fic； was no longer necessary。 In fact； it had bee a liability。 It was imperative for Leng to cover his tracks and start afresh。〃
There was a silence。 Then Pendergast resumed。
〃A year before the cabinet burned； Leng offered his services to two workhouses in the vicinity…the Five Points House of Industry and the Five Points Mission。 The two were connected by the warren of old underground tunnels that riddled the entire Five Points area in the nineteenth century。 In Leng's day； a foul alley known as Cow Bay lay between the workhouses。 Along with the sordid tenements you'd expect； Cow Bay was home to an ancient subterranean pumping station dating back to the days of the Collect Pond。 The waterworks were shut down and sealed for good about a month before Leng allied himself with the workhouses。 That is no mere coincidence of dates。〃
〃What are you saying？〃
〃The abandoned waterworks was the site of Leng's production laboratory。 The place he went after burning Shottum's Cabinet。 It was secure； and better still it provided easy underground access to both workhouses。 An ideal place to begin production of the substance he believed would prolong his life。 I have the old plans for the waterworks； here。〃 Pendergast waved his hand； weakly。
Nora glanced over at the plex set of diagrams。 She wondered what had so exhausted the agent。 He had seemed much better the day before。 She hoped he hadn't taken a turn for the worse。
〃Today； of course； the workhouses； the tenements； even many of the streets are gone。 A three…story brownstone was built directly above the site of Leng's production laboratory。 Number 99 Doyers Street； erected in the 1920s off Chatham Square。 Broken into one…bedroom flats； with a separate two…bedroom apartment in the basement。 Any traces of Leng's laboratory would lie under that building。〃
Nora thought for a moment。 Excavating Leng's production laboratory would no doubt be a fascinating archaeological project。 There would be evidence there； and as an archaeologist she could find it。 She wondered； once again； why Pendergast was so interested in these nineteenth…century murders。 It would be of some historical solace to know that Mary Greene's killer had been brought to light…She abruptly terminated the line of thought。 She had her own work to do； her own career to salvage。 She had to remind herself once again that this was history。
Pendergast sighed； turned slightly in the bed。 〃Thank you； Dr。 Kelly。 Now； you'd better go。 I'm badly in need of sleep。〃
Nora glanced at him in surprise。 She had been expecting another plea for her help。 〃Why did you ask to see me； exactly？〃
〃You've been a great help to me in this investigation。 More than once； you've asked for more information than I could give you。 I assumed you wished to know what I've discovered。 You've earned that； at the very least。 There's a detestable term one hears bandied about these days： 'closure。' Detestable； but in this case appropriate。 I hope this knowledge will bring you some degree of closure； and allow you to continue your work at the Museum without a sense of unfinished business。 I offer my sincerest thanks for your help。 It has been invaluable。〃
Nora felt a twinge of offense at this abrupt dismissal。 She reminded herself that this was what she had wanted 。 。 。 Wasn't it？ After a moment she spoke。 〃Thanks for saying so。 But if you ask me； this business sounds totally unfinished。 If you're right about this； 99 Doyers Street seems like the next logical stop。〃
〃That is correct。 The basement apartment is currently unoccupied； and an excavation below the living room floor would be most instructive。 I plan to rent the apartment myself and undertake that excavation。 And that is why I must recover as quickly as possible。 Take care； Dr。 Kelly。〃 He shifted with an air of finality。
〃Who's going to do the excavation？〃 she asked。
〃I will find another archaeologist。〃
Nora looked at him sharply。 〃Where？〃
〃Through the New Orleans field office。 They are most flexible when it es to my； ah； projects。〃
〃Right；〃 said Nora briskly。 〃But this isn't a job for just any archaeologist。 This requires someone with special skills in…〃
〃Are you offering？〃
Nora was silent。
〃Of course you're not。 That's why I didn't ask。 You've more than once expressed your desire to return to a more normal course of work。 I've imposed upon you too much as it is。 Besides； this investigation has taken a dangerous turn； far more so than I initially assumed。 An assumption I have paid for； as you can see。 I would not wish you exposed to any more danger than you have been already。〃
Nora stood up。
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃I guess that's settled。 I've enjoyed working with you； Mr。 Pendergast…if 'enjoy' is the right word。 It's certainly been interesting。〃 She felt vaguely dissatisfied with this oute； even though it was what she had e down here to achieve。
〃Indeed；〃 said Pendergast。 〃Most interesting。〃
She began to walk toward the door； then stopped； remembering something。 〃But I may be in touch with you again。 I got a note from Reinhart Puck in the Archives。 Says he's found some new information； asked me to stop by later this afternoon。 If it seems useful； I'll pass it on。〃
Pendergast's pale eyes were still regarding her attentively。 〃Do that。 And again； Dr。 Kelly； you have my thanks。 Be very careful。〃
She nodded； then turned to leave； smiling at the baleful stares that greeted her as she passed the nurses' station。
FIFTEEN
THE DOOR TO the Archives gave out a sharp creak as Nora eased it open。 There had been no response to her knocking； and the door was unlocked； in clear violation of regulations。 Very strange。
The smell of old books； papers； and the odor of corruption that seemed to suffuse the entire Museum hung in her nostrils。 Puck's desk lay in the center of a pool of light； a wall of darkness beyond。 Puck himself was nowhere to be seen。
Nora checked her watch。 Four P。M。 She was right on time。
She released the door and it sighed back into place。 She turned the lock； then approached the desk； heels clicking on the marble floor。 She signed in automatically； scrawling her name at the top of a fresh page in the logbook。 Puck's desk was neater than usual； and a single typewritten note sat in the middle of the green felt pad。 She glanced at it。 I'm on the triceratops in the back。
The triceratops； Nora thought； looking into the gloom。 Leave it to Puck to be off dusting old relics。 But where the hell was the triceratops？ She didn't recall having seen one。 And there were no lights on in the back that she could see。 The damn triceratops could be anywhere。 She looked around： no diagram of the Archives； either。 Typical。
Feeling an undercurrent of irritation； she moved to the banks of ivory light switches。 She snapped a few on at random。 Lights sprang up here and there； deep within the Archives； casting long shadows down the rows of metal shelving。 Might as well turn them all on； she thought； flipping whole rows of switches with the edge of her hand。 But even with all the lights； the Archives remained curiously shadowy and dim； large pools of darkness and long dim aisles predominating。
She waited； half expecting Puck to call out to her。 There was no sound except the distant ticking of steam pipes and the hiss of the forced…air ducts。
〃Mr。 Puck？〃 she called tentatively。
Her voice reverberated and died。 No answer。
She called again； louder this time。 The Archives were so vast she wondered if her voice could penetrate to the rear。
For a minute； she considered ing back another time。 But Puck's message had been most insistent。
Vaguely； she recalled seeing some mounted fossil skeletons on her last visit。 Maybe she would find the triceratops among them。
With a sigh； she began walking down one of the aisles； listening to the clatter of her shoes against the marble。 Although the entrance to the aisle had been brightly lit； it soon grew shadowy and dim。 It was amazing how poorly illuminated the place was； in the middle sections of the aisles； far from the lights； one almost needed a flashlight to make out the objects stacked on the shelves。
At the next pool of light； Nora found herself at a junction from which several aisles