th.red dragon-第18部分

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　〃He　came　to　see　you　last　spring。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃At　Chino。〃
　〃You　know　about　that。〃
　〃I'm　just　trying　to　get　it　straight。　What　happened？〃
　〃Well；　there　he　was　in　Visitors；　uptight　and　trying　not　to　look　around　…　so　many　people　treat　it　like　the　zoo。　I'd　heard　a　lot　about　him　from　Mother；　but　he　didn't　look　so　bad。　He　was　just　a　man　standing　there　in　a　tacky　sport　coat。〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　〃Well；　I　expected　him　either　to　jump　right　in　my　shit　or　to　be　real　guilty；　that's　the　way　it　goes　mostly　in　Visitors。　But　he　just　asked　me　if　I　thought　I　could　go　to　school。　He　said　he'd　go　custody　if　I'd　go　to　school。　And　try。　'You　have　to　help　yourself　a　little。　Try　and　help　yourself；　and　I'll　see　you　get　in　school；'　and　like　that。〃
　〃How　long　before　you　got　out？〃
　〃Two　weeks。〃
　〃Niles；　did　you　ever　talk　about　your　family　while　you　were　in　Chino？　To　your　cellmates　or　anybody？〃
　Niles　Jacobi　looked　at　Graham　quickly。　〃Oh。　Oh；　I　see。　No。　Not　about　my　father。　I　hadn't　thought　about　him　in　years；　why　would　I　talk　about　him？〃
　〃How　about　here？　Did　you　ever　take　any　of　your　friends　over　to　your　parents'　house？〃
　〃Parent；　not　parents。　She　was　not　my　mother。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　take　anybody　over　there？　School　friends　or　。　。　。〃
　〃Or　rough　trade；　Officer　Graham？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Never？〃
　〃Not　once。〃
　〃Did　he　ever　mention　any　kind　of　threat；　was　he　ever　disturbed　about　anything　in　the　last　month　or　two　before　it　happened？〃
　〃He　was　disturbed　the　last　time　I　talked　to　him；　but　it　was　just　my　grades。　I　had　a　lot　of　cuts。　He　bought　me　two　alarm　clocks。　There　wasn't　anything　else　that　I　know　of。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　personal　papers　of　his；　correspondence；　photographs；　anything？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　have　a　picture　of　the　family。　It's　on　the　dresser　in　your　room。　Near　the　bong。〃
　〃That's　not　my　bong。　I　wouldn't　put　that　filthy　thing　in　my　mouth。〃
　〃I　need　the　picture。　I'll　have　it　copied　and　send　it　back　to　you。　What　else　do　you　have？〃
　Jacobi　shook　a　cigarette　out　of　his　pack　and　patted　his　pockets　for　matches。　〃That's　all。　I　can't　imagine　why　they　gave　that　to　me。　My　father　smiling　at　Mrs。　Jacobi　and　all　the　little　Munchkins。　You　can　have　it。　He　never　looked　like　that　to　me。〃
　
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　Graham　needed　to　know　the　Jacobis。　Their　new　acquaintances　in　Birmingham　were　little　help。
　Byron　Metcalf　gave　him　the　run　of　the　lockboxes。　He　read　the　thin　stack　of　letters；　mostly　business；　and　poked　through　the　jewelry　and　the　silver。
　For　three　hot　days　he　worked　in　the　warehouse　where　the　Jacobis'　household　goods　were　stored。　Metcalf　helped　him　at　night。　Every　crate　on　every　pallet　was　opened　and　their　　examined。　Police　photographs　helped　Graham　see　where　things　had　been　in　the　house。
　Most　of　the　furnishings　were　new；　bought　with　the　insurance　from　the　Detroit　fire。　The　Jacobis　hardly　had　time　to　leave　their　marks　on　their　possessions。
　One　item；　a　bedside　table　with　traces　of　fingerprint　powder　still　on　it；　held　Graham's　attention。　In　the　center　of　the　tabletop　was　a　blob　of　green　wax。
　For　the　second　time　he　wondered　if　the　killer　liked　candlelight。
　The　Birmingham　forensics　unit　was　good　about　sharing。
　The　blurred　print　of　the　end　of　a　nose　was　the　best　Birmingham　and　Jimmy　Price　in　Washington　could　do　with　the　soft…drink　can　from　the　tree。
　The　FBI　laboratory's　Firearms　and　Toolmarks　section　reported　on　the　severed　branch。　The　blades　that　clipped　it　were　thick；　with　a　shallow　pitch：　it　had　been　done　with　a　bolt　cutter。
　Document　section　had　referred　the　mark　cut　in　the　bark　to　the　Asian　Studies　department　at　Langley。
　Graham　sat　on　a　packing　case　at　the　warehouse　and　read　the　long　report。　Asian　Studies　advised　that　the　mark　was　a　Chinese　character　which　meant　〃You　hit　it〃　or　〃You　hit　it　on　the　head〃　…　an　expression　sometimes　used　in　gambling。　It　was　considered　a　〃positive〃　or　〃lucky〃　sign。　The　character　also　appeared　on　a　Mah…Jongg　piece；　the　Asian　scholars　said。　It　marked　the　Red　Dragon。
　
　
　CHAPTER　13
　
　Crawford　at　FBI　headquarters　in　Washington　was　on　the　telephone　with　Graham　at　the　Birmingham　airport　when　his　secretary　leaned　into　the　office　and　flagged　his　attention。
　〃Dr。　Chilton　at　Chesapeake　Hospital　on　2706。　He　says　it's　urgent。〃　Crawford　nodded。　〃Hang　on；　Will。〃　He　punched　the　telephone。
　〃Crawford。〃
　〃Frederick　Chilton；　Mr。　Crawford；　at　the…〃
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃
　〃I　have　a　note　here；　or　two　pieces　of　a　note；　that　appears　to　be　from　the　man　who　killed　those　people　in　Atlanta　and…〃
　〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃
　〃From　Hannibal　Lecter's　cell。　It's　written　on　toilet　tissue；　of　all　things；　and　it　has　teeth　marks　pressed　in　it。〃
　〃Can　you　read　it　to　me　without　handling　it　any　more？〃　Straining　to　sound　calm；　Chilton　read　it：
　
　
　My　dear　Dr。　Lecter；
　　　　I　wanted　to　tell　you　I'm　delighted　that　you　have　taken　an　interest　in　me。　And　when　I　learned　of　your　vast　correspondence　I　thought　Dare　I？　Of　course　I　do。　I　don't　believe　you'd　tell　them　who　I　am；　even　if　you　knew。　Besides；　what　parficular　body　I　currently　occupy　is　trivia。
　　　　The　important　thing　is　what　I　am　Being。　I　know　that　you　alone　can　understand　this。　I　have　some　things　I'd　love　to　show　you。　Someday；　perhaps；　if　circumstances　permit。　I　hope　we　can　correspond　。　。　。
　
　
　〃Mr。　Crawford；　there's　a　hole　torn　and　punched　out。　Then　it　says：
　
　
　　　　I　have　admired　you　for　years　and　have　a　plete　collection　of　your　press　notices。　Actually；　I　think　of　them　as　unfair　reviews。　As　unfair　as　mine。　They　like　to　sling　demeaning　nicknames；　don't　they？　The　Tooth　Fairy。　What　could　be　more　inappropriate？　It　would　shame　me　for　you　to　see　that　if　I　didn't　know　you　had　suffered　the　same　distortions　in　the　press。
　　　　Investigator　Graham　interests　me。　Odd…looking　for　a　flatfoot；　isn't　he？　Not　very　handsome；　but　purposeful…looking。
　　　　You　should　have　taught　him　not　to　meddle。
　　　　Forgive　the　stationery。　I　chose　it　because　it　will　dissolve　very　quickly　if　you　should　have　to　swallow　it。
　
　
　〃There's　a　piece　missing　here；　Mr。　Crawford。　I'll　read　the　bottom　part：
　
　
　　　　If　I　hear　from　you；　next　time　I　might　send　you　something　wet。　Until　then　I　remain　your
　Avid　Fan
　
　
　Silence　after　Chilton　finished　reading。　〃Are　you　there？〃
　〃Yes。　Does　Lecter　know　you　have　the　note？〃
　〃Not　yet。　This　morning　he　was　moved　to　a　holding　cell　while　his　quarters　were　cleaned。　Instead　of　using　a　proper　rag；　the　cleaning　man　was　pulling　handfuls　of　toilet　paper　off　the　roll　to　wipe　down　the　sink。　He　found　the　note　wound　up　in　the　roll　and　brought　it　to　me。　They　bring　me　anything　they　find　hidden。〃
　〃Where's　Lecter　now？〃
　〃Still　in　the　holding　cell。〃
　〃Can　he　see　his　quarters　at　all　from　there。〃
　〃Let　me　think。　。　。　。　No；　no；　he　can't。〃
　〃Wait　a　second；　Doctor。〃　Crawford　put　Chilton　on　hold。　He　stared　at　the　two　winking　buttons　on　his　telephone　for　several　seconds　without　seeing　them。　Crawford；　fisher　of　men；　was　watching　his　cork　move　against　the　current。　He　got　Graham　again。
　〃Will　。　。　。　a　note；　maybe　from　the　Tooth　Fairy；　hidden　in　Lecter's　cell　at　Chesapeake。　Sounds　like　a　fan　letter。　He　wants　Lecter's　approval；　he's　curious　about　you。　He's　asking　questions。〃
　〃How　was　Lecter　supposed　to　answer？〃
　〃Don't　know　yet。　Part's　torn　out；　part's　scratched　out。　Looks　like　there's　a　chance　of　correspondence　as　long　as　Lecter's　not　aware　that　we　know。　I　want　the　note　for　the　lab　and　I　want　to　toss　his　cell；　but　it'll　be　risky。　If　Lecter　gets　wise；　who　knows　how　he　could　warn　the　bastard？　We　need　the　link　but　we　need　the　note　too。〃
　Crawford　told　Graham　where　Lecter　was　held；　how　the　note　was　found。　〃It's　eighty　miles　over　to　Chesapeake。　I　can't　wait　for　you；　buddy。　What　do　you　think？〃
　〃Ten　people　dead　in　a　month　…　we　can't　play　a　long　mail　game。　I　say　go　for　it。〃
　〃I　am；〃　Crawford　said。
　〃See　you　in　two　hours。〃
　Crawford　hailed　his　secretary。　〃Sarah；　order　a　helicopter。　I　want　the　next　thing　smoking　and　I　don't　care　whose　it　is　…　ours；　DCPD　or　Marines。　I'll　be　on　the　roof　in　five　minutes。　Call　Documents；　tell　them　to　have　a　document　case　up　there。　Tell　Herbert　to　scramble　a　search　team。　On　the　roof。　Five　minutes。〃
　He　picked　up　Chilton's　line。
　〃Dr。　Chilton；　we　have　to　search　Lecter's　cell　without　his　knowledge　and　we　need　your　help。　Have　you　mentioned　this　to　anybody　else？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Where's　the　cleaning　man　who　found　the　note？〃
　〃He's　here　in　my　office。〃
　〃Keep　him　there；　please；　and　tell　him　to　keep　quiet。　How　long　has　Lecter　been　out　of　his　cell？〃
　〃About　half　an　hour。〃
　〃Is　that　unusually　long？〃
　〃No；　not　yet。　But　it　takes　only　about　a　half…hour　to　clean　it。　Soon　he'll　begin　to　wonder　what's　wrong。〃
　〃Okay；　do　this　for　me：　Call　your　building　superintendent　or　engineer；　whoever's　in　charge。　Tell　him　to　shut　off　the　water　in　the　building　and　to　pull　the　circuit　breakers　on　Lecter's　hall。　Have　the　super　walk　down　the　hall　past　the　holding　cell　carrying　tools。　He'll　be　in　a　hurry；　pissed　off；　too　busy　to　answer　any　questions　…　got　it？　Tell　him　he'll　get　an　explanation　from　me。　Have　the　garbage　pickup　canceled　for　today　if　they　haven't　already　e。　Don't　touch　the　note；　okay？　We're　ing。〃
　Crawford　called　the　section　chief；　Scientific　Analysis。　〃Brian；　I　have　a　note　ing　in　on　the　fly；　possibly　from　the　Tooth　Fairy。　Number…one　priority。　It　has　to　go　back　where　it　came　from　within　the　hour　and　unmarked。　It'll　go　to　Hair　and　Fiber；　Latent　Prints；　and　Documents；　then　to　you；　so　coordinate　with　them；　will　you？　。　。　。　Yes。　I'll　walk　it　through。　I'll　deliver　it　to　you　myself。〃
　
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　It　was　warm　…　the　federally　mandated　eighty　degrees　…　in　the　elevator　when　Crawford　came　down　from　the　roof　with　the　note；　his　hair　blown　silly　by　the　helicopter　blast。　He　was　mopping　his　face　by　the　time　he　reached　the　Hair　and　Fiber　section　of　the　laboratory。
　Hair　and　Fiber　is　a　small　section；　calm　and　busy。　The　mon　room　is　stacked　with　boxes　of　evidence　sent　by　police　departments　all　over　the　country；　swatches　of　tape　that　have　sealed　mouths　and　bound　wrists；　torn　and　stained　clothing；　deathbed　sheets。
　Crawford　spotted　Beverly　Katz　through　the　window　of　an　examining　room　as　he　wove　his　way　between　the　boxes。　She　had　a　pair　of　child's　coveralls　suspended　from　a　hanger　over　a　table　covered