cpatricia.blacknotice-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　I　might　roar　like　a　tornado　down　the　hall　and　swear　at　everyone　once　I　left　this　room。
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta；　it　didn't　seem　unusual　that　you　wouldn't　want　to　talk　about　some　things　to　traumatized　people　right　now；〃　he　tried　to　make　me　understand。　〃Some　painful　things　that　might　remind　you　。　。　。　it　made　sense　to　me。　Most　of　these　people　just　want　a　voice；　a　doctor；　and　if　I've　not　been　around；　either　Jill　or　Bennett　has；〃　he　said；　referring　to　two　of　my　resident　doctors。　〃I　guess　the　only　big　problem　is　when　none　of　us　has　been　available　and　somehow　Dan　or　Amy　have　ended　up　with　the　calls。〃
　　Dan　Chong　and　Amy　Forbes　were　rotating　medical　students　here　to　learn　and　observe。　Never　in　a　million　years　should　they　have　been　put　in　a　position　to　talk　to　families。
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　I　said；　closing　my　eyes　at　the　nightmarish　thought。
　　〃Mainly　after　hours。　That　damn　answering　service；〃　he　said。
　　〃Who's　been　rolling　the　telephone　calls　over　to　you？〃　I　asked　him　again；　this　time　more　firmly。
　　He　sighed。　Fielding　looked　as　grim　and　as　worried　as　he'd　ever　been。
　　〃Tell　me；'　I　insisted。
　　〃Rose；〃　he　said。
　　　
　　　15
　　Rose　was　buttoning　her　coat　and　wrapping　a　long　silk　scarf　around　her　neck　when　I　walked　into　her　office　a　few　minutes　before　six　o'clock。　She　had　been　working　late　as　usual。　Sometimes　I　had　to　make　her　go　home　at　the　end　of　the　day；　and　although　that　had　impressed　and　touched　me　in　the　past；　now　it　made　me　uneasy。
　　〃I'll　walk　you　to　your　car；〃　I　offered。
　　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　〃Well；　you　certainly　don't　have　to　do　that。〃
　　Her　face　got　tight；　her　fingers　suddenly　fumbling　with　kid　leather　gloves。　She　knew　I　had　something　on　my　mind　she　didn't　want　to　hear；　and　I　suspected　she　knew　exactly　what　it　was。　We　said　little　to　each　other　as　we　followed　the　hallway　to　the　front　office；　our　feet　quiet　on　the　carpet；　the　awkwardness　between　us　palpable。
　　My　heart　was　heavy。　I　wasn't　sure　if　I　was　angry　or　crushed；　and　I　began　to　wonder　all　sorts　of　things。　What　else　had　Rose　kept　from　me　and　how　long　had　it　been　going　on？　Was　her　fierce　loyalty　a　possessiveness　I　hadn't　recognized？　Did　she　feel　I　belonged　to　her？
　　〃I　don't　guess　Lucy　ever　called；〃　I　said　as　we　emerged　into　the　empty　marble　lobby。
　　〃No；〃　Rose　replied。　〃I　tried　her　office　several　times；　too。
　　〃She　got　the　flowers？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes。〃
　　The　night　guard　waved　at　us。
　　〃It's　cold　out　there！　Where's　your　coat？〃　he　said　to　me。
　　〃I'll　be　all　right；〃　I　answered　him　with　a　smile；　and　then　to　Rose　I　said；　〃We　know　that　Lucy　actually　saw　them？〃
　　She　looked　confused。
　　〃The　flowers；〃　I　said。　〃Do　we　know　if　Lucy　saw　them？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　my　secretary　said　again。　〃Her　supervisor　said　she　came　in　and　saw　them；　read　the　card　and　everybody　was　teasing　her；　asking　who'd　sent　them。〃
　　〃I　don't　guess　you　know　if　she　took　them　home　with　her。〃
　　Rose　glanced　over　at　me　as　we　went　out　of　the　building　into　the　dark；　empty　parking　lot。　She　looked　old　and　sad；　and　I　didn't　know　if　her　eyes　were　tearing　up　because　of　me　or　the　cold；　sharp　air。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered　me。
　　〃My　scattered　troops；〃　I　muttered。
　　She　turned　her　collar　up　to　her　ears　and　tucked　in　her　chin。
　　〃It　has　e　to　this；〃　I　said。　〃When　Carrie　Gretten　murdered　Benton；　she　took　out　all　the　rest　of　us；　too。　Didn't　she；　Rose？〃
　　〃Of　course　it's　had　its　horrendous　effect。　I've　not　known　what　I　can　do　for　you；　but　I've　tried。〃
　　She　glanced　over　at　me　as　we　walked；　hunched　against　the　cold。
　　〃I've　tried　as　hard　as　I　can　and　still　do；〃　she　went　on。
　　〃Everybody　scattered；〃　I　muttered。　〃Lucy's　angry　with　me；　and　when　she　gets　that　way；　she　always　does　the　same　thing。　She　shuts　me　out。　Marino's　not　a　detective　anymore。　And　now　I　find　out　that　you've　been　rolling　my　telephone　calls　over　to　Jack　without　asking　me；　Rose。　Distraught　families　haven't　been　allowed　to　get　through　to　me。　Why　would　you　do　such　a　thing？〃
　　We　had　reached　her　blue　Honda　Accord。　Keys　jingled　as　she　dug　for　them　in　her　big　pocketbook。
　　〃Isn't　that　funny；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　afraid　you　were　going　to　ask　me　about　your　schedule。　You're　teaching　at　the　Institute　more　than　ever；　and　as　I　worked　on　next　month's　calendar；　I　realized　you　are　terribly　overmitted。　I　should　have　picked　upon　it　earlier　and　prevented　it。〃
　　〃That's　the　least　of　my　worries　at　the　moment；〃　I　replied；　and　I　tried　not　to　sound　upset。　〃Why　did　you　do　this　to　me？〃　I　said；　and　I　wasn't　talking　about　my　mitments。　〃You　shielded　me　from　phone　calls？　You　hurt　me　as　a　person　and　a　professional。〃
　　Rose　unlocked　the　door　and　started　the　engine；　turning　on　the　heat　to　warm　up　the　car　for　her　lonely　ride　home。
　　〃I'm　doing　what　you　instructed　me　to　do；　Dr。　Scarpetta；〃　she　finally　answered　me；　her　breath　smoking　out。
　　〃I　never　instructed　you　to　do　such　a　thing；　nor　would　I　ever〃　I　said；　not　believing　what　I　was　hearing。　〃And　you　know　that。　You　know　how　I　feel　about　being　accessible　to　families：'
　　Of　course　she　knew。　I　had　gotten　rid　of　two　forensic　pathologists　in　the　…last　five　years　because　they　had　been　so　unavailable　and　indifferent　to　the　grieving　left　behind。
　　〃It　wasn't　with　my　blessing；〃　Rose　said；　sounding　like　her　mothering　self　again。
　　〃When　did　I　supposedly　say　this　to　you？〃
　　〃You　didn't　say　it。　You　e…mailed　it。　This　was　back　in　late　August。〃
　　〃I　never　e…mailed　such　a　thing　to　you；〃　I　told　her。　〃Did　you　save　it？〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said　with　regret。　〃I　generally　don't　save　e…mail。　I　have　no　reason　to。　I'm　sorry　I　have　to　use　it　at　all。〃
　　〃What　did　this　e…mail　message　allegedly　from　me　say？〃
　　〃1　need　you　to　redirect　as　many　calls　from　families　as　you　can。　It's　too　hard　for　me　right　now。　I　know　you　understand　Or　words　to　that　effect。〃
　　〃And　you　didn't　question　this？〃　I　said　in　disbelief。
　　She　turned　the　heat　down。
　　〃Of　course　I　did；〃　she　replied。　〃I　e…mailed　you　right　back　and　asked　you　about　it。　I　voiced　my　concerns；　and　you　replied　that　I　was　just　to　do　it　and　not　discuss　it　anymore：'
　　〃I　never　got　an　e…mail　like　that　from　you；〃　I　told　her。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　say；〃　she　replied；　fastening　her　shoulder　harness。　〃Except　is　it　possible　you　just　don't　remember？　I　forget　e…mails　all　the　time。　I'll　say　I　didn't　say　something　and　then　find　out　I　did。〃
　　〃No。　It　isn't　possible。〃
　　〃Then　it　would　seem　to　me　someone　is　pretending　to　be　you。
　　〃Is？　Have　there　been　more？〃
　　〃Not　many；〃　she　replied。　〃Just　one　here　and　there；　warm　ones　thanking　me　for　being　so　supportive。　And　let's　see。。。？〃
　　She　searched　her　memory。　Lights　in　the　parking　lot　made　her　car　look　dark　green　instead　of　blue。　Her　face　was　in　shadows　and　I　could　not　read　her　eyes。　She　tapped　her　gloved　fingers　on　the　steering　wheel　while　I　stood　looking　down　at　her。　I　was　freezing。
　　〃I　know　what　it　was；〃　she　suddenly　said。　〃Secretary　Wagner　wanted　you　to　meet　with　him　and　you　told　me　to　let　him　know　you　couldn't　at　that　time。〃
　　〃What？〃　I　exclaimed。
　　〃This　was　early　last　week；'　she　added。
　　〃E…mail　again？〃
　　〃Sometimes　it's　the　only　way　to　get　hold　of　people　these　days。　His　assistant　e…mailed　me　and　I　e…mailed　you…you　were　in　court　somewhere。　Then　you　e…mailed　me　back　that　evening；　I　guess　from　home。〃
　　〃This　is　crazy；'　I　said；　my　mind　running　after　possibilities　and　catching　nothing。
　　Everyone　in　my　office　had　my　e…mail　address。　But　no　one　except　me　should　have　my　password；　and　obviously；　no　one　could　sign　on　as　me　without　it。　Rose　was　thinking　the　same　thing。
　　〃I　don't　know　how　this　could　happen；〃　she　said；　then　exclaimed；　〃Wait　a　minute。　Ruth　sets　up　AOL　on　each　person's　puter。〃
　　Ruth　Wilson　was　my　puter　analyst。
　　〃Of　course。　And　she　had　to　have　my　password　in'order　to　do　that；〃　I　carried　out　the　thought。　〃But　Rose；　she　would　never　do　anything　like　this。〃
　　〃Never　in　a　million　years；〃　Rose　agreed。　〃But　she　must　have　the　passwords　written　down　somewhere。　She　couldn't　possibly　remember　all　of　them。〃
　　〃One　would　think　so。〃
　　〃Why　don't　you　get　inside　the　car　before　you　die　of　exposure；〃　she　said。
　　〃You　go　on　home　and　get　some　rest；〃　I　replied。　〃I'm　going　to　do　the　same　thing。〃
　　〃Of　course　you　won't；〃　she　chided　me。　〃You'll　go　right　ba