cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第17章

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　I　couldn't　believe　what　I'd　just　heard。　He　would　not　be　talking　to　a　C。A。　unless　there　was　a　suspect。
　'What　are　you　saying？'　I　asked。
　'I'm　looking　hard　at　Keith　Pleasants。'
　I　was　incredulous。
　'There　are　a　lot　of　circumstantial　things；'　he　went　on；　'not　the　least　of　which　is　how　he　just　so　happened　to　be　the　one　operating　the　Cat　when　the　torso　was　found。　You　know；　he　usually　doesn't　operate　earth…moving　equipment；　and　then　just　happens　to　be　in　the　driver's　seat　at　that　exact　moment？'
　'I　should　think　that　makes　him　more　a　victim　than　a　suspect。　If　he's　the　killer；'　I　continued；　'one　might　expect　that　he　wouldn't　have　wanted　to　be　within　a　hundred　miles　of　the　landfill　when　the　body　was　found。'
　'Psychopaths　like　to　be　right　there；'　he　said　as　if　he　knew。　'They　fantasize　about　what　it　would　be　like　to　be　there　when　the　victim　is　discovered。　They　get　off　on　it；　like　that　ambulance　driver　who　murdered　women；　then　dumped　them　in　the　area　he　covered。　When　it　was　time　to　go　on　duty；　he'd　call　911　so　he　was　the　one　who　ended　up　responding。'
　In　addition　to　his　degree　in　psychology；　he　no　doubt　had　attended　a　lecture　on　profiling；　too。　He　knew　it　all。
　'Keith　lives　with　his　mother；　who　I　think　he　really　resents；'　he　went　on；　smoothing　his　tie。　'She　had　him　late　in　life；　is　in　her　sixties。　He　takes　care　of　her。'
　'Then　his　mother　is　still　alive　and　accounted　for；'　I　said。
　'Right。　But　that　doesn't　mean　he　didn't　take　out　his　aggressions　on　some　other　poor　old　woman。　Plus　　and　you　won't　believe　this　　in　high　school；　he　worked　at　the　meat　counter　of　a　grocery　store。　He　was　a　butcher's　assistant。'
　I　did　not　tell　him　that　I　did　not　think　a　meat　saw　had　been　used　in　this　case；　but　let　him　talk。
　'He's　never　been　very　social；　which　again　fits　the　profile。'　He　continued　spinning　his　fantastic　web。　'And　it's　rumored　among　the　other　guys　who　work　at　the　landfill　that　he's　homosexual。'
　'Based　on　what？'
　'On　the　fact　he　doesn't　date　women　or　even　seem　interested　in　them　when　the　other　guys　make　remarks；　jokes。　You　know　how　it　is　with　a　bunch　of　rough　guys。'
　'Describe　the　house　he　lives　in。'　I　thought　of　the　photographs　sent　to　me　through　e…mail。
　'Two…story　frame；　three　bedrooms；　kitchen；　living　room。　Middle　class　on　its　way　to　being　poor。　Like　maybe　in　an　earlier　day　when　his　old　man　was　around；　they　had　it　pretty　nice。'
　'What　happened　to　the　father？'
　'Ran　off　before　Keith　was　born。'
　'Brothers；　sisters？'　I　asked。
　'Grown；　have　been　for　a　long　time。　I　guess　he　was　a　surprise。　I　suspect　Mr　Pleasants　isn't　the　father；　explaining　why　he　was　already　gone　before　Keith　was　even　around。'
　'And　what　is　this　suspicion　based　on？'　I　asked　with　an　edge。
　'My　gut。'
　'I　see。'
　'Where　they　live　is　remote；　about　ten　miles　from　the　landfill；　in　farmland；'　he　said。　'Got　a　pretty　good…size　yard；　a　garage　that's　detached　from　the　house。'　He　crossed　his　legs；　pausing；　as　if　what　he　had　to　add　next　was　important。　'There　are　a　lot　of　tools；　and　a　big　workbench。　Keith　says　he's　a　handyman　and　uses　the　garage　when　things　need　fixing　around　the　house。　I　did　see　a　hacksaw　hanging　up　on　a　pegboard；　and　a　machete　he　says　he　uses　for　cutting　back　kudzu　and　weeds。'
　Slipping　out　of　his　jacket；　he　carefully　draped　it　over　his　lap　as　he　continued　the　tour　of　Keith　Pleasants'　life。
　'You　certainly　had　access　to　a　lot　of　places　without　a　warrant；'　I　cut　him　off。
　'He　was　cooperative；'　he　replied；　nonplussed。　'Let's　talk　about　what's　in　this　guy's　head。'　He　tapped　his　own。　'First；　he's　smart；　real　smart；　books；　magazines；　newspapers　all　over　the　place。　Get　this。　He's　been　videotaping　news　accounts　of　this　case；　clipping　articles。'
　'Probably　most　of　the　people　working　at　the　landfill　are；'　I　reminded　him。
　But　Ring　was　not　interested　in　one　word　I　said。
　'He　reads　all　kinds　of　crime　stuff。　Thrillers。　Silence　of　the　Lambs；　Red　Dragon。　Tom　Clancy；　Ann　Rule　。　。　。'
　I　interrupted　again　because　I　could　not　listen　to　him　a　moment　longer。　'You've　just　described　a　typical　American　reading　list。　I　can't　tell　you　how　to　conduct　your　investigation；　but　let　me　try　to　persuade　you　to　follow　the　evidence　。　。　。'
　'I　am；'　he　interrupted　right　back。　'That's　exactly　what　I'm　doing。'
　'That's　exactly　what　you're　not　doing。　You　don't　even　know　what　the　evidence　is。　You　haven't　received　a　single　report　from　my　office　or　the　labs。　You　haven't　received　a　profile　from　the　FBI。　Have　you　even　talked　to　Marino　or　Grigg？'
　'We　keep　missing　each　other。'　He　got　up　and　put　his　jacket　back　on。　'I　need　those　reports。'　It　sounded　like　an　order。　'The　C。A。　will　be　calling　you。　By　the　way；　how's　Lucy？'
　I　did　not　want　him　to　even　know　my　niece's　name；　and　it　was　evident　by　the　surprised；　angry　look　in　my　eyes。
　'I　wasn't　aware　the　two　of　you　were　acquainted；'　I　coolly　replied。
　'I　sat　in　on　one　of　her　classes；　I　don't　know；　a　couple　months　back。　She　was　talking　about　CAIN。'
　I　grabbed　a　stack　of　death　certificates　from　the　in…basket；　and　began　initialing　them。
　'Afterwards　she　took　us　over　to　HRT　for　a　robotics　demo；'　he　said　from　the　doorway。　'She　seeing　anyone？'
　I　had　nothing　to　say。
　'I　mean；　I　know　she　lives　with　another　agent。　A　woman。　But　they're　just　roommates；　right？'
　His　meaning　was　plain；　and　I　froze；　looking　up　as　he　walked　off；　whistling。　Furious；　I　collected　an　armload　of　paperwork　and　was　getting　up　from　my　desk　when　Rose　walked　in。
　'He　can　park　his　shoes　under　my　bed　anytime　he　wants；'　she　said　in　Ring's　wake。
　'Please！'　I　couldn't　stand　it。　'I　thought　you　were　an　intelligent　woman；　Rose。'
　'I　think　you　need　some　hot　tea；'　she　said。
　'Maybe　so。'　I　sighed。
　'But　we　have　another　matter　first；'　she　said　in　her　businesslike　way。　'Do　you　know　someone　named　Keith　Pleasants？'
　'What　about　him？'　For　an　instant；　my　mind　locked。
　'He's　in　the　lobby；'　she　said。　'Very　upset；　refuses　to　leave　until　he　sees　you。　I　started　to　call　security；　but　thought　I　should　check　。　。　。'　The　look　on　my　face　stopped　her　cold。
　'Oh　my　God；'　I　exclaimed　in　dismay。　'Did　he　and　Ring　see　each　other？'
　'I　have　no　idea；'　she　said；　and　now　she　was　very　perplexed。　'Is　something　wrong？'
　'Everything。'　I　sighed；　dropping　the　paperwork　back　on　my　desk。
　'Then　you　do　or　don't　want　me　to　call　security？'
　'Don't。'　I　walked　briskly　past　her。
　My　heels　were　sharp　and　directed　as　I　followed　the　hallway　to　the　front；　and　around　a　corner　into　a　lobby　that　had　never　been　homey　no　matter　how　hard　I　had　tried。　No　amount　of　tasteful　furniture　or　prints　on　walls　could　disguise　the　terrible　truths　that　brought　people　to　these　doors。　Like　Keith　Pleasants；　they　sat　woodenly　on　a　blue　upholstered　couch　that　was　supposed　to　be　unprovocative　and　soothing。　In　shock；　they　stared　at　nothing　or　wept。
　I　pushed　open　the　door　as　he　sprung　to　his　feet；　eyes　bloodshot。　I　could　not　quite　tell　if　he　were　in　a　rage　or　a　panic　as　he　almost　lunged　at　me。　For　an　instant；　I　thought　he　was　going　to　grab　me　or　start　swinging。　But　he　awkwardly　dropped　his　hands　by　his　sides　and　glared　at　me；　his　face　darkening　as　his　outrage　boiled　over。
　'You　got　no　right　to　be　saying　things　like　that　about　me！'　he　exclaimed　with　clenched　fists。　'You　don't　know　me！　Don't　know　anything　about　me！'
　'Easy；　Keith；'　I　said；　calmly；　but　with　authority。
　Motioning　for　him　to　sit　back　down；　I　pulled　up　a　chair　so　I　could　face　him。　He　was　breathing　hard；　trembling；　eyes　wounded　and　filled　with　furious　tears。
　'You　met　me　one　time。'　He　shot　a　finger　at　me。　'One　lousy　time　and　then　say　things。'　His　voice　was　quavering。　'I'm　about　to　lose　my　job。'　He　covered　his　mouth　with　a　fist；　averting　his　eyes　as　he　fought　for　control。
　'In　the　first　place；'　I　said；　'I　have　not　said　a　word　about　you。　Not　to　anyone。'
　He　glanced　at　me。
　'I　have　no　idea　what　you're　talking　about。'　My　eyes　were　steady　on　him；　and　I　spoke　with　quiet　confidence　that　made　him　waver。　'I　wish　you　d　explain　it　to　me。'
　He　was　studying　me　with　uncertainty；　lies　he　had　been　led　to　believe　about　me　wavering　in　his　eyes。
　'You　didn't　talk　to　Investigator　Ring　about　me？'　he　said。
　I　checked　my　fury。　'No。'
　'He　came　to　my　house　this　morning　while　my　mama　was　still　in　bed。'　His　voice　shook。　'Started　interrogating