cpatricia.blacknotice-第37章

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　take　a　nervous　drink　of　water。
　　〃I　hope　I'm　not　getting　a　fever；〃　he　said。
　　I　stopped　and　looked　at　him；　and…he　involuntarily　jerked　away　when　I　placed　the　back…　of　my　hand　on　his　cheek。
　　〃I　think　you're　fine；〃　I　said。
　　I　acpanied　him　through　the　lobby　and　into　the　parking　lot；　and　by　now　he　was　clearly　frightened。
　　〃Is　something　wrong？〃　he　finally　asked；　clearing　his　throat　and　putting　on　sunglasses。
　　〃Why　would　you　ask　me　that？〃　I　innocently　said。
　　〃You　walking　me　out　here　and　everything。〃
　　〃I'm　heading　to　my　car。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry　I　said　to　you　what　I　did　about　problems　here　and　the　Internet　stuff　and　everything；〃　he　said。　〃I　knew　it　was　better　to　keep　it　to　myself；　that　you　would　get　mad　at　me。〃
　　〃Why　would　you　think　I'm　mad　at　you？〃　I　asked　as　I　unlocked　my　car。
　　He　seemed　at　a　loss　for　words。　I　opened　the　trunk　and　set　the　plastic　bag　inside　it。
　　〃You　got　a　nick　on　the　paint　there。　Probably。　from　a　kicked…up　rock；　but　it's　starting　to　rust。　。　。〃
　　〃Chuck；　I　want　you　to　hear　what　I'm　saying；〃　I　calmly　told　him。　〃I　know〃
　　〃What？　I　don't　understand　what　you　mean。〃　He　tripped　over　words。
　　〃You　understand　pletely。〃
　　I　got　into　the　front　seat　and　turned　on　the　engine。
　　〃Get　in；　Chuck；〃　I　said。　〃You　don't　need　to　stand　out　in　the　cold。　Especially　since　you're　not　feeling　well。〃
　　He　hesitated　and　exuded　fear　like　an　odor　as　he　walked　around　to　the　passenger's　side。
　　〃Sorry　you　weren't　able　to　make　it　to　Buckhead's。　We　had　an　interesting　conversation　with　Deputy　Chief　Bray；〃　I　said　as　he　shut　his　door。
　　His　mouth　fell　open。
　　〃It's　a　relief　to　me　to　have　so　many　questions　answered　at　last；〃　I　went　on。　〃E…mail；　the　Internet；　rumors　about　my　career；　leaks。〃
　　I　waited　to　see　what　he　would　say　to　this　and　was　startled　when　he　blurted　out；　〃That's　why　I　suddenly　didn't　make　it　into　the　academy；　isn't　it？　You　see　her　last　night　and　this　morning　I　get　the　news。　You　bad…mouthed　me；　told　her　not　to　hire　me；　then　spread　it　everywhere　to　embarrass　me。〃
　　〃Your　name　never　came　up　once。　And　I　most　certainly　haven't　spread　anything　about　you　anywhere。〃
　　〃Bullshit：'　His　angry　voice　trembled　as　if　he　might　cry。　〃I've　wanted　to　be　a　cop　all　my　life；　and　now　you　ruined　it！〃
　　〃No；　Chuck；　you　ruined　it。〃
　　〃Call　the　chief　and　say　something。　You　can；　you　can；〃　he　begged　like　a　distraught　child。　〃Please。〃
　　〃Why　were　you　meeting　Bray　last　night？〃
　　〃Because　she　told　me　to。　I　don't　know　what　she　wanted。　She　just　sent　me　a　page　and　told　me　to　be　in　the　parking　lot　at　Buckhead's　at　five…thirty。〃
　　〃And　of　course；　in　her　mind　you　never　showed　up。　I　expect　that　may　have　something　to　do　with　why　you　got　bad　news　this　morning。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃I　guess；〃　he　mumbled。
　　〃How　are　you　feeling？　Still　sick？　If　not；　I've　got　to　head　out　to　Petersburg；　and　I　think　you　should　ride　with　me　so　we　can　finish　this　conversation。〃
　　〃Well；　I　。　。　：'
　　〃Well　what；　Chuck？〃
　　〃I　want　to　finish　the　conversation；　too；〃　he　said。
　　〃Start　with　how　you　know　Deputy　Chief　Bray。　I　find　it　rather　extraordinary　that　you　should　have　what　seems　to　be　a　personal　relationship　with　the　most　powerful　person　in　the　police　department。〃
　　〃Imagine　how　I　felt　when　it　all　started；〃　he　innocently　said。　〃See；　Detective　Anderson　called　me　a　couple　months　ago；　said　she　was　new　and　wanted　to　ask　me　questions　about　the　M。E：　s　office；　about　our　procedures；　and　could　I　meet　her　at　the　River　City　Diner　for　lunch。　That　was　when　I　got　on　the　road　to　hell；　and　I　know　I　should've　said　something　to　you　about　her　call。　I　should've　told　you　what　I　was　doing。　But　you　were　teaching　classes　most　of　the　day　and　I　didn't　want　to　bother　you；　and　Dr。　Fielding　was　in　court。　So　I　told　Anderson　I'd　be　glad　to　help　her　out。〃
　　〃Well；　it's　pretty　obvious　she　didn't　learn　anything。〃
　　〃She　was　setting　me　up；〃　he　said；　〃and　when　I　walked　into　the　River　City　Diner；　I　couldn't　believe　it。　She　was　sitting　in　a　booth　with　Deputy　Chief　Bray；　and　she　told　me　she　wanted　to　know　all　about　the　way　our　office　runs；too。　〃
　　〃Who　did？〃
　　〃Bray　did。〃
　　〃I　see。　Big　surprise；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　guess　I　was　really　flattered　but　nervous；　too；　because　I　didn't　understand　what　was　going　on。　I　mean；　next　thing；　she's　telling　me　to　walk　back　to　police　headquarters　with　her　and　Anderson。〃
　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　all　this　at　the　time？〃　I　said　as　we　drove　toward　Fifth　Street　to　pick　up　I…95　South。
　　〃I　don't　know　。　。　。〃　His　voice　trailed　off。
　　〃I　think　you　do。〃
　　〃I　was　scared。〃
　　〃Might　it　have　anything　to　do　with　your　ambition　of　being　a　police　officer？〃
　　〃Well；　let's　face　it；〃　he　said。　〃What　better　connection　could　I　have？　And　somehow　she　knew　I　was　interested　and　when　we　got　to　her　office；　she　closed　the　door　and　sat　me　across　from　her　desk。〃
　　〃‘Was　Anderson　there？〃
　　〃Just　Bray　and　me。　She　said　that　with　my　experience　I　might　think　about　being　a　crime…scene　technician。　I　felt　like　I'd　won　the　lottery。〃
　　I　was　working　hard　at　keeping　my　distance　from　cement　barriers　and　aggressive　drivers　while　Ruffin　continued　his　choirboy　act。
　　〃I　have　to　admit　I　was　in　a　dream　after　that　and　lost　interest　in　my　job；　and　I'm　sorry　for　that；〃　he　said。　〃But　it　wasn't　until　two　weeks　later　that　Bray　e…mailed　me　。　。　：'
　　〃Where　did　she　get　your　e…mail　address？〃
　　〃Uh；　she　asked　for　it。　So　she　e…mailed　me　and　said　she　wanted　me　to　drop　by　her　house　at　five…thirty；　that　she　had　something　very　confidential　to　discuss　with　me。
　　〃And　I'm　telling　you；　Dr。　Scarpetta；　I　didn't　want　to　go。　I　knew　something　bad　was　going　to　e　out　of　it。〃
　　〃Such　as？〃
　　〃I　halfway　wondered　if　maybe　she　was　going　to　hit　on　me　or　something。〃
　　〃Did　she？　What　happened　when　you　got　to　her　house？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Gosh；　this　is…really　hard　to　say。〃
　　〃Say　it。〃
　　〃She　got　me　a　beer　and　moved　her　chair　real　close　to　the　couch　where　I　was　sitting。　She　asked　me　all　kinds　of　questions　about　myself　like　she　was　really　interested　in　me　as　a　person。　And　。　。　：〃
　　A　loaded…down　logging　truck　pulled　in　front　of　me　and　I　sped　around　it。
　　〃I　hate　those　things；〃　I　said。
　　〃Me；　too；〃　Chuck　said；　and　his　shoe…licking　tone　was　making　me　sick。
　　〃And　what？　You　were　telling　me？〃　I　said。
　　He　took　a　deep　breath。　He　got　very　interested　in　the　trucks　bearing　down　on　us　and　the　men　working　with　mounds　of　asphalt　on　the　roadside。　It　seemed　as　if　this　stretch　of　I…95　near　Petersburg　had　been　under　construction　since　the　Civil　War。
　　〃She　wasn't　in　a　uniform；　if　you　get　what　I　mean；〃　he　resumed　with　overblown　sincerity。　〃She；　well；　she　had　on　a　business　suit；　but　I　don't　think　she　was　wearing　a　bra；　or　at　least　the　blouse　。　。　。　you　could　sort　of　see　through　it。〃
　　〃Did　she　ever　try　to　seduce　you；　make　any　overture　at　all　beyond　how　she　was　dressed？〃　I　asked。
　　〃No；　ma'am；　but　it　was　like　maybe　she　was　hoping　I　would。　And　now　I　know　why。　She　wouldn't　go　for　it；　but　she'd　hold　it　over　me。　Just　one　more　way　to　control　me。　So　when　she　got　me　my　second　beer；　she　got　down　to　what　she　wanted。　She　said　it　was　important　I　know　the　truth　about　you：'
　　〃Which　is？〃
　　〃She　said　you're　unstable。　Everybody　knew　you'd　lost　your　grip；　those　were　her　exact　words；　that　you　were　almost　bankrupt　because　you're　a　pulsive　shopper　。　。　：'
　　〃pulsive　shopper？〃
　　〃She　said　something　about　your　house　and　car。〃
　　〃Why　would　she　know　anything　about　my　house？〃　I　asked；　realizing　that　Rufn　knew　about　both；　among　many　other　things。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　guess　the　worst　thing；　though；　was　what　she　said　about　your　work。　That　you'd　been　screwing　up　cases　and　the　detectives　were　beginning　to　plain　except　for　Marino。　He　was　covering　up　for　you；　which　was　why　she　was　going　to　have　to　do　something　about　him　eventually。〃
　　〃And　she　certainly　did；〃　I　said　without　a　trace　of　emotion。
　　〃Gee；　do　I　have　to　go　on？〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　say　all　these　things　to　you！〃
　　〃Chuck；　would　you　like　a　chance　to　start　over　and　undo　some　of　the　damage　you've　done？〃　I　set　him　up。
　　〃God；　if　only　I　could；〃　he　said；　as　if　he　really　meant　it。
　　〃Then　tell　me　the　truth。　Tell　me　everything。　Let's　get　you　back　on　the　right　t