cpatricia.blacknotice-第25部分

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　few　steps　to　see　if　anyone　might　be　ing　up　behind　me。　No　one　was。　Rose　had　hung　a　fresh　Christmas　wreath　on　her　door；　and　its　fragrance　stirred　powerful　feelings　inside　me。　I　could　hear　Handel's　music　playing　inside。　I　dug　into　my　satchel；　pulled　out　a　pen　and　writing　pad　and　jotted　the　tag　number　on　it。　Then　I　rang　the　bell。
　　〃Goodness！〃　Rose　exclaimed。　〃What　brings　you　here？　Do　e　in。　What　a　nice　surprise。〃
　　〃Did　you　look　through　the　peephole　before　you　opened　the　door？〃　I　quizzed　her。　〃At　least　you　could　ask　who　it　is。〃
　　She　laughed。　She　was　always　teasing　me　about　my　security　worries；　which　were　extreme　in　the　minds　of　most　people　because　they　did　not　live　my　life。
　　〃Did　you　e　here　to　test　me？〃　she　teased　me　once　more。
　　〃Maybe　I　should　start　doing　that。〃
　　Rose's　furniture　was　warm　and　perfectly　polished；　and　although　I　would　not　call　her　taste　formal；　it　was　very　proper　and　exactly　arranged。　Floors　were　the　beautiful　hardwood　one　didn't　find　anymore；　and　small　Oriental　rugs　were　spots　of　color　on　them。　A　gas　fire　was　burning；　and　electric　candles　glowed　in　windows　overlooking　a　grassy　area　where　people　used　their　Hibachis　and　charcoal　grills　in　warmer　weather。
　　Rose　sat　in　a　wing　chair　and　I　settled　on　the　couch。　I　had　been　to　her　apartment　only　twice　before；　and　it　seemed　so　sad　and　strange　to　see　no　sign　of　her　beloved　animals。　The　last　two　of　her　adopted　greyhounds　had　gone　to　her　daughter；　and　her　cat　had　died。　All　she　had　left　was　an　aquarium　with　a　modest　number　of　guppies；　goldflsh　and　mollies　constantly　moving　around；　because　pets　were　not　allowed　in　the　building。
　　〃I　know　you　miss　your　dogs；〃　I　said；　not　mentioning　the　cat；　because　cats　and　I　didn't　get　along。　〃One　of　these　days　I'm　going　to　get　a　greyhound。　My　problem　is　I　would　want　to　save　all　of　them。〃
　　I　remembered　hers。　The　poor　dogs　would　not　let　you　stroke　their　ears　because　they　had　been　yanked　by　trainers；　one　of　the　many　cruelties　they　suffered　at　dog　tracks。　Rose's　eyes　got　bright　with　tears；　and　she　turned　her　face　from　me　and　rubbed　her　knees。
　　〃This　cold　is　hard　on　my　joints；〃　she　mented；　clearing　her　throat。　〃They　were　getting　so　old。　It's　just　as　well　Laurel　has　them　now。　I　couldn't　bear　another　thing　dying　on　me。　I　wish　you　would　get　one。　If　every　nice　person　would　just　get　one。〃
　　The　dogs　were　put　to　death　by　the　hundreds　every　year　when　they　could　no　longer　perform　up　to　speed。　I　shifted　on　the　couch。　There　was　so　much　in　life　that　angered　me。
　　〃Can　I　get　you　hot　ginseng　tea　that　dear　Simon　gets　for　me？〃　She　mentioned　the　hairstylist　she　adored。　〃Maybe　something　a　little　stronger？　I've　been　meaning　to　stop　and　pick　up　shortbread　cookies。〃
　　〃I　can't　stay　long；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　just　wanted　to　drop　by　and　make　certain　you're　all　right。〃
　　〃Why；　of　course；〃　she　replied　as　if　there　were　no　reason　in　the　world　she　wouldn't　be。
　　I　paused；　and　Rose　looked　at　me；　waiting　for　me　to　explain　why　I　really　had　dropped　by。
　　〃I　talked　to　Ruth；〃　I　began。　〃We're　following　a　couple　of　leads　and　have　our　suspicions　。　。　。〃
　　〃Which　I'm　sure　lead　right　to　Chuck；〃　she　announced；　nodding　her　head。　〃I've　always　thought　he's。　a　bad　apple。　And　he　avoids　me　like　the　plague　because　he　knows　I　see　right　through　him。　It　will　be　a　cold　day　in　hell　before　the　likes　of　him　will　charm　me。〃
　　〃No　one　could　charm　you；〃　I　said。　Handel's　Messiah　began；　and　intense　sadness　tucked　itself　into　my　heart。
　　Her　eyes　searched　my　face。　She　knew　how　hard　last　Christmas　had　been　for　me。　I　had　spent　it　in　Miami；　where　I　could　avoid　it　as　much　as　I　could。　But　it　wasn't　possible　for　me　to　get　away　from　music　and　lights；　not　even　if　I　fled　to　Cuba。
　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　this　year？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Maybe　go　out　west；〃　I　replied。　〃If　it　would　snow　here；　that　would　be　easier；　but　I　can't　stand　gray　skies。　Rain　and　ice　storms；　Richmond　weather。　You　know；　when　I　first　moved　here；　we　always　got　at　least　one　or　two　good　snows　every　winter。〃
　　I　envisioned　snow　piled　on　tree　branches　and　blowing　against　my　windshield；　the　world　whited　out　as　I　drove　to　work　even　though　all　state　offices　were　closed。　Snow　and　tropical　sunshine　were　antidepressants　for　me。
　　〃It　was　very　nice　of　you　to　check　on　me；〃　my　secretary　said；　getting　up　from　the　deep　blue　wing　chair。　〃You've　always　worried　too　much　about　me；　though。〃
　　She　went　into　the　kitchen　and　I　heard　her　digging　around　in　the　freezer。　When　she　returned　to　the　living　room；　she　handed　me　a　Tupperware　container　with　something　frozen　inside　it。
　　〃My　vegetable　soup；〃　she　said。　〃Just　what　you　need　tonight：'
　　〃You　can't　know　how　much；〃　I　told　her　with　heartfelt　appreciation。　〃I'll　go　home　and　warm　it　up　now。〃
　　〃Now；　what　will　you　do　about　Chuck？〃　she　asked　with　a　very　serious　expression　on　her　face。
　　I　hesitated。　I　didn't　want　to　ask　her　this。
　　〃Rose；　he　says　you're　my　office　snitch：'
　　〃Well；　I　am。〃
　　〃I　need　you　to　be；〃　I　went　on。　〃I'd　like　you　to　do　whatever　it　takes　to　find　out　what　he's　up　to。〃
　　〃What　the　little　son　of　a　bitch　is　up　to　is　sabotage；〃　said　Rose；　who　almost　never　swore。
　　〃We've　got　to　get　the　evidence；〃　I　said。　〃You　know　how　the　state　is。　It's　harder　to　fire　somebody　than　walk　on　water。　But　he's　not　going　to　win。〃
　　She　didn't　respond　right　away。　Then　she　said；　〃To　start　with；　we　mustn't　underestimate　him。　He's　not　as　smart　as　he　thinks　he　is；　but　he's　clever。　And　he　has　too　much　time　to　think　and　move　about　unnoticed。　What's　unfortunate　is　he　knows　your　patterns　better　than　anyone；　better　even　than　me；　because　I　don't　help　you　in　the　morgue…for　which　I'm　grateful。　And　that's　your　center　stage。　That's　where　he　could　really　ruin　you。〃
　　She　was　right；　although　I　couldn't　bear　to　admit　the　power　he　had。　He　could　swap　labels　or　toe　tags　or　contaminate　something。　He　could　leak　lies　to　reporters　who　would　forever　protect　his　identity。　I　could　scarcely　imagine　the　breadth　of　what　he　could　do。
　　〃By　the　way；〃　I　said；　getting　up　from　the　couch；　〃I'm　fairly　sure　he　has　a　puter　at　home；　so　he　lied　about　that。〃
　　She　walked　me　to　the　door；　and　I　remembered　the　car　parked　near　mine。
　　〃Do　you　know　anybody　in　the　building　who　drives　a　dark　Taurus？〃　I　asked。
　　She　frowned；　perplexed。　〃Well；　they're　rather　much　all　over　the　place。　But　no；　I　can't　think　of　anyone　around　me　who　drives　one。〃
　　〃Possibly　there's　a　police　officer　who　lives　in　your　building　and　might　drive　such　a　car　home　now　and　then？〃
　　〃I　know　nothing　about　it　if　there　is。　Don't　get　too　carried　away　by　all　those　little　goblins　that　will　rise　up　in　your　head　if　you　let　them。　I　have　a　firm　belief　about　not　giving　a　life　to　things；　you　know。　The　old　bit　about　a　self…fulfilled　prophecy：〃
　　〃Well；　it's　probably　nothing；　but　I　just　had　an　odd　feel…ing　when　I　saw　this　person　sitting　inside　a　dark　car；　engine　off；　lights　off；〃　I　said。　〃I　got　the　tag　number。〃
　　〃Good　for　you。〃　Rose　patted　my　back。　〃Why　am　I　not　surprised？〃
　　　
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　　My　shoes　seemed　loud　on　the　stairs　as　I　left　Rose's　apartment；　and　I　was　conscious　of　my　handgun　when　I　went　out　the　door　into　the　cold　night。　The　car　was　gone。　I　looked　around　for　it　as　I　approached　mine。
　　The　parking　lot　was　not　well　lit。　Bare　trees　made　slight　sounds　that　turned　ominous　in　my　mind；　and　shadows　seemed　to　hide　fearful　things。　I　quickly　locked　my　doors；　looking　around　some　more；　and　called　Marino's　pager　as　I　drove　off。　He　called　back　right　away　because；　of　course；　he　was　in　uniform　on　the　street　without　a　damn　thing　to　do。
　　〃Can　you　run　a　tag？〃　I　said　right　off　when　he　answered。
　　〃Lay　it　on　me。〃
　　I　recited　it　to　him。
　　〃I'm　just　leaving　Rose's　apartment；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　have　a　weird　feeling　about　this　car　parked　out　there。〃
　　Marino　almost　always　took　my　weird　feelings　seriously。　I　was　not　one　to　have　them　often　without　justification。　I　was　a　lawyer　and　a　physician。　If　anything；　I　was　more　inclined　to　stay　inside　my　clinical；　fact…only　lawyer's　mind　and　was　not　given　to　overreactions　and　emotional　projections。
　　〃There　are　other　things；〃　I　went　on。
　　〃You　want　me　to　drop　by？〃
　　〃I　sure　would。〃
　　He　was　waiting　in　my　driveway　when　I　got　there；　and　he　awkwardly　climbed　out　of　h