cpatricia.blacknotice-第41章

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　　〃He　shot　her　and　then　beat　her　up？'
　　：Yeah：〃
　　'How　were　the　police　notified？〃　I　asked。
　　〃At　seven…sixteen　the　burglar　alarm　went　off；〃　he　replied。　〃The　back　door's　armed　even　when　the　joint's　open　for　business。　Cops　get　there　and　find　the　front　door　locked；　closed　sign　out；　like　I　said。　They　go　around　back；　find　that　door　wide　open。　They　go　in；　she's　on　the　floor；　blood　everywhere。　Tentatively　identified　as　Kim　Luong；　thirty…year…old　Asian　female。〃
　　Bray　continued　to　dominate　the　news。
　　〃You　said　something　earlier　about　a　witness；〃　a　reporter　was　asking　her。
　　〃Only　that　a　citizen　reported　seeing　a　male　in　dark　clothing　in　the　area　around　the　time　we　believe　the　homicide　took　place；〃　Bray　replied。　〃He　was　ducking　into　an　alleyway　right　down　the　block　there。　The　person　who　reported　this　did　not　get　a　good　look。　We're　hoping　if　someone　else　did；　he'll　call　us。　No　detail　is　too　small。　It　takes　all　of　us　to　protect　our　munity。〃
　　〃What's　she　doing？　Running　for　office？〃　Marino　said。
　　〃Is　there　a　safe　somewhere　inside　the　store？〃　I　asked　him。
　　〃In　the　back　where　her　body　was　found。　It　hadn't　been　opened。　So　I've　been　told。〃
　　〃Video　camera？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Nope。　Maybe　he　learned　after　whacking　Gant　and　is　hitting　joints　that　aren't　doing　the　Candid　Camera　number　on　him。〃
　　〃Maybe。〃
　　He　and　I　both　knew　he　was　making　assumptions；　pushing　hard　because　he　wasn't　about　to　let　go　of　his　job。
　　〃Carson　tell　you　all　this？〃　I　asked。
　　〃It　ain't　the　cops　who've　suspended　me；〃　he　answered。　〃And　already　I　know　you're　thinking　the　M。O。's　a　little　different。　But　it　ain't　a　science；　Doc。　You　know　that〃
　　Benton　used　to　toss　that　line　at　us　with　that　wry　smile　of　his。　He　was　a　profiler；　an　expert　in　modus　operandi　and　patterns　and　predicting。　But　each　crime　had　its　own　special　choreography　because　every　victim　was　different。　Circumstances　and　moods　were　different；　even　the　weather　was　different；　and　the　killer　often　modified　his　routine。　Benton　used　to　plain　about　Hollywood　renditions　of　what　behavioral　scientists　could　do。　He　wasn't　clairvoyant；　and　violent　people　weren't　driven　by　software。
　　〃Maybe　she　pissed　him　off　or　something；〃　Marino　went　on。　〃Maybe　he'd　just　had　a　bad　conversation　with　his　mother；　who　the　hell　knows？〃
　　〃What's　going　to　happen　when　people　like　Al　Carson　don't　call　you　anymore？〃
　　〃It's　my　damn　case；〃　he　said　as　if　he　hadn't　heard　me。　〃Gant　was　my　case；　and　this　one　is　too；　any　way　you　look　at　it。　Even　if　it's　not　the　same　killer；　who's　gonna　figure　that　out　before　I　do；　since　I'm　the　one　who　knows　everything　there　is　about　it？〃
　　〃You　can't　always　barge　in　with　both　barrels　going；〃　I　said。　〃That's　not　going　to　work　with　Bray。　You've　got　to　find　a　way　to　make　it　worth　her　while　to　tolerate　you；　and　you　better　figure　that　out　in　the　next　five　minutes。〃
　　He　was　silent　as　I　turned　onto　Libbie　Avenue。
　　〃You're　smart；　Marino；〃　I　added。　〃Use　your　head。　This　isn't　about　turf　or　egos。　This　is　about　a　woman　who's　dead：'
　　〃Shit；〃　he　said。　〃What　the　fuck's　wrong　with　people？〃
　　The　Quik　Cary　was　a　small　market　that　had　neither　a　plate…glass　front　nor　gas　pumps。　It　wasn't　brightly　lit　up　or　located　in　a　spot　that　attracted　customers　either　ing　off　or　getting　on　heavily　traveled　roads。　Except　during　the　holidays；　it　stayed　open　only　until　six。
　　The　parking　lot　throbbed　red　and　blue；　and　in　the　midst　of　rumbling　engines；　cops　and　an　awaiting　rescue　crew；　Bray　gloried　in　an　aura　of　television　lights　that　floated　around　her　like　a　flotilla　of　small　suns。　She。　was　dressed　in　a　long　red　wool　cape；　heels；　and　diamond　earrings　that　flashed　with　each　turn　of　her　beautiful；　head。　By　all　appearances　she　had　just　rushed　out　of　a　black…tie　party。
　　It　was　beginning　to　sleet　as　I　lifted　my　crime　case　out　of　the　trunk。　Bray　spotted　me　before　the　media　did；　and　then　her　eyes　found　Marino　and　anger　touched　her　face。
　　〃。　。　。　will　not　release　that　until　her　family　has　been　notified；〃　she　was　saying　to　the　press。
　　〃Watch　this；〃　Marino　said　under　his　breath。
　　He　walked　with　a　sense　of　urgency　toward　the　store　and　did　something　I'd　never　seen　him　do　before。　He　left　himself　wide　open　for　a　media　ambush。　He　even　went　so　far　as　to　get　on　his　portable　radio　as　he　tensely　cast　about；　sending　out　every　signal　imaginable　that　he　was　in　charge　and　knew　many　secrets。
　　〃You　in　there；　two…oh…two？〃　his　voice　carried　to　me　as　I　locked　up　my　car。
　　〃Ten…four；〃　a　voice　came　back。
　　〃In　front；　in'　in；〃　Marino　mumbled。
　　〃Meet　ya。〃
　　At　least　ten　reporters　and　cameramen　instantly　surrounded　him。　It　was　amazing　how　fast　they　moved。
　　〃Captain　Marino？〃
　　〃Captain　Marino！〃
　　〃How　much　money　was　stolen？〃
　　Marino　didn't　shoo　them　off。　Bray's　eyes　dragged　across　his　face　like　claws　as　all　attention　shifted　to　him；　this　man　whose　neck　her　foot　was　on。
　　〃Did　they　keep　less　than　sixty　dollars　in　the　drawer　like　other　convenience　stores　do？〃
　　〃Do　you　think　convenience　stores　should　have　security　guards　this　time　of　year？〃
　　Marino；　unshaven　and　full　of　beer；　looked　into　the　cameras　and　said；　〃If　it　was　my　store；　I　sure　as　hell　would。〃　…I　locked　my　car。　Bray　was　walking　toward　me。
　　〃So　you　attribute　these　two　robbery…homicides　to　the　Christmas　season？〃　another　reporter　said　to　Marino。
　　〃I　attribute　them　to　some　squirrel　who's　cold…blooded　and　got　no　conscience。　He'll　do　it　again；〃　Marino　answered。　〃And　we've　got　to　stop　him　and　that's　what　we're　trying　to　do。〃
　　Bray　confronted　me　as　I　made　my　way　around　police　cars。　She　had　her　cape　pulled　tightly　around　her；　and　she　was　as　cold　and　stinging　as　the　weather。
　　〃Why　do　you　let　him　do　this？〃　she　asked　me。
　　I　stopped　in　my　tracks　and　looked　her　in　the　eye；　my　frosted　breath　puffing　like　a　coal　train　about　to　run　her　over。
　　〃Let　is　not　a　word　I　use　with　Marino；〃　I　said。　〃I　suspect　you're　finding　that　out　the　hard　way。〃
　　A　reporter　for　a　local　gossip　magazine　raised　his　voice　above　the　others　and　said；　〃Captain　Marino！　Talk　on　the　street　is　you're　not　a　detective　anymore。　What　are　you　doing　here〃
　　〃Deputy　Chief　Bray　has　me　on　special　assignment；〃　Marino　grimly　replied　into　microphones。　〃I'll　be　heading　up　this　investigation。〃
　　〃He's　finished；〃　Bray　said　to　me。
　　〃He　won't　go　quietly。　You'll　never　hear　so　much　noise　in　your　life；〃　I　promised　her　as　I　walked　off。
　　　
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　　Marino　met　me　at　the　store's　front　door。　When　we　stepped　inside；　the　first　person　we　saw　was　Anderson。　She　stood　in　front　of　the　counter；　wrapping　the　empty　cash　drawer　in　brown　paper　as　crime…scene　technician　Al　Eggleston　dusted　the　cash　register　for　prints。　Anderson　looked　surprised　and　unhappy　when　she　saw　us。
　　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　confronted　Marino。
　　〃Came　in　to　buy　a　six…pack。　How　you　doin'；　Eggleston？〃
　　〃Same…o；　same…o；　Pete。〃
　　〃We're　not　ready　for　you　yet；〃　Anderson　said　to　me。
　　I　ignored　her　and　wondered　how　much　damage　she'd　already　done　to　the　scene。　Thank　God；　Eggleston　was　doing　the　important　work。　I　immediately　noticed　the　overturned　chair　behind　the　counter。
　　〃Was　the　chair　like　that　when　the　police　got　here？〃　I　asked　Eggleston。
　　〃Far　as　I　know。〃
　　Anderson　abruptly　went　out　of　the　store；　probably　to　find　Bray。
　　〃Uh…oh；〃　Marino　said。　〃Tattletale。〃
　　〃You　ain't　kidding。〃
　　On　the　wall　behind　the　counter　were　arcs　of　blood　from　an　arterial　hemorrhage。
　　〃Glad　you're　here；　Pete；　but　you're　poking　a　snake　with　a　stick。〃
　　The　sweeping　trail　led　around　the　counter　and　through　the　aisle　farthest　from　the　store's　front　door。
　　〃Marino；　e　here；〃　I　said。
　　〃Hey；　Eggleston；　see　if　you　can　find　the　guy's　DNA　somewhere。　Put　it　in　a　little　bottle　and　maybe　we　can　grow　his　clone　in　the　lab；〃　Marino　said　as　he　walked　over　to　me。　〃Then　we'll　know　who　the　hell　he　is。〃
　　〃You're　a　rocket　scientist；　Pete。〃
　　I　pointed　out　the　arcs　of　blood　made　by　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　systolic　rhythm　of　Kim　Luong's　heart　as　she　had　bled　to　death　through　her　carotid。　The　blood　was　low　to　the　floor　and　stretched　over　some　twenty　feet　of　shelves　stocked　with　paper　towels；　toilet　paper　and　other　household　needs。
　　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Marino　said　as　the