cpatricia.blacknotice-第32章

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ghts。〃
　　〃What　about　hot　decaffeinated　tea；〃　I　said；　quite　certain　he　would　have　no　such　thing。
　　〃You　got　to　be　kidding；〃　he　replied。
　　I　looked　around　as　we　walked　through　the　living　room　into　his　small　kitchen。　Of　course；　he　had　decorated　the　inside　of　his　house；　too。　The　tree　was　up　and　flickering　by　the　fireplace。　Presents；　almost　all　of　them　fake；　were　piled　high；　and　every　window　was　framed　by　strands　of　red　chili　pepper　lights。
　　〃Bray　called　me；〃　I　said；　filling　the　teakettle　with　water。　〃Someone　gave　her　my　home　number。〃
　　〃Guess　who。〃　He　yanked　open　the　refrigerator　door；　his　good　mood　retreating　fast。
　　〃And　I　think　I　might　know　why　that　happened。〃
　　I　set　the　kettle　on　the　stove　and　turned　on　the　burner。　Lights　flickered。
　　〃Deputy　Chief　Carson　resigned　today。　Or　supposedly　resigned；〃　I　said。
　　Marino　popped　open　a　beer。　If　he　was　aware　of　this　news；　he　didn't　show　it。
　　〃Did　you　know　he　quit？〃　I　asked。
　　〃I　don't　know　nothing　anymore。〃
　　〃Apparently　Major　Inman　is　the　acting　deputy　chief　。　。　。〃
　　〃Oh；　of　course；　of　course；〃　Marino　loudly　said。　〃And　you　know　why？　Because　there're　two　majors；　one　in　uniform；　the　other　in　investigations；　so　of　course　Bray　sends　her　boy　from　uniform　in　there　to　take　over　investigations。〃
　　He'd　finished　the　beer　in　what　seemed　three　gulps。　He　violently　crushed　the　can　and　threw　it　into　the　trash。　He　missed；　and　the　can　clattered　across　the　floor。
　　〃You　got　any。　idea　what　that　means？〃　he　said。　〃Well；　let　me　tell　you。　It　means　Bray　now's　running　uniform　and　investigations；　meaning　she's　running　the　entire　fucking　department　and　probably　controlling　the　entire　budget；　too。　And　the　chief's　her　biggest　fan　because　she　makes　him　look　good。　Tell　me　how　this　woman　es　in　and　not　even　three　months　later　can　do　all　that？〃
　　〃Clearly　she's　got　connections。　Probably　did　before　she　took　this　job。　And　I　don't　mean　just　to　the　chief。〃
　　〃Well；　to　who　then？〃
　　〃Marino；　it　could　be　anyone。　It　doesn't　matter　at　this　point。　It's　too　late　for　it　to　matter。　Now　we　have　to　contend　with　her；　not　the　chief。　Her；　not　the　person　who　might　have　pulled　strings。〃
　　He　popped　open　another　beer；　angrily　pacing　the　kitchen。
　　〃Now　I　know　why　Carson　showed　up　at　the　scene；〃　he　said。　〃He　knew　this　was　ing。　He　knows　how　bad　this　shit　stinks　and　maybe　he　was　trying　to　warn　us　in　his　own　way；　or　just　signing　off。　His　career's　over。　The　end。　Last　crime　scene。　Last　everything。〃
　　〃He's　such　a　good　man；〃　I　said。　〃Goddamn　it；　Marino。　There's　got　to　be　something　we　can　do。〃
　　His　phone　rang；　startling　me。　The　sound　of　cars　on　the　street　out　front　was　a　steady　rumble　of　engines。　Marino's　continuous　tinny　Christmas　music　was　playing　〃Jingle　Bells〃　again。
　　〃Bray　wants　to　talk　to　me　about　so…called　changes　she's　instigating；〃　I　told　him。
　　〃Oh；　I'm　sure　she　does；〃　he　said；　his　stocking　feet　padding　across　linoleum。　〃And　I　guess　you're　just　supposed　to　drop　everything　when　she　suddenly　wants　to　have　you　for　lunch；　which　is　what　she's　gonna　do；　have　you　between　rye　with　lots　óf　mustard。〃
　　He　grabbed　the　phone。
　　〃What？〃　he　yelled　at　the　poor　person　on　the　other　end。
　　〃Uh　huh；　uh　huh。　Yeah；〃　Marino　said；　listening。
　　I　rummaged　in　cabinets　and　found　one　smashed　box　of　Lipton　tea　bags。
　　〃I'm　here。　Why　the　hell　don't　you　talk　to　me？〃　Marino　indignantly　said　into　the　phone。
　　He　listened；　pacing　about。
　　〃Now　that's　a　good　one；〃　he　said。　〃Hold　on　a　minute。　Let　me　just　ask　her。〃
　　He　put　his　hand　over　the　receiver　and　asked　in　a　hushed　voice；　〃Are　you　sure　you're　Dr。　Scarpetta？〃
　　He　got　back　to　the　person　on　the　phone。　〃She　says　she　was　last　time　she　checked；〃　and　he　irritably　shoved　the　receiver　my　way。
　　〃Yes？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta？〃　an　unfamiliar　voice　said。　Here。
　　〃I'm　Ted　Francisco；　ATF　field　office　in　Miami〃
　　I　froze　as　if　someone　were　pointing　a。　gun　at　me。
　　〃Lucy　told　me　Captain　Marino　might　know　where　you　are　if　we　couldn't　reach　you　at　home。　Can　you　speak　to　her？〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　I　said；　alarmed。
　　〃Aunt　Kay？〃　Her　voice　came　over　the　line。
　　〃Lucy！　What　is　it？〃　I　said。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　if　you　heard　what　happened　down　here。。。〃
　　〃I　haven't　heard　anything；〃　I　quickly　said　as　Marino　stopped　what　he　was　doing　and　stared　at　me。
　　〃Our　takedown。　It　didn't　go　right；　too　much　to　go　into；　but　it　went　really；　really　bad。　I　had　to　kill　two　of　them。　Jo　got　shot。〃
　　〃Oh；　dear　God；〃　I　said。　〃Please　tell　me　she's　all　right。〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said　with　a　steadiness　that　was　pletely　abnormal。　〃They　have　her　in　Jackson　Memorial　under　some　other　name　and　I　can't　call　her。　They've　got　me　in　isolation　because　they're　afraid　the　others　will　try　to　find　us。　Retribution。　The　cartel。　All　I　know　is　she　was　bleeding　from　her　head　and　leg；　unconscious　when　the　ambulance　got　her。〃
　　Lucy　registered　no　emotion　at　all。　She　sounded　like　one　of　the　robots　or　artificial　intelligence　puters　she　had　programmed　at　earlier　times　in　her　career。
　　〃I'll　get。　。　。〃　I　started　to　say　when　Agent。Francisco　suddenly　was　back　on　the　line。
　　〃I　know　you're　going　to　hear　about　this　on　the　news；　Dr。　Scarpetta；　and　I　wanted　to　make　sure　you　knew。　Especially　that　Lucy's　not　hurt。〃
　　〃Maybe　not　physically；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　want　to　tell　you　exactly　what　will　happen　next。〃
　　〃What　will　happen　next；〃　I　interrupted　him；　〃is　I'm　flying　down　there　immediately。　I'll　get　a　private；　plane　if　I　have　to。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　ask　you　not　to　do　that；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　explain。　This　is　a　very；　very　vicious　group；　and　Lucy　and　Jo　know　far　too　much　about　them；　about　who　some　of　them　are　and　how　they　do　business。　Within　hours　of　the　shooting；　we　sent　a　Miami…Dade　bomb　squad　to　Lucy　and　Jo's　respective　undercover　residences　and　our　bomb　dog　detected　pipe　bombs　wired　under　each　of　their　cars。〃
　　I　pulled　a　chair　out　from　Marino's　kitchen　table　and　sat　down。　I　felt　weak　all　over。　My　vision　was　blurred。
　　〃Are　you　there？〃　he　said。
　　〃Yes；　yes。〃
　　〃What's　happening　right　now；　Dr。　Scacpetta；　is　MiamiDade　is　working　the　cases；　just　as　you　might　expect；　and　normally；　we'd　have　a　shooting　review　team　on　its　way　in　addition　to　peer　support　guys…agents　who　have　been　involved　in　critical　incidents　and　are　trained　to　work　with　other　agents　going　through　things　like　this。　But　because　of　the　threat　level；　we're　sending　Lucy　north；　to　D。C。；　to　wherever　she's　safe。〃
　　〃Thank　you　for　taking　such　good　care　of　her。　God　bless　you；〃　I　said　in　a　voice　that　didn't　sound　like　me。
　　〃Look；　I　know　how　you　feel；〃　Agent　Francisco　said。　〃I　promise　you　I　do。　I　was　at　Waco。〃
　　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said　again。　〃What　will　DEA　do　with　Jo？〃
　　〃Transfer　her　to　another　hospital　a　million　miles　away　from　here　as　soon　as　we　can：〃
　　。〃What　about　MCV？〃　I　asked。
　　〃I'm　not　familiar。　。　。〃
　　〃Her　family　lives　in　Richmond；　as　you　may　know；　but　more　to　the　point；　MCV　is　excellent　and　I'm　on　the　faculty；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　get　her　here；　I'll　personally　make　sure　she's　well　taken　care　of。〃
　　He　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Thank　you。　I　will　take　that　under　advisement　and　discuss　it　with　her　supervisor。〃
　　When　he　hung　up；　I　stood　staring　at　the　phone。
　　〃What？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃The　takedown　went　haywire。　Lucy　shot　two　people　to　death　。　。　；'　。
　　〃Was　it　a　good　shooting？〃　he　cut　me　off。
　　〃No　shooting　is　good！〃
　　〃Goddamn　it；　Doc；　you　know　what　I　mean。　Was　it　justified？　Don't　tell　me　she　fucking　shot　two　agents　by　accident！〃
　　〃No；　of　course　not。　Jo　was　shot。　I'm　not　sure　of　her　condition。〃
　　〃Fuck！〃　he　exclaimed；　pounding　his　fist　so　hard　on　the　kitchen　counter　dishes　rattled　in　the　drain　board。　〃Lucy　just　had　to　go　slug　it　out　with　somebody；　didn't　she？　They　shouldn't　have　even　had　her　in　a　takedown　like　this！　I　coulda　told　them　that！　She's　just　been　waiting　to　shoot　the　shit　out　of　someone；　to　go　in　like　a　damn　cowboy　with　pistols　blazing　to　pay　back　everyone　she　hates　in　life　。　。　。　！〃
　　〃Marino；　stop　it。〃
　　〃You　saw　what　she　was　like　at　your　house　the　other　night；〃　he　railed　on。　〃She's　been　a　damn　psycho　ever　since　Benson　got　killed。　There's　no　payback　that's　enough；　not　even　shooting　that　damn　helicopter　out　of