cpatricia.blacknotice-第68节

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　　〃You　got　any　idea　what　the　hell's　going　on？〃　Marino　asked　them。
　　The　two　crime…scene　technicians　stared。
　　〃Mother　of　God；〃　Ham　finally　said。
　　〃Does　anyone　have　any　idea　what　happened　here？〃　Eggleston　asked；　his　eyes　fixed　on　what　was　left　of　Bray　on　the　bed。
　　〃You　know　about　as　much　as　we　do；〃　Marino　replied。　〃Why　weren't　you…called　earlier？〃
　　〃I'm　surprised　you　found　out；〃　Ham　said。　〃No　one　told　us　until　now。〃
　　〃I　got　my　sources；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃Who　tipped　the　media？〃　I　asked。　。
　　〃I　guess　they　got　their　sources；　too；〃　said　Eggleston。
　　He　and　Ham　began　opening　the　cases　and　setting　up　lights。　Marino's　unit　number　blared　from　his　purloined　radio；　startling　both　of　us。
　　〃Shit；〃　he　mumbled。　〃Nine；〃　he　said　over　the　air。
　　Ham　and　Eggleston　put　on　gray　binocular　magnifiers；　or　〃Luke　Skywalkers；〃　as　the　cops　called　them。
　　〃Unit　nine；　ten…five　three…fourteen；〃　the　radio　came　back。
　　Three…fourteen；　you　out　there？〃　Marino　said。
　　〃Need　you　to　step　outside；〃　a　voice　returned。
　　〃That's　a　ten…ten；'　Marino　said；　refusing。
　　The　techs　began　taking　measurements　in　millimeters　with　additional　magnifiers　that　looked　rather　much　like　jeweler's　lenses。　The　binocular　headsets　alone　could　magnify　only　three…and…a…half；　and　some　blood　spatters　were　too　small　for　that。
　　〃There's　someone　who　needs　to　see　you。　Now；〃　the　radio　went　on。
　　〃Man；　there's　castoff　all　over　the　place。〃　Eggleston　was　referring　to　blood　thrown　off　during　the　backswing　of　a　weapon；　creating　uniform　trails　or　lines　on　whatever　surface　it　impacted。
　　〃Can't　do　it；〃　Marino　answered　the　radio。
　　Three…fourteen　…didn't　respond；　and　I　unhappily　suspected　what　this　was　all　about；　and　I　was　right。　In　minutes；　more　footsteps　sounded　in　the　hall；　and　then　Chief　Rodney　Harris　was　standing　in　the　doorway；　his　face　stone。
　　〃Captain　Marino；〃　Harris　said。
　　〃Yes；　sir；　Chief。〃　Marino　studied　an　area　of　floor　near　the　bathroom。
　　Ham　and　Eggleston　in　their　black　fatigues；　latex　gloves　and　binocular　headsets　only　added　to　the　cold　horror　of　the　scene　as　they　worked　with　angles　and　axes　and　points　of　convergence　to　reconstruct；　through　geometry；　where　in　space　each　blow　was　struck。
　　〃Chief；〃　they　both　said。
　　Harris　stared　at　the　bed；　jaw　muscles　bunching。　He　was　short　and　homely；　with　thinning　red　hair　and　an　ongoing　battle　with　his　weight。　Maybe　these　misfortunes　had　shaped　him。　I　didn't　know。　But　Hams　had　always　been　a　tyrant。　He　was　aggressive　and　made　it　obvious　he　didn't　like　women　who　strayed　from　their　proper　place；　which　was　why　I'd　never　understood　his　hiring　Bray；　unless　it　was　simply　that　he　thought　she'd　make　him　look　good。
　　〃With　all　due　respect；　Chief；〃　Marino　said；　〃don't　step　one　damn　inch　closer。〃
　　〃I　want　to　know；　did　you　bring　the　media；　Captain？〃　Harris　said　in　a　tone　that　would　have　frightened　most　people　I　knew。　〃Are　you　responsible　for　that；　too？　Or　did　you　just　directly　counter　my　orders？〃
　　〃I　guess　it's　the　latter；　Chief。　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　media。　They　was　already　here　when　the　doc　and　I　pulled　up。〃
　　Harris　looked　at　me…as　if　he'd　just　now　noticed　I　was　in　the　room。　Ham　and　Eggleston　climbed　up　on　their　stepladders；　hiding　behind　their　task。
　　〃What　happened　to　her？〃　Harris　asked　me；　and　his　voice　faltered　a　little。　〃Christ：'
　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃Beaten　to　death　with　some　sort　of　instrument；　maybe　a　tool。　We　don't　know；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　mean；　is　there　anything　。　。　。　？〃　he　started　to　say；　and　his　iron　facade　was　rapidly　slipping　away。　〃Well　。　。　。〃　He　cleared　his　throat；　his　eyes　pinned　to　Bray's　body。　〃Why　would　someone　do　this？　Who？　Anything？〃
　　〃That's　what　we're　working　on；　Chief；〃　Marino　said。　〃Don't　have　a　single　damn　answer　right　now；　but　maybe　you　can　answer　a　few　questions　for　me。〃
　　The　crime…scene　techs　had　begun　painstakingly　taping　bright　pink　surveyor's　string　above　droplets　of　blood　spattered　on　the　white　ceiling。　Harris　looked　ill。
　　〃You　know　anything　about　her　personal　life？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃No；〃　Harris　said。　〃In　fact；　I　didn't　know　she　had　one。〃
　　〃She　had　someone　over　last　night。　They　ate　pizza；　maybe　drank　a　little。　Appears　her　guest　smoked；'　Marino　said。
　　〃I　never　heard　her　say　anything　about　going　out　with　someone。〃　Harris　tore　his　attention　away　from　the　bed。　〃We　weren't　really　what　I'd　call　friendly　with　each。　other。〃
　　Ham　stopped　what　he　was　doing；　the　string　he　held　connected　only　to　air。　Eggleston　peered　up　through　his　Optivisor　at　blood　droplets　on　the　ceiling。　He　moved　a　measuring　magnifier　over　them　and　wrote　down　millimeters。
　　〃What　about　neighbors？〃　Harris　then　asked。　〃Did　anyone　hear　anything；　see　anything？〃
　　〃Sorry；　but　we　ain't　had　time　to　canvas　the　neighborhood　yet；　especially　since　nobody　called　any　detectives　or　techs　until　I　finally　did；〃　Marino　said。
　　Harris　abruptly　walked　off。　I　looked　at　Marino　and　he　avoided　my　eyes。　I　was　certain　he　had　just　lost　what　was　left　of　his　job。
　　〃How're　we　doing　here？〃　he　asked　Ham。
　　〃Already　running　out　of　shit　to　hang　this　on。〃　Ham　taped　one　end　of　string　over　a　blood　droplet　the　size　and　shape　of　a　ma。　〃Okay；　so　where　do　I　tape　the　other　end？　How　about　you　move　that　floor　lamp　over　here。　Thanks。　Set　it　right　there。　Perfect；〃　Ham　said；　taping　the　string　to　the　lamp's　finial。
　　〃You　ought　to　quit　your　day　job；　Captain；　and　e　work　with　us。〃
　　〃You　would　hate　it；〃　Eggleston　promised。
　　〃You　got　that　right。　Nothing　I　hate　more　than　wasting　my　time；〃　Marino　said。
　　Stringing　wasn't　a　waste　of　time；　but　it　was　a　nightmare　of　tedium　unless　one　was　fond　of　protractors　and　trigonometry　and　had　an　anal…retentive　mind。　The　point　was　that　each　droplet　of　blood　has　its　individual　trajectory　from　the　impact　site；　or　wound；　to　a　target　surface　such　as　a　wall；　and　depending　on　velocity；　distance　traveled　and　angles；　droplets　have　many　shapes　that　tell　a　gory　story。
　　Although　these　days　puters。　could　e　up　with　the　same　results；　the　scene　work　required　just　as　much　time；　and　all　of　us　who　had　testified　in　court　had　learned　that　jurors　would　rather　see　brightly　colored　string　in　a　tangible；　three…dimensional　model　than　hatch　lines　on　a　chart。　But　calculating　the　exact　position　of　a　victim　when　each　blow　was　struck　was　superfluous　unless　inches　matter；　and　they　didn't　matter　here。　I　didn't　need　measurements　to　tell　me　this　was　a　homicide　versus　a　suicide　or　that　the　killer　had　been　enraged　and　frenzied　and　all　over　the　place。
　　〃We　need　to　get　her　downtown；〃　I　said　to　Marino。　〃Let's　get　the　squad　up　here。〃
　　〃I　just　can't　figure　how　he　got　in；〃　Ham　said。　〃She's　a　cop。　You'd　think　she'd　know　better　than　to　open　the　door　to　a　stranger。〃
　　〃Assuming　he　was　a　stranger。〃
　　〃Hell；　he's　the　same　damn　maniac　who　killed　the　girl　in　the　Quik　Cary。　Gotta　be。〃
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta？〃　Harris's　voice　came　from　the　hall。
　　I　turned　around　with　a　start。　I'd　thought　he　was　gone。
　　〃Where's　her；　gun？　Has　anybody　found　it？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Not　so　far。〃
　　〃Could　I　see　you　for　a　minute；　please？〃　Harris　asked　me。
　　Marino　threw　Harris　a　dirty　look　and　stepped　into　the　bathroom；　calling　out　a　little　too　loudly；　〃You　guys　know　to　check　the　drains　and　pipes；　right？〃
　　〃We'll　get　there；　boss。〃
　　I　joined　Harris　in　the　hall　and　he　moved　us　away　from　the　door　where　no　one　could　hear　what　he　had　to　say。　Richmond's　police　chief　had　surrendered　to　tragedy。　Anger　had　turned　to　fear；　and　that；　I　suspected；　was　what　he　didn't　want　his　troops　to　see。　His　suit　jacket　was　draped　over　an　arm；　his　shirt　collar　open　and　tie　loose。　He　was　having　a　hard　time　breathing。
　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Asthma。〃
　　〃You　have　your　inhaler？〃
　　〃Just　used　it。〃
　　〃Take　it　easy；　Chief　Harris；〃　I　calmly　said；　because　asthma　could　get　dangerous　fast　and　stress　made　everything　worse。
　　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃there've　been　rumors。　That　she　was　involved　in　certain　activities　in　D。C。　I　didn't　know　anything　about　it　when　I　hired　her。　Where　she　gets　her　money；〃　he　added；　as　if　Diane　Bray　weren't…　dead。　〃And　I　know　Anderson　follows　her　around　like　a　puppy。〃
　　〃Maybe　followed　her　when　Bray　didn't　know　it；　as　well；〃　I　said。
　　〃We've　got　her　in　a　patrol　car；〃　he　said；　as　if　this　were　news　to　me。
　　〃As　a　rule；　it's　not　my　place　to　voice　opinions　about　who's　guilty　of　murder；〃　I　replied；　〃but　I　don't　think　Anderson　mitted　this　one。〃
　　He　got　out　his　inhaler　again　and　took　two　puffs。
　　〃Chief　Harris；　we've　got　a　sadistic　killer　out　there　who　murdered　Kim　Luong。　The　M。O。　here　is　the　same。　It's　too　unique　to　be　someone　else。　There　aren't　enough　details　known　for　it　to　be　a　copycat…many　details　are　known　only　by　Marino　and　me。〃
　　He　struggled　to　breathe。
　　〃Do　you　understand　what　I'm　saying？〃　I　asked。　〃Do　you　want　others　to　die　like　this？　Because　it　will　happen　again。　And　soon。　This　guy's　losing　control　at　a　lightning　rate。　Maybe　because　he　left　his　safe　haven　in　Paris　and　now　he's　like　a　hunted　wild　animal　with　no　place　to　run？　And　he's　enraged；　desperate。　Maybe　he　feels　challenged　and　he's　taunting　us；〃　I　added　as　I　wondered　what　Benton　would　have　said。　〃Who　knows　what　goes　on　inside　a　mind　like　that。〃
　　Harris　cl