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〃Now； Captain Custer；〃 he continued in the same mild voice； 〃am I to understand that you will not open the gate and allow us to proceed with our work？〃
〃This is a very important project for the Moegen…Fairhaven Group； and for this munity。 Progress has been slower than it should be； and there's concern at the very highest levels。 Mr。 Fairhaven visited the site himself yesterday evening。 The last thing they want is more delays。 I've had no word about FBI involvement； and I don't know anything about any archaeological business…〃 He stopped。 Pendergast had taken out his cell phone。
〃Who're you calling？〃 Custer demanded。
Pendergast said nothing； the smile still on his face。 His fingers flew over the tiny buttons with amazing speed。
The captain's eyes darted toward Shenk； then away again。
〃Sally？〃 Pendergast spoke into the phone。 〃Agent Pendergast here。 May I speak with missioner Rocker？〃
〃Now； look…〃 began the captain。
〃Yes； please； Sally。 You're a treasure。〃
〃Perhaps we could discuss this inside。〃 There was a rattling of keys。 Captain Custer began to unlock the gate。
〃If you could kindly interrupt him for me； I'd be so grateful。〃
〃Mr。 Pendergast； there's no need for this；〃 said Custer。 The gate swung open。
〃Sally？ I'll call back；〃 said Pendergast； snapping the phone shut。
He stepped past the gate； Nora at his side。 Without pausing or speaking； the FBI agent took off across the rubbled ground； trotting directly toward the hole in the brick wall。 The others； taken by surprise； began to follow。 〃Mr。 Pendergast； you have to understand…〃 the captain said as he struggled to keep up。 Shenk followed angrily； like a bull。 He stumbled； cursed； kept ing。
As they approached the hole； Nora could see a faint glow within； and a flash of light。 A pause； another flash。 Someone was taking pictures。
〃Mr。 Pendergast…〃 Captain Custer called。
But the lithe FBI agent was bounding up the pile of rubble。 The others halted at the base； breathing heavily。 Nora followed Pendergast； who had already vanished into the dark hole。 She paused on the broken wall and peered down。
〃Do e in；〃 said Pendergast； in his most inviting southern voice。
She scrambled down the fallen bricks； ing to a stop on the damp floor。 There was another flash of light。 A man in a white labcoat was bent over； examining something in a small arched niche。 A photographer stood at another niche with a four…by…five camera； bracketed by two slave flash units。
The man in the white coat straightened up； peering at them through the dust。 He had a thick shock of gray hair that； bined with his round black…framed glasses； made him look faintly like an old Bolshevik revolutionary。
〃Who the devil are you； barging in like this？〃 he cried； his voice echoing down the barrow。 〃I was not to be disturbed！〃
〃FBI；〃 rapped out Pendergast。 His voice was now totally different： sharp； stern； officious。 With a snap of leather； he shoved his badge toward the man's face。
〃Oh；〃 the man said； faltering。 〃I see。〃
Nora looked from one to the other； surprised at Pendergast's apparent ability to read people instantly； then manipulate them accordingly。
〃May I ask you to please vacate the site while my colleague； Dr。 Kelly； and I make an examination？〃
〃Look here； I'm in the middle of my work。〃
〃Have you touched anything？〃 It came out as a threat。
〃No 。 。 。 not really。 Of course； I've handled some of the bones…〃
〃You handled some of the bones？〃
〃Consistent with my responsibility to determine cause of death…〃
〃You handled some of the bones？〃 Pendergast pulled a thin pad and a gold pen from his jacket pocket and made a note； shaking his head in disgust。 〃Your name； Doctor？〃
〃Van Bronck。〃
〃I'll make a note of it for the hearing。 And now； Dr。 Van Bronck； if you'll kindly let us proceed。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Pendergast watched as the ME and the photographer climbed laboriously out of the tunnel。 Then he turned to Nora and spoke in a low； rapid voice。 〃It's your site now。 I've bought us an hour； maybe less； so make the best of it。〃
〃The best of what？〃 Nora asked in a panic。 〃Just what am I supposed to be doing？ I've never…〃
〃You're trained in ways that I'm not。 Survey the site。 I want to know what happened here。 Help me understand it。〃
〃In an hour？ I don't have any tools； anything to store samples…〃
〃We're almost too late as it is。 Did you notice they had the precinct captain on the site？ As I said； Moegen…Fairhaven pulls an enormous amount of weight。 This will be our only chance。 I need the maximum amount of information in the minimum amount of time。 It's extremely important。〃 He handed her the pen and pad； then withdrew two slender penlights from his coat and passed one to her。
Nora switched it on。 For its size； the penlight was very powerful。 She looked around； taking note of her surroundings for the first time。 It was cool and silent。 Motes drifted in the single banner of light streaming through the broken hole。 The air smelled corrupt； a mixture of fungus； old meat； and mold。 She breathed it in deeply nevertheless； trying to focus。 Archaeology was a slow； methodical business。 Here； faced with a ticking clock； she barely knew where to begin。
She hesitated another moment。 Then she began to sketch the tunnel。 It was about eighty feet long； ten feet high at the arch； bricked up at the ends。 The ceiling was filmed with cracks。 The dust covering the floor had been recently disturbed； more so than could be explained by the presence of a single medical examiner： Nora wondered how many construction workers and policemen had already wandered through here。
Half a dozen niches ran along both walls。 She walked along the wet floor of the tunnel； sketching； trying to get an overall sense of the space。 The niches； too； had once been bricked up； but now the bricks had been removed and were stacked beside each alcove。 As she turned the flashlight into each niche； she saw essentially the same thing： a jumble of skulls and bones； shreds of clothing； bits of old flesh； gristle； and hair。
She glanced over her shoulder。 At the far end； Pendergast was making his own examination； profile sharp in the shaft of light； quick eyes darting everywhere。 Suddenly he knelt； peering intently not at the bones； but at the floor； plucking something out of the dust。
pleting her circuit； Nora turned to examine the first niche more closely。 She knelt in front of the alcove and scanned it quickly； trying to make sense of the charnel heap； doing her best to ignore the smell。
There were three skulls in this niche。 The skulls were not connected to the backbones…they had been decapitated…but the rib cages were plete； and the leg bones； some flexed； were also articulated。 Several vertebrae seemed to have been damaged in an unusual way； cut open as if to expose the spinal cord。 A snarled clump of hair lay nearby。 Short。 A boy's。 Clearly； the corpses had been cut into pieces and piled in the niche； which made sense； considering the dimensions of the alcove。 It would have been inconvenient to fit a whole body in the cramped space； but one severed into parts 。 。 。
Swallowing hard； she glanced at the clothing。 It appeared to have been thrown in separately fro