cpatricia.blacknotice-第73部分

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　I　called　Marino。。He　wasn't　home。　I　paged　him。　He　didn't　get　back　to　me　for　fifteen　minutes。　By　then　my　nerves　were　shorting　out。
　　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。　'The　battery　went　dead　in　my　phone；　had　to　find　a　pay　phone。〃
　　〃Where　are　you？〃
　　〃Driving　around。　We　got　the　state　police　fixed…wing　plane　circling　the　river；　probing　everything　with　a　search：　light。　Maybe　the　bastard's　eyes　glow　in　the　dark　like　a　dog。　You　seen　the　sky？　Goddamn；　they're　suddenly　saying　we　might　get　six　inches　of　snow。　It's　already　started。〃
　　〃Marino；　Bray　was　killed　with　a　chipping　hammer；〃　I　said。
　　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃
　　〃Used　in　masonry。　You　aware　of　any　construction　along　the　river　that　might　involve　stone；　brick　or　something　like　that？　On　the　off　chance　he　got　the　tool　from　there　because　he's　staying　there？〃　。
　　〃Where　did　you　find　a　chipping　hammer？　I　thought　you　was　going　home？　I　hate　it　when　you　do　shit　like　this。〃
　　〃I　am　home；〃　I　impatiently　said。　〃And　maybe　he　is；　too；　right　this　minute。　Maybe　it's　some　place　putting　in　pavers　or　a　wall。〃
　　Marino　paused。
　　〃I　wonder　if　you　use　something　like　that　on　a　slate　roof；〃　he　said。　〃Fhere's　this　big　old　house　behind　gates；　way　back　from　Windsor　Farms；　right　on　the　river。　They're　putting　on　a　new　slate　roof。〃
　　〃Is　anybody　living　there？'
　　I　didn't　think　anything　about　it；　since　construction　guys　are　crawling　around　it　all　day　long。　Nobody's　in　it。　It's　for　sale；〃　he　said。
　　〃He　could　be　inside　during　the　day　and　e　out　after　dark　when　the　crew　is　gone；〃　I　replied。　〃Maybe　the　alarm　isn't　on　for　fear　the　construction　noise　would　set　it　off。〃
　　〃1'm　on　my　way。〃
　　〃Marino；　please　don't　go　there　alone。〃
　　〃ATF's　got　people　all　over　the　place；〃　he　said。
　　I　built　a　fire　and　when　I　went　out　for　more　wood；　it　was　snowing　hard；　the　moon　a　faint　face　behind　low　clouds。　I　cradled　split　logs　in　one　arm　and　tightly　gripped　my　Glock　in　my　hand　as　I　kept　my　eye　on　every　shadow　and　tuned　my　ear　to　every　sound。　The　night　seemed　to　bristle　with　fear。　I　hurried　inside　my　house　and　reset　the　alarm。
　　I　sat　in　the　great　room；　flames　lashing　the　sooty　throat　óf　the　chimney；　and　I　worked　on　sketches。　I　tried　to　reconstruct　how　the　killer　might　have　gotten　Bray　back　to　the　bedroom　without　inflicting　a　single　blow。　Despite　her　years　in　administration；　she　was　a　trained　police　officer。　How　did　he　incapacitate　her　seemingly　so　easily　without　apparent　injury　or　a　struggle？　My　television。　was　on；　and　every　half　hour　or　so　the　local　networks　had　news　breaks。
　　The　so…called　Loup…Garou　couldn't　have　been　pleased　about　what　was　being　said；　assuming　he　had　access　to　a　radio　or　television。
　　〃。　。　。　been　described　as　stocky；　maybe　six　feet　tall；　maybe　bald。　According　to　the　chief　medical　examiner；　Dr。　Scarpetta；　he　may　have　a　rare　disease　that　causes　excess　hairiness　and　a　deformed　face　and　teeth　。　。　：'
　　Thanks　a　lot；　Harris；　I　thought。　He　had　to　pin　all　that　on　me。
　　〃。　。　。　are　urged　to　exercise　extreme　care。　Don't　answer　the　door　until　you're　sure　who　it　is。〃
　　Harris　was　right　about　one　thing；　though。　People　were　going　to　panic。　My　phone　rang　at　almost　ten。
　　〃Hey；〃　Lucy　said；　and　she　sounded　more　cheerful　than　I'd　heard　her　in　a　while。
　　〃Are　you　still　at　MCV？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Closing　up　things　here。　You　see　the　snow　out　there？　It's　ing　down　like　a　bitch。　We　should　be　home　in　about　an　hour。〃
　　〃Drive　carefully。　Call　me　when　you　pull　up　so　I　can　help　get　Jo　inside。〃
　　I　put　two　more　logs　on　the　fire；　and　no　matter　how　secure　my　fortress　was；　I　started　to　feel　scared。　I　tried　to　distract　myself　by　watching　an　old　Jimmy　Stewart　movie　on　HBO　while　I　paid　bills。　I　thought　of　Talley　and　got　depressed　again；　and　I　was　angry　with　him。　No　matter　my　ambivalence；　he　hadn't　really　given　me　a　chance。　I　had　tried　to　get　in　touch　with　him；　and　he　hadn't　bothered　to　call　back。
　　When　the　phone　rang　again；　I　jumped　and　a　stack　of　bills　fell　off　my　lap。
　　〃Yes？〃　I　said。
　　〃The　son　of　a　bitch's　been　staying　there；　all　right；〃　Marino　exclaimed。　〃But　he　ain't　there　now。　Trash；　food　wrappers；　crap　all　over　the　place。　And　hairs　in　the　damn　bed。　The　sheets　stink　like　a　dirty；　wet　dog。〃
　　Electricity　crackled　up　my　veins。
　　〃HIDTA's　got　a　squad　out　somewhere；　and　I've　got　cops　all　over　the　place。　He　takes　one　dip　in　the　river　and　we　got　his　ass。〃
　　〃Lucy's　bringing　Jo　home；　Marino；〃　I　said。　〃She's　out　there；　too。〃
　　〃You're　by　yourself？〃　he　blurted　out。
　　〃Inside；　locked　up；　alarm　on；　pistol　on　the　table。〃
　　〃Well；　you　stay　right　where　you　are；　you　hear　me！〃
　　〃Don't　worry。〃
　　〃One　good　thing　is；　it's　snowing　really　hard。　About　three　inches　already；　and　you　know　how　snow　lights　up　everything。　Ain't　a　good　time　for　him　to　be　out　wandering　around。〃
　　I　hung　up　and　skipped　from　channel　to　channel；　but　nothing　interested　me。　I　got　up　and　wandered　into　my　office　to　check　my　e…mail。but　didn't　feel　like　answering　any　of　it。　I　picked　up　the　jar　of　formalin　and　held　it　up　to　the　light；　looking　at　those　small　yellow　eyes　that　were　really　gold　dots　reduced　in　size；　and　I　thought　about　how　off…base　I'd　been　about　so　much。　I　anguished　over　every　slow　step　and　every　wrong　turn　I'd　taken。　Now　two　more　women　were　dead。
　　I　set　the　jar　of　formalin　on　the　coffee　table　in　the　great　room。　At　eleven　I　turned　to　NBC　to　watch　the　news。　Of　course；　it　was　all　about　this　evil　man；　this　Loup…Garou。　As　I　changed　to　another　channel；　I　was　shocked　by　my　burglar　alarm。　The　remote　control　fell　to　the　floor　as　I　jumped　up　and　fled　to　the　back　of　the　house。　My　heart　was　ing　out　of　my　chest。　I　locked　my　bedroom　door　and　grabbed　my　Glock；　waiting　for　the　phone　to　ring。　Minutes　later　it　did。
　　〃Zone　six；　the　garage　door；〃　I　was　told。　〃Do　you　want　the　police？〃
　　〃Yes！　I　want　them　now！〃　I　said。
　　I　sat　on　my　bed　and　let　the　alarm　beat　my　eardrums　as　it　hammered　and　hammered。　I　kept　an　eye　on　the　Aiphone　monitor；　and　then　remembered　it　would　not　work　if　the　police　didn't　ring　the　bell。　And；　as　I　knew　so　well；　they　never　did。　I　had　no　choice　but　to　turn　the　alarm　off　and　reset　it　and　sit　and　wait　in　silence；　straining　so　hard　to　hear　every　sound　that　I　imagined　I　could　hear　the　snow　falling。
　　Barely　ten　minutes　later；　there　was　a　sharp　rapping　on　my　front　door　and　I　hurried　down　the　hallway　as　a　voice　on　the　porch　loudly　called'out　〃Police。〃
　　With　great　relief　I　placed　my　pistol　on　the　dining…room　table　and　said；　〃Who　is　it？〃
　　I　wanted　to　be　sure。
　　〃Police；　ma'am。　We're　responding　to　your　alarm。〃
　　I　opened　the　door　and　the　same　two　officers　from　several　nights　before　knocked　snow　off　their　boots　and　came　in。
　　〃You've　not　been　having　a　good　time　of　it　lately；　have　you？〃　Officer　Butler　said　as　she　pulled　off　her　gloves；　her　eyes　moving　around。　〃You　might　say　we've　taken　a　personal　interest　in　you。〃
　　〃Garage　door　this　time；〃　McElwayne；　her　partner；　said。　〃Okay；　let's　take　a　look。〃
　　I　followed　them　through　the　mud　room　and　into　_　the　garage；　and　instantly　knew　this　was　no　false　alarm。　The　garage　door　had　been　pried　up　about　six　inches；　and　when　we　got　down　to　look　through　the　opening；　we　saw　footprints　in　the　snow　leading　to　the　door　and　then　away　from　it。　There　were　no　apparent　tool　marks　except　for　scrapes　on　the　rubber　strip　at　the　bottom　of　the　door。　The　footprints　were　lightly　dusted　with　snow。　They…　had　been　left　recently；　and　that　was　consistent　with　when　the　alarm　had　gone　off；
　　McElwayne　got　on　the　radio　and　requested　a　B&E　detective；　who　showed　up　twenty　minutes　later　and　took　photographs　of　the　door　and　footprints　and　dusted　for　fingerprints。　But　once　again；　there　really　was　nothing　more　the　police　could　do　other　than　follow　the　trail　of　footprints。　It　led　along　the　edge　of　my　yard　and　out　to　the　street；　where　the　snow　was　chopped　up　by　tires。
　　〃All　we　can　do　is　step　up　patrol　around　here；〃　Butler　told　me　as　they　left。　〃We'll　keep　an　eye　on　your　house　as　best　we　can；　and　if　anything　else　happens；　call　nine…one…one　right　away。　Even　if　it's　just　a　noise　that　bothers　you；　okay？〃
　　I　paged　Marino。　By　now　it　was　midnight。
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　he　asked。
　　I　told　him。
　　〃I'm　ing　over　right　now。〃
　　〃Listen；　I'm　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃Battled；　but　all　right。　I'd　rather　you　stay　out　there　looking　for　him　instead　of　ing　here　to　baby…sit　me；°〃
　　He　seemed　unsure。　I　knew　what　he　was　thinking。
　　〃It　doesn't　seem　his　style　is　to　break　in　anyway；〃　I　added。
　　Marino　hesitated；　then　he　said；　〃There's　something　you　ought　to　know。　I　didn't　know　if　I　should　tell　you。　Talley's　here。〃
　　I　was　stunned。
　　〃He's　the　head　of　the　squad　HIDTA　sent　in。〃
　　〃How　long　has　he　been　here？〃　I　tried　to　sound　curious　and　nothing　more。
　　〃Couple　days。〃
　　〃Tell　him　hello；〃　I　said　as　if　Talley　meant　very　little　tó　me　anymore。
　　Marino　wasn't　fooled。
　　〃Sorry　he　turned　out　to　be　such　an　asshole；〃　he　said。
　　The　minute　I　hung　up；　I　contacted　the　orthopedic　unit　at　MCV　and　the　nurse　on　duty　didn't　know　who　I　was　and　wouldn't　release　any　information　about　anything。　I　wanted　to　talk　to　Senator　Lord。　I　wanted　to　talk　to　Dr。　Zenner；　to　Lucy；　to　a　friend；　to　someone　who　cared；　and　at　that　moment　I　missed　Benton　so　acutely　I　thought　I　coul