cpatricia.blacknotice-第66部分

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ied　inside　my　house　and　reset　the　alarm。
　　I　sat　in　the　great　room；　flames　lashing　the　sooty　throat　óf　the　chimney；　and　I　worked　on　sketches。　I　tried　to　reconstruct　how　the　killer　might　have　gotten　Bray　back　to　the　bedroom　without　inflicting　a　single　blow。　Despite　her　years　in　administration；　she　was　a　trained　police　officer。　How　did　he　incapacitate　her　seemingly　so　easily　without　apparent　injury　or　a　struggle？　My　television。　was　on；　and　every　half　hour　or　so　the　local　networks　had　news　breaks。
　　The　so…called　Loup…Garou　couldn't　have　been　pleased　about　what　was　being　said；　assuming　he　had　access　to　a　radio　or　television。
　　〃。　。　。　been　described　as　stocky；　maybe　six　feet　tall；　maybe　bald。　According　to　the　chief　medical　examiner；　Dr。　Scarpetta；　he　may　have　a　rare　disease　that　causes　excess　hairiness　and　a　deformed　face　and　teeth　。　。　：'
　　Thanks　a　lot；　Harris；　I　thought。　He　had　to　pin　all　that　on　me。
　　〃。　。　。　are　urged　to　exercise　extreme　care。　Don't　answer　the　door　until　you're　sure　who　it　is。〃
　　Harris　was　right　about　one　thing；　though。　People　were　going　to　panic。　My　phone　rang　at　almost　ten。
　　〃Hey；〃　Lucy　said；　and　she　sounded　more　cheerful　than　I'd　heard　her　in　a　while。
　　〃Are　you　still　at　MCV？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Closing　up　things　here。　You　see　the　snow　out　there？　It's　ing　down　like　a　bitch。　We　should　be　home　in　about　an　hour。〃
　　〃Drive　carefully。　Call　me　when　you　pull　up　so　I　can　help　get　Jo　inside。〃
　　I　put　two　more　logs　on　the　fire；　and　no　matter　how　secure　my　fortress　was；　I　started　to　feel　scared。　I　tried　to　distract　myself　by　watching　an　old　Jimmy　Stewart　movie　on　HBO　while　I　paid　bills。　I　thought　of　Talley　and　got　depressed　again；　and　I　was　angry　with　him。　No　matter　my　ambivalence；　he　hadn't　really　given　me　a　chance。　I　had　tried　to　get　in　touch　with　him；　and　he　hadn't　bothered　to　call　back。
　　When　the　phone　rang　again；　I　jumped　and　a　stack　of　bills　fell　off　my　lap。
　　〃Yes？〃　I　said。
　　〃The　son　of　a　bitch's　been　staying　there；　all　right；〃　Marino　exclaimed。　〃But　he　ain't　there　now。　Trash；　food　wrappers；　crap　all　over　the　place。　And　hairs　in　the　damn　bed。　The　sheets　stink　like　a　dirty；　wet　dog。〃
　　Electricity　crackled　up　my　veins。
　　〃HIDTA's　got　a　squad　out　somewhere；　and　I've　got　cops　all　over　the　place。　He　takes　one　dip　in　the　river　and　we　got　his　ass。〃
　　〃Lucy's　bringing　Jo　home；　Marino；〃　I　said。　〃She's　out　there；　too。〃
　　〃You're　by　yourself？〃　he　blurted　out。
　　〃Inside；　locked　up；　alarm　on；　pistol　on　the　table。〃
　　〃Well；　you　stay　right　where　you　are；　you　hear　me！〃
　　〃Don't　worry。〃
　　〃One　good　thing　is；　it's　snowing　really　hard。　About　three　inches　already；　and　you　know　how　snow　lights　up　everything。　Ain't　a　good　time　for　him　to　be　out　wandering　around。〃
　　I　hung　up　and　skipped　from　channel　to　channel；　but　nothing　interested　me。　I　got　up　and　wandered　into　my　office　to　check　my　e…mail。but　didn't　feel　like　answering　any　of　it。　I　picked　up　the　jar　of　formalin　and　held　it　up　to　the　light；　looking　at　those　small　yellow　eyes　that　were　really　gold　dots　reduced　in　size；　and　I　thought　about　how　off…base　I'd　been　about　so　much。　I　anguished　over　every　slow　step　and　every　wrong　turn　I'd　taken。　Now　two　more　women　were　dead。
　　I　set　the　jar　of　formalin　on　the　coffee　table　in　the　great　room。　At　eleven　I　turned　to　NBC　to　watch　the　news。　Of　course；　it　was　all　about　this　evil　man；　this　Loup…Garou。　As　I　changed　to　another　channel；　I　was　shocked　by　my　burglar　alarm。　The　remote　control　fell　to　the　floor　as　I　jumped　up　and　fled　to　the　back　of　the　house。　My　heart　was　ing　out　of　my　chest。　I　locked　my　bedroom　door　and　grabbed　my　Glock；　waiting　for　the　phone　to　ring。　Minutes　later　it　did。
　　〃Zone　six；　the　garage　door；〃　I　was　told。　〃Do　you　want　the　police？〃
　　〃Yes！　I　want　them　now！〃　I　said。
　　I　sat　on　my　bed　and　let　the　alarm　beat　my　eardrums　as　it　hammered　and　hammered。　I　kept　an　eye　on　the　Aiphone　monitor；　and　then　remembered　it　would　not　work　if　the　police　didn't　ring　the　bell。　And；　as　I　knew　so　well；　they　never　did。　I　had　no　choice　but　to　turn　the　alarm　off　and　reset　it　and　sit　and　wait　in　silence；　straining　so　hard　to　hear　every　sound　that　I　imagined　I　could　hear　the　snow　falling。
　　Barely　ten　minutes　later；　there　was　a　sharp　rapping　on　my　front　door　and　I　hurried　down　the　hallway　as　a　voice　on　the　porch　loudly　called'out　〃Police。〃
　　With　great　relief　I　placed　my　pistol　on　the　dining…room　table　and　said；　〃Who　is　it？〃
　　I　wanted　to　be　sure。
　　〃Police；　ma'am。　We're　responding　to　your　alarm。〃
　　I　opened　the　door　and　the　same　two　officers　from　several　nights　before　knocked　snow　off　their　boots　and　came　in。
　　〃You've　not　been　having　a　good　time　of　it　lately；　have　you？〃　Officer　Butler　said　as　she　pulled　off　her　gloves；　her　eyes　moving　around。　〃You　might　say　we've　taken　a　personal　interest　in　you。〃
　　〃Garage　door　this　time；〃　McElwayne；　her　partner；　said。　〃Okay；　let's　take　a　look。〃
　　I　followed　them　through　the　mud　room　and　into　_　the　garage；　and　instantly　knew　this　was　no　false　alarm。　The　garage　door　had　been　pried　up　about　six　inches；　and　when　we　got　down　to　look　through　the　opening；　we　saw　footprints　in　the　snow　leading　to　the　door　and　then　away　from　it。　There　were　no　apparent　tool　marks　except　for　scrapes　on　the　rubber　strip　at　the　bottom　of　the　door。　The　footprints　were　lightly　dusted　with　snow。　They…　had　been　left　recently；　and　that　was　consistent　with　when　the　alarm　had　gone　off；
　　McElwayne　got　on　the　radio　and　requested　a　B&E　detective；　who　showed　up　twenty　minutes　later　and　took　photographs　of　the　door　and　footprints　and　dusted　for　fingerprints。　But　once　again；　there　really　was　nothing　more　the　police　could　do　other　than　follow　the　trail　of　footprints。　It　led　along　the　edge　of　my　yard　and　out　to　the　street；　where　the　snow　was　chopped　up　by　tires。
　　〃All　we　can　do　is　step　up　patrol　around　here；〃　Butler　told　me　as　they　left。　〃We'll　keep　an　eye　on　your　house　as　best　we　can；　and　if　anything　else　happens；　call　nine…one…one　right　away。　Even　if　it's　just　a　noise　that　bothers　you；　okay？〃
　　I　paged　Marino。　By　now　it　was　midnight。
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　he　asked。
　　I　told　him。
　　〃I'm　ing　over　right　now。〃
　　〃Listen；　I'm　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃Battled；　but　all　right。　I'd　rather　you　stay　out　there　looking　for　him　instead　of　ing　here　to　baby…sit　me；°〃
　　He　seemed　unsure。　I　knew　what　he　was　thinking。
　　〃It　doesn't　seem　his　style　is　to　break　in　anyway；〃　I　added。
　　Marino　hesitated；　then　he　said；　〃There's　something　you　ought　to　know。　I　didn't　know　if　I　should　tell　you。　Talley's　here。〃
　　I　was　stunned。
　　〃He's　the　head　of　the　squad　HIDTA　sent　in。〃
　　〃How　long　has　he　been　here？〃　I　tried　to　sound　curious　and　nothing　more。
　　〃Couple　days。〃
　　〃Tell　him　hello；〃　I　said　as　if　Talley　meant　very　little　tó　me　anymore。
　　Marino　wasn't　fooled。
　　〃Sorry　he　turned　out　to　be　such　an　asshole；〃　he　said。
　　The　minute　I　hung　up；　I　contacted　the　orthopedic　unit　at　MCV　and　the　nurse　on　duty　didn't　know　who　I　was　and　wouldn't　release　any　information　about　anything。　I　wanted　to　talk　to　Senator　Lord。　I　wanted　to　talk　to　Dr。　Zenner；　to　Lucy；　to　a　friend；　to　someone　who　cared；　and　at　that　moment　I　missed　Benton　so　acutely　I　thought　I　couldn't　go　on。　I　thought　of　being　buried　in　the　wreckage　of　my　life。　I　thought　of　dying。
　　I　tried　to　revive　the　fire；　but　it　was　stubborn　because　the　wood　I'd　carried　in　was　damp。　I　stared　at　the　pack　of　cigarettes　on　the　coffee　table　but　didn't　have　the　energy　to　light　one　up。　I　sat　on　the　couch　and　buried　my　face　in　my　hands　until　the　spasms　of　grief　subsided。　When　a　sharp　rapping　sounded　on　the　door　again；　my　nerves　ached　tut　I　was　just　so　tired。
　　〃Police；〃　a　male　voice　said　from　outside　as　he　rapped　again　with　something　hard　like　a　nightstick　or　blackjack。
　　〃I　didn't　call　the　police；〃　I　said　through　the　door。
　　〃Ma'am；　we've　gotten　a　call　about　a　suspicious　person　on　your　property；〃　he　said。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　I　said　as　I　turned　off　the　alarm　and　opened　the　door　to　let　him　in。
　　My　porch　fight　was　out；　and　it　had　never　occurred　to　me　he　might　be　able　to　speak　without　a　French　accent；　and　I　smelled　that　dirty；　wet　doglike　smell　as　he　pushed　his　way　in　and　shut　the　door　with　a　back…kick。　I　choked　on　the　scream　in　my　throat　as　he　smiled　his　hideous　smile　and　reached　out　a　hairy　hand　to　touch　my　cheek；　as　if　his　feelings　for　me　were　tender。
　　Half　of　his　face　was　lower　than　the　other　and　covered　with　a　fine　blond　stubble；　and　uneven；　crazed　eyes　burned　with　rage　and　lust　and　mockery　from　hell。　He　tore　off　his　long　black　coat　to　net　it　over　my　head　and　I　ran　and　this　all　happened　in　a　matter　of　seconds。'
　　Panic　hurled　me　into　the　great　room　and　he　was　on　my　heels　making　guttural　sounds　that　didn't　sound　human。　I　was　too　terrified　to　think。　I　was　reduced　to　the　childish　impulse　of　wanting　to　throw　something　at　him　and　the　first　thing　I　saw　was　the　jar　of　formalin　that　held　part　of　the　flesh　of　the　brother　he　had　murdered。　 …I　snatched　it　off　the　coffee　table　and　jumped　on　the　couch　and　over　the　back　of　it　and　fumbled　with　the　lid；　and　he　had　out　his　tool　now；　that　hammer　with　the　coiled　handle；　and　as　he　raised　it　and　grabbed　for　me　I　dashed　a　quart　of　formalin　in　his　face。
　　He　shrieked　and　grabbed　his　eyes　and　throat　as　the　chemical　burned　and　made　it　difficult　for　him　to　breathe。　He　squeezed　shut　his　eyes；　shrieking　and　grabbing　at　his　doused　shirt　to　rip　it　off；　gasping　arid　burning　like　fire　as　I　ran。　I　grabbed　my　gun　off　the　dining…room　table　and　hit　the　panic　alarm　as　I　fled　out　the　front　door　into　the　snow。　On　the　steps　my　feet　went　out　from　under　me　and　my　left　arm　shot　down　like　a　brace　to　stop　my　fall。　When　I　tried　to　get　up；　I　knew　I'd　broken　my　elbow；　and　I　was　shocked　to　see　him　staggering　after　me。
　　He　clutched　the　railing　as　he　blindly　made　his　way　down；　still　screaming；　and　I　was　sitting　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps；　panicking；　pushing　myself　back　as　if　I　were　crewing。　His　upper　body　was　dense　with　long　pale　hair　that　hung　from　his　arms　and　swirled　over　his　spine。　He　fell　to　his　knees；　scooping　up　handfuls　of　snow　and　rubbing　it　into　his　face　and　neck　again　and　again　as　he　fought　for　breath。
　　He　was　within　reach　of　me　and　I　imagined　him　springing　up　any