cpatricia.blacknotice-第70节

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　　〃Shoes　and　socks？〃
　　〃Ankle　boots。　Black。　And　black　socks。〃
　　〃Jewelry？〃
　　〃A　ring　and　a　watch。〃
　　〃What　about　underwear；　a　bra？〃
　　She　looked　at　me　and　her　nose　was　running　and　she　talked　as　if　she　had　a　cold。
　　〃It's　important　I　know　these　things；〃　I　said。
　　〃It's　true　about　Chuck；〃　she　said　instead。　〃But　it　wasn't　my　idea。　It　was　hers。〃
　　〃Bray's？〃　I　followed　where　she　was　going。
　　〃She　took　me　out　of　vice　and　put　me　in　homicide。　She　wanted　you　a　million　miles　out　of　the　way；〃　she　said　to　Marino。　〃She's　been　making　money　off　of　pills　and　I　don't。　know　what　all　else　for　a　long　time；　and　she　took　a　lot　of　pills；　too；　and　she　wanted　you　gone。〃
　　She　returned　her　attention　to　me　and　wiped　her　nose　ón　the　back　of　her　hand。　I　dug　in　my　satchel　and　handed　her　tissues。
　　〃She　wanted　you　gone；　too；〃　she　said。
　　〃'That's　been　rather　obvious；〃　I　replied；　and　it　didn't　seem　possible　that　this　person　we　were　talking　about　was　the　mauled　remains　I　had　examined　moments　earlier　just　rooms　away　in　the　back　of　this　house。…〃I　know　she　had　on　a　bra；〃　Anderson　then　said。　〃She　used　to　always　wear　things。　Open　neck　or　top　buttons　undone。　And　she　would　lean　over　so　you　could　see　down　her　shirt。　She　did　it　all　the　time；　even　at　work；　because　she　liked　the　reaction　she　got〃
　　〃What　reaction？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Well；　people　definitely　reacted。　And　skirts　with　slits　that　looked　normal　unless　you　were　sitting　in　her　office　with　her　and　she'd　cross　her　legs　in　certain　ways　。　。　。　I　told　her　she　shouldn't　dress　like　that。〃
　　〃What　reaction？〃　Marino　asked　again。
　　〃I　told　her　all　the　time　she　shouldn't　dress　that　way。〃
　　〃Takes　a　lot　of　nerve　for　a　lowly　detective　to　tell　a　deputy　chief　how　to　dress。〃
　　〃I　didn't　think　officers　should　see　her　like　that；　look　at　her　like　that。〃
　　〃Made　you　a　little　jealous；　maybe？〃
　　She　didn't　answer。
　　〃And　I　bet　she　knew　it　made　you　jealous；　made　you　really　squirm；　just　fucking　miserable　and　mad；　right？　Bray　got　off　on　it。　She's　the　type　who　would。　Wind　you　up　and　then　take　your　battery　out　so　what　you　want　don't　go　nowhere。〃
　　〃She　had　on　a　black　…bra；〃　Anderson　said　to　me。　〃It　had　lace　around　the　top。　I　don't　know　what　else　she　had　on。〃
　　〃She　used　the　hell　out　of　you；　didn't　she？〃　Marino　said。　〃Made　you　her　drug　mule；　gofer；　little　Cinderella　on　the　hearth。　What　else　she　ask　you　to　do？〃
　　Anger　was　beginning　to　warm　up　Anderson。
　　〃She　make　you　take　her　car　to　be　washed？　That　was　the　rumor。　She　made　you　look　like　a　sucking…up；　moonstruck　ass…kisser　nobody　took　seriously。　Sad　thing　is；　maybe　you　wouldn't　be　such　a　shitty　detective　if　she'd　left　you　alone。　You　never　even　had　a　chance　to　find　out；　not　with　her　keeping　you　on　a　leash　the　way　she　did。　Let　me　tell　you　something。　Bray　was　no　more　going　to　sleep　with　you　than　the　man　in　the　moon。　People　like　her　don't　sleep　with　anybody。　They're　like　snakes。　They　don't　need　nobody　else　to　keep　them　warm。〃
　　〃I　hate　her；〃　Anderson　said。　〃She　treated　me　like　dirt。〃
　　〃Then　why'd　you　keep　ing　here？〃　Marino　asked。
　　Anderson　fixed　on　me　as　if　she　hadn't　heard　Marino。　〃She'd　sit　right　in　that　chair　where　you　are。　And　she'd　make　me　get　her　a　drink　and　rub　her　shoulders　and　wait　on　her　hand　and　foot。　Sometimes　she　wanted　me　to　give　her　massages。〃
　　〃Did　you？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃She'd　have　on　nothing　but　a　robe　and　lie　on　that　bed。〃
　　〃Same　one　she　was　murdered　on？　Did　she　take　her　robe　off　when　you　massaged　her？〃
　　Anderson's　eyes　were　blazing　as　they　turned　on　him。
　　〃She　always　kept　herself　covered　just　enough！　I　took　her　clothes　to　the　dry　cleaner　and　filled　her　fucking　Jaguar　with　gas　and。　。　。　She　was　so　mean　to　me！〃
　　Anderson　sounded　like　a　child　angry　with　her　mother。
　　〃She　sure　was；〃　Marino　said。　〃She　was　mean　to　a　lot　of　people。〃
　　〃But　I　didn't　kill　her；　good　God'　I　never　touched　her　except　when　she　wanted　me　to；　like　I　already　told　you！〃
　　〃What　happened　last　night？〃　Marino　asked。　〃You　stop　by　because　you　just　had　to　see　her？〃
　　〃She　was　expecting　me。　To　drop　off　some　pills；　some　money。　She　liked　Valium；　Ativan；　BuSpar。　Things　that　made　her　relax。〃
　　〃How　much　money？〃
　　〃Twenty…five　hundred　dollars。　Cash。〃
　　〃Well；　it　ain't　here　now；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃It　was　on　the　table。　The　table　in　the　kitchen。　I　don't　know。　We　ordered　pizza。　We　drank　a　little　and　talked。　She　was　in　a　bad　mood。〃
　　〃Over　what？〃
　　〃She　heard　you'd　gone　to　France；〃　she　said　to　both　of　us。　〃To　Interpol。〃
　　〃I　wonder　how　she　found　that　out？〃
　　〃Probably　your　office。　Maybe　Chuck　found　out。　Who　knows？　She　always　got　what　she　wanted；　found　out　what　she　wanted。　She　thought　she　was　the　one　who　should　have　gone　over　there。　To　Interpol；　I　mean。　That's　all　she　would　talk　about。　And　she　started　blaming　me　for　all　the　screwups。　Like　the　restaurant　parking　lot；　the　e…mail；　the　way　things　happened　at　the　Quik　Cary　scene。　Just　everything。〃
　　The　clocks　all　chimed　and　gonged。　It　was　noon。
　　〃What　time　did　you　leave？〃　I　asked　when　the　concert　stopped。
　　〃Maybe　nine。〃
　　〃Did　she　ever　shop　át　the　Quik　Cary？〃
　　〃She　may　have　dropped　in　there　before；〃　she　replied。　〃But　as　you　could　probably　tell　from　looking　around　her　kitchen；　she　wasn't　much　into　cooking　or　eating　at　home。〃
　　〃And　you　probably　brought　in　food　all　the　time；〃　Marino　added。
　　〃She　never　offered　to　pay　me　back。　I　don't　make　much　money〃
　　〃What　about　that　nice　little　allowance　from　prescription　drugs？　I'm　confused；〃　Marino　said。　〃You　saying　you　didn't　get　a　fair　cut？〃
　　〃Chuck　and　I　got　ten　percent　each。　I'd　bring　her　the　rest　once　a　week；　depending　on　what　drugs　came　in。　Into　the　morgue　or　maybe　if　I　got　some　from　a　scene。　I　never　stayed　'long　when　I　came　over　here。　She　was　always　in　a　hurry。　Suddenly；　she　had　things　to　do。　I　have　car　payments。　That's　what　my　ten　percent's　gone　to。　Not　like　her。　She　doesn't　know　what　it's　like　to　worry　about　a　car　payment。〃
　　〃You　ever　fight　with　her？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Sometimes。　We'd　argue。〃
　　〃Did　you　argue　last　night？〃
　　〃I　guess　so。〃
　　〃Over　what？〃
　　〃I　didn't　like　her　mood。　Same　thing。〃
　　〃Then？〃
　　〃I　left。　Like　I　said。　She　had　things　to　do。　She　always　decided　when　a　discussion　or　argument　was　over。〃
　　〃You　driving　the　rental　car　last　night？〃　Marino　wanted　to　know。
　　。〃Yes。〃
　　I　imagined　the　killer　watching　her　leave。　He　was　there；　somewhere　in　the　dark。　Both　of　them　had　been　at　the　port　when　the　Sirius　had　e　in；　when　the　killer　arrived　in　Richmond　using　the　alias　of　a　seaman　named　Pascal。　He　probably　saw　her。　He　probably　saw　Bray。　He　。would　have　been　interested　in　all　of　those　who　had　e　to　investigate　his　crime；　including　Marino　and　me。
　　〃Detective　Anderson；〃　I　said。　〃Did　you　sometimes　e　back　lure　after　you'd　left；　to　try　to　talk　to　Bray　some　more？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　she　confessed。　〃It　wasn't　fair　for　her　to　just　push　me　out　like　that。〃
　　〃You。came　back　often？〃
　　〃When　I　was　upset。〃
　　〃What　would　you　do；　ring　the　bell？　How　did　you　let　her　know　you　were　here？〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃It　seems　the　police　always　knock；　at　least　when　they　e　to　my　house；〃　I　said。　〃They　don't　ring　the　bell。〃
　　〃'Cause　half　the　rattraps　we　go　to　don't　have　doorbells　that　work；〃　Marino　remarked。
　　〃I　knocked；〃　she　said。
　　〃And　how　would　you　do　it？〃　I　asked　as　Marino　lit　a　cigarette　and　let　me　talk。
　　〃Well　。　。　：'
　　〃Twice；　three　times？　Hard；　soft？〃　I　kept　going。
　　〃Three　times。　Loud。〃
　　〃And　she　would　always　let　you　in？〃
　　〃Sometimes　she　wouldn't。　Sometimes　she'd　just　open　the　door　and　tell　me　to　go　home。〃
　　〃Did　she　ask　who　was　there；　anything？　Or　did　she　just　open　the　door。〃
　　〃If　she　knew　it　was　me；〃　she　said；　〃she　just　opened　it。〃
　　〃If　she　thought　it　was　you；　you　mean；〃　Marino　said。
　　Anderson　picked　her　way　along　our　train　of　thought　and　then　she　stopped。　She　could　go　no　further。　She　couldn't　bear　it。
　　〃But　you　didn't　e　back　last　night；　did　you？〃　I　said。
　　Her　silence　was　her　answer。　She　hadn't　e　back。　She　hadn't　knocked　three　times；　hard。　The　killer　had；　and　Bray　opened　the　door　without　pause。　She　probably　was　already　saying　something；　resuming　the　argument　when　suddenly　the　monster　was　pushing　his　way　into　her　house。
　　〃I　didn't　do　anything　to　her；　I　swear；〃　Anderson　said。　〃It's　not　my　fault；〃　she　said　again　and　again　because　it　wasn't　her　nature　to　assume　responsibility　about　anything。
　　〃Just　a　damn　good　thing　you　didn't　e　back　last　night；'　Marino　told　her。　〃Assuming　you're　telling　the　truth：〃
　　〃I　am。　I　swear　to　God！〃
　　〃If　you'd　showed　up；　you　might　have　been　next。〃
　　〃I　had　nothing　to　do　with　it！〃
　　〃Well；　in　a　way　you　did。　She　wouldn't　have　opened　the　door。。。〃
　　〃That's　not　fair！〃　Anderson　said；　and　she　was　right。　Whatever　she　had　with　Bray；　it　wasn't　the　fault　of　either　of　them　that　the　killer　had　been　stalking　and　waiting。
　　〃So　you　go　home；〃　Marino　said。　〃You　try　to　call　her　later？　See　if　you　could　patch　things　up？〃
　　〃Yes。　She　didn't　answer　her　phone。〃
　　〃This　was　how　long　after　you　left？〃
　　〃Maybe　twenty　minutes。　I　called　several　more　times；　just　thinking　she　didn't　want　to　talk　to　me。　Then　I　started　getting　worried　when　I　tried　several　times　after　midnight　and　kept