cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第30章

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　She　pulled　gloves　from　a　box　and　handed　a　pair　to　me。　This　was　followed　by　a　mask。
　'There's　an　extra　lab　coat　on　the　back　of　the　door；'　she　added。
　I　followed　her　into　the　small；　dark　room；　where　she　had　been　at　work　before　the　phone　had　rung。　Slipping　on　the　lab　coat；　I　found　a　chair　as　she　peered　into　a　green　phosphorescent　screen　inside　the　huge　viewing　chamber。　The　TEM　looked　more　like　an　instrument　for　oceanography　or　astronomy　than　a　normal　microscope。　The　chamber　always　reminded　me　of　the　dive　helmet　of　a　dry　suit　through　which　one　could　see　eerie；　ghostly　images　in　an　iridescent　sea。
　Through　a　thick　metal　cylinder　called　the　scope；　running　from　the　chamber　to　the　ceiling；　a　hundred…thousand…volt　beam　was　striking　my　specimen；　which　in　this　case　was　liver　that　had　been　shaved　to　a　thickness　of　six　or　seven　one…hundredths　of　a　micron。　Smears　like　the　ones　I　had　viewed　with　my　light　microscope　were　simply　too　thick　for　the　electron　beam　to　pass　through。
　Knowing　this　at　autopsy；　I　had　fixed　liver　and　spleen　sections　in　glutaraldehyde；　which　penetrated　tissue　very　rapidly。　These　I　had　sent　to　Crowder；　who　I　knew　would　eventually　have　them　embedded　in　plastic　and　cut　on　the　ultramicrotome；　then　the　diamond　knife；　before　being　mounted　on　a　tiny　copper　grid　and　stained　with　uranium　and　lead　ions。
　What　neither　of　us　had　expected　was　what　we　were　looking　at　now；　as　we　peered　into　the　chamber　at　the　green　shadow　of　a　specimen　magnified　almost　one　hundred　thousand　times。　Knobs　clicked　as　she　adjusted　intensity；　contrast　and　magnification。　I　looked　at　DNA　double…stranded；　brick…shaped　virus　particles；　two　hundred　to　two　hundred　and　fifty　nanometers　in　size。　I　stared　without　blinking　at　smallpox。
　'What　do　you　think？'　I　said；　hoping　she　would　prove　me　wrong。
　'Without　a　doubt；　it's　some　type　of　poxvirus；'　she　hedged　her　bets。　'The　question　is　which　one。　The　fact　that　the　eruptions　didn't　follow　any　nerve　pattern。　The　fact　that　chicken　pox　is　unmon　in　someone　this　old。　The　fact　that　you　may　now　have　another　case　with　these　same　manifestations　causes　me　great　concern。　Other　tests　need　to　be　done；　but　I'd　treat　this　as　a　medical　crisis。'　She　looked　at　me。　'An　international　emergency。　I'd　call　CDC。'
　'That's　just　what　I'm　going　to　do；'　I　replied；　swallowing　hard。
　'What　sense　do　you　make　of　this　being　associated　with　a　dismembered　body？'　she　asked；　making　more　adjustments　as　she　peered　into　the　chamber。
　'I　can　make　no　sense　of　it；'　I　said；　getting　up　and　feeling　weak。
　'Serial　killers　here；　in　Ireland；　raping；　chopping　people　up。'
　I　looked　at　her。
　She　sighed。　'You　ever　wish　you'd　stayed　with　hospital　pathology？'
　'The　killers　you　deal　with　are　just　harder　to　see；'　I　replied。
　
　The　only　way　to　get　to　Tangier　Island　was　by　water　or　air。　Since　there　wasn't　a　huge　tourist　business　there；　ferries　were　few　and　did　not　run　after　mid…October。　Then　one　had　to　drive　to　Crisfield；　Maryland；　or　in　my　case；　go　eighty…five　miles　to　Reedville；　where　the　Coast　Guard　was　to　pick　me　up。　I　left　the　office　as　most　people　were　thinking　about　lunch。　The　afternoon　was　raw；　the　sky　cloudy　with　a　strong　cold　wind。
　I　had　left　instructions　for　Rose　to　call　the　Centers　for　Disease　Control　and　Prevention　（CDC）　in　Atlanta；　because　every　time　I　had　tried；　I　was　put　on　hold。　She　was　also　to　reach　Marino　and　Wesley　and　let　them　know　where　I　was　going　and　that　I　would　call　as　soon　as　I　could。　I　took　64　East　to　360；　and　soon　found　myself　in　farmland。
　Fields　were　brown　with　fallow　corn；　hawks　dipping　and　soaring　in　a　part　of　the　world　where　Baptist　churches　had　names　like　Faith；　Victory　and　Zion。　Trees　wore　kudzu　like　chain　mail；　and　across　the　Rappahannock　River；　in　the　Northern　Neck；　homes　were　sprawling　old　manors　that　the　present…generation　owner　couldn't　afford　anymore。　I　passed　more　fields　and　crepe　myrtles；　and　then　the　Northumberland　Courthouse　that　had　been　built　before　the　Civil　War。
　In　Heathsville　were　cemeteries　with　plastic　flowers　and　cared…for　plots；　and　an　occasional　painted　anchor　in　a　yard。　I　turned　off　through　woods　dense　with　pines；　passing　cornfields　so　close　to　the　narrow　road；　I　could　have　reached　out　my　window　to　touch　brown　stalks。　At　Buzzard's　Point　Marina；　sailboats　were　moored　and　the　red；　white　and　blue　tour　boat；　Chesapeake　Breeze；　was　going　nowhere　until　spring。　I　had　no　trouble　parking；　and　there　was　no　one　in　the　ticket　booth　to　ask　me　for　a　dime。
　Waiting　for　me　at　the　dock　was　a　white　Coast　Guard　boat。　Guardsmen　wore　bright　orange　and　blue　antiexposure　coveralls；　known　as　mustang　suits；　and　one　of　the　men　was　climbing　up　on　the　pier。　He　was　more　senior　than　the　others；　with　dark　eyes　and　hair；　and　a　nine…millimeter　Beretta　on　his　hip。
　'Dr　Scarpetta？'　He　carried　his　authority　easily；　but　it　was　there。
　'Yes；'　I　said；　and　I　had　several　bags；　including　a　heavy　hard　case　containing　my　microscope　and　MicroCam。
　'Let　me　help　with　those。'　He　held　out　his　hand。　'I'm　Ron　Martinez；　the　station　chief　at　Crisfield。'
　'Thanks。　I　really　appreciate　this；'　I　said。
　'Hey；　so　do　we。'
　The　gap　between　the　pier　and　the　forty…foot　patrol　boat　yawned　and　narrowed　as　the　surge　pushed　the　boat　against　the　pier。　Grabbing　the　rail；　I　boarded。　Martinez　went　down　a　steep　ladder；　and　I　followed　him　into　a　hold　packed　with　rescue　equipment；　fire　hoses　and　huge　coils　of　rope；　the　air　heavy　with　diesel　fumes。　He　tucked　my　belongings　in　a　secure　spot　and　tied　them　down。　Then　he　handed　me　a　mustang　suit；　life　vest　and　gloves。
　'You're　going　to　need　to　put　these　on；　in　case　you　go　in。　Not　a　pretty　thought　but　it　can　happen。　The　water's　maybe　in　the　fifties。'　His　eyes　lingered　on　me。　'You　might　want　to　stay　down　here；'　he　added　as　the　boat　knocked　against　the　pier。
　'I　don't　get　seasick　but　I　am　claustrophobic；'　I　told　him　as　I　sat　on　a　narrow　ledge　and　took　off　my　boots。
　'Wherever　you　want；　but　it's　gonna　be　rough。'
　He　climbed　back　up　as　I　began　struggling　into　the　suit；　which　was　an　exercise　in　zippers　and　Velcro；　and　filled　with　polyvinyl　chloride　to　keep　me　alive　a　little　longer　should　the　boat　capsize。　I　put　my　boots　back　on；　then　the　life　vest；　with　its　knife　and　whistle；　signal　mirror　and　flares。　I　climbed　back　up　to　the　cabin　because　there　was　no　way　I　was　going　to　stay　down　there。　The　crew　shut　the　engine　cover　on　deck；　and　Martinez　strapped　himself　into　the　pilot's　chair。
　'Wind's　blowing　out　of　the　northwest　at　twenty…two　knots；'　a　guardsman　said。　'Waves　cresting　at　four　feet。'
　Martinez　began　pulling　away　from　the　pier。　'That's　the　problem　with　the　bay；'　he　said　to　me。　'The　waves　are　too　close　together　so　you　never　get　a　good　rhythm　like　you　do　at　sea。　I'm　sure　you're　aware　that　we　could　get　diverted。　There's　no　other　patrol　boat　out；　so　something　goes　down　out　here；　there's　no　one　but　us。'
　We　began　slowly　passing　old　homes　with　widow's　walks　and　bowling　greens。
　'Someone　needs　rescuing；　we　got　to　go；'　he　went　on　as　a　member　of　the　crew　checked　instruments。
　I　watched　a　fishing　boat　go　past；　an　old　man　in　hip…high　boots　standing　as　he　steered　the　outboard　motor。　He　stared　at　us　as　if　we　were　poison。
　'So　you　could　end　up　on　anything。'　Martinez　enjoyed　making　this　point。
　'It　wouldn't　be　the　first　time；'　I　said　as　I　began　to　detect　a　very　revolting　smell。
　'But　one　way　or　another；　we'll　get　you　there；　like　we　did　the　other　doctor。　Never　did　get　his　name。　How　long　have　you　worked　for　him？'
　'Dr　Hoyt　and　I　go　way　back；'　I　said　blandly。
　Ahead　were　rusting　fisheries　with　rising　smoke；　and　as　we　got　close　I　could　see　moving　conveyor　belts　tilted　steeply　toward　the　sky；　carrying　millions　of　menhaden　in　to　be　processed　for　fertilizer　and　oil。　Gulls　circled　and　waited　greedily　from　pilings；　watching　the　tiny；　stinking　fish　go　by　as　we　passed　other　factories　that　were　ruins　of　brick　crumbling　into　the　creek。　The　stench　now　was　unbearable；　and　I　was　certainly　more　stoical　than　most。
　'Cat　food；'　a　guardsman　said；　making　a　face。
　'Talk　about　cat　breath。'
　'No　way　I'd　live　around　here。'
　'Fish　oil's　real　valuable。　The　Algonquin　Indians　used　cogies　to　fertilize　their　corn。'
　'What　the　hell's　a　cogy？'　Martinez　asked。
　'Another　name　for　those　nasty　little　suckers。　Where'd　you