cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第19部分

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hotographs　of　what　was　truly　an　extraordinarily　and　sensuously　beautiful　human　being。　Marino　was　blatantly　gawking；　an　almost　pained　expression　on　his　face　that　reminded　me　of　puppy　love　as　we　inched　our　way　through　rooms。
　'You　know；　they　didn't　want　him　to　move　here　when　he　bought　this　place；'　he　announced；　and　we　were　outside　now；　the　fall　afternoon　cool　and　bright。　'Some　of　the　snobs　in　this　city　never　did　accept　him。　I　think　that　hurt　him；　in　a　way；　might　be　what　got　him　in　the　end。　You　know；　why　he　took　painkillers。'
　'He　took　more　than　that；'　I　made　the　point　again　as　we　walked。
　'If　you　had　been　the　medical　examiner；　could　you　have　done　his　autopsy？'　He　got　out　cigarettes。
　'Absolutely。'
　'And　you　wouldn't　have　covered　his　face？'　He　looked　indignant　as　he　fired　up　his　lighter。
　'Of　course　not。'
　'Not　me。'　He　shook　his　head；　sucking　in　smoke。　'No　friggin'　way　I'd　even　want　to　be　in　the　room。'
　'I　wish　he　had　been　my　case；'　I　said。　'I　wouldn't　have　signed　him　out　as　a　natural　death。　The　world　should　know　the　truth；　so　maybe　somebody　else　would　think　twice　about　popping　Percodan。'
　We　were　in　front　of　one　of　the　gift　shops　now；　and　people　were　gathered　around　televisions　inside；　watching　Elvis　videos。　Through　outdoor　speakers；　he　was　singing　'Kentucky　Rain；'　his　voice　powerful　and　playful；　unlike　any　other　I　had　ever　heard　in　my　life。　I　started　walking　again　and　told　the　truth。
　'I　am　a　fan　and　have　a　rather　extensive　collection　of　his　CDs；　if　you　really　must　know；'　I　said　to　Marino。
　He　couldn't　believe　it。　He　was　thrilled。
　'And　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you　didn't　spread　that　around。'
　'All　these　years　I've　known　you；　and　you　never　told　me？'　he　exclaimed。　'You're　not　kidding　me；　right？　I　never　would've　thought　that。　Not　in　a　million　years。　Hey；　so　maybe　now　you　know　I　got　taste。'
　This　went　on　as　we　waited　for　a　shuttle　to　return　us　to　the　parking　lot；　and　then　it　continued　in　the　car。
　'I　remember　watching　him　on　TV　once　when　I　was　a　kid　in　New　Jersey；'　Marino　was　saying。　'My　old　man　came　in　drunk；　as　usual；　started　yelling　at　me　to　switch　the　channel。　I'll　never　forget　it。'
　He　slowed　and　turned　into　the　Peabody　Hotel。
　'Elvis　was　singing　〃Hound　Dog；〃　July　1956。　I　remember　it　was　my　birthday。　My　father　es　in；　cussing；　turns　the　TV　off；　and　I　get　up　and　turn　it　back　on。　He　smacks　the　side　of　my　head；　turns　the　TV　off　again。　I　turn　it　back　on　and　walk　toward　him。　First　time　in　my　life　I　ever　laid　a　hand　on　him。　I　slam　him　against　the　wall；　get　in　his　face；　tell　the　son　of　a　bitch　he　ever　touches　me　or　my　mother　again；　I'm　going　to　kill　him。'
　'And　did　he？'　I　asked　as　the　valet　opened　my　door。
　'Shit　no。'
　'Then　Elvis　should　be　thanked；'　I　said。
　
　
　7
　
　TWO　DAYS　LATER；　on　Thursday；　November　6；　I　started　out　early　on　the　ninety…minute　drive　from　Richmond　to　the　FBI　Academy　at　Quantico；　Virginia。　Marino　and　I　took　separate　cars；　since　we　never　knew　when　something　might　happen　to　send　us　off　somewhere。　For　me；　it　could　be　a　plane　crash　or　derailed　train；　while　he　had　to　deal　with　city　government　and　layers　of　brass。　I　wasn't　surprised　when　my　car　phone　rang　as　we　neared　Fredericksburg。　The　sun　was　in　and　out　of　clouds；　and　it　felt　cold　enough　to　snow。
　'Scarpetta；'　I　said；　on　speakerphone。
　Marino's　voice　erupted　inside　my　car。　'City　council's　freaking；'　he　said。　'You　got　McKuen　whose　little　kid's　been　hit　by　a　car；　now　more　crap　about　our　case；　on　TV；　in　the　papers；　hear　it　on　the　radio。'
　More　leaks　had　occurred　over　the　past　two　days。　Police　had　a　suspect　in　serial　murders　that　included　five　cases　in　Dublin。　An　arrest　was　imminent。
　'You　believe　this　shit？'　Marino　exclaimed。　'We're　talking　about；　what？　Someone　in　his　mid…twenties；　and　somehow　he　was　in　Dublin　over　the　past　few　years？　Bottom　line　is　council's　suddenly　decided　to　have　some　public　forum　about　this　situation；　probably　because　they　think　it's　about　to　be　resolved。　Got　to　get　that　credit；　right；　make　the　citizens　think　maybe　they　did　something　for　once。'　He　was　careful　what　he　said；　but　seething。　'So　I　gotta　turn　my　ass　right　back　around　and　be　at　city　hall　by　ten。　Plus；　the　chief　wants　to　see　me。'
　I　watched　his　taillights　up　ahead　as　he　approached　an　exit。　I…95　was　busy　this　morning　with　trucks；　and　people　who　muted　every　day　to　D。C。　No　matter　how　early　I　started；　whenever　I　headed　north；　it　seemed　traffic　was　terrible。
　'Actually；　it's　a　good　thing　you're　going　to　be　there。　Cover　my　back；　too；'　I　said　to　him。　'I'll　get　up　with　you　later；　let　you　know　what　went　on。'
　'Yo。　When　you　see　Ring；　do　that　to　his　neck；'　he　said。
　I　arrived　at　the　Academy；　and　the　guard　in　his　booth　waved　me　through　because　by　now　he　knew　my　car　and　its　license　plate。　The　parking　lot　was　so　full；　I　ended　up　almost　in　the　woods。　Firearms　training　was　already　in　progress　on　ranges　across　the　road；　and　Drug　Enforcement　Agents　were　out　in　camouflage；　gripping　assault　rifles；　their　faces　mean。　The　grass　was　heavy　with　dew　and　soaked　my　shoes　as　I　took　a　shortcut　to　the　main　entrance　of　the　tan　brick　building　called　Jefferson。
　Inside　the　lobby；　luggage　was　parked　near　couches　and　the　walls；　for　there　were　always　National　Academy；　or　N。A。；　police　going　somewhere；　it　seemed。　The　video　display　over　the　front　desk　reminded　everyone　to　have　a　nice　day　and　properly　display　his　badge。　Mine　was　still　in　my　purse；　and　I　got　it　out；　looping　the　long　chain　around　my　neck。　Inserting　a　magnetized　card　into　a　slot；　I　unlocked　a　glass　door　etched　with　the　Department　of　Justice　seal　and　followed　a　long　glass…enclosed　corridor。
　I　was　deep　in　thought　and　scarcely　cognizant　of　new　agents　in　dark　blue　and　khaki；　and　N。A。　students　in　green。　They　nodded　and　smiled　as　they　passed；　and　I　was　friendly；　too；　but　I　did　not　focus。　I　was　thinking　of　the　torso；　of　her　infirmities　and　age；　of　her　pitiful　pouch　in　the　freezer；　where　she　would　stay　for　several　years　or　until　we　knew　her　name。　I　thought　of　Keith　Pleasants；　of　deadoc；　of　saws　and　sharp　blades。
　I　smelled　Hoppes　solvent　as　I　turned　into　the　gun…cleaning　room　with　its　rows　of　black　counters　and　pressors　blasting　air　through　the　innards　of　guns。　I　could　never　smell　these　smells　or　hear　these　sounds　without　thinking　of　Wesley；　and　of　Mark。　My　heart　was　squeezed　by　feelings　too　strong　for　me　when　a　familiar　voice　called　out　my　name。
　'Looks　like　we're　heading　the　same　way；'　said　Investigator　Ring。
　Impeccably　dressed　in　navy　blue；　he　was　waiting　for　the　elevator　that　would　take　us　sixty　feet　below　ground；　where　Hoover　had　built　his　bomb　shelter。　I　switched　my　heavy　briefcase　to　my　other　hand；　and　tucked　the　box　of　slides　more　snugly　under　an　arm。
　'Good　morning；'　I　blandly　said。
　'Here；　let　me　help　with　some　of　that。'
　He　held　out　a　hand　as　elevator　doors　parted；　and　I　noticed　his　nails　were　buffed。
　'I'm　fine；'　I　said；　because　I　didn't　need　his　help。
　We　boarded；　both　of　us　staring　straight　ahead　as　we　began　the　ride　down　to　a　windowless　level　of　the　building　directly　beneath　the　indoor　firing　range。　Ring　had　sat　in　on　consultations　before；　and　he　took　copious　notes；　none　of　which　had　ended　up　in　the　news　thus　far。　He　was　too　clever　for　that。　Certainly；　if　information　divulged　during　an　FBI　consultation　was　leaked；　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　trace。　There　were　only　a　few　of　us　who　could　be　the　source。
　'I　was　rather　dismayed　by　the　information　the　press　somehow　got　access　to；'　I　said　as　we　got　out。
　'I　know　what　you　mean；'　Ring　said　with　a　sincere　face。
　He　held　open　the　door　leading　into　a　labyrinth　of　hallways　that　prised　what　once　had　begun　as　Behavioral　Science；　then　changed　to　Investigative　Support；　and　now　was　CASKU。　Names　changed；　but　the　cases　did　not。　Men　and　women　often　came　to　work　in　the　dark　and　left　after　it　was　dark　again；　spending　days　and　years　studying　the　minutiae　of　monsters；　their　every　tooth　mark　and　track　in　mud；　the　way　they　think　and　smell　and　hate。
　'The　more　information　that　gets　out　the　worse　it　is；'　Ring　went　on　as　we　approached　another　door；　leading　into　a　conference　room　where　I　spent　at　least　several　days　a　month。　'It's　one　thing　to　give　details　that　might　help　the　public　help　us　。　。　。'
　He　talked　on；　but　I　wasn't　listening。　Inside；　Wesley　was　already　sitting　at　the　head　of　a　polished　table；　his　reading　glasses　on。　He　was　going　through　large　photographs　stamped　on　the　back　with　the　name　of　the　Sussex　County　Sheriff's　Department。　Detective　Grigg　was　several　chairs　away；　a　lot　of　paperwork　in　front　of　him　as　he　studied　a　sketch　of　some　sort。　Across　from　him　was　Frankel　from　the　Violent　Criminal　Apprehension　Program；　or　VICAP；　and　at　the　other　end　of　the　table；　my　niece。　She　was　tapping　on　a　laptop　puter；　and　glanced　up　at　me　but　did　not　say　hello。
　I　took　my　usual　chair　to　the　right　of　Wesley；　opened　my　briefcase　and　began　arranging　files。　Ring　sat　on　the　other　side　of　me　and　continued　our　conversation。
　'We　got　to　accept　as　a　fact　that　this　guy　is　following　everything　in　the　news；'　he　said。　'That's　part　of　the　fun　for　him。'
　He　had　everyone's　attention；　all　eyes　on　him；　the　room　silent　except　for　his　own　sound。　He　was　reasonable　and　quiet；　as　if　his　only　mission　was　to　convey　the　truth　without　drawing　undue　attention　to　himself。　Ring　was　a　superb　con　man；　and　what　he　said　next　in　front　of　my　colleagues　incensed　me　beyond　belief。
　'For　example；　and　I　have　to　be　honest　about　this；'　he　said　to　me；　'I　just　don't　think　it　was　a　good　idea　to　give　out　the　race；　age　and　all　about　the　victim。　Now　maybe　I'm　wrong。'　He　looked　around　the　room。　'But　it　seems　like　the　less　said；　the　better　right　now。'
　'I　had　no　choice；'　I　said；　and　I　could　not　keep　the　edge　out　of　my　voice。　'Since　someone　had　already　leaked　misinformation。'
　'But　that's　always　going　to　happen；　and　I　don't　think　it　should　force　us　to　give　out　details　before　we're　ready；'　he　said　in　his　same　earnest　tone。
　'It　is　not　going　to　help　us　if　the　public　is　focused　on　a　missing　prepubescent　Asian　female。'　I　stared　at　him；　eye　to　eye；　while　everyone　else　looked　on。
　'I　agree。'　Frankel；　from　VICAP；　spoke。　'We'd　be　getting　missing　person　files　from　all　over　the　country。　An　error　like　that　has　to　be　straightened　out。'
　'An　error　like　that　never　should　have　happened　to　begin　with；'　Wesley　said；