lhamilton.thekillingdance-第42章

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　〃She'll　be　there；〃　Dolph　said。
　Rizzo　was　staring　at　all　of　us。　〃You're　taking　her　out　of　here；　but　not　to　the　station　house？〃　It　sounded　accusatory　even　to　me。
　〃That's　my　decision；　Rizzo；〃　Greeley　said。　〃You　got　that？〃　His　voice　growled　the　words。　Somehow　Dolph　had　pulled　rank；　and　Greeley　didn't　like　it。　If　Rizzo　wanted　to　make　himself　a　convenient　target　for　that　anger；　fine。
　Rizzo　faded　back　against　the　wall；　but　he　wasn't　happy　about　it。　〃I　got　that。〃
　〃Get　her　out　of　here；〃　Greeley　said。　〃Try　the　back。　But　I　don't　know　how　you'll　get　past　the　cameras。〃
　〃We'll　walk　through；〃　Dolph　said。　〃Let's　go；　Anita。〃
　I　set　my　mug　on　the　desk。　〃What's　up；　Dolph？〃
　〃I　got　a　body　for　you　to　look　at。〃
　〃A　murder　suspect　helping　with　another　case。　Won't　the　brass　get　mad？〃
　〃I　cleared　it；〃　Dolph　said。
　I　looked　at　him；　eyes　wide。　〃How？〃　I　asked。
　〃You　don't　want　to　know；〃　he　said。
　I　looked　at　him。　He　stared　back。　I　finally　looked　away　first。　Most　of　the　time；　when　people　said　I　didn't　want　to　know；　it　meant　just　the　opposite。　It　meant　I　probably　needed　to　know。　But　from　a　handful　of　people；　I'd　take　their　word　for　it。　Dolph　was　one　of　those　people。　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　go。〃
　Dolph　let　me　wash　the　dried　blood　off　my　hands；　and　we　went。
　
　
　18
　
　I'm　not　a　big　one　for　idle　chatter；　but　Dolph　makes　me　seem　loquacious。　We　drove　down　270　in　silence；　the　hiss　of　the　wheels　on　the　road　and　the　thrum　of　the　engine　the　only　sounds。　Either　he'd　turned　off　his　radio　or　nobody　was　mitting　crimes　in　Saint　Louis　tonight。　I　was　betting　the　radio　was　off。　One　of　the　good　things　about　being　a　detective　on　a　task　force　is　you　don't　have　to　listen　to　the　radio　all　the　time；　because　most　of　the　calls　aren't　your　problem。　If　Dolph　was　needed　somewhere；　they　could　always　beep　him。
　I　tried　to　hold　out。　I　tried　to　make　Dolph　talk　first；　but　after　nearly　fifteen　minutes；　I　broke。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃Creve　Coeur。〃
　My　eyebrows　raised。　〃That's　a　little　upscale　for　a　monster　kill。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　he　said。
　I　waited　for　more；　there　wasn't　any　more。　〃Well；　thanks　for　enlightening　me；　Dolph。〃
　He　glanced　at　me；　then　back　to　the　road。　〃We'll　be　there　in　a　few　minutes；　Anita。〃
　〃Patience　has　never　been　my　strong　suit；　Dolph。〃
　His　lips　twitched；　then　he　smiled。　Finally；　he　laughed；　a　short；　abrupt　sound。　〃I　guess　not。〃
　〃Glad　I　could　lighten　the　mood；〃　I　said。
　〃You're　always　good　for　a　laugh　when　you're　not　killing　people；　Anita。〃
　I　didn't　know　what　to　say　to　that。　Too　close　to　the　truth；　maybe。　Silence　settled　over　the　car；　and　I　left　it　alone。　It　was　an　easy；　friendly　quiet　this　time；　tinged　with　laughter。　Dolph　wasn't　mad　at　me　anymore。　I　could　stand　a　little　silence。
　Creve　Coeur　was　an　older　neighborhood　；　but　it　didn't　look　it。　The　age　showed　in　the　large　houses　set　in　long；　sloping　yards。　Some　of　the　houses　had　circular　drives　and　servants'　quarters。　The　few　housing　developments　that　had　crept　in　here　and　there　didn't　always　have　big　yards；　but　the　houses　had　variety；　pools；　rock　gardens。　No　cookie　cutter　houses；　nothing　déclassé。
　Olive　is　one　of　my　favorite　streets。　I　like　the　mix　of　gas　stations；　Dunkin'　Donuts；　custom　order　jewelry　stores；　Mercedes…Benz　dealerships；　and　Blockbuster　Music　and　Video。　Creve　Coeur　isn't　like　most　ritzy　areas；　at　war　with　the　peons。　This　part　of　the　city　has　embraced　both　its　money　and　its　merce；　as　fortable　buying　fine　antiques　as　taking　the　kiddies　through　the　drive…up　line　at　Mickey…D's。
　Dolph　turned　on　a　road　sandwiched　between　two　gas　stations。　It　sloped　sharply；　making　me　want　to　use　the　brake。　Dolph　didn't　share　this　desire；　and　the　car　coasted　down　the　hill　at　a　nice　clip。　Well；　he　was　the　police。　No　speeding　ticket；　I　guess。　We　sped　past　housing　developments　that　branched　off　the　road　like　true　suburbia。　The　houses　were　still　more　distinct；　but　the　yards　had　shrunk；　and　you　knew　that　most　of　what　you　were　driving　past　had　never　had　servants'　quarters。　The　road　climbed　just　a　touch；　then　evened　out。　Dolph　hit　his　turn　signal　while　we　were　still　in　the　shallow　valley。　A　tasteful　sign　said　Countryside　Hills。
　Police　cars　clogged　the　narrow　streets　of　the　subdivision；　lights　strobing　the　darkness。　There　was　a　huddle　of　people　being　held　back　by　uniformed　police；　people　clutching　light　coats　over　their　jammies　or　standing　with　robes　tied　tight。　The　crowd　was　small。　As　we　got　out　of　the　car；　I　saw　a　drape　twitch　in　a　house　across　the　street。　Why　e　outside　when　you　can　peek　from　the　fort　of　your　own　home？
　Dolph　led　me　through　the　uniforms　and　the　twist　of　yellow　Do…Not…Cross　tape。　The　house　that　was　the　center　of　attention　was　one　story　with　a　brick　wall　as　tall　as　the　walls　of　the　house　forming　an　enclosed　courtyard。　There　was　even　a　wrought　iron　gate　to　the　curved　entrance；　very　Mediterranean。　Except　for　the　courtyard；　the　house　looked　like　a　typical　suburban　ranch。　There　was　a　stone　path　and　square；　rock…edged　beds　full　of　rosebushes。　Floodlights　filled　the　walled　garden；　lending　every　petal　and　leaf　its　own　shadow。　Someone　had　gone　way　overboard　on　the　inground　lighting。
　〃You　don't　even　need　a　flashlight　in　here；〃　I　said。
　Dolph　glanced　at　me。　〃You've　never　been　here　then？〃
　I　met　his　eyes　and　couldn't　read　them。　He　was　giving　me　cop　eyes。　〃No；　I've　never　been　here。　Should　I　have　been？〃
　Dolph　opened　the　screened　door　without　answering。　He　led　the　way　in；　and　I　followed。　Dolph　prides　himself　on　not　influencing　his　people；　letting　them　e　in　cold　and　make　their　own　conclusions。　But　even　for　him；　he　was　being　mysterious。　I　didn't　like　it。
　The　living　room　was　narrow　but　long　with　a　TV　and　video　center　at　the　end　of　it。　The　room　was　so　thick　with　cops　there　was　barely　room　to　stand。　Every　murder　scene　gets　more　attention　than　it　needs。　Frankly；　I　wonder　if　more　evidence　is　lost　with　all　the　traffic　than　is　found　with　all　the　busy　hands。　A　murder　can　make　a　cop's　career；　especially　that　jump　from　uniform　to　plainclothes。　Find　the　clue　or　the　evidence；　shine　at　the　critical　time；　and　people　notice。　But　it's　more　than　that。　Murder　is　the　ultimate　insult；　the　last　worst　thing　you　can　do　to　another　human　being。　Cops　feel　that；　maybe　more　than　the　rest　of　us。
　The　cops　parted　before　Dolph；　eyes　shifting　to　me。　Most　of　the　eyes　were　male；　and　after　the　first　glance；　almost　all　of　them　did　the　full　body　look。　You　know　the　look。　The　one　that　if　the　face　and　top　match；　they　just　have　to　see　if　the　legs　are　as　good　as　the　rest。　It　works　in　reverse；　too。　But　any　man　that　starts　at　my　feet　and　ends　with　my　face　has　lost　every　brownie　point　he　ever　had。
　Two　short　hallways　led　straight　off　the　living　room　at　right　angles；　a　dining　room　directly　off　of　the　first　room。　An　open　door　revealed　carpeted　stairs　leading　to　a　finished　basement。　Cops　were　traveling　up　and　down　the　stairs　like　ants　with　bits　of　evidence　in　plastic　baggies。
　Dolph　led　me　down　one　of　the　hallways；　and　there　was　a　second　living　room　with　a　fireplace。　It　was　smaller　and　more　boxlike；　but　the　far　wall　was　entirely　brick；　which　made　it　seem　warmer；　cozier。　The　kitchen　showed　to　the　left　through　an　open　doorway。　The　top　half　of　the　wall　was　a　pass…through；　open　like　a　window　so　you　could　work　in　the　kitchen　and　still　talk　to　people　in　the　living　room。　My　father's　house　had　a　pass…through。
　The　next　room　was　obviously　new。　The　walls　still　had　that　raw　paint　look　of　fresh　construction。　Sliding　glass　doors　made　up　the　left…hand　wall。　A　hot　tub　took　up　most　of　the　floor　space。　Water　still　clung　in　beads　to　its　slick　surface。　They'd　finished　the　hot　tub　before　they'd　painted　the　room。　Priorities。
　A　hallway　so　roughed　out　it　still　had　that　heavy　plastic　they　put　down　for　workers　to　walk　on　led　away　from　the　tub。　There　was　another　larger　bathroom；　not　quite　finished；　and　a　closed　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall。　The　door　was　carved；　new　wood；　light…colored　oak。　It　was　the　first　closed　door　I'd　seen　inside　the　house。　That　was　kind　of　ominous。
　Except　for　the　cops；　I　hadn't　seen　a　damn　thing　out　of　place。　It　looked　like　a　nice　upper…middle…class　house。　A　family　kind　of　house。　If　I'd　walked　straight　into　carnage；　I'd　have　been　all　right；　but　this　long　buildup　had　tightened　my　stomach；　filled　me