cpatricia.blacknotice-第38节

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gled　to　the　left。　It　was　this　bullet　that　had　hit　her　carotid　artery。
　　〃Did　you　recover　a　bullet？〃　I　asked　Ham：
　　〃Dug　one　out　of　the　wall　behind　the　counter；〃　he　said；　barely　able　to　look　at　me。　〃No　shell　so　far；　if　there　is　one。〃
　　There　wouldn't　be　if　she　was　shot　with　a　revolver。　Pistols　ejected　their　cartridge　cases；　which　was　about　the　only　helpful　thing　they　did　when　they　were　used　for　violence。
　　〃Where　in　the　Wall？〃　I　asked。
　　〃If　you're　facing　the　counter；　it　would　be　to　the　left　of　where　the　chair　would　have　been　if　she　was　sitting　at　the　cash　register。〃
　　〃The　exit　wound　is　also　off　to　the　left；〃　I　said。　〃If　they　were　face　to　face　when　she　was　shot；　you　may　be　looking　for　a　left…handed　shooter。〃
　　Kim　Luong's　face　was　severely　lacerated　and　crushed；　the　skin　split　and　torn　from　blows　that　had　been　made　by　some　sort　of　tool　or　tools　that　had　a　pattern　of　round　and　linear　wounds。　It　appeared　she　also　had　been　beaten　with　his　fists。　When　I　palpatéd　for　fractures；　bits　of　bone　crunched　beneath　my　fingertips。　Her　teeth　were　broken　and　pushed　in。
　　〃Hold　it　here；〃　I　directed　Marino。
　　He　moved　the　flashlight　as　I　directed　and　I　gently　turned　her　head　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　palpating　her　scalp　through　her　hair　and　checking　the　back　and　sides　of　her　neck。　She　was　covered　with　more　knuckle　bruises；　and　more　of　the　round　and　linear　injuries；　and　also　striated　abrasions　here　and　there。
　　〃Except　for　pulling　down　her　pants　to　get　her　body　temp；〃　I　said　to　Ham；　because　I　had　to　be　sure；　〃she　was　just　like　this？〃
　　〃Other　than　her　jeans　being　zipped　up　and　buttoned；　yes；　ma'am；〃　he　replied。　〃Her　sweater　and　bra　were　just　exactly　like　that。〃　He　pointed。　〃Ripped　right　down　the　middle。〃
　　〃With　his　bare　hands。〃　Marino　squatted　beside　me。　〃Damn；　he's　strong。　Doe；　she　would　have　pretty　much　been　dead　by　the　time　he　got　her　back　here；　right？〃
　　〃Not　quite。　She　still　has　tissue　response　to　her　injuries。　Some　bruising。〃
　　〃But　for　all　practical　purposes；　he's　beating　the　shit　out　of　a　dead　body；〃　Marino　said。　〃I　mean；　she　sure　as　hell　wasn't　sitting　up　and　arguing　with　him。　She　wasn't　struggling。　You　can　look　around　and　see　that。　Nothing　knocked　over　or　shoved　around。　No　bloody　footprints　going　all　over　the　place。〃
　　〃He　knew　her；〃　Anderson's　voice　was　behind　me。　〃It　had　to　be　someone　she　knew。　Otherwise　he　probably　would　have　just　shot　her　and　taken　the　money　and　run：'
　　Marino　was　still　down　beside　me；　elbows　resting　on　his　big　knees；　flashlight　dangling　from　one　hand。　He　looked　up　at　Anderson　as　if　she　had　the　intelligence　of　a　banana。
　　〃I　didn't　know　you　was　a　profiler；　too；〃　he　said。　〃You　take　some　classes　or　something？〃
　　〃Marino；　if　you　can　shine　it　right　there；〃　I　said。　〃It's　hard　to　see：'　 …The　light　illuminated　a　blood　pattern　on　the　body　that　I　hadn't　noticed　at　first　because　I　was　too　preoccupied　with　injuries。　Virtually　every　inch　of　exposed　flesh　was　smeared　with　bloody　swirls　and　strokes；　as　if　she　had　been　fingerpainted。　The　blood　was　drying　and　beginning　to　crack。　And　there　were　hairs；　the　same　long；　pale　hairs　stuck　to　her　blood。I　pointed　this　out　to　Marino。　He　bent　closer。
　　〃Quiet；〃　I　warned　him　as　I　felt　his　reaction　and　knew　what　I　was　showing　him。
　　〃Here　es　the　boss；〃　Eggleston　announced　as　he　stepped　carefully　through　the　doorway。
　　The　room　was　crowded　and　airless。　It　looked　as　if　a　thrashing　storm　had　rained　blood　upon　it。
　　〃We're　going　to　string　all　this；〃　Ham　said　to　me。
　　〃Recovered　a　cartridge　case；〃　Eggleston　happily　passed　on　to　Marino。
　　〃If　you　want　a　break；　Marino；　I'll　hold　the　flashlight　for　her。〃　Ham　was　trying　to　make　up　for　his　unpardonable　sin。
　　〃I　think　it's　fairly　obvious　she　was　lying　right　here；　immobile；　when　he　beat　her；〃　I　said；　because　I　didn't　think　stringing　was　necessary　in　this　case。
　　〃Stringing　will　tell　us　for　sure；〃　he　promised。
　　It　was　an　old　French　technique　in　which　one　end　of　a　string　was　taped　at　a　bloodstain；　and　the　other　at　the　geometrically　puted　origin　of　the　blood。　This　was　done　multiple　times；　resulting　in　a　three…dimensional　string　model　that　showed　how　many　blows　were　struck　and　where　the　victim　was　when　they　were。
　　〃There's　too　many　people　in　here；〃　I　loudly　said。
　　Sweat　was　rolling　down　Marino's　face。　I　could　feel　his　body　heat　and　smell　his　breath　as　he　worked　close　to　me。
　　〃Get　this　to　Interpol　right　away；〃　I　told　him　in　a　voice　no　one　else　could　hear。
　　〃No　kidding。〃
　　〃Speer　three…eighty。　Ever　heard　of　it？〃　Eggleston　said　to　Marino。
　　〃Yeah。　High…performance　shit。　Gold　Dot；〃　Marino　replied。　〃That　don't　fit；　at　all。〃
　　I　got　out　my　chemical　thermometer　and　set　it　on　top　of　a　box　of　paper　plates　to　get　the　ambient　temperature。
　　〃I　can　already　tell　you　what　it　is；　Doc；〃　Ham　said。　〃Seventy…five…point…nine　back　here。　It's　warm。〃
　　Marino　was　moving　the　flashlight　as　my　hands　and　eyes　moved　over　the　body。
　　〃Normal　people　don't　get　Speer　ammo；〃　he　was　saying。　〃You're　talking　ten；　eleven　bucks　for　á　box　of　twenty。　Not　to　mention；　your　gun　can't　be　a　piece　of　shit　or　the　damn　thing　will　blow　apart　in　your　hand。〃
　　〃The　gun　probably　came　off　the　street；　then。〃　Anderson　was　suddenly　next　to　me。　〃Drugs。〃
　　〃Case　solved；〃　Marino　replied。　〃Gee；　thanks；　Anderson。　Hey；　guys；　we　can　all　go　home。〃
　　I　could　smell　the　sweet；　cloying　odor　of　Kim　Luong's　blood　as　it　coagulated；　the　serum　separating　from　the　hemoglobin；　cells　breaking　down。　I　withdrew　the　chemical　thermometer　Ham　had　inserted　inside　her。　Her　core　temperature　was　88。6　degrees。　I　looked　up。　There　were　three　people　in　this　room；　not　including　Marino　and　me。　My　anger　and　frustration　continued　to　build。
　　〃We　found　her　pocketbook　and　coat；〃　Anderson　went　on。　〃Sixteen　dollars　in　her　billfold；　so　it　doesn't　look　like　he　went　in　there。　And　oh；　there　was　a　paper　bag　nearby　with　a　plastic　container　and　fork。　Looks　like　she　brought　dinner　with　her　and　warmed　it　up　in　the　microwave。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　she　warmed　it　up？〃Marino　asked。
　　Anderson　was　caught。
　　〃Putting　two　and　two　together　don't　always　make　twenty…two；〃　he　added。
　　Livor　mortis　was　in　its　early　stages。　Her　jaw　was　set；　and　the　small　muscles　of　her　neck　and　hands　were；　too。
　　〃She's　too　stiff　for　only　being　dead　a　couple　hours；〃　I　said。
　　〃What　causes　it　anyway？〃　Eggleston　asked。
　　〃Me；　too。　I've　always　wondered　that。〃
　　〃I　had　one　in　Bon　Air　one　time　。　。　：'
　　〃What　were　you　doing　in　Bon　Air？〃　asked　the　officer　taking　photographs。
　　〃It's　a　long　story。　But　this　guy　has　a　heart　attack　during　sex。　The　girlfriend　just　thinks　he's　gone　to　sleep；　right？　Wakes　up　the　next　morning　and　he's　deader　than　dirt。　She　doesn't　want　it　to　look　like　he　died　in　bed　so　she　tries　to　put　him　in　a　chair。　He　was　leaning'　against　it　like　an　ironing　board。〃
　　〃I'm　serious；　Doc。　What　causes　it？〃　Ham　asked。
　　〃I've　always　been　curious　about　that；　too。〃　Diane　Bray's　voice　came　from　the　doorway。
　　She　was　standing　there；　her　eyes　fastened　to　me　like　steel　rivets。
　　〃When　you　die；　your　body　quits；　making　adenosine　triphosphate。　That's　why　you　get　stiff；〃　I　said；　not　giving　her　a　glance。　〃Marino；　can　you　hold　her　like　this　so　I　can　get　a　picture？〃
　　He　moved　closer　to　me；　and　his　big　gloved　hands…　slid　under　her　left　side　as　I　got　my　camera。　I　took　a　photograph　of　an　injury　below　her　left　armpit；　on　the　fleshy　side　of　her　left　breast；　as　I　calculated　body　temperature　versus　ambient　temperature；　and　how　advanced　both　livor　mortis　and　rigor　mortis　were。　I　could　hear　footsteps　and　murmurs　and　someone　coughing。　I　was　sweating　behind　my　surgical　mask。
　　〃I　need　some　room；〃　I　said。
　　Nobody　moved。
　　I　looked　up　at　Bray　and　stopped　what　I　was　doing。
　　〃I　need　room；〃　I　sharply　said　to　her。　〃Get　these　people　out　of　here。〃
　　She　jerked　her　head　at　everyone　but　me。　Cops　dropped　surgical　gloves　in　a　red　biological　hazard　bag　as　they　went　out　the　door。
　　〃You　too；〃　Bray　ordered　Anderson。
　　Marino　acted　as　if　Bray　didn't　exist。　Bray　never　took　her　eyes　off　me。
　　〃I　don't　ever　want　to　walk　in　on　a　scene　like　this　again；'　I　said　to　her　as　I　worked。　〃Your　officers；　your　techs；　nobody…and　I　mean　nobody…touches　the　body　or　disturbs　it　in　any　way　before　I　get　there　or　one　of　my　medical　examiners　does。〃
　　I　looked　up　at　her。
　　〃Are　we　clear　on　that？〃　I　said　She　seemed　to　give　what　I　was　saying　thoughtful　consideration。　I　loaded　film　in　my　thirty…five…millimeter　camera。　My　eyes　were　getting　tired　because　the　light　was　bad；　and　I　took　the　flashlight　from　Marino。　I　shined　it　obliquely　on　the　area　near　the　left　breast；　and　then　on　another　area　on　the　right　shoulder。　Bray　stepped　in　closer；　brushing　against　me　to　see　what　I　was　looking　at；　and　it　was　odd　and　startling　to　smell　her　perfume　mingling　with　the　odor　of　deposing　blood。
　　〃The　crime　scene　belongs　to　us；　Kay；〃　she　said。　〃I　understand　you　haven't　had　to　work　things　that　way　in　the　past…probably　not　the　entire　time　you've　been　here　or　maybe　anywhere。　That's　what　I　was　talking　about　when　I　mentioned　：　。　。〃
　　〃That's　a　bunch　of　bullshit！〃　Marino　hurled　rude　words　in　her　face。
　　〃Captain；　you　stay　out　of　this；〃　Bray　fired　back　at　him。
　　〃You're　the　one