preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第66部分

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　She　almost　flew　past　the　heavy　door；　fumbling　with　the　keys。　She　turned；　jammed　her　key　into　the　lock；　and　pushed　the　door　open　just　as　the　cops　came　into　view　around　the　corner。
　Shit。　They've　seen　me。　Nora　closed　the　door；　locked　it　behind　her；　turned　toward　the　long　rows　of　tall　metal　stacks；　preparing　to　run。
　Then　she　had　an　idea。
　She　unlocked　the　door　again；　then　took　off　down　the　closest　aisle；　turning　left　at　the　first　crossing；　then　right；　angling　away　from　the　door。　At　last　she　dropped　into　a　crouch；　pressing　herself　into　the　shadows；　trying　to　catch　her　breath。　She　heard　the　tramp　of　feet　in　the　corridor　beyond。　The　door　rattled　abruptly。
　〃Open　up！〃　came　O'Grady's　muffled　roar。
　Nora　glanced　around　quickly；　searching　for　a　better　place　to　hide。　The　room　was　lit　only　by　the　dim　glow　of　emergency　lighting；　high　up　in　the　ceiling。　Additional　lights　required　a　key…standard　procedure　in　Museum　storage　rooms；　where　light　could　harm　the　specimens…and　the　long　aisles　were　cloaked　in　darkness。　She　heard　a　grunt；　the　shiver　of　the　door　in　its　frame。　She　hoped　they　wouldn't　be　stupid　enough　to　break　down　an　unlocked　door…that　would　ruin　everything。
　The　door　shivered　under　the　weight　of　another　heavy　blow。　Then　they　figured　it　out：　it　was　almost　with　relief　that　she　heard　the　jiggling　of　the　handle；　the　creak　of　the　opening　door。　Warily；　silently；　she　retreated　farther　into　the　vast　forest　of　bones。
　The　Museum's　dinosaur　bone　collection　was　the　largest　in　the　world。　The　dinosaurs　were　stored　unmounted；　stacked　disarticulated　on　massive　steel　shelves。　The　shelves　themselves　were　constructed　of　steel　I…beams　and　angle　iron；　riveted　together　to　make　a　web　of　shelving　strong　enough　to　support　thousands　of　tons：　vast　piles　of　tree…trunk…thick　legbones；　skulls　the　size　of　cars；　massive　slabs　of　stone　matrix　with　bones　still　imbedded；　awaiting　the　preparator's　chisel。　The　room　smelled　like　the　interior　of　an　ancient　stone　cathedral。
　〃We　know　you're　in　here！〃　came　the　breathless　voice　of　Finester。
　Nora　receded　deeper　into　the　shadows。　A　rat　scurried　in　front　of　her；　scrambling　for　safety　within　a　gaping　allosaurus　eye　socket。　Bones　rose　on　both　sides　like　great　heaps　of　cordwood；　shelves　climbing　into　the　gloom。　Like　most　of　the　Museum　storage　rooms；　it　was　an　illogical　jumble　of　shelves　and　mismatched　rows；　growing　by　accretion　over　the　last　century　and　a　half。　A　good　place　to　get　lost　in。
　〃Running　away　from　the　police　never　did　anyone　any　good；　Dr。　Kelly！　Give　yourself　up　now　and　we'll　go　easy　on　you！〃
　She　shrank　behind　a　giant　turtle　almost　the　size　of　a　studio　apartment；　trying　to　reconstruct　the　layout　of　the　vault　in　her　head。　She　couldn't　remember　seeing　a　rear　door　in　previous　visits。　Most　storage　vaults；　for　security　purposes；　had　only　one。　There　was　only　one　way　out；　and　they　were　blocking　it。　She　had　to　get　them　to　move。
　〃Dr。　Kelly；　I'm　sure　we　can　work　something　out！　Please！〃
　Nora　smiled　to　herself。　What　a　pair　of　blunderers。　Smithback　would　have　had　fun　with　them。
　Her　smile　faded　at　the　thought　of　Smithback。　She　was　certain　now　of　what　he'd　done。　Smithback　had　gone　to　Leng's　house。　Perhaps　he　had　heard　Pendergast's　theory…that　Leng　was　alive　and　still　living　in　his　old　house。　Perhaps　he'd　wheedled　it　out　of　O'Shaughnessy。　The　guy　could　have　made　Helen　Keller　talk。
　On　top　of　that；　he　was　a　good　researcher。　He　knew　the　Museum's　files。　While　she　and　Pendergast　were　going　through　deeds；　he'd　gone　straight　to　the　Museum　and　hit　paydirt。　And　knowing　Smithback；　he'd　have　run　right　up　to　Leng's　house。　That's　why　he'd　rented　a　car；　driven　it　up　Riverside　Drive。　Just　to　check　out　the　house。　But　Smithback　could　never　merely　check　something　out。　The　fool；　the　damned　fool　。　。　。
　Cautiously；　Nora　tried　dialing　Smithback　on　her　cell　phone；　muffling　the　sound　with　the　leather　of　her　purse。　But　the　phone　was　dead：　she　was　surrounded　by　several　thousand　tons　of　steel　shelves　and　dinosaur　bones；　not　to　mention　the　Museum　overhead。　At　least　it　probably　meant　the　radios　of　the　cops　would　be　equally　useless。　If　her　plan　worked；　that　would　prove　useful。
　〃Dr。　Kelly！〃　The　voices　were　ing　from　her　left　now；　away　from　the　door。
　She　crept　forward　between　the　shelves；　strained　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　them；　but　she　could　see　nothing　but　the　beam　of　a　flashlight　stabbing　through　the　dark　piles　of　bone。
　There　was　no　more　time：　she　had　to　get　out。
　She　listened　closely　to　the　footsteps　of　the　cops。　Good：　they　seemed　to　still　be　together。　In　their　joint　eagerness　to　take　credit　for　the　collar；　they'd　been　too　stupid　to　leave　one　to　guard　the　door。
　〃All　right！〃　she　called。　〃I　give　up！　Sorry；　I　guess　I　just　lost　my　head。〃
　There　was　a　brief　flurry　of　whispers。
　〃We're　ing！〃　O'Grady　shouted。　〃Don't　go　anywhere！〃
　She　heard　them　moving　in　her　direction；　more　quickly　now；　the　flashlight　beam　wobbling　and　weaving　as　they　ran。　Watching　the　direction　of　the　beam；　she　scooted　away；　keeping　low；　angling　back　toward　the　front　of　the　storage　room；　moving　as　quickly　and　silently　as　she　could。
　〃Where　are　you？〃　she　heard　a　voice　cry；　fainter　now；　several　aisles　away。　〃Dr。　Kelly？〃
　〃She　was　over　there；　O'Grady。〃
　〃Damn　it；　Finester；　you　know　she　was　much　farther…〃
　In　a　flash　Nora　was　out　the　door。　She　turned；　slammed　it　shut；　turned　her　key　in　the　lock。　In　another　five　minutes　she　was　out　on　Museum　Drive。
　Panting　hard；　she　slipped　her　cell　phone　out　of　her　purse　again　and　dialed。
　
　SEVEN
　　
　THE　SILVER　WRAITH　glided　noiselessly　up　to　the　Seventy…second　Street　curb。　Pendergast　slid　out　and　stood　for　a　moment　in　the　shadow　of　the　Dakota；　deep　in　thought；　while　the　car　idled。
　The　interview　with　his　great…aunt　had　left　him　with　an　unfamiliar　feeling　of　dread。　Yet　it　was　a　dread　that　had　been　growing　within　him　since　he　first　heard　of　the　discovery　of　the　charnel　pit　beneath　Catherine　Street。
　For　many　years　he　had　kept　a　silent　vigil；　scanning　the　FBI　and　Interpol　services；　on　the　lookout　for　a　specific　modus　operandi。　He'd　hoped　it　would　never　surface…but　always；　in　the　back　of　his　mind；　had　feared　it　would。
　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Pendergast；〃　the　guard　said　at　his　approach；　stepping　out　of　the　sentry　box。　An　envelope　lay　in　his　white…gloved　hand。　The　sight　of　the　envelope　sent　Pendergast's　dread　soaring。
　〃Thank　you；　Johnson；〃　Pendergast　replied；　without　taking　the　envelope。　〃Did　Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy　e　by；　as　I　mentioned　he　would？〃
　〃No　sir。　He　hasn't　been　by　all　evening。〃
　Pendergast　grew　more　pensive；　and　there　was　a　long　moment　of　silence。　〃I　see。　Did　you　take　delivery　of　this　envelope？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃From　whom；　may　I　ask？〃
　〃A　nice；　old…fashioned　sort　of　gent；　sir。〃
　〃In　a　derby　hat？〃
　〃Precisely；　sir。〃
　Pendergast　scanned　the　crisp　copperplate　on　the　front　of　the　envelope：　For　A。　X。　L。　Pendergast；　Esq。；　D。　Phil。；　The　Dakota。　Personal　and　Confidential。　The　envelope　was　handmade　from　a　heavy；　old…fashioned　laid　paper；　with　a　deckle　edge。　It　was　precisely　the　sort　of　paper　made　by　the　Pendergast　family's　private　stationer。　Although　the　envelope　was　yellow　with　age；　the　writing　on　it　was　fresh。
　Pendergast　turned　to　the　guard。　〃Johnson；　may　I　borrow　your　gloves？〃
　The　doorman　was　too　well　trained　to　show　surprise。　Donning　the　gloves；　Pendergast　slipped　into　the　halo　of　light　around　the　sentry　box　and　broke　the　envelope's　seal　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　Very　gingerly；　he　bowed　it　open；　looking　inside。　There　was　a　single　sheet　of　paper；　folded　once。　In　the　crease　lay　a　single　small；　grayish　fiber。　To　the　untrained　eye；　it　looked　like　a　bit　of　fishing　line。　Pendergast　recognized　it　as　a　human　nerve　strand；　undoubtedly　from　the　cauda　equina　at　the　base　of　the　spinal　cord。
　There　was　no　writing　on　the　folded　sheet。　He　angled　it　toward　the　light；　but　there　was　nothing　else　at　all；　not　even　a　watermark。
　At　that　moment；　his　cell　phone　rang。
　Putting　the　envelope　carefully　aside；　Pendergast　plucked　his　phone　from　his　suit　pocket　and　raised　it　to　his　ear。
　〃Yes？〃　He　spoke　in　a　calm；　neutral　voice。
　〃It's　Nora。　Listen；　Smithback　figured　out　where　Leng　lives。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃I　think　he　went　up　there。　I　think　he　went　into　the　house。〃
　
　The　Search
　
　ONE
　　
　NORA　WATCHED　THE　Silver　Wraith　approach　her　at　an　alarming　speed；　weaving　through　the　Central　Park　West　traffic；　red　light　flashing　incongruously　on　its　dashboard。　The　car　screeched　to　a　stop　alongside　her　as　the　rear　door　flew　open。
　〃Get　in！〃　called　Pendergast。
　She　jumped　inside；　the　sudden　acceleration　throwing　her　back　against　the　white　leather　of　the　seat。
　Pendergast　had　lowered　the　center　armrest。　He　looked　straight　ahead；　his　face　grimmer　than　Nora　had　ever　seen　it。　He　seemed　to　see　nothing；　notice　nothing；　as　the　car　tore　northward；　rocking　slightly；　bounding　over　potholes　and　gaping　cracks　in　the　asphalt。　To　Nora's　right；　Central　Park　raced　by；　the　trees　a　blur。
　〃I　tried　reaching　Smithback　on　his　cell　phone；〃　Nora　said。　〃He　isn't　answering。〃
　Pendergast　did　not　reply。
　〃You　really　believe　Leng's　still　alive？〃
　〃I　know　so。〃
　Nora　was　silent　a　moment。　Then　she　had　to　ask。　〃Do　you　think…Do　you　think　he's　got　Smithback？〃
　Pendergast　did　not　answer　immediately。　〃The　expense　voucher　Smithback　filled　out　stated　he　would　return　the　car　by　five　this　evening。〃
　By　five　this　evening　。　。　。　Nora　felt　herself　consumed　by　agitation　and　panic。　Already；　Smithback　was　over　six　hours　overdue。
　〃If　he's　parked　near　Leng's　house；　we　might　just　be　able　to　find　him。〃　Pendergast　leaned　forward；　sliding　open　the　glass　panel　that　isolated　the　rear　partment。　〃Proctor；　when　we　reach　131st　Street；　we'll　be　looking　for　a　silver　Ford　Taurus；　New　York　license　ELI…7734；　with　rental　car　decals。〃
　He　closed　the　panel；　leaned　back　against　the　seat。　Another　silence　fell　as　the　car　shot　left　onto　Cathedral　Parkway　and　sped　toward　the　river。
　〃We　would　have　known　Leng's　address　in　forty…eight　hours；〃　he　said；　almost　to　himself。　〃We　were　very　close。　A　little　more　care；　a　little　more　method；　was　all　it　would　have　taken。　Now；　we　don't　have　forty…eight　hours。〃
　〃How　much　time　do　we　have？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　we　don't　have　any；〃　Pendergast　murmured。
　
　TWO
　　
　CUSTER　WATCHED　BRISBANE　unlock　his　office　door；　open　i