Chapter 53 50

Thomas took Ron.Sellitto walked into the front porch.At this time, Lincoln.Rhyme was sitting in his cherry-colored wheelchair, babbling about the workmen telling them to be careful not to damage the woodwork in the upstairs bedrooms as they cleared away fire debris.Thomas yelled at Rhyme as he walked to the kitchen to continue preparing lunch: "Lincoln, don't you bother them, can't you relax a little bit?" It's a matter of principle, the forensic expert said nervously: That's my wood upholstery, it's nothing to them. As he would every time a case was over, Thomas said to Sellitto: Do ​​you have any troublesome robberies or homicides?Quickly throw it to him as a pacifier to comfort him.

I don't need a pacifier, and after Thomas flashed into the kitchen, Rhyme yelled: I just want these people to watch out for my walls! Sellitto says: Well, Lincoln, I have something I want to talk to you about. The tone of the statement caught Rhyme's attention, causing him to immediately look up Sellitto's eyes.With years of working with him, he could easily read the detective's emotions, especially when he was in trouble.what happened?He secretly wondered. I've heard a bit from the patrol about Emilia.Sellitto cleared his throat and said. Rhyme's heart beat faster.Of course, he couldn't feel it himself, at most he could only feel a tense stream of blood rushing to his neck, top of his head and face.He couldn't help thinking: Was she shot?Had a car accident?

However, he only said calmly: "Go ahead." She was eliminated and failed the sergeant exam. What? This is true. Rhyme's previous nervousness immediately turned to sympathy for Emilia. Sellitto added: The results haven't been made public, but I already know. Where did you hear that? Word has spread about this.Sachs is a star in the police force, and no matter what happens to her, rumors are bound to flow out in no time. Didn't she score very well on the test? It's not about scores. Rhyme wheeled into the living room lab.Sellitto, looking more scruffy than usual, followed closely behind.

The rest of the conversation was all about Sachs.She once asked someone to leave at a crime scene, and when the man refused to comply, she ordered him to be handcuffed. Unfortunately, that guy happened to be Victor.Remos. It's Congressman Lincoln.Rhyme has never been interested in politics, but he also knows who Remos is: an opportunistic politician who used to ignore his Latino voters in Hispanic Harlem until the political climate shifted recently, plus The consideration of the number of voters made him change.It also suggests that he may be interested in pushing toward Albany or Washington.

They have a way to eliminate her? Come on, Lincoln, what can't they do?They even want to suspend her. She will fight, she will fight. But you also know what happens to the patrolmen who fight.Even if she wins, they'll transfer her to the East New York area, and maybe transfer her there to do paperwork. Oh shit.Rhyme blurted out an obscenity. Sellitto paced the living room, stepped over the wires on the floor, and looked at the whiteboard with the witcher case written on it.He picked up a chair and sat down, the weight immediately making the chair creak.He squeezed the fat around his waist and whispered in a mysterious tone: I have a way.

any solution? I know a person, the one who cleaned up Eighteen last time. Are you talking about a few years ago, there was a continuous disappearance of evidence in the evidence storage room? That's right, it's him.His relationship in the headquarters is very good, the director has to listen to him, but he listens to me.He owes me a favor.Then, he raised his hand and pointed to the whiteboard with the evidence sheet on it.And, shit, look what case we just broke.We hunt down the toughest suspects.I'll give him a call and try to find a way to shut him down for her. Rhyme also looked at the whiteboard, and then fell on the experimental equipment, evidence examination table and various books in the living room, all related to the science of analyzing evidence.In the past few years, Sachs has worked with him here to study various crime scenes and solve many large and small cases.

I have no idea.He said. What’s wrong with you? If she could only be promoted in this way, she would definitely not be willing to accept it. Sellitto retorted: Lincoln, you also know what this promotion means to her. Yes, he was quite aware. We're just following Remos' rules of the game. Since he wants to do something secretly, we'll do the same.Since you want to play, the method must be fair.Sellitto thought the idea was brilliant.He added: "Emilia will never know, I will tell my people to keep it secret, and he will definitely keep it a secret." You also know what this promotion means to her.

how do you feel?Sellitto asked. Rhyme didn't answer for a moment.He looked at the criminal forensic equipment surrounding him, and then out the window, at the green mist of spring sprouts above the trees in Central Park, searching silently for answers. Damaged wood upholstery has been sanded down, and all burnt items in the bedrooms have been removed.Thomas said they were all gone, and Rhyme had to admit that the kid was pretty smart indeed.There was still a strong smoky smell in the bedroom, but this only made Lincoln.Rhyme thought of premium scotch, so it wasn't much of a problem.

It was midnight now, and in the dark of his bedroom Rhyme was lying on his Frescal bed, staring out the window.There was a flapping of wings outside, the sound of the window-sill-dwelling falcon, the smoothest creature the God ever made, returning from hunting.The figures of these two large birds sometimes shrink and sometimes enlarge, depending on the light and their movement.At this moment tonight, they looked much bigger than during the day. Not only did they become larger, but they also felt a lot more threatening.At this time, they also feel restless because of the noise made by the fantasy circus in Central Park.Really, Rhyme felt a little unhappy.He only dozed for ten minutes before he was woken up by applause and applause from the tent.

There should be a curfew.Rhyme complained to Sachs lying beside him. I can shoot their generators.She replied, her voice was quite clear, and she was obviously not asleep yet.She lay on the same pillow as him, her lips against his neck.With this part of her body, Rhyme could feel the slight tickle of her hair, feel the smooth coolness of her skin.In addition, her breasts were pressed against his chest, her belly was pressed against his buttocks, and her legs were intertwined with his feet.Of course, Rhyme learned about these movements of Sachs through observation, and could not prove it from touch.As in the past, he can only enjoy this intimate feeling with his eyes.

Sachs has always followed Rhyme's rules and never wears perfume on his body when walking the grid at the crime scene, so as not to miss any olfactory evidence.It was not her duty time, however, and Rhyme smelled a complex, soothing scent emanating from her skin.He tried to identify it, and he smelled it was jasmine, gardenia and synthetic motor oil. Now it was just the two of them in the house.They sent Thomas off to watch a movie with a friend, and the two of them listened to a few new CDs all night, ate two ounces of caviar, Ritz crackers, and copious amounts of champagne, though drinking champagne through a straw was bad for Lyme. It has never been an easy task.Now, in the darkness, Rhyme thought of music again, of how this mechanized system, composed entirely of pitch and tempo, could be so fascinating.Music did fascinate Rhyme, and the more he thought about it, the more certain it was that it wasn't as mysterious as it seemed.After all, the ideas that are ingrained in his world are: science, logic and mathematics. What does it feel like to compose a piece of music?If the rehab he's engaged in finally works, can he put his hands on the keys and play a song?As he pondered these questions, through the dim light, he noticed Sachs looking up at his face.Did you hear about the sergeant exam?she asked. He hesitated for a moment before answering lightly.Um.He had been careful not to mention it all this evening, and if Sachs wanted to talk about it, she would have said it herself.So it's only now that this issue has officially surfaced. do you know what happenedshe asked. The details are not very clear, but I think this is another story of selfish and corrupt government bureaucrats versus crime scene officers who work hard.Is it this way? She laughed.Very close. I overheard it myself, Sachs. The music from the circus is still loud and noisy, which makes people have several complicated emotions.On the one hand, you feel angry because you are disturbed by this music, and on the other hand, you cannot resist the allure of the music. She asked again: Ron mentioned to you that he wanted to use his relationship for me?Call the city hall? □□□ Emilia will never know, I'll tell my man to keep it secret □□□ He giggled.He really wants to do it.You know Ron, too. The music stopped suddenly, followed by applause and the sound of someone speaking through a microphone. Sachs said: "I heard he had a way of smoothing the whole thing out and getting around Remos. Possibly, he's been in the police force for a long time, too. Sachs asked again: What do you say? What do you think? I'm asking you. Rhyme said: "I said no, I can't let him do that. You say no? That's right.I said to him, you'll work your way up to the promotion, or you'd rather not. hateful.she murmured. He looked down at her, suddenly feeling a little nervous.Did he make a mistake in his judgment? I'm going to give Ron a hard time, he shouldn't have even thought about it. He means well. He believed her arms around his chest were tighter now.Rhyme, why didn't you tell him that being above board is more important to me than anything else. I know. Things could be worse.Ramos was going to suspend me, maybe a year without pay.I don't know what to do when the time comes. You can join me as a consultant. Lime, ordinary citizens can't go to the scene to walk around the grid, I can only sit with my head sullen and obediently, I will definitely go crazy. □□□ As long as you move, they can't catch you □□□ We'll make it through. Love you.she said softly.And he responded by taking a deep breath of her floral scent and telling her he loved her too.God, it's so bright outside.She looked to the window, which was brightly lit by the searchlights of the circus.Why are the curtains gone? Burned, did you forget? I thought Thomas would come back with a new one. He wanted to install a new one right away, but he was too busy and he needed to take care of everything.I told him to leave it alone and do it later. Sachs got out of bed, found a spare sheet, and hung the sheet over the window, immediately blocking out a lot of light from outside.She got back on the bed, arched her body close to him, and fell asleep not long after. But Lincoln.Rhyme couldn't sleep.He lay on the bed, listening to the music outside and the voice of the microphone, a thought gradually formed in his heart, driving away the sleepiness that had finally come.He became more and more lucid, concentrating on the thought in his mind. Naturally, the idea has something to do with the circus. Thomas entered Rhyme's bedroom late the next morning to find a visitor in his room. Hi!He turned to Jenny, who was sitting in a chair by the bed.Williams said. Thomas.She got up and shook his hand. Thomas just went out to buy something, and when he came back, he was surprised to find that there was another person in the house.It's all thanks to computers, environmental control devices, and touch controls that give Rhyme the ability to call someone, invite them over here, and open the door to let them in when they arrive. Don't look surprised, Rhyme said meanly: It's not like I haven't invited people here. It's really rare for me. Maybe I brought Jenny in for an interview, planning to hire her instead of you. So why don't you hire us both?One more person can also share a little bit of your abuse.He smiled and said to her: Don't worry, I won't abuse you. I've been in worse situations. Do you want coffee or tea? Rhyme said: Excuse me, what about me? I want to drink coffee.Jenny said. I want whiskey.Lyme said.As Thomas looked up at the clock, he immediately added: A small cup is fine, it's for medical purposes. You drink coffee as well.The nurse said, and immediately exited the bedroom. After he left, Rhyme and Jenny chatted for a while, talking about patients with spinal cord injuries, various rehabilitation exercises, and electronic stimulation therapy equipment that can help improve the condition.Afterwards, Rhyme, who has always been impatient, felt that he had done enough to be polite to the guests, so he suddenly lowered his voice and said: I have a question to ask you.This problem has been bothering me, but only you can help, and I hope you can help. She opened her eyes wide and looked at him cautiously.I try my best. Could you please close the door? The obese woman glanced at the door, then got up to close the door according to his words, and then went back to her seat and sat down. How long have you and Carla known each other?he asks. Kara?It had been more than a year since she had sent her mother to the Stuyvesant Nursing Home. Nursing homes don't come cheap, do they? Super expensive, said Jenny: the cost is scary, but it's the same everywhere, and every nursing home charges about the same. Does her mother have insurance? There is only health insurance, most of which is paid for by Kara.Jenny said, and added right away: She would pay as much as she could.She is not in arrears now, but she has been in arrears several times before. Rhyme nodded slowly.I have another question to ask you. Please think carefully before answering. I hope you can answer it completely and honestly. Well, the fat nurse looked down at the floor that had just been rearranged, and said, as if not quite sure: I will try my best to cooperate. Afternoon, Rona.Bell came to Rhyme's house.Rhyme plays Dave .Brubeck's jazz piano CD, in the charming melody of the piano, they talked about Andrew.Evidence in the Constable case. Charles.Grady and the New York State Attorney General have decided to postpone the trial to add several more charges of attempted murder of the defense attorney, conspiracy to commit murder and several counts of felony homicide against the recalcitrant.Since the whole case involved Constable, Barnes, and other patriotic comrades, it was not easy to investigate.However, if there is any prosecutor who can be convincing, it is not Charles.Grady is none other than.Grady is also preparing to sue Arthur.Rose, intending to kill Patrol Larry.Barker's charges require a judge to sentence him to death.Buck's body had been found in an alley in the Upper West Side. At this moment, Ron.Sellitto was in Queens to attend a police funeral for the officer who died in the line of duty. Emilia.Sachs came in from the door with a tired expression on his face.She had just returned from a full day of meetings with a lawyer sent by the Police Benevolent Association to discuss her possible suspension.She should have returned an hour ago, but Rhyme could tell from the look on her face that this meeting might not have turned out well. He also has an incident here, which was triggered after he talked to Jenny, and although he wanted to inform her quickly, he has been unable to contact her.Now, however, he had no time to tell her, for another visitor had appeared at the door. Thomas led Edward.Kadeski walked into the living room.Mr Lyme.He nodded to the forensic expert, then nodded a second to Sachs although he forgot her name, and then to Rona.Bell shakes hands.I received a message from you saying that there are still some important matters in that case. Rhyme nodded.I did a little research this morning and pondered a few open questions. What unresolved issue?Sachs asked. In fact, I don't know where it is unfinished. It should be said: Unknown unfinished issues. She frowned, and the producer was equally confused.He said nervously: Could it be that Rose, Will's assistant, escaped from the detention center again? No, no, he's still in there. The doorbell rang again.Thomas disappeared for a while, and it wasn't long before Carla entered the living room through the door.She looked around, and her short hair flew up.Today her hair changed color, the original purple was gone, and it became red like freckles. Hi.She said to the crowd, but when she saw Kadeski, she blinked a few times in surprise. Shall I get you guys something to drink?asked Thomas. Thomas, please leave first, thank you. The nurse glanced at Rhyme, but he recognized the resolute and troubled tone in the words, nodded and left the living room.Then, the forensic expert said to Kara: Thank you for coming here, I just want to clarify a few things related to that case. no problem.she says. □□□ open questions □□□ Rhyme explained to everyone: The magician drove the ambulance into the circus that night, and I want to get a few details about that time.Kara nodded, her black-painted nails flicking.I'm happy to help. The show was supposed to start at eight that night, right?Rhyme asked Kadeski. Yes. When Rossi parked the ambulance at the door of the tent, you didn't make it back because of the interview? True, I couldn't be back on time. Rhyme turned to Kara again.And you were there all the time? Yeah, I saw the ambulance come in, but I wasn't suspicious at first. Where did Rose park the ambulance?How to be more precise? It was under the grandstand, she said: not directly below, but pretty close. Isn't it parked in the most expensive seat area?Rhyme asked Kadeski. no.he answered. Therefore, the car is parked at the main exit where the most spectators may escape and evacuate. Exactly so. Bell couldn't help asking: Lincoln, what do you want to ask? What I'm trying to ask is this: Rosie can do the most damage by parking the ambulance there, but the people in the VIP booth have a chance to escape.How did he know where to park the car? No idea, the producer replied, he probably had scouted the scene beforehand and figured out that it was the best place I mean, the best for him to watch and the worst for us. He might have done the research beforehand, Rhyme said thoughtfully, but we've got the police on guard there, so he's probably not going to risk going to the circus to investigate, is he? Right. So, did someone inside tell him to park his car there? in?Kadesky asked, frowning immediately.You mean someone secretly assisting him?No, none of my staff would do such a thing. Rhyme, Sachs said: What on earth do you want to ask? He didn't answer her question, but turned his head to Carla again.What time did I send you to the circus for Mr. Kadeschi? It was about seven-fifteen. And you've been in the VIP box?She nodded, and Rhyme said again: Close to the exit?Carla looked around again, wringing her hands together in embarrassment.I think it should be. She looked at Sachs.Why is he asking that?What happened? Rhyme volunteered: Kara, I'm asking because I'm reminded of something you told me about some of the people involved in the illusionist's performance.The illusionist will have assistants who stand on the stage to directly assist him, and there are also volunteers selected from the audience. In addition, he has other people who are his secrets. These people seem to have nothing to do with the illusionist on the surface. Becoming a theater crew or an audience member, but actually working for an illusionist. Kadesky said: Yes, many magicians have stumps. Rhyme turned directly to Kara and said sternly: That's what you've always played, isn't it? what happened?Bell asked, his tone full of surprise. Carla gasped, shaking her head furiously in surprise. She had worked for Rose from the beginning.Rhyme said to Sachs. No way!Kadeschi said: Will she? Rhyme went on: She needed a lot of money urgently, so Rose paid her $50,000.Balzac was also involved in this. Kara?Sachs murmured: No, I don't believe it, she can't do it! Impossible?How much do you know about her?Do you know what her real name is? I, Sachs, looked at Kara in confusion.I don't know, she whispered: she never told me. The young woman shook her head desperately, but tears were already streaming down her face.Finally, she said: Emilia, I'm sorry but you don't know that Mr. Balzac and Will are good friends.They performed together for many years, Will was badly injured in the fire, and when he passed away, Mr. Balzac collapsed.Rosé told him about his plans for revenge, and Mr. Balzac forced me to help him.But please believe me, I didn't know beforehand that he intended to hurt people.Mr. Balzac said he was only trying to blackmail Mr. Kadeschi into paying for the fire.By the time I found out that Rosé had killed someone, it was too late. He threatened me that if he didn't continue to help, he would tell the police my name, and I would be imprisoned for the rest of my life, and so was Mr. Balzac. She wiped her face.I cannot let Monsieur Balzac end up like this. So you are also for Master.Rhyme said bitterly. A look of panic flickered in Kara's eyes, and suddenly, she pushed Sachs and Kadeski away, and rushed out the door.Stop her, Rona!Rhyme yelled. Bell rushed forward and dragged her to the ground, and the two wrestled in the corner of the living room.Despite Kara's strength, Bell eventually cuffed her.Panting for breath, he stood up, walked over to Rhyme, pulled out the Motorola radio on his belt, and in front of the frustrated Sachs, called the headquarters to support a most heavily guarded prison van to deliver the criminal to the woman. to the detention center. When he was done, he put down the radio and returned to Kara with a look of disgust to read her rights. Rhyme sighed.Sachs, I wanted to tell you earlier, but I can't do it over the phone.I wish that wasn't true, but the fact remains that both she and Balzac were Rose's accomplices, and they lied to us as much as they did their audience.