th.red dragon-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　what　the　subject's　teeth　look　like。　The　Smithsonian　in　Washington　reconstructed　them　from　the　impressions　we　took　of　bite　marks　on　Mrs。　Leeds　and　a　clear　bite　mark　in　a　piece　of　cheese　from　the　Leedses'　reffigerator；〃　Princi　said。
　〃As　you　can　see；　he　has　pegged　lateral　incisors　…　the　teeth　here　and　here。〃　Princi　pointed　to　the　cast　in　his　hand；　then　to　the　chart　above　him。　〃The　teeth　are　crooked　in　alignment　and　a　corner　is　missing　from　this　central　incisor。　The　other　incisor　is　grooved；　here。　It　looks　like　a　'tailor's　notch；'　the　land　of　wear　you　get　biting　thread。〃
　〃Snaggletoothed　son　of　a　bitch；〃　somebody　mumbled。
　〃How　do　you　know　for　sure　it　was　the　perpetrator　that　bit　the　cheese；　Doc？〃　a　tall　detective　in　the　front　row　asked。
　Princi　disliked　being　called　〃Doc；〃　but　he　swallowed　it。　〃Saliva　washes　from　the　cheese　and　ftom　the　bite　wounds　matched　for　blood　type；〃　he　said。　〃The　victims'　teeth　and　blood　type　didn't　match。〃
　〃Fine；　Doctor；〃　Springfield　said。　〃We'll　pass　out　pictures　of　the　teeth　to　show　around。〃
　〃What　about　giving　it　to　the　papers？〃　The　public…relations　officer；　Simpkins；　was　speaking。　〃A　'have…you…seen…these…teeth'　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃I　see　no　objection　to　that；〃　Springfield　said。　〃What　about　it'　missioner？〃
　Lewis　nodded。
　Simpkins　was　not　through。　〃Dr。　Princi；　the　press　is　going　to　ask　why　it　took　four　days　to　get　this　dental　representation　you　have　here。　And　why　it　all　had　to　be　done　in　Washington。〃
　Special　Agent　Crawford　studied　the　button　on　his　ball…point　pen。　Princi　reddened　but　his　voice　was　calm。　〃Bite　marks　on　flesh　are　distorted　when　a　body　is　moved；　Mr。　Simpson…〃
　〃Simpkins。〃
　〃Simpkins；　then。　We　couldn't　make　this　using　only　the　bite　marks　on　the　victims。　That　is　the　importance　of　the　cheese。　Cheese　is　relatively　solid；　but　tricky　to　cast。　You　have　to　oil　it　first　to　keep　the　moisture　out　of　the　casting　medium。　Usually　you　get　one　shot　at　it。　The　Smithsonian　has　done　it　for　the　FBI　crime　lab　before。　They're　better　equipped　to　do　a　face　bow　registration　and　they　have　an　anatomical　articulator。　They　have　a　consulting　forensic　odontologist。　We　don't。　Anything　else？〃
　〃Would　it　be　fair　to　say　that　the　delay　was　caused　by　the　FBI　lab　and　not　here？〃
　Princi　turned　on　him。　〃What　it　would　be　fair　to　say；　Mr。　Simpkins；　is　that　a　federal　investigator；　Special　Agent　Crawford；　found　the　cheese　in　the　refrigerator　two　days　ago　…　after　your　people　had　been　through　the　place。　He　expedited　the　lab　work　at　my　request。　It　would　be　fair　to　say　I'm　relieved　that　it　wasn't　one　of　you　that　bit　the　goddamned　thing。〃
　missioner　Lewis　broke　in；　his　heavy　voice　booming　in　the　squad　room。　〃Nobody's　questioning　your　judgment；　Dr。　Princi。　Simpkins；　the　last　thing　we　need　is　to　start　a　pissing　contest　with　the　FBI。　Let's　get　on　with　it。〃
　〃We're　all　after　the　same　thing；〃　Springfield　said。　〃Jack；　do　you　fellows　want　to　add　anything？〃
　Crawford　took　the　floor。　The　faces　he　saw　were　not　entirely　friendly。　He　had　to　do　something　about　that。
　〃I　just　want　to　clear　the　air；　Chief。　Years　ago　there　was　a　lot　of　rivalry　about　who　got　the　collar。　Each　side；　federal　and　local；　held　out　on　the　other。　It　made　a　gap　that　crooks　slipped　through。　That's　not　Bureau　policy　now；　and　it's　not　my　policy。　I　don't　give　a　damn　who　gets　the　collar。　Neither　does　Investigator　Graham。　That's　him　sitting　back　there；　if　some　of　you　are　wondering。　If　the　man　who　did　this　is　run　over　by　a　garbage　truck；　it　would　suit　me　just　fine　as　long　as　it　puts　him　off　the　street。　I　think　you　feel　the　same　way。
　Crawford　looked　over　the　detectives　and　hoped　they　were　mollified。　He　hoped　they　wouldn't　hoard　leads。　missioner　Lewis　was　talking　to　him。
　〃Investigator　Graham　has　worked　on　this　kind　of　thing　before。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Can　you　add　anything；　Mr。　Graham；　suggest　anything？〃
　Crawford　raised　his　eyebrows　at　Graham。
　〃Would　you　e　up　to　the　front？〃　Springfield　said。
　Graham　wished　he　had　been　given　the　chance　to　talk　to　Springfield　in　private。　He　didn't　want　to　go　to　the　front。　He　went；　though。
　Rumpled　and　sun…blasted；　Graham　didn't　look　like　a　federal　investigator。　Springfield　thought　he　looked　more　like　a　house　painter　who　had　put　on　a　suit　to　appear　in　court。
　The　detectives　shifted　from　one　buttock　to　the　other。
　When　Graham　turned　to　face　the　room；　the　ice…blue　eyes　were　startling　in　his　brown　face。
　〃Just　a　couple　of　things；〃　he　said。　〃We　can't　assume　he's　a　former　mental　patient　or　somebody　with　a　record　of　sex　offenses。　There's　a　high　probability　that　he　doesn't　have　any　kind　of　record。　If　he　does；　it's　more　likely　to　be　breaking　and　entering　than　a　minor　sex　offense。
　〃He　may　have　a　history　of　biting　in　lesser　assaults　…　bar　fights　or　child　abuse。　The　biggest　help　we'll　have　on　that　will　e　from　emergency…room　personnel　and　the　child…welfare　people。
　〃Any　bad　bite　they　can　remember　is　worth　checking；　regardless　of　who　was　bitten　or　how　they　said　it　happened。　That's　all　I　have。〃
　The　tall　detective　on　the　front　row　raised　his　hand　and　spoke　at　the　same　time。
　〃But　he　only　bit　women　so　far；　right？〃
　〃That's　all　we　know　about。　He　bites　a　lot；　though。　Six　bad　ones　in　Mrs。　Leeds；　eight　in　Mrs。　Jacobi。　That's　way　above　average。
　〃What's　average？〃
　〃In　a　sex　murder；　three。　He　likes　to　bite。〃
　〃Women。〃
　〃Most　of　the　time　in　sex　assaults　the　bite　mark　has　a　livid　spot　in　the　center；　a　suck　mark。　These　don't。　Dr。　Princi　mentioned　it　in　his　autopsy　report；　and　I　saw　it　at　the　morgue。　No　suck　marks。　For　him　biting　may　be　a　fighting　pattern　as　much　as　sexual　behavior。〃
　〃Pretty　thin；〃　the　detective　said。
　〃It's　worth　checking；〃　Graham　said。　〃Any　bite　is　worth　checking。　People　lie　about　how　it　happened。　Parents　of　a　bitten　child　will　claim　an　animal　did　it　and　let　the　child　take　rabies　shots　to　cover　for　a　snapper　in　the　family　…　you've　all　seen　that。　It's　worth　asking　at　the　hospitals　…　who's　been　referred　for　rabies　shots。
　〃That's　all　I　have。〃　Graham's　thigh　muscles　fluttered　with　fatigue　when　he　sat　down。
　〃It's　worth　asking；　and　we'll　ask；〃　Chief　of　Detectives　Springfield　said。　〃Now。　The　Safe　and　Loft　Squad　works　the　neighborhood　along　with　Larceny。　Work　the　dog　angle。　You'll　see　the　update　and　the　picture　in　the　file。　Find　out　if　any　stranger　was　seen　with　the　dog。　Vice　and　Narcotics；　take　the　K…Y　cowboys　and　the　leather　bars　after　you　finish　the　day　tour。　Marcus　and　Whitman　…　heads　up　at　the　funeral。　Do　you　have　relatives；　friends　of　the　family；　lined　up　to　spot　for　you？　Good。　What　about　the　photographer？　All　right。　Turn　in　the　funeral　guest　book　to　R　&　I。　They've　got　the　one　from　Birmingham　already。　The　rest　of　the　assignments　are　on　the　sheet。　Let's　go。
　〃One　other　thing；〃　missioner　Lewis　said。　The　detectives　sank　back　in　their　seats。　〃I　have　heard　officers　in　this　mand　referring　to　the　killer　as　the　'Tooth　Fairy。'　I　don't　care　what　you　call　him　among　yourselves；　I　realize　you　have　to　call　him　something。　But　I　had　better　not　hear　any　police　officer　refer　to　him　as　the　Tooth　Fairy　in　public。　It　sounds　flippant。　Neither　will　you　use　that　name　on　any　internal　memoranda。
　〃That's　all。〃
　Crawford　and　Graham　followed　Springfield　back　to　his　office。　The　chief　of　detectives　gave　them　coffee　while　Crawford　checked　in　with　the　switchboard　and　jotted　down　his　messages。
　〃I　didn't　get　a　chance　to　talk　to　you　when　you　got　here　yesterday；〃
　Springfield　said　to　Graham。　〃This　place　has　been　a　fucking　mad　house。　It's　Will；　right？　Did　the　boys　give　you　everything　you　need？〃
　〃Yeah；　they　were　fine。〃
　〃We　don't　have　shit　and　we　know　it；〃　Springfield　said。　〃Oh；　we　developed　a　walking　picture　from　the　footprints　in　the　flowerbed。　He　was　walking　around　bushes　and　stuff；　so　you　can't　tell　much　more　than　his　shoe　size；　maybe　his　height。　The　left　print's　a　little　deeper；　so　he　may　have　been　carrying　something。　It's　busywork。　We　did　get　a　burglar；　though；　a　couple　of　years　ago；　off　a　walking　picture。　Showed　Parkinson's　disease。　Princi　picked　it　up。　No　luck　this　time。〃
　〃You　have　a　good　crew；〃　Graham　said。
　〃They　are。　But　this　kind　of　thing　is　out　of　our　usual　line；　thank　God。　Let　me　get　it　straight；　do　you　fellows　work　together　all　the　time　…　you　and　Jack　and　Dr。　Bloom　…　or　do　you　just　get　together　for　one　of　these？〃
　〃Just　for　these；〃　Graham　said。
　〃Some　reunion。　The　missioner　was　saying　you　were　the　one　who　nailed　Lecter　three　years　ago。〃
　〃We　were　all　there　with　the　Maryland　police；〃　Graham　said。　〃The　Maryland　state　troopers　arrested　him。〃
　Springfield　was　bluff；　not　stupid。　He　could　see　that　Graham　was　unfortable。　He　swiveled　in　his　chair　and　picked　up　some　notes。
　〃You　asked　about　the　dog。　Here's　the　sheet　on　it。　Last　night　a　vet　here　called　Leeds's　brother。　He　had　the　dog。　Leeds　and　his　oldest　boy　brought　it　in　to　the　vet　the　afternoon　before　they　were　killed。　It　had　a　puncture　wound　in　the　abdomen。　The　vet　operated　and　it's　all　right。　He　thought　it　was　shot　at　first；　but　he　didn't　find　a　bullet。　He　thinks　it　was　stabbed　with　something　like　an　ice　pick　or　an　awl。　We're　asking　the　neighbors　if　they　saw　anybody　fooling　with　the　dog；　and　we're　working　the　phones　today　checking　local　vets　for　other　animal　mutilations。〃
　〃Was　the　dog　wearing　a　collar　with　the　Leeds　name　on　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Did　the　Jacobis　in　Birmingham　have　a　dog？〃　Graham　asked。
　〃We're　supposed　to　be　finding　that　out；〃　Springfield　said。　〃Hold　on；　let　me　see。〃　He　dialed　an　inside　number。　〃Lieutenant　Flatt　is　our　liaison　with　Birmingham　。　。　。　yeah；　Flatt。　What　about　the　Jacobis'　dog？　Uh…huh。　。　。　uh…huh。　Just　a　minute。〃　He　put　his　hand　over　the　phone。　〃No　dog。　They　found　a　litter　box　in　the　downstairs　bathroom　with　cat　droppings　in　it。　They　didn't　find　any　cat。　The　neighbors　are　watching　for　it。〃
　〃Could　you　ask　Birmingham　to　check　around　in　the　yard　and　behind　any　outbuildings；〃　Graham　said。　〃If　the　cat　was　hurt；　the　children　might　not　have　found　it　in　time　and　they　might　have　buried　it。　You　know　how　cats　do。　They　hide　to　die。　Dogs　e　home。　And　would　you　ask　if　it's　wearing　a　collar？〃
　〃Tell　them　if　they　need　a　methane　probe；　we'll　send　one；〃　Crawford　said。　Save　a　lot　of　digging。〃
　Springfield　relayed　the　request。　The　telephone　rang　as　soon　as　he　hung　it　up。　The　call　was　for　Jack　Crawford。　It