cpatricia.blacknotice-第31部分

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ime　Bray　said　something　else　on　her　portable　after　she　saw　us　outside　her　car。〃
　　〃Chuck's　a　direct　conduit　from　me　to　her；〃　I　said。　〃She　may　as　well　have　a　key　to　my　office。〃
　　〃Hell；　maybe　she　does；〃　he　said。　〃But；　Doc；　you　just　leave　Chuckie…boy　to　me。〃
　　〃Now；　that　scares　me；〃　I　said。　〃Please　don't　go　doing　something　reckless；　Marino。　He　does　work　for　me；　after　all。　I　dont　need　any　other　problems。〃
　　〃My　point　exactly。　You　don't　need　any　more　problems。〃
　　He　dropped　me　off　at　the　office　and　waited　until　I　got　into　my　car。　I　followed　him　out　of　the　parking　lot；　and　he　went　his　way　and　I　went　mine。
　　　
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　　The　tiny　moon…eyes　from　the　dead　man's　skin　glowed　in　my　mind。　They　looked　out　from　that　deep；　off…limits　place　where　I　stored　my　fears；　which　were　many　and　of　a　kind　not　felt　by　anyone　else　I　knew。　Wind　shook　bare　trees　and　clouds　streamed　like　banners　across　the　sky　as　a　cold　front　rushed　in。
　　I　had　heard　on　the　news　the　temperature　might　dip　into　the　twenties　that　night；　which　seemed　impossible　after　weeks　that　felt　like　fall。　It　seemed　everything　was　out　of　balance　and　abnormal　in　my　life。　Lucy　wasn't　Lucy　so　I　couldn't　call　her　and　she　wasn't　speaking　to　me。　Marino　was　working　a　homicide　even　though　he　wasn't　a　detective　anymore；　and　Benton　was　gone；　and　everywhere　I　looked　for　him　I　found　an　empty　frame。　I　still　waited　for　his　car　to　drive　up；　for　the　phone　to　ring；　for　the　sound　of　his　voice；　because　it　was　too　soon　for　my　heart　to　accept　what　my　brain　knew。
　　I　turned　off　the　Downtown　Expressway　onto　Cary　Street；　and　as　I　drove　past　a　shopping　center　and　the　Venice　Restaurant；　I　became　aware　of　a　car　behind　me。　It　was　driving　very　slowly　and　too　far　away　for　me　to　tell　anything　about　the　person　behind　the　wheel。　Instinct　told　me　to　slow　down；　and　when　I　did；　so　did　the　car。　I　turned　right　on　Cary　Street；　and　the　car　stayed　with　me。　When　I　took　a　left　into　Windsor　Farms；　there　it　was；　maintaining　the　same　safe　distance。
　　I　didn't　want　to　get　any　deeper　into　this　neighborhood　because　the　roads　were　winding　and　narrow　and　dark。　There　were　many　cul…de…sacs。　I　took　a　right　on　Dover　and　dialed　Marino's　number　as　the　car　turned　right；　too；　and　my　fear　grew。
　　〃Marino；〃　I　said　out　loud　to　nobody　there。　〃Be　home；　Marino。〃
　　I　ended　the　call　and　tried　again。
　　〃Marino！　Goddamn　it；　be　home！〃　I　said　to　the　handsfree　phone　in　the　dashboard　as　Marino's　clunky　cordless　phone　inside　his　house　rang　and　rang。
　　He　probably　had　it　parked　by　the　TV；　as　usual。　Half　the　time　he　couldn't　find　it　because　he　didn't　return　it　to　its　base。　Maybe　he　wasn't　home　yet。
　　〃What？〃　his　loud　voice　surprised　me。
　　〃It's　me。　〃
　　〃Goddamn…mother…fucking…son…of…a…bitch。　If　I　hit　my　knee　on　that　goddamn　table　one　more　time。　。　。　！〃
　　〃Marino；　listen　to　me！〃
　　〃Once　more　and　it's　out　in　the　yard　and　I'm　gonna　smash　the　shit　out　of　it　with　a　hammer！　Right　in　the　fucking　kneecap！　I　can't　see　the　fucking　thing　'cause　it's　glass　and　guess　who　said　it　would　look　so　nice　there？〃
　　〃Calm　down；〃　I　exclaimed；　watching　the　car　in　my　mirror。
　　〃I've　had　three　beers　and　I'm　hungry　and　tired　as　hell。　What？〃　he　asked。
　　〃There's　someone　following　me。〃
　　I　turned　right　on　Windsor　Way；　heading　back　to　Cary　Street。　I　drove　at　a　normal　speed。　I　did　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　except　not　head　for　my　house。
　　〃What　do　you　mean；　someone's　following　you？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃What　the　hell　do　you　think　I　mean？〃　I　said　as　my　anxiety　heated　up　more。
　　〃Then　head　this　way　right　now；〃　he　said。　〃Get　out　of　that　dark　neighborhood　of　yours。〃
　　〃I　am。〃
　　〃Can　you　see　a　plate　number　or　anything？〃
　　〃No。　He's　too　far　behind　me。　It　seems　he's　deliberately　staying　far　enough　behind　me　so　I　can't　read　the　tag　or　see　his　face。〃
　　I　got　back　on　the　expressway；　heading　to　the　Powhite　Parkway；　and　the　person　tailin　me　apparently　gave　up　and　turned　off　somewhere。　Lights　of　moving　cars　and　trucks　and　the　iridescent　paint　on　signs　were　confusing；　and　my　heart　was　beating　hard。　The　half…moon　slipped　in　and　out　of　clouds　like　a　button；　and　gusts　of　wind　rushed　the　side　of　the　car　like　linebackers。
　　I　dialed　my　answering　service　at　home。　I　had　three　hangups　and　a　fourth　message　that　was　a　slap　in　the　face。
　　〃Chief　Bray　here；〃　it　began。　〃So　nice　to　run　into　you　at　Buckhead's。　I　have　a　few　policy　and　procedural　issues　to　discuss　with　you。　Managing　crime　scenes　and　evidence；　and　so　on。　I've　been　meaning　to　discuss　them　with　you；　Kay〃
　　The　sound　of　my　first　name　ing　out　of　her　mouth　infuriated　me。
　　〃Maybe　we　can　have　lunch　in　the　next　few　days；〃　her　recorded　voice　went　on。　〃A　nice　private　lunch　at　the　monwealth　Club？〃
　　My　home　phone　number　was　unlisted　and　I　was　very　careful　who　I　gave　it　to；　but　it　was　no　riddle　how　she'd　gotten　it。　My　staff；　including　Ruffin；　had　to　be　able　to　reach　me　at　home。
　　〃In　case　you　haven't　heard；〃　Bray's　message　went　on；　〃Al　Carson　resigned　today。　You　remember　him；　I'm　sure？　Deputy　chief　of　investigations。　A　real　shame。　Major　Inman　will　be　acting　deputy　chief。〃
　　I　slowed　at　a　toll　booth　and　tossed　a　token　into　the　bin。　I　moved　on　and　a　beat…up　Toyota　full　of　teenaged　boys　stared　boldly　at　me　as　they　passed。　One　of　them　mouthed　motherfiucker　for　no　apparent　reason。
　　I　concentrated　on　the　road　as　I　thought　about　what　Wagner　had　said。　Someone　was　pressuring　Representative　Connors　to　push　legislation　that　would　transfer　my　office　out　of　Health　and　Human　Services　and　into　Public　Safety；　where　the　police　department　would　have　more　control　over　me。
　　Women　could　not　join　the　prestigious　monwealth　Club；　where　half　of　the　major　business　deals　and　politics　affecting　Virginia　were　made　by　male　power　brokers　with　old　family　names。　Rumor　had　it　that　these　men；　many　of　whom　I　knew；　congregated　around　the　indoor　swimming　pool；　most　of　them　naked。　They　bartered　and　pontificated　in　the　locker　room；　a　forum　where　women　weren't　allowed。
　　Since　Bray　couldn't　walk　through　the　door　of　that　ivydraped　eighteenth…century　club　unless　she　was　the　guest　of　a　member；　my　suspicions　about　her　ultimate　ambition　we　s　virtually　confirmed。　Bray　was　lobbying　members　of　the　General　Assembly　and　powerful　businessmen。　She　wanted　to　be　the　Secretary　of　Public　Safety　and　have　my　office　transferred　to　that　secretariat。　Then　she　could　fire　me　herself。
　　I　reached　Midlothian　Turnpike　and　could　see　Marino's　house　long　before　I　got　near　it。　His　gaudy；　outrageous　Christmas　decorations；　including　some　three　hundred　thousand　lights；　glowed　above　the　horizon　like　an　amusement　park。　All　one　had　to　do　was　follow　the　steady　traffic　heading　that　way；　because　Marino's　house　had　risen　to　number　one　on　Richmond's　annual　Christmas　Tacky　Tour。　People　couldn't　resist　ing　to　see　what　was　truly　an　amazing　sight。
　　Lights　of　every　color　were　sprinkled　in　trees　like　；neon　candy。　Santas；　snowmen；　trains　and　toy　soldiers　glowed　in　the　yard；　and　gingerbread　cookies　held　hands。　Candy　canes　brightly　stood　sentry　along　his　sidewalk；　and　lights　spelled　out　Season's　Greetings　and　Think　Snow　on　the　roof。　In　a　part　of　the　yard　where　scarcely　a　flower　grew　and　grass　was　patchy　brown　all　year　long；　Marino　had　planted　happy　electric　gardens。　There　was　the　North　Pole；　where　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Claus　seemed　to　be　discussing　plans；　and　nearby　choirboys　sang　while　flamingos　perched　on　the　chimney　and　ice　skaters　twirled　around　a　spruce。
　　A　white　limousine　crept　past；　followed　by　a　church　van；　as　I　hurried　up　his　front　steps；　feeling　irradiated　and　trapped　in　a　spotlight。
　　〃Every　time　I　see　this；　it　confirms　you've　lost　your　mind；〃　I　said　when　Marino　came　to　the　door　and　I　quickly　ducked　away　from　curious　eyes。　〃Last　year　was　bad　enough。〃
　　〃I'm　up　to　three　fuse　boxes；〃　he　proudly　announced。
　　He　was　in　jeans　and　socks　and　a　red…　flannel　shirt　with　the　tail　hanging　out。
　　〃Least　I　can　e　home　and　something　makes　me　happy；〃　he　said。　〃Pizza's　on　the　way。　I　got　bourbon　if　you　want　some。〃
　　〃What　pizza？〃
　　〃One　I　ordered。　Everything　on　it。　My　treat。　Papa　John's；　don't　even　need　my　address　anymore。　They　just　follow　the　lights。〃
　　〃What　about　hot　decaffeinated　tea；〃　I　said；　quite　certain　he　would　have　no　such　thing。