漫長的會議雖然得不出結論,已令張天涯與輔矢羽弄清許多疑問。鍾麗芬與蔣樹仁雖然政治立場上皆親政府,卻屬於不同的政治陣營,雙方素來不大咬弦。兩人均非政黨裡最重要人物,如此死亡方式儘管駭人聽聞,政治上未見到特殊含意。當然不排除暗殺者是雙方的共同敵人,然而說到底,所謂「謀殺」至此僅是推斷,沒有真憑實據。364Please respect copyright.PENANAoza531Zeq8
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離開警察總部,張天涯與輔矢羽警覺地不再談論案件細節。兩人不約而同聯想起一些似乎毫無關係的人和事。364Please respect copyright.PENANArXwiBNOzNK
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輔矢羽想起那白衣舞影,與流氓看似灼傷的皮膚。364Please respect copyright.PENANAB2r9DzmlB2
張天涯想起一個失踪多年,曾經情如手足的男人。364Please respect copyright.PENANAWyfaWft7Gn
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「我到城郊看一看。你不妨調查人體自燃的歷史,向教授請教一下意見。」張天涯說。364Please respect copyright.PENANAWaHru3Sqvs
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張天涯口中的教授,是一名民俗學與宗教學專家,私底下對研究神秘文化有濃厚興趣,與天涯偵探社仝人甚為交好,那天輔矢羽便是往他家中作客。364Please respect copyright.PENANANNmd9mpcWp
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輔矢羽贊同,心想要了解這等奇聞異事,從一般圖書館找肯定費時失事,以互聯網搜尋得來的資訊也未必真確,除非憑網上特殊管道去聯繫各方奇人異士。「教授」肯定是奇人異士之一,可是他甚少上網,電話裡頭也說不清,要請教他還是親身拜訪更便捷。364Please respect copyright.PENANAxnYDno1QbT
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前赴途中,思潮起伏。未知是日有所思產生幻覺,還是一切太過巧合,抑或世事冥冥中確有一線看不見的命運紐帶在牽引,在人來人往的車站廣場,輔矢羽赫然見到她的背影!364Please respect copyright.PENANARpY9AqeOAV
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葉虹,身負詭異技能的神秘女子。364Please respect copyright.PENANALVR0hh54No
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這天她一身黑衣皮褲,衣著剪裁更能突顯其身材,似較上次更多阿娜多姿。364Please respect copyright.PENANAAYr1zp3SVV
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輔矢羽曾懷疑自己錯認他人,因雙方有頗一段距離,遠看起來身形與步姿,背影與側影均甚為肖似,偏偏予他一種有別於那次相遇的感覺。然而依昔日經驗,他心知憑感覺行事最易判斷錯誤。364Please respect copyright.PENANAwwtwUjc0Sq
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一瞬間他大感矛盾,該跨開步幅追上前去「相認」,還是老遠吊在後頭,窺探這萍水相逢的女子之生活?364Please respect copyright.PENANANXRjde6tE9
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須知道,這女孩可是懂得反跟蹤術的,要是鬼頭鬼腦的行動被悉破,豈不尷尬萬分?364Please respect copyright.PENANAvJP9FoV7Hi
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青春期的年輕男子,無論平時再理性冷靜,遇上某些場合,卻會做盡傻事蠢事。基於好奇心,也出於對自身跟蹤技巧的一點點好勝心,輔矢羽沒頭沒腦地,終於選擇跟上去一窺究竟。364Please respect copyright.PENANAqzelOXNxSD
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至於張天涯囑咐的事,他並非完全拋諸腦後,只是心中隱隱然有個念頭,告訴他跟下去,可能有意想不到的收獲。364Please respect copyright.PENANATeq2xzhmOu
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這大概是少男給自己的藉口吧。
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張天涯駕車到蔣樹仁與保鑣「見鬼」(鬼火)的案發現場。沿途不斷思索鬼火與人體自燃有何相交點。364Please respect copyright.PENANAN5Ls9JAe4N
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眾所周知,鬼火乃一種自然現象,常出現於墓地等屍骨聚積之所。因為人骨含磷,屍體腐化時釋出磷化氫,當四周氣溫較高,磷化氫便會自燃,產生青綠色的火燄。這火焰很輕,當人走過,飄浮空中的磷火受氣流牽引,仿如追著人跑般,不知情者回頭一看,還以為是鬼魂作祟,故又名鬼火。364Please respect copyright.PENANABmFEADz1tu
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至於人體自燃,雖然此刻手邊沒有詳細資料,但他猶記得以往讀過對這種奇異現象的報告,雖說箇中機制仍是個謎,但頗多研究員以「燈芯效應」理論來作解釋。364Please respect copyright.PENANAvBCBxw6pRB
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如果當中有種化學物質,可促使鬼火出現與人體自燃發生,會否便是此案的「真兇」或「凶器」?364Please respect copyright.PENANAzjl5qgh2Ar
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蔣樹仁死前遇見鬼火等細節,當局以正在調查為由,並未向外界公佈。張天涯來到此處,一來想觀察晚上可真會有鬼火,二來希望查出與蔣樹仁交易時神秘消失男子的蛛絲馬跡。364Please respect copyright.PENANAbR4ts2ktsX
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此刻已近黃昏,張天涯來到那涼亭,仔細觀察周遭環境。「據保鑣證供,他們見到鬼火嚇一跳,那男子便赫然消失眼前。這明顯是聲東擊西的障眼法,手法近乎魔術。」364Please respect copyright.PENANA2qbBRb8ryx
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「要在眾目睽睽下脫身,估計需要許多條件配合,燈光昏暗是其一,此處倒也合符要求。若是在設有機關的舞台上,瞬間消失並不為難,可是這兒?難道有暗道?」可是折騰一番後,卻未發現什麼密道機關。364Please respect copyright.PENANA4LBsvV1yNN
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「可能之二,那男子身法迅捷,引開眾人注意力後,旋即隱身於涼亭後叢林。」張天涯心想,如此手法不難達成,自忖以自己身手,稍加練習也可辦到。364Please respect copyright.PENANAAXWn1suKeL
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「不過,當時如有走進叢林調查,把戲便拆穿。可那時『兵慌馬亂』,誰也沒餘裕想得這麼細緻。問題是,那男子何必無端搞一場『表演』?莫非擔心蔣樹仁交易後立即反面,殺人滅口?」364Please respect copyright.PENANAlLZiJ1a75L
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張天涯走入叢林,集中精神將五感放大,留意叢林種種動靜,彷如獵人一般。緩步走到不遠處,他不禁微笑:「那男子刻意把足印消去,似乎是猜到日後或有人追查至此,可是手段粗疏了些,加上天不造美,這兩天沒下雨,仍保留了痕跡。咦?」他俯身檢查泥土,「除了那男子,似乎當時仍有其他人暗中窺視,莫非與議員之死有關?」364Please respect copyright.PENANAzH265ZhZ5m
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輔矢羽從遠處追蹤葉虹。身處熙來讓往的鬧市,他要匿藏於人潮中並不為難,但同時,對方亦藉擠入人群防止被監視尾隨,更不時改變行進方向。364Please respect copyright.PENANA8B1S6YHiDY
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「難道她已發現遭人跟蹤?看起來不像,反而似是一種習慣,一種防止泄露行藏的慣性。普通人何須如此?」滿腹疑團,可是沒時間細想。364Please respect copyright.PENANA08WGH6iyFf
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眼見葉虹走上了一列火車,輔矢羽亦從一卡車箱的距離外登車。這天車上擠滿了人,只能從人縫間隱約窺見對方的身影,一旦不留神她下了車,這次的跟蹤便宣告失敗,偏偏又不敢金睛火眼盯過不休,唯恐驚動目標。此刻他頗為後悔:「單憑一人進行跟蹤,而她是懂得反跟蹤的行家,這不是自找麻煩嗎?」364Please respect copyright.PENANA1LARh0z2Jt
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話雖如此,一股固執卻教他不肯放棄。就在此時,列車到站,原來已來到一處高檔住宅區,正是蔣樹仁身亡的區域。輔矢羽靈機一觸,待車門開啓一刻立即下車,然後閃身隱匿於一牌燈箱廣告牌後。364Please respect copyright.PENANA8B7CS9pxGj
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果然,只消片刻,葉虹同樣下車,然後離開月台。364Please respect copyright.PENANA7a7Tbqr1te
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輔矢羽只興奮一會便開始懊惱:「這地區人口密度低又安靜,要跟下去更困難了。」