cpatricia.blacknotice-第42节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃Spare　me　the　analogies；　Larry。　I'm　confused　enough。〃
　　〃So　how　do　you　explain　it？〃
　　〃I　can　only　offer　a　scenario。〃
　　〃Fire　away。〃
　　〃He　might　have　only　freshwater　diatoms　in　his　hair；if　his　head　were　immersed　in　fresh　water；〃　I　said。　〃If　he　were　put　。headfirst　inside　a　barrel　with　fresh　water　in　the　bottom；　for　example。　You　do　that　to　somebody；　they　can't　get　out；　just　like　toddlers　who　fall　headfirst　into　buckets　of　waterthose　five…gallon　plastic　kind　detergent　corRes　in。　Waisthigh　and　very　stable。　Impossible　to　topple　it　over。　Or　he　could　have　been　drowned　in　a　normal…size　bucket　of　fresh　water　if　someone　held　him　down。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　have　nightmares；〃　Posner　said。
　　〃Don't　stay　here　until　the　roads　start　freezing　again；〃　I　said。
　　Marino　gave　me　a　ride　home；　and　I　took　the　jar　of　formalin　with　me　because　I　would　not　give　up　hope　that　the　flesh　inside　it　had　something　else　to　say。　I　would　keep　it　on　my　desk　in　my　study　and　now　and　then　put　on　gloves　and　study　it　in　sidelight　like　an　archaeologist　trying　to　read　crude　symbols　worn　away　on　stone。
　　〃You　ing　in？〃　I　asked　Marino。
　　〃You　know；　my　damn　pager　keeps　going　off　and　I　can't　figure　out　who　it　is；〃　he　said；　shoving　his　truck　in　gear。
　　He　held　it　up　and　squinted。
　　〃Maybe　if　you　turned　on　the　overhead　light：'　I　suggested。
　　〃Probably　some　snitch　too　stoned　to　dial　right；〃　he　replied。。　〃I'll　eat　something　if　you're　offering。　Then　I　gotta　go。〃
　　As　we　stepped　inside　my　house；　his　pager　vibrated　again。　He　grabbed　it　off　his　belt　in　exasperation；　tilting　it　until　he　could　read　the　display。
　　〃Screwed　up　again！　What's　five…three…one？　Anything　you　know　that's　got　those　numbers　in　it？〃　he　asked；　exasperated。
　　〃Rose's　home　number　does；〃　I　said。
　　　
　　　27
　　Rose　had　grieved　when　her　husband　died；　and　I　thought　t　she　would　fall　apart　when　she'd　had　to　put　down　one　of　her　greyhounds。　Yet　somehow　she'd　always　worn　her　dignity　the　sate　way　she　dressed；　properly　and　with　discretion。　But　when　she　learned　on　the　news　that　morning　that　Kim　Luong　had　been　murdered；　Rose　got　hysterical。
　　〃If　only；　if　only。　。　。　；〃　she　went　on　and　on；　crying　in　the　wing　chair　near　the　fire　in　her　small　apartment。
　　〃Rose；　you　got　to　quit　saying　that；〃　Marino　said。
　　She　had　known　Kim　Luong　because　Rose　often　shopped　at　the　Quik　Cary。　Rose　had　gone　there　last　night；　probably　at　the　same　time　the　killer　was　still　inside　beating　and　biting　and　smearing　blood。　Thank　God　the　store　had　been　closed　and　locked。
　　I　carried　two　mugs　of　ginseng　tea　into　her　living　room　while　Marino　drank　coffee。　Rose　was　shaking　all　over；　face　swollen　from　crying　and　gray　hair　hanging　over　the　collar　of　her　bathrobe。　She　looked　like　a　neglected　old　woman　in　a　nursing　home。
　　〃I　didn't　have　the　TV　on。　I　was　reading。　So　I　didn't　know　about　it　until　I　heard　it　on　the　news　this　morning。〃　She　kept　telling　us　the　same　story　in　different　ways。　〃I　had　no　idea；　was　sitting　up　in　bed　reading　and　worrying　about　all　the　problems　in　the　office。　Mainly　Chuck。　I　think　that　boy's　as　twisted　as　they　e　and　I've　been　working　to　show　it。〃
　　I　set　down　her　tea。
　　〃Rose；〃　Marino　said。　〃We　can　talk　about　Chuck　another　time。　We　need　you　to　tell　us　exactly　what　happened　last。。。〃
　　〃But　you've　got　to　listen　to　me　first！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃And　Captain　Marino；　you've　got　to　make　Dr。　Scarpetta　listen！　That　boy　hates　her！　He　hates　all　three　of　us。　I'm　trying　to　tell　you；　you　must　do　anything　to　get　rid　of　him　before　it's　too　late。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　take　care　of　it　as　soon　as　。　。　。〃　I　started　to　say。
　　But　she　was　shaking　her　head。
　　〃He's　pure　evil。　I　believe　he's　been　following　me；　or　at　least　someone　involved　with　him；〃　she　claimed。　〃Maybe　even　that　car　you　saw　in　my　parking　lot　and　the　one　following　you。　How　do　you　know　it　wasn't　him　who　rented　it　under　a　phony　name　so　he　didn't　have　to　use　his　car　and　be　recognized　right　away？　How　do　you　know　it's　not　whoever　he　might　be　involved　with？〃
　　〃Whoa；　whoa；　whoa；〃　Marino　interrupted　her；　holding　up　his　hand。　〃Why　would　he　follow　anybody？〃
　　〃Drugs；〃　she　answered　as　if　she　knew　it　for　a　fact。　〃This　past　Monday　we　had　an　overdose　case　e　in；　and　it　just　so　happened　I　decided　to　e　in　an　hour　and　a　half　early　because　I　was　going　to　take　a　long　lunch　break　to　get　my　hair　done。〃
　　I　didn't　believe　that　Rose　just　happened　to　e　in　early。　I　had　asked　her　to　help　me　find　out　what　Ruffin　was　up　to；　and　of　course；　she　had　made　that　her　mission。
　　〃You　were　out　that　day；〃　she　said　to　me。　〃And　you　had　misplaced　your　appointment　book　and　we　looked　everywhere　with　no　luck。　So　by　Monday　I　was　obsessed　with　finding　it　because　I　knew　how　much　you　need　it。　I　thought　I'd　check　the　morgue　again。
　　〃And　I　went　in　there　before　I'd　even　taken　my　coat　off；〃　she　went　on；　〃and　here's　Chuck　at　six…forty…five　in　the　morning　sitting　at　a　desk　with　the　pill　counter　and　dozens　of　bottles　lined　up。　Well；　he　looked　as　if　I'd　just　caught　him　with　his　pants　down。　I　asked　him　why　he　was　getting　started　so　early；　and　he　said　it　was　going　to　be　a　busy　day　and　he　was　trying　to　get　a　head　start。〃
　　〃Was　his　car　in　the　parking　lot？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃He　parks　in　the　deck；〃　I　explained。　〃His　car　wouldn't　be　visible　from　our　building。〃
　　〃The　drugs　were　from　Dr。　Fielding's　case；〃　Rose　resumed；　〃and　out　of　curiosity　I　looked　at　the　report。　Well；　the　woman　had　about　every　drug　known　to　man。　Tranquilizers；　antidepressants；　narcotics。　A　total　of　some　thirteen　hundred　pills；　if　you　can　believe　that。〃
　　〃Unfortunately；　I　can；〃　I　said。
　　Overdoses　and　suicides　typically　came　to　us　with　months；　even　years；　of　prescription　drugs。　Codeine；　Percocet；　morphine；　methadone；　PDC；　Valium　and　fentanyl　patches　to　name　a　few。　It　was　an　unbearably　tedious　task　to　count　them　to　see　how　many　were　supposed　to　have　been　in　the　bottle　and　how　many　were　left。
　　〃So　he's　stealing　pills　instead　of　washing　them　down　the　sink；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃I　can't　prove　it；〃　Rose　replied。　〃But　Monday　wasn't　god…awful　busy　like　it　usually　is。　The　overdose　was　the　only　case。　Chuck　avoided　me　as　much　as　he　could　after　that；　and　every　time　drugs　came　in　with　cases；　I　wondered　if　they'd　gone　in　his　pocket　instead　of　down　the　drain。〃
　　〃We　can　hook　up　a　VCR　where　he's　not　going　to　see　it。　You've　already　got　cameras　down　there。　If　he's　doing　it；　we'll　get　him；〃　Marino　promised。
　　〃That　on　top　of　everything　else；〃　I　said。　〃The　press　about　that　would　be　awful。　It　might　even　go　out　on　the　wire；　especially　if　an　investigative　reporter　started　digging　and　found　out　about　my　alleged　refusal　to　take　calls　from　families；　and　the　chat　room；　and　even　the　subterfuge　of　running　into　Bray　in　a　parking　lot。〃
　　Paranoia　pushed　against　my　chest　and　I　took　a　deep　breath。　Marino　was　watching　me。
　　〃You're　not　thinking　Bray's　got　something　to　do　with　this；〃　Marino　said；　skeptically。
　　〃Only　in　the　sense　that　she　helped　put　Chuck　on　the　road　he's　on。　He　himself　told　me　the　more　bad　things　he　did；　the　easier　it　got。〃
　　〃Well；　I　think　Chuckie…boy's　on　his　own　when　it　es　to　stealing　prescription　drugs。　It's　too　easy　for　slime　like　him　to　resist。　Like　the　cops　who　can't　resist　pocketing　wads　of　cash　at　drug　busts　and　shit　like　that。　Hell；　drugs　like　Lortabs；　Lorcet；　not　to　mention　Percocet；　can　go　for　two　to　five　bucks　a　pop　on　the　street。　What　I'm　curious　about　is　where　he's　unloading　the　stuff〃
　　〃Maybe　you　can　find　out　from　his　wife　if　he's　out　a　lot　at　night；〃　Rose　suggested。
　　〃Honey；〃　Marino　replied；　〃bad　people　do　stuff　like　this　in　broad　daylight。〃
　　Rose　looked　dejected　and　somewhat　embarrassed；　as　if　afraid　that　her　being　so　upset　had　sent　her　spinning　threads　of　truth　into　a　tapestry　of　conviction。　Marino　got　up　to　pour　more　coffee。
　　〃You're　thinking　he's　following　you　because　you're　suspicious　of　his　drug　dealing？〃　he　asked　Rose。
　　〃Oh；　I　guess　it　sounds　so　far…fetched　when　I　hear　myself　say　it。〃
　　〃Might　be　someone　involved　with　Chuck；　if　we　want　to　keep　going　down　this　path。　And　I　don't　think　we　should　dismiss　anything　right　now；〃　Marino　added。　〃If　Rose　knows；　then　you　do；〃　he　said　to　me。　'Chuck　sure　as　hell　knows　that：'
　　〃If　this　is　tied　in　with　drugs；　then　what's　the　motive　if　Chuck's　involved　in　our　being　followed？　To　hurt　us？　To　intimidate　us？〃　I　asked。
　　〃This　much　I　can　guarantee；〃　Marino　replied　from　the　kitchen。　〃He's　mixed　up　with　people　who　are　way　out　of　his　league：　And　we're　not　talking　small　amounts　of　money。　Think　how　many　pills　e　in　with　some　of　these　bodies。　Cops　have　to　turn　in　every　bottle　they　find。　Think　of　all　the　leftover　pain　medication　or　who…knows…what　in　your　average　person's　medicine　cabinet〃
　　He　came　back　into　the　living　room　and　sat　down；　blowing　into　the　cup　as　if　that　really　would　cool　his　coffee　in　a　hurry。
　　〃Add　that　to　the　shitload　of　other　stuff　they're　actively　taking　or　supposed　to　be　taking　and　what　do　you　get？〃　he　went　on。　〃That　the　only　reason　Chuckie…boy　needs　his　job　in　the　morgue　is　to　steal　drugs。　Hell；　he　doesn't　need　the　pay；　and　that　may　have　something　to　do　with　why　he's　been　doing　such　a　shitty　job　over　the　last　few　months。〃
　　〃He　could　be　taking　in　thousands　of　dollars　a　week；〃　I　said。
　　〃Doc；　you　got　a