cpatricia.blacknotice-第26章

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　　〃There　are　other　things；〃　I　went　on。
　　〃You　want　me　to　drop　by？〃
　　〃I　sure　would。〃
　　He　was　waiting　in　my　driveway　when　I　got　there；　and　he　awkwardly　climbed　out　of　his　car　because　his　duty　belt　got　in　his　way　and　the　shoulder　harness　he　never　wore　tended　to　snag　him　somewhere。
　　〃Goddamn　it！〃　he　said；　yanking　his　belt　free。　〃I　don't　know　how　much　more　I　can　stand　this。〃　He　kicked　the　door　shut。　〃Piece…of…shit　car。〃
　　〃How'd　you　get　here　first　if　it's　such　a　piece…of…shit　car？〃　I　asked。
　　〃I　was　closer　than　you。　My　back's　killing　me。〃
　　He　continued　to　plain　as　we　went　up　the　steps　and　I　unlocked　the　front　door。　I　was　startled　by　silence。　The　alarm　light　was　green。
　　〃Now　that　ain't　good；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃I　know　I　set　it　this　morning；〃　I　said。
　　〃The　housekeeper　e？〃　he　asked；　looking；　listening。
　　〃She　always　sets　it；〃　I　said。　〃I've　never　known　her　to　forget；　not　once　in　the　two　years　she's　worked　for　me。〃
　　〃You　stay　here；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　most　certainly　will　not；〃　I　replied；　because　the　last　thing　I　wanted　was　to　wait　here　alone；　and　it　was　never　a　good　idea　for　two　armed　people　to　be　nervous　and　on　guard　in　different　areas　of　the　same　space。
　　I　reset　the　alarm　and　followed　him　from　room　to　room；　watching　him　open　every　closet　and　look　behind　every　shower　curtain；　drapery　and　door。　We　searched　both　floors　and　nothing　was　the　least　bit　amiss　until　we　went　back　downstairs；　where　I　noticed　the　runner　in　the　hallway。　Half　of　it　was　vacuumed；　while　the　other　wasn't；　and　in　the　guest　bath　right　off　it；　Marie；　my　housekeeper；　had　neglected　to　replace　soiled　hand　towels　with　fresh　ones。
　　〃She's　not　absentminded　like　that；〃　I　said。　〃She　and　her　husband　are　supporting　young　children　on　very　little　and　she　works　harder　than　anyone　I　know。〃
　　〃I　hope　nobody　calls　me　out；〃　Marino　pláined。　〃You　got　any　coffee　in　this　joint？〃
　　I　made　a　strong　pot　with　the　Pilon　espresso　that　Lucy　sent　me　from　Miami；　and　the　bright　red　and　yellow　bag　made　me　feel　hurt　again。　Marino　and　I　carried　our　cups　into　my　office。　I　logged　onto　AOL　using　Ruffin's　address　and　password　and　was　extremely　relieved　when　I　didn't　get　bumped　off。
　　〃Coast　is　clear；〃　I　announced。
　　Marino　pulled　up　a　chair　and　looked　over　my　shoulder。　Ruffin　had　mail。
　　There　were　eight　messages；　and　I　didn't　recognize　who　any　of　them　were　from。
　　〃What　happens　if　you　open　them？〃　Marino　wanted　to　know。
　　〃They'll　still　be　in　the　box　as　long　as　you　save　them　as　new；〃　I　replied。
　　〃I　mean；　can　he　tell　you　opened　them？〃
　　〃No。　But　the　sender　can。　The　sender　can　check　the　status　of　the　mail　he　sent　and　see　what　time　it　was　opened。〃
　　〃Huh；〃　Marino　said　with　a　shrug　in　his　voice。　〃So　what？　How　many　people　are　gonna　check　what　friggin'　time　their　mail　was　opened？〃
　　I　didn't　answer　him　as　I　began　to　go　into　Chuck's　mail。　Maybe　I　should　have　felt　frightened　by　what　I　was　doing；　but　I　was　too　angry。　Four　of　the　e…mails　were　from　his　wife；　who　had　many　instructions　for　him　about　domestic　matters　that　made　Marino　laugh。
　　〃She's　got　his　balls　in　a　box　on　top　of　the　fireplace；〃　he　gleefully　said。
　　The　address　of　the　fifth　message　was　MAYFLR；　who　simply　said；　〃Need　to　talk。〃
　　〃That's　interesting；〃　I　mented　to　Marino。　〃Let's　check　out　mail　he　might　have　sent　to　whoever　this　Mayflower　is。〃
　　I　went　into　the　mail…sent　menu　and　discovered　Chuck　had　been　sending　e…mail　to　this　person　almost　daily　for　the　past　two　weeks。　I　quickly　scanned　through　the　notes；　Marino　looking　on；　and　it　became　obvious　in　no　time　that　my　morgue　supervisor　was　having　rendezvous　with　this　person；　possibly　an　affair。
　　〃I　wonder　who　the　hell　she　is？〃　Marino　said。　〃That'd　be　a　nice　little　bit　of　leverage　to　hold　over　the　son　of　a　bitch。〃　〃Not　going　to　be　easy　to　find　out；〃　I　said。
　　I　quickly　signed　off；　feeling　as　if　I　were　escaping　from　a　house　I'd　just　burglarized。
　　〃Let's　try　Chatplanet〃　I　said。
　　The　only　reason　I　was　familiar　with　chat　rooms　was　that　on　occasion　colleagues　of　mine　from　around　the　world　used　them　to　meet　and　ask　for　help　in　particularly　difficult　cases　or　share　information　that　we　might　find　useful。　1　signed　on　and　downloaded　the　program　and　selected　a　box　that　made　it　possible　for　me　to　be　in　the　chat　room　withou~　anybody's　seeing　me。
　　I　scanned　the　list　of　chat　rooms　and　clicked　on　one　called　Dear　Chief　Kay　Dr。　Kay　herself　was　in　the　midst　o1　moderating　a　chat　session　with　sixty…three　people。
　　〃Oh；　shit。　Give　me　a　cigarette；　Marino；〃　I　tensely　said：
　　He　shook　one　out　óf　the　pack　and　pulled　up　a　chair；　sitting　next　to　me　while　we　eavesdropped。
　　　Dear　Chief　Kay；　is　it　true　Elvis　died　on　the　toilet　and　that　many　people　die　on　the　toilet？　I'm　a　plumber；　so　you　can　see　why　I'm　wondering。　Thanks；　Interested　in　Illinois　　　Dear　Interested　in　Illinois；　yes；　I'm　sorry　to　say　that　Elvis　did　die　on　the　toilet　and　that　this　isn't　unmon　because　people　strain　and　strain　and　their　heart　can't　take　it。　Elvis's　many　years　of　bad　eating　and　pills；　I'm　sorry　to　say；　finally　caught　up　with　him；　and　he　died　of　cardiac　arrest　in　his　luxurious　bathroom　in　Graceland。　And　this　should　be　a　lesson　to　all　of　us。
　　　Dear　Chief　Kay；　why　did　you　decide　you'd　rather　work　with　dead　patients　instead　of　living　ones？　Morbid　in　Montana　　Dear　Morbid　in　Montana；　I　don't　have　much　of　a　bedside　manner　and　don't　have　M　worry　how　my　patient　is　feeling。　I　found　out　during　my　medical　school　days　that　living　patients　are　a　pain　in　the　ass。
　　〃Holy　motherfucking　shit；〃　Marino　said。
　　I　was　incensed　and　there　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it。　〃You　know；〃　Marino　said　with　indignation；　〃I　wish　people　would　leave　Elvis　alone。　I'm　tired　of　hearing　about　him　dying　on　tire　toilet。〃
　　〃Be　quiet；　Marino；〃　I　said。　〃Please。　I'm　trying　to　think。〃　The　session　went　on　and　on；　all　of　it　awful。　I　was　tempted　to　butt　into　the　conversations　to　tell　everyone　Dear　Chief　Kay　wasn't　me。
　　〃Any　way　to　find　out　who　Dear　Chief　Kay　really　is？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃If　this　person　is　the　moderator　of　the　chat　room；　the　answer's　no。　He　or　she　can　know　who　everybody　else　is　but　not　the　other　way　around。〃
　　　Dear　Chief　Kay；　since　you　know　everything　there　is　about　anatomy；　does　that　make　you　more　aware　of　pleasure　points；　if　you　know　what　I　mean？　My　boyfriend　seems　bored　in　bed　and　sometimes　he　even　falls　asleep　in　the　middle　of　itl　Wanna　Be　Sexy　　Dear　Wanna　Be　Sexy；　is　he　on　any　kind　of　medications　that　might　make　him　sleepy？　If　not；　sexy　lingerie's　not　a　bad　idea。　Women　don't　do　enough　anymore　to　make　their　men　feel　important　and　in　charge。
　　‘That's　it！〃　I　announced。　〃I'm　going　to　kill　him　。　。　。　or　her　。　。　。　whoever　the　hell　this　Chief　Kay　is！〃
　　I　jumped　out　of　my　chair；　so　frustrated　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。
　　〃You　don't　fuck　with　my　credibility！〃
　　Fists　clenched；　I　practically　racewalked　to　the　great　room；　where　I　suddenly　stopped　and　looked　around　as　if　I　were　in　some　place　that　I'd　never　been　before。
　　〃Two　can　play　this　game；〃　I　said　as　I　returned　to　my　study。
　　〃But　how　can　two　play　when　you　don't　even　know　who　Chief　Kay　number　two　is？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Maybe　I　can't　do　anything　about　that　goddamn　chat　room；　but　there's　always　e…mail。〃
　　〃What　kind　of　e…mail？〃　Marino　warily　asked。
　　〃Itwo　can　play　this　game。　Just　wait　and　see。　Now。　How　about　we　check　on　our　suspicious　car。〃
　　Marino　slipped　his　portable　radio　off　his　belt　and　switched　to　the　service　channel。
　　〃What'd　you　say　it　was　again？〃　he　asked。
　　〃RGG…7112；〃　I　recited　it　from　memory。
　　〃Virginia　tags？〃
　　〃Sorry；〃　I　replied。　〃I　didn't　get　that　good　of　a　look。〃
　　〃Well；　we'll　start　there。〃
　　He　relayed　the　tag　number　to　the　Virginia　Criminal　Information　Network；　or　VCIN；　and　asked　for　a　10…29。　By　now　it　was　after　ten　o'clock。
　　〃Any　way　you　could　make　me　a　sandwich　or　something　before　I　leave？〃　Marino　asked。　〃I'm　about　to　die　of　hunger。　VCIN's　been　a　little　slow　tonight。　I　hate　that。〃
　　He　requested　bacon；　lettuce　and　tomato　with　Russian　dressing　and　thick　slices　of　onion；　and　I　cooked　the　bacon　well　in　the　microwave　instead　of　frying　it。
　　〃Ali　gee；　Doc；　why'