cpatricia.blacknotice-第72章

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　　The　hair　pricked　up　on　my　flesh。　I　tucked　myself　in　shadows　and　stared　across　the　street　at　the　lair　that　had　spawned　this　monster　who　called　himself　the　Loup…Garou。　Through　windows；　chandeliers　sparkled　and　bookcases　were　crowded　with　hundreds　of　books。　I　was　startled　when　a　woman　suddenly　appeared　in　the　glass。　She　was　enormously　fat。　She　wore　a　dark　red　robe　with　deep　sleeves；　the　material　rich　like　satin　or　silk。　I　stared；　transfixed。
　　Her　face　was　impatient；　her　lips　moving　fast　as　she　talked　to　someone；　and　almost　instantly　a　maid　appeared　with　a　small　silver　tray　bearing　a　liqueur　glass。　Madame　Chandonne；　~　if　that's　who　the　woman　was；　sipped　。her　drink。　She　lit　a　cigarette　with　a　silver　lighter　and　walked　out　of　view。
　　I　walked　fast　to　the　tip　of　the　island；　less　than　a　block　away；　and　from　a　small　park　there　I　could　barely　make　out　the　silhouette　of　the　morgue。　I　guessed　it　was　but　several　miles　upriver；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Pont　Sully。　I　scanned　the　Seine　and　fantasized　that　the　killer　was'the　son　of　the　obese　woman　I　just　saw；　that　for　years　he　had　bathed　nude　here　without　her　knowing；　moonlight　shining　on　his　long；　pale　hair。
　　I　imagined　him　emerging　from　his　noble　home　and　wandering　to　this　park　after　dark　to　dip　into　what　he　hoped　would　heal　him。　How　many　years　had　he　waded　in　that　frigid；　dirty　water？　I　wondered　if　he　ranged　about　the　right　bank；　where　he　watched　people　who　were　as　estranged　from　society　as　he　was。　Maybe　he　even　mingled　with　them。
　　Stairs　led　down　from　the　street　to　the　quai；　and　the　river　was　so　high　it　lapped　over　cobblestones　in　murky　ruffles　that　smelled　faintly　of　sewage。　The　Seine　was　swollen　from　unrelenting　rain；　the　current　very　strong；　and　an　occasional　duck　flowed　past　even　though　ducks　weren't　supposed　to　swim　at　night。　Iron　gas　lamps　glowed　and　dashed　flakes　'of　gold　in　patterns　over　the　water。
　　I　took　the　cap　off　the　bottle　of　Advil　and　poured　the　pills　on　the　ground。　I　carefully　ventured　down　slick　stone　stairs　to　the　quai。　Water　lapped　around　my　feet　as　I　swished　the　plastic　bottle　clean　and　filled　it　with　frigid　water。　I　snapped　the　cap　back　on　and　returned　to　the　taxi；　glancing　back　several　times　at　the　Chandonne　home；　halfway　expecting　cartel　criminals　to　suddenly　spring　out　after　me。
　　〃Take　me　to　the　morgue；　please；〃　I　said　to　my　driver。
　　It　was　dark；　and　razor　wire　not　noticeable　during　the　day　reflected　light　from　cars　speeding　past。
　　〃Pull　into　the　back　parking　lot；〃　I　said。
　　He　turned　off　the　Quai　de　la　Rapée　into　the　small　area　behind　the　building　where　vans　had　been　parked　and　the　sad　couple　had　waited　on　a　bench　earlier　in　the　day。　I　got　out。
　　〃Stay　right　here；〃　I　said　to　my　driver。　〃I'm　just　going　to　walk　around　for　a　minute。〃
　　His　face　was　wan；　and　when　I　got　a　better　look　at　him；　I　realized　he　was　very　wrinkled　and　missing　several　teeth。　He　looked　uneasy；　his　eyes　darting　about　as　if　maybe　he　was　thinking　about　speeding　away。
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　to　him　as　I　got　a　notebook　out　of　my　satchel。
　　〃Oh；　you're　a　journalist；〃　he　said　with　relief。　〃You're　here　working　on　a　story。〃
　　〃Yes；　a　story。〃
　　He　grinned；　hanging　halfway　out　his　openwindow。
　　〃You　had　me　worried；　madame！　I　thought　maybe　you　were　some　sort　of　ghoul！〃
　　〃Give　me　just　a　minute；〃　I　said。
　　I　wandered　around；　feeling　the　damp　cold　of　old　stone　and　air　blowing　off　the　river　as　I　moved　around　in　the　darkness　of　deep　shadows　and　took　interest　in　every　detail；　as　if　I　were　he。　He　would　have　been　fascinated　by　this　place。　It　was　the　hall　of　dishonor　that　displayed　his　trophies　after　his　kills　and　reminded　him　of　his　sovereign　immunity。　He　could　do　whatever　he　wanted；　whenever　he　pleased　and　leave　all　the　evidence　in　the　world　and　he　wouldn't　be　touched。
　　He　probably　could　have　walked　from　his　house　to　the　morgue　in　twenty　or　thirty　minutes；　and　I　envisioned　him　sitting　in　the　park；　staring　at　the　old　brick　building　and　imagining　what　was　going　on　inside；　what　work　he　had　created　for　Dr。　Stvan。　I　wondered　if　the　odor　of　death　excited　him。
　　A　faint　breeze　stirred　acacia　trees　and　touched　my　skin　as　I　replayed　what　Dr。　Stvan　had　said　about　the　man　who　had　e　to　her　door。　He　had　e　to　murder　her　and　had　failed。　He　returned　to　this　very　spot　and　left　her　a　note　the　next　day。
　　Pas　la　police　。　。　。
　　Perhaps　we　were　trying　to　make　his　modus　operandi　far　too　plicated。
　　Pas　de　probléme　。　。　。　Le　Loup…Garou。
　　Perhaps　it　was　as　simple　as　a　raging；　murderous　lust　he　could　not　control。　Once　the　monster　in　him　was　aroused　by　someone；　there　was　no　escape。　I　was　certain　if　he　were　still　in　France；　Dr。　Stvan　would　be　dead。　Perhaps　when　he　fled　to　Richmond；　he　thought　he　could　control　himself　for　a　while。　And　maybe　he　did　for　three　days。　Or　maybe　he　had　been　watching　Kim　Luong　the　entire　time；　fantasizing　until　he　couldn't　resist　the　evil　impulse　any　longer。
　　I　hurried　back　to　my　taxi　and　the　windows　were　so　fogged　up　I　could　not　see　through　them　as　I　pulled　open　the　back　door。　Inside；　the　heater　was　blasting；　my　driver　half　asleep。　He　sat　up　with　a　start　and　swore。
　　　
　　　38
　　Concorde　flight　2　left　Charles　de　Gaulle　airport　at　eleven　and　arrived　in　New　York　at　8：45　A。M。；　Eastern　Standard　time；　which　was　before　we'd　left；　in　a　sense。　I　walked　into　my　house　mid…afternoon　terribly　out　of；　sorts；　my　body　confused　about　time；　my　emotions　screaming。　The　weather　was　getting　bad；　with　predictions　of　freezing　rain　and　sleet　again；　and　I　had　errands　to　run。　Marino　went　home。　He　had　that　big　truck；　after　all。
　　Ukrops　grocery　store　was　mobbed　because　whenever　sleet　or　snow　was　predicted；　Richmonders　lost　their　minds。　They　envisioned　starving　to　death　or　having　nothing　to　drink；　and　by　the　time　I　got　to　the　bread　section；　there　wasn't　a　single　loaf　left。　There　was　no　turkey　or　ham　in　the　deli。　I　bought　whatever　I　could；　because　I　expected　Lucy　to　stay　with　me　for　a　while。
　　I　headed　home　a　little　past　six　and　didn't　have　the　energy　to　negotiate　a　peace　settlement　with　my　garage。　So　I　parked　my　car　out　front。　Wispy　white　clouds　over　the　moon　looked　exactly　like　a　skull；　then　shifted　and　were　formless；　rushing　on　as　the　wind　blew　harder；'trees　shivering　and　whispering。　I　felt　achy　and　woozy　as　if　I　might　be　getting　sick；　and　I　got　increasingly　worried　when　once　again　Lucy　didn't　call　or　e　home。
　　I　assumed　she　was　at　MCV；　but　when　I　contacted　the　Orthopedic　Unit；　I　was　told　she　hadn't　been　there　since　yesterday　morning。　I　began　to　get　frantic。　I　paced　the　great　room　and　thought　hard。　It　was　almost　ten　o'clock　when　I　got　back　in　my　car　and　drove　toward　downtown；　tension　stringing　me　so　tight　I　thought　I　might　snap。
　　I　knew　it　was　possible　Lucy　had　gone　on　to　D。C。；　but　I　couldn't　imagine　her　doing　that　without　at　least　leaving　me　a　note。　Whenever　she　disappeared　without　a　word；　it　never　meant　anything　good。　I　turned　off　on　the　Ninth　Street　exit　and　drove　through　downtown's　vacant　streets　and　wandered　through　several　levels　of　the　hospital's　parking　deck　before　I　found　a　space。　I　grabbed　a　lab　coat　off　the　backseat　of　my　car。
　　The　orthopedic　unit　was　in　the　new　hospital；　on　the　second　floor；　and　when　I　got　to　the　room　I　slipped　my　lab　coat　on　and　opened　the　door。　A　couple　I　assumed　was　Jo's　parents　were　inside；　sitting　by　the　bed；　and　I　walked　over　to　them。　Jo's　head　was　bandaged；　her　leg　in　traction；　but　she　was　awake　and　her　eyes　immediately　fixed　on　me。
　　〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Sanders？〃　I　said。　〃I'm　Dr。　Scarpetta。〃
　　If　my　name　meant　anything　to　them；　they　didn't　acknowledge　it；　but　Mr。　Sanders　politely　stood　and　shook　my　hand。
　　〃Nice　to　meet　you；〃　he　said。
　　He　wasn't　at　all　what　I'd　envisioned。　I　suppoqed　after　Jo's　description　of　her　parents'　rigid　attitudes；　I　expected　stern　faces　and　eyes　that　judged　everything　they　saw。　But　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Sanders　were　overweight　and　frumpy；　not　formidablelooking　in　the　least。　They　were　very　polite；　even　shy；　as　I　asked　them　about　their　daughter。　Jo　continued　to　stare　at　me；　a　look　in　her　eyes　that　called　out　to　me　to　help。
　　〃Would　you　mind　if　I　speak　to　the　patient　in　private　for　a　moment？〃　I　asked　them。
　　〃That　would　be　fine；〃　Mrs。　Sanders　said。
　　〃Now；　Jo；　you　do　what