D'Agosta dabbed his brow。 Maybe it was the sun on the roof； maybe the bright lights in the room； but it was stifling。 The smell of badly baked meat clung to him like greasy perspiration。 He waited near the door while Pendergast circled the corpse； his body tensed like an eagle； examining it from every angle； the look on his face so eager it was unsettling。
The dead man lay on the bed； eyes goggled with blood； his hands clenched。 The flesh was a strange tallow color； and its texture seemed off somehow。 But it was the expression on the man's face； the rictus of horror and pain； that forced D'Agosta to look away。 In his long years as a New York cop； D'Agosta had accumulated a small； unwele library of images stored in his mind that he'd never forget as long as he lived。 This added one more。
The M。E。 was putting away his tools； and two newly arrived assistants were getting ready to bag the body and load it onto a stretcher。 Another cop was kneeling on the floor； cutting out a piece of floorboard that had a mark burned into it。
〃Doctor？〃 Pendergast said。 The M。E。 turned and D'Agosta was surprised to see it was a woman； hair hidden under her cap； a young and very attractive blonde。 〃Yes？〃
Pendergast swept open his shield。 〃FBI。 May I trouble you with a few questions？〃
The woman nodded。
〃Have you established the time of death？〃
〃No； and I can tell you that's going to be a problem。〃
Pendergast raised his eyebrows。 〃How so？〃
〃We knew we were in trouble when the anal probe came back at one hundred eight degrees。〃
〃That's what I was going to tell you；〃 said Braskie。 〃The body's been heated somehow。〃
〃Correct；〃 said the doctor。 〃The heating took place most strongly on the inside。〃
〃The inside？〃 Pendergast asked。
D'Agosta could have sworn he'd heard a note of disbelief in the voice。
〃Yes。 It was as if…as if the body was cooked from the inside out。〃
Pendergast looked closely at the doctor。 〃Was there any evidence of burning； surface lesions； on the skin？〃
〃No。 Externally； the body is virtually unmarked。 Fully dressed。 Aside from a single； rather unusual burn on the chest； the skin appears unbroken and unbruised。〃
Pendergast paused a moment。 〃How could that be？ A fever spike？〃
〃No。 The body had already cooled from a temperature greater than one hundred twenty degrees…far too high to be biological。 At that temperature； the flesh partially cooks。 All the usual things you use to establish time of death were pletely disrupted by this heating process。 The blood's cooked solid in the veins。 Solid。 At those temperatures； the muscle proteins begin to denature； so there's no rigor…and the temperature killed most bacteria； so there's been no deposition to speak of。 And without the usual spontaneous enzymatic digestion； there's no autolysis； either。 All I can say now is he died between 3：10A。M。 ； when he apparently made a telephone call； and 7：30； when he was discovered dead。 But； of course； that's a nonmedical judgment。〃
〃That； I assume； is the burn you referred to earlier？〃 Pendergast pointed at the man's chest。 There； burned and charred into the sallow skin like a brand； was the unmistakable imprint of a cross。
〃He was found wearing a cross around his neck； very expensive by all appearances。 But the metal had partially melted and the wood burned away。 It seemed to have been set with diamonds and rubies； they were found among the ashes。〃
Pendergast nodded slowly。 After a moment； he thanked the doctor and turned his attention to the man working on the floor。 〃May I？〃
The officer stepped back and Pendergast knelt beside him。
〃Sergeant？〃
D'Agosta came over and Braskie hastened to follow。
〃What do you make of that？〃
D'Agosta looked at the image burned into the floor。 The finish around it was blistered and cracked； but there was no mistaking the mark of a huge cloven hoof； deeply branded into the wood。
〃Looks like the murderer had a sense of humor；〃 D'Agosta muttered。
〃My dear Vincent； do you really think it's a joke？〃
〃Youdon't？〃
〃No。〃
D'Agosta found Braskie staring at him。 The 〃my dear Vincent〃 hadn't gone down well at all。 Meanwhile； Pendergast had gotten down on his hands and knees and was sniffing around the floor almost like a dog。 Suddenly a test tube and tweezers appeared out of his baggy shorts。 The FBI agent picked up a brownish particle； held it to his nose a moment； then； sniffing； stretched it out toward the lieutenant。
Braskie frowned。 〃What's that？〃
〃Brimstone； Lieutenant；〃 said Pendergast。 〃Good Old Testament brimstone。〃
5
The Chaunticleer was a tiny six…table restaurant； tucked into anAmagansett side street between Bluff Road and Main。 From his narrow wooden seat； D'Agosta looked around； blinking。 Everything seemed to be yellow： the yellow daffodils in the window boxes； the yellow taffeta curtains on the yellow…painted windows； the yellow linen tablecloths。 And what wasn't yellow was an accent of green or red。 The whole place looked like one of those octagonal French dinner plates everybody paid so much money for。 D'Agosta closed his eyes for a moment。 After the musty dark of Jeremy Grove's attic； this place seemed almost unbearably cheerful。
The proprietress； a short； red…faced； middle…aged woman； bustled up。 〃Ah； Monsieur Pendergast；〃 she said。〃ment ？a va？〃
〃Bien； madame。〃
〃The usual；monsieur ？〃
〃Oui； merci。〃
The woman turned her gaze on D'Agosta。 〃And you； Officer？〃
D'Agosta glanced at the menu…scrawled in white chalk on a slate near the door…but half the dishes he didn't recognize； and the other half held no interest for him。 The reek of Jeremy Grove's flesh was still strong in his nostrils。 〃Nothing for me； thanks。〃
〃Anything to drink？〃
〃A Bud。 Frosty。〃
〃So sorry；monsieur ； but we have no liquor license。〃
D'Agosta licked his lips。 〃Then bring me an iced tea； please。〃
He watched the woman depart； then glanced across the table at Pendergast； now dressed in his usual black suit。 He still couldn't get over the shock of running into him like this。 The man looked no different than the last time he'd seen him； years before。 D'Agosta； embarrassed； knew the same couldn't be said for himself。 He was five years older； ten years heavier； and two stripes lighter。 What a life。
〃How'd you find this place？〃 he asked。
〃Quite by accident。 It's just a few blocks from where I'm staying。 It may well be the only decent restaurant in the Hamptons undiscovered by the beautiful people。 Sure you won't change your mind about lunch？ I really do remend the eggs Benedict。 Madame Merle makes the best hollandaise sauce I've tasted outside Paris： light yet silky； with the merest hint of tarragon。〃
D'Agosta shook his head quickly。 〃You still haven't told me why you're out here。〃
〃As I mentioned； I've taken a house here for the week。 I'm…what is that phrase？…location scouting。〃
〃Location scouting？ For what？〃
〃For the； shall we say；convalescence of a friend。 You'll meet her in due course。 And now I'd like to hear your story。 The last I knew； you were in British Columbia； writing novels。 I have to say； I foundAngels of Purgatory to be readable。〃
〃Readable？〃
Pendergast waved his hand。 〃I'm not much of a judge when it es to police procedurals。 My taste for sensational fiction ends with M。 R。 James。〃
D'Agosta thought he probably meant P。 D。 James but let it pass。 The last thing he wanted to do was have a 〃literary conversation。〃 He'd had more than enough of those the last few years。
The drinks arrived。 D'Agosta took a big gulp of iced tea； found it was unsweetened； tore open a packet of sugar。 〃My story's soon told； Pendergast。 I couldn't make a living at writing； so I came home。 Couldn't get my old place back on the NYPD。 The new mayor's downsizing the force； and besides； I'd made more than my share of enemies on the job。 I was getting desperate。 Heard about the opening in Southampton and took it。〃
〃I imagine there are worse places to work。〃
〃Yeah； you'd think so。 But after spending a summer chasing people whose dogs have just left a steaming load on the beach； you'd think different。 And the people out here…you give a guy a speeding ticket； and the next thing you know； some high…priced lawyer's down at the station with writs and subpoenas； raising hell。 You should see our legal bills。〃
Pendergast took a sip of what appeared to be tea。 〃And how is working with Lieutenant Braskie？〃
〃He's an asshole。 Totally political。 Gonna run for chief。〃
〃He seemed petent enough。〃
〃A petent asshole； then。〃
He found Pendergast's cool gaze on him； and he fidgeted。 He'd forgotten about those eyes。 They made you feel like you had just been stripped of your secrets。
〃There's a part of your story you left out。 Back when we last worked together； you had a wife and son。 Vincent Junior； I believe。〃
D'Agosta nodded。 〃Still got a son。 He's back in Canada； living with my wife。 Well； my wife on paper； anyway。〃
Pendergast said nothing。 After a moment； D'Agosta fetched a sigh。
〃Lydia and I weren't that close anymore。 You know how it is： being on the force； working long hours。 She didn't want to move to Canada to begin with； especially a plac