<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">22</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">按照日程安排，格雷厄姆离开在华盛顿的规定的住宅是早晨五点四十五分，远远早于早晨的高峰时段。www.mengyuanshucheng.com</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">克劳福德给他打电话的时候他正在刮脸。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">早上好。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">不太好，</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">克劳福德说，</font><font face="times new roman">“‘</font><font face="宋体">牙仙</font><font face="times new roman">’</font><font face="宋体">在芝加哥抓到劳厄兹了。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">噢，不，见鬼。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">他还没死，而且要见你。他可等不了多久。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我就去。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">在机场等我吧。联航</font><font face="times new roman">245</font><font face="宋体">。四十分钟以后飞。你可以赶得上回来监视，如果还继续的话。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">芝加哥的联邦调查员切斯特在阵雨中和他们在俄亥俄碰了面。芝加哥人早已习惯了警笛声。警车前面的车辆不情愿地给他们让出了道，切斯特在高速公路上把车开得飞快，车子呼啸而过，红色的警灯把落下的雨幕染成粉红色。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">他把说话的声音提高，试图盖过警笛声。<font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">芝加哥警察局说他在地下车库里被绑架了。我的信息都是二手的。我们今天在这里可不受欢迎。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">有多少已经暴露了？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">克劳福德问。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">所有的情况，陷阱，所有的。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">劳厄兹看到他了吗？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我还没听到描述呢。芝加哥警察局发布了一个顶级内部通令，要求各地警方通力合作，追查车牌尾号是</font><font face="times new roman">620</font><font face="宋体">的车辆。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">你帮我找到布隆博士了吗？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我找到他妻子了，杰克。布隆博士今天把他的胆囊切除了。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">真是时候。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">克劳福德说。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">切斯特到了医院门廊下一脚踩住刹车，他在座位上转过身。<font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">杰克、威尔，你们下车之前</font><font face="times new roman">……</font><font face="宋体">我听说这孽种把劳厄兹整惨了。你们得有个心理准备。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">格雷厄姆点点头。在去芝加哥的一路上他一直试着扼住自己的念头，这念头就是希望劳厄兹在他赶到之前就咽气。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">佩格烧伤治疗中心的走廊铺的是一溜儿狭长的、一尘不染的瓷砖。一个看起来又成熟又年轻的高个子医生朝格雷厄姆和克劳福德招手，把他们从围在劳厄兹病房门前的人堆里叫过来。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">劳厄兹的烧伤是致命的。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">医生说。</font><font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">我可级帮助他减少疼痛，而且我也会那样做。他的呼吸中夹杂了火焰，所以他的喉咙和肺都被损坏了。他有可能不再恢复知觉。对他来说这是好事。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">如果他恢复了知觉，警察局要我把空气通管摘除，以便他能回答问题。我已经同意那样做了</font><font face="times new roman">——</font><font face="宋体">暂时的。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">现在他的神经末梢都被火焰麻痹了。如果他能活得够久的话，非常剧烈的疼痛会等着他。我已经和警察局讲明了，我现在和你们也讲明：我会打断任何对他的提问来帮他镇静，如果他想我这样做的话。你明白我的话吗？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">是的。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">克劳福德说。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">医生冲门口的值勤警察点了点头，就把手背到他的白色大褂的后面，走了，像一只跋涉的白鹭。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">克劳福德膘了一眼格雷厄姆。<font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">你还好吧？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">还行，我干过特种兵。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">劳厄兹的头在床上被抬高了。他的头发和耳朵都被烧掉了，失明的双眼上的压布代替了烧脱落了的眼睑。他的牙龈上满是烧伤引起的燎泡。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">弗雷迪，我是威尔</font><font face="times new roman">·</font><font face="宋体">格雷厄姆。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">劳厄兹在枕头上的脖子拱了起来。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">这动作只是条件反射，他还没清醒呢。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">护士说。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">塑料的空气通管把他的烧焦并且膨胀了的嗓子张开，与呼吸器一致地发出咝咝声。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">一名脸色苍白的警探坐在角落里，膝盖上放着一台录音机和一个记事本。直到他说话时格雷厄姆才看到他。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>