cpatricia.blacknotice-第41部分

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to　set　it　off。　I　was　vacuuming　and　then　it　happened。　I　couldn't　remember　the　code　because　I　was　so　scared：〃
　　〃I　understand；　Marie；〃　I　said。　〃It　scares　me；　too。　It　just　went　off　again　tonight；　so　I　know　exactly　what　you　mean。　But　I　need　you　to　tell　me　these　things　when　they　happen。〃
　　〃The　police　didn't　believe　me。　I　was　sure　of　it。　I　told　them　I　didn't　go　into　the　garage；　and　I　could　tell。　。　：'
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　again。
　　〃I　was　afraid　you　would　be　angry　with　me　because　the　police　。　。　。　that　maybe　you　wouldn't　want　me　working　for　you　anymore　。　。　。　I　should　have　told　you。　I　will　always。　I　promise：'
　　〃You　don't　need　to　be　afraid。　The　police　aren't　going　to　hurt　you　in　this　country；　Marie。　It's　not　the　same　thing　as　where　you're　from。　And　I　want　you　to　be　very　careful　when　you're　at　my　house。　Keep　the　alarm　on　and　make　sure　it's　on　when　you　leave。　Did　you　notice　anyone　or　maybe　a　car　that　caught　your　attention　for　some　reason？〃
　　〃I　remember　it　was　raining　hard　and　very　cold。　I　didn't　see　anyone。〃
　　〃You　let　me　know　if　you　do；〃　I　said。
　　　
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　　Somehow　the　supplemental　part　of　the　attempted　burglary　offense　report　made　it　into　the　press　basket　in　time　for　the　six　o'clock　news　on　Saturday　night。　Reporters　began　calling　both　Rose　and　me　at　home　with　question　after　question　about　our　being　followed　I　had　no　doubt　Bray　was　behind　that　little　slip。　It　was　a　nice　little　bit　of　amusement　for　her　on　an　otherwise　cold；　dreary　weekend。　Of　course　she　didn't　give　a　damn　that　my　sixty…four…year…old　secretary　lived　alone　in　a　munity　that　did　not　have　a　guard　gate。
　　Late　Sunday　afternoon　I　sat　in　my　great　room；　a　fire　burning；　as　I　worked　on　a　long　overdue　journal　article　that　I　had　no　heart　for。　The　wretched　weather　continued　and　my　concentration　drifted。　By　now；　Jo　should　have　been　admitted　to　MCV　and　Lucy　should　be　in　D。C。；　I　supposed。　I　didn't　know　for　sure。　But　of　one　thing　I　was　certain。　Lucy　was　angry；　and　whenever　she　was　angry；　she　cut　herself　off　from　me。　It　could　go　on　for　months；　even　a　year。
　　I　had　managed　to　avoid　calling　my　mother　or　my　sister　Dorothy；　which　might　have　seemed　pretty　cold　of　me；　but　I　didn't　need　one　more　watt　of　stress。　I　finally　relented　early　Sunday　evening。　Apparently　Dorothy　wasn't　home。　I　tried　my　mother　next。
　　〃No；　Dorothy's　not　here；〃　my　mother　said。　〃She's　in　Richmond；　and　maybe　you　would　know　that　if　you　ever　bothered　to　call　your　sister　and　your　mother。　Lucy's　in　a　shooting；　and　you　can't　be　bothered。　。　。〃
　　〃Dorothy's　in　Richmond？〃　I　said　in　disbelief。
　　〃What　do　you　expect？　She's　her　mother。〃
　　〃So　Lucy's　in　Richmond；　too？〃　The　thought　sliced　through　me　like　a　scalpel。
　　〃That's　why　her　mother's　going　there。　Of　course　Lucy's　in　Richmond。〃
　　I　didn't　know　why　I　should　have　been　surprised。　Dorothy　was　a　narcissistic　upstager。　Whenever　there　was　drama；　she　had　to　be　the　center　of　it。　If　that　meant　suddenly　assuming　the　role　of　mother　to　a　child　she　cared　nothing　about；　Dorothy　would。
　　〃She　left　yesterday　and　didn't　want　to　bother　to　ask　about　staying　in　your　house；　since　you　don't　seem　to　care　about　your　family；〃　my　mother　said。
　　〃Dorothy　never　wants　to　stay　in　my　house。〃
　　My　sister　was　quite　fond　of　hotel　bars。　At　my　house；　there　was　no　possibility　of　meeting　men；　at　ldast　not　any　I　was　willing　to　share　with　her。
　　〃Where　is　she　staying？〃　I　asked。　〃And　is　Lucy　staying　with　her？〃
　　〃No　one　will　tell　me；　all　this　secrecy　business；　and　here　I　am；　her　grandmother　。　。　：〃
　　I　couldn't　stand　it　anymore。
　　〃Mother；　I've　got　to　go；〃　I　said。
　　I　practically　hung　up　on　her　and　called　the　orthopedic　department　chair；　Dr。　Graham　Worth；　at　home。
　　〃Graham；　you've　got　to　help　me　out；〃　I　told　him。
　　〃Don't　tell　me　a　patient　in　my　unit　died；〃　he　wryly　said。
　　〃Graham；　you　know　I　wouldn't　ask　for　your　help　unless　it　was　something　very　important。〃
　　Levity　gave　way　to　silence。
　　〃You've　got　a　patient　under　an　alias。　She's　DEA；　was　shot　in　Miami。　You　know　who　I　mean。〃
　　He　didn't　answer　me。
　　〃My　niece；　Lucy；　was　involved　in　the　same　shooting；〃　I　went　on。
　　〃I　know　about　the　shooting；〃　he　replied。　〃Certainly　it's　been　in　the　news。〃
　　〃I'm　the　one　who　asked　Jo　Sanders's　DEA　supervisor　to　transfer　her　to　MCV　I　promised　to'personally　look　after　her；　Graham。〃
　　〃Listen；　Kay；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　instructed　that　under　no　circumstances　am　I　allowed　to　let　anyone　but　immediate　family　in　to　see　her。〃
　　〃No　one　else？〃　I　said　in　disbelief。　〃Not　even　my　niece？〃
　　He　paused；　then　said；　〃It　pains　me　to　tell　you　this；　but　especially　not　her。〃
　　〃Why？That's　ridiculous！〃
　　〃It's　not　my　call。〃
　　I　couldn't　imagine　Lucy's　reaction　if　she　was　being　barred　from　seeing　her　lover。
　　〃She's　got　a　shattered；　minuted　fracture　of　the　left　femur；〃　he　was　explaining。　〃I've　had　to　put　in　a　plate。　She's　in　traction　and　on　morphine；　Kay。　She　fades　in　and　out：　Only　her　parents　are　seeing　her。　I'm　not　even　sure　she　really　understands　where　she　is　or　what　happened　to　her。〃
　　〃What　about　the　head　injury？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Just　a　grazing　wound　that　opened　the　flesh。〃
　　〃Has　Lucy　been　there　at　all？　Maybe　waiting　outside　the　room？　Her　mother　might　be　with　her。〃
　　〃She　was　there　earlier。　Alone；〃　Dr。　Worth　replied。　〃Sometime　this　morning。　I　doubt　she's　still　there。〃
　　〃At　least　give　me　a　chance　to　talk　to　Jo's　parents。〃
　　He　wouldn't　answer　me。
　　〃Graham？〃
　　Silence。
　　〃For　God's　sake。　They're　rades。　They're　best　friends。〃
　　Silence。
　　〃Are　you　still　there？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Damn　it；　Graham；　they　love　each　other。　Jo　might　not　even　know　if　Lucy's　alive。〃
　　〃Jo　is　very　well　aware　your　niece　is　fine。　Jo　doesn't　want　to　see　her；〃　he　said。
　　I　got　off　the　phone　and　stared　at　it。　Somewhere　in　this　goddamn　city　my　sister　was　checked　into　a　hotel；　and　she　knew　where　Lucy　was。　I　went　through　the　Yellow　Pages；　starting　with　the　Omni；　the　Jefferson；　the　obvious　hotels。　I　soon　found　that　Dorothy　had　checked　into　the　Berkeley　in　the　historic　area　of　the　city　known　as　Shockhoe　Slip。
　　She　didn't　answer　the　phone　in　her　room。　There　were　only　so　many　places　in　Richmond　where　she　could　carouse　on　a　Sunday；　and　I　hurried　out　of　the　house　and　got　into　my　car。　The　skyline　was　shrouded　in　clouds；　and　I　valetparked　my　car　in　front　of　the　Berkeley。　I　knew　right　away　when　I　walked　inside　that　Dorothy　would　not　be　here。　The　small；　elegant　hotel　had　an　intimate；　dark　bar　with　highbacked　leather　chairs　and　a　quiet　clientele。　The　bartender　wore　a　white　jacket　and　was　very　attentive　when　I　went　up　to　him。
　　〃I'm　looking　for　my　sister　and　wonder　if　she's　been　in　here；〃　I　said。　I　described　her　andhe　shook　his　head。
　　I　walked　back　outside　and　crossed　the　cobblestone　street　to　the　Tobacco　pany；　an　old　tobacco　warehouse　that　had　been　turned　into　a　restaurant　with　an　exposed　glass　and　brass　elevator　constantly　gliding　up　and　down　through　an　atrium　of　lush　plants　and　exotic　flowers。　Just　inside　the　front　door　was　a　piano　bar　with　a　dance　floor；　and　I　spotted　Dorothy　sitting　at　a　table　crowded　with　five　men。　I　walked　up　to　them；　clearly　on　a　mission。
　　People　at　nearby　tables　stopped　talking；　all　eyes　on　me　as　if　I　were　a　gunslinger　who　had　just　pushed　her　way　through　a　saloon's　swinging　doors。
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　I　politely　said　to　the　man　on　Dorothy's　left。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　sit　here　for　a　moment？〃
　　He　did　mind；　but　he　surrendered　his　chair　and　wandered　off　to　the　bar。　Dorothy's　other　panions　shifted　about　unfortably。
　　〃I've　e　to　get　you；〃　I　said　to　Dorothy；　who　clearly　had　been　drinking　for　a　while。
　　〃Well；　look　who's　here！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　she　raised　her　stinger　in　a　toast。　〃My　big　sister。　Let　me　introduce　you；〃　she　said　to　her　panions。
　　〃Be　quiet　and　listen　to　me；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice。
　　〃My　legendary　big　sister。〃
　　Dorothy　always　got　mean　when　she　drank。　She　didn't　slur　her　words　or　bump　into　things；　but　she　could　sexually　tease　men　into　misery　and　use　her　tongue　like　a　nettle。　I　was　ashamed　of　her　demeanor　and　the　way　she　dressed；　which　sometimes　seemed　an　intended　parody　of　me。
　　This　night　she　wore　the　handsome　dark　blue　suit　of　a　professional；　but　beneath　the　jacket　her　tight　pink　sweater　offered　her　panions　more　than　a　hint　of　nipples。　Dorothy　had　always　been　obsessed　with　her　small　breasts。　To　have　men　staring　at　them　somehow　reassured　her。
　　〃Dorothy；〃　I　said；　leaning　closer　to　her　ear；　almost　overwhelmed　by　Chanel　Coco；　〃you　need　to　e　with　me。　We　have　to　talk。〃
　　〃Do　you　know　who　she　is？〃　she　went　on　as　I　cringed。　〃The　chief　medical　examiner　of　this　fine　monwealth。　Can　you　believe　it？　I　have　a　big　sister　who's　a　coroner。〃…〃Wow；　that's　got　to　be　really　interesting；〃　one　of　the　men　said。
　　〃What　can　I　get　you　to　drink？〃　said　another。
　　〃So　what　do　you　think　is　the　truth　about　the　Ramsey　case？　Think　the　parents　did　it？〃
　　〃I'd　like　somebody　to　prove　those　were　really　Amelia　Earhart's　bones　they　found：'
　　〃Where's　the　waitress？〃
　　I　put　my　hand　on　Dorothy's　arm　and　we　got　up　from　the　table。　One　thing　was　true　about　my　sister：　She　had　too　much　pride　to　cause　a　scene　that　didn't　make　her　look　clever　and　appealing。　I　escorted　her　out　into　a　dispirited　night　of　darkened　windows　and　fog。
　　〃I'm　not　going　home　with　you；〃　she　announced；　now　that　there　was　no　one　to　hear。　〃And　let　go　of　my　fucking　arm。
　　She　pulled　in　the　direction　of　her　hotel　while　I　tugged　her　toward　my　car。
　　〃You're　ing　with　me　and　we're　going　to　figure　out　what　to　do　about　Lucy。〃
　　〃I　saw　her　earlier　at　the　hospital；〃　she　said。
　　I　put　her　in　the　passenger's　side。
　　〃She　didn't　mention　anything　about　you；〃　my　oversensitive　sister　said。
　　I　got　in　and　locked　the　doors。
　　〃Jo's　parents　are　very　sweet；〃　she　added　as　we　drove　off。　〃I　was　very　taken　aback　that　they　didn't　know　the　truth　about　Lucy　and　Jo's　relationship。〃
　　〃What　did　you　do？　Tell　them；　Dorothy？〃
　　〃Not　in　so　many　words；　but　I　suppose　I　implied　certain　things　because　I　just　assumed　they　knew。　You　know；　it　seems　so　odd　to　see　a　skyline　like　this　when　you're　used　to　Miami。〃
　　I　wanted　to　slap　her。
　　〃Anyway；　after　talking　with　the　Sanderses　for　a　while；　I　came　to　realize　they're　the　Jerry　Falwell　type　and　weren't