cpatricia.blacknotice-第9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！


and　rinsed　them。　I　enclosed　the　disinfected　bags　in　two　clean　bags　that　went　into　a　Supercan；　and　I　parked　my　soaked　shoes　on　a　shelf　to　dry。
　　Everything　I　had　on　from　jeans　to　lingerie　went　into　the　washing　machine；　too。　More　detergent　and　bleach；　and　I　hurried　naked　through　my　house　and　into　the　shower；　where　I　scrubbed　hard　with　Phisoderm；　not　an　inch　spared；　not　the　inside　of　my　ears　and　nose；　or　under　my　nails；　fingers　and　toes；　and　I　brushed　my　teeth　in　there。
　　I　sat　on　a　ledge　and　let　water　pound　the　back　of　my　neck　and　head　and　remembered　Benton's　fingers　kneading　my　tendons　and　muscles。　Untangling　them　was　what　he　always　said。　Missing　him　was　a　phantom　pain。　I　could　feel　what　I　remembered　as　if　I　were　feeling　it　now；　and　I　wondered　what　it　would　take　for　me　to　live　where　I　was　instead　of　back　then。　Grief　held　on。　It　would　not　let　go　of　loss；　because　to　do　that　was　to　accept　it。　I　told　that　to　grieving　families　and　friends　all　the　time。
　　I　dressed　in　khakis；　loafers　and　a　blue…striped　shirt；　and　played　Mozart　on　the　CD　player。　I　watered　plants　and　pinched　off　dead　leaves。　I　polished　or　rearranged　whatever　needed　it；　and　tucked　reminders　of　work　out　of　sight。　I　called　my　mother　in　Miami　because　I　knew　Monday　was　bingo　night　and　she　wouldn't　be　home　and　I　could　just　leave　a　message。　I　did　not　turn　on　the　news　because　I　didn't　want　to　be　reminded　of　what　I　had　just　worked　so　hard　to　wash　away。
　　I　poured　a　double　Scotch；　walked　into　my　study　and　turned　on　a　light。　i　scanned　shelves　crowded　with　medical　and　science　books；　and　astronomy　texts；　and　Britannica　encyclopedias；　and　all　sorts　of　aids　to　gardening；　flora　and　fauna；　insects；　rocks　and　minerals；　and　even　tools。　I　found　a　French　dictionary　and　carried　it　over　to　my　desk。　A　loup　was　a　wolf；　but　I　had　no　luck　with　garou。　I　tried　to　think　my　way　out　of　this　problem　and　seized　upon　a　simple　plan。
　　La　Petite　France　was　one　of　tire　city's　finest　restaurants；　and　although　it　was　closed　Monday　nights；　I　knew　the　chef　and　his　wife　very　well。　I　called　them　at　home。　He　answered　the　phone　and　was　as　warm　as　always。
　　〃You　don't　e　see　us　anymore；〃　he　said。　〃We　say　this　too　often。〃
　　〃I　haven't　been　out　much；〃　I　replied。
　　〃You　work　too　much；　Miss　Kay〃
　　〃I　need　a　translation；〃　I　said。　〃And　I　also　need　you　to　keep…this　between　us。　Not　a　word　to　anyone：'
　　〃But　of　course。〃
　　〃What　is　a　loup…garou？〃
　　〃Miss　Kay；　you　must　be　dreaming　bad　things！〃　he　exclaimed；　amused。　〃I'm　so　glad　it's　not　a　full　moon！　Le　loup…garou　is　a　werewolf！〃
　　The　doorbell　rang。
　　〃In　France；　hundreds　of　years　ago；　if　you　were　believed　to　be　a　loup…gamu　you　were　hanged。　There　were　many　reports　of　them；　you　see。〃
　　I　looked　at　the　clock。　It　was　six…fifteen。　Marino　was　early　and　I　was　unprepared。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　I　told　my　friend　the　chef。　〃I'11　e　see　you　soon；　I　promise。〃
　　The　doorbell　sounded　again。
　　〃ing；〃　I　said　to　Marino　through　the　inter。
　　I　turned　off　the　alarm　and　let　him　in。　His　uniform　was　clean；　his　hair　was　neatly　bed　and　he　had　splashed　on　too　much　aftershave。
　　〃You　look　a　little　better　than　when　I　saw　you　last；〃　I　mented　as　we　headed　toward　the　kitchen。　…〃Looks　like　you　cleaned　up　this　joint；〃　he　said　as　we　passed　through　the　great　room。
　　〃It's　about　time；〃　I　said。
　　We　walked　into　the　kitchen　and　he　sat　in　his　usual　spot　at　the　table　by　the　window。　He　watched　me　with　curious　eyes　as　I　got　garlic　and　fast…acting　yeast　out　of　the　refrigerator。
　　〃So　what　are　we　having？　Can　I　smoke　in　here？〃　No。
　　〃You　do。〃
　　〃It's　my　house。〃
　　〃How　'bout　if　I　open　the　window　and　blow　it　out。〃
　　〃Depends　on　which　way　the　wind　is　blowing。〃
　　〃We　could　get　the　ceiling　fan　going　and　see　if　that　helps。　I　smell　garlic　〃I　thought　we'd　have　pizza　on　the　grill。〃
　　I　pushed　aside　cans　and　jars　in　the　pantry；　looking　for　crushed　tomatoes　and　high…gluten　flour。
　　〃The　coins　we　found　are　English　and　German；〃　he　told　me。　‘I'wo　pounds　and　one　deutsche　mark。　But　this　is
　　where　it　starts　getting　real　interesting。　I　hung　around　the　port　a　little　longer　than　you　did；　showering　and　whatever。　And　by　the　way；　they　sure　as　hell　didn't　waste　any　time　hauling　cartons　out　of　that　container　and　cleaning　up。　You　watch；　they'll　sell　that　camera　shit　like　nothing　happened　to　it。〃
　　I　mixed　half　a　package　of　yeast；　warm　water　and　honey　in　a　bowl　and　stirred；　then　I　reached　for　the　flour。
　　〃I'm　hungry　as　hell。〃
　　His　portable　radio　was　upright　on　the　table；　blurting　ten　codes　and　unit　numbers。　He　yanked　off　his　tie　and　unbuckled　his　duty　belt　with　all　its　gear。　I　began　kneading　dough。
　　〃My　lower　back's　killing　me；　Doc；〃　he　plained。　〃You　got　any　idea　what　it's　like　wearing　twenty　pounds　of　shit　around　your　waist？〃
　　His　mood　seemed　considerably　improved　as　he　watched　me　work；　sprinkling　flour　and　shaping　dough　on　the　butcher's…block。
　　〃A　loup…garou　is　a　werewolf；〃　I　told　him。
　　〃Huh？〃
　　〃As　in　a　wolf　man。〃
　　〃Shit；　I　fucking　hate　those　things。〃
　　〃I　wasn't　aware　you'd　ever　met　one。〃
　　〃You　remember　seeing　1。on　Chaney　with　all　that　fur　growing　on　his　face　when　the　moon　came　out？　Scared　the　hell　out　of　me。　Rocky　used　to　watch　Shock　Theater；　remember　that？〃
　　Rocky　was　Marino's　only　child；　a　son　I'd　never　met。　I　placed　the　dough　in　a　bowl　and　covered　it　with　a　warm；　wet　cloth。
　　〃Do　you　ever　hear　from　him？〃　I　cautiously　'　asked。　〃What　about　at　Christmas？　Will　you　see　him　then？〃
　　Marino　nervously　tapped　an　ash。
　　〃Do　you　even　know　where　he　lives？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Yeah；〃　he　said。　〃Oh；　hell；　yeah。〃
　　〃You　act　as　if　you　don't　like　him　at　all；〃　I　said。
　　〃Maybe　I　don't。〃
　　I　scanned　the　wine　rack　for　a　nice　bottle　of　red。　Marino　sucked　smoke　and　exhaled　loudly。　He　had　nothing　more　to　say　about　Rocky　than　he　ever　had。
　　〃One　of　these　days　you're　going　to　talk　to　me　about　him；〃　I　said　as　I　poured　crushed　tomatoes　in　a　pot。
　　〃You　know　as　much　about　him　as　you　need　to；〃　he　said。
　　〃You　love　him；　Marino。〃
　　〃I'm　telling　you；　I　don't　love　him。　I　wish　he'd　never　been　born。　I　wish　I'd　never　met　him。〃
　　He　stared　out　the　window　at　my　backyard　fading　into　night。　This　moment　I　didn't　seem　to　know　Marino　at　all。　He　was　a　stranger　in　my　kitchen；　this　man　in　uniform　；who　had　a　son　I'd　never　met　and　knew　nothing　about。　Marino　wouldn't　look　me　in　the　eye　or　thank　me　when　I　set　a　cup　of　coffee　on　his　place　mat。
　　〃How　about　；peanuts　or　something？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Naw；〃　he　said。　〃I　been　thinking　about　going　on　a　diet。〃
　　〃Thinking　about　it　won't　help　much。　It's　been　proven　in　studies。〃
　　〃You　gonna　wear　garlic　around　your　neck　or　something　when　you　post　our　dead　werewolf？　You　know；　you　get　bit　by　one；　you　turn　into　one。　Sort　of：　like　AIDS。〃
　　〃It's　nothing　like　AIDS；　and　I　wish　you'd　get　off　this　AIDS　thing。〃
　　〃You　think　he　wrote　that　on　the　box　himself？〃
　　〃We　can't　assume　that　box　and　what　was　written　on　it　are　connected　with　him；　Marino。〃
　　〃Have　a　nice　trip；　werewolf。　Yeah；　you　find　that　written　on　camera　boxes　all　the　time。　Especially　when　they're　near　dead　bodies。〃
　　〃Let's　get　back　to　Bray　and　your　new　fashion　statement；〃　I　said。　〃Start　from　the　beginning。　What　did　you　do　to　make　her　such　a　fan？〃
　　〃It　started　about　two　weeks　after　she　got　here。　Remember　that　autoerotic　hanging？〃
　　〃Yes〃。
　　〃She　shows　up　and　just　walks　right　into　the　middle　of　everything　and　starts　telling　people　what　to　do；　like　she's　the　detective。　She　starts　looking　through　the　porno　magazines　the　guy　was　having　fun　with　when　he　strung　himself　up　in　his　leather　mask。　She　starts　asking　his　wife　questions。〃
　　〃Whoa；〃　I　said。
　　〃So　I　tell　her　to　leave；　that　she's　in　the　way　and　screwing　up　everything；　and　the　next　day　she　calls　me　into　her　office。　I　figure　she's　going　to　be　tear…ass　about　what　happened；　but　she　doesn't　say　a　word。　Instead；　she　asks　what　I　think　of　the　detective　division。〃
　　He　took　a　gulp　of　coffee　and　stirred　in　two　more　teaspoons　of　sugar。
　　〃Thing　is；　I　could　tell　that　really　wasn't　what　she　was　interested　in；〃　he　went　on。　〃I　knew　she　wanted　something。　She　wasn't　in　charge　of　investigations；　so　why　the　hell　was　she　asking　me　about　the　detective　division？〃
　　I　poured　myself　a　glass　of　wine。
　　〃Then　what　did　she　want？〃　I　asked。
　　〃She　wanted　to　talk　about　you。　She　started　asking　me　a　thousand　questions　about　you；　said　she　knew　we　had　been　‘partners　in　crime；'　as　she　put　it；　for　a　long　time。〃
　　I　checked　the　dough；　then　the　sauce。
　　〃She　was　asking　me　background　stuff。　What　the　cops　thought　of　you。〃
　　〃And　what　did　you　say？〃
　　〃I　told　her　you　was　a　doctor…lawyer…Indian　chief　with　an　IQ　bigger　than　my　paycheck；　that　the　cops　was　all　in　love　with　you；　including　the　women。　And　let's　see；　what　else？〃
　　〃That　was　probably　quite　enough。〃
　　〃She　asked　about　Benton　and　what　happened　to　him　and　how　much　it　had　affected　your　work。〃
　　Anger　heated　me　up。
　　〃She　starting　quizzing　me　about　Lucy。　About　why　she　left　the　FBI　and　if　the　way　she　swings　is　the　reason。〃
　　〃This　woman's　fast　sealing　her　fate　with　me；〃　I　warned。
　　〃I　told　her　Lucy　left　the　Bureau　because　NASA　asked　her　to　bee　an　astronaut；〃　Marino　kept　going。　〃But　when　she　got　into　the　space　progr