cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第52部分

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　Marino　stalked　off　before　the　second　boat　had　docked；　and　I　looked　through　the　woods　toward　the　camper　that　was　deadoc's。　Rather　old　and　missing　whatever　had　towed　it；　it　was　parked　as　far　from　the　rangers'　station　as　was　possible；　tucked　in　the　shadow　of　loblolly　pines。　When　all　of　us　were　ashore；　the　USAMRIID　team　passed　out　the　familiar　orange　suits；　air　packs　and　extra　four…hour　batteries
　'Here's　what　we're　doing。'　It　was　the　USAMRIID　team　leader　named　Clark　who　spoke。　'We　suit　up　and　get　the　body　out。'
　'I　would　like　to　go　in　first；'　I　said。　'Alone。'
　'Right。'　He　nodded。　'Then　we　see　if　there's　anything　hazardous　in　there；　which　hopefully　there's　not。　We　get　the　body　out；　and　the　camper's　hauled　out　of　here。'
　'It's　evidence；'　I　said；　looking　at　him。　'We　can't　just　haul　it　out　of　here。'
　I　knew　what　he　was　thinking　by　the　look　on　his　face。　The　killer　may　be　dead；　the　case　closed。　The　camper　was　a　biological　hazard　and　should　be　burned。
　'No；'　I　said　to　him。　'We　don't　close　this　so　quickly。　We　can't。'
　He　hesitated；　blowing　out　in　frustration　as　he　stared　off　at　the　camper。
　'I'll　go　in；'　I　said。　'Then　I'll　tell　you　what　we　need　to　do。'
　'Fair　enough。'　He　raised　his　voice　again。　'Guys？　Let's　go。　No　one　inside　but　the　M。E。　until　you　hear　otherwise。'
　They　followed　us　through　the　forest；　the　portable　isolator　in　our　wake；　an　eerie　caisson　not　meant　for　this　world。　Pine　needles　were　crisp　beneath　my　feet；　like　shredded　wheat；　and　the　air　was　sharp　and　clean　as　the　camper　got　closer。　It　was　a　Dutchman　travel　trailer；　maybe　eighteen　feet　long；　with　a　fold…out　orange…striped　awning。
　'That's　old。　Eight　years；　I　bet；'　said　Marino；　who　knew　about　such　things。
　'What　would　it　take　to　tow　it？'　I　asked　as　we　put　on　our　suits。
　'A　pickup；'　he　said。　'Maybe　a　van。　This　doesn't　need　nothing　with　a　lot　of　horsepower。　What　are　we　supposed　to　do？　Put　these　over　everything　else　we　already　got　on？'
　'Yes；'　I　said；　zipping　up。　'What　I'd　like　to　know　is　what　happened　to　the　vehicle　that　hauled　this　thing　here。'
　'Good　question；'　he　said；　huffing　as　he　struggled。　'And　where's　the　license　plate？'
　I　had　just　turned　on　my　air　when　a　young　man　emerged　from　trees　in　a　green　uniform　and　smoky　hat。　He　seemed　rather　dazed　as　he　looked　at　all　of　us　in　our　orange　hoods　and　suits；　and　I　sensed　his　fear。　He　did　not　get　close　to　us　as　he　introduced　himself　as　the　night　shift　park　ranger。
　Marino　spoke　to　him　first。　'You　ever　see　the　person　staying　in　there？'
　'No；'　the　ranger　said。
　'What　about　guys　on　the　other　shifts？'
　'No　one　remembers　seeing　anyone；　just　lights　on　at　night　sometimes。　Hard　to　say。　As　you　can　see　it's　parked　pretty　far　from　the　station。　You　could　go　out　to　the　showers　or　whatever　and　not　necessarily　be　noticed。'
　'No　other　campers　here？'　I　asked　over　the　rush　of　air　inside　my　hood。
　'Not　now。　There　were　maybe　three　other　people　when　I　found　the　body；　but　I　encouraged　them　to　leave　because　there　might　be　some　kind　of　disease。'
　'Did　you　question　them　first？'　Marino　asked；　and　I　could　see　he　was　irritated　by　this　young　ranger　who　had　just　chased　off　all　of　our　witnesses。
　'Nobody　knew　a　thing；　except　one　person　did　think　he　ran　into　him。'　He　nodded　at　the　camper。　'Evening　before　last。　In　the　bathroom。　Big　grubby　guy　with　dark　hair　and　a　beard。'
　'Taking　a　shower？'　I　asked。
　'No；　ma'am。'　He　hesitated。　'Taking　a　leak。'
　'Doesn't　the　camper　have　a　bathroom？'
　'I　really　don't　know。'　He　hesitated　again。　'To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　didn't　stay　in　there。　Minute　I　saw　that。　Well；　whatever　it　was。　I　was　gone　like　a　second。'
　'And　you　don't　know　what　towed　this　thing？'　Marino　then　asked。
　The　ranger　was　looking　very　unfortable　now。　'This　time　of　year　it's　usually　quiet　out　here；　and　dark。　I　had　no　reason　to　notice　what　vehicle　it　was　hooked　up　to；　and　in　fact　don't　recall　there　even　being　one。'
　'But　you　got　a　plate　number。'　Marino's　stare　was　unfriendly　through　his　hood。
　'Sure　do。'　Relieved；　the　ranger　pulled　a　folded　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket。　'Got　his　registration　right　here。'　He　opened　it。　'Ken　A。　Perley；　Norfolk；　Virginia。'
　He　handed　the　paper　to　Marino；　who　sarcastically　said；　'Oh　good。　The　name　the　asshole　stole　off　a　credit　card。　So　I'm　sure　the　plate　number　you　got　is　accurate；　too。　How　did　he　pay？'
　'Cashier's　check。'
　'He　gave　this　to　someone　in　person？'　Marino　asked。
　'No。　He　made　the　reservation　by　mail。　No　one　ever　saw　anything　except　the　paperwork　in　your　hand。　Like　I　said；　we　never　saw　him。'
　'What　about　the　envelope　this　thing　came　in？'　Marino　said。　'Did　you　save　it　so　maybe　we　got　a　postmark？'
　The　ranger　shook　his　head。　He　nervously　glanced　at　suited　scientists；　who　were　listening　to　his　every　word。　He　stared　at　the　trailer　and　wet　his　lips。
　'You　mind　my　asking　what's　in　there。　And　what's　going　to　happen　to　me　'cause　I　went　in？'　His　voice　cracked　and　he　looked　like　he　might　cry。
　'It　could　be　contaminated　with　a　virus。'　I　said　to　him。　'But　we　don't　know　that　for　sure。　Everybody　here　is　going　to　take　care　of　you。'
　'They　said　they　were　going　to　lock　me　up　in　some　room；　like　solitary　confinement。'　Fear　erupted；　his　eyes　wild；　voice　loud。　'I　want　to　know　exactly　what's　in　there　that　I　might　have　got！'
　'You'll　be　in　exactly　the　same　thing　I　was　last　week；'　I　assured　him。　'A　nice　room　with　nice　nurses。　For　a　few　days　of　observation。　That's　all。'
　'Think　of　it　as　a　vacation。　It　really　ain't　that　big　of　a　deal。　Just　because　people　are　in　these　suits；　don't　go　getting　hinky；'　Marino　said　as　if　he　were　one　to　talk。
　He　went　on　as　if　he　were　the　great　expert　in　infectious　diseases；　and　I　left　the　two　of　them　and　approached　the　camper　alone。　For　a　moment；　I　stood　within　feet　of　it　and　looked　around。　To　my　left　were　acres　of　trees；　then　the　river　where　our　boats　were　moored。　Right　of　me；　through　more　trees；　I　could　hear　the　sounds　of　a　highway。　The　camper　was　parked　on　a　soft　floor　of　pine　needles；　and　what　I　noticed　first　was　the　scraped　area　on　the　white…painted　tongue。
　Getting　close；　I　squatted　and　rubbed　gloved　fingers　over　deep　gouges　and　scrapes　in　aluminum　in　an　area　where　the　Vehicle　Identification　Number；　or　VIN；　should　have　been。　Near　the　roof；　I　noticed　a　patch　of　vinyl　had　been　scorched；　and　decided　someone　had　taken　a　propane　torch　to　the　second　VIN。　I　walked　around　to　the　other　side。
　The　door　was　unlocked　and　not　quite　shut　because　it　had　been　pried　open　by　some　sort　of　tool；　and　my　nerves　began　to　sing。　My　head　cleared　and　I　became　pletely　focused；　the　way　I　got　when　evidence　was　screaming　a　different　story　than　witnesses　claimed。　Mounting　metal　steps；　I　walked　inside　and　stood　very　still　as　I　looked　around　at　a　scene　that　might　mean　nothing　to　most；　but　to　me　confirmed　a　nightmare。　This　was　deadoc's　factory。
　First；　the　heat　was　up　as　high　as　it　would　go；　and　I　turned　it　off；　startled　when　a　pathetic　white　creature　suddenly　hopped　across　my　feet。　I　jumped　and　gasped　as　it　stupidly　ran　into　a　wall；　and　then　sat；　quivering　and　panting。　The　pitiful　laboratory　rabbit　had　been　shaved　in　patches　and　scarified　with　infection；　his　eruptions　horrible　and　dark。　I　noticed　his　wire　cage；　and　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　knocked　off　a　table；　the　door　wide　open。
　'e　here。'　Squatting；　I　held　out　my　hand　as　he　watched　me　with　pink…rimmed　eyes；　long　ears　twitching。
　Carefully；　I　inched　my　way　closer　because　I　could　not　leave　him　out。　He　was　a　living　source　of　propagating　disease。
　'e　on；　you　poor　little　thing；'　I　said　to　the　ranger's　monster。　'I　promise　I　won't　hurt　you。'
　Then　I　gently　had　him　in　my　hands；　his　heart　beating　staccato　as　he　violently　trembled。　I　returned　him　to　his　cage；　then　went　to　the　rear　of　the　camper。　The　doorway　I　stepped　through　was　small；　the　body　inside　practically　filling　the　bedroom。　The　man　was　facedown　on　gold　shag　carpet　that　was　stained　dark　from　blood。　His　hair　was　curly　and　dark；　and　when　I　turned　him　over；　rigor　mortis　had　e　and　already　passed。　He　reminded　me　of　a　lumberjack　in　a　filthy　pea　coat　and　trousers。　His　hands　were　huge　with　dirty　nails；　his　beard　and　mustache　unkempt。
　I　undressed　him　from　the　waist　up　to　check　the　pattern　of　livormortis；　or　blood　settling　by　gravity　after　death。　Face　and　chest