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！
〃This would make a great scene in a novel。 Maybe your next。〃
〃There won't be a next。〃
〃Why not？ I loved those two books you wrote。 You've got real talent。〃
He shook his head。 〃Talent…maybe。 My problem is； I don't have the touch。〃
〃What touch？〃
He rubbed his fingers together。 〃The money touch。〃
〃A lot of people never get one novel published。 You got two。 And they weregood 。 You can't give it up totally； Vinnie。〃
He shook his head。 〃Did I ever tell you this isn't my favorite subject？〃
〃I'll drop it if you want。 For now。 I actually wanted to ask you a question。 I know we shouldn't be talking shop； but how in the world did Pendergast know that guy…what's his name； Vasquez…was gunning for him？ Interpol's been chasing that killer for ten years； and he's a pro if ever there was one。〃
〃I could hardly believe it myself。 But when he explained； it made perfect sense。 Bullard…who was no doubt behind it…felt threatened enough to set two goons on me after our first interview。 Pendergast figured Bullard was desperate to leave the country and wouldn't let anybody stand in his way。 He also figured Bullard would try again； this time againsthim 。 So he asked himself how a professional killer would do it。 The answer was obvious： set yourself up in the vacant building across the street from his house。 So right after we took Bullard downtown； Pendergast began watching the boarded…up windows of that building with a telescope。 Soon enough； he noticed a fresh hole cut in the plywood。 Bingo！ That's when he let me in on it； told me what he was planning to do。 Next； Pendergast established a routine so he could control when the man would strike。〃
〃But how did he have the guts to walk in and out of his house； leaving himself exposed？〃
〃Whenever he stepped out of the building； he had Proctor train the telescope on the peephole。 At one point； he had me shoot out a bulb on the street at a critical moment。 That's when he tagged the man's weapon； knew the killer had missed his opportunity for the day。 Figured he'd therefore act the next。 So last night we had the dummy all ready for him。 Proctor handled it perfectly； wheeled it out so just the upper part was visible。〃
〃But why not just go in and take the guy out beforehand？ Why run the risk？〃
〃No proof； for one thing。 On top of that； the guy was barricaded in there…he might have slipped through our fingers。 As you said； he was a real pro。 And for sure he would have put up resistance。 His vulnerable moment was whilehe was escaping。 We just waited for him to run into our trap。〃
Hayward nodded。 〃That explains a lot。〃
〃Too bad the guy took the suicide route。〃
Their first courses arrived； whisked to their table by no less than three waiters； with the sommelier hard on their heels to fill their wineglasses and another functionary to top off their water glasses。
〃Now I've got a question foryou ；〃 said D'Agosta。 〃How'd you make captain？ So fast； I mean。〃
〃There's no great mystery。 I saw how things were going； so I went and got my M。S。 from NYU in forensic psychology。 A degree really helps these days…and； of course； it didn't hurt that I'm a woman。〃
〃Affirmative action？〃
〃More like belated action。 Once the lid of oppression was lifted off the force by missioner Rocker； naturally some of us rose to the surface。 They looked around in a panic and realized there weren't any high…level women on the force…because they'd been discriminating against us forever…and began promoting。 I was in the right place at the right time； with the right test scores and credentials。〃
〃Ambition and talent had nothing to do with it？〃
〃I wouldn't say that。〃 She smiled。
〃Neither would I。〃 Vincent sipped his wine。 〃Where'd you grow up？〃
〃Macon； Georgia。 My dad was a welder； my mom a homemaker。 I had an older brother； killed in Vietnam。 Friendly fire。 I was eight。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃
Hayward shook her head。 〃My parents never recovered。 Dad died a year later； Mom the year after that。 Cancer； both of them； but I think it was more from grief。 He was their pride and joy。〃
〃That's really hard。〃
〃That was a long time ago； and I had a wonderful grandmother in Islip who raised me。 It helped me realize I was pretty much alone in this world and that nobody would kick ass for me。 I'd have to do the kicking myself。〃
〃You've done a good job of it。〃
〃It's a game。〃
He paused。 〃You really shooting for missioner？〃
She smiled； saying nothing； then raised her glass。 〃Nice to have you back in the Big Apple where you belong； Vinnie。〃
〃I'll drink to that。 You don't know how I've missed this town。〃
〃Best place in the world to be a cop。〃
〃When I was a lieutenant； back during the museum murders； I never really appreciated it。 I thought it would be great to get out of the city； live in the country； breathe fresh air for a change； listen to the birds chirping； watch the leaves turn color。 I wanted to go fishing every Sunday。 But you know what？ Fishing is boring； the birds wake you up in the morning； and instead of Le Cirque； up in Radium Hot Springs you've got Betty Daye's Family…Style Restaurant。〃
〃Where you can feed a family of four for what it costs here to buy a donut。〃
〃Yeah； but who wants chicken…fried steak at four ninety…nine when you can have duck magret dusted with Espelette pimento for only forty…one bucks？〃
Hayward laughed。 〃That's what I love about New York…nothing's normal。 Everything's totally over the top。 Here we are having dinner in the same room with Madonna and Michael Douglas。〃
〃New York'll drive you crazy； but it's never boring。〃
She took a sip of wine and the waiter rushed over to refill her glass。 〃Is there really a town called Radium Hot Springs up there？ It sounds like a joke。〃
〃I've been there。 I'm pretty sure it's real。〃
〃What was it like？〃
〃I kid about it； but it wasn't a bad place。 Small town； good values。 Canadians are a friendly bunch。 But it wasn't home。 I always felt like an exile； you know what I mean？ And it was too damn quiet。 I thought I'd go crazy； I couldn't concentrate with all those chirping birds。 Give me the roar of rock…solid Friday afternoon Midtown gridlock； stretching from river to river。 Man； that's the voice of life itself。〃
Hayward laughed as their main courses arrived with a flurry of white…gloved waiters。
〃I could definitely get used to this；〃 said D'Agosta； leaning back and tucking into his duck magret； following it with a swig of Chardonnay。
Hayward placed a sea scallopétuvée in her mouth and savored it。 She didn't believe she had ever tasted anything quite so good in her life。 〃You did well； Vinnie；〃 she said with a smile。 〃You really did well。〃
44
D'Agosta had never been in the place before； but everythingabout it was dismally familiar。 At least the sharp tang of alcohol and formaldehyde and God only knew what other chemicals helped chase away a lingering hangover。 He and Laura Hayward hadn't left the restaurant until 11：30 the night before。 At the sommelier's suggestion； he'd splurged on a demi bottle of dessert wine…Chateau d'Yquem 1990； it had cost him a week's pay at least…and it had proved to be the most wonderful wine he'd ever tasted。 The whole evening had proved wonderful； in fact。
What a tragedy that it had to be followed up by this。
The mingled smell of formalin； bodily fluids； and deposition； the overly clean stainless…steel surfaces； the bank of refrigerating units； the sinister…looking diener lurking in the background； the attending pathologist…and of course the cadaver； star of the show； lying in the middle of the room on an old marble autopsy table； illuminated by its very own spotlight。 It had been autopsied…disassembled was more like it…and a bunch of withered； sliced…and…diced organs lay arrayed around the corpse； each in its own plastic container： brain； heart； lungs； liver； kidneys； and a bunch of other dark lumps D'Agosta did not care to guess at。
Still； this wasn't as bad as some。 Maybe it was because the parade of insects had e and gone and the corpse had decayed to the point where it was as much skeleton as flesh。 Or perhaps it was because the smell of suppuration had almost been replaced by a smell of earth。 Or maybe…D'Agosta hoped…maybe he was finally getting used to it。 Or was he？ He felt that familiar tightening in his throat。 At least he'd been smart enough to skip breakfast。
He watched the doctor standing at the head of the corpse； round black glasses pulled down on his nose； thumbing through a clipboard。 He was a laconic type； with salt…and…pepper hair and a slow； economical way of talking。 He looked irritated。 〃Well； well；〃 he said； flipping over papers。 〃Well； well。〃
Pendergast was restlessly circling the corpse。 〃The death certificate listed lung cancer as the cause of death；〃 he said。
〃I am aware of that；〃 the doctor replied。 〃I was the attending physicianthen ； and at yourrequest ； I have been hauled back here to be the attending pathologistnow 。〃 The man's voice was brittle with grievance。
〃I thank you。〃
The doctor nodded tersely； then went back to the clipboard。 〃I've performed a plete autopsy on the cadaver； and the lab results have e back。 Now； what is it； exactly； that you would like to know？〃
〃First things first。 I'm assuming you confirmed this is indeed the body of Ranier Beckmann？〃
〃Without question。 I checked dental records。〃
〃Excellent。 Please proceed。〃
〃I'll summarize my original records and diagnosis。〃 The doctor flipped over some pages。 〃On March 4； 1995； the patient； Ranier Beckmann； was brought to the E。R。 by ambulance。 The symptoms indicated advanced stages of cancer。 Tests confirmed an extensive…stage small…cell lung carcinoma with distant metastases。 Essentially a hopeless case。 The cancer had spread throughout the body； and general organ failure was imminent。 Mr。 Beckmann never left the hospital and died two weeks later。〃
〃You're sure he died in the hospital？〃
〃Yes。 I saw him every day on my rounds until he died。〃
〃And your recollection； going back over a decade； is still clear？〃
〃Absolutely。〃 The doctor stared at Pendergast over the tops of his glasses。
〃Proceed。〃
〃I conducted this autopsy in two stages。 The first was to test my original determination of cause of death。 There had been no autopsy。 Standard procedure。 The cause of death was evident； there was no family request； and no suspicion of foul play。 The state obviously doesn't pay for an autopsy just for the hell of it。〃
Pendergast nodded。
〃The second stage of my autopsy； as per your request； was to identify any unusual pathologies； conditions； wounds； toxins； or other irregularities associated with the body。〃
〃And the results？〃
〃I confirmed Beckmann died of general organ failure associated with cancer。〃
Pendergast quickly fixed his silvery eyes again on the doctor。 He said nothing： the skeptical look said it all。
The doctor returned the look steadily。 Then he continued； voice calm。 〃The primary was a tumor in his left lung the size of a grapefruit。 There were gross secondary metastatic tumors in the kidneys； liver； and brain。 The only surprising thing about this man's death is that he hadn't showed up in the emergency room earlier。 He must have been in tremendous pain； barely able to function。〃
〃Go on；〃 Pendergast said in a low voice。
〃Aside from the cancer； the patient showed advanced cirrhosis of the liver； heart disease； and a suite of other chronic； but not yet acute； symptoms associated with alcoholism and poor nutrition。〃
〃And？〃
〃That's all。 No toxins or drugs present in the blood or tissues。 No unusual wounds or pathologies； at least none detectable after embalming and almost ten years in the ground。〃
〃No sign of heat？〃
〃Heat？ What do you mean？〃
〃No indication that the body had experienced the perimortem application of heat？〃
〃Absolutely not。 Heat would have caused a host of obvious cell changes。 I've looked at forty； maybe fifty sections of tissue from this cadaver； and not one showed changes associated with heat。 What an extraordinary question； Mr。 Pendergast。〃
Pendergast spoke again； his voice still low。 〃Small…cell lung cancer is caused almost exclusively by smoking。 Am I correct； Doctor？〃
〃