cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第59部分

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re's　no　secondary　infection。　No　epidemic。　What　you　created　was　a　panic；　disease　and　death　for　a　handful　of　innocent　victims。　And　crippled　the　fishing　industry　for　an　island　full　of　people　who　probably　have　never　even　heard　of　a　Nobel　Prize。'
　I　leaned　back　in　my　chair；　studying　her；　but　she　did　not　seem　to　care。
　'Why　did　you　send　me　photographs　and　messages？'　I　demanded。　'Photographs　taken　in　your　dining　room；　on　that　table。　Who　was　your　guinea　pig？　Your　old　and　infirm　mother？　Did　you　spray　her　with　the　virus　to　see　if　it　worked？　And　when　it　did；　you　shot　her　in　the　head。　You　dismembered　her　with　an　autopsy　saw　so　no　one　ever　connected　that　death　with　your　eventual　product　tampering？'
　'You　think　you're　so　smart；'　she；　deadoc；　said。
　'You　murdered　your　own　mother　and　wrapped　her　in　a　drop　cloth　because　you　could　not　bear　to　look　at　her　as　you　sawed　her　apart。'
　She　averted　her　eyes　as　my　pager　vibrated。　I　pulled　it　out　and　read　Marino's　number。　I　got　out　my　phone；　my　eyes　never　leaving　her。
　'Yes；'　I　said　when　he　answered。
　'We　got　a　hit　on　the　camper；'　he　said。　'Traced　it　back　to　a　manufacturer；　then　to　an　address　in　Newport　News。　Thought　you'd　want　to　know。　Agents　should　be　there　right　about　now。'
　'Wish　the　Bureau　had　gotten　that　hit　a　little　sooner；'　I　said。　'I'll　see　the　agents　at　the　door。'
　'What　did　you　say？'
　I　got　off　the　phone。
　'I　municated　with　you　because　I　knew　you　would　pay　attention。'　Crowder　kept　talking　at　a　higher　pitch。　'And　to　make　you　try　and　for　once　finally　lose。　The　famous　doctor。　The　famous　chief。'
　'You　were　a　colleague　and　friend；'　I　said。
　'And　I　resent　you！'　Her　face　was　flushed；　bosom　heaving　as　she　raged。　'I　always　have！　The　way　the　system's　always　treated　you　better；　all　the　attention　you　get。　The　great　Dr　Scarpetta。　The　legend。　But　ha！　Look　who　won。　In　the　end　I　outsmarted　you；　didn't　I？'
　I　would　not　answer　her。
　'Ran　you　around；　didn't　I？'　She　stared；　reaching　for　a　bottle　of　aspirin　and　shaking　out　two。　'Brought　you　close　to　death's　door　and　had　you　waiting　in　cyberspace。　Waiting　for　me！'　she　said　triumphantly。
　Something　metal　loudly　rapped　on　her　front　door。　I　pushed　back　my　chair。
　'What　are　they　going　to　do？　Shoot　me？　Or　maybe　you　should。　I　bet　you've　got　a　gun　in　one　of　those　bags。'　She　was　getting　hysterical。　'I've　got　one　in　the　other　room　and　I'm　going　to　get　it　right　now。'
　She　got　up　as　the　knocking　continued；　and　a　voice　demanded；　'Open　up；　FBL'
　I　grabbed　her　arm。　'No　one's　going　to　shoot　you；　Phyllis。'
　'Let　go　of　me！'
　I　steered　her　toward　the　door。
　'Let　go　of　me！'
　'Your　punishment　will　be　to　die　the　way　they　did。'　I　pulled　her　along。
　'NO！'　she　screamed　as　the　door　crashed　open；　slamming　against　the　wall　and　jarring　framed　photographs　loose　from　their　hooks。　；
　Two　FBI　agents　stepped　inside　with　pistols　drawn；　and　one　of　them　was　Janet。　They　cuffed　Dr　Phyllis　Crowder　after　she　collapsed　to　the　floor。　An　ambulance　transported　her　to　Sentara　Norfolk　General　Hospital；　where　twenty…one　days　later　she　died；　shackled　in　bed；　covered　with　fulminating　pustules。　She　was　forty…four。
　
　
　EPILOGUE
　
　I　COULD　NOT　make　the　decision　right　away　but　put　it　off　until　New　Year's　Eve　when　people　are　supposed　to　make　changes；　resolutions；　promises　they　know　they'll　never　keep。　Snow　was　clicking　against　my　slate　roof　as　Wesley　and　I　sat　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　fire；　sipping　champagne。
　'Benton；'　I　said；　'I　need　to　go　somewhere。'
　He　looked　confused；　as　if　I　meant　right　now；　and　said；　'There's　not　much　open；　Kay。'
　'No。　A　trip；　in　February；　maybe。　To　London。'
　He　paused；　knowing　what　I　was　thinking。　He　set　his　glass　on　the　hearth　and　took　my　hand。
　'I've　been　hoping　you　would；'　he　said。　'No　matter　how　hard　it　is；　you　really　should。　So　you　can　have　closure；　peace　of　mind。'
　'I'm　not　sure　it's　possible　for　me　to　have　peace　of　mind。'　I　pulled　my　hand　away　and　pushed　back　my　hair。　This　was　hard　for　him；　too。　It　had　to　be。
　'You　must　miss　him；'　I　said。　'You　never　talk　about　it；　but　he　was　like　a　brother。　I　remember　all　the　times　we　did　things　together；　the　three　of　us。　Cooking；　watching　movies；　sitting　around　talking　about　cases　and　the　latest　lousy　thing　government　had　done　to　us。　Like　furloughs；　taxes；　budget　cuts。'
　He　smiled　a　little；　staring　into　flames。　'And　I　would　think　about　what　a　lucky　bastard　he　was　to　have　you。　Wonder　what　it　was　like。　Well；　now　I　know；　and　I　was　right。　He　was　lucky　as　hell。　He's　probably　the　only　person　I've　ever　really　talked　to；　besides　you。　Kind　of　strange；　in　a　way。　Mark　was　one　of　the　most　self…centered　people　I've　ever　met；　one　of　these　beautiful　creatures；　narcissistic　as　hell。　But　he　was　good。　He　was　smart。　I　don't　think　you　ever　stop　missing　someone　like　him。'
　Wesley　was　wearing　a　white　wool　sweater　and　cream…colored　khakis；　and　in　firelight　he　was　almost　radiant。
　'You　go　out　tonight　and　you'll　disappear；'　I　said。
　He　gave　me　a　puzzled　frown。
　'Dressed　like　that　in　the　snow。　You　fall　in　a　ditch；　no　one　will　see　you　until　spring。　You　should　wear　something　dark　on　a　night　like　this。　You　know；　contrast。'
　'Kay。　How　about　I　put　on　some　coffee。'
　'It's　like　people　who　want　a　four…wheel…drive　vehicle　for　winter。　So　they　buy　something　white。　Tell　me　how　that　makes　sense　when　you're　sliding　on　a　white　road　beneath　a　white　sky　with　white　stuff　swirling　everywhere。'
　'What　are　you　talking　about？'　His　eyes　were　on　me。
　'I　don't　know。'
　I　lifted　the　bottle　of　champagne　out　of　its　bucket。　Water　dripped　as　I　refilled　our　glasses；　and　I　was　ahead　of　him；　about　two　to　one。　The　CD　player　was　stacked　with　hits　from　the　seventies；　and　Three　Dog　Night　was　vibrating　speakers　in　the　walls。　It　was　one　of　those　rare　times　I　might　get　drunk。　I　could　not　stop　thinking　about　it　and　seeing　it　in　my　mind。　I　did　not　know　until　I　was　in　that　room　with　the　wires　hanging　out　of　the　ceiling　and　saw　where　gory　severed　hands　and　feet　had　been　lined　in　a　row。　It　was　not　until　then　that　the　truth　seared　my　mind。　I　could　not　forgive　myself。
　'Benton；'　I　quietly　said；　'I　should　have　known　it　was　her。　I　should　have　known　before　I　got　to　her　house　and　walked　in　there　and　saw　the　photographs　and　that　room。　I　mean；　a　part　of　me　must　have　known；　and　I　didn't　listen。'
　He　did　not　answer；　and　I　took　this　as　a　further　indictment。
　'I　should　have　known　it　was　her；'　I　muttered　again。　'People　might　not　have　died。'
　'Should　is　always　easy　to　say　after　the　fact。'　His　tone　was　gentle　but　unwavering。　'People　who　live　next　door　to　the　Gacys；　the　Bundys；　the　Dahmers　of　the　world　are　always　the　last　to　figure　it　out；　Kay。'
　'And　they　don't　know　what　I　do；　Benton。'　I　sipped　champagne。　'She　killed　Wingo。'
　'You　did　the　best　you　could；'　he　reminded　me。
　'I　miss　him；'　I　said　with　a　sad　sigh。　'I　haven't　been　to　Wingo's　grave。'
　'Why　don't　we　switch　to　coffee？'　Wesley　said　again。
　'Can't　I　just　drift　now　and　then？'　I　didn't　want　to　be　present。
　He　started　rubbing　the　back　of　my　neck；　and　I　shut　my　eyes。
　'Why　do　I　always　have　to　make　sense？'　I　muttered。　'Precise　about　this；　exact　about　that。　Consistent　with；　and　characteristic　of。　Words　cold　and　sharp　like　the　steel　blades　I　use。　And　what　good　will　they　do　me　in　court？　When　it's　Lucy　in　the　balance？　Her　career；　her　life？　All　because　of　that　bastard；　Ring。　Me；　the　expert　witness。　The　loving　aunt。'　A　tear　slid　down　my　cheek。　'Oh　God；　Benton。　I'm　so　tired。'
　He　moved　over　and　put　his　arms　around　me；　pulling　me　into　his　lap　so　I　could　lean　back　my　head。
　'I'll　go　with　you；'　he　quietly　said　into　my　hair。
　
　We　took　a　black　cab　to　London's　Victoria　Station　on　February　18；　the　anniversary　of　a　bombing　that　had　ripped　through　a　trash　can　and　collapsed　an　underground　entrance；　a　tavern　and　a　coffee　bar。　Rubble　had　flown；　shattered　glass　from　the　roof　raining　down　in　shrapnel　and　missiles　with　terrible　force。　The　IRA　had　not　targeted　Mark。　His　death　had　nothing　to　do　with　his　being　FBI。　He　simply　had　been　in　the　wrong　place　at　the　wrong　time　like　so　many　people　who　are　victims。
　The　station　was　crowded　with　muters　who　almost　ran　me　over　as　we　made　our　way　to　the　central　area　where　Railtrack　ticket　agents　were　busy　in　their　booths；　and　displays　on　a　wall　showe