cpatricia.blacknotice-第3节

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　　〃Tell　me　how　to　get　there；〃　I　said　to　my　deputy　chief。
　　〃I　guess　you're　not　going　to　accept　my　pro　bono　advice。〃
　　〃If　I'm　ing　from　my　house；　Downtown　Expressway；　and　then　what？〃　I　said。
　　He　gave　me　directions。　I　got　off　the　phone　and　hurried　to　my　bedroom；　Benton's　letter　in　hand。　I　couldn't　think　of　a　place　to　keep　it。　I　couldn't　just　leave　it　in　a　drawer　or　file　cabinet。　God　forbid　I　should　lose　it　or　the　housekeeper　should　discover　it；　and　I　didn't　want　it　in　a　place　where　I　might　run　across　it　unawares　and　be　undone　again。　Thoughts　spun　wildly；　my　heart　racing；　adrenaline　screaming　through　my　blood　as　I　stared　at　the　stiff；　creamy　envelope；　at　〃Kay〃　written　in　Benton's　modest；　careful　hand。
　　I　finally　focused　on　the　small　fireproof　safe　bolted　to　the　floor　in　my　closet。　I　frantically　tried　to　remember　where　I　had'　written　down　the　bination。
　　〃I'm　losing　my　goddamn　mind；〃　I　exclaimed　out　loud。
　　The　bination　was　where　I　always　kept　it；　between　pages　670　and　671　of　the　seventh　edition　of　Hunter's　Tropical　Medicine。　I　locked　the　letter　in　the　safe　and　walked　into　the　bathroom　and　repeatedly　splashed　cold　water　on　my　face。　I　called　Rose；　my　secretary；　and　instructed　her　to　arrange　for　a　removal　service　to　meet　me　at　the　Port　of　Richmond　in　about　an　hour　and　a　half。
　　〃Let　them　know　the　body's　in　very　sorry　shape；〃　I　emphasized。
　　〃How　are　you　going　to　get　there？〃　Rose　asked。　〃I'd　tell　you　to　stop　here　first　and　get　the　Suburban；　but　Chuck's　taken　it　in　for　an　oil　change。〃
　　〃I　thought　he　was　sick。〃
　　〃He　showed　up　fifteen　minutes　ago　and　left　with　the　Suburban。〃
　　〃Okay；　I'll　have　to　use　my　own　car。　Rose；　I'm　going　to　need　the　Ltuna…Lite　and　a　hundréd…foot　extension　cord。　Have　someone　meet　me　in　the　parking　lot　with　them。　I'll　call　when　I'm　close。〃
　　〃You　need　to　know　that　Jean's　in　a　bit　of　an　uproar。〃
　　〃What's　the　problem？〃　I　asked；　surprised。
　　Jean　Adams　was　the　office　administrator　and　she　rarely　showed　emotion；　much　less　got　upset。
　　〃Apparently　all　the　coffee　money　disappeared。　You　know　this　isn't　the　first　time。　。　。〃
　　〃Damn！〃　I　said。　〃Where　was　it　kept？〃
　　〃Locked　up　in　Jean's　desk　drawer；　like　always。　Doesn't　look　like　the　lock　was　pried　open　or　anything；　but　she　went　into　the　drawer　this　morning；　no　money。　A　hundred　and　eleven　dollars　and　thirty…five　cents。〃
　　〃This　has　got　to　stop；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　don't　know　if　you're　aware　of　the　latest；〃　Rose　went　on。　〃Lunches　have　started　disappearing　from　the　break　room。　Last　week　Cleta　accidentally　left　her　portable　phone　on　her　desk　overnight　and　the　next　morning　it　was　gone。　Same　thing　happened　to　Dr。　Riley。　He　left　a　nice　pen　in　the　pocket　of　his　lab　coat。　Next　morning；　no　pen〃
　　〃The　crew　that　cleans　up　after　hours？〃
　　〃Maybe；〃　Rose　said。　〃But　I　will　tell　you；　Dr。　Scarpettaand　I'm　not　trying　to　accuse　anyone…I'm　afraid　it　might　be　an　inside　job：'
　　〃You're　right。　We　shouldn't　accuse　anyone。　Is　there　any　good　news　today？〃
　　〃Not　so　far；〃　Rose　matter…of…factly　replied。
　　Rose　had　worked　for　me　since　I　had　been　appointed　chief　medical　examiner；　which　meant　she　had　been　running　my　life　for　most　of　my　career。　She　had　the　remarkable　ability　to　know　virtually　everything　going　on　around　her　without　getting　caught　up　in　it　herself。　My　secretary　remained　untainted；　and　although　the　staff　was　somewhat　afraid　of　her；　she　was　the　first　one　they　ran　to　when　there　was　a　problem。　。
　　〃Now　you　take　care　of　yourself；　Dr。　Scarpetta；〃　she　went　on。　〃You　sound　awful。　Why　don't　you　let　Jack　go　to　the　scene　and　you　stay　in　for　once？〃
　　〃I'll　just　take　my　car；〃　I　said　as　a　wave　of　grief　rolled　over　me　and　sounded　in　my　voice。
　　Rose　caught　it　and　rode　it　out　in　silence。　I　could　hear　her　shuffling　through　papers　on　her　desk。　I　knew　she　wanted　to　somehow　fort　me；　but　I　had　never　allowed　that。
　　〃Well；　make　sure　you　change　before　you　get　back　in　it；〃　she　finally　said。
　　〃Change　what？〃
　　〃Your　clothes。　Before　you　get　back　into　your　car；〃　she　said　as　if　rd　never　dealt　with　a　deposed　body　before。
　　〃Thank　you；　Rose；〃　I　said。
　　　
　　　3
　　I　set　the　burglar　alarm　and　locked　the　house；　turning　on　the　light　in　the　garage；　where　I　opened　a　spacious　locker　built　of　cedar；　with　vents　along　the　top　and　bottom。　Inside　were　hiking　boots；　waders；　heavy　leather　gloves　and　a　Barbour　coat　with　its　special　waterproofing　that　reminded　me　of　wax。
　　Out　here　I　kept　socks；　long　underwear；　jumpsuits　and　other　gear　that　would　never　see　the　inside　of　my　house。　Their　end　of　tour　landed　them　in　the　industrial…size　stainless　steel　sink　and　washer　and　dryer　not　meant　for　my　normal　clothes。
　　I　tossed　a　jumpsuit；　a　pair　of　black　leather　Reeboks　and　an　Office　of　Chief　Medical　Examiner；　or　OCME；　baseball　cap　inside　the　trunk。　I　checked　my　large　Halliburton　aluminum　scene　case　to　make　sure　I　had　plenty　of　latex　gloves；　heavy…duty　trash　bags；　disposable　sheets；　camera　and　film。　I　set　out　with　a　heavy　heart　ss　Benton's　words　drifted　through　my　mind　again。　I　tried　to　block　out　his　voice；　his　eyes　and　smile　and　the　feel　of　his　skin。　I　wanted　to　forget　him　and　more　than　anything；　I　didn't。
　　I　turned　on　the　radio　as　I　followed　the　Downtown　Expressway　to　1…95；　the　Richmond　skyline　sparkling　in　the　sun。　I　was　slowing　at　the　Lombardy　Toll　Plaza　when　my　car　phone　rang。　It　was　Marino。
　　Thought　I'd　let　you　know　I'm　going　to　drop　by；〃　he　said。
　　A　horn　blared　when　I　changed　lanes　and　almost　clipped　a　silver　Toyota　in　my　blind　spot。　The　driver　swooped　around　me；　yelling　obscenities　I　couldn't　hear。
　　〃Go　to　hell；〃　I　angrily　said　in　his　wake。
　　〃What？〃　Marino　said　loudly　in　my　ear。
　　〃Some　goddamn　idiot　driver。〃
　　〃Oh；　good。　You　ever　heard　of　road　rage；　Doc？〃
　　〃Yes；　and　I've　e　down　with　it〃
　　I　took　the　Ninth　Street　exit；　heading　to　my　office；　and　let　Rose　know　I　was　two　minutes　away。　When　I　pulled　into　the　parking　lot；　Fielding　was　waiting　with　the　hard　case　and　extension　cord。
　　〃I　don't　guess　the　Suburban's　back　yet；〃　I　said。
　　〃Nope；〃　he　replied；　loading　the　equipment　in　my　trunk。　〃Gonna　be　something　when　you　show　up　in　this　thing。　I　can　just　see　all　those　dockworkers　staring　at　this　goodlooking　blond　woman　in　a　black　Mercedes。　Maybe　you　should　borrow　my　car。〃
　　My　bodybuilding　deputy　chief　had　just　finalized　a　divorce　and　celebrated　by　trading　in　his　Mustang　for　a　red　Corvette。
　　〃Actually；　that's　a　good　idea；〃　I　dryly　said。　〃If　you　don't　mind。　As　long　as　it's　a　V…eight〃
　　Yeah；　yeah。　I　hear　ya。　Call　me　if　you　need　me。　You　know　the　way；　right？〃
　　〃I　do。〃
　　His　directions　led　me　south；　and　I　was　almost　to　Petersburg　when　I　turned　off　and　drove　past　the　back　of　the　Philip　Morris　manufacturing　plant　and　over　railroad　tracks。　The　narrow　road　led　me　through　a　vacant　land　of　weeds　and　woods　that　ended　abruptly　at　a　security　checkpoint。　I　felt　as　if　I　were　crossing　the　border　into　an　unfriendly　country。Beyond　was　a　train　yard　and　hundreds　of　boxcar…size　orange　containers　stacked　three　and　four　high。　A　guard　who　took　his　job　very　seriously　stepped　outside　his　booth。　I　rolled　down　my　window。
　　〃May　I　help　you；　ma'am？〃　he　asked　in　a　flat　military　tone。
　　〃I'm　Dr。　Kay　Scarpetta；〃　I　replied。
　　〃And　who　are　you　here　to　see？〃
　　〃I'm　here　because　there's　been　a　death；〃　I　explained。　〃I'm　the　medical　examiner。〃
　　I　showed　him　my　credentials。　He　took　them　from　me　and　studied　them　carefully。　I　had　a　feeling　he　didn't　know　what　a　medical　examiner　was　and　wasn't　about　to　ask。
　　〃So　you're　the　chief；〃　he　said；　handing　the　worn　black　wallet　back　to　me。　〃The　chief　of　what？〃
　　〃I'm　the　chief　medical　examiner　of　Virginia；〃　I　replied。　〃The　police　are　waiting　for　me。〃
　　He　stepped　back　inside　his　booth　and　got　on　the　phone　as　my　impatience　grew。　It　seemed　every　time　I　needed　to　enter　a　secured　area；　I　went　through　this。　I　used　to　assume　my　being　a　woman　was　the　reason；　and　in　earlier　days　this　was　probably　true…at　least　some　of　the　time。　Now　I　believed　the　threats　of　terrorism；　crime　and　lawsuits　were　the　explanation。　The　guard　wrote　down　a　description　of　my　car　arid　the　plate　number。　He　handed　me　a　clipboard　so　I　could　sign　in　and　gave　me　a　visitor's　pass；　which　I　didn't　clip　on。
　　〃See　that　pine　tree　down　there？〃　he　said；　pointing。
　　〃I　see　quite　a　few　pine　trees。〃
　　〃The　little　bent　one。　Take　a　left　at　it　and　just　head　on　towards　the　water；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃Have　a　nice　day。〃
　　I　moved　on；　passing　huge　tires　parked　here　and　there　and　several　red　brick　buildings　with　signs　out　front　to　identify　the　U。S。　Customs　Service　and　Federal　Marine　Terminal。　The　port　itself　was　rows　of　huge　warehouses　with　orange　containers　lined　up　at　loading　docks　like　animals　feeding　from　troughs。
　　Moored　off　the　wharf　in　the　James　River　were　two　container　ships；　the　Euroclip　and　the　Sirius；　each　almost　twice　as　long　as　a　football　field。　Cranes　hundreds　of　feet　high　were　poised　above　open　hatches　the　size　of　swimming　pools。
　　Yellow　crime…scene　tape　anchtired　by　traffic　cones　circled　a　container　that　was　mounted　on　a　chassis。　No　one　was　nearby。　In　fact；　I　saw　no　sign　of　police　except　for　an　unmarked　blue　Caprice　at　the　edge　of　the　dock　apron；　the　driver；　apparently；　behind　the　wheel　talking　through　the