th.red dragon-第15部分

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the　other　side　of　the　woods。
　Here　the　pavement　ended　at　a　low…ine　housing　project　so　new　it　did　not　show　on　his　map。　He　pulled　into　the　parking　lot。　Most　of　the　cars　were　old　and　sagging　on　their　springs。　Two　were　up　on　blocks。
　Black　children　played　basketball　on　the　bare　earth　around　a　single　netless　goal。　Graham　sat　on　his　fender　to　watch　the　game　for　a　moment。
　He　wanted　to　take　off　his　jacket；　but　he　knew　the　。44　Special　and　the　flat　camera　on　his　belt　would　attract　attention。　He　always　felt　a　curious　embarrassment　when　people　looked　at　his　pistol。
　There　were　eight　players　on　the　team　wearing　shirts。　The　skins　had　eleven；　all　playing　at　once。　Refereeing　was　by　acclamation。
　A　small　skin；　shoved　down　in　the　rebounding；　stalked　home　mad。　He　came　back　fortified　with　a　cookie　and　dived　into　the　pack　again。
　The　yelling　and　the　thump　of　the　ball　lifted　Graham's　spirits。
　One　goal；　one　basketball。　It　struck　him　again　how　many　things　the　Leedses　had。　The　Jacobis　too；　according　to　the　Birmingham　police　when　they　ruled　out　burglary。　Boats　and　sporting　equipment；　camping　equipment；　cameras　and　guns　and　rods。　It　was　another　thing　the　families　had　in　mon。
　And　with　the　thought　of　the　Leedses　and　the　Jacobis　alive　came　the　thought　of　how　they　were　afterward；　and　Graham　couldn't　watch　basketball　anymore。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　headed　for　the　dark　woods　across　the　road。
　The　underbrush；　heavy　at　the　edge　of　the　pine　woods；　thinned　when　Graham　reached　the　deep　shade　and　he　had　easy　going　over　the　pine　needles。　The　air　was　warm　and　still。　Blue　jays　in　the　trees　ahead　announced　his　ing。
　The　ground　sloped　gently　to　a　dry　streambed　where　a　few　cypresses　grew　and　the　tracks　of　raccoons　and　field　mice　were　pressed　into　the　red　clay。　A　number　of　human　footprints　marked　the　streambed；　some　of　them　left　by　children。　All　were　caved　in　and　rounded；　left　several　rains　ago。
　Past　the　streambed　the　land　rose　again；　changing　to　sandy　loam　that　supported　ferns　beneath　the　pines。　Graham　worked　his　way　uphill　in　the　heat　until　he　saw　the　light　beneath　the　trees　at　the　edge　of　the　woods。
　Between　the　trunks　he　could　see　the　upper　story　of　the　Jacobi　house。
　Undergrowth　again；　head…high　from　the　edge　of　the　woods　to　the　Jacobis'　back　fence。　Graham　worked　his　way　through　it　and　stood　at　the　fence　looking　into　the　yard。
　The　Tooth　Fairy　could　have　parked　at　the　housing　development　and　e　through　the　woods　to　the　brush　behind　the　house。　He　could　have　lured　the　cat　into　the　brush　and　choked　it；　the　body　limp　in　one　hand　as　he　crawled　on　his　knees　and　other　hand　to　the　fence。　Graham　could　see　the　cat　in　the　air；　never　twisting　to　land　on　its　feet；　but　hitting　on　its　back　with　a　thump　in　the　yard。
　The　Tooth　Fairy　did　that　in　daylight　…　the　children　would　not　have　found　or　buried　the　cat　at　night。
　And　he　waited　to　see　them　find　it。　Did　he　wait　for　the　rest　of　the　day　in　the　heat　of　the　underbrush？　At　the　fence　he　would　be　visible　through　the　rails。　In　order　to　see　the　yard　from　farther　back　in　the　brush；　he　would　have　to　stand　and　face　the　windows　of　the　house　with　the　sun　beating　on　him。　Clearly　he　would　go　back　to　the　trees。　So　did　Graham。
　The　Birmingham　police　were　not　stupid。　He　could　see　where　they　had　pushed　through　the　brush；　searching　the　area　as　a　matter　of　course。　But　that　was　before　the　cat　was　found。　They　were　looking　for　clues；　dropped　objects；　tracks　…　not　for　a　vantage　point。
　He　went　a　few　yards　into　the　forest　behind　the　Jacobi　house　and　worked　back　and　forth　in　the　dappled　shade。　First　he　took　the　high　ground　that　afforded　a　partial　view　of　the　yard　and　then　worked　his　way　down　the　tree　line。
　He　had　searched　for　more　than　an　hour　when　a　wink　of　light　from　the　ground　caught　his　eye。　He　lost　it；　found　it　again。　It　was　the　ring…pull　tab　from　a　soft…drink　can　half…buried　in　the　leaves　beneath　an　elm　tree；　one　of　the　few　elms　among　the　pines。
　He　spotted　it　from　eight　feet　away　and　went　no　closer　for　five　minutes　while　he　scanned　the　ground　around　the　tree。　He　squatted　and　brushed　the　leaves　away　ahead　of　him　as　he　approached　the　tree；　duck…walking　in　the　path　he　made　to　avoid　ruining　any　impressions。　Working　slowly；　he　cleared　the　leaves　all　around　the　trunk。　No　footprints　had　pressed　through　the　mat　of　last　year's　leaves。
　Near　the　aluminum　tab　he　found　a　dried　apple　core　eaten　thin　by　ants。　Birds　had　pecked　out　the　seeds。　He　studied　the　ground　for　ten　more　minutes。　Finally　he　sat　on　the　ground；　stretched　out　his　aching　legs；　and　leaned　back　against　the　tree。
　A　cone　of　gnats　swarmed　in　a　column　of　sunlight。　A　caterpillar　rippled　along　the　underside　of　a　leaf。
　There　was　a　wedge　of　red　creek　mud　from　the　instep　of　a　boot　on　the　limb　above　his　head。
　Graham　hung　his　coat　on　a　branch　and　began　to　climb　carefully　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　tree；　peering　around　the　trunk　at　the　limbs　above　the　wedge　of　mud。　At　thirty　feet　be　looked　around　the　trunk；　and　there　was　the　Jacobi　house　175　yards　away。　It　looked　different　from　this　height；　the　roof　color　dominant。　He　could　see　the　backyard　and　the　ground　behind　the　outbuildings　very　well。　A　decent　pair　of　field　glasses　would　pick　up　the　expression　on　a　face　easily　at　this　distance。
　Graham　could　hear　traffic　in　the　distance；　and　far　away　he　heard　a　beagle　on　a　case。　A　cicada　started　its　numbing　bandsaw　buzz　and　drowned　out　the　other　sounds。
　A　thick　limb　just　above　him　joined　the　trunk　at　a　right　angle　to　the　Jacobi　house。　He　pulled　himself　up　until　he　could　see；　and　leaned　around　the　trunk　to　look　at　it。
　Close　by　his　cheek　a　soft…drink　can　was　wedged　between　the　limb　and　the　trunk。
　〃I　love　it；〃　Graham　whispered　into　the　bark。　〃Oh　sweet　Jesus　yes。　e　on；　can。〃
　Still；　a　child　might　have　left　it。
　He　climbed　higher　on　his　side　of　the　tree；　dicey　work　on　small　branches；　and　moved　around　until　he　could　look　down　on　the　big　limb。
　A　patch　of　outer　bark　on　the　upper　side　of　the　limb　was　shaved　away；　leaving　a　field　of　green　inner　bark　the　size　of　a　playing　card。　Centered　in　the　green　rectangle；　carved　through　to　the　white　wood；　Graham　saw　this：
　
　？
　
　
　
　It　was　done　carefully　and　cleanly　with　a　very　sharp　knife。　It　was　not　the　work　of　a　child。
　Graham　photographed　the　mark；　carefully　bracketing　his　exposures。
　The　view　from　the　big　limb　was　good；　and　it　had　been　improved：　the　stub　of　a　small　branch　jutted　down　from　the　limb　above。　It　had　been　clipped　off　to　clear　the　view。　The　fibers　were　pressed　and　the　end　slightly　flattened　in　the　cutting。
　Graham　looked　for　the　severed　branch。　If　it　had　been　on　the　ground；　he　would　have　seen　it。　There；　tangled　in　the　limbs　below；　brown　withered　leaves　amid　the　green　foliage。
　The　laboratory　would　need　both　sides　of　the　cut　in　order　to　measure　the　pitch　of　the　cutting　edges。　That　meant　ing　back　here　with　a　saw。　He　made　several　photographs　of　the　stub。　All　the　while　he　mumbled　to　himself。
　
　I　think　that　after　you　killed　the　cat　and　threw　it　into　the　yard；　my　man；　you　climbed　up　here　and　waited。　I　think　you　watched　the　children　and　passed　the　time　whittling　and　dreaming。　When　night　came；　you　saw　them　passing　their　bright　windows　and　you　watched　the　shades　go　down；　and　you　saw　the　lights　go　out　one　by　one。　And　after　a　while　you　climbed　down　and　went　in　to　them。　Didn't　you？　It　wouldn't　be　too　hard　a　climb　straight　down　ftom　the　big　limb　with　a　flashlight　and　the　bright　moon　rising。
　
　It　was　a　hard　enough　climb　for　Graham。　He　stuck　a　twig　into　the　opening　of　the　soft…drink　can；　gently　lifted　it　from　the　crotch　of　the　tree；　and　descended；　holding　the　twig　in　his　teeth　when　he　had　to　use　both　hands。
　Back　at　the　housing　project；　Graham　found　that　someone　had　written　〃Levon　is　a　doo…doo　head〃　in　the　dust　on　the　side　of　his　car。　The　height　of　the　writing　indicated　that　even　the　youngest　residents　were　well　along　in　literacy。
　He　wondered　if　they　had　written　on　the　Tooth　Fairy's　car。
　Graham　sat　for　a　few　minutes　looking　up　at　the　rows　of　windows。　There　appeared　to　be　about　a　hundred　units。　It　was　possible　that　someone　might　remember　a　white　stranger　in　the　parking　lot　late　at　night。　Even　though　a　month　had　passed；　it　was　well　worth　trying。　To　ask　every　resident；　and　get　it　done　quickly；　he　would　need　the　help　of　the　Birmingham　police。
　He　fought　the　temptation　to　send　the　drink　can　straight　to　Jimmy　Price　in　Washington。　He　had　to　ask　the　Birmingham　police　for　manpower。　It　would　be　better　to　give　them　what　he　had。　Dusting　the　can　would　be　a　straightforward　job。　Trying　for　fingerprints　etched　by　acid　sweat　was　another　matter。　Price　could　still　do　it　after　Birmingham　dusted；　as　long　as　the　can　wasn't　handled　with　bare　fingers。　Better　give　it　to　the　police。　He　knew　the　FBI　document　section　would　fall　on　the　carving　like　a　rabid　mongoose。　Pictures　of　that　for　everybody；　nothing　lost　there。
　He　called　Birmingham　Homicide　from　the　Jacobi　house。　The　detectives　arrived　just　as　the　realtor；　Geehan；　was　ushering　in　his　prospective　buyers。
　
　
　CHAPTER　11
　
　Eileen　was　reading　a　National　Tattler　article　called　〃Filth　in　Your　Bread！〃　when　Dolarhyde　came　into　the　cafeteria。　She　had　eaten　only　the　filling　in　her　tuna…salad　sandwich。
　Behind　the　red　goggles　Dolarhyde's　eyes　zigged　down　the　ftont　page　of　the　Tattler。　Cover　lines　in　addition　to　〃Filth　in　Your　Bread！〃　included　〃Elvis　at　Secret　Love　Retreat　…Exclusive　Pix！！〃　〃Stunning　Breakthrough　for　Cancer　Victims！〃　and　the　big　banner　line　〃Hannibal　the　Cannibal　Helps　Lawmen　…　Cops　Consult　Fiend　in　'Tooth　Fairy'　Murders。〃
　He　stood　at　the　window　absently　stirring　his　coffee　until　he　heard　Eileen　get　up。　She　dumped　her　tray　in　the　trash　container　and　was　about　to　throw　in　the　Tattler　when　Dolarhyde　touched　her　shoulder。
　〃May　I　have　that　paper；　Eileen？〃
　〃Sure；　Mr。　D。　I　just　get　it　for　the　horoscopes。〃
　Dolarhyde　read　it　in　his　office　with　the　door　closed。
　Freddy　Lounds　had　two　bylines　in　the　same　double…page　center　spread。　The　main　story　was　a　breathless　reconstruction　of　the　Jacobi　and　Leeds　murders。　Since　the　police　had　not　divulged　many　of　the　specifics；　Lounds　consulted　his　imagination　for　lurid　details。　Dolarhyde　found　them　banal。
　The　sidebar　was　more　interesting：
　
　
　Insane　Fiend　Consulted　in　Mass　Murders
　by　Cop　He　T