cpatricia.blacknotice-第8章

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　　〃Al？〃　Marino　got　serious。　〃What　the　fuck's　going　on？　How　e　nobody　showed　up　at　this　little　party？〃
　　A　gleaming　black　Crown　Victoria　was　driving　toward　the　parking　lot。
　　〃Well；　I've　got　to　head　on；〃　Carson　abruptly　said；　his　face　etched　with　his　mind　elsewhere。　〃Let's　hook　up　at　the　F。O。P　It's　your　turn　to　buy　the　beer。　Remember　when　Louisville　beat　Charlotte　and　you　lost　the　bet；　old　boy？〃Then　Carson　was　gone　without　acknowledging　Anderson　in　any　way；　because　it　was　clear　he　had　no　power　over　her。
　　〃Hey；　Anderson？〃　Marino　said；　pounding　her　back。
　　She　gasped；　clamping　her　hand　over　her　nose　and　mouth。
　　〃How　you　like　working　for　Carson？　Pretty　nice　guy；　huh？〃　he　said。
　　She　backed　away　and　he　stayed　with　her。　Even　I　was　rather　appalled　by　Marino　and　his　stinking　uniform　pants；　filthy　gloves　and　booties。　His　undershirt　would　never　be　white　again；　and　there　were　big　holes　where　seams　had　succumbed　to　his　big　belly。　He　got　so　close　to　Anderson；　I　thought　he　might　kiss　her。
　　〃You　stink！〃　She　tried　to　get　away　from　him。
　　〃Funny　how　that　happens　in　a　job　like　this。〃
　　〃Get　away　from　me！〃
　　But　he　wouldn't。　She　darted　this　way　and　that；　and　with　each　step　he　blocked　her　like　a　mountain　until　she　was　pressed　against　supersacks　of　injectable　carbon　bound　for　the　West　Indies。
　　〃Just　what　the　fuck　do　you　think　you're　doing？〃　His　words　grabbed　her　by　the　collar。　〃We　get　some　rotting　body　in　a　cargo　container　in　a　fucking　international　shipping　port　where　half　the　people　don't　speak　fucking　English　and　you　decide　you're　gonna　handle　things　all　by　yourself？〃
　　Gravel　popped　outside　in　the　parking　lot；　the　black　Crown　Victoria　driving　fast。
　　〃Miss　Junior　Detective　gets　her　first　case。　And　may　as　well　have　the　chief　medical　examiner　show　up；　along　with　a　few　helicopter　news　crews？〃
　　〃I'm　turning　you　in　to　internal　affairs；〃　Anderson　yelled　at　him。　〃I'm　taking　out　a　warrant　on　you！〃
　　〃For　what？　Stinking？〃
　　〃You're　dead！〃
　　〃No。　What's　dead　is　that　guy　in　there。〃　Marino　pointed　at　the　container。　〃What's　dead　is　your　ass　if　you　ever　have　to　testify　about　this　case　in　court。〃
　　〃Marino；　e　…　on*〃　I　said　as　the　Crown　Victoria　brazenly　drove　onto　the　restricted　dock。
　　〃Hey！〃　Shaw　was　running　after　it；　waving　his　arms。　〃You　can't　park　there！〃
　　〃You're　nothing　but　a　used…up；　washed…up；　redneck　loser；〃　Anderson　said　to　Marino　as　she　trotted　off。
　　Marino　yanked　off　gloves　inside　out　and　freed　himself　of　his　blue　plasticized　paper　booties　by　stepping　down　on　the　heel　of　each　with　the　opposite　toe。　He　picked　up　his　soiled　white　uniform　shirt　by　the　clip…on　tie；　which　didn't　stay　attached；　so　he　stomped　them　as　if　they　were　a　fire　to　put　out。　I　quietly　collected　them　and　dropped　them　and　mine　into　a　red　biological　hazard　bag。
　　〃Are　you　quite　finished？〃　I　asked　him。
　　〃Ain't　even　begun；〃　Marino　said；　staring　out　as　the　driver's　door　of　the　Crown　Victoria　opened　and　a　uniformed　male　officer　climbed　out。
　　Anderson　rounded　the　side　of　the　warehouse　and　walked　quickly　toward　the　car。　Shaw　was　hurrying；　too；　dockworkers　looking　on　as　a　striking　woman　in　uniform　and　sparkling　brass　climbed　out…of　the　back　of　the　car。　She　looked　around　as　the　world　looked　back。　Someone　whistled。　Someone　else　did。　Then　the　dock　sounded　like　referees　protesting　every　foul　imaginable。
　　〃Let　me　guess；〃　I　said　to　Marino。　〃Bray：〃
　　　
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　　The　air　was　filled　with　the　static　of　greedy　flies；　their　volume　turned　up　high　by　warm　weather　and　time。　The　removal　service　attendants　had　carried　the　stretcher　into　the　warehouse　and　were　waiting　for　me。
　　〃Whooo；〃　one　of　the　attendants　said；　shaking　his　head；　a　bad　expression　on　his　face。　〃Lordy；　lordy。〃
　　〃I　know；　I　know；〃　I　said　as　I　pulled　on　clean　gloves　and　booties。　〃I'll　go　in　first。　This　won't　take　long。　I　promise。〃
　　〃Fine　by　me；　you　want　to　go　first。〃
　　I　went　back　inside　the　container　and　they　came　after　me；　choosing　their　steps　carefully；　stretcher　held　tight　at　their　waists　like　a　sedan　chair。　Their　breathing　was　labored　behind　their　surgical　masks。　Both　were　old　and　overweight　and　should　not　have　been　lifting　heavy　bodies　anymore。
　　〃Get　it　by　the　lower　legs　and　feet；〃　I　directed。　〃Real　careful；　because　the　skin's　going　to　slip　and　e　off。　Let's　get　him　by　his　clothing　as　best　we　can。〃
　　They　set　down　the　stretcher　and　bent　over　the　dead　man's　feet。
　　〃Lordy；〃　one　of　them　muttered　again。
　　I　hooked　my　arms　under　the　armpits。　They　took　hold　of　the　ankles。
　　〃Okay。　Let's　lift　together　on　the　count　of　three；〃　I　said。　〃One；　two；　three。〃
　　The　men　struggled　to　maintain　their　balance。　They　huffed　and　backed　up。　The　body　was　limp　because　rigor　mortis。had　e　and　left；　and　we　centered　it　onto　the　stretcher　and　wrapped　it　in　the　sheet。　I　zipped　up　the　body　bag　and　the　attendants　carried　their　client　away。　They　would　drive　him　to　the　morgue；　and　there　I　would　do　all　I　could　to　make　him　talk　to　me。
　　〃Damn！〃　I　heard　one　of　them　say。　〃They　don't　pay　me　enough　for　this。〃
　　〃Tell　me。〃
　　I　followed　them　out　of　the　warehouse　into　sunlight　that　was　dazzling　and　air　that　was　clean。　Marino　was　still　in　his　filthy　undershirt；　talking　to　Anderson　and　Bray　on　the　dock。　I　gathered　from　the　way　he　was　gesturing　that　the　presence　of　Bray　had　restrained　him　somewhat。　Her　eyes　landed　on　me　as　I　got　close。　She　did　not　introduce　herself；　so　I　went　first　without　offering　my　hand。
　　〃I'm　Dr。　Scarpetta；〃　I　said　to　her。
　　She　returned　my　greeting　with　vague　regard；　as　if　she　had　not　a　clue　as　to　who　I　was　or　why　I　was　there。
　　〃I　think　it　would　be　a　good　idea　for　the　two　of　us　to　talk；〃　I　added。
　　〃Who　did　you　say　you　are？〃　Bray　asked。
　　〃Oh；　for　Chrissake！〃　Marino　erupted。　〃She　knows　damn　well　who　you　are。〃
　　〃Captain。〃　Bray's　tone　had　the　effect　of　a　riding　whip　cracking。
　　Marino　got　quiet。　Anderson；　did；　too。
　　〃I'm　the　chief　medical　examiner。〃　I　told　Bray　what　she　already　knew。　〃Kay　Scarpetta。〃
　　Marino　rolled　his　eyes。　Anderson's　expression　puckered　with　resentment　and　jealousy　when　Bray　motioned　for　me　to　step　away　from　them。　We　moved　to　the　edge　of　the　dock；
　　where　the　Sirius　towered　above　us　and　barely　stirred　in　the　ruffled　muddy…blue　current。
　　〃I'm　so　sorry　I　didn't　recognize　your　name　at　first；〃　she　began。
　　I　didn't　say　a　word。
　　〃That's　very　ungracious　of　me；〃　she　went　on。
　　I　remained　silent。
　　〃I　should　have　gotten　around　to　meeting　you　before　now。　I've　been　so　busy。　So　here　we　are。　And　it's　a　good　thing；　really。　Perfect　timing；　you　might　say〃…she　smiled…〃that　we　should　meet　like　this。〃
　　Diane　Bray　was　a　haughty　beauty　with　black　hair　and　perfect　features。　Her　…figure　was　stunning。　Dockworkers　could　not　take　their　eyes　off　her。
　　〃You　see；〃　she　went　on　in　her　same　cool　tone；　〃I　have　this　little　problem。　I　supervise　Captain　Marino；　yet　he　seems　to　think　he　works　for　you。〃
　　〃Nonsense。〃　I　finally　spoke。
　　She　sighed。
　　〃You　have　just　robbed　the　city　of　the　most　experienced；　decent　homicide　detective　it's　ever　known；　Chief　Bray；〃　I　told　her。　〃And　I　should　know。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　you　should。〃
　　〃Just　what　is　it　you're　trying　to　acplish？〃　I　asked。
　　〃It's　time　for　young　blood；　for　detectives　who　don't　mind　turning　on　a　puter；　using　e…mail。　Are　you　aware　that　Marino　doesn't　even　know　how　to　use　word　processing？　Still　hammers　on　a　typewriter　with　two　fingers？〃
　　I　couldn't　believe　she　was　saying　this　to　me。
　　〃Not　to　mention　the　very　small　problem　that　he's　unteachable　and　insubordinate；　his　behavior　a　disgrace　to　the　department；〃　she　went　on。
　　Anderson　had　walked　off；　leaving　Marino　alone　by　the　car；　leaning　against　it；　smoking。　His　arms　and　shoulders　were　thick　and　hairy；　and　his　trousers；　belted　under　his　gut；
　　were　about　to　fall　off。　I　knew　he　was　humiliated　because　he　refused　to　look　our　way。
　　〃Why　are　there　no　crime…scene　techs　here？〃　I　asked　Bray。
　　One　dockworker　elbowed　another　and　cupped　his　hands　under　his　chest；　fondling　air　as　if　it　were　Bray's　big　breasts。
　　〃Why　are　you　here？〃　I　then　asked　her。
　　〃Because　I　was　alerted　that　Marino　was；〃　she　replied。　〃He's　been　warned。　I　wanted　to　find　out　for　myself　if　he　was　so　blatantly　d