cpatricia.blacknotice-第18节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　up　tó　sixty　or　seventy　or　something；　and　the　phone　rings　and　I　lose　count　and　have　to　start　all　over　again。〃
　　〃Yeah；　Chuckie…boy；〃　Marino　said。　〃I　can　see　why　you'd　lose　count　real　easy。〃
　　Ruffin　started　whistling。
　　〃What　are　you　so　happy　about　all　of　a　sudden？〃　Marino　irritably　asked；　as　Ruffin　used　tweezers　to　fill　rows　with　pills　on　the　little　blue　plastic　tray。
　　〃We're　going　to　need　to　get　fingerprints；　dental　charts；　anything　we　can；〃　I　said　to　Marino　as　I　removed　a　section　of　deep　muscle　from　the　thigh　for　DNA。　〃Anything　we　can　get　needs　to　be　sent　to　them；〃　I　added。
　　〃Them？〃　Marino　asked。
　　I　was　getting　exasperated。
　　〃Interpol；〃　I　said　tersely。
　　The　phone　rang　again。
　　〃Hey；　Marino；　can　you　get　that？　I'm　counting。〃
　　〃Tough　shit；〃　he　said　to　Ruffin。
　　〃Are　you　listening　to　me？〃　I　looked　up　at　Marino。
　　〃Yeah；〃　he　said。　〃The　state　liaison's　at　State　Police　Criminal　Investigation；　used　to　be　some　guy　who　was　a　first　sergeant　and　I　remember　asking　him　if　he　wanted　to　have　a　beer　sometime　at　the　F。O。P；　or　go　grab　a　bite　at　Chetti's　with　some　of　the　guys。　You　know；　just　being　friendly；　and　he　never　even　changed　his　tóne　of　voice。　I'm　pretty　sure　I　was　being　taped。〃
　　I　worked　on　a　section　of　vertebral　bone　that　I　would　clean　with　sulfuric　acid　and　have　trace　check　it　for　microscopic　organisms　called　diatoms　that　were　found　in　water　all　over　the　world。
　　〃Wish　I　could　remember　his　name；〃　Marino　was　saying。　〃So　he　took　all　the　info；　contacted　D。C。；　and　D。C。　contacted　Lyon；　where　all　the　secret　squirrels　are。　I　hear　they　got　this　real　spooky…looking　building　on　a　hidden　road；　sort　of　like　Batman　and　his　cave。　Electrified　fences；　razor　wire　and　gates　and　guards　carrying　machine　guns；　the　whole　nine　yards：'
　　〃You've　watched　too　much　James　Bond；〃　I　said。
　　〃Not　since　Sean　Connery　quit。　Movies　suck　these　days；　and　nothing's　good　on　TV　anymore。　I　don't　even　know　why　I　bother。〃
　　〃Maybe　you　ought　to　consider　reading　a　book　now　and　then。；。
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta？〃　Chuck　said；　hanging　up。　〃That　was　Dr。　Cooper。　The　STAT　alcohol's　oh…point…oh…eight　in　the　effusate；　and　zip…o　in　the　brain。〃
　　The　0。08　didn't　mean　much；　since　the　brain　didn't　show　an　alcohol　level；　too。　Perhaps　the　man　was　drinking　before　he　died；　or　maybe　what　we　had　was　postmortemgenerated　。alcohol　caused　by　bacteria。　There　were　no　other　fluids　for　parison；　no　urine　or　blood　or　fluid　of　the　eye　known　as　vitreous；　which　was　too　bad。　If　0。08　was　a　true　level；　it　might；　at　the　very　least；　show　that　this　man　would　have　been　somewhat　impaired　and　therefore　more　vulnerable。
　　〃How　are　you　going　to　sign　him　out？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Acute　seasickness。〃　Ruffin　popped　a　towel　at　a　fly。
　　〃You　know；　you're　really　beginning　to　get　on　my　nerves；〃　Marino　warned　him。
　　〃Cause　of　death　undetermined；〃　I　said。　〃Manner；　homicide。　This　isn't　some　poor　dockworker　who　accidentally　got　locked　inside　a　container。　Chuck；　I　need　a　surgical　pan。　Leave　it　right　here　on　the　counter；　and　before　the　day　is　out；　you　and　I　need　to　talk：'
　　His　eyes　darted　away　from　me　like　minnows。　I　pulled　off　my　gloves　and　called　Rose。
　　〃Would　you　mind　going　into　archives　and　finding　one　of　my　old　cork　cutting　boards？〃　I　asked　her。
　　OSHA　had　decided　that　all　cutting　boards　had　to　be　Teflon…coated　because　porous　ones　were　susceptible　to　contamination。　That　was　appropriate　if　one　worked　around　live　patients　or　was　making　bread。　I　plied；　but　it　didn't　mean　I　threw　anything　away。
　　〃I　also　need　wig　pins；〃　I　went　on。　〃There　should　be　a　little　plastic　box　of　them　in　the　right　top　drawer　of　my　desk。　Unless　someone　stole　those；　too。〃
　　〃Not　a　problem；〃　Rose　said。
　　〃I　think　the　boards　are　on　a　bottom　shelf　in　the　back　of　storage；　next　to　the　boxes　of　old　medical　examiner　handbooks：'
　　〃Anything　else？〃
　　〃I　don't　guess　Lucy's　called；〃　I　said。
　　〃Not　yet。　If　she　does；　I'll　find　you。〃
　　I　thought　for　a　minute。　It　was　past　one　o'clock。　She　was　off　the　plane　by　now　and　could　have　called。　Depression　and　fear　rolled　over　me　again。
　　〃Send　flowers　to　her　office；〃　I　said。　〃With　a　note　that　says；　‘Thanks　for　the　visit；　love；　Aunt　Kay。'　〃
　　Silence。
　　〃Are　you　still　there？〃　I　asked　my　secretary。
　　〃You　sure　that's　what　you　want　to　say？〃　she　asked。
　　I　hesitated。
　　〃Tell　her　I　love　her　and　I'm　sorry；〃　I　said。
　　　
　　　14
　　0rdinarily；　I　would　have　used　a　permanent　marker　to　outline　the　area　of　skin　I　needed　to　excise　from　a　dead　body；　but　in　this　case；　no　marker　was　going　to　show　up　on　skin　in　such　bad　condition。
　　I　did　the　best　I　could　with　a　six…inch　plastic　ruler；　measuring　from　the　right　base　of　the　neck　to　the　shoulder；　and　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　shoulder　blade　and　back　up。
　　〃Eight　and　a　half　by　seven　by　two　by　four；〃　I　dictated　to　Ruffin。
　　Skin　is　elastic。　Once　it　is　excised；　it　will　contract；　and　it　was　important　when　I　pinned　it　to　the　corkboard　that　I　stretched　it　back　to　its　original　dimensions　or　any　images　that　might　be　tattooed　on　the　skin　would　be　distorted。
　　Marino　had　left；　and　my　staff　was　busy　in　their　offices　or　the　autopsy　suite。　Every　now　and　then　the　closed…circuit　TV　showed　a　car　pulling　into　the　bay　to　bring　a　body　or　take　one　away。　Ruffin　and　I　were　alone　behind　the　closed　steel　doors　of　the　deposed　room。　I　was　going　to　hold　him　to　a　conversation。
　　〃If　you'd　like　to　go　with　the　police　department；〃　I　said；　〃fine。〃
　　Glass　clacked　as　he　placed　clean　blood　tubes　in　a　rack。
　　〃But　if　you're　going　to　stay　here；　Chuck；　you're　going　to　have　to　be　present；　accountable　and　respectful：〃
　　I　retrieved　a　scalpel　and　a　pair　of　forceps　from　the　surgical　table；　and　glanced　at　him。　He　seemed　to　be　expecting　what　I　said　and　had　already　thought　about　how　he　was　going　to　reply。
　　〃I　may　not　be　perfect；　but　I'm　accountable；〃　he　said。
　　〃Not　these　days。　I　need　more　clamps。〃
　　〃There's　a　lot　going　on；〃　he　said　as　he　retrieved　them　from　a　tray　and　set　them　within　my　reach。　〃In　my　personal　life；　I　mean。　The　wife；　the　house　we　bought。　You　wouldn't　believe　all　the　problems　with　it。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry　for　your　difficulties；　but　I　have　an　entire　state　system　to　run。　I　frankly　don't　have　time　for　excuses。　If　you　don't　carry　your　load；　we　have　big　problems。　Don't　make　me　walk　into　the　morgue　and　find　you　haven't　set　up　first。　Don't　make　me　look　for　you　one　more　time。〃
　　〃We　already　have　big　problems；〃　he　said　as　if　this　were　the　shot　he'd　been　waiting　to　fire。
　　I　began　the　incision。
　　〃You　just　don't　know　it；〃　he　added。
　　〃Then　why　don't　you　tell　me　what　these　big　problems　are；　Chuck？〃　I　said。　I　reflected　back　the　dead　man's　skin；　down　to　the　subcutaneous　layer。　Ruffin　watched　me　clamp　cut　edges　together　to　keep　the　skin　taut。　I　stopped　what　I　was　doing　and　looked　across　the　table　at　him。
　　〃Go　on；〃　I　said。　〃Tell　me：'
　　〃I　don't　think　it's　my　place　to　tell　you；'　Ruffin　said；　and　I　saw　something　in　his　eyes　that　unnerved　me。　〃Look；　Dr。　Scarpetta。　I　know　I　haven't　been　Johnny…on…the…spot。　I　know　I've　slipped　off　to　go　to　job　interviews　and　maybe　just　haven't　been　accountable　like　I　should　be。　And　I　don't　get　along　with　Marino。　I　admit　all　of　it。　But　I'll　tell　you　what　everyone　else　won't　if　you　promise　not　to　punish　me　for　it。〃
　　〃I　don't　punish　people　for　being　honest；〃　I　said；　angry　that　he　would　even　suggest　such　a　thing。
　　He　shrugged；　and　I　caught　a　glint　of　self…satisfaction　because　he　had　rattled　me　and　he　knew　it。
　　〃I　don't　punish；　period；〃　I　said。　〃I　simply　expect　people　to　do　what's　right；　and　if　they　don't；　they　punish　themselves。　If　you　don't　last　in　this　job；　it's　your　fault。〃
　　〃Maybe　I　used　the　wrong　word；〃　he　replied；　moving　back　to　the　counter　and　leaning　against　it；　arms　crossed。　〃I　don't　express　myself　as　good　as　you　do；　that's　for　sure。　I　just　don't　want　you　to　get　upset　with　me　for　shooting　straight　with　you。　Okay？〃
　　I　didn't　answer　him。
　　〃Well；　everybody's　sorry　about　what　happened　last　year；〃　he　began　his　opening　argument。　〃No　one　can　imagine　how　you've　dealt　with　it。　Really。　I　mean；　if　someone　did　that　to　my　wife；　I　don't　know　what　I　would　do；　especially　if　it　was　something　like　what　happened　to　Special　Agent　Wesley。〃
　　Ruffin　had　always　referred　to　Benton　as　〃special　agent；〃　which　I'd　always　thought　was　rather　silly。　If　anyone　had　been　unpretentious；　if　not　embarrassed　by　the　title；　it　was　Benton。　But　as　I　pondered　Marino's　derisive　remarks　about　Ruffin's　infatuation　with　law　enforcement；　I　gained　more　understanding。　My　wispy；　weak　morgue　supervisor　had　probably　been　in　awe　of　a　veteran　FBI　agent；　especially　one　who　was　a　psychological　profiler；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　Ruffin's　good　behavior　in　those　earlier　days　might　have　had　more　to　do　with　Benton　than　me。
　　〃It　affected　all　of　us；　too；〃　Ruffin　was　saying。　〃He　used　to　e　down　here；　you　know；　and　order　deli　trays；　pizza；　joke　around　with　us　and　shoot　the　breeze。　A　big；　important　guy　like　him　not　having　any　kind　of　attitude。。　It　blew　my　mind。〃
　　The　pieces　of　Ruffin's　past　slipped　into　place；　too。　His　father　had　died　in　an　automobile　accident　when　Ruffin　was　a　child。　He　had　been　raised　by　his　mother；　a　formidable；　intelligent　woman　who　taught　school。　His　wife　was　very