cpatricia.blacknotice-第61部分

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im　Luong。
　　〃The　punched…out　areas　of　her　skull；〃　I　mented　as　I　turned　pages；　〃a　hammer；　something　like　that。　I　presume　no　weapon　was　found？〃
　　〃No；〃　Talley　said。
　　All　facial　structures　were　broken。　There　were　subdural　hematomas；　bleeding　over　the　brain　and　into　the　chest　cavity。　The　victims'　ages　ranged　from　twenty…one　to；fifty…two。　Each　had　multiple　bite　marks。
　　〃Massive　minuted　fractures　of　the　left　parietal　bone；　depressed　fractures　that　drove　the　inner　table　of　the　skull　into　underlying　brain；'　I　scanned　out　loud；　flipping　through　one　autopsy　protocol　after　another。　〃Bilateral　subdural　hematomata。　Disruption　of　cerebral　tissue　beneath　with　acpanying　subarachnoid　hemorrhaging　。　。　。　eggshelllike　fractures　。　。　。　fracture　of　the　right　frontal　bone　extending　down　the　midline　into　the　right　parietal　bone　。　。　。　Clotting　suggests　survival　time　of　at　least　six　minutes　from　the　time　the　injury　was　inflicted　。　。　。〃
　　I　looked　up　and　said　to　them；　〃Rage。　Overkill。　Frenzied　overkill：　〃
　　〃Sexual？〃　Talley　held　my　eyes。
　　〃Ain't　everything？〃　Marino　asked。
　　Each　victim　was　half…naked；　her　clothing　ripped　open　or　torn　off　from　the　waist　up。　All　were　barefoot。
　　〃Strange；〃　I　said。　〃It　doesn't　appear　he　had　any　interest　in　their　buttocks；　their　genitals。〃
　　〃It　seems　he　has　a　breast　fetish；〃　Mirot　blandly　mented。
　　〃Certainly　a　symbol　of　mother；〃　I　replied。　〃And　if　it's　true　he　was　kept　at　home　throughout　his　childhood；　there　；must　be　some　interesting　pathology　there。〃
　　〃What　about　robbery？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Not　sure　in　all　cases。　But　definitely　in　some。　Money；　that's　it。　Nothing　that　could　be　traced；　like　jewelry　he　might　pawn；〃　Talley　answered。
　　Marino　patted　his　cigarettes　the　way　he　did　when　he　was　desperate　to　smoke。
　　〃Be　my　guest；〃　Mirot　invited　him。
　　〃Possible　he's　killed　elsewhere？　Other　places　besides　Richmond；　saying　he　murdered　Kim　Luong？〃　I　asked。
　　〃He　did　her；　all　right；〃　Marino　said。　〃Never　seen　another　M。O。　like　that　one。〃
　　〃We　don't　know　how　many　times　he's　killed；〃　Talley　said。　〃Or　where。〃
　　Mirot　said；　〃If　there's　a　connection　to　be　made；　our　software　can　make　the　match　as　quickly　as　in　two　minutes。　But　there　will　always　be　cases　we　may　not　be　aware　of。　We　have　one　hundred　and　seventy…seven　member　countries；　Dr。　Scarpetta。　Some　utilize　us　more　than　others。〃
　　〃It's　just　an　opinion；〃　Talley　said；　〃but　I　suspect　this　guy　isn't　a　world　traveler。　Especially　if　he's　got　some　disability　that's　made　it　necessary　for　him　to　stay　at　home；　and　I'm　guessing　he　was　probably　still　living　at　home　when　he　started　his　killings。〃
　　〃Are　the　murders　getting　closer　together？　Does　he　wait　as　long　between　them？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃The　last　two　we　know　of　were　in　October；　then　there　was　the　recent　attempt；　meaning　he　struck　three　times　within　a　five…week　period；〃　Talley　said。　〃Just　reinforcing　our　suspicions　this　guy's　out　of　control；　it's　gotten　too　hot　for　him；　and　he's　fled。〃
　　〃Maybe　he　hoped　he　could　start　over　and　stop　killing；〃　Mirot　said。
　　〃Don't　happen　like　that；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃There's　no　mention　of　any　evidence　being　turned　into　any　labs；〃　I　said　as　I　began　to　feel　the　chill　of　the　dark　place　where　this　was　headed。　〃I　don't　understand。　Wasn't　anything　tested　for　in　these　cases？　Swabs　for　body　fluids？　Hairs；　fibers；　a　torn　fingernail？　Anything？〃
　　Mirot　glanced　at　his　watch。
　　〃Not　even　fingerprints？〃　I　said；　incredulous。
　　Mirot　got　out　of　his　chair。
　　〃Agent　Talley；　will　you　please　take　our　guests　to　our　cafeteria　for　lunch？〃　he　said。　〃I'm　afraid　I　can't　join　you。〃
　　Mirot　walked　us　to　the　door　óf　his　formidable　office。
　　〃I　must　thank　you　again　for　ing；〃　he　said　to　Marino　and　me。　〃I　realize　your　work…is　just　beginning；　but　hopefully　in　a　direction　that　will　soon　lay　this　terrible　matter　to　rest。　Or　at　least　strike　a　blow　that　will　bring　it　to　its　knees。。；
　　His　secretary　pushed　a　button　on　the　phone。
　　〃Undersecretary　Arvin；　are　you　there？〃　she　said　to　whoever　was　on　hold。　〃I　can　conference　you　now？〃
　　Mirot　nodded　at　her。　He　returned　to　his　office　and　softly　shut　the　door。
　　〃You　didn't　call　us　all　the　way　over　here　just　to　review　these　cases；〃　I　said　to　Talley　as　he　led　us　through　a　confusion　of　hallways。
　　〃Let　me　show　you　something；〃　he　said。
　　He　directed　us　around　a　er；　where　we　were　confronted　by　a　ghastly　portrait　gallery　of　dead　faces。
　　〃Corpse　to　Be　Identified；〃　Talley　said。　〃Black　notices。〃
　　The　posters　were　in　grainy　black　and　white　and　included　fingerprints　and　other　identifying　characteristics。　All　of　the　information　was　written　in　English；　French；　Spanish　and　Arabic；　and　it　was　obvious　that　most　of　the　nameless　individuals　had　not　died　peacefully。
　　〃Recognize　yours？〃　Talley　pointed　at　the　most　recent　addition。
　　Fortunately；　my　unidentified　case's　grotesque　face　did　not　stare　out　at　us；　but　instead　the　notice　displayed　an　unexciting　dental　chart　and　fingerprints　and　a　narrative。
　　〃Other　than　the　posters；　Interpol　is　a　paperless　organization；〃　Talley　explained。
　　He　walked　us　to　an　elevator。　；
　　〃Paper　files　are　electronically　scanned　into　our　mainframe；　kept　for　a　limited　period　of　time；　then　destroyed。〃
　　He　pushed　a　button　for　the　first　floor。
　　〃Better　hope　the　Y　two…K　bug　don't　get　you；〃　Marino　said。
　　Talley　smiled。
　　Outside　the　cafeteria；　suits　of　armor　and　a　rampant　brass　eagle　guarded　all　who　patronized　it。　Tables　were　crowded　with　several　hundred　men　and　women　in　business　dress；　all　police　who　had　e　here　from　around　the　world　to　bat　various　organized　criminal　activities　ranging　from　stolen　credit　cards　and　forgery　in　the　U。S。　to　bank　numbers　involving　cocaine　trafficking　in　Africa。　Talley　and　I　selected　roasted　chicken　and　salad。　Marino　went　after　the　barbecued　ribs。
　　We　settled　into　a　corner。
　　〃The　secretary　general　usually　doesn't　get　directly　involved　like　this；〃　Talley　let　us　know。　〃Just　so　you　get　an　idea　of　the　importance。〃
　　〃I　guess　we're　supposed　tó　feel　honored；〃　Marino　said。
　　Talley　cut　off　a　bite　of　chicken　and　kept　the　fork　in　the　same　hand；　European　style。
　　〃I　don't　want　us　to　be　blinded　by　how　much　we　want　this　unidentified　body　to　be　Thomas　Chandonne；〃　Talley　went　on。
　　〃Yeah；　sure　would　be　embarrassing　if　you　took　the　black　notice　out　of　your　fancy　puter　and　then　guess　what？　Turns　out　the　son　of　a　bitch　ain't　dead　and　Loup…Garou's　just　some　local　fruit　loop　who　keeps　on　killing。　No　relationship　between　the　two；〃　Marino　said。　〃Maybe　Interpol　loses　some　of　its　membership　fees；　huh？〃
　　〃Captain　Marino；　this　is　not　about　membership　fees；〃　Talley　said　with　a　dead…on　stare。　〃I　know　you've　worked　many；　many　difficult　cases　in　your　career。　You　know　how　all…consuming　they　can　be。　We　need　to　free　up　our　people　to　work　other　crimes。　We　need　to　bring　down　the　people　shielding　this　dirtbag。　We　need　to　destroy　the　hell　out　of　all　of　them。〃
　　He　pushed　away　his　tray　without　finishing　his　food。　He　slid　a　pack　of　cigarettes　out　of　the　inner　pocket　of　his　suit　jacket。
　　〃That's　one　thing　nice　about　Europe；〃　he　smiled。　〃Bad　for　your　health　but　not　antisocial。〃
　　〃Well；　let　me　ask　you　this；〃　Marino　kept　going。　〃If　it's　not　about　membership　fees；　then　who　pays　for　all　this　shit？　Learjets；　Concordes；　ritzy　hotels；　not　to　mention　Mercedes　cabs？？。
　　〃Many　of　the　taxis　over　here　are　Mercedes。〃
　　〃We　prefer　beat…up　Chevies　and　Fords　back　home；〃　Marino　said　sarcastically。　〃You　know；　buy　American。〃
　　〃Interpol　isn't　in　the　habit　of　supplying　Learjets　and　luxury　hotels；〃　Talley　said。
　　〃Then　who　did？〃
　　〃I　guess　you　can　ask　Senator　Lord　all　about　that；〃　Talley　replied。　〃But　let　me　remind　you　of　something。　Organized　crime　is　all　about　money；　and　most　of　this　money　es　from　honest　people；　honest　businesses　and　corporations　who　want　to　run　these　cartels　out　of　business　as　badly　as　we　do。〃
　　Marino's　jaw　muscles　were　flexing。
　　〃I　can　only　suggest　that　for　a　Fortune　Five　Hundred　pany　to　buy　a　couple　of　Concorde　tickets　isn't　much　to　ask　if　millions　of　dollars　of　electronic　equipment　or　even　guns　and　explosives　are　being　diverted。〃
　　〃Then　some　Microsoft…pany…type　paid　for　all　this？〃　Marino　asked。
　　Talley's　patience