cpatricia.blacknotice-第5部分

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　　He　was　working　so　hard　not　to　swear　around　me。
　　〃Not　that　I'm　not　sorry　about　someone　being　dead；〃　he　went　on。　〃But　I　sure　would　like　you　folks　to　do　your　business　and　leave。〃　He　scowled　up　at　the　sky　again。　〃And　that　includes　the　media。〃
　　〃Mr。　Shaw；　what　was　being　shipped　inside　the　container？〃　I　asked　him。
　　〃German　camera　equipment。　You　should　know　the　seal　on　the　container's　latch　wasn't　broken。　So　it　appears　the　cargo　wasn't　tampered　with：'
　　〃Did　the　foreign　shipper　affix　the　seal？〃
　　〃That's　right。〃
　　〃Meaning　the　body；　alive　or　dead；　most　likely　was　inside　the　container　before　it　was　sealed〃'　I　said。
　　〃That's　what　it　looks　like。　The　number　matches　the　one　on　the　entry　filed　by　the　Customs　broker；　nothing　the　least　out　of　the　ordinary。　In　fact；　this　cargo's　already　been　released　by　Customs。　Was　five　days　ago；〃　Shaw　told　me。　〃Which　is　why　it　was　loaded　straight　on　a　chassis。　Then　we　got　a　whiff　and　no　way　that　container　was　going　anywhere。〃
　　I　looked　around；　taking　in　the　entire　scene　at　once。　A　light　breeze　clinked　heavy　chains　against　cranes　that　had　been　offloading　steel　beams　from　the　Eurocl#p；　three　hatches　at　a　time；　when　all　activity　stopped。　Forklifts　and　flatbed　trucks　had　been　abandoned。　Dockworkers　and　crew　had　nothing　to　do　and　kept　their　eyes　on　us　from　the　tarmac。
　　Some　looked　on　from　the　bows　of　their　ships　and　through　the　windows　of　deckhouses。　Heat　rose　from　oilstained　asphalt　scattered　with　wooden　frames；　spacers　and　skids；　and　a　CSX　train　clanked　and　scraped　through　a　crossing　beyond　the　warehouses。　The　smell　of　creosote　was　strong　but　could　not　mask　the　stench　of　rotting　human　flesh　that　drifted　like　smoke　on　the　air。
　　。　〃Where　did　the　ship　set　sail　from？〃　I　asked　Shaw　as　I　noticed　a　marked　car　parking　next　to　my　Mercedes。
　　〃Antwerp；　Belgium；　two　weeks　ago；〃　he　replied　as　he　looked　at　the　Sirius　and　the　Euroclip。　〃Foreign　flag　vessels　like　all　the　rest　we　get。　The　only　American　flags　we　see　anymore　are　if　someone　raises　one　as　a　courtesy；〃　he　added　with　a　trace　of　disappointment。
　　A　man　on　the　Euroclip　was　standing　by　the　starboard　side；　looking　back　at　us　with　binoculars。　I　thought　it　strange　he　was　dressed　in　long　sleeves　and　long　pants；　as　warm　as　it　was。
　　Shaw　squinted。　〃Darn；　this　sun　is　bright。〃
　　〃What　about　stowaways？〃　I　asked。　〃Although　I　can't　imagine　anyone　choosing　to　hide　inside　a　locked　container　for　two　weeks　on　high　seas。〃
　　〃Never　had　one　that　I　know　of。　Besides；　we're　not　the　first　port　of　call。　Chester；　Pennsylvania；　is。　Most　of　our　ships　go　from　Antwerp　to　Chester　to　here；　and　then　straight　back　to　Antwerp。　A　stowaway's　most　likely　going　to　bail　out　in　Chester　instead　of　waiting　till　he　gets　to　Richmond。
　　〃We're　a　niche　port；　Dr。　Scarpetta；〃　Shaw　went　on。
　　I　watched　in　disbelief　as　Pete　Marino　climbed　out　of　the　cruiser　that　had　just　parked　next　to　my　car。
　　〃Last　year；　maybe　a　hundred　and　twenty　oceangoing　ships　and　barges　called　in　the　port；〃　Shaw　was　saying。
　　Marino　has　been　a　detective　as　long　as　I've　known　him。　He　didn't　work　in　uniform。　…〃If　it　were　me　and　I　was　trying　to　jump　ship　or　was　an　illegal　alien；　I　think　I'd　want　to　end　up　in　some　really　big　port　like　Miami　or　L。A。　where　I　could　get　lost　in　the　shuffle。〃
　　Anderson　walked　up　to　us；　chewing　gum。
　　〃Point　is；　we　don't　break　the　seal　and　open　them　up　unless　we　suspect　something　illegal；　drugs；　undeclared　cargo；〃　Shaw　continued。　〃Every　now　and　then　we　preselect　a　ship　for　a　full　shakedown　search　to　keep　people　honest。〃
　　〃Glad　I　don't　have　to　dress　like　that　anymore；'。　Anderson　remarked　as　Marino　headed　toward　us；　his　demeanor　cocky　and　pugilistic；　the　way　he　always　acted　when　he　was　insecure　and　in　an　especially　foul　mood。
　　〃Why's　he　in　uniform？〃　I　asked　her。
　　〃He　got　reassigned。〃
　　〃Clearly。〃
　　〃There's　been　a　lot　of　changes　in　the　department　since　Deputy　Chief　Bray　got　here；〃　Anderson　said　as　if　she　were　proud　of　the　fact。
　　I　couldn't　imagine　why　anyone　would　throw　someone　so　valuable　back　into　uniform。　I　wondered　how　long　ago　this　had　happened。　I　was　hurt　Marino　hadn't　let　me　know；　and　I　was　ashamed　I　hadn't　found　out　anyway。　It　had　been　weeks；　maybe　a　month；　since　I　had　called　just　to　check　on　him。　I　couldn't　remember　the　last　time　I'd　invited　him　to　drop　by　my　office　for　coffee　or　to　e　to　my　house　for…dinner。
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　he　gruffly　said　as　a　greeting。
　　He　didn't　give　Anderson　a　glance。
　　〃I'm　Joe　Shaw。　How　you　doing？〃
　　〃Like　shit；〃　Marino　sourly　replied。　〃Anderson；　you　decide　to　work　this　one　all　by　yourself？　Or　is　it　just　the　other　cops　don't　want　nothing　to　do　with　yotl？〃
　　She　glared　at　him。　She　took　the　gum　out　of　her　mouth　and　tossed　it　as　if　he　had　ruined　the　flavor。
　　〃You　forget　to　invite　anyone　to　this　little　party　of　yours？〃　he　went　on。　〃Jesus！〃　He　was　furious。　〃Never　in　my　motherfucking　life！〃
　　Marino　was　strangled　by　a　short…sleeved　white　shirt　buttoned　up　to　the　collar　and　a　clip…on　tie。　His　big　belly　was　in　a　shoving　match　with　dark　blue　uniform　pants　and　a　stiff　leather　duty　belt　fully　loaded　with　his…　Sig…Sauer　ninemillimeter　pistol；　handcuffs；　extra　clips；　pepper　spray　and　all　the　rest。　His　face　was　flushed。　He　was　dripping　sweat；　a　pair　of　Oakley　sunglasses　blacking　out　his　eyes。
　　〃You　and　I　have　to　talk；〃　I　said　to　hire。
　　I　tried　to　pull　him　off　to　the　side；　but　he　wouldn't　budge。　He　tapped　a　Marlboro　out　of　the　pack　he　always　had　on　him　somewhere。
　　〃You　like　my　new　outfit？〃　he　sardonically　said　to　me。　〃Deputy　Chief　Bray　thought　I　needed　new　clothes：〃
　　〃Marino；　you're　not　needed　here；〃　Anderson　said　to　him。　〃In　fact；　I　don't　think　you　want　anyone　to　know　you　even　thought　about　ing　here。〃
　　〃It's　captain　to　you。〃　He　blew　out　his　words　on　gusts　of　cigarette　smoke。　〃You　might　want　to　watch　your　smart…ass　mouth　because　I　outrank　you；　babe。〃
　　Shaw　watched　the　rude　exchange　without　a　word。
　　〃I　don't　believe　we　call　female　officers　babe　anymore；〃　Anderson　said。
　　〃I've　got　a　body　to　look　at；〃　I　said。
　　〃We've　got　to　go　through　the　warehouse　to　get　there；〃　Shaw　told　me。
　　〃Let's　go；〃　I　said。
　　He　walked　Marino　and　me　to　a　warehouse　door　that　faced　the　river。　Inside　was　a　huge；　dimly　lit；　airless　space　that　was　sweet　with　the　smell　of　tobacco。　Thousands　of　bales　of　it　were　wrapped　in　burlap　and　stacked　on　wooden　pallets；　and　there　were　tons　of　magfilled　sand　and　orifet　that　I　believed　were　used　in　processing　steel；　and　machine　parts　bound　for　Trinidad；　according　to　what　was　stamped　on　crates。
　　Several　bays　down；　the　container　had　been　backed　up　to　a　loading　dock。　The　closer　we　got　to　it；　the　stronger　the　odor。　We　stopped　at　the　crime…scene　tape　draped　across　the　container's　open　door。　The　stench　was　thick　and　hot；　as　if　every　molecule　of　oxygen　had　been　replaced　by　it；　and　I　willed　my　senses　to　have　no　opinion。　Flies　had　begun　to　gather；　their　ominous　noise　reminding　me　of　the　highpitched　buzzing　of　a　remote…control　toy　plane。
　　〃Were　there　flies　when　the　container　was　first　opened？〃　I　asked　Shaw。
　　〃Not　like　this；〃　he　said。
　　〃How　close　did　you　get？〃　I　asked　as　Marino　and　Anderson　caught　up　with　us。
　　〃Close　enough；〃　Shaw　said。
　　〃No　one　went　inside　it？〃　I　wanted　to　make　sure。
　　〃I　can　guarantee　you　that；　ma'am。〃　The　stench　was　getting　to　him。
　　Marino　seemed　unfazed。　He　shook　out　another　cigarette　and　mumbled　around　it　as　he　fired　the　lighter。
　　〃So；　Anderson；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　guess　it　could　be　livestock；　you　know；　since　you　didn't　look。　Hell；　maybe　a　big　dog　that　accidentally　got　locked　up　in　there。　Sure　would　be　a　shame　to　drag　the　doc　here　and　get　the　media　all　in　a　lather　and　then　find　out　it's　just　some　poor　of　wharf　dog　rotted　in　there。〃
　　He　and　I　both　knew　there　was　no　dog　or　pig　or　horse　or　any　other　animal　in　there。　I　opened　my　scene　case　while　Marino　and　Anderson　went　on　carping　at　each　other。　I　dropped　my　car　key　inside　and　pulled　on　several　layers　of　gloves　and　a　surgical　mask。　I　fitted　my　thirty…fivemillimeter　Nikon　with　a　flash　and　a　twenty…eightmillimeter　lens。　I　loaded　four…hundred…speed　film　so　the　photographs　wouldn't　be　too　grainy；　and　slipped　sterile　booties　over　my　shoes。
　　〃It's　just