th.red dragon-第31部分

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　some　deal　with　him；　gets　him　cooked　in　front　of　this　scandal　sheet。　Now　the　other　papers　adopt　him　like　he　was　their　own。
　〃Now　we've　got　our　own　Tooth　Fairy　murder　right　here　in　Chicago。　That's　great。　'Tooth　Fairy　in　Chicago；'　boy。　Before　midnight　we'll　have　six　accidental　domestic　shootings；　guy　trying　to　sneak　in　his　own　house　drunk；　wife　hears　him；　bang。　The　Tooth　Fairy　may　like　Chicago；　decide　to　stick　around；　have　some　fun。〃
　〃We　can　do　like　this；〃　Crawford　said。　〃Butt　heads；　get　the　police　missioner　and　the　U。S。　attorney　all　stirred　up；　get　all　the　assholes　stirred　up；　yours　and　mine。　Or　we　can　settle　down　and　try　to　catch　the　bastard。　This　was　my　operation　and　it　went　to　shit；　I　know　that。　You　ever　have　that　happen　right　here　in　Chicago？　I　don't　want　to　fight　you；　Captain。　We　want　to　catch　him　and　go　home。　What　do　you　want？〃
　Osborne　moved　a　couple　of　items　on　his　desk；　a　penholder；　a　picture　of　a　fox…faced　child　in　band　uniform。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　pursed　his　lips　and　blew　out　some　air。
　〃Right　now　I　want　some　coffee。　You　guys　want　some？〃
　〃I'd　like　some；〃　Crawford　said。
　〃So　would　I；〃　Graham　said。
　Osborne　passed　around　the　Styrofoam　cups。　He　pointed　to　some　chairs。
　〃The　Tooth　Fairy　had　to　have　a　van　or　a　panel　truck　to　move　Lounds　around　in　that　wheelchair；〃　Graham　said。
　Osborne　nodded。　〃The　license　plate　Lounds　saw　was　stolen　off　a　TV　repair　truck　in　Oak　Park。　He　took　a　mercial　plate；　so　he　was　getting　it　for　a　truck　or　a　van。　He　replaced　the　plate　on　the　TV　truck　with　another　stolen　plate　so　it　wouldn't　be　noticed　so　fast。　Very　sly；　this　boy。　One　thing　we　do　know　…　he　got　the　plate　off　the　TV　truck　sometime　after　eight…thirty　yesterday　morning。　The　TV　repair　guy　bought　gas　first　thing　yesterday　and　he　used　a　credit　card。　The　attendant　copied　the　correct　license　number　on　the　slip；　so　the　plate　was　stolen　after　that。〃
　〃Nobody　saw　any　kind　of　truck　or　van？〃　Crawford　said。
　〃Nothing。　The　guard　at　the　Tattler　saw　zip。　He　could　referee　wrestling　he　sees　so　little。　The　fire　department　responded　first　to　the　Tattler。　They　were　just　looking　for　fire。　We're　canvassing　the　overnight　workers　in　the　Tattler　neighborhood　and　the　neighborhoods　where　the　TV　guy　worked　Tuesday　morning。　We　hope　somebody　saw　him　cop　the　plate。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　see　the　chair　again；〃　Graham　said。
　〃It's　in　our　lab。　I'll　call　them　for　you。〃　Osborne　paused。　〃Lounds　was　a　ballsy　little　guy；　you　have　to　give　him　that。　Remembering　the　license　number　and　spitting　it　out；　the　shape　he　was　in。　You　listened　to　what　Lounds　said　at　the　hospital？〃
　Graham　nodded。
　〃I　don't　mean　to　rub　this　in；　but　I　want　to　know　if　we　heard　it　the　same　way。　What　does　it　sound　like　to　you？〃
　Graham　quoted　in　a　monotone　〃'Tooth　Fairy。　Graham　set　me　up。　The　cunt　knew　it。　Graham　set　'me　up。　Cunt　put　his　hand　on　me　in　the　picture　like　a　fucking　pet。〃'
　Osborne　could　not　tell　how　Graham　felt　about　it。　He　asked　another　question。
　〃He　was　talking　about　the　picture　of　you　and　him　in　the　Tattler？〃
　〃Had　to　be。〃
　〃Where　would　he　get　that　idea？〃
　〃Lounds　and　I　had　a　few　run…ins。
　〃But　you　looked　friendly　toward　Lounds　in　the　picture。　The　Tooth　Fairy　kills　the　pet　first；　is　that　it？〃
　〃That's　it。〃　The　stone　fox　was　pretty　fast；　Graham　thought。
　〃Too　bad　you　didn't　stake　him　out。〃
　Graham　said　nothing。
　〃Lounds　was　supposed　to　be　with　us　by　the　time　the　Tooth　Fairy　saw　the　Tattler；〃　Crawford　said。
　〃Does　what　he　said　mean　anything　else　to　you；　anything　we　can　use？〃
　Graham　came　back　from　somewhere　and　had　to　repeat　Osborne's　question　in　his　mind　before　he　answered。　〃We　know　from　what　Lounds　said　that　the　Tooth　Fairy　saw　the　Tattler　before　he　hit　Lounds；　right？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃If　you　start　with　the　idea　that　the　Tattler　set　him　off；　does　it　strike　you　that　he　set　this　up　in　a　hell　of　a　hurry？　The　thing　came　off　the　press　Monday　night；　he's　in　Chicago　stealing　license　plates　sometime　Tuesday；　probably　Tuesday　morning；　and　he's　on　top　of　Lounds　Tuesday　afternoon。　What　does　that　say　to　you？〃
　〃That　he　saw　it　early　or　he　didn't　have　far　to　e；〃　Crawford　said。　〃Either　he　saw　it　here　in　Chicago　or　he　saw　it　someplace　else　Monday　night。　Bear　in　mind；　he'd　be　watching　for　it　to　get　the　personal　column。〃
　〃Either　he　was　already　here；　or　he　came　from　driving　distance；〃　Graham　said。　〃He　was　on　top　of　Lounds　too　fast　with　a　big　old　wheelchair　you　couldn't　carry　on　a　plane　…　it　doesn't　even　fold。　And　he　didn't　fly　here；　steal　a　van；　steal　plates　for　it；　and　go　around　looking　for　an　antique　wheelchair　to　use。　He　had　to　have　an　old　wheelchair　…　a　new　one　wouldn't　work　for　what　he　did。〃　Graham　was　up；　fiddling　with　the　cord　on　the　venetian　blinds；　staring　at　the　brick　wall　across　the　airshaft。　〃He　already　had　the　wheelchair　or　he　saw　it　all　the　time。〃
　Osborne　started　to　ask　a　question；　but　Crawford's　expression　cautioned　him　to　wait。
　Graham　was　tying　knots　in　the　blind　cord。　His　hands　were　not　steady。
　〃He　saw　it　all　the　time　。　。　。〃　Crawford　prompted。
　〃Um…hmm；〃　Graham　said。　〃You　can　see　how　。　。　。　the　idea　starts　with　the　wheelchair。　From　the　sight　and　thought　of　the　wheelchair。　That's　where　the　idea　would　e　from　when　he's　thinking　what　he'll　do　to　those　fuckers。　Freddy　rolling　down　the　street　on　fire；　it　must　have　been　quite　a　sight。〃
　〃Do　you　think　he　watched　it？〃
　〃Maybe。　He　certainly　saw　it　before　he　did　it；　when　he　was　making　up　his　mind　what　he'd　do。〃
　Osborne　watched　Crawford。　Crawford　was　solid。　Osborne　knew　Crawford　was　solid；　and　Crawford　was　going　along　with　this。
　〃If　he　had　the　chair；　or　he　saw　it　all　the　time　。　。　。　we　can　check　around　the　nursing　homes；　the　VA；〃　Osborne　said。
　〃It　was　perfect　to　hold　Freddy　still；〃　Graham　said。
　〃For　a　long　time。　He　was　gone　fifteen　hours　and　twenty…five　minutes；　more　or　less；〃　Osborne　said。
　〃If　he　had　just　wanted　to　snuff　Freddy；　he　could　have　done　that　in　the　garage；〃　Graham　said。　〃He　could　have　burned　him　in　his　car。　He　wanted　to　talk　to　Freddy；　or　hurt　him　for　a　while。〃
　〃Either　he　did　it　in　the　back　of　the　van　or　he　took　him　somewhere；〃　Crawford　said。　〃That　length　of　time；　I'd　say　he　took　him　somewhere。〃
　〃It　had　to　be　somewhere　safe。　If　he　bundled　him　up　good；　he　wouldn't　attract　much　notice　around　a　nursing　home；　going　in　and　out；〃　Osborne　said。
　〃He'd　have　the　racket；　though；〃　Crawford　said。　〃A　certain　amount　of　cleaning　up　to　do。　Assume　he　had　the　chair；　and　he　had　access　to　the　van；　and　he　had　a　safe　place　to　take　him　to　work　on　him。　Does　that　sound　like　。　。　。　home？〃
　Osborne's　telephone　rang。　He　growled　into　it。
　〃What？　。　。　。　No；　I　don't　want　to　talk　to　the　Tattler　。　。　。　Well；　it　better　not　be　bullshit。　Put　her　on　。　。　。　Captain　Osborne；　yes　。　。　。　What　time？　Who　answered　the　phone　initially　…　at　the　switchboard？　Take　her　off　the　switchboard；　please。　Tell　me　again　what　he　said　。　。　。　I'll　have　an　officer　there　in　five　minutes。〃
　Osborne　looked　at　his　telephone　thoughtfully　after　he　hung　up。
　〃Lounds's　secretary　got　a　call　about　five　minutes　ago；〃　he　said。　〃She　swears　it　was　Lounds's　voice。　He　said　something；　something　she　didn't　get；'。　。　。　strength　of　the　Great　Red　Dragon。'　That's　what　she　thought　he　said。〃
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　24
　
　Dr。　Frederick　Chilton　stood　in　the　corridor　outside　Hannibal　Lecter's　cell。　With　Chilton　were　three　large　orderlies。　One　carried　a　straitjacket　and　leg　restraints　and　another　held　a　can　of　Mace。　The　third　loaded　a　tranquilizer　dart　into　his　air　rifle。
　Lecter　was　reading　an　actuarial　chart　at　his　table　and　taking　notes。　He　had　heard　the　footsteps　ing。　He　heard　the　rifle　breech　close　behind　him；　but　he　continued　to　read　and　gave　no　sign　that　he　knew　Chilton　was　there。
　Chilton　had　sent　him　the　newspapers　at　noon　and　let　him　wait　until　night　to　find　out　his　punishment　for　helping　the　Dragon。
　〃Dr。　Lecter；〃　Chilton　said。
　Lecter　turned　around。　〃Good　evening；　Dr。　Chilton。〃　He　didn't　acknowledge　the　presence　of　the　guards。　He　looked　only　at　Chilton。
　〃I've　e　for　your　books。　All　your　books。〃
　〃I　see。　May　I　ask　how　long　you　intend　to　keep　them？〃
　〃That　depends　on　your　attitude。〃
　〃Is　this　your　decision？〃
　〃I　decide　the　punitive　measures　here。〃
　〃Of　course　you　do。　It's　not　the　sort　of　thing　Will　Graham　would　request。〃
　〃Back　up　to　the　net　and　slip　these　on；　Dr。　Lecter。　I　won't　ask　you　twice。〃
　〃Certainly；　Dr。　Chilton。　I　hope　that's　a　thirty…nine　…　the　thirty…sevens　are　snug　around　the　chest。〃
　Dr。　Lecter　put　on　the　restraints　as　though　they　were　dinner　clothes。　An　orderly　reached　through　the　barrier　and　fastened　them　from　the　back。
　〃Help　him　to　his　cot；〃　Chilton　said。
　While　the　orderlies　stripped　the　bookshelves；　Chilton　polished　his　glasses　and　stirred　Lecter's　personal　papers　with　a　pen。
　Lecter　watched　from　the　shadowed　corner　of　his　cell。　There　was　a　curious　grace　about　him；　even　in　restraints。
　〃Beneath　the　yellow　folder；〃　Lecter　said　quietly；　〃you'll　find　a　rejection　slip　the　Archives　sent　you。　It　was　brought　to　me　by　mistake　with　some　of　my　Archives　mail；　and　I'm　afraid　I　opened　it　without　looking　at　the　envelope。　Sorry。〃
　Chilton　reddened。　He　spoke　to　an　orderly。　〃I　think　you'd　better　take　the　seat　off　Dr。　Lecter's　toilet。〃
　Chilton　looked　at　the　actuarial　table。　Lecter　had　written　his　age　at　the　top：　forty…one。　〃And　what　do　you　have　here？〃　Chilton　asked。
　〃Time；〃　Dr。　Lecter　said。
　
　#　#　#
　
　Section　Chief　Brian　Zeller　took　the　courier's　case　and　the　wheel…chair　wheels　into　Instrumental　Analysis；　walking　at　a　rate　that　made　his　gabardine　pants　whistle。
　The　staff；　held　over　from　the　day　shift；　knew　that　whistling　sound　very　well：　Zeller　in　a　hurry。
　There　had　been　enough　delays。　The　weary　courier；　his　flight　from　Chicago　delayed　by　weather　and　then　diverted　to　Philadelphia；　had　rented　a　car　and　driven　down　to　the　FBI　laboratory　in　Washington。
　The　Chicago　police　laboratory　is　efficient；　but　there　are　things　it　is　not　equipped　to　do。　Zeller　prepared　to　do　them　now。
　At　the　mass　spectrometer　he　dropped　off　the　paint　flecks　from　Lounds's　car　door。
　Beverly　Katz　in　Hair　and　Fiber　got　the　wheels　to　share　with　others　in　the　section。
　Zeller's　last　stop　was　the　small　hot　room　where　Liza　Lake　bent　over　her　gas　chromatograph。　She　was　testing　ashes　from　a　Florida　arson　case；