cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第24章

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o　I　gotta　turn　my　ass　right　back　around　and　be　at　city　hall　by　ten。　Plus；　the　chief　wants　to　see　me。'
　I　watched　his　taillights　up　ahead　as　he　approached　an　exit。　I…95　was　busy　this　morning　with　trucks；　and　people　who　muted　every　day　to　D。C。　No　matter　how　early　I　started；　whenever　I　headed　north；　it　seemed　traffic　was　terrible。
　'Actually；　it's　a　good　thing　you're　going　to　be　there。　Cover　my　back；　too；'　I　said　to　him。　'I'll　get　up　with　you　later；　let　you　know　what　went　on。'
　'Yo。　When　you　see　Ring；　do　that　to　his　neck；'　he　said。
　I　arrived　at　the　Academy；　and　the　guard　in　his　booth　waved　me　through　because　by　now　he　knew　my　car　and　its　license　plate。　The　parking　lot　was　so　full；　I　ended　up　almost　in　the　woods。　Firearms　training　was　already　in　progress　on　ranges　across　the　road；　and　Drug　Enforcement　Agents　were　out　in　camouflage；　gripping　assault　rifles；　their　faces　mean。　The　grass　was　heavy　with　dew　and　soaked　my　shoes　as　I　took　a　shortcut　to　the　main　entrance　of　the　tan　brick　building　called　Jefferson。
　Inside　the　lobby；　luggage　was　parked　near　couches　and　the　walls；　for　there　were　always　National　Academy；　or　N。A。；　police　going　somewhere；　it　seemed。　The　video　display　over　the　front　desk　reminded　everyone　to　have　a　nice　day　and　properly　display　his　badge。　Mine　was　still　in　my　purse；　and　I　got　it　out；　looping　the　long　chain　around　my　neck。　Inserting　a　magnetized　card　into　a　slot；　I　unlocked　a　glass　door　etched　with　the　Department　of　Justice　seal　and　followed　a　long　glass…enclosed　corridor。
　I　was　deep　in　thought　and　scarcely　cognizant　of　new　agents　in　dark　blue　and　khaki；　and　N。A。　students　in　green。　They　nodded　and　smiled　as　they　passed；　and　I　was　friendly；　too；　but　I　did　not　focus。　I　was　thinking　of　the　torso；　of　her　infirmities　and　age；　of　her　pitiful　pouch　in　the　freezer；　where　she　would　stay　for　several　years　or　until　we　knew　her　name。　I　thought　of　Keith　Pleasants；　of　deadoc；　of　saws　and　sharp　blades。
　I　smelled　Hoppes　solvent　as　I　turned　into　the　gun…cleaning　room　with　its　rows　of　black　counters　and　pressors　blasting　air　through　the　innards　of　guns。　I　could　never　smell　these　smells　or　hear　these　sounds　without　thinking　of　Wesley；　and　of　Mark。　My　heart　was　squeezed　by　feelings　too　strong　for　me　when　a　familiar　voice　called　out　my　name。
　'Looks　like　we're　heading　the　same　way；'　said　Investigator　Ring。
　Impeccably　dressed　in　navy　blue；　he　was　waiting　for　the　elevator　that　would　take　us　sixty　feet　below　ground；　where　Hoover　had　built　his　bomb　shelter。　I　switched　my　heavy　briefcase　to　my　other　hand；　and　tucked　the　box　of　slides　more　snugly　under　an　arm。
　'Good　morning；'　I　blandly　said。
　'Here；　let　me　help　with　some　of　that。'
　He　held　out　a　hand　as　elevator　doors　parted；　and　I　noticed　his　nails　were　buffed。
　'I'm　fine；'　I　said；　because　I　didn't　need　his　help。
　We　boarded；　both　of　us　staring　straight　ahead　as　we　began　the　ride　down　to　a　windowless　level　of　the　building　directly　beneath　the　indoor　firing　range。　Ring　had　sat　in　on　consultations　before；　and　he　took　copious　notes；　none　of　which　had　ended　up　in　the　news　thus　far。　He　was　too　clever　for　that。　Certainly；　if　information　divulged　during　an　FBI　consultation　was　leaked；　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　trace。　There　were　only　a　few　of　us　who　could　be　the　source。
　'I　was　rather　dismayed　by　the　information　the　press　somehow　got　access　to；'　I　said　as　we　got　out。
　'I　know　what　you　mean；'　Ring　said　with　a　sincere　face。
　He　held　open　the　door　leading　into　a　labyrinth　of　hallways　that　prised　what　once　had　begun　as　Behavioral　Science；　then　changed　to　Investigative　Support；　and　now　was　CASKU。　Names　changed；　but　the　cases　did　not。　Men　and　women　often　came　to　work　in　the　dark　and　left　after　it　was　dark　again；　spending　days　and　years　studying　the　minutiae　of　monsters；　their　every　tooth　mark　and　track　in　mud；　the　way　they　think　and　smell　and　hate。
　'The　more　information　that　gets　out　the　worse　it　is；'　Ring　went　on　as　we　approached　another　door；　leading　into　a　conference　room　where　I　spent　at　least　several　days　a　month。　'It's　one　thing　to　give　details　that　might　help　the　public　help　us　。　。　。'
　He　talked　on；　but　I　wasn't　listening。　Inside；　Wesley　was　already　sitting　at　the　head　of　a　polished　table；　his　reading　glasses　on。　He　was　going　through　large　photographs　stamped　on　the　back　with　the　name　of　the　Sussex　County　Sheriff's　Department。　Detective　Grigg　was　several　chairs　away；　a　lot　of　paperwork　in　front　of　him　as　he　studied　a　sketch　of　some　sort。　Across　from　him　was　Frankel　from　the　Violent　Criminal　Apprehension　Program；　or　VICAP；　and　at　the　other　end　of　the　table；　my　niece。　She　was　tapping　on　a　laptop　puter；　and　glanced　up　at　me　but　did　not　say　hello。
　I　took　my　usual　chair　to　the　right　of　Wesley；　opened　my　briefcase　and　began　arranging　files。　Ring　sat　on　the　other　side　of　me　and　continued　our　conversation。
　'We　got　to　accept　as　a　fact　that　this　guy　is　following　everything　in　the　news；'　he　said。　'That's　part　of　the　fun　for　him。'
　He　had　everyone's　attention；　all　eyes　on　him；　the　room　silent　except　for　his　own　sound。　He　was　reasonable　and　quiet；　as　if　his　only　mission　was　to　convey　the　truth　without　drawing　undue　attention　to　himself。　Ring　was　a　superb　con　man；　and　what　he　said　next　in　front　of　my　colleagues　incensed　me　beyond　belief。
　'For　example；　and　I　have　to　be　honest　about　this；'　he　said　to　me；　'I　just　don't　think　it　was　a　good　idea　to　give　out　the　race；　age　and　all　about　the　victim。　Now　maybe　I'm　wrong。'　He　looked　around　the　room。　'But　it　seems　like　the　less　said；　the　better　right　now。'
　'I　had　no　choice；'　I　said；　and　I　could　not　keep　the　edge　out　of　my　voice。　'Since　someone　had　already　leaked　misinformation。'
　'But　that's　always　going　to　happen；　and　I　don't　think　it　should　force　us　to　give　out　details　before　we're　ready；'　he　said　in　his　same　earnest　tone。
　'It　is　not　going　to　help　us　if　the　public　is　focused　on　a　missing　prepubescent　Asian　female。'　I　stared　at　him；　eye　to　eye；　while　everyone　else　looked　on。
　'I　agree。'　Frankel；　from　VICAP；　spoke。　'We'd　be　getting　missing　person　files　from　all　over　the　country。　An　error　like　that　has　to　be　straightened　out。'
　'An　error　like　that　never　should　have　happened　to　begin　with；'　Wesley　said；　peering　around　the　room　over　the　top　of　his　glasses；　the　way　he　did　when　he　was　in　a　humorless　mood。　'With　us　this　morning　is　Detective　Grigg　of　Sussex；　and　Special　Agent　Farinelli。'　He　looked　at　Lucy。　'She's　the　technical　analyst　for　HRT；　manages　the　Criminal　Artificial　Intelligence　Network　all　of　us　know　as　CAIN；　and　is　here　to　help　us　with　a　puter　situation。'
　My　niece　did　not　look　up　as　she　hit　more　keys；　her　face　intense。　Ring　had　her　in　his　sights；　staring　as　if　he　wanted　to　eat　her　flesh。
　'What　puter　situation？'　he　asked；　as　his　eyes　continued　to　devour　her。
　'We'll　get　to　that；'　Wesley　said；　and　briskly　moved　on。　'Let　me　summarize；　then　we'll　move　on　to　specifics。　The　victimology　in　this　most　recent　landfill　case　is　so　different　from　the　previous　four　　or　nine；　if　we　include　Ireland　　as　for　me　to　conclude　that　we　are　dealing　with　a　different　killer。　Dr　Scarpetta　is　going　to　review　her　medical　findings　which　I　think　will　make　it　abundantly　clear　that　this　M。O。　is　profoundly　atypical。'
　He　went　on；　and　we　spent　until　midday　going　over　my　reports；　diagrams　and　photographs。　I　was　asked　many　questions；　mostly　by　Grigg；　who　wanted　very　much　to　understand　every　facet　and　nuance　of　the　serial　dismemberments　so　he　could　better　discern　that　the　one　in　his　jurisdiction　was　unlike　the　rest。
　'What's　the　difference　between　someone　cutting　through　joints　and　cutting　through　the　bones？'　he　asked　me。
　'Cutting　through　joints　is　more　difficult；'　I　said。　'It　requires　knowledge　of　anatomy；　perhaps　some　previous　experience。'
　'Like　if　someone　was　a　butcher　or　maybe　worked　in　a　meat…packing　plant。'
　'Yes；'　I　replied。
　'Well；　I　guess　that　sure　would　fit　with　a　meat　saw；'　he　added。
　'Yes。　Which　is　very　different　from　an　autopsy　saw。'
　'Exactly　how？'　It　was　Ring　who　spoke。
　'A　meat　saw　is　a　hand　saw　designed　to　cut　meat；　gristle；　bone；'　I　went　on；　looking　around　at　everyone。　'Usually　about　fourteen　inches　long　with　a　very　thin　blade；　ten　chisel…type　teeth　per　inch。　It's　push　action；　requiring　some　degree