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fore the word 〃lunch〃 that made it sound like an insult instead of a pliment。
But even before Chauncy had finished speaking； Pendergast had removed a cell phone from his suit and was dialing a number。 This unexpected action caused everyone to pause。 Even Chauncy hesitated。
〃Mr。 Blutter？〃 said Pendergast as he glanced at Chauncy's card。 〃This is Special Agent Pendergast of the Federal Bureau of Investigation。〃
Chauncy frowned sharply。
〃I am here in Medicine Creek with a client of yours； Dr。 Stanton Chauncy。 I would like to ask him a few questions about the killings that have occurred here。 There are two ways we could proceed。 One is voluntarily； right now； and the other is later； through a subpoena； issued by a judge for cause； in a public proceeding。 Dr。 Chauncy seeks your advice。〃
He held the phone out toward Chauncy。 The man grabbed it。 〃Blutter？〃
There was a long silence and then Chauncy exploded into the telephone。 〃Blutter； this is pure harassment。 It's going to drag KSU through the mud。 I can't have any negative publicity。 We're at a delicate moment here…〃
There was another； longer silence。 Chauncy's face darkened。 〃Blutter； damn it； I'm not going to talk to this cop…〃
Another pause。 Then 〃Christ！〃 He hung up and almost threw the phone back at Pendergast。 〃All right；〃 he muttered。 〃You have ten minutes。〃
〃Thank you； but I'll take as long as I need。 My very capablesidekick will take notes。 Miss Swanson？〃
〃What？ Yeah； sure。〃 Corrie was alarmed； she'd left her notebook in the car。 But almost as if by magic a notebook and pen appeared in Pendergast's hand。 She took them and flipped the pages； trying to look as if this was something she did every day。
Ridder spoke again。 〃Hazen？ Are you just going to stand there and let this happen？〃
Hazen looked back at Ridder； his face an unreadable mask。 〃And what would you have me do？〃
〃Stop this farce。 This FBI agent is going to ruin everything。〃
Hazen's reply was quiet。 〃You know very well I can't do that。〃 He turned to Pendergast and said nothing； his face neutral。 But Corrie knew Hazen well enough to read the look in his eyes。
Pendergast spoke cheerfully to Chauncy。 〃Tell me； Dr。 Chauncy； when did Medicine Creek first e up as a suggested host for the experimental field？〃
〃A puter analysis produced the name last year。 In April。〃 Chauncy spoke in a curt monotone。
〃When did you first visit the town？〃
〃June。〃
〃Did you make contact with anyone here at that time？〃
〃No。 It was just a preliminary trip。〃
〃Then what； exactly； did you do？〃
〃I fail to see…〃
Pendergast held up the phone and said cheerfully； 〃Just hit redial。〃
Chauncy made a huge effort to control himself。 〃I had lunch at Maisie's Diner。〃
〃And？〃
〃And what？ It was the most revolting lunch it has been my misfortune to consume。〃
〃And after？〃
〃Diarrhea； of course。〃
Before she could stop herself； Corrie burst out laughing。 Ridder and Hazen looked at each other； not knowing how to respond。 Chauncy's face broke into a mirthless smile； he seemed to be recovering his equilibrium； if not his arrogance。 Then he continued。 〃I inspected a field owned by Buswell Agricon； the agricultural bine； who are our partners in this venture。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Down by the creek。〃
〃Where exactly by the creek？〃
〃Township five； Range one； the northwest quadrant of Section nine。〃
〃What was involved in the inspection of these fields？ How did you proceed？〃
〃On foot。 I took samples of earth； corn； other samples。〃
〃Such as？〃
〃Water。 Botanicals。 Insects。 Scientific samples。 Things you wouldn't understand； Mr。 Pendergast。〃
〃What day； exactly； was this？〃
〃I'd have to check my diary。〃
Pendergast folded his arms； waiting。
Scowling； Dr。 Chauncy fished into his pocket； pulled out a diary； flipped the pages。 〃June eleven。〃
〃And did you see anything unusual？ Out of the ordinary？〃
〃As I've said； I saw nothing。〃
〃Tell me； whatexactly is this 'experimental field' going to experiment with？〃
Chauncy drew himself up。 〃I'm sorry； Mr。 Pendergast； but these scientific concepts are rather too plex for a non…scientist to prehend。 It's pointless to answer questions along that line。〃
Pendergast smiled in a self…deprecating way。 〃Well； then； perhaps you could simplify it in a way that any idiot could understand。〃
〃I suppose I could try。 We're trying to develop a strain of corn for gasohol production…you know what that is？〃
Pendergast nodded。
〃We need a strain that has high starch content and that produces a natural pesticide which eliminates the need for external pesticides。 There's the idiot explanation； Mr。 Pendergast。 I trust you followed it。〃 He gave a quick smile。
Pendergast leaned forward slightly； his face assuming a blank expression。 He reminded Corrie of a cat about to pounce。 〃Dr。 Chauncy； how do you plan to prevent cross…pollination？ If your genetic strain escaped into this sea of corn around us； there would be no way of putting the genie back into the bottle； so to speak。〃
Chauncy looked disconcerted。 〃We'll create a buffer zone。 We'll plough a hundred…foot strip around the field and plant alfalfa。〃
〃And yet； Addison and Markham； in a paper published in the April 2002 issue of theJournal of Biomechanics； stated that cross…pollination by genetically modified corn had been shown to extend several miles beyond the target field。 Surely you recall that paper； Dr。 Chauncy？ Addison and Markham； April…〃
〃I'm familiar with the paper！〃 Chauncy said。
〃And then you must also know of the work of Engels； Traumerai； and Green； which demonstrated that the 3PJ…Strain 5 genetically modified plant produced a pollen toxic to monarch butterflies。 Are you by chance working with the 3PJ strain？〃
〃Yes； but monarch mortality only occurs in concentrations greater than sixty pollen grains per square millimeter…〃
〃Which is present within at least three hundred yards downwind of the field； according to a University of Chicago study published in theProceedings of the Third Annual …〃
〃I know the bloody paper！ You don't have to cite it to me！〃
〃Well； then； Dr。 Chauncy。 I ask again： how are you going to prevent cross…pollination； and how are you going to protect the local butterfly population？〃
〃That's what this whole experiment is all about； Pendergast！ Those are thevery problems we're trying to solve…〃
〃So Medicine Creek will be； in effect； a guinea pig location to test possible solutions to these problems？〃
For a moment； Chauncy spluttered； unable to reply。 He looked apoplectic。 Corrie could see he had lost it pletely。 〃Why should I have to justify my important work to a…a…a fuckingcop… ！〃
There was a silence as Chauncy breathed heavily； the sweat pouring off his brow and creeping through the underarms of his suit jacket。
Pendergast turned to Corrie。 〃I think we're done here。 Did you get it all down； Miss Swanson？〃
〃Everything； sir； right down to the 'fucking cop。' 〃 She slapped the notebook shut with a satisfying crack and jammed the pen into one of her leather pockets； then gave the group at the table a broad smile。 Pendergast nodded； turned to go。
〃Pendergast；〃 Ridder said。 His voice was low and very； very cold。 Despite h