cpatricia.blacknotice-第43部分

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　　〃He　could　be　taking　in　thousands　of　dollars　a　week；〃　I　said。
　　〃Doc；　you　got　any　reason　to　think　he　might　be　hooked　up　with　your　other　officers；　getting　somebody　to　do　the　same　thing？　They　get　him　the　pills；　he　gives　them　a　small　cut'
　　I　have　no　idea。〃
　　〃You　got　four　district　offices。　You　steal　drugs　from　all　of　them；　you're　getting　into　really　big　bucks　now；〃　Marino　said。　〃Hell；　the　little　shit　may　even　be　involved　in　organized　crime；　just　one　more　drone　bringing　stuff　to　the　hive。　Problem　is；　this　ain't　shopping　at　Wal…Mart。　He　thinks　it's　so　easy　making　deals　with　some　guy　in　a　suit；　some　foxy　woman。　This　person　moves　the　merchandise　along　to　the　next　person　in　the　chain。　Maybe　it's　eventually　traded　for　guns　that　end　up　in　New　York。〃
　　Or　Miami；　I　thought。
　　〃Thank　God　you　alerted　us；　Rose；〃　I　said。　〃rhe　last　thing　I　want　is　anything　flowing　out　of　the　office　and　ending　up　in　the　hands　of　people　who　will　hurt　others　or　even　kill　them。〃
　　〃Not　to　mention；　Chuck's　days　are　probably　going　to　be　numbered；　too；〃　Marino　said。　〃People　like　him　usually　don't　live　too　long。〃
　　He　got　up　and　moved　to　the　end　of　the　couch；　closer　to　Rose：
　　〃Now；　Rose？〃　he　gently　said。　〃What's　making　you　think　what　you've　just　told　us　has　anything　to　do　with　Kim　Luong's　murder？〃
　　She　took　a　deep　breath　and　turned　off　the　lamp　next　to　her　as　if　it　was　bothering　her　eyes。　Her　hands　were　shaking　so　badly　that　when　she　reached　…for　her　mug；　she　spilled　some　of　her　tea。　She　dabbed　the　wet　spot　on　her　lap　with　a　tissue。
　　〃On　my　way　home　from　the　office　last　night；　I　decided　to　pick　up　shortbreads　and　a　few　other　things；〃　she　began；　her　voice　getting　shaky　again。
　　〃Do　you　know　exactly　what　time　this　was？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Not　to　the　minute。　Around　ten　of　six　as　best　I　can　say。〃
　　〃Let　me　be　sure　I've　got　this　straight；〃　Marino　said；　taking　notes。　〃You　stopped　at　the　Quik　Cary　at　about　six　o'clock　P。m。　Was　it　closed？〃
　　〃Yes。　Which　irritated　me'　a　little　because　it's　not　supposed　to　close　until　six。　I　thought　ugly　thoughts；　and　now　I　feel　so　bad　about　that；　too。　Here　she　is　dead　in　there　and　I'm　mad　at　her　because　I　couldn't　get　cookies　。　。　。　！〃　she　sobbed。
　　〃Did　you　see　any　cars　in　the　lot？〃　Marino　asked。　〃Any　person　or　persons？〃
　　〃Not　a　one；〃　she　barely　said。
　　〃Think　hard；　Rose。　Was　there　anything　that　struck　you　at　all？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said。　〃And　this　is　what　I've　been　trying　to　get　at。　I　could　see　from　Libbie　that　the　market　was　closed　because　the　lights　were　out；　so　I　pulled　into　the　lot　to　turn　around；　and　I　saw　the　closed　sign　on　the　door。　I　got　back　on　Libbie　and　hadn't　gone　any　farther　than　the　ABC　store　when　this　car　was　suddenly　behind　me　with　its　high　beams　on。〃
　　〃Were　you　headed　home？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Yes。　And　I　really　didn't　think　anything　until　I　turned　on　Grove　and　he　did；　too；　staying　on　my　bumper　with　those　darn　lights　about　to　blind　me。　Cars　going　the　other　way　were　flicking　their　lights　up　and　down　to　tell　him　his　high　beams　were　on；　in　case　he　didn't　know。　But　he　clearly　intended　for　them　to　be　on。　By　now　I　was　getting　frightened。〃
　　〃Any　idea　what　kind　of　car？　Could　you　see　anything？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃I　was　practically　blinded；　and　then　I　was　so　confused。　Immediately　I　thought　of　the　car　in　my　parking　lot　on　Tuesday　night　when　you　came　by；〃　she　said　to　me。　〃And　then　your　telling　me　you'd　been　followed。　And　I　started　thinking　about　Chuck　and　drugs　and　the　sort　of　horrible　people　who　get　involved　in　that。〃
　　〃So　you're　driving　along　Grove；〃　Marino　got　her　back　on　track。
　　〃Of　course；　I　drove　right　on　past　my　Apartment　building；　trying　to　figure　out　where　to　go　to　get　away　with　him。　And　I　don't　know　how　I　thought　of　it；　but　I　suddenly　cut　over　to　the　left　and　did　a　U…turn。　Then　I　drove　to　where　Grove　ends　at　Three　Chopt　and　took　a　left；　him　still　behind　me。　The　next　right　was　the　Country　Club　of　Virginia；　and　I　turned　in　there　and　drove　straight　to　the　entrance　where　the　valets　were。　Needless　to　say；　whoever　it　was　vanished。〃
　　〃That　was　damn　smart　of　you；〃　Marino　said。　〃Damn　smart。　But　why　didn't　you　call　the　police？〃
　　〃It　wouldn't　have　done　any　good。　They　wouldn't　have　believed　me　and　I　couldn't　have　described　a　thing；　anyway。〃
　　〃Well；　you　should　have　called　me；　at　least；〃　Marino　said。
　　〃I　know。〃
　　〃After　this　where　did　you　go？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Here。〃
　　〃Rose；　you're　scaring　me；〃　I　said。　〃What　if　he　was　waiting　for　you　somewhere？〃
　　〃I　couldn't　stay　out　all　night；　and　I　went　a　different　route　home。〃
　　〃Any　idea　what　time　it　was　when　he　vanished？〃　Marino　asked。
　　〃Somewhere　between　six　and　six…fifteen。　Oh；　dear　Lord；　。　I　just　can't　believe　when　I　pulled　up　to　that　store　she　was　in　there。　And　what　if　he　was？　If　only　I'd　known。　I　can't　stop　thinking　there　must　have　been　something　I　should　have　noticed。　Maybe　even　when　I　was　in　there　Tuesday　night。〃
　　〃Rose；　you　couldn't　have　known　a　damn　thing　unless　you're　a　gypsy　with　a　crystal　ball；〃　Marino　told　her。
　　She　took　a　deep；　shaky。breath　and　pulled　her　robe　more　tightly　around　her。
　　〃I　can't　seem　to　get　warm；〃　she　said。　〃Kim　was　such　a　nice　girl。〃
　　She　stopped　again；　her　face　contorted　by　grief。　Tears　filled　her　eyes　and　spilled。
　　〃She　was　never　rude　to　anyone　and　worked　so　hard。　How　could　anybody　do　something　like　that！　She　wanted　to　be　a　nurse！　She　wanted　to　spend　her　life　helping　people！　I　remember　worrying　about　her　being　。alone　in　there　so　late　at　night；　oh；　God　help　me。　It　even　crossed　my　mind　when　I　was　there　on　Tuesday　but　I　didn't　say　anything！〃
　　Her　voice　tumbled　as　if　it　were　falling　down　a　steep　flight　of　stairs。　I　came　over　and　knelt　beside　her；　pulling　her　close。
　　〃It's　like　when　Sassy　wasn't　feeling　well　。　。　。　so　lethargic　and　I　just　thought　she　had　eaten　something　she　shouldn't　have　。　。　。〃
　　〃It's　okay；　Rose。　Everything's　going　to　be　okay；〃　I　said。
　　〃And　it　turned　out　she'd　somehow　gotten　hold　of　a　piece　of　glass　。　。　。　My　little　baby　was　bleeding　inside　。　。　。　And　I　didn't　do　anything。〃
　　〃You　didn't　know。　We　can't　know　everything。〃　I　felt　a　spasm　of　grief；　too。
　　〃If　only　I'd　taken　her　to　the　vet　sooner　。　。　。　I'll　never；　ever　forgive　myself　for　that。　Poor　little　girl　a　prisoner　in　a　little　cage　and　muzzle　and　some　monster　hit　her　with　something　and　broke　her　nose　。　。　。　at　that　goddamn　dog　track！　And　then　I　let　her　suffer　and　die！〃
　　She　wept　as　if　outraged　over　every　loss　and　act　of　cruelty　the　world　had　ever　suffered。　I　held　her　clenched　fists　in　both　of　my　hands。
　　〃Rose；　now　you　listen　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃You　saved　Sassy　from　hell　just　as　you've　saved　others。　There's　nothing　you　could　have　done　for　Sassy　any　more　than　there　was　anything　you　could　have　done　when　you　stopped　to　get　your　shortbreads。　Kim　was　dead。　She　had　been　dead　for　hours。〃
　　〃What　about　him？〃　she　cried。　〃What　if　he　had　still　been　inside　that　store　and　had　e　out　just　as　I　had　pulled　in？　I'd　be　dead；　too；　wouldn't　I？　Shot　and　dumped　somewhere　like　garbage。　Or　maybe　he　would　have　done　awful　things　to　me；　too。〃
　　She　closed　her　eyes；　exhausted；　tears　sneaking　down　her　face。　She　went　limp　all　over　as　the　violent　storm　passed。　Marino　leaned　forward　on　the　couch　and　touched　her　knee。
　　〃You　got　to　help　us　out；〃　he　said。　〃We　need　to　know　why　you　think　your　being　followed　and　the　murder　might　be　connected。〃
　　〃Why　don't　you　e　home　with　me？〃　I　said。
　　Her　eyes　cleared　as　she　began　to　regain　her　posure。
　　〃That　car　pulling　out　after　me　right　there　where　she　was　murdered？　Why　didn't　he　start　following　me　long　before　that？〃　she　said。　〃And　an　hour；　an　hour　and　a　half；　before　the　alarm　went　off。　Don't　you　find　that　an　amazing　coincidence？〃
　　〃Sure　I　do；〃　Marino　said。　〃But　there've　been　a　lot　of　amazing　coincidences　in　my　career。〃
　　〃I　feel　foolish；〃　Rose　said；　looking　down　at　her　hands。
　　〃All　of　us　are　tired；〃　I　said。　〃I've　got　plenty　of　room　。　。　。〃　〃We're　gonna　nail　Chuckle…boy　for　drugs；〃　Marino　said　to　her。　〃Not…a　damn　thing　foolish　about　that。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　stay　here　and　go　on　to　bed；〃　Rose　said。
　　I　continued　to　sort　through　what　she'd　told　us　as　we　went　down　the　stairs　and　into　the　parking　lot。
　　〃Look；〃　Marino　said；　unlocking　his　car。　〃You've　been　around　Chuck　a　whole　lot　more　than　I　have。　You　know　him　a　lot　better；　which　is　too　bad　for　you。〃
　　〃And　you're　going　to　ask　me　if　he's　the　one　in　the　rental　car　following　us；〃　I　said　as　he　backed　out　and　turned　on　Randy　Travis。　〃The　answer's　no。　He's　a　sneak。　He's　a　liar　and　a　thief；　but　he's　a　coward；　Marino。　It　takes　a　lot　of　arrogance　to　boldly　tailgate　someone　with　your　high　beams　on。　Whoever's　doing　it　is　very　sure　of　himself。　He　has　no　fear　of　being　caught　because　he　thinks　he's　too　smart　for　that。〃
　　〃Sort　of　the　definition　of　a　psychopath；〃　he　said。　〃And　now　I　feel　worse。　Shit。　I　don't　want　to　think　that　guy　who　just　did　Luong　is　the　one　following　you　and　Rose。〃
　　Roads　had　frozen　over　again　and　Richmond　drivers；　lacking　sense；　were　sliding　and　spinning　all　over　the　place。　Marino　had　his　portable　police　radio　on　and　was　monitoring　accidents。
　　〃When　are　you　going　to　turn　that　thing　in？〃　I　asked。
　　〃When　they　e　and　try　to　take　it　from　me；〃　he　replied。　〃I　ain't　turning　in