cpatricia.blacknotice-第40节

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n　Miami　when　my　father　was　dying；　knitting　endless　scarves　for　the　poor　in　some　cold　place。　Not　a　single　car　went　by。　I　called　Rita　at　the　guard　booth。　She　didn't　answer。
　　My　eyes　blurred　as　I　tried　to　drift　off　again　at　3：00　A。M。　Tree　branches　cracked　like　guns　going　off；　and　in　the　distance　a　train　lumbered　along　the　river。　Its　forlorn　horn　seemed　to　set　the　pitch　for　a　percussion　of　screeching；　clanking　and　rumbling　that　made　me　more　uneasy。　I　lay　in　the　dark；　a　forter　wrapped　around　me；　and　when　daylight　bruised　the　horizon；　the　power　came　back　on。　Marino　called　minutes　later。
　　〃What　time　you　want　me　to　pick　you　up？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　hoarse　from　sleep。
　　〃Pick　me　up　for　what？〃　I　blearily　walked　into　the　kitchen　to　make　coffee。　 ‘
　　〃Work。〃
　　I　didn't　have　a　clue　what　he　was　talking　about。
　　〃You　looked　out　the　window；　Doc？〃　he　asked。　〃No　way　you're　going　anywhere　in　that　Nazi…mobile　of　yours。〃
　　〃I've　told　you　not　to　say　that。　It's　not　funny。〃
　　I　went　to　the　window　and　opened　the　blinds。　The　world　was　rock　candy　and　glass　coating　every　shrub　and　tree。　Grass　was　a　thick；　stiff　carpet。　Icicles　bared；　long　teeth　from　the　eaves；　and　I　knew　my　car　wasn't　going　anywhere　anytime　soon。
　　〃Oh；〃　I　said。　〃I　guess　I　need　a　ride：'
　　Marino's　big　truck　with　its　big　chains　churned　up　Richmond's　roads　for　almost　an　hour　before　we　reached　my　office。　There　wasn't　another　car　in　the　lot。　We　carefully　made　our　way　into　the　building；　our　feet　almost　going　out　from　under　us　several　times　because　the　pavement　was　glazed　and　we　were　the　first　to　challenge　it。　I　draped　my　coat　over　my　chair　in　my　office　and　both　of　us　headed　to　the　locker　rooms　to　change。
　　The　rescue　squad　had　used　a　transportable　autopsy　table　so　we　didn't　have　to　lift　the　body　off　a　gurney。We　unzipped　the　pouch　in　the　vast　silence　of　this　empty　theater　of　death　and　opened　the　bloody　sheets。　Under　the　scrutiny　of　overhead　diffused　light；　her　wounds　looked　even　more　terrible。　I　pulled　a　fluorescent　magnifying　lamp　closer；　adjusting　its　arm　and　peering　through　the　lens。Her　magnified　skin　was　a　desert　of　dried；　cracked　blood　and　canyons　of　gashes　and　gaping　wounds。　I　collected　hairs；　dozens　of　them；　those　pale　blond；　baby…fine　hairs。　Most　were　six　or　seven　or　eight　inches　long。　They　adhered　to　her　belly；　shoulders　and　breasts。　I　didn't　find　any　on　her　face；　and　I　placed　the　hairs　inside　a　paper　envelope　to　keep　them　dry。Hours　were　thieves　slipping　past；　stealing　the　morning；　and　no　matter　how　hard　I　tried　to　find　an　explanation　for　the　ripped　tightly　knit　sweater　and　underwire　bra；　there　wasn't　another　one　except　the　truth。　The　killer　had　done　it　with　his　bare　hands。
　　〃I've　never　seen　anything　quite　like　that；〃　I　said。　〃You're　talking　about　incredible　strength。〃
　　〃Maybe　he's　on　cocaine　or　angel　dust　or　something；〃　Marino　said。　〃That　might　explain　what　he　did　to　her；　too。　It　might　also　account　for　the　Gold　Dot　ammo；　you　know；　if　he's　doing　drug　deals　ón　the　street。〃
　　〃I　think　that's　the　ammo　Lucy　said　something　about；〃　I　seemed　to　recall。
　　〃Hot　shit　on　the　street；〃　Marino　said。　〃Big　with　dopers。〃
　　〃If　he　was　wacked　out　on　drugs；〃　I　pointed　out　as　I　placed　fibers　in　another　envelope；　〃then　it　strikes　me　as　rather　improbable　his　thinking　would　be　so　organized。　He　put　out　the　closed　sign；　locked　the　door；　didn't　go　out　the　back　armed　door　until　he　was　ready。　And　maybe　washed　up。〃
　　〃No　evidence　he　did；〃　Marino　let　me　know。　〃Nothing　in　the　drains　or　sink　or　toilet。　No　bloody　paper　towels。　No　nothing。　Not　even　on　the　door　he　opened　on　his　way　out　of　the　storeroom；　so　what　I'm　thinking　is　he　used　somethingmaybe　part　of　his　clothing；　a　paper　towel；　who　knows…to　open　the　door　with　so　he　didn't　get　blood　or　prints　on　the　knob。〃
　　〃That's　not　exactly　disorganized。　Not　the　actions　of　someone　under　the　influence　of　drugs。〃
　　〃I'd　rather　think　he　was　on　drugs；〃　Marino　said　ominously。　〃The　alternative's　a　really　bad　one；　I　mean　if　he's　the　Incredible　Hulk　or　something。　I　wish。　。　：'
　　He　stopped　himself　and　I　knew　he　was　about　to　say　he　wished　Benton　were　here　to　offer　his　experienced　opinion。　Yet　it　was　so　easy　to　depend　on　someone　else　when　not　all　theories　required　an　expert。　Every　scene　and　every　wound　resonated　the　emotion　of　the　crime；　and　this　homicide　was　frenzied　and　it　was　sexual　and　it　was　rage。　That　became　only　more　apparent　when　I　found　large　irregular　areas　of　contusion。　When　I　looked　at　them　through　a　lens　I　saw　small；　curvilinear　marks。
　　〃Bite　marks；〃　I　said。
　　Marino　came　over　to　look。
　　〃What's　left　of　them。　Beaten　with　blunt　force；〃　I　added。
　　I　moved　the　light　around；　looking　for　more　and　found　two　on　the　side　of　her　right　palm　and　one　on　the　bottom　of　her　left　foot　and　two　on　the　bottom　of　the　right。
　　〃Jesus；〃　Marino　muttered　in　an　unnerved　tone　I　rarely　heard。
　　He　moved　from　the　wounded　hands　to　the　feet；　staring。
　　〃What　the　hell　are　we　dealing　with；　Doc？〃。he　asked。
　　All　of　the　bite　marks　were　contused　so　badly　I　could　。　make　out　the　abrasions　of　teeth　but　nothing　more。　The　indentations　needed　for　casting　had　been　eradicated。　Nothing　was　going　to　assist　us。　There　was　too　little　left　to　ever　make　a　match。
　　I　swabbed　for　saliva　and　began　taking　one…by…one　photographs　as　I　tried　to　imagine　what　biting　palms　and　soles　might　mean　to　whoever　had　killed　her。　Did　he　know　her；　after　all？　Were　her　hands　and　feet　symbolic　to　him；　a　reminder　of　who　she　was；　just　as　her　face　had　been？
　　〃So　he　ain't　totally　ignorant　about　evidence；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃It　appears　he　knows　bite　marks　can　identify　someone；〃　I　replied　as　I　used　a　spray　hose　to　wash　off　the　body。
　　〃Bnrrr；〃　Marino…　shivered。　〃That　always　makes　me　cold。〃
　　〃She　doesn't　feel　it：'
　　〃I　hope　like　hell　she　didn't　feel　any　of　what's　happened　to　her。〃
　　〃I　think　by　the　time　he　started　in；　she　was　already　dead　or　close　to　dead；　thank　you；　Lord；〃　I　said。
　　Her　autopsy　revealed　something　else　to　add　to　the　horror。　The　bullet　that　had　entered　Kim　Luong's　neck　and　hit　her　carotid　had　also　bruised　her　spinal　cord　between　the　fifth　and　sixth　cervical　disks；　instantly　paralyzing　her。　She　could　breathe　and　talk　but　not　move　as　he　dragged　her　down　the　aisle；　her　blood　sweeping　shelves；　her…useless　arms　spread　wide；　limp；　unable　to　clutch　the　wound　in　her　neck。　In　my　mind　I　saw　the　terror　in　her　eyes。　I　heard　her　whimper　as　she　wondered　what　he　was　going　to　do　to　her　next；　as　she　watched　herself　die。
　　〃Goddamn　bastard！〃　I　said。
　　〃I'm　sorry　as　fucking　hell　they　switched　to　lethal　injection；〃　Marino　said　in　a　hard；　hateful　voice。　〃Assholes　like　this　ought　to　fry。　They　ought　'to　choke　on　cyanide　gas　till　their　fucking　eyes　pop　out。　Instead；　we　send　them　off　to　a　nice　little　nap。〃
　　I　swiftly　ran　the　scalpel　from　the　clavicles　to　the　sternum　and　down　to　the　pelvis　in　the　usual　incision　shaped　like　a　Y　Marino　was　quiet　for　a　moment。
　　〃You　think　you　could　stick　that　needle　in　his　arm；　Doc？　You　think　you　could　turn　on　the　gas　or　strap　him　in　the　chair　and　hit　the　switch？〃
　　I　didn't　reply。
　　〃I　think　about　that　a　lot；〃　he　went　on。
　　〃I　wouldn't　think　about　it　too　much；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　know　you　could　do　it。〃　He　wouldn't　let　it　rest。　〃And　you　know　what　else；　I　think　you'd　like　it　but　just　won't　admit　it；　not　even　to　yourself　Sometimes　I　really　want　to　kill　someone。〃
　　I　glanced　up　at　him；　blood　speckling　my　face　shield　and　saturating　the　long　sleeves　of　my　gown。
　　〃Now　you're　really　worrying　me；〃　I　said；　and　I　meant　it。
　　〃See；　I　think　a　lot　of　people　feel　that　way　and　just　won't　admit　it。〃
　　Her　heart　and　lungs　were　within　normal　limits。
　　〃I　think　most　people　don't　feel　that　way。〃
　　Marino　was　getting　more　belligerent；　as　if　his　rage　over　what　had　been　done　to　Kim　Luong　made　him　feel　as　powerless　as　she　had　been。
　　〃I　think　Lucy　feels　that　way；〃　he　said。
　　I　glanced　up　at　him；　refusing　to　believe　it。
　　〃I　think　she　just　waits　for　an　opportunity。　And　if　she　don't　get　that　out　of　her　system；　she's　gonna　end　up　waiting　tables。〃
　　〃Be　quiet；　Marino：〃
　　'Truth　hurts；　don't　it？　Least　I　admit　it。　Take　the　asshole　who　did　this。　Me？　I'd　like　to　handcuff　him　to　a　chair；　shackle　his　ankles　and　put　the　barrel　of　my　pistol　in　his　mouth　and　ask　him　if　he　had　an　orthodontist　because　he　was　about　to　need　one。〃
　　Her　spleen；　kidneys；　liver　were　within　normal　limits。
　　〃Then　I'd　stick　it　against　his　eye；　tell　him　to　take　a　look　and　let　me　know　if　I　needed　to　clean　the　inside　of　the　barrel。〃
　　Inside　her　stomach　were　what　appeared　to　be　remnants　of　chicken；　rice　and　vegetables；　and　I　thought　of　the　container　and　fork　that　had　been　found　in　a　paper　bag　near　her　pocketbook　and　coat。
　　〃Hell；　maybe　I'd　just　backup　like　I'm　on　the　fucking　firing　range　and　use　him　as　a　target；　see　how　much　he　liked。　。　：　'
　　〃Stop　it！〃　I　said。
　　He　shut　up。
　　〃Goddamn　it；　Marino。　What's　gotten　into　you？〃　I　asked；　scalpel　in　one　hand；　forceps　in　the　other。
　　He　was　quiet　for　a　while；　our　silence　heavy　as　I　worked　and　kept　him　busy　with　various　tasks。
　　Then　he　said；　〃The　woman　who　ran　up　to　the　ambulance　last　night　is　a　friend　of　Kim's；　works　as　a　waitress　at　Shoney's；　was　taking　night　classes　at　VCU。