danbrown.deceptionpoint-第85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！


　Rachel　blushed；　her　skin　tingling。　〃Thanks。〃
　The　agent　led　Rachel　down　the　impeccably　appointed　hallway　to　a　plain…looking　doorway　nearby。
　〃The　Lincoln　Bedroom；〃　the　agent　said。　〃And　as　I　am　always　supposed　to　say　outside　this　door；　'Sleep　well；　and　beware　of　ghosts。'〃
　Rachel　nodded。　The　legends　of　ghosts　in　the　Lincoln　Bedroom　were　as　old　as　the　White　House　itself。　It　was　said　that　Winston　Churchill　had　seen　Lincoln's　ghost　here；　as　had　countless　others；　including　Eleanor　Roosevelt；　Amy　Carter；　actor　Richard　Dreyfuss；　and　decades　of　maids　and　butlers。　President　Reagan's　dog　was　said　to　bark　outside　this　door　for　hours　at　a　time。
　The　thoughts　of　historical　spirits　suddenly　made　Rachel　realize　what　a　sacred　place　this　room　was。　She　felt　suddenly　embarrassed；　standing　there　in　her　long　football　jersey；　bare…legged；　like　some　college　coed　sneaking　into　a　boy's　room。　〃Is　this　kosher？〃　she　whispered　to　the　agent。　〃I　mean　this　is　the　Lincoln　Bedroom。〃
　The　agent　winked。　〃Our　policy　on　this　floor　is　'Don't　ask；　don't　tell。'〃
　Rachel　smiled。　〃Thanks。〃　She　reached　for　the　door…knob；　already　feeling　the　anticipation　of　what　lay　beyond。
　〃Rachel！〃　The　nasal　voice　carried　down　the　hallway　like　a　buzz　saw。
　Rachel　and　the　agent　turned。　Corky　Marlinson　was　hobbling　toward　them　on　crutches；　his　leg　now　professionally　bandaged。　〃I　couldn't　sleep　either！〃
　Rachel　slumped；　sensing　her　romantic　tryst　about　to　disintegrate。
　Corky's　eyes　inspected　the　cute　Secret　Service　agent。　He　flashed　her　a　broad　smile。　〃I　love　women　in　uniform。〃
　The　agent　pulled　aside　her　blazer　to　reveal　a　lethal…looking　sidearm。
　Corky　backed　off。　〃Point　taken。〃　He　turned　to　Rachel。　〃Is　Mike　awake；　too？　You　going　in？〃　Corky　looked　eager　to　join　the　party。
　Rachel　groaned。　〃Actually；　Corky。。。　〃
　〃Dr。　Marlinson；〃　the　Secret　Service　agent　intervened；　pulling　a　note　from　her　blazer。　〃According　to　this　note；　which　was　given　to　me　by　Mr。　Tolland；　I　have　explicit　orders　to　escort　you　down　to　the　kitchen；　have　our　chef　make　you　anything　you　want；　and　ask　you　to　explain　to　me　in　vivid　detail　how　you　saved　yourself　from　certain　death　by。。。　〃　the　agent　hesitated；　grimacing　as　she　read　the　note　again。　〃。。。　by　urinating　on　yourself？〃
　Apparently；　the　agent　had　said　the　magic　words。　Corky　dropped　his　crutches　on　the　spot　and　put　an　arm　around　the　woman's　shoulders　for　support；　and　said；　〃To　the　kitchen；　love！〃
　As　the　indisposed　agent　helped　Corky　hobble　off　down　the　hall；　Rachel　had　no　doubt　Corky　Marlinson　was　in　heaven。　〃The　urine　is　the　key；〃　she　heard　him　saying；　〃because　those　damned　telencephalon　olfactory　lobes　can　smell　everything！〃
　　
　The　Lincoln　Bedroom　was　dark　when　Rachel　entered。　She　was　surprised　to　see　the　bed　empty　and　untouched。　Michael　Tolland　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　An　antique　oil　lamp　burned　near　the　bed；　and　in　the　soft　radiance；　she　could　barely　make　out　the　Brussels　carpet。。。　the　famous　carved　rosewood　bed。。。　the　portrait　of　Lincoln's　wife；　Mary　Todd。。。　even　the　desk　where　Lincoln　signed　the　Emancipation　Proclamation。
　As　Rachel　closed　the　door　behind　her；　she　felt　a　clammy　draft　on　her　bare　legs。　Where　is　he？　Across　the　room；　a　window　was　open；　the　white　organza　curtains　billowing。　She　walked　over　to　close　the　window；　and　an　eerie　whisper　murmured　from　the　closet。
　〃Maaaarrrrrrrry。。。　〃
　Rachel　wheeled。
　〃Maaaaaarrrrrrrry？〃　the　voice　whispered　again。　〃Is　that　you？。。。　Mary　Todd　Liiiiiincoln？〃
　Rachel　quickly　closed　the　window　and　turned　back　toward　the　closet。　Her　heart　was　racing；　although　she　knew　it　was　foolish。　〃Mike；　I　know　that's　you。〃
　〃Noooooo。。。　〃　the　voice　continued。　〃I　am　not　Mike。。。　I　am。。。　Aaaaabe。〃
　Rachel　put　her　hands　on　her　hips。　〃Oh；　really？　Honest　Abe？〃
　A　muffled　laugh。　〃Moderately　honest　Abe。。。　yes。〃
　Rachel　was　laughing　now　too。
　〃Be　afraaaaaaid；〃　the　voice　from　the　closet　moaned。　〃Be　veeeeeery　afraid。〃
　〃I'm　not　afraid。〃
　〃Please　be　afraid。。。　〃　the　voice　moaned。　〃In　the　human　species；　the　emotions　of　fear　and　sexual　arousal　are　closely　linked。〃
　Rachel　burst　out　laughing。　〃Is　this　your　idea　of　a　turn…on？〃
　〃Forgiiiive　me。。。　〃　the　voice　moaned。　〃It's　been　yeeeeeeears　since　I've　been　with　a　woman。〃
　〃Evidently；〃　Rachel　said；　yanking　the　door　open。
　Michael　Tolland　stood　before　her　with　his　roguish；　lopsided　grin。　He　looked　irresistible　wearing　a　pair　of　navy　blue　satin　pajamas。　Rachel　did　a　double　take　when　she　saw　the　presidential　seal　emblazoned　on　his　chest。
　〃Presidential　pajamas？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃They　were　in　the　drawer。〃
　〃And　all　I　had　was　this　football　jersey？〃
　〃You　should　have　chosen　the　Lincoln　Bedroom。〃
　〃You　should　have　offered！〃
　〃I　heard　the　mattress　was　bad。　Antique　horsehair。〃　Tolland　winked；　motioning　to　a　gift…wrapped　package　on　a　marble…topped　table。　〃This'll　make　it　up　to　you。〃
　Rachel　was　touched。　〃For　me？〃
　〃I　had　one　of　the　presidential　aides　go　out　and　find　this　for　you。　Just　arrived。　Don't　shake　it。〃
　She　carefully　opened　the　package；　extracting　the　heavy　contents。　Inside　was　a　large　crystal　bowl　in　which　were　swimming　two　ugly　orange　goldfish。　Rachel　stared　in　confused　disappointment。　〃You're　joking；　right？〃
　〃Helostoma　temmincki；〃　Tolland　said　proudly。
　〃You　bought　me　fish？〃
　〃Rare　Chinese　kissing　fish。　Very　romantic。〃
　〃Fish　are　not　romantic；　Mike。〃
　〃Tell　that　to　these　guys。　They'll　kiss　for　hours。〃
　〃Is　this　supposed　to　be　another　turn…on？〃
　〃I'm　rusty　on　the　romance。　Can　you　grade　me　on　effort？〃
　〃For　future　reference；　Mike；　fish　are　definitely　not　a　turn…on。　Try　flowers。〃
　Tolland　pulled　a　bouquet　of　white　lilies　from　behind　his　back。　〃I　tried　for　red　roses；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　almost　got　shot　sneaking　into　the　Rose　Garden。〃
　　
　As　Tolland　pulled　Rachel's　body　against　his　and　inhaled　the　soft　fragrance　of　her　hair；　he　felt　years　of　quiet　isolation　dissolving　inside　him。　He　kissed　her　deeply；　feeling　her　body　rise　against　him。　The　white　lilies　fell　to　their　feet；　and　barriers　Tolland　had　never　known　he'd　built　were　suddenly　melting　away。
　The　ghosts　are　gone。
　He　felt　Rachel　inching　him　toward　the　bed　now；　her　whisper　soft　in　his　ear。　〃You　don't　really　think　fish　are　romantic；　do　you？〃
　〃I　do；〃　he　said；　kissing　her　again。　〃You　should　see　the　jellyfish　mating　ritual。　Incredibly　erotic。〃
　Rachel　maneuvered　him　onto　his　back　on　the　horsehair　mattress；　easing　her　slender　body　down　on　top　of　his。
　〃And　seahorses。。。　；〃　Tolland　said；　breathless　as　he　savored　her　touch　through　the　thin　satin　of　his　pajamas。　〃Seahorses　perform。。。　an　unbelievably　sensual　dance　of　love。〃
　〃Enough　fish　talk；〃　she　whispered；　unbuttoning　his　pajamas。　〃What　can　you　tell　me　about　the　mating　rituals　of　advanced　primates？〃
　Tolland　sighed。　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　really　do　primates。〃
　Rachel　shed　her　football　jersey。　〃Well；　nature　boy；　I　suggest　you　learn　fast。〃
　
　　
　Epilogue
　
　The　NASA　transport　jet　banked　high　over　the　Atlantic。
　Onboard；　Administrator　Lawrence　Ekstrom　took　a　last　look　at　the　huge　charred　rock　in　the　cargo　hold。　Back　to　the　sea；　he　thought。　Where　they　found　you。
　On　Ekstrom's　mand；　the　pilot　opened　the　cargo　doors　and　released　the　rock。　They　watched　as　the　mammoth　stone　plummeted　downward　behind　the　plane；　arcing　across　the　sunlit　ocean　sky　and　disappearing　beneath　the　waves　in　a　pillar　of　silver　spray。
　The　giant　stone　sank　fast。
　Underwater；　at　three　hundred　feet；　barely　enough　light　remained　to　reveal　its　tumbling　silhouette。　Passing　five　hundred　feet；　the　rock　plunged　into　total　darkness。
　Racing　down。
　Deeper。
　It　fell　for　almost　twelve　minutes。
　Then；　like　a　meteorite　striking　the　dark　side　of　the　moon；　the　rock　crashed　into　a　vast　plain　of　mud　on　the　ocean　floor；　kicking　up　a　cloud　of　silt。　As　the　dust　settled；　one　of　the　ocean's　thousands　of　unknown　species　swam　over　to　inspect　the　odd　newer。
　Unimpressed；　the　creature　moved　on。



1