preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第60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！


　〃Drinkable；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。
　As　they　sipped　in　silence；　Smithback　shot　a　covert　glance　at　the　policeman　across　the　table。　So　far　he'd　gotten　precious　little　out　of　their　arrangement；　although　he'd　given　him　a　pile　on　Fairhaven。　And　yet　he　found　he　had　e　to　like　the　guy：　O'Shaughnessy　had　a　laconic；　cynical；　even　fatalistic　outlook　on　life　that　Smithback　understood　pletely。
　Smithback　sighed　and　sat　back。　〃So　what's　new？〃
　O'Shaughnessy's　face　instantly　clouded。　〃They　fired　me。〃
　Smithback　sat　up　again　abruptly。　〃What？　When？〃
　〃Yesterday。　Not　fired；　exactly。　Not　yet。　Put　on　administrative　leave。　They're　opening　an　investigation。〃　He　glanced　up　suddenly。　〃This　is　just　between　you　and　me。〃
　Smithback　sat　back。　〃Of　course。〃
　〃I've　got　a　hearing　next　week　before　the　union　board；　but　it　looks　like　I'm　done　for。〃
　〃Why？　Because　you　did　a　little　moonlighting？〃
　〃Custer's　pissed。　He'll　bring　up　some　old　history。　A　bribe　I　took；　five　years　ago。　That；　along　with　insubordination　and　disobeying　orders；　will　be　enough　to　drag　me　down。〃
　〃That　fat…assed　bastard。〃
　There　was　another　silence。　There's　one　potential　source　shot　to　hell；　Smithback　thought。　Too　bad。　He's　a　decent　guy。
　〃I'm　working　for　Pendergast　now；〃　O'Shaughnessy　added　in　a　very　low　voice；　cradling　his　drink。
　This　was　even　more　of　a　shock。　〃Pendergast？　How　so？〃　Perhaps　all　was　not　lost。
　〃He　needed　a　Man　Friday。　Someone　to　pound　the　pavement　for　him；　help　track　things　down。　At　least；　that's　what　he　said。　Tomorrow；　I'm　supposed　to　head　down　to　the　East　Village；　snoop　around　a　shop　where　Pendergast　thinks　Leng　might　have　bought　his　chemicals。〃
　〃Jesus。〃　Now；　this　was　an　interesting　development　indeed：　O'Shaughnessy　working　for　Pendergast；　no　longer　shackled　by　the　NYPD　rules　about　talking　to　journalists。　Maybe　this　was　even　better　than　before。
　〃If　you　find　something；　you'll　let　me　know？〃　Smithback　asked。
　〃That　depends。〃
　〃On　what？〃
　〃On　what　you　can　do　for　us　with　that　something。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　understand。〃
　〃You're　a　reporter；　right？　You　do　research？〃
　〃It's　my　middle　name。　Why；　you　guys　need　my　help　with　something？〃　Smithback　suddenly　glanced　away。　〃I　don't　think　Nora　would　like　that。〃
　〃She　doesn't　know。　Neither　does　Pendergast。〃
　Smithback　looked　back；　surprised。　But　O'Shaughnessy　didn't　look　like　he　planned　to　say　anything　else　about　it。　No　use　trying　to　force　anything　out　of　this　guy；　Smithback　thought。　I'll　wait　till　he's　good　and　ready。
　He　took　a　different　tack。　〃So；　how'd　you　like　my　file　on　Fairhaven？〃
　〃Fat。　Very　fat。　Thanks。〃
　〃Just　a　lot　of　bullshit；　I'm　afraid。〃
　〃Pendergast　seemed　pleased。　He　told　me　to　congratulate　you。〃
　〃Pendergast's　a　good　man；〃　Smithback　said　cautiously。
　O'Shaughnessy　nodded；　sipped。　〃But　you　always　get　the　sense　he　knows　more　than　he　lets　on。　All　this　talk　about　how　we　have　to　be　careful；　how　our　lives　are　in　danger。　But　he　refuses　to　spell　it　all　out。　And　then；　out　of　nowhere；　he　drops　a　bomb　on　you。〃　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃And　that's　where　you　may　e　in。〃
　Here　we　go。　〃Me？〃
　〃I　want　you　to　do　a　little　digging。　Find　something　out　for　me。〃　There　was　a　slight　hesitation。　〃See；　I　worry　the　injury　may　have　hit　Pendergast　harder　than　we　realized。　He's　got　this　crazy　theory。　So　crazy；　when　I　heard　it；　I　almost　walked　out　right　then。〃
　〃Yeah？〃　Smithback　took　a　casual　sip；　carefully　concealing　his　interest。　He　knew　very　well　what　a　〃crazy　theory〃　of　Pendergast's　could　turn　out　to　mean。
　〃Yeah。　I　mean；　I　like　this　case。　I'd　hate　to　turn　away　from　it。　But　I　can't　work　on　something　that's　nuts。〃
　〃I　hear　that。　So　what's　Pendergast's　crazy　theory？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　hesitated；　longer　this　time。　He　was　clearly　struggling　with　himself　over　this。
　Smithback　gritted　his　teeth。　Get　the　man　another　drink。
　He　waved　the　waiter　over。　〃We'll　have　another　round；〃　he　said。
　〃Make　mine　Powers。〃
　〃Have　it　your　way。　Still　on　me。〃
　They　waited　for　the　next　round　to　arrive。
　〃How's　the　newspaper　business？〃　O'Shaughnessy　asked。
　〃Lousy。　Got　scooped　by　the　Post。　Twice。〃
　〃I　noticed　that。〃
　〃I　could've　used　some　help　there；　Patrick。　The　phone　call　about　Doyers　Street　was　nice；　but　it　didn't　get　me　inside。〃
　〃Hey；　I　gave　you　the　tip；　it's　up　to　you　to　get　your　ass　inside。〃
　〃How'd　Harriman　get　the　exclusive？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is；　they　hate　you。　They　blame　you　for　triggering　the　copycat　killings。〃
　Smithback　shook　his　head。　〃Probably　going　to　can　me　now。〃
　〃Not　for　a　scoop。〃
　〃Two　scoops。　And　Patrick；　don't　be　so　naive。　This　is　a　bloodsucking　business；　and　you　either　suck　or　get　sucked。〃　The　metaphor　didn't　have　quite　the　ring　Smithback　intended；　but　it　conveyed　the　message。
　O'Shaughnessy　laughed　mirthlessly。　〃That　about　sums　it　up　in　my　business；　too。〃　His　face　grew　graver。　〃But　I　know　what　it's　like　to　be　canned。〃
　Smithback　leaned　forward　conspiratorially。　Time　to　push　a　little。　〃So　what's　Pendergast's　theory？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　took　a　sip　of　his　drink。　He　seemed　to　arrive　at　some　private　decision。　〃If　I　tell　you；　you'll　use　your　resources；　see　if　there's　any　chance　it's　true？〃
　〃Of　course。　I'll　do　whatever　I　can。〃
　〃And　you'll　keep　it　to　yourself？　No　story…at　least；　not　yet？〃
　That　hurt；　but　Smithback　managed　to　nod　in　agreement。
　〃Okay。〃　O'Shaughnessy　shook　his　head。　〃Not　that　you　could　print　it；　anyway。　It's　totally　unpublishable。〃
　Smithback　nodded。　〃I　understand。〃　This　was　sounding　better　and　better。
　O'Shaughnessy　glanced　at　him。　〃Pendergast　thinks　this　guy　Leng　is　still　alive。　He　thinks　Leng　succeeded　in　prolonging　his　life。〃
　This　stopped　Smithback　cold。　He　felt　a　shock　of　disappointment。　〃Shit；　Patrick；　that　is　crazy。　That's　absurd。〃
　〃I　told　you　so。〃
　Smithback　felt　a　wave　of　desperation。　This　was　worse　than　nothing。　Pendergast　had　gone　off　the　deep　end。　Everybody　knew　a　copycat　killer　was　at　work　here。　Leng；　still　alive　after　a　century　and　a　half？　The　story　he　was　looking　for　seemed　to　recede　further　into　the　distance。　He　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　〃How？〃
　〃Pendergast　believes　that　the　examination　of　the　bones　on　Doyers　Street；　the　Catherine　Street　autopsy　report；　and　the　Doreen　Hollander　autopsy　results；　all　show　the　same　exact　pattern　of　marks。〃
　Smithback　continued　to　shake　his　head。　〃So　Leng's　been　killing　all　this　time…for；　what；　the　last　hundred　and　thirty　years？〃
　〃That's　what　he　thinks。　He　thinks　the　guy　is　still　living　up　on　Riverside　Drive　somewhere。〃
　For　a　moment；　Smithback　was　silent；　toying　with　the　matches。　Pendergast　needed　a　long　vacation。
　〃He's　got　Nora　examining　old　deeds；　identifying　which　houses　dating　prior　to　1900　weren't　broken　into　apartments。　Looking　for　property　deeds　that　haven't　gone　into　probate　for　a　very；　very　long　time。　That　sort　of　thing。　Trying　to　track　Leng　down。〃
　A　total　waste；　Smithback　thought。　What's　going　on　with　Pendergast？　He　finished　his　now　tasteless　drink。
　〃Don't　forget　your　promise。　You'll　look　into　it？　Check　the　obituaries；　b　old　issues　of　the　Times　for　any　crumbs　you　can　find？　See　if　there's　even　a　chance　Pendergast　might　be　right？〃
　〃Sure；　sure。〃　Jesus；　what　a　joke。　Smithback　was　now　sorry　he'd　agreed　to　the　arrangement。　All　it　meant　was　more　wasted　time。
　O'Shaughnessy　looked　relieved。　〃Thanks。〃
　Smithback　dropped　the　matches　into　his　pocket；　drained　his　glass。　He　flagged　down　the　waiter。　〃What　do　we　owe　you？〃
　〃Ninety…two　dollars；〃　the　man　intoned　sadly。　As　usual；　there　was　no　tab：　Smithback　was　sure　a　goodly　portion　went　into　the　waiter's　own　pockets。
　〃Ninety…two　dollars！〃　O'Shaughnessy　cried。　〃How　many　drinks　did　you　have　before　I　arrived？〃
　〃The　good　things　in　life；　Patrick；　are　not　free；〃　Smithback　said　mournfully。　〃That　is　especially　true　of　single　malt　Scotch。〃
　〃Think　of　the　poor　starving　children。〃
　〃Think　of　the　poor　thirsty　journalists。　Next　time；　you　pay。　Especially　if　you　e　armed　with　a　story　that　crazy。〃
　〃I　told　you　so。　And　I　hope　you　won't　mind　drinking　Powers。　No　Irishman　would　be　caught　dead　paying　a　tab　like　that。　Only　a　Scotsman　would　dare　charge　that　much　for　a　drink。〃
　　
　Smithback　turned　onto　Columbus　Avenue；　thinking。　Suddenly；　he　stopped。　While　Pendergast's　theory　was　ridiculous；　it　had　given　him　an　idea。　With