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your fancy black suit。〃
Pendergast got into his car。
〃Oh； and looky what we have here； a； what is that； a Rolls…Royce？ Sheee…it。Some FBI agent。〃
He shut the door and started the engine。 The woman advanced across the little patch of lawn； into the lashing rain； clutching her nightgown； the storm tearing her shouted words and flinging them away。
〃You make me sick； mister； you know that？ I know your type and you make mesick …〃
Pendergast swung out of the driveway； headed back toward Main Street。
Within five minutes； he pulled into the parking lot of the Kraus mansion。 Again； Corrie's car was nowhere to be seen。
Inside； Winifred sat in her usual chair； doing a cross…stitch by candlelight。 She looked up as he came in and a wan smile creased her papery face。 〃I was worried about you； Mr。 Pendergast； out in that storm。 It's a doozy； it really is。 I'm glad you're back safely。〃
〃Has Miss Swanson been by today？〃
Winifred lowered her cross…stitch。 〃Why no； I don't believe she has。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Pendergast bowed and turned back to the door。
〃Don't tell me you're going out again！〃
〃I'm afraid so。〃
Pendergast walked back across the parking lot； his face grave。 If he was aware of the storm that lashed and tore the landscape on all sides； he gave no sign。 He reached his car； grabbed the door handle。 Then he stopped and turned； thinking。 Beyond the house with its dimly lit windows； the dark sea of corn swayed violently。 The signboard advertising Kraus's Kaverns banged repeatedly in the wind。
Pendergast released the handle and walked quickly past the house； along the road。 Within a hundred yards he came to a dirt road leading into the corn。
Two minutes later he was standing beside Corrie's car。
Now he turned and strode briskly back toward the road。 But even as he did so； a row of headlights appeared in the distance； approaching through the murk at high speed。 As the cars blasted past and their brake lights went on as they turned into the Kaverns parking lot； growing concern became conviction； and he realized that the unthinkable had happened。
By a terrible； ironic twist of fate； it seemed that all of them…first he； then Corrie； and now Hazen…had e to the same conclusion： that the killer was hiding in the cave。
Pendergast quickly cut back through the corn； making directly for the opening to the cave。 If he could manage to get inside before 。 。 。
He was one minute too late。 As he emerged from the corn； Hazen； standing before the cut leading down into the cave； saw him and turned back； a dark expression on his face。
〃Well； well； if it isn't Special Agent Pendergast。 And here I thought you'd left town。〃
Fifty…Six
Sheriff Hazen stared at Pendergast。 There was a moment of confused silence in which Hazen felt himself swell with rage。 The guy had an amazing knack for appearing out of nowhere at exactly the wrong moment。 Well； he was going to face down this son of a bitch； once and for all。 This FBI prick wasn't going to waste any more of his time。
He advanced toward the thin figure； managing a smile。 〃Pendergast； what a surprise。〃
The agent halted。 His black suit was almost invisible in the stormy half…light； and his face seemed to float； pale and ghostlike。 〃What are you doing here； Sheriff？〃 He spoke quietly； but his voice carried an edge that Hazen hadn't heard before。
〃It's my recollection you were served with a C…and…D this morning。 You are in violation。 I could have you arrested。〃
〃You're going in after the killer；〃 said Pendergast。 〃You've deduced he's in the cave。〃
Hazen shifted uneasily。 Pendergast must be guessing。 There's no way he could have heard； not yet。
The agent went on。 〃You have absolutely no idea of what you're getting into； Sheriff…neither in terms of the adversary you're facing； nor the setting。〃
This was too much。 〃Pendergast； that's it。〃
〃You're at the edge of the abyss； Sheriff。〃
〃You're the one on the edge。〃
〃The killer's got a hostage。〃
〃Pendergast； you're just blowing smoke out your ass。〃
〃If you blunder in there； Sheriff； you're going to cause the death of that hostage。〃
Despite himself； Hazen felt a chill。 It was every cop's nightmare。 〃Yeah？ And just who is this hostage？〃
〃Corrie Swanson。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃She's been missing all day。 And I just found her car； hidden in the corn a hundred yards to the west。〃
There was a moment of uneasy silence； and then Hazen shook his head in disgust。 〃Right from the beginning； Pendergast； you've done nothing but throw the investigation off track with your theories。 We would already have this man in the bag if it weren't for you。 So Swanson's car is parked in the corn。 She's probably out in the cornfield with some guy。〃
〃She went into the cave。〃
〃Now there's a brilliant deduction for you。 The cave door is solid iron。 How did she get in？ Pick the lock？〃
〃Take a look for yourself。〃
Hazen looked in the direction Pendergast was indicating； down along the cut in the ground。 The iron door wasn't locked after all： a padlock lay at the bottom of the doorframe； half concealed in the dust and leaves。
〃If you think Corrie Swanson sprung that lock； Pendergast； you're an even bigger fool than I thought。 That's not the work of a kid； it's the work of a hardened felon。 The man we're after； in fact。 And that's more than you need to know about it。〃
〃As I recall； Sheriff； you were the one to accuse Miss Swanson of…〃
Hazen shook his head。 〃I've listened enough。 Pendergast； turn over your piece。 You're under arrest。 Cole； cuff him。〃
Cole stepped forward。 〃Sheriff？〃
〃He's willfully disobeyed a standing cease…and…desist。 He's hindering a police investigation。 He's trespassing on private property。 I'll take full responsibility。 Just get him the hellout of myface。 〃
Cole advanced toward Pendergast。 In the next instant； Cole was lying on the ground； desperately trying to breathe； and Pendergast had vanished。
Hazen stared。
〃Uff；〃Cole said； rolling into a sitting position and cradling his gut。 〃The son of a bitch sucker…punched me。〃
〃Christ；〃 Hazen muttered； shining his light around。 But Pendergast was gone。 Moments later he heard the roar of a big engine； the sound of tires pulling rapidly away from gravel。
Cole got up； his face red； and dusted himself off。 〃We'll tag him for resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer。〃
〃Forget it； Cole。 We've got bigger fish to fry。 Let's take care of business here and deal with that tomorrow。〃
〃The son of a bitch；〃 Cole muttered again。
Hazen slapped him on the back and grinned。 〃Next time you make an arrest； keep your eyes on the perp； hey； Cole？〃
There was the distant slamming of a door and Hazen could hear a shrill voice rising and falling on the wind。 A moment later； the pallid form of Winifred Kraus came running down the path from the old mansion。 The fierce gusts whipped and tugged at her white nightgown； and to Hazen it almost seemed as if a ghost was flying through the night。 Rheinbeck was following in her tracks； protesting loudly。
〃What are you doing？〃 shrieked the old woman as she came up； her hair haggard in the rain； drops running down her face。 〃What's this？ What are you doin