cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第7章

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erybody's　cheating。　He　brought　a　girl　the　last　time。'　He　shook　his　head。　'She　bowled　like　the　damn　Flintstones；　dressed　like　them；　too。　In　this　leopard…skin　thing。　All　that　was　missing　was　a　bone　in　her　hair。　Well；　tell　him　we'll　talk。'
　He　walked　off；　his　keys　jingling。
　'Detective　Grigg；　thanks　for　your　help；'　I　said。
　He　gave　me　a　nod　and　climbed　into　his　Caprice。
　
　When　I　designed　my　house；　I　made　sure　the　laundry　room　was　directly　off　the　garage　because　after　working　scenes　like　this　one；　I　did　not　want　to　track　death　through　the　rooms　of　my　private　life。　Within　minutes　of　my　getting　out　of　my　car；　my　clothes　were　in　the　washing　machine；　shoes　and　boots　in　an　industrial　sink；　where　I　scrubbed　them　with　detergent　and　a　stiff　brush。
　Wrapping　up　in　a　robe　I　kept　hanging　on　the　back　of　the　door；　I　headed　to　the　master　bedroom　and　took　a　long；　hot　shower。　I　was　worn　out　and　discouraged。　Right　now；　I　did　not　have　the　energy　to　imagine　her；　or　her　name；　or　who　she　had　been；　and　I　pushed　images　and　odors　from　my　mind。　I　fixed　myself　a　drink　and　a　salad；　staring　dismally　at　the　big　bowl　of　Halloween　candy　on　the　counter　as　I　thought　of　plants　waiting　to　be　potted　on　the　porch。　Then　I　called　Marino。
　'Listen；'　I　said　to　him　when　he　answered　the　phone。　'I　think　Benton　should　be　here　for　this　in　the　morning。'
　There　was　a　long　pause。　'Okay；'　he　said。　'Meaning　you　want　me　to　tell　him　to　get　his　ass　to　Richmond。　Versus　your　telling　him。'
　'If　you　wouldn't　mind。　I'm　beat。'　'No　problem。　What　time？'
　'Whenever　he　wants。　I'll　be　down　there　all　day。'
　I　went　back　to　the　office　in　my　house　to　check　e…mail　before　I　went　to　bed。　Lucy　rarely　called　when　she　could　use　the　puter　to　tell　me　how　and　where　she　was。　My　niece　was　an　FBI　agent；　the　technical　specialist　for　their　Hostage　Rescue　Team；　or　HRT。　She　could　be　sent　anywhere　in　the　world　at　a　moment's　notice。
　Like　a　fretful　mother；　I　found　myself　frequently　checking　for　messages　from　her；　dreading　the　day　her　pager　went　off；　sending　her　to　Andrews　Air　Force　Base　with　the　boys；　to　board　yet　another　C…141　cargo　plane。　Stepping　around　stacks　of　journals　waiting　to　be　read　and　thick　medical　tomes　that　I　recently　had　bought　but　had　not　yet　shelved；　I　sat　at　my　desk。　My　office　was　the　most　lived…in　room　in　my　house；　and　I　had　designed　it　with　a　fireplace　and　large　windows　overlooking　a　rocky　bend　in　the　James　River。
　Logging　on　to　America　Online；　or　AOL；　I　was　greeted　by　a　mechanical　male　voice　announcing　that　I　had　mail。　I　had　e…mail　about　various　cases；　trials；　professional　meetings　and　journal　articles；　and　one　message　from　someone　I　did　not　recognize。　His　user　name　was　deadoc。　Immediately；　I　was　uneasy。　There　was　no　description　of　what　this　person　had　sent；　and　when　I　opened　what　he　had　written　to　me；　it　simply　said；　ten。
　A　graphic　file　had　been　attached；　and　I　downloaded　and　depressed　it。　An　image　began　to　materialize　on　my　screen；　rolling　down　in　color；　one　band　of　pixels　at　a　time。　I　realized　I　was　looking　at　a　photograph　of　a　wall　the　color　of　putty；　and　the　edge　of　a　table　with　some　sort　of　pale　blue　cover　on　it　that　was　smeared　and　pooled　with　something　dark　red。　Then　a　ragged；　gaping　red　wound　was　painted　on　the　screen；　followed　by　flesh　tones　that　became　bloody　stumps　and　nipples。
　I　stared　in　disbelief　as　the　horror　was　plete；　and　I　grabbed　the　phone。
　'Marino；　I　think　you'd　better　get　over　here；'　I　said　in　a　scared　tone。
　'What's　wrong？'　he　said；　alarmed。
　'There's　something　here　you　need　to　see。'
　'Are　you　okay？'
　'I　don't　know。'
　'Sit　tight；　Doc。'　He　took　charge。　'I'm　ing。'
　I　printed　the　file　and　saved　it　on　my　A　drive；　fearful　it　would　somehow　vanish　before　my　eyes。　While　I　waited　for　Marino；　I　dimmed　the　lights　in　my　office　to　make　details　and　colors　brighter。　My　mind　ran　in　a　terrible　loop　as　I　stared　at　the　butchery；　the　blood　forming　a　vile　portrait　that　for　me；　ordinarily；　wasn't　rare。　Other　physicians；　scientists；　lawyers　and　law　enforcement　officers　frequently　sent　me　photographs　like　this　over　the　Internet。　Routinely；　I　was　asked；　via　e…mail；　to　examine　crime　scenes；　organs；　wounds；　diagrams；　even　animated　reconstructions　of　cases　about　to　go　to　court。
　This　photograph　could　easily　have　been　one　sent　by　a　detective；　a　colleague。　It　could　have　e　from　a　monwealth's　Attorney　or　CASKU。　But　there　was　one　thing　obviously　wrong。　So　far　we　had　no　crime　scene　in　this　case；　only　a　landfill　where　the　victim　had　been　dumped；　and　the　trash　and　tattered　bag　that　had　been　around　her。　Only　the　killer　or　someone　else　involved　in　the　crime　could　have　sent　this　file　to　me。
　Fifteen　minutes　later；　at　almost　midnight；　my　doorbell　rang；　and　I　jumped　out　of　my　chair。　I　ran　down　the　hall　to　let　Marino　in。
　'What　the　hell　is　it　now？'　he　said　right　off。
　He　was　sweating　in　a　gray　Richmond　police　tee　shirt　that　was　tight　over　his　big　body　and　gut；　and　baggy　shorts　and　athletic　shoes　with　tube　socks　pulled　up　to　his　calves。　I　smelled　stale　sweat　and　cigarettes。
　'e　on；'　I　said。
　He　followed　me　down　the　hall　into　my　office；　and　when　he　saw　what　was　on　the　puter　screen；　he　sat　in　my　chair；　scowling　as　he　stared。
　'Is　this　what　the　shit　I　think　it　is？'　he　said。
　'Appears　the　photograph　was　taken　where　the　body　was　dismembered。'　I　was　not　used　to　having　anyone　in　the　private　place　where　I　worked；　and　I　could　feel　my　anxiety　level　rise。
　'This　is　what　you　found　today。'
　'What　you're　looking　at　was　taken　shortly　after　death；'　I　said。　'But　yes；　this　is　the　torso　from　the　landfill。'
　'How　do　you　know？'　Marino　said。
　His　eyes　were　fastened　to　the　screen；　and　he　adjusted　my　chair。　Then　his　big　feet　shoved　books　on　the　floor　as　he　made　himself　more　fortable。　When　he　picked　up　files　and　moved　them　to　another　corner　of　my　desk；　I　couldn't　stand　it　any　longer。
　'I　have　things　where　I　want　them；'　I　pointedly　said　as　I　returned　the　files　to　their　original　messy　space。
　'Hey；　chill　out；　Doc；'　he　said　as　if　it　didn't　matter。　'How　do　we　know　that　this　thing　ain't　a　hoax？'
　Again；　he　moved　the　files　out　of　his　way；　and　now　I　was　really　irritated。
　'Marino；　you're　going　to　have　to　get　up；'　I　said。　'I　don't　let　anybody　sit　at　my　desk。　You're　making　me　crazy。'
　He　shot　me　an　angry　look　and　got　up　out　of　my　chair。　'Hey；　do　me　a　favor。　Next　time　call　somebody　else　when　you　got　a　problem。'
　'Try　to　be　sensitive　。　。　。'
　He　cut　me　off；　losing　his　temper。　'No。　You　be　sensitive　and　quit　being　such　a　friggin'　fussbudges。　No　wonder　you　and　Wesley　got　problems。'
　'Marino；'　I　warned；　'you　just　crossed　a　line　and　better　stop　right　there。'
　He　was　silent；　looking　around；　sweating。
　'Let's　get　back　to　this。'　I　sat　in　my　chair；　readjusting　it。　'I　don't　think　this　is　a　hoax；　and　I　believe　it's　the　torso　from　the　landfill。'
　'Why？'　He　would　not　look　at　me；　hands　in　his　pockets。
　'Arms　and　legs　are　severed　through　the　long　bones；　not　the　joints。'　I　touched　the　screen。　'There　are　other　similarities。　It's　her；　unless　another　victim　with　a　similar　body　type　has　been　killed　and　dismembered　in　the　same　manner；　and　we've　not　found　her　yet。　And　I　don't　know　how　someone　could　have　perpetrated　a　hoax　like　this　without　knowing　how　the　victim　was　dismembered。　Not　to　mention；　this　case　hasn't　hit　the　news　yet。'
　'Shit。'　His　face　was　deep　red。　'So；　is　there　something　like　a　return　address？'
　'Yes。　Someone　on　AOL　with　the　name　D…E…A…D…O…C。'
　'As　in　Dead…Doc？'　He　was　intrigued　enough　to　forget　his　mood。
　'I　can　only　assume。　The　message　was　one　word：　ten。'
　'That's　it？'
　'In　lowercase　letters。'
　He　looked　at　me；　thinking。　'You　count　the　ones　in　Ireland；　this　is　number　ten。　You　got　a　copy　of　this　thing？'
　'Yes。　And　the　Dublin　cases　and　their　possible　connection　to　the　first　four　here　have　been　in　the　news。'　I　handed　him　a　printout。　'Anybody　could　know　about　it。'
　'Don't　matter。　Assuming　this　is　the　same　killer　and　he's　just　struck　again；　he　knows　damn　well　how　many　he's　killed；'　he　said。　'But　what　I'm　not　getting　is　how　he　knew　where　to　send　this　file　to　you？'
　'My　address　in　AOL　wouldn't　be　hard　to　guess。　It's　my　name。'
　'Jesus；　I　can't　believe　you　would　do　that；'　he　erupted　again。　'That's　like　using　your　date　of　birth　for　your　burglar　alarm　code。'