cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第36节

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e　worst　diseases　this　planet　has　ever　known。　He's　got　to　figure　out　a　way　to　randomly　infect　people　and　be　sure　that　it　can　work。'
　'So　he　needs　a　guinea　pig；'　Marino　said。
　'Yes。　And　let's　suppose　he　has　a　neighbor；　a　relative；　someone　elderly　and　not　well。　Maybe　he　even　takes　care　of　her。　What　better　way　to　test　the　virus　than　on　that　person？　And　if　it　works；　you　kill　her　and　stage　her　death　to　look　like　something　else。　After　all；　he　certainly　can't　have　her　die　of　smallpox。　Not　if　there　is　a　connection　between　him　and　her。　We　might　figure　out　who　he　is。　So　he　shoots　her　in　the　head；　dismembers　her　so　we'll　think　it's　the　serial　killings　again。'
　'Then　how　do　you　get　from　that　to　the　lady　on　Tangier？'
　'She　was　exposed；'　I　simply　said。
　'How？　Was　something　delivered　to　her？　Did　she　get　something　in　the　mail？　Was　it　carried　on　the　air？　Was　she　pricked　in　her　sleep？'
　'I　don't　know　how。'
　'You　think　deadoc　lives　on　Tangier？'　Marino　then　asked。
　'No；　I　don't；'　I　said。　'I　think　he　picked　it　because　the　island　is　the　perfect　place　to　start　an　epidemic。　Small；　self…contained。　Also　easy　to　quarantine；　meaning　the　killer　doesn't　intend　to　annihilate　all　of　society　with　one　blow。　He's　trying　a　little　bit　at　a　time；　cutting　us　up　in　small　pieces。'
　'Yeah。　Like　he　did　the　old　lady；　if　you're　right。'
　'He　wants　something；'　I　said。　'Tangier　is　an　attention…getter。'
　'No　offense；　Doc；　but　I　hope　you're　wrong　about　all　of　this。'
　'I'm　heading　to　Atlanta　in　the　morning。　How　about　checking　with　Vander；　see　if　he's　had　any　luck　with　the　thumbprint。'
　'So　far　he　hasn't。　It's　looking　like　the　victim　doesn't　have　any　prints　on　file。　Anything　es　up；　I'll　call　your　pager。'
　'Damn；'　I　muttered；　for　the　nurse　had　taken　that；　too。
　The　rest　of　the　day　moved　interminably　slowly；　and　it　wasn't　until　after　supper　that　Fujitsubo　came　to　say　goodbye。　Although　the　act　of　releasing　me　implied　I　was　neither　infected　nor　infectious；　he　was　in　a　blue　suit；　which　he　plugged　into　an　air　line。
　'I　should　keep　you　longer；'　he　said　right　off；　filling　my　heart　with　dread。　'Incubation；　on　average；　is　twelve　to　thirteen　days。　But　it　can　be　as　long　as　twenty…one。　What　I'm　saying　to　you　is　that　you　could　still　get　sick。'
　'I　understand　that；'　I　said；　reaching　for　my　water。
　'The　revaccination　may　or　may　not　help　depending　on　what　stage　you　were　in　when　I　gave　it　to　you。'
　I　nodded。　'And　I　wouldn't　be　in　such　a　hurry　to　leave　if　you　would　just　take　this　on　instead　of　sending　me　to　CDC。'
　'Kay；　I　can't。'　His　voice　was　muffled　through　plastic。　'You　know　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　what　I　feel　like　doing。　But　I　can　no　more　pull　something　out　from　under　CDC　than　you　can　grab　a　case　that　isn't　your　jurisdiction。　I've　talked　to　them。　They　are　most　concerned　over　a　possible　outbreak　and　will　begin　testing　the　moment　you　arrive　with　the　samples。'
　'I　fear　terrorism　may　be　involved。'　I　refused　to　back　down。
　'Until　there　is　evidence　of　it　　and　I　hope　there　won't　be　　we　can　do　nothing　more　for　you　here。'　His　regret　was　sincere。　'Go　to　Atlanta　and　see　what　they　have　to　say。　They're　operating　with　a　skeleton　crew；　too。　The　timing　couldn't　be　worse。'
　'Or　perhaps　more　deliberate；'　I　said。　'If　you　were　a　bad　person　planning　to　mit　serial　crimes　with　a　virus；　what　better　time　than　when　the　significant　federal　health　agencies　are　in　extremis？　And　this　furlough's　been　going　on　for　a　while　and　not　predicted　to　end　anytime　soon。'
　He　was　silent。
　'John；'　I　went　on；　'you　helped　with　the　autopsy。　Have　you　ever　seen　a　disease　like　this？'
　'Only　in　textbooks；'　he　grimly　replied。
　'How　does　smallpox　suddenly　just　reappear　on　its　own？'
　'If　that's　what　it　is。'
　'Whatever　it　is；　it's　virulent　and　it　kills；'　I　tried　to　reason　with　him。
　But　he　could　do　nothing　more；　and　the　rest　of　the　night　I　wandered　from　room　to　room　in　AOL。　Every　hour；　I　checked　my　e…mail。　Deadoc　remained　silent　until　six　o'clock　the　next　morning　when　he　walked　into　the　M。E。　room。　My　heart　jumped　as　his　name　appeared　on　screen。　My　adrenaline　began　to　pump　the　way　it　always　did　when　he　talked　to　me。　He　was　on　the　line；　it　was　up　to　me。　I　could　catch　him；　if　only　I　could　trip　him。
　
　DEADOC： Sunday　I　went　to　church　　　bet　you　didn't
　SCARPETTA： What　was　the　homily　about？
　DEADOC： sermon
　SCARPETTA： You　are　not　Catholic。
　DEADOC： beware　of　men
　SCARPETTA： Matthew　10。　Tell　me　what　you　mean。
　DEADOC： to　say　he　s　sorry
　SCARPETTA： Who　is　he？　And　what　did　he　do？
　DEADOC： ye　shall　indeed　drink　of　the　cup　that　I　drink　of
　
　Before　I　could　answer；　he　was　gone；　and　I　began　flipping　through　the　Bible。　The　verse　he　quoted　this　time　was　from　Mark；　and　again；　it　was　Jesus　speaking；　which　hinted　to　me；　if　nothing　else；　that　deadoc　wasn't　Jewish。　Nor　was　he　Catholic；　based　on　his　ments　about　church。　I　was　no　theologian；　but　drinking　of　the　cup　seemed　to　refer　to　Christ's　eventual　crucifixion。　So　deadoc　had　been　crucified　and　I　would　be；　too？
　It　was　my　last　few　hours　here　and　my　nurse；　Sally；　was　more　liberal　with　the　phone。　I　paged　Lucy；　who　called　me　back　almost　instantly。
　'I'm　talking　to　him；'　I　said。　'Are　you　guys　there？'
　'We're　there。　He's　got　to　stay　on　longer；'　my　niece　said。　'There　are　so　many　trunk　lines；　and　we　got　to　line　up　all　the　phone　panies　to　trap　and　trace。　Your　last　call　was　ing　in　from　Dallas。'
　'You're　kidding；'　I　said　in　dismay。
　'That's　not　the　origin；　just　a　switch　it　was　routed　through。　We　didn't　get　any　farther　because　he　disconnected。　Keep　trying。　Sounds　like　this　guy's　some　kind　of　religious　nut。'
　
　
　11
　
　LATER　THAT　MORNING　I　left　in　a　taxi　as　the　sun　was　getting　high　in　the　clouds。　I　had　nothing　but　the　clothes　on　my　back；　all　of　which　had　been　sterilized　in　the　autoclave　or　gassed。　I　was　in　a　hurry；　and　guarding　a　large　white　cardboard　box　printed　with　PERISHABLE　RUSH！　RUSH！　and　IMPORTANT　KEEP　UPRIGHT　and　other　big　blue　warnings。
　Like　a　Chinese　puzzle；　my　package　was　boxes　within　boxes　containing　BioPacks。　Inside　these　were　Bio…tubes　of　Lila　Pruitt's　liver；　spleen　and　spinal　fluid；　protected　by　fiber…board　shields；　and　bubble　and　corrugated　wrap。　All　of　it　was　packed　in　dry　ice　with　INFECTIOUS　SUBSTANCE　and　DANGER　stickers　warning　anyone　who　got　beyond　the　first　layer。　Obviously；　I　could　not　let　my　cargo　out　of　sight。　In　addition　to　its　well…proven　hazard；　it　could　be　evidence　should　it　turn　out　that　Pruitt　was　a　homicide。　At　the　Baltimore…Washington　International　airport；　I　found　a　pay　phone　and　called　Rose。
　'USAMRIID　has　my　medical　bag　and　microscope：　I　didn't　waste　time。　'See　what　you　can　do　about　getting　them　shipped　overnight。　I'm　at　BWI；　en　route　to　CDC。'
　'I've　been　trying　to　page　you；'　she　said。
　'Maybe　they　can　return　that　to　me；　too。'　I　tried　to　remember　what　else　I　was　missing。　'And　the　phone；'　I　added。
　'You　got　a　report　back　that　you　might　find　interesting。　The　animal　hairs　that　turned　up　with　the　torso。　Rabbit　and　monkey　hairs。'
　'Bizarre；'　was　the　only　thing　I　could　think　to　say。
　'I　hate　to　tell　you　this　news。　The　media's　been　calling　about　the　Carrie　Grethen　case。　Apparently；　something's　been　leaked。'
　'Goddamn　it！'　I　exclaimed　as　I　thought　about　Ring。
　'What　do　you　want　me　to　do？'　she　asked。
　'How　about　calling　Benton。　I　don't　know　what　to　say。　I'm　a　little　overwhelmed。'
　'You　sound　that　way。'
　I　looked　at　my　watch。　'Rose；　I've　got　to　go　fight　my　way　on　a　plane。　They　didn't　want　to　let　me　through　X…ray；　and　I　know　what's　going　to　happen　when　I　try　to　board　with　this　thing。'
　It　was　exactly　what　I　expected。　When　I　walked　into　the　cabin；　a　flight　attendant　took　one　look　and　smiled。
　'Here。'　She　held　out　her　hands。　'Let　me　put　this　in　baggage　for　you。'
　'It's　got　to　stay　with　me；'　I　said。
　'It　won't　fit　in　an　overhead　rack　or　under　your　seat；　ma'am。'　Her　smile　got　tight；　the　line　behind　me　getting　longer。
　'Can　we　discuss　this　out　of　traffic？'　I　said；　moving　into　the　kitchen。
　She　was　right　next　to　me；　hovering　close。　'Ma'am；　this　flight　is　overbooked。　We　simply　don't　have　room。'
　'Here；'　I　said；　showing　her　the　paperwork。
　Her　eyes　scanned　the　red…bordered　Declaration　For　Dangerous　Goods；　and　froze　halfway　down　a　column　where　it　was　typed　that　I　was　transporting　'Infectious　substances　affecting　humans。'　She　glanced　nervously　around　the　kitchen　and　moved　me　closer　to　the　rest　rooms。
　'Regulations　require　that　only　a　trained　person　can　handle　dangerous　goods　like　these；'　I　reasonably　explained。　'So　it　has　to　stay　with　me。'
　'What　is　it？'　she　whispered；　her　eyes　round。
　'Autopsy　specimens。'
　'Mother　of　God。'
　She　immediately　grabbed　her　seating　chart。　Soon　after；　I　was　escorted　to　an　empty　row　in　first　class；　near　the　back。　'Just　put　it　on　the　seat　next　to　you。　It's　not　going　to　leak　or　anything？'　she　asked。
　'I'll　guard　it　with　my　life；'　I　promised。
　'We　should　have　a　lot　of　vacancies　up　here　unless　a　bunch　of　people　upgrade。　But　don't　you　worry。　I'll　steer　everyone。'　She　motioned　with　her　arms；　as　if　she　were　driving。
　No　one　came　near　me　or　my　box。　I　drank　coffee　during　a　very　peaceful　flight　to　Atlanta；　feeling　naked　without　my　pager　or　phone；　but　overjoyed　to　be　on　my　own。　In　the　Atlanta　airport；　I　took　one　moving　sidewalk　and　escalator　after　anot