cpatricia.blacknotice-第40部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　‘。‘This　is　ADT　。　。　：'
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　I　said　loudly。　〃I　don't　know　why　it's　gone　off。
　　〃We're　showing　zone　five；〃　the　man　said。　〃The　kitchen　back　door。〃
　　〃I　have　no　idea。〃
　　〃Then　you'd　like　us　to　dispatch　the　police。〃
　　〃I　guess　you'd　better；〃　I　said　as　the　air　raid　in　my　house　went　on。
　　　
　　　28
　　I　supposed　a　strong　gust　of　wind　might　have　set　off　the　alarm；　and　minutes　later　I　silenced　it　so　I　could　hear　the　police　arrive。　I　sat　on　my　bed；　waiting。　I　didn't　go　through　the　dreaded　routine　of　securing　every　inch　of　my　house；　of　walking　into　rooms　and　showers　and　dark　spaces　of　fear。
　　I　listened　to　silence　and　became　acutely　aware　of　the　sounds　of　it。　I　heard　the　wind；　the　faint　clicking　of　numbers　rolling　on　the　digital　clock；　heat　blowing；　my　own　breathing。　A　car　turned　into　my　driveway　and　I　hurried　to　the　front　door　as　one　of　the　offers　sharply　rapped　with　a　baton　or　blackjack　instead　of　ringing　the　bell。
　　〃Police；〃　a　woman's　no…nonsense　voice　announced。
　　I　let　them　in。　There　were　two　officers；　a　young　woman　and　an　older　man。　The　woman's　nameplate　identified　her　as　J。　F。　Butler；　and　there　was　something　about　her　that　had　an　effect　on　me。
　　〃The　zone's　the　one　for　the　kitchen　door　that　leads　outside；〃　I　told　them。　〃I　very　much　appreciate　your　ing　so　quickly。〃
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　her　partner；　R。　I。　McElwayne；　asked　me。
　　He　was　acting　as　if　he　didn't　know　who　I　was；　as　if　I　were　just　a　middle…aged　lady　in　a　bathrobe　who　happened　to　live　in　a　nice　house　in　a　neighborhood　that　rarely　needed　the　police。
　　〃I　Kay　Scarpetta。〃
　　His　tight　demeanor　loosened　a　bit；　and　he　said；　〃I　didn't　know　if　you　really　existed。　Heard　about　you　a　lot；　but　I　never　been　to　the　morgue；　not　once　in　eighteen　years；　for　which　I'm　grateful。〃
　　〃'That's　because　back　then　you　didn't　have　to　go　to　demo　posts　and　learn　all　these　scientific　things；〃　Butler　picked　on　him。
　　McElwayne　tried　not　to　smile　as　his　eyes　roamed　curiously　around　my　house。
　　〃You're　wele　to　e　watch　a　demo　post　anytime　you　want；〃　I　said　to　him。
　　Butler's　attention　was　everywhere；　her　body　on　alert。　She　hadn't　been　dulled　yet　by　the　weight　of　her　career；　unlike　her　partner；　whose　main　interest　at　this　moment　was　my　house　and　who　I　was。　He　had　probably　pulled　a　thousand　cars　and　answered　just　as　many　false　alarms　by　now；　all　for　little　pay　and　even　less　appreciation。
　　〃We'd　like　to　look　around；〃　Butler　said　to　me；　locking　the　front　door。　〃Starting　with　down　here。〃
　　〃Please。　Look　anywhere　you　want。〃
　　〃If　you'll　just　stay　right　here；〃　she　said；　heading　toward　the　kitchen；　and　then　it　hit　me　hard；　emotions　catching　me　pletely　off　guard。
　　She　reminded　me　of　Lucy。　It　was　the　eyes；　the　straight　bridge　of　the　nose；　and　the　way　she　gestured。　Lucy　couldn't　move　her　lips　without　moving　her　hands；　as　if　she　were　conducting　a　conversation　instead　of　having　one。　I　stood　in　the　foyer　and　could　hear　their　feet　on　hardwood；　their　muffled　voices；　the　shutting　of　doors。　They　took　their　time；　and　I　imagined　it　was　Butler　who　was　making　sure　they　didn't　ignore　a　single　space　big　enough　to　hide　a　human　being。
　　They　came　down　the　stairs　and　went　out　into　the　icy　night；　the　beams　of　their　strong　flashlights　sweeping　over　windows；　streaking　across　blinds。　This　went　on　another　fifteen　minutes；　and　when　they　knocked　on　the　door　to　e　back　inside；　they　led　me　into。　the　kitchen；　McElwayne　blowing　on　his　cold；　red　hands。　Butler　had　something　important　on　her　mind。
　　〃Are　you　aware　there's　a　bent　place　in　the　jamb　of　the　kitchen　door？〃　she　asked。
　　〃No；〃　I　said；　startled。
　　She　unlocked　the　door　near　the　table　by　the　window；　where　I　usually　ate　when　I　was　with　friends　or　alone。　Raw；　freezing　air　rushed　in　as　I　moved　close　to　her　to　see　what　she　was　talking　about。　She　shone　her　light　on　a　smalf　indented　impression　in　the　strike　plate　and　edge　of　the　wooden　frame　where　it　appeared　someone　had　tried　to　pry　open　the　door。
　　〃It　could　have　been　there　for　a　while　and　you　haven't　noticed；〃　she　said。　〃We　didn't　check　when　your　alarm　went　off　on　Tuesday　because　it　was　the　zone　for　the　garage　door。〃
　　〃My　alarm　went　off　on　Tuesday？〃　I　said　in　amazement。　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　that。〃
　　〃I'm　going　out　to　the　car；〃　McElwayne　said　to　his　partner　as　he　walked　out　of　the　kitchen；　still　rubbing　his　hands。
　　〃Be　right　back。〃　 …〃I　was　working　day　shift；〃　she　explained　to　me。　〃It　appears　your　housekeeper　accidentally　set　it　off。〃
　　I　couldn't　understand　why　Marie　would　have　set　off　the　alarm　in　the；　garage；　unless　she'd　gone　out　that　way　for　some　reason　and　had　ignored　the　warning　beep　for　too　long。
　　〃She　was　pretty　shook　up；〃　Butler　went　on。　〃Apparently　couldn't　remember　the　code　until　we　were　already　here。〃
　　〃What　time　was　this？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Around　eleven　hundred　hours。　〃
　　Marino　wouldn't　have　heard　the　call　e　over　the　radio　because　at　eleven　o'clock　he　was　in　the　morgue　with　me。　I　thought　of　the　alarm　not　being　set　when　I　got　home　that　night；　of　the　soiled　towels　and　dirt　on　the　rug。　I　wondered　why　Marie　hadn't　left　a　note　for　me　saying　what　had　happened。
　　〃We　had　no　reason　to　check　this　door；〃　Butler　said。　〃So　I　can't　say　whether　the　pry　mark　was　here　on　Tuesday　or　not。〃
　　〃Even　if　it　wasn't；〃　I　said；　〃obviously　someone　tried　to　get　in　at　some　point。〃
　　〃Unit　three…twenty；〃　Butler　said。　〃Ten…five　to　a　precinct　B　and　E　detective。〃
　　〃Unit　seven…ninety…two；〃　came　the　response。
　　〃Can　you　respond；　reference　B'　and　E　attempt？〃　she　said；　giving　out　my　address。
　　〃Ten…four。　Take　me　about　fifteen　minutes。〃
　　Butler　set　her　radio　Upright　on　the　kitchen　table　and　studied　the　lock　a　little　more。　Cold　gusting　air　blew　a　stack　of　napkins　on　the　floor　and　sent　pages　of　a　newspaper　fluttering。　 ‘
　　〃He's　ing　out　of　Meadow　and　Cary；〃　she　told　me；　as　if　it　were　something　I　ought　to　know。　〃That's　where　the　precinct　is。〃
　　She　shut　the　door。
　　〃They're　not　part　of　the　detective　division　anymore；〃　she　went　on；　watching　for　my　reaction。　〃So　they　got　moved；　are　part　of　uniform　operations　now。　I　guess　this　was　about　a　month　ago；〃　she　added　as　I　began　to　suspect　where　the　conversation　was　headed。
　　〃I　guess　B　and　E　detectives　are　under　Deputy　Chief　Bray　now；〃　I　said。
　　She　hesitated；　then　replied　with　an　ironic　smile；　〃Isn't　everybody？〃
　　〃Would　you　like　a　cup　of　coffee？〃　I　asked。
　　〃That　would　be　nice。　I　don't　want　to　put　you　out：'
　　I　got　a　bag　of　coffee　from　the　freezer。　Butler；　sat　down　and　started　filling　out　an　offense　report　while　I　got　out　mugs　and　cream　and　sugar；　and　dispatchers　and　cops　jumped　in　and　out　in　ten…codes　on　the　air。　The　doorbell　rang　and　I　let　the　B&E　detective　in。　I　didn't　know　him。　It　seemed　I　didn't　know　anyone　anymore　since　Bray　had　taken　people　away　from　jobs　they　had　learned　so　well。
　　'This　the　door　right　here？〃　the　detective　was　asking　Butler。
　　〃Yeah。　Hey；　Johnny；　you　got　a　pen　that　works　better　than　this？〃
　　A　headache　began　boxing　with　my　brain。
　　〃You　got　one　that　works　at　all？〃
　　I　couldn't　believe　what　was　going　on。
　　〃What's　your　D。O。B。？〃　McElwayne　was　asking　me。
　　〃Not　too　many　people　have　alarm　systems　in　their　garage；〃　Butler　said。　〃In　my　opinion；　the　contacts　are　weaker　than　they're　going　to　be　in　a　regular　door。　Lightweight　metal；　a　really　big　surface　area。　You　get　a　strong　gusting　wind　。　。　。〃
　　〃I've　never　had　a　strong　wind　set　off　the　alarm　in　my　garage；〃　I　said。
　　〃But　if　you're　a　burglar　and　figure　a　house　has　a　burglar　alarm；〃　Butler　continued　to　reason；　〃you　might　not　assume　the　garage　door's　on　it。　And　maybe　there's　something　in　there　worth　stealing。〃
　　〃In　broad　daylight？〃　I　asked。
　　The　detective　was　dusting　the　doorjamb　while　more　cold　air　blew　in。
　　〃Okay；　let's　see；　Doc。〃　McElwayne　continued　filling　out　the　report。　〃Got　your　home　address。　Need　the　one　downtown；　and　your　home　and　business　telephone　numbers。〃
　　〃I　really　don't　want　my　unlisted　phone　number　in　a　press　basket；〃　I　said；　trying　to　restrain　my　building　resentment　of　this　intrusion；　well　intended　or　not。
　　〃Dr。　Scarpetta；　you　got　any　prints　on　file？〃　the　detective　asked；　brush　poised；　black　magnetic　powder　dirtying　the　door。
　　〃Yes。　For　exclusionary　purposes。〃
　　〃Thought　you　might。　I　think　all　MRs　ought　to　in　case　they　touch　something　they're　not　supposed　to；〃　he　said；　not　intending　to　insult　me　but　doing　it　anyway。
　　〃Do　you　understand　what　I'm　saying？〃　I　tried　to　get　McElwayne　to　look　up　at　me　and　listen。　〃I　don't　want　this　in　the　paper。　I　don't　want　every　news　reporter　and　God　knows　who　else　calling　me　at　home　and　knowing　my　exact　address　and　my　Social　Security　number　and　D。O。B。；　race；　sex；　where　I　was　born；　height；　weight；　eye　color；　next　of　kin。　。；
　　〃Anything　happened　lately　we　should　know　about？〃　McElwayne　continued　questioning　me　as　Butler　handed　the　detective　lifting　tape。
　　〃A　car　followed　me　Wednesday　night；〃　I　reluctantly　replied。
　　I　felt　all　eyes　on　me。
　　〃It　seems　my　secretary　was　followed；　too。　Last　night。〃
　　McElwayne　was　writing　all　of　this　down；　too。　The　doorbell　sounded　again；　and　I　saw　Marino　in　the　video　display　of　the　Aiphone　on　the　wall　by　the　refrigerator。
　　〃And　I'd　better　not　read　about　that　in　the　paper；〃　I　warned　as　I　walked　out　of　the　kitchen。
　　〃No；　ma'am；　it　will　be　in　the　supplementary　report。　That　doesn't　go　in　the　press　basket；〃　Butler's　voice　followed　me。
　　〃Goddamn　it；　do　something；〃　I　said　to　Marino　as　I　opened　the　door。　〃Someone　tries　to　break　into　my　goddamn　house　and　now　my　privacy's　going　to　be　broken　into　next。〃
　　Marino　was　vigorously　chewing　gum　and　looked　like　I　was　the　one　who　had　mitted　a　crime。
　　〃It'd　be　nice　if　you'd　let　me　know　when　someone　tries　to　break　into　your　house。　I　shouldn't　have　to　hear　about　it　on　the　fucking　scanner；〃　he　said；　his　angry　strides　carrying　him　toward　the　sound　of　voices。
　　I'd　had　enough　and　retreated　to　my　study　to　call　Marie。　A　young　child　answered　the　phone；　then　Marie　got　on。
　　〃I　just　found　out　about　the　alarm　going　off　while　you　were　here　on　Tuesday；〃　I　said　to　her。
　　〃I'm　very　sorry；　Mrs。　Scarpetta；〃　she　said　in　a　pleading　voice。　〃I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　didn't　do　anything　to　set　it　off。　I　was　vacuuming　and