The sun streamed in through the curved glass wall of his breakfast atrium。 From his vantage point atop the Metropolitan Tower； all of Manhattan lay prostrate at his feet； glittering in the dawn light； windows winking pink and gold。 His own personal New World； waiting for him to claim his Manifest Destiny。 Far below； the dark rectangle of Central Park lay like a gravedigger's hole in the midst of the great city。 The light was just clipping the tops of the trees； the shadows of the buildings along Fifth Avenue lying across the park like bars。
There was a rustle and the maid laid the two papers before him； the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal。 Freshly ironed； as he insisted。 He picked up the Times and unfolded it； the warm scent of newsprint reaching his nostrils； the sheets crisp and dry。 He gave the paper a little shake to loosen it； and turned to the front page。 He scanned the headlines。 Middle East peace talks； mayoral election debates； earthquake in Indonesia。 He glanced below the fold。
Momentarily； he stopped breathing。
NEWLY DISCOVERED LETTER SHEDS LIGHT ON 19TH…CENTURY KILLINGS
BY WILLIAM SMITHBACK JR。
He blinked his eyes； took a long； deep breath； and began to read。
NEW YORK…October 8。 A letter has been found in the archives of the New York Museum of Natural History that may help explain the grisly charnel discovered in lower Manhattan early last week。
In that discovery； workmen constructing a residential tower at the corner of Henry and Catherine streets unearthed a basement tunnel containing the remains of thirty…six young men and women。 The remains had been walled up in a dozen alcoves in what was apparently an old coal tunnel dating from the middle of the nineteenth century。 Preliminary forensic analysis showed that the victims had been dissected； or perhaps autopsied； and subsequently dismembered。 Preliminary dating of the site by an archaeologist； Nora Kelly； of the New York Museum of Natural History； indicated that the killings had occurred between 1872 and 1881； when the corner was occupied by a three…story building housing a private museum known as 〃J。 C。 Shottum's Cabinet of Natural Productions and Curiosities。〃 The cabinet burned in 1881； and Shottum died in the fire。
In subsequent research； Dr。 Kelly discovered the letter； which was written by J。 C。 Shottum himself。 Written shortly before Shottum's death； it describes his uncovering of the medical experiments of his lodger； a taxonomist and chemist by the name of Enoch Leng。 In the letter； Shottum alleged that Leng was conducting surgical experiments on human subjects； in an attempt to prolong his own life。 The experiments appear to have involved the surgical removal of the lower portion of the spinal cord from a living subject。 Shottum appended to his letter several passages from Leng's own detailed journal of his experiments。 A copy of the letter was obtained by the New York Times。
If the remains are indeed from murdered individuals； it would be the largest serial killing in the history of New York City and perhaps the largest in U。S。 history。 Jack the Ripper； England's most famous serial killer； murdered seven women in the Whitechapel district of London in 1888。 Jeffrey Dahmer； America's notorious serial killer； is known to have killed at least 17 people。
The human remains were removed to the Medical Examiner's office and have been unavailable for examination。 The basement tunnel was subsequently destroyed by Moegen…Fairhaven； Inc。； the developer of the tower； during normal construction activities。 According to Mary Hill； a spokesperson for Mayor Edward Montefiori； the site did not fall under the New York Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act。 〃This is an old crime scene of little archaeological interest；〃 Ms。 Hill said。 〃It simply did not meet the criteria spelled out in the Act。 We had no basis to stop construction。〃 Representatives of the Landmarks Preservation mission； however； have taken a different view； and are reportedly asking a state senator and the New York Investigator's office to assemble a task force to look into the matter。
One article of clothing was preserved from the site； a dress； which was brought to the Museum for examination by Dr。 Kelly。 Sewn into the dress； Dr。 Kelly found a piece of paper； possibly a note of self…identification； written by a young woman who apparently believed she had only a short time to live： 〃I am Mary Greene； agt ＇sic＇ 19 years； No。 16 Watter ＇sic＇ Street。〃 Tests indicated the note had been written in human blood。
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken an interest in the case。 Special Agent Pendergast； from the New Orleans office； has been observed on the scene。 Neither the New York nor the New Orleans FBI offices would ment。 The exact nature of his involvement has not been made public； but Pendergast is known as one of the highest ranking special agents in the Southern Region。 He has worked on several high…profile cases in New York before。 The New York City Police Department； meanwhile； has shown little interest in a crime that occurred more than a century ago。 Captain Sherwood Custer； in whose precinct the remains were found； says the case is primarily of historical interest。 〃The murderer is dead。 Any acplices must be dead。 We'll leave this one to the historians and continue to devote our resources to crime prevention in the twenty…first century。〃
Following the discovery of the letter； the New York Museum removed the Shottum Cabinet collection from the museum archives。 Roger Brisbane； First Vice President of the Museum； called the move 〃part of a long…scheduled； ongoing conservation process； a coincidence that has nothing to do with these reports。〃 He referred all further questions to Harry Medoker in the Museum's Public Relations Department。 Mr。 Medoker did not return several telephone calls from the Times。
The story continued on an inside page； where the reporter described the details of the old murders with considerable relish。 Fairhaven read the article to the end； then turned back and read the first page once again。 The dry leaves of the Times made a faint rustling sound in his hands； echoed by the trembling of the dead leaves clinging to the potted trees on the balcony outside the atrium。
Fairhaven slowly laid down the paper and looked out once again over the city。 He could see the New York Museum across the park； its granite towers and copper roofs catching the newly minted light。 He flicked his finger and another cup of tea arrived。 He stared at the cup without pleasure； tossed it down。 Another flick of his finger brought him a phone。
Fairhaven knew a great deal about real estate development； public relations； and New York City politics。 He knew this article was a potential disaster。 It called for firm； prompt action。
He paused； thinking who should receive the first telephone call。 A moment later he dialed the mayor's private number； which he knew by heart。
NINE
DOREEN HOLLANDER； OF 21 Indian Feather Lane； Pine Creek； Oklahoma； had left her husband twenty…six stories overhead； mumbling and snoring in their hotel room。 Gazing across the broad expanse of Central Park West； she decided now was the perfect time to view Monet's water lilies at the Metropolitan Museum。 She'd wanted to get a glimpse of the famous paintings ever since seeing a poster at her sister…in…law's house。 Her husband； service technician for Oklahoma Cable； hadn't the faintest interest in art。 Chances were； he'd still be asleep when she returned。
Consulting the visitor's map the hotel had so generously volunteered； she was pleased to discover the museum lay just across Central Park。 A short walk； no need to call for an expensive taxi。 Doreen Hollander liked walking； and this would be the perfect way to burn off those two croissants with butter and marmalade she had unwisely eaten for breakfast。
She started off； crossing into the park at the Alexander Humbolt gate； walking briskly。 It was a beautiful fall day； and the big buildings on Fifth Avenue shone above the treetops。 New York City。 A wonderful place； as long as you didn't have to live here。
The path dropped down and soon she came to the side of a lovely pond。 She