cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第47节

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　Getting　close；　I　squatted　and　rubbed　gloved　fingers　over　deep　gouges　and　scrapes　in　aluminum　in　an　area　where　the　Vehicle　Identification　Number；　or　VIN；　should　have　been。　Near　the　roof；　I　noticed　a　patch　of　vinyl　had　been　scorched；　and　decided　someone　had　taken　a　propane　torch　to　the　second　VIN。　I　walked　around　to　the　other　side。
　The　door　was　unlocked　and　not　quite　shut　because　it　had　been　pried　open　by　some　sort　of　tool；　and　my　nerves　began　to　sing。　My　head　cleared　and　I　became　pletely　focused；　the　way　I　got　when　evidence　was　screaming　a　different　story　than　witnesses　claimed。　Mounting　metal　steps；　I　walked　inside　and　stood　very　still　as　I　looked　around　at　a　scene　that　might　mean　nothing　to　most；　but　to　me　confirmed　a　nightmare。　This　was　deadoc's　factory。
　First；　the　heat　was　up　as　high　as　it　would　go；　and　I　turned　it　off；　startled　when　a　pathetic　white　creature　suddenly　hopped　across　my　feet。　I　jumped　and　gasped　as　it　stupidly　ran　into　a　wall；　and　then　sat；　quivering　and　panting。　The　pitiful　laboratory　rabbit　had　been　shaved　in　patches　and　scarified　with　infection；　his　eruptions　horrible　and　dark。　I　noticed　his　wire　cage；　and　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　knocked　off　a　table；　the　door　wide　open。
　'e　here。'　Squatting；　I　held　out　my　hand　as　he　watched　me　with　pink…rimmed　eyes；　long　ears　twitching。
　Carefully；　I　inched　my　way　closer　because　I　could　not　leave　him　out。　He　was　a　living　source　of　propagating　disease。
　'e　on；　you　poor　little　thing；'　I　said　to　the　ranger's　monster。　'I　promise　I　won't　hurt　you。'
　Then　I　gently　had　him　in　my　hands；　his　heart　beating　staccato　as　he　violently　trembled。　I　returned　him　to　his　cage；　then　went　to　the　rear　of　the　camper。　The　doorway　I　stepped　through　was　small；　the　body　inside　practically　filling　the　bedroom。　The　man　was　facedown　on　gold　shag　carpet　that　was　stained　dark　from　blood。　His　hair　was　curly　and　dark；　and　when　I　turned　him　over；　rigor　mortis　had　e　and　already　passed。　He　reminded　me　of　a　lumberjack　in　a　filthy　pea　coat　and　trousers。　His　hands　were　huge　with　dirty　nails；　his　beard　and　mustache　unkempt。
　I　undressed　him　from　the　waist　up　to　check　the　pattern　of　livormortis；　or　blood　settling　by　gravity　after　death。　Face　and　chest　were　reddish　purple；　with　areas　of　blanching　where　his　body　had　been　against　the　floor。　I　saw　no　indication　that　he　had　been　moved　after　death。　He　had　been　shot　once　in　the　chest　at　close　range；　possibly　with　the　Remington　double…barreled　shotgun　by　his　side；　next　to　his　left　hand。
　The　spread　of　pellets　was　tight；　forming　a　large　hole　with　scalloped　edges　in　the　center　of　his　chest。　White　plastic　filler　from　the　shotgun　clung　to　clothing　and　skin；　which　again　did　not　indicate　a　contact　wound。　Measuring　the　gun　and　his　arms；　I　did　not　see　how　he　could　have　reached　the　trigger。　I　saw　nothing　to　indicate　that　he　had　rigged　up　anything　to　help　him。　Checking　pockets；　I　found　no　wallet；　no　identification；　only　a　Buck　knife。　The　blade　was　scratched　and　bent。
　I　spent　no　more　time　with　him　but　came　outside；　and　the　team　from　USAMRIID　was　restless；　like　people　waiting　to　go　somewhere　and　afraid　they're　going　to　miss　their　flight。　They　stared　as　I　came　down　the　steps；　and　Marino　hung　back。　He　was　almost　lost　in　trees；　orange　arms　folded　across　his　chest；　the　ranger　standing　beside　him。
　'This　is　a　pletely　contaminated　crime　scene；'　I　announced。　'We　have　a　dead　white　male　with　no　identification。　I　need　someone　to　help　me　get　the　body　out。　It　needs　to　be　contained。'　I　looked　at　the　captain。
　'It　goes　back　with　us；'　he　said。
　I　nodded。　'Your　guys　can　do　the　autopsy　and　maybe　get　someone　from　the　Baltimore　Medical　Examiner's　office　to　witness。　The　camper's　another　problem。　It's　got　to　go　somewhere　it　can　be　worked　up　safely。　Evidence　needs　to　be　collected　and　decontaminated。　This；　frankly；　is　out　of　my　range。　Unless　you　have　a　containment　facility　that　can　acmodate　something　this　big；　maybe　we'd　better　get　this　to　Utah。'
　'To　Dugway？'　he　said；　dubiously。
　'Yes；'　I　said。　'Maybe　Colonel　Fujitsubo　can　help　with　that。'
　Dugway　Proving　Ground　was　the　Army's　major　range　and　test　facility　for　chemical　and　biological　defense。　Unlike　USAMRIID；　which　was　in　the　heart　of　urban　America；　Dugway　had　the　vast　land　of　the　Great　Salt　Lake　desert　for　testing　lasers；　smart　bombs；　smoke　obscurance　or　illumination。　More　to　the　point；　it　had　the　only　test　chamber　in　the　United　States　capable　of　processing　a　vehicle　as　large　as　a　battle　tank。
　The　captain　thought　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　going　from　me　to　the　camper　as　he　made　up　his　mind　and　formalized　a　plan。
　'Frank；　get　on　the　phone　and　let's　get　this　mobilized　ASAP；'　he　said　to　one　of　the　scientists。　'The　colonel　will　have　to　work　with　the　Air　Force　on　transport；　get　something　here　fast　because　I　don't　want　this　thing　sitting　out　here　all　night。　And　we're　going　to　need　a　flatbed　truck；　a　pickup　truck。'
　'Should　be　able　to　get　that　around　here；　with　all　the　seafood　they　ship；'　Marino　said。　'I'll　get　on　it。'
　'Good；'　the　captain　went　on。　'Somebody　get　me　three　body　bags　and　the　isolator。'　Then　he　said　to　me；　'I'll　bet　you　need　a　hand。'
　'I　certainly　do；'　I　said；　and　both　of　us　began　walking　toward　the　camper。
　I　pulled　open　the　bent　aluminum　door；　and　he　followed　me　inside；　and　we　did　not　linger　as　we　passed　through　to　the　back。　I　could　tell　by　Clark's　eyes　that　he　had　never　seen　anything　like　this；　but　with　his　hood　and　air　pack；　at　least　he　did　not　have　to　deal　with　the　stench　of　deposing　human　flesh。　He　knelt　at　one　end　and　I　at　the　other；　the　body　heavy　and　the　space　impossibly　cramped。
　'Is　it　hot　in　here　or　is　it　just　me？'　he　said　loudly　as　we　struggled　with　rubbery　limbs。
　'Someone　turned　the　heat　up　as　high　as　it　would　go。'　I　was　already　out　of　breath。　'To　hasten　viral　contamination；　deposition。　A　popular　way　to　screw　up　a　crime　scene。　All　right。　Let's　zip　him　in。　This　is　going　to　be　tight；　but　I　think　we　can　do　it。'
　We　started　working　him　into　a　second　pouch；　our　hands　and　suits　slippery　with　blood。　It　took　us　almost　thirty　minutes　to　get　the　body　inside　the　isolator；　and　my　muscles　were　trembling　as　we　carried　it　out。　My　heart　was　pounding　and　I　was　dripping　sweat。　Outside；　we　were　thoroughly　doused　with　a　chemical　rinse；　as　was　the　isolaton　which　was　transported　by　truck　back　to　Crisfield。　Then　the　team　started　work　on　the　camper。
　All　of　it；　except　for　the　wheels；　was　to　be　wrapped　in　heavy　blue　tinted　vinyl　that　had　a　HEPA　filter　layer。　I　took　off　my　suit　with　great　relief；　and　retreated　into　the　warm；　well…lit　rangers'　station；　where　I　scrubbed　my　hands　and　face。　My　nerves　were　jangled　and　I　would　have　given　anything　to　crawl　into　bed；　down　shots　of　NyQuil　and　sleep。
　'If　this　ain't　a　mess；'　Marino　said　as　he　came　in　with　a　lot　of　cold　air。
　'Please　shut　the　door；'　I　said；　shivering。
　'What's　eating　you？'　He　sat　on　the　other　side　of　the　room。
　'Life。'
　'I　can't　believe　you're　out　here　when　you're　sick。　I　think　you've　lost　your　friggin'　mind。'
　'Thank　you　for　the　words　of　fort。'　I　said。
　'Well；　this　ain't　exactly　a　holiday　for　me；　either。　Stuck　out　here　with　people　to　interview；　and　I　got　no　wheels。'　He　looked　frayed。
　'What　are　you　going　to　do？'
　'I'll　find　something。　Rumor　has　it　Lucy　and　Janet　are　in　the　area　and　have　a　ride。'
　'Where？'　I　started　to　get　up。
　'Don't　get　excited。　They're　out　trying　to　find　people　to　interview；　like　I　gotta　do。　God；　I　gotta　smoke。　It's　been　almost　all　day。'
　'Not　in　here。'　I　pointed　to　a　sign。
　'People　are　dying　of　smallpox　and　you're　bitching　about　cigarettes。'
　I　got　out　Motrin　and　popped　three　without　water。
　'So　what　will　all　these　space　cadets　do　now？'　he　asked。
　'Some　of　them　will　stay　in　the　area；　tracking　down　any　other　people　who　may　have　been　exposed　either　on　Tangier　or　in　the　campground。　They'll　work　in　shifts　with　other　team　members。　I　guess　you'll　be　in　contact　with　them；　too；　in　case　you　e　across　anyone　who　might　have　been　exposed。'
　'What？　I'm　supposed　to　walk　around　in　an　orange　suit　all　week？'　He　yawned　and　cracked　his　neck。　'Man；　aren't　they　a　bitch？　Hot　as　hell　except　up　in　the　hood。'　He　was　secretly　proud　that　he　had　worn　one。
　'No；　you　won't　be　wearing　a　plastic　suit；'　I　said。
　'And　what　happens　if　I　find　out　someone　I'm　interviewing　was　exposed？'
　'Just　don't　kiss　him。'
　'I　don't　think　this　is　funny。'　He　stared　at　me。
　'It's　anything　but　that。'
　'What　about　the　dead　guy？　They　going　to　cremate　him　when　we　don't　know　who　he　is？'
　'He'll　be　autopsied　in　the　morning；'　I　said。　'I　imagine　they'll　store　his　body　for　as　long　as　they　can。'
　'The　whole　thing's　just　weird。'　Marino　rubbed　his　face　in　his　hands。　'And　you　saw　a　puter　in　there。'
　'Yes；　a　laptop。　But　no　printer　or　scanner。　I'm　suspicious　this　is　someone's　getaway。　The　printer；　the　scanner；　at　home。'
　'What　about　a　phone？'
　I　thought　for　a　minute。　'Don't　remember　seeing　one。'
　'Well；　the　phone　line　runs　from　the　camper　to　the　utility　box。　We'll　see　what　we　can　find　out　about　that；　like　whose　account　it　is。　I'll　also　tell　Wesley　what's　going　on。'
　'If　the　phone　line　was　used　only　for　AOL；'　Lucy　said　as　she　walked　in　and　shut　the　door；　'there　won't　be　any　telephone　account。　The　only　account　will　be　AOL；　which　will　still　e　back　to