cpatricia.blacknotice-第65部分

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　　I　ran　my　fingers　through　my　damp　hair；　and　he　followed　me　into　my　office。　I　draped　the　towel　over　my　chair　and　began　collecting　everything　that　needed　to　go　home　with　me。　I　noticed　lab　reports　Rose　had　left　on　my　desk。　Fingerprints　on　the　bucket　found　inside　the　container　matched　the　unidentified　dead　man's。
　　〃Well；　a　shitload　of　good　that　does；〃　Marino　said。
　　In　addition；　there　was　a　DNA　report　with　a　note　from　Jamie　Kuhn。　He　had　used　short　tandem　repeats；　or　STR；　and　already　had　results。
　　〃。　。　。　found　a　profile　。　。　。　very　similar　with　very　slight　differences；〃　I　scanned　out　loud　without　much　heart　for　it。　〃。　。　。　consistent　with　the　depositor　of　the　biological　sample　。　。　。　close　relative。　。　。〃
　　I　looked　up　at　Marino。
　　〃So；　long　story　short；　the　unidentified　man's　and　the　killer's　DNA　are　consistent　with　these　two　individuals　being　related　to　each　other。　Period。〃
　　〃Consistent；〃　Marino　said　in　disgust。　〃I　hate　all　this　scientific　consistent　shit！　The　two　assholes　are　brothers〃
　　I　had　no　doubt　of　that。
　　〃We　need　blood　samples　from　the　parents　to　prove　it；〃　I　said。
　　〃Let's　just　call　'em　up　and　see　if　we　can　drop　by；〃　Marino　cynically　replied。　〃The　lovely　Chandonne　sons。　Hooray。〃
　　I　threw　the　report　on　top　of　my　desk。
　　〃Hooray　is　right；〃　I　said。
　　〃Who　gives　a　shit。〃
　　〃I　sure　would　like　to　know　what　tool　he　used；〃　I　said。
　　〃I've　spent　all　afternoon　calling　these　big　hoity…toity　mansions　on　the　river。〃　Marino　had　changed　his　lane　of　thought。　〃The　good　news　is　everyone　seems　to　be　present　and　accounted　for。　The　bad　news　is　we　still　got　no　idea　where　he's　hanging　put。　And　it's　twenty…five　degrees　out　there。　No　way　he's　just　walking　around　or　sleeping　under　a　tree。
　　〃What　about　hotels？〃
　　〃Nobody　hairy　with　a　French　accent　or　ugly　teeth。　Nobody　even　close。　And　no…tell　motels　ain't　too　chatty　with　cops。〃
　　He　was　walking　along　the　hallway　with　me；　and　he　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　leave；　as　if　he　had　something　else　on　his　mind。
　　〃What's　wrong？〃　I　asked。　〃Besides　everything？〃
　　〃Lucy　was　supposed　to　be　in　D。C。　yesterday；　Doe；　to　go　before　the　review　board。　They've　flown　in　four　Waco　guys　to　counsel　her；　the　whole　nine　yards。　And　she　insists　on　staying　here　until　Jo's　okay。〃
　　We　walked　out　into　the　parking　lot。
　　〃Everybody　understands　that；〃　he　went　on　as　my　anxieties　grew。　〃But　that　ain't　the　way　it　works　when　the　director　of　ATF　is　rolling　up　his　sleeves　in　this　and　she's　a　no…show。〃
　　〃Marino；　I'm　sure　she's　let　them　know　what's　。　。　。〃　I　started　to　defend　her。
　　〃Oh　yeah。　She's　been　on　the　phone　and　promised　she'll　be　there　in　a　few　days。〃
　　〃They　can't　wait　a　few　days　for　her　to　get　there？〃　I　asked　as　I　unlocked　my　car。
　　〃The　whole　fuckup　down　there　was　videotaped；〃　he　said　as　I　slid　into　a　cold　leather　seat。　〃And　they've　been　going　through　it　over　and　over　again。〃
　　I　started　the　engine　as　the　night　suddenly　seemed　darker　and　colder　and　emptier。
　　〃There's　a　lot　of　questions。〃　He　dug　his　hands　in　the　pocket　of　his　coat。
　　〃About　whether　the　shooting　was　justified？　Isn't　saving　Jo's　life；　her　own　life；　justification　enough？〃
　　〃I　think　it's　her　attitude；　mainly；　Doc。　She's　so；　well；　you　know。　So　ready　to　charge　in　and　fight　all　the　time。　It　es　across　in　everything　she　does；　which　is　why　she's　so　damn　good。　But　it　can　also　be　one　hell　of　a　problem　if　it　gets　out　of　hand。〃
　　〃You　want　to　get　inside　the　car　so　you　don't　freeze？〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　follow　You　home；　then　I　got　things　to　do。　Lucy's　going　to　be　there；　right？〃
　　〃Yes〃
　　Otherwise　I　ain't　leaving　you　alone；　not　with　that　asshole　still　on　the　loose　out　there。〃
　　〃What　do　I　do　about　her？〃　I　quietly　asked。
　　I　no　longer　knew。　I　felt　my　niece　was　beyond　my　reach。　Sometimes　I　wasn't　even　sure　she　loved　me　anymore。
　　〃This　is　all　about　Benton；　you　know；〃　Marino　said。　〃Sure；　she's　pissed　at　life　in　general　and　goes　off　on　a　regular　basis。　Maybe　you　should　show　her　his　autopsy　report；　make　her　face　it；　get　it　the　hell　out　of　her　system　before　she　does　herself　in。〃
　　〃I　will　never　do　that；〃　I　said　as　old　pain　rushed　back；　but　not　as　intensely。
　　〃Jesus；　it's　cold。　And　getting　closer　to　a　full　moon；　which　is　exactly　what　I　don't　want　to　see　right　now。〃
　　〃All　a　full　moon　means　is　that　if　he　tries　again；　it　will　be　easier　to　see　him；〃　T　said。
　　〃Want　me　tó　follow　you？〃
　　〃I'll　be　fine。〃
　　〃Well；　you　call　me　if　for　some　reason　Lucy　ain't　there。　No　way　you're　staying　alone。〃
　　I　felt　like　Rose　as　I　drove　toward　home。　I　knew　exactly　what　she　meant　about　being　held　hostage　by　fear；　by　old　age；　by　grief；　by　anything　or　anyone。　I　had　almost　reached　my　neighborhood　when　I　decided　to　turn　around　and　cut　over　to　West　Broad　Street；　where　I　occasionally　went　to　Pleasants　Hardware　on　the　twenty…two…hundred　block。　It　was　an　old　neighborhood　store　that　had　expanded　over　the　years　and　tended　to　carry　more　than　just　the　standard　tools　and　garden　supplies。
　　When　I　shopped　here；　I　never　arrived　earlier　than　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　when　most　men　came　in　after　work　and　cruised　the　aisles　like　boys　coveting　toys。　There　were　many　cars；　trucks　and　vans　in　the　parking　lot；　and　I　was　in　a　hurry　as　I　walked　past　close…out　lawn　furniture　and　discontinued　power　tools。　Just　inside　the　door；　spring　flower　bulbs　were　on　special；　and　clearance…sale　gallon　cans　of　blue　and　white　paint　were　stacked　in　a　pyramid。
　　I　wasn't　sure　what　class　of　tool　I　was　looking　for；　although　I　suspected　the　weapon　that　had　killed　Bray　was　something　like　a　pickaxe　or　a　hammer。　So　I　kept　an　open　mind　and　went　up　and　down　aisles；　scanning　shelves　of　nails；　nuts；　fasteners；　screw　hooks；　hinges；　hasps　and　latches。　I　wandered　through　thousands　of　feet　of　neatly　coiled　rope　and　cord；　and　weatherizers　and　caulk　and　just　about　everything　one　needed　for　plumbing。　I　saw　nothing　that　mattered；　not　in　the　large　section　of　bars　and　claws　and　hammers；　either。
　　Pipes　didn't　quite　work；　because　the　threads　weren't　thick　or　widely　spaced　enough　to　have　left　the　strange　striped　pattern　we　found　on　Bray's　mattress。　Tire　tools　didn't　even　e　close。　I　was　getting　very　discouraged　by　the　time　I　reached　the　masonry　section　of　the　store；　and　I　saw　the　tool　hanging　on　a　distant　peg　board　and　I　felt　flushed；　my　heart　jumping。
　　It　looked　like　a　black　iron　pickaxe　with　a　coiled　handle　that　brought　to　mind　a　thick　large　spring。　I　went　over　and　picked　one　up。　It　was　heavy。　One　end　was　pointed；　the　other　like　a　chisel。　The　tag　on　it　said　it　was　a　chipping　hammer　and　cost　six　dollars　and　ninety…five　cents。
　　The　young　man　who　rang　it　up　had　no　idea　what　a　chipping　hammer　was；　and　didn't　know　the　store　carried　such　a　thing。
　　〃Is　there　anyone　here　who　would　know？〃　I　asked。
　　He　got　on　an　inter　and　asked　for　an　assistant　manager　named　Julie　to　e　to　his　register。　She　got　there　right　away　and　seemed　far　too　proper　and　well　dressed　to　know　about　tools。
　　〃It　can　be　used　in　welding　to　knock　off　slag；〃　she　let　me　know。　〃But　much　more　monly　it's　used　in　masonry。　Brick；　stone；　whatever。　It's　a　multipurpose　tool；　as　you　can　probably　tell　by　looking　at　it。　And　the　orange　dot　on　the　tag　means　it's　ten　percent　off。〃　…〃So　you　might　find　these　at　any　site　where　masonry　is　involved？　It　must　be　a　rather　obscure　tool；〃　I　said。
　　〃Unless　you're　into　masonry；　or　maybe　welding；　you'd　have　no　reason　to　know　about　it。〃
　　I　bought　a　chipping　hammer　for　ten　percent　off　and　drove　home。　Lucy　was　not　there　when　I　pulled　into　the　driveway；　and　I　hoped　she　had　gone　to　MCV　to　pick　up　Jo　and　bring　her　back　to　my　house。　A　flat　bank　of　clouds　was　moving　in　seemingly　out　of　nowhere；　and　it　was　beginning　to　feel　like　it　might　snow。　I　backed　my　car　into　the　garage　and　went　inside　my　house；　heading　straight　for　the　kitchen。　I　thawed　a　package　of　chicken　breasts　in　the　microwave　oven。
　　I　poured　barbecue　sauce　over　the　chipping　hammer；　especially　on　the　coiled　handle；　and　dropped　it　and　rolled　it　on　a　white　pillow　case。　The　striping　was　unmistakable。　I　pounded　chicken　breasts　with　both　ends　of　that　ominous　black　iron　tool　and　recognized　the　punched…out　shapes　right　away。　I　called　Marino。。He　wasn't　home。　I　paged　him。　He　didn't　get　back　to　me　for　fifteen　minutes。　By　then　my　nerves　were　shorting　out。
　　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。　'The　battery　went　dead　in　my　phone；　had　to　find　a　pay　phone。〃
　　〃Where　are　you？〃
　　〃Driving　around。　We　got　the　state　police　fixed…wing　plane　circling　the　river；　probing　everything　with　a　search：　light。　Maybe　the　bastard's　eyes　glow　in　the　dark　like　a　dog。　You　seen　the　sky？　Goddamn；　they're　suddenly　saying　we　might　get　six　inches　of　snow。　It's　already　started。〃
　　〃Marino；　Bray　was　killed　with　a　chipping　hammer；〃　I　said。
　　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃
　　〃Used　in　masonry。　You　aware　of　any　construction　along　the　river　that　might　involve　stone；　brick　or　something　like　that？　On　the　off　chance　he　got　the　tool　from　there　because　he's　staying　there？〃　。
　　〃Where　did　you　find　a　chipping　hammer？　I　thought　you　was　going　home？　I　hate　it　when　you　do　shit　like　this。〃
　　〃I　am　home；〃　I　impatiently　said。　〃And　maybe　he　is；　too；　right　this　minute。　Maybe　it's　some　place　putting　in　pavers　or　a　wall。〃
　　Marino　paused。
　　〃I　wonder　if　you　use　something　like　that　on　a　slate　roof；〃　he　said。　〃Fhere's　this　big　old　house　behind　gates；　way　back　from　Windsor　Farms；　right　on　the　river。　They're　putting　on　a　new　slate　roof。〃
　　〃Is　anybody　living　there？'
　　I　didn't　think　anything　about　it；　since　construction　guys　are　crawling　around　it　all　day　long。　Nobody's　in　it。　It's　for　sale；〃　he　said。
　　〃He　could　be　inside　during　the　day　and　e　out　after　dark　when　the　crew　is　gone；〃　I　replied。　〃Maybe　the　alarm　isn't　on　for　fear　the　construction　noise　would　set　it　off。〃
　　〃1'm　on　my　way。〃
　　〃Marino；　please　don't　go　there　alone。〃
　　〃ATF's　got　people　all　over　the　place；〃　he　said。
　　I　built　a　fire　and　when　I　went　out　for　more　wood；　it　was　snowing　hard；　the　moon　a　faint　face　behind　low　clouds。　I　cradled　split　logs　in　one　arm　and　tightly　gripped　my　Glock　in　my　hand　as　I　kept　my　eye　on　every　shadow　and　tuned　my　ear　to　every　sound。　The　night　seemed　to　bristle　with　fear。　I　hurried　inside　my　house　and　reset　the　alarm。
　　I　sat　in　the　great