cpatricia.blacknotice-第49节

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　　〃Hold　on　a　second；〃　he　cut　in；　politely　but　with　authority。　〃Senator　Lord？　Sir；　are　you　there？〃
　　〃I'm　here。〃
　　〃Frank？〃　I　said　in　amazement。　〃Where　are　you？　Are　you　in　France？〃
　　I　wondered　how　long　he　had　been　conferenced　in　and　listening。
　　〃Now　listen；　Kay。　This　is　important；〃　Senator　Lord　told　me　in　a　voice　that　reminded　me　of　who　he　was。　〃Go　and　go　right　away。　We　need　your　help。〃
　　〃We？〃
　　Then　Talley　spoke。　〃You　and　Marino　need　to　be　at　the　Millionaire　private　terminal　at　four…thirty。　That's　A。M。　your　time。　Less　than　six　hours　from　now。〃
　　〃I　can't　leave　right　now　。　。　。〃　I　started　to　say　as　Lucy　filled　my　doorway。
　　〃Don't　be　late。　Your　New　York　connection　leaves　at　eight…thirty；〃　he　told　me。
　　I　thought　Senator　Lord　had　hung　up；　but　suddenly　his　voice　was　there。
　　〃Fhank　you；　Agent　Talley；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　talk　to　her　now。〃
　　I　could　hear　Talley　get　off　the　line。
　　〃I　want　to　know　how　you're　doing；　Kay；〃　my　friend　the　senator　said。
　　〃I've　got　no　idea。〃
　　〃I　care；〃　he　said。　〃I　won't　let　anything　happen　to　you。　Just　trust　me。　Now　tell　me　how　you're　feeling。〃
　　〃Other　than　being　summoned　to　France　and　about　to　be　fired　and　。　。　。〃　I　started　to　add　what　had　happened　to　Lucy；　but　she　was　standing　right　there。
　　〃Everything's　going　to　be　fine；〃　Senator　Lord　said。
　　〃Whatever　everything　is；〃　I　replied〃Trust　me。〃
　　I　always　had。
　　〃You're　going　to　be　asked　to　do　things　that　you're　going　to　resist。　Things　that　will　scare　you。〃
　　〃I　don't　scare　easily；　Frank；〃　I　said。
　　　
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　　Marino　picked　me　up　at　quarter　of　four。　It　was　a　heartless　hour　of　the　morning　that　reminded　me　of　sleepless　rotations　in　hospitals；　of　early　days　in　my　career　when　I　was　the　one　who　got　the　calls　for　cases　nobody　else　wanted。
　　〃Now　you　know　what　it　feels　like　to　be　on　midnight　shift；〃　Marino　mented　as　we　cut　through　icy　roads。
　　〃I　know　all　about　it　anyway；〃　I　replied。
　　〃Yeah；　but　the　difference　is；　you　don't　have　to。　You　could　send　someone　else　to　scenes　and　stay　home。　You're　the　chief。〃
　　〃I'm　always　leaving　Lucy　when　she　needs　me；　Marino。〃
　　〃I'm　telling　you；　Doc；　she　understands。　She's　probably　gonna　be　heading　up　to　D。C。　anyway　to　deal　with　all　this　review　board　shit。〃
　　I　hadn't　told　him　about　Dorothy's　visit。　It　would　have　served　no　purpose　other　than　to　set　him　off。
　　〃You're　on　the　faculty　at　MCV　I　mean；　you're　a　real　doctor。〃
　　〃Thank　you。〃
　　〃Can't　you　just　go　talk　to　the　administrator　or　something？〃　he　said；　punching　in　the　cigarette　lighter。　〃Couldn't　you　pull　some　strings　so　Lucy　could　go　in　there？〃
　　〃As　long　as　Jo　isn't　capable　of　making　decisions；　her　family　has　plete　control　over　who　visits　and　who　doesn't。〃
　　〃Fucking　religious　wackos。　Bible…banging　Hitlers。〃
　　〃There　was　a　time　when　you　were　pretty　narrowminded；　too；　Marino；〃　I　reminded　him。　〃Seems　to　me　you　used　to　talk　about　queers　and　fags。　I　don't　even　want　to　repeat　some　of　the　words　I've　heard　you　use。〃
　　〃Yeah。　Well；　I　never　meant　any　of　it。〃
　　At　the　Millionaire　jet　center　the　temperature　was　in　the　low　twenties　and　hard；　icy　wind　grabbed　and　shoved　me　as　I　collected　luggage　out　of　the　back　of　the　truck。　We　were　met　by　two　pilots　who　didn't　say　much　as　they　opened　a　gate　to　lead　us　across　the　tarmac；　where　a　Uarjet　was　hooked　up　to　a　power　cart。　A　thick　manila　envelope　with　my　name　on　it　was　in　one　of　the　seats；　and　when　we　took　off　into　the　clear；　cold　night；　I　turned　off　cabin　lights　and　slept　until　we　landed　in　Teterboro；　New　Jersey。
　　A　dark　blue　Explorer　glided　our　way　as　we　climbed　down　the　metal　steps。　It　was　snowing　small　flakes　that　stung　my　face。
　　〃Cop。〃　Marino　gave　the　nod　as　the　Explorer　stopped　close　to　the　plane。
　　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　〃I　always　know；〃　he　said。
　　The　driver　was　in　jeans　and　a　leather　coat　and　looked　as　if　he'd　seen　life　from　every　angle　and　was　happy　to　pick　us　up。　He　packed　our　baggage　in　the　trunk。　Marino　climbed　in　front　and　off　they。　sailed　into　one　ment　and　story　after　another　because　the　driver　was　NYPD　and　Marino　used　to　be。　I　floated　in　and　out　of　their　conversation　as　I　dozed。
　　〃。　。　。　Adams　in　the　detective　division；　he　called　around　eleven。　i　guess　Interpol　got　him　first。　I　didn't　know　he　had　anything　to　do　with　them。〃
　　〃Oh　yeah？〃　Marino's　voice　was　muted　and　soporific　like　bourbon　on　the　rocks。　〃Some　tear…ass　I　bet　。　：　：'
　　〃Naw。　He's　okay　。　。　：〃
　　I　slept　and　drifted；　city　lights　touching　my　eyelids　as　I　began　to　feel　that　empty　ache　again。
　　〃。　。　。　got　so　shit…faced　one　night　I　woke　up　the　next　morning　and　didn't　know　where　my　car　or　crass　were。　That　was　my　wake…up　call　。　。　。〃
　　The　only　other　time　I　had　flown　supersonic　had　been　with　Benton。　I　remembered　his　body　against　me；　the　intense　heat　of　my　breasts　touching　him　as　we　sat　in　those　small　gray　leather　seats　and　drank　French　wine；　staring　at　jars　of　caviar　we　had　no　intention　of　eating。
　　I　remembered　exchanging　hurtful　words　that　turned　into　desperate　lovemaking　in　London；　in　a　flat　near　the　American　Embassy。　Maybe　Dorothy　was　right。　Maybe　sometimes　I　was　too　much　in　my　mind　and　not　as　open　as　I　wanted　to　be。　But　she　was　wrong　about　Benton。　He　had　never　been　weak；　and　we　had　never　been　tepid　in　bed。
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta？〃
　　A　voice　grabbed　my　attention。
　　〃We're　here；〃　our　driver　said；　eyeing　me　in　the　rearview　mirror。
　　I　rubbed　my　face　with　my　hands　and　stifled　a　yawn。　Winds　were　stronger　here；　the　temperature　lower。　At　the　Air　France　ticket　counter　I　checked　us　in　because　I　didn't　trust　Marino　with　tickets　or　passports　or　even　finding　the　right　gate　without　being　an　ass。　Flight　2　left　in　about　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　the　instant　I　sat　down　in　the　Concorde　lounge；　I　felt　exhausted　again；　my　eyes　burning。　Marino　was　in　awe。
　　〃Look　at　that；　will　you？〃　he　whispered　too　loudly。　〃They　got　a　full　bar。　That　guy　over　there's　drinking　a　beer　and　it's　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃
　　Marino　took　that　as　his　wake…up　call。
　　〃Want　anything？〃　he　asked。　〃How　'bout　a　newspaper？〃
　　〃Right　now　I　don't　give　a　damn　what's　going　on　in　the　world。〃　I　wished　he　would　leave　me　alone。
　　When　he　returned；　he　was　carrying　two　plates　piled　high　with　Danish；　cheese　and　crackers。　He　had　a　can　of　Heineken　under　an　arm。
　　〃Guess　what；〃　he　said；　setting　his　breakfast　snack　on　the　coffee　table　next　to　him。　〃It's　almost　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　French　time。〃
　　He　popped　open　the　beer。
　　〃They　got　people　mixing　champagne　and　orange　juice；　you　ever　heard　of　that？　And　I'm　pretty　sure　there's　somebody　famous　sitting　over　there。　She's　got　sunglasses　on　and　everybody's　staring。〃
　　I　didn't　care。
　　〃The　guy　she's　with　looks　famous；　too；　sort　of　like　Mel　Brooks；〃
　　〃Does　the　woman　in　sunglasses　look　like　Anne　Bancroft？〃　I　muttered。
　　〃Yeah！〃
　　〃Then　it's　Mel　Brooks。〃
　　Other　passengers；　dressed　far　more　expensively　than　we　were；　glanced　our　way。　A　man　rattled　Le　Monde　and　sipped　espresso。
　　〃Saw　her　in　The　Graduate。　You　remember　that？〃　Marino　went　on。
　　I　was　awake　now　and　wished　I　could　hide　somewhere。
　　〃That　was　my　fantasy。　Shit。　Like　that　schoolteacher　giving　you　tutoring　after　hours。　The　one　who　made　you　cross　your　legs。〃
　　〃You　can　see　the　Concorde　through　the　window　over　there。〃　I　pointed。
　　〃I　can't　believe　I　didn't　bring　a　camera。〃
　　He　swallowed　another　mouthful　of　beer。
　　〃Maybe　you　should　go　find　one；〃　I　suggested。
　　〃You　think　they'd　have　those　little　disposable　cameras　around　here？〃
　　〃Only　French　ones。〃
　　He　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　gave　me　a　dirty　look。
　　〃I'll　be　back；〃　he　said。
　　Of　course；　he　left　his　ticket　and　passport　in　the　pocket　of　the　coat　draped　over　his　chair；　and　when　the　announcement　came　that　we　were　about　to　board；　I　got　an　urgent　text　message　on　my　pager　that　no　one　would　let　him　back　inside　the　lounge。　He　was　waiting　at　the　desk；　face　flushed　with　anger；　a　security　guard　beside　him。
　　〃Sorry；〃　I　said；　handing　one　of　the　attendants　Marino's　passport　and　ticket。
　　〃Let's　not　begin　the　trip　this　way；〃　I　said　to　him　under　my　breath　as　we　walked　back　through　the　lounge；　following　other　passengers　to　the　plane。
　　〃I　told　them　I'd　go　get　it。　Bunch　of　French　sons　of　bitches。　If　people　would　speak　English　like　they're　supposed　to；　this　kinds；　shit　wouldn't　happen。〃
　　Our　seats　were　together；　but　fortunately；　the　plane　wasn't　full；　so　I　moved　across　the　aisle　from　him。　He　seemed　to　take　this　personally　until　I　gave　him　half　of　my　chicken　with　lime　sauce；　my　sponge　roll　with　vanilla　mousse；　and　my　chocolates。　I　had　no　idea　how　many　beers　he　drank；　but　he　was　…up　and　down　a　lot；　making　his　way　along　the　narrow　aisle　while　we　flew　twice　the　speed　of　sound。　We　arrived　at　Charles　de　Gaulle　airport　at　6：20　P。m。
　　A　dark　blue　Mercedes　was　waiting　for　us　outside　the　terminal；　and　Marino　tried　to　strike　up　a　conversation　with　the　driver；　who　would　neither　let　him　sit　in　the　front　seat　nor　pay　any　attention　to　him。　Marino　sullenly　smoked　out　his　window；　cold　air　washing　in　as　he　watched　abject　apartments　scarred　with　graffiti　and　miles　of　switchyards　draw　us　into　a　lit…up　skyline　of　a　modern　city。　The　great　corporate　gods　of　Hertz；　Honda；　Technics　and　Tosh