cpatricia.blacknotice-第45节

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　where　the　conversation　was　headed。
　　〃I　guess　B　and　E　detectives　are　under　Deputy　Chief　Bray　now；〃　I　said。
　　She　hesitated；　then　replied　with　an　ironic　smile；　〃Isn't　everybody？〃
　　〃Would　you　like　a　cup　of　coffee？〃　I　asked。
　　〃That　would　be　nice。　I　don't　want　to　put　you　out：'
　　I　got　a　bag　of　coffee　from　the　freezer。　Butler；　sat　down　and　started　filling　out　an　offense　report　while　I　got　out　mugs　and　cream　and　sugar；　and　dispatchers　and　cops　jumped　in　and　out　in　ten…codes　on　the　air。　The　doorbell　rang　and　I　let　the　B&E　detective　in。　I　didn't　know　him。　It　seemed　I　didn't　know　anyone　anymore　since　Bray　had　taken　people　away　from　jobs　they　had　learned　so　well。
　　'This　the　door　right　here？〃　the　detective　was　asking　Butler。
　　〃Yeah。　Hey；　Johnny；　you　got　a　pen　that　works　better　than　this？〃
　　A　headache　began　boxing　with　my　brain。
　　〃You　got　one　that　works　at　all？〃
　　I　couldn't　believe　what　was　going　on。
　　〃What's　your　D。O。B。？〃　McElwayne　was　asking　me。
　　〃Not　too　many　people　have　alarm　systems　in　their　garage；〃　Butler　said。　〃In　my　opinion；　the　contacts　are　weaker　than　they're　going　to　be　in　a　regular　door。　Lightweight　metal；　a　really　big　surface　area。　You　get　a　strong　gusting　wind　。　。　。〃
　　〃I've　never　had　a　strong　wind　set　off　the　alarm　in　my　garage；〃　I　said。
　　〃But　if　you're　a　burglar　and　figure　a　house　has　a　burglar　alarm；〃　Butler　continued　to　reason；　〃you　might　not　assume　the　garage　door's　on　it。　And　maybe　there's　something　in　there　worth　stealing。〃
　　〃In　broad　daylight？〃　I　asked。
　　The　detective　was　dusting　the　doorjamb　while　more　cold　air　blew　in。
　　〃Okay；　let's　see；　Doc。〃　McElwayne　continued　filling　out　the　report。　〃Got　your　home　address。　Need　the　one　downtown；　and　your　home　and　business　telephone　numbers。〃
　　〃I　really　don't　want　my　unlisted　phone　number　in　a　press　basket；〃　I　said；　trying　to　restrain　my　building　resentment　of　this　intrusion；　well　intended　or　not。
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta；　you　got　any　prints　on　file？〃　the　detective　asked；　brush　poised；　black　magnetic　powder　dirtying　the　door。
　　〃Yes。　For　exclusionary　purposes。〃
　　〃Thought　you　might。　I　think　all　MRs　ought　to　in　case　they　touch　something　they're　not　supposed　to；〃　he　said；　not　intending　to　insult　me　but　doing　it　anyway。
　　〃Do　you　understand　what　I'm　saying？〃　I　tried　to　get　McElwayne　to　look　up　at　me　and　listen。　〃I　don't　want　this　in　the　paper。　I　don't　want　every　news　reporter　and　God　knows　who　else　calling　me　at　home　and　knowing　my　exact　address　and　my　Social　Security　number　and　D。O。B。；　race；　sex；　where　I　was　born；　height；　weight；　eye　color；　next　of　kin。　。；
　　〃Anything　happened　lately　we　should　know　about？〃　McElwayne　continued　questioning　me　as　Butler　handed　the　detective　lifting　tape。
　　〃A　car　followed　me　Wednesday　night；〃　I　reluctantly　replied。
　　I　felt　all　eyes　on　me。
　　〃It　seems　my　secretary　was　followed；　too。　Last　night。〃
　　McElwayne　was　writing　all　of　this　down；　too。　The　doorbell　sounded　again；　and　I　saw　Marino　in　the　video　display　of　the　Aiphone　on　the　wall　by　the　refrigerator。
　　〃And　I'd　better　not　read　about　that　in　the　paper；〃　I　warned　as　I　walked　out　of　the　kitchen。
　　〃No；　ma'am；　it　will　be　in　the　supplementary　report。　That　doesn't　go　in　the　press　basket；〃　Butler's　voice　followed　me。
　　〃Goddamn　it；　do　something；〃　I　said　to　Marino　as　I　opened　the　door。　〃Someone　tries　to　break　into　my　goddamn　house　and　now　my　privacy's　going　to　be　broken　into　next。〃
　　Marino　was　vigorously　chewing　gum　and　looked　like　I　was　the　one　who　had　mitted　a　crime。
　　〃It'd　be　nice　if　you'd　let　me　know　when　someone　tries　to　break　into　your　house。　I　shouldn't　have　to　hear　about　it　on　the　fucking　scanner；〃　he　said；　his　angry　strides　carrying　him　toward　the　sound　of　voices。
　　I'd　had　enough　and　retreated　to　my　study　to　call　Marie。　A　young　child　answered　the　phone；　then　Marie　got　on。
　　〃I　just　found　out　about　the　alarm　going　off　while　you　were　here　on　Tuesday；〃　I　said　to　her。
　　〃I'm　very　sorry；　Mrs。　Scarpetta；〃　she　said　in　a　pleading　voice。　〃I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　didn't　do　anything　to　set　it　off。　I　was　vacuuming　and　then　it　happened。　I　couldn't　remember　the　code　because　I　was　so　scared：〃
　　〃I　understand；　Marie；〃　I　said。　〃It　scares　me；　too。　It　just　went　off　again　tonight；　so　I　know　exactly　what　you　mean。　But　I　need　you　to　tell　me　these　things　when　they　happen。〃
　　〃The　police　didn't　believe　me。　I　was　sure　of　it。　I　told　them　I　didn't　go　into　the　garage；　and　I　could　tell。　。　：'
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　again。
　　〃I　was　afraid　you　would　be　angry　with　me　because　the　police　。　。　。　that　maybe　you　wouldn't　want　me　working　for　you　anymore　。　。　。　I　should　have　told　you。　I　will　always。　I　promise：'
　　〃You　don't　need　to　be　afraid。　The　police　aren't　going　to　hurt　you　in　this　country；　Marie。　It's　not　the　same　thing　as　where　you're　from。　And　I　want　you　to　be　very　careful　when　you're　at　my　house。　Keep　the　alarm　on　and　make　sure　it's　on　when　you　leave。　Did　you　notice　anyone　or　maybe　a　car　that　caught　your　attention　for　some　reason？〃
　　〃I　remember　it　was　raining　hard　and　very　cold。　I　didn't　see　anyone。〃
　　〃You　let　me　know　if　you　do；〃　I　said。
　　　
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　　Somehow　the　supplemental　part　of　the　attempted　burglary　offense　report　made　it　into　the　press　basket　in　time　for　the　six　o'clock　news　on　Saturday　night。　Reporters　began　calling　both　Rose　and　me　at　home　with　question　after　question　about　our　being　followed　I　had　no　doubt　Bray　was　behind　that　little　slip。　It　was　a　nice　little　bit　of　amusement　for　her　on　an　otherwise　cold；　dreary　weekend。　Of　course　she　didn't　give　a　damn　that　my　sixty…four…year…old　secretary　lived　alone　in　a　munity　that　did　not　have　a　guard　gate。
　　Late　Sunday　afternoon　I　sat　in　my　great　room；　a　fire　burning；　as　I　worked　on　a　long　overdue　journal　article　that　I　had　no　heart　for。　The　wretched　weather　continued　and　my　concentration　drifted。　By　now；　Jo　should　have　been　admitted　to　MCV　and　Lucy　should　be　in　D。C。；　I　supposed。　I　didn't　know　for　sure。　But　of　one　thing　I　was　certain。　Lucy　was　angry；　and　whenever　she　was　angry；　she　cut　herself　off　from　me。　It　could　go　on　for　months；　even　a　year。
　　I　had　managed　to　avoid　calling　my　mother　or　my　sister　Dorothy；　which　might　have　seemed　pretty　cold　of　me；　but　I　didn't　need　one　more　watt　of　stress。　I　finally　relented　early　Sunday　evening。　Apparently　Dorothy　wasn't　home。　I　tried　my　mother　next。
　　〃No；　Dorothy's　not　here；〃　my　mother　said。　〃She's　in　Richmond；　and　maybe　you　would　know　that　if　you　ever　bothered　to　call　your　sister　and　your　mother。　Lucy's　in　a　shooting；　and　you　can't　be　bothered。　。　。〃
　　〃Dorothy's　in　Richmond？〃　I　said　in　disbelief。
　　〃What　do　you　expect？　She's　her　mother。〃
　　〃So　Lucy's　in　Richmond；　too？〃　The　thought　sliced　through　me　like　a　scalpel。
　　〃That's　why　her　mother's　going　there。　Of　course　Lucy's　in　Richmond。〃
　　I　didn't　know　why　I　should　have　been　surprised。　Dorothy　was　a　narcissistic　upstager。　Whenever　there　was　drama；　she　had　to　be　the　center　of　it。　If　that　meant　suddenly　assuming　the　role　of　mother　to　a　child　she　cared　nothing　about；　Dorothy　would。
　　〃She　left　yesterday　and　didn't　want　to　bother　to　ask　about　staying　in　your　house；　since　you　don't　seem　to　care　about　your　family；〃　my　mother　said。
　　〃Dorothy　never　wants　to　stay　in　my　house。〃
　　My　sister　was　quite　fond　of　hotel　bars。　At　my　house；　there　was　no　possibility　of　meeting　men；　at　ldast　not　any　I　was　willing　to　share　with　her。
　　〃Where　is　she　staying？〃　I　asked。　〃And　is　Lucy　staying　with　her？〃
　　〃No　one　will　tell　me；　all　this　secrecy　business；　and　here　I　am；　her　grandmother　。　。　：〃
　　I　couldn't　stand　it　anymore。
　　〃Mother；　I've　got　to　go；〃　I　said。
　　I　practically　hung　up　on　her　and　called　the　orthopedic　department　chair；　Dr。　Graham　Worth；　at　home。
　　〃Graham；　you've　got　to　help　me　out；〃　I　told　him。
　　〃Don't　tell　me　a　patient　in　my　unit　died；〃　he　wryly　said。
　　〃Graham；　you　know　I　wouldn't　ask　for　your　help　unless　it　was　something　very　important。〃
　　Levity　gave　way　to　silence。
　　〃You've　got　a　patient　under　an　alias。　She's　DEA；　was　shot　in　Miami。　You　know　who　I　mean。〃
　　He　didn't　answer　me。
　　〃My　niece；　Lucy；　was　involved　in　the　same　shooting；〃　I　went　on。
　　〃I　know　about　the　shooting；〃　he　replied。　〃Certainly　it's　been　in　the　news。〃
　　〃I'm　the　one　who　asked　Jo　Sanders's　DEA　supervisor　to　transfer　her　to　MCV　I　promised　to'personally　look　after　her；　Graham。〃
　　〃Listen；　Kay；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　instructed　that　under　no　circumstances　am　I　allowed　to　let　anyone　but　immediate　family　in　to　see　her。〃
　　〃No　one　else？〃　I　said　in　disbelief。　〃Not　even　my　niece？〃
　　He　paused；　then　said；　〃It　pains　me　to　tell　you　this；　but　especially　not　her。〃
　　〃Why？That's　ridiculous！〃
　　〃It's　not　my　call。〃
　　I　couldn't　imagine　Lucy's　reaction　if　she　was　being　barred　from　seeing　her　lover。
　　〃She's　got　a　shattered；　minuted　fracture　of　the　left　femur；〃　he　was　explaining。　〃I've　had　to　put　in　a　plate。　She's　in　traction　and　on　morphine；　Kay。　She　fades　in　and　out：　Only　her　parents　are　seeing　her。　I'm　not　even　sure　she　really　understands　where　she　is　or　what　happened　to　her。〃
　　〃What　about　the　head　injury？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Just　a　grazing　wound　that　opened　the　flesh。〃
　　〃Has　Lucy　been　there　at　all？　Maybe　waiting