cpatricia.blacknotice-第44部分

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　　She　was　gone　in　a　flash　of　red；　like　a　vengeful　queen　on　her　way　to　order　armies　to　march　in　on　us。
　　〃Oh；　no！〃　Marino　called　after　her　at　the　top；　of　his　voice。　〃You　got　it　all　wrong；　babe。　Guess　I　forgot　to　tell　you　l　fucking　quit！〃
　　He　got　on　his　radio　and　raised　Ham　to　tell　him　that　the　squad　needed　to　get　in　here　as　my　mind　streaked　through　formulas　that　weren't　puting。
　　〃Guess　I　showed　her；　huh；　Doe？〃　Marino　said；　but　I　wasn't　listening。
　　The　burglar　alarm　had　gone　off　。at　seven…sixteen　and　now　it　was　barely　nine…thirty。　Time　of　death　was　elusive　and　full　of　deceit　if　one　wasn't　careful　to　account　for　all　of　the　variables；　but　Kim　Luong's　body　temperature；　liver　mortis；　rigor　mortis　and　the　condition　of　her　spilled　blood　weren't　consistent　with　her　being　dead　only　two　hours。
　　〃I　feel　like　this　room　is　shrink…wrapping　me；　Doc：'
　　〃She's　been　dead　at　least　four　or　five　hours；〃　I　said。
　　He　wiped　his　sweaty　face　on　his　sleeve；　eyes　almost　glassy。　He　couldn't　stay　still　and　kept　nervously　patting　the　pack　of　cigarettes　in　his　jeans　pocket。
　　〃Since　one　or　two　in　the　afternoon？　You're　kidding　me。　What's　he　doing　all　that　time？〃
　　His　eyes　kept　going　to　the　doorway；　waiting　to　see　who　would　fill　it　next。
　　〃I　think　he　was　doing　a　lot　of　things　to　it；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　guess　I　just　fucked　myself　pretty　good；〃　Marino　said。
　　Shuffling　feet　and　the　clacking　of　a　stretcher　sound　from　inside　the　store。　Voices　were　muffled。
　　〃I　don't　think　she　heard　your　last　diplomatic　ment；〃　I　answered　him。　〃Might　be　smart　if　you　leave　it　that　way。〃
　　〃You　think　he　might　have　hung　out　as　long　as　he　did　because　he　didn't　want　to　walk　out　in；broad　daylight　with　blood　all　over　his　clothes？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　that　was　the　only　reason；〃　I　said　as　two　paramedics　in　jumpsuits　turned　the　stretcher　sideways　to　get　it　through　the　door。
　　〃There's　a　lot　of　blood　in　here；〃　I　told　them。　〃Go　around　that　way。〃
　　〃Geez；〃　one　of　them　said。
　　I　took　the　folded　disposable　sheets　off　the　stretcher　and　Marino　helped　me　spread　one　of　them　open　on　the　floor。
　　〃You　guys　lift　her　a　few　inches　and　we're　going　to　scoot　this　sheet　right　under　her；〃　I　instructed。　〃Good。　That's　fine。〃
　　She　was　on　her　back。　Gory　eyes　stared　out　of　shattered　orbits。　Plasticized　paper　rustled　as　I　covered　her　with　the　other　sheet：　We　lifted　her　up　and　zipped　her　inside　a　dark　red　pouch。
　　〃It's　getting　icy　out　there；〃　one　of　the　paramedics　let　us　know。
　　Marino's　eyes　darted　around　the　store　and　then　out　the　door　into　the　parking　lot　where　red　and　blue　lights　still　strobed；　but　the　attention　had　significantly　waned。　Reporters　had；　dashed　back　to　their　newsrooms　and　stations；　and　only　the　crime…scene　technicians　and　a　uniformed　officer　remained。
　　〃Yeah；　right；〃　Marino　muttered。　〃I'm　suspended　but　you　see　any　other　detective　here　to　work　this　thing？　I　ought　to　just　let　everything　go　to　hell。〃
　　We　walked　back　to　my　car　as　an　old　blue　Volkswagen　Beetle　turned　into　the　parking　lot。　The　engine　cut　so　abruptly　the　clutch　popped；　and　the　driver's　door　flew　open　and　a　teenaged　girl　with　pale　skin　and　short　dark　hair　almost　fell　out；　she　was　in　such　a　hurry。　She　ran　toward　the　pouched　body　as　the　paramedics　loaded　it　into　the　ambulance。　She　raced　toward　them　as　if　she　might　tackle　them。
　　〃Hey！〃　Marino　yelled；　going　after　her。
　　She　reached　the　back　of　the　ambulance　as　the　tailgate　slammed　shut。　Marino　grabbed　her。
　　〃Let　me　see　her！〃　she　screamed。　〃Oh；　please　let　go　of　me！　Lei　me　see　her！〃
　　〃Can't　do　that；　ma'am；〃　Marino's　voice　carried。
　　The　paramedics　swung　open　their　doors　and　jumped　in。
　　〃Let　me　see　her！〃
　　〃It's　gonna　be　all　right。〃
　　〃No！　No！　Oh；　please；　God！〃　Grief　tumbled　out　of　her　like　a　waterfall。
　　Marino　had　her　from　behind；　holding　tight。　The　diesel　engine　rumbled　awake　and　I　couldn't　hear　what　else　he　said　to　her；　but　he　let　go　of　her　as　the　ambulance　drove　away。　She　dropped　to　her　knees。　She　clamped　her　hands　on　both　sides　of　her　head　and　stared　up　at　the　icy；　overcast　night；　shrieking　and　wailing　and　crying　out　the　slain　woman's　name。
　　〃KIM！　KIM！　KIM！〃
　　　
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　　Marino　decided　to　stay　with　Eggleston　and　Ham；　also　known　as　the　Breakfast　Boys；　while　they　connected　the　dots　with　string　at　a　scene　where　it　wasn't　necessary。　I　went　home。　Trees　and　grass　were　glazed　with　ice；　and　I　thought　all　I　needed　now　was　á　power　outage；　which　was　exactly　what　I　got。
　　When　I　turned　into　my　neighborhood；　every　house　was　dark；　and　Rita；　working　security；　looked…as　if　she　were　holding　a　séance　in　the　guardhouse。
　　〃Don't　tell　me；〃　I　said　to　her。
　　Candle　flames　wavered　behind　glass　as　she　stepped　out；　pulling　her　uniform　jacket　tightly　around　her。
　　〃Been　out　since　about　nine…thirty；〃　she　told　me；　shaking　her　head。　‘That's　all　we　ever　get　in　this　city　is　ice。〃
　　My　neighborhood　was　in　a　blackout　as　if　a　war　were　going　on；　and　the　sky　was　too　overcast　to　see　even　a　smudge　of　the　moon。　I　could　barely　find　my　driveway　and　almost　fell　going　up　my　front　stone　steps　because　of　the　ice。　I　clung　to　the　railing　and　somehow　managed　to　find　the　right　key　to　unlock　the　door。　My　burglar　alarm　was　still　armed　because　it　was　on　a　backup　battery；　but　that　wouldn't　last　longer　than　twelve　hours；　and　outages　due　to　ice　had　been　known　to　go　on　for　days。
　　I　punched　in　my　code；　then　reset　the　alarm。　I　needed　a　shower。　There　was　no　way　in　hell　I'　was　going　out　to　my　garage　to　toss　my　scene　clothes　in　the　wash；　and　the　thought　of　running　naked　through　my　pitch…dark　house　and　jumping　into　a　dark　shower　filled　me　with　horror。　Silence　was　absolute　except　for　the　quiet　smacking　of　sleet。
　　I　found　every　candle　I　could　and　began　strategically　placing　them　around　the　house。　I　located　flashlights。　I　built　afire；　and　the　inside　of　my　house　was　pockets　of　darkness　with　shadows　pushed　back　by　several　small　logs　with　thin　fingers　of　flame。　At　least　the　phone　was　still　working；　but　of　course　the　answering　machine　was　dead。
　　It　was　impossible　for　me　to　sit　still。　In　my　bedroom　I　finally　stripped　and。　washed　myself　with　a　cloth。　I　put　on　a　robe　and　slippers　as　I　tried　to　think　what　I　could　d　to　occupy　my　tune；　because　I　was　not　one　to　allow　empty　space　in　my　mind。　I　fantasized　there　was　a　message　from　Lucy　but　I　couldn't　access　it　right　now。　I　wrote　letters　and　end　up　crumpling　them　and　tossing　them　into　the　fire。　I　watched　the　paper　brown　around　the　edges；　ignite　and　turn　black。　Sleet　smacked；　and　it　began　to　get　colder　inside。
　　The　temperature　in　my　house　slowly　dropped；　hours　slipping　deeper　into　the　still　morning。　I　tried　to　sleep　and　couldn't　get　warm。　My　mind　wouldn't　get　still。　My　thoughts　bounced　from　Lucy　to　Benton　…to　the　awful　scene　where　I'd　just　been。　I　saw　a　hemorrhaging　woman　dragged　across　the　floor；　and　small　owl　eyes　staring　out　of　rotting　flesh。　I　shifted　positions　continually。　Lucy　did　not　call。
　　Fear　picked　at　my　loose　threads　when　I　looked　out　the　window　into　my　dark　backyard。　…My　heath　fogged　the　glass；　and　the　click…click　of　sleet　turned　into　knitting　needles　when　I　dozed；　to　my　mother　knitting　in　Miami　when　my　father　was　dying；　knitting　endless　scarves　for　the　poor　in　some　cold　place。　Not　a　single　car　went　by。　I　called　Rita　at　the　guard　booth。　She　didn't　answer。
　　My　eyes　blurred　as　I　tried　to　drift　off　again　at　3：00　A。M。　Tree　branches　cracked　like　guns　going　off；　and　in　the　distance　a　train　lumbered　along　the　river。　Its　forlorn　horn　seemed　to　set　the　pitch　for　a　percussion　of　screeching；　clanking　and　rumbling　that　made　me　more　uneasy。　I　lay　in　the　dark；　a　forter　wrapped　around　me；　and　when　daylight　bruised　the　horizon；　the　power　came　back　on。　Marino　called　minutes　later。
　　〃What　time　you　want　me　to　pick　you　up？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　hoarse　from　sleep。
　　〃Pick　me　up　for　what？〃　I　blearily　walked　into　the　kitchen　to　make　coffee。　 ‘
　　〃Work。〃
　　I　didn't　have　a　clue　what　he　was　talking　about。
　　〃You　looked　out　the　window；　Doc？〃　he　asked。　〃No　way　you're　going　anywhere　in　that　Nazi…mobile　of　yours。〃
　　〃I've　told　you　not　to　say　that。　It's　not　funny。〃
　　I　went　to　the　window　and　opened　the　blinds。　The　world　was　rock　candy　and　glass　coating　every　shrub　and　tree