cpatricia.blacknotice-第5节

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urt　Marino　hadn't　let　me　know；　and　I　was　ashamed　I　hadn't　found　out　anyway。　It　had　been　weeks；　maybe　a　month；　since　I　had　called　just　to　check　on　him。　I　couldn't　remember　the　last　time　I'd　invited　him　to　drop　by　my　office　for　coffee　or　to　e　to　my　house　for…dinner。
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　he　gruffly　said　as　a　greeting。
　　He　didn't　give　Anderson　a　glance。
　　〃I'm　Joe　Shaw。　How　you　doing？〃
　　〃Like　shit；〃　Marino　sourly　replied。　〃Anderson；　you　decide　to　work　this　one　all　by　yourself？　Or　is　it　just　the　other　cops　don't　want　nothing　to　do　with　yotl？〃
　　She　glared　at　him。　She　took　the　gum　out　of　her　mouth　and　tossed　it　as　if　he　had　ruined　the　flavor。
　　〃You　forget　to　invite　anyone　to　this　little　party　of　yours？〃　he　went　on。　〃Jesus！〃　He　was　furious。　〃Never　in　my　motherfucking　life！〃
　　Marino　was　strangled　by　a　short…sleeved　white　shirt　buttoned　up　to　the　collar　and　a　clip…on　tie。　His　big　belly　was　in　a　shoving　match　with　dark　blue　uniform　pants　and　a　stiff　leather　duty　belt　fully　loaded　with　his…　Sig…Sauer　ninemillimeter　pistol；　handcuffs；　extra　clips；　pepper　spray　and　all　the　rest。　His　face　was　flushed。　He　was　dripping　sweat；　a　pair　of　Oakley　sunglasses　blacking　out　his　eyes。
　　〃You　and　I　have　to　talk；〃　I　said　to　hire。
　　I　tried　to　pull　him　off　to　the　side；　but　he　wouldn't　budge。　He　tapped　a　Marlboro　out　of　the　pack　he　always　had　on　him　somewhere。
　　〃You　like　my　new　outfit？〃　he　sardonically　said　to　me。　〃Deputy　Chief　Bray　thought　I　needed　new　clothes：〃
　　〃Marino；　you're　not　needed　here；〃　Anderson　said　to　him。　〃In　fact；　I　don't　think　you　want　anyone　to　know　you　even　thought　about　ing　here。〃
　　〃It's　captain　to　you。〃　He　blew　out　his　words　on　gusts　of　cigarette　smoke。　〃You　might　want　to　watch　your　smart…ass　mouth　because　I　outrank　you；　babe。〃
　　Shaw　watched　the　rude　exchange　without　a　word。
　　〃I　don't　believe　we　call　female　officers　babe　anymore；〃　Anderson　said。
　　〃I've　got　a　body　to　look　at；〃　I　said。
　　〃We've　got　to　go　through　the　warehouse　to　get　there；〃　Shaw　told　me。
　　〃Let's　go；〃　I　said。
　　He　walked　Marino　and　me　to　a　warehouse　door　that　faced　the　river。　Inside　was　a　huge；　dimly　lit；　airless　space　that　was　sweet　with　the　smell　of　tobacco。　Thousands　of　bales　of　it　were　wrapped　in　burlap　and　stacked　on　wooden　pallets；　and　there　were　tons　of　magfilled　sand　and　orifet　that　I　believed　were　used　in　processing　steel；　and　machine　parts　bound　for　Trinidad；　according　to　what　was　stamped　on　crates。
　　Several　bays　down；　the　container　had　been　backed　up　to　a　loading　dock。　The　closer　we　got　to　it；　the　stronger　the　odor。　We　stopped　at　the　crime…scene　tape　draped　across　the　container's　open　door。　The　stench　was　thick　and　hot；　as　if　every　molecule　of　oxygen　had　been　replaced　by　it；　and　I　willed　my　senses　to　have　no　opinion。　Flies　had　begun　to　gather；　their　ominous　noise　reminding　me　of　the　highpitched　buzzing　of　a　remote…control　toy　plane。
　　〃Were　there　flies　when　the　container　was　first　opened？〃　I　asked　Shaw。
　　〃Not　like　this；〃　he　said。
　　〃How　close　did　you　get？〃　I　asked　as　Marino　and　Anderson　caught　up　with　us。
　　〃Close　enough；〃　Shaw　said。
　　〃No　one　went　inside　it？〃　I　wanted　to　make　sure。
　　〃I　can　guarantee　you　that；　ma'am。〃　The　stench　was　getting　to　him。
　　Marino　seemed　unfazed。　He　shook　out　another　cigarette　and　mumbled　around　it　as　he　fired　the　lighter。
　　〃So；　Anderson；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　guess　it　could　be　livestock；　you　know；　since　you　didn't　look。　Hell；　maybe　a　big　dog　that　accidentally　got　locked　up　in　there。　Sure　would　be　a　shame　to　drag　the　doc　here　and　get　the　media　all　in　a　lather　and　then　find　out　it's　just　some　poor　of　wharf　dog　rotted　in　there。〃
　　He　and　I　both　knew　there　was　no　dog　or　pig　or　horse　or　any　other　animal　in　there。　I　opened　my　scene　case　while　Marino　and　Anderson　went　on　carping　at　each　other。　I　dropped　my　car　key　inside　and　pulled　on　several　layers　of　gloves　and　a　surgical　mask。　I　fitted　my　thirty…fivemillimeter　Nikon　with　a　flash　and　a　twenty…eightmillimeter　lens。　I　loaded　four…hundred…speed　film　so　the　photographs　wouldn't　be　too　grainy；　and　slipped　sterile　booties　over　my　shoes。
　　〃It's　just　like　when　we　get　bad　smells　ing　from　a　closed…up　house　in　the　middle　of　July。　We　look　through　the　window。　Break　in　if　we　have　to。　Make　sure　what's　in　there's　human　before　we　call　the　M。E。；〃　Marino　continued　to　instruct　his　new　protégd。
　　I　ducked　under　the　tape　and　stepped　inside　the　dark　container；　relieved　to　find　it　was　only　half　full　of　neatly　stacked　white　cartons；　leaving　plenty　of　room　to　move　around。　I　followed　the　beam　of　my　flashlight　deeper；　sweeping　it　from　side　to　side。
　　Near　the　back；　it　illuminated　a　bottom　row　of　cartons　soaked　with　the　reddish　purge　fluid　that　leaks　from　the　nose　and　mouth　of　a　deposing　body。　My　light　followed　shoes　and　lower　legs；　。and　a　bloated；　bearded　face　jumped　out　of　the　dark。　Bulging　milky　eyes　stared；　the　tongue　so　swollen　it　protruded　from　the　mouth　as　if　the　dead　man　were　mocking　me。　My　covered　shoes　made　sticky　sounds　wherever　I　stepped。
　　The　body　was　fully　clothed　and　propped　up　in　the　corner；　the　container's　metal　walls　bracing　it；　from　two　sides。　Legs　were　straight　out；　hands　in　the　lap　beneath　a　carton　that　apparently　had　fallen。　I　moved　it　out　of　the　way　and　checked　for　defense　injuries；　or　for　abrasions　and　broken　nails　that　might　suggest　he　had　tried　to　claw　his　way　out。　I　saw　no　blood　on　his　clothes；　no　sign　of　obvious　injuries　or　that　a　struggle　had　taken　place。　I　looked　for　food　or　water；　for　any　provisions　or　holes　made　through　the　container's　sides　for　ventilation；　and　found　nothing。
　　I　made　my　way　between　every　row　of　boxes；　squatting　to　shine　oblique　light　on　the　metal　floor；　looking　for　shoe　prints。　Of　course；　they　were　everywhere。　I　moved　an　inch　at　a　time；　my　knees　about　to　give　out。　I　found　an　empty　plastic　wastepaper　basket。　Then　I　found　two　silvery　coins。　I　bent　close　to　them。　One　was　a　deutsche　mark。　I　didn't　recognize　the　other　one　and　touched　nothing。
　　Marino　seemed　a　mile　away；　standing　in　the　container's　opening。
　　〃My　car　key's　in　my　case；〃　I　called　out　to　him　through　'the　surgical　mask。
　　〃Yeah？〃　he　said；　peering　inside。
　　〃Could　you　go　get　the　Luma…Lite？　I　need　the　fiber…optic　attachment　and　the　extension　cord。　Maybe　Mr。　Shaw　can　help　you　find　somewhere　to　plug　it　in。　Has　to　be　a　grounded　receptacle；　one…fifteen　VAC。〃
　　〃I　love　it　when　you　talk　dirty；〃　he　said。
　　　
　　　4
　　The　Luma…Lite　is　an　alternate　light　source　with　a　high　intensity　arc　tube　that　emits　fifteen　watts　of　light　energy　at　450　uanometers　with　a　twenty…nanometer　bandwidth。　It　can　detect　body　fluids　such　as　blood　or　semen　as　well　as　expose　drugs；　fingerprints；　trace　evidénce　and　unexpected　surprises　not　evident　to　the　naked　eye。
　　Shaw　found　a　receptacle　inside　the　warehouse；　and　I　slipped　disposable　plastic　covers　on　the　Luma…Lite's　aluminumfeet　to　make　sure　nothing　from　a　previous　scene　would　be　transferred　to　this　one。　The　alternate　light　source　looked　very　much　like　a　home　projector；　and　I　set　it　inside　the…　container　on　top　of　a　carton　and　ran　the　fan　for；a　minute　before　turning　on　the　power　switch。
　　While　I　waited　for　the　lamp　to　reach　its　maximum　output；　Marino　appeared　with　the　amber…tinted　glasses　needed　to　protect　our　eyes　from　the　strong　energy　light。　Flies　were　getting　thicker。　They　drunkenly　knocked　against　us　and　droned　loudly　in　our　ears。
　　〃Goddamn；　I　hate　those　things！〃　Marino　plained；　swatting　wildly。
　　I　noticed　he　didn't　have　on　a　jumpsuit；　only　shoe　covers　and　gloves。
　　〃You　going　to　drive　home　in　a　closed　car　like　that？〃　I　asked。
　　〃I　got　another　uniform　in　the　trunk。　In　case　something　gets　spilled　on　me　or　whatever。〃
　　〃In　case　you　spill　something　on　you　or　whatever；〃　I　said；　looking　at　my　watch。　〃We　got　one　more　minute。〃
　　〃Notice　how　Anderson's　conveniently　disappeared？　'I　knew　she　would　the　minute　I　heard　about　this　one。　I　just　didn't　figure　on　nobody　else　being　here。　Shit；　something　really　weird's　going　on。〃
　　〃How　in　the　world　did　she　bee　a　homicide　detective？〃
　　〃She　kisses　Bray's　ass。　I　hear　she　even　runs　errands　for　her；　takes　her　brand…new　fáncy…schmansy　black　Crown　Vic　to　the　car　wash；　probably　sharpens　her　pencils　and　shines　her　shoes：'
　　〃We're　ready；〃　I　said。
　　I　began　scanning　with　a　450…nanometer　filter　that　was　capable　of　detecting　a　large　variety　of　residues　and　stains。　Through　our　tinted　glasses；　the　inside　of　the　container　became　an　impenetrably　black　outer　space　scattered　with　shapes　that　fluoresced　white　and　yellow　in　different　shades　and　intensities　whenever　I　pointed　the　lens。　The　projected　blue　light　exposed　hairs　on　the　floor　and　fibers　everywhere；　just　as　I　would　expect　in　a　high…traffic　area　used　to　store　cargo　handled　by　many　people。　White　cardboard　cartons　glowed　a　soft　white；　like　the　moon。
　　I　moved　the　Luma…Lite　deeper　inside　the　container。　Purge　fluid　didn't　fluoresce；　and　the　body　was　a　dejected　dark　shape　sitting　in　the　corner。
　　〃If　he　died　naturally；〃　Marino　said；　〃then　why's　he　sitting　up　like　that　with　his　hands　in　his　lap　like　he's　in　church　or　something？〃
　　〃If　he　died　of　suffocation；　dehydration；　exposure；　he　could　have　died　sitting　up：'
　　〃It　sure　looks　wacko　to　me。〃
　　〃I'm