cpatricia.blacknotice-第49部分

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　　〃You　didn't　know。　We　can't　know　everything。〃　I　felt　a　spasm　of　grief；　too。
　　〃If　only　I'd　taken　her　to　the　vet　sooner　。　。　。　I'll　never；　ever　forgive　myself　for　that。　Poor　little　girl　a　prisoner　in　a　little　cage　and　muzzle　and　some　monster　hit　her　with　something　and　broke　her　nose　。　。　。　at　that　goddamn　dog　track！　And　then　I　let　her　suffer　and　die！〃
　　She　wept　as　if　outraged　over　every　loss　and　act　of　cruelty　the　world　had　ever　suffered。　I　held　her　clenched　fists　in　both　of　my　hands。
　　〃Rose；　now　you　listen　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃You　saved　Sassy　from　hell　just　as　you've　saved　others。　There's　nothing　you　could　have　done　for　Sassy　any　more　than　there　was　anything　you　could　have　done　when　you　stopped　to　get　your　shortbreads。　Kim　was　dead。　She　had　been　dead　for　hours。〃
　　〃What　about　him？〃　she　cried。　〃What　if　he　had　still　been　inside　that　store　and　had　e　out　just　as　I　had　pulled　in？　I'd　be　dead；　too；　wouldn't　I？　Shot　and　dumped　somewhere　like　garbage。　Or　maybe　he　would　have　done　awful　things　to　me；　too。〃
　　She　closed　her　eyes；　exhausted；　tears　sneaking　down　her　face。　She　went　limp　all　over　as　the　violent　storm　passed。　Marino　leaned　forward　on　the　couch　and　touched　her　knee。
　　〃You　got　to　help　us　out；〃　he　said。　〃We　need　to　know　why　you　think　your　being　followed　and　the　murder　might　be　connected。〃
　　〃Why　don't　you　e　home　with　me？〃　I　said。
　　Her　eyes　cleared　as　she　began　to　regain　her　posure。
　　〃That　car　pulling　out　after　me　right　there　where　she　was　murdered？　Why　didn't　he　start　following　me　long　before　that？〃　she　said。　〃And　an　hour；　an　hour　and　a　half；　before　the　alarm　went　off。　Don't　you　find　that　an　amazing　coincidence？〃
　　〃Sure　I　do；〃　Marino　said。　〃But　there've　been　a　lot　of　amazing　coincidences　in　my　career。〃
　　〃I　feel　foolish；〃　Rose　said；　looking　down　at　her　hands。
　　〃All　of　us　are　tired；〃　I　said。　〃I've　got　plenty　of　room　。　。　。〃　〃We're　gonna　nail　Chuckle…boy　for　drugs；〃　Marino　said　to　her。　〃Not…a　damn　thing　foolish　about　that。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　stay　here　and　go　on　to　bed；〃　Rose　said。
　　I　continued　to　sort　through　what　she'd　told　us　as　we　went　down　the　stairs　and　into　the　parking　lot。
　　〃Look；〃　Marino　said；　unlocking　his　car。　〃You've　been　around　Chuck　a　whole　lot　more　than　I　have。　You　know　him　a　lot　better；　which　is　too　bad　for　you。〃
　　〃And　you're　going　to　ask　me　if　he's　the　one　in　the　rental　car　following　us；〃　I　said　as　he　backed　out　and　turned　on　Randy　Travis。　〃The　answer's　no。　He's　a　sneak。　He's　a　liar　and　a　thief；　but　he's　a　coward；　Marino。　It　takes　a　lot　of　arrogance　to　boldly　tailgate　someone　with　your　high　beams　on。　Whoever's　doing　it　is　very　sure　of　himself。　He　has　no　fear　of　being　caught　because　he　thinks　he's　too　smart　for　that。〃
　　〃Sort　of　the　definition　of　a　psychopath；〃　he　said。　〃And　now　I　feel　worse。　Shit。　I　don't　want　to　think　that　guy　who　just　did　Luong　is　the　one　following　you　and　Rose。〃
　　Roads　had　frozen　over　again　and　Richmond　drivers；　lacking　sense；　were　sliding　and　spinning　all　over　the　place。　Marino　had　his　portable　police　radio　on　and　was　monitoring　accidents。
　　〃When　are　you　going　to　turn　that　thing　in？〃　I　asked。
　　〃When　they　e　and　try　to　take　it　from　me；〃　he　replied。　〃I　ain't　turning　in　shit。〃
　　〃That's　the　spirit。〃
　　〃The　hard　thing　about　every　case　we've　ever　worked；〃　he　said；　〃is　there's　never　just　one　thing　going　on。　Cops　try　to　connect　so　much　crap　that　by　the　time　we　solve　the　case；　we　could　have　written　the　victim's　biography。　Half　the　time　we　find　a　connection；　it's　not　one　that　matters。　Like　the　husband　who　gets　mad　at　his　wife。　She　goes　out　the　door；　pissed；　and　ends　up　abducted　from　a　mall　parking　lot；　raped　and　murdered。　Her　husband　pissing　her　off　didn't　make　it　happen。　Maybe　she　was　going　shopping　anyway。〃
　　He　turned　into　my　driveway　and　put　the　truck　in　park。　I　gave　him　a　long　look。
　　〃Marino；　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　money？〃
　　〃I'll　be　all　right。〃
　　I　knew　it　wasn't　true。
　　〃You　could　help　me　out　as　a　field　investigator　for　a　while；〃　I　said　〃Until　this　suspension　nonsense　ends。〃
　　He　was　silent。　As　long　as　Bray　was　there；　it　would　never　end　Suspending　him　without　pay　was　her　way　of　forcing　Marino　to　resign。　If　he　did　that；　he　was　out　of　the　way　like　AI　Carson。
　　〃I　can　hire　you　two　ways；〃　I　went　on。　〃A　case…by…case　basis　and　you'll　get　fifty　dollars　per　。　。　：'
　　He　snorted。　〃Fifty　dollars　my　ass！〃
　　〃Or　I　can　hire　you　part…time　and　eventually　I'll　have　to　advertise　the　position　and　you'll　have　to　apply　for　it　like　everybody　else：'
　　〃Don't　make　me　sick。〃
　　〃How　much　are　you　earning　now？〃
　　〃About　sixty…two　plus　benefits；〃　he　replied。
　　〃The　best　I　could　do　is　make　you　a　P…fourteen　at　senior　level。　Thirty　hours　a　week。　No　benefits。　Thirty…five　a　year。〃
　　〃Now　that's　a　good　one。　One　of　the　funniest　things　I've　heard　in　a　while。〃
　　〃I　can　also　take　you　on　as　an　instructor　and　coordinator　in　death　investigation　at　the　Institute。　That's　another　thirtyfive。　So　that's　seventy。　No　benefits。　Actually；　you'll　probably　make　out　better。〃
　　He　thought　about　it　for　a　moment；　sucking　smoke。
　　〃I　don't　need　your　help　right　now；〃　he　said　rudely。　〃And　hanging　around　medical　examiners　and　dead　bodies　ain't　part　of　my　life's　plan。〃
　　I　climbed　out　of　his　truck。
　　〃Good　night；〃　I　said。
　　He　angrily　roared　away　and　I　knew　it　wasn't　me　he　was　really　so　angry　with。　He　was　frustrated　and　furious。　His　self…respect　and　vulnerability　were　naked　in　front　of　me　and　he　didn't　want　me　to　see　it。　All　the　same；　what　he'd　said　hurt。
　　I　threw　my　coat　over　a　chair　in　the　foyer　and　pulled　off　leather　gloves。　I　put　Beethoven's　〃Eroica〃　symphony　on　the　CD　player　and　my　discordant　nerves　began　to　restore　their　rhythm　like　the　strings　that　played。　I　ate　an　omelet　and　settled　in　bed　with　a　book　I　was　too　tired　to　read。
　　I　fell　asleep　with　the　light　on　and　was　shocked　awake　by　the　hammering　of　my　burglar　alarm。　I　got　my　Glock　out　of　a　drawer　and　fought　the　impulse　to　disarm　the　system。　I　couldn't　stand　the　awful　clangor。　But　I　。didn't　know　what　had　set　it　off。　The　phone　rang　several　minutes　later。
　　‘。‘This　is　ADT　。　。　：'
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　I　said　loudly。　〃I　don't　know　why　it's　gone　off。
　　〃We're　showing　zone　five；〃　the　man　said。　〃The　kitchen　back　door。〃
　　〃I　have　no　idea。〃
　　〃Then　you'd　like　us　to　dispatch　the　police。〃
　　〃I　guess　you'd　better；〃　I　said　as　the　air　raid　in　my　house　went　on。
　　　
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　　I　supposed　a　strong　gust　of　wind　might　have　set　off　the　alarm；　and　minutes　later　I　silenced　it　so　I　could　hear　the　police　arrive。　I　sat　on　my　bed；　waiting。　I　didn't　go　through　the　dreaded　routine　of　securing　every　inch　of　my　house；　of　walking　into　rooms　and　showers　and　dark　spaces　of　fear。
　　I　listened　to　silence　and　became　acutely　aware　of　the　sounds　of　it。　I　heard　the　wind；　the　faint　clicking　of　numbers　rolling　on　the　digital　clock；　heat　blowing；　my　own　breathing。　A　car　turned　into　my　driveway　and　I　hurried　to　the　front　door　as　one　of　the　offers　sharply　rapped　with　a　baton　or　blackjack　instead　of　ringing　the　bell。
　　〃Police；〃　a　woman's　no…nonsense　voice　announced。
　　I　let　them　in。　There　were　two　officers；　a　young　woman　and　an　older　man。　The　woman's　nameplate　identified　her　as　J。　F。　Butler；　and　there　was　something　about　her　that　had　an　effect　on　me。
　　〃The　zone's　the　one　for　the　kitchen　door　that　leads　outside；〃　I　told　them。　〃I　very　much　appreciate　your　ing　so　quickly。〃
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　her　partner；　R。　I。　McElwayne；　asked　me。
　　He　was　acting　as　if　he　didn't　know　who　I　was；　as　if　I　were　just　a　middle…aged　lady　in　a　bathrobe　who　happened　to　live　in　a　nice　house　in　a　neighborhood　that　rarely　needed　the　police。
　　〃I　Kay　Scarpetta。〃
　　His　tight　demeanor　loosened　a　bit；　and　he　said；　〃I　didn't　know　if　you　really　existed。　Heard　about　you　a　lot；　but　I　never　been　to　the　morgue；　not　once　in　eighteen　years；　for　which　I'm　grateful。〃
　　〃'That's　because　back　then　you　didn't　have　to　go　to　demo　posts　and　learn　all　these　scientific　things；〃　Butler　picked　on　him。
　　McElwayne　tried　not　to　smile　as　his　eyes　roamed　curiously　around　my　house。
　　〃You're　wele　to　e　watch　a　demo　post　anytime　you　want；〃　I　said　to　him。
　　Butler's　attention　was　everywhere；　her　body　on　alert。　She　h