cpatricia.blacknotice-第30部分

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s　me。〃
　　〃Your　name　never　came　up　once。　And　I　most　certainly　haven't　spread　anything　about　you　anywhere。〃
　　〃Bullshit：'　His　angry　voice　trembled　as　if　he　might　cry。　〃I've　wanted　to　be　a　cop　all　my　life；　and　now　you　ruined　it！〃
　　〃No；　Chuck；　you　ruined　it。〃
　　〃Call　the　chief　and　say　something。　You　can；　you　can；〃　he　begged　like　a　distraught　child。　〃Please。〃
　　〃Why　were　you　meeting　Bray　last　night？〃
　　〃Because　she　told　me　to。　I　don't　know　what　she　wanted。　She　just　sent　me　a　page　and　told　me　to　be　in　the　parking　lot　at　Buckhead's　at　five…thirty。〃
　　〃And　of　course；　in　her　mind　you　never　showed　up。　I　expect　that　may　have　something　to　do　with　why　you　got　bad　news　this　morning。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃I　guess；〃　he　mumbled。
　　〃How　are　you　feeling？　Still　sick？　If　not；　I've　got　to　head　out　to　Petersburg；　and　I　think　you　should　ride　with　me　so　we　can　finish　this　conversation。〃
　　〃Well；　I　。　。　：'
　　〃Well　what；　Chuck？〃
　　〃I　want　to　finish　the　conversation；　too；〃　he　said。
　　〃Start　with　how　you　know　Deputy　Chief　Bray。　I　find　it　rather　extraordinary　that　you　should　have　what　seems　to　be　a　personal　relationship　with　the　most　powerful　person　in　the　police　department。〃
　　〃Imagine　how　I　felt　when　it　all　started；〃　he　innocently　said。　〃See；　Detective　Anderson　called　me　a　couple　months　ago；　said　she　was　new　and　wanted　to　ask　me　questions　about　the　M。E：　s　office；　about　our　procedures；　and　could　I　meet　her　at　the　River　City　Diner　for　lunch。　That　was　when　I　got　on　the　road　to　hell；　and　I　know　I　should've　said　something　to　you　about　her　call。　I　should've　told　you　what　I　was　doing。　But　you　were　teaching　classes　most　of　the　day　and　I　didn't　want　to　bother　you；　and　Dr。　Fielding　was　in　court。　So　I　told　Anderson　I'd　be　glad　to　help　her　out。〃
　　〃Well；　it's　pretty　obvious　she　didn't　learn　anything。〃
　　〃She　was　setting　me　up；〃　he　said；　〃and　when　I　walked　into　the　River　City　Diner；　I　couldn't　believe　it。　She　was　sitting　in　a　booth　with　Deputy　Chief　Bray；　and　she　told　me　she　wanted　to　know　all　about　the　way　our　office　runs；too。　〃
　　〃Who　did？〃
　　〃Bray　did。〃
　　〃I　see。　Big　surprise；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　guess　I　was　really　flattered　but　nervous；　too；　because　I　didn't　understand　what　was　going　on。　I　mean；　next　thing；　she's　telling　me　to　walk　back　to　police　headquarters　with　her　and　Anderson。〃
　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　all　this　at　the　time？〃　I　said　as　we　drove　toward　Fifth　Street　to　pick　up　I…95　South。
　　〃I　don't　know　。　。　。〃　His　voice　trailed　off。
　　〃I　think　you　do。〃
　　〃I　was　scared。〃
　　〃Might　it　have　anything　to　do　with　your　ambition　of　being　a　police　officer？〃
　　〃Well；　let's　face　it；〃　he　said。　〃What　better　connection　could　I　have？　And　somehow　she　knew　I　was　interested　and　when　we　got　to　her　office；　she　closed　the　door　and　sat　me　across　from　her　desk。〃
　　〃‘Was　Anderson　there？〃
　　〃Just　Bray　and　me。　She　said　that　with　my　experience　I　might　think　about　being　a　crime…scene　technician。　I　felt　like　I'd　won　the　lottery。〃
　　I　was　working　hard　at　keeping　my　distance　from　cement　barriers　and　aggressive　drivers　while　Ruffin　continued　his　choirboy　act。
　　〃I　have　to　admit　I　was　in　a　dream　after　that　and　lost　interest　in　my　job；　and　I'm　sorry　for　that；〃　he　said。　〃But　it　wasn't　until　two　weeks　later　that　Bray　e…mailed　me　。　。　：'
　　〃Where　did　she　get　your　e…mail　address？〃
　　〃Uh；　she　asked　for　it。　So　she　e…mailed　me　and　said　she　wanted　me　to　drop　by　her　house　at　five…thirty；　that　she　had　something　very　confidential　to　discuss　with　me。
　　〃And　I'm　telling　you；　Dr。　Scarpetta；　I　didn't　want　to　go。　I　knew　something　bad　was　going　to　e　out　of　it。〃
　　〃Such　as？〃
　　〃I　halfway　wondered　if　maybe　she　was　going　to　hit　on　me　or　something。〃
　　〃Did　she？　What　happened　when　you　got　to　her　house？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Gosh；　this　is…really　hard　to　say。〃
　　〃Say　it。〃
　　〃She　got　me　a　beer　and　moved　her　chair　real　close　to　the　couch　where　I　was　sitting。　She　asked　me　all　kinds　of　questions　about　myself　like　she　was　really　interested　in　me　as　a　person。　And　。　。　：〃
　　A　loaded…down　logging　truck　pulled　in　front　of　me　and　I　sped　around　it。
　　〃I　hate　those　things；〃　I　said。
　　〃Me；　too；〃　Chuck　said；　and　his　shoe…licking　tone　was　making　me　sick。
　　〃And　what？　You　were　telling　me？〃　I　said。
　　He　took　a　deep　breath。　He　got　very　interested　in　the　trucks　bearing　down　on　us　and　the　men　working　with　mounds　of　asphalt　on　the　roadside。　It　seemed　as　if　this　stretch　of　I…95　near　Petersburg　had　been　under　construction　since　the　Civil　War。
　　〃She　wasn't　in　a　uniform；　if　you　get　what　I　mean；〃　he　resumed　with　overblown　sincerity。　〃She；　well；　she　had　on　a　business　suit；　but　I　don't　think　she　was　wearing　a　bra；　or　at　least　the　blouse　。　。　。　you　could　sort　of　see　through　it。〃
　　〃Did　she　ever　try　to　seduce　you；　make　any　overture　at　all　beyond　how　she　was　dressed？〃　I　asked。
　　〃No；　ma'am；　but　it　was　like　maybe　she　was　hoping　I　would。　And　now　I　know　why。　She　wouldn't　go　for　it；　but　she'd　hold　it　over　me。　Just　one　more　way　to　control　me。　So　when　she　got　me　my　second　beer；　she　got　down　to　what　she　wanted。　She　said　it　was　important　I　know　the　truth　about　you：'
　　〃Which　is？〃
　　〃She　said　you're　unstable。　Everybody　knew　you'd　lost　your　grip；　those　were　her　exact　words；　that　you　were　almost　bankrupt　because　you're　a　pulsive　shopper　。　。　：'
　　〃pulsive　shopper？〃
　　〃She　said　something　about　your　house　and　car。〃
　　〃Why　would　she　know　anything　about　my　house？〃　I　asked；　realizing　that　Rufn　knew　about　both；　among　many　other　things。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　guess　the　worst　thing；　though；　was　what　she　said　about　your　work。　That　you'd　been　screwing　up　cases　and　the　detectives　were　beginning　to　plain　except　for　Marino。　He　was　covering　up　for　you；　which　was　why　she　was　going　to　have　to　do　something　about　him　eventually。〃
　　〃And　she　certainly　did；〃　I　said　without　a　trace　of　emotion。
　　〃Gee；　do　I　have　to　go　on？〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　say　all　these　things　to　you！〃
　　〃Chuck；　would　you　like　a　chance　to　start　over　and　undo　some　of　the　damage　you've　done？〃　I　set　him　up。
　　〃God；　if　only　I　could；〃　he　said；　as　if　he　really　meant　it。
　　〃Then　tell　me　the　truth。　Tell　me　everything。　Let's　get　you　back　on　the　right　track　so　you　can　have　a　happy　life；〃　I　encouraged　him。
　　I　knew　the　little　bastard　would　turn　on　anyone　if　it　was　in　his　best　interest。
　　〃She　said　one　of　the　reasons　she'd　been　hired　was　the　chief；　the　mayor　and　city　council　wanted　to　get　rid　of　you　but　didn't　know　how；〃　Ruffin　went　on　as　if　the　words　caused　him　pain。　〃That　they　couldn't　because　you　don't　work　for　the　city；　the　governor　basically　had　to　do　it。　She　explained　to　me　it's　like　when　a　new　city　manager　is　hired　because　people　want　to　get　rid　of　a　bad　police　chief。　It　was　amazing。　She　was　so　convincing；　I　was　sucked　in。　Then；　and　I'll　never　forget　it；　she　got　up　from　her　chair　and　sat　next　to　me。　She　looked　into　my　eyes。
　　〃She　said；　‘Chuck；　your　boss　is　going　to　ruin　your　life；　do　you　understand？　She's　going　to　take　down　everyone　around　her；　especially　you：　I　asked　her　why　me？　And　she　said；　‘Because　you're　a　nothing　to　her。　People　like　her　may　act　nice；　but　deep　down　they　think　they're　God　and　have　contempt　for　minions：　She　asked　me　if　I　knew　what　a　minion　was；　and　I　said　I　didn't。　She　told　me　it　was　a　servant。　Well；　that　got　me　mad。〃
　　〃I　guess　so；〃　I　said。　〃I've　never　treated　you　or　anyone　like　a　servant；　Chuck。〃
　　〃I　know。　I　know！〃
　　I　believed　some　of　his　account　was　true。　Most　of　it　was　self…serving　and　slanted；　I　was　sure。
　　〃So　I　started　doing　things　for　her。　Little　things　at　first；〃　he　went　on。　〃And　every　time　I　did　one　bad　thing；　it　got　easier　to　do　the　next。　It's　like　I　got　harder　and　harder　inside　and　talked　myself　into　believing　everything　I　was　doing　was　justified；　even　right。　Maybe　so　I　could　sleep　at　night。　Then　the　things　she　wanted　got　big；　like　the　e…mail；　only　she　got　Anderson　to　give　me　those。　assignments。Bray's　too　slippery　to　get　caught。〃
　　〃What　things；　for　example？〃　I　said。
　　〃Dropping　the　bullet　down　the　sink。　That　was　bad　enough。〃
　　〃Yes；　it　was；〃　I　said；　holding　in　my　contempt　for　him。
　　〃Which　is　one　of　the　reasons　I　knew　something　really　big　must　be　on　her　mind　when　she　sent　me　the　page　about　meeting　her　at　Buckhead's　last　night；〃　he　went　on。　〃She　said　not　to　say　a　word　to　anyone　and　not　answer　her　back　unless　there　was　a　problem。　Just　to　show　up。　Period。
　　〃I　was　scared　to　death　of　her　by　then；〃　he　said；　and　that　part　I　certainly　believed。　〃She　had　me；　you　know。　i　was　dirty　and　she　had　me。　I　was　so　scared　of。　what　she　might　ask　me　to　do　next：〃
　　〃And　what　might　that　have　been？〃
　　He　hesitated。　A　transfer　truck　swerved　in　front　of　me　and　I　tapped　my　brakes。　Bulldozers　were　moving　dirt　on　the　embankment；　and　dust　was　everywhere。
　　〃Screw　up　the　Container　Man　case：　I　knew　that　was　ing。　She　was　going　to　get　me　to　tamper　with　something　to　get　you　into　so　much　trouble　that　it　was　over　for　you。　And　what　better　case　than　one　with　Interpol　and　everything？　With　all　the　interest？〃
　　〃And　have　you　done　something　to　promise　that　case；　Chuck？〃　I　said。
　　〃No；　ma'am。〃
　　〃Have　you　tampered　with　any　case？〃
　　〃Other　than　the　bullet；　no；　ma'am。〃
　　〃You　realize　of　course　you　would　be　mitting　a　felony　if　you　altered　or　destroyed　evidence？　Do　you　realize　Bray's　heading　you　toward　prison　and　probably　even　setting　you　up　for　it　so　she　can　get　you　out　of　the　way　after　she's　finished　with　me？〃
　　〃Deep　down；　I　don't　think　she'd　do　that　to　me；〃　he　said。
　　He　was　nothing　to　her。　He　was　a　flunky　who　didn't　have　sense　enough　to　avoid　a　trap　when　he　found　one　because　his　ego　and　ambition　got　in　the　way。
　　〃You're　sure　about　that；〃　I　said。　〃Sure　Bray　wouldn't　make　you　the　fall　guy？〃
　　He　wavered。
　　〃Are　you　the　one　who's　been　stealing　things　in　the　office？〃　I　hit　the　matter　head…on　and　asked。
　　〃I　have　all　of　it。　She　wanted　me　to　do　。　。　。　to　do　anything　I　could　to　make　you　look　like　you　couldn't　run　the　office。　It's　all　at　my　house　in　a　box。　Eventually　I　was　going　to　leave　it　in　the　building　somewhere　so　someone　would　find　it　and　return　the　stuff　to　everyone。〃
　　〃Why　would　you　let　her　have　this　much　power　over　you？〃　I　asked。　〃So　much　that　you　would　lie　and　steal　and　premeditate　tamper