter　dig　in　the　living　room　floor。　It　had　been　carefully　gridded　off；　and　she　had　stepped　down　the　excavation；　each　meter　grid　to　a　different　level；　allowing　her　to　climb　in　and　out　of　the　deepening　hole。　The　floor　bricks　were　neatly　piled　against　the　far　wall。　The　door　leading　to　the　kitchen　was　open；　and