e hands themselves； which were black and twisted； the fingernails curled up in little scrolls。
〃Hold the light； please； Vincent。〃
Pendergast bent over the body； placed a knife at the corpse's throat； and in one motion slit the clothes from neck to navel。 He pulled them aside。 Paper wadding； used to bulk up the suit； filled the sunken abdomen。 Pendergast pulled this away to reveal a blackened torso； skin peeling away in dusty burned sheets。 Burned ribs sprang from the rib cage； charred ends exposed。
D'Agosta made an effort to keep the light steady。
Pendergast removed a piece of paper from his pocket and laid it beside the body。 D'Agosta saw it was the copy of the M。E。's report； a photocopy of an X…ray showing the location of the drops of metal。 Next； he fitted a jeweler's loupe to his eye； bending close to the body as he adjusted the objective。 With the knife in one hand and a pair of surgical tweezers in the other； he began to poke into the abdomen。 Faint crackling sounds rose up。
〃Ah！〃 He held up a frozen droplet of metal； suspended between the tweezers； then dropped it into a test tube and reapplied himself to the corpse。
From the darkness behind them came a sound。
D'Agosta straightened immediately； turning the light back down the crypt。 〃You hear that？〃
〃A rat。 The light； if you please？〃
D'Agosta returned the light to Vanni； heart pounding。 There was a lot to be said for waiting for the paperwork to e through。 A year？ Make that two。
There was another sound and D'Agosta swept the light back。 A rat the size of a small cat crouched and blinked； showing its teeth with a little hiss。
〃Shoo！〃 D'Agosta kicked some dirt at it and it slunk away。
〃The light？〃
D'Agosta swung the light back。 〃Nasty buggers。〃
〃Here's another。〃 Pendergast put a long dribble of frozen metal into the test tube。 〃Interesting。 This metal penetrated more than six inches of flesh。 These droplets weren't merely splattered on the corpse： they entered the body at high velocity。 The result； I would guess； of a small explosion。〃
Pendergast extracted a third and fourth droplet； stoppered the tube； removed the loupe。 Everything disappeared back into his suit。 〃I think we're done here；〃 he said； glancing up at D'Agosta。 〃Let's return Mr。 Vanni to his resting place。〃
D'Agosta bent and； once again taking hold of the corpse； helped shove him back into the niche。
Pendergast whisked the bits and pieces of the body that had broken off onto the M。E。's report and tipped them into the niche。 He then removed a small tube of construction cement； dabbed it around the edges of the marble plaque； and fitted it back in place； tapping here and there to seal it。
He stepped back； looked at his handiwork。 〃Excellent。〃
They exited the crypt and climbed into the church。 The door was still closed and locked。 Pendergast unlocked it； and D'Agosta covered him while he flitted across the courtyard。 A moment later he heard Pendergast's voice。 〃It's all right。〃
D'Agosta stepped out into the warm night； immeasurably relieved to be free of the tomb。 He brushed at his arms and legs； feeling the smell； the mold； still clinging to his clothes。 Ahead； Pendergast was pointing toward the darkness of the hill。 A pair of taillights could be seen winding down the mountainside a half mile below them。
〃That's our man。〃 His light came on； revealing unfamiliar shoe tracks clearly outlined in the short； dew…laden grass。
〃What was he doing？〃
〃It seems they no longer want to kill us。 Rather； they are merely anxious to keep track of how much we know。 Now； why do you think that is； Vincent？〃
71
Hayward never liked the sensation of déjà vu； and she was feeling it especially strongly this afternoon； sitting in the same room； with the same people； listening to the same arguments she'd heard twenty…four hours earlier。 Only now it was ass…covering time。 It reminded her of musical chairs： as soon as the music stopped in this room； some poor schmuck would no doubt be left standing； ass exposed and ready to be kicked。
Grable seemed to be trying hard to make sure that exposed ass was hers。
He was in the middle of a long…winded account of the botched arrest attempt； an account that somehow transformed his own craven and erratic behavior into restraint and heroism。 The story went on and on； the climax ing when he was obliged to fire into the air to warn the savage crowd。 As a result they'd been able to depart in good order； upholding the dignity of the New York City Police Department； even if they had failed in their objective of arresting Buck。 Throughout the account； there was the faint implication that he had done all the work； taken all the risks； while Hayward had been a reluctant participant at best。 He even managed to give the impression of refraining from criticism； as if she'd been a dead weight on the whole operation。
If he was as good in the field as he is at ass…covering； Hayward thought grimly；we wouldn't be here right now。 She considered responding； but decided she didn't want to play that particular game。 If she pointed out that Grable had run like a cur with its tail tucked between its legs； that he had fired in panic and lost his gun…well； it might set the record straight； but it would do her no good。 Her mind wandered； tuning out the parade of half…truths。
One bright note was that Pendergast and D'Agosta seemed to be making progress in Italy。 And Pendergast was out of her hair； no doubt making some Italian police officer's life miserable。 On the other hand； she missed D'Agosta。 Missed him even more than she'd thought she would。
It was Wentworth's turn next； and she made an effort to concentrate。 He expounded at length on the psychology of crowds； trotting out quotations on megalomania from file cards specially prepared for the occasion。 It was a huge smokescreen of words and theories； piled one on top of another； signifying nothing。 This was followed by some neighborhood honcho； talking about how upset the mayor was； how everybody was up in arms； how all the important people of the city were beside themselves that nothing was being done。
No one； it seemed； had any ideas on how to get Buck out of Central Park。
Rocker heard them all out with the same tired expression on his face； an expression which betrayed nothing of his inner thoughts。 Finally； the tired eyes came to rest on her。
〃Captain Hayward？〃
〃I have nothing to add。〃 She said it perhaps a little more curtly than she intended。
Rocker's eyebrows raised just slightly。 〃So you agree with the gentlemen here？〃
〃I didn't say that。 I said I had nothing to add。〃
〃Did you find out anything more on Buck's record？ An outstanding warrant； perhaps？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Hayward； having spent part of the morning on the phone。 〃But it isn't much。 He's wanted in Broken Arrow； Oklahoma； for violating parole。〃
〃Violating parole！〃 Grable laughed。 〃What a joke。 The laws he's broken here include assaulting a police officer； resisting arrest； attempted kidnapping…I mean； we got enough here to put him away for years。〃
Hayward said nothing。 Fact is； the parole violation was the only charge that would stick。 As far as the others went； there were dozens of witnesses who would testify truthfully that Grable had drawn and fired his gun with no real provocation； that Buck had not； in fact； resisted arrest； that the crowd had parted like the damn Red Sea to let them go； and that Grable had run； leaving his gun in the dust。
Rocker nodded。 〃What now？〃
Silence。
Rocker was still looking at Hayward。 〃Captain？〃
〃I'd suggest just what I suggested in the first meeting。〃
〃Even after your； ah； unpleasant experience this morning？〃
〃Nothing happened this morning to change my mind。〃
That produced a long； leaden silence。 Grable was shaking his head； as if to say；Some people never learn。
〃I see。 You suggested going in alone； is that right？〃
〃Right。 I go in there and ask for Buck's cooperation in sending his people home for a shower and change of clothes。 We'll promise him a parade permit in return。 Treat him with respect。 Deliver a fair； honest warning。〃
There was a snort of derision from Grable。
Rocker turned。 〃Captain Grable； you have something to say？〃
〃I wasthere ； missioner。 Buck is crazy。 He's a dangerous ex…murderer。 And his followers are like Jonestown； real fanatics。 She goes in there alone； without a large force to protect her； they'll take her hostage。 Or worse。〃
〃missioner； I respectfully disagree with Captain Grable。 It's been almost a week now； and Buck and his followers have been reasonably well behaved and orderly。 I believe it's worth a try。〃
Wentworth had joined in the head…shaking。
〃Dr。 Wentworth？〃 Rocker said。
〃I would give Captain Hayward's plan a very low probability of success。 Captain Hayward is not a psychologist； and her prognostications of human behavior are simply lay opinion； not based on scientific study of human psychology。〃
Hayward looked at the missioner。 〃I'm not one to toot my own horn； sir； but the fact is； I do have an M。S。 in forensic psychology from NYU。 Since I believe Dr。 Wentworth is an assistant professor at the College of Staten Island…CU