th.red dragon-第6部分

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　Springfield　relayed　the　request。　The　telephone　rang　as　soon　as　he　hung　it　up。　The　call　was　for　Jack　Crawford。　It　was　Jimmy　Price　at　the　Lombard　Funeral　Home。　Crawford　punched　on　from　the　other　phone。
　〃Jack；　I　got　a　partial　that's　probably　a　thumb　and　a　fragment　of　a　palm。〃
　〃Jimmy；　you're　the　light　of　my　life。〃
　〃I　know。　The　partial's　a　tented　arch；　but　it's　smudged。　I'll　have　to　see　what　I　can　do　with　it　when　I　get　back。　Came　off　the　oldest　kid's　left　eye。　I　never　did　that　before。　Never　would　have　seen　it；　but　it　stood　out　against　an　eight…ball　hemorrhage　from　the　gunshot　wound。〃
　〃Can　you　make　an　identification　off　it？〃
　〃It's　a　very　long　shot；　Jack。　If　he's　in　the　single…print　index；　maybe；　but　that's　like　the　Irish　Sweepstakes；　you　know　that。　The　palm　came　off　the　nail　of　Mrs。　Leeds's　left　big　toe。　It's　only　good　for　parison。　We'll　be　lucky　to　get　six　points　off　it。　The　assistant　SAC　witnessed；　and　so　did　Lombard。　He's　a　notary。　I've　got　pictures　in　situ。　Will　that　do　it？〃
　〃What　about　elimination　prints　on　the　funeral…home　employees？〃
　〃I　inked　up　Lombard　and　all　his　Merry　Men；　major　case　prints　whether　they　said　they　had　touched　her　or　not。　They're　scrubbing　their　hands　and　bitching　now。　Let　me　go　home；　Jack。　I　want　to　work　these　up　in　my　own　darkroom。　Who　knows　what's　in　the　water　here　…　turtles　…　who　knows？
　〃I　can　catch　a　plane　to　Washington　in　an　hour　and　fax　the　prints　down　to　you　by　early　afternoon。〃
　Crawford　thought　a　moment。　〃Okay；　Jimmy；　but　step　on　it。　Copies　to　Atlanta　and　Birmingham　PD's　and　Bureau　offices。〃
　〃You　got　it。　Now；　something　else　we've　got　to　get　straight　on　your　end。〃
　Crawford　rolled　his　eyes　to　the　ceiling。　〃Gonna　piss　in　my　ear　about　the　per　diem；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Today；　Jimmy　my　lad；　nothing's　too　good　for　you。〃
　Graham　stared　out　the　window　while　Crawford　told　them　about　the　prints。
　〃That's　by　God　remarkable；〃　was　all　Springfield　said。
　Graham's　face　was　blank；　closed　like　a　lifer's　face；　Springfield　though。
　He　watched　Graham　all　the　way　to　the　door。
　
　#　#　#
　
　The　public…safety　missioner's　news　conference　was　breaking　up　in　the　foyer　as　Crawford　and　Graham　left　Springfield's　office。　The　print　reporters　headed　for　the　phones。　Television　reporters　were　doing　〃cutaways；〃　standing　alone　before　their　cameras　asking　the　best　questions　they　had　heard　at　the　news　conference　and　extending　their　microphones　to　thin　air　for　a　reply　that　would　be　spliced　in　later　from　film　of　the　missioner。
　Crawford　and　Graham　had　started　down　the　front　steps　when　a　small　man　darted　ahead　of　them；　spun　and　took　a　picture。　His　face　popped　up　behind　his　camera。
　〃Will　Graham！〃　he　said。　〃Remember　me　…　Freddy　Lounds？　I　covered　the　Lecter　case　for　the　Tattler。　I　did　the　paperback。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　Graham　said。　He　and　Crawford　continued　down　the　steps；　Lounds　walking　sideways　ahead　of　them。
　〃When　did　they　call　you　in；　Will？　What　have　you　got？〃
　〃I　won't　talk　to　you；　Lounds。〃
　〃How　does　this　guy　pare　with　Lecter？　Does　he　do　them…〃
　〃Lounds。〃　Graham's　voice　was　loud　and　Crawford　got　in　front　of　him　fast。　〃Lounds；　you　write　lying　shit；　and　The　National　Tattler　is　an　asswipe。　Keep　away　from　me。〃
　Crawford　gripped　Graham's　arm。　〃Get　away；　Lounds。　Go　on。　Will；　let's　get　some　breakfast。　e　on；　Will。〃　They　rounded　the　corner；　walking　swiftly。
　〃I'm　sorry；Jack。　I　can't　stand　that　bastard。　When　I　was　in　the　hospital；　he　came　in　and…〃
　〃I　know　it；〃　Crawford　said。　〃I　reamed　him　out；　much　good　it　did。〃　Crawford　remembered　the　picture　in　The　National　Tattler　at　the　end　of　the　Lecter　case。　Lounds　had　e　into　the　hospital　room　while　Graham　was　asleep。　He　flipped　back　the　sheet　and　shot　a　picture　of　Graham's　temporary　colostomy。　The　paper　ran　it　retouched　with　a　black　square　covering　Graham's　groin。　The　caption　said　〃Crazy　Guts　Cop。〃
　The　diner　was　bright　and　clean。　Graham's　hands　trembled　and　he　slopped　coffee　in　his　saucer。
　He　saw　Crawford's　cigarette　smoke　bothering　a　couple　in　the　next　booth。　The　couple　ate　in　a　peptic　silence；　their　resentment　hanging　in　the　smoke。
　Two　women；　apparently　mother　and　daughter；　argued　at　a　table　near　the　door。　They　spoke　in　low　voices；　anger　ugly　in　their　faces。　Graham　could　feel　their　anger　on　his　face　and　neck。
　Crawford　was　griping　about　having　to　testify　at　a　trial　in　Washington　in　the　morning。　He　was　afraid　the　trial　could　tie　him　up　for　several　days。　As　he　lit　another　cigarette；　he　peered　across　the　flame　at　Graham's　hands　and　his　color。
　〃Atlanta　and　Birmingham　can　run　the　thumbprint　against　their　known　sex　offenders；〃　Crawford　said。　〃So　can　we。　And　Price　has　dug　a　single　print　out　of　the　files　before。　He'll　program　the　FINDER　with　it　…　we've　e　a　long　way　with　that　just　since　you　left。〃
　FINDER；　the　FBI's　automated　fingerprint　reader　and　processor；　might　recognize　the　thumbprint　on　an　ining　fingerprint　card　from　some　unrelated　case。
　〃When　we　get　him；　that　print　and　his　teeth　will　put　him　away；'　Crawford　said。　〃What　we　have　to　do；　we　have　to　figure　on　what　he　could　be。　We　have　to　swing　a　wide　loop。　Indulge　me；　now。　Say　we've　arrested　a　good　suspect。　You　walk　in　and　see　him。　What　is　there　about　him　that　doesn't　surprise　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Jack。　Goddammit；　he's　got　no　face　for　me。　We　could　spend　a　lot　of　time　looking　for　people　we've　invented。　Have　you　talked　to　Bloom？〃
　〃On　the　phone　last　night。　Bloom　doubts　he's　suicidal；　and　so　does　Heimlich。　Bloom　was　only　here　a　couple　of　hours　the　first　day；　but　he　and　Heimlich　have　the　whole　file。　Bloom's　examining　Ph。D。　candidates　this　week。　He　said　tell　you　hello。　Do　you　have　his　number　in　Chicago？〃
　〃I　have　it。〃
　Graham　liked　Dr。　Alan　Bloom；　a　small　round　man　with　sad　eyes；　a　good　forensic　psychiatrist　…　maybe　the　best。　Graham　appreciated　the　fact　that　Dr。　Bloom　had　never　displayed　professional　interest　in　him。　That　was　not　always　the　case　with　psychiatrists。
　〃Bloom　says　he　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　we　heard　from　the　Tooth　Fairy。　He　might　write　us　a　note；〃　Crawford　said。
　〃On　a　bedroom　wall。〃
　〃Bloom　thinks　he　might　be　disfigured　or　he　may　believe　he's　disfigured。　He　told　me　not　to　give　that　a　lot　of　weight。　'I　won't　set　up　a　straw　man　to　chase；　Jack；'　is　what　he　told　me。　'That　would　be　a　distraction　and　would　diffuse　the　effort。'　Said　they　taught　him　to　talk　like　that　in　graduate　school。〃
　〃He's　right〃　Graham　said。
　〃You　could　tell　something　about　him　or　you　wouldn't　have　found　that　fingerprint；〃　Crawford　said。
　〃That　was　the　evidence　on　the　damn　wall；　Jack。　Don't　put　this　on　me。　Look；　don't　expect　too　much　from　me；　all　right？〃
　〃Oh；　we'll　get　him。　You　know　we'll　get　him；　don't　you？〃
　〃I　know　it。　One　way　or　the　other。〃
　〃What's　one　way？〃
　〃We'll　find　evidence　we've　overlooked。〃
　〃What's　the　other？〃
　〃He'll　do　it　and　do　it　until　one　night　he　makes　too　much　noise　going　in　and　the　husband　gets　to　a　gun　in　time。〃
　〃No　other　possibilities？〃
　〃You　think　I'm　going　to　spot　him　across　a　crowded　room？　No；　that's　Ezio　Pinza　you're　thinking　about；　does　that。　The　Tooth　Fairy　will　go　on　and　on　until　we　get　smart　or　get　lucky。　He　won't　stop。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　he's　got　a　genuine　taste　for　it。〃
　〃See；　you　do　know　something　about　him；〃　Crawford　said。
　Graham　did　not　speak　again　until　they　were　on　the　sidewalk。　〃Wait　until　the　next　full　moon；〃　he　told　Crawford。　〃Then　tell　me　how　much　I　know　about　him。〃
　Graham　went　back　to　his　hotel　and　slept　for　two　and　a　half　hours。　He　woke　at　noon；　showered；　and　ordered　a　pot　of　coffee　and　a　sandwich。　It　was　time　to　make　a　close　study　of　the　Jacobi　file　from　Birmingham。　He　scrubbed　his　reading　glasses　with　hotel　soap　and　settled　in　by　the　window　with　the　file。　For　the　first　few　minutes　he　looked　up　at　every　sound；　footsteps　in　the　hall；　the　distant　thud　of　the　elevator　door。　Then　he　knew　nothing　but　the　file。
　The　waiter　with　the　tray　knocked　and　waited；　knocked　and　waited。　Finally　he　left　the　lunch　on　the　floor　outside　the　door　and　signed　the　bill　himself。
　
　
　CHAPTER　4
　
　Hoyt　Lewis；　meter　reader　for　Georgia　Power　pany；　parked　his　truck　under　a　big　tree　in　the　alley　and　settled　back　with　his　lunch　box。　It　was　no　fun　opening　his　lunch　now　that　he　packed　it　himself。　No　little　notes　in　there　anymore；　no　Surprise　Twinkie。
　He　was　halfway　through　his　sandwich　when　a　loud　voice　at　his　ear　made　him　jump。
　〃I　guess　I　used　a　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　electricity　this　month；　is　that　right？〃
　Lewis　turned　and　saw　at　the　truck　window　the　red　face　of　H。　G。　Parsons。　Parsons　wore　Bermuda　shorts　and　carried　a　yard　broom。
　〃I　didn't　understand　what　you　said。〃
　〃I　guess　you'll　say　I　used　a　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　electricity　this　month。　Did　you　hear　me　that　time？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you've　used　because　I　haven't　read　your　meter　yet；　Mr。　Parsons。　When　I　do　read　it；　I'll　put　it　down　on　this　piece　of　paper　right　here。〃
　Parsons　was　bitter　about　the　size　of　the　bill。　He　had　plained　to　the　power　pany　that　he　was　being　prorated。
　〃I'm　keeping　up　with　what　I　use；〃　Parsons　said。　〃I'm　going　to　the　Public　Service　mission　with　it；　too。〃
　〃You　want　to　read　your　meter　with　me？　Let's　go　over　there　right　now　and…〃
　〃I　know　how　to　read　a　meter。　I　guess　you　could　read　one　too　if　it　wasn't　so　much　trouble。〃
　〃Just　be　quiet　a　minute；　Parsons。〃　Lewis　got　out　of　his　truck。　〃Just　be　quiet　a　minute　now；　dammit。　Last　year　you　put　a　magnet　on　your　meter。　Your　wife　said　you　was　in　the　hospital；　so　I　just　took　it　off　and　didn't　say　anything。　When　you　poured　molasses　in　it　last　winter；　I　reported　it。　I　notice　you　paid　up　when　we　charged　you　for　it。
　〃Your　bill　went　up　after　you　did　all　that　wiring　yourself。　I've　told　you　until　I'm　blue　in　the　face：　something　in　that　house　is　draining　off　current。　Do　you　hire　an　electrician　to　find　it？　No；　you　call　down　to　the　office　and　bitch　about　me。　I've　about　got　a　bait　of　you。〃　Lewis　was　pale　with　anger。
　〃I'll　get　to　the　bottom　of　this；〃　Parsons　said；　retreating　down　the　alley　toward　his　yard。　〃They're　checking　up　on　you；　Mr。　Lewis。　I　saw　somebody　reading　your　route　ahead　of　you；〃　he　said　across　the　fence。　〃Pretty　soon　you'll　have　to　go　to　work　like　everybody　else。〃
　Lewis　cranked　his　truck　and　drove　on　down　the　alley。　Now　he　would　have　to　find　another　place　to　finish　his　lun