th.red dragon-第24部分

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uzzled　the　rangemaster。　He　looked　like　a　man　who　had　witnessed　an　irrevocable　loss。
　
　
　CHAPTER　16
　
　The　caller；　〃Mr。　Pilgrim；〃　had　said　to　Sarah　that　he　might　call　again　on　the　following　afternoon。　At　FBI　headquarters　certain　arrangements　were　made　to　receive　the　call。
　Who　was　Mr。　Pilgrim？　Not　Lecter　…　Crawford　had　made　sure　of　that。　Was　Mr。　Pilgrim　the　Tooth　Fairy？　Maybe　so；　Crawford　thought。
　The　desks　and　telephones　from　Crawford's　office　had　been　moved　overnight　to　a　larger　room　across　the　hall。
　Graham　stood　in　the　open　doorway　of　a　soundproof　booth。　Behind　him　in　the　booth　was　Crawford's　telephone。　Sarah　had　cleaned　it　with　Windex。　With　the　voiceprint　spectrograph；　tape　recorders；　and　stress　evaluator　taking　up　most　of　her　desk　and　another　table　beside　it；　and　Beverly　Katz　sitting　in　her　chair；　Sarah　needed　something　to　do。
　The　big　clock　on　the　wall　showed　ten　minutes　before　noon。
　Dr。　Alan　Bloom　and　Crawford　stood　with　Graham。　They　had　adopted　a　sidelines　stance；　hands　in　their　pockets。
　A　technician　seated　across　from　Beverly　Katz　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　desk　until　a　frown　from　Crawford　stopped　him。
　Crawford's　desk　was　cluttered　with　two　new　telephones；　an　open　line　to　the　Bell　System's　electronic　switching　center　（ESS）　and　a　hot　line　to　the　FBI　munications　room。
　〃How　much　time　do　you　need　for　a　trace？〃　Dr。　Bloom　asked。
　〃With　the　new　switching　it's　a　lot　quicker　than　most　people　think；〃　Crawford　said。　〃Maybe　a　minute　if　it　es　through　all…electronic　switching。　More　if　it's　from　someplace　where　they　have　to　swarm　the　frame。〃
　Crawford　raised　his　voice　to　the　room。　〃If　he　calls　at　all；　it'll　be　short；　so　let's　play　him　perfect。　Want　to　go　over　the　drill；　Will？〃
　〃Sure。　When　we　get　to　the　point　where　I　talk；　I　want　to　ask　you　a　couple　of　things；　Doctor。〃
　Bloom　had　arrived　after　the　others。　He　was　scheduled　to　speak　to　the　behavioral…science　section　at　Quantico　later　in　the　day。　Bloom　could　smell　cordite　on　Graham's　clothes。
　〃Okay；〃　Graham　said。　〃The　phone　rings。　The　circuit's　pleted　immediately　and　the　trace　starts　at　ESS；　but　the　tone　generator　continues　the　ringing　noise　so　he　doesn't　know　we've　picked　up。　That　gives　us　about　twenty　seconds　on　him。〃　He　pointed　to　the　technician。　〃Tone　generator　to　'off'　at　the　end　of　the　fourth　ring；　got　it？〃
　The　technician　nodded。　〃End　of　the　fourth　ring。〃
　〃Now；　Beverly　picks　up　the　phone。　Her　voice　is　different　from　the　one　he　heard　yesterday。　No　recognition　in　the　voice。　Beverly　sounds　bored。　He　asks　for　me。　Bev　says；　'I'll　have　to　page　him；　may　I　put　you　on　hold？'　Ready　with　that；　Bev？〃　Graham　thought　it　would　be　better　not　to　rehearse　the　lines。　They　might　sound　flat　by　rote。
　〃All　right；　the　line　is　open　to　us；　dead　to　him。　I　think　he'll　hold　longer　than　he'll　talk。〃
　〃Sure　you　don't　want　to　give　him　the　hold　music？〃　the　technician　asked。
　〃Hell　no；〃　Crawford　said。
　〃We　give　him　about　twenty　seconds　of　hold；　then　Beverly　es　back　on　and　tells　him；　'Mr。　Graham's　ing　to　the　phone；　I'll　connect　you　now。'　I　pick　up。〃　Graham　turned　to　Dr。　Bloom。　〃How　would　you　play　him；　Doctor？〃
　〃He'll　expect　you　to　be　skeptical　about　it　really　being　him。　I'd　give　him　some　polite　skepticism。　I'd　make　a　strong　distinction　between　the　nuisance　of　fake　callers　and　the　significance；　the　importance；　of　a　call　from　the　real　person。　The　fakes　are　easy　to　recognize　because　they　lack　the　capacity　to　uoderstand　what　has　happened；　that　sort　of　thing。
　〃Make　him　tell　something　to　prove　who　he　is。〃　Dr。　Bloom　looked　at　the　floor　and　kneaded　the　back　of　his　neck。
　〃You　don't　know　what　he　wants。　Maybe　he　wants　understanding；　maybe　he's　fixed　on　you　as　the　adversary　and　wants　to　gloat　…　we'll　see。　Try　to　pick　up　his　mood　and　give　him　what　he's　after；　a　little　at　a　time。　I'd　be　very　leery　of　appealing　to　him　to　e　to　us　for　help；　unless　you　sense　he's　asking　for　that。
　〃If　he's　paranoid　you'll　pick　it　up　fast。　In　that　case　I'd　play　into　his　suspicion　or　grievance。　Let　him　air　it。　If　he　gets　rolling　on　that；　he　may　forget　how　long　he's　talked。　That's　all　I　know　to　tell　you。〃　Bloom　put　his　hand　on　Graham's　shoulder　and　spoke　quietly。　〃Listen；　this　is　not　a　pep　talk　or　any　bullshit；　you　can　take　him　over　the　jumps。　Never　mind　advice；　do　what　seems　right　to　you。〃
　Waiting。　Half　an　hour　of　silence　was　enough。
　〃Call　or　no　call；　we've　got　to　decide　where　to　go　from　here；〃　Crawford　said。　〃Want　to　try　the　mail　drop？〃
　〃I　can't　see　anything　better；〃　Graham　said。
　〃That　would　give　us　two　baits；　a　stakeout　at　your　house　in　the　Keys　and　the　drop。〃
　The　telephone　was　ringing。
　Tone　generator　on。　At　ESS　the　trace　began。　Four　rings。　The　technician　hit　the　switch　and　Beverly　picked　up。　Sarah　was　listening。
　〃Special　Agent　Crawford's　office。〃
　Sarah　shook　her　head。　She　knew　the　caller；　one　of　Crawford's　cronies　at　Alcohol；　Tobacco；　and　Firearms。　Beverly　got　him　off　in　a　hurry　and　stopped　the　trace。　Everyone　in　the　FBI　building　knew　to　keep　the　line　clear。
　Crawford　went　over　the　details　of　the　mail　drop　again。　They　were　bored　and　tense　at　the　same　time。　Lloyd　Bowman　came　around　to　show　them　how　the　number　pairs　in　Lecter's　Scriptures　fit　page　100　of　the　softcover　Joy　of　Cooking。　Sarah　passed　around　coffee　in　paper　cups。
　The　telephone　was　ringing。
　The　tone　generator　took　over　and　at　ESS　the　trace　began。　Four　rings。　The　technician　hit　the　switch。　Beverly　picked　up。
　〃Special　Agent　Crawford's　office。〃
　Sarah　was　nodding　her　head。　Big　nods。
　Graham　went　into　his　booth　and　closed　the　door。　He　could　see　Beverly's　lips　moving。　She　punched　〃Hold〃　and　watched　the　second　hand　on　the　wall　clock。
　Graham　could　see　his　face　in　the　polished　receiver。　Two　bloated　faces　in　the　earpiece　and　mouthpiece。　He　could　smell　cordite　from　the　firing　range　in　his　shirt。　Don't　hang　up。　Sweet　Jesus；　don't　hang　up。　Forty　seconds　had　elapsed。　The　telephone　moved　slightly　on　his　table　when　it　rang。　Let　it　ring。　Once　more。　Forty…five　seconds。　Now。　〃This　is　Will　Graham；　can　I　help　you？〃
　Low　laughter。　A　muffled　voice：　〃I　expect　you　can。〃
　〃Could　I　ask　who's　calling　please？〃　
　〃Didn't　your　secretary　tell　you？〃
　〃No；　but　she　did　call　me　out　of　a　meeting；　sir；　and…〃
　〃If　you　tell　me　you　won't　talk　to　Mr。　Pilgrim；　I'll　hang　up　right　now。　Yes　or　no？〃
　〃Mr。　Pilgrim；　if　you　have　some　problem　I'm　equipped　to　deal　with；　I'll　be　glad　to　talk　with　you。〃
　〃I　think　you　have　the　problem；　Mr。　Graham。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　didn't　understand　you。〃
　The　second　hand　crawled　toward　one　minute。
　〃You've　been　a　busy　boy；　haven't　you？〃　the　caller　said。
　〃Too　busy　to　stay　on　the　phone　unless　you　state　your　business。〃
　〃My　business　is　in　the　same　place　yours　is。　Atlanta　and　Birmingham。〃
　〃Do　you　know　something　about　that？〃
　Soft　laughter。　〃Know　something　about　it？　Are　you　interested　in　Mr。　Pilgrim？　Yes　or　no。　I'll　hang　up　if　you　lie。〃
　Graham　could　see　Crawford　through　the　glass。　He　had　a　telephone　receiver　in　each　hand。
　〃Yes。　But；　see；　I　get　a　lot　of　calls；　and　most　of　them　are　from　peopIe　who　say　they　know　things。〃　One　minute。
　Crawford　put　one　receiver　down　and　scrawled　on　a　piece　of　paper。　〃You'd　be　surprised　how　many　pretenders　there　are；〃　Graham　said。　〃Talk　to　them　a　few　minutes　and　you　can　tell　they　don't　have　the　capacity　to　even　understand　what's　going　on。　Do　you？〃
　Sarah　held　a　sheet　of　paper　to　the　glass　for　Graham　to　see。　It　said；　〃Chicago　phone　booth。　PD　scrambling。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　what；　you　tell　me　one　thing　you　know　about　Mr。　Pugrim　and　maybe　I'll　tell　you　whether　you're　right　or　not；〃　the　muffled　voice　said。
　〃Let's　get　straight　who　we're　talking　about；〃　Graham　said。
　〃We're　talking　about　Mr。　Pilgrim。〃
　〃How　do　I　know　Mr。　Pilgrim　has　done　anything　I'm　interested　in。　Has　he？〃
　〃Let's　say；　yes。〃
　〃Are　you　Mr。　Pilgrim？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I'll　tell　you　that。〃
　〃Are　you　his　friend？〃
　〃Sort　of。〃
　〃Well；　prove　it　then。　Tell　me　something　that　shows　me　how　well　you　know　him。〃
　〃You　first。　You　show　me　yours。〃　A　nervous　giggle。　〃First　time　you're　wrong；　I　hang　up。〃
　〃All　right；　Mr。　Pilgrim　is　right…handed。〃
　〃That's　a　safe　guess。　Most　people　are。〃
　〃Mr。　Pilgrim　is　misunderstood。〃
　〃No　general　crap；　please。〃
　〃Mr。　Pilgrim　is　really　strong　physically。〃
　〃Yes；　you　could　say　that。〃
　Graham　looked　at　the　clock。　A　minute　and　a　half。　Crawford　nodded　encouragement。
　Don't　tell　him　anything　that　he　could　change。
　〃Mr。　Pilgrim　is　white　and　about；　say；　five…feet…eleven。　You　haven't　told　me　anything；　you　know。　I'm　not　so　sure　you　even　know　him　at　all。〃
　〃Want　to　stop　talking？〃
　〃No；　but　you　said　we'd　trade。　I　was　just　going　along　with　you。〃
　〃Do　you　think　Mr。　Pilgrim　is　crazy？〃
　Bloom　was　shaking　his　head。
　〃I　don't　think　anybody　who　is　as　careful　as　he　is　could　be　crazy。　I　think　he's　different。　I　think　a　lot　of　people　do　believe　he's　crazy；　and　the　reason　for　that　is；　he　hasn't　let　people　understand　much　about　him。〃
　〃Describe　exactly　what　you　think　he　did　to　Mrs。　Leeds　and　maybe　I'll　tell　you　if　you're　right　or　not。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　do　thaL〃
　〃Good…bye。〃
　Graham's　heart　jumped；　but　he　could　still　hear　breathing　on　the　other　end。
　〃I　can't　go　into　that　until　I　know…〃
　Graham　heard　the　telephone…booth　door　slam　open　in　Chicago　and　the　receiver　fall　with　a　clang。　Faint　voices　and　bangs　as　the　receiver　swung　on　its　cord。　Everyone　in　the　office　heard　it　on　the　speakerphone。
　〃Freeze。　Don't　even　twitch。　Now　lock　your　fingers　behind　your　head　and　back　out　of　the　booth　slowly。　Slowly。　Hands　on　the　glass　and　spread　'em。〃
　Sweet　relief　was　flooding　Graham。
　〃I'm　not　armed；　Stan。　You'll　find　my　ID　in　my　breast　pocket。　That　tickles。〃
　A　confused　voice　loud　on　the　telephone。　〃Who　am　I　speaking　to？〃
　〃Will　Graham；　FBI。〃
　〃This　is　Sergeant　Stanley　Riddle；　Chicago　police　department。〃　Irritated　now。　〃Would　you　tell　me　what　the　hell's　going　on？〃
　〃You　tell　me。　You　have　a　man　in　custody？〃
　〃Damn　right。　Freddy　Lounds；　the　reporter。　I've　known　him　for　ten　years　。　。　。　Here's　your　notebook；　Freddy　。　。　。　Are　you　preferring　charges　against　him？〃
　Graham's　face　was　pale。　Crawford's　was　red。　Dr。　Bloom　watched　the　tape　reels　go　around。
　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃
　〃Yes；　I'm　preferring　charges。〃　Graham's　voice　was　strangled。　〃Obstruction