cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第19章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


w。'
　We　headed　to　the　kitchen。
　'I　trotted　out　Toto　and　Tin　Man；'　she　added。
　They　were　robots。
　'Used　fiber　optics；　virtual　reality。　The　usual　things；　except　it's　pretty　cool。　We　parachuted　them　out　of　a　Huey；　and　I　maneuvered　them　to　burn　through　a　metal　door　with　lasers。'
　'No　stunts　with　the　helicopters；　I　hope；'　I　said。
　'The　guys　did　that。　I　did　my　shit　from　the　ground。'　She　wasn't　happy　about　it。
　The　problem　was；　Lucy　wanted　to　do　stunts　with　helicopters。　There　were　fifty　agents　on　the　HRT。　She　was　the　only　woman　and　had　a　tendency　to　overreact　when　they　wouldn't　let　her　do　dangerous　things　that；　in　my　opinion；　she　had　no　business　doing　anyway。　Of　course；　I　wasn't　the　most　objective　judge。
　'It　suits　me　fine　if　you　stick　with　robots；'　I　said；　and　we　were　in　the　kitchen　now。　'Something　smells　good。　What　did　you　fix　your　tired；　old　aunt　to　eat？'
　'Fresh　spinach　sautéed　in　a　little　garlic　and　olive　oil；　and　filets　that　I'm　going　to　throw　on　the　grill。　This　is　my　one　day　a　week　to　eat　beef；　so　tough　luck　if　it's　not　yours。　I　even　sprung　for　a　bottle　of　really　nice　wine；　something　Janet　and　I　discovered。'
　'Since　when　can　FBI　agents　afford　nice　wine？'
　'Hey；'　she　said；　'I　don't　do　too　bad。　Besides；　I'm　too　damn　busy　to　spend　money。'
　Certainly；　she　didn't　spend　it　on　clothes。　Whenever　I　saw　her；　she　was　either　in　khaki　fatigues　or　sweats。　Now　and　then　she　wore　jeans　and　a　funky　jacket　or　blazer；　and　made　fun　of　my　offers　of　hand…me…downs。　She　would　not　wear　my　lawyerly　suits　and　blouses　with　high　collars；　and　frankly；　my　figure　was　fuller　than　her　firm；　athletic　one。　Probably　nothing　in　my　closet　would　fit。
　The　moon　was　huge　and　low　in　a　cloudy；　dark　sky。　We　put　on　jackets　and　sat　out　on　the　deck　drinking　wine　while　Lucy　cooked。　She　had　started　baked　potatoes　first；　and　they　were　taking　a　while；　so　we　talked。　Over　recent　years；　our　relationship　had　bee　less　mother…daughter　as　we　evolved　into　colleagues　and　friends。　The　transition　was　not　an　easy　one；　for　often　she　taught　me　and　even　worked　on　some　of　my　cases。　I　felt　oddly　lost；　no　longer　certain　of　my　role　and　power　in　her　life。
　'Wesley　wants　me　to　track　this　AOL　thing；'　she　was　saying。　'Sussex　definitely　wants　CASKU's　help。'
　'Do　you　know　Percy　Ring？'　I　asked　as　I　thought　of　what　he　had　said　in　my　office；　infuriated　again。
　'He　was　in　one　of　my　classes　and　was　obnoxious；　wouldn't　shut　up。'　She　reached　for　the　bottle　of　wine。　'What　a　peacock。'
　She　began　filling　our　glasses。　Raising　the　hood　of　the　grill；　she　poked　potatoes　with　a　fork。
　'I　believe　we're　ready；'　she　said；　pleased。
　Moments　later；　she　was　emerging　from　the　house；　carrying　the　filets。　They　sizzled　as　she　placed　them　on　the　grill。　'Somehow　he　figured　out　you're　my　aunt。'　She　was　talking　about　Ring　again。　'Not　that　it's　a　secret；　and　he　asked　me　about　it　after　class　once。　You　know；　if　you　tutored　me；　helped　me　out　with　my　cases；　like　I　couldn't　possibly　do　what　I'm　doing　on　my　own；　that　sort　of　thing。　I　just　think　he　picks　on　me　because　I'm　a　new　agent　and　a　woman。'
　'That　may　be　the　biggest　miscalculation　he's　ever　made　in　his　life；'　I　said。
　'And　he　wanted　to　know　if　I　was　married。'　Her　eyes　were　shadowed　as　porch　lights　shone　on　one　side　of　her　face。
　'I　worry　about　what　his　interest　really　is；'　I　mented。
　She　glanced　at　me　as　she　cooked。　'The　usual。'　She　shrugged　it　off；　for　she　was　surrounded　by　men　and　paid　no　attention　to　their　ments　or　their　stares。
　'Lucy；　he　made　a　reference　to　you　in　my　office　today；'　I　said。　'A　veiled　reference。'
　'To　what？'
　'Your　status。　Your　roommate。'
　No　matter　how　often　or　delicately　we　talked　about　this；　she　always　got　frustrated　and　impatient。
　'Whether　it's　true　or　not；'　she　said；　and　the　sizzling　of　the　grill　seemed　to　match　her　tone；　'there　would　still　be　rumors　because　I'm　an　agent。　It's　ridiculous。　I　know　women　married　with　kids；　and　the　guys　think　all　of　them　are　gay；　too；　just　because　they're　cops；　agents；　troopers；　secret　service。　Some　people　even　think　it　about　you。　For　the　same　reason。　Because　of　your　position；　your　power。'
　'This　is　not　about　accusations；'　I　reminded　her；　gently。　'This　is　about　whether　someone　could　hurt　you。　Ring　is　very　smooth。　He　es　across　as　credible。　I　expect　he　resents　that　you're　FBI；　HRT　and　he's　not。'
　'I　think　he's　already　demonstrated　that。'　Her　voice　was　hard。
　'I　just　hope　the　jerk　doesn't　keep　asking　you　out。'
　'Oh；　he　already　is。　At　least　half　a　dozen　times。'　She　sat　down。　'He's　even　asked　Janet　out；　if　you　can　believe　that。'　She　laughed。　'Talk　about　not　getting　it。'
　'The　problem　is　I　think　he　does　get　it；'　I　said；　ominously。　'It's　like　he's　building　a　case　against　you；　gathering　evidence。'
　'Well；　gather　away。'　She　abruptly　ended　our　discussion。　'So　tell　me　what　else　went　on　today。'
　I　told　her　what　I　had　learned　at　the　labs；　and　we　talked　about　fibers　embedded　in　bone　and　Koss's　analysis　of　them　as　we　carried　steaks　and　wine　inside。　We　sat　at　the　kitchen　table　with　a　candle　lit；　digesting　information　few　people　would　serve　with　food。
　'A　cheap　motel　curtain　could　have　a　backing　like　that；'　Lucy　said。
　'That　or　something　like　a　drop　cloth；　because　of　the　paint…like　substance；'　I　replied。　'The　spinach　is　wonderful。　Where　did　you　get　it？'
　'Ukrops。　I'd　give　anything　to　have　a　store　like　that　in　my　neighborhood。　So　this　person　wrapped　the　victim　in　a　drop　cloth　and　then　dismembered　her　through　it？'　she　asked　as　she　cut　her　meat。
　'That's　certainly　the　way　it's　looking。'
　'What　does　Wesley　say？'　She　met　my　eyes。
　'I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　talk　to　him　yet。'　This　wasn't　quite　true。　I　had　not　even　called。
　For　a　moment；　Lucy　was　silent。　She　got　up　and　brought　a　bottle　of　Evian　to　the　table。　'So　how　long　do　you　plan　to　run　from　him？'
　I　pretended　not　to　hear　her；　in　hopes　she　would　not　start　in。
　'You　know　that's　what　you're　doing。　You're　scared。'
　'This　is　not　something　we　should　discuss；'　I　said。　'Especially　when　we're　having　such　a　pleasant　evening。'
　She　reached　for　her　wine。
　'It's　very　good；　by　the　way；'　I　said。　'I　like　pinot　noir　because　it's　light。　Not　heavy　like　a　merlot。　I'm　not　in　the　mood　for　anything　heavy　right　now。　So　you　made　a　good　choice。'
　She　stabbed　another　bite　of　steak；　getting　my　point。
　'Tell　me　how　things　are　going　with　Janet；'　I　went　on。　'Mostly　doing　white…collar　crime　in　D。C。？　Or　is　she　getting　to　spend　more　time　at　ERF　these　days？'
　Lucy　stared　out　the　window　at　the　moon　as　she　slowly　swirled　wine　in　her　glass。　'I　should　get　started　on　your　puter。'
　While　I　cleaned　up；　she　disappeared　into　my　office。　I　did　not　disturb　her　for　a　very　long　time；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　I　knew　she　was　put　out　with　me。　She　wanted　plete　openness；　and　I　had　never　been　good　at　that；　not　with　anyone。　I　felt　bad；　as　if　I　had　let　down　everyone　I　loved。　For　a　while；　I　sat　at　the　kitchen　desk；　talking　to　Marino　on　the　phone；　and　I　called　to　catch　up　with　my　mother。　I　put　on　a　pot　of　decaffeinated　coffee　and　carried　two　mugs　down　the　hall。
　Lucy　was　busy　at　my　keyboard；　glasses　on；　a　slight　frown　furrowing　her　young；　smooth　brow　as　she　concentrated。　I　set　her　coffee　down　and　looked　over　her　head　at　what　she　was　typing。　It　made　no　sense　to　me。　It　never　did。
　'How's　it　going？'　I　asked。
　I　could　see　my　face　reflected　in　the　monitor　as　she　struck　the　enter　key　again；　executing　another　UNIX　mand。
　'Good　and　not　good；'　she　replied　with　an　impatient　sigh。　'The　problem　with　applications　like　AOL　is　you　can't　track　files　unless　you　get　into　the　original　programming　language。　That's　where　I　am　now。　And　it's　like　following　bread　crumbs　through　a　universe　with　more　layers　than　an　onion。'
　I　pulled　up　a　chair　and　sat　next　to　her。　'Lucy；'　I　said；　'how　did　someone　send　these　photographs　to　me？　Can　you　tell　me；　step　by　step？'
　She　stopped　what　she　was　doing；　slipping　off　her　glasses　and　setting　them　on　the　desk。　She　rubbed　her　face　in　her　hands　and　massaged　her　temples　as　if　she　had　a　headache。
　'You　got　any　Tylenol？'　she　asked。
　'No　acetaminophen　with　alcohol。'　I　opened　a　drawer　and　got　out　a　bottle　of　Motrin　instead。
　'For　starters；'　she　said；　taking　two；　'this　wouldn't　have　been　easy　if　your　screen　name　wasn't　the　same　as　your　real