cpatricia.blacknotice-第36章

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　anything　edible。
　　〃That's　not　such　a　great　idea；〃　I　said。
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　stuttered；　setting　the　bag　on　the　counter　and　shutting　the　refrigerator　door。
　　〃We　have　a　fridge　in　the　break　room。　George；〃　I　said。　〃You're　more　than　wele　to　use　it：'
　　He　didn't　respond；　and　I　realized　that　he　was　so　painfully　shy　he　probably　didn't　go　into　the　break　room　for　a　…reason。　My　heart　ached　for　him。　I　couldn't　imagine　the　shame　he　must　have　felt　when　he　was　growing　up　and　couldn't　talk　without　stuttering。　Maybe　that　explained　the　tattoos　slowly　taking　over　his　body　like　kudzu。　Maybe　they　made　him　feel　special　and　manly。　I　pulled　out　a　chair　and　sat　down。
　　〃George；　can　I　ask　you　about　your　tattoos？〃　I　asked。
　　He　blushed。
　　〃I'm　fascinated　by　them　and　need　…some　help　with　a　problem：'
　　〃Sure；〃　he　said　with　uncertainty。
　　〃Do　you　have　someone　you　go　to？　A　real　expert？　Someone　very　experienced　in　tattooing？〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　hereplied。　〃I　wouldn't　go　to　just　anyone。〃
　　〃You　get　your　tattoos　locally？　Because　I　need　to　find　a　place　where　I　can　ask　some　questions　and　not　run　into　bad　characters；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　　〃Pit；〃　he　immediately　said。　〃As　in　pit　bull；　but　Pit's　his　real　name。　John　Pit。　He's　a　really　good　guy。　You　want　me　to　call　him　for　you？〃　he　asked；　stuttering　badly。
　　〃I　would　be　grateful　if　you　would；〃　I　said。
　　Gara　pulled　a　small　address　book　out　of　his　back　pocket　and　looked　up　a　number。　When　he　got　Pit　on　the　line；　he　explained　who　I　was；　and　apparently　Pit　was　very　agreeabIé。
　　〃Here。〃　Gara　handed　me　the　phone。　〃I'll　let　you　explain　the　rest　of　it。〃
　　That　took　several　efforts。　Pit　was　home　and　just　waking　up。
　　〃So　you　think　you　might　have　some　luck？〃　I　asked。
　　〃I've　seen　pretty　much　all　the　flash　out　there；〃　he　replied。
　　〃I'm　sorry。　I　don't　know　what　that　is。〃
　　〃Flash's　the　stencils；　I　guess　you　could　call　them。　You　know；　the　design　people　pick　out。　Every　inch　of　wall　space　I　got　is　covered　with　flash。　That's　why　I'm　thinking　you　might　want　to　e　here　instead　of　me　ing　to　your　office。　We　might　see　something　that　gives　us　a　clue。　But　I　will　tell　you　I'm　not　open　Wednesdays　or　Thursdays。　And　payday　weekend　just　about　killed　me。　I'm　still　recovering。　But　I'll　open　up　for　you；　since　this　must　be　important。　You　bringing　in　whoever's　got　this　tattoo？〃
　　He　still　didn't　quite　get　it。
　　〃No；　I'm　bringing　the　tattoo；〃　I　said。　〃But　not　the　person　who　goes　with　it。〃
　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃Okay；　okay；　now　I'm　hearing　you。　So　you　cut　it　off　the　dead　guy。〃
　　〃Can　you　handle　that？〃
　　〃Oh；　hell；　yeah。　I　can　handle　anything。〃
　　〃What　time？〃
　　〃How　'bout　as　soon　as　you　can　get　here？'
　　I　hung　up　and　was　startled　to　see　Ruffin　in　the　doorway　watching　me。　I　had　a　feeling　he'd　been　there　for　a　while；　listening　to　my　conversation；　since　my　back　was　to　him　as　I'd　taken　notes。　His　face　was　tired；　his　eyes　red；　as　if　he'd　been　up　half　the　night　drinking。
　　〃You　don't　look　well；　Chuck；〃　I　said　without　much　sympathy。
　　〃I　was　wondering　if　I　could　go　home；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　I'm　ing　down　with　something。〃
　　〃I'm　so　sorry　to　hear　that。　There's　a　new；　very　contagious　strain　going　around；　thought　to　be　carried　by　the　Internet。　It's　called　the　six…thirty　bug；〃　I　said。　〃People　dash　home　from　work　and　log　onto　their　home　puters。　If　they　have　a　home　puter。〃
　　Ruffin's　face　turned　white。
　　〃That's　pretty　funny；〃　Gara　said。　〃But　I　don't　get　the　sixthirty　part　of　it。〃
　　〃The　time　half　the　world　signs　onto　AOL：'　I　replied。　〃Of　course；　Chuck；　you　can　go　home。　Get　some　rest。　I'll　walkyou　out。　We　need　to　stop　in　the　deposed　room　first　and　get　the　tattoo。〃
　　I　had　removed　it　from　the　corkboard　and　placed　it　inside　ajar　of　formalin。
　　〃They　say　it　is　going　to　be　a　really　weird　winter；〃　Ruffin　began　to　prattle。　〃I　was　listening　to　the　radio　this　morning　while　I　was　driving　in　to　work；　and　it's　like　it's　going　to　get　real　cold　closer　to　Christmas　and　then　be　like　spring　again　in　February。〃
　　I　opened　the　automatic　doors　to　the。　deposed　room　and　walked　in　as　trace　evidence　examiner　Larry　Posner　and　an　Institute　student　worked　on　the　dead　man's　clothes。
　　〃I'm　always　happy　to　see　you　guys；〃　I　greeted　them。
　　〃Well；　I've　got　to　admit；　you've　given　us　another　one　of　your　challenges；〃　said　Posner　as　he　used　a　scalpel　to　scrape　dirt　off　a　shoe　onto　a　sheet　of　white　paper。　〃You　know　Carlisle？〃
　　〃Is　he　teaching　you　anything？〃　I　asked　the　young　man。
　　〃Sometimes；〃　he　replied。
　　〃How　ya　doing；　Chuck？〃　Posner　said。　〃You　don't　look　so　good。〃
　　〃Hanging　in　there。〃　Chuck　kept　up　his　sick　routine。
　　〃Sorry　about　the　Richmond　PD。；〃　he　said　with　a　sympathetic　smile。
　　Ruffin　was　visibly　shaken。
　　〃Excuse　me？〃　he　said。　。
　　Posner　looked　unfortable　as　he　replied；　〃I　heard　the　academy　didn't　work　out。　You　know；　I　just　wanted　to　tell　you　not　to　be　discouraged。〃
　　Ruffin's　eyes　cut　to　the　phone。
　　〃Most　people　don't　know　this；〃　Posner　went　on　as　he　started　work　on　another　shoe。　〃I　flunked　the　first　two　tests　in　chemistry　one…oh…one　at　VCU。〃
　　〃No　kidding；〃　Ruffin　muttered。
　　〃Now　you　tell　me。〃　Carlisle　feigned　horror　and　disgust。　〃And　here　I　was　told　I'd　get　the　best　instructors　id　the　world　if　I　came　here。　I　want　my　money　back。〃
　　〃Got　something　to　show　you；　Dr。　Scarpetta；〃　Posner　said；　pushing　back　his　face　shield。
　　He　set　down　the　scalpel　and　folded　the　sheet　of　paper　with　a　jeweler's　fold　and　moved　over　to　the　pair　of　black　jeans　Carlisle　was　working　on。　They　were　carefully　laid　out　on　the　sheet…covered　gurney。　The　waistband　had　been　turned　inside　out　to　the　hips；　and　Carlisle　was　gently　collecting　hairs　with　needle…nosed　forceps。
　　〃This　is　the　damnedest　thing；〃　Posner　said；　pointing　a　gloved　finger　without　touching　while　his　trainee　carefully　folded　the　jeans　down　another　inch；　revealing　more　hairs。
　　〃We've　already　collected　dozens；〃　Posner　was　telling　me。　〃You　know；　we　began　folding　down　the　jeans　and　found　the　expected　pubic　hair　in　the　crotch；　but　then　there's　this　blond　stuff。　And　each　inch　we　go；　there's　more　of　it。　It　doesn't　make　sense。〃
　　〃It　doesn't　seem　to；〃　I　agreed。
　　〃Maybe　some　sort　of　animal　like　a　Persian　cat？〃　Carlisle　suggested。
　　Ruffin　opened　a。cupboard　and　took　out　the　plastic　bottle　of　formaiin　that　contained　the　tattoo。
　　〃If　it　was　sleeping　on　top　of　the　jeans　while　they　were　inside　out；　for　example？〃　Carlisle　went　on。　〃You　know；　a　lot　of　times　when　my　jeans　are　a　pain　to　get　off；　they　end　up　inside　out　and　tossed　on　a　chair。　And　my　dog　loves　to　sleep　on　top　of　my　clothes。〃
　　〃I　don't　guess　hanging　things　up　or　putting　them　in　drawers　ever　occurs　to　you；〃　Posner　remarked。
　　〃Is　that　part　of　my　homework？〃
　　〃I'll　go　find　a　bag　to　put　this　in；〃　Ruffin　said；　holding　up　the　jar。　〃In　case　it　leaks　or　something。〃
　　〃Good　idea：'　l　said。　Then　I　asked　Posner；　〃How　quickly　can　you　take　a　look　at　all　this？〃
　　〃For　you；　I'll　ask　the　lethal　question；〃　he　said。　…〃How　quickly　do　you　need　it？〃
　　I　sighed。
　　〃Okay；　okay。〃
　　〃We've　got　Interpol　trying　to　track　down　who　this　guy　is。　I　feel　under　as　much　pressure　as。everybody　else；　Larry〃　I　said。
　　〃You　don't　need　to　explain。　I　know　when　you　say　jump；　there's　always　a　good　reason。　I　guess　I　put　my　foot　in　my　mouth；〃　he　added。　〃What's　with　that　kid？　He　acted　like　he　didn't　know　he　wasn't　accepted　at　the　police　academy。　Hell；　it's　all　over　the　building：'
　　〃First　of　all；　I　didn't　know　he　didn't　get　in；〃　I　said。　〃And　second；　I　don't　know　why　it's　ail　over　the　building。〃
　　Even　as　I　said　it；　Marino　came　to　mind。　He　said　he　was　going　to　fix　Ruffin；　and　maybe　he　just　did　by　somehow　finding　out　the　news　and　gleefully　spreading　it。
　　〃Supposedly　Bray's　the；　one　who　gave　him　the　boot；〃　Posner　went　on。
　　Moments　later；　Ruffin　returned　with　a　plastic　bag　in　hand。　We　left　the　deposed　room　and　washed　up　in　our　respective　locker　rooms。　I　took　my　time。　I　made　him　wait　in　the　hall；　knowing　his　anxiety　was　heating　up　with　every　second　that　went　by。　When　I　finally　emerged；　we　walked　together　in　silence；　and　he　stopped　twice　to　take　a　nervous　drink　of　water。
　　〃I　hope　I'm　not　getting　a　fever；〃　he　said。
　　I　stopped　and　l