cpatricia.blacknotice-第49章
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〃You didn't know。 We can't know everything。〃 I felt a spasm of grief； too。
〃If only I'd taken her to the vet sooner 。 。 。 I'll never； ever forgive myself for that。 Poor little girl a prisoner in a little cage and muzzle and some monster hit her with something and broke her nose 。 。 。 at that goddamn dog track！ And then I let her suffer and die！〃
She wept as if outraged over every loss and act of cruelty the world had ever suffered。 I held her clenched fists in both of my hands。
〃Rose； now you listen to me；〃 I said。 〃You saved Sassy from hell just as you've saved others。 There's nothing you could have done for Sassy any more than there was anything you could have done when you stopped to get your shortbreads。 Kim was dead。 She had been dead for hours。〃
〃What about him？〃 she cried。 〃What if he had still been inside that store and had e out just as I had pulled in？ I'd be dead； too； wouldn't I？ Shot and dumped somewhere like garbage。 Or maybe he would have done awful things to me； too。〃
She closed her eyes； exhausted； tears sneaking down her face。 She went limp all over as the violent storm passed。 Marino leaned forward on the couch and touched her knee。
〃You got to help us out；〃 he said。 〃We need to know why you think your being followed and the murder might be connected。〃
〃Why don't you e home with me？〃 I said。
Her eyes cleared as she began to regain her posure。
〃That car pulling out after me right there where she was murdered？ Why didn't he start following me long before that？〃 she said。 〃And an hour； an hour and a half； before the alarm went off。 Don't you find that an amazing coincidence？〃
〃Sure I do；〃 Marino said。 〃But there've been a lot of amazing coincidences in my career。〃
〃I feel foolish；〃 Rose said； looking down at her hands。
〃All of us are tired；〃 I said。 〃I've got plenty of room 。 。 。〃 〃We're gonna nail Chuckle…boy for drugs；〃 Marino said to her。 〃Not…a damn thing foolish about that。〃
〃I'm going to stay here and go on to bed；〃 Rose said。
I continued to sort through what she'd told us as we went down the stairs and into the parking lot。
〃Look；〃 Marino said； unlocking his car。 〃You've been around Chuck a whole lot more than I have。 You know him a lot better； which is too bad for you。〃
〃And you're going to ask me if he's the one in the rental car following us；〃 I said as he backed out and turned on Randy Travis。 〃The answer's no。 He's a sneak。 He's a liar and a thief； but he's a coward； Marino。 It takes a lot of arrogance to boldly tailgate someone with your high beams on。 Whoever's doing it is very sure of himself。 He has no fear of being caught because he thinks he's too smart for that。〃
〃Sort of the definition of a psychopath；〃 he said。 〃And now I feel worse。 Shit。 I don't want to think that guy who just did Luong is the one following you and Rose。〃
Roads had frozen over again and Richmond drivers； lacking sense； were sliding and spinning all over the place。 Marino had his portable police radio on and was monitoring accidents。
〃When are you going to turn that thing in？〃 I asked。
〃When they e and try to take it from me；〃 he replied。 〃I ain't turning in shit。〃
〃That's the spirit。〃
〃The hard thing about every case we've ever worked；〃 he said； 〃is there's never just one thing going on。 Cops try to connect so much crap that by the time we solve the case； we could have written the victim's biography。 Half the time we find a connection； it's not one that matters。 Like the husband who gets mad at his wife。 She goes out the door； pissed； and ends up abducted from a mall parking lot； raped and murdered。 Her husband pissing her off didn't make it happen。 Maybe she was going shopping anyway。〃
He turned into my driveway and put the truck in park。 I gave him a long look。
〃Marino； what are you going to do about money？〃
〃I'll be all right。〃
I knew it wasn't true。
〃You could help me out as a field investigator for a while；〃 I said 〃Until this suspension nonsense ends。〃
He was silent。 As long as Bray was there； it would never end Suspending him without pay was her way of forcing Marino to resign。 If he did that； he was out of the way like AI Carson。
〃I can hire you two ways；〃 I went on。 〃A case…by…case basis and you'll get fifty dollars per 。 。 ：'
He snorted。 〃Fifty dollars my ass！〃
〃Or I can hire you part…time and eventually I'll have to advertise the position and you'll have to apply for it like everybody else：'
〃Don't make me sick。〃
〃How much are you earning now？〃
〃About sixty…two plus benefits；〃 he replied。
〃The best I could do is make you a P…fourteen at senior level。 Thirty hours a week。 No benefits。 Thirty…five a year。〃
〃Now that's a good one。 One of the funniest things I've heard in a while。〃
〃I can also take you on as an instructor and coordinator in death investigation at the Institute。 That's another thirtyfive。 So that's seventy。 No benefits。 Actually； you'll probably make out better。〃
He thought about it for a moment； sucking smoke。
〃I don't need your help right now；〃 he said rudely。 〃And hanging around medical examiners and dead bodies ain't part of my life's plan。〃
I climbed out of his truck。
〃Good night；〃 I said。
He angrily roared away and I knew it wasn't me he was really so angry with。 He was frustrated and furious。 His self…respect and vulnerability were naked in front of me and he didn't want me to see it。 All the same； what he'd said hurt。
I threw my coat over a chair in the foyer and pulled off leather gloves。 I put Beethoven's 〃Eroica〃 symphony on the CD player and my discordant nerves began to restore their rhythm like the strings that played。 I ate an omelet and settled in bed with a book I was too tired to read。
I fell asleep with the light on and was shocked awake by the hammering of my burglar alarm。 I got my Glock out of a drawer and fought the impulse to disarm the system。 I couldn't stand the awful clangor。 But I 。didn't know what had set it off。 The phone rang several minutes later。
‘。‘This is ADT 。 。 ：'
〃Yes； yes；〃 I said loudly。 〃I don't know why it's gone off。
〃We're showing zone five；〃 the man said。 〃The kitchen back door。〃
〃I have no idea。〃
〃Then you'd like us to dispatch the police。〃
〃I guess you'd better；〃 I said as the air raid in my house went on。
28
I supposed a strong gust of wind might have set off the alarm； and minutes later I silenced it so I could hear the police arrive。 I sat on my bed； waiting。 I didn't go through the dreaded routine of securing every inch of my house； of walking into rooms and showers and dark spaces of fear。
I listened to silence and became acutely aware of the sounds of it。 I heard the wind； the faint clicking of numbers rolling on the digital clock； heat blowing； my own breathing。 A car turned into my driveway and I hurried to the front door as one of the offers sharply rapped with a baton or blackjack instead of ringing the bell。
〃Police；〃 a woman's no…nonsense voice announced。
I let them in。 There were two officers； a young woman and an older man。 The woman's nameplate identified her as J。 F。 Butler； and there was something about her that had an effect on me。
〃The zone's the one for the kitchen door that leads outside；〃 I told them。 〃I very much appreciate your ing so quickly。〃
〃What's your name？〃 her partner； R。 I。 McElwayne； asked me。
He was acting as if he didn't know who I was； as if I were just a middle…aged lady in a bathrobe who happened to live in a nice house in a neighborhood that rarely needed the police。
〃I Kay Scarpetta。〃
His tight demeanor loosened a bit； and he said； 〃I didn't know if you really existed。 Heard about you a lot； but I never been to the morgue； not once in eighteen years； for which I'm grateful。〃
〃'That's because back then you didn't have to go to demo posts and learn all these scientific things；〃 Butler picked on him。
McElwayne tried not to smile as his eyes roamed curiously around my house。
〃You're wele to e watch a demo post anytime you want；〃 I said to him。
Butler's attention was everywhere； her body on alert。 She h
