cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第5节

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　'Man；　you　don't　know　it　came　from　me；'　the　driver　snapped　at　him。
　'No；　I　don't　know　it　for　a　fact。　Makes　sense；　that's　all。'
　'Maybe　to　you。'　The　driver's　face　was　menacing。
　'Believe　that　will　be　about　enough；　boys；'　Grigg　warned；　moving　close　again；　his　presence　reminding　them　he　was　big　and　wore　a　gun。
　'You　got　that　right；'　said　the　driver。　'I've　had　enough　of　this　shit。　When　can　I　get　out　of　here？　I'm　already　late。'
　'Something　like　this　inconveniences　everyone；'　Grigg　said　to　him　with　a　steady　look。
　Rolling　his　eyes　and　muttering　profanity；　the　driver　stalked　off　and　lit　a　cigarette。
　I　removed　the　thermometer　from　the　body；　and　held　it　up。　The　core　temperature　was　eighty…four　degrees；　the　same　as　the　ambient　air。　I　turned　the　torso　over　to　see　what　else　was　there　and　noted　a　curious　crop　of　fluid…filled　vesicles　over　the　lower　buttocks。　As　I　checked　more　carefully；　I　found　evidence　of　others　in　the　area　of　the　shoulders　and　thighs；　at　the　edges　of　deep　cuts。
　'Double…pouch　her；'　I　directed。　'I　need　the　trash　bag　it　came　in；　including　what's　caught　on　the　bucket　up　there。　And　I　want　the　trash　immediately　around　and　under　her；　send　all　of　it　in。'
　Grigg　unfolded　a　twenty…gallon　trash　bag　and　shook　it　open。　He　pulled　gloves　out　of　a　pocket；　squatted　and　started　grabbing　up　garbage　by　the　handful　while　paramedics　opened　the　back　of　the　ambulance。　The　driver　of　the　packer　was　leaning　against　his　cab；　and　I　could　feel　his　fury　like　heat。
　'Where　was　your　packer　ing　from？'　I　asked　him。
　'Look　at　the　tags；'　he　replied　in　a　surly　tone。
　'Where　in　Virginia？'　I　refused　to　be　put　off　by　him。
　It　was　Pleasants　who　said；　'Tidewater　area；　ma'am。　The　packer　belongs　to　us。　We　got　a　lot　of　them　we　lease。'
　
　The　landfill's　administrative　headquarters　overlooked　the　fire　pond　and　was　quaintly　out　of　sync　with　the　loud；　dusty　surroundings。　The　building　was　pale　peach　stucco；　with　flowers　in　window　boxes　and　sculpted　shrubs　bordering　the　walk。　Shutters　were　painted　cream；　a　brass　pineapple　knocker　on　the　front　door。　Inside；　I　was　greeted　by　clean；　chilled　air　that　was　a　wonderful　relief　and　I　knew　why　Investigator　Percy　Ring　had　chosen　to　conduct　his　interviews　here。　I　bet　he　had　not　even　been　to　the　scene。
　He　was　in　the　break　room；　sitting　with　an　older　man　in　shirtsleeves；　drinking　Diet　Coke　and　looking　at　puter…printed　diagrams。
　'This　is　Dr　Scarpetta。　Sorry；'　Pleasants　said；　adding　to　Ring；　'I　don't　know　your　first　name。'
　Ring　gave　me　a　big　smile　and　a　wink。　'The　doc　and　I　go　way　back。'
　He　was　in　a　crisp　blue　suit；　blond　and　exuding　pure　youthful　innocence　that　was　easy　to　believe。　But　he　had　never　fooled　me。　He　was　a　big…talking　charmer　who　basically　was　lazy；　and　it　had　not　escaped　me　that　the　moment　he　had　bee　involved　in　these　cases；　we　had　been　besieged　by　leaks　to　the　press。
　'And　this　is　Mr　Kitchen；'　Pleasants　was　saying　to　me。　'The　owner　of　the　landfill。'
　Kitchen　was　simple　in　jeans　and　Timberland　boots；　his　eyes　gray　and　sad　as　he　offered　a　big　rough　hand。
　'Please　sit　down；'　he　said；　pulling　out　a　chair。　'This　is　a　bad；　bad　day。　Especially　for　whoever　that　is　out　there。'
　'That　person's　bad　day　happened　earlier；'　Ring　said。　'Right　now；　she's　feeling　no　pain。'
　'Have　you　been　up　there？'　I　asked　him。
　'I　just　got　here　about　an　hour　ago。　And　this　isn't　the　crime　scene；　just　where　the　body　ended　up；'　he　said。　'Number　five。'　He　peeled　open　a　stick　of　Juicy　Fruit。　'He's　not　waiting　as　long；　only　two　months　in　between　'em　this　time。'
　I　felt　the　usual　rush　of　irritation。　Ring　loved　to　jump　to　conclusions　and　voice　them　with　the　certainty　of　one　who　doesn't　know　enough　to　realize　he　could　be　wrong。　In　part　this　was　because　he　wanted　results　without　work。
　'I　haven't　examined　the　body　yet　or　verified　gender；'　I　said；　hoping　he　would　remember　there　were　other　people　in　the　room。　'This　is　not　a　good　time　to　be　making　assumptions。'
　'Well；　I'll　leave　ya；'　Pleasants　said　nervously；　on　his　way　out　the　door。
　'I　need　you　back　in　an　hour　so　I　can　get　your　statement；'　Ring　loudly　reminded　him。
　Kitchen　was　quiet；　looking　at　diagrams；　and　then　Grigg　walked　in。　He　nodded　at　us　and　took　a　chair。
　'I　don't　think　it's　an　assumption　to　say　that　what　we　got　here　is　a　homicide；'　Ring　said　to　me。
　'That　you　can　safely　say。'　I　held　his　gaze。
　'And　that　it's　just　like　the　other　ones。'
　'That　you　can't　safely　say。　I　haven't　examined　the　body　yet；'　I　replied。
　Kitchen　shifted　unfortably　in　his　chair。　'Anybody　want　a　soda。　Maybe　coffee？'　he　asked。　'We　got　rest　rooms　in　the　hall。'
　'Same　thing；'　Ring　said　to　me　as　if　he　knew。　'Another　torso　in　a　landfill。'
　Grigg　was　watching　with　no　expression；　restlessly　tapping　his　notebook。　Clicking　his　pen　twice；　he　said　to　Ring；　'I　agree　with　Dr　Scarpetta。　Seems　we　shouldn't　be　connecting　this　case　to　anything　yet。　Especially　not　publicly。'
　'Lord　help　me。　I　could　do　without　that　kind　of　publicity；'　Kitchen　said；　blowing　out　a　deep　breath。　'You　know；　when　you're　in　my　business；　you　accept　this　can　happen；　especially　when　you're　getting　waste　from　places　like　New　York；　New　Jersey；　Chicago。　But　you　never　think　it's　going　to　land　in　your　yard。'　He　looked　at　Grigg。　'I'd　like　to　offer　a　reward　to　help　catch　whoever　did　this　terrible　thing。　Ten　thousand　dollars　for　information　leading　to　the　arrest。'
　'That's　mighty　generous；'　Grigg　said；　impressed。
　'That　include　investigators？'　Ring　grinned。
　'I　don't　care　who　solves　it。'　Kitchen　wasn't　smiling　as　he　turned　to　me。　'Now　you　tell　me　what　I　can　do　to　help　you；　ma'am。'
　'I　understand　you　use　a　satellite　tracking　system；'　I　said。　'Is　that　what　these　diagrams　are？'
　'I　was　just　explaining　them；'　Kitchen　said。
　He　slid　several　of　them　to　me。　Their　patterns　of　wavy　lines　looked　like　cross　sections　of　geode；　and　they　were　marked　with　coordinates。
　'This　is　a　picture　of　the　landfill　face；'　Kitchen　explained。　'We　can　take　it　hourly；　daily；　weekly；　whenever　we　want；　to　figure　out　where　waste　originated　and　where　it　was　deposited。　Locations　on　the　map　can　be　pinpointed　by　using　these　coordinates。'　He　tapped　the　paper。　'Sort　of　similar　to　how　you　plot　a　graph　in　geometry　or　algebra。'　Looking　up　at　me；　he　added；　'I　reckon　you　suffered　through　some　of　that　in　school。'
　'Suffer　is　the　operative　word。'　I　smiled　at　him。　'Then　the　point　is　you　can　pare　these　pictures　to　see　how　the　landfill's　face　changes　from　load　to　load。'
　He　nodded。　'Yes；　ma'am。　That's　it　in　a　nutshell。'
　'And　what　have　you　determined？'
　He　placed　eight　maps　side　by　side。　The　wavy　lines　in　each　were　different；　like　different　wrinkles　on　the　faces　of　the　same　person。
　'Each　line；　basically；　is　a　depth；'　he　said。　'So　we　can　pretty　much　know　which　truck　is　responsible　for　which　depth。'
　Ring　emptied　his　Coke　can　and　tossed　it　in　the　trash。　He　flipped　through　his　notepad　as　if　looking　for　something。
　'This　body　could　not　have　been　buried　deep；'　I　said。　'It's　very　clean；　considering　the　circumstances。　There　are　no　postmortem　injuries；　and　based　on　what　I　observed　out　there；　the　Cats　grab　bales　off　the　trucks；　smash　them　open。　They　spread　the　trash　on　the　ground　so　the　pactor　can　doze　it　with　the　straight　blade；　chopping　and　pressing。'
　'That's　pretty　much　it。'　Kitchen　eyed　me　with　interest。　'You　want　a　job？'
　I　was　preoccupied　with　images　of　earth…moving　machines　that　looked　like　robotic　dinosaurs；　claws　biting　into　plastic…shrouded　bales　on　trucks。　I　was　intimately　acquainted　with　the　injuries　in　the　earlier　cases；　with　human　remains　crushed　and　mauled。　Except　for　what　the　killer　had　done；　this　victim　was　intact。
　'Hard　to　find　good　women；'　Kitchen　was　saying。
　'You　ain't　kidding；　brother；'　Ring　said　as　Grigg　watched　him　with　growing　disgust。
　'Seems　like　a　good　point；'　Grigg　said。　'If　that　body　had　been　on　the　ground　for　any　time　at　all；　it　would　be　pretty　chewed　up。'
　'The　first　four　were；'　Ring　said。　'Mangled　like　cube　steak。'　He　eyed　me。　'This　one　look　pacted？'
　'The　body　doesn't　appear　crushed；'　I　replied。
　'Now　that's　interesting；　too；'　he　mused。　'Why　wouldn't　it　be？'
　'It　didn't　start　out　at　a　transfer　station　where　it　was　pacted　and　baled；'　Kitchen　said。　'It　started　in　a　Dumpster　that　was　emptied　by　the　packer。'
　'And　the　packer　doesn't　pack？'　Ring　dramatically　asked。　'Thought　that's　why　they　were　called　packers。'　He　shrugged　and　grinned　at　me。
　'It　depends　on　where　the　body　was　in　relation　to　the　other　garbage　when　the　pacting　was　done；'　I　said。　'It　depends　on　a　lot　of　things。'
　'Or　if　it　was　pacted　at　all；　depending　on　how　full　the　truck　was；'　Kitchen　said。　'I'm　thinking　it　was　the　packer。　Or　at　most；　one　of　the　two　trucks　before　it；　if　we're　talking　about　the　exact　coordinates　where　the　body　was　found。'
　'I　guess　I'm　going　to　need　the　names　of　those　trucks　and　where　they're　from；'　Ring　said。　'We　gotta　interview　the　drivers。'
　'So　you're　looking　at　the　drivers　as　suspects；'　Grigg　said；　coolly；　to　him。　'Got　to　give　you　credit；　that's　original。　The　way　I　look　at　it；　the　trash　didn't　originate　with　them。　It　originated　with　the　folks　who　pitched　it。　And　I　expect　one　of　those　folks　is　who　we　need　to　find。'
　Ring　stared　at　him；　not　the　least　bit　perturbed。　'I'd　just　like　to　hear　what　the　driver