cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第15部分

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　'The　grille　mark　seems　pretty　high；'　I　remarked。
　'That's　what　I'm　thinking；　too；'　another　trooper　spoke。　'Like　you　associate　with　pickup　trucks　and　recreational　vehicles。　About　the　time　it　happened；　a　black　Jeep　Cherokee　was　observed　in　the　area　traveling　at　a　high　rate　of　speed。'
　'Her　father's　been　calling　every　half　hour。'　Fielding　glanced　up　at　me。　'Thinks　this　was　more　than　an　accident。'
　'Implying　what；　exactly？'　I　asked。
　'That　it's　political。'　He　resumed　work；　collecting　fibers　and　bits　of　debris。　'A　homicide。'
　'Lord；　let's　hope　not；'　I　said；　walking　away。　'What　it　is　now　is　bad　enough。'
　On　a　steel　counter　in　a　remote　corner　of　the　morgue　was　a　portable　electric　heater　where　we　defleshed　and　degreased　bones。　The　process　was　decidedly　unpleasant　requiring　the　boiling　of　body　parts　in　a　ten…percent　solution　of　bleach。　The　big；　rattling　steel　pot；　the　smell；　were　dreadful；　and　I　usually　restricted　this　activity　to　nights　and　weekends　when　we　were　unlikely　to　have　visitors。
　Yesterday；　I　had　left　the　bone　ends　from　the　torso　to　boil　overnight。　They　had　not　required　much　time；　and　I　turned　off　the　heater。　Pouring　steaming；　stinking　water　into　a　sink；　I　waited　until　the　bones　were　cool　enough　to　pick　up。　They　were　clean　and　white；　about　two　inches　long；　cuts　and　saw　marks　clearly　visible。　As　I　examined　each　segment　carefully；　a　sense　of　scary　disbelief　swept　over　me。　I　could　not　tell　which　saw　marks　had　been　made　by　the　killer　and　which　had　been　made　by　me。
　'Jack；'　I　called　out　to　Fielding。　'Could　you　e　over　here　for　a　minute？'
　He　stopped　what　he　was　doing　and　walked　to　my　corner　of　the　room。
　'What's　up？'　he　asked。
　I　handed　him　one　of　the　bones。　'Can　you　tell　which　end　was　cut　with　the　Stryker　saw？'
　He　turned　it　over　and　over；　looking　back　and　forth；　at　one　end　and　then　the　other；　frowning。　'Did　you　mark　it？'
　'For　right　and　left　I　did；'　I　said。　'Beyond　that；　no。　I　should　have。　But　usually　it's　so　obvious　which　end　is　which；　it's　not　necessary。'
　'I'm　not　expert；　but　if　I　didn't　know　better；　I'd　say　all　these　cuts　were　made　with　the　same　saw。'　He　handed　the　bone　back　to　me　and　I　began　sealing　it　in　an　evidence　bag。　'You　got　to　take　them　to　Canter　anyway；　right。'
　'He's　not　going　to　be　happy　with　me。'　I　said。
　
　
　6
　
　MY　HOUSE　WAS　built　of　stone　on　the　edge　of　Windsor　Farms；　an　old　Richmond　neighborhood　with　English　street　names；　and　stately　Georgian　and　Tudor　homes　that　some　would　call　mansions。　Lights　were　on　in　windows　I　passed；　and　beyond　glass　I　could　see　fine　furniture　and　chandeliers；　and　people　moving　or　watching　TV。　No　one　seemed　to　close　their　curtains　in　this　city；　except　me。　Leaves　had　begun　to　fall。　It　was　cool　and　overcast；　and　when　I　pulled　into　my　driveway；　smoke　was　drifting　from　the　chimney；　my　niece's　ancient　green　Suburban　parked　in　front。
　'Lucy？'　I　called　out　as　I　shut　the　door　and　turned　off　the　alarm。
　'I'm　in　here；'　she　replied　from　the　end　of　the　house　where　she　always　stayed。
　As　I　headed　for　my　office　to　deposit　my　briefcase　and　the　pile　I　had　brought　home　to　work　on　tonight；　she　emerged　from　her　bedroom；　pulling　a　bright　orange　UVA　sweatshirt　over　her　head。
　'Hi。'　Smiling；　she　gave　me　a　hug；　and　there　was　very　little　that　was　soft　about　her。
　Holding　her　at　arm's　length；　I　took　a　good　look　at　her；　just　like　I　always　did。
　'Uh　oh；'　she　playfully　said。　'Inspection　time。'　She　held　out　her　arms　and　turned　around；　as　if　about　to　be　searched。
　'Smarty；'　I　said。
　In　truth；　I　would　have　preferred　it　had　she　weighed　a　little　more；　but　she　was　keenly　pretty　and　healthy；　with　auburn　hair　that　was　short　but　softly　styled。　After　all　this　time；　I　still　could　not　look　at　her　without　envisioning　a　precocious；　obnoxious　ten…year…old　who　had　no　one；　really；　but　me。
　'You　pass；'　I　said。
　'Sorry　I'm　so　late。'
　'Tell　me　again　what　it　was　you　were　doing？'　I　asked；　for　she　had　called　earlier　in　the　day　to　say　she　could　not　get　here　until　dinner。
　'An　assistant　attorney　general　decided　to　drop　in　with　an　entourage。　As　usual；　they　wanted　HRT　to　put　on　a　show。'
　We　headed　to　the　kitchen。
　'I　trotted　out　Toto　and　Tin　Man；'　she　added。
　They　were　robots。
　'Used　fiber　optics；　virtual　reality。　The　usual　things；　except　it's　pretty　cool。　We　parachuted　them　out　of　a　Huey；　and　I　maneuvered　them　to　burn　through　a　metal　door　with　lasers。'
　'No　stunts　with　the　helicopters；　I　hope；'　I　said。
　'The　guys　did　that。　I　did　my　shit　from　the　ground。'　She　wasn't　happy　about　it。
　The　problem　was；　Lucy　wanted　to　do　stunts　with　helicopters。　There　were　fifty　agents　on　the　HRT。　She　was　the　only　woman　and　had　a　tendency　to　overreact　when　they　wouldn't　let　her　do　dangerous　things　that；　in　my　opinion；　she　had　no　business　doing　anyway。　Of　course；　I　wasn't　the　most　objective　judge。
　'It　suits　me　fine　if　you　stick　with　robots；'　I　said；　and　we　were　in　the　kitchen　now。　'Something　smells　good。　What　did　you　fix　your　tired；　old　aunt　to　eat？'
　'Fresh　spinach　sautéed　in　a　little　garlic　and　olive　oil；　and　filets　that　I'm　going　to　throw　on　the　grill。　This　is　my　one　day　a　week　to　eat　beef；　so　tough　luck　if　it's　not　yours。　I　even　sprung　for　a　bottle　of　really　nice　wine；　something　Janet　and　I　discovered。'
　'Since　when　can　FBI　agents　afford　nice　wine？'
　'Hey；'　she　said；　'I　don't　do　too　bad。　Besides；　I'm　too　damn　busy　to　spend　money。'
　Certainly；　she　didn't　spend　it　on　clothes。　Whenever　I　saw　her；　she　was　either　in　khaki　fatigues　or　sweats。　Now　and　then　she　wore　jeans　and　a　funky　jacket　or　blazer；　and　made　fun　of　my　offers　of　hand…me…downs。　She　would　not　wear　my　lawyerly　suits　and　blouses　with　high　collars；　and　frankly；　my　figure　was　fuller　than　her　firm；　athletic　one。　Probably　nothing　in　my　closet　would　fit。
　The　moon　was　huge　and　low　in　a　cloudy；　dark　sky。　We　put　on　jackets　and　sat　out　on　the　deck　drinking　wine　while　Lucy　cooked。　She　had　started　baked　potatoes　first；　and　they　were　taking　a　while；　so　we　talked。　Over　recent　years；　our　relationship　had　bee　less　mother…daughter　as　we　evolved　into　colleagues　and　friends。　The　transition　was　not　an　easy　one；　for　often　she　taught　me　and　even　worked　on　some　of　my　cases。　I　felt　oddly　lost；　no　longer　certain　of　my　role　and　power　in　her　life。
　'Wesley　wants　me　to　track　this　AOL　thing；'　she　was　saying。　'Sussex　definitely　wants　CASKU's　help。'
　'Do　you　know　Percy　Ring？'　I　asked　as　I　thought　of　what　he　had　said　in　my　office；　infuriated　again。
　'He　was　in　one　of　my　classes　and　was　obnoxious；　wouldn't　shut　up。'　She　reached　for　the　bottle　of　wine。　'What　a　peacock。'
　She　began　filling　our　glasses。　Raising　the　hood　of　the　grill；　she　poked　potatoes　with　a　fork。
　'I　believe　we're　ready；'　she　said；　pleased。
　Moments　later；　she　was　emerging　from　the　house；　carrying　the　filets。　They　sizzled　as　she　placed　them　on　the　grill。　'Somehow　he　figured　out　you're　my　aunt。'　She　was　talking　about　Ring　again。　'Not　that　it's　a　secret；　and　he　asked　me　about　it　after　class　once。　You　know；　if　you　tutored　me；　helped　me　out　with　my　cases；　like　I　couldn't　possibly　do　what　I'm　doing　on　my　own；　that　sort　of　thing。　I　just　think　he　picks　on　me　because　I'm　a　new　agent　and　a　woman。'
　'That　may　be　the　biggest　miscalculation　he's　ever　made　in　his　life；'　I　said。
　'And　he　wanted　to　know　if　I　was　married。'　Her　eyes　were　shadowed　as　porch　lights　shone　on　one　side　of　her　face。
　'I　worry　about　what　his　interest　really　is；'　I　mented。
　She　glanced　at　me　as　she　cooked。　'The　usual。'　She　shrugged　it　off；　for　she　was　surrounded　by　men　and　paid　no　attention　to　their　ments　or　their　stares。
　'Lucy；　he　made　a　reference　to　you　in　my　office　today；'　I　said。　'A　veiled　reference。'
　'To　what？'
　'Your　status。　Your　roommate。'
　No　matter　how　often　or　delicately　we　talked　about　this；　she　always　got　frustrated　and　impatient。
　'Whether　it's　true　or　not；'　she　said；　and　the　sizzling　of　the　grill　seemed　to　match　her　tone；　'there　would　still　be　rumors　because　I'm　an　agent。　It's　ridiculous。　I　know　women　married　with　kids；　and　the　guys　think　all　of　them　are　gay；　too；　just　because　they're　cops；　agents；　troopers；　secret　service。　Some　people　even　think　it　about　you。　For　the　same　reason。　Because　of　your　position；　your　power。'
　'This　is　not　about　accusations；'　I　reminded　her；　gently。　'This　is　about　whether　someone　could　hurt　you。　Ring　is　very　smooth。　He　es　across　as　credible。　I　expect　he　resents　that　you're　FBI；　HRT　and　he's　not。'
　'I　think　he's　already　demonstrated　that。'　Her　voice　was　hard。
　'I　just　hope　the　jerk　doesn't　keep　asking　you　out。'
　'Oh；　he　already　is。　At　least　half　a　dozen　times。'　She　sat　down。　'He's　even　asked　Janet　out；　if　you　can　believe　that。'　She　laughed。　'Talk　about　not　getting　it。'
　'The　problem　is　I　think　he　does　get　it；'　I　said；　ominously。　'It's　like　he's　building　a　case　against　you；　gathering　evidence。'
　'Well；　gather　away。'　She　abruptly　ended　our　discussion。　'So　tell　me　what　else　went　on　today。'
　I　told　her　what　I　had　learned　at　the　labs；　and　we　talked　about　fibers　embedded　in　bone　and　Koss's　analysis　of　them　as　we　carried　steaks　and　wine　inside。　We　sat　at　the　kitchen　table　with　a　candle　lit；　digesting　information　few　people　would　serve　with　food。
　'A　cheap　motel　curtain　could　have　a　backing　like　that；'　Lucy　said。
　'That　or　something　like　a　drop　cloth；　because　of　the　paint…like　substance；'　I　replied。　'The　spinach　is　wonderful。　Where　did　you　get　it？'
　'Ukrops。　I'd　give　anything　to　have　a　store　like　that　in　my　neighborhood。　So　this　person　wrapped　the　victim　in　a　drop　cloth　and　then　dismembered　her　through　it？'　she　asked　as　she　cut　her　meat。
　'That's　certainly　the　way　it's　looking。'
　'What　does　Wesley　say？'　She　met　my　eyes。
　'I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　talk　to　him　yet。'　This　wasn't　quite　true。　I　had　not　even　called。
　For　a　moment；　Lucy　was　silent。　She　got　up　and　brought　a　bottle　of　Evian　to　the　table。　'So　how　long　do　you　plan　to　run　from　him？'
　I　pretended　not　to　hear　her；　in　hopes　she　would　not　start　in。
　'You　know　that's　what　you're　doing。　You're　scared。'
　'This　is　not　something　we　should　discuss；'　I　said。　'Especially　when　we're　having　such　a　pleasant　evening。'
　She　reached　for　her　wine。
　'It's　very　good；　by　the　way；'　I　said。　'I　like　pinot　noir　because　it's　light。　Not　heavy　like　a　merlot。　I'm　not　in　the　mood　for　anything　heavy　right　n