cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第13部分

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　'No。'
　'That's　good　to　hear。'
　She　winked　at　me。　I　had　brought　Wesley　in　here　before。
　She　picked　out　six　jumbo　shrimp；　peeled　and　deveined；　and　wrapped　them。　Then　she　set　a　jar　of　her　homemade　cocktail　sauce　on　the　counter　by　the　cash　register。
　'I　got　a　little　carried　away　with　the　horseradish；'　she　said；　'so　it　will　make　your　eyes　water；　but　it's　good。'　She　began　ringing　up　my　purchases。　'You　sauté　the　shrimp　so　quick　their　butts　barely　hit　the　pan；　got　it？　Chill　'em；　and　have　that　as　an　appetizer。　By　the　way；　those　and　the　sauce　are　on　the　house。'
　'You　don't　need　to　。　。　。'
　She　waved　me　off。　'As　for　the　crab；　honey；　listen　up。　One　egg　slightly　beaten；　one…half　teaspoon　dry　mustard；　a　dash　or　two　of　Worcestershire　sauce；　four　unsalted　soda　crackers；　crushed。　Chop　up　an　onion；　a　Vidalia　if　you're　still　hoarding　any　from　summer。　One　green　pepper；　chop　that。　A　teaspoon　or　two　of　parsley；　salt　and　pepper　to　taste。'
　'Sounds　fabulous；'　I　gratefully　said。　'Bev；　what　would　I　do　without　you？'
　'Now　you　gently　mix　all　that　together　and　shape　it　into　patties。'　She　made　the　motion　with　her　hands。　'Sauté　in　oil　over　medium　heat　until　lightly　browned。　Maybe　fix　him　a　salad　or　get　some　of　my　slaw；'　she　said。　'And　that's　as　much　as　I　would　fuss　over　any　man。'
　It　was　as　much　as　I　did。　I　got　started　as　soon　as　I　got　home；　and　shrimp　were　chilling　by　the　time　I　turned　on　music　and　climbed　into　a　bath。　I　poured　in　aromatherapy　salts　that　were　supposed　to　reduce　stress；　and　shut　my　eyes　as　steam　carried　soothing　scents　into　my　sinuses　and　pores。　I　thought　about　Wingo；　and　my　heart　ached　and　seemed　to　lose　its　rhythm　like　a　bird　in　distress。　For　a　while；　I　cried。　He　had　started　out　with　me　in　this　city；　then　left　to　go　back　to　school。　Now　he　was　back　and　dying。　I　could　not　bear　it。
　At　seven　P。M。；　I　was　in　the　kitchen　again；　and　Wesley；　always　punctual；　eased　his　silver　BMW　into　my　drive。　He　was　still　in　the　suit　he　had　been　wearing　earlier；　and　he　had　a　bottle　of　Cakebread　chardonnay　in　one　hand；　and　a　fifth　of　Black　Bush　Irish　whiskey　in　the　other。　The　rain；　at　last；　had　stopped；　clouds　marching　on　to　other　fronts。
　'Hi；'　he　said　when　I　opened　the　door。
　'You　profiled　the　weather　right。'　I　kissed　him。
　'They　don't　pay　me　this　much　money　for　nothing。'
　'The　money　es　from　your　family。'　I　smiled　as　he　followed　me　in。　'I　know　what　the　Bureau　pays　you。'
　'If　I　was　as　smart　with　money　as　you　are；　I　wouldn't　need　it　from　my　family。'
　In　my　great　room　was　a　bar；　and　I　went　behind　it　because　I　knew　what　he　wanted。
　'Black　Bush？'　I　made　sure。
　'If　you're　serving　it。　Fine　pusher　that　you　are；　you've　managed　to　get　me　hooked。'
　'As　long　as　you　bootleg　it　from　D。C。；　I'll　serve　it　any　time　you　like；'　I　said。
　I　fixed　our　drinks　on　the　rocks　with　a　splash　of　seltzer　water。　Then　we　went　into　the　kitchen　and　sat　at　a　cozy　table　by　an　expansive　window　overlooking　my　wooded　yard　and　the　river。　I　wished　I　could　tell　him　about　Wingo　and　how　it　felt　for　me。　But　I　could　not　break　a　confidence。
　'Can　I　bring　up　a　little　business　first？'　Wesley　took　off　his　suit　jacket　and　hung　it　on　the　back　of　a　chair。
　'I　have　some；　too。'
　'You　first。'　He　sipped　his　drink；　his　eyes　on　mine。
　I　told　him　what　had　been　leaked　to　the　press；　adding；　'Ring's　a　problem　that's　only　getting　worse。'
　'If　he's　the　one；　and　I'm　not　saying　he　is　or　isn't。　The　difficulty's　getting　proof。'
　'There's　no　doubt　in　my　mind。'
　'Kay；　that's　not　good　enough。　We　can't　just　throw　someone　out　of　an　investigation　based　on　our　intuition。'
　'Marino's　heard　rumors　that　Ring's　having　an　affair　with　a　well…known　local　broadcaster；'　I　then　said。　'She's　with　the　same　station　that　had　the　misinformation　about　the　case；　about　the　victim　being　Asian。'
　He　was　silent。　I　knew　he　was　thinking　about　proof　again；　and　he　was　right。　This　all　sounded　circumstantial　even　as　I　said　it。
　Then　he　said；　'This　guy's　very　smart。　Are　you　aware　of　his　background？'
　'I　know　nothing　about　him；'　I　replied。
　'Graduated　with　honors　from　William　and　Mary；　double　major　in　psychology　and　public　administration。　His　uncle　is　the　secretary　of　public　safety。'　He　piled　worse　news　upon　bad。　'Harlow　Dershin；　who's　an　honorable　guy；　by　the　way。　But　it　goes　without　saying　this　is　not　a　good　situation　for　making　accusations　unless　you're　one　hundred　percent　damn　sure　of　yourself。'
　The　secretary　of　public　safety　for　Virginia　was　the　immediate　boss　of　the　superintendent　of　the　state　police。　Ring's　uncle　couldn't　have　been　more　powerful　unless　he　had　been　the　governor。
　'So　what　you're　saying　is　that　Ring's　untouchable；'　I　said。
　'What　I'm　saying　is；　his　educational　background　makes　it　clear　he　has　high　aspirations。　Guys　like　him　are　looking　to　be　a　chief；　a　missioner；　a　politician。　They're　not　interested　in　being　a　cop。'
　'Guys　like　him　are　interested　only　in　themselves；'　I　impatiently　said。　'Ring　doesn't　give　a　damn　about　the　victims　or　the　people　left　behind　who　have　no　idea　what　has　happened　to　their　loved　one。　He　doesn't　care　if　someone　else　gets　killed。'
　'Proof；'　he　reminded　me。　'To　be　fair；　there　are　a　lot　of　people　　including　those　working　at　the　landfill　　who　could　have　leaked　information　to　the　press。'
　I　had　no　good　argument；　but　nothing　would　shake　me　loose　from　my　suspicions。
　'What's　important　is　breaking　these　cases；'　he　went　on　to　say；　'and　the　best　way　to　do　that　is　for　all　of　us　to　go　about　our　business　and　ignore　him；　just　like　Marino　and　Grigg　are　doing。　Follow　every　lead　we　can；　steering　around　the　impediments。'　His　eyes　were　almost　amber　in　the　overhead　light；　and　soft　when　they　met　mine。
　I　pushed　back　my　chair。　'We　need　to　set　the　table。'
　He　got　out　dishes　and　opened　wine　as　I　arranged　chilled　shrimp　on　plates　and　spooned　Bev's　Kicked　By　A　Horse　Cocktail　Sauce　into　a　bowl。　I　halved　lemons　and　wrapped　them　in　gauze　diapers；　and　fashioned　crab　cakes。　Wesley　and　I　ate　shrimp　cocktail　as　night　drew　closer　and　cast　its　shadow　over　the　east。
　'I've　missed　this；'　he　said。　'Maybe　you　don't　want　to　hear　it；　but　it's　true。'
　I　did　not　say　anything　because　I　did　not　want　to　get　into　another　big　discussion　that　went　on　for　hours；　leaving　both　of　us　drained。
　'Anyway。'　He　set　his　fork　on　his　plate　the　way　polite　people　do　when　they　are　finished。　'Thank　you。　I　have　missed　you；　Dr　Scarpetta。'　He　smiled。
　'I'm　glad　you're　here；　Special　Agent　Wesley。'
　I　smiled　back　at　him　as　I　got　up。　Turning　on　the　stove；　I　heated　oil　in　a　pan　while　he　cleared　dishes。
　'I　want　to　tell　you　what　I　thought　of　the　photograph　that　was　sent　to　you；''　he　said。　'First；　we　need　to　establish　that　it　is；　in　fact；　of　the　victim　you　worked　on　today。'
　'I'm　going　to　establish　that　on　Monday。'
　'Assuming　it　is；'　he　went　on；　'this　is　a　very　dramatic　shift　in　the　killer's　M。O。'
　'That　and　everything　else。'　Crab　cakes　went　into　the　pan　and　began　to　sizzle。
　'Right；'　he　said；　serving　coleslaw。　'It's　very　blatant　this　time；　as　if　he's　really　trying　to　rub　our　noses　in　it。　And；　of　course；　the　victimology's　all　wrong；　too。　That　looks　great；'　he　added；　watching　what　I　was　cooking。
　When　we　were　seated　again；　I　said　with　confidence；　'Benton；　this　is　not　the　same　guy。'
　He　hesitated　before　replying；　'I　don't　think　it　is；　either；　if　you　want　to　know　the　truth。　But　I'm　not　prepared　to　rule　him　out。　We　don't　know　what　games　he　might　be　into　now。'
　I　was　feeling　the　frustration　again。　Nothing　could　be　proven；　but　my　intuition；　my　instincts；　were　screaming　at　me。
　'Well；　I　don't　think　this　murdered　old　woman　has　anything　to　do　with　the　earlier　cases　from　here　or　Ireland。　Someone　just　wants　us　to　assume　she　does。　I　think　what　we're　dealing　with　is　a　copycat。'
　'We'll　get　into　it　with　everybody。　Thursday。　I　think　that's　the　date　we　set。'　He　tasted　a　crab　cake。　'This　is　really　incredibly　good。　Wow。'　His　eyes　watered。　'Now　that's　cocktail　sauce。'
　'Staging。　Disguising　a　crime　that　was　mitted　for　some　other　reason；'　I　said。　'And　don't　give　me　too　much　credit。　This　was　Bev's　recipe。'
　'The　photograph　bothers　me；'　he　said。
　'You　and　me　both。'
　'I've　talked　to　Lucy　about　it；'　he　said。
　Now　he　really　had　my　interest。
　'You　tell　me　when　you　want　her　here。'　He　reached　for　his　wi