cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第48部分

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a　dirty　movie。
　'Okay；'　she　said；　satisfied　that　I　was　harmless。　'Follow　me。'
　To　get　upstairs；　we　had　to　walk　through　the　women's　side　of　the　jail。　Keys　jangled　as　she　unlocked　a　heavy　metal　door　that　loudly　banged　shut　behind　us。　Inmates　were　young　and　hard　in　institutional　denim；　their　cells　scarcely　big　enough　for　an　animal；　with　a　white　toilet；　bed　and　sink。　Women　played　solitaire；　and　leaned　against　their　cages。　They　had　hung　their　clothes　from　bars；　and　trash　barrels　were　close　and　crammed　with　what　they　hadn't　wanted　for　dinner。　The　smell　of　old　food　made　my　stomach　flop。
　'Hey　mama。'
　'What　we　got　here？'
　'A　fine　lady。　Umm…umm…umm。'
　'Hubba…hubba…hubba！'
　Hands　came　through　bars；　trying　to　touch　me　as　I　went　past；　and　someone　was　making　kissing　sounds　while　other　women　emitted　harsh；　wounded　outbursts　that　were　supposed　to　be　laughs。
　'Leave　her　in　here。　Just　fifteen　minutes。　Ooohhh　e　to　mama！'
　'I　need　cigarettes。'
　'Shut　up；　Wanda。　You　always　needin'　something。'
　'Y'all　quiet　on　down；'　the　deputy　said　in　a　bored　singsong　as　she　unlocked　another　door。
　I　followed　her　upstairs　and　realized　I　was　trembling。　The　room　she　put　me　in　was　cluttered　and　disorganized；　as　if　it　might　have　had　a　function　in　an　earlier　time。　Cork　boards　were　propped　against　a　wall；　a　hand　cart　parked　in　a　corner；　and　some　sort　of　pamphlets　and　bulletins　were　scattered　everywhere。　I　sat　in　a　folding　chair　at　a　wooden　table　scarred　with　names　and　crude　messages　in　ballpoint　pen。
　'Just　make　yourself　at　home　and　he'll　be　up；'　she　said；　leaving　me　alone。
　I　realized　that　cough　drops　and　tissues　were　in　my　pocketbook　and　coat；　neither　of　which　I　had　with　me　now。　Sniffing；　I　shut　my　eyes　until　I　heard　heavy　feet。　When　the　male　deputy　escorted　Keith　Pleasants　in；　I　almost　did　not　recognize　him。　He　was　pale　and　drawn；　thin　in　baggy　denims；　his　hands　cuffed　awkwardly　in　front　of　him。　His　eyes　filled　with　tears　when　he　looked　at　me；　and　his　lips　quivered　when　he　tried　to　smile。
　'You　sit　down　and　stay　down；'　the　deputy　ordered　him。　'Don't　you　let　me　hear　no　problem　up　here。　Got　it？　Or　I'm　back　and　the　visit's　history。'
　Pleasants　grabbed　a　chair；　almost　falling。
　'Does　he　really　need　to　be　cuffed？'　I　said　to　the　deputy。　'He's　here　for　a　traffic　violation。'
　'Ma'am；　he's　out　of　the　secure　area。　That's　why　he's　cuffed。　Be　back　in　twenty　minutes；'　he　said　as　he　left。
　'I've　never　been　through　anything　like　this　before。　You　mind　if　I　smoke？'　Pleasants　laughed　with　a　nervousness　that　bordered　on　hysteria　as　he　sat。
　'Help　yourself。'
　His　hands　were　shaking　so　badly；　I　had　to　light　it　for　him。
　'Doesn't　look　like　they　got　an　ashtray。　Maybe　you're　not　supposed　to　smoke　up　here。'　He　worried；　eyes　darting　around。　'They　got　me　in　this　cell　with　this　guy　who's　a　drug　dealer？　He's　got　all　these　tattoos　and　won't　leave　me　alone？　Picking　on　me；　calling　me　sissy　names？'　He　inhaled　a　lot　of　smoke　and　briefly　shut　his　eyes。　'I　wasn't　eluding　anybody。'　He　looked　at　me。
　I　spotted　a　Styrofoam　coffee　cup　on　the　floor　and　retrieved　it　for　him　to　use　as　an　ashtray。
　'Thanks；'　he　said。
　'Keith；　tell　me　what　happened。'
　'I　was　just　driving　home　like　I　always　do；　from　the　landfill；　and　all　of　a　sudden　there's　this　unmarked　car　behind　me　with　sirens　and　lights　on。　So　I　pulled　over　right　away。　It　was　that　asshole　investigator　who's　been　driving　me　crazy。'
　'Ring。'　My　fury　began　to　pound。
　Pleasants　nodded。　'Said　he'd　been　following　me　for　more　than　a　mile　and　I　wouldn't　heed　to　his　lights。　Well　I'm　telling　you；　that's　just　a　flat…out　lie。'　His　eyes　were　bright。　'He's　got　me　so　jumpy　these　days　there's　no　way　in　hell　I　wouldn't　know　if　he　was　behind　my　car。'
　'Did　he　say　anything　else　to　you　when　he　pulled　you？'　I　asked。
　'Yes；　ma'am；　he　did。　He　said　my　troubles　had　just　begun。　His　exact　words。'
　'Why　did　you　want　to　see　me？'　I　thought　I　knew；　but　I　wanted　to　hear　what　he　would　say。
　'I'm　in　a　world　of　trouble；　Dr　Scarpetta。'　He　teared　up　again。　'My　mama's　old　and　got　no　one　to　care　for　her　but　me；　and　there　are　people　thinking　I'm　a　murderer！　I　never　killed　anything　in　my　life！　Not　even　birds！　People　don't　want　to　be　around　me　at　work　anymore。'
　'Is　your　mother　bedridden？'　I　asked。
　'No；　ma'am。　But　she's　almost　seventy　and　has　emphysema。　From　doing　these　things。'　He　sucked　on　the　cigarette　again。　'She　doesn't　drive　anymore。'
　'Who's　looking　after　her　now？'
　He　shook　his　head　and　wiped　his　eyes。　His　legs　were　crossed；　one　foot　jumping　like　it　was　about　to　take　off。
　'She　has　no　one　to　bring　her　food？'　I　said。
　'Just　me。'　He　choked　on　the　words。
　I　looked　around　again；　this　time　for　something　to　write　with；　and　found　a　purple　crayon　and　a　brown　paper　towel。
　'Give　me　her　address　and　phone　number；'　I　said。　'And　I　promise　someone　will　check　in　with　her　to　make　sure　she's　all　right。'
　He　was　vastly　relieved　as　he　gave　me　the　information　and　I　scribbled　it　down。
　'I　called　you　because　I　didn't　know　where　else　to　go；'　he　started　talking　again。　'Can't　somebody　do　something　to　get　me　out　of　here？'
　'I　understand　your　bond　has　been　set　at　five　thousand　dollars。'
　'That's　just　it！　Like　ten　times　what　it　usually　is　for　this；　according　to　the　guy　in　my　cell。　I　don't　have　any　money　or　any　way　to　get　it。　Means　I　got　to　stay　here　until　court；　and　that　could　be　weeks。　Months。'　Tears　welled　in　his　eyes　again；　and　he　was　terrified。
　'Keith；　do　you　use　the　Internet？'　I　said。
　'The　what？'
　'puters。'
　'At　the　landfill　I　do。　Remember；　I　was　telling　you　about　our　satellite　system。'
　'Then　you　do　use　the　Internet。'
　He　did　not　seem　to　know　what　that　was。
　'E…mail；'　I　tried　again。
　'We　use　GPS。'　He　looked　confused。　'And　you　know　the　truck　that　dumped　the　body？　I'm　pretty　sure　now　it　was　definitely　Cole's；　and　the　Dumpster　may　have　e　from　a　construction　site。　They　pick　up　at　a　bunch　of　construction　sites　on　South　Side　in　Richmond。　That　would　be　a　good　place　to　get　rid　of　something；　on　a　construction　site。　Just　pull　up　your　car　after　hours　and　who's　to　see？'
　'Did　you　tell　Investigator　Ring　this？'　I　asked。
　Hate　passed　over　his　face。　'I　don't　tell　him　anything。　Not　anymore。　Everything　he's　been　doing　is　just　to　set　me　up。'
　'Why　do　you　think　he　would　want　to　set　you　up？'
　'He's　got　to　arrest　someone　for　this。　He　wants　to　be　the　hero。'　He　was　suddenly　evasive。　'Says　everybody　else　doesn't　know　what　they're　doing。'　He　hesitated。　'Including　you。'
　'What　else　has　he　said？'　I　felt　myself　turning　to　cold；　hard　stone；　the　way　I　did　when　I　had　moved　from　anger　to　determined　rage。
　'See；　when　I　was　showing　him　around　the　house　and　all；　he　would　talk。　He　really　likes　to　talk。'
　He　took　his　cigarette　butt　and　clumsily　set　it　end…up　on　the　table；　so　it　would　go　out　without　burning　Styrofoam。　I　helped　him　light　another　one。
　'He　told　me　you　have　this　niece；'　Pleasants　went　on。　'And　that　she's　a　real　fox　but　has　no　more　business　in　the　FBI　than　you　have　being　a　chief　medical　examiner。　Because。　Well。'
　'Go　on；'　I　said　in　a　controlled　voice。
　'Because　she's　not　into　men。　I　guess　he　thinks　you　aren't；　either。'
　'That's　interesting。'
　'He　was　laughing　about　it；　said　he　knew　from　personal　experience　that　neither　of　you　dated　because　he'd　been　around　both　of　you。　And　that　I　should　just　sit　back　and　watch　what　happens　to　perverts。　Because　the　same　thing　was　about　to　happen　to　me。'
　'Wait　one　minute。'　I　stopped　him。　'Did　Ring　actually　threaten　you　because　you're　gay　or　he　thinks　you　are？'
　'My　mama　doesn't　know。'　He　hung　his　head。　'But　some　people　do。　I've　been　in　bars。　In　fact；　I　know　Wingo。'
　I　hoped　not　intimately。
　'I'm　worried　about　Mama。'　He　teared　up　again。　'She's　upset　about　what's　happening　to　me；　and　that's　not　good　for　her　condition。'
　'I　tell　you　what。　I'm　going　to　check　on　her　myself；　on　my　way　home；'　I　said；　coughing　again。
　A　tear　slid　down　his　cheek　and　he　roughly　wiped　it　with　the　backs　of　cuffed　hands。
　'One　other　thing　I'm　going　to　do；'　I　said　as　footsteps　sounded　on　the　stairs　again。　'I'm　going　to　see　what　I　can　do　about　you。　I　don't　believe　you　killed　anyone；　Keith。　And　I'm　going　to　post　your　bond　and　make　sure　you　have　a　lawyer。'
　His　lips　parted　in　disbelief　as　the　deputies